A 5.1-magnitude earthquake has struck the Los Angeles area of southern California, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says.
The quake happened at about 21:10 local time on Friday and its epicentre was 1 mile east of the town of La Habra.
The 5.1-magnitude earthquake has struck the Los Angeles area of southern California
There were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries.
A 4.4-magnitude quake was felt near Los Angeles earlier this month, rattling nerves but causing no major damage.
The latest earthquake was shallow at only 1.2 miles deep, according to the USGS.
It was felt across four counties, from Palm Springs in the east and Ventura County to the north, Reuters news agency reported.
The Los Angeles Fire Department said it was checking buildings and transport infrastructure for damage.
It said the quake was a reminder for people to be prepared.
The San Andreas fault, on the edge of the Pacific tectonic plate, runs directly through California, and the western US state has long braced for a devastating quake.
Thailand’s anti-government protesters have resumed demonstrations in Bangkok demanding the resignation of PM Yingluck Shinawatra.
Large crowds carrying Thai flags marched along several routes from the main park in Bangkok.
It was the first major protest rally to take place since a Thai court ruled the February 2 general election invalid.
Until recently, Thailand had seen an ease in tensions since anti-government demonstrations began four months ago.
Anti-government activists want PM Yingluck Shinawatra to step down and the political system to be reformed.
At the height of the demonstrations, which began in November, protesters shut down key road junctions in Bangkok and blockaded government ministries.
Thailand’s anti-government activists want PM Yingluck Shinawatra to step down and the political system to be reformed
Saturday’s demonstrators, led by protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, marched from Bangkok’s Lumpini Park along six different routes through the city centre.
”We want to tell the government that the people don’t accept them anymore and the people really want reform of the country immediately,” Suthep Thaugsuban told reporters.
Suthep Thaugsuban warned the authorities against attempting to organize a re-run of the elections, saying any future poll would be boycotted.
The march comes a week after Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled the February 2 general election invalid.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s ruling party was expected to win the poll, but the opposition boycotted it and protesters disrupted voting, meaning the election has not been completed.
The protesters, who are mainly urban and middle class, want Yingluck Shinawatra’s government replaced by an unelected “people’s council”.
They accuse the Thai government of being run by PM Yingluck Shinawatra’s brother and ousted former leader, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Yingluck Shinawatra, who has dismissed calls to step down, is currently facing charges of negligence over a government rice subsidy scheme, which critics say was rife with corruption.
She is expected to submit her defense to the National Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday.
If found guilty, Yingluck Shinawatra could be removed from office and faces a five-year ban from politics.
General Motors is recalling 824,000 more cars over defective ignition switches that have caused some engines to shut off and to disable airbags.
GM said it was recalling a variety of models made between 2008 and 2011, in addition to 1.6 million cars made before 2007 that were recalled last month.
The carmaker said it was unaware of deaths caused by the flaw in the 2008-2011 models.
But the problem has been linked to between 12 and 303 deaths in crashes.
Separately on Friday, GM halted sales of some models of the popular Chevrolet Cruze car.
General Motors is recalling 824,000 more cars over defective ignition switches
GM did not give details of the reasons behind its move, which affects models with 1.4 litre turbo diesel engines, nor did it say whether the sales halt affects markets outside the US.
The recall of the 2008-2011 models announced on Friday adds to the 1.6 million cars the company has already recalled over reports of the faulty ignition switch.
“We are taking no chances with safety,” GM chief executive Mary Barra said in the company’s announcement.
“Trying to locate several thousand switches in a population of 2.2 million vehicles and distributed to thousands of retailers isn’t practical. Out of an abundance of caution, we are recalling the rest of the model years.”
The models affected by Friday’s recall are the Chevrolet Cobalt and HHR, Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and the Saturn Ion and Sky.
At issue is a flaw in the manufacture of the ignition switch that causes the key to shift on its own from the “run” position to the “accessory” or “off position”, even while the car is driving at full speed on the road.
That can shut off the car’s engine and disable the airbags, with potentially disastrous consequences.
Until the cars can be recalled and the ignition switches replaced, GM recommends customers remove all items, including the key fob, from their key rings, using only the vehicle key in the ignition switch.
GM has admitted that some employees knew about the issue as early as 2004.
The carmaker has linked the issue to 12 deaths. But a report by the Center for Auto Safety has put the number at 303 – a figure that GM has disputed.
The delay in recalling the vehicles has triggered two congressional enquiries against General Motors.
Mary Barra is scheduled to testify to both chambers of Congress next week on the issue and address why it did not recall vehicles earlier.
CinemaCon 2014, the Official Convention of The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from March 24 to 27.
Drew Barrymore, Adam Sandler and Kevin Costner were among the winners at an awards ceremony to mark the close of the CinemaCon convention.
The festival allows cinema exhibitors to get a first look at new films as studios and actors present footage from their most-hyped forthcoming projects.
This week, the first scenes from the eagerly-anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey adaptation were unveiled.
The new Hobbit, X-Men and The Amazing Spider-Man films were also teased.
Sony Pictures debuted 30 minutes of 3D footage from The Amazing Spider-Man 2, starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone – including scenes explaining the death of Peter Parker’s parents.
They also introduced Max Dillon who becomes Electro – played by Jamie Foxx; and Harry Osborn who becomes the Green Goblin – played by Dane DeHaan.
CinemaCon 2014 took place at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from March 24 to 27
Jupiter Ascending, the new sci-fi fantasy adventure from the Wachowski siblings Andy and Lana, who created The Matrix trilogy, was also unveiled.
Mila Kunis joined her co-star Channing Tatum to promote the film in which Tatum plays a “genetically engineered human and wolf”.
Other films included Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and The Fault of Our Stars, based on John Green’s best-selling tearjerker about two young people with cancer who fall in love.
Its star Shailene Woodley was handed the female star of tomorrow award.
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were awarded a prize for comedy filmmakers of the year after unveiling scenes from their new film The Interview, which stars Rogen and James Franco as two friends asked to assassinate Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea.
Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann – who was named comedy star of the year – attended the convention to promote their forthcoming film The Other Woman.
The movie sees Cameron Diaz’s character discover her boyfriend is actually married to Leslie Mann’s character, before the pair team up to seek revenge.
Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler were handed the awards for male and female star of the year, after attending the festival to promote Blended.
The comedy about two families who embark on a trip to Africa reunites the pair who previously starred in 50 First Dates and The Wedding Singer.
Fifty Shades of Grey directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele.
Exhibitors were shown scenes featuring Christian Grey whisking Anastasia Steel off her feet with a joyride in his helicopter and a fancy make-over.
Johnny Depp presented clips of his new sci-fi drama Transcendence, in which he plays a terminally ill scientist-turned-unruly computer system.
A fourth death has been reported after a car crashed into crowds at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas.
Austin police named De’Andre Tatum, 18, as the latest victim of the crash, which happened on March 13.
Suspected driver Rashad Charjun Owens, 21, currently faces two capital murder charges after a man and a woman were killed in the collision in Austin.
On March 17, Sandy Thuy Le, 26, was named as the third victim of the crash.
Following the incident, Jamie Ranae West, 27, was the first named victim.
Austin police named De’Andre Tatum as the latest victim of SXSW car crash
Jamie Ranae West was on a moped with her husband Evan West, 29, when they were hit.
Evan West is listed as one of the people still being treated in hospital. It had been previously reported that both of the fatalities had been on the moped.
The man who died in the crash was on a bicycle, police said, although they did not release his name.
Massive Music, a company with offices in Amsterdam, New York and London, said employee Steven Craenmehr, 35, died suddenly in Austin.
Rashad Charjun Owens is also charged with 23 counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said an officer on a drink-driving patrol had initially tried to stop Rashad Charjun Owens, who then tried to escape.
Blood samples from the accused are currently being tested.
Local students have started fundraising initiatives to help the victims, while medical teams have also been appealing for people in the area to donate blood.
Images of ambulances and fire engines and people being treating at the scene were shared on social media.
Police confirmed the news on Twitter and also appealed for people who had been in the area at the time to come forward.
“If you witnessed the incident that took place at 9th and Red River please make sure you talk with an officer on the scene. #SXSW,” they wrote.
The collision happened outside of the Mohawk venue. According to its website, Tyler the Creator was due to perform at the venue.
SXSW festival, which ran from March 11 to March 16, is known as one of the world’s best platforms for rising talent.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called President Barack Obama to discuss the US proposal for a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine, the White House announces.
Barack Obama suggested that Russia put a concrete response in writing, his spokesman said in a statement.
According to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin suggested examining how the situation could be stabilized.
Russia’s annexation of Crimea has sparked international condemnation.
Vladimir Putin has called Barack Obama to discuss the US proposal for a diplomatic solution to the crisis in Ukraine
Barack Obama urged Vladimir Putin to avoid the build-up of forces on the Russian border with Ukraine.
The White House said the two countries’ foreign ministers would meet soon to discuss the next steps.
The US proposal was developed in consultation with Ukraine and other European countries.
Barack Obama received Vladimir Putin’s call in Saudi Arabia – the latest leg of a trip which also took him to Europe where the Ukraine crisis dominated discussions.
The Kremlin said in a statement that Vladimir Putin drew Barack Obama’s attention to “the continued rampage of extremists” in Kiev and various regions of Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin suggested examining possible steps the global community could take to help stabilize the situation, the Kremlin statement said.
Meanwhile in New York, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he had been assured by Vladimir Putin that the Russian leader “had no intention to make any military move”.
Russia’s reported troop movements near Ukraine’s eastern border – described as a “huge military build-up” by NATO – has triggered fears that Vladimir Putin’s interest in Ukraine is not limited to Crimea.
BlackBerry has reported a net loss of $5.9 billion for its latest financial year.
However, in the first quarter of 2014, BlackBerry recorded a smaller-than-expected loss of $423 million, compared with a loss of $4.4 billion in the previous quarter.
BlackBerry said it was pleased with its fourth quarter performance, and that it was on “a path to returning to growth and profitability”.
BlackBerry has reported a net loss of $5.9 billion for its latest financial year
CEO John Chen said the company was moving to a “sounder financial footing”.
BlackBerry devices have recently lost out in the high-end smartphone market to Apple’s iPhone and phones powered by Google Android operating system.
During the financial year, BlackBerry’s losses included $934 million on unsold Z10 smartphones, and restructuring costs of $512 million.
Fourth quarter revenues fell to $976 million, below analysts’ expectations of $1.1 billion.
As part of its turnaround plan BlackBerry is focusing on its services arm, and is also putting renewed emphasis on its keyboard devices.
John Chen was appointed as interim chief executive in November 2013.
BlackBerry’s shares fell nearly 5% on Friday, reversing initial gains of over 5%.
British director Derek Martinus, who directed some of Doctor Who‘s best known episodes between 1965 and 1970, featuring the first three Doctors, has died aged 82.
Derek Martinus died on Thursday evening having suffered from Alzheimer’s for many years, his family said.
He directed the introduction of the Cybermen in The Tenth Planet.
Derek Martinus directed some of Doctor Who’s best known episodes between 1965 and 1970
The four episodes culminated in first Doctor William Hartnell regenerating into Patrick Troughton.
Derek Martinus also directed the first ever Doctor Who episodes to be made in color, the Spearhead from Space serial – which introduced third Doctor Jon Pertwee – as well as The Ice Warriors serial.
His career took in several other long-running series such as United, Z-cars, The Doctors, Angels, Blake’s 7 and Penmarric.
Derek Martinus was born on April 4, 1931, and went to school in Essex, later studying acting and directing at Yale Drama School after some time in the RAF. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and three grandchildren.
Facebook has revealed its plans to connect the two-thirds of the world that has no net access, using drones, satellites and lasers.
The announcement has been made on Facebook platform by founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The move will put Facebook in direct competition with Google, which is planning to deliver net access via balloons.
Facebook and Google want to extend their audiences, especially in the developing world.
Facebook has revealed its plans to connect the two-thirds of the world that has no net access, using drones, satellites and lasers
Details about Facebook’s plan were scant but it will include a fleet of solar-powered drones as well as low-earth orbit and geosynchronous satellites. Invisible, infrared laser beams could also be used to boost the speed of the net connections.
Last year Facebook and other technology companies launched internet.org to help bring net access to the huge swathes of the globe that are still not connected.
Facebook has already teamed up with telecoms operators in the Philippines and Paraguay to double the number of people using the internet in that region.
“We’re going to continue building these partnerships, but connecting the whole world will require inventing new technology too,” Mark Zuckerberg said in his post.
To bring the project to fruition, Facebook has set up a Connectivity Lab that will include experts in aerospace and communication technology, from NASA’s jet propulsion lab and its Ames research centre.
It has also hired a five-member team that worked at British firm Ascenta, whose founders developed the Zephyr, which holds the record for the longest-flying solar-powered unmanned aircraft.
Earlier this month there were rumors that Facebook was interested in buying drone-maker Titan but there was no mention of this in the announcement.
Jens Stoltenberg, Norway’s ex-prime minister, has been appointed NATO’s next secretary general, replacing Denmark’s Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Jens Stoltenberg will take over as leader of the 28-nation military alliance in October, when Fogh Rasmussen steps down after a NATO summit in Wales.
Fogh Rasmussen has headed NATO for the past five years.
Jens Stoltenberg, Norway’s ex-prime minister, has been appointed NATO’s next secretary general
Jens Stoltenberg was prime minister of Norway at the time of Anders Breivik’s bomb and gun attacks in 2011.
Anders Breivik killed 77 people when he targeted government buildings in Oslo and young people and officials at a youth camp run by Jens Stoltenberg’s Labor party.
Jens Stoltenberg served as Norway’s prime minister twice, for 18 months in 2000-01 and again from 2005 to 2013.
Fogh Rasmussen said on Twitter that Jens Stoltenberg was “the right man to build on NATO’s record of strength and success”.
In its statement, NATO said: “Mr. Stoltenberg will assume his functions as secretary general as from 1 October 2014, when Mr. Fogh Rasmussen’s term expires after five years and two months at the helm of the alliance.”
General Motors has halted sales of some models of the popular Chevrolet Cruze car.
The giant carmaker did not give details of the reasons behind its move, which affects models with 1.4 litre turbo diesel engines.
The move comes at a time when GM is facing criticism over its handling of a recent recall of 1.6 million vehicles to fix faulty ignition switches.
GM issued that recall last month, but has admitted that some employees knew about the issue as early as 2004.
General Motors has halted sales of some models of the popular Chevrolet Cruze car
The faulty switches could turn off the engine and disable airbags.
GM has linked the issue to 12 deaths. But a report by the Center for Auto Safety has put the number at 303 – a figure that the carmaker has disputed.
The delay in recalling the vehicles has triggered two congressional enquiries against the firm.
Mary Barra, the new chief executive of GM, is scheduled to testify to both chambers of Congress next week on the issue and why it did not recall vehicles earlier.
Mick Jagger’s late girlfriend L’Wren Scott has had an award honoring emerging fashion designers named after her.
The L’Wren Scott Amber Award was created by The Art of Elysium, a charity which uses the arts to help children with serious medical issues.
L’Wren Scott, who committed suicide two weeks ago, left her estate to Mick Jagger, a will filed in New York has revealed.
The L’Wren Scott Amber Award was created by The Art of Elysium to honor emerging fashion designers
She omitted her two siblings in the will, which was signed in May 2013.
L’Wren Scott, 49, bequeathed her $9 million estate to the musician, including all her belongings and the New York apartment in which she was found dead on March 17.
“I give the rest and residue of my estate to Michael Philip Jagger,” L’Wren Scott wrote in her will.
“Except for otherwise provided in this will, I have intentionally omitted to provide herein for any of my heirs at the date of my death.”
L’Wren Scott had two siblings, brother Randall Bambrough – a director of her business – and sister Jan Shane, from whom she was understood to be estranged.
Wal-Mart has sued Visa for $5 billion, alleging that the credit card company worked with large banks to fix the price of transaction fees it charged to the retailer.
The move comes after Wal-Mart opted out of a $5.7 billion settlement with Visa and MasterCard in December.
Wal-Mart and other US retailers, such as Target, objected to the terms of that agreement.
Visa had sued Wal-Mart in June 2013 to prevent the firm from filing a lawsuit.
Wal-Mart has sued Visa for $5 billion, alleging that the credit card company worked with large banks to fix the price of transaction fees it charged to the retailer
Wal-Mart, which is the world’s largest retailer, argues that Visa worked with large banks “to illegally fix the interchange fees and inflate the network fees that Wal-Mart and other merchants pay on Visa charge card transactions”.
Those large fees then caused “enormous damage” between 2004 and 2012, the retailer claims.
Wal-Mart is now suing Visa for damages, which it estimates to be over $5 billion.
Visa declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed this week in Fayetteville, Arkansas, near Wal-Mart’s headquarters.
President Barack Obama has announced six million people have signed up for medical insurance under his healthcare law – dubbed Obamacare – meeting the administration’s goal.
The White House’s initial goal was seven million, but this was revised amid last autumn’s disastrous launch.
Public support for the Obamacare is at its lowest – 26% of Americans back it – found a new Associated Press-GfK poll.
The first “open enrolment” period during which Americans can sign up for a health insurance plan ends on March 31, though the Obama administration has extended the deadline for some people who continue to have trouble applying.
On Thursday, Barack Obama spoke on the phone from Italy with several thousand volunteers and workers who are guiding Americans through the often confusing process of signing up for insurance online.
Six million people have signed up for Obamacare, meeting Obama administration’s goal
“The president thanked the group for all their hard work to date and discussed the importance of building on this progress over the last four days of open enrolment,” the White House said in a statement.
“The president encouraged the navigators and volunteers to redouble their efforts over the next four days and leave no stone unturned in trying to bring affordable health coverage to as many Americans as possible by the March 31 deadline.”
Obamacare was crippled at its October rollout by technical glitches, but it seems to have largely overcome those problems.
The 2010 law, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is intended to extend health insurance to the roughly 48 million Americans who do not receive it through their employers, the government, or a privately purchased plan.
It also aims to slow the growth in the cost of healthcare.
Among its central provisions are online marketplaces called exchanges run by the states and by the federal government on which individuals can purchase health insurance plans, sometimes with generous subsidies.
Under the new law, Americans who go without health insurance in 2014 and beyond pay a penalty.
A New Zealand plane has identified “objects” in the new area of the Indian Ocean being searched for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Australian officials say.
The sightings would need confirmation by ship, which is not expected until tomorrow, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said.
Earlier it was announced the search would now focus on an area 700 miles north-east of the previous zone.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board.
A New Zealand plane has identified “objects” in the new area of the Indian Ocean being searched for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 (photo Reuters)
The identity of the objects – spotted by a Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion – were “to be established”, AMSA said.
The crew said they had spotted 11 unidentified objects.
The images hold out the prospect of up-to-date information, as opposed to satellite images which are invariably days out of date by the time they are seen by investigators.
Earlier, the Australian and Malaysian governments said the focus on the new search area was based on further analysis of radar data that showed the plane had been travelling faster, thus burning more fuel.
Search efforts had until Friday morning focused on an area some 1,550 miles to the south-west of the Australian city of Perth.
Malaysian officials have concluded that, based on satellite data, the missing plane flew into the sea somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean. So far no trace of it has been found.
Using satellite images, several nations have identified objects floating in the sea in that search area, but these have not been located and there is no evidence that they are related to the plane.
Acting Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that the fact that the search area had moved did not discount the earlier satellite images of possible debris further south.
“Because of ocean drift, this new search area could still be consistent with the potential objects identified by various satellite images over the past week,” Hishammuddin Hussein said.
North Korea’s launch of two ballistic missiles earlier this week has been condemned by the UN Security Council.
The UN Security Council also said it was considering an “appropriate response”.
The Council’s president, Luxembourg UN Ambassador Sylvie Lucas, described the North Korean move as a violation of Security Council resolutions.
North Korea test-fired two medium-range Nodong missiles over the sea on Wednesday.
It was Pyongyang’s first launch of such missiles since 2009.
North Korea test-fired two medium-range Nodong missiles over the sea on Wednesday (photo Reuters)
Ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang are banned by the UN.
The Security Council held a closed debate on Thursday that included a report from the deputy secretary general for political affairs, Jeffrey Feltman, diplomats said.
The condemnation was not a formal statement but Sylvie Lucas said members had requested she read out the remarks as agreed by all participants.
She said members had agreed “to consult on an appropriate response” and said that this response “should be given quickly”.
The South Korean defense ministry said the missiles had been fired from the Suckon region north of Pyongyang and flew for about 400 miles before falling into the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.
The ministry described it as a “grave provocation”.
The US State Department described the launch as “a troubling and provocative escalation”.
In recent weeks, North Korea has launched multiple short-range missiles – actions which have coincided with annual US-South Korea military exercises.
The first synthetic chromosome for yeast in a landmark for biological engineering has been created.
Previously synthetic DNA has been designed and made for simpler organisms such as bacteria.
As a form of life whose cells contain a nucleus, yeast is related to plants and animals and shares 2,000 genes with us.
So the creation of the first of yeast’s 16 chromosomes has been hailed as “a massive deal” in the emerging science of synthetic biology.
The genes in the original chromosome were replaced with synthetic versions and the finished manmade chromosome was then successfully integrated into a yeast cell.
The new cell was then observed to reproduce, passing a key test of viability.
Yeast is a favored target for this research because of its well-established use in key industries such as brewing and baking and its potential for future industrial applications.
One company in California has already used synthetic biology to create a strain of yeast that can produce artemisinin, an ingredient for an anti-malarial drug.
Dr. Jef Boeke of the Langone Medical Centre at New York University described the achievement as moving the needle in synthetic biology from theory to reality
The synthesis of chromosome III in yeast was undertaken by an international team and the findings are published in the journal Science. Yeast chromosomes are normally designated by Roman numerals.
Dr. Jef Boeke of the Langone Medical Centre at New York University, who led the team, described the achievement as “moving the needle in synthetic biology from theory to reality”.
The new chromosome, known as SynIII, involved designing and creating 273,871 base pairs of DNA – fewer than the 316,667 pairs in the original chromosome.
The researchers removed repeated sections in the original DNA and so-called “junk” DNA known not to code for any proteins – and they then added “tags” to the chromosome.
Dr. Jef Boeke said that despite making more than 50,000 changes to the DNA code in the chromosome, the yeast was not only “hardy” but had also gained new functions.
One new function is a chemical switch that allows researcher to “scramble” the chromosome into thousands of different variants making genetic manipulations far easier.
The hope is that the ability to create synthetic strains of yeast will allow these organisms to be harnessed for a wide range of uses including the manufacture of vaccines or more sustainable forms of biofuel.
While genetic modification involves transferring genes from one organism to another, synthetic biology goes far further by designing and then constructing entirely new genetic material.
Opponents of the field argue that scientists are “playing God” by designing new forms of life with the danger of unexpected consequences. A report for the Lloyds insurance market in 2009 warned that the new technology could pose unforeseen risks.
The synthesis of chromosome III is the first stage of an international project to synthesize yeast’s entire genome over the next few years.
The strains of yeast containing synthetic genetic material can only survive in a lab environment with specialist support.
To highlight the benefits of the work, Dr. Jef Boeke stresses the importance of yeast throughout human history and its potential for the future.
The paper describing the first synthetic chromosome concludes with a far-reaching vision looking beyond yeast to more sophisticated organisms, saying: “It will soon become feasible to synthesize eukaryotic genomes, including plant and animal genomes.”
Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria has been postponed until April 7 as one of the assessors assisting the judge has been taken ill.
The defense in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius had been expected to take place on Friday.
The trial has already heard 15 days of prosecution-led testimony.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies deliberately shooting his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
Prosecutors allege that the athlete killed Reeva Steenkamp after an argument.
Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria has been postponed until April 7 as one of the assessors assisting the judge has been taken ill
Judge Thokozile Masipa announced that one of the assessors is ill and suggested the date of April 7 to resume the trial. The prosecution and defense teams agreed to the postponement.
Under South African law, there is no jury system and two assessors help the judge reach a decision.
Although Oscar Pistorius is not legally obliged to testify, he is the only witness to the alleged murder and is expected to testify when the trial restarts.
His lawyers had previously told journalists that it was “likely” they would call him to give evidence first.
Prosecution testimony has relied on accounts from neighbors and specialist ballistics, forensic and mobile phone evidence.
The defense had been due to address key questions, in particular:
Allegations from witnesses that Oscar Pistorius was reckless with guns and had fired a pistol indiscriminately on two occasions in the past
Why he didn’t check the whereabouts of Reeva Steenkamp when he feared an intruder was in the house
Why, as a person used to handling weapons, he didn’t fire a warning shot
Reeva Steenkamp, a model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by four bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Oscar Pistorius’ home in Pretoria.
People who were in the area on the night of the shooting have told the court they heard screams, shots and bangs.
However, Oscar Pistorius has said he believed Ms Steenkamp was in bed when he shot at the toilet door, thinking an intruder was about to attack them.
Oscar Pistorius is a double amputee who holds six Paralympic medals and competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Norman Quijano, the candidate of El Salvador opposition party, Arena, has accepted defeat in the presidential election held on March 9, after losing several appeals for a recount.
The Arena party says it will make “democratic, serious and honest” opposition to the new president, former rebel leader Salvador Sanchez Ceren.
Norman Quijano lost the vote by 0.22 percentage points.
El Salvador remains deeply divided 22 years after the end of its civil war.
Norman Quijano had complained that votes for the governing candidate were counted twice.
Norman Quijano has accepted defeat in the presidential election, after losing several appeals for a recount
On Tuesday, the electoral court rejected Arena’s latest appeal for a vote-by-vote recount. In a statement, Arena says it was willing to work for the success of the country’s democracy.
“As proof of our democratic vocation and respect to the institutions, we accept the Supreme Court’s decision against a vote-by-vote recount,” read the statement.
“We will be watching the government and making sure it respects the law. But we will be the first ones to applaud their achievements.”
Salvador Sanchez Ceren, from the governing FMLN party, was widely expected to win the runoff vote by a comfortable margin, after getting very close to securing a first round win. But Norman Quijano made gains in the past weeks of the campaigns.
He made repeated comparisons between Salvador Sanchez Ceren and the left-wing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose government has faced nearly two months of protests over inflation and crime.
Norman Quijano warned that economic chaos would follow in El Salvador if his rival won.
Slavador Sanchez Ceren campaigned as a moderate despite his past as an active guerrilla leader during El Salvador’s civil war (1980-1992). His party, the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front (FMLN), turned from a rebel group into a political party at the end of the conflict.
Since being declared the winner, Salvador Sanchez Ceren has made conciliatory remarks, inviting the opposition in his “efforts to rebuild El Salvador”.
Cybathlon, the first championship for robot-assisted parathletes, will take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on October 8, 2016.
The event will include a race where competitors control an avatar via a brain interface.
There will also be races for competitors wearing prosthetic limbs and exo-skeletons.
Hosted by the Swiss National Competence Center of Research, it is hoped the competition will spur interest in human performance-enhancing technology.
The brain-computer interface race is designed for competitors who are paralyzed from the neck down. They will control an avatar in a computer racing game via a headset that connects the brain to a computer.
There will also be races for those wearing arm or leg prosthetics, an exoskeleton race and a wheelchair race.
The assistive devices worn by the athletes, who will be known as pilots, can either be ones that are already commercially available or prototypes from research labs.
There will be two medals for each competition, one for the pilot and one for company that developed the device.
Cybathlon will take place in Zurich on October 8, 2016
Bionic limbs and exoskeletons are becoming much more technically advanced, offering those wearing them much more realistic movements.
Prof. Hugh Herr, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), showed off some of the prosthetics that his team have been working on at the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference in Vancouver last week.
He is currently in negotiations with health care professionals to get the bionic limbs more widely available to those who need them.
Often though there was a disconnect between technology and patients, said Prof. Robert Riener, event organizer, from the University of Switzerland.
The other main aim of the games is to allow people to compete who have never had the opportunity before.
Cybathlon, the first Championship for Robot-Assisted Parathletes, will take place in Zurich, Switzerland, on October 8, 2016.
The event will include a race where competitors control an avatar via a brain interface.
There will also be races for competitors wearing prosthetic limbs and exo-skeletons.
Hosted by the Swiss National Competence Center of Research, it is hoped the competition will spur interest in human performance-enhancing technology.
The brain-computer interface race is designed for competitors who are paralyzed from the neck down. They will control an avatar in a computer racing game via a headset that connects the brain to a computer.
There will also be races for those wearing arm or leg prosthetics, an exoskeleton race and a wheelchair race.
The assistive devices worn by the athletes, who will be known as pilots, can either be ones that are already commercially available or prototypes from research labs.
There will be two medals for each competition, one for the pilot and one for company that developed the device.
Bionic limbs and exoskeletons are becoming much more technically advanced, offering those wearing them much more realistic movements.
Prof. Hugh Herr, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), showed off some of the prosthetics that his team have been working on at the TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference in Vancouver last week.
He is currently in negotiations with health care professionals to get the bionic limbs more widely available to those who need them.
Often though there was a disconnect between technology and patients, said Prof. Robert Riener, event organizer, from the University of Switzerland.
The other main aim of the games is to allow people to compete who have never had the opportunity before.
Kate Bush has announced she is to play a further seven dates in London this year, in addition to the 15 shows previously announced.
According to Kate Bush’s press representatives, “huge demand for a specific pre-sale allocation for fans has led Kate to add the seven extra shows”.
Kate Bush has announced she is to play a further seven dates in London this year, in addition to the 15 shows previously announced
The 22-night run begins at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on August 26 and will now run until October 1.
Kate Bush, 55, last toured in 1979.
“Kate decided to add the extra shows in a bid to make sure as many people who wish to see a show can do so,” the official statement continues.
It says that “massive pre-sale demand” from fans who had pre-registered on the singer’s official website saw “a specific allocation of tickets… sold-out in 30 minutes” on Wednesday morning.
Kate Bush announced last week she was playing 15 London dates. The title for her new show is Before the Dawn.
