Home Blog Page 613

Frozen becomes top-grossing animation in box office history

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Frozen becomes top-grossing animation in box office history

Frozen has become the top-grossing animated film in box office history.

The Disney animation has now made $1.072 billion globally, beating Toy Story 3‘s previous record of $1.063 billion in 2010, according to Boxofficemojo.com.

Frozen, loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Snow Queen, opened in North America on November 27.

The musical film has made $398.4 million in North America plus $674 million at the global box office.

Frozen, which stayed in the top 10 in the US and Canada film chart for more than three months, is now also the 10th biggest grossing film in box office history.

Frozen has become the biggest animation of all time
Frozen has become the biggest animation of all time

The movie scooped two Oscars earlier this year, winning the awards for best animated feature and best original song.

However, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Frozen is facing stiff competition from Warner Bros and Village Roadshow’s The Lego Movie, which was released in February and has already made more than $400 million globally – the first film of 2014 to do so.

And The Lego Movie has not opened everywhere yet – it is due to be released in Australia on Thursday and in Germany next week.

Meanwhile, Frozen‘s soundtrack has also been a huge success – it is currently top of the US Billboard chart and sold 202,000 copies last week, according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

Top 10 animation films of all time:

1. Frozen – $1.072 billion (Disney)

2. Toy Story 3 – $1,063.2 million (Disney)

3. The Lion King – $987.5 million (Disney)

4. Despicable Me 2 – $970.8 million (Universal)

5. Finding Nemo – $936.7 million (Pixar)

6. Shrek 2 – $919.8 million (Dreamworks)

7. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – $886.7 million (Fox)

8. Ice Age: Continental Drift – $877.2 million (Fox)

9. Shrek the Third – $799 million (Dreamworks)

10. Shrek Forever After – $752.6 million (Dreamworks)

Source: Boxofficemojo.com

[youtube FLzfXQSPBOg 650]

Elton John to marry David Furnish in May

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Elton John to marry David Furnish in May

Elton John has announced that he is to marry his partner David Furnish after a change in the law in England and Wales to allow same-gender weddings for the first time.

Elton John told Today Show: “We’ll do it very quietly. But we will do it and it will be a joyous occasion.”

David Furnish also told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the ceremony would take place in an English register office in May.

Elton John and David Furnish have been in a civil partnership since 2005 but the law changed on Saturday to allow marriage.

Elton John is to marry his partner David Furnish in May
Elton John is to marry his partner David Furnish in May

“I’m very proud of Britain and the laws that we’ve seen come into existence since we’ve been together,” Elton John said.

“Having our civil partnership was an incredible breakthrough for people that have campaigned for a long time – through the ’60s and the ’50s in England when it was so hard to be gay and hard to be open about it. And it was a criminal act.

“So for this legislation to come through is joyous, and we should celebrate it. We shouldn’t just say, <<Oh, well we have a civil partnership. We’re not going to bother to get married>>. We will get married.”

David Furnish added: “We don’t feel the need to take an extra step legally. But since we’re committed for life, we feel it’s really important to take that step, and take advantage of that amazing change in legislation. We all live by example.”

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have two sons together – Zachary, born in 2010, and Elijah, born in 2013.

Ebola outbreak confirmed in Liberia

Kathryn R. Bown
-
0
Ebola outbreak confirmed in Liberia

Liberia has confirmed the first two cases of Ebola, after spreading from neighboring Guinea, where the deadly virus has killed 78 people.

The two Liberian cases are sisters, one of whom had recently returned from Guinea, officials say.

As concern grows over the outbreak, Senegal has closed its normally busy border with Guinea.

Ebola is spread by close contact and kills between 25% and 90% of its victims.

Senegalese singer Youssou Ndour cancelled Saturday’s concert in Guinea’s capital Conakry because of the outbreak.

Liberia has confirmed the first two cases of Ebola, after spreading from neighboring Guinea
Liberia has confirmed the first two cases of Ebola, after spreading from neighboring Guinea

The outbreak began in Guinea’s remote south-eastern Forest Region but last week spread to the capital, a sprawling city of two million.

Senegal’s Health Minister Awa Marie Coll-Seck said the government decided to close its border with Guinea after confirmation the virus had reached Conakry.

“When it used to be only in the south of Guinea, we didn’t do anything special. But now that it’s reached Conakry, we believe it’s safer to close our borders,” she said.

“We have also closed all weekly markets, known as luma, in the south. And we’re having some discussions with religious leaders regarding big religious events.”

There have also been suspected cases of Ebola in neighboring Sierra Leone but these have not been confirmed.

The outbreak is believed to have spread to humans from fruit bats, which are a delicacy in parts of south-eastern Guinea.

The government has now banned the sale and consumption of the bats.

It has also urged people to ensure they regularly wash their hands with soap to prevent the virus from spreading.

Discovered in 1976 after an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then Zaire, Ebola causes a severe haemorrhagic fever where victims suffer vomiting, diarrhoea and both internal and external bleeding.

[youtube rRvDpW6pnMY 650]

[youtube a7zYnW80TqQ 650]

Flight MH370: No time limit on Malaysia Airlines jet hunt

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Flight MH370: No time limit on Malaysia Airlines jet hunt

Australian PM Tony Abbott has announced that rescue crews have put no time limit on the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

Tony Abbott told reporters near Perth, where the operation is being co-ordinated, that the hunt for flight MH370 was still being stepped up.

Ten aircraft and 10 ships are scouring the sea south-west of Perth for debris from the airliner.

Tony Abbott told reporters near Perth that the hunt for flight MH370 was still being stepped up
Tony Abbott told reporters near Perth that the hunt for flight MH370 was still being stepped up

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board.

The signal from its flight-data recorder lasts about 30 days.

The search teams are deploying a special tool known as a “towed ping locator” to find the recorder, which will be used once debris from the plane has been found.

Several floating objects have been found during the search in recent days, but none is believed to belong to the missing plane.

[youtube QwBRblwqsOg 650]

Turkey local elections 2014: Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims personal victory

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Turkey local elections 2014: Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims personal victory

Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory for his party in local elections, and vowed that his enemies would “pay the price”.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been accused of authoritarianism and corruption after a string of scandals.

The local elections, the first vote since mass protests last June, were seen as a barometer of his popularity.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not standing for election but campaigned hard for his Justice and Development Party (AKP).

With over 60% of the votes counted, it was leading the main opposition party 47% to 27%.

The AKP had been aiming to equal or better its 38.8% share of the vote in the last local elections in 2009.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory for his party in local elections
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has claimed victory for his party in local elections (photo Mesut Er)

Speaking from a balcony at his party’s headquarters in Ankara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked his supporters.

“You stood up for Turkey’s ideals… for politics, for your party and your prime minister,” he said.

But he warned he would “enter the lair” of enemies who had accused him of corruption and leaked state secrets.

“They will pay for this,” he said.

Voting in the local assembly and mayoral elections passed off peacefully in most areas, but eight people were reportedly killed in two separate incidents involving supporters of rival candidates.

Feuding families were said to have clashed in the southern city of Hatay and the eastern province of Sanliurfa.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been eyeing a run for the presidency in August – the first time voters will directly elect the head of state – or may seek to change the rules to allow him to seek a fourth term in office.

[youtube FwwlBKLSwp8 650]

[youtube PZKOH3kxiLA 650]

Pervez Musharraf charged with treason

Roy Siemens
-
0
Pervez Musharraf charged with treason

A Pakistani court has charged former military ruler Pervez Musharraf with treason, the first army chief to face such a prosecution.

Pervez Musharraf is accused of unlawfully suspending the constitution and instituting emergency rule in 2007.

He pleaded not guilty and has always claimed that the charges against him are politically motivated. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

President from 2001 to 2008, Pervez Musharraf was one of Pakistan’s longest-serving rulers.

He went into self-imposed exile in 2008, returning to Pakistan in March 2013.

Pervez Musharraf is accused of unlawfully suspending Pakistan’s constitution and instituting emergency rule in 2007
Pervez Musharraf is accused of unlawfully suspending Pakistan’s constitution and instituting emergency rule in 2007

Pervez Musharraf, 70, had hoped to lead his party into elections, but was disqualified from standing and found himself fighting an array of charges relating to his time in power.

He has been in hospital since the beginning of the year and reports say he is being treated for high blood pressure.

The judge read out five charges to Pervez Musharraf.

He pleaded “not guilty” to each of them but also addressed the court with a speech about his services to the country and questioned how he could be called a traitor, declaring that he was a patriot.

“I am being called a traitor, I have been chief of army staff for nine years and I have served this army for 45 years. I have fought two wars and it is <<treason>>?” the AFP news agency quotes him as saying.

“Is this the way to reward someone for being loyal to the country and for loving the country?” Pervez Musharraf asked the court.

He insists that he acted within the constitution when he declared a state of emergency in the country in 2007 and that he did not act alone when taking that decision.

When the former president entered the court he was heavily guarded, but nevertheless appeared relaxed, even waving to the audience.

The court has adjourned and its next task is to decide whether Pervez Musharraf will be allowed to leave the country to visit his sick mother in Dubai.

Pervez Musharraf is currently on the exit control list which restricts certain Pakistani nationals from leaving the country and is under house arrest.

[youtube peipIm8voo0 650]

James Boyd shooting: Albuquerque riot officers clash with protesters during march against police shootings

Nancy Clayson
-
0
James Boyd shooting: Albuquerque riot officers clash with protesters during march against police shootings

Albuquerque riot officers clashed with protesters during a 10-hour march against police shootings.

Police fired tear gas at demonstrators and made several arrests following unrest in the centre of the New Mexico city, according to local media reports.

It comes after a video emerged of police shooting dead a homeless man named as James Boyd.

It was filmed by the police using cameras and posted online following a public information request.

Meanwhile Albuquerque police said their website had been temporarily brought down on Sunday because of a cyber-attack.

The hacking collective Anonymous had warned of retaliation over the James Boyd shooting.

Albuquerque riot officers clashed with protesters during a 10-hour march against police shootings
Albuquerque riot officers clashed with protesters during a 10-hour march against police shootings

The man was killed in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains on the east side of Albuquerque following a stand-off.

Last week, Albuquerque police fatally shot another man, identified as Alfred Redwine, at a housing estate.

The department has been involved in 37 shootings, 24 of them fatal, since 2010, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Critics say it is far too many for a department serving a city of about 555,000.

Hundreds of protesters took to the streets on Sunday afternoon and demonstrations the continued into the early evening, according to the Associated Press.

Mayor Richard Berry was quoted by the Albuquerque Journal saying stones were thrown at officers.

The US Justice Department has been investigating the Albuquerque Police Department for more than a year, looking into complaints of civil rights violations and allegations of excessive use of force.

The FBI has opened an investigation into the shooting of James Boyd on March 16.

[youtube qPxhiJ16IAA 650]

[youtube VC9lHoZwfjM 650]

Holyland affair: Israel’s former PM Ehud Olmert convicted of bribery

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Holyland affair: Israel’s former PM Ehud Olmert convicted of bribery

Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert has been convicted of bribery in a case which forced him to resign to office in 2008.

Ehud Olmert was convicted in what is known as the “Holyland affair” in which bribes were paid and received to speed up a luxury property development.

Ehud Olmert has been convicted of bribery in a case which forced him to resign to office in 2008
Ehud Olmert has been convicted of bribery in a case which forced him to resign to office in 2008 (photo Flash90)

The 68-year-old former prime minister has already been cleared in several other corruption trials.

He had denied wrongdoing and had hinted at a political comeback.

Delivering the verdict in Tel Aviv on Monday, Judge David Rozen said the case “exposed governance that grew more corrupt and rotten over the years”, with bribes paid to public officials,” the Associated Press news agency reported.

Former Kadima party leader Ehud Olmert succeeded Ariel Sharon as prime minister after the latter had a stroke in January 2006. He was mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003.

In 2012, Ehud Olmert was cleared of two major corruption charges but convicted of illegally granting favors to a business friend during his time as trade and industry minister under Ariel Sharon.

South Korean Residents in Shelters as Two Koreas Exchange Fire Across Western Sea Border

Roy Siemens
-
0
South Korean Residents in Shelters as Two Koreas Exchange Fire Across Western Sea Border

Residents of five front-line South Korean islands have been forced to evacuate to shelters as the two Koreas fired artillery shells into each other’s waters Monday, South Korean officials said.

The South Korean artillery fire came after shells from a North Korean live-fire drill fell south of the Koreas’ disputed western sea boundary, an official with South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. No shells from either side were fired at any land or military installations, said the official, who provided no other details and spoke on condition of anonymity because of office rules.

The exchange of fire followed Pyongyang’s earlier, unusual announcement that it would conduct live-fire drills in seven areas north of the poorly marked Yellow Sea boundary between the countries. North Korea routinely test-fires artillery and missiles into the ocean, but it’s rare for the country to disclose such training plans in advance. The announcement was seen as an expression of Pyongyang’s frustration at making little progress in its recent push to win outside aid.

In addition to sending residents of five front-line South Korean islands to shelters, Lee Han-seok, an official with Ongjin county, which governs the islands, also said that ferry service linking the islands to the mainland was stopped.

North Korea and South Korea fired artillery shells into each other's waters
North Korea and South Korea fired artillery shells into each other’s waters (photo PA)

Kang Myeong-sung, speaking from a shelter on Yeonpyeong island, which is in sight of North Korean territory, said he hadn’t seen any fighter jets but heard the boom of artillery fire.

The North in recent weeks has increased threatening rhetoric and conducted a series of rocket and ballistic missile launches that are considered acts of protest against annual ongoing springtime military exercises by Seoul and Washington. North Korea calls the South Korea-US drills a rehearsal for invasion; the allies say they’re routine and defensive.

Pyongyang threatened Sunday to conduct a fourth nuclear test at some point, though Seoul says there are no signs of an imminent detonation. Wee Yong-sub, a deputy spokesman at the South Korean Defense Ministry, said the North Korean warning about the live-fire drills Monday was a “hostile” attempt to heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula.

A woman who runs a lodging facility on another front-line island, Baengnyeong, said from a shelter that she was still hearing the sounds of artillery fire about 90 minutes after the North began its live-fire drills.

The western sea boundary has been the scene of several bloody naval skirmishes between the two Koreas in recent years, including the 2010 artillery attack by North Korea in which it killed four South Koreans on Yeonpyeong.

Last spring, tension spiked after a near-daily barrage of North Korean threats, including warnings of nuclear strikes against Seoul and Washington, following international criticism of Pyongyang’s third nuclear test in February of last year. North Korea has since gradually dialed down its threats and sought improved ties with South Korea in what foreign analysts say is an attempt to lure international investment and aid. There has been no major breakthrough in the North’s reported push to win outside aid, however, with Washington and Seoul calling on the North to first take disarmament steps to prove its sincerity about improving ties, analysts say.

[youtube 51_LOqAn0BY 650]

[youtube 1sqHBkos5hA 650]

[youtube K0X8BpmhS30 650]

Dottie Sandusky claims Jerry Sandusky’s accusers told inaccurate stories

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Dottie Sandusky claims Jerry Sandusky’s accusers told inaccurate stories

In a recent interview, Jerry Sandusky’s wife – Dottie Sandusky – revealed she still had hope even after his 45-count guilty verdict.

The former Penn State assistant football coach has been arrested, tried and convicted of abusing ten boys.

When the judge handed down a 30- to 60-year prison term for her husband, Dottie Sandusky said she fully comprehended his predicament.

Jerry Sandusky, 70, was convicted in 2012 of abusing ten boys over 15 years but maintains his innocence and is pursuing appeals. The scandal brought down the Penn State president and storied head coach Joe Paterno and eventually led the school to pay nearly $60 million to settle civil claims. Three former Penn State administrators await trial on charges they covered up allegations against Jerry Sandusky.

In recent weeks, Dottie Sandusky has been granting interviews, arguing her husband’s conviction was unjust and claiming the accusers who testified against him told inaccurate stories to cash in.

Speaking with The Associated Press, Dottie Sandusky said her husband had informed her when complaints were made against him regarding showering with boys in 1998 and 2001.

In recent weeks, Dottie Sandusky has been granting interviews, arguing her husband's conviction was unjust and claiming the accusers who testified against him told inaccurate stories to cash in
In recent weeks, Dottie Sandusky has been granting interviews, arguing her husband’s conviction was unjust and claiming the accusers who testified against him told inaccurate stories to cash in (photo NBC/Today Show)

Those complaints didn’t seem to worry Jerry Sandusky, she said, even though one spawned an investigation by police and child protective services and the other resulted in a restriction against him bringing children into Penn State facilities.

“He didn’t think a thing about it,” Dottie Sandusky said.

She said her husband also told her promptly about a 2010 investigation into his contact with a boy at a high school in central Pennsylvania that forced him to hire a lawyer and led to the filing of criminal charges.

“Jerry said when it first started it was really nothing,” Dottie Sandusky said.

In the interview, Dottie Sandusky repeatedly turned her focus to the eight young men who testified against Jerry Sandusky and the couple dozen others who have contacted Penn State with abuse claims.

“I know who he is, and I know what he is, and people need to look into some of the other situations,” she said.

Cliff Rieders, a Williamsport attorney who represents one of the accusers, said he viewed the interviews being given by Dottie Sandusky as an effort to influence public opinion and possibly help his appeal.

Dottie Sandusky said she is hoping the state Supreme Court grants her husband a new trial; he lost a lower-level appeal and the justices have not said whether they will take the case.

Her claim that witnesses were manipulated into giving false evidence was a key element of her husband’s criminal defense. The fact that jurors were not convinced doesn’t sway her – she said jurors had made up their mind before the trial began.

“I trust my husband,” she said.

Dottie Sandusky, who was a defense witness and did not see others testify, said the accusers’ testimony shouldn’t have been given more credence than her husband’s version of events.

Jerry Sandusky did not take the stand and has declined repeated requests for an interview.

[youtube pJhhE5L6sV8 650]

[youtube B7CdYQOaqIM 650]

Turkey local elections 2014: Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party takes strong lead

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Turkey local elections 2014: Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party takes strong lead

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party has taken a strong lead in Turkey’s local elections.

The polls are being seen as a key test for PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of presidential elections in August and parliamentary elections in 2015.

It is the first vote since mass protests last June, and subsequent government corruption scandals.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not standing but has campaigned tirelessly in support of his Justice and Development Party (AKP).

With about a half of the votes counted, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party was leading the main opposition party 45% to 27%.

The AKP had been aiming to equal or better its 38.8% share of the vote in 2009.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party has taken a strong lead in Turkey’s local elections
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party has taken a strong lead in Turkey’s local elections (photo AFP)

Voting in the local assembly and mayoral elections passed off peacefully in most areas, but eight people were reportedly killed in two separate incidents involving supporters of rival candidates.

Feuding families were said to have clashed in the southern city of Hatay and the eastern province of Sanliurfa.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been eyeing a run for the presidency in August – the first time voters will directly elect the head of state – or may seek to change the rules to allow him to seek a fourth term in office.

In the run-up to Sunday’s poll, the government blocked Twitter and YouTube, following a series of online leaks.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said social media was spreading misinformation.

On Saturday pro- and anti-government factions held rival demonstrations in Istanbul, which saw the Gezi Park protests of May and June last year.

The secular opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is fighting to win the Istanbul mayor’s office from Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ally Kadir Topbas. However, early results put the AKP ahead in the sprawling metropolis.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a former mayor of Istanbul and the vote has become an unofficial referendum on his administration. The prime minister himself has described the vote as a struggle for Turkey’s independence.

The race looked tighter in the capital Ankara, with the AKP narrowly leading the CHP.

The loss of either city would be a major embarrassment for the prime minister.

More than 50 million people are eligible to vote, and turnout appeared to be high.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has purged hundreds of people from the judiciary and police since several of his allies were arrested over a corruption scandal in December.

[youtube KkODSKh_Ui8 650]

Flight MH370: Chinese families want Malaysian government to apologize for disaster handling

Roy Siemens
-
0
Flight MH370: Chinese families want Malaysian government to apologize for disaster handling

Families of Chinese passengers from the missing flight MH370 have vented their anger at Malaysian government officials, after arriving in Kuala Lumpur.

Chanting “Tell us the truth”, they said they wanted the Malaysian prime minister to apologize for what they regard as misleading statements.

Eight ships and nine planes searched around 97,000 sq miles of Indian Ocean for debris on Sunday.

The Beijing-bound plane disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board.

International investigators have concluded that, based on satellite data, the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean.

Families of Chinese passengers from the missing flight MH370 have vented their anger at Malaysian government officials
Families of Chinese passengers from the missing flight MH370 have vented their anger at Malaysian government officials

The search zone shifted on Friday after further analysis. But while aircraft continue to spot debris in the water, nothing recovered by ships has so far been verified as being from the plane.

Some relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 have refused to accept the Malaysian account of events and blame the authorities.

On Sunday, several dozen family members travelled from Beijing.

After landing in Kuala Lumpur they held a news conference at a hotel holding up banners that read “We want evidence, truth, dignity” in Chinese, and “Hand us the murderer. Give us our relatives,” in English.

Their designated representative, Jiang Hui, said they wanted the Malaysian government to apologize for the initial handling of the disaster, as well as for PM Najib Razak’s earlier statement that indicated the plane had crashed with no survivors.

Jiang Hui said the conclusion had been announced “without direct evidence or a sense of responsibility”.

He said the group wanted to meet airline and government officials face to face – although he stopped short of saying that these included Najib Razak, as some relatives had earlier suggested.

Before the relatives travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the search for survivors would continue.

On Sunday, Malaysian officials cancelled their daily update on the search for a second day.

[youtube odKDJtvyhk0 650]

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Harry Potter spin-off to be made into film trilogy

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Harry Potter spin-off to be made into film trilogy

Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is to be made into a film trilogy.

JK Rowling’s book, published in 2001, was originally billed as one of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbooks.

Warner Bros chief Kevin Tsujihara persuaded JK Rowling to adapt the book for the big screen.

Last week, he told the New York Times there would be a trilogy of films based on the book, which follows a “magizoologist” named Newt Scamander.

Newt Scamander is the author of a guide to magical creatures. Set in New York, the book is neither a sequel nor a prequel, but an “extension” of Harry Potter’s “wizarding world”, JK Rowling said.

Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is to be made into a film trilogy
Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is to be made into a film trilogy

Last month, JK Rowling told actress Emma Watson, who played Hermione Grainger in the Harry Potter films, that she completed the draft script in 12 days.

JK Rowling herself told the newspaper that it was Kevin Tsujihara – who took over the role of CEO at Warner Bros last year – who persuaded her to adapt the book.

“We had one dinner, a follow-up telephone call, and then I got out the rough draft that I’d thought was going to be an interesting bit of memorabilia for my kids and started rewriting,” the author told the New York Times.

“When Kevin got the top job, he brought a new energy, which rubbed off. He’s a very engaging person, thoughtful and funny.”

The project, which was first announced in September 2013, will be produced by Harry Potter regular David Heyman, whose recent successes include Gravity.

“I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it,” said JK Rowling when the film was announced last year.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was written by JK Rowling between the publication of the fourth and the fifth books in the Harry Potter series. It is set 70 years before we first meet Harry Potter.

More than 450 million copies of JK Rowling’s seven Harry Potter books have been sold worldwide.

Aside from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, JK Rowling also wrote the short book Quidditch Through the Ages – another of Harry Potter’s schoolbooks. They were published in aid of Comic Relief.

Another Harry Potter spin-off book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, followed in December 2008.

[youtube F9Fl3I0zGbw 650]

France local elections 2014: Francois Hollande’s socialists suffer big losses

Diane A. Wade
-
0
France local elections 2014: Francois Hollande’s socialists suffer big losses

Francois Hollande’s socialists have suffered big losses in France’s municipal elections, according to early results.

The opposition UMP claims victory and the far right National Front (FN) celebrates further gains.

UMP leader Jean-Francois Cope hailed what he called a “blue wave” of support for his centre-right party.

Marine Le Pen’s FN was heading for victory in up to seven towns, early results indicated.

The Socialists have been hit by growing discontent over the economy.

Francois Hollande's socialists have suffered big losses in France’s municipal elections
Francois Hollande’s socialists have suffered big losses in France’s municipal elections

Turnout in Sunday’s second-round vote was low, which was bad news for President Francois Hollande’s Socialists as it was their supporters who were not voting

The National Front was on course for victory in the southern towns of Beziers and Frejus and in Villers-Cotterets north-east of Paris.

The centre-right UMP appears poised to capture a number of key cities, including Saint-Etienne, Reims and Roubaix.

A reshuffle – and quite likely a replacement for PM Jean-Marc Ayrault – could be announced as early as Monday.

In Paris, which has had a Socialist mayor since 2001, exit polls indicated Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo was set to defeat UMP candidate Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet.

It was seen as a consolation for the governing party on a night of setbacks.

Voters were choosing councilors and mayors in more than 36,000 municipalities. FN candidates had won through to the second round in some 200 places.

The FN is widely expected to do well in the European Parliament elections in May – and opinion polls suggest the Eurosceptic party is on course to come top.

[youtube VAuFMHl3BR8 650]

Sergei Lavrov and John Kerry arrive in Paris for Ukraine talks

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Sergei Lavrov and John Kerry arrive in Paris for Ukraine talks

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have arrived in Paris for crisis talks on Ukraine.

The meeting was hastily arranged after President Vladimir Putin phoned President Barack Obama on Friday.

Russia has annexed Crimea and there are reports of thousands of Russian troops massed close to Ukraine’s borders.

Earlier Sergei Lavrov set out demands for a neutral and federal Ukraine, an idea Kiev called “full capitulation”.

However, Sergei Lavrov has categorically denied any plans for an invasion.

However, the Russian foreign minister has stressed Moscow will protect the rights of ethnic Russians and Russian speakers, after pro-EU protests in Kiev led to the ousting of Ukraine’s President Viktor Yanukovych.

John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov have arrived in Paris for crisis talks on Ukraine
John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov have arrived in Paris for crisis talks on Ukraine

On Sunday, the US ordered its top general in Europe to return early from a trip to Washington.

NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove, had been due to testify to Congress, but a Pentagon spokesman told Reuters his return was prudent “given the lack of transparency and intent from Russian leadership about their military movements across the border”.

Hours before the Paris talks were due to take place at the Russian ambassador’s residence, Sergei Lavrov told Russian state TV that Ukraine should come up with a new constitution “providing for a federal structure” and neutrality.

The Russian foreign minister said Moscow, the US and EU should act as a support group for Kiev to begin a nationwide dialogue that did not involve the “armed radicals”. Moscow claims that fascists have taken power in Ukraine, jeopardizing the safety of Russian speakers.

In an interview on Saturday, Sergei Lavrov said Russia had been deceived after being promised “there would be no movement of NATO military infrastructure closer to our borders”.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said it deeply regretted Sergei Lavrov’s “patronizing” remarks.

“At the point of its automatic rifles, this aggressor demands only one thing – Ukraine’s full capitulation, its split and the destruction of Ukrainian statehood,” said a statement carried by Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

NATO’s outgoing Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen warned on Sunday that Russia’s government was “[flouting] the principle that every state is sovereign and free to choose its own fate”.

Vladimir Putin is also thought to be demanding that Washington accepts Crimea’s independence from Ukraine.

Separately, Moscow is keen to tackle the issue of Trans-Dniester, a pro-Russian separatist region of Moldova on the south-western border of Ukraine. It accuses Ukraine and Moldova of “blockading” the area while the EU and the US stay silent.

US officials are divided over whether Vladimir Putin is seeking to ease tensions or is still planning further military action.

The Pentagon believes Moscow has massed tens of thousands of troops close to Ukraine’s eastern border.

Food, medicines and a field hospital are said to be among the supplies moved into position, officials say, which would not be necessary for any spring military exercise.

[youtube RmsO_yoZ-Qg 650]

Kate O’Mara dies aged 74

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Kate O’Mara dies aged 74

Kate O’Mara has died at the age of 74, her agent has announced.

Kate O’Mara was best known for her role as sister to Joan Collins' Alexis Colby in soap opera Dynasty
Kate O’Mara was best known for her role as sister to Joan Collins’ Alexis Colby in soap opera Dynasty

The actress was best known for her role as sister to Joan Collins’ Alexis Colby in soap opera Dynasty.

Kate O’Mara also had prominent roles in the ’80s series Howards’ Way and Triangle, and in Doctor Who.

The actress’ agent said she died in a Sussex nursing home following a short illness.

Kate O’Mara’s first television roles were in the 1960s, but she came to public attention playing the manipulative Cassandra “Caress” Morrell in Dynasty.

Taiwan: Taipei mass rally against controversial trade agreement with China

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Taiwan: Taipei mass rally against controversial trade agreement with China

More than 100,000 people in Taiwan have taken to the streets of capital Taipei, to protest against a controversial trade agreement with China.

They carried signs reading “defend democracy, withdraw the trade deal”.

President Ma Ying-jeou insists the deal will bring economic benefits, but campaigners says it will make Taiwan too economically dependent on China.

The protesters expressed support for students who have occupied parliament for two weeks in protest at the deal.

More than 100,000 people have taken to the streets of capital Taipei, to protest against a controversial trade agreement with China
More than 100,000 people have taken to the streets of capital Taipei, to protest against a controversial trade agreement with China

The agreement will allow China and Taiwan to invest more freely in each other’s services markets.

The protesters say it will hurt small businesses and job opportunities for local people, and should be scrapped.

They are also demanding that the government pass a law to monitor all future deals with Beijing.

In recent days, President Ma Ying-jeou has made several concessions, including supporting such a law and agreeing to a line-by-line review of the deal in the legislature.

But he says the pact should not be cancelled, because it will give Taiwanese companies greater access to the Chinese market.

Business groups and others have voiced support for the deal. The governing Kuomintang party says it is determined to ratify it.

The agreement, which was signed in June 2013, has not yet been approved by lawmakers.

China formally regards Taiwan as a part of its territory, despite the island governing itself for six decades.

But China is Taiwan’s biggest trading partner and in recent years ties between the two have improved.

They have signed several trade and investment agreements – but some fear greater economic integration with China could threaten Taiwan.

[youtube 3-nd85w4VLY 650]

Tucson police fire pepper spray at Arizona fans after NCAA tournament loss

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Tucson police fire pepper spray at Arizona fans after NCAA tournament loss

Tucson police shot pepper spray at several hundred fans who took to the streets and threw beer bottles and firecrackers at officers after Arizona’s overtime loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament on Saturday night.

There were no reports of injuries to fans or officers, but 15 people were arrested for offenses such as resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly, Tucson police Sgt. Pete Dugan said. Of those arrested, 14 were released, and one was sent to Pima County jail.

Tucson police shot pepper spray at several hundred fans who took to the streets after Arizona's overtime loss
Tucson police shot pepper spray at several hundred fans who took to the streets after Arizona’s overtime loss (photo AP)

Pete Dugan said those advancing on officers were arrested. The street was clear and the crowd was gone by late Saturday.

He said crowds leaving bars and restaurants near campus after the game filled University Boulevard and wouldn’t leave despite urging through a PA system and social media declaring it an unlawful assembly.

Police brought in cruisers and a unit of officers with batons, helmets and face masks to block the street when people started tossing beer bottles, cans and firecrackers, hitting police vehicles and endangering officers.

Officers fired pepper spray, pepper canisters and pepper balls, which disperse into the air when they hit, Pete Dugan said. No tear gas was used despite some reports.

[youtube ZDeA_p6xxLM 650]

Prince George’s new official photograph released ahead of Australia and New Zealand tour

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Prince George’s new official photograph released ahead of Australia and New Zealand tour

A new official photograph of Prince George with his parents, Kate Middleton and Prince William, has been released ahead of their tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The eight-month-old is pictured in Kate Middleton’s arms while Prince William holds their dog, Lupo.

In the image, taken by royal christening photographer Jason Bell, the family is looking through an open window at their Kensington Palace home.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are due to arrive in New Zealand on April 7.

They then fly to Australia on April 16 and their three-week tour ends on April 25.

In the new image, Prince George is wearing a pale blue jumper bearing his name, while Kate Middleton wears a cream-colored blouse and Prince William a shirt with rolled-up sleeves.

Prince George with his parents ahead of their Australia and New Zealand tour
Prince George with his parents ahead of their Australia and New Zealand tour (photo Jason Bell)

Prince George, who is third in line to the throne, is not looking directly at the camera like his parents – instead, he is smiling at the black cocker spaniel next to him.

Other than a glimpse of the curtains, little of the Cambridges’ renovated Kensington Palace home can be seen in the photograph.

It is the first official picture of Prince George to be released since his christening last October.

The visit to Australia and New Zealand will be Prince George’s first official overseas tour. The trip echoes the Prince and Princess of Wales’s visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1983 when the couple took Prince William, then aged nine months, with them.

The tour will begin in Wellington, where Prince William and Kate Middleton will be greeted with a ceremonial welcome to New Zealand, called a Powhiri in Maori.

They will see a yacht race, visit a rugby stadium and a vineyard, and there will also be Maori engagements in Christchurch and Dunedin.

During their time in New Zealand, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will attend a ceremony in Blenheim to recognize the sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces in the First World War.

There will be a similar commemorative ceremony in Canberra, Australia.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Australian itinerary includes visits to Uluru in the Northern Territory, as well as Sydney and Adelaide.

They will also visit an area of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, that was hit by bushfires last October.

Their 11-strong entourage includes Prince George’s new nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, and a hairdresser.

Prince William has made a number of official trips to Australia and New Zealand in the past, but Kate Middleton is yet to pay an official visit to either country.

[youtube cNpXMw-quTA 650]

Flight MH370: Chinese families fly to Kuala Lumpur to seek answers

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Flight MH370: Chinese families fly to Kuala Lumpur to seek answers

Chinese families of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane passengers have flown to Kuala Lumpur to seek answers from the Malaysian authorities.

The relatives say they have not been given enough information, and want to meet Malaysia’s prime minister and transport minister face to face.

Ten planes and eight ships are looking for remains of the airliner in a vast area of the Indian Ocean.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board.

Some relatives of the flight’s 153 Chinese passengers have refused to accept the Malaysian account of events and have accused the authorities of withholding information.

After landing at Kuala Lumpur they vented their frustration at a news conference chanting “We want proof”, and holding banners reading “Hand over the murderer” and “You must return the relatives”.

They have vented their anger at officials during regular briefings by Malaysian officials at a hotel in Beijing.

Malaysia’s acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Saturday that the search for survivors would continue.

Chinese families of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane passengers have flown to Kuala Lumpur to seek answers from the Malaysian authorities
Chinese families of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane passengers have flown to Kuala Lumpur to seek answers from the Malaysian authorities (photo AP)

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.

A Chinese and an Australian ship failed to identify debris from the missing flight after their first day in a new search area, about 1,150 miles west of Perth, on Saturday.

Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 and Australia’s HMAS Success both retrieved objects but none was confirmed to be from flight MH370, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) said in a statement.

Some of the objects have been very small, and officials have cautioned that they may be sea junk.

Aircraft involved in the search have so far reported seeing a number of objects of various colors floating in the sea in the new area since Friday.

Poor conditions have hampered recent search efforts.

An Australian vessel carrying a US device known as a “towed pinger locator” is due to join the search in the coming days.

The device is designed to detect any ultrasonic signals – “pings” – from flight recorders and can operate up to a depth of about 6,000 m.

But the search area is huge – covering some 123,000 sq miles – and time is running short. The flight recorders’ batteries are expected to run out in about a week’s time.

The current search area is about 700 miles north-east of the previous zone.

Officials said the focus changed after radar data showed the plane had been travelling faster than previously thought, thus burning more fuel.

This would reduce the possible distance the aircraft travelled south.

Various theories about what went wrong have been suggested – including the captain hijacking his own plane.

The speculation was fuelled by reports that files had been deleted on the pilot’s home flight simulator.

However, on Saturday, Malaysia’s transport minister said investigators had found “nothing sinister” from the simulator.

Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 vanished less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur.

The airliner diverted off course and lost contact with air traffic controllers between Malaysian and Vietnamese air-traffic control areas.

[youtube rQtYhKwoTTc 650]

[youtube yj23axbgmbE 650]

China-Philippines navy incident in disputed waters captured on camera

Roy Siemens
-
0
China-Philippines navy incident in disputed waters captured on camera

A Chinese navy vessel harasses a Philippine supply boat off a disputed South China Sea island, in a spat witnessed by Western journalists on board.

Journalists on board of the Philippine ship have witnessed Chinese coast guard vessels trying to block access to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

One of the Chinese ships radioed to demand the crew turn around, or “take full responsibility” for their actions.

But the Philippine boat, ferrying food to troops stationed on the Second Thomas Shoal, managed to slip past.

The shoal is one of many flashpoints in the area, where several countries have overlapping territorial claims.

China claims a U-shaped swathe of the sea – creating multiple overlaps with areas claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.

Saturday’s incident, which took place at Second Thomas Shoal (known as Ayungin in Manila and Ren’ai Reef in Beijing), is a rare glimpse into the tensions that routinely play out in the disputed waters.

Journalists on board of the Philippine ship have witnessed Chinese coast guard vessels trying to block access to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea
Journalists on board of the Philippine ship have witnessed Chinese coast guard vessels trying to block access to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea

Journalists say they saw two Chinese coast guard ships attempt to block the path of the Philippine boat, sending a radio message, in English, warning that it was entering Chinese territory: “We order you to stop immediately, stop all illegal activities and leave.”

But instead of leaving, the Philippine boat managed to manoeuvre away and enter waters that were too shallow for the Chinese ships to follow.

The captain of the Philippine vessel, Ferdinand Gato, later told Reuters news agency that if they had not changed direction, they would have collided with one of the Chinese vessels.

Philippine troops are stationed on a beached, rusting military ship on the shoal that analysts say has become a symbol of the country marking its territory.

Two weeks ago, Manila made a formal complaint to Beijing after a similar incident when Chinese vessels succeeded in blocking a resupply mission to the shoal.

Philippine planes resorted to air-dropping food and water supplies for the soldiers stationed on board the marooned ship.

The latest confrontation was witnessed by more than a dozen journalists.

They had been invited by the Philippine military to board the government vessel to show alleged bullying by Chinese vessels in the area.

The Chinese foreign ministry condemned the Philippines for trying to “hype up” the issue, according to a statement quoted by Xinhua news agency.

The ministry accused Manila of trying to “illegally seize” the shoal.

The incident comes a day before the Philippines is due to file a case against China with the UN tribunal in The Hague, challenging its territorial claim to most of the South China Sea.

[youtube rXLua972VFk 650]

Cuba backs new foreign investment law

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Cuba backs new foreign investment law

Cuba’s National Assembly has passed a new foreign investment law on Saturday that aims to make the Communist-run island more attractive to foreign businesses.

The law slashes taxes on profits from 30% to 15% and gives new investors eight years of exemption from paying taxes.

The change is seen as a key part of President Raul Castro’s reform package, aiming to modernize Cuba’s economy.

The government in Havana opened the country to foreign capital in 1995.

Cuba's National Assembly has passed a new foreign investment law that aims to make the country more attractive to foreign businesses
Cuba’s National Assembly has passed a new foreign investment law that aims to make the country more attractive to foreign businesses

However, in recent years, Cuba has seen a fall in foreign investment and moderate economic growth. The economy grew by 2.7% in 2013, well below the government’s 7% target.

Cuba’s economy is seen as highly centralized and inefficient, but almost 500,000 Cubans now have licenses to operate small, private businesses.

Presenting the law at a special televised session of the assembly, ministers were at pains to stress that the government was not “selling” the country but taking steps to ensure its prosperity as a socialist state.

The text of the bill has not yet been released but is expected to introduce several incentives to investment when it comes into force in three months’ time:

  • Investors will be lured into joint ventures with the state and Cuban companies
  • The process of approving foreign investment will be speeded up
  • Legal protection will aim to reinforce investors’ confidence in the Communist government
  • Taxes will be cut to 15% on profits in most areas, although special conditions will be set for investment in natural resources
  • Tax on nickel and fossil fuel investment could be as high as 50%

The reform is not expected to attract investment from the large Cuban community in the US, under the 50 year-old US economic embargo.

[youtube JLrQvVtU-bM 650]

Syria: Spanish journalists released by ISIS rebels after six months

Roy Siemens
-
0
Syria: Spanish journalists released by ISIS rebels after six months

Spanish journalists Javier Espinosa and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova – kidnapped in Syria six months ago by radical Islamist rebels – have been released.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo said its Middle East correspondent, Javier Espinosa, had phoned the newsroom to say that he had been freed along with photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova.

Javier Espinosa said they had been handed over to Turkish soldiers.

Scores of journalists are believed to have been kidnapped or killed by rebel fighters in Syria.

Javier Espinosa and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova were seized by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) near the Turkish border in September 2013.

Javier Espinosa and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova were seized by the ISIS rebels near the Turkish border in September 2013
Javier Espinosa and Ricardo Garcia Vilanova were seized by the ISIS rebels near the Turkish border in September 2013

El Mundo said at the time the two journalists had been trying to leave Syria at the end of a two-week reporting mission when they were taken.

Four members of the Free Syrian Army – the main Western-backed rebel group – who were protecting them were also captured but later released.

The Spanish daily said the kidnapping was initially kept quiet at the request of the men’s families.

Many kidnappings have been played down in the hope of aiding negotiations.

The journalists are expected back in Madrid on Sunday, El Mundo said.

In December, 13 major international news organizations signed a letterurging Syrian rebel groups to stop kidnapping journalists, and to free those who are currently held.

Correspondents say ISIS assumes that all foreign journalists and aid workers in Syria are spies and has issued orders to arrest them.

The high risk of kidnapping has made many rebel-held areas of Syria no-go areas for most foreign journalists.

The Free Syrian Army’s political wing – the Syrian National Coalition – says it is committed to protecting journalists, and securing the release of hostages.

Javier Espinosa has been a Middle East correspondent for El Mundo since 2002 and is based in Beirut.

Ricardo Garcia Vilanova has worked for various news outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post and the AFP news agency.

[youtube 09dhPIWFRbk 650]

Turkey local elections 2014: Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces popularity test

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Turkey local elections 2014: Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces popularity test

Turkey is voting in municipal elections that analysts say could determine the political future of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

They are the first elections since mass protests erupted last June and a corruption scandal hit the government.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not standing but has campaigned tirelessly in support of his Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The government blocked Twitter and YouTube in the run up to the elections, following a series of online leaks.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said social media was spreading misinformation.

Turkey is voting in municipal elections that analysts say could determine the political future of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkey is voting in municipal elections that analysts say could determine the political future of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan

On Saturday pro- and anti-government factions held rival demonstrations in Istanbul, which saw the Gezi Park protests of May and June last year.

The opposition Republican People’s Party is fighting there to win the mayor’s office from Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ally Kadir Topbas.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is himself a former mayor of the city and the vote has become an unofficial referendum on his administration, our correspondent says.

The prime minister lashed out at his political opponents during a series of rallies on Saturday.

“They are all traitors,” he told the crowd in Istanbul.

“Go to the ballot box tomorrow and teach all of them a lesson. Let’s give them an Ottoman slap.”

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was forced to cancel a number of rallies on Friday on doctors’ orders to rest his voice.

The prime minister has purged hundreds of people from the judiciary and police since several of his allies were arrested over a corruption scandal in December.

He has accused the judiciary of being behind a series of wiretaps and social media leaks allegedly exposing major corruption, and blamed the probe on a “foreign plot”.

The scandal has pitted the prime minister against a former ally, US-based Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen, who has many supporters in the police and judiciary.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamic-leaning AK Party have been in power for over a decade.

Sunday’s local assembly and mayoral elections are being seen as a key test ahead of presidential elections in August and parliamentary elections in 2015.

[youtube _VdBPueOMiU 650]

Andrej Kiska wins Slovakia’s presidential election

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Andrej Kiska wins Slovakia’s presidential election

Andrej Kiska has won Slovakia’s presidential election, despite having no previous political experience.

Tycoon Andrej Kiska, standing for office for the first time, defeated current PM Robert Fico in the second round of voting.

Early poll counts suggested Andrej Kiska had gained about 60% of the vote.

Andrej Kiska’s victory stopped Robert Fico’s social democrats from gaining control of both the presidency and parliament.

Correspondents say the prospect of social-democrat domination appeared to galvanized Robert Fico’s opponents.

Andrej Kiska has won Slovakia's presidential election, despite having no previous political experience
Andrej Kiska has won Slovakia’s presidential election, despite having no previous political experience

Robert Fico ended his campaign by wooing voters with tales of his traditional Catholic upbringing in an attempt to appeal to Slovakia’s majority Catholic population.

He portrayed Andrej Kiska as a scientologist, a claim the tycoon denies.

Robert Fico has been in office since the 2012 elections, which saw a party securing an absolute majority in the Slovak parliament for the first time since independence.

“It’s a new feeling to be voting for myself,” said Andrej Kiska, who has never previously run for office, as he cast his ballot in his provincial hometown of Poprad, in northern Slovakia.

France’s President Francois Hollande and European Parliament chief Martin Schulz had both backed fellow leftist Robert Fico.

Andrej Kiska capitalized on his image as a newcomer untainted by allegations of corruption that have ravaged Slovakia’s right-wing.

With no communist past, he is seen as a skilled businessman. He says he wants to fight corruption and create a more efficient government.

Andrej Kiska will be sworn in on June 15, when leftist incumbent Ivan Gasparovic’s second term ends.

1...612613614...1,245Page 613 of 1,245