Thirty five migrants traversing the Sahara desert on their way to Europe have died of thirst in Niger, officials say.
Rhissa Feltou, the mayor of Agadez, the main town in northern Niger, said that 35 of the 60 travelers trying to reach Algeria had died.
Agadez lies on one of the main routes migrants from West Africa use to reach Europe.
Hundreds of migrants have died this month when their boats sank as they tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea.
Thirty five migrants traversing the Sahara desert on their way to Europe have died of thirst in Niger
Rhissa Feltou said two vehicles had left the town of Arlit, north of Agadez, earlier this month, carrying “at least” 60 migrants.
The convoy was heading for Tamanrassett, an Algerian town in the heart of the Sahara, he said.
The mayor of Agadez said that after one vehicle broke down, passengers went to look for spare parts and bring them back for repairs.
He said the migrants broke up into small groups and started walking.
Days later, the survivors who reached Arlit, a centre for uranium mining, alerted the army, but troops arrived too late at the scene, he added.
Those left behind consisted of “entire families, including very many children and women,” Azaoua Mamane, who works for the non-governmental organization Synergie in Arlit, told the AFP news agency.
No Woman, No Drive – a satirical video by a Saudi comedian – has become viral with more than 3.4 million views on YouTube.
No Woman, No Drive was published on Saturday October 26- the same day as a handful of women in Saudi Arabia defied the ban on driving there.
No Woman, No Drive satirical video has become viral with more than 3.4 million views on YouTube
The video was presented by Hisham Fageeh and put together by himself and colleagues at Telfaz11 – a production house which specializes in online comedy.
Sultan Kosen – the world’s tallest man according to Guinness World Records – got married on Sunday with his fiancée Merve Dibo .
Sultan Kosen, who stands at 2.52 m (8ft 3in) tall, had given up on finding love as women were put off by his stature – until he met Merve Dibo.
Merve Dibo stands at only 1.73m (5ft 8in) tall.
“Now I will have my own family and private life,” Sultan Kosen told reporters.
Recalling his long search for love and happiness, he added: “How unfortunate I could not find a suitable girl of my own size. But in my fiancée I’ve found the person for me.”
World’s tallest man Sultan Kosen got married on Sunday with his fiancée Merve Dibo
Now his dream of finding love has come true, he hopes to find a car big enough for his huge frame so his bride can travel by his side.
After becoming the world’s tallest man in 2009, Sultan Kosen achieved near celebrity status, and as a result the couple had plenty of VIPs to invite to their nuptials in his home city of Mardin.
Guests included a host of politicians, including Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul and PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as well as religious leaders and high-profile businessmen.
Sultan Kosen, who also holds Guinness World Records for the person with the biggest hands – 27.5 cm (11 in) long – and feet – 36.5 cm (14 in) in length size 28 shoes – had to have a wedding suit specially-tailored for the event.
He suffers from a rare disorder called pituitary gigantism, which causes his body to continually produce the growth hormone. Doctors believe his condition was caused by a tumor on his pituitary gland, which was removed in 2008.
Sultan Kosen grew normally until the age of ten when the tumor caused his growth to increase at a rapid rate – which was only halted until last year.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki – Poland’s first prime minister after the fall of communism – has died aged 86.
Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski described him as “one of the fathers of Polish liberty and independence”.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki was one of the architects of the “Round Table” talks, between communist leaders and opposition, paving the way for elections in 1989.
The Solidarity movement’s victory set a precedent for the toppling of communist governments across Eastern Europe.
This climaxed with the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany in 1989.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki held office for 15 months. He lost elections in 1990 following the implementation of a raft of stringent reforms to try to salvage Poland’s stagnant economy.
In 1992 he was appointed as the UN’s first Special Rapporteur to the former Yugoslavia and reported on the atrocities there. Angered by the lack of international action, he resigned in 1995 after the fall of Srebrenica.
In 2005, Tadeusz Mazowiecki became one of the founders of Poland’s Democratic Party, and co-authored the 1997 constitution. He served as adviser to President Bronislaw Komorowski since 2010.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki was from a Polish noble family and studied law at Warsaw University.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki was Poland’s first prime minister after the fall of communism
He was expelled from the communist-run Catholic PAX organization in 1955, under suspicion of belonging to an internal opposition group.
In 1957, Tadeusz Mazowiecki helped found the Catholic Intelligentsia Club. He also served as an MP for the small Roman Catholic party, Znak, under the communist regime – until he was expelled from his seat for demanding an explanation for the deaths of dozens of shipyard workers in 1970 in protests over price hikes.
In 1980, he went to Gdansk to advise the striking shipyard workers in their talks with the communist authorities.
The tense discussions led to a breakthrough, the creation of the first independent trade union in communist eastern Europe, called Solidarity.
In 1981, he became the first editor of opposition Tygodnik Solidarnosc (Solidarity Weekly) magazine, which was banned when the communists declared martial law in December 1981.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki was arrested during the crackdown and was one of the last of hundreds of Solidarity activists released in December 1982.
He was a firm believer in a negotiated transition from the communist system.
He took part in the Round Table Talks in February 1989, which led to the first partially free elections in the Soviet bloc in June of that year.
Tadeusz Mazowiecki was appointed prime minister in August 1989 and oversaw the political and economic transition to a democratic and free market country. He holds the French Legion d’ Honneur, and the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany.
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa has topped this weekend’s North American box office ending Gravity‘s three-week run at the top.
Johnny Knoxville’s raunchy comedy Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, about an 86-year-old and his eight-year-old grandson, opened with $32 million.
Gravity, which stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, as astronauts adrift in space took $20.3 million.
The space saga was followed by Tom Hanks’ hostage drama Captain Phillips which earned $11.8 million. Ridley Scott’s star-studded The Counsellor came fourth.
Starring Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt, The Counsellor is about a greedy lawyer who turns to drug trafficking.
Written by No Country for Old Men author Cormac McCarthy, it brought in $8 million over the weekend – one of the worst openings on record for a Ridley Scott film.
The weekend’s fifth place finisher, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2, earned $6.1 million – bringing its total takings to $100.6 million.
Gravity, meanwhile, has now earned $199.8 million in North America.
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa has topped this weekend’s North American box office
Elsewhere in the chart, the latest film adaptation of the Stephen King’s supernatural horror tale, Carrie fell to sixth place.
Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, the film, about an outcast high school girl out for revenge, earned $5.9 million.
It was followed by Escape Plan, with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger as inmates trying to break out of the world’s most secure prison. It made $4.3 million.
Steve McQueen’s 12 years a Slave, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last month, took $2.2 million; while romantic comedy Enough Said, starring the late Sopranos star James Gandolfini, earned $1.6 million to fill the ninth spot.
Rounding off the top 10 was Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal’s thriller Prisoners, taking $1.1 million.
Despite a restrictive certification and playing on just four screens, the controversial French film and Cannes Palme d’Or winner Blue is the Warmest Color, earned a $101,000.
The figure amounted to an impressive per screen average of $25,279.
North American box office top five:
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa – $32 million
Gravity – $20.3 million
Captain Phillips – $11.8 million
The Counsellor – $8 million
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 – $6.1 million
Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and the late Jack Clement joined the Country Music Hall of Fame at its museum in Nashville.
Bobby Bare, Kenny Rogers and Jack Clement were honored for their influence on modern Country music at the ceremony attended by Garth Brooks, Kris Kristofferson and Barry Gibb.
Kenny Rogers, whose hits include Lucille and Islands in the Stream, called it the “culmination” of his career.
“I’m flattered, I’m honored and I’m nervous,” the singer said before the ceremony.
Kenny Rogers, 75, helped lead the way for crossover country pop hits and was in a reflective mood.
Kenny Rogers, Bobby Bare and the late Jack Clement joined the Country Music Hall of Fame at its museum in Nashville
“What I’ve realized is that success is not a happening, it’s a journey,” he said.
“I think without this it would have been incomplete.”
Bobby Bare, 78, whose hits include Dee-troit City and How I Got to Memphis, said of his induction: “It means that I will forever be referred to as a hall of famer. It sounds real good.”
Fellow inductee Jack Clement died from liver cancer in August this year at 82, but he had found out five months earlier that he would be honored.
Jack Clement was inducted as a producer, songwriter and performer, having penned some of Johnny Cash’s early hits and been responsible for the famous mariachi horns on Ring of Fire, which was performed at the ceremony.
He also worked with Jerry Lee Lewis and discovered Charley Pride.
At least five people died and 38 others were injured after a vehicle crashed in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Chinese state media have said.
Three of those killed were inside the car and the other two were bystanders.
The square was evacuated and quickly reopened after the vehicle went into the crowd in front of the Tiananmen rostrum at midday.
Images posted online showed a vehicle in flames, amid barricades. There has been no explanation for the crash.
Other pictures on social media showed a column of smoke rising from the scene of the crash.
Three people inside the vehicle died, Beijing police said on its official microblog account, adding that one female tourist from the Philippines and a male tourist from Guangdong province had also died.
Senior leaders from both the central government and the local authorities in Beijing and the Ministry of Public Security have visited the scene, it said.
An investigation is under way and the injured have been taken to hospital, Beijing police said.
Tiananmen Square was the scene of the 1989 pro-democracy protests which were ended by a military crackdown.
At least five people died and 38 others were injured after a vehicle crashed in Tiananmen Square in Beijing
The site is generally kept under very tight security both because of its proximity to key political institutions and so that is does not serve as a hub for protesters and petitioners.
Incidents do occur, nonetheless. In 2011, a man set himself on fire at Tiananmen Square following what officials said was a legal dispute, close to the square’s portrait of Chairman Mao.
Two years before that, three people set themselves on fire in a car at a busy intersection near Tiananmen Square over what the authorities called personal grievances.
In 2000, several members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement were arrested for protesting at the square.
Fire extinguishers are kept at the site, and have been used when protesters set themselves on fire.
Monday’s incident took place at the north end of Tiananmen Square, near an entrance to the Forbidden City.
“A driver and two passengers were killed after a jeep crashed into a crowd of people and caught fire,” Xinhua news agency said.
Citing police and emergency officials, it said police officers were among those injured by the jeep, “which crashed into a guardrail of Jinshui Bridge on the moat of the Forbidden City before bursting into flames at 12:05 pm”.
One unnamed eyewitness told AFP news agency: “I saw a car turn a bend and suddenly it was driving on the pavement, it happened fast but looked like it knocked people over.”
“I heard an explosion and saw fire. The scene was very frightening,” he added.
“There were paramilitary police who told people to get back into their cars and stop taking pictures.”
In a microblog post on its verified Sina Weibo account, the Beijing police said that “the injured people were all sent to a nearby hospital”.
“Police at the site immediately launched rescue efforts, and the fire was quickly extinguished… the situation is currently being investigated further,” the police added.
A subway station close to the square was temporarily closed at the request of police, Beijing transport authorities said. Police also closed the road near the crash.
News of the incident first appeared on social media from those who were at the scene, but it appeared that some pictures were being quickly removed.
AFP news agency said that two of its reporters were also held close to the square, with images deleted from their cameras.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, when asked whether the government believed the incident was a terror attack, said that she did not know the specifics of the case and declined further comment.
Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of causing Michael Jackson’s death, has been released from jail.
The former cardiologist served less than 2 years of a 4-year sentence after being convicted in November 2011 of involuntary manslaughter.
Jail records confirmed Conrad Murray’s release and the sheriff’s office said he left a Los Angeles jail at 12:01 on Monday.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, after receiving a lethal dose of the anaesthetic propofol from Conrad Murray.
The King of Pop had been out of the public eye for several years but was preparing for a series of comeback performances at the O2 arena in London and Conrad Murray was serving as his personal physician.
Conrad Murray served less than 2 years of a 4-year sentence after being convicted in November 2011 of involuntary manslaughter
Conrad Murray, 60, had been sentenced to serve four years behind bars, but a change in California law allowed his jail term to be significantly reduced.
The former doctor’s medical licences remain suspended or revoked in the US states where he previously practised medicine.
According to ABC News, Conrad Murray’s legal team is filing petitions in Texas to have his medical licence reinstated.
“He’s pretty confident that he’ll be able to practise medicine again somewhere,” Conrad Murray’s legal representative, Valerie Wass told the US broadcaster.
Conrad Murray is also appealing against his conviction, although an appeals court has questioned whether it needs to hear the case.
The doctor previously maintained clinics in Houston and Las Vegas and complained on several occasions about conditions in jail following his conviction and before his sentencing.
Conrad Murray was allowed to serve his entire sentence in a Los Angeles jail instead of a state prison due to a law which allowed nonviolent offenders to be moved to local prisons to limit overcrowding.
”Dr. Murray has not received any special treatment in jail and in fact has many less privileges than most inmates because of his notoriety,” Valerie Wass said earlier this year.
Valerie Wass said he was “very much looking forward to his release and getting on with his life”.
According to ABC News, Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, said the singer’s family hopes Conrad Murray “can never practise medicine again and will not violate his hypocratic oath and hurt another patient”.
David Bowie has led the tributes to former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed, who died on Sunday aged 71.
David Bowie’s Facebook page said of his “old friend”, considered one of the most influential singers and songwriters in rock: “He was a master.”
Lou Reed’s second solo album Transformer, featuring Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side, was co-produced by David Bowie.
The singer’s literary agent said Lou Reed died of a “liver-related ailment”.
The last tweet posted on Lou Reed’s official Twitter account, hours before the news of his death, simply stated: “The Door”.
The tweet links through to a photograph of a door, with a poster of Lou Reed on it and the words “Papa Loves Baby” scrawled underneath.
Lou Reed’s former Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale wrote on his website: “The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet… I’ve lost my <<school-yard buddy>>.”
Other stars paying tribute included The Who, who tweeted: “RIP Lou Reed. Walk on the peaceful side.”
Iggy Pop said it was “devastating news”.
An admitted hard drinker and drug user for many years, Lou Reed had a liver transplant this May after suffering liver failure.
“I am a triumph of modern medicine,” Lou Reed posted on his website on June 1st.
But his literary agent Andrew Wylie said the musician, who died at his home in Long Island, New York, on Sunday morning, had not been well “for a few months”.
Many musicians paid homage to the influence Lou Reed had on their own careers.
Nikki Sixx of heavy metal band Motley Crue tweeted: “RIP Lou Reed. Thank you for your beautiful/dark lyrics/music and stance on life. You inspired me from my teenage years right up till today.”
Cyndi Lauper added that she was grateful for “his music and the influence he had on my music”.
Lou Reed’s literary agent said the singer died of a liver-related ailment
Tom Morello, of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, said: “My intro to Lou Reed/Velvet Underground was Jane’s Addiction cover of ‘Rock n Roll’. He was a singular, unique talent. RIP Lou and thanks.”
Lou Reed’s individuality was also hailed by Paul Stanley of Kiss, who called him “a musician, artist and trailblazer who played by his own rules”.
The Velvet Underground became renowned for their fusion of art and music and for collaborating with Andy Warhol.
However, the Velvet Underground never achieved commercial success during their 1960s existence, but their influence on music in later decades was widely recognised.
The glam, punk and alternative rock movements of the 1970s, 80s and 90s were all indebted to Lou Reed, whose songs were covered by the likes of REM, Bowie, Nirvana, Patti Smith and countless others.
Music producer Brian Eno once summed up their influence by saying: “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.”
The group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Mia Farrow, whose career also began in the 1960s, simply said: “Deepest Gratitude Lou Reed. Peace. “
Whoopi Goldberg also paid tribute, saying: “The great & amazing Lou Reed has died my condolences 2 his wife Laurie Anderson. Lou was 1 of a kind & this colored girl still says dededede…”.
After quitting The Velvet Underground in 1970, Lou Reed released his self-titled debut in 1972, but it wasn’t until the Bowie-produced LP Transformer later that year that he achieved chart success.
Perfect Day enjoyed a revival in 1996 when it was featured in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting.
As a solo artist, Lou Reed released 20 studio albums. His last, Hudson River Wind Meditations, was released in 2007.
Lou Reed is survived by his second wife, the musician and performing artist Laurie Anderson.
Some 30 paintings by Sylvester Stallone are on show at The Russian Museum in St Petersburg.
The exhibition, titled: Sylvester Stallone. Art. 1975-2013, is a selection of works produced by the 67-year-old over the past four decades.
At the show’s opening Sylvester Stallone said, if he had the choice, he would spend his life drawing instead of acting.
“I think I’m a much better painter than an actor,” he said.
“It’s much more personal and I’m allowed to just do what I want to do. Quite often in acting you have to play a certain part, you cannot speak as much as you want to speak. I suppose the heroes don’t talk much, you have to be very stoic.”
Some 30 paintings by Sylvester Stallone are on show at The Russian Museum in St Petersburg
Sylvester Stallone studied art before his film career took off and has also had shows in Switzerland and Miami.
The museum’s website described Sylvester Stallone’s works as “comments on the events in his creative and personal life” that focused on the use of bright colours.
Museum director Vladimir Gusev said Sylvester Stallone’s paintings “show the character of a passionate man” and were not simply “the work of an amateur”.
“This is a real artist,” Vladimir Gusev told journalists.
“The Russian museum does not show weak artists.”
However, the state museum – which is heavily focused on Russian art – has received criticism for exhibiting works by Sylvester Stallone.
“If my visit is a challenge for somebody, let it be so,” Sylvester Stallone said when asked what he thought of the critics who thought showing his artwork was a travesty.
Curators defended the exhibition, arguing the show was on display at one of its branches of the museum – which boasts a modern art collection including works by Western artists like Andy Warhol – rather than its main building.
Sylvester Stallone’s artworks will be on display for a month.
Travel warnings after St Jude storm hit England and Wales include:
South West Trains have advised people not to travel on Monday with most services not running until at least 10:00 GMT to allow Network Rail to check lines. A reduced timetable will be in operation, with some trains limited to speeds of 50mph
East Coast has no trains running south of Peterborough due to flooding in the tunnel at Potters Bar, and trees on the line at Barnet and Hertford. It says it is looking to resume a limited service later this morning operating via Hertford
First Great Western and Virgin West Coast main line are also running an amended service until 10:00 GMT and 09:00 GMT respectively. First Great Western has suspended the service between Guildford and Gatwick Airport. Virgin West Coast said journey times may be extended by up to 70 minutes
C2C said services are suspended until further notice. Greater Anglia and Stansted Express have also said services will not run until after 12:00 GMT. Southern and Gatwick Express said services will not start at 09:00 GMT and will provide a further update at 09:30 GMT
St Jude Storm batters Britain with 90mph winds
London Overground will not run a service on Monday before 09:00 GMT, while Southeastern said services might not start until 09:00 or 10:00 GMT, and then with an amended timetable
Transport for London (TfL) said there was disruption to six Underground lines due to debris from the storm on the tracks. The Bakerloo, Central, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern and Piccadilly lines were all partially closed
Meanwhile, Chiltern Railways, which earlier said it was hoping to run a near normal timetable, has cancelled services
Airports including Heathrow and Gatwick are warning of possible disruption to flights, advising passengers to check with airlines
EasyJet has warned passengers there could be disruption to flights on Monday. It said no trains would run to Gatwick, Southend, Stansted or Luton airports before 09:00 GMT. Gatwick Airport reports seven cancellations
Several ferry companies have also cancelled services, including some English Channel and Irish Sea crossings
The second Severn crossing re-opened by 06:00 GMT but the old M48 bridge remains closed, and flooding is still affecting roads in Wales
The A249 Sheppey Crossing in Kent and the Queen Elizabeth II bridge on the M25 are closed. The Tamar Bridge which joins Cornwall and Devon has reopened
The Highways Agency is advising motorists to check the weather forecast and road conditions before they travel[youtube 0EQxEVWUMJQ 650]
Around 140,000 homes are without power as St Jude storm continues to batter parts of England and Wales.
According to specialists, St Jude storm could be one of the worst storms since 1987.
Rail services across much of southern Britain have been cancelled for the morning rush hour.
The M4 Second Severn crossing has reopened but the M48 Severn Bridge is still closed, while 130 flights have been cancelled at Heathrow airport.
The Met Office said a gust of 99mph was recorded at Needles Old Battery, Isle of Wight, at 05:00 GMT.
The Environment Agency has issued 17 flood warnings – all in south-west England, there are also 152 flood alerts across England and Wales.
According to specialists, St Jude storm could be one of the worst storms since 1987
Tracy Elsey, from UK Power Networks, said 40,000 households were without power in its south-east region from Brighton to Kent – and 100,000 in its east of England region, from Essex to the north Norfolk coast.
“The power lines are hit by trees coming down in the wind and branches touching overhead lines and any other debris whipped up by the wind overnight,” she said.
Robin Gisby, network operations managing director for Network Rail, said more than 40 railway line blockages caused by falling trees have been cleared, but more are expected to be found by special trains being used to clear tracks.
He said: “In four cases the train being sent through to inspect the line has hit a fallen tree and we have one train in Devon which is currently disabled following a collision with a fallen tree. We are also dealing with a landslip in the New Forest area.”
Robin Gisby added: “As the storm passes from west to east, we will be carrying out safety assessments as quickly as possible to clear routes and get trains running safely.
“We now expect to start services into Waterloo before 09.00 GMT. Routes from Sussex, Kent and Anglia will follow. Services elsewhere into London are running but at reduced capacity and speed.”
According to Spanish media, the NSA secretly monitored 60 million phone calls in Spain in one month.
The reports say the latest allegations came from documents provided by forer NSA analyst Edward Snowden.
They say the NSA collected the numbers and locations of the caller and the recipient, but not the calls’ content.
This comes as a EU parliamentary delegation prepares for a series of meetings in Washington.
The officials from the European parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee will speak to members of Congress to convey concerns and gather information.
Meanwhile a Japanese news agency says that the NSA asked the Japan’s government in 2011 to help it monitor fibre-optic cables carrying personal data through Japan, to the Asia-Pacific region.
The reports, carried by the Kyodo news agency, say that this was intended to allow the US to spy on China – but Japan refused, citing legal restrictions and a shortage of personnel.
The NSA secretly monitored 60 million phone calls in Spain in one month
The White House has so far declined to comment on Monday’s claims about US spying in Spain, published in the newspapers El Pais and El Mundo.
It is alleged that the NSA tracked millions of phone calls, texts and emails from Spanish citizens between December 10 2012 and January 8, 2013.
The US ambassador to Madrid has been summoned to meet a Spanish foreign ministry official later on Monday to discuss earlier allegations about US spying on Spanish citizens and politicians.
It follows German media reports that the US was bugging Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone for more than a decade – and that the surveillance only ended a few months ago.
Angela Merkel is sending her country’s top intelligence chiefs to Washington this week to “push forward” an investigation into the spying allegations, which have caused outrage in Germany.
Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported on Friday that the NSA had monitored the phones of 35 world leaders. Again Edward Snowden was the source of the report.
Obamacare website – HealthCare.gov – experienced a connectivity glitch on Sunday, another complication for an already beleaguered population of would-be health care applicants, the company operating the hub has said.
White House officials said Terremark was working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.
Health and Human Services spokesman Joanne Peters said in a statement that HealthCare.gov website was down because the company “experienced a failure in a networking component, and planned maintenance to replace it brought down network connectivity to the data center.”
Obamacare website experienced a connectivity glitch on Sunday, another complication for an already beleaguered population of would-be health care applicants
“Our understanding is that this failure is likely impacting several other sites, in addition to HealthCare.gov and the Data Services Hub,” Joanne Peters added.
The October 1st launch of Barack Obama’s health care law, dubbed as Obamacare, has been marred by technical glitches and delays.
The Health and Human Services department has encouraged website users to contact their call center to apply for coverage.
Chris Brown has been arrested early Sunday (October 27), in Washington D.C. after a fight broke out near the W Hotel, police said.
Chris Brown, 24, was charged with felony assault in an incident that started just before 4:30 a.m., Washington D.C. police spokesman Paul Metcalf said Sunday morning.
Chris Hollosy, 35, also was arrested on felony assault charges, Paul Metcalf said. Police believe the two men were together during the incident but said they couldn’t confirm any relationship between the suspects.
“There was a physical altercation, which resulted in the victim sustaining injuries,” Paul Metcalf said. Chris Brown and Chris Hollosy were being held in police custody until Monday, Paul Metcalf said.
A man was injured in the fight and reportedly taken to a hospital, police said, but they did not identify him or give details on his injuries. It was not clear whether the victim was taken by ambulance or another vehicle. He had been released from the hospital as of early Sunday afternoon, Paul Metcalf said.
The felony charges in the case were based, in part, on the extent of the victim’s injuries, police said.
Chris Brown has been arrested in Washington D.C. after a fight broke out near the W Hotel
Chris Brown’s publicists and attorney, Mark Geragos, did not immediately respond to messages left early Sunday.
Thr rapper was in Washington D.C. to perform Saturday night at an event billed as a “Homecoming Weekend” party at a downtown club. Chris Brown tweeted about the party Saturday. Howard University spokeswoman Kerry-Ann Hamilton said Sunday that the party was not sponsored by or affiliated with the school, which is celebrating its homecoming.
Chris Brown remains on probation for the 2009 beating of his on-off girlfriend Rihanna just before the Grammy Awards. He received five years’ probation and had remained out of trouble until earlier this year, when prosecutors accused the singer of failing to perform his community labor sentence as instructed. His probation was revoked briefly earlier this year after a hit-and-run incident, and he was given 1,000 more hours of community service to perform.
The rapper, who lives in Los Angeles and is originally from Virginia, has been involved in a number of incidents since the 2009 arrest. Chris Brown was initially sued for a nightclub brawl that allegedly erupted between his entourage and that of musician Drake, at the time believed to be a paramour of Rihanna.
Chris Brown also tussled with singer Frank Ocean and others after Ocean parked in Brown’s space at a recording studio in Los Angeles. Frank Ocean said he suffered an injured finger, but no charges were filed. A second man, Sha’keir Duarte, sued Chris Brown, claiming a concussion.
The singer’s arrest could prompt Los Angeles prosecutors to seek a revocation of his probation for the Rihanna beating and ask a judge to impose additional penalties on the singer, including time in jail or prison. Chris Brown is due back in court November 20 in Los Angeles to update a judge on his probation.
Steve Cron, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, said prosecutors and a judge may wait to see how the Washington case plays out before taking any action against Chris Brown.
“Just the fact that some guy says <<he hit me>> doesn’t mean he’s in violation” of his probation, Steve Cron said.
Giorgi Margvelashvili – an ally of Georgian PM Bidzina Ivanishvili – has won the country’s presidential election, according to exit polls.
The polls give Giorgi Margvelashvili, 44, 66-68% of the vote. His closest rival, David Bakradze from the party of the incumbent, trailed with 20.2%.
David Bakradze has conceded defeat and congratulated Giorgi Margvelashvili.
The election marks an end to a decade in power for pro-Western President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was barred from seeking a third term.
But constitutional changes are planned to reduce presidential powers.
The exit polls were conducted by European market research organization GfK on behalf of Georgian private television station Rustavi2, and by ACT, a Georgian public opinion group.
Giorgi Margvelashvili is a member of PM Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream party
Giorgi Margvelashvili is a member of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream party, which won parliamentary elections last year, ushering in the former Soviet republic’s first legal transfer of power.
The billionaire businessman also intends to resign as prime minister within weeks of the vote, saying he has achieved his aims.
Bidzina Ivanishvili has called the vote Georgia’s first “European-style election”.
Since coming to power in the bloodless 2003 “Rose Revolution” Mikheil Saakashvili has implemented reforms which helped root out corruption.
Mikheil Saakashvili pursued a pro-Western foreign policy and improved public services in the Caucasus republic, where poverty remains widespread.
Tensions with Moscow flared up into an armed conflict in August 2008.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, who is also Georgia’s richest man, has dismissed the outgoing president’s achievements, calling Mikheil Saakashvili a “liar” and a “dictator”.
He has indicated that Mikheil Saakashvili could face questioning or even prosecution over the alleged crimes of his government after his term ends.
Bidzina Ivanishvili has not yet named his party’s successor as prime minister.
Christina Ricci and James Heerdegen got married on Saturday.
Christina Ricci, 33, married her fiancé James Heerdegen at Manhattan’s Harold Pratt House and Peterson Hall.
The actress wed her fiancé of one year at the Harold Pratt House and Peterson Hall on the upper East Side, according to Us Weekly.
Christina Ricci married her fiancé James Heerdegen at Manhattan’s Harold Pratt House and Peterson Hall
Christina Ricci and James Heerdegen – a dolly grip technician – have been engaged since late 2012. She was spotted wearing a diamond ring in October of last year.
Christina Ricci and her new husband celebrated with close friends and family at the evening wedding over the weekend. The bride wore a Givenchy gown, according to Us Weekly.
In February, Christina Ricci confirmed she and James Heerdegen got engaged “a couple months back.”
Christina Ricci and James Heerdegen met on the set of her now-canceled ABC show Pan Am in 2011.
Hal Needham, the veteran stuntman who directed comedy films Smokeyand the Bandit and The Cannonball Run, has died in Los Angeles aged 82.
Hal Needham began his career as a prolific stuntman in the 1950s and was credited with inventing new stunt methods such as introducing air bags to break falls.
He turned to directing in 1977, with Smokey and the Bandit as his directorial debut.
A family spokesman declined to give the cause of death.
Hal Needham began his career as a prolific stuntman in the 1950s and was credited with inventing new stunt methods such as introducing air bags to break falls
A former paratrooper, Hal Needham appeared in hundreds of TV shows and movies as a stuntman jumping from planes, dragged by horses and wrecking cars.
Hal Needham first appeared primarily in westerns including Gunsmoke and The Man Who Shot Liberty Vance, doubling for John Wayne.
In the 1970s Hal Needham turned his attention to car stunts and frequently doubled for Burt Reynolds, who would later star in his Bandit and Cannonball Run films.
The pair became such close friends they owned a NASCAR team together and Hal Needham lived in Burt Reynolds’ guest house for 12 years.
Over his career Hal Needham punctured a lung, had a shoulder replaced and broke 56 bones, including his back twice.
His idea to use air bags to cushion falls was prompted by watching pole-vaulters as “a way to save myself some trips to the hospital”.
Hal Needham won a scientific and engineering Oscar in 1987 for the design and development of the Shotmaker Elite camera car and crane.
He was also given an honorary award at this year’s Academy Awards where he described himself as the “luckiest man alive”.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom Hal Needham directed in 1979 film The Villain, paid tribute on Twitter saying: “Hal Needham was a great stunt coordinator, director and an icon. I’m still grateful he took a chance with me in The Villain. I’ll miss him.”
According to NSA officials, the chief of the US spy agency has not discussed the alleged bugging of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone with President Barack Obama say.
General Keith Alexander never discussed alleged operations involving Angela Merkel, an NSA spokeswoman said.
German media say the US has been tapping Angela Merkel’s phone since 2002, and Barack Obama was told in 2010.
The row has led to the worst diplomatic crisis between the two countries in living memory.
A report in German tabloid Bild am Sonntag claimed that Gen. Keith Alexander had told Barack Obama about the bugging himself.
German media say the US has been tapping Angela Merkel’s phone since 2002, and Barack Obama was told in 2010
An NSA source told the paper that Barack Obama had not stopped the operation, and had wanted to know all about Angela Merkel as “he did not trust her”.
However, a statement from the NSA on Sunday denied the reports in Bild.
“[General] Alexander did not discuss with President Obama in 2010 an alleged foreign intelligence operation involving German Chancellor Merkel, nor has he ever discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel,” NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines said.
“News reports claiming otherwise are not true.”
The statement does not make it clear whether the president was informed of the bugging operation by other means.
Barack Obama is reported to have told the German chancellor that he knew nothing of the operation when the two leaders spoke on Wednesday.
Germany is sending its top intelligence chiefs to Washington in the coming week to “push forward” an investigation into the spying allegations, which have caused outrage in Germany.
McDonald’s has decided to stop serving Heinz ketchup in its stores after 40 years.
McDonald’s said it would drop the ketchup after Bernardo Hees, the former head of rival Burger King, took over as Heinz’s chief executive.
“We have decided to transition our business to other suppliers over time,” the world’s biggest fast-food chain said.
In February, Heinz was purchased in a $28 billion takeover.
McDonald’s has decided to stop serving Heinz ketchup in its stores after 40 years
The company said that it would work with Heinz “to ensure a smooth and orderly transition of the McDonald’s restaurant business”, which has 34,000 restaurants around the world.
Bernardo Hees took over after Heinz was bought by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and Brazilian investment fund 3G Capital. Burger King is controlled by 3G Capital.
McDonald’s uses Heinz ketchup at many stores around the world, though only in Pittsburgh and Minneapolis inside the US.
“As a matter of policy, Heinz does not comment on relationships with customers,” the ketchup-maker said.
Velvet Underground frontman and songwriter Lou Reed has died at the age of 71.
Lou Reed, whose best-known hits included Perfect Day and Walk On The Wild Side, was considered one of the most influential in rock music.
The Velvet Underground became known for their fusion of art and music and collaborating with Andy Warhol.
Lou Reed’s cause of death is unknown, but a statement would be released shortly.
Lou Reed, whose best-known hits included Perfect Day and Walk On The Wild Side, was considered one of the most influential in rock music
An admitted hard drinker and drug user for many years, Lou Reed underwent a liver transplant in May this year after he had cancelled five California concert dates scheduled in April.
“I am a triumph of modern medicine,” Lou Reed posted on his website on June 1st.
“I look forward to being on stage performing, and writing more songs to connect with your hearts and spirits and the universe well into the future.”
The Velvet Underground never achieved much commercial success, but revolutionized rock and punk in the 1960s and ’70s and their popularity grew in the subsequent decades.
The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
As the holiday season is just few weeks away, now is a great time to start booking that flight or hotel for your Thanksgiving or New Year’s celebrations.
According to Kayak.com, you’ll find the best deals on holiday flights when you book in mid-October. Fares will start to increase by as much as 25% the closer you get to the end of the year.
Whether you’re planning a cross-country trip or an overseas getaway, here are five tips to save on holiday travel this year:
1. Don’t count on last-minute deals. Taking advantage of last-minute deals can help you reduce travel costs during certain times of the year, but the holiday season isn’t a good for this strategy. Don’t wait until the last minute to book that flight, hotel or travel package because you run the risk of paying a premium for all travel expenses. Ideally, you will want to book your holiday excursions at least 6 to 7 weeks in advance.
2. Shop the airlines on your own.While it pays to compare prices on several third-party sites, you may be able to get a better deal if you shop around on your own. Keep tabs on average airfare prices posted on a discount airline websites and compare options with third-party travel site search results. (Just keep in mind that not all airlines show up on these sites.) If you book directly with an airline, don’t forget to take advantage of rewards credit cards that provide benefits like frequent flier miles or discounts on other travel-related expenses.
You wll find the best deals on holiday flights when you book in mid-October
3. Fly on the actual holiday.One of the best ways to score a great deal on a flight is to fly when most people would rather not. If you can coordinate your holiday visits so that you fly on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or even New Year’s Day, you may be able to save a significant amount of money on your inbound flight. FareCompare.com reports that the best money-saving days for travel are before December 17 and after January 3. Fares are also low on Christmas Day.
Consider booking an early morning flight so you don’t miss out on the festivities of the day, or just plan your holiday trip around a celebration that doesn’t take place on the actual holiday. Booking a return flight on the actual holiday can also save you some money. Kayak.com reports that travelers returning on Thanksgiving Day could save as much as 20% on fares.
4. Be smart about packing.If you’re planning to travel with lots of gifts and other holiday items, consider shipping them directly to your destination instead of packing multiple bags. You may be able to save money on checked baggage fees, and reduce the risk of having your bags lost or stolen, when you only travel with a carry-on bag and ship everything else. If you planned on packing those gifts in several suitcases, remember that you will likely pay to bring back empty suitcases after the holiday celebrations are over. Save the hassle and costs associated with extra luggage by packing only what you need in your carry-on bag and shipping everything else to your final destination.
5. Consider ground travel for domestic destinations.If you are traveling across a few states or just to another city, consider ground transportation instead of flying. Driving, taking the train or even traveling by bus may end up being cheaper than a flight around the holiday season. If you have the time and patience to coordinate a trip without flying, you may be able to reduce those travel expenses. Use the American Automobile Association’s fuel cost calculator to estimate fuel costs for your trip based on current gasoline prices. Amtrak has also started posting its holiday deals for train fares across the country, so make sure to compare prices before choosing your route of transportation.
Timothy Dwayne Tutterrow, the operator of a ride at the North Carolina State Fair, has been charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon after the ride injured five people, officials said Saturday.
Timothy Dwayne Tutterrow, 46, of Quitman, Georgia, was arrested following an investigation into Thursday night’s accident. Witnesses say the Vortex ride restarted as people were getting off.
More arrests are expected, Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison told reporters at a news conference late Saturday.
Five people have been injured in the Vortex ride accident at the North Carolina State Fair
“Through our investigation, talking to witnesses, talking to ride operator, we have determined that this ride was tampered with … and that critical safety devices were tampered with and compromised,” he said.
Timothy Dwayne Tutterrow is employed by an independent ride contractor, the fair said in a statement. The Vortex is the only ride the contractor has at the State Fair.
The victims were taken to hospital and, meanwhile, two of them have been released. Three remain hospitalized. They are Anthony Gorham, 29; Kisha Gorham, 39; and a 14-year-old, the statement said.
North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said: “It’s an ongoing investigation and there is still a lot of information to be gathered.”
Bangladesh’s main opposition party and its allies have decide to begin a three-day strike over the government’s failure to set up a caretaker cabinet in the run-up to the country’s general elections.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party party (BNP), led by Khaleda Zia, is calling for the government to step aside ahead of the polls due in January.
The strike is going ahead despite pleas from PM Sheikh Hasina.
In comes after at least six people were killed during fresh unrest on Friday.
The violence flared as police and protesters clashed in some parts of the country, leaving more than 100 injured.
The strike began at 06:00, with the BNP and its Islamist ally the Jamaat-e-Islam hoping to bring the country to a standstill.
Three people were killed and dozens injured in Bangladesh Friday when security officials clashed with opposition supporters trying to defy a ban on protests, in Dhaka
They want to force the prime minister to allow a neutral caretaker administration to oversee the election process.
But Sheikh Hasina, who heads the Awami League, has rejected such a plan saying there is no scope for unelected people to supervise the vote.
Khaleda Zia announced that the national shutdown would be going ahead from Sunday, despite a rare phone call with Sheikh Hasina in which the the prime minister asked her to call off the strike.
It is thought to be the first time the bitter rivals have spoken directly for a decade.
The BNP and its allies are refusing to participate in elections under current constitutional provisions, which do not allows for a neutral, caretaker government, or require the incumbent prime minister to step down during the interim period.
The opposition fears the government will rig the polls if it remains in power.
Friday’s violence came as security officials opened fire on opposition supporters trying to defy a ban on protests.
Two people were killed in the coastal district of Cox’s Bazar, according to reports.
Local media said at least two people had died in the central district of Chandpur, while protesters also died in the northern town of Jaldhaka and the northern district of Nilphamari.
Demonstrators set vehicles on fire in the capital Dhaka.
A series of rulings against Jamaat have led to violent protests across Bangladesh, with more than 150 people killed in clashes with police since the beginning of this year.
Chinese newspaper New Express, which made front-page appeals for the release of its journalist Chen Yongzhou, has issued an apology over his report.
The Guangdong-based New Express said a preliminary police investigation found that Chen Yongzhou had accepted money to publish numerous false reports.
Chen Yongzhou was arrested over claims he defamed a partly state-owned firm in articles exposing alleged corruption.
The paper’s front-page apology came after the journalist confessed to wrongdoing on state TV.
“I’m willing to admit my guilt and to show repentance,” Chen Yongzhou said in a statement broadcast on Saturday.
The New Express had previously backed him with unusually bold front-page appeals for his release.
But in a statement on Sunday’s front page, the newspaper said it had failed to properly check his reports.
Chen Yongzhou was arrested over claims he defamed a partly state-owned firm in articles exposing alleged corruption
“This newspaper was not strict enough about thoroughly fact-checking the draft of the report,” it said.
“After the incident occurred the newspaper took inappropriate measures, seriously harming the public trust of the media.”
The paper promised to better ensure that its reporters and editors “comply with professional journalistic ethics and regulations”.
The turn-around came one day after Chen Yongzhou appeared on state television in a green prison uniform to confess to writing false stories for money.
Several high-profile suspects have made televised confessions recently.
Experts say confessions are still routinely coerced, despite a change in the law earlier this year banning the authorities from forcing anyone to incriminate themselves.
Chen Yongzhou wrote several articles for the New Express alleging financial irregularities at a construction-equipment company called Zoomlion. The company denies the allegations.
“In this case I’ve caused damages to Zoomlion and also the whole news media industry and its ability to earn the public’s trust,” he told state broadcaster CCTV.
“I did this mainly because I hankered after money and fame. I’ve been used. I’ve realised my wrongdoing.”
State media said Chen Yongzhou had confessed to taking bribes, but did not report who might have paid the bribes.
His case attracted huge attention after the New Express twice used its front page to call for his release.
Media monitoring group China Digital Times reported that the Communist Party’s propaganda department had barred newspapers from reporting the story.
However, many newspapers have continued to cover it.
China’s newspaper industry is tightly controlled by a system of local censors carrying out party directives.
