Burger King’s Twitter account was hacked by a McDonald’s fan.
Burger King’s Twitter page, which has more than 89,000 followers, has been changed to feature their rival’s food and even their logo and Twitter name have been changed, appearing as McDonalds @BurgerKing.
The first sign of trouble was a post made from the official Burger King account stating: “We just got sold to McDonalds! Look for McDonalds in a hood near you.”
The Burger King Twitter account has been suspended after several posts, some racist and offensive, were made by the McDonald’s fan over several hours.
From the Burger King account, the hacker promoted McDonald’s food, posting: “Try our new BK (sm) Bath Salt! 99% Pure MDPV! Buy a Big Mac, get a gram free!”
Since then there has been a string of Tweets from several Twitter users as news of the hack went viral with many tweeting and re-tweeting posts from the hacker.
Burger King’s Twitter account was hacked by a McDonald’s fan
A Burger King spokesperson said: “It has come to our attention that the Twitter account of BURGER KING® brand has been hacked.
“We have worked directly with administrators to suspend the account until we are able to re-establish our legitimate site and authentic postings.
“We apologize to our followers who have been receiving erroneous tweets about other members of our industry and additional inappropriate topics.”
McDonald’s denied any involvement in the hacking, posting on their Twitter page at 6.45p.m.: “We empathize with our @BurgerKing counterparts. Rest assured, we had nothing to do with the hacking.”
Twitter and Burger King are yet to make any official statements about the incident.
Chaz Bono announced his aim to drop 50 lbs in weight in November and thanks to a new and improved eating plan he just might get there.
Chaz Bono, 43, has showed off the results of his 43 lb weight loss after making the commitment at the end of last year with Dr. Travis Stork on an episode of The Doctors.
He started off weighing 250lbs.
Chaz Bono told People magazine: “I’ve been sticking to a really strict diet. It’s not any type of starvation thing. I’m just cutting out a lot of stuff and eating primarily protein and vegetables and fruit.”
Now he has upped his goal to dropping a total of 80 lbs.
The transgender star made a TV appearance on which he made the pledge when he was at the most uncomfortable size of his life.
Chaz Bono has showed off the results of his 43 lb weight loss after making the commitment at the end of last year with Dr Travis Stork on an episode of The Doctors
Chaz Bono lost his first portion of weight by exercising and using the easy Freshology delivered-meal plan.
He will feature in a catch-up episode of The Doctors on Wednesday.
Chaz Bono said about kick-starting his routine: “It hasn’t been that long, but when you’re a guy and you’ve got a lot of weight to lose, the initial stuff comes off pretty easily. You start to see results and you want to keep going.
“It’s not to say you don’t have cravings sometimes, but I’m very happy with how I’m looking and feeling. Especially when I’m traveling or I have to go out to eat or whatever, it’s actually kind of easier than I thought to [eat healthy], so that’s been good.”
He explained: “It’s getting harder. I’m just kind of at a little plateau right now, which I think is pretty normal, according to my doctor. The weight was falling off at first, and now it’s just coming off slower.
“The smaller you are, the harder it is to lose weight. The last 10 or 20 lbs. are really hard to get off. I would like to lose more than that. I’m still dropping, but I’m just not dropping like I was in the beginning, which was about 4 lbs. a week.”
Chaz Bono called off his engagement with fiancée, Jennifer Elia, after 12 years together in December 2011, which may not have helped any motivation to continue exercising after his celebrity ballroom dancing show participation.
Japanese shares have risen after finance ministers of the G20 group of nations avoided singling out Japan for criticism over the recent yen weakness.
The yen has dipped nearly 15% against the US dollar since November amid Japan’s efforts to stoke inflation.
There were concerns that a criticism from G20 may prompt Japan to alter its aggressive stance. The fears were that it would result in the yen rising again and hurt Japan’s plans to spur growth.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index rose 2%.
Meanwhile, the Japanese currency continued to weaken. It fell 0.6% to 94.12 yen against the US dollar.
It also dipped 0.5% to 125.50 yen against the euro in early Asian trade.
“At the G20 meeting, there wasn’t as much criticism from emerging countries about the recent yen’s weakness as feared. That spurred yen selling,” said Kyoya Okazawa, head of global equities at BNP Paribas.
Japanese shares have risen after finance ministers of the G20 group of nations avoided singling out Japan for criticism over the recent yen weakness
Analysts say the G20 communiqué at the end of its meeting in Moscow on Saturday was an endorsement for Japan’s recent monetary moves.
The policies have seen Japan’s central bank, the Bank of Japan, double its inflation target to 2% in attempt to spur domestic consumption.
The central bank has also expanded a key stimulus measure aimed at keeping long term interest rates low.
Analysts say that as Japan continues to pursue these policies, the yen is likely to weaken further.
“With Japan, as yet, using various measures to ease monetary conditions domestically, we do not expect a large international backlash against its efforts and look for the Japanese yen to continue to decline gradually as the easier monetary conditions feed through,” Barclays Capital said in a note.
A weak yen bodes well for the Japanese exporters and its economy on various fronts.
To begin with, it makes their goods more affordable to foreign buyers. It also helps boost the exporters’ profits when they repatriate their foreign earnings back home.
And as firms see their profits rise, they are likely to have a bigger cash pile to invest in research and development or expansion of their facilities.
Investment in research helps the firms become more competitive as they develop new products. Meanwhile, increased capital investment helps boost Japan’s overall economic growth.
British actor Richard Briers, best known for his role in TV’s The Good Life, has died at the age of 79, his agent has announced.
Richard Briers, who was also an accomplished stage actor, had been battling a serious lung condition for several years.
He died “peacefully” at his London home on Sunday, his agent added.
Richard Briers recently blamed years of smoking for his emphysema.
“It’s totally my fault,” he said.
“So, I get very breathless, which is a pain in the backside. Trying to get upstairs… oh God, it’s ridiculous. Of course, when you’re bloody nearly 80 it’s depressing, because you’ve had it anyway.”
His agent, Christopher Farrar, said: “Richard was a wonderful man, a consummate professional and an absolute joy to work alongside.
“Following his recent discussion of his battle with emphysema, I know he was incredibly touched by the strength of support expressed by friends and the public.
“He has a unique and special place in the hearts of so many. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go to his family at this sad time.”
Richard Briers, best known for his role in TV’s The Good Life, has died at the age of 79
In 1970s BBC sitcom The Good Life, Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal played a married suburban couple who try a self-sufficient lifestyle.
Richard Briers also starred in shows including Marriage Lines, Ever Decreasing Circles, Monarch Of The Glen plus a role in Doctor Who and Torchwood.
He appeared in many films, most recently in British comedy film Cockneys versus Zombies, plus a cameo role in Run For Your Wife, based on Ray Cooney’s 1980s stage farce.
RichardBriers narrated the 1970s children’s cartoon series Roobarb And Custard and also provided the voice for the character of Fiver in the animated feature Watership Down (1978).
Rapper Azealia Banks has become embroiled in a bitter Twitter row with Perez Hilton after slapping her own verses over the top of DJ Baauer’s Harlem Shake.
Azealia Banks, 21, let rip in a bizarre foul-mouthed rant on Twitter after her version of the hit track was removed from Soundcloud – branding the New York producer a “f****t” and accusing him of “c**kblocking”.
The rapper’s fiery comments have divided fans, with blogger Perez Hilton taking offence, telling the rapper she is becoming known for her vitriolic rants rather than her music.
Hilton Perez wrote: “Classy as always! How does it feel to be better known for all your trash-talking than your music, Azealia?”
Electro hit Harlem Shake has inspired countless videos where one masked person dances alone ignored by those around them.
After Azealia Banks’ video was deleted she decided to post her version of on Twitter.
Since the feud started Azealia Banks, who is openly bisexual, has been accused of being homophobic – something the 212 strenuously denies.
Taking to Twitter the rapper wrote: “Men in hip-hop beef and say f****t and all kinds of other craziness but I get shunned for doing it.”
She added: “Here we go again. Everyone pretending to be so shocked and moved by the word faggot. It’s like society is so bored with itself it needs to hold on to these outdated rules of what you can say and cannot say.”
Azealia Banks has become embroiled in a bitter Twitter row with Perez Hilton after slapping her own verses over the top of DJ Baauer’s Harlem Shake
This situation is a perfect example of how difficult it is to be a female who raps.
“Art is supposed to be inspiring. If you’re mad at someone for being excited and inspired by your art then you’re doing it wrong.”
One fan added: “The fact that people sweat @AZEALIABANKS about rapping over a beat shows how intimidated they are by her talent and skill.”
The Harlem Shake began as a dance in the 1980s but the latest version featured on a flood of online videos is an electronic dance track by 23-year-old Brooklyn DJ Baauer who released the single last year with the record label Mad Decent.
The video starts with one person, often masked, dancing while everyone else in the room pays no attention but when the chorus kicks in they all join in, usually wearing crazy costumes or with props like blow-up giraffes or bicycles.
YouTube said the craze appeared to have started with a posting by a blogger and spread quickly, with more than 12,000 Harlem Shake videos posted from the start of the month to mid-week watched up to 44 million times.
Harlem Shake has a way to go to top Gangnam Style which made history last December when it became the first ever video on YouTube to reach 1 billion views.
Despite being in her seventies and suffering from arthritis, Jane Fonda remains a keen advocate of fitness for women of all ages – but has learnt from personal experience that it isn’t always easy as you get older.
Jane Fonda, now aged 75, has found she’s had to adapt her own fitness regime to the capabilities of her ageing body. And she has found yoga to be a perfect fit because it can build up muscle strength and tone without being too physically demanding.
“I knew that yoga would make me flexible but was surprised to find that it could also keep me aerobically fit as well as strong,” Jane Fonda said.
Jane Fonda has been doing yoga since the mid-1990s but found as age took its toll, she wasn’t as capable of certain moves.
“As I got older, my osteoarthritis made it difficult to do the same demanding postures,” the actress said.
As a result, Jane Fonda has now come up a yoga routine, aimed at those aged 50 and over, which provides a gentle but effective introduction to the popular form of exercise.
“Having had a knee and hip replacement in the last 10 years as well as back surgery, I needed to find a yoga routine that was safe and effective. I knew that one day I would create a yoga program for folks like me. Well, here it is,” Jane Fonda said of her DVD, AM/PM Yoga For Beginners, which will be released next month.
Jane Fonda has now come up a yoga routine, aimed at those aged 50 and over, which provides a gentle but effective introduction to the popular form of exercise
The workout is aimed specifically at keeping older generations active and includes morning and evening sessions users can choose to follow on any given day.
The morning workout is designed to help participants feel rejuvenated and energized while the evening versions aim to promote relaxation and relieve tension and stress.
Jane Fonda revealed how she fits yoga into her own day: “I do one 10-minute segment in the morning to get me revved up and ready to go and one 10-minute segment in the evening to chill me out. Sometimes with Richard, my honey.”
It seems that the women who have grown up following Jane Fonda’s fitness advice remain as resolute as her to stay active.
A survey commissioned to celebrate the release of the DVD found that 60% of 60-69 year olds agreed that fitness was still important in their lives. An admirable 68% of 70-79 year olds said they continued to exercise regularly.
And those in their 80s said they didn’t want to sit around in their slippers either – with 25% saying they wanted to keep in shape and continue to include fitness in their weekly routine.
On the latest episode of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami Rob Kardashian’s siblings tried to help him deal with his split from singer Rita Ora.
Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian chimed in as Rob and Rita Ora embarked on a Twitter war and tried to give him advice.
They told Rob he needed to cut communication for a while.
Eldest sister Kourtney Kardashian warned: “She’s the one that’s in the wrong but she’ll probably try to make it like you’re in the wrong.”
Kim Kardashian shared her opinion: “Don’t post anything else. Everyone has problems.”
But Rob Kardashian makes the point that he doesn’t want to leave it as it is because fans will think he has been spiteful.
“I don’t want people to think I’m being a bitch,” he shared.
Kim Kardashian thinks being nasty is not the answer, sharing with the camera that: “Ever since Rob has broken up with his girlfriend he has been dating all these girls that I don’t think are his type.”
Then things turn serious when she calls her mother to spill details of the rude conversation they had.
Kim Kardashian told Kris Jenner about him asking if Kanye West will do a song with his friend.
The reality star revealed: “He said: <<I hope your sex tape haunts you for the rest of your life and I’m going to publicly bash you and Kanye>>.”
Rob Kardashian’s anger as Kim refuses to sort rap gig with Kanye West
At dinner with Kanye West, Kourtney Kardashian and her son Mason, Rob calls to apologize and explains that he was simply angry over his heartbreak.
He said: “I wanted to apologize. Obviously the things I said to you in the text message, I was just being mean.”
Kim Kardashian replied: “I appreciate you being mature and calling me instead of dragging this fight out.”
His relatives were still worried about him though, as his behavior noticeably changed as he tried to cope with the pain becoming single again.
Kim Kardashian said: “I don’t know who he is hanging out with, but I feel like it’s not him. He has so much going on and he is depressed.”
But they thought his sock line launch at Neiman Marcus will cheer him up and he was happy to take his mind off the bad energy when he got to Miami.
Kim Kardashian said that she can especially identify with Rob not facing up to his feelings and lashing out at his loved ones as: “When I was in my last relationship I clearly wasn’t happy. Khloe called me out on it all the time.”
“I don’t want you to be taken advantage of by the lame girls out here.”
South African police are investigating if Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius may have shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in a fit of so-called “steroid rage” – an explosion of aggression caused by performance-boosting steroids.
Officers who searched Oscar Pistorius’ home in Pretoria after Reeva Steenkamp was killed are reported to have found steroids, according to The Sun.
Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was shot four times early on Thursday at Oscar Pistorius’ mansion in a secure housing estate on the outskirts of Pretoria.
This morning police refused to respond to the claim, but sources close to investigation had previously told a local paper that the steroid rage was one line of enquiry and that the star’s blood was being tested for drugs.
Police have rubbished speculation that Oscar Pistorius – who is known to have kept a pistol by his bed and a machine gun at his bedroom window – may have mistaken reeva Steenkamp of three months for an intruder.
As he awaits the result of his bail application tomorrow, it was reported this morning that Oscar Pistorius accidentally discharged a gun in a busy Johannesburg restaurant – and nearly hit his friend’s foot.
Oscar Pistorius visited a branch of the South African restaurant chain Tasha’s with group of friends which included girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in January this year.
According to boxer Kevin Lerena, who was also part of the dining party, Oscar Pistorius was given the gun by someone else in the group.
He was examining the weapon when it suddenly went off, Kevin Lerena claimed.
“I got a huge fright, because the bullet hit the ground just centimetres from my foot,” Kevin Lerena told South Africa’s Beeld newspaper.
He went on: “I must emphasize that the gun belonged to one of Pistorius’ friends – I’m not going to mention his name.
“Oscar just wanted to look at the gun, and it sort of snagged on his pants, releasing the safety catch.
“A shot went off. I wouldn’t call him negligent, it was just an accident. He apologised to me for days afterwards.”
South African police are investigating if Oscar Pistorius may have shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in a fit of so-called steroid rage
The restaurant’s manager Jason Loupis has said that he heard a “loud bang” but that when he went to investigate, everyone on the table denied it was them.
“I went to investigate when I heard the shot, but they all denied it,” said Jason Loupis.
Jason Loupis said he did not inform the police as he could not be certain that a gun was fired.
Reeva Steenkamp will be buried tomorrow – the same day Oscar Pistorius appears before Pretoria chief magistrate Desmond Nair for the start of what is expected to be a two day long bail application.
Mike Steenkamp, who speaks for Reeva’s family, said: “For now, we are just focusing on getting over the funeral … on getting this part of the difficult journey behind us.
“We’re trying not to think about Oscar or the court appearance. We have deliberately not watched TV or listened to the radio. We just don’t want to think about it. We want to blank it all out and focus for now on the here and now.”
Reeva Steenkamp’s heartbroken mother has spoken of her pain for the first time and said that she wants “answers”.
“She had so much of herself to give and now all of it is gone,” June Steenkamp told a local newspaper.
“Just like that, she is gone … In the blink of an eye and a single breath, the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer here.
“All we have is this horrendous death to deal with … to get to grips with. All we want are answers … answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this?”
Reeva Steenkamp’s flatmate Gina Myers, refused to comment on her friend’s relationship with Oscar Pistorius.
However, she echoed the call for “answers”, saying: “We want the truth to come out … everyone to be honest about what happened.”
South African police believe Oscar Pistorius may have beaten his girlfriend with a cricket bat before shooting her.
Yesterday it emerged that detectives are reported to have recovered a bloodied bat from Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom and to have established that model Reeva Steenkamp’s skull had been “crushed”.
This and other evidence – a smashed bathroom door, a 9mm pistol, the peculiar pattern of wounds on the body and reports of a row earlier in the evening – is said to have led them to believe the murder case against the athlete is “rock solid”.
Prosecutors have formally charged Oscar Pistorius with premeditated murder but the Blade Runner’s family says he firmly denies such a charge.
Oscar Pistorius is understood to have hired a heavyweight team of experts which include private detectives a pathologist who will conduct their own investigation into Reeva Steenkamp’s death.
Yesterday it emerged that Oscar Pistorius called his close friend Justin Divaris shortly after the killing – reportedly before the emergency services were alerted – and told him: “There has been a terrible accident, I shot Reeva.”
Tardigrade, known as water bear, is dubbed “nature’s greatest survivor”, being almost invincible.
Tardigrades are some of the most fascinating animals in world because they can live happily in the most extreme conditions.
While not the most attractive creatures, the small, segmented animals come in many forms – there are more than 900 species of them – and they’re found everywhere in the world, from the highest mountains to the deepest oceans.
Boil the 1 mm creatures, freeze them, dry them, expose them to radiation and they’re so resilient they’ll still be alive 200 years later.
Water bears can hack temperatures as low as -457 degrees, heat as high as 357 degrees, and 5,700 grays of radiation, when 10-20 grays would kill humans and most other animals.
Tardigrades can also live for a decade without water and even survive in space.
Tardigrade, known as water bear, is dubbed nature’s greatest survivor, being almost invincible
Argo and Zero Dark Thirty have won the top screenplay honors from the Writers Guild of America.
The Adapted Screenplay Award went to Chris Terrio for Ben Affleck’s Iran hostage drama Argo.
Mark Boal took the Original Screenplay prize for Kathryn Bigelow’s film chronicling the manhunt for Osama Bin Laden, Zero Dark Thirty.
Malik Bendjelloul won the Documentary Award for Searching for Sugar Man, about the 1970s musician Rodriguez.
The guild was the last of Hollywood’s major trade unions to hand out awards before next Sunday’s Oscars.
Argo and Zero Dark Thirty have won the top screenplay honors from the Writers Guild of America
Argo has emerged as the best picture favorite at the Academy Awards, after scooping the top prize at the BAFTAs and Golden Globes, in addition to awards from the Directors Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild of America.
“I’ve never actually won a call-your-name award before,” Chris Terrio said backstage after winning his award.
Prizes for television writing were also handed out, with Breaking Bad winning Best Drama series.
The writers of Louis claimed the prize for comedy series and Lena Dunham’s Girls was named Best New TV series.
Tom Cruise’s visit to Hertfordshire curry house Veer Dhara has been turned into a film.
Last August, Tom Cruise ordered lobster and chicken tikka masala when he and eight companions visited the Veer Dhara in St Albans.
A friend settled the bill after the restaurant told Tom Cruise it did not accept American Express.
A video about Tom Cruise’s curry night has been entered into the inaugural St Albans Film Festival’s short-film competition.
Festival director Leoni Kibbey said: “Everyone in the film is wearing a Tom Cruise mask. It’s very funny.”
Leoni Kibbey said the festival – which runs from March 8 until March 10 – showcases the county’s historic links with the film industry.
Director Stanley Kubrick lived in the St Albans area, film pioneer Arthur Melbourne-Cooper was born in St Albans and the Pinewood and Elstree studios are nearby.
Tom Cruise was in Hertfordshire last August for the filming of All You Need Is Kill, which was shot at the county’s Leavesden Studios.
Tom Cruise’s visit to Hertfordshire curry house Veer Dhara has been turned into a film
Spanish airline Iberia workers have begun a five-day strike in protest at planned cuts to jobs and salaries.
Iberia has cancelled more than 400 flights out of 1,000 scheduled for this week, with cabin crew and baggage handlers staging the walk-out.
A lack of services at Spanish airports are expected to affect more than 1,000 flights from various airlines.
Iberia has announced plans to cut 3,807 jobs after it reported mounting losses last year.
In the first nine month of 2012 it lost 262 million euros ($349 million).
Unions are planning three separate five-day strikes in February and March.
Iberia workers have begun a five-day strike in protest at planned cuts to jobs and salaries
Iberia said 70,000 passengers would be affected by the first strike, though in a statement the company said 60,000 had been found seats on alternative flights.
It said 90% of long-haul flights would be operating, but domestic flights would be the worst affected, with more than half of flights grounded.
Analysts suggest 15 days of strikes could cost Iberia up to 100 million euros.
Iberia merged with British Airways in 2011 to create International Airlines Group, and the new management has been trying to cut costs.
Iberia has been hit by increased competition from low-cost carriers and a prolonged recession in its home market.
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez says he has returned home after receiving treatment for cancer in Cuba.
In three messages posted on Twitter, Hugo Chavez, 58, thanked Cuban President and ex-leader Raul and Fidel Castro.
Hugo Chavez also thanked Venezuelans for their support and said he would continue treatment in his home country.
He has been president for 14 years and was re-elected for another six-year term in October 2012, but his swearing-in was delayed because of his illness.
Hugo Chavez went to Havana for surgery on December 11, his fourth operation in an 18-month period for cancer first diagnosed in mid-2011.
Last week the first images of him since the operation were broadcast by Venezuela’s government.
Hugo Chavez was pictured smiling as he lay in bed reading a newspaper, with his two daughters by his side.
Hugo Chavez says he has returned to Venezuela after receiving treatment for cancer in Cuba
He announced his return to Venezuela to his 3.9 million Twitter followers in a series of tweets that were bombastic in tone but short on detail.
“We have arrived back in the land of Venezuela. Thank you Lord!! Thanks to my beloved people! We will continue our treatment here.”
There was no information about when or why he returned, and no details about whether he would actively take up the duties of office.
Instead Hugo Chavez thanked Cuba’s leaders and people and said he had confidence in his doctors.
“Onwards to victory!! We will live and we will overcome!!!” Hugo Chavez wrote in his final tweet.
The extent of Hugo Chavez’s illness is shrouded in mystery, but it is understood to be serious.
During his treatment the Venezuelan leader is reported to have had tumors removed from his pelvic region.
Hugo Chavez has also undergone prior rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Though there have been few details about the president’s exact treatment, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro described it as “extremely complex and tough”.
A Russian court has held a pre-trial hearing in the case against late anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.
The court said the trial would start on March 4. It is believed to be the first time in Soviet or Russian history a defendant has been tried posthumously.
Sergei Magnitsky was arrested in 2008 after accusing officials of tax fraud but was later himself accused of those crimes.
His death in custody a year later has led to a diplomatic dispute between Russia and the US.
Last year the US passed the Magnitsky Act, which blacklists Russian officials accused of human rights violations.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a Russian law barring Americans from adopting Russian orphans.
Sergei Magnitsky represented London-based Hermitage Capital Management. He uncovered what he described as a web of corruption involving Russian tax officials, including the alleged theft of more than $200 million.
A Russian court has held a pre-trial hearing in the case against late anti-corruption lawyer Sergei Magnitsky
After reporting the allegations to the authorities, he was himself detained on suspicion of aiding tax evasion.
US-born fund manager Bill Browder, who runs Hermitage Capital, spearheaded efforts in the US to put pressure on Russia over the Magnitsky case. Bill Browder was a major investor in Russia before Sergei Magnitsky’s arrest.
In December, a Moscow court acquitted a prison doctor accused of negligence over Sergei Magnitsky’s death.
Sergei Magnitsky had pancreatitis, but an investigation by Russia’s presidential council on human rights concluded that he had been severely beaten and denied medical treatment.
South African police believe that Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius may have beaten his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with a cricket bat before shooting her.
Detectives are reported to have recovered a bloodied bat from Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom and to have established that model Reeva Steenkamp’s skull had been “crushed”.
This and other evidence – a smashed bathroom door, a 9 mm pistol, the peculiar pattern of wounds on the body and reports of a row earlier in the evening – is said to have led them to believe the murder case against the sprinter is “rock solid”.
Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was shot four times early on Thursday at Oscar Pistorius’ luxury mansion in a secure housing estate on the outskirts of Pretoria.
Police have rubbished speculation that Oscar Pistorius – who is known to have kept a pistol by his bed and a machine gun at his bedroom window – may have mistaken his girlfriend of three months for an intruder.
Prosecutors have formally charged Oscar Pistorius with premeditated murder but the Blade Runner’s family say he firmly denies such a charge.
Yesterday it emerged that he called his close friend Justin Divaris shortly after the killing – reportedly before the emergency services were alerted – and told him: “There has been a terrible accident, I shot Reeva.”
Justin Divaris rushed to the sportsman’s house, where he said Oscar Pistorius repeatedly told him: “My baba, I’ve killed my baba. God take me away.”
While no officials would comment publicly on the case, a disturbing – though disputed – picture of what may have happened in Oscar Pistorius’ home started to emerge.
Neighbors have said they heard shouting coming from the house at around 1.30 a.m. There were some suggestions, quickly denied, that the row may have been about Reeva Steenkamp’s friendship with a rugby player.
At around 3.20 a.m., four shots rang out – apparently not all at once. The first person Oscar Pistorius called was his father Henke, 59.
When Henke Pistorius arrived, he allegedly saw his son carrying his nightie-clad girlfriend down the stairs.
She had been shot in the head, hip, arm and hand. Pistorius – and later paramedics – struggled in vain to save Reeva Steenkamp’s life.
Police reportedly found the bloodied cricket bat in the bedroom. The en-suite bathroom door was riddled with holes, a pistol holster was found by oscar Pistorius’ bed and a gun cartridge was on the floor.
South Africa’s City Press quoted an unnamed police source as saying: “The suspicion is that the first shot, in the bedroom, hit her in the hip. She then ran and locked herself in the toilet.
“She was doubled over because of the pain. He fired three more shots. She probably covered her head, which is why the bullet also went through her hand.”
South African police believe that Oscar Pistorius may have beaten his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp with a cricket bat before shooting her
The source said police are carrying out tests to establish whose blood is on the bat.
While one scenario is that Oscar Pistorius attacked Reeva Steenkamp with the wooden bat, it has also been claimed that the model may have used it to defend herself.
A third possibility is that Oscar Pistorius used it to break down the bathroom door. Those close to Oscar Pistorius have suggested that he may done so in a bid to “save” his dying girlfriend.
According to this theory, the athlete first shot Reeva Steenkamp by accident, whereupon she fled to the bathroom. He then shot at the door lock to try to get in, accidentally killing her.
Oscar Pistorius’ father appeared to suggest it is this version that he believes.
While he admitted that he had not talked to his son in detail about what happened, he said he had “zero doubt” that the sportsman thought Reeva Steenkamp was an intruder.
A more likely defence from Oscar Pistorius is to acknowledge that there was a row but that he did not intend to kill her.
Some in South Africa have speculated about the nature of Reeva Steenkamp’s friendship with Springbok rugby player Francois Hougaard, and whether this played a part in the tragedy.
Francois Hougaard, 24, was keen to distance himself from such reports at the weekend. His agent said: “This whole sad ordeal has got nothing to do with him.”
Last night Oscar Pistorius’ agent said he had withdrawn him from all planned races but insisted his sponsors were sticking by him.
The tragedy has also cast fresh light on Oscar Pistorius’ apparent attraction to danger and weaponry.
As well as owning a pistol and machine gun, at the time of Reeva Steenkamp’s death he reportedly had seven outstanding firearm licence applications.
One was for same type of assault rifle used in the recent Sandy Hook school massacre in the US.
Oscar Pistorius, who was charged with premeditated murder at a court appearance on Friday, spent the weekend in a police cell ahead of a second hearing planned for tomorrow at which his lawyers are expected to ask for bail.
President Barack Obama played golf with Tiger Woods in Florida on Sunday as he took a break from work during President’s Day weekend.
The unexpected golf pairing came as Barack Obama enjoys a “boy’s weekend” away from his wife and daughters, making his decision to spend the afternoon with one of the world’s most notorious philanderers even more pointed.
Though it would be an intimidating round – undoubtedly for both parties – Barack Obama warmed up on Saturday by playing with Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon.
After getting pointers from Butch Harmon, Barack Obama must have been feeling good about his game as he played with the Masters’ Champion and Jim Crane, who owns The Floridian Yacht and Golf Club where they were seen playing.
Golf Digest reporter Tim Rosaforte reported that Barack Obama warmed up for the “historic” round with Tiger Woods and Jim Crane.
No photos of the trio have been released and the president’s normal pool reporter was barred from covering the event, but gossip is flying at the country club as members tried their best to get an insight into how the round was going.
“Not going to turn this into Tiger Tracker, but from pro shop at Floridian we received word TW holed out greenside bunker No. 1 for birdie,” Tim Rosaforte tweeted.
While this is the first time that Barack Obama has played golf with Tiger Woods- who has won the most titles in the storied sport- it is not the first time that they have met.
The disgraced golfer did a reading at one of the President’s inaugural festivities in 2009 and followed that up with a visit to the White House.
That visit took place five months before his long list of affairs was exposed so it is unclear whether or not Tiger Woods and barack Obama have spoken since. Their four hours on the course will leave them with plenty of time to talk, however.
During his round on Saturday, Barack Obama played with Jim Crane as well as Texas-based lawyer Tony Chase, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, utility executive Milton Carroll and the President’s close friend Eric Whitaker who he has known since he lived in Chicago.
Both Milton Carroll and Jim Crane have donated to Democratic campaigns, and Tony Chase hosted an Obama fundraiser during the presidential campaign last year.
Barack Obama played golf with Tiger Woods in Florida on Sunday as he took a break from work during President’s Day weekend
The Florida club is used to having some high-profile guests, as conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh talked about his times playing there during his show on Saturday.
“I was a proud and honored member of the Floridian,” he said.
“The president’s got himself a good, old-fashioned guys golf weekend.”
President Barack Obama is enjoying a break from his family this weekend after flying to Florida for a golf getaway, while the First Lady and daughters Sasha and Malia will be skiing in Aspen, Colorado, the White House confirmed on.
Tiger Woods’ old instructor Butch Harmon and his son, Claude III, are reportedly flying in to work with Barack Obama at the club’s new high-tech learning facility, which Harmon helped design.
“I’ve played golf with Ike, Nixon, Ford and President Bush 41,” Butch Harmon told Golf Digest.
“I never played with President Clinton. I met him in the Oval Office. It’ll be interesting. I know the president is a real keen golfer. I’m looking forward to it. It should be fun.”
“He’s a left-handed player, I’ve seen film of his swing before,” said Butch Harmon.
“It’ll be fun to get him down in the learning center, show him stuff in his golf game and see how he takes it to the course. He’s just like all of us that play golf. He wants to get better.”
Barack Obama was flying on Air Force One from an official event to promote his economic proposals in his adopted hometown of Chicago to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the weekend getaway.
“The president is looking forward to spending President’s Day weekend with some friends in Florida, and I’m sure they’ll take advantage of the opportunity to play some golf,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
The Tom Fazio-designed private course and club is owned by Jim Crane, who also owns the Houston Astros baseball team.
According to the course website, members and guests also have the use of eight cottages, a deep-water marina, a 61-foot Viking Yacht, a boat and a private helicopter service, a spa and fitness center and a teaching facility.
Colorado is where Michelle Obama and first daughters have spent their past two Presidents’ Day weekends. In 2012, they went skiing at Buttermilk Mountain and stayed at the home of Aspen Ski Company owners Jim and Paula Crown, according to the Aspen Daily News. In 2011, they went skiing in Vail.
Vice President Joe Biden and his family, according to the White House, will also be in Colorado this weekend on vacation.
Country star Mindy McCready has killed herself on the same front porch where her boyfriend David Wilson was found dead one month ago.
Mindy McCready, 37, died from an “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound”, Arkansas sheriff Marty Moss said.
The troubled singer had attempted to take her own life twice before and was known to have problems with prescription drugs and alcohol.
Mindy McCready’s death comes weeks after that of her boyfriend and father of one of her two sons, record producer David Wilson, whose death is being investigated.
The singer recorded five studio albums.
NBC reporter Andrea Canning tweeted: “Just got a call from Mindy McCready’s best friend that she shot and killed herself this evening.”
Police said they had found the body of Malinda Gayle McCready on the front porch of her home in Heber Springs. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
After the death of her partner in January, Mindy McCready had told NBC’s Dateline programme that she had “never gone through anything this painful.
“He didn’t just touch my heart, he touched my soul.”
Mindy McCready has killed herself on the same front porch where her boyfriend David Wilson was found dead one month ago
Mindy McCready denied any involvement in David Wilson’s death.
Her two boys – a six-year-old and a nine-month-old – were removed from her home earlier this month when she was ordered to undergo rehabilitation.
She was discharged last week for outpatient treatment, but her sons remained in foster care.
Mindy McCready had been arrested several times on drug charges. She also made headlines for claiming to have had a 10-year affair with former baseball star Roger Clemens that began when she was a teenager.
Her best-selling album was her 1996 debut Ten Thousand Angels which included the hit Guys Do It All The Time. Her fifth album, I’m Still Here, was released in 2010.
Mindy McCready:
Born November 30, 1975, in Florida
Moves to Nashville aged 18
Three years later has her first hit with Guys Do It All The Time
In 2006 gives birth to a son with Billy McKnight
Appears in TV show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew in 2010
Son Zayne is born in April 2012
January 13, 2013 – her boyfriend David Wilson is found dead
February 17, 2013 – police find her dead at her home
Rafael Correa has been re-elected for a third term as Ecuador’s president with more than 50% of the vote.
His main challenger, Guillermo Lasso, has admitted defeat.
Addressing his supporters in the capital, Quito, Rafael Correa, 49, called for “another four years of revolution”.
First elected in 2007, the socialist leader is widely credited with bringing political stability to a nation that suffered decades of protests and coups.
But critics accuse Rafael Correa of being a dictator in the making.
Rafael Correa, a US-trained economist, has been accused of implementing policies that have served to strengthen his hold on power and erode the influence of political opponents and private media.
But his so-called “citizens’ revolution” has made him popular with many ordinary Ecuadoreans and has won him friends among other Latin American left-wing leaders.
Partial results give Rafael Correa 56.7%, ahead of 23.3% for his nearest rival, former banker Guillermo Lasso. The third-placed challenger was poised to take 6.6%, with four others trailing below 5%.
To avoid a run-off, the president needs to win 50% of the total vote or 40% plus a 10-point margin over the second-placed candidate.
Rafael Correa has been re-elected for a third term as Ecuador’s president with more than 50 percent of the vote
Speaking on TV after 40% of the votes had been counted, the head of the National Electoral Council said the final result would not be significantly larger or smaller.
President Rafael Correa was quick to claim victory.
“Nobody can stop this revolution,” he told a crowd of supporters gathered outside the balcony of the Carondelet Palace in Quito.
“The colonial powers are not in charge anymore, you can be sure that in this revolution it’s Ecuadoreans who are in charge.”
“We are here to serve you,” he added.
“Nothing for us, everything for you: the people who deserve the right to be free.
“This is not just a victory for Ecuador, this is a victory for the great homeland of Latin America.”
During his six years in power, Rafael Correa has expanded access to healthcare and education and improved thousands of miles of highways, creating many jobs in the process. Poverty rates have dropped significantly.
Critics say that, since coming to office, he has filled the courts and government positions with allies and stifled free speech by taking on the media.
They also complain he has restricted free enterprise with heavy taxation and regulatory changes and taken government spending to an unsustainable level.
Rafael Correa is close to Venezuela and Cuba and has sought to establish ties with Iran and China. Last year, he upset the US, Britain and Sweden by granting asylum to wanted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorean embassy in London.
“I don’t recognize the current Correa. He is a different person. He is not the friend I used to have, that I used to love like a brother,” said Alberto Acosta, one of the co-founders of the Alianza Pais governing party and now an opposition candidate.
“He controls everything. He is a sort of Sun King of the 21st Century,” he said referring to France’s King Louis XIV.
Since 2007, Rafael Correa has re-written the country’s constitution: a move that allowed him to run for, and win, a new term in 2009. He is legally barred from running again after this election, the Associated Press reports.
Fragments from the meteorite that struck Russia’s Urals region on Friday, injuring some 1,200 people, have been found around a frozen lake, Russian scientists say.
The fragments were detected around a frozen lake near Chebarkul, a town in the Chelyabinsk region, where the meteorite is believed to have landed.
Viktor Grohovsky, of the Urals Federal University, told Russian media that the material contained about 10% iron.
Russian officials say the strike caused damage costing 1 billion roubles ($33 million).
Fireballs were seen streaking through the skies above Chelyabinsk, about 1,500 km east of Moscow, followed by loud bangs on Friday morning.
An estimated 200,000 sq m of windows were broken; shattered glass causing most of the injuries reported in Chelyabinsk.
While some 9,000 people have been helping in the clear-up and rescue operation, scientists have been concentrating their search for fragments of the rock around Chebarkul Lake, where a 6 m (20 ft) wide crater had been found following the strike.
“We have just completed the study, we confirm that the particulate matters, found by our expedition in the area of Lake Chebarkul indeed have meteorite nature,” Viktor Grohovsky was quoted by Russia’s Ria Novosti news agency as saying.
“This meteorite is an ordinary chondrite. It is a stony meteorite which contains some 10% of iron. It is most likely to be named Chebarkul meteorite,” he added.
The fragments were detected around a frozen lake near Chebarkul, a town in the Chelyabinsk region, where the meteorite is believed to have landed
A search of the lake bottom by a group of six divers on Saturday had found nothing; and it was thought the search would be delayed until the snow melts in the spring.
Russian scientists say the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes before it entered the Earth’s atmosphere, travelling at some 30 km (19 miles) per second, before breaking apart 30-50 km (20-30 miles) above ground.
However, the US space agency NASA said the meteor was 17 m (55 ft) wide and weighed 10,000 tonnes before entering the atmosphere, releasing about 500 kilotons of energy. The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 was 12-15 kilotons.
Scientists have played down suggestions that there is any link between the event in the Urals and 2012 DA14, an asteroid which raced past the Earth later on Friday at a distance of just 27,700km (17,200 miles) – the closest ever for an object of that size.
Such meteor strikes are rare in Russia but one is thought to have devastated an area of more than 2,000 sq km (770 sq m) in Siberia in 1908.
Rita Moreno dedicated much of her new memoir Rita Moreno to her lengthy affair with Marlon Brando, which continued for nearly a decade even though he had two different wives during that period.
Actress Rita Moreno, known best for her role as Anita in West Side Story, met Marlon Brando on the set of his 1954 movie Desiree, when he was 30-year-old and far more experienced than she since she was just 22-year-old at the time.
“Just meeting him that first day sent my body temperature skyrocketing as though I had been dropped into a very hot bath, and I went into a full-body blush. It was the sort of rush that inspires poetry and songs,” Rita Moreno writes in her new memoir.
The New York Post, which has an early copy of the book, reports that Rita Moreno tells how their physical connection created a real emotional entanglement.
“To say that he was a great lover – sensual, generous, delightfully inventive – would be gravely understating what he did not only to my body, but for my soul. Every aspect of being with Marlon was thrilling, because he was more engaged in the world than anyone else I’d ever known,” Rita Moreno wrote.
Their intimacy did not lead to mutual respect, however, as Rita Moreno writes that Marlon Brando cheated on her frequently in order to try to meet his “insatiable” sexual appetite.
In order to stand her ground, Rita Moreno would date other famous men in order to make him jealous, including future Oscar-winner Dennis Hopper. She tells a story about how a man that she didn’t know made aggressive eyes at her while his “regal” wife sat beside him, only to later learn it was then-Senator John F. Kennedy.
Rita Moreno dedicated much of her new memoir Rita Moreno to her lengthy affair with Marlon Brando
The paramour that drove Marlon Brando the most insane, however, was when she went on a number of dates with Elvis Presley.
Little did he know that Elvis Presley and his famous pelvic thrusts did not match up to the sexual chemistry that Rita Moreno had with Marlon Brando.
“My dates…nearly always concluded in a tender tussle on my living-room floor, with Elvis’ pelvis in that famous gyration straining against his taut trousers. I could feel him thrust against my clothed body, and expecting the next move…but it never came,” Rita Moreno said of Elvis Presley.
No matter the emotional toll, Rita Moreno kept coming back to Marlon Brando.
Two of the lowest points in their torrid affair came when Marlon Brando pressured- and paid for- her to have an abortion when she became pregnant with their child.
Shortly after that, he flew away to film Mutiny on the Bounty and she was left heart broken when he fell in love with his new co-star.
After he returned and he picked her back up, Rita Moreno was left alone in his house at one point and she took the chance to attempt an overdose on pills.
“I went to bed to die. This wasn’t a revenge suicide, but a consolation, an escape-from-pain death,” Rita Moreno said, crediting her survival to his assistant who found her and took her to the hospital to have her stomach pumped.
A therapist told the lovers to keep away from each other for their own health and finally, they relented.
Rita Moreno went on to have a successful and made records for being the first Hispanic actress to have won an Oscar, Tony, Grammy and Emmy. She is still working today at the age of 81-years-old, most recently appearing in the television series Happily Divorced.
Her romantic was also far more successful after she finished her affair with Brando, as she was set up with- and ended up marrying- a doctor named Lenny Gordon.
“We balance each other,” Rita Moreno told People Magazine in 1975, ten years after marrying Lenny Gordon.
“I am not exactly Mrs. Good Housekeeping, although I love to cook, bake, even iron, but only because it’s not mandatory.”
Looking back on the suicide attempt, the prospect of ending her life as there was so much left to come- including her daughter Fernanda- leaves her filled with regret.
“The thought that I may never have lived to see that beautiful creature Nandy just tears at me sometimes. But not for long. I can’t dwell on past mistakes,” Rita Moreno told the magazine.
At least six foreign workers have been seized and a security guard shot dead by gunmen who attacked a construction company site in Bauchi, northern Nigeria, officials say.
One of the workers seized was Italian, one was Greek and two others Lebanese.
No-one has admitted the abductions but the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, has staged a series of attacks in northern Nigeria.
A security guard was killed as the attackers targeted the workers’ camp at Jama’are in Bauchi state.
Correspondents say it is the biggest kidnapping in northern Nigeria in recent times.
The kidnapping of foreigners and wealthy Nigerians is common in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, in the south of the country, and has become a lucrative trade for criminals.
Oil workers and other foreign nationals are often targeted because companies pay high ransom money to secure their employees’ release, correspondents say.
Lebanese foreign minister Adnan Mansour said two of those held were from Lebanon.
An Italian and a Greek national were also abducted from the site run by Lebanese-owned firm Setraco, the foreign ministries in Rome and Athens confirmed.
Another of those seized was a Filipino, said a union leader at Setraco.
At least six foreign workers have been seized and a security guard shot dead by gunmen who attacked a construction company site in Bauchi, northern Nigeria
The Italian ambassador in Abuja said: “Italy’s absolute priority is the safety of its compatriot,” Ansa news agency reported.
The raid was preceded by an attack on the local police station, when two vehicles were blown up, in the town of Jama’are, some 125 miles north of the state capital, Bauchi.
The attackers then moved on to a camp belonging to Setraco, killing a guard and seizing the workers. Setraco is currently expanding a major road in the area.
The state capital has itself been attacked several times by Boko Haram, which wants to impose Sharia (Islamic law) across Nigeria.
Earlier this month, nine polio vaccinators were shot dead at two health centres in northern Nigeria.
Some Nigerian Muslim leaders have previously opposed polio vaccinations, claiming they could cause infertility.
Boko Haram has emerged as one of the most prolific militant groups in West Africa, carrying out a large number of low-level attacks but also some more sophisticated attacks.
Rihanna ended her night at The Box nightclub in London with a cut knee after being assaulted by an aggressive man outside the exclusive nightspot.
According to eye-witnesses, the injury came after a crazed fan threw a bottle of Lucozade at Rihanna as he screamed something about her on-off boyfriend Chris Brown.
In the commotion, the singer fell against a shop shutter and grazed her knee.
The injury was deemed serious enough for her to require immediate medical attention, according to Media Take Out.
Rihanna, 24, is in UK for London Fashion Week where she presented her debut clothing collection for high street behemoth River Island.
The singer was enjoying a night of clubbing with Cara Delevingne on Saturday following her London Fashion Week debut.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims have attended Pope Benedict XVI’s Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square in Rome, one of the pontiff’s final public appearances.
Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down on February 28.
The Pope recited the Angelus prayer and thanked all those who had prayed for him and shown him support over the past few days since his resignation.
The Vatican has said it may hold the conclave that chooses the new pope early, so he can be in place before the start of Holy Week on March 24.
Pope Benedict appeared at his study window overlooking St Peter’s Square at 12.00 p.m, his first such appearance since announcing his resignation last Monday.
The crowd erupted into loud applause and there were chants of “Long live the Pope”.
One banner in the square read: “We love you”.
The Pope used his Angelus appearance to urge the faithful to “renew” and “refocus” on God.
He said: “The Church calls on all its members to renew themselves… which constitutes a fight, a spiritual battle, because the evil spirit wants us to deviate from the road towards God.”
Pope Benedict spoke in a number of languages; speaking in Spanish, he said: “I beg you to continue praying for me and for the next pope.”
After the prayer recital on Sunday the Pope plans to spend the rest of the week on a Lenten prayer retreat closeted inside the Apostolic Palace with senior cardinals and bishops.
The retreat will be a time of reflection about what Pope Benedict’s eight-year long papacy has achieved and what are the priorities now facing a Church whose credibility has been seriously harmed by clerical sex abuse scandals.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims have attended Pope Benedict XVI’s Angelus prayer at St Peter’s Square in Rome, one of the pontiff’s final public appearances
Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said earlier: “The Pope is living through these days calmly even though they’re very emotional and packed.”
The Vatican said on Saturday it was considering calls from cardinals to hold the papal conclave earlier than planned, to have a pontiff in place before Holy Week, the most important event in the Christian calendar.
Under current rules, the vote cannot be held before March 15, to give cardinals enough time to travel to Rome. The Vatican is examining the possibility of changing the rule.
After his spiritual retreat, the Pope will have very few public engagements.
He is scheduled to receive Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on February 23.
The Pope will then celebrate Angelus again on 24 February and hold a final audience in St Peter’s Square on February 27.
Pope Benedict will be flown to his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo on February 28 and remain there as accommodation in the Vatican is prepared.
At 20:00 local time on February 28 he will no longer by pope.
One Vatican official told Reuters news agency it was “absolutely necessary” that Benedict lived in the enclave, “otherwise he might be defenceless”.
“He wouldn’t have his immunity, his prerogatives, his security, if he is anywhere else,” the official said.
There are concerns he could be cited in relation to legal cases connected with alleged sexual abuses by Catholic Church officials.
The 85-year-old pontiff announced his shock resignation last Monday, citing his advanced age as the reason for stepping down.
The last pontiff to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who quit in 1415 amid a schism within the Church.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it faces unprecedented challenges in the complex age of modern warfare as it celebrates its 150th anniversary.
These include “new weapons [and] new types of actors coming into conflict”, ICRC chief Peter Maurer said.
The world’s oldest aid organization recently warned it was unable to cope with the “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in Syria.
The movement currently employs 13,000 people working in 92 countries.
The movement was founded by a Geneva businessman, Henri Dunant, in 1863 in response to the suffering of injured soldiers abandoned on the battlefield of Solferino in northern Italy.
Horrified by what he saw, he documented the slaughter in his book, A Memory of Solferino, and decided to create an organization dedicated to helping war wounded.
Today, the ICRC, together with the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, has become a worldwide movement with tens of thousands of workers and volunteers.
In addition to delivering aid, the organization also aims to ensure that the rules of war are respected in conflict zones, and has a responsibility for looking after the rights of prisoners of war.
But the organization now faces challenges not foreseen in the original Geneva conventions.
At Solferino, there was just one civilian casualty, whereas nowadays it is estimated civilians make up more than 90% of war victims.
The International Committee of the Red Cross says it faces unprecedented challenges in the complex age of modern warfare as it celebrates its 150th anniversary
Warfare in the 21st Century is complex and chaotic, in part because of new weapons such as drones, conflicts – like that in Syria – with multiple armed groups, and shifting frontlines, said Peter Maurer.
“We see conflicts when one convoy has to overcome 35 roadblocks before the convoy gets to areas where food and medicine can be distributed,” he added.
Last November, the ICRC issued a warning over Syria’s escalating humanitarian crisis.
The constantly moving nature of the conflict meant it could not plan, but instead had to seize opportunities for aid delivery on a day-to-day basis, the organization said.
As a result, relief workers were unable to access certain parts of the country.
Despite its strong reputation, the record of the ICRC is not perfect.
Its policy of confidentiality led it to keep silent about Nazi concentration camps in WW2.
Confronted by widespread criticism, the organization was later forced to issue an apology. It said it had feared that speaking out would jeopardize its access to allied prisoners.
Red Cross: Key dates
17 February 1863: Launch of the International Committee for Relief to Wounded Soldiers, later to become the International Committee of the Red Cross.
26-29 October 1863: Creation of National Societies and adoption of the red cross as a protective emblem
22 August 1864: The original Geneva Convention is adopted to protect the sick and wounded in armies in the field. Paves the way for the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
27 July 1929: Red crescent is officially recognized as a protective emblem.
Rapper 2 Chainz has been arrested in Maryland, where he was performing at a college homecoming event, over drug possession.
Maryland State Police spokesman Sgt. Marc Black said troopers stopped a van Thursday night about 9:15 p.m. for speeding near Easton, Maryland., and smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana in the van.
A backpack in the van had a marijuana grinder and trace amounts of marijuana, police said.
2 Chianz, whose real name is Tauheed Epps, claimed possession of the backpack and was arrested, police said.
The rapper was cited for having drug paraphernalia and marijuana and was released. The citation carries up to a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.
Last year, 2 Chainz released his solo debut, Based on a T.R.U. Story, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts and has achieved gold status.
Rapper 2 Chainz has been arrested in Maryland, where he was performing at a college homecoming event, over drug possession
2 Chainz also has several Top 10 hits on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts as both a lead and featured artist.
After the arrest, 2 Chainz’ website tweeted a photograph that appears to show him posing with two police officers.
Sgt. Marc Black said the Maryland State Police could not confirm the authenticity of the photograph but is investigating.
“Locked me up and then Wanted pictures smh,” read one tweet, using the abbreviation for shaking my head.
2 Chianz was scheduled to perform Thursday evening at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. His website later tweeted a photo from the stage and wrote the “show must go on”.
