Saturday 29 September 2018

Fox News fires contributor Kevin Jackson over his 'inappropriate' tweets about Brett Kavanaugh's accusers


Fox News has fired contributor Kevin Jackson for his tweets about Brett Kavanaugh's accusers. Jackson used a pejorative to refer to the three women who have accused the Supreme Court nominee of inappropriate behavior saying, "TO HELL with the notion that women must be believed no matter what".

Plane overshoots a runway in Micronesia and crash lands in the ocean


A Papua New Guinea flight has crash-landed in the Pacific Ocean after overshooting the runway by 160 metres, but all the 47 people on board miraculously survived. The Air Niugini’s partially submerged Boeing 737-800 was flying from Micronesia's Pohnpei to Chuuk Airport, where it was scheduled to make a stop before continuing on to Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea. But the plane missed the runway and crashed into the water around 9.30am Friday local time.

More mass graves discovered from Rwanda's genocide


Authorities in Rwanda have found new mass graves they say contain 5 400 bodies of genocide victims nearly a quarter-century after the 1994 bloodshed. Naphtal Ahishakiye, executive secretary of genocide survivors' organisation Ibuka, tells The Associated Press the bodies were exhumed from 26 mass graves in the capital's Kicukiro district.

Palestine sues US at international court over Jerusalem embassy


Palestine  filed a complaint against the United States with the United Nations top court over Washington's decision to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In a statement issued on Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said Palestine contends the embassy's relocation is in breach of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Venice tourists could be hit with $580 fine for sitting down


We all know being a tourist can be expensive, but in the Italian city of Venice, even just sitting down could soon cost you dearly. The city's mayor, Luigi Brugnaro, has proposed a fine of up to €500 (about $585) for anyone planting themselves down in an undesignated spot.
The proposal isn't without precedent in Venice. People are actually already prohibited from sitting in tourist hotspots St Mark's Square or the Rialto Bridge.

VAR to be used in Champions League from next season


Video Assistant Referees will be used in the Champions League from the 2019/20 season and will also be introduced at the 2020 European Championship, UEFA said on Thursday. European football's governing body revealed a decision had been taken at a meeting of their executive committee to bring in the technology, which will be used from the play-off round preceding the group stage of the Champions League.

World's most expensive shoes ho on sale for $23m


Visitors taking a closer look at what a Dubai-based shoemaker says is the world's most expensive pair of shoes, which has a whopping US$17 million (S$23 million) price tag.  Design house Jada Dubai unveiled the pair - gold patent leather stilettos trimmed with sparkling diamonds set on white gold - at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai on Wednesday.
 Each shoe features a crowning jewel: a round, 15 carat flawless D-diamond near the pointed toe. The one-of-a-kind shoes are a European size 36 (US 5.5, UK 3.5) and can be custom-made to the client's size - after he or she pays full retail price. Last year, a pair of heels made by British designer Debbie Wingham and valued at US$15.1 million was considered the world's most expensive.

Facebook hacked, as 50M accounts are affected by breach


Facebook was recently hacked as the company says it recently discovered a security breach affecting nearly 50 million user accounts. The hack is the latest setback for Facebook during a year of tumult for the global social media service.

Friday 28 September 2018

China-Japan war shipwreck discovered after 100 years


 A long-lost warship has been discovered off the coast of China after an extensive hunt to track down relics from from a naval battle fought more than a century ago.
An archeological team had been searching for several years before it stumbled across a golden wooden name plaque bearing the name Jingyuan, says China's National Cultural Heritage Administration.

Serena Williams out of China Open draw


Twenty three-time grand slam champion Serena Williams has been left out of the China Open tennis draw. Williams’ name, along with that of her sister Venus, did not appear on a list of 64 players ahead of the tournament’s start on Saturday in Beijing.
This year marks the fourth-straight that the 37-year-old has declined to play in a tournament following the US Open, making it almost a routine move for her at this point.
Some of the reports claimed that Serena has called time on her season following her meltdown at the US Open.

First sex robot brothel in US enrages religious group, locals


Plans for the first s-x robot brothel in the US have sparked fury with one religious group claiming the androids teach the men to be rapists. Customers will be able to "rent" a robot in a private room before deciding whether to buy one when Kinky S Dolls opens its first American franchise in Houston, Texas.

Man who slapped woman’s bum is first to be jailed under new French ‘cat-call’ law


A Drunken Frenchman who slapped a woman’s bottom on a crowded bus is the first to be sent to prison under France's tough new sexual harassment laws. The 30-year-old, whose identity has not been revealed, called his victim "a whore" and "commented on the size of her breasts" in the Paris suburb of Evry last Wednesday.

100-year-old woman set to wed the love of her life


A 100-year-old woman is set to marry her lover who is 26 years younger than her, proving it's never too late to tie the knot. Norah Witkiss was whisked off her feet by Malcolm Yates, 74, when they met at modern sequence dancing. The couple have been together for more than 30 years and will tie the knot next month.
The centenarian from Prestatyn, who turns 101 in December, says she wants to get hitched "before it's too late".

Thursday 27 September 2018

Google secretly logs users into Chrome whenever they log into a Google site


Google has made an important change to the way the Chrome browser works, a move the company did not advertise to its users in any way, and which has serious privacy repercussions.
According to several reports, starting with Chrome 69, whenever a Chrome user would access a Google-owned site, the browser would take that user's Google identity and log the user into the Chrome in-browser account system --also known as Sync.

Germany to host Euro 2024 after beating Turkey to UEFA vote


Germany will host the 2024 European Championships after being selected ahead of Turkey by UEFA's executive committee. After a two-horse race for Euro 2024, the German Football Association's (DFB) successful bid means they will host a major international tournament for the first time since the 2006 World Cup.
The four-time world champions have won the Euros three times - 1972, 1980 and 1996 - and last staged the continental competition as West Germany in 1988.
Turkey, meanwhile, miss out for a fourth time after failed bids for Euro 2008, 2012 and 2016 - losing out on the latter by one vote to France.

Father of boy saved in Paris 'spiderman' scene charged with negligence


When a Malian illegal immigrant rescued a child dangling from a Paris balcony, he was hailed worldwide as a hero - but the little boy's father appeared in court Tuesday charged with negligence. Mamoudou Gassama, the migrant nicknamed "Spiderman" after footage of his daring rescue went viral in May, has since been rewarded with French citizenship and a job in the fire service.

Wednesday 26 September 2018

Almost two years after, Turkey detains 39 people over failed coup


This morning, the Turkish police detained no fewer than 39 people, including soldiers, over their alleged link to a U.S. based Turkish cleri,  Fethullah Gulen, accused of masterminding a failed coup in 2016.
 “Police launched simultaneous operations against 71 suspects in 23 provinces across the country, of the detained people, 36 were on active duty in the military,’’ local media reported. 
 Earlier this week, Turkish authorities arrested 108 people, including soldiers, former teachers and former police officers in operations conducted in Ankara and Istanbul, over their alleged link to Gulen, who lives in exile in the U.S. Report says Ankara blames Gulen and his network for the July 2016 coup attempt, in which 250 people were killed.

Pogba’s fight with Mourinho gets messier


Paul Pogba’s fractured relationship with Jose Mourinho hit an all-time low on Tuesday after the Manchester United manager told the France midfielder in front of team-mates that he will never captain the club again. Mourinho broke the bombshell news to his stunned squad at United’s Carrington training ground after reacting furiously to Pogba’s criticism of the team’s tactics at Old Trafford in the wake of Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

UEFA lists nine historic records Ronaldo and Messi are yet to break


The Union of European Football Associations, UEFA, has revealed nine records Barcelona ace, Lionel Messi and Juventus star, Cristiano Ronaldo have not yet broken in the history of Europe’s topflight competitions, (Champions League and Europe League).

Shocking moment father and son are caught on camera gunning down and killing their neighbor over an argument about a mattress


This dramatic footage shows the shocking moment a father and son shot and killed their neighbor over a row on where to dump a mattress.  Authorities said they responded to calls about shots fired around 10.15 a.m. and located the victim, 37-year-old Aaron Howard, who died at a hospital.
John Miller, 67, and 31-year-old Michael Miller were arrested on murder charges over the death of Howard, who was shot dead as his brother and fiancee witnessed the horrific incident.

YouTube is replacing textbooks in classrooms across America


Generation Z students, classified as being between the ages of 14 and 23, believe that YouTube is a bigger contributor to their education than textbooks, according to a study by Pearson Education.

Why it matters: Education in America is shifting from more traditional methods of learning through text and lesson plans to more technological methods such as YouTube videos and other virtual platforms.

Indian man caught having sex with underage homeless African girl (photo)


An Indian man was caught having sex with a homeless child in his car in Lusaka, Zambia. The unnamed Indian man enticed the poor girl with a pack of fast food last night and drove her to a corner where he had sex with her. Passersby who noticed movement coming from the car investigated and found the Indian man on top of the street kid sweating and panting.

Tuesday 25 September 2018

Mohamed Salah wins Puskas Award for best goal at FIFA's The Best Awards


Egyptian star and Liverpool attacker, Mohamed Salah has won The Puskas Award for best goal at FIFA's The Best Awards in London. The 26-year-old claimed the gong for his strike against Everton, which saw him wriggle past three defenders before curling home, while Gareth Bale's overhead kick in the Champions League final missed out
 On receiving the award, Salah said: 'I am very happy and very proud. I have to thank everyone who for voted me.'

Michael Kors buys Versace for $2.1bn, renames it Capri Holdings


American sportswear fashion designer, Michael David Kors has bought Italian luxury fashion brand Versacefor $2.1bn including the debt of the company. According to BBC, creative director, Donatella Versace, who ran Versace since the 1997 murder of her brother Gianni, called the sale a "very exciting moment" and "allow Versace to reach its full potential".

Miss Ukraine stripped off her crown after organisers discover she has a child


Miss Ukraine has been stripped of her title after she failed to disclose that she has a child and was previously married.  Veronkia Didusenko, 23, took home the crown in Kiev last Thursday but was later  disqualified when organisers discovered she had lied about her personal life on her application form.
The beauty queen has a four-year-old son with her ex-husband but competition rules ban mothers or women who have been married from entry.
In a statement released yesterday Miss Ukraine officials explained Miss Didusenko had broken the rules and was no longer eligible to hold the title. It means she will be replaced by another contestant at the Miss Universe 2018 competition in China in December.

Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for Andrea Constand sexual assault


Bill Cosby, who fell from grace as “America’s Dad” to convicted sex offender, was sentenced Tuesday to three to 10 years in state prison. The 81-year-old comedian was convicted in April of drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University women's basketball administrator, who testified Cosby violated her at his Pennsylvania home in 2004 after she came to him for career advice.

Michael Kors set to buy Versace in $2bn deal


US luxury group Michael Kors is set to announce a deal to buy Milanese fashion house Versace in a deal worth about $2bn, according to two people briefed on the talks.
The agreement, expected to be announced on Tuesday morning, will see the Versace family selling alongside US private equity firm Blackstone, which took a 20 per cent stake in Versace in 2014. The $2bn valuation includes net debt.
The deal would come after Versace, one of the last independent fashion houses, put the brakes on an initial public offering because market conditions were not deemed suitable, according to a person briefed on the decision.
Another person informed of the talks said the deal was not yet final and Versace had spoken to other possible buyers.

Aliens actor Al Matthews dies aged 75



Aliens actor Al Matthews has been found dead at his retirement home in Spain. Matthews’ body was discovered on Saturday evening in the Costa Blanca resort of La Zenia on Sunday morning.
A neighbour found him lying on his bed and an ambulance was called, but medical responders and a doctor could only certify him dead at the scene.

Police discover $18M worth of cocaine disguised as Bananas being shipped to a Texas prison farm


Agents with U.S. Customs and the Drug Enforcement Administration have seized $18 million dollars’ worth of cocaine disguised as banana heading to a prison in Texas.   According to reports, the Wayne Scott Unit Prison Farm outside of Freeport, Texas, received a couple pallets of bananas as a donation. When two sergeants went to pick up the pallets, they found the drugs. 

"They were drinking the blood of Jesus" - Pastor who gave members JIK bleach to drink defends his action


A controversial South African pastor, who gave his church members Jik bleach to drink during service last week, has spoken out to defend his action.  Pastor Ruffus Phala, of Ark Centre Ministry in Makgodu Village, Limpopo, South Africa told Daily Sun he could turn the Jik into the blood of Jesus. he said what his members were drinking wasn’t Jik but Jesus Christ’s blood.
He said:

Liberia hunts for $100m in missing bank notes


An inquiry is underway into the disappearance of newly printed bills worth nearly $100 million  destined for Liberia's central bank, the government of the impoverished west African country said Tuesday.
"This government will leave no stone unturned to find those responsible for the act," Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe told AFP.
"It is confirmed by the investigation that the amount of the total money is 15 billion," Liberian dollars ($97 million), he said.

Rap mogul, Suge Knight sentenced to 28 years in prison after pleading no contest to voluntary murder



American rap mogul, Suge Knight has been sentenced to 28 years in prison after pleading no contest to voluntary manslaughter.  In January 2015, the former Death Row Records CEO was arrested and charged with murder after he was involved in a hit-and-run at a Los Angeles restaurant parking lot. Knight allegedly got into a confrontation with two men while on the set of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton.

Tiger Woods wins 80th PGA tour, breaks 5-year drought


Tiger Woods who struggled with career-threatening back injuries before his comeback has not won any title since 2013, but he parred the last hole to shoot 1-over-par 70 and beat Billy Horschel by two strokes at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Sunday night. The excited golfer said “I can’t believe I pulled this off,” during the trophy presentation at the PGA Tour Championship.

Obesity to become leading cause of cancer in women


Obesity is set to overtake smoking as the leading preventable cause of cancer in women in the UK, a new report warns. Cancer Research UK estimated that 23,000 British women will suffer from obesity-related cancers by 2035 -- just 2,000 fewer than the number of cases caused by smoking. By 2043 obesity will become the most common cause of cancer in women if current trends continue, the charity found.

Monday 24 September 2018

Luka Modric wins Best FIFA Men’s Player 2018


Luka Modric has been named Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year at a ceremony in London, beating Mohammed Salah and an absentee Cristiano Ronaldo to the top prize. The Croatian Captain, who was crowned UEFA Player of the Year last month and has now also lifted the prestigious Best FIFA Men’s Player award,  ended the 10-year reign of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi at the FIFA awards.

Sex worker bites tourist lips off during argument over price


A sex worker has been taken into custody after she bit a tourist on his face after the pair got into a row over the price for her services. Holidaymaker Shashank Agarwal was drinking with friends on the notorious Walking Street in Pattaya, Thailand, when he was about to go home at 4am today.
But Shashank started talking with local prostitute Sukanya Pafaek before asking what price for her to return to their hotel. But negotiations over the fee broke down with each person becoming angry and the Ms Pafaek, 38, claims the man then started grabbing her arm and refusing to let her go, which caused a scuffle.

Stoke City’s Saido Berahino welcomes three babies by three women in six weeks


Football star, Saido Berahino appears to be performing better in the bedroom than on the pitch as he has been named the father on two birth certificates – born on May 30 and July 17. The Stoke City striker, who has scored just one goal in 913 days is currently embroiled in a legal battle over having  fathered a hat-trick of children in less than two months.

Manchester City record scorer Sergio Aguero signs new £220,000-a-week contract


Manchester City's all-time leading goalscorer Sergio Aguero has committed his future to the Premier League champions.  Aguero who surpassed Eric Brook's 78-year record last November has signed a one-year contract extension worth in the region of £220,000 per week.

Man gets 160-year prison sentence for impregnating 10-year-old girl who took stand against him


A 34-year-old Indiana man was sentenced to 160 years in prison on Thursday for impregnating a 10-year-old girl, who courageously testified against him. The 10-year-old girl took the stand in Grant County earlier this year, telling the jury that Nicholas Thrash molested her at least 15 times. She was 11 when she gave birth to her baby boy last year.

Instagram co-founders resign from company


Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger are leaving the smartphone photo-sharing service bought by Facebook six years ago for a billion dollars, the New York Times reported late Monday citing unnamed sources.

Indonesian teen rescued after 49 days drifting at sea


An Indonesian teen has been rescued after drifting at sea for 49 days on a floating fish trap and is back safely with his family, according to the country's foreign affairs ministry. 19-year-old Aldi Novel Adilang had been working as a lamp keeper on a remote fishing trap -- known locally as a rompong -- situated 125 kilometers off the northern coast of Manado in the province of North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

China to become world’s largest country of organ transplant by 2020


China is expected to have the most organ transplant surgeries in 2020, said Huang Jiefu, director of the China National Organ Donation and Transplantation Committee. The number of registered volunteers for organ donation in China had neared 615,000, with 19,380 successful donation surgeries resulting in 54,956 organs transplanted as of Sept. 9 this year, according to the Third China International Organ Donation Conference that opened in Xi'an Friday.

Qatar to produce electric cars by 2023


Qatar has announced plan to produce first Qatari electric cars by 2023. The Qatari electric vehicles will be manufactured by the factory which will be established at a cost of nine billion U.S. dollars, said "Qatar Tribune" newspaper.
The project will be the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East as it is a whole new brand, said Ali bin Nasser al Misnad, Chairman of the Qatar Quality company, which is responsible for this project.
Al-Misnad also said that the new giant project aims to manufacture more than 500,000 cars by 2024 with plans to export the electric vehicles to countries all over the world.
As part of the project, the plan will include establishing of six factories and each will be specialized in different production line.

US imposes sanctions on China for buying Russian weapons


The US has imposed sanctions on the Chinese military over its purchasing of Russian military jets and surface-to-air missiles. It says such purchases contravene US sanctions on Moscow introduced over Russian actions in Ukraine and alleged interference in US politics.
China recently bought 10 Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 missiles.  Beijing has not joined in the sanctions imposed on Moscow by the US and its Western allies since 2014.
Relations between the US and Russia deteriorated rapidly after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 American presidential election and military involvement in Syria's ongoing civil war increased tensions.

The government of Barbados officially appoint Rihanna as an ambassador


Rihanna has been appointed "Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary" to her home country of Barbados.  According to a statement from the Barbados Government Information Office, the position gives the celeb "specific responsibility for promoting education, tourism and investment for the island."

Fans furious after Yankee Stadium bans bike helmets


Yankee Stadium bans bike helmets from all events, even though every other stadium in the New York City area allows them. Bike buffs are going ballistic since their options are to either trash the head gear or stow it in lockers at a sports store across the street for $20.
“It’s totally ridiculous!” fumed Paul Steely White, executive director of pro-cyclist group Transportation Alternatives. “A sports team like the Yankees should be encouraging healthy, active transportation instead of discouraging it.

World's first Boeing 777 retires to Arizona air museum


It's 24 years old this year, but the Boeing 777 airplane is still going strong -- it's one of the aviation manufacturer's best-selling models and is used by airlines across the world. But, after nearly quarter of a century of flying, the first 777 has made its final flight -- to an aerospace museum in Arizona, where it'll see out its retirement as a top travel attraction.
The prototype 777-200, call sign B-HNL, rolled off the production line in 1994, eventually entering commercial service for Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific airline in 2000.
Over the years it's clocked up 20,519 flights for Cathay. That's a whopping 49,687 hours of flying time.

Belgian political candidate called Anus is barred from campaigning on Facebook under his real name


A Belgian political candidate named Luc Anus has been barred from campaigning on Facebook under his real name. According to Mail Online, the 26-year-old decided to stand as a council candidate in Lobbes, outside the city of Charleroi in southern Belgium's Wallonia region. But after the social media giant banned his real surname for being too offensive, he has now been forced to adjust his name to 'Luc Anu' on Facebook.
He said: 'Facebook just does not accept my name.'
Anus, a Socialist Party candidate in his hometown, has been mocked because of his name during his campaign. But the politician said he is unbothered and not distracted about the jokes.

Teen with severe dairy allergy dies after classmates stuffs cheese down his shirt


A schoolboy with a severe allergy to dairy died after he was "chased with cheese and had it thrown down his T-shirt" at his school, an inquest heard. 13-year-old Karanbir Cheema, known as Karan, was severely allergic to wheat, gluten, all dairy products, eggs and all nuts, and was also asthmatic and suffered from atopic eczema. Students who went to school with him at William Perkin Church of England High School in Greenford knew about his condition.

US: Dallas police fire officer charged with fatally shooting man in his apartment


Amber Guyger, the police officer charged with manslaughter in the shooting of a man inside his Dallas apartment, has been fired from the department, according to a statement Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall. Guyger was fired during a hearing Monday, Hall said.
An internal affairs investigation concluded that Guyger "engaged in adverse conduct when she was arrested" for manslaughter, according to a statement released on DPD's verified Twitter account.
Guyger earlier said she shot and killed Botham Shem Jean after she thought she was entering her own apartment, not realizing she was on the wrong floor of her building.
Under civil service rules, Guyger has the right to appeal her discipline, the statement reads.