Woman's skull caves in after chair falls on her from 12th floor balcony

 

A woman's skull caved in after she survived a horrifying freak accident when a chair fell on her from the 12th floor of a penthouse. Annabel Sen, 24, is "lucky to be alive" after the lounge chair crushed her as she was out with her partner.
 The University student had to have two brain surgeries and step back from her studies after the traumatic accident, according to her lawyer.
The New Yorker's survival has been deemed a "miracle" as she sustained life-threatening injuries, reports NewYorkPost.

France's most tattooed man told not to teach nursery children

 

France's most tattooed man has said he was told not to teach nursery school children after a parent complained about his looks. Sylvain Helaine has tattoos on his body, face and tongue, and has had his eyeballs surgically inked black.
Mr Helaine, 35, still teaches primary school children aged six and older.
He said the child whose parent complained was not taught by him, and that his own pupils were "cool" with his appearance because they knew him.
"It's only when people see me from far away that they can assume the worst," he told Reuters news agency.

Serena Williams withdraws from French Open with Achilles injury

 

 Serena Williams has pulled out of the French Open with an Achilles injury ahead of her scheduled second-round match against Tsvetana Pironkova. Williams, 39, was bidding to win a record-equaling 24th grand slam title at Roland Garros having reached the semifinals of the US Open earlier this month.
She said the injury that was sustained in New York hadn't recovered sufficiently for her to compete in Paris.
"I was able to get it somewhat better but just looking long-term at this tournament -- 'will I be able to get through enough matches?' -- and so for me I don't think I could and struggling to walk so that's kind of a telltale sign that I should try to recover," she told reporters Wednesday.
Williams had won her opening match at Roland Garros against Kristie Ahn 7-6 6-0.
Her withdrawal from the tournament means Pironkova, who lost to Williams in the US Open quarterfinals, will go straight through to the third round.

Australia asks Google to remove images from top of sacred site Uluru

 

 Australia has asked Google to remove pictures on its Maps service taken from the top of Uluru, the sacred Aboriginal monolith that visitors were banned from climbing last year.
Google Maps currently hosts several user-uploaded images from the top of the site, taken before the ban came into place, as well as a Street View path recorded by a climber in 2018.
But Parks Australia, which looks after the country's natural treasures, has asked the tech giant to take down pictures uploaded by users after complaints from the Anangu Aboriginal people, Uluru's traditional owners.

Tokyo Olympics: Games will go ahead 'with or without Covid', says IOC VP

 

 The postponed Tokyo Olympic Games will go ahead next year "with or without Covid", the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee says. John Coates confirmed to news agency AFP that the Olympics would start on 23 July next year, calling them the "Games that conquered Covid".
They were originally scheduled to start in July 2020, but were postponed due to Covid-19 fears.
The IOC had earlier said they would not delay the Games beyond 2021.
"The Games were going to be their theme, the Reconstruction Games after the devastation of the tsunami," Mr Coates told AFP, referring to 2011 catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad stepping down following Trump campaign ask

 

 US ambassador to China Terry Branstad is leaving his post before the November election in part because President Donald Trump urged the former governor of Iowa to come back and help him campaign, multiple sources told CNN Monday.
Because Branstad always intended to serve only one term, his departure was expected, according to multiple administration officials and people familiar with his thinking. But as of a few weeks ago, Branstad was planning to remain in Beijing until after the election, according to two sources familiar. That changed when Trump asked Branstad to come back to the US and campaign for him after more than three years in Beijing.

J&J kicks off study of single-shot COVID-19 vaccine in 60,000 volunteers

 

 Johnson & Johnson JNJ.N on Wednesday began a 60,000-person trial of an experimental single-shot COVID-19 vaccine that, if proven effective, could simplify distribution of millions of doses compared with leading rivals requiring two doses.
The company expects results of the Phase III trial by year end or early next year, Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J’s chief scientific officer, said in a joint news conference with officials from the National Institutes of Health and the Trump administration.

US passes 200,000 COVID-19 deaths as spread quickens globally

 

The United States has passed 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, as a record-breaking wave of new infections forces authorities in Europe to reimpose lockdown restrictions. The world’s most powerful nation hit the figure just 41 days before a presidential election, and as the World Health Organization warned that new cases worldwide have risen to record highs.
US President Donald Trump — who faces a tough re-election fight and is trailing Democrat Joe Biden in the polls — said the 200,000 milestone was “a shame” and deflected blame onto China.
Trump used a video address to the annual United Nations General Assembly to attack Beijing for not stopping the spread of what he called the “China virus.”

Manny Pacquiao confirms fight with Conor McGregor in the Middle East next year

 

Filipino boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao has confirmed he will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor in the Middle East next year. The ring legend's office made the announcement in a statement and confirmed that Pacquiao's earnings from the fight will go towards victims of the coronavirus pandemic.
 A statement from Pacquiao's office read: 'For the sake of all the Filipino Covid-19 victims, Senator Manny Pacquiao will be fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor next year.'

Togo's Prime Minister and his government resign

 

Togo's Prime Minister Komi Selom Klassou and his government have resigned in a political reshuffle delayed by the Coronavirus pandemic. The resignation came after President Faure Gnassingbe won his re-election in March, extending his 15-year-old rule and a family dynasty that began when his father took power in a 1967 coup.
 Komi Selom Klassou has served as prime minister since 2015. Commenting on the resignation of the prime minister, Gnassingbe congratulated Klassou and his team for their "economic, political and social efforts and the encouraging results despite the health crisis around the world."
 The presidency did not say when a new prime minister would be appointed.

UK and France record most daily cases since start of pandemic, as university outbreaks linked to parties

 

The United Kingdom and France both reported their highest rise in daily coronavirus case numbers Thursday with Europe in the grip of a second wave of infection.  It comes amid a flurry of outbreaks at universities across Europe, which has seen students in Scotland told "there must be no parties, and no socialising outside their households."
French health authorities reported 16,096 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours. A total of 31,511 people have died from coronavirus in France, and 497,237 cases have been reported.
The UK reported 6,634 new cases, bringing its total confirmed cases to 416,363, Public Health England (PHE) tweeted.

Saudi to reopen Mecca facilities to visitors in October

 

 Authorities in Saudi Arabia have allowed facilities in Mecca to reopen for visitors starting from next month after months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, the media reported.
President- General for Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque Abdulrahman Al Sudais has directed the gradual reopening of the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Kaaba Kiswa, the Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques' Architecture and the Grand Mosque Library, Gulf News reported on Saturday citing state-media.
Al Sudais underlined the necessity of complying with precautionary measures recommended by health authorities to protect visitors' safety.

Somalia names new PM, announces plan for national elections

 

Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed has appointed a new prime minister hours after brokering an agreement with regional leaders for elections next year that abandons a promised one-person, one-vote model.
Mohamed’s office announced late Thursday the appointment of Mohamed Hussein Roble, a Swedish-trained civil engineer and political neophyte, and “wished him to take duties and tasks ahead with diligence”.
He fills a vacancy left when former premier Hassan Ali Khaire was removed by parliament in July for failing to pave the way for fully democratic elections due before February 2021.

Breonna Taylor: Lewis Hamilton could face FIA investigation over anti-racism T-shirt

 

 Formula 1 bosses are looking into whether Lewis Hamilton broke rules at the Tuscan Grand Prix by wearing a T-shirt highlighting police brutality.
A spokesman for the FIA said the matter was "under active consideration".
He said the FIA was a non-political organisation and was considering if Hamilton's T-shirt broke its statutes.
The T-shirt said: "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" - a black woman shot eight times in her Louisville, Kentucky home by US police in March.
Hamilton's shirt, which he wore during the pre-race anti-racism demonstration and on the podium, also said: "Say her name."

Bayern Munich beat Sevilla to win UEFA Super Cup (Photos)

 

Bayern Munich are winners of the UEFA Super Cup after beating Sevilla 2-1 in Budapest late Thursday night, September 24. The relentless Bayern added another trophy to the Champions League it won last month and extended its run of straight wins to 23 games, but the Germs club was tested to the limit by the Europe League holders, Sevilla.
 Lucas Ocampos had given Sevilla the lead from a penalty in the 13th minute, but the bayern equalized, courtesy of a Leon Goretzka strike in the 34th minute.

Legendary Indian singer, SP Balasubrahmanyam dies of coronavirus at the age of 74

 

 Famous Indian singer and Guinness World record holder, SP Balasubrahmanyam has died of COVID-19 at the age of 74. The Legendary singer who is a Guinness World Record holder for his more than 40,000 songs over 50 years, died today after spending days in intensive care following his COVID-19 diagnosis.
 He was admitted to MGM Healthcare in Chennai in the first week of August after testing positive for coronavirus. SPB’s son SP Charan confirmed his death to reporters at MGM Healthcare this afternoon, “SPB belongs to everyone. He will live on in his songs. My dad passed away at 1.04 pm,” he said.

Croydon police officer shot dead named as Sgt Matt Ratana

 

 A long-serving police officer shot dead in a custody centre in south London has been named as Sgt Matiu Ratana aged 54. New Zealand-born Sgt Ratana, known as Matt, was two months from retiring when he was shot in the chest in Croydon.
Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick described him as "a big guy" who was "big in heart".
After the shooting, at about 02:15 BST, the suspect, 23, is thought to have turned the firearm on himself. He is in a critical condition in hospital. Ms Dick said Sgt Ratana had been well known locally and beyond.
"He will be remembered so fondly in Croydon and missed there, as well as in the Met and the rugby world," she said.

An estimated 380 whales die from stranding in Australia

 

 At least 380 pilot whales have died off the coast of Tasmania in what experts are calling Australia's largest recorded mass-stranding event. Nearly 500 whales have been stranded on a beach and two sandbars along the western coast of the island state.
Initial reports on Monday said that 270 whales, some of which had already died, were stranded at three sites. Then authorities surveying the area by helicopter on Wednesday discovered another 200 that were stranded about 6 miles to the south — but all of those animals were confirmed dead.

Frank de Boer named new coach of Netherlands after Ronald Koeman joined Barcelona

 

 Former Ajax coach, Frank de Boer has been appointed as the new Netherlands head coach, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) confirmed on Wednesday night, September 23. His appointment comes after Ronald Koeman left his Netherlands post last month to take over at Barcelona .
 De Boer, who made 112 Netherlands appearances and played at two World Cups for his country, has signed a two-year deal.
 De Boer, 50, led Ajax to four straight Eredivisie titles between 2011 and 2014 but his 85-days as coach of Inter was a failure.
He then joined Crystal palace but stayed for 10 weeks after Palace lost their first four Premier League games of the season, failing to score a single goal in the process.
 De Boer will be thrust quickly into his new job with a friendly against Mexico and two Nations League games early next month. The Netherlands host the Mexicans in Amsterdam on October 7 before travelling to Bosnia on October 11 and Italy on October 14.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear masks, tested positive for the coronavirus

Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear masks, tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said Wednesday. Parson was tested after his wife, Teresa, tested positive earlier in the day. Teresa Parson had experienced mild symptoms, including a cough and nasal congestion, spokeswoman Kelli Jones said. She took a rapid test that came back positive and a nasal swab test later confirmed the finding. The governor's rapid test showed he tested positive and he is still awaiting results from the swab test.

Sporting Lisbon rename academy after Cristiano Ronaldo to honour their most famous graduate

 

 SPORTING LISBON have renamed their academy after Cristiano Ronaldo to honour their most famous graduate and "the best player in the world".
The Portuguese giants confirmed on Monday afternoon their youth set-up would go by the name of Academia Cristiano Ronaldo.
They said in a statement: "The good son makes the house and the house that made Cristiano Ronaldo now welcomes his name in honour of the one who became the best Portuguese player of all time, the best player in the world, awarded with five Ballons d'Or and captain of the European and Nations League champions.

Coronavirus: Rio 2021 carnival parade postponed indefinitely

 

 Rio de Janeiro's carnival parade, due to be held next February, has been postponed indefinitely, organisers say.  The samba schools involved in the parade had previously warned it would be difficult to organise without a vaccine.
Rio's carnival attracts millions of visitors every year.
Brazil has been one of the countries worst affected by the pandemic with 4.5 million infections and more than 138,000 deaths.
Jorge Castanheira, president of samba league Liesa said schools would not have time to prepare or organise for the February event.

Indian man who 'slit open pregnant wife’s belly' to check the baby’s gender as he was desperate for a son, loses their baby boy

 

 An Indian father of five daughters who was desperate for a son that he allegedly split open his pregnant wife's belly to determine the gender of their baby, has lost the child who was actually a boy. The man, identified as Pannalal,43, attacked his wife Anita Devi, 35, with a sharp-edged weapon on Saturday night , September 19, at their home in Budaun in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, The Times of India reported.
The woman was rushed to a Bareilly hospital in a serious condition, but doctors were able to save her life.
However, the woman who was six to seven months pregnant before the attack later gave birth to a stillborn son, the BBC reports.

Tyler Perry honored with Governors Award at 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards

 

 Tyler Perry was honoured with the Governors Award at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020. The 51-year-old filmmaker and his foundation received the award in recognition of his work on inclusivity and philanthropic efforts.
 As he accepted the award, he movingly reflected on his family history. He spoke about a quilt his grandmother had sewn for him when he first moved to Los Angeles, which represented key moments in his loved ones’ lives.
 He said: "In my grandmother’s quilt there were no patches for Black people on television. And now her grandson is being honored by the Television Academy.

Breaking: At least 20 dead in Ukraine military plane crash

 

 Ukraine's interior ministry on Friday said at least 20 people were killed when a military plane crash landed in the Kharkiv region in the east of the country. The interior ministry said there were "20 dead and two seriously injured" among the 24 passengers. 

"I'm so sorry" Ellen DeGeneres publicly addresses allegations of misconduct on her show for the first time (video)

 

Ellen DeGeneres has publicly addressed allegations of misconduct on her show for the first time. 
The talk show host returned on Monday, September 21, for season 18 of her eponymous talk show and as she gave the opening monologue, she addressed allegations of a toxic work environment.
 DeGeneres apologized to viewers, saying she takes responsibility “for what happens at her show.”
 “As you may have heard, this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show and then there was an investigation. I learned that things happened here that never should have happened,” DeGeneres said.

Trump booed while visiting Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's casket at Supreme Court

 

 President Donald Trump was loudly booed by members of the public on Thursday while visiting the casket of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has been lying in repose outside the Supreme Court.
Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, stood behind the court's massive columns at the top of the court steps as people from the bottom of the steps loudly booed him and chanted, "Vote him out!"
Members of the public have been waiting for hours to file past the flag-draped casket, which will on Friday be moved to the Capitol building where Ginsburg will lie in state.

Cocaine worth up to £100 million found hidden within fruit shipments at Dover port (photos)

 

  Authorities have discovered a ton of cocaine concealed within shipments of fruit at Dover port, England. The class A drugs, which reportedly have a street value of approximately £100 million, were discovered in pallets that had arrived into the Port of Dover on a vessel from South America on Tuesday September 22.    
 The 'huge seizure' will now take away a 'valuable commodity that would have been sold to fund further serious and organised criminality', the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of importing class A drugs following a joint operation by the NCA and Police Scotland Organised Crime Partnership.

Premier League footballer reveals he's gay in letter to Justin Fashanu Foundation

 

A Premier League footballer has revealed he is gay but is too scared to come out publicly because of the stigma. In an open letter to addressed to Justin Fashanu's niece, Amal, who runs the Justin Fashanu Foundation, the anonymous star said living a secret life was having a 'massive impact' on his mental health. He added that it was 'virtually impossible' to have a relationship.
 It was also revealed that the footballer who has spoken to some of his teammates about his sexuality told Amal that he has known he is gay since he was 14.
 In the letter first published by The Sun, the player wrote: 'Even though society has moved on massively since I was a teenager, the game simply hasn't.

Relic of Pope John Paul II's blood stolen from Italian cathedral

 

A GOLD and crystal casing holding drops of the blood of Saint Pope John Paul II was stolen from the cathedral of the central Italian city of Spoleto, its bishop said on Thursday. The casing, known as a reliquary, was snatched on Wednesday from an altar dedicated to the Polish pope, who died in 2005 after a 27-year reign.
A sacristan who was closing the cathedral for the night discovered the theft of the reliquary, which encased a vial holding a few drops of blood.
Relics, which Catholics venerate as they pray to the saint, are usually pieces of a saint's body or clothing.

Police seize 324,000 used condoms as they bust factory repackaging them and selling back to the public (photos)

 

 Authorities in Vietnam have seized 324,000 used condoms which were being recycled to be sold again to be the public. Police confiscated the unlabeled rubber contraceptives during a raid at a warehouse located at DX12, Hoa Nhut Quarter, Tan Vinh Hiep Ward, Binh Duong Province, located in southern Vietnam over the weekend.
 Officials said workers at the warehouse were tasked with washing, drying, and reshaping the condoms with wooden dildos before being put up for sale. Local reports said they were being supplied to hotels and market stalls near the warehouse.

Dog mauls newborn baby to death 'while mum was in the toilet and dad was in garden'

 

A family's pet dog mauled a newborn baby to death while his mother was in the toilet and his father was in the garden with another child, a coroner heard. Elon Jase Ellis-Joynes was 12 days old when his family's Chow Chow-cross is believed to have bitten him on September 13, 2020.
 The child, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was still alive when mum Abigail Ellis frantically called for an ambulance, but died at the hospital.
 Doncaster Coroner's Court heard Elon was "bleeding from his leg or his stomach".
 Police are currently investigating his death and senior coroner Nicola Mundy adjourned the inquest until a later date.

Lagos: 30 injured and 23 buildings destroyed in gas tanker explosion (photos)

 

 No fewer than 30 persons were injured in the gas explosion that occurred at Iju Ishaga, Lagos State on Thursday, September 24. According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, 15 vehicles and 23 buildings were destroyed in the explosion. Among the buildings affected are X and Y Event Center, a church, and a plank market.
 Speaking to newsmen, spokesperson for LASEMA, Nosa Okunbor, said
 “On arrival at the scene, it was observed that there was a gas explosion. Further investigation revealed that a truck had a lone accident and exploded. The impact of the explosion affected adjoining buildings and several vehicles were burnt.

Uganda police launch manhunt for 215 escaped prisoners after jailbreak

 

Authorities in Uganda have launched a manhunt to recapture more than 200 prisoners who escaped from jail after stealing weapons and fled to the north-eastern part of the country. The jailbreak occurred on Wednesday afternoon, September 16, near the army barracks in the district of Moroto in northeast Uganda.
 The country's prison commissioner, Johnson Byabashaija told AFP on Thursday September 16, that the inmates overpowered their guards and escaped with weapons in after a shootout.

Girl dies after her teacher flogged her for getting two math questions wrong

 

A schoolgirl has died after allegedly being beaten by her teacher for failing to answer two maths questions correctly.  The 10-year-old girl, identified by her surname Zhang, was a student at a primary school in the city of Guangyuan, central China.
 According to the Xinhua News Agency, the teacher, identified by the surname Wang, beat the girl on September 10.
 Zhang was beaten on her palms four times and ordered to kneel for four minutes, state-owned newspaper China Daily reports.

Ivan Rakitic hangs up international boots with Croatia

 

  Ivan Rakitic has decided to end his international career, Croatia’s soccer federation said Monday.
The 32-year-old Rakitic played 106 times for his country in a storied midfield partnership with Luka Modric that lasted for more than a decade.
They were key to Croatia reaching the 2018 World Cup final where it lost 4-2 to France.
Rakitic scored the decisive penalty in shoot-outs to beat Denmark and host Russia in the first two knockout rounds.
“Saying goodbye to the Croatian national team is the most difficult decision in my career,” Rakitic said in

'Human Satan' slices off nose and gets horns implanted onto his head in extreme body modification (Photos)

 

 A body modification fan who wants to look like a “sinister” creature has unveiled his latest transformation. Michel Faro do Prado, 44, a tattoo artist from Brazil has been undergoing a series of procedures to achieve his "sinister creature" look. He has now taken his transformation to another level by shaping his teeth into arches, removing his nose, and implanting two horns onto his head.
 Michel's wife, who specialises in body modifications reportedly helped him to achieve his new look.
She claims he's "only the third person in the world" to have completely removed their nose.

Barbados to remove Queen as head of state in 2021

 

Barbados will remove the Queen as its head of state and become a republic next year, it has announced, as its governor-general says: “The time has come to fully leave our colonial past behind.”
The country, one of 16 remaining realms which has the Queen as its head, will seek a new head of state by November 2021, in a move which could see other Caribbean countries follow suit.
Buckingham Palace said the decision was a “matter for the government and people of Barbados”.
The decision to remove the Queen as head of state has been “mooted for quite some time”, a source said, and did not come as a surprise to Her Majesty or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The country intends to remain part of the Commonwealth, which has the Queen as its head, but will replace her portrait on the Barbadian dollar bill.

$6 plastic crown worn by Notorious B.I.G in his last photoshoot sells for $594,750 at auction

 

“I’m not sure that I even got paid for it,” he said. “I was mostly shooting celebrities and reportage. I did this because I liked taking pictures of Biggie. The time before, I photographed him in a white suit — instead of the tracksuit that most rappers were wearing back in 1997.”
Amazingly, the royally inspired shot of Biggie Smalls — designed to illustrate yet another one of his nicknames: King of New York — almost didn’t happen. Sean 'Puffy' Combs, the owner of Bad Boy Records, the label for which Biggie recorded, was at the shoot and scoffed at Claiborne’s concept.
“He said it would make Biggie look like Burger King,” recalled Claiborne. “But Biggie didn’t listen. He wore it anyway. And nobody’s ever told me that they look at the photo and think the crown is plastic.”

South African shopkeeper sentenced to life imprisonment for raping 5-year-old girl who went to buy biscuits in his store

A 31-year-old shopkeeper Tashume "Happy" Bambore was on Thursday, September 17, sentenced to life in prison for raping a 5-year-old girl who went to his store to buy ice lollies and biscuits in Phakamisa, outside King William's Town. Eastern Cape.
 Police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni, said Bambore lured the girl into a bedroom where he raped her on 11 March last year.
 "A 36-year-old customer entered the shop and saw Bambore appearing from the bedroom while pulling up his pants. The 5-year-old also appeared from the bedroom with him," said Tonjeni.

Man traveled 400 miles on bus with dismembered and foul smelling body of woman in three suitcases

A man traveled 400 miles on a Greyhound bus with suitcases filled with a woman's dismembered body, police say. The dismembered body parts were found by the man's family after they noticed a "foul smell" coming from the three heavy bags.
 He had reportedly travelled from Kentucky to Markham, Illinois, before the remains were discovered on Tuesday September 15, CBS 2 reported.
 According to Markham police Chief Terry White, the family did not know what was in the bags that was in their home for several days.

Liverpool complete £41m signing of Portuguese forward Diogo Jota from Wolves

 


Premier League champions, Liverpool have completed the £41million signing of Wolves forward Diogo Jota. The 23-year-old signed a five-year contract with the Merseyside club to complete a double swoop for the Reds after the £25m signing of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich on Friday.
 Upon sealing the transfer on Saturday, Jota told Liverpoolfc.com: It's just a really exciting moment for me and my family.'
 All of my path since I was a kid and now, to join a club like Liverpool – the world champions – is just unbelievable. I just want to get started.

Pro wrestler and actor, Stevie 'Puppet the Psycho Dwarf' Lee passes away at 54

 

 Wrestling star and actor, Stevie Lee Richardson has sadly passed away at the age of 54.  The former TNA Wrestling star who was best known in the ring as Puppet The Psycho Dwarf   died ‘unexpectedly’ this week. The cause of his death wasn't revealed.
 A statement on his GoFundMe reads: ‘Steve “Puppet The Psycho Dwarf” Lee Richardson unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at his home in the morning. ‘He was beloved by many and has many friends that were family, fans that adored him, but only his brother Jim left to take care of final arrangements.'

Halle Berry calls historic 2002 Oscar win 'one of my biggest heartbreaks'

 

 Hollywood actress, Halle Berry has revealed that her 2002 Oscar win was one of 'her biggest heartbreaks'. Halle Berry made history in 2002 when she became the first African American to win the best actress Oscar for her role in "Monster's Ball."
 But according to her she expected other African American women to have won the Oscar Awards since she won it, due to the array of talent possessed by African American women.
 In a recent interview with Variety, Berry talked about the fact that Hollywood didn't exactly come beating down her door after her triumph -- especially in the wake of her starring role in 2004's "Catwoman" which bombed.

Convicted US killer serving two life sentences tells judge he'll kill again unless he's given death penalty after murdering fellow inmate

A convicted US killer already serving two life sentences has asked a judge to give him the death penalty or he will kill again after stabbing a fellow inmate to death in an Indiana prison. Tommy P. Holland, 45, of Indianapolis was charged with murder for stabbing Clifford Baggett, 28, to death at the Pendleton Correctional Facility on August 9, 2019.
 Holland, who is behind bars for the 2015 slayings of employees at a Mars Hill supermarket and a Marathon gas station, allegedly stabbed Baggett 10 times including in the arm, chest, and buttocks in the attack.  

Villa sign Lyon forward Traore

 

 Aston Villa signed Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore from Lyon for a reported £17 million ($21 million) on Saturday. Traore returns to the Premier League after starting his career with Chelsea, where he spent three years with Villa’s current assistant manager John Terry.
The 25-year-old’s signing is another boost to Villa’s attacking options after the arrival of Ollie Watkins from Brentford for a club-record £28 million earlier this month.
“We’re delighted that Bertrand has chosen to come to Villa,”  manager Dean Smith told his club’s website.
“He’s a player with immense talent who will really enhance our attacking options.”
Villa, who escaped relegation on the final day of last season, have also recently signed Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Nottingham Forest right-back Matty Cash.
Smith’s side kicks off their Premier League campaign at home to Sheffield United on Monday.
AFP

Protests erupt in South Africa over controversial TRESemmé ad featuring Black hair

 

 Two advertisements, one showing a black woman's hair labeling it "frizzy and dull," the other showing blonde hair, labeling it, "fine and flat" and "normal" set off protests at one of South Africa's largest retail pharmacies.
The content and images of the advert were provided to retailer Clicks by one of their suppliers, TRESemmé -- an American brand of hair care products, according to the company's Group CEO, Vikesh Ramsunder.
The company issued an apology in a statement released Monday and said it had removed the images, "which go against everything we believe in," adding that it does not "condone racism."
He added that all employees involved in publishing the offensive advertisement have been suspended.

Dominic Thiem earns first Grand Slam title after losing first two sets at U.S. Open Final

 

 At a U.S. Open unlike any other, Dominic Thiem constructed a comeback the likes of which hadn't been seen in 71 years. After dropping the opening two sets against Alexander Zverev on Sunday at a nearly empty Arthur Ashe Stadium — fans were banned because of the coronavirus pandemic — Thiem slowly but surely turned things around for a 2-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (6) victory across more than four hours to earn his first major championship.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fail to make UEFA's Champions League positional awards shortlist for the first time

 

Arch-rivals, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have failed to make the final shortlist for UEFA's positional awards next month.  The awards will recognise the top performers in each at the 2019-20 Champions League campaign, and both Messi and Ronaldo missed out on the final shortlist due to their devastating Champions League campaign.
 It is the first time the Barcelona and Juventus superstars failed to make the final shortlist for their position.
 Champions League champions, Bayern Munich dominated the 12-man list with seven players nominated across the four categories.

Kanye West's Twitter account temporarily suspended

 

 On Wednesday, Kanye, 43, took to Twitter and uploaded a tweet which included the phone number of a Forbes journalist. The social media platform deems the sharing of people’s personal details as a breach of the site’s rules, it is seen as a violation of a person’s privacy.
It is also reported by NBC that Kanye called urged his fans to call the reporter alongside the screenshot of his phone number.
According to the Mirror, a Twitter spokesperson confirmed that the tweet was in violation of the rule but did not elaborate.
Kanye’s friend former NBA player Rick Fox revealed that the Stronger hitmaker was banned from posting on the site on his own Twitter feed.