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Showing posts from February, 2018

Children 'forced to watch rape' in South Sudan

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Children in South Sudan have been forced to watch their mothers being raped and killed, the UN says. A report by UN human rights investigators says that 40 officials may be individually responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It says civilians have been tortured and mutilated, and villages destroyed on an industrial scale. Conflict between government factions has continued in South Sudan despite a peace deal signed in 2015. Of the 40 senior officials identified as potentially responsible for atrocities, five are colonels and three are state governors. The UN says the testimony gathered from survivors is "devastating", including some people being forced to rape family members "in cases reminiscent of Bosnia". One woman said her 12-year-old son was forced to have sex with his grandmother, in order to stay alive. The same woman also saw her husband being castrated. Another man saw his companion, a man, gang raped and left for dead in
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Europa League: Officer dies in clashes before Athletic Bilbao v Spartak Moscow

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A police officer has died in Spain after violent clashes erupted between rival fans before Athletic Bilbao's home Europa League match against Spartak Moscow at San Mames. The officer from the Ertzaintza - the Basque Country's police force - suffered a heart attack. More than 500 officers were deployed for the tie and reports say at least five arrests were made. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has condemned Thursday's violence. The police officer, who was named locally as 51-year-old Inocencio Alonso Garcia, collapsed while intervening in street clashes involving Russian "ultras" from Spartak Moscow. Footage of the clashes showed supporters aiming fireworks at each other on the streets. Several people had arrived "prepared for the altercations" carrying weapons including extendable batons and knives, the police said. The clashes came on the same day a Russian, wanted for attacking an England fan during the Euro 2016 riots in Mar
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Wildlife secrets of Nigeria's last wilderness

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<script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({ google_ad_client: "ca-pub-5875263236989608", enable_page_level_ads: true }); </script> The world's rarest chimpanzee has been captured on camera in the remote forests of Nigeria. The Nigeria-Cameroon chimp was seen at various locations within Gashaka Gumti National Park, raising hopes for its future survival. Conservationists also recorded the first sighting in the country of a giant pangolin. The park is regarded as a national treasure, but its wildlife is under threat from pressures such as poaching. Researchers from Chester Zoo, working with the Nigeria National Park Service, surveyed over 1,000 square kilometres of the national park. Known for its mountain rainforests, savannah woodlands and rolling grasslands, it is home to some of West Africa'
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Quadruple dreams now over, Man City must regroup from Wigan shock

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Pep Guardiola always maintained it was unrealistic to think that Manchester City could win the quadruple, but it's almost more unfeasible that a side battling for promotion from League One would be the ones to kill off that dream. City have gone to Premier League champions Chelsea, bitter rivals Manchester United and Serie A leaders Napoli, dominated them on their own ground and won. Meanwhile, title rivals Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal were methodically taken apart at the Etihad Stadium. Before Monday night, Man City had lost just twice all season. The first was the final inconsequential game of their Champions League group away to Shakhtar Donetsk and the other a pulsating Premier League defeat to Liverpool. Yet despite that, it is Wigan -- with an average attendance of fewer than 9,000 this season -- that ended City's hopes of writing their names in the history books with an unprecedented clean sweep of four trophies by knocking them out of the FA
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Eden Hazard: I'm a 'completely different' player than Lionel Messi

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Eden Hazard says he's flattered to earn comparisons to Lionel Messi but insisted he's a "completely different" player ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.Chelsea go into the round of 16 first-leg as underdogs against the unbeaten La Liga leaders, but Hazard's form on the European stage this season gives them hope of an upset. And Hazard said at a news conference on Monday that facing Barcelona is a good opportunity to show that he deserves to be considered among the world's top players. "It's good to be compared with the greatest ever, Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo," he said. "But I'm completely different. We play in a different league. "I try to do my job and try to reach their level, because they are the best in the world. Every season I try and do my best. "When we play this kind of games, we need to perform. If you want to be one of the best, you have to play well
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WHO warns of soaring rates of measles in Europe

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Unvaccinated young children are at highest risk of contracting measles Europe has seen a big surge in measles cases in 2017, which the World Health Organization says is a tragedy after a record low of 5,273 cases in 2016. Cases increased four-fold, with more than 20,000 people affected and 35 deaths. Fifteen European region countries, including the UK, had large outbreaks. Measles cases were highest in Romania, Italy and Ukraine. People shunning vaccination is part of the problem, say experts. Although research published 20 years ago about a possible link between the MMR vaccine and autism has been discredited, the scare it created damaged some people's trust of the vaccine. Measles is a highly infectious viral illness that can be deadly. The MMR vaccine can prevent it. The WHO says there have been declines in overall routine immunisation coverage, as well as consistently low coverage among some marginalised groups and interruptions in vaccine
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Manchester United's Eric Bailly racing to be fit for Sevilla game - sources

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Eric Bailly is facing a battle to prove his fitness in time for Manchester United's Champions League clash with Sevilla next week, sources have told ESPN FC, despite returning to training at Old Trafford last month. United manager Jose Mourinho is keen to have Bailly back in his squad for the first leg in Spain on Feb. 21 following a series of unconvincing defensive displays away from home in recent weeks. But the trip to the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan could come a week too soon for the Ivory Coast defender, who is still working on his fitness at United's Carrington training base. Bailly, a £30 million signing from Villarreal in 2016, has not played for United since injuring an ankle during the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Nov. 5. The 23-year-old initially attempted to recover with a period of rest, but with the problem failing to resolve itself naturally, he was then sent for surgery in mid-December with the aim of returning in time for the
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Indian woman killed by 'celebratory gunshots' at wedding party

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Indian police have arrested a man who allegedly shot dead his neighbour by mistake at a pre-wedding party. Ashok Khosla fired shots into the air on Saturday to celebrate his daughter's upcoming wedding, police say. Neighbour Sakshi Arora, 22, was on her terrace when a bullet hit her in the forehead, killing her on the spot, Punjab police told the BBC. Several people have been killed by "celebratory gunfire" at weddings in northern India in recent years. Police have arrested Mr Khosla, the father of the bride, and say the bullet came from his revolver during the party in Punjab's Hoshiarpur. They have also lodged a case against his friend Ashok Sethi, who allegedly fired a rifle. "The accused were not professional shooters and they should have known it [the bullet] can hit anyone," a police spokesman said This is not the first time someone has been killed accidentally in so-called "celebratory firings" during weddings in Indian s
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Bitcoin energy use in Iceland set to overtake homes, says local firm

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Iceland is facing an "exponential" rise in Bitcoin mining that is gobbling up power resources, a spokesman for Icelandic energy firm HS Orka has said. This year, electricity use at Bitcoin mining data centres is likely to exceed that of all Iceland's homes, according to Johann Snorri Sigurbergsson. He said many potential customers were keen to get in on the act. "If all these projects are realised, we won't have enough energy for it," he told the BBC. Mr Sigurbergsson's calculations were first reported by the Associated Press. Iceland has a small population, of around 340,000 people. But in recent years it has seen a marked increase in the number of new data centres, often built by firms wishing to tout green credentials. Nearly 100% of energy in Iceland comes from renewable sources. Bitcoin mining refers to the work done by computers connected to the global Bitcoin network. These computers solve complex mathematical problems - a proce
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South African lions eat man 'poacher', leaving just his head

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A suspected big cat poacher has been eaten by lions near the Kruger National Park in South Africa, police say. The animals left little behind, but some body parts were found over the weekend at a game park near Hoedspruit. "It seems the victim was poaching in the game park when he was attacked and killed by lions," Limpopo police spokesman Moatshe Ngoepe told AFP. "They ate his body, nearly all of it, and just left his head and some remains." Police have not yet established the victim's identity. A loaded hunting rifle and ammunition were found next to the body, South African website Eyewitness News reports. Lion poaching has been on the rise in Limpopo province in recent years. The big cats' body parts are sometimes used in traditional medicine, both within Africa and beyond. Wildlife charity the Born Free Foundation says lion bones and other body parts are increasingly sought-after in South East Asia, where they are sometimes used as a subs
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Kick It Out condemns Mario Balotelli's booking after racist abuse

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Kick It Out have condemned the comments toward Mario Balotelli after the Nice forward claimed he had been the victim of racist abuse. Balotelli received a yellow card from referee Nicolas Rainville after gesturing to the crowd during Nice's 3-2 defeat at Dijon in Saturday's Ligue 1 contest. The former Manchester City and Liverpool forward complained that he had been targeted by racist comments. The English anti-racism and discrimination organisation released a statement, noting that it has contacted Football Against Racism in Europe in order to raise its concerns with Ligue 1 officials. "Kick It Out was shocked to see Mario Balotelli booked for bringing to the attention of the referee alleged racist chanting directed towards him by Dijon supporters," the statement read. "It is unacceptable and wrong to see that once again, a match official has failed to apply the UEFA protocol -- in place for a number of years -- which requires action to be taken
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Man United still on track despite defeat

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Following Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Newcastle, Jose Mourinho said that it was one of those days when even if Manchester United had played another ten hours they would not have scored. Maybe so. They created four clear-cut chances and didn't put them away in part because they weren't as clinical as they could have been, in part because Martin Dubravka had a monster game in the home goal. But that doesn't change the fact that Newcastle had chances too, mainly because United had serious issues in midfield and at the back. Eric Bailly can't come back soon enough. (It looks like he's facing a battle to be fit in time to face Sevilla next week.) As it stands, it's not at all clear that Phil Jones and, especially, Chris Smalling (pathetic dive aside) are the sort of center-backs with whom you win major trophies. Not as starters anyway. (Sure, there's no doubt that someone will point out Smalling has already won two Premier League titles and Jone
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Wayne Rooney: Man United won't catch Man City this year or next

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Wayne Rooney says he doesn't foresee Manchester United catching Premier League pace-setters Manchester City next season, let alone during the current campaign. Rooney rejoined Everton last summer after spending 13 years at Manchester United, who trail leaders City by 13 points in the title race. The 32-year-old won five Premier League titles during his time at Old Trafford, but he said during a wide-ranging discussion on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football programme that City are setting a new standard. "In terms of catching Manchester City, certainly not this season and -- if I'm being perfectly honest -- it'll be very difficult next season if Manchester City keep playing the way they are playing," Rooney said. "They are almost getting to the level Barcelona were at four or five years ago.'' Rooney admitted he was impressed by the City team former Barca and Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has built. "It's not nice to s
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Lauri Love case: Hacking suspect wins extradition appeal

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Alleged computer hacker Lauri Love has won his High Court appeal against his extradition to the US. Mr Love, 32, from Stradishall, Suffolk, who was first arrested in October 2013, is suspected of hacking into FBI, US Central Bank and Nasa systems. Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Mr Justice Ouseley said they permitted Mr Love's appeal against his extradition. However, they said it would "not be oppressive" to "prosecute Mr Love in England for the offences". Mr Love, speaking outside the court, said he was "very thankful for all the support" he had received. 'High risk' He said he hoped he had set a "precedent so this will not happen to people in the future". Authorities in the US have been fighting for Mr Love to face trial on charges of cyber-hacking, which lawyers have said could mean a sentence of up to 99 years in prison if he is found guilty. Mr Love is alleged to have stolen huge amounts of data from US ag
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Man United's Pogba problem was highlighted in defeat at Tottenham

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Manchester United have a problem with Paul Pogba. He is the player they cannot do without, but also the one who makes life so difficult for Jose Mourinho's team when he is asked to do a job that he is simply not equipped to perform. And so it proved against Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley on Wednesday when, after arguably his worst performance in a United shirt, Pogba was substituted after 62 minutes. His team was trailing 2-0 and being given the runaround by a vibrant Spurs team, for whom 11 players had roles that suited them, which led to the overall product of the home side being greater than the sum of its parts. But back to Pogba, United's £89m midfielder and the man who makes them tick... when he is deployed in a position suited to his talents. At Wembley, he was one of two deep-lying midfielders -- playing alongside Nemanja Matic -- but, at 24, Pogba has yet to develop the defensive discipline to play that role successfully. Given that, when he does line
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Spurs' Harry Kane welcomes Aubameyang to Premier League

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Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane has welcomed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's move to the English Premier League. The 28-year-old Gabonese stiker completed his high profile move to Arsenal from Germany Bundesliga side Borrussia Dortmund yesterday for a club record £56m ($80m). Aubameyang, winner of the 2015 African Footballer of the Year award, was the German top flight's most prolific scorer last season, with 31 goals. Kane told the BBC: It's great to have top players in the Premier League, that's always the case. It'll be good for Arsenal, let's see how he gets on."
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Japan's gripping manhunt ends in capture

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Japanese police have captured a fugitive who had eluded authorities for weeks in a bizarre drama that gripped the country. Tatsuma Hirao, 27, had made a run for it from an open prison in the town of Imabari. Police deployed more than 6,000 officers on the small island of Mukaishima, using everything from dogs to helicopters and drones. He was caught at a train station in Hiroshima, about 50km (30 miles) away. Hirao was not considered a dangerous criminal. Serving five and a half years for theft, he was being held at a facility where inmates are free to walk about without walls or fences. The system did not work in the case of Hirao. The first clues following his getaway were on Mukaishima. On the face of it, the 57 sq km (22 sq mile) island of 22,000 people should not have been an easy place to hide. Yet despite using helicopters, sniffer dogs and drones, Hirao kept eluding his pursuers. All the police found were small clues: fingerprints, items like socks or mobil
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Woman trapped in billionaire's New York lift all weekend

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A woman has been rescued after spending an entire weekend trapped in her billionaire employer's lift, authorities said. The woman, reported to be 53-year-old Marites Fortaliza, entered the elevator at the Manhattan townhouse owned by investment banker Warren Stephens on Friday evening. Firefighters responded to an emergency call at 10:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Monday and forced the lift open. Ms Fortaliza is recovering in hospital. According to a family statement reported by the Associated Press Ms Fortaliza was dehydrated but in a stable condition at Weill Cornell Medical Center. She has been "a valued member of the Stephens extended family for 18 years" and a family member accompanied her to the hospital, they are quoted as saying. Mr Stephens is the head of Stephens Inc, an investment bank based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Authorities said Ms Fortaliza was trapped between the second and third floors of the house, on the Upper East Side of the city nea
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Governor jailed for sexual assault

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A former South Korean governor and one-time presidential contender has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for rape, five months after he was controversially acquitted for the same crime. Ahn Hee-jung was jailed by an appeals court Friday for the rape and assault of Kim Ji-eun, his former assistant, Kim's lawyer Jung Hye-sun told CNN. Speaking after the verdict, Kim thanked her lawyers and witnesses who supported her case. "I can say goodbye to my torturous time when I was forced to live feeling like a witch to be burnt," she said. "I'd like to share all the help I received with other victims who still have to prove everything in their lonely fights. I'd like to send my solidarity to all the victims of sexual crimes whether they spoke about their cases but were ignored or couldn't speak about their issues and quietly watched my trial." Kim came forward with the allegations during an interview with South Korean
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