Pistorius: Oscar 'Will Never Be The Same'

Oscar Pistorius says he just wants to "be alone" since his release on bail and is feeling "a lot of remorse" over the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The Olympic athlete is staying at his uncle's home in Pretoria after a court banned him from returning to the luxury home where he shot Ms Steenkamp through a bathroom door.

His spokeswoman in South Africa told Sky News: "He told me, 'I just want this time to be alone'. He is in his room, he's spending time alone and he's feeling lot of remorse."

Ms Steenkamp was killed on Valentine's Day

The athlete's family has also released a new statement, saying: "Oscar will never be the same ... having to live with the knowledge that he caused the death of the woman he loved, and that he can never undo the immense pain and loss this has caused Reeva's family and friends".

His uncle Arnold added: "We are acutely aware of the fact that this is only the beginning of a long road to prove that, as we know, Oscar never intended to harm Reeva, let alone cause her death."

Pistorius, 26, is accused of premeditated murder after the Valentine's Day shooting. He denies murder.

Lawyers for the defence and prosecution are starting work on the trial phase of a case that is likely to grip South Africa and the world, with the next hearing set for June 4.

The athlete arrived at his uncle's house on Friday after paying 10% of his one million rand (£73,000) bail at Pretoria's Brooklyn police station, where he had been held for a week.

Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp's father has told a South African newspaper that Pistorius will "suffer" if he is lying about how she died.

Pistorius is staying with his uncle Arnold

The Beeld newspaper quotes Barry Steenkamp as saying Pistorius will have to "live with his conscience" if his assertion that he accidentally shot the 29-year-old law graduate is false.

Horse trainer Mr Steenkamp said he might be able to forgive Pistorius one day if the double-amputee Olympian is telling the truth.

Her mother said that Pistorius' family had sent a card and flowers offering condolences for the death of her daughter but she added it meant little because: "They are not to blame."

However, Mike Steenkamp said the timing of the family's actions was poor and that they had not initially tried to contact Reeva's bereaved parents.

Chief magistrate Desmond Nair approved bail for Pistorius on Friday at the end of a two-hour summary in which he found the accused was unlikely to skip bail, be violent or approach any witnesses.

Nair said he had been influenced by Pistorius' decision to submit a detailed affidavit, in which he claimed he accidentally shot Ms Steenkamp through the bathroom door at his home in the east of Pretoria, thinking she was an intruder.

Under his bail conditions Pistorius must surrender any firearms and his passport and can not enter any international departure hall.

Ms Steenkamp's friend Kim Myers attended the bail hearing on Friday

He is also is banned from using any prohibited substance or alcohol and must report to police twice a week as part of his bail conditions.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Teen Dies After Being Sucked Into Drainpipe

A teenage boy has reportedly died after being sucked down a drainpipe while he was collecting golf balls in floodwaters.

The body of Luke O'Neill, 17, was found by his friend while he was scouring reeds near the exit of the drain at the Kew Country Club in New South Wales, Australia, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Police said Luke was in waist-deep water scooping golf balls with some friends when he was suddenly dragged into the large drainpipe by the force of the water.

The area has been hit by heavy rain

A 16-year-old, who has not been named, was also pulled into the pipe as he tried to find Luke at the drainpipe entrance.

He travelled under water for the length of the 100m pipe but ended up in a dam at the other end where he was able to escape.

Inspector Kim Fehon, from the Mid North Coast local area command, said: "They were just looking for the golf balls, it was a regular thing they did."

Luke, who was a member of the Camden Haven Bombers AFL club, was described by a member as a very gifted and "wonderful boy".

Committee member Chris Wright said: "He was the type of kid who could turn his hand to anything."

Torrential rain and gales have battered the Mid North Coast region for the second time in a month.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

'Brand Beckham' Still Strong For PSG Debut

By Chris Skudder, Sports Presenter

They've always called him 'Le Spice Boy', and this weekend the French public will tune in to what they're calling 'BeckCam', as a special camera tracks David Beckham's every move when he makes his first appearance for new club Paris St Germain against Olympique Marseille.'Le cirque' is well and truly in town.

Not bad for a player now in his 38th year, the second oldest in Ligue 1 and some years past his prime.

But then, it's never been about that. What Beckham brings to his employers is no longer a world class player (indeed there are many who believe that even at his peak Beckham fell short of the level of the very top players in the world game), but a high profile 'brand' that even the very best players that have ever played the game could only dream of.

That translates into the potential for considerable commercial revenue that comes with 'brand Beckham' wearing the blue and red shirt of PSG.

Beckham poses with his new Paris Saint-Germain jersey

Here's why that matters. The Qatari owned club, like Manchester City, are among the biggest spenders in world football and, under UEFA rules, are now obliged to comply with Financial Fair Play. That means spending only what you earn, albeit with some leeway in the early years of the FFP blueprint.

The arrival of Beckham, then, appears to be a perfect marriage.

He's arrived at no cost as a free agent, his salary will go to charity, and unless his popularity falls away quickly, he will bring substantial revenue to the club via shirt sales and various commercial spin-offs.

On top of this, his role as an ambassador for the ambitious club should bring the goodwill the Qatari owners crave.

Beckham is a past master at it, and was used for just that purpose in the great success story of the London 2012 Olympics.

It will be interesting to see whether he plays a major role in Qatar's charm offensive ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

Beckham's come a long way as a global figure since his days in France at the 1998 World Cup, not long after becoming 'Le Spice Boy' as the other half of 'Posh Spice', now wife Victoria.

Replica jerseys are already on sale in the Paris Saint-Germain club shop

Back then they were only recently an item, and I can remember asking him about her during a media conference at England's World Cup training camp at La Baule on the Atlantic coast. She'd just joined Beckham a day or two before along with the other wives and girlfriends (before they were known as 'WAGS').

"What have you been up to? Apart from the obvious?" I asked, a bumbled question that drew a roar of laughter from the media gathering.

"Er ... relaxing," was Beckham's response with an embarrassed grin and full on blush.

The tournament ended with that infamous sending off in St Etienne against Argentina and what seemed like half of the country blaming the young superstar for England's exit from the tournament.

But he survived that to become England's highest ever caps winner for an outfield player and along the way established himself as a global icon who transcended his sport.

It's that latter reason that will bring a certain fascination to seeing him turn out again for his latest club.

As a player Beckham's unlikely to be the defining factor on the field for PSG as they attempt to win the French League for the first time since 1994.

But he's in the right place at the right time, once again, one last stop in a perfectly managed career.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Microsoft Becomes Latest Victim Of Hackers

Microsoft has become the latest victim of computer hacking following US technology giants Facebook and Apple.

In a blog posting, Microsoft said it had found no evidence that any customer data had been stolen in the cyber attack, which saw malicious software planted on a small number of its computers.

General manager Matt Thomlinson said: "As reported by Facebook and Apple, Microsoft can confirm that we also recently experienced a similar security intrusion.

"During our investigation, we found a small number of computers, including some in our Mac business unit, that were infected by malicious software using techniques similar to those documented by other organisations."

Microsoft  gave few other details about the break-in, except to say that was it similar to a hacking attack that online social networking leader Facebook disclosed last week.

Facebook said malware that infected some of its machines came from a mobile developer website that had been booby-trapped.

A "small number" of computer systems at Apple were infected but they were isolated from the main network and there was no evidence that any data left Apple, the company said.

Online messaging service Twitter also recently disclosed that hackers may have stolen information about 250,000 of its users.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pentagon Grounds Fleet Of F-35 Fighter Jets

The Pentagon has grounded the US military's entire fleet of F-35 fighter jets after discovering a cracked engine turbine blade in one plane.

The problem was discovered during what the Pentagon called a routine inspection of an F-35A Lightning II, the US Air Force's version of the new plane.

The US Navy and the US Marine Corps are buying other versions of the F-35, which is intended to replace older fighter jets like the Air Force's F-16 and the Navy and Marine Corps' F/A-18.

All versions - a total of 51 planes - were grounded on Friday pending an investigation.

The Pentagon said it was too early to know the full impact of the newly discovered problem.

It said: "On February 19, 2013, a routine engine inspection revealed a crack on a low pressure turbine blade of an F135 engine installed in a CTOL test aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

"Engineering teams are shipping the turbine blade to Pratt & Whitney's Engine Facility in Middletown, CT, to conduct a thorough evaluation and root cause analysis.

"It is too early to know the fleet-wide impact of this finding, however as a precautionary measure, all F-35 flight operations have been suspended until the investigation is complete and the cause of the blade crack is fully understood.

"The F-35 Joint Program Office is working closely with Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin at all F-35 locations to assess the integrity of the engine, and to return the fleet safely to flight as soon as possible."

The F-35 is the Pentagon's most expensive weapons programme, with a total estimated cost of nearly $400bn (£262bn).

The Pentagon has planned to buy more than 2,400 F-35s, but some members of Congress are hesitant due to the hefty price tag.

The UK has ordered 48 F-35s to fly off the Royal Navy's new Queen Elizabeth carrier once it is built in 2018. Britain has also invested in the development of the jet.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Latin American Idol Winner Heredia Drug Charge

A former winner of the TV talent show Latin American Idol has been charged with drug smuggling after being arrested at an airport.

Martha Heredia was detained after police said they found heroin stuffed in the heels of her platform shoes in the city of Santiago in the Dominican Republic.

She was about to board a plane for New York, said National Drug Control Agency director Frank Duran.

Mr Duran said police had discovered 2.9lb (1.3 kg) of the drug in the heels of three pairs of shoes packed in her suitcase.

Police also ordered Heredia to have X-ray tests to determine whether she had any drugs hidden inside her body. None was found.

If she is found guilty, Heredia could face more than 10 years in prison.

Martha Heredia at the 2010 Billboard Latin Music Awards

Heredia, 22, became a star in her native Dominican Republic after she won the final of the Latin American Idol contest in 2009 - a Spanish-language version of the Idol franchise.

On the night of the final, thousands of Dominicans gathered in public plazas to watch the contest on huge TV screens. Then-President Leonel Fernandez urged Dominicans to vote for her.

After the success, however, she soon faded from public view.

In December 2010, Heredia hit and killed a teenage Haitian boy with her car as he tried to cross a road on foot.

She was later ordered to pay his family some $275,000 (£180,000) as part of a lawsuit.

Last month, she filed a domestic violence complaint against her husband, Manuel Varet Marte, a hip-hop singer known as Vakero.

He was ordered to be held in prison for three months as police investigate the case.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

US Snow: Storm Leaves Four Dead In America

At least four people have died after a massive snow storm blanketed much of central US, causing road accidents and disrupting travel.

The winter storm, which prompted tornado warnings, affected millions of people in 24 states before the system petered out over the Great Lakes.

Places in Kansas and Missouri saw a foot (30 centimetres) or more of snow, with emergency crews spending hours digging out and clearing miles of roadways.

Gusty winds and snow-covered roadways made commutes dangerous.

Local television cameras in Kansas City, Missouri, captured a large bus slipping in the snow and crashing into a large lamppost. No one was hurt.

A man stands next to his trapped car in Kansas City, Missouri

In Gladstone, also in Missouri, a dance studio's roof collapsed from the weight of snow.

Further north in Cincinnati, Ohio, slippery roads meant a dangerous situation many drivers. One lorry ended up partially hanging off an overpass of a busy road after the driver lost control.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a Continental Airlines plane skidded off runway, ending up resting on its nose, but no one was hurt.

A family attempts to clear a driveway in Overland Park, Kansas

Scattered power cuts were also reported as ice weighed down power lines and strong winds knocked down trees.

Roads and even major highways became completely impassable in some areas

The Minnesota State Patrol blamed the snow for over 500 accidents on Friday.

One driver was killed when she lost control, came to a stop in oncoming traffic and was broadsided by another vehicle in a St Paul suburb.

A 12-year-old boy died from injuries suffered in a collision on an icy highway in northern Nebraska.

A woman in Iowa was run over by her car, which had gotten stuck on her steep, slippery driveway. And a 70-year-old woman from Kansas died after her car slid and collided with a train.

Nobody was hurt when a plane skidded off the runway in Ohio

The National Weather Service said as much as 17 inches of snow had fallen in parts of Colorado and Kansas.

Over the weekend, a second system of winter weather is expected from the Gulf of Mexico - smothering parts of the East Coast with up to two feet of snow on Saturday and Sunday.

The governor of Missouri declared a state of emergency as the storm lashed the midwestern state with a dangerous mix of ice and snow.

A dance studio's roof collapsed under the weight of the snow in Missouri

"I urge all Missourians to keep a close eye on the weather and avoid unnecessary travel," Governor Jay Nixon said.

The state of Kansas shuttered government offices on Thursday to keep non-essential workers off the treacherous roads and scores of business owners and school officials followed suit.

The blizzard conditions were so intense in some areas that snow ploughs were getting stuck and ambulances had trouble getting patients to hospitals.

The storm comes after play at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona, had to be postponed after a blizzard covered the course.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Banksy's Missing Mural Set To Make A Mint

A Banksy mural that was removed from the side of a Poundland shop under mysterious circumstances is expected to sell for up to £460,000 at auction.

Slave Labour, which shows a young boy hunched over a sewing machine making Union Flag bunting, appeared on the wall in Wood Green, north London, last May, just before the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

But the mural by arguably the world's most famous graffiti artist disappeared last weekend and is now being sold thousands of miles away in Miami, despite pleas from Wood Green residents who are upset by its disappearance.

Fine Art Auctions (FAA) featured the artwork on the front page of its website ahead of its Modern, Contemporary And Street Art sale.

The auction house expects Slave Labour to reach between $500,000 (£328,063) and $700,000 (£459,288).

A rat holding up a sign saying "Why?" has been stencilled next to the empty space where the mural stood, with some speculating it could be another work by Banksy.

What was once art was turned into a hole in the wall

The disappearance of the Banksy graffiti prompted Haringey Council to launch a campaign to bring it back to the UK.

The council has called on the Arts Council and Culture Secretary Maria Miller to intervene. So far however, they have not succeeded in halting the US auction.

Councillor Alan Strickland said: "The community feels that this artwork was given to it for free, and that it should be kept in Haringey where it belongs, not sold for a fast buck.

"This is an area that was rocked by riots less than a year before this mural was painted, and for many in the community the painting has become a real symbol of local pride."

The council is investigating how the removal of the mural occurred, but a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "There have been no reports of any theft.

"It appears there has been a decision by someone to remove it for sale - there is no suggestion of any crime being committed."

A solicitor for property firm Wood Green Investments, which owns the Poundland site where the Banksy was painted, told the Financial Times: "If they deny removing the mural they will become embroiled in an international criminal investigation that has already involved the FBI.

"But if they admit to consenting to (its removal) then they will become the target of abuse. As a consequence, the advice to my client has been to say nothing."

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

Italy: Briton Held Over Tour Guide Murder

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A Briton has been arrested in Italy for the murder of a tour guide and the attempted killing of another man.

Jason Peter Marshall, 24, was held by police early on Saturday after they traced him through his mobile phone signal to a late night bus.

Police believe he met both men through gay internet chat rooms.

He was arrested after a 55-year-old man was found severely beaten in the bedroom of his apartment in central Rome, following calls to police when neighbours heard screams and calls for help.

When officers arrived on the scene, the victim identified Marshall as his attacker and described how he had been threatened with a gun, badly beaten with a telescopic cosh and smothered with a pillow.

Marshall is said to have fled the apartment with €400 (£348), credit cards and the victim's iPad as he allegedly tried to erase all traces of contact between him and the victim.

Marshall, who is originally from Greenwich, southeast London, is said to have arrived in Italy last month and police in Rome have confirmed he is also the prime suspect in the murder of tour guide Vincenzo Iale.

The 68-year-old was found strangled and stabbed to death in his flat at Torvajanica, on the outskirts of Rome, four weeks ago with his bank card missing.

Police said Marshall was being held in Rome's Regina Coeli jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, kidnap and possessing offensive weapons.

Sources said the victims had been targeted through gay internet chat rooms.

A Rome police source said: "This could easily have been a double murder investigation and the second victim - although badly hurt - can think himself lucky he is not dead."

No one from the British Embassy in Rome was immediately available for comment and Marshall is expected to be questioned further by prosecutors ahead of appearing before an investigating judge.

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More

British Man Drowns At Egypt Resort

A British man has drowned while swimming in the sea off the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh.

A British embassy spokeswoman in Cairo confirmed that the 50-year-old had drowned while swimming on Friday.

However, she said she could give no further detail on the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh

Sharm el Sheikh is one of the main Red Sea resorts and attracts millions of tourists each year.

More follows...

23.17 | 0 komentar | Read More