David Torrence: Olympic runner dies aged 31 in Arizona

American middle-distance runner David Torrence has been found dead at the bottom of a swimming pool in Arizona at the age of 31.

Torrence won silver for the USA at the World Relay Championships in 2014 and claimed another second-placed finish at the Pan American Games in 2015.

He switched allegiances to represent Peru at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

"Detectives learned that there were no obvious signs of foul play," a police statement said.

American runner Leo Manzano, who won silver in the 1500m at the 2012 London Olympics, said: "It saddens me to hear about my former team-mate David Torrence. My heart goes out to him and his family."

Canadian track and field Olympian Nate Brannen said: "In complete shock to hear of the passing of David Torrence. Great guy and friend. He will be deeply missed."

Woman arrested after toddler found dead at house in Manchester

Thirty-year-old questioned on suspicion of murder after boy, two, was discovered after reports of domestic disturbance

Detectives investigating the murder of a toddler have arrested a woman, police said. The 30-year-old woman is being questioned on suspicion of murder after the body of the boy was found at a house in Manchester.

A 31-year-old man has also been arrested and is being questioned on suspicion of murder.

Police were called to a house in Wythenshawe in the early hours of Sunday after reports of a domestic disturbance. It later emerged officers had been called to the address on Friday, responding to a similar incident.

When officers arrived on Sunday, they discovered that a man and woman had left and gone to hospital. It was then that they found the body of a young boy, Greater Manchester police said.

The 31-year-old man remains in police custody for questioning. The woman is in hospital for treatment.

The force said formal identification of the body and a postmortem had not yet taken place.

DI Carl Jones, of the major incident team, said: “Our investigation is progressing but is still in the early stages. We have made two arrests and officers will remain at the property whilst we investigate.

“If you have any information to pass on, or you have concerns, please get in touch with one of our officers.”

GMP has referred itself to the Independent Police Complaints Commission due to officers’ earlier involvement at the property.

A cordon has been placed around the house, where there is a Volkswagen Polo car parked in the driveway.

David Creato Jr: Father kills three-year-old son because girlfriend 'didn't like children'

A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the death of his three-year-old son, who he says was in the way of a relationship with his girlfriend.

David Creato Jr, 23, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and admitted he had “recklessly caused his son’s death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life by depriving Brendan of oxygen”.

Prosecutors said Creato killed his son, Brendan, because his 17-year-old girlfriend did not want to be around his child and wanted him to give up custody. The girlfriend was never charged.
In October 2015, Mr Creato called 911 stating his son had wandered away from his home in Haddon Township in Camden County.


The child’s body was discovered later that day in an area of woodland around a mile from his home.

A medical examiner stated the boy died from “homicidal violence” but was not able to determine the exact cause or time of death.

A murder trial ended in a mistrial in May, but prosecutors said the victim’s socks were clean - which undermined Mr Creato’s claims the boy walked away from home.

Mr Creato’s guilty plea comes just weeks before he was due to stand trial on murder charges.

He will be sentenced on 29 September and prosecutors will recommend he serves a 10-year prison sentence.

Five-year-old Christian girl 'made to live with strict Muslim foster family by London council'

White Christian girl 'told to learn Arabic and stopped from eating bacon'

A five-year-old English-speaking girl was reportedly forced to live in Muslim foster homes where her carers wore the niqab and allegedly told her to learn Arabic.

The child was looked after by two different Muslim households in the last six months after being placed into foster care in Tower Hamlets, east London, The Times reported.

A social services supervisor described the girl as crying and begging not to be sent back to the foster carer's home because "they don't speak English," according to confidential local authority reports seen by the newspaper.

It added the girl told the supervisor the foster carer had removed her Christian cross necklace and not allowed her to eat carbonara, her favourite meal given to her by her mother, because it contained bacon. 

She is also said to have told her mother Christmas and Easter "are stupid" and European women are "stupid and alcoholic." The supervisor described the girl as "very distressed" in reports. 

The two placements were made by the Tower Hamlets borough council against the wishes of the girl's family. 

Local authorities are supposed to consider a child's religion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background when making decisions about foster care. 

The girl's mother was said to be horrified by the ordeal, with a friend telling the newspaper: “This is a five-year-old white girl. She was born in this country, speaks English as her first language, loves football, holds a British passport and was christened in a church.

“She’s already suffered the huge trauma of being forcibly separated from her family. She needs surroundings in which she’ll feel secure and loved. Instead, she’s trapped in a world where everything feels foreign and unfamiliar. That’s really scary for a young child.”

Tower Hamlets borough council did not respond to requests for comment. 

A spokesman for the Department for Education told The Times it could not comment on individual cases, but stressed “a child’s background is an important consideration" in deciding where the child is fostered. 

Meet the young woman that Harvard believes is the next Einstein

Being compared to geniuses like Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein is not something that happens to the average person.

So when we tell you that Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski is far from your average human, we mean it.

At the age of just 23, Paterski has already accomplished more than most of us ever will in our lifetime.

When she was only 14-years-old, the Chicago native, constructed her own single engine airplane - by herself.

If that wasn't impressive enough she then flew it across Lake Michigan, becoming the youngest person to ever fly their own plane.

The whole venture took two years to complete, and she documented the entire experience on YouTube.

 

She then graduated from Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in 2010 and enrolled with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Initially she had to wait to be accepted into the school, but once Professors Allen Haggerty and Earll Murman saw her video they had no doubt.

Femalista quote Haggerty as saying: 

Our mouths were hanging open after we looked at it. Her potential is off the charts.

After just three years at MIT she has already achieved the highest possible grade point average of 5.0.

She is now working towards her doctorate at the world renowned Harvard University, with full academic freedom and no interference from staff.

Once again she is only 23-years-old.

What's even more remarkable is that she is no longer interested in building planes but has turned her attention to physics; namely black holes and how gravity affects space and time - hence the Einstein and Hawking comparisons.

She particularly wants to study 'quantum gravity,' where see will attempt to understand the link between gravity within the context of quantum physics.

If her research proves successful, discoveries in this area could vastly change the way we understand the universe.

Paterski records all of her work on her website Physics Girl, but if you are a little overwhelmed by her achievements she has some sage words for you.

BREAKING: FG Asks Court To Revoke Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail

The Federal Government has asked the court to revoke the bail granted leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

The government cited disobedience of the bail conditions granted to Kanu as part of the reasons for its request.

Details later…

Donald Trump press adviser responsible for finding positive news leaves job

The man tasked with finding and distributing good news about Donald Trump has left his job at the White House.

Andy Hemming, the White House director of rapid response, reportedly worked 17-hour days finding positive news about the administration and sending it to reporters, television personalities, and other influencers. The White House said his departure this week was a “mutual decision”.

The 31-year-old was profiled by Politico shortly before he left. Mr Hemming, the article revealed, was a career political operative who had worked for prominent Republicans like Mitt Romney and former Texas Governor Rick Perry. He joined the Trump team after going to work for the Republican National Convention during last year’s election.


But Mr Hemming, it seemed, had an impossible job: promoting the news in an administration that reviles it. Mr Trump has repeatedly referred to the mainstream media as “fake news,” and encouraged his supporters not to believe it.

"These are truly dishonest people," Mr Trump said at a rally on Tuesday. "They're bad people. I really think they don't like our country."


The White House press team's relationship with reporters has been strained as well. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders frequently spars with reporters, and press briefings – like a recent, memorable one with senior White House advisor Steve Miller – have occasionally devolved into shouting matches.

Former Press Secretary Sean Spicer and Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci have both stepped down from their roles in recent weeks.

Mr Hemming left his $89,000-a-year position on Monday, according to Politico. The White House has not confirmed whether he will be replaced.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Politico that Mr Hemming’s departure was a “[m]utual decision that he could best help promote the president’s agenda on the outside.”

“Andy is smart and very talented and we wish him all the best,” she added.

'The best eclipse ever,' says meme re-tweeted by President Trump

Donald Trump posts bizarre tweet of him as the moon 'eclipsing' Barack Obama

  Donald Trump had re-tweeted a photo of himself "eclipsing" Barack Obama.
"The best eclipse ever," the meme reads, showing a picture of the grinning US President, in full colour, moving in front of an image of the former President, who is shown in black and white It came after Mr Trump tweeted to say a legislative "mess" could have been avoided if Republican congressional leaders had followed his advice to tie debt ceiling legislation to a veterans affairs bill.

  

If you are not married at 35 you are irresponsible – Pastor David Ibiyeomie

The founder and General Overseer of Salvation Ministry, Pastor David Ibiyeomie has declared that anyone that has reached the age of 35 and is still unmarried is irresponsible.

Pastor Ibiyeomie spoke when he addressed his congregants yesterday at the church headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.


The cleric admonished single men and women to look out for responsible men and women to be their partners, adding that it was not right to get old before getting married.

He said, “If you are still single at 35, you are an irresponsible person,” adding that is it not the will God.

He also charged young men and women to pray fervently before going into marriage relationship.

Chechnya: Ramzan Kadyrov orders hundreds of divorced couples to get back together 'to root out extremism'

Almost 1,000 families reunited after the programme launched in June, state television reports.

Hundreds of divorced couples have been forced to get back together in Chechnya after the region's leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, effectively black-listed marriage separations as a perceived cause of social problems.

A report by state television announced 948 couple had got back together following Mr Kadyrov's orders for a strict programme of "family reconciliation".

Mr Kadyrov launched the scheme in June. At the time, he said children raised by married parents were less susceptible to extremism, Latvia-based Meduza news website reported.
"We've got to wake people up, talk to them and explain. We've got to return the women who left their husbands and reconcile them. This is a priority," he said.

JAMB introduces central admission processing system (CAPS) for 2017/18 a

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) For 2017/2018 Admission - What It Means?

Report from the ongoing JAMB policy meeting indicates that JAMB has introduced the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) which is geared towards ensuring quality control, transparency and credibility of the admission process.

According to a participant, the new policy is expected to make provision for a ‘market place’ in the JAMB portal where institutions can go and ‘request for students in Nigeria who score their cut off points.’

These institutions will write to JAMB to request for the students and also give them (students) three days to respond. Also, only three universities can request for a candidate if the policy is adopted.

The new policy is also expected to allow institutions in Nigeria peg their cut off point after meeting with their respective senates.

What JAMB Central Admission Processing System CAPS Does?

The new policy will also give the academic board or senate of an institution the power to ‘allocate percentages to JAMB, the school and O’level results as these will be calculated to get the students’ cut off marks for post-UTME.’

It was also learnt that JAMB wants to ensure there is a unified time for closing admission in all universities.

If the policy sails through, there will be a portal for admission which will be based on cut off points, quota system and catchment areas.

“The new system is such that institutions can only admit those who meet their cut off points,” an admission officer for a tertiary institution who was at the meeting said. “If a candidate does not meet the cut off, no matter whom he or she knows, such person cannot be admitted.”

The official said the system was demonstrated to all the attendees at Monday’s meeting, most of whom expressed satisfaction with it.

Also, the policy intends to make provisions for candidates to accept and reject any admission being offered to them.

The intended policy also looks out for candidates who are unable to go for National Youth Service, NYSC, because they do not have JAMB admission letters. This set of students could be asked to pay a fee, about N10,000 for regularisation and would be able to go for the youth service.

JAMB is expected to formally brief journalists on these new policies on Tuesday afternoon.

Teenager's final hours captured in photos taken by ex-boyfriend before he shot her and pushed body off a cliff

Loren Daniel Bunner will serve a 52-year sentence for the murder of Jolee Callan.


A series of photos posted to a murderer's Instagram account appear to reveal the events of her final hours before she was killed by her ex-boyfriend and pushed off a cliff.

Jolee Callan, 18, was shot twice in the head by former partner Loren Bunner after he convinced her to go hiking in east Alabama in August 2015.

A series of photos posted on Bunner’s Instagram account show Ms Callan’s final hours with her ex-boyfriend. The first picture shows her sitting in a car with a dog on her lap, with the caption: “On our way to go hiking <3”.


Three more photos show Ms Callan walking the dog and later holding the dog while looking out at a view after hiking up a mountain in Cheaha State Park. The final photograph shows her taking a picture of another view.

The pair had reportedly split up months earlier but had agreed to go on the hike together as friends. Ms Callen reportedly sent a message to a friend the night before, joking: “If something happens to me, you’ll know who I was with,” The Mirror reports.


Bunner shot Ms Callan on the trail before pushing her off the cliff and leaving her body.

Police said Bunner called 911 to report he had “murdered his ex-girlfriend” while driving home from the crime scene and pulled over to wait for the authorities, according to the Shelby County Reporter.

He had shot Ms Callan in the back of her head and between the eyes, according to Alabama.com. Authorities seized a Bear Claw .22 firearm from Bunner when they reached him and found blood on his steering wheel. Police also reported “a large amount of blood” at the scene where Ms Callan was shot. 

Man Drinks Mud Water To Fulfill Promise He Made If Buhari returned From Medical Leave

One of President Buhari’s supporter has drank mud water to fulfil a vow he made should President Buhari return back to Nigeria from his medical vacation in London.Muh’d Kabir Wusasa had promised that every day that President Buhari returns to Nigeria from his trip to London, that he will drink water because of the pain of depression.



He wrote on his Facebook page:

"Kyawun Alkawari Cikawa Idan Kanaso Ka Zama Cikakken Mutum Idan Kayi Alkawari Kayi Kokari Ka Cika.
Nayi alkawari duk randa Shugaba Buhari ya dawo gida Nigeria daga jinyar da ya tafi Birnin London, zan sha ruwan kwata saboda zunzurutun Farin ciki.
Alhamdulillah! Allah ya cika mini gurina ni kuma na sha ruwan kwata".

Translated, his text reads:

"The Full Covenant of the Covenant If You Want to Become Full Member When You Make a Covenant Try To Fill.

I promise every day that President Buhari returns to Nigeria from his trip to London, and I will drink water because of the pain of depression.

Alhamdulillah! God filled me with my head and drank water".

CONFIRMED: Minister Nkoana-Mashabane granted Mugabe diplomatic immunity

Johannesburg – The Department of International Relations and Cooperation has confirmed that Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane had granted Zimbabwe First Lady Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity.

Mugabe is at the centre of an assault claim in South Africa.

"I hereby recognise the immunities and privileges of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Grace Mugabe," reads a Government Gazette notice, signed by Nkoane-Mashabane on Saturday and published on Sunday.

In the "Minister’s Minute", it indicates that she makes the recognition "in accordance with the powers vested in me by section 7(2) of the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act 2001 (Act No 37 of 2001) and acting in the Interest of [the] Republic of South Africa".

It goes on to indicate that the immunities and privileges of Mugabe are recognised "in terms of international law and as set out in the attached Notice".

Dirco spokesperson Nelson Kgwete confirmed the authenticity of the notice and said the department would release a statement later in the day.

Earlier on Sunday, various reports emerged that Mugabe had flown back to Zimbabwe that morning with her husband, President Robert Mugabe.

'Contravention of laws, rights of victim'

This month, a case of assault was reported to police by model Gabriella Engels who claims Grace Mugabe attacked her with an extension cord at a Sandton Hotel on August 13.

On Friday, the police’s Vish Naidoo told Netwerk24 that police had provisionally halted investigations into the matter after a note verbale was received, which indicated that the suspect in the case had applied for diplomatic immunity.

Meanwhile, earlier on Sunday, Afriforum said it would approach the courts to contest the diplomatic immunity.

"What we will carry on with is a review application [of the decision] to grant her immunity," said Afriforum’s legal representative Willie Spies.

"We believe that it is not a correct decision," he said, adding that his organisation believes that this was in contravention of South Africa’s laws, as well as the rights of the victim to see justice.

Depending on the outcome of a review, Afriforum was also keen to "eventually carry on with a private prosecution".

Furthermore, he suggested that it might become "very difficult" for Mugabe to return to South Africa in the future, suggesting that she could be considered "for all intents and purposes: a fugitive".

Art of the Deal co-author predicts Donald Trump is about to resign

'Trump's presidency is effectively over. Would be amazed if he survives till the end of the year. More likely resigns by fall if not sooner,' says Tony Schwartz

Mr Schwartz has been a fierce critic of the billionaire property magnate since he threw his hat into the ring for the presidential race .
The co-author of Donald Trump’s memoir The Art of the Deal has predicted the US President is going to resign by autumn if not sooner.

Tony Schwartz, who claims to have ghostwritten the 1987 best-selling business book, argued Mr Trump is on the brink of stepping down and said he would be shocked if his presidency lasts until the end of the year.

Mr Schwartz, who has been a vocal critic of President Trump and spent 18 months interviewing and shadowing him in the 1980's, suggested he would negotiate a deal for immunity in the Russia investigation in exchange for giving up his seat in the Oval Office.



He said: “The circle is closing at blinding speed. Trump is going to resign and declare victory before Mueller and Congress leave him no choice”.
“Trump's presidency is effectively over. Would be amazed if he survives till the end of the year. More likely resigns by fall, if not sooner.”


The author argued resistance against the president, who has drawn fierce criticism for drawing moral equivalence between white supremacists and anti-fascists in the wake of Charlottesville, must be maintained despite his resignation being imminent.

He said: “Trump must be isolated. Resistance every day. The end is near but must keep pressure high.”

He added: “The end game is on: Trump goes down or we do. He will blow up the world to prove he matters. We must stand up in opposition every day".


Mr Schwartz has been a fierce critic of the billionaire property magnate since he threw his hat into the ring for the presidential race and has often raised alarm bells about the danger of him having access to America’s nuclear weapons.

Last year he announced he was advising the campaign of Mr Trump’s Democrat rival Hillary Clinton for free as “penance” for boosting Mr Trump’s success and profile by ghostwriting his book.

“This is my penance for having created a man who has become a monster, and I’ve spent 30 years feeling bad about it,” he told CNN ahead of the second Presidential debate. “Now I feel like I’ve got to show there’s nobody behind the curtain.”

When pressed about whether there was anything he found appealing about Mr Trump, he said “nothing”.

“This is a man who I really believe lacks a conscience at the deepest level, so there really was nothing. He was effective in certain ways, he’s a dominant, aggressive personality and he pushes and he pushes and he pushes and he gets a lot of what he wants.”

Mr Schwartz claims to have gotten to know Mr Trump very well while working on The Art of the Deal, saying he spent hundreds of hours talking to him about his life, listening to him speak and generally observing him in action.

He has since said he bitterly regrets the way he portrayed the former reality TV star, saying the glowing depiction is a piece of fiction and amounted to himself having “put lipstick on a pig”.

BREAKING NEWS : President Buhari returns today.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is returning to the country today, after receiving medical attention in London.

The President had left the country on May 7, this year, after handing over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has functioned as Acting President since then.

President Buhari is expected to speak to Nigerians in a broadcast by 7 a.m on Monday, August 21, 2017, according to Femi Adesina, the President’s media adviser.

Adesina said Buhari thanked all Nigerians who have prayed ceaselessly for his recovery and well-being since the beginning of the health challenge in January this year.

Photos as Nigerians protest outside President Muhammadu Buhari London residence.

As at yesterday the #ResumeorResign protesters were  set to protest outside President Muhammadu Buhari London residence, popularly called the Abuja House, from Friday to Saturday, August 19. The protesters claimed to have received a permit and safety barriers from the UK police to conduct their protesters

The protest will reportedly hold all night long and protesters are advised to dress warm as they sit all night outside the president's residence demanding that he resume office or resign immediately.
 The UK police were spotted amidst the preparations.

Ghanaian actor, Van Vicker poses with his daughters.

Ghanaian actor, Van Vicker shared this adorable photo with his Daughters as they hang out in New England.

22-year-old mother sells three-month-old baby for N50,000

A 22-year-old mother, Blessing Udoh, who allegedly sold her three-month-old baby for N50,000, must remain in police custody, an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court ruled on Friday in Lagos.

The Magistrate, Mr. Tajudeen Elias, ordered that the accused be kept in police custody pending her bail application.

Udoh is facing two counts of engaging in commercial sex and trading a baby.

The accused, however, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge.



Police Prosecutor, Kehinde Omisakin, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 30, 2017 at 6.00p.m. in Abattoir area of Oko-Oba in Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb.

Omisakin alleged that the accused sold her three-month-old baby, Destiny, to Mr. and Mrs. Philip James, who reside at Oron, Akwa Ibom State.

“The accused has been caught several times engaging in commercial sex,” the prosecutor said.

The offences contravene sections 142 and 276 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the accused, on conviction, may be sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, according to the provisions of the law.

The case has been adjourned till August 23 for hearing of the bail application. (NAN

Finland 'terror attack': Several people injured after 'knifeman screaming Allahu Akbar' goes on rampage in city

Armed police have confirmed "several people have been knifed" in the centre of Turku this afternoon - including 'a woman and a baby'.

The police are urging people to avoid the centre of town - and a body has reportedly been spotted covered up.

According to information police have opened fire - and witnesses report seeing a pool of blood.

Early reports say one assailant was shot in the leg - and this person was arrested.