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Clyde K. Valle
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Clyde is a business graduate interested in writing about latest news in politics and business. He enjoys writing and is about to publish his first book. He’s a pet lover and likes to spend time with family. When the time allows he likes to go fishing waiting for the muse to come.
On day 13 of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, a key police ballistics expert has said the athlete was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot Reeva Steenkamp.
Correspondents say this lends support to the defense team’s insistence that the shooting was not premeditated.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution says the Paralympic champion intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument.
Captain Christian Mangena said analysis of the crime scene and his subsequent tests suggested that Oscar Pistorius, 27, was not wearing the prostheses when he fired the fatal shots.
He also said that while he had not been able to determine the exact distance, the evidence pointed to the shots having been fired from a position greater than 23 inches away from the toilet door but no further than 10ft.
Correspondents say this is in line with the athlete’s testimony that he pulled the trigger while standing at the entrance to the bathroom.
Explaining the trajectory of the bullets, Capt. Christian Mangena said that Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was standing up in the toilet cubicle when she was hit in the right hip by the first of four bullets.
He said she then fell backwards before being hit in the arm and the head by the last two bullets fired by Oscar Pistorius through the wooden door as she crossed both hands over her head to protect herself.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013
Contradicting the athlete’s testimony that the shots had been fired in close succession, Capt. Christian Mangena said there had been a short break between the first and second shots and that the second bullet missed Reeva Steenkamp.
Correspondents say this corroborates evidence given by a neighbor who said she heard a shot, then a pause, then three further shots. It also suggests that Reeva Steenkamp may have had time to scream before she fell to the floor, supporting the neighbor’s testimony that she had heard a woman screaming.
“I’m of the opinion that after [the first] wound was inflicted… she dropped immediately,” Capt. Christian Mangena said.
Reeva Steenkamp then slumped into a “seated or semi-seated position” on top of a magazine rack, according to the police officer.
After the third and fourth shots she “ended up with her head on top of the toilet seat, and the lower part of her body on the rack”, Capt. Christian Mangena added.
Defense lawyer Barry Roux contested Capt. Christian Mangena’s evidence on the timing, maintaining that the bullets could have been fired in quick succession using a “double tap” technique – where the trigger is pulled in quick succession.
Capt. Christian Mangena insisted this was “impossible”, saying that if this had been the case then Reeva Steenkamp’s wounds would have been in the same area of her body.
The court also heard from Col. Mike Sales, an officer in the police technological investigations department, who analyzed data from Oscar Pistorius’ smartphones and tablets.
Col. Mike Sales said several websites had been browsed on Oscar Pistorius’ iPad on the evening of the shooting, although he could not confirm who had been using the iPad.
The internet history featured searches for used cars, including an Aston Martin and a Ford Ranger.
The court was adjourned until Monday after the prosecution said it would only call on five more witnesses.
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During the 12th day of Oscar Pistorius’ trial in Pretoria his defense team accused police photographer Bennie Van Staden of mishandling the crime scene.
Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux said some images showed “great disturbance” was caused to the evidence but the police officer insisted he had followed procedure.
The Paralympic champion denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument.
The court also heard from a police ballistics expert on Tuesday, but the trial was adjourned before he explained the key points of his investigation into the trajectory of the bullets from Oscar Pistorius’ gun.
Captain Christian Mangena said he had measured Oscar Pistorius with his prosthetic legs on and off to try to determine whether he was wearing them or not. He is expected to disclose the results of his inquiries on Wednesday.
Correspondents say whether or not Oscar Pistorius was on his prosthetic limbs is important because it could match parts of his story that he accidentally shot Reeva Steenkamp at his house on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Photographs of the bloody scene at Oscar Pistorius’ house were shown to court as police photographer Bennie Van Staden was cross-examined by defense lawyer Barry Roux for a second day.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument
Barry Roux painstakingly examined pictures taken by Bennie Van Staden and another police officer, and said evidence had been moved around in violation of police procedure.
The lawyer challenged Bennie Van Staden over two images of Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom, which showed tissues, a CD and a remote control in different positions.
Bennie Van Staden admitted that he had moved bloodied towels and a duvet to check for further evidence, but said that he had taken pictures of the original scene before doing so.
Barry Roux also used metadata on each photo to suggest that the two policemen were taking pictures in the same room at the same point, despite Bennie Van Staden testifying that he had worked alone.
According to times on the photographs, both Bennie Van Staden and the other police officer, identified as Colonel Motha, were in the bathroom at the same time.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel questioned Barry Roux’s assertion that the two policemen had been working together, asking why it was that the other officer had not been captured in any of Bennie Van Staden’s pictures.
The prosecutor also said that debating whether the cricket bat that Oscar Pistorius used to smash open the bathroom door had been moved “millimetres” for a photograph did not change the fact that is was covered in blood.
Bennie Van Staden took hundreds of images at the scene, including several of the bloodied cricket bat as well as bullet casings and a gun.
He was called to the scene at around 04:50 a.m. local time and took pictures of the accused and the deceased, as well as pictures of the rooms of the house.
The photographer described nine images that he took of Oscar Pistorius soon after the shooting, with the athlete wearing blood-soaked shorts in the garage of his home.
Barry Roux has challenged previous police witnesses over details of their movements in a bid to uncover contradictions that support his argument that the investigation was bungled.
So far, Oscar Pistoius’ defense team has pointed out several errors by police investigators, including an officer handling the suspected murder weapon without gloves and another stealing from the house.
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South Korea has granted approval to Caesars Entertainment to open a “foreigner-only” casino with Indonesian conglomerate Lippo.
The first phase of the project also includes two hotels and will be built near Incheon airport outside Seoul.
Shares in Lippo surged more than 35% after the preliminary approval was announced.
In total the firms expect to invest 2.3 trillion won ($2.1 billion) in further projects over the next nine years.
South Korea has granted approval to Caesars Entertainment to open a “foreigner-only” casino with Indonesian conglomerate Lippo
South Korea currently has more than 16 “foreigner-only” casinos, meant to appeal primarily to northern Chinese.
Most of them are clustered near Seoul’s airport or on the island of Jeju, which is just over an hour away by plane from northern cities such as Shanghai and Beijing – making them a convenient alternative to Macau.
Last month, Genting Singapore – Southeast Asia’s largest casino operator by market value – announced it would build a casino on Jeju with Chinese development firm Landing International to target northern and eastern Chinese gamblers.
The project, which is expected to cost $2.2 billion, will include a theme park, shopping malls, apartments and hotels as well as the casino.
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On the 12th day of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, police photographer showed the images of the bloody scene at the athlete’s house.
Oscar Pistorius’ defense team says the police crime scene photographer failed to label his pictures correctly.
The Paralympic champion denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Photographer Bennie Van Staden was being cross-examined for the second day by defense lawyer Barry Roux on details of when and where he took some photos and what he moved at the home of Oscar Pistorius.
Bennie Van Staden’s testimony continued after the start of Tuesday’s proceedings was delayed by more than an hour after the defense team asked him to produce discs containing master copies of photographs.
His images included the bloodied cricket bat Oscar Pistorius used to smash open the bathroom door as well as blood-soaked towels and two mobile phones.
Oscar Pistorius’ defense team says the police crime scene photographer failed to label his pictures correctly (photo AP)
Bennie Van Staden was called to the scene at around 04:50 local time and took pictures of the accused and the deceased, as well as pictures of the rooms of the house.
The police photographer rejected claims that his picture timeline was jumbled or unclear, saying that each of the photographs had the date and time it was taken on the picture.
Bennie Van Staden also described nine photographs that he took of Oscar Pistorius soon after the shooting, with the athlete wearing blood-soaked shorts in the garage of his home.
On Monday, the trial heard from a firearm specialist who said Oscar Pistorius had good knowledge of the rules on gun use and dealing with intruders.
Oscar Pistorius had bought a gun from Sean Patrick Rens, a firearms assessor, in 2012 and ordered six more guns from him – but the order was cancelled a month after Reeva Steenkamp was killed.
Sean Patrick Rens read out a competency questionnaire that Oscar Pistorius had completed before he could be issued with a firearm.
Oscar Pistorius scored top marks in these tests, which included questions on the legal issues around shooting intruders.
One of the questions in the test was: “There is no security gate between you and the burglars. They are armed and they advance towards you. Can you discharge your firearm because you fear for your life?”
To which Oscar Pistorius replied: “Yes.”
Another question was: “Explain the legal requirements when using a firearm for private use”, to which Oscar Pistorius answered: “Attack must be against you, it must be unlawful, it must be against persons.”
Answering the final question on the importance of target identification, Oscar Pistorius said: “Always know your target and what lies behind.”
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General Motors (GM) expects to spend nearly $300 million in Q1 2014 to repair vehicles affected by its recent recalls.
GM set aside the amount on Monday as it announced three separate recalls affecting nearly 1.5 million vehicles.
That follows the 1.6 million vehicles it called back last month over faulty ignition switches.
GM announced three separate recalls affecting nearly 1.5 million cars
GM is facing an investigation over its handling of the recall over the faulty switches which can disable airbags.
The recall announced on Monday affects the following models:
- 1.18 million vehicles, including 2008 – 2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia, 2009 – 2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008 – 2010 Saturn Outlook, over problems with deployment of side airbags.
- 303,000 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana from the 2009 – 2014 model years with gross vehicle weights of 10,000 pounds or less as they do not comply with a head impact requirement for unrestrained occupants.
- 63,900 Cadillac XTS full-size sedan from the 2013 and 2014 model years to fix a problem that could lead to overheating, melting of plastic components and a possible engine compartment fire.
GM is under pressure over its handling of a recall earlier this year that involved faulty ignition switches which could turn off the engine and disable airbags.
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Air Canada has decided to suspend flights to and from Venezuela, citing concerns over security.
Air Canada said it would consider resuming operations once the situation in Venezuela had stabilized.
The airline operated three return flights between Toronto and Caracas per week.
Twenty-nine people – from both sides of the political divide – have been killed in six weeks of protests against high inflation, crime and the shortage of many staples in Venezuela.
“Due to ongoing civil unrest in Venezuela, Air Canada can no longer ensure the safety of its operation and has suspended flights to Caracas until further notice,” says the Canadian airline in a statement.
It says customers who have not begun their travel “may obtain refunds”. Others may be rebooked on other airlines.
Air Canada has decided to suspend flights to and from Venezuela
Several international airlines have reduced operations in recent weeks in Venezuela, but their main grievance has been the government’s tight currency controls.
International airlines say the government of Nicolas Maduro owes them more than $3 billion.
Tough foreign currency controls make it difficult for foreign airlines to repatriate money obtained from ticket sales in Venezuela.
In January, Ecuadorean airline Tame suspended flights to Venezuela, demanding $43 million – one third of the company’s yearly revenue – in overdue payments for tickets.
President Nicolas Maduro said that airlines that reduced their operations in Venezuela would face “severe measures”.
“The company that leaves the country will not return while we hold power,” he said.
The government says right-wing groups backed by the US have fomented the unrest as part of a coup plot.
Tight controls over foreign exchange were first imposed in 2003, following a troubled year which saw a coup against then-President Hugo Chavez.
The government expected to avoid capital flight, but the economic crisis of the past year has led to a shortage of foreign currency.
Two months ago, Venezuela introduced further exchange controls.
On the eleventh day of Oscar Pistorius trial, the court has heard from a firearm specialist that the athlete had good knowledge of the rules on gun use and dealing with intruders.
Oscar Pistorius said one could discharge a firearm if one feared for one’s life.
The Paralympic champion denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Sean Patrick Rens is involved in firearms assessment for licenses and met Oscar Pistorius in 2012 through a mutual friend.
Oscar Pistorius had bought a gun from Sean Patrick Rens, a Smith and Wesson 500, day 11 of the trial heard. He then ordered six more guns from him.
The order was cancelled a month after Reeva Steenkamp was killed.
Sean Patrick Rens read out a competency questionnaire and examination that Oscar Pistorius had completed before he could be issued with a firearm.
He scored top marks in these tests, which included questions about the rules on when you are legally allowed to shoot intruders.
One question was: “There is no security gate between you and the burglars. They are armed and they advance towards you. Can you discharge your firearm because you fear for your life?”
Oscar Pistorius replied: “Yes.”
The next question was: “Explain the legal requirements when using a firearm for private use”, to which Oscar Pistorius answered: “Attack must be against you, it must be unlawful, it must be against persons.”
Oscar Pistorius had good knowledge of the rules on gun use and dealing with intruders
The final question on the importance of target identification elicited this answer from Oscar Pistorius: “Always know your target and what lies behind.”
Sean Patrick Rens also relates an incident when Oscar Pistorius told him about going into “code red”, or “combat mode”, after hearing a noise in the house and thinking there was an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, got his gun and cleared the house by drawing his gun and checking rooms, Sean Patrick Rens said, and when he got to the source, he found it was a tumble drier.
Oscar Pistorius had tweeted about the incident in November 2012: “Nothing like getting home to hear the washing machine on and thinking it’s an intruder to go into full combat recon mode into the pantry!”
The questioning of Sean Patrick Rens at the end of his testimony was the briefest cross-examination of the trial by Barry Roux.
The next witness was police crime scene photographer Bennie Van Staden, whom Barry Roux accuses of failing to label his pictures correctly.
Bennie Van Staden was called to the scene at around 04:50 and took pictures of the accused and the deceased, as well as pictures in the different rooms of the house.
His photographs show the bloodied bat Oscar Pistorius used to smash open the bathroom door, the damaged door itself, blood-soaked towels, two mobile phones, blood puddles on the bathroom tiles, as well as the toilet bowl covered in blood, with streaks on the inside.
Bennie Van Staden says that you can see the date and time of the photo in his pictures, rejecting defense claims that his picture timeline was jumbled or unclear.
He explained how he set out cones to highlight certain objects in the bathroom, e.g. cartridge cases, and moved some objects for visibility.
The trial has now been adjourned until Tuesday.
Oscar Pistorius trial is expected to call on more than 100 witnesses. It had been set to last for three weeks, but looks likely to be extended.
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Online retailer Alibaba Group has announced plans for a flotation in the US.
The Chinese e-commerce giant said the move will make it “a more global company”.
The move had been widely predicted by analysts, who expect it to be the biggest share offering by a tech firm since Facebook’s flotation in 2012.
They predict that the listing will raise up to $15 billion.
However, Alibaba did not reveal when the initial public offering (IPO) would take place or on which exchange.
The move is expected to benefit Yahoo, which owns a significant stake in Alibaba and could see the value of its investment rise considerably.
Alibaba Group has announced plans for US flotation
“Alibaba Group has decided to commence the process of an initial public offering in the United States,” the firm’s statement said.
“This will make us a more global company and enhance the company’s transparency, as well as allow the company to continue to pursue our long-term vision and ideals.”
The news comes two days after another Chinese tech giant, Twitter-like service Weibo, announced plans for a $500 million US listing.
Speculation about a New York listing for Alibaba began last September, when the company abandoned plans for a stock offering in Hong Kong after talks with regulators broke down.
Alibaba’s management structure, which allows senior executives to retain control of the board of directors, fell foul of Hong Kong’s listing rules.
Alibaba Group is already the world’s largest online retailer, with more than 500 million customers and more than 800 million product listings.
Radar coverage of the area where Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing is patchy and often not even switched on, according to aviation experts.
During the investigation it has emerged that civilian systems do not cover large swatches of the areas the plane could have gone, and that military systems are often left off to save money.
Air traffic control teams rely transponders signals to track planes – but investigators believe that the device was intentionally switched off on the missing aircraft.
Radar coverage of the area where Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing is patchy and often not even switched on
Military systems, meanwhile, are often limited, switched off, or routinely ignore aircraft they do not think are suspicious.
A Rear Admiral in the Indian armed forces, which are aiding search efforts over the Andaman Islands, said: “It’s possible that the military radars were switched off as we operate on an <<as required>> basis.”
However, experts have suggested that a disappearing transponder signal would be treated more seriously over Europe or America, and that a parallel situation would be unlikely to develop.
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The US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has sued 16 banks for allegedly manipulating the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR).
The LIBOR rate is used to set trillions of dollars of financial contracts, including mortgages and financial transactions around the world.
The regulator said the manipulation caused substantial losses to 38 US banks which were shut down during and after the 2008 financial crisis.
The sued banks include Barclays, HSBC, Citigroup and Royal Bank of Scotland.
The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) has also been sued by the FDIC.
“BBA participated in the alleged scheme to protect the revenue stream it generated from selling Libor licenses and to appease the Panel Bank Defendants that were members of the BBA,” it was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
The FDIC has sued 16 banks for allegedly manipulating the LIBOR
The FDIC alleged that the banks mentioned in its lawsuit rigged the rate from August 2007 to at least mid-2011.
Other banks named in the lawsuit include Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Deutsche Bank, Lloyds Bank, Credit Suisse, UBS, and Rabobank.
LIBOR is the average rate at which banks lend money to one another and is decided on a daily basis.
Most of the world’s biggest banks contribute estimates to form the LIBOR.
But there have been allegations that some have looked to profit from it by understating or overstating their submissions.
Over the past two years, regulators across the globe have been investigating the manipulation of the rate and there have been $3.7 billion in fines to date.
A string of international banks and brokers have faced both criminal and civil penalties for their involvement in the scandal.
Some banks have also been found to have understated their submissions in the period during and after the financial crisis.
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Former police officer Col. Schoombie van Rensburg told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial that two of the athlete’s watches went missing from the crime scene.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg said he had been “furious” at the disappearances and had ordered officers to be body-searched for the “expensive” watches.
The court was also shown a photo of Oscar Pistorius in blood-covered shorts.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
The prosecution says he intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on February 14, 2013.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg, who was initially in charge of the crime scene, said that when he first saw the watches he was worried about them and ordered them to be photographed because they “looked expensive”.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial that two of the athlete’s watches went missing from the crime scene
After returning to the main bedroom where a team of forensic experts was gathering evidence, the police officer realized one watch, said to be worth as much as $10,000 was missing. He said he was told Oscar Pistorius’ sister Aimee had come into the room and removed it.
After leaving the room again, another watch went missing, so he gave instructions for the police officers and their cars to be searched.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg said that after that, everyone entering and leaving the scene was thoroughly searched and entered into a log, presented in court.
He said he told Oscar Pistorius he should file a complaint, while he opened a case of theft.
The former officer, who retired last year, also told the court he was angry when he saw a ballistics expert handling Oscar Pistorius’ 9mm pistol without any gloves, and told him to put some on.
The admissions call into question the police’s handling of the crime scene, in a case that is likely to hinge on sensitive forensic evidence, correspondents say.
Friday’s hearing has now been adjourned and the trial continues on Monday.
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On the tenth day of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, former police officer Col. Schoombie van Rensburg has said he was “furious” when two of the athlete’s watches went missing from the crime scene.
Col Schoombie van Rensburg told the murder trial he ordered his officers to be body-searched for the “expensive” watches, but they were not found.
He also said an officer had handled Oscar Pistorius’ gun without wearing gloves.
Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius denies murder, saying he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.
The prosecution says he shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on February 14, 2013.
Schoombie van Rensburg, who was initially in charge of the crime scene, said that when he first saw the watches he was worried about them and ordered them to be photographed because they “looked expensive”.
After returning to the main bedroom where a team of forensic experts was gathering evidence, he realized one watch, said to be worth as much as $10,000 was missing. He said he was told Oscar Pistorius’ sister Aimee had come into the room and removed it.
Oscar Pistorius had blood on his arm after shooting Reeva Steenkamp last year
After leaving the room again, another watch went missing, so he gave instructions for the police officers and their cars to be searched.
Schoombie van Rensburg said that after that, everyone entering and leaving the scene was thoroughly searched and entered into a log, presented in court.
He described his stunned reaction to the watches’ disappearance: “I said, <<I can’t believe it. We were just there. How can this watch be gone?>>”.
He said he told Oscar Pistorius he should file a complaint, while he opened a case of theft.
The former officer, who retired last year, also told the court he was angry when he saw a ballistics expert handling Oscar Pistorius’ 9mm pistol without any gloves, and told him to put some on.
The admissions call into question the police’s handling of the crime scene, in a case that is likely to hinge on sensitive forensic evidence.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg also said he saw Oscar Pistorius with blood on his arm, while the court was shown a photograph of the athlete with blood on his shorts.
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A retired officer has told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial that police followed a “trail of blood” up the stairs after being called to the athlete’s house in Pretoria.
Col Schoombie van Rensburg said he found Oscar Pistorius in a “very emotional state”.
Earlier, a forensics expert defended police handling of evidence.
Oscar Pistorius denies murder, saying he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013, after mistaking her for an intruder.
The prosecution says he tried to beat down the door and then fired the gun following an argument.
Col Schoombie van Rensburg, who was initially in charge of the crime scene, said he immediately gave orders for it to be secured.
Defense lawyer Barry Roux has said that evidence from the scene subsequently went missing.
When Schoombie van Rensburg arrived, he found Oscar Pistorius in the kitchen, pacing up and down.
Police had found Oscar Pistorius in a very emotional state after killing Reeva Steenkamp
The former officer asked the athlete what happened, but “he was very emotional. He didn’t understand”, Col. Schoombie van Rensburg said.
He described a “trail of blood” leading up the stairs and spots of blood on chairs in the living room.
The court was shown photographs of the crime scene, which showed blood on the stair walls.
Schoombie van Rensburg said there was a spatter of blood on the first floor landing, with some blood on the wall next to his trophies.
He said he found the toilet door, through which Reeva Steenkamp had been shot, locked.
Schoombie van Rensburg resigned from the police force in December after nearly 30 years of service.
He said when he entered Oscar Pistorius’ house, he found Reeva Steenkamp’s body lying in a pool of blood covered in white towels and black plastic bags.
There was another woman there, Carise, the daughter of estate manager Johan Stander.
She told him Oscar Pistorius had phoned, saying he needed their help.
Johan Stander also told him that she and Oscar Pistorius used the plastic bags and a towel to stop the bleeding after Reeva Steenkamp had been shot.
The prosecution has been attempting to cast doubt on parts of Oscar Pistorius’ story, including his claim that he was wearing his legs at the time of the shooting.
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Bayern Munich’s president Uli Hoeness has been sentenced to three years and six months in jail for tax evasion, a German court has ruled today.
Uli Hoeness admitted defrauding German tax authorities of millions of euros.
Bayern Munich’s president Uli Hoeness has been sentenced to three years and six months in jail for tax evasion
The former World Cup-winning German international footballer had kept the funds in a secret Swiss bank account.
Uli Hoeness’ lawyer had argued he should escape punishment because he gave himself up. But judges ruled his confession fell short of full disclosure.
A South African forensics expert has swung a cricket bat at a toilet door erected in the courtroom at Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial in Pretoria to demonstrate key pieces of evidence.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, says he mistakenly shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through the door, believing she was a burglar, then broke it down with the bat.
The prosecution says the Paralympic champion tried to beat down the door and then fired the gun.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013.
Forensic expert Police Colonel Johan Vermeulen also said he thought Oscar Pistorius had hit the door with the bat from a low angle, indicating he was not wearing his prosthetic legs at the time.
This contradicts the athlete’s claim that he had been wearing his artificial limbs.
Correspondents say whether or not Oscar Pistorius was on his prosthetic limbs is important because it could match parts of his story that he accidentally shot Reeva Steenkamp, or expose inconsistencies in it.
The damaged toilet door, with four bullet holes, was examined in the courtroom along with a replica of the toilet cubicle.
The forensics expert has swung a cricket bat at a toilet door erected in the courtroom at Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial
Forensic evidence on the location from which shots were fired, how they were grouped and their trajectory were presented to the court on Wednesday.
Cross-examining, Oscar Pistorius’ defense team asked forensic expert Col. Johan Vermeulen to kneel and lift his feet, which caused him to wobble.
The defense team claimed that Oscar Pistorius therefore would not have been able to balance on his stumps and break down the door using a cricket bat.
Defense lawyer Barry Roux also alleged that police had contaminated the crime scene by stepping on the door.
Col. Johan Vermeulen argued that if Oscar Pistorius was balanced enough to fire a gun, he could also break down a door with a bat.
The forensics expert argued that the angle and location of the marks on the door suggested that they had been caused by someone much shorter than him.
The defense team argued that a mark on the bottom of the door showed where Oscar Pistorius had tried to kick open the door using his prosthetic legs. Col. Johan Vermeulen agreed that this was possible.
“The marks on the door are actually consistent with him not having his legs on and I suspect they must be similar to the height that he was when he fired the shots,” he told the court.
The prosecution argues that Oscar Pistorius hit the door with the cricket bat before the shots were fired, but the defense claims it was the other way round.
The trial is now halfway through its second week.
Earlier on Wednesday, a friend of Oscar Pistorius, Darren Fresco, claimed that the athlete had driven at 124mph and that he had taken a picture of the speedometer to prove it.
The defense team alleged that Darren Fresco was himself driving at the time and had therefore fabricated evidence.
On Tuesday, Oscar Pistorius’ defense team questioned a pathologist’s finding that Reeva Steenkamp had eaten less than two hours before he killed her.
This contradicts Oscar Pistorius’ account that the pair had been in bed for several hours before the shooting.
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US Federal Trade Commission has launched an investigation into the operations of nutrition and weight-loss firm Herbalife.
The FTC move follows allegations that the company operates a “pyramid scheme” – making money from recruiting new distributors, rather than sales.
Herbalife has denied these allegations and said it would “cooperate fully” with the FTC inquiry.
Its shares fell by as much as 16%.
But they recovered slightly and ended the day down by 7%.
“Herbalife welcomes the inquiry given the tremendous amount of misinformation in the marketplace,” the company said in a statement.
“We are confident that Herbalife is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.”
Herbalife sells a range of nutritional products across the globe through a network of independent distributors
The investigation comes just a day after prominent hedge fund manager, William Ackman, renewed his attack on the firm.
William Ackman has been one of Herbalife’s biggest critics and has a $1 billion short sale position on the firm’s stock – betting that the share price will drop.
He first publically accused Herbalife of running a pyramid scheme in 2012.
On Tuesday, William Ackman accused the company’s China business of violating direct-selling laws in the country, something Herbalife denies.
China is one of the fastest growing markets for the firm and its sales there rose 65% in 2013.
Herbalife sells a range of nutritional products across the globe through a network of independent distributors.
It reported revenues of $4.8 billion in 2013, a jump of 18% from the previous year.
The company has got the backing of billionaire investors George Soros and Carl Icahn, who have picked up stakes in the firm.
Herbalife shares have risen by more than 50% over the past 12 months.
Swiss prosecutors have opened a money laundering investigation into Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov.
The public prosecutor said in a statement that Gulnara Karimova is now part of an inquiry already looking at alleged wrongdoing involving four Uzbeks linked to her.
The investigation involves the business activities of a Swedish telecoms firm.
Gulnara Karimova, 41, had her diplomatic immunity lifted last year when she lost her post as Uzbek envoy to the UN.
A flamboyant businesswoman as well as a pop star in her home country, Gulnara Karimova is believed to have broad commercial interests in the Central Asian republic, ruled by her father for more than two decades.
Swiss prosecutors have opened a money laundering investigation into Gulnara Karimova (photo ITAR-TASS)
The public prosecutor revealed on Wednesday that Gulnara Karimova had been under investigation since September 2013 and that her villa in Cologny, just outside Geneva, had been searched by police the previous month, a few weeks after her immunity was lifted.
Gulnara Karimova is believed to have left Geneva after her role as permanent UN ambassador there came to an end.
Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber told Geneva daily Le Temps that Gulnara Karimova’s diplomatic immunity had previously prevented any action from taking place.
A sum of 800 million Swiss francs ($910 million) has been frozen as part of the inquiry, although the origin of the money is not yet clear, officials say. Several searches have also taken place in France.
Four Uzbek nationals have been under investigation since the summer of 2012. Two were held in custody but released a few months later.
Swedish-Finnish company TeliaSonera, which is partly state-owned, was accused in a 2012 Swedish TV report of paying an intermediary company, Takilant, $300 million for 3G mobile phone rights in Uzbekistan.
Although TeliaSonera strongly denied any wrongdoing, the case was taken up by Swedish prosecutors.
The Swiss authorities did not name TeliaSonera in their statement but said their Swedish colleagues were involved in a corruption inquiry linked to various acquisitions made by a “Swedish enterprise” in the Uzbek telecoms market.
A few months ago, Gulnara Karimova denied any involvement in the TeliaSonera case.
Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius was not wearing his prostheses when he broke down a door to reach Reeva Steenkamp after he shot her, his murder trial has heard on the eighth day.
The forensic evidence contradicted Oscar Pistorius’ claim that he was wearing prosthetics at the time.
The door has been brought into court to be examined during the murder trial.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year, saying he fired after mistaking her for a burglar.
A replica of the toilet in which Reeva Steenkamp was shot has been also brought into court.
The court will hear forensic evidence on the location of shooter, the grouping of the shots and their trajectory.
Cross-examining, Oscar Pistorius’ defense team asked the forensic expert to kneel on his knees and lift his feet, which caused him to wobble.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year
The defense team claimed that Mr Pistorius therefore would not have been able to balance on his stumps and break down the door using a cricket bat.
The prosecution witness argued that if Oscar Pistorius, 27, was balanced enough to fire a gun, he could also break down a door with a bat.
The trial is now halfway through its second week, and is expected to feature over 100 witnesses.
Earlier on Wednesday, a friend of Oscar Pistorius claimed that the star had driven at 124mph and that he had taken a picture of the speedometer to prove it.
The defense team alleged that Darren Fresco was himself driving at the time and had therefore fabricated evidence.
The state is seeking to convince the court that Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, and reality TV star, had an argument before the athlete fired the shots that killed her.
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Michael Schumacher has been showing “small, encouraging signs” in his fight for recovery, the Formula 1 champion’s family says.
“We are and remain confident that Michael will pull through and will wake up,” the relatives said in a statement.
Doctors in France have been working to bring the seven-time champion out of a medically induced coma.
Michael Schumacher, 45, suffered a severe head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps on 29 December.
He has been kept in a coma to help reduce the swelling in his brain.
Michael Schumacher has been showing “small, encouraging signs” in his fight for recovery
On Wednesday, Michael Schumacher’s manager, Sabine Kehm, released a statement on behalf of his family because of “an increasing interest in [his] condition in light of the start of the Formula 1 season”.
The family praised the efforts of the French doctors at Grenoble hospital, but also warned this was “a time to be very patient”.
“It was clear from the start that this will be a long and hard fight for Michael,” the statement read.
Investigators probing the accident said Michael Schumacher had been going at the speed of “a very good skier” at the time of his crash in the resort of Meribel.
He had been skiing off-piste when he fell and hit a rock, investigators said.
Experts reconstructed events leading up to the crash after examining Michael Schumacher’s skiing equipment and viewing footage filmed on a camera attached to his helmet.
Michael Schumacher retired from racing in 2012 after a 19-year career.
Heinz former CEO, chairman and president William Johnson received $110.5 million for the final eight months of 2013, the food company disclosed in a filing to US regulators.
Heinz current boss Bernardo Hees, who joined the company in June, received $9.2 million.
Bernardo Hees has cut more than 3,400 positions and closed factories in an effort to boost profits.
Heinz former CEO William Johnson received $110.5 million for the final eight months of 2013
Heinz was bought by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital for $28 billion in February 2013.
The company, whose products include ketchup, baked beans, and a variety of frozen meals, reported a net loss of $71.7 million from February to December 2013.
Heinz announced the closure of three US plants in November and two European processing plants in February this year.
Nonetheless, Warren Buffett recently said in an annual report to Berkshire Hathaway’s shareholders that he expected 2014 earnings at the firm to be “substantial”.
On the seventh day of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, his defense team has questioned a pathologist’s finding that Reeva Steenkamp had eaten less than two hours before he killed her.
This contradicts Oscar Pistorius’ account that he and his girlfriend had been in bed for several hours before the shooting.
On Monday, Oscar Pistorius vomited as he listened to the medical testimony.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies intentionally killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and says he mistook her for a burglar.
Dr. Gert Saayman said Reeva Steenkamp had been shot three times, in the head, hip and arm but that he did not know the order of the injuries.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp and says he mistook her for a burglar
If she had been shot in the hip or arm first, screaming would have been expected, he said.
Neighbors have previously said they heard a woman screaming but Oscar Pistorius’ defense lawyers argue that the athlete was the only one who screamed.
When pressed by defense lawyer Barry Roux, Dr. Gert Saayman said that there could be an error of “an hour or two” in his estimation of when Reeva Steenkamp last ate.
Judge Thokozile Masipa has ruled that Tuesday’s post-mortem examination testimony could be tweeted but not broadcast live.
The judge had banned live twitter coverage of Monday’s testimony because of its nature.
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Panicos Demetriades – the governor of Cyprus central bank – has resigned after reportedly experienced difficulties with the government and had been criticized for his handling of the country’s 10 billion-euro bailout.
There was no official statement on Monday about why Panicos Demetriades had stepped down.
Panicos Demetriades’ departure comes after Cyprus’ bailout was thrown into doubt when its parliament rejected a key part of the plan, and then passed it a day before the deadline was due to expire.
A spokesperson for the European Central Bank said: “The ECB takes note of the resignation of Panicos Demetriades who has been the governor of the central bank of Cyprus through very difficult times and played an important role in the implementation of the adjustment program.”
They added: “We count on a fruitful cooperation with his successor.”
Panicos Demetriades has resigned after being criticized for his handling of Cyprus’ 10 bn-euro bailout
Cyprus was nearly bankrupted after Greece’s financial crisis in 2010.
The country’s banks were hit heavily but its government did not have the funds to issue a bailout.
Slow economic growth and the stance of international lenders, who stopped offering loans, added to the pressure on the country’s finances.
Panicos Demetriades, formerly an economics professor at the University of Leicester, was appointed in May 2012 for five years by Cyprus’ former communist president, Demetris Christofias.
The former president has reportedly been blamed for policies which could have contributed to Cyprus’ crisis.
Last year Cyprus’ banking system was rescued from collapse by a 10 billion-euro bailout from the EU and IMF.
Current president, Nicos Anastasiades, said in September he might ask the country’s supreme court to rule on whether Panicos Demetriades could be sacked.
That was despite the ECB last year issuing repeated warnings to the Cypriot authorities not to interfere with the governor’s work.
Last month Cyprus’ lawmakers threw the bailout program, and the country’s next tranche of cash, into doubt over a bill allowing state firms to be privatized.
US-based fruit company Chiquita is to merge with its Irish rival Fyffes, creating the world’s largest banana company worth about $1 billion.
The new company, named ChiquitaFyffes, is expected to sell about 160 million boxes of bananas annually, more than any rival.
“This is a milestone transaction for Chiquita and Fyffes that brings together the best of both companies,” said Chiquita boss Ed Lonergan.
ChiquitaFyffes will be listed in New York.
Chiquita is to merge with its Irish rival Fyffes, creating the world’s largest banana company worth about $1 billion
In the merger, shareholders will receive shares in each firm, with Fyffes shareholders owning about 49.3% of the combined company.
Ed Lonergan said the deal would help it to save costs and expand the areas it served.
The tie-up came as Fyffes revealed that its profit before tax for 2013 rose 9.8% to 28.7 million euros.
The global market is currently controlled by four firms – Chiquita, Dole Food Company, Fresh Del Monte and Fyffes – according to the UN.
The deal is expected to go through this year, but will be subject to review by competition authorities.
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Bayern Munich President Uli Hoeness has admitted in court to defrauding Germany’s tax authorities of 18 million euros ($25 million).
Prosecutors had earlier accused Uli Hoeness, 62, of evading a far smaller sum of 3.5 million euros in taxes and are seeking a jail term.
The former Germany forward kept the funds in a secret Swiss bank account.
He told the court he deeply regretted “my wrongdoing”.
“I will do everything necessary to ensure that this depressing chapter for me is closed,” Uli Hoeness said.
Uli Hoeness, who helped the national team win the 1972 European Championship and then the World Cup two years later, came clean about his secret bank account last year, filing an amended tax return in the hope of an amnesty in return for paying the tax he owed.
But prosecutors say he did so because investigators were already on his case.
The penalty for tax evasion can be 10 years in jail, though the prosecution says it will seek a seven-year sentence. A verdict is expected on Thursday.
Uli Hoeness has admitted in court to defrauding Germany’s tax authorities of 18 million euros
Munich state prosecutor Achim von Engel read out the indictment against Uli Hoeness shortly after the start of the trial, described as one of the most spectacular of the year by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
He alleged that the defendant had failed to declare the income he held at Vontobel bank in Switzerland.
Giving evidence later, Uli Hoeness said he had used the money for large-scale gambling on the foreign currency markets, losing far more than he ever gained.
“Between 2002 and 2006 I really gambled with sums that today I find difficult to grasp. For me it was a kick; pure adrenalin,” he said.
It was while Uli Hoeness was having lunch with Chancellor Angela Merkel on January 15 in Berlin last year that he was made aware of press interest in his finances, he told the court. Vontobel phoned him, he said. warning him that journalists from Stern magazine were making inquiries.
Before the scandal emerged, Uli Hoeness was considered to be on good terms with Angel Merkel, who has since said she is disappointed with him.
Uli Hoeness said he had already decided to come clean about his taxes to the authorities.
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Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius vomited in court while a pathologist testified at his murder trial on Monday.
A bucket was placed in the dock before Professor Gert Saayman, who carried out an autopsy on the Paralympic champion’s slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, took the stand.
Earlier the judge banned all live broadcast of the autopsy evidence.
Pathologist Gert Saayman successfully argued that broadcasting the details of the report could compromise the “dignity of the deceased”.
Reporters at the scene said Oscar Pistorius was seen “breaking down, loudly gagging, retching” as Gert Saayman spoke and later he threw up.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
The Paralympic champion, on trial for murder, denies intentionally killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Oscar Pistorius fired four shots at Reeva Steenkamp through the bathroom door. He says he mistook the 29-year-old model and aspiring lawyer for an intruder.
Gert Saayman used the following arguments to persuade Judge Thokozile Masipa to ban broadcasts of his autopsy report:
- “Very personal nature of the findings”
- “Details of the injuries have the potential to compromise the dignity of the deceased”
- It may “harm the rights” of friends and family of the deceased
- “Goes against the morals of society”
The judge also banned coverage of the details of the autopsy report through Twitter and other social media.
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