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Venus Williams' attorney Malcolm Cunningham denied the player was at fault in the accident after media outlets, citing a police report, said she had run a red light. Former world number one tennis player Venus Williams was involved in a two-car crash on June 9 at a Florida intersection that resulted in the death of a male passenger in the other vehicle, her attorney said on Thursday. Williams' attorney Malcolm Cunningham denied the player was at fault in the accident after media outlets, citing a police report, said she had run a red light. "Ms. Williams entered the intersection on a green light," Cunningham said in a statement about the accident, which happened near Williams' home in Palm Beach Gardens. "The police report estimates that Ms. Williams was travelling at 5 miles per hour when Mrs. Barson crashed into her. Authorities did not issue Ms. Williams with any citations or traffic violations," he said. He expressed condolences to the man's

Faced with a sweeping set of demands, Qatar insisted Friday it can indefinitely survive the economic and diplomatic steps its neighbors have taken to try to pressure it into compliance, even as a top Emirati official warned the tiny country to brace for a long-term economic squeeze. Given 10 days to make a decision, Qatar said it was reviewing the specific concessions demanded of the tiny Persian Gulf nation, which include shuttering Al-Jazeera and cutting ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. But Qatari officials didn't budge from their previous insistence that they won't sit down with Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations to negotiate an end to the crisis while under siege. "I can assure you that our situation today is very comfortable," Qatari Ambassador to the U.S. Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani told The Associated Press. "Qatar could continue forever like that with no problems." Asked whether Qatar felt pressure to resolve the crisis quickly, he said: "Not

The driver who ploughed into pedestrians near Finsbury Park mosque allegedly screamed "I want to kill all Muslims". At least 10 people have suffered serious injuries after the incident in north London in the early hours of Monday. Police said a vehicle hit pedestrians on Seven Sisters Road near one of the biggest mosques in the capital as Muslims were leaving prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. There are also unconfirmed reports a suspect also attempted to stab victims after jumping out of the van. An eyewitness said the incident began as people were leaving Finsbury Park mosque, and a number were gathered around an elderly man who appeared to have collapsed. The hired van then ploughed into the Good Samaritans and others on the pavement before crashing into bollards, Abdulrahman Saleh Alamoudi said. Two men then got out the van and attempted to flee - but the driver was pinned to the ground by Mr Alamoudi and others, it is believed. He told BuzzFeed News: &quo

The Trump administration on Wednesday set new criteria for visa applicants from six mainly Muslim nations and all refugees that require a “close” family or business tie to the United States. The move came after the Supreme Court partially restored President Donald Trump’s executive order that was widely criticized as a ban on Muslims. Visas that have already been approved will not be revoked, but instructions issued by the State Department say that new applicants from Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the United States to be eligible. The same requirement, with some exceptions, holds for would-be refugees from all nations that are still awaiting approval for admission to the U.S. Grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-laws and sisters-in-law, fiancees or other extended family members are not considered t

The Duke of Cambridge and David Cameron have become embroiled in a row over corruption in football as the full extent of England’s failed attempt to stage the 2018 World Cup was made public. The former prime minister and Prince William were at a meeting during which a vote-swapping deal between England and South Korea was discussed, according to an official report released Tuesday night. The long-awaited Fifa report has disclosed the lengths to which England’s football bosses went to court Fifa executives, many of them now discredited, as they sought to secure votes for England's 2018 bid. At one point officials discussed the possibility of arranging a meeting with the Queen for one Fifa representative whose vote could have helped England. The Fifa report reveals how Mr Cameron asked the South Korean delegation to back England's bid, only to be told that England would have to agree to reciprocate by pledging support for South Korea's bid to host the 2022 tournament. Su

There's very little that is considered shocking or surprising in the age of Trump. But in 140 characters on Twitter, the president sent a message which many felt had crossed the line of acceptable political discourse. In a tweet directed at US news anchor Mika Brzezinski, the president denigrated her appearance - "she was bleeding badly from a face-lift!" he wrote. Politicians and commentators across the spectrum were quick to condemn his excoriating language, arguing it wasn't befitting of the holder of the highest office. And to many, there was a recurring subtext to the tweet - sexism towards woman in the public eye. "This is not okay. As a female in politics I am often criticized for my looks. We should be working to empower women," wrote Republican congresswoman Lynne Jenkins. Empowering women means respecting them, and for many critics of the president, this tweet and his previous attacks on women do the opposite and objectify. They point to h

The only thing worse than watching this video of a plane shaking uncontrollably in mid-air would be to be on that flight. About an hour and a quarter after take-off on Sunday, an AirAsia X flight from Perth, Australia to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia began to shake. Apparently the Airbus 330-300 aircraft developed a technical snag, which made the pilot turn back to its source. The pilot asked the passengers to pray as he flew back, while the plane continued to shake violently, as seen in this video. Fortunately for the 359 passengers and the crew, there was no damage and the aircraft landed safely.

Hugging outside the White House Monday, President Donald Trump and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi heralded an increasingly close strategic partnership as the U.S. branded a top militant from neighboring Pakistan as a "global terrorist." Trump declared he was "true friend" of India and said relations between the two largest democracies have never been better. But there were some tensions in the inaugural meeting between the two populist leaders. On trade, Trump demanded fewer barriers for American companies exporting to India. Speaking in the Rose Garden after their talks, Trump said: "Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism." Modi, a Hindu nationalist but also leader of a nation with nearly 175 million Muslims, did not use the same, charged terminology. He stressed the importa

In view of the unsettled nature of H-1B employment visas and the long wait for applicants that exceeds 10 years, EB-5 visas have emerged as the best bet for Indian families aspiring for US green cards, a US immigration lawyer has said. Stating this at a press conference here, US Investment Immigration Attorney Vaughan de Kirby, whose firm has successfully represented over 1,300 EB-5 applicants, said EB-5 visas are the answer for enterprising Indians as one qualified investment can result in a green card for the applicants, their spouses and children under 21 years of age. "With the United States EB-5 Investment Visa programme set to expire on September 30, 2017, applicants making a rush for EB-5 visas should act cautiously and guard themselves against fraud by following a step-by-step approach and engaging a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-licensed Securities Representative. "Only then can the investor be assured of true third party diligence. There have been fr

A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a police constable and his friend inside the police lines here, the police said today. The girl on Saturday was going to her uncle''s place when Upendra Trivedi, a resident of the village where the girl lives, met her on the way. He took her to the police lines in a car on the pretext of dropping her to her uncle''s place, they said. At the police lines, Trivedi and his constable friend raped the girl. She somehow managed to escape from their clutches and narrated her ordeal to her uncle, who then reported the matter to police, Fatehgarh Kotwali in-charge Anup Nigam said. On the basis of the complaint, an FIR has been registered against the two constable and Trivedi, the officer said.

The Grenfell Tower fire in London started in a fridge freezer, the police revealed on Friday, reported The Independent . The police said that both the insulation and tiles at the building failed safety tests and they are considering manslaughter charges. At least 79 people were killed after the blaze destroyed 151 homes in the Kensington tower block. “Preliminary tests on the insulation samples collected from Grenfell Tower showed that they combusted soon after the test started,” Detective Superintendent Fiona McCormack from the Metropolitan Police said. “The initial tests on the cladding tiles also failed the safety tests.” McCormack, however, added the fire was not started deliberately. Rydon was the company responsible for cladding and retrofitting refurbishments at Grenfell Tower. Earlier, an investigation of the supply chain had revealed that out of the two available options, a cheaper, more flammable material was used in the cladding to cover the Grenfell Tower. The fridge f

Jurist Soli Sorabjee (above left) stepped down as the president of India International Centre on Friday. NN Vohra, the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, was announced the next chief during the annual general meeting of the premier cultural institution. Vohra’s second term as Jammu and Kashmir governor ends only in 2018. It has not been confirmed if Vohra can hold both the positions simutaneously. Sorabjee was re-elected to the post on December 26, 2016. His tenure started from January this year. An IIC president is elected from among its five life trustees for a tenure of five years. Vohra and another life trustee had objected to Sorabjee continuing as president, reported Economic Times . Vohra had earlier alleged that Sorabjee’s re-election as the president was in violation of the institution’s rules.

At least 13 people were killed and more than 70 others injured in twin blasts at a crowded market in Parachinar area of Pakistan on Friday evening, reported Reuters . The incident happened hours after 11 people died in a suicide car bomb attack in the southwestern city of Quetta. The first explosion took place in the Turi Bazaar area of Parachinar where people were busy shopping for Iftar and Eid. The second bomb exploded when people were helping those wounded in the first explosion, reported IANS . Government official Wazir Khan Wazir said the blasts went off within three minutes of each other. Rescue personnel shifted the wounded to nearby hospitals. No group has claimed the responsibility so far. Earlier in the day, at least 11 people were killed in an explosion in Quetta, near the police chief’s office. This included seven police personnel. Around 19 people were also injured. The attack took place when police stopped the car to search it at a checkpoint. Jamaat ur Ahrar, a gro

The European Union on Friday criticised Britain Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposal in connection with the rights of EU citizens living in the United Kingdom after Brexit. “The UK’s offer is below our expectations and that it risks worsening the situation of [EU] citizens,” European Council President Donald Tusk said, according to BBC . According to the proposal that May presented at the two-day summit in Brussels on Thursday, those EU nationals who have been living in the UK for more than five years would be given a new “settled status”, reported The Independent . It will make them eligible for the same rights to healthcare, education, welfare and pensions as full British citizens. Others who have been living in UK for less than five years will be able allowed to continue until they finish five years and gain the status. May is yet to announce the cut-off date after which new arrivals will not be granted the “settled status”. There are about three million EU citizens living in

Saudi Arabian authorities on Friday said they had thwarted a major attack on the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca. A statement issued by the Interior Ministry said a suicide bomber detonated explosives after he was cornered by security personnel in a building, Saudi-based Al Arabiya reported. The explosion, which resulted in a building collapse, hurt six foreign nationals and five security officials, Reuters reported. The statement said three groups had planned the attack on the holy site, which draws millions of devotees during the holy month of Ramadan. Two of the groups were based in Mecca and the third in Jeddah, Al Arabiya reported. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident. Officials have arrested five of the accused, the statement said. The suicide bomber was traced down in the city’s Assila district, while a second attack was “foiled in Ajyad al-Masafi neighborhood”, Al Arabiya said. The Islamic State group has targeted the kingdom with attacks in the pa

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Portugal on Saturday as part of a trip that also includes stop in the United States and the Netherlands. While in the US, Modi will meet President Donald Trump for the first time since he was elected in November 2016. In Lisbon, Modi will meet Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who had visited India in January. Modi said on Facebook that the two would build on their discussions on various “joint initiatives” and concerns including “economic cooperation, science and technology, space collaboration and people-to-people ties”. In the Netherlands, Modi said he would celebrate 70 years of Indo-Dutch diplomatic relations by meeting Prime Minister Mark Rutte as well as King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. However, it is Modi’s trip to the US on Sunday that has political commentators watching keenly. In another Facebook post, Modi said he was going to Washington DC on Trump’s invitation after having spoken to him several times on the ph

The New York Attorney General on Friday announced a $1-million settlement with Infosys Corporation for not paying hundreds of workers adequately and failing to pay the corresponding taxes to the state. In a statement issued by Eric T Schneiderman’s office, the tech major was accused of “systematically abusing the United States visa rules in placing foreign workers at client sites in New York State”. The firm, however, has denied committing any illegalities and said the agreement was a conclusion of a New York state investigation into the taxes paid in 2010-2011, Mint reported. It did not include any criminal or civil charges being filed, a spokesperson for Infosys said. The 2013 settlement “was reached by both parties to avoid protracted litigation,” Mint quoted the Infosys spokesperson as saying. The corporation, headed by Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka, was accused of “knowingly and unlawfully obtaining temporary visitor visas [B-1 visas] instead” of the mandatory H1-B v

At least 2 killed, nearly 470,000 people affected after heavy rainfall swept through central China's Hunan province, local authorities say. More than 100 people are feared dead in a landslide that took place in China’s Sichuan Province on Saturday. A rescue operation is underway, Xinhua reported. Meanwhile, officials said at least two people have died in rain-related incidents in the Hunan province and almost 4.70 lakh people have been affected by the extreme weather conditions, People’s Daily reported. Officials said at least 40 houses have been destroyed in the calamity triggered by heavy rain in Sichuan. A large portion of a mountain in the Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba collapsed over Xinmo Village at about 6am and blocked two kilometre section of a river course, Xinhua reported. Watch search and rescue video here

Controversial United States President Donald Trump has found unlikely support in a village facing power and water supply scarcity in Haryana, AFP reported. The Marora village council symbolically renamed itself to “Trump village” on Friday, a day before as Prime Minister Narendra Modi set off on his three-nation tour to Portugal, the US and The Netherlands. The renaming is an initiative to gain traction for Sulabh international’s campaign to end open-defecation in the village as well as an attempt to boost bilateral ties, The Times of India reported. Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak said he thought of the idea during his recent visit to the United States. “I was speaking there and I thought why not in the name of Trump?” Pathak told AFP. Only 20 of the 165 houses have toilets, the newspaper reported. The village has one primary school, no concrete roads. Very few people in the Muslim-majority village had heard of Trump before the campaign. “We are happy the new name will bring d

A handwritten journal from a 19th century explorer has garnered great interest from researchers in New Zealand, who believe it may reveal the location of a lost world wonder. Researchers Rex Bunn and Sascha Nolden claim in a study, recently published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, that they have found the location of pink and white terraces, previously thought lost. The terraces, once considered the eighth wonder of the world, were a bright white and pink array of cascading rocks situated on Lake Rotomahana. Nearby Mount Tarawera erupted on 10 June 1886, spewing volcanic ash onto the lake and covering the terraces with dirt and mud. Using underwater sonar, surveys and photography, a five-year-study came to the conclusion in 2016 that the terraces had been destroyed in the blast. However, Bunn and Nolden say this conclusion was based off 130 years of incorrect cartographical information, claiming the terraces have not been pushed to the bottom of the lake o

A question many ask but few dare to answer. Would it hurt more to break a rib or have a hernia, is it worse to have appendicitis or punctured lung? Or the age old: Is it more painful to have a baby or be kicked in the balls? Amongst the NHS’s list of conditions that can cause the most notoriously severe pains are arthritis, kidney stones and broken bones. Less well known pain-inducing aliments include trigeminal neuralgia- often described as feeling like an electric shock is shooting through your face. The NHS also names frozen shoulder as one of the worst to suffer. This is where the joint becomes so tight and stiff that it’s almost impossible to even raise your arm. The condition can last for several years if left untreated. Endometriosis also sounds excruciating and effects one in ten women in the UK. The gynaecological condition is where cells like those in the womb's lining are found elsewhere in the body and induce severe pains. Illnesses more historically common also featur

Sen. Marco Rubio went in for the hug with Ivanka Trump on Tuesday, and, well, something happened. We're just not sure what. It wasn't quite a chummy embrace or a firm denial. Rather, as displayed in a delightfully awkward photo, Rubio approached stiff as a board while Trump stood straight, not reciprocating. Not since the Florida Republican took a water break during his 2013 State of the Union response has he looked so stilted. At least no one on the Internet noticed. Just kidding. Twitter seized the moment, gleefully spreading the photo snapped by Associated Press photographer Erica Werner.

This is the only time you shouldn’t be drinking water. And the reason why is actually quite logical. Water is one of the most critical elements to the human body. When you don’t sip enough H2O, your body becomes dehydrated — which leads you to feel weak and decreases motivation — you may feel like you’re always hungry , and, surprisingly, it could make you look puffier. That's because your body attempts to hold onto every last drop of water it can when you’re dehydrated, which can make you look like you’ve put on extra weight. And no one likes the sound of that when you’re trying to lose 10 pounds. For these reasons, one of our top weight-loss tips at Eat This, Not That! is to do your body a favor and grab a reusable water bottle. Fill it up and drink up. Dietitian Jim White, RD, ACSM recommends the standard 64 ounces of water a day, or eight 8-ounce glasses. By drinking the recommended intake, your weight loss goal becomes more attainable. Sufficient water intake has the abil

Banks have to give information about 'deposit insurance cover' along with the limit of coverage upfront in the passbooks. All commercial banks including branches of foreign banks functioning in India are insured by the deposit insurance and credit guarantee corporation (DICGC), according to RBI's website . In the event of a bank failure, DICGC protects bank deposits. Each depositor in a bank is insured up to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh for both principal and interest amount held by him/her in the same capacity. The RBI circular, dated June 22, gives the details of transactions which banks should include in passbooks. Here are some details. Payment to third parties: i) Name of the payee (ii) Mode - Transfer, clearing, inter-branch, RTGS/ NEFT, cash, cheque (number) (iii) Name of the transferee bank, if the payment is made through clearing/ inter-branch transaction/ RTGS/ NEFT. Bank charges: i) Nature of the charges - fee/ commission/ fine/ penalty etc. (ii) Reasons for the ch

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj announced on Friday that passports will now be in both Hindi and English, and not just in English. She also announced 10 per cent reduction in passport fee for applicants who are under eight and over 60 years of age. Personal details in passports are now printed only in English. The external affairs minister was addressing an event to mark 50 years of the Passport Act, 1967.

There are certain truths that accompany summer in Phoenix: Triple-digit temperatures persist well past sundown. It’s not considered abnormal to drive with oven mitts or ice packs in the car. And after a certain threshold, even the “it’s a dry heat” jokes cease being funny. Usually, the hot season is met with a certain amount of pearl-clutching disbelief by people outside of Arizona. Meanwhile, locals shrug, knowing simply to stay indoors as much as possible or escape to the cooler climes of Northern Arizona. But this week has felt different, even for seasoned desert-dwellers. As the Capital Weather Gang reported, the Southwest is experiencing its worst heat wave in decades. Excessive heat warnings have been in effect from Arizona to California and will be for the remainder of the week. How hot has it been? On Monday, temperatures in Phoenix hit 118 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, which announced the record-tying heat against a stock image of a flaming ball of f

A passenger on a Delhi-Mumbai flight was arrested on Monday morning for repeatedly groping a woman seated next to him. He allegedly continued touching the woman even after she complained to the air hostess, and when she got her seat changed, he allegedly asked her: “You do not like to be touched?” The Sahar police said the woman is a lawyer and was on her way back to Mumbai from Delhi on a Monday morning flight. The man, Mohit Kanvar, is a Gurgaon resident. The woman said that around 8.30 am, mid-flight, the accused touched her with his left hand and left leg. The woman said when she turned to tell him to sit properly, she saw he had kept his eyes closed. She said she then pulled down the arm rest to distance herself from him. The woman said Kanvar then folded his right arm towards her and groped her again. This time, she alerted the air hostess, who advised the man to sit properly. He abused her for the rebuke. The woman said she spoke to the pilot about the incident and she allo

The “terrible” Paris climate deal would have given a virtual “free pass” to India and China and cost the US economy more than 6.5 million jobs, US vice-president Mike Pence said on Wednesday. “This President put America first not long ago when President (Donald) Trump made the decision to withdraw the United States of America from the Paris Climate Accord,” Pence said in his remarks to the National Association of Manufacturers 2017 Manufacturing Summit. Trump earlier this month announced the withdrawal of the US from the Paris agreement on climate change, saying the “draconian” deal unfairly punished America and benefited countries like India and China. Pence defended Trump’s decision and said by withdrawing America from “this terrible deal”, President Trump put America first. “You know, one independent study found that the Paris Accord would have actually cost the US economy more than 6.5 million manufacturing jobs in the next 25 years while giving countries like China and India

Prince Philip, the 96-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, has been admitted to hospital with an infection and will miss the formal opening of parliament, but he remains in good spirits, Buckingham Palace said. Philip, whose official title is Duke of Edinburgh and has sometimes drawn attention with headline-grabbing gaffes, has been by the queen's side throughout her 65 years on the throne and she has described him as "my strength and stay". "The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London last night, as a precautionary measure, for treatment of an infection arising from a pre-existing condition," a spokesman for the Palace said. "Prince Philip is in good spirits and is disappointed to be missing the State Opening of Parliament and Royal Ascot," the spokesman said. The queen, the world's longest-reigning living monarch, celebrated her 91st birthday in April. She will be accompanied in parliament by her son, Prince Char

Stephen Hawking has urged countries to send astronauts to the Moon by 2020 and Mars by 2025 to 'elevate humanity', as the British physicist is convinced that humans need to leave the Earth to survive for another million years. Hawking said that the goal would re-ignite the space programme, forge new alliances and give humanity a sense of purpose. He also suggests that space agencies should aim to set up a lunar base within the next 30 years. "I hope it would unite competitive nations in a single goal, to face the common challenge for us all," Hawking said at the Starmus Festival in Norway. According to Hawking, that there is no long-term future for our species staying on Earth. It would either be hit by an asteroid again or eventually engulfed by our own Sun. Travelling to distant worlds would "elevate humanity", he added. "A new and ambitious space programme would excite young people and stimulate interest in other areas, such as astrophysics and