'Ecclestone engineered corrupt sale of F1 because he feared losing his powerful ... - Daily Mail

By Brian Farmer, Press Association

PUBLISHED: 09:50 EST, 29 October 2013 | UPDATED: 10:29 EST, 29 October 2013

Motorsport boss Bernie Ecclestone made a 'corrupt bargain' in a bid to stay in a position of influence in Formula 1 racing, a lawyer has told a High Court judge.

Mr Ecclestone entered into a 'corrupt agreement' with a banker to facilitate the sale of the Formula 1 group to a buyer chosen by him, Mr Justice Newey heard.

Food for thought: Bernie Ecclestone and new wife Fabiana Flosi leaving Zuma restaurant in London on Monday night

A German media company which claims it lost out as a result of the deal is taking legal action against Mr Ecclestone.

Today, a barrister representing the company outlined allegations at the start of a High Court trial in London which is expected to last several weeks.

Mr Ecclestone was not in court. He is expected to dispute the allegations against him.

More to follow

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Ooh, my PRECIOUS! We WANTS it: Cook touts NEW 2014 shiny iSTUFF - Register

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has provided some of the clearest statements yet that his company will launch products in categories they currently don't participate, and that they will do so "across 2014."

The iPhone supremo mentioned that time frame in answer to a question from an industry analyst about his earlier statements about new products, asked during a conference call after Apple announced its financial results for he final quarter of its fiscal 2013 on Monday.

"I've said that you'd see some exciting new products from us in the fall of this year and across 2014," Cook replied. "And I obviously stand by that, and you've seen a lot of things over the last couple of months."

About new products in previously unexplored categories, Cook – surprise, surprise – offered no definite news. But he did strongly hint that such products are in the works.

"In terms of new product categories specifically," he said, "if you look at the skills that Apple has from hardware, software, and services, and an incredible app ecosystem, this set of things are very, very unique."

As to the question of whether or not something can be "very unique," we'll let it pass. But Cook did emphasise that he believes Apple is in a position to expand its product offerings.

"I think that no one has a set of skills like this," he said. "And we obviously believe we can use our skills in building other great products that are in categories that represent areas where we do not participate today. And so we're pretty confident about that."

What those new categories may be, of course, has been a matter of rampant speculation. There's the long-speculated iWatch that Jony Ive and his rumored team of 100 are said to be working on, one that will perhaps control your home. There's the even longer-rumored big-screen Apple television.

There are also rumors about new products in categories that a marketeer could deem "new" but which industry-speak prefers to call "adjacencies" – a 13-inch maxi-Pad and a Microsoftian keyboard cover for the iPad. There's even a patent application that Apple has filed that could be the basis for a "refrigerator-magnet iPad".

Whatever. There are two lessons that history has taught us about future Apple products: one, that Apple ain't gonna talk, and two, that there will be plenty more rumors to crop up before Cook, head marketing honcho Phil Schiller, or whomever bounds up upon some stage next year to introduce Apple's next "stunning", "amazing", and "incredible" new bit of shiny-shiny. ®

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David Cameron makes veiled threat to media over NSA and GCHQ leaks - The Guardian

David Cameron has called on the Guardian and other newspapers to show "social responsibility" in the reporting of the leaked NSA files to avoid high court injunctions or the use of D notices to prevent the publication of information that could damage national security.

In a statement to MPs on Monday about last week's European summit in Brussels, where he warned of the dangers of a "lah-di-dah, airy-fairy view" about the dangers of leaks, the prime minister said his preference was to talk to newspapers rather than resort to the courts. But he said it would be difficult to avoid acting if newspapers declined to heed government advice.

The prime minister issued the warning after the Tory MP Julian Smith quoted a report in Monday's edition of the Sun that said Britain's intelligence agencies believed details from the NSA files leaked by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden had hampered their work.

The Sun quoted a "top surveillance source" as saying that terrorists had "gone quiet" after the publication of details about NSA and GCHQ operations.

Cameron told MPs: "We have a free press, it's very important the press feels it is not pre-censored from what it writes and all the rest of it.

"The approach we have taken is to try to talk to the press and explain how damaging some of these things can be and that is why the Guardian did actually destroy some of the information and disks that they have. But they've now gone on and printed further material which is damaging.

"I don't want to have to use injunctions or D notices or the other tougher measures. I think it's much better to appeal to newspapers' sense of social responsibility. But if they don't demonstrate some social responsibility it would be very difficult for government to stand back and not to act."

The Guardian agreed to allow officials from GCHQ to oversee the destruction of hard drives in July, after the government threatened to use an injunction to block publication of information from the NSA files.

Alan Rusbridger, the editor-in-chief of the Guardian, said the destruction of the hard drives allowed the Guardian to continue reporting on the NSA files from its New York office.

The D-notice system is a voluntary code between government departments with responsibility for national security and the media. A notice can be issued to the media to prevent "inadvertent public disclosure of information that would compromise UK military and intelligence operations and methods".

Cameron had earlier indicated that the oversight of Britain's intelligence agencies may have to evolve in light of the revelations about the reach of new technology. He told MPs: "We have parliamentary scrutiny of our intelligence agencies through the intelligence and security committee and we have strengthened that oversight.

"Our agencies operate under the law and their work is overseen by intelligence commissioners. Of course as technology develops and as the threats we face evolve so we need to make sure that the scrutiny and the frameworks in place remain strong and effective."

Parliament's intelligence and security committee announced earlier this month that it is to scutinise the extent of mass surveillance in response to the concerns raised by the Snowden leaks.

The prime minister issued his warning to newspapers after Ed Miliband raised concerns about the reports last week that the US has monitored the mobile phone of the German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Miliband said: "I join the prime minister in his support for the work of our intelligence services. It is vital, it keeps us safe and, by its very nature, it goes unrecognised. I join the prime minister in applauding the men and women who work for our intelligence agencies.

"We can all understand the deep concerns that recent reports have caused in some European countries, especially Germany. As well as providing that support for intelligence services it is right that every country ensures proper oversight of those activities."

Julian Smith, who recently wrote to the Metropolitan police to assess whether the Guardian has broken the law in publishing details from the NSA files, asked the PM in the Commons: "Following the Sun's revelations this morning about the impact of the Snowden leaks, is it not time that any newspaper that may have crossed the line on national security comes forward and voluntarily works with the government to mitigate further risks to our citizens?"

Chelsea test a vital hurdle in Arsenal's search for silverware - Goal.com

The visit of Jose Mourinho's men offers the chance for the resurgent Gunners to lay down a marker ahead of a crucial run of games and step closer to ending their trophy drought

COMMENT
By Liam Twomey

After all the talk of poor scheduling, squad rotation and a once bitter managerial rivalry cooled, Arsenal's Capital One Cup clash with Chelsea could be forgiven for lacking in spectacle.

Nothing, though, can dull the significance. No matter how ill-timed and low down the list of wider priorities this game is deemed to be, both Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho will recognise there is considerably more than psychological spoils or London bragging rights at stake.

Amid all the name changes over the past decade, the League Cup has forged and maintained a unique identity, and winning it can exert a curiously transformative influence on a team's fortunes.

Narrow victory over Bolton in 2004 granted Middlesbrough a route into Europe, and two years later Steve McClaren's men embarked on a miraculous run to the Uefa Cup final. In 2005 and 2006, February triumph at the Millennium Stadium gave Mourinho's first great Chelsea side and Sir Alex Ferguson's last great United team an insatiable appetite for silverware. In 2011, a monumental upset win over Arsenal gave Birmingham fans unexpected joy while also sowing the seeds of demise.

For big players and big teams, however, success invariably leads to success, and trophies to trophies. Winning can become as powerful a habit as losing. Few know this better than Mourinho, who used that 3-2 extra-time victory over Liverpool in February 2005 as a springboard to Chelsea's first league title for 50 years – and another one the following season. For the Blues, after four barren seasons there was no such thing as a worthless trophy. For Mourinho there never is.

Arsenal's drought has been twice as long, and the journey littered with painful defeats and self-inflicted wounds. After 17 years the League Cup remains the only domestic honour Wenger has never won – fitting too, considering it has provided the stage for many of his lowest moments.

In 2007 a youthful Gunners side swaggered to the final and outplayed a full strength Chelsea for most of the first half – with Theo Walcott scoring his first goal for the club – only to be outmuscled and outwitted by enduring nemesis Didier Drogba. In 2011, the farcical nature of Wembley defeat to Birmingham sank the entire club into a lingering gloom which helped convince Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri, Gael Clichy and Robin van Persie that their ambitions would be better served elsewhere.

At other times, humiliating losses to Burnley and Bradford served as exclamation marks for both the numerous mini-crises Wenger endured and the overarching decline he appeared to be managing until this summer, when a transfer record was smashed, a superstar arrived and everything changed. What a pity, then, that Mesut Ozil is unlikely to play.

Over the years Wenger's stubborn regard for the League Cup as a development tournament for his young jewels, while admirable, has too often left Arsenal reaching for the trophy with only one hand against more experienced opponents, the other tied firmly behind the back.

It is time to show he is serious about decorating the Emirates Stadium trophy room and, with crucial matches against Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and United to come in the next fortnight, the message could not be timelier. Win and go from strength to strength. Lose momentum now and Arsenal's season could have a starkly different complexion in a month's time.

Heavy rotation against Chelsea, particularly with the Gunners' current injury problems, would be nothing short of folly. Mourinho has already revealed he will make 11 changes from the side which beat Manchester City on Sunday, but the team he picks will still cost more than almost any other in England.

It will also be full of players determined to impress against respected opposition. The likes of Juan Mata, Willian and Kevin De Bruyne would be prized possessions at most other clubs in Europe, yet find themselves out of favour at Stamford Bridge in a World Cup year. Starring in a win over Arsenal would not ensure a revival, but they will rightly assume it cannot hurt their chances.

Finally, for all his bluster about poor scheduling, Mourinho will be fully focused on claiming a second major scalp in a week, and moving a step closer to a first trophy since his return to Stamford Bridge. His new team cannot yet boast the same aura of invincibility his old one gave off, but the confidence borne of lifting silverware is always a key ingredient in his recipe for success.

Of course, victory on Tuesday will not automatically yield a trophy. Wenger and Mourinho will know that United, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester City and others should yet have plenty to say about that. But it would be a very good start, a very big obstacle removed and, ultimately, a means to a very enticing end.

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Hunt for Uighurs after China crash - Belfast Telegraph

29 October 2013

Police investigating the apparent car attack at Beijing's Forbidden City are searching for information on two ethnic Uighur minority suspects.

The vehicle ploughed through a crowd and crashed yesterday at Tiananmen Gate, killing five people and injuring 38.

It was not immediately clear if the two suspects were among the three people killed inside the vehicle. Two bystanders, including a Filipino woman, were also killed.

Zhao Fuzhou, a security official at Beijing's Xinjiang Dasha hotel, said today that police had circulated a notice to hotels searching for information about two suspects with Uighur names.

Radicals among the Muslim Turkic Uighurs have been fighting a low-intensity insurgency against Chinese rule for years.

AP

Shock in France as baby found living in car boot - The News International

TERRASSON, France: France was in shock Monday after the discovery of an underfed and dehydrated baby girl who had been forced to live in a car boot, apparently since birth.

 

The little girl, aged between 15 and 23 months, was found by mechanics on Friday when her mother brought the car to a garage in Terrasson, in central France.

 

Police said one of the mechanics heard "bizarre noises, like moans" coming from the car boot and opened it to discover the girl, who was naked, lying in her own excrement, dehydrated and feverish.

 

The girl was taken to hospital where doctors said she was suffering from delayed growth and mental problems. The girl "was hidden, it seems since birth, and more seriously, she is suffering from significant (developmental) delays," local prosecutor Jean-Pierre Laffite told AFP. The situation "defies belief," he said.

 

The girl's mother, 45, and her 40-year-old partner were arrested and charged with child abuse and endangering a minor. The two are facing up to 10 years in prison.The mother told police that she had given birth in secret and hidden the baby's existence from everyone, including her partner, the girl's father.The couple had three other children — a four-year-old girl and two boys aged nine and 10 — who were handed over to social services following their parents' arrest.

 

Joy at genes finding in dementia research - Herald Scotland

Using data from almost 75,000 people across 15 countries, the breakthrough report by an international team of researchers has been published in the Nature Genetics journal.

Jointly led by Cardiff University, the study was the largest of its kind and experts believe that it will significantly advance scientists' knowledge of Alzheimer's by throwing open new research avenues and enabling a better understanding of the disease's disordered functional processes.

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The work by the International Genomics Project details 11 new regions of the genome involved in the onset of the neurodegenerative condition. Part-funded by the Medical Research Council, the Welsh Government and Alzheimer's Research UK, the research builds on the genome-wide association analysis study that has since 2009 discovered 10 genes known to be associated with Alzheimer's.

Professor Julie Williams, the head of neurodegeneration at the Cardiff University School of Medicine's Medical Research Council Centre on Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, led one of four global research groups. She said: "This discovery will pinpoint new mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease.

"By combining the expertise and resources of geneticists across the globe, we have been able to overcome our natural competitive instincts to achieve a real breakthrough in identifying the genetic architecture that significantly contributes to our mapping of the disease."

Prof Williams said the next phase of the research will focus on people with early onset Alzheimer's.