IMF approves $17bn Ukraine bailout package

The head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, said there would be regular checks on Ukraine's progress

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a $17.1bn (£10.1bn) bailout for Ukraine to help the country's beleaguered economy.

The loan comes amid heightened military and political tension between Ukraine and neighbouring Russia.
The loan is dependent on strict economic reforms, including raising taxes and energy prices. The money will be released over two years, with the first instalment of $3.2bn available immediately.
The head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, said the IMF would check regularly to ensure the Ukrainian government followed through on its commitments.
In March Ukraine put up gas prices by 50% in an effort to secure the bailout.
The government has also agreed to freeze the minimum wage.
The bailout had to be approved by the IMF's 24-member board, which includes a Russian representative.
The IMF loan will also unlock further funds worth $15bn from other donors, including the World Bank, EU, Canada and Japan.
Russian recession In December last year, Ukraine agreed a $15bn bailout from Russia, but this was cancelled after protests forced out pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
On Wednesday, the IMF warned that Russia was "experiencing recession" because of damage caused by the Ukraine crisis.
The fund said $100bn (£59bn) would leave Russia this year, partly caused by US and EU and sanctions.
The sanctions were imposed after Russia annexed the Crimea region from Ukraine last month.
Pro-Russian activists have taken over scores of government buildings in cities and towns across eastern Ukraine, though the Kremlin denies its forces are involved.
The activists have also taken hostages including international monitors.
Tens of thousands of Russian troops are stationed close to the Ukrainian border, and Moscow has warned that its soldiers will act if Russian interests in eastern Ukraine - where a majority of the population are Russian-speaking - are threatened.
The US and EU have accused Russia of failing to implement the terms of a deal agreed in Geneva aimed at defusing the crisis by disarming illegal militias.
They have both stepped up sanctions against Russia this week, naming more individuals and companies facing travel bans and asset freezes.
Moscow blames Kiev for the unrest and has condemned the sanctions

The IMF bailout will also make available $1bn in loan guarantees from the US, which was recently approved by Congress.
"Today's final approval for the $17bn IMF programme marks a crucial milestone for Ukraine," said US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew in a statement.
He added that the bailout will "enable Ukraine to build on the progress already achieved to overcome deep-seated economic challenges and help the country return to a path of economic stability and growth".
Earlier on Wednesday, an international conference in London ended with a commitment to help Ukraine recover tens of billions of dollars worth of assets which were allegedly stolen by the ousted President Yanukovych and his allies.

Afghan flood death toll rises as thousands need aid

Army helicopters picked people form the roofs of their houses

 

The death toll from last week's flash floods in northern Afghanistan now stands at almost 150.

Some areas are still completely cut off, with no help reaching people because roads were swept away.
The governor of Jowzjan province, Boymurod Qoyinli, told the BBC that thousands were still living in tents after their mud brick homes were destroyed.
He said the death toll in his province alone had reached 70.
Officials from two other badly hit provinces, Sar-e Pol and Faryab put the number of bodies found so far at 31 and 43 respectively.
The Jowzjan governor said his province had received 1m Afghanis ($18,000) from the central government with a further 2m promised.
There has also been a vigorous fundraising campaign with collections, appeals on local TV and donations coming from local business people as well as Afghans abroad.
Tents, food and water have reached many areas.
But Saeed Anwar Saodat, a local MP, told the BBC that two districts in Sar-e Pol province were still completely cut off and locals there had received no assistance.
The flooding last week caught many people by surprise. Hundreds were trapped on the roofs of their homes and needed to be rescued by army helicopters.
The international charity Save the Children estimates that 40,000 people have been affected in all, 25,000 of them children.

Local fundraising has boosted the government's aid effort

Dozens of villages have been destroyed by the sudden flood

Seventeen schools were destroyed in Jowzjan province alone

Local people say they lost not just their homes but also livestock and farmland

Gerry Adams remains in custody over McConville murder

Speaking to Irish broadcaster RTE before his arrest, Mr Adams said he was "innocent of any part" 

in the murder of Mrs McConville

Mr Adams has spent the night in custody after going to Antrim police station, where he was arrested.
Speaking before his detention on Wednesday evening, Mr Adams said he was "innocent of any part" in the murder.
Mrs McConville, a 37-year-old widow and mother-of-10, was abducted and shot by the IRA.
Her body was recovered from a beach in County Louth in 2003.
Police said a 65-year-old man presented himself to officers at Antrim police station and was arrested.
'Malicious allegations' In a statement, Sinn Féin said: "Last month Gerry Adams said he was available to meet the PSNI about the Jean McConville case. That meeting is taking place this evening."
Mr Adams added: "I believe that the killing of Jean McConville and the secret burial of her body was wrong and a grievous injustice to her and her family.
"Well publicised, malicious allegations have been made against me. I reject these.

 

 Jean McConville, a widowed mother-of-10, was abducted and murdered by the IRA in December 1972

"While I have never disassociated myself from the IRA and I never will, I am innocent of any part in the abduction, killing or burial of Mrs McConville."
His party colleague Alex Maskey condemned the timing of the arrest, just over three weeks from the European and local government elections.

Gerry Adams - shown here (on the right) at the funeral of an IRA commander in Belfast in 1971 - denies any involvement in Jean McConville's murder

However, Mrs McConville's son Michael, who was 11 when his mother was murdered, welcomed the arrest.
"We're just happy to see everything moving as it is moving at the minute," Mr McConville said.
"Me and the rest of my brothers and sisters are just glad to see the PSNI doing their job. We didn't think it would ever take place [Mr Adams' arrest], but we are quite glad that it is taking place.
"All we're looking for is justice for our mother. Our mother, on the seventh of next month, would have been 80 years of age.
"Although we didn't spend much time with our mother, we'd have like to have spent a lot of time with her. If the IRA hadn't have killed our mother, God knows, she still might have been alive today."
Mrs McConville, one of Northern Ireland's so-called Disappeared, was kidnapped in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer.
Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder.
There have also been a number of other arrests over the murder recently.

Mrs McConville's son Michael welcomed the arrest

The case against Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US.

Continue reading the main story

What are the 'Boston tapes'?

• Dozens of former IRA members were interviewed in Belfast and other cities and towns from 2001-2006 as part of an oral-history project known as the Belfast Project
• Details about internal politics and activities of the IRA were revealed on tape, including accounts of a hunger strike in prison in the 1980s
• Overall the project cost about $200,000 (£118,520), mostly provided by an Irish-American businessman
• Each interview was transcribed, sent by encrypted email to New York and then the material was sent to Boston College
• Here the material was placed under lock and key at Burns Library, until some were released to the Police Service of Northern Ireland last year following a legal battle with the college

Sources: Chronicle of Higher Education, New York Times

The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles.

The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths.
However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities.
Informer claim dismissed The claim that Mrs McConville - who was abducted from her flat in the Divis area of west Belfast - was an informer was dismissed after an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman.
She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret.
The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles.

Jean McConville's children interviewed after her disappearance in 1972

The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared.
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments.
It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found.

Bob Hoskins: actor's daughter reveals the life lessons he taught family

Bob Hoskins with daughter Rosa Hoskins

he daughter of Bob Hoskins has released a touching list of life lessons he taught his "devastated" family before he died.

The actor died of pneumonia aged 71 on Wednesday with his family by his side in hospital. Hoskins had retired from acting two years ago after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, passed away in hospital with his family by his side.

His youngest daughter Rosa has now released a moving tribute to him, disclosing his final words of advice: to love, laugh and be kind.

The Oscar-nominated actor was known for his devotion to his family, with former co-stars paying tribute to his generosity and protective instincts over young stars.

He will be remembered for his roles in The Long Good Friday, Mona Lisa and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and made more than 80 films in his long career.

His family released a statement confirming he died “peacefully”, as they admitted the loss had left them “broken-hearted”.
His wife of 30 years, Linda, and children Alex, Sarah, Rosa and Jack said: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Bob.
"Bob died peacefully at hospital last night surrounded by family, following a bout of pneumonia.
"We ask that you respect our privacy during this time and thank you for your messages of love and support."
Miss Hoskins, who works as a fashion writer and actress, has now published a moving blog post entitled “11 lessons from my Dad”.

Explaining the advice had been “tailor-made” for her, she added: “They are his words; the words spoken so often to encourage, comfort and reassure.”
Hoskins' words of wisdom include instructions to “laugh long and loud”, to “be yourself” and to “never, ever, ever, ever give up.”
He also told his family to appreciate beauty, to be “generous and kind, because you can’t take it with you”, and to “love with all your heart”.
“In the end, love is the only thing that matters,” he had said.
His daughter’s tribute was echoed by words from his friends and colleagues.
Dame Judi Dench, who starred opposite Hoskins in Mrs Henderson Presents, said she was “so very sorry” to hear of his death, while Dame Helen Mirren paid tribute to a “great actor and even greater man”.
Dame Helen, who appeared in Last Orders opposite Hoskins and likened him to a “brother”, said: "I personally will miss him very much, London will miss one of her best and most loving sons, and Britain will miss a man to be proud of."
Kate Hardie, who played Cathy in the 1986 film Mona Lisa aged just 17, also disclosed how the actor had protected her from being exploited as a teenager.
Now 45, she said she had been “very vulnerable” due to the subject matter of the film, but that Hoskins had stayed on set to chaperone her even on his time off.
Samuel L Jackson called Hoskins a “truly gigantic talent and a gentleman” while Stephen Fry praised him as a “marvellous man” and a spokesman for Bafta said they were "deeply saddened" to hear of his death.
Ed Vaizey, culture minister, said: “The British film industry has lost one of its true greats."
Hoskins, who started his working life with a series of odd jobs as a porter, lorry driver and window cleaner, used to claim he got his big break by accident after being mistaken for his friend while accompanying him to a theatre audition.
His breakthrough role came in Dennis Potter's 1978 series Pennies From Heaven in which he played the lovelorn sheet music salesman Arthur Parker.
His portrayal of doomed London gangster Harold Shand in The Long Good Friday, which co-starred Helen Mirren, made him a film star and he followed it with stand-out roles in Mona Lisa and The Cotton Club.
More recently, he played a father figure to the women activists fighting for their rights at the Ford car plant in the British hit film Made In Dagenham, which also featured rising star Sally Hawkins.

Newly Released Kurt Cobain Letter From Death Scene Mocks Marriage to Courtney Love

Courtney Love and her band, Hole, released a new single titled "Wedding Day" this week. Ironically, the song comes out just as Seattle police made public a note found in the wallet of her late husband, Nirvana's iconic frontman Kurt Cobain, that apparently mocks that very occasion.

"Do you Kurt Cobain take Courtney Michelle Love to be your lawful shredded wife," reads the undated letter, written on stationery from San Francisco's Phoenix Hotel. "Even when she's a b--ch with zits and siphoning all yr [sic] money for doping and whoring…"

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Courtesy Seattle Police Department

The handwriting appears to match that of the suicide note left at the scene of Cobain's death, in which he praised his wife as a "goddess" who "sweats ambition and empathy."

Yahoo Music obtained a full copy of the letter from Seattle police, which includes one more sentence: "Will you promise to [expletive] her at least once a week, O.K." Taken in its entirety, the letter could easily read as a lovers' joke; however, Love has not yet commented or made any explanation.

Several previously confidential pieces of evidence from the suicide, including a clutch of photos, are just trickling out now, as the world marked the 20th anniversary of his passing.

[Related: Examining Nirvana's Greatest Songs, 20 Years After Cobain's Death]

The newly revealed letter had been removed by police from Cobain's wallet on April 8, 1994, during investigation at his Seattle home following his death from a self-inflicted gunshot. The note was logged as evidence but not released until now.

Cobain and Love's allegedly volatile relationship (the pair married in 1992) has fascinated music fans, with many subscribing to conspiracy theories that Love somehow contributed to Cobain's demise. Those allegations are probed in the new docudrama, "Soaked in Bleach," based on the findings of a private investigator hired by Love in 1994. The film is slated for festival release this year.

The new letter — and its stark contrast to Cobain's positive remarks about Love in his suicide note — no doubt will further stoke those who subscribe to notion of foul play. 

Love, who has for years slammed such allegations, does have curious timing when it comes to splashy releases. In addition to the new single from the recently reunited Hole (in which she sings, "Get out of my head…get out of my bed"), the band's multiplatinum and critically acclaimed second album, "Live Through This," famously hit the streets just four days after Cobain's death.

Nirvana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this month. Love was present and spoke at the ceremony, noting "I just wish Kurt was here to do this."

'I'm taking full responsibility': Reigning Heisman winner Jameis Winston apologizes after shoplifting

The 20-year-old will reportedly serve community service, be suspended from his side gig on the baseball team and faces a $30 fine

The news comes just weeks after the NCAA announced athletes can receive unlimited meals from universities

Connecticut basketball guard Shabazz Napier had just days prior to the NCAA announcement complained of players 'starving'

Previous rules allowed college players to be served only three free meals per day

Reigning Heisman trophy winner Jameis Winston received a criminal citation Tuesday for allegedly shoplifting $32.72 worth of crab legs from a Tallahassee grocery store.

The Florida State quarterback was subsequently suspended from the school's baseball team, on which he plays pitcher when not on the gridiron, must serve 20 hours community service as part of his punishment.

The 20-year-old Alabama native has also released an apology.

'I went to the supermarket with the intent to purchase dinner but made a terrible mistake for which I'm taking full responsibility,' Winston said in a statement Wednesday after news of his misdeed--and punishment--had quickly spread.

Hungry? Quarterback Jameis Winston #5 of the Florida State Seminoles pictured here after the 2014 Rose Bowl victory over Auburn, is likely not currently celebrating after news broke Wednesday of a criminal citation he received Tuesday for allegedly shoplifting crab legs from a Florida grocery store

'In a moment of youthful ignorance, I walked out of the store without paying for one of my items,' continued the youngest ever Heisman winner. 'I realize that I am in the public spotlight and my conduct needs to be above reproach.'

Winston has had previous brushes with the law, including a 2013 investigation over an alleged rape for which he was never charged.

'Over the last year I've learned that my accomplishments on the fields can be a wonderful thing for my school, teammates, friends, and family,' the athlete's statement said. 'At the same time, I must realize that my mistakes are magnified and can bring great embarrassment to all those who support me every day.'

Winston was not arrested. Unless he fails to show up to community service, his record will remain clean.

'He got an adult civil citation,' a police source told Tomahawk Nation of the arrest alternative usually reserved for juveniles.

'If he completes the sanctions it will never show up on his record,' said the source. 'They are now doing it for minor misdemeanors for adults to lower crime rate.'

The source also revealed the quarterback will be fined $30.

Coaches for both the baseball and football teams officially released statements concerning Winston on Wednesday afternoon.

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No arrests: The current Heisman trophy holder also has an impressive record pitching for his school's baseball team, but he has a history of near misses with the law outside the alleged seafood incident

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The incident allegedly occurred at a Publix, a staple in Florida grocery stores

'As a result of his citation last night, we are suspending Jameis Winston from the baseball team,'
baseball coach Mike Martin said in a statement. 'I am confident he will complete his community service obligation and the situation will be resolved soon.'

Football coach Jimbo Fisher said: 'I fully support Coach Martin’s decision and will also make sure that Jameis meets all obligations, which I know he will.'

According to the SB Nation report, Winston was once investigated by police after a Burger King employee accused him of stealing soda using a ketchup cup.

Emma Stone destroyed Jimmy Fallon in a lip sync battle

HAVING a bad day? Well that’s all about to change.

If you haven’t had the chance to watch Emma Stone take down Jimmy Fallon in an epic lip sync battle on The Tonight Show, then you’re seriously missing out. The famous redhead proved to be his toughest competitor as she wowed the crowd with her rendition of Blues Traveler’s  followed by DJ Khaled’s Hook

Fallon put on quite the show too, as he took on Iggy Azalea’s Fancy and Styx’s hitMr. Roboto. But alas, Stone stood out, shocking everyone with her beyond impressive rap-lip syncing skills.

If you thought Paul Rudd was a solid lip syncer, wait until you see Emma Stone break it down in the video above.

Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas split after two years

Cressida Bonas and Prince Harry attend We Day UK (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

The 29-year-old royal and his 24-year-old girlfriend had been seeing each other for two years.

Harry recently confided to friends that things weren’t going well in the relationship, according to People magazine.

"He found her too needy and it just wasn't working out," a source close to the prince told the magazine.

However other showbiz sources suggest that Cressida ended things as she didn't want to become sucked into the royal family.

Despite the immense media glare on the couple, they were notoriously private and had tried to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.

The couple were seen out together earlier this month – and even attended their first public event together as Harry gave a speech at the launch of WE Day, a charity event for Save the Children at Wembley Arena in London.

Reports earlier this month suggested the couple had discussed moving in together.

"Cressida and Harry used their holiday to discuss their relationship moving forward," a source told British magazine Grazia.

Who is Daisy Ridley? Meet the unknown British actress set to become Star Wars' new leading lady

Before she was announced on Tuesday as the new female lead for Star Wars VII, Daisy Ridley was a virtual unknown.

And in a matter of hours the British actress has become the talk of the internet, with some savvy fans and critics speculating that she may in fact play the daughter of Han Solo and Princess Leia.

On Tuesday Disney and Lucasfilm confirmed on the official Star Wars website that the newcomer will be joining the famous original cast alongside Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill.

A black-and-white photo of the cast and crew was accompanied by the announcement with Ridley seated in-between Ford and Fisher.

Many fans thought the actress' positioning was conspicuous, indicating that she was set to play the daughter of Leia and Solo, as noted by Heavy.com.

Casting for the new film, which will be the first instalment since Disney took over the franchise from George Lucas, has been so secretive it has been compared to the plans for the Death Star.

Raising suspicion: Daisy was seated in-between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher at a cast meeting at Pine Studios sparking rumours she is set to star as Princess Leia and Han Solo's daughter

Though it was reported on April 10 by The Hollywood Reporter that Maisie Richardson-Sellers could land the female lead in Star Wars VII, that role went to Ridley, a newcomer who has made mostly shorts films and popped up in only a few TV shows.

After the announcement was made, Ridley tweeted: 'Overwhelmed by all the support. This is the greatest day of my life. I'm told I can't say who I'm playing yet, but it's exciting!'

The casting of Ridley has generated the most fervour online, if only because she is a virtually unknown factor to be joining the beloved Star Wars universe.

One fan, under the Twitter handle Samantha Horley, wrote excitedly: 'An awful lot of people are currently Googling "Who the h** is Daisy Ridley?"'

While another Twitter user, Russ Fischer, wrote sardonically: 'Excited to read all your “Who is Daisy Ridley” think pieces, like the answer won’t be all, “uh, dunno."'

Many thought that Lupita Nyong'o was going to become the next Star Wars leading lady as Latino Review reported that she was reading for the role last month.

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Confirmed: J.J Abrams, (15) at the cast read-through of Star Wars Episode VII at Pinewood Studios with (clockwise from right) Harrison Ford (1), Daisy Ridley (2), Carrie Fisher (3), Peter Mayhew (4), Producer Bryan Burk (5), Lucasfilm President and Producer Kathleen Kennedy (6), Domhnall Gleeson (7), Anthony Daniels (8), Mark Hamill (9), Andy Serkis (10), Oscar Isaac (11), John Boyega (12), Adam Driver (13) and Writer Lawrence Kasdan (14)

Nonethless, the coveted role is now Ridley's, whose previous list of credits is rather short with most notably a guest appearance on Mr Selfridge.

Other credits include brief stints on Toast Of London and Blue Season.

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Relative newcomer: The actress pictured in one her few onscreen roles in 2013's Youngers

The up and comer, who's age is unknown, had a showreel on Vimeo but once the casting announcement was made it was soon taken down.

Ridley's rep Jonathan Arun is based in London and his official website says the actress' 'playing age' is 16 to 20.

Her profile page also goes on to tout that she is proficient in the following accents: 'Cockney, Dublin, London, Northern, RP:'

It also claims that her native dialects are London and RP.

In addition to her role in Star Wars VII she is set to have a 'good role' in the upcoming Inbetweeners film which began production earlier this year.

It has previously been reported that J.J. Abrams was planning to cast unknowns in the new film, following in the footsteps of George Lucas's 1977 cast.

And he partially fulfilled that promise by casting not only Ridley but newcomers John Boyega, Adam Driver, and Oscar Isaac.

Other new castmates include Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow.

Deadline reported that Harrison’s Han Solo character will be making far more than a cameo appearance and will in fact have a ‘gigantic’ role in the seventh episode.

 

Princess Leia kills Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF STAR WARS: EPISODE VII CAST

The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

Director J.J. Abrams says, 'We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.'

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer.

Little else is known about the plot at this point, although Disney was said to be loosely using an original plot by Lucas, who is creative consulting, as an outline.

The movie will hit theaters on December 18, 2015. In March, Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger said the new project would begin filming in May and will be set 30 years after the events in 1983's Return of the Jedi.

It is expected that another big announcement regarding the movie will take place on May 4 – known to fans as Star Wars day.

 

Disney Studios chairman reveals Star Wars filming is underway

Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo roll Real Madrid past Bayern Munich

                      Sergio Ramos heads Real Madrid into the lead against Bayern Munich in the 

                                 Champions League semi-final second leg. Photograph: Adam Pretty/Bongarts/Getty

At long last, Real Madrid can almost touch La Decima. This was an occasion when the Spanish club had been confronted by tension, the weight of history, curses and a Bayern Munich team that were supposed to pass them to death. Yet Carlo Ancelotti, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos and, yes, Gareth Bale sliced through it all with a performance of such swashbuckling brilliance that Pep Guardiola's Bayern side were reduced to rubble.

It was in 2002 that Zinedine Zidane sculpted the volley against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park to help Real to their ninth European Cup. The wait for the 10th has pushed the boundaries even of obsession. The narrative for Real has since taken in a transfer market outlay of £905m, too much semi-final heartache and too many managers sacked.

They boldly wrote their own script in Bavaria, one marked by a tactical masterclass from Ancelotti and ruthless execution from his players as the team that they have feared in Madrid as the Black Beast was torn apart piece by piece.

The expectation had been for a classic, for two of the game's super-heavyweights to work each other to a standstill. Only one turned up. Bayern had beaten Real in four of their previous five European Cup semi-final meetings but this contest was effectively over upon Ramos's second thumping header before the midway point of the first-half. What followed, most notably the goals from Ronaldo, merely represented a turn of the knife and for Guardiola and Bayern, it was a night of introspection, for wondering where the precise and mesmeric football had gone.

The Bayern inquest centred on the lack of an obvious Plan B from Guardiola once the possession football had been blunted while it could not fail to ignore the shocking looseness at the back. There will be no successful Champions League defence for them. For Real, however, who had never previously won in Munich, the possibilities are tantalising.

Ancelotti and his players had travelled with confidence, which felt like a far cry from the mood in Madrid when the draw was made. Then, there was uncharacteristic trepidation. The first leg, when Real had been incisive, had removed that, which felt good because one of the fundamentals of football is that Real have to swagger.

They believed that the Bayern central defenders, Jérôme Boateng and Dante, were vulnerable but nobody could have predicted Bayern's collective implosion at the early set-pieces. Teams at any level, let alone the most rarefied, are not supposed to be breached like this.

Ramos was the beneficiary and how he revelled in letting off steam in front of the Bayern fans, who struggled to comprehend what was happening. Two years ago, at this stage of the competition, Ramos had missed the decisive penalty in Bayern's shootout victory at the Bernabéu. He had entered this tie with five goals in 73 career Champions League appearances. After 20 minutes, the bookmakers were slashing in-play odds on an outlandish hat-trick.

The first came from a Luka Modric corner and if Ronaldo rose high in the centre, Ramos got even higher behind him, as Dante failed to stay tight. The header was too hot for Manuel Neuer to handle. The second was even better. From Ángel di María's free-kick, Ramos reacted instinctively when the ball was flicked on by Pepe to launch himself into a diving header which flashed home.

Ancelotti had started with Di María on the left of a midfield three, making Real compact but, with the pace of Bale and Ronaldo in wide areas, razor sharp on the counter. He could not have judged it more perfectly. Even before the opening goal, Real looked threatening and Bale was off target after Neuer had left his area to head weakly clear. It was not an isolated bolt from the Bayern goalkeeper, and they betrayed both his anxiety and that around him. His handling and kicking was suspect.

Real pulverised Bayern in the first half and it was no exaggeration to say that it looked as though they might score with every forward thrust. It was remarkable to see how many three-on-three situations developed. Real's runners bristled with menace. The only blot during 45 golden minutes for them was Xabi Alonso's booking that rules him out of the final.

The third came when Karim Benzema played Bale through the thin red line and he powered past Boateng before working the ball square for Ronaldo to finish. Ronaldo gestured with his hands that it was his 15th goal in 10 Champions League ties this season. He might have had more in the first half alone. He had his 16th by the end.

Guardiola had opted for Philipp Lahm at right-back in order to accommodate Thomas Müller in attacking midfield – an admission that he had erred in the first-leg? – but there was nothing from any of his players here. It felt like a trick of the mind that, a few short weeks ago, having secured the Bundesliga title, Bayern were widely considered to be the best team on the planet.

They bubbled with rage in the first half and there were a series of melees. One followed a bad tackle from Dante on Ronaldo while Franck Ribéry also aimed a spiteful slap. The second half became a futile search for a Bayern consolation and yet it finished with Ronaldo ramming a free-kick under the defensive wall and past Neuer. Ancelotti might wonder why on earth he should leave this team for Manchester United, who prize him. Real are on the march.

Beyonce and Jay Z announce US dates of On The Run tour - tickets Read more at http://www.gigwise.com/news/90550/beyonce-and-jay-z-announce-us-dates-of-on-the-run-tour---tickets#o06r2AlTwcYz8gWC.99

Beyonce and Jay Z have announced the US dates of their joint 2014 tour, titled On The Run. Dates and details below.

The pop power-couple have announced 16 US dates, kicking off on 25 June in Miami and running throughout July, before coming to a close on 5 August with a San Francisco show.

The dates also clash with Glastonbury 2014 - with the duo having been previously rumoured to headline the Saturday night, but the pair are now scheduled to play the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnatti on the 28 June. Boo.

Jay Z and Beyonce's full list of 2014 dates are:

25 June, Sun Life Stadium, Miami
28 June, Great American Ball Park, Cincinatti
1 July, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
5 July, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
7 July, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
9 July, Rogers Centre, Toronto
11 July, Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford
15 July, Georgia Dome, Atlanta
18 July, Minute Maid Park, Houston
20 July, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
24 July, Soldier Field, Chicago
27 July, Investors Group Field, Winnipeg
30 July, Safeco Field, Seattle
2 August, Rose Bowl, Los Angeles
5 August, AT&T Park, San Francisco

Read more at http://www.gigwise.com/news/90550/beyonce-and-jay-z-announce-us-dates-of-on-the-run-tour---tickets#o06r2AlTwcYz8gWC.99

Paul Simon and Edie Brickell charged with disorderly conduct

Simon is considered to be one of America's greatest singer-songwriters

Paul Simon and his wife Edie Brickell have been arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, according to New Canaan Police in Connecticut.

Officers were called to the couple's New Canaan home at about 20:00 local time (01:00 BST) on Saturday to investigate "a family dispute".

The pair, who have been married for more than 20 years, appeared in Norwalk Superior Court on Monday.

A police spokesman said there had been "aggressiveness on both sides".

At a news conference on Monday, police chief Leon Krolikowski said a caller from the singers' Connecticut home phoned police on Saturday night and then hung up.

Officers who responded found minor injuries and believed it was a case of domestic violence, he went on. He did not confirm who was injured.

Simon and Brickell, he said, were each given a misdemeanor summons. One of them - again unspecified - agreed to leave and go to another location.

"They're both victims and they have children involved and we're trying to be very cautious of that," the police chief told reporters.

Brickell has three children with Paul Simon

Simon, 72, first found fame as one half of folk duo Simon and Garfunkel, while Brickell, 48, was lead singer of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians.

The folk-rock band had a big hit with their debut single What I Am in 1988, a track subsequently covered by former Spice Girl Emma Bunton in 1999.

Earlier this year Brickell won a Grammy award with Steve Martin for best American roots song, Love Has Come For You.

She is due to start touring in May with Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers across the US and Canada.

Simon, who has won 12 Grammy awards during a 50-year career, played at a benefit concert in New Canaan last autumn, performing The Sound of Silence and Mrs Robinson.

According to local media, the couple have lived in the Connecticut town with their three children for a number of years.

After Arkansas storm deaths we ask: How bad can a tornado get?

The "Tri-State Tornado," which killed 695 people and injured 2,027, was the deadliest tornado

 in U.S. history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The tornado traveled

 more than 300 miles through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana on March 18, 1925, and was rated an F5, the 

most powerful under old Fujita scale (winds of 260-plus mph).

Storms tore a deadly path through at least three counties in Arkansas on Sunday evening and ripped houses, cars and forests to shreds, strewing rubble for miles.

Though it's not yet official, weather forecasters strongly suspect tornadoes are to blame for at least 14 deaths and devastating damage in the state. Two more people died in storms on Iowa and Oklahoma.

A tornado's shearing, twisting winds can exceed 300 mph, and though they usually last only seconds, some cyclones endure much longer, razing swaths up to a mile wide that scar landscapes for months to come and inflict tragic human losses.

The United States has the highest number of tornado occurrences in the world, with an average of 1,200 tornadoes reported each year, according to the National Weather Service.

Arkansas winds 'severe'

Deadly tornadoes storm through US

Meteorologists rank a tornado based on the strength of its winds and the area over which it spreads destruction.

The Enhanced Fujita Scale assigns tornadoes corresponding numbers from EF0, with gusts from 65 to 85 mph, to the mightiest EF5, with gusts over 200 mph.

The EF0's winds are described as "gale" winds; those of the EF5 are called "incredible." The figures for tornadoes' wind speeds are based on assessments of the damage they leave behind on the ground.

Only 59 EF5 storms have hit the United States since 1950,according to weather service records. The latest one devastated Moore, Oklahoma, in May of last year.

Though meteorologists have not finished analyzing the most recent Arkansas storm, so far the state has been spared an EF5, the NWS says.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers estimates that the winds that ravaged the town of Mayflower, Arkansas, on Sunday had speeds of 130 to 150 mph, which would correspond to an EF3 tornado, which the Fujita Scale describes as "severe."

Let's take a look at the nature of the strongest tornadoes, the EF5s, the strongest storms on Earth.

Where do storms of this strength most commonly hit?

While EF5 storms are rare, the area in the Great Plains known as "Tornado Alley" gets more than its share. The alley runs through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa. There also seems to be a focus for strong tornadoes in an area known as "Dixie Alley," which covers parts of the Southeast and includes Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

What factors give rise to a storm of this strength?

A number of factors have to come together at the right time and place to produce a strong tornado. The clash of warm and cold air at the surface combined with lift in the atmosphere and strong winds, both at the ground and high above, help contribute. The greater the temperature differences and the winds, the greater the chance for supercells, the thunderstorms that produce tornadoes.

How long does it take to assess the strength of a storm? Why does it take so long?

After a tornado, the local National Weather Service office sends a team to take a look at the damage. In the case of the monster twister in Moore last year, the Norman, Oklahoma, office sent numerous teams into the field to evaluate damage. Since this storm path was 17 miles long and the damage path was so wide, it took time to see all of the damage.

The strongest tornado on record to date struck Moore in 1999. It had winds recorded at 318 mph at 300 feet above the Earth's surface. Officials estimated winds at the surface were at 250 mph.