Browns QB Deshaun Watson sitting out with shoulder injury, rookie Thompson Robinson starts vs Ravens
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss Sunday’s game against Baltimore with a right shoulder injury, pushing rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson into his first NFL start against the Ravens
2023-10-01 23:28
Far-right leader Geert Wilders projected to win Dutch election in exit poll
Dutch far-right populist Geert Wilders, who has vowed to stop all immigration to the Netherlands, was heading for a landslide victory in parliamentary elections on Wednesday, in one of the biggest political upsets in Dutch politics since the second world war. A win by Mr Wilders, sometimes dubbed the Dutch Donald Trump and who has previously urged his country to leave the EU, would send shockwaves through Europe. The result puts the anti-Islam politician in line to lead talks to form a new ruling coalition and possibly become the country’s prime minister at a time of political upheaval through much of Europe. As voting closed, the Ipsos poll put his Freedom party (PVV) at 35 out of 150 seats, nine seats ahead of the closest rival, Frans Timmermans’ Labour/Green Left combination, and more than double the 17 seats he won at the last election. The party of outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte, the conservative VVD, was in third place at 23 seats, the exit poll showed. Political parties from the left to the far-right PVV are competing to secure a leading position in the Dutch parliament. Immigration – the issue that triggered the collapse of Mr Rutte’s cabinet after 13 years in power – has been a key issue in the campaign. Mr Rutte was the country’s longest-serving prime minister, but has faced a decline in his popularity. Mr Wilders’ election programme calls for a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the European Union, a total halt to accepting asylum-seekers and migrant pushbacks at the Dutch borders. The populist with dyed blonde hair said in a television debate during the election campaign: “It’s been enough now. The Netherlands can’t take it any more. We have to think about our own people first now. Borders closed. Zero asylum seekers.” A self-proclaimed fan of Hungary’s far-right Victor Orban, Mr Wilders is also explicitly anti-EU, urging the Netherlands to significantly reduce its payments to the bloc, and to stop the entry of any new members. He has also repeatedly said the country should stop providing arms to Ukraine, saying it needs the weapons to be able to defend itself. However, none of the parties he could potentially form a government with shares these ideas. In 2016, he said he wanted to ban all Islamic symbols, mosques and the Quran, although in this election campaign he has been seeking to soften his image in the hope of entering government, which some voters said they liked. He said recently that opposing Islam remained at his party’s core but concerns over the cost of living, improving care for the elderly and limiting immigration were what he focused on now. His enduring popularity since he created PVV in 2006 has pushed ruling parties over the years to give the Netherlands one of Europe’s toughest immigration policies. Abroad, his comments about the prophet Mohammed and calls for the Quran to be banned led to sometimes violent protests in countries including Pakistan, Indonesia and Egypt. He was convicted of discrimination after insulting Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014. Death threats against him mean he has lived under heavy police protection for years. Read More The top contenders to lead the Netherlands, from a former refugee to an anti-Islam populist An election to replace the longest-serving leader of the Netherlands gives voters a clean slate Netherlands election: Polls open in neck-and-neck race to decide next Dutch leader Dutch political leaders campaign on final day before general election that will usher in new leader Potential kingmaker in Dutch coalition talks comes out against anti-Islam firebrand Wilders Dutch election candidates make migration a key campaign issue in the crowded Netherlands
2023-11-23 05:24
India landed on the Moon for less than it cost to make Interstellar
India has successfully landed on the Moon – for less than the cost of the film Interstellar. The Indian space agency announced on Wednesday that it had completed a “soft landing” on the lunar surface, near its southern pole. It becomes the first ever to land there, and just the fourth country to successfully send a mission to the Moon at all. And it did so on a very restrictive budget. The Chandrayaan-3 cost was sent to the Moon at a cost of about 6.15 billion rupees, or $75 million, according to Reuters. That is less than the cost of most blockbuster space films. Gravity cost $100 million, The Martian cost $108 million – and it was less than half the cost of Interstellar, which was filmed on a budget of $165 million. It even costs less than some houses. The UK’s most expensive house, for instance, went on sale at £200 million, or nearly three-and-a-half missions to the Moon. The budget is even less than India allocated to Chandrayaan-2, the previous attempt to land on the Moon in 2019, which ended in failure when the lander crashed. That cost around 8 billion rupees, or about 30 per cent more than the latest successful mission, though engineers have made clear that many of the learnings from that earlier launch had been integrated into the latest one. India has looked to build a reputation for cost-effective but still successful missions to space. It comes as the country encourages investment in the private space industry and businesses focused on satellites. The price of the whole Indian mission is similar to that charged by SpaceX for one Falcon 9 launch. That is charged at $67 million, according to its website. Read More Why India’s moon landing is about a lot more than exploring the lunar surface WhatsApp has finally fixed the most stressful thing about making a group Jury finds teenager responsible for computer hacking spree
2023-08-24 13:49
Woman, 97, among those killed in Farmington, New Mexico shooting
She and her 73-year-old daughter were killed by a teenage gunman who shot at random people, police say.
2023-05-17 21:57
Ruble hits lowest value against USD since early in Ukraine war
The ruble has dropped against the U.S. dollar in trading in Moscow to it lowest level since the first month of the war in Ukraine
2023-08-04 18:59
Washington's long-term care payroll tax starts July 1, as other states explore similar programs
Washington next month will become the first U.S. state to deduct taxes from workers’ paychecks to finance a new long-term care benefit for residents who can’t live independently due to illness, injury or aging-related conditions like dementia
2023-06-27 12:20
DoubleLine's Gundlach expects Fed rate cuts in first half of 2024
DoubleLine Capital CEO Jeff Gundlach expects the U.S. Federal Reserve to cut benchmark rates in the first half
2023-09-13 05:23
Canelo vs Charlo time: When does fight start in UK and US this weekend?
Saul “Canelo” Alvarez returns to the ring this weekend, defending his undisputed super-middleweight titles against another undisputed champion: Jermell Charlo. Canelo was expected to face Charlo’s twin brother – Jermall, who holds the WBC middleweight belt – but will instead box the super-welterweight champion in Las Vegas. The 33-year-olds will square off at the T-Mobile Arena, where Canelo retained his belts in a trilogy bout against Gennady Golovkin 12 months ago. The Mexican then returned to his home country in May, securing another decision win as he beat John Ryder. Meanwhile, Charlo’s last fight was in May 2022, a week after Canelo was outpointed by Dmitry Bivol in a light-heavyweight title fight. American Charlo stopped Brian Castano in Round 10 to improve upon his draw with the Argentine from 2021. Here’s all you need to know about Canelo vs Charlo. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? The fight will take place on Saturday 30 September, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card is due to begin at 1am BST on Sunday 1 October (5pm PT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET on Saturday). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at 4am BST on Sunday (8pm PT, 10pm CT, 11pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? No UK broadcaster has yet been announced for the fight. In the US, it will air on Showtime pay-per-view at a cost of $84.99. If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider. Odds Canelo – 30/100 Charlo – 3/1 Draw – 18/1 Full odds via Betway. • Get all the latest boxing betting sites’ offers Full card (subject to change) Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (C) vs Jermell Charlo (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF super-middleweight titles) Yordenis Ugas vs Mario Barrios (WBC interim welterweight title) Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr vs Erickson Lubin (super-welterweight) Elijah Garcia vs Jose Armando Resendiz (middleweight) Frank Sanchez vs Scott Alexander (heavyweight) Gabriel Valenzuela vs Yeis Gabriel Solano (super-lightweight) Terrell Gausha vs KeAndre Leatherwood (middleweight) Oleksandr Gvozdyk vs Isaac Rodrigues (light-heavyweight) Curmel Moton vs Ezequiel Flores (super-featherweight) Justin Viloria vs Angel Barrera (super-featherweight) Bek Nurmaganbet vs Abimbola Osundairo (super-middleweight) Abilkhan Amankul vs Joeshon James (middleweight) Read More The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings Eddie Hearn: ‘Ask someone to name three people in boxing, they’ll say: Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, me’ The hidden side of Jake Paul Who is fighting on the Canelo vs Charlo undercard? How to watch Canelo vs Charlo online and on TV Amir Khan was never dull – but will he ever be truly loved?
2023-09-27 04:22
How did Henry Kissinger die? American foreign policy titan was 100
As of now, the details surrounding the death of Henry Kissinger have not been disclosed
2023-11-30 11:48
Indy 500 arrives with clear favorites, plenty of off-the-radar spoilers
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2023-05-28 18:26
Manhattan architect, family man and accused serial killer: Who is Gilgo Beach suspect Rex Heuermann?
His Manhattan business describes him as a registered architect with over 30 years’ experience. His neighbours describe him as a “family man” living with his wife and two children in a tight-knit community in Suffolk County. But now authorities are describing him as the suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer who unleashed terror along the shores of Long Island more than a decade ago. Rex Heuermann was arrested on Thursday night in connection to the shocking murder case where body after body was found dumped along the remote beaches on Ocean Parkway. The 59-year-old appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder in the first degree and three in the second degree over the deaths of Megan Waterman, Melissa Barthelemy and Amber Costello. Here’s what we know about the suspect: Rex Heuermann Manhattan architect and married father-of-two Rex Heuermann was taken into custody at around 8.30pm on Thursday night near his Midtown office. Before the arrest, Mr Heuerman had been under surveillance by law enforcement, according to ABC News. On Friday morning, swathes of New York State and Suffolk County police officers were seen searching his home on First Avenue in Massapequa Park – which is located just a 20-minute drive from Gilgo Beach where the killer dumped the bodies of his victims. Neighbours told The Independent that he was a quiet family man who lived in the close-knit community with his wife and two children. One neighbour, who has lived a stone’s throw from the Heuermanns for more than two decades, said that the family is “a very quiet family” who made “no imprint at all” on the neighborhood. “Basically, we never had any contact with him... living here 22 years and never said two words to him,” the long-time Massapequa Park resident said, adding that “one bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch” in a “great neighbourhood”. Maureen Holpit, 59, who attended Berner High School in Massapequa with Mr Heuarmann, told The Independent that Mr Heauerman was once a shy teen who would often leave “love notes” in her locker. Ms Holpit said her exchanges with the now suspected serial killer were always pleasant and polite. “I was always nice and friendly to him, you know. Seemed like he kind of got picked on and people would make maybe portray him as a little nerdy. He was very quiet, mild-mannered. So I was nice and would say, ‘Hey, Rex, how are you?,’” Ms Holpit, who now lives in Florida, tells The Independent. “I was getting these notes in my locker. As I’m remembering, there were multiple little love notes but they were not signed,” she added. “Then, one day I did see him put it in my locker and so I knew they were from him. I may have said to him that I had a boyfriend or I just liked him as a friend.” One woman told News12 that it was “ming-boggling” that the “quiet” 59-year-old could be involved in the horrific case while another said that he was known to do outdoor activities such as woodwork. Mr Heuermann works in Manhattan – where some of the Gilgo Beach victims were last seen alive – as the president of architecture firm RH Consultants & Associates. According to the company website, he founded the company in 1994. It has since worked with the likes of Catholic Charities, NYC-DEP Sewerage Treatment and American Airlines and other major tenants at the JFK International Airport. A company page called Meet The Team and featuring his photo appeared to be taken down on Friday morning as news of his arrest broke. In an interview posted on YouTube by Bonjour Realty last year, the father-of-two said that he was “born and raised in Long Island” but had been “working in Manhattan since 1987... [a] very long time”. The architect reportedly broke down in tears during his court appearance on Friday evening. “We just got appointed on this case. There’s not much I can tell you folks at this point in time,” his attorney, Michael Brown, told reporters, according to NBC. “I will say to you folks that it’s extremely circumstantial in nature. In terms of speaking to my client, the only thing I can tell you that he did say, as he was in tears, was ‘I didn’t do this.’ The murders The case began in May 2010 when Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old sex worker, vanished after leaving a client’s house on foot near Gilgo Beach. She called 911 for help saying she feared for her life and was never seen alive again. In the chilling call, released last year, Gilbert is heard repeatedly telling the 911 operator that “somebody’s after me”. She is also heard arguing with a man – who she refers to as Mike – who appears to be trying to encourage her to get back inot a car and at one point, she is heard asking if he is “going to kill” her. “These people are plotting to kill me,” she tells the dispatcher. During a search for Gilbert in dense thicket close to the beach, police discovered the remains of another woman. Within a matter of days, the remains of three more victims were found close by. By spring 2011, the remains of a total of 10 victims had been found including eight women, a man, and a toddler. Gilbert’s body was found in December 2011. Her cause of death is widely contested with authorities long claiming that it is not connected to the serial killer or killers but that she died from accidental drowning as she fled from the client’s home. However, an independent autopsy commissioned by her family ruled that she died by strangulation and her mother believes she was murdered. Like Gilbert, most of the victims targeted were sex workers. Several theories have been mulled over the years but no one had ever been charged with the killings. Authorities have previously said they believe that three separate serial killers could be responsible for the slayings over a period of around 20 years. The case appeared to go cold for several years until last year when Suffolk Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison vowed to finally close the case and bring the killer or killers to justice. The newly-appointed commissioner said that, with “a set of fresh eyes”, he had faith that he could get the cold case “across the finish line”. He launched a dedicated taskforce for the case. The investigation Last year, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI revamped the probe into the killings that ultimately led to Mr Heuermann’s bombshell arrest outside his Midtown office on Thursday. A bail application released by the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that Mr Heuermann was linked to the serial killings through cellphone evidence and surveillance. Prosecutors have argued that no bail should be set for Mr Heuermann due to his recent searches for “sadistic materials, child pornography, images of the victims and their relatives.” Mr Heuermann was first linked to the cold case in March 2022 after investigators discovered that a Chevrolet Avalanche registered to him was possibly the one spotted by a witness in Costello’s disappearance. As law enforcement closed in on him, they served more than 300 subpoenas and search warrants that uncovered cellphone records for burner phones used to arrange meetings with three of the “Gilgo Four” victims before they went missing. Further analysis also allegedly linked Mr Heuermann to taunting calls made to family members of the victims, according to investigators. The calls were made from the Midtown Manhattan area, where the offices of Mr Heuerman’s architecture business are located. Among the evidence linking Mr Heuermann to the murders was a hair found on burlap material used to wrap Waterman’s corpse, according to court documents. DNA analysis had not been possible in the early stages of the investigation, but new technology allowed testing in July 2020. A team surveilling Mr Heuermann collected a discarded pizza box that then confirmed a DNA match with the suspect on 12 June. Records also show that several online accounts under fictitious names linked to Mr Heuermann were used for illegal activities. Mr Heuermann allegedly used those accounts and burner phones to contact women for prostitution services, as well as making chilling online searches. The searches included sadistic, torture-related pornography, child pornography and disturbing content. Mr Heuermann is also accused of searching “why could law enforcement not trace the calls made by the long island serial killer,” “why hasn’t the long island serial killer been caught” and “new phone technology may be key to break in case.” More forensic analysis revealed that female hairs found in the three crime scene locations belonged to Mr Heuermann’s wife. However, authorities have determined through cellphone records that Mr Heuermann’s wife was out of state when the murders took place. At the time Barthelemy went missing in July 2009, Mr Heuermann’s wife was in Iceland. She visited Maryland around the time Waterman disappeared in June 2010, and also travelled to New Jersey when Costello was last seen in September of that year. “It is likely that the burlap, tape, vehicle(s) or other instrumentalities utilized in furtherance of these murders came from Defendant Heuermann’s residence, where his wife also resides, or was transferred from his clothing,” prosecutors explained. Mr Heuermann is also the prime suspect in the murder of Maureen Brainard-Barnes, who is believed to be one of the “Gilgo Four.” Prosecutors noted in the application that records for the burner phones used to contact Brainard-Barnes were not obtained at the time she went missing and no longer exist. The arrest On Thursday, there was a huge breakthrough in the case when suspect Mr Heuermann was finally arrested on suspicion of the murders. Police sources told The Associated Press that an individual had been taken into custody on Thursday night in connection with the unsolved murders which terrorised the community in Suffolk County more than a decade ago. Suffolk County Police would not confirm the arrest on Friday morning, but have announced a press conference for the afternoon citing a “significant development” in the high-profile case. John Ray, who represents the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, said that they learned around a week ago that an arrest was imminent. Mr Ray said he “had a very strong, credible tip that they were about to close in on an arrest”. But, he said that they were not too optimistic – given the case has rumbled on for more than a decade – and had not been told anything official. “We’re pleased if they actually managed to find somebody that can be tagged for this,” he said at the time. “We’re pleased that something is finally occurring, because we’ve been frustrated.” The victims The remains of at least 11 victims’ were found in the Gilgo Beach area though it remains unclear if they are all the work of the same killer. Many were sex workers who offered escort services on Craigslist or worked in New York City. The first victim found was Melissa Barthelemy whose remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway on 11 December 2010 during the search for Shannan Gilbert – a 24-year-old sex worker from New Jersey who vanished after visiting a client in Oak Park and making a chilling 911 call where she revealed fears for her life. Two days later on 13 December, the remains of three other victims – Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Megan Waterman and Amber Lynn Costello – were found close by. All three women were known to advertise escort services on Craigslist. Brainard-Barnes – known as one of the Gilgo Beach Four – was last seen alive in early June 2007 in New York City while Costello was last seen leaving her North Babylon home one day in early September 2010. Waterman was last seen alive in early June 2010 at a Holiday Inn Express in Hauppauge. Seven months later, on 26 July 2011, the remains of Jessica Taylor were found in a wooded area in Manorville during the ongoing search for Gilbert. Taylor worked as an escort in New York City. Valerie Mack also worked as an escort but was last seen alive in Philadelphia in 2000. Her remains were found on two separate occasions in Manorville in 2000 and in Oak Beach in 2011 but she was only identified in 2020 through the use of genetic genealogy. Some of the victims have never been identified. The skeletal remains of an Asian male, aged between 17 and 23 years old, around 5 feet 6 inches tall and with poor dental health, were found along Ocean Parkway in April 2011. He is believed to have died around five to 10 years earlier. That same day, the remains of a female toddler were discovered. She was later identified as the daughter of the also-unidentified female victim dubbed “Peaches” whose remains were found in Nassau County. Mr Heuermann is only charged with the murders of three of the victims whose bodies were found in the Gilgo Beach area. Read More Gilgo Beach murders – live: Long Island serial killer suspect identified as Manhattan architect Rex Heuermann How the Gilgo Beach serial killer turned the Long Island shore into a graveyard Gilgo Beach serial killer suspect named as Rex Heuermann after arrest for Long Island murders
2023-07-15 08:29
It's a Barbie world — and pink is seeping into what we use, wear and eat
Stores, restaurants and independent entrepreneurs are taking full advantage of the history-making success of the "Barbie" movie to merchandise all kinds of pink products.
2023-08-11 00:46
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