Lead singer of Liverpool band The Night Cafe dies aged 26
Tributes are being paid to the lead singer of an indie band who has died.
Sean Martin from The Night Cafe has died suddenly, aged 26, the Liverpool band has announced in an Instagram post.
The group said they were "devastated" by the death of their bandmate and "childhood best friend".
Indie rock band, The Wombats, who The Night Cafe toured with, said Martin was "literally the nicest, most lovely guy to have around on tour".
In April last year, he revealed he had been struggling with his health and would be having some surgery.
Martin was a member of The Night Cafe with Josh Higgins, Arran O'Connell Whittle, and Carl Dillon, which formed in 2014 when they were still at school.
The band said: "We are devastated to share the sudden passing of our best friend Sean.
"Words can't describe the pain we are feeling right now, we're still struggling to process it all."
They added: "Sean was not just our bandmate, he was our childhood best friend that we shared so many memories with before the band even started.
"We made so many more memories along the way and achieved things we only dreamt of that we will cherish forever."
Dillon shared a series of photos and posted a string of broken heart emojis, writing "Love you so much, Sean".
The Wombats commented: "So sorry to hear this guy, he was literally the nicest, most lovely guy to have around on tour.
"Not to mention how talented and amazing he was.
"Our thoughts are with you all and Sean's closest. Lots of love and fond memories, The Bats x"
In April 2022, Martin revealed he had been struggling with his health and would be having surgery, prompting the band to pull out of some shows with The Wombats.
He wrote at the time: "Thankfully though I've recently had a diagnosis which explains what's been going on, but unfortunately it means I need to go into surgery next week (on my birthday)."
He said the band was "wounded" by the cancellation but added they were "excited to finally be able to move forward properly with nothing in our way".
The Night Cafe released their debut EP Get Away From The Feeling in 2017 and their debut album, 0151, was released in 2019.
The band said Martin's memory would "live on forever in our hearts and through the music he put out into the world for you all".
Source- BBC
VISIT OF UK HOME OFFICE MINISTER LORD SHARPE OF ESPSOM OBE AND MINISTRY OF JUSTICE MINISTER MIKE FREER MP TO THE TCI
Her Excellency the Governor and the Honourable Premier are pleased to announce the joint visit of UK Home Office Minister Lord Sharpe and Ministry of Justice Minister Mike Freer MP to the Turks and Caicos Islands this week.
· A key focus of their visit is national security and justice. Lord Sharpe will visit the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Marine Branch, the Maritime Operations Centre, and the Regiment and meet National Security Council members. Mr Freer MP will hold meetings with the Honourable Chief Justice, the Honourable Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
· Both Ministers will receive briefings from border security leads, the Irregular Settlement Unit and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the Turks and Caicos Islands.
· Additionally, Mr Freer MP will visit the nation’s capital Grand Turk, where he will learn about the ambitious Technical and Vocational Education and Training initiatives to support rehabilitation at His Majesty’s Prison.
· Lord Sharpe arrives on Wednesday 1 November and Mr Freer MP arrives on Thursday 2 November.
Fortnite maker Epic Games takes Google to court
The maker of the popular video game Fortnite has begun its legal battle with Google in a San Francisco court.
The firm accused Google of acting as a monopoly - charging 30% commission on in-app purchases on Google Play store.
Epic Games accused Google of turning its back on its "Don't be Evil" motto, which the company coined when it was founded in 1998.
Google however argued that there were plenty of other ways to download apps on Android phones.
The company has long said that it competes with Apple - and rejects the idea Google Play is monopolistic.
The trial opens up another anti-trust front against Google. The company is also defending itself in a court in Washington - where the US Justice Department has accused the company of holding an illegal monopoly over search.
If Epic's arguments sound familiar, they are. Epic took Apple to court in 2021 with a very similar case.
In 2020, the company pulled Fortnite from Google Play and the App Store, saying the charges were "taxes" on developers.
The judge in that case rejected the idea that Apple was a monopoly, however did allow apps to steer users away from Apple's in-app charges.
Epic argues that Google has "eliminated competition in the distribution of Android apps using myriad contractual and technical barriers."
However, Google argues there is more competition when it comes to apps than on any other operating system.
"Android is the only major mobile platform that gives developers multiple ways to distribute apps," the company says.
Source- BBC
Tottenham 1-4 Chelsea
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou recently spent a night in London's West End watching King Lear at the invitation of Spurs-supporting actor Sir Kenneth Branagh.
It is hard to imagine the action in Theatreland matched the dramatic production his side staged alongside Chelsea on an utterly chaotic night in north London.
The fatalistic Tottenham fans who viewed their superb start to the season as too good to be true had their worst fears realized in this crazy, controversial 4-1 defeat.
No one can accuse Spurs or Postecoglou of doing things by halves. Not after this.
This was the first time things have really gone seriously wrong for Spurs this season - and they went wrong in the most spectacular fashion in one of the most mind-boggling Premier League games of recent memory.
Spurs fans rolled up the High Road buoyed by the optimism and positivity brought by Postecoglou, knowing victory would put them back on top of the Premier League.
Instead, the wreckage of ill-discipline, red cards, injuries to key players, and a painful loss with nine men piled around Postecoglou's feet like rubble.
It leaves the Australian, who has made such an outstanding start since moving to Spurs from Celtic, facing the biggest challenge of his short time in north London.
The infamous Battle of the Bridge between these two sides in 2016 was brought to mind, especially in a wild first half lasting nearly an hour, and it is Spurs and Postecoglou who have been left counting the cost.
In that period alone, four goals were disallowed, Spurs defender Cristian Romero was sent off and conceded a penalty, and Micky van de Ven and James Maddison went off injured.
It all started so well when Dejan Kulusevski's deflected shot put Spurs ahead after six minutes but it went into reverse at alarming speed from the moment Romero returned to his reckless ways.
The Argentine was fortunate to escape a sending-off for kicking out at Levi Colwill but could not resist following through on international team-mate Enzo Fernandez, picking up a red card and allowing Cole Palmer to equalize from the spot.
Spurs' night went rapidly downhill from then on as Van de Ven, one of the Premier League players of the season after his arrival from Wolfsburg, collapsed clutching his hamstring as he raced back to halt a Chelsea attack before Maddison also went off after appearing to pick up an ankle injury.
Van de Ven and Maddison are very near the top of the list of players Postecoglou could not afford to lose. The Dutchman's injury looked serious while Spurs will hope Maddison is not sidelined for too long.
Like Romero, Destiny Udogie was lucky to escape a red card for an early lunge on Raheem Sterling but a rash, late dive into another tackle early in the second half on the same player left referee Oliver no option but to send him off.
This meant that, after just over an hour of play, only three of the outfield players who started the match for Spurs were still out there.
Postecoglou gambled on maintaining a high line even with nine men. It would have been miraculous had it survived intact. Sterling and Nicolas Jackson found a way through with only 15 minutes left, the striker helping himself to a hat-trick as Spurs ran out of steam.
If there is any good Postecoglou can take from a very bad night, it is the spirit shown by Spurs as they tried to hold on, backed by a vociferous home crowd who appreciated the character shown in difficult circumstances.
Keeper Guglielmo Vicario was heroic, racing from his goal on several occasions to act as an emergency sweeper, but in the end, even his resistance was broken.
Spurs left the pitch after the final whistle to rousing applause but this was a chastening experience that left Postecoglou with his first real session of problem-solving.
He will await medical bulletins on his injured duo while also knowing Romero faces a three-match ban - made more significant by Van de Ven's injury - while Udogie will miss one game.
Spurs have a visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers coming up, followed by a home game against Aston Villa before a trip to face league leaders Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.
Postecoglou's calm demeanor has won him a host of admirers at Spurs and beyond this season, and the time-honored warning about bumps in the road had been mentioned even before it all went off the rails here.
The ordered, pragmatic - but always positive - approach that has served him so well will be required because a bump in the road is one thing, but being faced with a mountain of unexpected problems is another.
Nobody has ever suggested managing Spurs is as easy as Postecoglou has made it look, and this almost surreal night delivered compelling proof.
Source- BBC
Italy to seize $835m from Airbnb in tax evasion inquiry
An Italian judge has ordered the seizure of €779.5m ($835.5m; £676.8m) from short-term rental giant Airbnb, over alleged tax evasion.
Prosecutors say the firm failed to collect a tax from landlords on around €3.7bn of rental income.
Landlords in Italy are required to pay a 21% tax on their earnings.
Airbnb told the BBC that it was "surprised and disappointed at the action announced by the Italian public prosecutor".
Airbnb spokesperson Christopher Nutly said the firm's European headquarters had been working to resolve the matter with the Italian tax agency since June.
Mr Nutly added, "We are confident that we have acted in full compliance with the law and intend to exercise our rights with respect to this issue."
Three people who held managerial roles at Airbnb from 2017 to 2021 were also under investigation, Milan Tribunal prosecutors said in a statement.
In 2022, Airbnb challenged the Italian law requiring the company and other short-term rental providers to withhold 21% of the rental income from landlords and pay it to tax authorities.
The firm argued that Italy's requirements on taxation contravened the European Union's principle of freedom to provide services across the 27-country bloc.
The EU's top court later ruled that Airbnb should abide by the requirements.
In recent years, Italian authorities have increased scrutiny of the tax practices of major companies like Airbnb, which has been operating in the country since 2008.
Italian prosecutors have launched tax-related inquiries against Netflix and Meta, according to media reports.
Last month, Italian politicians said they planned to crack down on landlords who did not pay taxes on short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb.
The co-ruling Forza Italia party said the country would move to introduce a national identification code for short-term rentals.
"That code will bring out the revenue of those who rent flats without declaring them," Forza Italia leader and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters.
Politicians estimate that the move could boost Italy's fiscal revenue by €1bn.
Source- BBC
Mob storms Russian airport in search of Jews
Israel has urged Russia to protect "all its citizens and all Jews" after a large mob shouting antisemitic slogans stormed a Dagestan airport.
Video footage on social media showed an angry crowd running through the airport in Makhachkala seeking people arriving on a flight from Tel Aviv.
Some of the crowd ran onto the runway and surrounded aircraft there.
Russia's aviation agency Rosaviatsia said security forces later brought the situation under control.
The airport was closed on Sunday night. On Monday, Rosaviatsia said the airport had reopened. The agency added that flights from Israel to the North Caucasus would be "temporarily redirected to other cities".
Sixty alleged mob participants have been arrested, Russian news agencies say, citing the local interior ministry.
Video clips showed hundreds of people storming the airport terminal, with some waving Palestinian flags.
Many in the crowd shouted antisemitic slogans, while others chanted "Allahu Akbar" - God is most excellent.
Video posted on social media showed a mob rampaging through the terminal, asking staff where the "Jews" were.
An Israeli passenger told Ynet that rioters stopped a bus carrying passengers and asked every person if they were Muslim or Jewish. "It was lucky that the Israelis on the plane spoke Russian," he said. "I saw death on that bus."
One passenger, who said he was on the flight from Tel Aviv, told local media that the crowd stopped him. He said he was let go after rioters told him: "We are not touching non-Jews today."
A local Telegram channel encouraged people to gather at the airport at the time of the flight's arrival and urged participants to search for every Jewish person there.
Local media reported that some demonstrators were stopping cars outside Makhachkala's airport demanding to see documents.
Twenty people were injured, including some police officers, the republic's health ministry said. Some have serious injuries and two are in critical condition.
Dagestan is a mainly Muslim Russian republic in the North Caucasus, home to some 3.1 million people on the western edge of the Caspian Sea. Its government said a criminal case had been opened for civil disorder.
The rabbi of the Dagestani city of Derbent, Ovadia Isakov, told local media that the future of the estimated 300-400 Jewish families in Dagestan was in doubt. Jews have had a presence in the region since pre-Islamic times.
The Israeli prime minister's office said Russia had to act decisively against incitement to violence against Jews and Israelis.
A US presidential spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, said in a tweet that "the United States vigorously condemns the antisemitic protests in Dagestan".
"The US unequivocally stands with the entire Jewish community as we witness a worldwide surge in antisemitism. There is never any excuse or justification for antisemitism," the White House National Security Council spokesperson said.
Dagestan's government voiced support for Gaza but appealed to citizens to remain calm and not take part in such protests. There have been widespread protests internationally against Israel's bombing of Gaza.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov blamed the riots on "outside interference" of "ill-wishers". He provided no evidence for his claim.
Dagestan's governor, Sergei Melikov, denounced the mob invasion of the airport, in a post on messaging service Telegram.
"There is no honor in hurling abuse at strangers, searching their pockets looking for their passports!" he wrote. He condemned "attacks on women with children".
The mob's actions, he said, were a "stab in the back" for Dagestani patriots, including those fighting in Ukraine in the Russian armed forces.
"What happened at our airport is outrageous and should receive the appropriate assessment from law enforcement. This will be done," he wrote.
Israel's foreign ministry said the Israeli ambassador in Moscow was working with Russian authorities, adding that Israel "views gravely attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews anywhere".
"Israel expects the Russian law enforcement authorities to safeguard all Israeli citizens and Jews, whoever they may be, and to take robust action against the rioters and against the unbridled incitement being directed at Jews and Israelis," the ministry statement said.
On Saturday, a crowd in the city of Khasavyurt in Dagestan gathered outside a hotel where they believed some Israelis were staying.
The protesters threw stones at the windows and a sign was put on the door reading: "Entrance strictly forbidden to citizens of Israel… (Jews)."
Later police reportedly let some into the hotel so they could see for themselves that no Israelis were there.
Dagestan is not the only region in the North Caucasus that has been dealing with unrest.
A Jewish center in the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria was set on fire over the weekend.
Akhmed Dudayev, Chechnya's information minister, has appealed to people not to "follow the lead of provocateurs".
"We cannot allow the incitement of ethnic hatred! Remain vigilant and do not allow yourself to be misled!" he wrote on Telegram.
Source- BBC
Anguilla conducts island-wide fogging to eradicate mosquitoes
Residents of Anguilla are being urged to do their part to prevent the spread of mosquitoes as the Environmental Health Unit (EHU) embarks on an island-wide fogging exercise.
This will be done from October 30 to November 7, 2023. Nightly sessions will commence at 5:30 p.m.
The Unit says householders should take all necessary precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes which cause illnesses, such as Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, West Nile virus and Encephalitis.
The Vector Control Squad is urging householders to eliminate all breeding sites from in and around their homes. It says such measures will go a long way in controlling and preventing the breeding of mosquitoes, as no containers equal no water, no water equals no mosquitoes and therefore no mosquito bites.
The EHU wishes to emphasize that fogging only kills adult mosquitoes and is urging all householders to eliminate all potential breeding sites from, in and around their premises; drain all stagnant water areas, remove unwanted containers, and screen cisterns.
The Environmental Health Unit is recommending that during the fogging exercise, householders should cover all potable water, food items and utensils. Open all windows to allow the fog to pass through the premises to kill any adult mosquitoes present. Persons likely to be affected by the fog (especially the sick, allergic, asthmatic, very young and elderly) should relocate during the fogging time in their locality.
If any breathing complications arise as a result of the fog, persons should consult a physician.
All motorists are asked to observe the strobe lights and be cautious when driving behind the fogging vehicle.
The Environmental Health Unit is urging the general public not to interfere with Vector Control Officers during the fogging exercise.
Tentative FOGGING SCHEDULE for the week of Monday, October 30 to Tuesday, November 7, 2023:
Monday, October 30
West End, Long Bay, Cove Road, Rendezvous, Blowing Point, Cul De Sac
Tuesday, October 31
Lower South Hill, Upper South Hill, Sandy Ground, North Hill
Wednesday, November 1
Swing High, Water Swamp, Old Ta, George Hill, Statia Valley, Little Harbour, Long Ground, Forest, Corito, and Rey Hill
Thursday, November 2
Rock Farm, Sachasses, Katouche, Roaches Hill, The Valley North Valley, South Valley
Friday, November 3
North Side, May Pen, Cedar Village, True Eyes, Tackling
Saturday, November 4
Stoney Ground, Shoal Bay, Little Dix Cauls Bottom, Wattices and The Quarter
Sunday, November 5
The Farrington, Long Road, Sandy Hill, Sea Feathers, Church Gate, The Copse, East End, Pond Site, Pond Ground
Monday, November 6
Bad Cox, Deep Waters, Chalvilles, Welches, The Sea Rocks Island Harbour
Tuesday, November 7
The Keys, Garlin Bottom, Harbour Ridge, White Hill and Mount Fortune
Source- Caribbean Loop News
Matthew Perry cause of death inconclusive pending toxicology tests
The cause of Matthew Perry's death is unknown and has been "deferred" pending further investigation.
The LA Times and TMZ, which first reported the Friends actor had died, said the star was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his house on Saturday.
Perry's post-mortem examination was inconclusive, while officials await the results of toxicology tests.
There were no obvious signs of trauma, an LA Police spokesperson confirmed to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
The LA County Medical Examiner's Office updated its file on Sunday to say the case had been deferred.
This usually means that the post-mortem is complete but more detail is needed.
A Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson told the BBC on Sunday that first responders went to an address in the Pacific Palisades area, regarding a "water emergency" of an unknown type, but did not name Perry.
The Friends star, who died at the age of 54, was best known for playing wisecracking Chandler Bing in the hugely popular '90s TV sitcom.
The show, which followed the fortunes of six young friends living in New York City, aired from 1994 until 2004.
Its final episode was watched by 52.5 million in the US, making it the most-watched TV episode of the 2000s.
But while at the height of his fame, Perry was battling with addiction to painkillers and alcohol and attended rehabilitation clinics on multiple occasions.
In 2016, he told BBC Radio 2 that he could not remember three years of filming during Friends, because of drink and drugs.
Source- BBC
H- Friends, Comedy, Television, Matthew Perry
Shein buys Misguided brand from Mike Ashley firm
Chinese clothing giant Shein is buying the Missguided brand name from Frasers Group a little more than a year after the British firm rescued the business.
Frasers announced that it was selling Missguided's intellectual property and trademarks to Shein.
But it is retaining the real estate as well as Missguided's employees, both of which "have now been integrated into Frasers' fashion division".
Shein pledged to use its e-commerce expertise to "reignite" the brand.
Retail analyst Catherine Shuttleworth said Shein would use Missguided to "increase its foothold in the West and drive sales in the UK".
She said Missguided appealed to a targeted market of younger shoppers, which Shein would be looking to tap into.
Frasers bought Missguided out of administration last June for £20m.
Michael Murray, the chief executive of Frasers Group and the son-in-law of the firm's founder Mike Ashley, said the company wanted to rationalize its business to focus on fewer brands. The company did not reveal how much it sold the brand for.
Frasers owns a huge and diverse number of retailers such as Sports Direct, Flannels, Jack Wills, Evans Cycles, and sofa.com.
It has also built stakes in the likes of Boohoo, where Frasers Group is the largest shareholder, as well as Asos.
Frasers has other fast-fashion, online brands such as I Saw It First and Missy Empire. Mr Murray said that the company had been in discussions with Shein about potential collaboration across both companies.
Missguided was founded in 2009 by Cheshire-born Nitin Passi and grew to become one of the UK's biggest online fashion businesses, focusing on younger women.
On its site, Missguided declares that "babe power is at the heart of our brand" and "we believe in championing young talent and real women".
After suffering from supply chain issues, rising freight costs, and increasing competition from rivals, Missguided fell into administration in May 2022 before being bought
Commenting on the deal, Shein executive chairman Donald Tang, said: "Shein aims to reignite the Missguided brand, capitalizing on its unique brand personality, and fuelling its global growth through Shein's on-demand production model, unparalleled e-commerce expertise and global reach."
Source- BBC
Chiefs beaten in Denver and 49ers lose third in a row
Defending champions the Kansas City Chiefs suffered a shock 24-9 defeat at the Denver Broncos on another intriguing NFL Sunday.
The Philadelphia Eagles own the league's best record after grinding out a seventh win, but the San Francisco 49ers lost their third game in a row.
The Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys enjoyed blowout wins, while the Carolina Panthers finally got their first victory of the season.
A win at the Pittsburgh Steelers means the Jacksonville Jaguars are the form team in the league, rookie quarterback Will Levis made a spectacular NFL debut for the Tennessee Titans, and veteran Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins may have had his season ended by injury.
Denver had lost 16 games in a row against the Chiefs but broke that streak in style, becoming the first team to score more than 21 points against the impressive Kansas City defense this season.
Patrick Mahomes failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 30 games in a bad day all around for the Chiefs, with their star quarterback suffering from illness in frigid conditions at Mile High Stadium.
The Broncos forced five turnovers as they secured their first win over Mahomes in 13 attempts and first win over their divisional rivals for 2,965 days - and they could not resist sending Travis Kelce and his team off the field to the sound of Taylor Swift's Shake it Off.
The defeat leaves the Chiefs on 6-2 and tied at the top of the AFC with the Baltimore Ravens, Jaguars, and Dolphins, all of whom won in week eight.
A 20-10 success in Pittsburgh made it five wins in a row for the Jaguars, who started their run with two victories in London.
The Ravens' 31-24 success in Arizona was their third in succession thanks to a strong defensive display and three rushing touchdowns for Gus Edwards, with Lamar Jackson not at his best.
The 49ers were the best team in the league after a 5-0 start, but they have now lost three straight games after a 31-17 home defeat by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Christian McCaffrey scored for the 17th consecutive game to tie Lenny Moore's NFL record from the 1963-64 season, but that was as good as it got as the 49ers stuttered on both sides of the ball.
In contrast, Cincy is heading in the opposite direction with a third straight win after Joe Burrow, who looks to be over a calf injury, threw three touchdowns.
Jalen Hurts suffered a knee injury but still threw four touchdowns as the Eagles again did just enough to beat the Washington Commanders 38-31.
AJ Brown made a stunning one-handed touchdown grab as he carved out a slice of NFL history with six straight games recording at least 125 yards, helping Philly to 7-1 and the best record in the league.
Bill Belichick has won 300 games as a head coach, but he cannot find a way to beat Tua Tagovailoa, the fourth-year quarterback who led Miami to a 31-17 victory to move to 6-0 against the New England Patriots.
The Cowboys emerged refreshed from their bye week to smash the Los Angeles Rams 43-20 behind four touchdown throws from Dak Prescott and some smothering defense that included DaRon Bland running back his third pick six of the season.
At 5-2 and with the 49ers struggling, the Cowboys are back in the conversation about who will be the biggest challengers to the Eagles in the NFC.
Source- BBC