Woman Stabbed On Hollywood's Walk Of Fame

Detectives in Los Angeles say they have arrested three beggars over the fatal stabbing of a woman as she was taking photographs on Hollywood's star-lined Walk of Fame.

Christine Darlene Calderon, 23, of Lynwood, California, was with a friend when she was attacked near a busy spot in the area where Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue meet.

The pair were taking pictures on their mobile phones in the tourist-packed area when a dispute broke out.

The tourist attraction attracts beggars and costumed street performers who demand cash for posed pictures with tourists.

According to The Los Angeles Times, the victim was asked to pay $1 for the pictures, but refused.

Ms Calderon collapsed in the street after she was stabbed in the torso and was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre where she was pronounced dead three hours later.

Her mother, Yolande Tassin, told the newspaper: "Her plan was to become an engineer. She didn't want to waste years. She wanted to get in there and do it right."

Police found the Ms Calderon bleeding from multiple stab wounds at around 8.30pm on Tuesday.

"A dispute ensued and ultimately the victim was stabbed in the torso," the Los Angeles Police Department said.

She was identified by the Los Angeles Coroner's office on Wednesday.

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India Floods: Up To 1,000 Feared Dead

At least 1,000 people may have died in flash floods and landslides in the north of India, officials have said.

The news comes as India's army military increases its efforts to reach tourists and pilgrims in villages and towns cut off by torrential monsoon rains in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

Helicopters and up to 10,000 soldiers have been deployed and mobilised to "provide leadership, succour, medical, air and engineer efforts", the army said in a statement.

Houses, buildings and vehicles have collapsed or been swept away by flooding rivers and landslides, while bridges and narrow roads have also been destroyed, leaving some 65,000 people stranded mainly at remote pilgrimage sites, officials said.

Torrential rains four and a half times as heavy as usual poured into Uttarakhand, known as the "Land of the Gods", where Hindu shrines and temples built high in the mountains attract many pilgrims.

A submerged statue of the Hindu lord Shiva stands in the flooded waters

One of those stranded was Indian cricket star Harbhajan Singh, who was trying to reach a Sikh pilgrimage site but had to take refuge in a police station.

"Some people are saying that we're stuck but I wouldn't say that we're stuck, I'd say we've been saved by God," the spin bowler said. "With the kind of rainstorm we witnessed, anything could have happened. Many people lost their lives."

"We estimate more than 1,000 people have died as unattended bodies are scattered all around," said Ganesh Godiyal, chairman of a trust in charge of several shrines in the pilgrimage towns of Kedarnath and Badrinath.

A house submerged in sand in Srinagar

Over the border in Nepal, another 22 people have been killed in recent days in landslides and flash floods also triggered by rains.

In India, the military operation was concentrating on reaching the worst-hit Kedarnath temple area, as families of those missing and stranded faced an anxious wait in Uttarakhand capital's Dehradun.

"Never seen anything like this ... entire roads have vanished and villages destroyed ... there's rubble everywhere," a military officer said.

People retrieve what belongings they can from their home

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday evening that the priority was rescuing those still stranded and helping more than 10,000 people already evacuated, describing the floods as "most distressing".

Local officials said 40 relief camps have been set up to house evacuated residents and tourists. Some 18 air force helicopters are  taking many of those rescued to the camps.

The monsoon, which covers the subcontinent from June to September, usually brings some flooding. But the heavy rains arrived early this year, catching many by surprise and exposing the country's lack of preparedness.

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David Beckham Stampede Leaves Seven Injured

Several people have been injured after fans of David Beckham charged forward to catch a glimpse of the football star.

Three police officers, two security guards and two students were hurt in the stampede outside a stadium at Tongji University in Shanghai, China.

A David Beckham fan helps an injured security guard

Beckham, who was on the fourth day of a week-long tour China, had been due to meet members of the university football team.

When he arrived at the stadium, some of the 1,000 fans who had gathered to meet him stormed through a gate and broke through a line formed by security staff.

Injured students were carried from the scene of the stampede

A spokesman for Tongji University said one student suffered leg injuries, while a guard suffered bruising to her eye.

Those taken to hospital would remain there for further observation and treatment, he said.

Students at the front of the crowd were knocked to the ground

Beckham, 38, whose car was surrounded by huge crowds earlier in the day, was unable to reach the pitch and the event was cancelled.

The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy player is in China to promote the Chinese Super League.

Beckham's car was surrounded by fans eager to catch a glimpse of him

He has been hired as an "image ambassador" to promote the competition.

On Tuesday, he played football with children at Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre in the country's Jiangsu province.

There has been a huge amount of interest in Beckham's tour of China

He also trained with the Jiangsu Sainty team, demonstrating his trademark free kick.

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Jackson Children's Evidence Shown At Trial

Video recordings of Michael Jackson's older children Paris and Prince have been shown during the wrongful death case brought against the star's concert promoter AEG Live.

The company used clips from the depositions the children gave in March to counter testimony given by the family's personal chef.

In the first clip shown to jurors Paris talks about former Jackson nanny Grace Rwaramba who was sacked two months before her father died.

Under questioning from AEG lawyer Martin Putnam she said of the nanny: "Sometimes, my dad didn't like her, so he tried to, like, keep her away from us, so he'd send her to run errands a lot."

Asked why Ms Rwaramba was not sacked earlier Paris said her father felt sorry for her "because she didn't really have a lot of money..."

Ms Rwaramba is due to give evidence later in the trial.

In court, chef Kai Chase described the home lives of the children during the final months of the singer's life and their ongoing grief after their father's death.

Ms Chase told the jury that early in 2009 the youngsters had played with their "vibrant and hands-on father" and traded jokes at the dinner table.

Michael Jackson in rehearsal for his ill-fated This Is It concerts

But by June that year, Ms Chase said Jackson was deteriorating and that she witnessed Prince having to help his father up a staircase to his bedroom. He died on June 25.

In the video, Prince denied he had helped his father upstairs.

Since Jackson's death, Ms Chase told the court that Prince, now 16, had "the weight of the world is on his shoulders".

She said Paris, now 15, seems to be having the hardest time. "Being daddy's little girl, Paris is devastated," she said. "She's devastated and lost.

"She's trying to find herself and find who she is," Ms Chase said. "It's taking a lot of love and understanding to keep her together. She breaks down, she cries, she talks about him."

Paris was recently treated in hospital after an apparent suicide attempt.

And youngest son Blanket, 11, who remains home-schooled, wears a T-shirt with his father's image on it every Friday, she said.

"He never really had a time when it was father-son because he was so tiny," she said.

Michael Jackson's mother Katherine is suing concert promoter AEG

Ms Chase, who was again employed as the family chef in July 2012, recounted for jurors her interactions with Jackson, his children and her ongoing work with the singer's mother Katherine and children for jurors hearing Mrs Jackson's negligent hiring case against AEG.

The company denies all wrongdoing.

After weeks of testimony about Jackson's business dealings with AEG, Ms Chase's testimony returned the trial's focus to the family.

Earlier in her testimony, Ms Chase described an April 2009 11th birthday party for Paris that included a private circus.

"Paris hasn't had any birthdays since," Chase said. "She hasn't wanted to celebrate since."

Ms Chase told the jury how she met AEG executives at the centre of the case, including chief executive Randy Phillips and executive Paul Gongaware, when they came to Jackson's home for meetings about the singer's ill-fated This Is It comeback concerts.

One tense meeting in June started with a vase being broken - she didn't know by whom - and with Jackson and his personal physician, Conrad Murray, storming out.

Murray was convicted in 2011 of administering a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol to Jackson.

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James Gandolfini Dies: Actors Lead Tributes

The cast of hit television series The Sopranos have led tributes to James Gandolfini, describing him as a "giant" and "the most humble and gifted actor".

The star, who was 51, died after suffering a cardiac arrest while on holiday in Italy.

Lorraine Bracco, who played his character Tony's psychiatrist Dr Melfi in the popular show, said: "We lost a giant today. I am utterly heartbroken."

Joe Gannascoli, who played Vito Spatafore, said his death came "way too young".

"James is one guy who never turned his back on me," he told TMZ. "He was the most humble and gifted actor and person I have ever worked with ... and I will forever be indebted to him."

Gandolfini worked alongside some of the biggest names in showbiz during a career spanning more than 25 years.

He co-starred with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts in 2001 comedy The Mexican and teamed up with Denzel Washington and John Travolta for 2009 thriller The Taking of Pelham 123.

He worked with Sean Penn, Jude Law and Kate Winslet in 2006 political drama All the King's Men, as well as Nicholas Cage in 1999's 8MM.

Among the Hollywood actors to pay tribute to him were Samuel L Jackson, who tweeted: "Massive blow to the acting community today ... the passing of James Gandolfini. So talented. My heart goes out to his family!"

"Shocked and saddened by James Gandolfini's passing," wrote Michael J Fox. "My deepest sympathies to his family and friends."

Robin Williams described him as an "extraordinary actor", while Russell Crowe added: "Sad to hear about James Gandolfini. First met Jimmy back in '94. He was roommates in NY with Lenny Loftin. Lovely man. RIP Jimmy."

The Sopranos ran for six seasons from 1999-2007.

Gandolfini starred in 86 episodes currently being re-run on Sky Atlantic, which will show four of the best on Friday evening.

Elaine Pyke, the channel's director, said: "James Gandolfini was a great actor, taken tragically too soon. His legacy, in the lead of one of the greatest television series ever made, will forever stand testament to his remarkable talent."

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Sopranos Star James Gandolfini Dies Aged 51

James Gandolfini, the actor best known for his portrayal of a New Jersey mob boss in the hit TV series The Sopranos, has died at 51 after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Gandolfini died while on holiday in Rome.

He was rushed to the city's Policlinic Umberto I hospital on Wednesday night, but was pronounced dead after resuscitation attempts failed.

Hospital officials said a post-mortem examination would be performed starting 24 hours after the death, as required by law.

Gandolfini became a global superstar thanks to his portrayal of Tony Soprano and won three Emmy Awards for his performance as the brutal mobster with a tortured psyche.

A photograph of Gandolfini is displayed in a restaurant window in New York

Sopranos creator David Chase said the actor was one of the greatest of all time.

"He was a genius. Anyone who saw him even in the smallest of his performances knows that.

"He is one of the greatest actors of this or any time. A great deal of genius resided in those sad eyes."

Gandolfini married former model Deborah Lin in 2008, and their daughter was born last year. He also has a son from a previous relationship.

Many fans have flocked to the diner featured in the final scene of The Sopranos to pay their respects.

Gandolfini with co-stars Steven Van Zandt (L) and Tony Sirico (R). Pic: HBO

TV network HBO, which was behind the hit series, described him as a "special man" and a "great talent".

"We're all in shock and feeling immeasurable sadness at the loss of a beloved member of our family," a statement said.

"He was a special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone - no matter their title or position - with equal respect."

Gandolfini had been due to appear at a film festival in Sicily at the weekend. The festival directors said they would organise a tribute "to celebrate his great achievement and talent".

The Sopranos cast accept an Emmy at the 2007 awards

Since The Sopranos ended in 2007, Gandolfini has appeared in a number of big-screen roles, including thriller Zero Dark Thirty and the comedy The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.

Gandolfini also shared a Broadway stage in 2009 with Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden in a celebrated production of God Of Carnage, where he earned a Tony Award nomination for best actor. He also was in On The Waterfront with David Morse.

At the time of his death, he had been working on a new HBO series titled Criminal Justice.

"It is with immense sorrow that we report our client James Gandolfini passed away today while on holiday in Rome, Italy," his managers said in a statement.

"Our hearts are shattered and we will miss him deeply. He and his family were part of our family for many years and we are all grieving."

In a December 2012 interview, Gandolfini said he gravitated to acting as a release to get rid of anger.

"I don't know what exactly I was angry about," he said. "I try to avoid certain things and certain kinds of violence at this point.

"I'm getting older, too. I don't want to be beating people up as much. I don't want to be beating women up and those kinds of things that much any more."

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Joe Torre's Daughter Catches Falling Baby

The daughter of baseball legend Joe Torre made a perfect catch when she grabbed a baby boy falling from a building in New York City, reports said.

Cristina Torre was reported to be "in shock" after she caught the one-year-old before he fell to the ground.

Ms Torre, 44, had been walking in Brooklyn on Wednesday morning when she spotted the boy hanging from the awning of the building, the New York Daily News reported.

The boy fell, but landed in Ms Torre's outstretched arms.

"The baby was dangling," she recalled.

"I just put out my arms when I saw him coming down, and luckily he literally landed straight in my arms on his back."

A witness, Kristen Bramsen, told the New York Daily News: "The baby was shaken. Everyone was going up to the woman and hugging her. I hugged her."

Joe Torre said he was 'proud' of his daughter's actions

"She just smiled and said she was in shock," Ms Bramsen added.

The boy is thought to have crawled through a piece of cardboard placed next to an air conditioning unit in the window of his family's second-floor home and fell onto the awning.

The baby was taken to Lutheran Medical Centre where he was being treated for lacerations to the face, reports said.

Both parents have been taken into custody and charged with reckless endangerment and acting in a manner injurious to a child under 17.

Joe Torre, a former all-star catcher, was New York Yankees' manager from 1996 to 2007, leading the team to four World Series championship titles.

"I am very proud of my daughter Cristina's actions today during an incident in Brooklyn involving a small child," he said in a statement.

"Fortunately for that child she was in the right place at the right time to lend a hand."

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Aaron Hernandez 'Had Link To Homicide Victim'

American footballer player Aaron Hernandez had a connection to a man whose body was found in an industrial park near the athlete's home, the victim's family said.

Police have searched the sprawling home of New England Patriots tight end Hernandez in North Attleborough, Massachusetts, after a body was found about a mile away.

The officers have identified the body as that of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd.

His cause of death has not been released.

Hernandez has not talked to reporters outside his home

Mr Lloyd's family said he was a semi-pro football player for the Boston Bandits and had a connection to Hernandez, but did not elaborate.

Bristol District Attorney Samuel Sutter's office is asking for the public's help to find a silver mirror cover believed to have broken off a car connected to the case.

Details are sketchy, but news reports say Hernandez was not believed to be a suspect.

Mr Lloyd's mother, Ursula Ward, said: "My son is a wonderful child."

"He's a family guy. He hasn't done anything to hurt anyone," she added, crying outside the family home in Boston's Dorchester neighbourhood.

Police searched Hernandez's home for two days this week. Some reports say he was questioned by police on Monday.

He missed 10 games last season with an ankle injury and had shoulder surgery in April but is expected to be ready for training camp. Last summer, the Patriots gave him a five-year contract worth $40m (£25m).

Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the team did not anticipate commenting publicly during the police investigation.

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Philippines Capital Extends Plastic Bags Ban

Plastic shopping bags and food containers have been banned in Manila's financial district as part of escalating attempts to reduce deadly floods.

The ban was introduced in Makati, home to many of the country's most expensive shopping outlets and around 2,900 restaurants, after a widespread publicity campaign.

Food can be wrapped in plastic but shops and restaurants are not allowed to issue plastic bags. Styrofoam food containers and plastic cups have also been banned.

Environment protection officers in Makati will hand out fines of 5,000 pesos (£75) to shops and supermarkets which break the law.

An employee sorts plastic waste at a recycling plant in Manila

Customers are given the option of using paper alternatives or not using a bag, with supermarkets encouraging people to bring their own.

Sonia Mendoza, coordinator of the anti-plastic group Eco-Waste Coalition said that the ban did not go far enough as consumers can still use biodegradable bags.

"They still litter and they do not really biodegrade. They just become small pieces but they are still made of plastic," she said.

The worst floods to hit the capital occurred in 2009. Typhoon Ketsana left 80% of the city submerged in floodwater and killed 400 people.

Local Residents cross a flooded road in the aftermath of Typhoon Ketsana

Although Makati's official population is just over 600,000, city officials say it rises to 3.7 million during the daytime as hundreds of thousands of workers commute to the city.

Makati is the ninth out of 17 districts within the Philipines' capital Manila to implement the ban. Just over half the city's 13 million population are now covered by the restrictions.

Plastic waste is widely blamed for contributing to flooding in the country and cutting down on it is essential to prevent the city's waterways from getting clogged, said Prexy Macana, project officer of Makati's environmental services department.

"During our bi-monthly wastewater clean-ups, we found most of the garbage is plastics," he said.

June is the start of the rainy season in the Philippines. There has already been flooding but as yet no loss of life.

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Taliban Offer US Soldier For Guantanamo Inmates

Taliban Insurgency: A Timeline

Updated: 4:44pm UK, Tuesday 18 June 2013

As Afghan forces take control of national security, marking a major milestone for the withdrawal of US-led combat troops, here is a timeline of the 12 years of Taliban insurgency in the country.

:: September 11, 2001 - al Qaeda hijackers fly passenger planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, killing nearly 3,000 people. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is known to live in Afghanistan, which is ruled by the Taliban.

:: October 7, 2001 - A US-led military campaign begins with air strikes against Afghanistan, followed by troops, to hunt down bin Laden and topple the Taliban.

:: December 2001 - The Taliban are forced from power, but bin Laden is not found. Plans are laid for an interim government and a multinational force. Hamid Karzai is appointed to lead the government and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) begins to deploy.

:: October 9, 2004 - Afghanistan's first presidential election takes place. Mr Karzai is proclaimed the winner. He is declared to have won another term in November 2009, amid accusations of massive electoral fraud.

:: February 2007 - Taliban insurgents attack at US base as vice president Dick Cheney visits, killing 24 people.

:: November 2008 - Barack Obama is elected US president, and vows to end the war in Iraq and focus on Afghanistan.

:: December 1, 2009 - Mr Obama orders a "surge" of 30,000 troops into Afghanistan but says withdrawals will begin in July 2011. The number of NATO-led forces reaches a peak of 150,000 in the summer of 2010.

:: May 2, 2011 - Osama bin Laden is killed by US special forces in the Pakistan town of Abbottabad.

:: June 22, 2011 - Mr Obama announces the withdrawal of 33,000 US troops by the middle of 2012.

:: July 2011 - Western troops and officials begin handing authority to Afghan forces in some areas.

:: August 6, 2011 - 30 US troops, mostly special forces, and eight Afghans die when the Taliban shoots down their helicopter in the biggest single loss for foreign troops in the war.

:: September 20, 2011 - Burhanuddin Rabbani, a former president and Mr Karzai's peace envoy, becomes the most senior politician to be killed since the start of the conflict in an assassination blamed by Afghan officials on the Taliban.

:: November 27, 2011 - US air strikes kill 24 Pakistani soldiers, prompting Pakistan to suspend overland NATO supply routes into Afghanistan for several months.

:: December 6, 2011 - At least 84 people die in suicide blasts at shrines on the Shiite holday day of Ashura. The biggest attack takes place in Kabul, killing 80.

:: February 2012 - Deadly protests kill 40 people and force Mr Obama to apologise after US troops burn copies of the Koran on an Afghan military base.

:: March 11, 2012 - A rogue US soldier walks off his base in Kandahar and kills 16 Afghans, most of them women and children.

:: February 2013 - Mr Obama announces 34,000 US troops will return from Afghanistan by mid-February 2014. There are currently 98,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan.

At least 3,336 foreign troops have died since the start of operations in 2001.

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