Playboy™

The number of people living under siege in Syria has doubled this year to almost one million, the UN says. Emergency Relief Co-ordinator Stephen O'Brien said the figure had jumped from 486,700 to 974,080 in six months. People were being "isolated, starved, bombed and denied medical attention and humanitarian assistance in order to force them to submit or flee", he said. Mr O'Brien noted that the "deliberate tactic of cruelty" was mostly employed by President Bashar al-Assad's forces. "Those maintaining the sieges know by now that this Council is apparently unable or unwilling to enforce its will or agree now on steps to stop them," he told the UN Security Council. Newly besieged locations include the rebel-held Damascus suburbs of Jobar, Hajar al-Aswad and Khan al-Shih, as well as several areas in the eastern Ghouta agricultural belt outside the capital. Mr O'Brien also told the Security Council that he was "more or less at my wit's end" over the situation in the divided city of Aleppo, where an estimated 275,000 people living under siege in rebel-held eastern districts face "annihilation". A unilateral pause on aerial bombardment by the government and its ally Russia that began on 18 October had offered a "glimmer of hope", he said. But the shelling of civilian areas in the government-controlled west by rebel and jihadist groups and the resumption of air strikes last Tuesday, he added, had returned "the city and its inhabitants to death and destruction once again". "Over the past days, reports indicate that hundreds of civilians have been killed, injured or otherwise affected by the relentless attacks on eastern Aleppo." "Let me be clear: we are not just seeing a resumption of violence in Aleppo, this is not business as usual," Mr O'Brien told the Security Council. "What has been unleashed on civilians this past week is yet another low in an unrelenting inhuman onslaught, and it is as heart-breaking as it is not inevitable." Mr O'Brien warned that humanitarian conditions in eastern Aleppo had also "gone from terrible to terrifying" and were "now barely survivable". The last of the food rations delivered by the UN before access was cut off in July were distributed on 13 November. Only a handful of rations from local NGOs remain, food in markets is scarce, and prices have sky-rocketed. On Sunday, the Syrian government said it had rejected a proposal by the UN special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, for eastern Aleppo to be granted autonomy if jihadist fighters linked to al-Qaeda withdrew and the fighting stopped. US President Barack Obama - who has backed the uprising against Mr Assad - meanwhile said he was "not optimistic about the short-term prospects in Syria". "Once Russia and Iran made a decision to back Assad and a brutal air campaign and essentially a pacification of Aleppo regardless of civilian casualties, children being killed or wounded, schools or hospitals being destroyed, then it was very hard to see a way in which even a trained and committed moderate opposition could hold its ground for long periods of time," he said.

French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out of a primary to choose the presidential candidate of the centre-right Republican party. Admitting defeat, Mr Sarkozy endorsed Francois Fillon, a moderate who finished first in Sunday's first round, according to near-complete results. Alain Juppe, who like Mr Fillon is an ex-prime minister, finished second. They will face each other in a run-off next Sunday. The winner will compete in next year's presidential election. The winner of the Republican primary is likely to make the presidential run-off, where he or she will probably face far-right leader Marine Le Pen. With the governing socialists unpo[CENSORED]r and divided, it seems unlikely that any left-wing candidate will survive the first round in April. Polls currently suggest that the centre-right candidate would win the second round in May. In his concession speech, Mr Sarkozy, 61, said: "I have no bitterness, I have no sadness, and I wish the best for my country." He told reporters he now supported Mr Fillon, 62, whose "political choices" he said were closer to his own than Mr Juppe's. Mr Fillon served as Mr Sarkozy's prime minister during the latter's presidency between 2007 and 2012.

Have fun

Sixty Conservative MPs, including seven ex-cabinet ministers, are calling for Britain to quit the single market and customs union when it leaves the EU. Writing in the Telegraph, Suella Fernandes MP said only in leaving will "we truly be a beacon of international free trade". Michael Gove, Iain Duncan Smith and Theresa Villier are among her backers. Meanwhile, other senior Tories are urging the PM to drop an appeal against a ruling that MPs must vote on Brexit. The group of 60 Tories - out of a total of 328 Conservative MPs - want Britain to pull out of both the European single market and the customs union, which allows its members to trade without tariffs but imposes common duties on goods imported from outside the bloc. Ms Fernandes said the 23 June vote to leave the EU was "an instruction to untie ourselves from EU shackles and freely embrace the rest of the world". "As was made clear in the referendum campaign, remaining in the EU's internal market, like Norway, or in a customs union like Turkey is not compatible with either of these commitments and doing so would frustrate the will of the electorate." Meanwhile, Sir Oliver Letwin, former head of the government's Brexit preparations, and two former law officers said the appeal against a court ruling that means MPs must vote on the UK leaving the EU should not go to the Supreme Court. Instead, they want ministers to bring a bill to Parliament to start the process of Brexit as soon as possible. Former minister Sir Oliver told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the Supreme Court hearing could see ministers' powers outside Parliament curbed. He said that bringing a bill to Parliament would give the government the ability to trigger Brexit without any constraints on its negotiating power. Former Solicitor General Sir Edward Garnier said Mrs May should drop the appeal to avoid expense and a row about judges' powers, while former Attorney General Dominic Grieve said he could not see the point of continuing with the case. The government said it would robustly defend its position at the appeal and said: "As the prime minister made clear [on Friday], our work is on track and we remain committed to triggering Article 50 by the end of March next year." A final judgement from the Supreme Court is not expected until January.

Donald Trump has named more conservative hardliners for key posts, with Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions nominated as attorney general. Mr Sessions, a former prosecutor, was turned down for a federal judgeship in 1986 because of alleged racist remarks. Congressman Mike Pompeo is nominated as CIA director and retired Lt Gen Michael Flynn made national security adviser. Mr Trump's latest picks were praised on Twitter by David Duke, former leader of the white supremacist KKK group. In a statement, Mr Trump called Mr Sessions a "world class legal mind". "Jeff is greatly admired by legal scholars and virtually everyone who knows him," he added. Mr Sessions said in a statement that he "enthusiastically" embraced President-elect Trump's vision for "one America and his commitment to equal justice under law". "I look forward to fulfilling my duties with an unwavering dedication to fairness and impartiality," he said. Mr Sessions, 69, and Gen Flynn, 57, have been close allies of Mr Trump since the early days of his campaign and share many of his views. Mr Sessions opposes any path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and was an enthusiastic backer of Mr Trump's pledge to build a wall on the border with Mexico. In 1986, Mr Sessions was nominated by then-President Ronald Reagan for a federal judgeship, but was rejected because of allegations that he had made racist remarks. He strongly denied the claims.

US bank JP Morgan Chase is to pay $264m (£212m) to settle claims it hired the children of highly placed Chinese officials to gain business in China. The Department of Justice called the scheme "bribery by any other name" and said it threatened national security. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Justice Department (DoJ) began an investigation in 2013. The bank will pay the SEC $130m for violations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It is also expected to pay $72m to the US Justice Department and $61.9m to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which effectively bans US companies from paying foreign government officials to help them secure business, is one of the strictest bribery laws in the world. JP Morgan was found to have designed a scheme to hire otherwise unqualified candidates for prestigious investment banking jobs solely because they were introduced to the bank by officials who could give it business. JPMorgan did not pay Chinese officials directly, but the US authorities decided what it was doing amounted to the same thing. In some cases, the DoJ said that candidates were hired on the understanding that the job was linked to the award of specific business. It said amounted to corruption. The SEC said that over seven years, about 100 interns and full-time employees were hired at the request of foreign government officials, enabling JP Morgan to win or retain business that generated more than $100m in revenues. It said: "JP Morgan employees knew the firm was potentially violating the [Foreign Corrupt Practices Act], yet persisted with the improper hiring program because the business rewards and new deals were deemed too lucrative." Kara Brockmeyer, of the SEC, said the misconduct was "so blatant that JP Morgan investment bankers created 'referral hires vs revenue' spreadsheets" to track the money flow. The DoJ's William Sweeney said: "When foreign officials are among those involved in the bribe, the international free market system and our national security are among the major threats we face." Shares in JP Morgan rose 1.1% in New York to $78.25 and are up by almost a fifth this year.

A hospital, blood bank and ambulances are reported to have been hit as Syrian government aircraft and artillery bombarded rebel-held eastern Aleppo. The director of the Bayan Children's Hospital said he was sheltering in the facility's basement, unable to leave. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 21 people had been killed, five of them children. The air strikes resumed on Tuesday after a three-week moratorium declared by the government's ally Russia ended. Russia also announced the start of a major operation against jihadist militants elsewhere in western Syria that saw the country's only aircraft carrier used in combat for the first time. Aleppo, once Syria's commercial and industrial hub, has been divided in roughly two since 2012, with the government controlling the west and rebels the east. In the past year, Syrian troops have broken the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes. On 22 September, two weeks after encircling the east and imposing a siege on its 275,000 residents, they launched an all-out offensive to take full control of the city. The government and its ally Russia halted air strikes on 18 October to allow civilians and rebels to leave, but few took up the offer. By the end of the month, air strikes and shelling had killed more than 700 civilians in the east, while rocket-fire had left scores dead in the west, according to the UN. On Tuesday, activists said the government's air strikes had resumed, killing at least 11 people, amid reports by state media of large troop deployments on several fronts ahead of a major ground assault. The Syrian Observatory, a monitoring group, said missiles fired by jets, barrel bombs dropped from helicopters and artillery targeted several areas on Wednesday, including Shaar, Sukkari, Sakhour and Karam al-Beik. The Independent Doctors Association, which supports several facilities in Syria, reported that the Bayan Children's Hospital had been badly damaged. It quoted the hospital's director, Dr Hatem, as saying he was trapped in the basement. "The planes are up above. We can't get out. Maybe we can protect ourselves in this room," he added. Rescue workers from the Syria Civil Defence, who are also known as the White Helmets, meanwhile said that a paramedic had been killed in Karam al-Beik. "The helicopters won't stop for a single moment," spokesman Bebars Mishal told the Reuters news agency. "Right now, the bombing won't let up." Air raids also reportedly continued in the countryside west of Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory said at least 19 people were killed in the village of Batbo.

Donald Trump says he could have won the po[CENSORED]r vote against Hillary Clinton if he had campaigned differently. With one state left to count, Mrs Clinton has nearly a million more votes than him but lost last week's election due to the electoral college system. Mr Trump said on Sunday this system was unfair and he preferred a simple vote. But on Tuesday he insisted he would have still won a straight vote because he would have focused more on the big states won by Mrs Clinton. "I would have campaigned in N.Y. Florida and California and won even bigger and more easily" the president-elect said on Twitter. He lost New York and California. In an interview on Sunday with the 60 Minutes programme Mr Trump complained about the electoral college system, in which each state is worth a different number of votes, saying that he preferred the po[CENSORED]r vote method. He said that he has "respect" for the electoral college system "but I would rather see it where you went with simple votes". "You know, you get 100 million votes and somebody else gets 90 million votes and you win," he told interviewer Lesley Stahl. It's not the first time Mr Trump has lashed out at the voting system. On election night 2012, he incorrectly tweeted that Mitt Romney had won the po[CENSORED]r vote but lost to Barack Obama: "He lost the po[CENSORED]r vote by a lot and won the election. We should have a revolution in this country!" In a subsequent post from that night he added "the electoral college is a disaster for a democracy" and "the phoney electoral college made a laughing stock out of our nation". Bernie Sanders, the populist candidate who ran against Mrs Clinton in the Democratic primary, has also questioned the electoral college system. When asked by USA Today if the electoral college should be changed, he responded "I think you ought to think about this... I think we want to rethink that." Mr Trump has set up a transition team to help assemble his cabinet. He is meeting top aides, and his vice president Mike Pence on Tuesday at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan. According to media reports, he is considering former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani or former UN Ambassador John Bolton for the role of Secretary of State, the top US diplomat. The BBC's Gary O'Donoghue in Washington said the Pentagon has still not been contacted by the Trump transition team to discuss the handover of operations.

The moon has come closer to Earth than at any other time since 1948. Sky gazers around the world are congregating near landmarks, on beaches and atop tall buildings to take a look. The 'supermoon' reached its brightest in Asia on Monday evening. The Moon was closest - only 221,524 miles (356,509km) away - at 11:21 GMT. The moon orbits the Earth in an ellipse, not a circle, so it is sometimes closer to the Earth than it is at other times. When the perigee - the closest approach - and the full moon coincide, it is known as a supermoon. This supermoon was best seen in North America early on Monday, before dawn. The UK's best chance to see it will be on Monday evening. Supermoons appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter when compared with the furthest point the Moon gets to within its orbit. The moon will not be this close again until 25 November 2034 - when it will be even closer, within 221,485 miles. Those hoping to get a good picture are advised to take a photo of the moon with a reference point, like a landmark, in frame. If you're using a digital SLR - use a daylight white balance setting to capture moonlight, Nasa photographer Bill Ingalls advises.

About This Game Reprise your role as a supernatural assassin in Dishonored 2! Play your way in a world where mysticism and industry collide. Will you choose to play as Empress Emily Kaldwin or the royal protector, Corvo Attano? Will you make your way through the game unseen, make full use of its brutal combat system, or use a blend of both? How will you combine your character's unique set of powers, weapons and gadgets to eliminate your enemies? The story responds to your choices, leading to intriguing outcomes, as you play through each of the game's hand-crafted missions. Dishonored 2 is set 15 years after the Lord Regent has been vanquished and the dreaded Rat Plague has passed into history. An otherworldly usurper has seized Empress Emily Kaldwin’s throne, leaving the fate of the Isles hanging in the balance. As Emily or Corvo, travel beyond the legendary streets of Dunwall to Karnaca, the once-dazzling coastal city that holds the keys to restoring Emily to power. Armed with the Mark of the Outsider and powerful new abilities, track down your enemies and take back what’s rightfully yours. Release Date: November 11, 2016 M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes Genre: Third-Person Action Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: Arkane Studios

US President-elect Donald Trump has awarded key roles in his incoming team to a top Republican party official and a conservative media chief. Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), will be his chief of staff. In this role, he will set the tone for the new White House and act as a conduit to Congress and the government. Stephen Bannon, from the conservative Breitbart News Network, will serve as Mr Trump's chief strategist. Mr Bannon stepped aside temporarily as Breitbart's executive chairman to act as Mr Trump's campaign chief. The Republican candidate defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Tuesday's presidential vote, in a result which shocked many, who had expected Mrs Clinton to win following favourable opinion polls. Mr Trump is due to take over at the White House on 20 January, when Barack Obama steps down after two terms in office. "I am thrilled to have my very successful team continue with me in leading our country," Mr Trump said in a statement released by his campaign. "Steve and Reince are highly qualified leaders who worked well together on our campaign and led us to a historic victory. Now I will have them both with me in the White House as we work to make America great again." He is said to have good ties with both Mr Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who opposed many of Mr Trump's policies during the campaign. Mr Priebus, 44, acted as a bridge between Mr Trump and the Republican party establishment during the campaign. He is close to Mr Ryan, a fellow Wisconsinite, who could be instrumental in steering the new administration's legislative agenda. Elected chairman of the RNC in 2011, Mr Priebus has acted as the party's spokesman and chief fundraiser, helping candidates running for re-election. He said it was "truly an honour" to join Mr Trump in the White House as chief of staff. "I am very grateful to the President-elect for this opportunity to serve him and this nation as we work to create an economy that works for everyone, secure our borders, repeal and replace Obamacare and destroy radical Islamic terrorism," he added. Correspondents say one of the big challenges of the new administration will be reconciling Mr Trump with the mainstream Republican party, where sharp divisions emerged during the primaries. Both houses of Congress are under Republican control.During the election race, Mr Bannon, 62, saw it as his aim to "bolster the business-like approach of Mr Trump's campaign". A former naval officer, investment banker and Hollywood producer, Mr Bannon took over at Breitbart in 2012, when he promised to make it the "Huffington Post of the right". Breitbart is the most-read conservative news website in the US, set up to challenge the power of mainstream media. "I want to thank President-elect Trump for the opportunity to work with Reince in driving the agenda of the Trump administration," Mr Bannon said on Sunday. "We had a very successful partnership on the campaign, one that led to victory. We will have that same partnership in working to help President-elect Trump achieve his agenda."

Sting has reopened the Bataclan concert hall in Paris with a minute's silence for the 90 people killed by jihadists from so-called Islamic State. The British singer told the audience, including survivors, that they had to honour the dead and celebrate life. His concert is on the eve of the first anniversary of the co-ordinated attacks that left 130 people dead across Paris, culminating with the Bataclan massacre. Sting will donate the proceeds from the show to two survivors' charities. "We will not forget them," Sting said speaking in French, before starting his hour-long set shortly after 21:00 (20:00 GMT). The performer began with the song "Fragile", singing: "Nothing comes from violence and nothing will." Concert-goers, who had been arriving for a couple of hours before the concert began, were in a defiant mood ahead of the show. "Sting is part of our youth but we also decided to come because of the Bataclan," a man, who gave his name only as Stefano, told PA news agency. "We hesitated at the beginning but we decided that life must be stronger." The Bataclan has been renovated entirely since the attack. BBC Five Live's Nick Garnett, who is at the concert, was searched three times before he was allowed to enter. He tweeted: "The strangest atmosphere. The Bataclan has been repainted, renovated but it's still so vibrant with the horror of a year ago. #Paris". The Bataclan was the last place the militants targeted on Friday, 13 November 2015. The co-ordinated attack had already struck the Stade de France and restaurants filled with people enjoying their evening. The 130 people who lost their lives that night will be remembered in a series of low-key events over the weekend. But the concert at the Bataclan, where about 1,500 people had been watching American band Eagles of Death Metal when the gunmen burst in last year, is one of the most symbolic. Jules Frutos, who has co-run the venue for the last 12 years, told AFP news agency: "We had to go on after such horror and not leave a mausoleum, a tomb." Mr Frutos contacted British rocker Sting, who first performed at the Bataclan in 1978, about the concert after reading he wanted to help. Sting says he hopes the concert will "respect the memory as well as the life affirming spirit of those who fell". The 1,000 tickets on offer for the concert sold out within 30 minutes of going on sale. Hundreds of tickets were held for survivors, and there will be psychologists and counsellors on stand-by for anyone who needs. "The whole world is going to see the Bataclan live again," Jerome Langlet, of the venue's owners Lagardere Live Entertainment, added. The concert venue will be closed on Sunday, the actual anniversary, when a plaque is due to be unveiled in memory of those who lost their lives. The Bataclan is opening again on Wednesday for a series of concerts by British singer Pete Doherty, Senegalese star Youssou N'Dour and British Sixties legend Marianne Faithfull.

Happy birthday to you my ugly My wishes for you and gift me cake

Actor Robert Vaughn, best known as the secret agent Napoleon Solo in The Man from UNCLE, has died aged 83. Vaughn was also famous for his role as Lee in the Magnificent Seven, and television roles in Hustle and Coronation Street. The iconic actor died after a battle with acute leukaemia, his manager, Matthew Sullivan, told the BBC. Vaughn died in New York on Friday morning surrounded by his family, he said. The suave, debonair and impeccably dressed star David McCallum, from the hit TV show NCIS, who as Illya Kuryakin starred alongside Vaughn in The Man From UNCLE, told TVLine.com he was "utterly devastated" by the news. "Robert and I worked together for many years and losing him is like losing a part of me. My deepest sympathies go out to Linda and the Vaughn family," he said. Vaughn, who was "a few months shy of 84" had been seeking treatment for his leukaemia, Mr Sullivan said. "He was a great human being. I enjoyed every day of working with him," he said. Vaughn had only recently finished two projects - an appearance on Law and Order: SVU, and a starring role in the upcoming film Gold Star, about a young woman caring for her dying father. Famous films Vaughn worked on included Bullitt and Towering Inferno, both with Steve McQueen, and he took the role of the villain in Superman III. He was also well-known in Britain for his 1970s appearance as Harry Rule in the ITV series, The Protectors. The plot featured three wealthy individuals getting together each week, usually in exotic locations, to solve crimes and protect the innocent. Though extremely po[CENSORED]r, it was later described by Vaughn in his autobiography as "tasteless junk". Decades later, he would have another hit UK series with Hustle, a BBC series in which he played elderly con man Albert Stroller, responsible for setting up potential targets for a younger generation of grifters. He is survived by his wife Linda and two children, Cassidy and Caitlin Vaughn. On social media, fans paid tribute to his work. "Robert Vaughn, such a fine actor, one of the best Columbo villains (no higher praise than that) and an utterly charming man," tweeted Stephen Fry. Actor Jon Donahue said: "As an 80s kid, I grew up with Superman III... Robert Vaughn was a badass!" referencing Vaughn's role as Superman's nemesis. Gavin Free, creator of the YouTube series The Slow Mo Guys paid tribute to Vaughn's work ethic. "I got to work with him on Hustle five years ago. He did his own slow mo stunts that day while in his late 70s," he wrote. Fellow fictional secret agent, Sir Roger Moore, whose incarnation of James Bond came several years after The Man From UNCLE, said he was sorry to hear the news.

A suicide bomber has rammed a truck into the German consulate in the Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif, killing at least two people, officials say. Reports described a huge blast at the diplomatic mission followed by gunfire. A hospital official said more than 80 people were hurt in the attack, which happened around 23:00 (18:30 GMT). The Taliban says it carried out the attack in response to coalition air strikes earlier this month in Kunduz which killed civilians. Nato is investigating the incident in the northern city, which happened when Afghan troops surrounded by Taliban militants called in air support. Thirty civilians died in the fighting, many of them in the air strikes, local officials said. The German diplomatic mission is in a walled compound in the centre of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province. Germany has nearly 1,000 troops in Afghanistan, most of them in Balkh province. A Nato spokesman said there was "massive damage" to the consulate. Nato troops were on site and preparing to evacuate its personnel. At least one car packed with explosives was rammed into the wall surrounding the compound, the spokesman said. Officials were also investigating whether a second car bomb was involved. Reports on social media said helicopters were flying over the compound and ambulances rushing through the city. The attack comes amid a worsening security situation in Afghanistan. Taliban militants came close to over-running Kunduz in October before being driven back.

Seven people have died and dozens more have been injured after a tram overturned in London. People were trapped inside and more than 50 were taken to hospital after the derailment in Croydon just after 06:00 GMT. The tram driver, 42, from Beckenham, has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. British Transport Police said they were investigating whether he fell asleep. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the tram was travelling at a "significantly higher speed than is permitted". The police have set up a number - 0800 0560154 - for friends and family to call for information. Deputy Chief Constable Adrian Hanstock said: "After liaison with the coroner, we can confirm that at least seven people have lost their lives as a result of this incident. "Our officers will continue to work tirelessly throughout the evening to formally identify them and provide care and support for their families." London Ambulance Service said eight people have serious or life-threatening injuries, while a total of 51 had been taken to two hospitals. obin Smith, Assistant Chief Constable of the British Transport Police, said they were investigating whether the driver fell asleep, alongside "a number of factors". The RAIB said the Wimbledon-bound tram derailed as it was negotiating a "sharp, left-hand curve" which has a speed limit of 12 mph. Trams are not fitted with any safety protection systems that apply the brakes automatically if they are going too fast, according to the Office of Rail and Road. The overturned tram remains on its side next to an underpass and appears to have derailed where the track branches. Martin Bamford, 30, from Croydon, was on the tram. He said "everyone just literally went flying". He said people were screaming and there was "blood everywhere", describing the scene as "like something out of a film". Speaking outside Croydon University Hospital, where he is being treated for fractured or broken ribs, Mr Bamford said: "There was a woman that was on top of me ... I don't think she made it at all. She wasn't responsive. There was blood everywhere." Kudirat Okesola said her husband was travelling on the tram and suffered a "massive" cut on his face. She said some people trapped underneath the tram were calling for help. "People were screaming. People were crying," she said. Andy Smith said he was waiting at a nearby bus stop when he heard "what sounded like a screeching noise, then a bang". He said: "[I looked] down the track and I saw carnage. There was a lot of screaming, panicking and commotion. It was a macabre scene." Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell said his friend was on the tram. "He's been injured, he's in hospital, he's going to be ok. But it's been a very shocking day for the whole community here. "Thousands of people use these every day to get to work, to get to school and they're one of the best things about Croydon; we've got this fantastic modern environmentally-friendly transport system and it's had a great safety record. "So this has come as a great shock."

An employee at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg has potentially been exposed to the Ebola virus. The employee was working on Monday in a lab with pigs that had been infected with the deadly virus when they noticed a tear in their protective suit. Officials with Canada's public health and food inspection agencies made the announcement on Tuesday. They said there is currently no risk to the public. The unnamed employee is in self-imposed isolation and will be monitored for the next 21 days, which is the incubation period for the virus. The employee was also offered an Ebola vaccine that has been used in clinical trials in Africa. The employee was working in a high-security "level four" laboratory with six pigs that had been experimentally infected with the virus. They noticed a split in the suit seam after leaving the containment lab during decontamination. The risk to fellow employees and the community "is expected to be low," said Dr John Copps, director of the Winnipeg laboratory with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. People with the Ebola virus are not infectious until they show symptoms and the virus is spread through direct contact of bodily fluids, officials noted. The National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease is part of a federal facility that does research on dangerous and contagious disease-causing agents. The research being done with pigs on the Ebola virus at the facility was to help understand the immune reaction in swine.

The Camaro ZL1 just lapped the Nurburgring in 7:29.6, but it costs $62,135. Who has that kind of coin? Not us. However, for a more reasonable and far-less-likely-to-get-you-divorced $44,400, you can get a V8-powered Camaro SS with the 1LE performance package on it and be darn near as quick. Or, for the first time ever, for an even more reasonable $32,895, you can get a V6-powered Camaro 1LS with the 1LE package and also have a whole bunch of fun. As Chevy marketing manager Todd Christensen said of this splendid selection, “Who doesn’t like kick-ass performance cars?” Exactly! The 1LE first rolled into showrooms in 1988 “to make the Camaro more competitive in showroom stock road racing series.” We actually remember that. Maybe you do, too. Over the years, the 1LE package has been steadily improved and now comes with a formidable list of features. The 335-hp 3.6-liter V6 model, mated to a six-speed manual, starts with FE3 suspension components including stiffer rear shocks, rear cradle mounts, ball-jointed rear toe links and 1LE-specific stabilizer bars. Wheels are 20-inch forged aluminum wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1s, 245/40-R20s front and 275/35-R20s rear stopped by Brembo calipers with four pistons in front. A mechanical limited-slip differential with a 3.27:1 ratio rides out back. Inside is a grippy suede steering wheel and an amazingly short-throw shifter. Both versions of the 1LE sport a “satin black hood” with vents in the V8 version. The 6.2-liter 455-hp V8-powered Camaro SS 1LE rides on an FE4 suspension with magnetic ride dampers tuned specifically for the Camaro, as were the springs and stabilizer bars. The Goodyears are stickier and much bigger on this car, at 285/30Z-R20 front and 305/30Z-R20 rear, wrapping unique forged aluminum wheels. The Brembos are six-piston in front grabbing 370mm front discs. In back is an electronically controlled limited slip differential. It also gets the suede-wrappped wheel and short-throw shifter controlling a six-speed manual, but Recaro seats are standard in the V8 while optional in the V6. It’s pretty darn thrilling. Our first lap was about 100 miles of wide-open Nevada desert, the kind of place where you can see just about over the horizon so you have a couple minutes’ warning if anyone’s coming and, if so, whether they have a light bar on top of the car. At triple-digit speeds, both the V6 and V8 1LEs are as stable as GM stock after a recession. Suspension inputs go up exponentially with speed, yet at great speeds the inputs still don’t upset the car or the driver. You won’t even notice the speedometer sailing past 100 mph, nor 120, nor even 140 (OK, at 140 you notice). Top speed on the V6 is 155 mph; it’s 186 mph on the V8. But at faster or slower speeds, the car doesn’t beat you up at all. In fact, it’s just about as pleasant as a stock Camaro. “We’re really gearing this toward weekend track use,” said chief engineer Al Oppenheiser. “But it’s a nice daily driver, as well.” For track use, we had no less a circuit than Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in beautiful Pahrump, Nevada, an hour west and about a century behind Las Vegas. We were using a sort of middle loop configuration that was a lot flatter than some of the more exciting course options at that circuit. We did not do the big hill on the west end, for instance, nor did we get to try that inside-curving, on-camber, carousel-like swooper dug down into the middle of the track -- it had been coned off. Maybe it was a good idea not to send car writer hacks out with 455 hp on a big whoop-dee-doo like that hill thing -– a few of us might have just sailed off into the desert never to be seen again. But the swooper we would have liked. We did get a long straight and a couple of less-than-90-degree folds that gave the brakes a workout. On each lapping session, we clicked the console-mounted switch down two (or was it three?) times to get into track mode, which stiffened things up on the V8’s magnetorheological shocks and quickened steering and throttle response on both models. The V8 has automatic rev-matching that makes laps far less complicated. Who besides Jackie Stewart really knows how to heel-and-toe, anyway? OK, you do, but you’re a cool professional. It's fun downshifting to the auto-rev-matching function, but upshifts are also amazing –- the short-throw shifter really is short, and shifts bang off about as quickly as any manual on the market, maybe the quickest. The suede wheel is wonderfully grippy, and the Recaro seats hold you in place like a desperate girlfriend (or boyfriend or whatever), albeit without the commitment issues. Acceleration is brutally quick with the V8. Chevy says 0-60 comes up in 4.2 seconds for the 3,747-pound V8 and 5.2 for the 3,490-pound V6. The electronic limited-slip diff on the V8 isn’t as helpful as it could have been with traction control still on, since TC keeps gently withholding throttle if you over-gas it exiting corners. Take the TC off and you’ll really become a better driver, eventually. While the lighter weight of the V6 model might have made that car feel more nimble in corners, we found we preferred the greater power and rev-matching downshifts of the V8. Not necessarily a surprise there, but oftentimes we find we like the more tossable smaller-engined versions of sporty cars, at least on tight racetracks like this one. Here we liked the V8, especially on the straightaway, where the car bumped up against 120 mph before we had to downshift into third for the right-hander. The Goodyears are superb, letting you slip just a little bit powering out of corners but never getting close to letting go. We didn’t want to let go of the car, either, but finally we had to. What kind of red-blooded American are you, anyway? Of course you want it! While a ZL1 might be cost-prohibitive and a little less comfortable to drive to work, you could get a 1LE and be happy all week and even happier on the weekends. Or, if cash flow is a little short this quarter, you could even buy whichever of the 1LE parts you want directly from the GM Performance Parts Catalog. For instance, the 1LE Track Pack has that car’s sway bars, links, joints and shocks for $1,500. Build your own track car! On the track that day, we also got to try out a 435-hp Ford Mustang GT with six-speed manual trans and a 425-hp BMW M4. Now, we know there are rabid fans in all of those camps and we will solve the problems in the Middle East before we settle the Ford/Chevy wars. But between the 1LE Camaro and the Mustang GT we’d have to give the edge to the 1LE, at least when comparing the V8-powered Camaro SS 1LE to the 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8-powered Mustang GT. Yes, yes, the GT350 and GT350R would be faster around the track, maybe, but we didn’t drive those back to back like we did the GT. Maybe we should have. But the Camaro 1LE suspension felt a little -- just a little, mind you -- better tied together, and it had faster shifts and smoother downshifts from the trans, even the non-rev-matching V6s.

V1 Text

The FBI says it has found no evidence of criminality in a new batch of Hillary Clinton emails, boosting her campaign two days before the election. FBI Director James Comey told Congress his agency's review had found nothing to alter its original conclusion. In July, he said Mrs Clinton had been careless but not criminal in handling sensitive material on her private email server while secretary of state. The issue flared up again with the discovery of new "pertinent" emails. They were reportedly found on the laptop of Anthony Weiner, the estranged husband of one of the Democratic presidential candidate's closest advisers. Mr Comey's letter to Congress late last month, revealing the bureau's inquiry into Mrs Clinton's emails had been revived, shook up the White House race and reinvigorated the campaign of Republican nominee Donald Trump. It was much ado about nothing, but it certainly amounted to something. While FBI Director James Comey, in effect, said "never mind" with regards to Hillary Clinton's emails, for the past two weeks the story has dominated the political conversation, and Democrats have paid a price. While Mrs Clinton's presidential hopes have stabilised, talk of a possible rout - and sweeping down-ballot victories in congressional races - are a distant memory. Mrs Clinton will now try to focus on her closing campaign message. Donald Trump almost certainly will continue to accuse his opponent of corruption and, perhaps, again allege the FBI is covering for her. With only two days until voting, the dust kicked up by this story won't have fully settled by the time Americans head to the polls. Once this election is over, there should be serious soul-searching within the FBI and the media about how this saga played out. The nation's top law-enforcement agency was a source of constant leaks, as internal disputes spilled into public view. If Mr Trump wins, many on the left will blame Mr Comey for the result. If Mrs Clinton prevails, she likely will bear a lasting grudge over this political near-miss. The FBI director had announced that the agency would investigate if the newly discovered messages contained classified information. But in Sunday's follow-up, Mr Comey wrote: "Since my letter, the FBI investigative team has been working around the clock to process and review a large volume of emails from a device obtained in connection with an unrelated criminal investigation. "Based on our review, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in July with respect to Secretary Clinton." On board the candidate's campaign airplane, her team said they were always confident of the outcome. Communications director Jennifer Palmieri told media: "We're glad this matter has been resolved." But the Trump team cried foul. Newt Gingrich, an adviser to the Republican nominee, tweeted: "Comey must be under enormous political pressure to cave like this and announce something he cant [sic] possibly know." Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway tweeted: "If FBI conclusions remain unchanged, that means she still was reckless & careless, still lied about classified info, lied re: # of devices." Campaigning in Minnesota on Sunday, Mr Trump made no mention of Mr Comey's findings. But he did say Mrs Clinton "will be under investigation for a long, long time, likely concluding in a criminal trial". He also renewed his claims that the Democrat was being "protected by a rigged system". The FBI has already established Mrs Clinton had classified information on a private email server that was run out of her upstate New York home. Mr Comey said in July that her handling of sensitive material during her 2009-13 tenure as secretary of state was "extremely careless", but cleared her of criminal wrongdoing. The revelation that she handled sensitive information while breaking federal rules by running her own email server has dogged her campaign since last year. A new NBC/Wall St Journal opinion poll on Sunday before news broke of the FBI letter suggested a four-point lead for Mrs Clinton. The latest Washington Post/ABC tracking poll put her lead at five points. Sunday's campaign stops take her to Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Also on Mr Trump's itinerary were Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Republican candidate Donald Trump has said he is going to target states seen as Democratic strongholds in the last two days before the US election. He will visit Pennsylvania, Michigan and also Minnesota, which has not gone Republican since 1972. He started off a four-state swing on Saturday in Florida, where rival Hillary Clinton also campaigned. She unveiled an advert to run in nearly a dozen states, set to the Katy Perry song, Roar. Perry will appear with Mrs Clinton later on Saturday at a rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Opinion polls suggest Mrs Clinton is still ahead in key states. But she has seen her lead slip following last week's FBI announcement that it was looking into emails that may be connected to her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. A nationwide McClatchy-Marist opinion poll on Saturday gave her a one point lead, compared to six in September. A YouGov polling estimate on Saturday gave her a three-point lead. Some 37 million early voters have already cast their ballots. Reports suggest many more Latino voters are turning out early in key states including Florida, Arizona and Nevada compared to past elections. Analysts in Nevada say the Democrats appear to have taken a significant lead there because of the early ballots. Donald Trump told a rally in Tampa, Florida: "We're going into what they used to call Democrat strongholds, where we're now either tied or leading. We're going to Minnesota, which traditionally has not been Republican at all." Pennsylvania and Michigan are also both on his agenda and they too have been tough states for Republicans. They have not won them since 1988. After Tampa, Mr Trump headed to Wilmington in North Carolina, where he was introduced by his wife, Melania. Mr Trump turned his fire on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. "Real change begins with immediately repealing and replacing Obamacare," he said. Mrs Clinton addressed a rally in a hoarse voice in Pembroke Pines in Florida, telling supporters: "I don't think I need to tell you all of the wrong things about Donald Trump", before cutting the speech short amid a downpour of rain. Florida is a massively important state, particularly for Mr Trump, with many seeing it as a must-win. Candidates need 270 electoral college votes to win the presidency. Florida is worth 29. The contest appears to be tight. Real Clear Politics' poll average puts the Democratic candidate ahead, but poll analysis website FiveThirtyEight says Mr Trump has a 52.6% chance of winning the state. Mrs Clinton's campaign has revealed she will do a two-minute national TV commercial on Monday night which they expect will reach a combined audience of 20 million people. She has been relying heavily on A-list supporters - on Friday in Cleveland it was singer Beyonce and rapper husband Jay Z. After Katy Perry, she will take the stage with basketball star LeBron James in Cleveland on Sunday. VOTES Hillary 46% - 44% Trump