iScheme exposed: Scammers are tricking desperate people into buying iPhones

NBC 9News' 9Wants to Know has caught wind of a terrible iPhone trafficking scheme that specifically targets the homeless and those desperate for cash. Let's go through what this scam, dubbed iScheme, is and how you can stay as far away from it as you possibly can.

What is the iScheme?

9News has discovered that some scammers are cruising around homeless shelters and plasma donation clinics. They drive anyone desperate for money to Apple Stores and instruct them to sign several iPhone contracts. Scammers convince these people that the contracts can be cancelled within a few days and that they won't have to worry about monthly fees.

As soon as the transactions are complete, scammers then pay them a couple hundred dollars for the handsets. The con men, in turn, walk away and sell the devices for full price. Because these contracts can't, in fact, be cancelled within a few days for free, the victims are responsible for the monthly fees that come with contracts.

19-year-old Denver woman Phoenix is one of the victims of this scam. "I thought it was amazing money. I had rent due the next day and I was looking to pay it," said Phoenix. She added that, thanks to the scam, she's now "in the hole about $6,000. They're targeting anybody that looks like they would be vulnerable."

Another victim, Jamal, told 9news he's now over $2,000 in debt due to signing multiple contracts for the handsets. "I just needed cash at the moment," said Jamal. "I didn't really understand what was happening." According to Jamal, scammers picked him up at a plasma donation clinic in Aurora, Colorado.

What is being done about it?

9News uncovered the identity of one of the people behind the scheme, Beverly Hills resident Benji Kermani. Kermani, who owns a company that sells unlocked iPhones in foreign countries, was caught on camera operating the scheme at an Apple Store in Cherry Creek. Jamal filed a police report on the matter, though Denver police will not investigate because the scheme is considered an "unfounded civil" issue.

Apple, AT&T, and Verizon refused to comment on the matter, with Apple saying it doesn't comment on "matters of security." Sprint attorney Dan Solomon, however, did respond to the inquiry. According to Solomon, once Sprint started selling the iPhone, it noticed "rampant credit 'mulling' all over the country." Credit mulling is the act of using someone else's identity in order to acquire something of value.

Solomon said Sprint is very active in curbing schemes like this. "There are many laws being broken by this activity," said Solomon. "Sprint has filed about 40 lawsuits all over the country to crack down on this behavior."

What can you do to protect yourself against this scam?

"Don't talk to strangers" is one piece of advice that is told to us when we are kids, yet it couldn't be more applicable. With a combination of common sense and longer thinking time, you should be able to easily sniff out a scam like this. It's easy to suspend your disbelief when you get an opportunity to receive money for what seems like a meaningless task, but make sure to sniff it out first.

For this particular scam, it's simple enough to avoid due to one glaring red flag: contracts. Carrier contracts are always associated with monthly fees, and it's incorrect to assume that you can simply cancel the contract and pay nothing. For example, while you can cancel a Verizon contract in the first 14 days without paying a dime, you have to return the handset. This scam requires victims to turn over the purchased handsets, thus making the return period a moot point.

In addition, with contracts come early termination fees. While you are more than welcome to cancel the contract at any point during its two-year life expectancy, you have to fork over quite a bit of money to do so. Using Verizon as an example, those who wish to cancel their contracts before the two years are up must pay $350 to do so. That's a lot of money for someone who is struggling as it is to make ends meet.

It's difficult to think about tomorrow when you're struggling with making it past today, but it's not worth giving up your gut reaction and slight suspension of disbelief. Even if you're living relatively comfortably, be just as aware about scams like this one. If your gut tells you something is off, it's probably right.

Plus, if you see anyone driving around places like homeless shelters and plasma donation clinics, they're probably not the most honest of characters to begin with.

[Image courtesy of IVY PHOTOS / Shutterstock.com]
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iScheme exposed: Scammers are tricking desperate people into buying iPhones

NBC 9News' 9Wants to Know has caught wind of a terrible iPhone trafficking scheme that specifically targets the homeless and those desperate for cash. Let's go through what this scam, dubbed iScheme, is and how you can stay as far away from it as you possibly can.

What is the iScheme?

9News has discovered that some scammers are cruising around homeless shelters and plasma donation clinics. They drive anyone desperate for money to Apple Stores and instruct them to sign several iPhone contracts. Scammers convince these people that the contracts can be cancelled within a few days and that they won't have to worry about monthly fees.

As soon as the transactions are complete, scammers then pay them a couple hundred dollars for the handsets. The con men, in turn, walk away and sell the devices for full price. Because these contracts can't, in fact, be cancelled within a few days for free, the victims are responsible for the monthly fees that come with contracts.

19-year-old Denver woman Phoenix is one of the victims of this scam. "I thought it was amazing money. I had rent due the next day and I was looking to pay it," said Phoenix. She added that, thanks to the scam, she's now "in the hole about $6,000. They're targeting anybody that looks like they would be vulnerable."

Another victim, Jamal, told 9news he's now over $2,000 in debt due to signing multiple contracts for the handsets. "I just needed cash at the moment," said Jamal. "I didn't really understand what was happening." According to Jamal, scammers picked him up at a plasma donation clinic in Aurora, Colorado.

What is being done about it?

9News uncovered the identity of one of the people behind the scheme, Beverly Hills resident Benji Kermani. Kermani, who owns a company that sells unlocked iPhones in foreign countries, was caught on camera operating the scheme at an Apple Store in Cherry Creek. Jamal filed a police report on the matter, though Denver police will not investigate because the scheme is considered an "unfounded civil" issue.

Apple, AT&T, and Verizon refused to comment on the matter, with Apple saying it doesn't comment on "matters of security." Sprint attorney Dan Solomon, however, did respond to the inquiry. According to Solomon, once Sprint started selling the iPhone, it noticed "rampant credit 'mulling' all over the country." Credit mulling is the act of using someone else's identity in order to acquire something of value.

Solomon said Sprint is very active in curbing schemes like this. "There are many laws being broken by this activity," said Solomon. "Sprint has filed about 40 lawsuits all over the country to crack down on this behavior."

What can you do to protect yourself against this scam?

"Don't talk to strangers" is one piece of advice that is told to us when we are kids, yet it couldn't be more applicable. With a combination of common sense and longer thinking time, you should be able to easily sniff out a scam like this. It's easy to suspend your disbelief when you get an opportunity to receive money for what seems like a meaningless task, but make sure to sniff it out first.

For this particular scam, it's simple enough to avoid due to one glaring red flag: contracts. Carrier contracts are always associated with monthly fees, and it's incorrect to assume that you can simply cancel the contract and pay nothing. For example, while you can cancel a Verizon contract in the first 14 days without paying a dime, you have to return the handset. This scam requires victims to turn over the purchased handsets, thus making the return period a moot point.

In addition, with contracts come early termination fees. While you are more than welcome to cancel the contract at any point during its two-year life expectancy, you have to fork over quite a bit of money to do so. Using Verizon as an example, those who wish to cancel their contracts before the two years are up must pay $350 to do so. That's a lot of money for someone who is struggling as it is to make ends meet.

It's difficult to think about tomorrow when you're struggling with making it past today, but it's not worth giving up your gut reaction and slight suspension of disbelief. Even if you're living relatively comfortably, be just as aware about scams like this one. If your gut tells you something is off, it's probably right.

Plus, if you see anyone driving around places like homeless shelters and plasma donation clinics, they're probably not the most honest of characters to begin with.

[Image courtesy of IVY PHOTOS / Shutterstock.com]
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Popcorn Time to release Android app to satisfy mobile pirates

Popcorn Time, the Netflix-style streaming service for pirated movies, is moving to mobile with an upcoming app for Android. In its website, the company announced the new app, saying: "Just a few more days for the Android launch!" How many days that is exactly, we're not sure. However,  TechCrunch has come out to say that the app may be released as soon as tomorrow.  

The service, which has re-emerged at time4popcorn.eu after ceasing operations several times, also promised an update for all its OS versions that comes complete with TV shows. For now, Popcorn Time is available on Mac, Windows and Linux. The app is also operational through its page on Github.

Popcorn Time usually goes two weeks to a month before relocating to a different Web domain. The first time the site creators took down their site, they said that aside from copyright and legal threats, they also faced the "shady machinery that makes us feel in danger for doing what we love."

The site maintains that its service is legal. "Popcorn Time as a project is legal. We checked. Four times," the site's creator said in a blog post when it first shut down. Now the service is back with fighting words. In its website, the banner reads "The Popcorn Time service will never be taken down." The service has yet to be dragged into court so that claim has yet to be tested.       

If you want to download the app to see what modern piracy looks like (we don't recommend you use it), you should do it now. Otherwise, you might have to wait for it to pop up somewhere else.
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AT&T to launch a 4G LTE in-flight connectivity service during 2015

Detailed within a AT&T press release, the wireless service provider is working on a connectivity service for airlines that will provide speedy, 4G download speeds to passengers. Targeting late 2015 as a launch window for the service, the system will be able to provide a number of in-flight entertainment options as well as fast broadband service to peruse the Web while in the air. Beyond passenger planes, AT&T is also planning to target business aircraft and general aviation aircraft for the launch.

Speaking about the planned launch of the new service, AT&T Chief Strategy Officer John Stankey said "Everyone wants access to high-speed, reliable mobile Internet wherever they are, including at 35,000 feet. We are building on AT&T's significant strengths to develop in-flight connectivity technology unlike any other that exists today, based on 4G LTE standards. We believe this will enable airlines and passengers to benefit from reliable high speeds and a better experience. We expect this service to transform connectivity in the aviation industry – we are truly mobilizing the sky."



Of course, AT&T didn't indicate if existing AT&T customers will be able to take advantage of the service as a free perk when flying. It's more likely that AT&T will price the 4G LTE access similar to existing in-flight services like GoGo. Depending on the length of the access period, GoGo customers pay between $5 to $16 for Wi-Fi access during a flight. However, AT&T believes that services like GoGo aren't addressing the need for speedy connectivity, specifically citing a study that found that nearly 90 percent of flyers found in-flight Wi-Fi to be frustrating due to "inconsistent or slow connections." 

Besides partnering with Honeywell to build the technology, AT&T hasn't announced any commercial airline partners that will receive access to the 4G LTE network. It's likely that announcements regarding airline partners will roll out gradually over the next 18 months.
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U.S. govt. advises people to use browsers other than IE after zero-day flaw is revealed

After Microsoft revealed that a flaw in Internet Explorer 6 through 11 could allow a hacker to "gain the same user rights as the current user," the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, suggested that people should turn to another Web browser.

"US-CERT recommends that users and administrators enable Microsoft EMET where possible and consider employing an alternative web browser until an official update is available," the agency said, via this official blog post.

Microsoft is already working on a fix for the flaw.

"On completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate action to protect our customers, which may include providing a solution through our monthly security update release process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customer needs," Redmond said in this security bulletin.

However, if you use Windows XP, the version of Internet Explorer you use won't be patched, leaving you permanently vulnerable to this flaw as long as you continue using IE. If you're unwilling to upgrade to an operating system that's still supported by Microsoft, like Windows 7 or Windows 8, you should strongly consider switching to a browser that isn't vulnerable to this threat, like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. However, it's worth noting that FireEye, the Internet security firm which claims to have initially discovered the flaw, reported that most of the attacks that have been documented have primarily targeted Internet Explorer 9 through 11.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

Image credit: http://wallpaperpassion.com
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AOL announces that some of its user accounts have been compromised

AOL announced today that the Web firm has determined that a "significant number" of AOL user accounts have been affected by what the company called "unauthorized access," according to this official blog post. This comes after the company warned against "spoofing" attacks last week, which attempt to trick people into opening emails by masking the email address that appears in the "From" field.

AOL reveals that the information which became vulnerable as a result of the hacks includes email addresses, postal addresses, contact information in address books, encrypted passwords as well as the encrypted answers to security questions. AOL also states that "certain employee information" was compromised, but didn't provide details on what type of information that could consist of.

Additionally, AOL says that the company has not seen any indications that the encrypted passwords and answers to security questions were "broken." Fortunately, financial information, including debit and credit card data, appears to be safe, AOL claims.

There's also a link between the spoofing attempts, and these account breaches.

"We believe that spammers have used this contact information to send spoofed emails that appeared to come from roughly 2% of our email accounts," the AOL Mail Team said.

AOL recommends that, as a precaution, users should change their passwords for "any AOL service," as well as their security question and answer. In the meantime, AOL is working with federal authorities on an investigation into this matter, and is sending notices to "potentially" affected users, notifying them of the breaches.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
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Should the police be able to search your phone without a warrant?

Two cases in the Supreme Court may determine whether the police can search your phone without a warrant. The cases, which will go before the high court on Tuesday, may determine privacy issues about police searches of data stored on cell phones, an issue that has yet to come before the justices. 

"The case provides the Court with a chance to expound on the scope of searches incident to arrests, an exception to the general Fourth Amendment rule that searches require a warrant or the presence of probable cause.  The Court has been divided in the past over the permissible scope of searches incident to arrests. The case also provides the Justices with the chance to wrestle with technology issues; although no longer new technology, the Justices have not faced legal questions about the nature of data stored on cell phones," the court said in a blog post.

The two cases in question are Riley vs. California, which resulted in an attempted murder conviction, and United States vs. Wurie, a drug conviction that was thrown out by an appeals court in 2007.

Riley vs. California

In Riley vs. California, David Leon Riley was convicted to 15 years in prison for attempted murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, and assault with a semiautomatic weapon. An appeals court in the state later upheld his conviction. 

He was first arrested in 2009 for driving a car with expired registration. During the arrest, police seized weapons linked to a gang-related incident and Riley's Samsung smartphone. The court in California ruled that the warrantless search of his phone was legal because it was "immediately associated" with him. The judge added that the phone evidence would have been questionable had it been found later. The device contained photos that linked him to a gang. Phone records also placed Riley at a location near the shooting when it happened.

United States vs. Wurie

The other case, United States vs Wurie, had a different result. Brima Wurie was arrested in 2007 on suspicion of dealing crack cocaine. During the arrest, police confiscated Wurie's two flip phones. The contents of the phone led police to a South Boston home that contained marijuana, crack cocaine, a gun, and ammunition. The court rejected a motion to suppress evidence that resulted from the search and Wurie was convicted to spend nearly 22 years in prison.

Later an appeals court, on a vote of two to one, overturned the verdict, ruling that the police should not have performed a warrantless search. The court said that such a seizure can only be legal if there was a need to protect the safety of the officers and the evidence itself. The panel also questioned why the police went directly to searching the phone. The court said that the police could have protected the data on the phone from tampering by creating a mirror version of its contents.

Is it right or wrong?

The biggest concern when it comes to warrantless searches is how easy it is to delete and alter phone data. Also, with smartphones becoming complex enough that they are basically mobile computers, there is a lot of data at stake, such as emails, phone numbers, photographs, and online purchases, which can be crucial for solving crimes. The cases will determine where a person's rights to digital privacy ends and law enforcement's perusing starts.
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Is a MacBook Air refresh coming tomorrow?

Though it has been rumored that Apple may be releasing a brand new MacBook Air sometime this year with a Retina display and other upgrades, Cupertino reportedly may reveal a relatively minor refresh of its line of uber-portable notebooks tomorrow.

According to 9 to 5 Mac, should the new MacBook Airs arrive tomorrow or sometime this week, the biggest upgrade they receive will likely address their processors, and could include Intel's newest Haswell chips. To this point, Intel's upcoming Haswell processors have been rumored to launch as soon as a few weeks from now. Though it's unclear exactly which new Haswell chips could be made available with the new MacBook Air laptops, Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processors will likely remain as the primary choices for consumers.

Right now, regardless of whether you opt for the low or high-end 11/13-inch MacBook Air, each notebook features an Intel Core i5 dual-core processor clocked at 1.3 GHz, with Turbo Boost permitting the CPU to reach clock speeds as high as 2.6 GHz. You can also choose to configure any of these MacBook Air notebooks with an Intel Core i7 dual core processor clocked at 1.7 GHz, with Turbo Boost pushing that as high as 3.3 GHz.

Considering that a MacBook Air refresh could be imminent, if you've strongly considered buying one this week, you may want to hold off to ensure that you don't miss out on getting a more powerful MacBook Air for a similar price.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
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Finished in ‘Agrigan Black’, McLaren’s MSO 650S looks like a stealth fighter

In an effort to attract more members of the One Percent, carmakers are touting their ability to personalize cars for individual customers almost as much as the cars themselves.

If a supercar just isn't special enough, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) can help. The British carmaker will show the MSO 650S Coupe Concept throughout China in the coming weeks, demonstrating MSO's capabilities to the world's biggest car market.

The 650S' styling is already a dramatic improvement over that of the MP4-12C on which its based, but MSO upped the cool factor with a few subtle additions.

The car is finished in "Agrigan Black", a metallic black with ruby red flakes that makes the 650S look like a stealth fighter. A carbon-fiber front splitter, air intakes, and side blades add to the menacing look.

At the back, the MSO 650S features a "GT3″ race-inspired rear bumper, carbon-fiber air brake, and a unique rear diffuser. There's also a set of stain-black alloy wheels, and a few dress-up parts for the engine bay.



On the inside, this bespoke supercar gets fixed carbon-fiber seats based on the ones used in the P1 hybrid and shod in carbon black leather. The seats not only save weight, but place the occupants lower in the car.

Unchanged is the 650S' 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V8, which produces 641 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, it will get the 650S from 0 to 60 mph in around 2.9 seconds, and on to a top speed of 207 mph.

McLaren says it is "monitoring reaction" to determine whether to produce the MSO 650S but, in the meantime, the carbon-fiber side blades and rear diffuser are available now for both the 650S and the (soon-to-be-discontinued) 12C.
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Cyril Smith inquiry: Police identify new suspects

Smith was MP from 1972 to 1992
Police have identified "a number of suspects" as part of an investigation into alleged sexual abuse at a school linked to the late MP Cyril Smith.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) added more alleged victims had come forward over claims about Knowl View School in Rochdale from the 1970s.

The allegations related to at least 11 potential suspects.

Rochdale Council said it was launching an inquiry into a possible abuse cover-up at the residential school for boys.

It is understood nine people have contacted police to say they were abused from the 1970s onwards by adults at the school, which closed in 1992.

No-one has been arrested.

GMP Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said: "I would like to appeal for victims of abuse to come forward.

"We recognise this is a hugely difficult decision for the people involved, particularly when they involve events many years ago."

He said officers were also trying to trace a "significant" number of people in relation to the investigation.

In 2012, the force investigated claims Smith abused young boys in the 1960s while in his role as secretary of the Rochdale Hostel for Boys Association.

He had been accused of abusing eight youngsters at Cambridge Hostel in the town by spanking and touching them.

Three separate files were passed to the director of public prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service, although on each occasion no prosecution was pursued.

Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy: "I'd like to appeal for any victims of abuse to come forward"
Rochdale Council, which launched its own a formal investigation into Knowl View school in January, said it was now undertaking an independent review.

Smith's family has said he always denied such accusations and said on Monday they welcomed the review.

GMP has also said it is also carrying out an investigation into whether there is evidence of a criminal cover-up over the abuse allegations.

The claims were published in a book by Rochdale's Labour MP Simon Danczuk called Smile for the Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith.

Smith was a governor and then later became the chairman of governors at Knowl View School.

'Widen scope'

Police, spies and politicians covered up the child abuse carried out by Smith, according to Mr Danczuk's book.

The former Rochdale Liberal MP was left free to abuse children as young as eight despite 144 complaints by victims, the author claimed.

Sir Peter said: "We are carrying out a review into those allegations and other matters of public debate around that book to see whether that justifies a criminal investigation into allegations of a cover-up."

Rochdale Council said its review would cover a number of areas including whether abuse was "tolerated, facilitated or promoted" by the council or there was a "culture" at the council, which "inhibited the proper investigation, exposure and prevention of such abuse".

Council leader Colin Lambert said: "It is clear that to ensure there is public confidence in the thoroughness of the review we must widen its scope to include a review of all information available to the council."

He said any evidence they found which was "relevant to allegations of criminal activity" would be passed on to the police.

Recent claims

The inquiry will review the council's conduct between 1961 and 1995, when sexual or physical abuse is alleged to have taken place.

The findings will be reported back to the council by the end of July.

Following the announcement, Smith's family issued a statement which said: "The family welcome the review and now wish to know finally what is true and what isn't.

"We will co-operate with any review or investigation the authorities undertake.

"We repeat Sir Cyril always maintained his innocence about the inquiries made in the 1960s and any subsequent investigations by the GMP or Lancashire Police force.

"Nobody in the family has any knowledge whatsoever of any of the recent claims made in the press and/or Simon Danczuk's Book."

Smith was MP from 1972 to 1992. He died in 2010 aged 82.
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Egypt: Brotherhood's Badie among mass death sentences

Orla Guerin in Minya: " There are extraordinary scenes of grief and anger"

A judge at a mass trial in Egypt has recommended the death penalty for 683 people - including Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Badie.

The defendants faced charges over an attack on a police station in Minya in 2013 in which a policeman was killed.

However, the judge also commuted to life terms 492 death sentences out of 529 passed in March in a separate case.

Also on Monday, a court banned a youth group that helped ignite the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

The decision passed in Cairo to outlaw the April 6 pro-democracy movement was based on a complaint that accused the group of "tarnishing the image" of Egypt and colluding with foreign parties.

Ahmed Maher, the group's leader, was sentenced to three years in prison in December for violating a law that bans all but police-sanctioned protests.

'Where is the justice?'

The cases and speed of the mass trial hearings have drawn widespread criticism from human rights groups and the UN.

The trials took just hours each and the court prevented defence lawyers from presenting their case, according to Human Right Watch.

The sentences have been referred to the Grand Mufti - Egypt's top Islamic authority - for approval or rejection, a step which correspondents say is usually considered a formality. A final decision will be issued in June.

The BBC's Orla Guerin says relatives collapsed in grief after hearing the verdict. A large crowd chanted: "Where is the justice?"

Mohammed Badie, centre, was arrested last August after a month on the run
Authorities have cracked down harshly on Islamists since President Mohammed Morsi, who belongs to the Muslim Brotherhood, was removed by the military in July.

Hundreds have been killed and thousands arrested.

The verdict was the first against Mr Badie in the several trials he faces on various charges along with Mr Morsi himself and other Brotherhood leaders.

'Farcical'

Of the 683 sentenced on Monday, only about 50 are in detention but the others have a right to a retrial if they hand themselves in.

The group were accused of involvement in the murder and attempted murder of policemen in Minya province on 14 August, the day police killed hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood supporters in clashes in Cairo.

Defence lawyers boycotted the last session, branding it "farcical."

Families outside the court were not told who of the 529 sentenced in March faced the death penalty
The final judgement on the sentencing of the 529 Muslim Brotherhood supporters accused of attacking another police station in the same province on the same day means 37 will now face the death penalty.

Defence lawyer Khaled Elkomy said 60% of those defendants, including teachers and doctors, have evidence that "proves they were not present" when that station was attacked, a statement released by human rights group Avaaz said.

Amnesty International warned that Egypt's judiciary "risks becoming just another part of the authorities' repressive machinery".

"The court has displayed a complete contempt for the most basic principles of a fair trial and has utterly destroyed its credibility," Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, the group's Middle East and North Africa deputy director, said in a statement.

Protests against the military-backed government have continued despite the crackdown
The government had defended the court's handling of the first mass case, insisting that the sentences were passed only "after careful study."

At least 1,000 opponents of the military-installed regime have been sentenced since December.

The authorities have designated the Brotherhood a terrorist group, blaming it for a series of bombings and attacks. The group has strongly denied the accusations.
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F1's Ecclestone avoided potential £1.2bn tax bill

Bernie Ecclestone has been at the helm of Formula 1 for almost 40 years
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has avoided a potential £1.2bn tax bill as a result of a secret deal with HMRC.

The deal involved a payment of just £10m, according to legal transcripts obtained by BBC Panorama.

Revenue & Customs spent nine years investigating the Ecclestone family's tax affairs before offering to settle in return for the payment from the family trusts in 2008.

Mr Ecclestone said he paid more than £50m in tax last year.

Mr Ecclestone, the chief executive of Formula 1, is currently on trial in Germany facing corruption charges. It is alleged he was behind a £26m bribe paid to a bank official.

Prosecutors allege the bribe was paid to ensure that Mr Ecclestone retained control of the sport.

Ecclestone admits paying former banker, Gerhard Gribkowsky, but says he was effectively the victim of blackmail as he was worried the banker would tell the tax authorities he had set up an offshore family trust.

The bribery trial of Bernie Ecclestone, seen here with his lawyers, began in Munich last week
Panorama's investigation goes back to 1995 when Mr Ecclestone secured ownership of the lucrative TV rights of Formula 1.

Shortly afterwards he moved this prize asset offshore, giving the rights to his then wife, Slavica.

She transferred them to a family trust in Liechtenstein, before selling them for a huge profit, free of UK tax.

It may be the biggest individual tax dodge in British history, and is legally watertight provided Mr Ecclestone did not set up, or control, the trust.

If he had done, Mr Ecclestone has admitted, he could have faced a tax bill of more than $2bn - or £1.2bn.

Barrister and tax expert Jolyon Maugham said this was a "pretty substantial" loss of tax.

"I'm certainly not aware of anything else remotely approaching that sort of magnitude, in my fairly extensive experience."

HMRC deal

UK tax authorities spent nine years investigating the Ecclestones' tax affairs before agreeing a settlement.

HMRC does not comment on individual cases, but Panorama has obtained evidence from the previously unpublished transcripts of interviews conducted by a German public prosecutor.

One of the lawyers who helped run the Ecclestone family trusts, Frederique Flournoy, told the prosecutor: "In summer 2008, the Inland Revenue offered to conclude the matter if we paid £10m. We decided to pay up."

According to Ms Flournoy's evidence, the Ecclestone family trusts earn around £10m in interest every six weeks.

Labour MP Emily Thornberry, the shadow attorney general, said: "Ten million may sound like a lot to some people but you have to look at it in the round.

"And if we're talking about a trust fund in which they are making huge amounts of money like this, then it isn't very much is it?"

Mr Ecclestone and ex-wife Slavica had two daughters - Petra and Tamara - before their divorce in 2009
Mr Ecclestone says he gave away his fortune to avoid inheritance tax laws that he considered to be "very unfair" at that time.

Having gifted the assets to his wife, Mr Ecclestone can't receive payments from his family's offshore trusts.

But Ms Flournoy told the German prosecutor he's been receiving payments from his wife since his divorce: "Mrs Ecclestone received disbursements from the Trusts. In other words, she also has a personal asset. That is also the basis on which the divorce ruling fixed the payment amounts to Ecclestone."

When asked how high the divorce payments were to Mr Ecclestone, she said: "I don't know the exact figure, however it must be around $100 million a year."

'More transparent'

Mr Ecclestone said his divorce was a "private matter". He says he has always paid his fair share of tax and that he is "proud to be British and proud to make my contribution by paying my taxes here."

Slavica Ecclestone's lawyer said her estate planning was based on legal advice and that she was entitled to privacy in her tax affairs.

A lawyer for the family trusts said Mr Ecclestone has not exerted any control over the management of the trusts. He said the transcripts from the German prosecutor contained errors.

A spokesperson for HMRC said: "The way in which HMRC settles and assures tax disputes has been completely overhauled in recent years, making the process more transparent.

"The effectiveness and propriety of such settlements is overseen by a Tax Assurance Commissioner, who publishes an annual report covering all large settlement cases."
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Storms kill 16; more severe weather possible

Tornado outbreak pummels several states

Mayflower, Arkansas - Forecasters on Monday warned millions of Americans to be prepared for another round of severe storms, including widespread tornadoes, a day after storms killed 16 people in three states.

The storms Sunday in Oklahoma, Iowa and Arkansas were the opening act in a powerful system that threatened to bring intense tornadoes and large hail Monday to parts of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

The Storm Prediction Center warned Monday afternoon of a "particularly dangerous situation" for those areas, similar to urgent warnings issued ahead of the Sunday's storms.

The storms were also forecast to stretch into the Midwest.
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London Underground 48-hour Tube strike to begin later

The strike action by RMT members is due to begin at 21:00 BST

A 48-hour Tube strike will start later after talks broke down between London Underground and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

The industrial action over plans to close ticket offices and cut 960 jobs begins at 21:00 BST and ends at 20:59 on Wednesday.

It is thought disruption could begin before the official walk-out and continue until Thursday morning.

RMT and London Underground (LU) have left conciliatory service Acas.

The union and LU have met more than 40 times through Acas since the last 48-hour strike in February, but LU left the last ditch talks this morning.

LU has said services will be affected from about 21:30 BST.

A 48-hour Tube strike in February caused widespread disruption
On Tuesday and Wednesday, where services can be operated, trains will run from 07:00 BST or as soon as possible after that.

Services are expected to conclude at about 23:00 BST, with no service beyond that, but the last services from central London may depart much earlier, at about 21:30 BST.

Transport for London has issued a document of travel advice to customers.

It has said it plans to run as many services as possible with extra bus and river services, but customers are advised to check their journey before they travel.

The following services are expected to run less frequently and with some stations excluded:

Bakerloo Line: Between Queen's Park and Elephant and Castle
Central Line: Between Epping/Hainault and Leytonstone. Between West Ruislip and White City
District Line: Between Wimbledon and Barking. Between Ealing Broadway and Tower Hill
Hammersmith and City Line: Between Hammersmith and Aldgate
Jubilee Line: Between Wembley Park and Stratford
Metropolitan Line: Between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate
Northern Line: Across the whole line with a train around every five minutes via Bank and Charing Cross branches in both directions.
Downing Street said that the prime minister believed the strike was "unjustified".

"It is wrong because of the disruption that it will bring to the lives of so many Londoners in the next few days," David Cameron's official spokesman said.

But Mick Cash, the RMT's acting general secretary, said: "London Underground have dug themselves into an entrenched position and have refused to move one inch from their stance of closing every ticket office, in breach of the agreement reached previously through Acas which enabled us to suspend the previous round of action.

"Elected members of the Greater London Authority have called for a public consultation on these cuts and the future of the Tube. RMT agrees with that."

Mr Cash said the union remained available for serious and meaningful talks about its alternative proposals.

If the dispute is not resolved a second, 72-hour strike, is planned to begin at 21:00 BST on 5 May
Mayor of London Boris Johnson, called the strike "pointless".

He said: "More than 600 people have asked for voluntary redundancy and yet, without consulting any of their own members, the RMT is suddenly insisting that London Underground halt this process.

"Commuters and businesses will suffer because a few narrow-minded union barons are currently flexing their muscles in a fight for the leadership of a union where just 30% of members support a strike."

LU has said concessions had already been made, including a promise that a supervisor would work out of every station, rather than one worker overseeing up to five stations.

There would be no compulsory redundancies, it added.

The strike is likely to hit university students taking degree exams. On its website, King's College London says it is aware of students' concerns and will review the impact of strike action.

Football fans travelling to Arsenal's game with Newcastle and Chelsea's Champions League match with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday will also be affected.

Arsenal FC advised fans there was unlikely to be any Tube services after the game and that First Capital Connect trains from Finsbury Park would be much busier than usual.

The RMT is also holding a 48-hour strike from 03:00 on Tuesday on the Heathrow Express in a separate row over jobs, pay and cuts.

The union is set to strike for 72 hours from 21:00 BST on Monday 5 May, if the ticket office dispute is not resolved.
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Watch Dogs’ director explains why you’re never safe, even playing alone

With Ubisoft's Watch Dogs still weeks away from release, there remains a fair amount of confusion regarding the game, including how the multiplayer mode actually works. Early hints seemed to describe an online mode where aggressive players could break into the games of others and harangue the weak — digital Darwinism where only the strong would survive.

This is only partly correct, and doesn't do justice to what in truth is a clever and original new approach to online play.

At a recent event hosted by Ubisoft, Digital Trends had the chance to try out all six multiplayer modes and get a sense of how things worked. We then spoke with Watch Dogs' Creative Director Jonathan Morin about the multiplayer functionality and how online matchmaking works. He also explained the reason that one section of Chicago is set aside for people to go wild and do whatever they want.

Online play in Watch Dogs is different than in most games, in that you can be attacked — or "invaded" — without your knowledge by another player during the course of your single-player game. Some online game modes you join deliberately; you can also find yourself involved in one of two multiplayer offerings at anytime without even realizing it. In those modes, you can be attacked at any time by anyone … as long as the game decides you're a fit.

"In the case of the one-on-one type of situations, if [a player] fits the criteria under the hood, then he's available," Morin told us.

In "Online Hacking," an invading player surreptitiously joins another person's game while they roam Chicago in a single-player campaign, blissfully unaware that they are not alone. The invader must first locate the target and then stay within range long enough to fill a progress meter that installs a backdoor into the target's smartphone. Once that backdoor is installed, the targeted player is notified and a new progress meter appears with a percentage. The target has until the meter reaches 100-percent to find and eliminate the invader.  

During this alert phase, the invader must stay within a specific area outlined on the map, while the target tries to find him by scanning nearby NPCs with a smartphone or using CCTV cameras. But it ain't made easy: The invader still sees himself as protagonist Aiden Pearce, but to the target he appears as a randomly generated character. Likewise, the invader sees the target as a random model. Finding and killing the invader (who can run once spotted but can't fight back) earns the target an experience reward. If the invader pulls off the hack, his experience bonus is taken from the target's points.

"A lot of people are really competitive … you want to encourage that, but you don't want to push away those that only want to do it from time to time."

The second invasive multiplayer game is called "Online Tailing." This mode requires the invader to find the player, then tail her around the city while a progress meter fills up. If the target realizes she's being tailed and spots the invader, she wins.
Players can opt-out of these incursions in the settings altogether if they choose, but even is you continually lose, the consequences aren't severe. Losses can add up, but Morin was quick to point out that the developers didn't want to alienate players by overly penalizing them.

"I think there are a lot of people that are really competitive that will get a lot into [earning experience points], and you want to encourage that, but you don't want to push away those that only want to do it from time to time," Morin told us. "You want to be careful there."

Behind the scenes an algorithm determines how frequently you are eligible to be invaded. This "shield" is determined by your own actions, and tailors itself to how you want to play based on the "do unto others" method.

"If you get invaded, [the shield] activates itself, so you have a break for a while," Morin explained. "If you're not a player that's overly excited by that, or you don't invade a lot of people, then this shield will grow … but if you invade, it shrinks."

The four other game modes require you to accept an invitation from the game to join. The most traditional of these is the "Online Race" mode, which features up to eight players racing a variety of vehicles. The twist? You can hack the city of Chicago itself as you play, and try to sabotage others with traffic jams and even by raising the odd bridge.

"Decryption" is a co-op deathmatch, built around a single objective. Up to eight players are split into two teams, both tasked with retrieving and decrypting a single, Critical File found inside a relatively small section of the map. Leaving the boundaries won't cost you the match, but you need to stay within the boundaries to interact with the File.

In order to grab the File, you just need to get close to it for a few seconds without any enemy interference while a meter fills. Once someone is in possession of the File and decryption begins, a percentage meter appears on the screen and counts up to 100; the more teammates you have near the File carrier, the faster it decrypts. The best way to keep the File is either to run and stay out of reach of the other team, or fight off the attacking players, forcing them to respawn away from the action. The longer a team holds on to the File, the more experience bonuses they gain. Both teams contribute to the same decryption meter while they hold it though, and the team left holding the File when it reaches 100 wins.

The next mode, "ctOS –Mobile," requires a tablet connected to the game. The person on the tablet challenges a friend or a random gamer playing the primary game; when that player accepts they find themselves in a race to hit a set number of checkpoints before time runs out. The player on the tablet sees an overhead view of the city along with a helicopter icon that can fire on the racer when properly lined up, and they can also hack objects in the environment — traffic lights and steam pipes — while sending cops after the player to kill or slow them long enough for the timer to hit zero. 

The final mode is not really a mode at all, but rather an area. A small section of Chicago is set aside as a free play mode, where up to eight people can converge and do whatever they like. The only rule you can set is whether you can shoot and kill each other.

Beyond that, it's up to the players.

"It's not a free realm with missions or modes or stuff like that. It's more like the kind of mode we had to test the systems online," Morin said. "We realized it was quite fun, and we [asked ourselves] why would we remove the option once we shipped the game?

"Why not keep that in and let old school people get together and find their friends, almost make rules with pen and paper and say let's follow those rules and try and see if it's fun. It's almost a game design R&D place. You remove all of the content, just keep the systems in and let the player see what the hell they are going to do."

For a look at the single player game, check out our recent preview of the campaign. Watch Dogs and these online modes debut on PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One on May 27. A Wii U port is due later this year.
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Don’t call MINI’s rugged Paceman Adventure concept cute (but ute works)

It's rather cute the care with which MINI's press release explained the Paceman Adventure, a pickup-style concept car created by German design apprentices at MINI.

"Choosing the MINI Cooper S Paceman as their base model, the students transformed the car into a two-seater with a pickup style cargo area," the press release explains. "The passenger compartment ends behind the front seats where the spacious cargo area for luggage, tools and equipment begins. In addition, a solid roof rack can accommodate a spare wheel."

Yes, MINI, we've seen this kind of vehicle before. Unlike in Germany, utes – the nickname for car-based trucks – used to be popular here in the States. Plus, thanks to its Australian inventors, utes have been around since the early 1930s.

Plus, similar vehicles can be witnessed in urban environments around the country, as Red Bull was using converted MINI Coopers as it promotional vehicles for years. I digress.

The Paceman Adventure is powered by 184-horsepower engine, which sends power to all four wheels through MINI's ALL4 all-wheel drive. It also features a raised ride height, which MINI says is ideal for driving on muddy tracks or desert trails.

If you're keen to get ahold of one of these MINI utes, you'll have to head to your MINI dealer and pick a Paceman … then head down to the nearby hardware store and rent a concrete saw. That's because the Paceman Adventure is a "true one-off" and will not be sent into production.
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Max Clifford guilty of eight indecent assaults

Max Clifford appeared with his family outside Southwark Crown Court
Publicist Max Clifford has been found guilty of eight indecent assaults on women and girls as young as 15.

The 71-year-old, from Surrey, was convicted of a string of assaults which happened over nearly 20 years.

He was cleared of two charges of indecent assault, while the jury at Southwark Crown Court failed to reach a verdict on another charge.

Clifford, who is the first person to be convicted under Operation Yewtree, was bailed and will be sentenced on Friday.

Judge Anthony Leonard QC warned him that the fact he was granted bail was no indication of the sentence that would be passed.

Speaking outside court, Clifford stood with his daughter Louise in front of photographers but ignored questions from reporters, saying: "I have been told by my lawyers to say nothing at all."

'Degrading'

Clifford was arrested by detectives from Operation Yewtree - the national investigation sparked by abuse claims against Jimmy Savile - in December 2012, and charged in April the following year.

He was arrested under a strand of the investigation which concentrated on accusations unconnected to the Savile investigations, but which emerged as a result of the publicity surrounding the former BBC presenter and DJ.

BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the verdicts were "hugely significant" as the first Yewtree conviction.

Clifford victim: "When I think of him, he makes me shudder"
Reacting to the verdicts, one victim said her faith in the justice system had been restored.

During the trial, prosecutors portrayed Clifford as a well-practised manipulator, who promised to boost his victims' careers and get them to meet celebrities in exchange for sexual favours.

The court heard from a string of women who testified about Clifford's behaviour in his New Bond Street office.

He offered to get them casting appointments, pretending to be Hollywood bigwigs including Steven Spielberg, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Michael Winner on the phone.

The court heard Clifford promised to boost his victims' careers in exchange for sexual favours
The jury found Clifford guilty of indecently assaulting four victims, including one girl who was abused from the age of 15 after she met him while on holiday with her family in Spain.

She said she was "blown away" when he told her she "could be the UK version" of Jodie Foster, and felt unable to say no when he asked her to take off her top and bra.

He later forced her to perform oral sex on him and indecently assaulted her.

'Nightmare'

Decades later, the victim wrote Clifford an anonymous letter, which was found in his bedside table when his home was searched by police.

In the letter she told Clifford he "took pleasure in degrading me", giving him an "A+ in grooming children".

Speaking to the BBC after his conviction, she said she still shuddered and felt ill when she thought about Clifford, and said it had been sickening to see him "create a persona of a respectable, high-profile man who was lauded by the media".

Faria Alam sold the story of her fling with football manager Sven-Goran Eriksson
"I can't thank the police and the CPS enough for their endeavours to get justice for me and everyone else", she added.

The second victim, who was an extra in the film Octopussy, said she was targeted at Clifford's office in 1981 or 1982 when she was aged 19.

The court heard Clifford told her that actor Charles Bronson wanted pictures of her in her underwear before deciding whether she could be in a different film.

She told how she had spoken to a man claiming to be Mr Bronson on the phone before Clifford then pinned her down on a sofa. She said she fought him off and left.

Another girl, a teenage model, said Clifford groped her when she went to his office for career advice in 1983, bragging that he could get her a part in a James Bond film.

She was told to pose in her underwear and told how Clifford tried to force her to perform oral sex.

The victims also included a dancer who received a phone call while she was at a nightclub from someone pretending to represent producer Broccoli, and was told to find out whether Clifford was circumcised.

She then "froze" and realised she was "stuck", and feared she would be raped when Clifford took her into the toilet and assaulted her.

Clifford had repeatedly denied the claims, calling his arrest and prosecution "a nightmare" and branding his accusers "fantasists".

Victims' 'courage'

Clifford had been a key player in the British media in the 1990s and 2000s, orchestrating tabloid revelations about the sex lives of politicians, including David Mellor and John Prescott, sporting figures such as David Beckham and Sven-Goran Eriksson and actors including Jude Law.

Speaking outside court, Jenny Hopkins, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London, said the verdicts against him had provided "a long-denied justice" to the victims.

She said the CPS would now take some time to consider its position on the verdict the jury was unable to come to a decision on.

"I would like to thank these victims for having had the courage to come forward and give evidence.

OJ Simpson was one of Clifford's most controversial clients
"The victims of sexual abuse, whenever it may have taken place, should know that police and prosecutors will listen", she said.

DCI Michael Orchard, from the Metropolitan Police, paid tribute to Clifford's victims, saying he hoped they felt they were "listened to".

Peter Watt, director of National Services at the NSPCC, said Clifford had been "unmasked as a ruthless and manipulative sex offender who preyed for decades on children and young women".

"Clifford was a rich and influential man who dined with the stars but the way he manipulated and groomed his victims is typical of many sex offenders.

The Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service thank the victims who came forward to secure the conviction
"He exploited their vulnerabilities, using lies and coercion to get what he wanted," he said.

Lawyer Liz Dux, who represents more than 150 people who have made complaints under Operation Yewtree, said the verdicts proved the investigation was not a "celebrity witch-hunt".

Sir Keir Starmer, former director of public prosecutions, said the guilty verdicts were "significant" and demonstrated that, "If a case is properly brought, it can succeed."

"I think for many years there was a perception perhaps that you would never succeed in one of these cases if the accused was a celebrity," he said.

However, he added: "It doesn't matter who you are, in the end we do have a system that is capable of delivering justice for victims in situations such as this."
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Iraq suicide bomb at Kurdish political rally kills 30

A suicide bombing at a rally in north-eastern Iraq has killed 30 people, security officials say.

The attack took place at a political gathering in the town of Khanaqin, which has a large Kurdish population.

At least 50 others were injured in the blast, reports said.

Iraqis are voting in the country's first parliamentary election since the withdrawal of US troops almost three years ago, but it comes amid the worst unrest since 2008.
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Dragon Age: Inquisition screens take a tour through beautiful Thedas

Dragon Age: Inquisition is BioWare's first game built on the Frostbite 3 engine, the same foundational game development tools that breathe life in Battlefield 4. In other words, it's real purdy and stuff. Gape in wonder at these screens. You get some dragons, some scenery, and a whole lot of armed and armored toughs. Good times.

Electronic Arts has Inquisition set to hit stores on October 7 for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, as well as Windows PCs, and serious fans can pony up a few extra dollars for an assortment of virtual goodies packed into the Deluxe Edition. With E3 2014 quickly approaching, we should be hearing more soon about what lies beneath the gorgeous surface of BioWare's return to the land of Thedas.
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Galaxy S5 Prime: June launch rumored, but the device’s name could change (Updated)

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is an excellent handset, but it may get an upgraded version soon. A KGI analyst predicted that there would not only be a Galaxy S5 "Standard," but also a Galaxy S5 "Prime." The Galaxy S5 Prime would be more powerful than its sibling, though it has yet to materialize in any meaningful way. However, rumors of the device's existence and impending announcement continue to spread.

Updated on 04-28-2014 by Andy Boxall: Added in new reports on alternative names for the S5 Prime, plus more news on the specs, and a possible launch date.

Uncertainty surrounds the name, will it be the Prime?

While we've been referring to the higher spec phone as the Galaxy S5 Prime, there's no indication this name will stick when (and if) it ever goes on sale. Other reports have said the phone is known internally as Project K, or alternatively, Project KQ. While this could be another codename, it's interesting to note Samsung may call its Galaxy S4 Zoom replacement the Galaxy K Zoom, or an approximation of it. There's also the chance the S5 Prime is linked to the long-standing rumor of a metal-bodied Galaxy F.

When does Samsung plan to launch the phone?

A report in the Korean media says Samsung is aiming for a June announcement for the phone. This isn't official, but it does sound plausible. LG is expected to launch the G3 smartphone around the same time, and the two phones may share very similar specifications. Samsung and LG went head-to-head with flexible phones last year, and this year could be the battle for who comes out on top with 1440p displays.

How about the S5 Prime's spec list?

Spotted on Indian import site Zauba, a posted manifest reveals four SM-G906K – believed to be the S5 Prime's model number – units as having been shipped from South Korea for "R&D purposes." We've also seen a similarly-named version of the handset, the SM-G906S, at GFXBench. Having since been taken down, the test revealed the main hardware for the latter version of the handset.

Galaxy S5 Prime specs:

5.2-inch 2560 x 1440 display
2.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor
Adreno 420 GPU
3GB of RAM
32GB of storage
16-megapixel camera
2-megapixel front-facing camera
Android 4.4.2 KitKat
Unfortunately, other than the device's model number, the import site doesn't reveal much else. Keep in mind that this kind of movement is routine for companies that test handsets with different carrier specifications, so it might not be indicative of a forthcoming release. 

An anonymous source chatting to the Korean media has also discussed the phone's specification. A 5.2-inch, 2560 x 1440 pixel display is once again mentioned, along with a hint Samsung will follow its usual strategy of releasing region-specific hardware. This often relates only to the processor, and it's suggested the Korean version will use Samsung's own, brand new octa-core Exynos 5430 chip.

Other possible features include a co-processor for managing audio encoding, decoding, and equalization, plus the introduction of Intel LTE chip on the international model. 

Will it be Samsung's first Galaxy with a metal body?

The Galaxy S5 Prime, or whatever it'll be called, will reportedly be a premium version of the current Galaxy S5, encased in a metal body rather than the plastic Samsung usually opts for its handsets. We've been hearing about Samsung's plans to introduce a phone not made of plastic for a while, and the rumors were previously linked to the Galaxy F.

Whether the mysterious phone makes its way to market as an LG G3 challenger, or if the components and design end up being used on a future Samsung device such as the Galaxy Note 4 is still an unknown. Samsung's Mobile supremo J.K. Shin said in an interview there was "no such thing" as a premium version of the Galaxy S5, but confirmed the Galaxy Note 4 would arrive later in the year. Of course, this doesn't mean Samsung won't introduce another high-end range of Galaxy devices.

Whatever happens with the S5 Prime, we'll keep updating you on the rumors as they appear.
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New US sanctions target Russian officials and companies

Among the targets is Igor Sechin, who has worked for Vladimir Putin since the early 1990s

The US has imposed sanctions on seven Russian individuals and 17 companies it says are linked to President Vladimir Putin's "inner circle".

The White House said the move was a response to "Russia's continued illegal intervention in Ukraine".

Those targeted include Igor Sechin, head of oil giant Rosneft, and Sergei Chemezov of the hi-tech firm Rostec.

The announcement comes after the mayor of Kharkiv, a city in eastern Ukraine, was shot and critically wounded.

Hennadiy Kernes was recovering after an operation to repair damage to the chest and abdomen, but his life remained in danger, his office said.

Monday also saw pro-Russian separatists, whom Western nations accuse Moscow of supporting, seize a local government building in Kostyantynivka, a town to the south.

Separatists were also continuing to detain about 40 people in the town of Sloviansk, including journalists, pro-Kiev activists and 12 military observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Ukraine's security service said.

At a special meeting of the OSCE's permanent council in Vienna, Russian ambassador Andrei Kelin said Moscow was taking "steps" to secure the observers' release. But the area around Sloviansk was very tense and it had been "extremely irresponsible" to send them there, he added.

'Additional costs'

The US and EU first imposed visa bans and asset freezes on a number of senior Russian officials and companies after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine last month.

On Thursday, the White House said it was adding to its sanctions list "in response to Russia's continued illegal intervention in Ukraine and provocative acts that undermine Ukraine's democracy and threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity".

It accused Russia of "doing nothing to meet the commitments it made" at a meeting with Ukraine, the US and EU in Geneva on 17 April, which it said had included refraining from violence or provocative acts.

Pro-Russian separatists seized a local government building in Kostyantynivka on Monday

Western nations accuse Moscow of supporting the separatists, including those in Sloviansk

Hennadiy Kernes was reportedly out cycling in Kharkiv when he was shot in the back

The identity and motive of the gunman who targeted Mr Kernes was unknown
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow's response would be "painful for Washington".

He told the Interfax news agency that the Kremlin was "disgusted" by the sanctions, which he said showed the White House had "completely lost touch with reality".

Among the seven government officials facing a US asset freeze and visa ban, two are seen as long-time allies:

Mr Sechin is a former KGB officer and deputy chief of staff during Mr Putin's first two presidential terms, when he masterminded Russia's energy policy
Mr Chemezov is described by the US as a trusted ally dating back to the 1980s
Alexei Pushkov is chairman of the committee of international affairs of Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma
Many of the 17 companies targeted are linked to individuals designated in the previous sanctions list. The latest measures also target some hi-tech exports that "could contribute to Russia's military capabilities".

Diplomats in Brussels also said European Union governments had reached a preliminary agreement to impose asset freezes and visa bans on another 15 people as part of expanded sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. The names are expected to be released on Tuesday, although more could still be added.

Mayor shot

The developments came hours after Kharkiv's mayor was shot in the back while cycling on the outskirts of the city.

The head of the hospital where Mr Kernes was being treated, the Surgery Institute in Kharkiv, said he had suffered a "very serious wound", and that several organs had been damaged.

Valeriy Boyko said the threat to the mayor's life had not been eliminated, but that the bleeding had been stopped, his condition was stable and that doctors were treating him for shock.

Mr Kernes used to be a supporter of former pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych. He then dropped his support for Mr Yanukovych in favour of a united Ukraine.
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Gillian Astbury death: Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust fined over patient death

Gillian Astbury died at Stafford Hospital in April 2007
The health trust which ran Stafford Hospital has been fined £200,000 for failing a diabetic patient who died in its care.

Gillian Astbury, 66, lapsed into a coma at Stafford Hospital after nurses failed to give her insulin. She died there in April 2007.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust admitted health and safety breaches.

A judge at Stafford Crown Court said Ms Astbury's death was tragic and wholly avoidable.

'Routine' neglect

An inquest in 2010 ruled there had been a failure to provide basic care for Mrs Astbury who died after being admitted for fractures to her arm and pelvis.

Two nurses, Ann King and Jeannette Coulson, did not notice her high blood sugar, and she fell into a diabetic coma.

Ms King was subsequently struck off and Ms Coulson was cautioned after a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel found them guilty of misconduct last year.

At Stafford Crown Court, the Trust, which was also ordered to pay £27,000 in costs, pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety law.

Sentencing, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said responsibility for the failures at the time of Mrs Astbury's death lay with senior managers at the Trust, which was criticised by a public inquiry for the "routine" neglect of patients between 2005 and 2009.

"This was a wholly avoidable and tragic death of a vulnerable patient who was admitted to hospital for care but died because of the lack of it," he said.

He added: "As repeated investigations have revealed, there was a systemic failure at Stafford Hospital in relation to two of the most basic tenets of patient care: proper hand-overs between nursing shifts, and proper record-keeping.

"These failures put legions of patients at Stafford Hospital at serious risk. The simple fact is that Mrs Astbury died because she was not given the insulin that she needed."

The Trust is running an annual operating deficit of about £11m and became in April the first foundation trust to go into administration.

'Candid' about failures

Commenting on the court case, deputy chief executive of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, Jeff Crawshaw, said the court case marked "the final stage in what has been a thorough and long-running investigation into the failings which led to her tragic death".

"From the very beginning, we have acknowledged the failings in Mrs Astbury's care, and we have never shied away from our responsibility for what happened to her."

In assessing the size of the fine, the judge said the Trust had shown a high degree of co-operation with the authorities and had been "entirely candid" about its failures.

Mrs Astbury's friend and carer Ron Street said he was saddened that the health executives and line managers in charge at the time of her death would not be prosecuted.

He said: "After six-and-a-half…years in pursuit of justice for Gillian, during which I have too often found myself foolishly attempting to debate common sense with those being forced to defend the nonsensical, I have sufficient remaining sense to know that now is the time to say 'enough is enough'."

Peter Galsworthy, for the Health and Safety Executive, said: "The Trust's systems were simply not robust enough to ensure that staff consistently followed principles of good communication and record keeping. Gillian's death was entirely preventable. She just needed to be given insulin.

"We expect lessons to be learned across the NHS to prevent this happening again."
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Teacher stabbed to death at Leeds school

The teacher was treated by paramedics at the scene.

A female teacher has been stabbed to death in front of pupils inside a school in Leeds.

The 61-year-old victim, who the BBC understands was Spanish teacher Anne Maguire, was taken to hospital but later pronounced dead.

A 15-year-old boy was detained by teaching staff at Corpus Christi Catholic College and later arrested.

Police said there was "no ongoing risk to pupils or staff".

Downing Street said the prime minister's thoughts were with the victim's family.

Two pupils at the scene told the BBC that children were seen screaming and running from a classroom following the attack.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said Mrs Maguire received a number of stab wounds and a knife was recovered from the scene.

The 15-year-old pupil was detained by other members of teaching staff and arrested in connection with the stabbing, he added.

No-one else was injured in the attack and no other student or member of staff was threatened, the spokesman said.

He said the attack was an "unprecedented event" and schools in Leeds were "generally very safe places" to work and study.

Staff members were "in shock" and Mrs Maguire's death would "understandably have a massive impact" on her family and the school, he added.

The BBC's education correspondent Sean Coughlan said the incident would bring back memories of Philip Lawrence, a head teacher who was killed outside a school in Maida Vale, London, in 1995.

Mr Lawrence was murdered when he went to help a pupil who was being attacked.

The call to police in Leeds came from the ambulance service shortly before 12:00 BST.

Pupil: "She was amazing... she was the best at everything"

There was a police presence at the school on Monday

Police described the stabbing at the school as an "isolated incident"

Floral tributes have been placed outside the school
The college has 950 pupils and according to its website it retains "traditional values", describing these as "a strong Christian ethos, a broad and varied curriculum, good teaching and learning, excellent discipline and outstanding pastoral care".

The BBC's Danny Savage said the school was on a large estate to the east of the city, well known to residents.

"It's regarded as a good school in what in the past could be regarded as a problematic area overall," he said.

Death 'devastating'

Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds City Council, said: "We are aware of the serious incident at Corpus Christi Catholic College this morning and our thoughts are with all those concerned."

He added: "We are working with the school to support pupils and staff at this very upsetting time."

Mr Riordan said the authority was "working closely with the police and helping with their investigation".

Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said the fatal stabbing was "a truly awful thing to have happened to a teacher in the course of her work to educate the next generation".

"Appalling events like this are thankfully very rare indeed but the death of any teacher in her place of work, which should be a place of safety, is devastating.

"Our condolences go to the family and friends of this teacher, and to students and colleagues at the school."

She added that the NUT would provide help and assistance to the college and its community.

Hilary Benn, MP for Leeds Central, the constituency in which the college is located, said the killing was "profoundly saddening".

"It is not representative of the college or the community that surrounds it," he said.

While "shocking, terrible" attacks like this were rare, that would be "no comfort" to the dead teacher's family, Mr Benn added.

Pupils have been paying tribute to the teacher on Twitter.

One said, she had "made our Year 11 best time of our life, what an amazing woman RIP".

Another said: "I actually feel sick... RIP to probably the best teacher ever."
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Legendary Atari video game stash uncovered in the New Mexico desert

It's been the stuff of urban legend for over thirty years: Did Atari dump a huge stockpile of its unwanted video games in the desert during the early 1980s? This weekend, the truth has been uncovered, as construction workers digging around Alamogordo, New Mexico found copies of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial in a landfill site.

Why does this matter? The game is considered as one of the worst titles to ever be released (it was completed in six weeks rather than the usual six months) and the find represents closure on an important chapter in video game history. With consumer interest plummeting and its games flopping during the first half of the 1980s, Atari was stuck with truckloads of unwanted games and other hardware, prompting it to take the unusual step of dumping a large part of its inventory altogether.

The drastic move was reported by the New York Times in 1983, but has never been fully verified — in fact, some in the industry have denied that it ever happened. Now we know that it did take place, and it's thanks to a video games documentary being made by Xbox Entertainment Studios for the Xbox One. The company ordered the dig to shed new light on the truth behind what IGN calls "one of gaming's greatest mysteries."

Excavation work continues, and you can check the on-site IGN report for further updates. It's an important archaeological find for gamers, as E.T. represents one of the industry's costliest and most significant failures, one that could have killed video gaming for good.

[Image courtesy of Larry Hryb]
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Rimac’s 1088-HP Concept One EV hypercar prototype gets investors from Hong Kong

The last few years have seen an explosion in supercar makers from countries that don't have much of an automaking tradition.

Names like Zenovo, Koenigsegg, Lykan, and now the Dubai Roadster have all entered the automotive lexicon. But here is another name to memorize: Rimac. This Croatian startup, is on the verge of putting one of the most stunning supercars we have ever seen into production.

The Rimac Concept One has a lot going for it: 1088 horsepower close to 1,600 pound-feet of torque, 0 to 60 in just 2.7 seconds and a 190 mph top-end. And all of that power and speed comes from lithium-ion batteries and electric motors, which Rimac estimate are good for a 372 mile range.

The company is almost too much of a cliche to believe; it started out as the dream of a 26-year-old from Zagreb. Who, despite coming from a country without a long heritage of car manufacturing, managed to pull together not only a fantastic idea, but also built a prototype. Now he has something that might be even more important than those stunning numbers: investors. According to TechEU, Rimac has secured two big investors to help put the Concept One into production.

These two helpful individuals are apparently already involved in the world of EVs and green tech. One of them is a native Croatian working in Columbia's energy sector, Frank Kanayet Yepes – a name that I am thankfully not being required to pronounce. Yepes is a man who knows a bit about what it takes to make electric cars go fast, as he is already involved in funding the Formula E electric race series.

The other potential investor is a Hong Kong energy firm. Though, they may potentially be more interested in the Greyp electric bikes that Rimac also makes.

Regardless, the news is exciting. Not only is it exciting to see any new automaker enter the field, it would be thrilling to see the first true EV supercar. Besides just look at the thing, it's gorgeous! So here is to Rimac and its pioneering founder Mate Rimac.
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