a therapy should be registered and acknowledged.
1996 U.S. statistics show that coronary heart disease (which causes heart attack and angina) is the single leading cause of death in America, amounting to 476,124 deaths in the United States in 1996 (one of every 4.9 deaths). There are about 1,100,000 new and recurrent cases of coronary attack per year in the U.S.; of these, about one-third die, based on data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute""s Atherosclerotic Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, 1987-94. More than 900,000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular causes, including stroke, hypertension, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, and congenital heart defects, according to American Heart Association estimates.
Prophylaxis includes altering risk factors we may modify including: cigarette and tobacco smoke, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure,release platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) which stimulates the growth of smooth muscle cells in the artery wall, one of the earliest events in the atherosclerosis process.
Although much is known about the cause and progression of vascular disease, the available pharmaceuticals along with other preventative measures (such as diet, exercise, and not smoking) fall far short of effectively preventing fatal complications for vast numbers of persons.
According to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health, the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) population in the US is composed of more than 200,000 patients who undergo dialysis and 70,000 patients with functioning kidney transplants. The ESRD population is growing at a rate between 7-9 percent per year. By 2010, there will


on Wednesday, June 10, at approximately 15:00 local Europe
time (CEST)/ 23:00 Australian time (CDT)/ 9:00 (USA East).

WAP-enabled mobile devices: http://live.cyclingnews.com/wap/

So far Thor Hushovd, George Hincapie, Tom Boonen, Serguei Gonchar, Cyril
Dessel, Floyd Landis and Pereiro have all worn the maillot jaune. Only
at the Tours of 1958 and 1987 have there been more overall leaders, with
eight.

The more recent of these editions saw Jelle Nijdam, Lech Piasecki, Erich
Mächler, Charly Mottet, Martial Gayant, Jean-François Bernard and Pedro
Delgado all enjoy stints in the yellow jersey before Stephen Roche reclaimed
it in the final time trial.

Pereiro isn’t regarded as a likely winner of the Tour, although if he
climbs better in the Alps than in the Pyrenees, he could well improve
on his best overall placing of tenth, achieved in both 2004 and
2005. It is likely thatkilometres to go, followed
by Voigt. Chavanel couldn't react to that acceleration, and accepted it.
"Voigt and Pereiro Sio managed to get away in the end, so they must have
been the strongest riders in the group."

"Oscar is a Hollywood star," French champion says

By Jean-François Quénet in Montélimar

Now with French bank Caisse d'Épargne as a title sponsor, the former
Illes Balears team came to the Tour de France with the intention of taking
the yellow jersey, just as in Banesto's good old days with Miguel Indurain.
Their historical team manager, José Miguel Echevarri, was almost in tears
in the media bus when he realized that Oscar Pereiro would become the
new leader of the Tour de France.

Their two French riders Florent Brard and Nicolas Portal didn't believe
their eyes when they crossed the line half an hour


after their captain.
"I never rode for a big leader before and I came to the Tour with the
dream of racing with the yellow jersey on my wheel," Portal had declared
in Valkenburg when he was sad because of Alejandro Valverde's crash. That
day, Echevarri stated, "Our building is down but we still have the support
beams and other GC riders to work for." He didn't state any name but he
was clearly referring to Pereiro who came 10th in the Tour last year.

"I'm very proud of what Oscar did today, Portal said after the finish.
It's a relief for us. After Valverde's crash, we put our hopes onto Oscar
(Pereiro) and Vladimir (Karpets)." Brard added. "Oscar was known for having
one bad day in a three-weeks race. He had it in the col de Portillon,
butafter that stage to Pla de Beret, he told us, "Now there will not
be a breakaway without me." He almost made it yesterday. Today, he was
so up for it that he started the stage on the first row. He deserves what's
happening. He's a hard worker.

"Oscar always smiles and jokes, he's happy to do this job, he's a real
Spaniard," Portal reckoned. Brard didn't fully agree with that comment:
"Oscar is the only Spanish rider I meet at breakfast, everyone else wakes
up too late. I'm happy for him to be in yellow now. It's a big surprise,
just as big as our disappointment when we lost Valverde. He's a Hollywood
star. He's the guy who struts. He's highly motivated. Now it'll be interesting
to see what happens in the Alps. There's no longer Lance


Armstrong to
rule the race. It's better for the spectacle."

Another Eisel top 10

Bernhard Eisel of Française des Jeux finished second in the group sprint
in stage 13, 30 minutes behind the winner, his seventh top ten finish
in the Tour. "It was another quiet stage. At the beginning I wanted to
get in an escape group, but I just didn't have the legs for it," he said.
"With these oven-like temperatures averaging 36 degrees and a high of
41 degrees Celsius, everybody had heavy legs today. It went well in the
sprint, but I couldn't get past McEwen. But I'm still very satisfied with
my performance."

New jersey for Fothen

"That was a damned long and hot day," said best young rider Marcus Fothen
(Gerolsteiner) at the finish. "My white jersey is totally soaked through.
But at the awards ceremonyThis was definitely not your father’s Oldsmobile, because he never had the chance to buy it.

The last Oldsmobile ever built is going up for auction on Dec. 15. The 2004 Alero is still owned by General Motors and until recently was part of the GM Heritage Center collection.

The dark cherry sedan rolled off the line at Lansing Car Assembly in Michigan on April 29, 2004 and was signed under the hood and in the trunk by all of the workers at the now-shuttered plant.

GM had announced plans in 2000 to eliminate what was at the time America’s oldest car brand, due to its unprofitability. Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer would follow it into the history books a few years later, leaving the automaker with four core American brands: Chevrolet,


MICHAEL Jackson's former girlfriend Tatum O'Neal has admitted she isn't surprised by the child sex abuse allegations against the pop star after watching Leaving Neverland.

The actress, who met Jacko at the age of 12, said that although she never saw anything herself, "it's hard not to believe those boys" who spoke out in the explosive documentary series.

9 Jackson's ex-girlfriend Tatum O'Neal admitted she isn't surprised by the child sex abuse allegations Credit: Good Morning Britian

9 Tatum met Jacko when she was 12 and he was 17 Credit: Getty - Minimum Fee

Appearing on Good Morning Britain via a live video feed, Tatum, 55, said she wasn’t shocked by the allegations, as there are “so many disgusting things going on in Hollywood”.

She explained she was struggling to discount the accusationsmade by James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who both maintain they were sexually abused by the pop icon from as young as seven.

Tatum said of the docu-series: "It's hard not to believe those boys...

"I didn't see anything myself..."

She added: "No it doesn't sicken me - there are so many disgusting things in Hollywood now beginning to be uncovered slowly."

Tatum released an autobiography A Paper Life in 2004, detailing the friendship she had with Jacko when they met when she was 12 and he was 17.

She also revealed that he wanted a more intimate relationship - but she wasn't ready.

The actress wrote: “I was just 12 and not at all ready for a real-life encounter...

"Michael, who was sweating profusely, seemed as intimidated as I was.

"He jumped up nervously and


WE SNOW! Leeds hit by SNOW as temps plummet to -5 as Brits brace for 65mph gusts today

The bombshell Channel 4 documentary Leaving Neverland detailed a series of harrowing claims against the late star, who died in 2009.

Spanning four hours, it detailed in horrific detail the accounts of Jackson's former child "friends" Wade Robson, 36, and 41-year-old James Safechuck.

Robson says he was abused from the age of seven to 14 and Safechuck claims he was groomed and raped from age of ten to 14, including in a room at Neverland’s train station.

They claim to have been repeatedly raped and abused by the megastar from when they were children.

Much of the alleged abuse is said to have taken place in the Neverland Ranch - turned into a storybook paradiseby Jackson when he bought it in 1988.

It was said to be a paedophile's paradise with hidden sex dens he used to molest kids, according to Safechuck.

He claimed Jackson used alarms, bells and one-way glass to alert him to anyone approaching the alleged rape chambers.

Jackson always strongly denied allegations of sex abuse made against him.

His family and estate have slammed Leaving Neverland - calling the film one-sided.

9 Jackson's accusers Wade Robson, left, and James Safechuck, right, are pictured with film director Dan Reed Credit: AP:Associated Press

9 Jackson and Safechuck, right, were companions in the late 1980s and 1990s Credit: Getty - Contributor

9 Jackson allegedly abused Robson, right, from the age of seven Credit: HBO

9 A rundown of all the child sex abuse allegations made against Jackson

9 Jackson's Neverland


of Rybnokov's musical art - "Live Pictures of the time of Alexander I and Napoleon Bonapart based upon the novel "War and Peace" by the count Lev Tolstoy". In 2013 Rybnikov is planning to produce the whole show as well as the new version of the "Liturgy" and of "Joakine".

The entire life of Alexey Rybnikov is associated with music. But music is not the only field of activity — he has been contributing to some public projects. He takes an active part in the sessions of the Board, promoting cultural and social programs, has found his Theatre.

Rybnikov is a President of the National Festival “The Musical Heart of the Theatre” and Russian Family Festival “Our Buratino”.

Movie soundtracks

Since 1965 Alexey has already started composing movie music and become onevarious jails until her sentence in Federal prison has been determined. Her son, one of five kids, was murdered a while back because of drugs–he was stabbed over 40 times according to her, many while he was still alive, and then one final stab to the skull. How horrible! All in the name of money and getting the next fix. Sometimes I just don’t understand people.

This woman gets out of here on Thursday for 2 or 3 months until her sentencing–on a one MILLION dollar cash bond.. With tears in her eyes, this 37 year old explained to everyone how she’d spoken to her youngest daughter, 5 years old, and how happy she was to hear her daughter say “I love you.” She said she’d prayed for the


the play by Sophocles), for tenor, baritone, male chorus, oboe, and percussion
Alfredo Casella –
La donna serpente, Suite No. 1, op. 50 bis
La donna serpente, Suite No. 2, op. 50 ter
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco –
Ballade des biens immeubles, for voice and piano, op. 68
Concerto "I profeti", for violin and orchestra, op. 66
The Lark, for violin and piano, op. 64
Mi–la, for piano
Film Studies (Two), for piano, op. 67
Juan José Castro – Symphony No. 1
Abram Chasins – Parade, for orchestra
Francesco Cilea – Suite No. 2, for orchestra
Philip Greeley Clapp –
A Highly Academic Diversion on Seven Notes, for orchestra
Symphony No. 9 in E major (The Pioneers)
Arnold Cooke – Passacaglia, Scherzo, and Finale, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and string quartet
Aaron Copland – Miracle at Verdun, incidental music for the play by Hansand Kind-Hearted People], for choir and orchestra
Sigfrid Karg-Elert –
Music for Organ, op. 145
Passacaglia and Fugue on BACH, op. 150
Sempre semplice, for organ, op. 142, no. 2
Albert Ketèlbey – In the Mystic Land of Egypt
Aram Khachaturian – Double Fugue, for string quartet
Uuno Klami –
Hommage à Haendel, for orchestra
Kohtauksia nukketeatterista [Scenes from a Puppet Theatre], for orchestra
Rag-Time and Blues, for two violins, clarinet, trumpet, and piano
Tsheremissiläinen fantasia [Cheremis Fantasia], for cello and orchestra
Lev Knipper – Negrityonok Sėbi [Little Negro Sebi], ballet for orchestra, op. 24
Zoltán Kodály –
Mátrai képek, for mixed choir
Nagyszalontai köszöntő, for mixed choir or treble choir
Prelude, for organ
Erich Wolfgang Korngold – Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, op. 25
Charles Koechlin –
Chorals (22), op. 117
Chorals dans les modes du moyen-âge (Cinq), for orchestra, op. 117bis
Ernst Krenek –
Bagatelles


260 performances
 Bitter Sweet (Noël Coward) – London revival
 The Cat and the Fiddle     Broadway production opened at the Globe Theatre on October 15 and ran for 395 performances
 Cavalcade (Noël Coward) – London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on October 13 and ran for 405 performances
 Die Dubarry     Berlin production opened on August 14
 Folly To Be Wise London revue opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on January 8.  Starring Cicely Courtneidge.
 Here Goes the Bride Broadway production opened at Chanin's 46th Street Theatre on November 3 and ran for 7 performances.
 Hold My Hand (Music: Noel Gay Lyrics: Desmond Carter Book: Stanley Lupino) London production opened at the Gaiety Theatre on December 23.  Starring Jessienumber. Prevalence of SLT use among men and women is 29.6 and 12.8 per cent[@ref75], respectively. Although the burden is highest in India, not much effort except a few studies[@ref76] towards testing of harmful contents of SLTs has been made. The Government of India in 2003 has established a law regarding tobacco known as Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act which includes prohibition of advertisement and regulation of trade and commerce, production, supply and distribution. This also includes testing of nicotine and tar for all tobacco products[@ref77]. To implement this law, the governments piloted National Tobacco Control Programme in 2007-2008; one of its components was to establish tobacco product testing laboratories for building regulatory capacity[@ref77]. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has established National


Leslie has caught up on his books and coach Mark Fox's open-court offense has allowed him an opportunity for a fresh start. He scored a team-high 21 points last Friday in Georgia's 87-53 exhibition win against North Georgia.

"I'm just excited about getting a chance to show the fans what I can do," Leslie said. "I had to sit the last little bit of the season, and I'd like to prove that I can do it. The coaches just wanted me to focus on grades to make sure I was ready for this year."

Leslie started 2008-09 as one of the Bulldogs' brightest freshman. He scored a career-high 23 points against Loyola-Chicago in the second game of the season.

But as the season wore on, Leslie's scoring pace slowed, and hesafely say that I'm back."

Anyaorah had a rod attached to his tibia to repair a stress fracture that was discovered in summer of 2008 and took a medical redshirt to retain his freshman season.

"The rod went all the way through from my ankle to my knee," Anyaorah said. "I had to do rehab for my foot, leg and knee, so that was a full day every day. At first, I thought the world was over, but the I realized it was a blessing in disguise."

Anyaorah, a 6-foot-4 guard, had averaged 26 points and 8.2 rebounds as a senior at North Gwinnett High school. He figures to be among the top contenders for minutes on the wing in Fox's triangle offense.

"It was tough last year," Anyaorah said. "I couldn't


Earphones fight for Akihabara!

Earphones (イヤホンズ), a music group composed of voice actresses, has released a music video in which they are tasked with protecting the otaku holy land of Akihabara.

The music video is for the group’s new single “Ikkenrakuchaku Goyōshin,” which will be released February 15th. The song is also being used as the opening theme for the anime series “Akiba’s Trip The Animation,” which began airing on January 4th.

Earphones Go Fight!

In the video the three voice actresses, Marika Kōno, Rie Takahashi and Yuki Nagaku, can be seen taking on the role of super heroes entrusted with the responsibility of defending Akihabara from evil. The video also features an interesting appearance by musician Akira Kushida, who is perhaps best known for singing the theme song of the 1983and Oriel Park, where the nowadays mighty Dundalk Town play. Larry actually drove us into town to rendezvous with friends before the match and repeated the...

This is a place you should avoid. The location is good and the people friendly and helpful, but the rooms, at least the one we stayed in was far from nice. There was a bed and that was about it. We did have a mini tv, but it was place in such a way that you could not see it...

Hospitality, a home away from home and fantastic service! The room was great, an amazing bed filled with pillows and very clean! Also, the bathroom was great. They brought us to the train station as well!
Breakfast superb and it's a short walk into town.


and with modern decor. Very clean and comfortable. The house was warm which was very much appreciated as the weather wasn't very summery. Breakfast was delicious with a good selection on the menu. We can thoroughly...

This was a beautiful house. The breakfast was delicious, and they made it so quickly. The room was nice and toasty. The beds were super comfortable. The electricity worked well. And the check-in was easy. It wasn't exactly super cheap, but it wasn't super expensive. :)

Our hosts had perfect recommendations for things to do in the area, and it was only a ten minute walk to dinner in town. The bedding was fluffy and comfortable, the room clean, and the Irish breakfast in the morning was abundant.

This is a real nice and familiardumb bets that brought the financial system to the brink of collapse two years ago. And it has fattened Wall Street bonus pools to record levels again.
”

Apple has a long relationship with Adobe. In fact, we met Adobe’s founders when they were in their proverbial garage. Apple was their first big customer, adopting their Postscript language for our new Laserwriter printer. Apple invested in Adobe and owned around 20% of the company for many years. The two companies worked closely together to pioneer desktop publishing and there were many good times. Since that golden era, the companies have grown apart. Apple went through its near death experience, and Adobe was drawn to the corporate market with their Acrobat products. Today the two companies still work together to serve


Thursday's letters: Koch brothers

Published: Thursday, April 17, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 at 3:30 p.m.

To the editor: No less than two Associated Press articles in the April 9 Times News targeted, under different ostensible news reports, Charles and David Koch. Note that Koch Industries employs thousands, pays huge amounts of taxes, and that the Koch brothers have donated hundreds of millions of their own money to social charities.

Constitutional, libertarian, conservative, billionaire industrialists, exercising their right of free speech by financing at least one organization that places commercials opposing the anti-constitutional, anti-capitalist activities of the political left (usually supported by the very same AP from which these biased reports masquerade as news), the Koch brothers seem to have become enough of a threat to theEast Stroudsburg native wins second place at annual food show

Thursday

Jan 31, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Arthur H. Byra of East Stroudsburg has won second place honors in the Pennsylvania College of Technology's annual Food Show, a showcase for final projects in advanced culinary arts and baking and pastry arts courses at the college. Byra won in the Artistic Buffet Decoration-Ice Sculpture category.

Arthur H. Byra of East Stroudsburg has won second place honors in the Pennsylvania College of Technology's annual Food Show, a showcase for final projects in advanced culinary arts and baking and pastry arts courses at the college. Byra won in the Artistic Buffet Decoration-Ice Sculpture category.

Taking the Chef Eugene Mattucci Best of Show Award was a two-tier cake decorated by Carrie A. Williams of State College.

Pennsylvania College


of Technology in Williamsport became an affiliate of Pennsylvania State University in 1989.

Final projects by the students in the Principles of Chocolate Works course came in the form of chocolate houses constructed to represent Williamsport-area landmarks. The 15 chocolate buildings were sold in silent auction during the Food Show to benefit Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity, and raised $1,300.

Projects were judged by Penn College alumni Mara Rakowski, customer service director of Aramark at Susquehanna Health; Chuck Persun, restaurant manager and chef at Wegmans; and Dennis Eckrote, executive chef at Elizabeth's: An American Bistro in Lewisburg. Also serving as judges were Michael Davis, executive chef of Aramark at Susquehanna Health, and Layne E. Eggers, assistant dean of the School of Hospitality.

To learn more about the academic programs offered bya high bluff overlook of Lake Superior and the Canadian shoreline several miles across the St. Marys River. The first 1,100 feet of the trail (which includes the wetland boardwalk) is fully accessible. The trail to the bluff overlook is steep and challenging. The wetland boardwalk portion of the trail runs right along a beaver dam. These industrious animals actually used the boardwalk as part of their dam structure during its construction. Water levels in the wetland may fluctuate from year to year as the beaver colony comes and goes. Look for a beaver lodge in the wetland. The underwater entrances to these large stick and mud houses allow beavers to enter and leave with little exposure to predators. Waterfowl and great blue herons also may be seen


using this wetland area in years when the beaver have helped keep the water levels up. Osprey frequently nest in the Monocle Lake area. Watch for ospreys (also called fish hawks) catching fish in the open water areas. The Iroquis Point Lighthouse is nearby on the Lake Superior shore. It is maintained by the Hiawatha National Forest (open May 15 to October 15) and has modern barrier free restrooms. Iroquis Point offers public access to the shoreline for wildlife viewing – a place to look for migrating birds that are following the coastline.

Point Iroquois Lighthouse [Lighthouses], Hiawatha National Forest, 6 Mile Road (Lakeshore Drive), Brimley, MI 49715, Phone: (906) 437-5272. This lighthouse was first illuminated in 1857 and it's fourth order Fresnel lens shone over one of theSign up for the latest Russia investigation updates here.

Former British spy Christopher Steele, the author of the controversial dossier alleging coordination between Trump campaign associates and Russian officials, has long sought to keep private details about his life. But a sprawling new profile of the former MI6 operative from The New Yorker provides new information on Steele's research on President Donald Trump.

From a bombshell claim about Moscow's role in picking Trump's Cabinet members to information on Steele's life at home with his three cats, here are some of the intriguing new details about the mystery man.

On Russia having an alleged say in Trump's Cabinet picks: A memo Steele wrote in late November claimed that the Kremlin asked Trump not to nominate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for secretary


of state, instead wanting him to nominate someone who was less hawkish on Russia. Trump officially dropped Romney from consideration for the position in December 2016, selecting former ExxonMobil executive Rex Tillerson.

A memo Steele wrote in late November claimed that the Kremlin asked Trump not to nominate former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for secretary of state, instead wanting him to nominate someone who was less hawkish on Russia. Trump officially dropped Romney from consideration for the position in December 2016, selecting former ExxonMobil executive Rex Tillerson. On US intelligence agencies knowing about Trump's Russia contacts: In August 2016, according to The New Yorker, the head of a British intelligence agency briefed then-CIA director John Brennan on intercepted communications between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Shortly afterward, the CIA receivedintelligence on Russian President Vladimir Putin's personal involvement in Russian election interference.

In August 2016, according to The New Yorker, the head of a British intelligence agency briefed then-CIA director John Brennan on intercepted communications between Trump's campaign and Moscow. Shortly afterward, the CIA received intelligence on Russian President Vladimir Putin's personal involvement in Russian election interference. On Trump's alleged connections to organized crime: While investigating international corruption at FIFA, Steele learned that FIFA official Chuck Blazer, who had embezzled a massive amount of money from the soccer organization, had an expensive apartment in Trump Tower. He later discovered that a gambling and money laundering ring headed by a prominent Russian mobster was also run out of an apartment on Trump's property, according to The New Yorker. After Interpol


called for the man's arrest, he was seen sitting near Trump at a Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013, which Trump was responsible for running. " It was as if all criminal roads led to Trump Tower," Steele told friends at the time.

While investigating international corruption at FIFA, Steele learned that FIFA official It was as if all criminal roads led to Trump Tower," Steele told friends at the time. On Russia's influence operations in Europe: A few months before starting research on Trump, Steele had worked on a wide-ranging intelligence gathering operation called Project Charlemagne. As part of the project, he detailed Russia's social media influence and election interference campaigns in Europe that mirrored what Russia was doing in the US ahead of the 2016 election.Russia had attempted to bolster right-wing voices and France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Turkey, and Germany, and often gave politicians and right-wing leaders gifts and financial support. Some of the politicians mentioned in Steele's research have denied his allegations.

A few months before starting research on Trump, Steele had worked on a wide-ranging intelligence gathering operation called Project Charlemagne. As part of the project, he detailed Russia's social media influence and election interference campaigns in Europe that mirrored what Russia was doing in the US ahead of the 2016 election. Russia had attempted to bolster right-wing voices and On Steele's work on ISIS: Steele had long known about ISIS militants using the flow of refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle East to enter Europe. Although he


shared this intelligence with Germany, following the November 2015 Paris attacks, he said he regretted not sharing it with France as well.

Steele had long known about ISIS militants using the flow of refugees from Syria and other parts of the Middle East to enter Europe. Although he shared this intelligence with Germany, following the November 2015 Paris attacks, he said he regretted not sharing it with France as well. On Steele's personal politics : Steele was a supporter of the center-left Labour Party and was part of a faction in his debate club at Cambridge University called the Anti-Establishment Faction. One of Steele's friends at university summed up his political views: " He’s not an ideologue," the friend said. "He’s got his political views, but he’s a pragmaticthinker. Fairness, integrity, and truth, for him, trump any ideology." Later on, individuals close to Steele said he was disturbed by the UK's decision to leave the EU in 2016.

: Steele was a supporter of the center-left Labour Party and was part of a faction in his debate club at Cambridge University called the Anti-Establishment Faction. One of Steele's friends at university summed up his political views: He’s not an ideologue," the friend said. "He’s got his political views, but he’s a pragmatic thinker. Fairness, integrity, and truth, for him, trump any ideology." Later on, individuals close to Steele said he was disturbed by the UK's decision to leave the EU in 2016. On how Steele began investigating Trump: Fusion GPS CEO Glenn Simpson was reportedly bothered by


why Trump had repeatedly sought business deals in Russia but always came back with nothing to show for it. Steele was also interested in this question, and began doing research on Trump as a result.

Fusion GPS CEO Glenn Simpson was reportedly bothered by why Trump had repeatedly sought business deals in Russia but always came back with nothing to show for it. Steele was also interested in this question, and began doing research on Trump as a result. On Steele's communications with the US government before 2016: In 2008 and 2009, Steele's research on Russia was used to brief then-CIA director Michael Hayden and former President Barack Obama. Steele met with Hayden in person, and a report Steele authored on Russia was given to Obama, who was visitingthe UK at the time.

In 2008 and 2009, Steele's research on Russia was used to brief then-CIA director Michael Hayden and former President Barack Obama. Steele met with Hayden in person, and a report Steele authored on Russia was given to Obama, who was visiting the UK at the time. On the profits of his private intelligence company: The private intelligence firm Steele founded after leaving MI6 in 2009, Orbis Business Intelligence, reportedly made around $20 million between its founding and 2018.

The private intelligence firm Steele founded after leaving MI6 in 2009, Orbis Business Intelligence, reportedly made around $20 million between its founding and 2018. On his relationship with the Russians: In 2012, an Orbis employee said a member of Russia's Foreign Security Service (FSB) had called Steele


"an enemy of Mother Russia," according to the report.

In 2012, an Orbis employee said a member of Russia's Foreign Security Service (FSB) had called Steele "an enemy of Mother Russia," according to the report. On his private life: Steele spends much of his free time with his family. He has three children, and also three cats. One of his cats recently wet one of his family's beds — which, as The New Yorker noted, mirrored an infamous claim from the Trump-Russia dossier.

This article previously stated that Mitt Romney was the former governor of Utah. It has been corrected to reflect that he was in fact the former governor of Massachusetts.LONDON -- One of the men tortured in Sri Lanka said he was held for 21 days in a small dank room where he was raped 12 times, burned with cigarettes, beaten with iron rods and hung upside-down.

Another man described being abducted from home by five men, driven to a prison, and taken to a "torture room" equipped with ropes, iron rods, a bench and buckets of water. There were blood splatters on the wall.

A third man described the prisoners as growing accustomed to the sound of screaming. "It made us really scared the first day but then we got used to it because we heard screaming all the time."

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Raped, branded or beaten repeatedly, more than 50 men from the Tamil ethnic


minority seeking political asylum in Europe say they were abducted and tortured under Sri Lanka's current government. The previously unpublished accounts conjure images of the country's bloody civil war that ended in 2009 -- not the palm-fringed paradise portrayed by the government.

One by one, the men agreed to tell their stories to The Associated Press and to have the extensive scars on their legs, chests and groins photographed in July and August. The AP reviewed 32 medical and psychological evaluations and conducted interviews with 20 men. The strangers say they were accused of trying to revive a rebel group on the losing side of the civil war. Although combat ended 8 years ago, the torture and abuse occurred from early 2016 to as recently as July this year.

Inthis July 27, 2017, photo, a nineteen-year-old Sri Lankan man known as Witness #267 shows his wounds during an interview in London. Frank Augstein / AP

Sri Lankan authorities deny the allegations.

Piers Pigou, a South African human rights investigator who has interviewed torture survivors for the past 40 years in the world's most dire countries, says the sheer scale of brutality is nothing like he has heard before.

"The levels of sexual abuse being perpetuated in Sri Lanka by authorities are the most egregious and perverted that I've ever seen."

Most of the men say they were blindfolded as they were driven to detention sites. They said the majority of their captors identified themselves as members of the Criminal Investigations Department, a police unit that investigates serious crimes. Some, however, said


crimes allegations stemming from its 26-year civil war.

That conflict was between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who were fighting for an independent homeland for the Tamil minority, and the Sinhalese-dominated government. The Tigers, as they were known, were designated as a terrorist organization after a wave of suicide bombings. The government's forces, however, were also accused of targeting civilians, which is considered a war crime under international law.

At the end of August, human rights groups in South America filed lawsuits against Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka's ambassador to Brazil and other South American nations. He is accused of overseeing military units that attacked hospitals and killed, disappeared and tortured thousands of people at the end of the war. Other high ranking officials -- often shielded by diplomaticimmunity -- have also been accused.

Upon the ambassador's return to Sri Lanka, President Maithripala Sirisena vowed that neither Jayasuriya the ambassador nor any other "war hero" would face prosecution for such allegations -- a pledge that rights groups said illustrates the government's refusal to investigate its own soldiers accused of war crimes.

Nevertheless, Sri Lanka's international profile is on the rise.

In May, the European Union restored the special trade status that Sri Lanka lost in 2010 after the European Commission found that the country had failed to implement key international conventions. Sri Lanka is also paid to participate in U.N. peacekeeping missions and was recently asked to sit on a U.N. leadership committee trying to combat sexual abuse. An AP investigation earlier this year found that 134 Sri Lankan


peacekeepers participated in a child sex ring in Haiti that persisted for three years -- and no one was ever prosecuted.

Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, one of the U.N.'s top diplomats who has pushed for accountability in Sri Lanka, was aghast at the AP's accounts of the 52 tortured men.

"While the U.N. is unable to confirm this until we mount an investigation, clearly the reports are horrifying and merit a much closer inspection from our part, especially if they occurred in 2016 and 2017," said Zeid, the U.N.'s High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The International Truth and Justice Project has gathered testimony from more than 60 Sri Lankans across Europe -- 52 of whom were part of the AP's investigation. The group has been lobbying governments and international organizations to getjustice for victims.

The non-governmental organization assigned the men witness numbers to protect their identities. The men agreed to share their stories on condition of anonymity out of fear that they or their families in Sri Lanka could face reprisals.

The men said they were accused of working with the Tamil Tigers, but the government insisted in its interview with the AP that the rebel group is no longer a threat. Nearly all of the men were branded with tiger stripes meant to symbolize the rebel group that fought against the Sinhalese-dominated government for an independent Tamil homeland. One man had nearly 10 thick scars across his back.

Most of the men say they were sexually abused or raped, sometimes with sticks wrapped in barbed wire. Homosexuality is illegal in Sri


Lanka and rape carries a significant social stigma. Still, the victims said they felt obligated to tell their stories.

"I want the world to know what is happening in Sri Lanka," a 22-year-old known as Witness #205 told the AP during an interview in July. "The war against Tamils hasn't stopped."

In this July 20, 2017, photo, a Sri Lankan man known as Witness #205 shows the scars on his back during an interview in London. He says that he was held for 21 days and raped 12 times by his captors who accused him of belonging to the Tamil Tigers rebel group. Frank Augstein / AP

A "white van" abduction

Unlike most of the victims, Witness #249 admits to having been a member of the Tigers nearly a decade ago, joiningup when their ranks had been depleted in the final stages of the war. He walks with a limp, caused when a piece of shrapnel left in his leg from a battle in which nine of his friends were blown up.

After the war, he returned to the family farm, helping his father. Last year, he married his high school sweetheart, and began collecting donations for victims of the war.

Soon after his wedding in 2016, he said, he was snatched off the streets, arriving at a torture room hours later.

In this July 18, 2017, photo, a Sri Lankan man known as Witness #249 shows brand marks on his back during an interview in London. Frank Augstein / AP

"They heated up iron rods and burned my back with stripes," he


told the AP, closing his eyes and rocking back and forth. "On another occasion, they put chili powder in a bag and put the bag over my head until I passed out. They ... raped me."

His father eventually bribed the security officers to free him. He was hospitalized for 10 days after his release. Most of the men said their families paid an average bribe of 500,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (around $3,250) and up to $20,000 to be smuggled into Europe -- hefty sums that sometimes forced their families to sell parcels of land.

Many of the other victims said they had never worked for the Tamil Tigers. But all told similar tales: they were abducted at home or off the streets by men in white or green vans,sides committed war crimes.

Witness #205, who reported that he was held for 21 days and tortured, said he was accused of belonging to the Tamil Tiger rebel group.

He, like the majority of the other victims, said one of his captors identified himself as a member of Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigations Department.

"These survivors are the walking wounded of an invisible war in which rape has become the ultimate covert weapon," said Harrison.

Sixty cigarette burns

Many of the victims meet each week at a London church for English classes and counselling sessions.

In July, a new member of the group stepped forward revealing at least 60 cigarette burns on his legs and chest. At 19, he was the youngest victim of the group and trembled when speaking of his sexual abuse.

"What's striking


sought asylum in Canada had telephone calls to their families intercepted. The families in Sri Lanka were then questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department, he said.

"The reports of recent torture are not surprising," he said. "I heard similar stories on a visit last year."

Though the men are relieved to be in Europe, asylum can take years, and even if granted it isn't necessarily permanent. Britain, like many countries, is buckling under pressure from anti-immigration groups.

For a 34-year-old taxi driver known as Witness #199, the fear of being rejected for asylum is crippling.

In 2014 while still in Sri Lanka, he visited his wife in the hospital after she gave birth to a son. With the war behind him and a new life ahead, he was overjoyed to be startinga family in his homeland -- where he finally felt safe.

"After leaving the hospital, a man standing next to a white van started calling my name," he said. "I wasn't scared at that point so I just got in."

The men asked him to pay a bribe and when he told them he couldn't, they released him on the condition he pay in two weeks, he said.

"My uncle said the men would keep coming back to ask for money so he advised that it would be best if I left the country."

He fled to Switzerland, but was rejected for asylum eight months later.

Back home, he said, he was visiting friends when he was abducted again.

This time, he was held 23 days, branded with iron rods and raped after a


group of men entered his cell and forced him to drink a bottle of alcohol, he said. Some forced him to perform oral sex on them and beat him when he refused. He lost consciousness. When he woke up, he was naked, covered in semen and bleeding from his rectum.

Seeing the bottle left in his cell, he broke it and tried to slash his wrists.

Two days later, he was released and made his way to the UK.

Within days of arriving and applying for asylum, he tried to kill himself again, this time by drinking bleach.

He hasn't seen his baby boy since he was born.

The torture room

Some have cast doubt on the men's stories, saying that the marks could have been caused during the war or even that themen could have inflicted the injuries themselves to gain sympathy on asylum applications -- an assertion that that medical and academic experts say is not credible.

Witness #203 said he was forced to join the Tigers as a child soldier at 16. He was studying to be a teacher when he found himself on the battlefield. For four months, he was tasked with collecting the body parts of fallen fighters killed in the extensive shelling soldiers so they could be buried.

Then, last year -- seven years after the war ended -- he said he was abducted in a white van and driven for two hours.

From his location, he believes he could have been taken to the notorious Joseph Camp, a military installation in the north of Sri Lanka that


has been the source of numerous torture claims over the years.

For 11 days, he says men stripped him, touched his genitals and forced him to touch theirs. The 12th day was worse.

"I was put on a bench face down with my hands tied under it and my feet tied to it," he told the AP.

After refusing to sign a confession written in Sinhalese, the majority's language, he said his torturers threw a rag soaked in petrol into a bag and shoved the bag onto his head. He passed out. When he awoke he was in a torture room.

It was there that the soles of his feet were thrashed and his back was beaten with a metal pipe. His captors then heated up long metal rods so they couldbrand him with the marks of a tiger.

He was released on the 13th day after his father paid a bribe and found a Muslim trafficker to arrange for a fake passport for passage to the U.K. In the same month after he arrived, he tried to hang himself with a wire rope. More than a dozen of the victims have tried to kill themselves.

"From all of the beatings, especially on the soles of my feet, the pain had taken over. But what haunted me the most is all of the sexual torture that went on."

Many of the men said they signed false confessions after the torture.

The road to recovery will be no easy journey for the men, admits Caroline Roemmele, who supervises some of their counselling.

A cocktail of


Missing priest found dead on beach Published duration 24 June 2017

image copyright Google/CatholicChurch image caption Father Vazhachira was last seen near St John Church

A priest who went missing from a church in Edinburgh last week has been found dead on a beach in East Lothian.

Father Martin Xavier Vazhachira was last seen at St John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Corstorphine, at about 13:00 on Tuesday.

Police and the Catholic church said his body was found on the beach at Dunbar on Friday afternoon.

Father Xavier, 33, was originally from India. The cause of death has yet to be established.

The Bishop of Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Leo Cushley, said: "The news of Father Martin Xavier's death comes as a great shock and a great sadness to all thosewho knew him and loved him.

"Our thoughts and, more importantly, our prayers are with him and with all his loved ones in both Scotland and India. May he rest in peace."

Father Vazhachira was a native of Kerala in southern India and was ordained a priest in 2013.

He arrived in Scotland in 2016 in order to undertake post-graduate studies at Edinburgh University.

He also served in local Catholic parishes, initially in Falkirk before being appointed to Corstorphine in October 2016.

He was last seen on Tuesday afternoon in his parish house.

The alarm was raised by parishioners after he failed to turn up for Holy Mass on Wednesday morning.

His family in India have been informed of his death and a post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish the cause.

Related Topics Dunbar

Edinburgh


West Ham United have been linked with Senegalese midfielder Papa Alioune Ndiaye, or Badou as he’s more popularly known, as they look to bolster their ranks in the centre of the park.

Ndiaye is an all-action midfielder who will also chip in with the occasional goal. At his current club Osmanlıspor, of the Turkish Süper Lig, he has 18 goals and seven assists from 75 appearances in all competitions. During the two seasons he’s spent in Turkey he’s been used in both central and attacking midfield positions.

Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt were his first European club, where he was used primarily as a box-to-box midfielder. The side were promoted to Norway’s top division in 2013 and Ndiaye was named the league’s best player.

It was here that his attacking qualities began tocome into play and more clubs across the continent began to take note. In his final season with Bodø/Glimt he helped the club to a mid table finish, but they were relegated back to the second division the season after his departure.

The Norwegian club’s loss was Osmanlıspor’s gain. In his first year in Ankara he helped the club qualify for the Europa League via a 5th place finish, and they breezed through the qualifying rounds, defeating FC Midtjylland in the all-important play-off tie.

Paolo Di Canio expects West Ham to improve at… by FootballWhispers

They went on to top their group and Ndiaye didn’t miss a minute’s football throughout their European campaign. They eventually fell to Olympiacos in the first knockout round, as despite a 0-0 stalemate in Greece they


were defeated 3-0 in a disappointing end to their journey on home turf.

Their participation in the competition alerted several more clubs to talents of their Senegalese midfielder, but their domestic form suffered as a result of these games in Europe and they wound up finishing 13th in the league.

A number of clubs have shown interest in the player during this transfer window, with Galatasaray and West Ham emerging as the favourites to secure his signature.

He would offer the Hammers a different dynamic in midfield, complementing the defensive midfield skills of compatriot Cheikhou Kouyaté and the scheming of captain Mark Noble. Pedro Obiang has recovered from the ankle injury he suffered last season, and if Ndiaye were to sign, the pair could be rotated or even used as apair depending on the opposition.

Ndiaye's strengths lie in his work rate, dynamism, and general brawn in midfield, but he also boast good technical skills which allow him to make things happen in the final third. His attacking productivity could be improved in terms of the numbers he racks up, but he definitely has the tools to do so.

Last season he created just under one chance per 90 minutes, but if he were playing behind higher quality strikers and wingers you could easily see this number increase, and could also lead to an improvement on his three assists last season.

These low numbers when it comes to attacking output may be the reason he’s still relatively under the radar. He might not be catching the eye of the statisticians, but


the scouts who have watched him in person will have seen a player who could go from unremarkable to outstanding with the right coaching and in the right environment.

He’s generally good under pressure, and will keep an eye on his defensive responsibilities even if he’s given a more attacking role in the midfield. He has the potential to be a great all-rounder, and last season he led his team in tackles per game with an average of 2.6, reaching almost 3 per game in the Europa League.

Slaven Bilic's side played a number of variations on a theme when it came to their formation last season, and a player with this versatility in the central areas would fit in well.

Ndiaye could easily play as one member of the doublenegligible."

Adaptation
The book was adapted into a ZDF television serial with the same title. It was directed by Rolf von Sydow and broadcast in four episodes in September 1984.

References

Category:1965 German novels
Category:Biographical novels
Category:German historical novels
Category:German novels adapted into films
Category:German-language novels
Category:Historical romance novels
Category:Novels about royalty
Category:Novels by Ernst von Salomon
Category:Novels set in the 18th century


Donald Trump has been accused of “hypocrisy” for his tributes to Muhammad Al, as Bernie Sanders criticised those who praise the boxing legend while being "prejudiced against Muslims in this country".

After publically calling for all Muslims to be banned from entering the US, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate sparked a political row by tweeting: “Muhammad Ali is dead at 74! A truly great champion and a wonderful guy. He will be missed by all!”

Mr Trump and Ali had a relationship going back at least 35 years, with Ali attending the businessman’s second wedding in 2005, and their paths crossed at countless charity events.

Muhammad Ali in his own words

But last year, Ali issued a statement entitled “Presidential Candidates Proposing to Ban Muslim Immigration to the United States”, in whichin his speech that Muslims are our sports heroes. What sport is he talking about, and who? Is Obama profiling?”

Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Despite taking his first booking lessons with a local policeman, Clay was simultaneously coached by the more experienced Fred Stoner. Under him, the young boxer won six Kentucky Golden Glove titles, two national Golden Glove titles, and an Amateur Athletic Union National Title. His amateur success culminated when Cassius won the Light Heavyweight gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. After that, Clay decided to start off his professional career. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Clay won his first professional fight


against Tunney Hunsaker in a six-round decision on October 29, 1960. After that, he went on to establish a record of 19-0 fights, with a total of 15 knockouts. Thanks to his high stature (1.91m), he developed a highly unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer, relying on foot speed and carrying his hands low rather than on heavy punches. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures By 1963, Clay had not only built a reputation for his boxing technique, but also for correctly predicting the round in which he would "finish" the opponent. Here, he predicts (correctly) the round in which he will knock-out British boxer Henry Cooper. Other boxers Clay defeated prior to his first title fight included Doug Jones, Lamar Clark and Jim Robinson. GettyImages Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures In his first title fight, Cassius Clay opted for world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Though few observers thought the 22-year old could defeat an ex-con with ties to organized crime, Clay proved them wrong: in the legendary sixth round of the fight, he landed spectacular combinations of punches, seemingly at will. When Liston told his cornermen he couldn't continue to the seventh round, Clay sprang to the center of the ring, and repeatedly yelled "I’m the greatest!" and "I shook up the world". Cassius Clay had made history for the first time. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures The day after the fight, Cassius Clay announced that he was changing his name to Muhammad Ali for religious reasons. Although


he had already been member of Nation of Islam prior to the fight, he was advised not to declare this publicly, in order not to jeopardize his chances. At that time, the Nation of Islam was often viewed with outright suspicion by mainstream America, and Ali did little to counter these impressions: the boxer once stated, for example, that "Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all." However, after the death of Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad in 1975, Ali converted to mainstream Sunni Islam. Later in his life, he came to embrace spiritual practices of Sufism. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali also aroused controversy through his outright opposition to the Vietnam War. When notified ofhis army classification as 1A in early 1966, the boxer declared that he would refuse to serve, as he considered himself a conscientious objector. He also famously declared about the war: "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong ... They never called me nigger." When refusing to step forward at his scheduled induction, Ali was arrested and found guilty after a 21-minute trial in June 1967, as a result of which his boxing license was suspended. Refusing to accept the verdict, Ali took the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. In June 1971, with public opinion already against the war, the highest court of the United States reversed his conviction by unanimous decision. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures In 1971, with the case


still on appeal, Muhammad Ali was allowed to fight again - in what would become the Fight of the Century against Joe Frazier. It was a heavily promoted fight, with massive popular interest: Frank Sinatra, for example, took pictures for Life magazine. For Ali, it became one of his most crushing defeats. Despite dominating the first third of the fight, he later struggled to keep the pace and, indeed, was put on his back for only the third time in his career. Though he managed to stay on his feet for the rest of round 15, Frazier was declared winner by unanimous decision. In January 1974, however, Ali defeated Smokin' Joe in a non-title rematch. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures In October 1974, Muhammad Aliregained his title in what was to become of the biggest upsets in boxing history. Taking place in Congo, Ali’s fight against champion George Foreman was fittingly promoted as the Rumble in The Jungle. Almost no one gave Ali a chance of winning. Foreman and Ali became friends after the fight, and the movie When We Were Kings, a documentary of the fight in Zaire, even won an Oscar. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures The Thrilla In Manila was Ali's third, an final, fight against Joe Frazier. Leading up to the fight, Ali enraged Frazier through frequent insults and slurs, for example remarking: "It will be a killa ... and a chilla ... and a thrilla ... when I get the gorilla in Manila." It


was a tedious fight, with both boxers battling each other into near incapacity. When Frazier's coach refused to allow Frazier to continue, Ali was declared winner by technical knockout. Later on, Muhammad Ali would declare that this was the closest to dying he had ever been, as well as stating that Joe Frazier was "the greatest fighter of all times, next to me." It also inspired the fight scene from Sylvester Stallone's 1976 Oscar-winning film Rocky. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures After the Thrilla In Manila, Ali beat Coopman as well as Jimmy Young and Richard Dunn. Following these wins, he staged an exhibition match with professional wrestler and Mixed Martial Artist Antonio Inoki (picture). This match would seriously jeopardise Ali's health, as both ofhis legs were bleeding after the fight, leading to an infection. He also suffered two blood cloths in his legs. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures As Ali had briefly lost the heavyweight title to Leon Spinks in February 1978, the Greatest fought a rematch in September, winning the title for a record third time (picture). Even after his retirement, Ali decided to return and win the title for an unprecedented fourth time, but lost against current champion Larry Holmes. As his coach, Angelo Dundee, refused to let Ali come out for the 11th round, it became Ali's only loss by anything other than a decision. Ali also lost his final fight against Trevor Berbick in 1981 by unanimous decision after ten rounds. Getty Images Muhammad


Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. In total, he won 56 of his 61 fights, 37 by KO. He was also the first person to win the heavyweight title three times. Consequently, he was named Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated as well as Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Ali became known as a global champion of civil rights, including his friendship with Malcolm X Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures His legacy continues to arouse interest up to this day, the most famous example being the biographical film Ali (2002). When Ali found out Will Smith was to play theyoung boxer, his first reaction was: "You ain't pretty enough to play me." Ali himself published an oral history, entitled Muhammad Ali: His Life and Times, in 1991. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali also received a vast number of honours and awards, such as the Spirit of America Award which called him the most recognized American in the world. In 1996, he had the honour of lighting the flame at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. For his work with the US civil rights movement and the United Nations, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom as well as the Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali with his daughters Laila (9 months) and


Hanna (2 years 5 months) in London in December 1978 Evening Standard/Getty Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures The boxer has been married four times, with his large family includes seven daughters and two sons. One of his daughters, Laila Ali, has also made herself a name as boxer, despite Ali's early comments against female boxing in 1978: "Women are not made to be hit in the breast, and face like that ... the body's not made to be punched right here. Get hit in the breast ... Hard ... and all that." Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Much of Ali's life after retirement was overshadowed by his suffering from Parkison's Syndrome disease, which was diagnosed in 1984. Nevertheless, he remained a beloved and activepublic figure right towards the end of his life. He continued to work for humanitarian causes, for example through his appointment as "U.N. messenger of Peace" to Afghanistan in November 2002. During these final years, Ali travelled on average more than 200 days per year. In 2005, he also opened the $50 million non-profit Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, displaying his boxing memorabilia as well as focussing on core themes of peace, social responsibility, respect and personal growth. Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali became a goodwill ambassador for the UN, seen here at Kabul airport in November 2002 during a three-day mission Getty Images Muhammad Ali: A life in pictures Muhammad Ali became known for his charity work including the annual Celebrity Fight


Former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi is stickhandling another role away from the ice: author.

Simon & Schuster Canada announced on Tuesday that it will publish Domi's forthcoming memoir.

The ex-NHLer will co-write the book with sports reporter Jim Lang.

The as yet untitled memoir is due for release in the fall of 2015.

The book will document Domi's career and experiences beyond the rink, and look at his life after professional hockey since his 2006 retirement.

In addition to the Leafs, Domi also played for the New York Rangers and the Winnipeg Jets during his 17-year career in the NHL.

Domi spent 11 seasons in Toronto, where he racked up 2,265 penalty minutes — setting a team record.

He suited up in 777 games for the Leafs, placing him in the top 10Peter Piller

Peter Piller is known for presenting images collated from his personal archive of photographs, magazines and newspaper cuttings. Using the power of repetition, he gives new meaning to news clippings of houses in which crimes have been committed or aerial photographs of people washing their cars. In his solo show, ‘Behind Time’, however, Piller presents two sets of works that he has created himself: photographs of birds taken in the wild, punctuated by doodles and collages on headed paper.

The exhibition is dominated by the large bird photographs – or, more accurately, landscape photographs with birds. In Piller’s images, hawks, crows, kestrels and woodpeckers are obscured by grasses, hidden behind branches and, more often than not, blurred or cropped as they flee the frame. The tiny kingfisher in


Eisvogel (Kingfisher, all works 2017) becomes an iridescent insect, its blue-bottle belly bright against the gun-metal grey of the blurred river. In Mäusebussard (Buzzard), below a silver sky, the buzzard is all wing, arched into the black silhouette of an electric pylon.

In an interview with Piller presented at the exhibition, much is made of the fact that the images fail as conventional wildlife photographs. Yet while they do not reflect the high-definition pictures that saturate glossy nature magazines, the fleeting glimpses that Piller offers are much more successful representations of the human experience of birds than those presented in the likes of National Geographic. We never see merlins swooping open-winged towards us; we never see kingfishers pincering fish, enveloped in glittering, beaded water. We experience birds fleetingly, asblurred apparitions and half-obscured shapes in the trees, their bodies and heads hidden under folding wings. Piller’s birds are not anthropomorphized but fully themselves: transitory, distant, elusive, in all senses flighty.

In previous exhibitions, Piller has redacted textual information from East German military magazines, for instance, to alter our perception of the images presented. In ‘Behind Time’ the opposite technique is employed. We discover through the accompanying texts that the genesis of the photographic series was his ten-year-old son’s desire to take up bird watching with his father. When, as an adolescent, his son abandoned the shared project, the artist carried on alone. Piller suggests nothing so trite as a direct connection between his son ‘flying the nest’ and the birds flying from his photographs, but it is impossible


paper from the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig, where Piller teaches, and from the Leipzig hotel where he stays – are hard-to-read, feverish doodles, reminiscent of surrealist automatic drawings, suggesting human figures, voids, chained hearts, crowds and quays. Together with the photographs, an image emerges of an artist waiting alone in hides for birds, sitting in lengthy academic meetings, bored in hotel rooms, the passions of his life – his art, his family – in other locations, in other times. In the context of Piller’s wider practice, it makes the exhibition particularly humane, personal, touching even.

Ben Fergusson is a writer and translator and teaches at the University of Potsdam. His debut novel The Spring of Kasper Meier won the Betty Trask Prize and the HWA Debut Crown andindia

Updated: Mar 19, 2015 23:04 IST

Around 12 armed men robbed the Madhya Pradesh finance minister, his wife and other passengers inside a moving train in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, bringing the focus back on India’s poor rail safety record.

Police said the men, who boarded the Jabalpur-Nizamuddin Express at Mathura, knocked on the door of the air-conditioned coupe Jayant Malaiya and his wife, Sudha Malaiya, were travelling in, with one of the robbers introducing himself as the ticket examiner.

When the door opened, the masked men barged in and looted the couple at gunpoint, threatening to hurt them if they tried to resist. The robbers escaped after pulling an alarm-chain to stop the train.

Experts say while India’s state-owned rail network is the main mode of long-distance travel for millions, safety


tape, white paper, and magnifying lens. Costa and Caldas technique\[[@ref14]\] was used to record the lip groove pattern.

The individuals\' lips were cleaned with a wet tissue before starting the procedure. The lipstick was gently applied to both lips and the individuals were asked to roll the lips in a uniform manner from center to the corner of lips.\[[@ref15]\] The individual was asked to stop moving the lips during the procedure and to keep the lips in relaxed state. The lip groove patterns were lifted by cellophane scotch tape on upper lip from one side to another; following which the tape was pasted on a white bond paper as a permanent record. The same process was repeated for lower lips. After pasting the lip groove patterns on the bondThe War of the Five Kings is a major military conflict that erupts in the wake of the death of King Robert I. Robert's heir Joffrey takes the Iron Throne, but the revelation that he's a bastard born of incest between Queen Cersei and her twin brother, Ser Jaime Lannister leads both of Robert's younger brothers: Stannis and Renly Baratheon, to claim the throne for themselves. Stannis sees himself as the rightful heir by right of blood, while Renly claims the throne on the basis that he would be a better king, despite being second to Stannis in a lawful line of succession.

Meanwhile, Robb Stark, Lord of Winterfell, is declared the King in the North by his lords bannermen, and some of the Riverlords in the wake of


the execution of Eddard Stark, his father and Hand of the King to the late Robert, under false charges of treason. Robb had been in command of a host marching south to free his then imprisoned father and to relieve a Lannister attack on the Riverlands. As the King in the North, Robb declares that the North and the Riverlands are now a sovereign kingdom no longer subject to the rule of the Iron Throne.[1]

Contents

Combatants

King Joffrey Baratheon claims the Iron Throne by right of inheritance from his publicly-declared father, the late Robert Baratheon. He holds the capital city of King's Landing and his claim is supported militarily by the powerful and well-equipped armies of House Lannister, as well as the lords of the Crownlands. As the king incontrol of the capital he is referred to as the King on the Iron Throne.[2]

The Lannister armies became bogged down in fighting the Stark forces in the Riverlands, leaving the capital potentially vulnerable to assault by sea or from the south, but when Robb Stark led his troops west to attack the Lannister homelands, their armies were free to march to relieve King's Landing from assault by Stannis' army. His supporters were also able to negotiate an alliance with House Tyrell after Renly Baratheon's death.

King Renly Baratheon, the youngest brother of King Robert, claimed the Iron Throne by right of strength and conquest. He is supported by his vassals, the Stormlords and the armies sworn to House Tyrell, who can field the largest armies in all of Westeros.


He is known as "the King in Highgarden" because of the alliance.[3]

The presence of Renly's large army in the south forced Tywin Lannister to leave the bulk of his forces at Harrenhal, mid-way between Robb in the north and Renly in the south, to react against whichever of them moved on King's Landing first. Renly was in no great hurry, content to let Robb Stark continue bleeding the Lannisters in the Riverlands and holding tourneys and feasts with his lords bannermen and sworn knights. Time was largely on Renly's side, and he could afford to wait longer to assemble as large an army as possible before ultimately marching on King's Landing.

However, Renly was killed by a shadow creature under the control of Melisandre, a priestess in the employof Stannis. The Stormlands lords, and a few Reach lords went over to Stannis, but the Tyrells refused to support him. They were eventually convinced to join Joffrey's supporters through negotiations.

King Stannis Baratheon, the younger brother of King Robert and the elder brother of Renly, claims the Iron Throne by right of inheritance from his brother. Stannis power is centered on the island fortress of Dragonstone in the Narrow Sea and he is therefore referred to as the King in the Narrow Sea.[4]

Based on intelligence received from Eddard Stark before his arrest and execution,[5] Stannis claims that Joffrey and his younger siblings are not Robert's children at all, but instead the product of incest between Queen Cersei Lannister and her twin brother, Jaime.[6] This makes Joffrey a usurper,


pretender and bastard, and leaves Stannis as the rightful king. At the beginning of the war very few supported Stannis' claim to the throne even after sending a letter of Joffrey's true parentage to all the high lords of Westeros.[4][6] Stannis was also furious that most of the lords of the Stormlands had supported his younger brother Renly's claim to the Iron Throne.[6] A parley between Stannis and Renly failed, so Stannis authorised his priestess, Melisandre, to kill Renly through magic.[7] The storm lords went over to Stannis, but the Tyrells withdrew their armies.[8] Stannis was still left with a large enough army and fleet to attack King's Landing. Despite initial successes, the tide turned against him when the Tyrells allied with the Lannisters and attacked him. Stanniswas forced to flee with only a small number of survivors.[9]

King Robb Stark does not claim the Iron Throne at all. Instead, his initial goal is to secure the release of his father Ned Stark, who has been imprisoned on charges of treason against King Joffrey, as well as to rescue his sisters Arya and Sansa. Besides commanding the forces of the North, Robb is joined by the forces of the Riverlands, ruled by Robb's maternal grandfather Hoster Tully, although the Vale (currently ruled by Robb's aunt Lysa Arryn) remains neutral. Robb's goals further evolve when he is proclaimed the King in the North by his bannermen, his new aim being to secure the independence of the North and the Riverlands, as well as to possibly exact revenge


following the execution of Ned Stark.

Despite Robb's youth and inexperience, he proves to be an enthusiastic and canny battle commander, his ferocity in battle earning him the nickname "The Young Wolf" (a reference to the sigil of House Stark).[10] In the first real test of his leadership, Robb uses disinformation against the Lannisters, not only making them believe his army is larger than it actually is but also tricks them into believing he is marching against Tywin Lannister's forces. Instead, Robb sends only a small diversionary force to face Tywin at the Battle of the Green Fork while sending the rest of his forces to left Jaime Lannister's army at the Battle of the Whispering Wood. Robb scores a decisive victory, destroying Jaime's army and capturing Jaime himself.Robb goes onto to win every engagement he fights against the Lannisters, including the Battle of Oxcross.

Despite his success on the battlefield, Robb loses the momentum of the war. Robb reluctantly tries to seek an alliance with Balon Greyjoy, hoping to use Ironborn ships to launch an attack on King's Landing and sends Theon Greyjoy as an envoy. Instead, the Ironborn launch raids in the North, and Theon betrays Robb and personally leads the attack on Robb's capital of Winterfell. Robb loses the support of House Frey when he marries Talisa Maegyr, breaking his vow to marry one of Walder Frey's daughters. He also loses the support of House Karstark when he executes Lord Rickard Karstark for treason. While Robb's forces dwindle and face more enemies, the opposite


is true for his main enemies, the Lannisters. They gain a formidable ally in House Tyrell and their vassals following the alliance arranged by Littlefinger on behalf of the crown. Also, with Stannis' forces having been decimated at the Battle of Blackwater, the Lannisters are able concentrate on the Stark army.

Determined to regain his momentum, Robb plans an attack on Casterly Rock, capital of the Westerlands and one of the biggest sources of gold for House Lannister. To acquire the needed men, he attempts to repair his alliance with House Frey by marrying his uncle, Edmure Tully, the new Lord of Riverrun, to Roslin Frey. Walder Frey gives the appearance of accepting, and the two are married. However Unbeknownst to Robb, Walder Frey and Robb's bannerman Lord RooseBolton have secretly joined with Tywin Lannister. At the wedding, Robb, his wife, his mother, and almost the entire Northern army are betrayed and massacred, putting an end to his rebellion and to the North's dream of independence.

King Balon Greyjoy, likewise, does not claim the Iron Throne, but has declared himself King of the Iron Islands again. He has rejected Robb Stark's proposal for an alliance against House Lannister, preferring to carve out a Kingdom of the Iron Islands alone. He's motivated by his hatred for the Starks for the death of his two oldersons during the Greyjoy Rebellion and the ironborn tradition of 'paying the iron price' - which dictates that a man must take his riches by force, not negotiation or payment. To this end Balon


has taken advantage of the North's under-defended state: most of their strength fighting with Robb in the Riverlands, raiding the coasts, and capturing the castle at Deepwood Motte. Out of his own initiative, his son Theon has also captured the main Stark stronghold at Winterfell, but has refused to relinquish it despite the difficulties in resupplying a location so far from the sea. The Ironborn have now abandoned Winterfell, and Theon's location remains unknown, potentially causing problems for Balon.

Non-combatants

The following factions have either not declared an interest in the conflict, or have already declared their neutrality:

House Arryn and the knights of the Vale have declared themselves neutral in the conflict. Lady Lysa Arryn, acting as regent for her young son, Robin Arryn, has stated that the Vale willhold its strength and not take part in the war, despite entreaties from her sister, Catelyn Stark, to join the Stark cause. Lysa is skeptical of Robb's ability to defeat the seasoned, more experienced Tywin Lannister in battle.

In an attempt to bring the Vale back under the authority of the Iron Throne and House Arryn into the forces against Robb Stark, Tywin Lannister sends Petyr Baelish, newly-made Lord of Harrenhal and de jure Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, to propose matrimony to Lady Lysa as Littlefinger's new titles make him a suitable match for the Lady Regent of the Vale.

House Martell of Dorne has pursued a course of isolationism since Robert's Rebellion, and declares no interest or faction in the current conflict at its outset. Tyrion Lannister attempts


to win the Martells' support by offering their youngest son the hand of Princess Myrcella Baratheon in marriage. They have accepted the offer, and Myrcella is sent to Sunspear as a ward of Prince Doran Martell. However, House Martell still does not not formally enter the war yet on anyone's side.

The Night's Watch plays no role in the internal political affairs of the Seven Kingdoms, having been sworn to defend the realm as a whole, no matter who is on the Iron Throne or competing for it. As a result, they are neutral in the current conflict. Several individual members of the Night's Watch do have ties to some of the combatants. For example, Lord CommanderJeor Mormont was once the Lord of Bear Island and thus a formerbannerman to House Stark before abdicating; his sister Maege Mormont fights for the Robb Stark. Jon Snow is the bastard son of Eddard Stark and thus Robb Stark's brother. Samwell Tarly is the son of Lord Randyll Tarly, who -- as a bannerman for House Tyrell -- fights for Renly Baratheon and later Joffrey Baratheon. All three choose to follow the Watch's policy of neutrality (though Jon Snow does heavily consider joining the fight before being persuaded not to).

The outlaw group known as the Brotherhood Without Banners is active in the Riverlands and, so far, has acted against the Lannister occupation, though they haven't declared their loyalty to either House Stark or House Baratheon. The Lannister forces have responded to the Brotherhood's activities by further sacking villages and


torturing and executing peasants with the hope of tracking down the Brotherhood's leaders and their collaborators among the smallfolk.

Daenerys Targaryen is the last of House Targaryen, the house that ruled the Seven Kingdoms prior to being overthrown during Robert's Rebellion. Daenerys has thus staked a claim for the Iron Throne for herself and has begun building an army in Essos for this goal, hoping the use the in-fighting within the Seven Kingdoms to her advantage. However, Daenerys and her forces still remain in exile in Essos and thus have not entered the war. She has also not yet received any open support from any of the power players within the Seven Kingdoms, though Varys does apparently support the Targaryens privately.

Turncoats and Oathbreakers

Several houses and individuals change or abandontheir allegiances during the course of the war, altering the course of events and the possibilities of victory for the different factions:

Initially sent as an envoy to his father, Balon Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy breaks the vow he made to Robb Stark during his proclamation as King in the North and sides with his father in his plans to conquer the North and restore the independence of the Iron Islands. Driven by his desire to gain the respect of his father and his people and resentful of his status as a glorified hostage of House Stark, Theon successfully seizes control of the Northern capital, Winterfell and installs himself as Prince of Winterfell. With this move, Theon seemingly gains the respect of his crew, but also deals, unwittingly, a major


blow to the position of King Robb, as some of his vassals begin to doubt the Young Wolf's ability to lead the North to complete independence.

However, Theon's hold over Winterfell proves to be quite weak. With only a small crew and without the support of either his father or sister to support the Northern retaliation, Theon is betrayed by his own men and delivered to House Bolton, who make him a hostage for their own purposes.

During the opening stages of the war, most, if not all, of the Stormlords declare for their liege lord, Renly Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End and Lord Paramount of the Stormlands. However, after Renly's mysterious assassination, noble houses such as the Estermonts, Tarths, Errols, Swanns, and Caron go over to the remaining Baratheonand new Lord of Storm's End, Stannis, ignoring that he orchestrated the death of his brother. This course of events gives Stannis the much needed land forces he requires for his planned assault on the capital of the realm.

However, after the Lannister victory in the Battle of the Blackwater, the Stormlords are divided between those who bend the knee to the Iron Throne and those who remain loyal to their liege lord.

Following the death of Renly Baratheon, House Tyrell refuses to declare to Stannis, and instead turn its forces back to Highgarden to await the further development of war. Having learnt of Margaery Tyrell's ambitions to become Queen, however, Petyr Baelish suggests Tywin Lannister to arrange a marriage between King Joffrey and Margaery. With the might of Highgarden


- 12,000 infantry, 1,800 mounted lances, and 2,000 in support as well as half a million bushels each of wheat, oats, and rye, 20,000 heads of cattle and 50,000 sheep - House Lannister both repels Stannis' siege against the capital and solves the famine affecting its population, and becomes the most powerful player in the war.

As bannermen to and distant relatives of the Starks, House Karstark forms a large part of Robb's army. Lord Rickard Karstark's twosons are killed, the first in battle and the second when Jaime Lannister attempts to escape. Enraged at the death of his sons, Lord Karstark demands Jaime's execution. Fearing that Jaime's murder would end any hope of ever getting her daughters Sansa and Arya back from the Lannisters, Lady Catelyn Stark freesJaime. Lord Rickard grows increasingly frustrated after the discovery that both Northmen and Rivermen imprisoned at Harrenhal have been put to the sword. He murders two young Lannister hostages imprisoned at Riverrun: Martyn and Willem to exact revenge. As this action was against the express orders of Robb Stark, Robb declares Lord Karstark guilty of treason and personally executes him, according the ways of the First Men. Afterward, the Karstark forces withdraw their support, severely depleting Robb's forces and forcing him to seek a renewed alliance with House Frey.

A number of events pave the way for Lord Roose Bolton to decide that King Robb's cause is doomed to fail and ultimately betray his king the Red Wedding:

King Robb's refusal to engage in acts such as torture to gain


information useful against Tywin Lannister.

The ironborn invasion of the North in general and loss of Winterfell in particular, which puts Robb's ability to hold the new Kingdom of the North into question. It remains unknown if the Sack of Winterfell carried out by Ramsay Snow is done under Lord Bolton's orders or if the Bastard of the Dreadfort acts on his own. In any event the destruction of the castle is blamed on the ironborn, while Theon's status as a prisoner is kept secret.

King Robb's marriage to Talisa Maegyr, which the Norther lords recognize as a terrible political move.

The Lannister victory at the Battle of the Blackwater and the Lannister-Tyrell alliance, which makes House Lannister the most powerful house in the realm.

Lord Bolton being left holding Harrenhal, whichplaces him in the ideal position to communicate freely with Lord Tywin. Locke's capture of Jaime Lannister also gives him the chance to further cement his secret alliance with House Lannister.

As reward for his betrayal of King Robb, Roose Bolton is pardoned for taking arms against the Iron Throne and is made Warden of the North.

Lord Walder Frey plots with Roose Bolton and Tywin Lannister to betray Robb Stark and his liege lord, Edmure Tully, as revenge for the slight on his family's honor caused by the breaking of Stark-Frey marriage pact as well as the resentment for the derision House Frey suffers from other noble houses.[11]

For the "service" of slaughtering most of the Northern leadership as well as their forces, Lord Walder is awarded with Riverrun, the


ancestral seat of the now-attainted House Tully.

Course of the conflict

Opening moves

The stage was set for the war when Catelyn Stark seized Tyrion Lannister at the Crossroads Inn and accused him of the attempted murder of her son, Bran.[12] House Lannister summoned its armies and marched on the Riverlands with 60,000 men.[5] Ser Gregor Clegane led an auxiliary force and began striking at bannerhouses supporting Catelyn's father, Lord Hoster Tully, in reprisal.[5] King Robert attempted to defuse the situation, but failed, and soon after died.[5] Immediately upon hearing of his brother's death and having failed to win the support of the King's Hand, Eddard Stark, Renly Baratheon fled the city with Ser Loras Tyrell and rode hard for Highgarden.[5] There, the Tyrell banners were called and began gathering, whilstRenly was crowned King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Prince Joffrey also immediately claimed the throne upon Robert's death.[5] Lord Eddard had a proclamation written by King Robert which named him regent, but was ignored. When Eddard tried to take Joffrey into custody as an imposter, Joffrey, forewarned by Lord Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish, had Eddard arrested instead.[5] Unfortunately for Joffrey, he was unaware that Eddard had already sent a letter to Robert's brother Stannis, telling him that Joffrey was not legitimate and the crown belonged to Stannis by right.[5] On Dragonstone, Stannis likewise claimed the throne and began gathering his supporters.[13]

War in the Riverlands

The Lannister force separated into two armies of 30,000 men each.[5] Ser Jaime Lannister led one force with the aim of capturing Riverrun, the principal stronghold of


House Tully. Jaime smashed the Riverlords at the Battle of the Golden Tooth.[14] Jaime followed his victory at Golden Tooth by laying siege to Riverrun.[14] Lord Tywin Lannister led the other force himself. Jaime's victories allowed Tywin to move north west through the Riverlands unimpeded.[14]

Receiving news of his father's arrest, Robb Stark mobilized the armies of the North and assembled a host of 20,000 men (due to the urgency of the situation and the vastness of the North, he could not wait for more).[14] He marched to the relief of the Riverlands.[14] Lord Tywin moved to the east bank of the Green Fork of the Trident to intercept the Stark force.[14] Even winning the support of House Frey and its troops could not bring Robb's forces up toparity with the Lannisters.[15] Robb sent 2,000 men to pretend to attack Tywin's army.[15] As planned, this small force was defeated at the Battle of the Green Fork, but it delayed the Lannisters long enough for Robb's main army to slip past them and into the Whispering Wood near Riverrun.[15] There, Robb staged a feint to draw Jaime Lannister and a portion of his army into the woodlands. During the Battle of the Whispering Wood, Robb inflicted a significant defeat upon the Lannisters, destroying Jaime's host and capturing the Kingslayer himself.[15]

Receiving word of Jaime's defeat, Tywin realized that the Starks and Tullys were now free to unify against him, potentially bringing much greater numbers to bear against his smaller force. He retreated to Harrenhal, the formidable castle on


the north banks of Gods Eye, intending to fortify it and use it as a base of operations to conduct operations in the Riverlands. By this time news of Renly and Stannis gathering armies had reached both the Stark and Lannister camps. After considering joining forces with one of the brothers, the Northmen and Riverland lords chose the path of independence, rejecting the authority of the Iron Throne all together and swearing fealty to Robb Stark as the King in the North.[13]

King Robb Stark followed up on his success at Whispering Wood with several minor skirmishes against Lannister forces intending to drive them from away from the Red Fork of the Trident, to free the lands and holdfasts of the Riverlords who had recently sworn allegiance to him.He met little serious resistance, as the Lannisters were already in the process of withdrawing their forces to Harrenhal in the eastern Riverlands to regroup.[6]

Robb Stark invades the Westerlands

With Tywin encamped at Harrenhal, which was too strong to attack directly, Robb instead launched an invasion of the Westerlands, the Lannister homeland. He launched a surprise attack on the new Lannister army gathering at the village of Oxcross, where new conscripts were being trained to replace the Lannister army group destroyed at Whispering Wood. Robb totally destroyed the green Lannister army group in the resulting Battle of Oxcross, killing Ser Stafford Lannister in the process.[7] The victory leaves the Westerlands lightly defended. Robb goes on to win a minor victory at the Battle of the Yellow Fork[16] and force


the surrender of the Crag.[17] With the Lannister homelands under attack, Tywin had a difficult choice to make: to ride out and meet Robb's forces in battle, abandoning their strong defensive position at Harrenhal, or to fall back on King's Landing and help defend the city from Stannis. Tywin eventually decided to ride west because of the threat Robb's forces posed to his own castle at Casterly Rock.[17] Tywin had already authorised secret negotiations with House Tyrell to begin following Renly's death, in the hope of winning an alliance with them and their powerful army.[18]

After a failed meeting, Stannis gives an ultimatum to Renly to pledge his loyalty before he attacks, but Renly ignores him. Melissandre gives birth to a shadow which later on enters Renly's tent andkills him. While the Tyrell army leaves for Highgarden, the Stormlords swear fealty to Stannis as the remaining head of House Baratheon, with his brother's armies at his command Stannis prepares his invasion to King's Landing.

Riot in King's Landing

During the course of the war the streets of the capital city began to overflow with many starving refugees escaping the war. Both Tyrion Lannister and Janos Slynt warned Queen Cersei that if something was not done with the starving refugees there would be a mounting discontent with her son's rule however the Queen ignored their warnings. The King and the Royal Court had gathered in the docks to see Myrcella Baratheon being shipped to Dorne. On their way back to the Red Keep, the refugees and commoners of King's


Landing hurled insults at King Joffrey, and ultimately, hurl cow excrement into Joffrey's face. Despite being accompanied by only a few dozen guards facing hundreds of peasants, Joffrey impetuously shouts orders for his soldiers to kill them all. A general riot then breaks out and spreads throughout the city, with the royal party barely making it back to the castle in one piece. With most of the regular Lannister army in the Riverlands fighting in the war under Lord Tywin Lannister, the scant two thousand City Watch guards had a difficult time containing the riot, and the chaos that reigned throughout the city. In the end the riot was put down but many peasants and City Watch guards were killed during the riot along with the High Septonwho was torn limb by limb by an angry mob.

Rise of the Kraken

While the Lannister and Stark forces were fighting in the Riverlands, Theon Greyjoy traveled to Pyke, the Iron Islands capital, and his family castle, to negotiate with his father, Balon Greyjoy, under Robb Stark´s orders. At Pyke, Balon Greyjoy told Theon that he would proclaim himself King on the Iron Islands once more, and attack the North. He then asks his son on which side he was: his or the Starks. After much soul-searching, Theon Greyjoy chose to declare loyalty to his father. Balon Greyjoy would attack the coasts of the North, with his navy. Asha Greyjoy would lead most of the fleet, while Theon was given only one ship, the Sea Bitch, and was supposed


to attack small fishing villages. Theon Greyjoy then changed his plan and sieged Torrhen´s Square, and then attacked Winterfell. Bran Stark yielded before him, and Theon proclaimed himself Prince of Winterfell.

However, Bran and his younger brother, Rickon, soon escaped with two of their household servants and their direwolves, and were unable to be found by Theon. They managed to sneak back into the crypts of Winterfell, though Theon has convinced most of his men they are dead by hanging two children's burnt corpses atop the walls of Winterfell.

A relief force of five hundred men, led by Ramsay Snow of House Bolton and sent under the orders of King Robb Stark, laid siege to the castle for at least one night. Theon Greyjoy attempted to rally his men todefend the stronghold and die fighting with an inspiring speech; his First Mate, Dagmer Cleftjaw betrayed him, and Theon's small force presumably handed him over to Ramsay, who had been sent with an offer of mercy to the ironborn if they handed over Winterfell and Theon. Dagmer mortally wounded the castle's Maester, Luwin, as he had Theon dragged away from the courtyard.

The Battle of the Blackwater

Stannis's army and fleet launched an assault on King's Landing. The initial attack was blunted when Tyrion Lannister sprung a trap, detonating a boat filled with wildfire in the midst of Stannis's fleet, destroying a significant part of it. The surviving ships were able to put ashore thousands of troops, led in person by Stannis. Sandor Clegane and Tyrion Lannister himself led several


sorties that destroyed the Baratheon siege equipment, but were almost overwhelmed by superior enemy numbers. However, the armies of House Lannister (under Tywin, in contrast to his stated intention to attack the Starks) and House Tyrell (under Ser Loras) arrived and defeated Stannis's forces, sending them fleeing from the field. House Tyrell have now formally declared themselves for The King on the Iron Throne in return for a marriage pact, giving King Joffrey Baratheon a large numerical advantage over King Robb Stark.

The Red Wedding

Robb Stark subsequently withdraws his forces back to the Riverlands. He liberated Harrenhal, but the Lannisters had simply withdrawn and gave no battle. After the death of his maternal grandfather Robb marched his army back to Riverrun, but faced a bleak situation. The Lannisters meanwhilefocused on consolidating the south with their new Tyrell allies, content that time and resources were now on their side.

Robb Stark's army was ultimately lured into a trap at the Twins where he was betrayed by House Frey and House Bolton, who switched sides to the Lannisters. The Freys and Boltons not only betrayed their liege-lords, but the Freys broke the solemn Guest right by attacking the Starks after formally accepting them into their castle as guests, and on top of that, during a wedding. Robb Stark and his mother Catelyn were killed in the massacre, which subsequently became known as the Red Wedding. The entire Northern army led to southern Westeros by Robb Stark to fight in the war was annihilated, with the few survivors captured as


political hostages.

Aftermath of the Red Wedding

The complete destruction of the Northern army and death of Robb Stark at the Red Wedding marked a major turning point in the war, with the allied houses of Lannister and Tyrell achieving a major victory over their largest and most numerically significant enemy.

However, the victory did not mark the end of the war, as Stannis Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy continued to claim their respective crowns in opposition to King Joffrey. Most of Stannis's forces were destroyed at the Blackwater, but he himself remains at liberty with some surviving forces. The ironborn, who have partially occupied the North, command great sea power and have refused to swear loyalty to the Iron Throne, are a more significant threat that still needs to be addressed.

Inthe books

In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the War of the Five Kings is one of the major storylines which the narrative revolves around.

While it is popularly known as the War of the "Five" Kings, in a later book a character points out that this is somewhat inaccurate, as Balon Greyjoy openly declared himself King of the Iron Islands only slightly after Renly died, so there were never five kings actively fighting each other at one time. Nonetheless the name has stuck, and it does still refer to the fact that five kings were involved. For the TV series, however, it might be somewhat accurate, depending on when Balon Greyjoy's secession of the Iron Islands "officially" began. Renly was killed at the beginning of the


fifth episode of Season 2. Balon explains to Theon that he intends to make himself a king by force in the second episode of Season 2, but this isn't followed by a polite declaration: the ironborn make a surprise attack against the North at the beginning of the sixth episode of Season 2, taking Torrhen's Square and Winterfell. Thus Balon briefly claimed the title of King while Renly was still alive, but the first the other factions knew about this was when ironborn raiders were at their doorsteps, after Renly died.

It is generally a four-sided war, between the Lannisters, Starks, Baratheons, and Greyjoys. Renly's brief time as a claimant, controlling most of the armies of the Stormlands and the Reach, did affect the strategic position of the Lannisters,but he didn't set out to engage them on the battlefield. Instead the Tyrells had cut of the Roseroad, effectively blockading resources and foodstuff from reaching the capital, and Renly was content to sit back and let the Lannisters exhaust themselves against the Starks while he built up his own strength to overwhelming levels, at which point he intended to march directly on King's Landing. Also while there are four "sides", this does not include political machinations and large territories changing sides, i.e. the Vale of Arryn or Dorne, and particularly House Tyrell of the Reach, which considerably tipped the balance of the war when they switched their allegiance to the Lannisters. Due to simple geography, of course, any one faction isn't actively fighting three others all the


time. Simply due to the fact that they are located on opposite coasts of the continent the Greyjoys (off the west coast) and Stannis Baratheon (off the east coast) aren't actively fighting each other while he's on Dragonstone. Stannis does nominally consider the North to be in rebellion against him, but in practice, doesn't actively fight the North, because he's more concerned with retaking the capital city from the Lannisters. As seen in the TV series, the Starks do send peace overtures to the Baratheons, but Stannis refuses to allow the North to secede and take away vast territories which he feels are rightfully his. While the Greyjoys aren't actively fighting Stannis, they are not on the side of the Starks or the Lannisters, and are truly lookingout only for their own interests.

↑Several nobles look down on Lord Walder for the delay in the Battle of the Trident, showing up in the battlefield only when the battle was won by the rebels, as well as his custom to marry girls young enough to be his granddaughters.