Usher Keeps Custody Of Kids After Pool Accident

R&B singer Usher will hold on to primary custody of his two young sons after a judge dismissed an emergency request by his ex-wife.

Tameka Foster Raymond went to court to seek temporary custody of the children after their five-year-old son was caught in a pool drain while in the care of the star's aunt at his Atlanta home.

Fulton County Superior Judge John Goger dismissed her request for decision-making authority after hearing from both sides in court.

After the judge issued his ruling, multi-Grammy winner Usher approached his ex-wife, who broke down while testifying, and gave her a long hug.

Tameka Raymond reacts while listening to 911 call of son's near drowning

Based on the evidence presented at the hearing, Judge Goger said he was not certain anyone really could have done anything to prevent the accident.

But he also advised the 34-year-old singer to keep his ex-wife up to date with his whereabouts and who is taking care of the children.

Usher Raymond V fell to the bottom of the pool and became stuck in the drain on Monday, according to an Atlanta police report.

A housekeeper tried unsuccessfully to free him. A contractor doing work at the home pulled the boy from the pool and performed CPR.

The boy was "conscious, alert and breathing" when emergency medical workers arrived, police said. He was still in hospital Friday.

The filing had said the boy "suffered a near-death accident" while left unsupervised at Usher's home when the singer was out of town.

The former couple went through a custody battle after divorcing in 2007

Usher, who has recorded multi-platinum R&B albums My Way and 8701, left the courthouse without speaking to reporters. He also has several chart-toppers including Nice & Slow, U Remind Me and Love in This Club.

The pool accident comes nearly a year after Ms Raymond's 11-year-old son, Kile Glover, Usher's stepson, died from injuries he suffered when he was run over by a personal watercraft on Lake Lanier northeast of Atlanta.

Ms Raymond, who is a hair and wardrobe stylist, was emotional during her testimony, at one point sobbing so hard that she had to step down from the witness stand to regain her composure.

"He doesn't confer with me regarding anything," Ms Raymond said, explaining that she never knows where Usher is, where the children are and who's taking care of them.

Usher travels frequently and uses caregivers, including his aunt, who are not trained and qualified to care for young children, Ms Raymond said.

Judge Goger said he thought Ms Raymond's standards for a caregiver were unusually high and pointed out that many people leave their children with family members.

Usher and Ms Raymond married in 2007 and divorced two years later.

They went through a lengthy child custody battle, and Usher was given primary custody of the boys, who are about a year apart in age.

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Volcano: Deaths As Indonesia's Rokatenda Blows

Lava spewing from a volcano killed six people sleeping in a beach village in Indonesia as hot ash and smoke shot up to 2,000m (6,560ft) in the air.

Mount Rokatenda, on Palue island, erupted early on Saturday, when more than 3,000 people were evacuated from the area.

The victims included three adults and two children who were swept away by lava, an official from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said.

The age of the sixth casualty is unclear.

The children's bodies have not been recovered from Ponge beach, in Rokirole village.

Rokatenda has been rumbling since October 2012.

Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire - the name given to a horseshoe-shaped series of fault lines that leave the region prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity.

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Schoolboy Harry Whitlam Hit By Tractor Dies

A schoolboy has died after being hit by a tractor at a farm visitor attraction.

Harry Whitlam, 11, died on Friday hours after the incident at Swithens Farm in the Rothwell area of Leeds.

The tractor driver, a 48-year-old man, has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and drink driving.

The farm is open to visitors, although a statement on its website said the collision was on the "working part of the farm".

Local reports suggested Harry suffered head injuries from the tractor's trailer as the vehicle was reversing.

It is thought Harry was hit by a reversing tractor trailer

The 11-year-old, who lived in the Wakefield area, was apparently a farm hand at the premises where his mother also worked.

Officers were called at 9.20am on Friday by the ambulance service who were already at the scene.

He was flown to Leeds General Infirmary but died on Friday night following complicated emergency surgery.

Joanna Baron, who was at the farm with her four-year-old son, told the Yorkshire Post: "I can't believe it. It's awful. We come here a lot and it's such a lovely place to be. It's shocking."

Detective Superintendent Scott Wood, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "We are continuing to investigate what has been a tragic incident with the Health and Safety Executive and are still appealing for witnesses."

The tractor driver has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Swithens Farm, which describes itself as a "friendly place with a focus on families, fun and fabulous fresh food", has remained open.

A statement posted on its website said: "There was a tragic accident on Friday 9 August and our thoughts are with Harry's family.

"We're still not sure of the full circumstances but the accident happened on the working part of the farm.

"The farm shop, cafe and petting farm are open to the general public and we are trying to run the business as normal."

:: Anyone who saw the collision should contact West Yorkshire Police Major Collision Enquiry Team on 01924 293047 or via 101.

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Politician Quits Race After Interview Gaffes

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

An Australian political candidate has quit after making a series of gaffes in a TV interview - including referring to Islam as "a country" and mistakenly calling the Koran "haram".

Stephanie Banister stepped down as candidate for the anti-immigration One Nation party after facing ridicule on social media and in the press.

The 27-year-old was running for the seat of Rankin, Queensland, but party leader Jim Savage said she decided to withdraw after "threats" amid the fallout from her blundering interview with Australia's Channel Seven.

During the interview, which Mr Savage says was misrepresentative, Ms Banister was asked about a new national disability insurance scheme.

She said it was "working at the moment", despite it not actually starting until 2016.

Ms Banister also made confused statements in the broadcast about Judaism, voicing her support for kosher foods for Jewish people.

"Jews aren't under haram. They have their own religion which follows Jesus Christ," she said of Judaism, which in fact sees Jesus as an ordinary man and not the messiah.

Party leader Jim Savage, right, kept Ms Banister quiet as she stepped down

Mr Savage said: "She continues to have the full support of the One Nation executive, and contrary to reports on the media last night and in the newspapers today, Stephanie has not been disendorsed and will not be disendorsed.

"However, due to the threats against Stephanie's family, herself, her children, the abuse she's copped and the enormous pressure she's been put under, Stephanie has decided she wants to withdraw from the candidacy for the seat of Rankin.

"We have accepted it with regret."

Ms Banister had only been in politics for 48 hours at the time of the interview and made a short statement alongside Mr Savage on Saturday, but she was not allowed to answer any questions.

"With the way Channel Seven edited my interview, I was left quite the fool," Ms Banister said.

"I'd like to apologise to One Nation, to my friends and family, for any embarrassment this has brought to them."

Mr Savage said it was his responsibility such a novice candidate had been allowed to conduct an interview without appropriate preparation but also claimed Channel Seven had unfairly targeted Ms Banister.

Ms Banister, who is facing criminal charges after allegedly placing anti-Muslim stickers such as "halal food funds terrorism" on supermarket products, said her words had been taken out of context.

She has been labelled "Australia's Sarah Palin", in a reference to TV interview gaffes made by the US vice-presidential candidate in 2008.

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Michaella McCollum Connolly Arrested In Peru

A nightclub hostess who sparked an online campaign after apparently vanishing from Ibiza has turned up in police custody in Peru.

Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, from Belfast, is being held in Lima on suspicion of drug trafficking.

She was arrested earlier this week along with Briton Melissa Reid, 19, as they tried to board a flight to Madrid.

The pair were stopped at the Air Europa counter at Jorge Chavez International Airport.

The National Police of Peru said they found more than 11kg of cocaine, thought to be worth around £1.5m, hidden in food in their luggage.

Police said they had been planning to fly on from Madrid to Palma, Mallorca.

An online campaign to find Miss McCollum Connolly, backed by Irish sports stars, was launched by her family after she appeared to have disappeared.

The photography student had gone to San Antonio in Ibiza in June on a working holiday and was looking for work as a dancer and nightclub hostess.

Her family became concerned when they did not hear anything from her in 12 days, whereas she usually phoned home ever two to three days.

Diplomats have confirmed they are helping an Irish woman and a British woman arrested in Peru over alleged drug trafficking offences.

The Foreign Office in London said it was helping a British national.

"We are aware of the arrest of a British national in Peru this week and are providing consular assistance," a spokesman said.

Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs said it was also providing consular assistance to the family of an Irish woman being held in Peru on suspicion of drug trafficking offences.

Miss McCollum Connolly holds an Irish passport.

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Car Smashes Into Vehicle: Trio's Amazing Escape

Two men and a teenager had an amazing escape as they came within inches of being hit by a car that hurtled into their stationary vehicle.

The Cadillac was apparently going about 70mph as it smashed into the Ford Flex the trio had got out of only a split-second before.

They were walking alongside it when the Cadillac came from behind and sent the other car crashing into a wall - in an incident caught on CCTV.

Lucky escape for Daniel Archuleta

One of the men, Daniel Archuleta, said: "He must have been going about 70, easy. When I saw him walk out of that smoke, I was relieved. It's a miracle.

"I heard my car get hit and when I finally turned around, I was up against the wall … and hoping the car wasn't going to hit me."

Mr Archuleta claimed a female passenger in the Cadillac had said the male driver was trying to commit suicide when he sped up, jumped the curb and crashed deliberately.

Mr Archuleta told CBS he had given his friend Eddie Correa and his son Matthew a lift to a store to pick up Mr Correa's truck.

Mr Correa said he and his son were about 5ft from the car when they heard it accelerating behind them.

"All I did is yell at my neighbour to run," he added.

"It was like slow motion to me," said Mr Archuleta, "after that it was just a cloud of dust".

The driver of the Cadillac is recovering from his injuries in hospital.

His condition is unknown but police say when the man is released from the hospital they will interview him and determine whether he tried to commit suicide or whether he had a medical emergency.

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Erika Kacicova: Man Held Over Missing Teenager

A man has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction after a 13-year-old girl went missing.

The 22-year-old from Bradford came forward on Friday, after hearing about appeals to find teenager Erika Kacicova.

The man is now in Sheffield assisting officers with their enquiries to help find Erika.

The teenager was last seen at around 4pm on Monday, August 5, after leaving her family home on Poole Road, in Darnall, Sheffield.

South Yorkshire Police made an urgent appeal on Friday requesting Erika to get in touch, saying they were very worried about her safety.

Police officers and staff in South and West Yorkshire are continuing to search for Erika.

Officers are carrying out door-to-door enquiries in Sheffield and a team of officers from South Yorkshire have gone to Bradford to look for her there.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate said: "Erika has now been missing for almost five full days and we haven't had any positive sightings or confirmed contact from her.

"We know she has gone missing before but not for this long.

"She is a young girl, away from home and our main aim is for her to return safe and well.

"We know Erika's family have friends and acquaintances in the Bradford area, so she may well have travelled to West Yorkshire.

"We are grateful for the calls from the public, so please contact us if you think you know where Erika is.

"Erika, if you are reading this, please let us know you are okay. You aren't in trouble; we just need to know you are safe."

Erika, who has gone missing previously, is described as being around 4ft 11ins tall, Eastern European, of slim build, with long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

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FA Boss: Summer World Cup In Qatar 'Impossible'

Fifa "probably made a mistake" in awarding the World Cup to Qatar for the summer of 2022, according to the FA's new chairman.

Greg Dyke has said staging the tournament in the Middle East country during some of the hottest weeks of the year, when temperatures can reach 50C (122F), would be "impossible".

But Qatar said in a statement that it was the right decision to award it the Finals, and it was ready to stage the event in either summer or winter.

Greg Dyke is set for a collision course with Richard Scudamore

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Dyke said he had serious concerns for the safety of football players and supporters if the event was not moved to the winter or taken away from Qatar completely.

He said: "I have a lot of sympathy with the Qataris. They bid for it and they got it. I think the Fifa executive probably made a mistake at that time - we have to live with that.

"The question now is, how do we solve this problem?"

It is the first time the FA has taken a formal position on the controversial issue. Mr Dyke believes a winter World Cup is more likely than Qatar losing the tournament completely.

His predecessor David Bernstein said in June that any plans to move the World Cup to the winter were "fundamentally flawed".

Sepp Blatter says there is still time to switch the tournament to winter

The FA's position could lead to some differences with the Premier League, whose chief executive Richard Scudamore strongly opposes any move to change the World Cup to the winter because it would disrupt domestic club competitions.

Fifa's president, Sepp Blatter, has said there is still enough time to switch the tournament to the winter months, when temperatures are significantly cooler but can still reach 30C (86F).

Mr Dyke said: "I don't know how many people have been to Qatar in June. I have. The one thing I can tell you is you can't play a football tournament in Qatar in June.

"Even if all the stadia are air-conditioned - which seems a bit strange in terms of the green policy - it would be impossible for the fans just to go out there, wander around in that sort of heat.

"The FA's position will be you can't play it in summer in Qatar.

"Fifa therefore has two choices; you either move it in time or to another location.

"I suspect that either ends up in some sort of litigation, but then someone should have worked that out in 2010 when it was awarded."

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee later released a statement saying: "It was the right decision to award the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time in 2022.

"Football is the most popular sport in the Middle East and the people of our region deserve the opportunity to have history made in their part of the world.

"We are committed to delivering on the promises we made in our successful bid.

"We are ready to host in summer or winter. We have always maintained that this issue requires the agreement of the international football community.

"A decision to alter the dates of the 2022 FIFA World Cup would not affect our infrastructure planning."

The final decision on the fate of Qatar's World Cup rests with Fifa, whose executive committee will discuss the matter at its next meeting, in early October.

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Iraq: Car Bombings 'Kill 50' In Baghdad

A wave of car bombings in mainly Shi'ite areas of Baghdad has killed 50 people and wounded 140, police and medical sources said.

Nine separate explosions targeted markets and busy shopping streets and took place as residents celebrated the Eid holiday.

One of the bombings was near an outdoor market in the southeastern suburbs of the capital shortly before sunset, killing seven people and wounding 20.

Outside Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb in a car on a busy street in the town of Tuz Khurmato, 105 miles north of the capital, killing at least 10 people and wounding 45, medical and police sources said.

Tuz Khurmato is located in a particularly violent region over which both the central government and autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan claim jurisdiction.

Police believe the bomber was trying to reach the local headquarters of a Kurdish political party, but was unable to reach the building because of increased security in the area, a police source said.

There has been a surge in violence in Iraq since the start of the year.

More than 1,000 people were killed in July, the highest monthly death toll since 2008 amid worries of a return to the all-out sectarian war that blighted Iraq years ago.

Sunni Islamist militants have been regaining momentum in their insurgency against the Shi'ite-led government.

And they have been emboldened by the civil war in neighbouring Syria, which has stoked sectarian tensions across the Middle East.

More follows...

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Sochi Olympics Boycott Call Rejected By PM

David Cameron has ruled out a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Russia, insisting attending is a better way to tackle anti-gay prejudice.

The Prime Minister spoke out following calls for the Games in 2014 to be moved because of Russia's anti-gay laws.

David Cameron said he had shared the "deep concern" about the abuse of gay people in the country.

But writing on Twitter, the Prime Minister said: "I believe we can better challenge prejudice as we attend, rather than boycotting the Winter Olympics."

Prime Minister David Cameron has ruled out a boycott of the Sochi games

A growing number of people, one of whom is the broadcaster Stephen Fry, have called for a boycott of the Sochi Winter Olympics because of Russia's stance on homosexuality.

Mr Putin signed a new bill into law in June banning "homosexual propaganda".

This makes it illegal to give anyone under 18 information about homosexuality.

Anyone deemed to be promoting gay rights or "non-traditional relationships" to young people could now be arrested and fined, or in the case of foreigners, detained and deported.

Critics say the law is intentionally vaguely-worded and part of a broader crackdown on gay rights.

The country's sports minister has said the law will apply to athletes and spectators at the Games.

Fry told Sky News that, despite his original request, he accepted that the Winter Olympics could not be moved but he had made the call because he wanted to draw attention to the plight of gay people in Russia.

He said he had met a lesbian couple with children who ran the risk of being arrested because they could be viewed as promoting homosexuality to their offspring.

He said a suitable compromise could be for podium place-winning athletes who opposed Russia's laws to make a gesture of crossing their arms across their sternums.

When asked whether it was right to compare Mr Putin to a Nazi, as some had been doing, Fry said if he was not actually a Nazi, he was a fascist, as he was attempting to wield absolute power.

Earlier, London 2012 Olympic Chief Lord Coe had also commented on the proposed boycott saying he disapproved. Coe was one of the UK team which went to the Moscow Olympics in 1980 when it was boycotted by the US.

He said: "(Boycotts) do not achieve what they set out to do. International sport is not an inhibitor of social change; it actually has a strong catalytic effect. It's an issue that needs to be addressed but its not an issue for a boycott."

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