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Ajax won the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur with 1-0 in London on Tuesday. Donny van de Beek gave the youthful Dutch side the win, edging Ajax toward a first European Cup final in 23 years. A Tottenham side depleted by injuries and suspension gifted the visitors too much space to string together slick passes early on, and the 22-year-old Van de Beek ghosted into the penalty area to receive a throughball from Hakim Ziyech before knocking a shot past goalkeeper Hugo Lloris in the 15th minute. Barcelona host Liverpool in the other semi-final on Wednesday evening. Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen had to be helped off the field shortly after attempting to play on following a clash of heads, putting a fresh spotlight on soccer’s handling of potential concussions. Concussion protocol Vertonghen challenged for a header in the Ajax area but slammed his face into the back of teammate Toby Alderweireld’s head, leaving him with blood pouring f...

Updated May 01, 2019 16:24:47 Photo: Mahmoud and Khaled Khayet in court this week. (Supplied: Vincent de Gouw) One of two brothers charged with conspiring to plan a terror attack by planting a bomb on an international flight from Sydney has been found guilty. Key points: Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat were charged in July 2017 with plotting to bring down a flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi Khaled Khayat’s supporters gasped when the jury’s guilty verdict was read out The jury have so-far been unable to reach a verdict in his brother Mahmoud Khayat’s trial Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat were charged in July 2017 with plotting to bring down an Etihad Airways plane using a device hidden in a meat grinder. After more than two days of deliberations, a jury found Khaled Khayat guilty but have so-far been unable to reach a verdict in his brother Mahmoud Khayat’s trial. Justice Christine Adamson has sent the jury back out to continue its deliberations. Khaled Khayat’s supporters ...

Gary Dineen/Getty Images The Milwaukee Bucks dominated the regular season by establishing an identity that served them well. They shot heaps of threes, spaced the floor at every position and vacated the lane so Giannis Antetokounmpo could barrel into the paint, overwhelming whatever lone defender stood in front of him. Those basic tactics produced the league’s best record and highest net rating. There’s a good chance they’ll lead to an MVP award for Antetokounmpo, and they worked just fine in a 4-0 sweep of the Detroit Pistons in the first round. They also produced a pretty clear scouting report, and the Boston Celtics executed it perfectly in Sunday’s Game 1 victory. The loss was effectively an identity crisis for the Bucks. In Tuesday’s 123-102 Game 2 win, the Bucks solved that crisis by departing from their core identity, even if sometimes only subtly. In doing so, Milwaukee did more to legitimize its status as a true contender than anything else it achieved during i...

Japan’ s new Emperor Naruhito has formally ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne, a day after his father Akihito abdicated from the world’s oldest monarchy and ushered in a new imperial era. Naruhito officially became emperor at the stroke of midnight local time (1500GMT Tuesday) but the process will be formalised on Wednesday with the 10-minute ritual, which is off-limits to female royals – even his wife Masako. It took place on the first day of the new imperial era of Reiwa , meaning “beautiful harmony”, which will last throughout Naruhito’s reign. The 59-year-old was presented with the sacred imperial treasures of a sword and a jewel, as well as the seal of state and his personal imperial seal, at a solemn ceremony in the Room of Pine in the Imperial Palace at 10:30am local time (01:30 GMT).  Shortly afterwards, joined by Masako and other royals, Naruhito addressed the nation for the first time as its 126th emperor, as he vowed to stand with the Japanese people. He swore to ...

Posted May 01, 2019 14:56:20 Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has been forced to clarify his interactions with a now disendorsed Labor candidate, having earlier said the pair never met. Key points: Labor has disendorsed NT Senate candidate Wayne Kurnorth over anti-Semitic posts Bill Shorten said he had never met Mr Kurnorth, but images and video showing the two together have emerged The Liberal Party is also distancing itself from two candidates, one who shared an anti-Islamic rant and another who is accused of homophobia It comes as the party also defends the social media antics of another one of its candidates. Earlier today Mr Shorten was critical of the Liberal Party, which disendorsed its candidate in the Melbourne seat of Isaacs after an anti-Muslim rant became public . Just days earlier, Labor NT Senate candidate Wayne Kurnorth resigned after it was revealed he had shared an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory and posted an Islamic State-themed meme online. In his mo...

Updated May 01, 2019 14:18:59 Photo: An actor is yet to be cast in the roll of Elvis Presley. (Reuters ) Queensland is set to host the production of a new Baz Luhrmann film based on the life of Elvis Presley. Key points: The production will be based at the Village Roadshow studios on the Gold Coast Tom Hanks is set to play Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker Mr Luhrmann says he is still searching for an actor to play Elvis The Australian director, known for his films like Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Moulin Rouge and Australia met with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in London last month to secure the film. Production will be based at the Village Roadshow studios on the Gold Coast. Dual Oscar winner Tom Hanks has been signed to be Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker, who had a complicated relationship with the star. A worldwide search is underway for an actor to play The King himself. Mr Luhrmann said he is excited to get back to Queensland, which he described ...

Updated May 01, 2019 12:46:16 Photo: Robert Mueller expressed frustration with William Barr’s summary of his report. (AP/Reuters) Special counsel Robert Mueller expressed frustration to Attorney-General William Barr last month about how the findings of his Russia investigation were being portrayed, a US Justice Department official has said. Key points: The Mueller report examined alleged collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice Mr Mueller expressed frustration with Mr Barr’s summary of his findings The Justice Department decided against releasing Mr Mueller’s prepared summaries Mr Mueller wrote to the Justice Department just days after Mr Barr issued a four-page document summarising the special counsel’s conclusions about whether US President Donald Trump’s campaign had conspired with Russia and whether the President had tried to illegally obstruct the probe. In the letter, Mr Mueller said he worried that the summary of the main conclusions of the probe l...

Updated May 01, 2019 12:00:58 A mother who allegedly stabbed a teacher with scissors in northern NSW yesterday has been refused bail, after a magistrate revealed she had a criminal history. Key points: Accused woman had criminal history and had not followed bail orders in the past, Tweed Heads court heard Teacher Zane Vockler has a broken tooth and wounds to his ear and face after scissor attack The NSW Department of Education said security measures were taken at Byron Bay Public School after the attack The 31-year-old parent, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made a brief court appearance at Tweed Heads this morning. She was arrested yesterday after the incident at Byron Bay Public School, in which teacher Zane Vockler, 28, received cuts to his arms and face. Prosecutors said when the woman was arrested there was blood on her shirt and scissors with orange handles were found at her premises. Magistrate Geoff Dunlevy said the defendant had a criminal history and...

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Two people have been killed and four others wounded – two with life-threatening injuries – in a shooting at the University of North Carolina. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a statement on Tuesday evening that one person was in custody and no one else is believed to be involved. Television station WBTV in Charlotte reported that gunfire erupted about 5:45 pm local time (2145 GMT) near the university’s Kennedy Hall administrative building. The Mecklenburg EMS, an independent agency that handles emergency services for the county, confirmed that two people were dead on the scene and that four others were taken to a nearby hospital, two of them with life-threatening injuries.  Sam Rice, a senior on UNC Charlotte’s tennis team, told Spectrum News that he was in the library studying for a final exam when he heard people yelling “shooter, shooter”. He said he heard police yelling for people to stay down and stay on the floor. He was “waiting for someone to tell ...

Steve Luciano/Associated Press The National Football League filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office last week in an effort to obtain exclusive rights to the Duluth Eskimos, a defunct franchise that operated during the 1926 and 1927 seasons.  Trademark attorney Josh Gerben provided analysis of the filing, though he later noted the NFL released a statement noting no team will use the name during the 2019 campaign as he initially suggested: Josh Gerben @JoshGerben The NFL has filed a trademark application for DULUTH ESKIMOS. The trademark application suggests that a NFL team could play a game as the DULUTH ESKIMOS this coming year. Here is my analysis of the filing #nfl https://t.co/67jHP6nlME Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk reported it’s part of a larger effort to secure rights to former franchises as part of the league’s 100th-anniversary celebration. The NFL could face resistance in its Duluth efforts because t...

Sudanese protest leaders have called for a mass rally amid mounting tensions over the composition of a joint civilian-military council to run the country following the removal of Sudan ‘s longtime ruler, Omar al-Bashir.  In a statement on Tuesday, the political parties and movements behind the months-long anti-government protests urged supporters  to gather for a “million-strong march” on May 2 to keep up the pressure for civilian rule. The appeal came hours after Sudan’s military rulers warned against “chaos” and called on protesters to clear roads and railways, saying seven provinces were running low on essential supplies.  Mohamed  Naji al-Assam, spokesman for the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), the main protest group, said the ruling military council  was “not serious” about transferring power to civilians. “With the passing of time the powers of the military council are expanded and this is a very big danger for the Sudanese revolution,” he s...

By Caroline Zielinski Posted May 01, 2019 06:00:24 Photo: Caroline Zielinski quit her job to go freelance and found it improved her health. (Manda Ford) About eight months ago, I did a very scary thing. I quit my job to search for meaning — and it dramatically improved my heath. It may sound like a story as old as (millennial) time: young person gets job, job is not as great as young person thought, young person keeps quitting and looking for other jobs to satisfy them. But switching from one unfulfilling role to the next failed to shift the insomnia, the abject anxiety, the mindless, nervous scratching and my painful gut. Friends couldn’t quite understand why I was so miserable and so sick: you have a good job, they’d say. It pays well. You can travel. Logically, I agreed. So, I tried to tell myself that it wasn’t so bad, while every day wondering: “is this all there is?” A ‘modern malaise’ As it turns out, I wasn’t alone. Experts are calling this feeling of meanin...

Updated May 01, 2019 05:28:21 A tearful Pauline Hanson says the strip club scandal involving former One Nation Senate candidate Steve Dickson has been used to attack her political party unfairly. Key points: Pauline Hanson said she was “disgusted” by footage of former Senate hopeful Steve Dickson But the One Nation leader said her party was unfairly targeted in the sting Senator Hanson also questioned why she is “kicked in the guts” when people are “hoping and praying” she will be a “voice” for them Mr Dickson on Tuesday withdrew from the election campaign after undercover footage emerged of him making derogatory comments and touching a dancer during a night out at a strip club in Washington DC last year. The former Senate hopeful also apologised for his behaviour, saying the footage “does not reflect the person I am”. The video was filmed as part of the same operation which last month revealed Mr Dickson and party adviser James Ashby travelled to the US last year s...

The Trump administration is working to designate the  Muslim Brotherhood a foreign “terrorist” organisation, the White House said on Tuesday, which would bring sanctions against Egypt’s oldest Islamist movement. “The president has consulted with his national security team and leaders in the region who share his concern, and this designation is working its way through the internal process,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in an email. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi  had urged US President Donald Trump to take the step during an April 9 visit to the White House,  the New York Times  reported  on Tuesday , citing officials familiar with the matter. After the meeting, Trump praised Sisi as a “great president,” as a bipartisan group of US politicians raised concerns about Sisi’s record on human rights. The Muslim Brotherhood, or Ikhwan al-Muslimeen, is a revivalist Islamic movement, formed in Egypt in 1928. One of the oldest and most i...

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul has been fined $35,000 for making contact with a referee during Sunday’s game against the Golden State Warriors , but he will not be suspended for Game 2 Tuesday, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.  The incident came in the closing seconds of a 104-100 loss for the Rockets, with Paul being ejected after arguing about a non-call: Bleacher Report @BleacherReport Rough ending for the Rockets https://t.co/ha7dGYi120 According to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, the league fined him for “aggressively confronting and recklessly making contact with a game official.” Although it is never acceptable to make contact with an official, the guard’s anger might have been justified. According to the NBA ‘s   Last Two Minute Report , Warriors guard Stephen Curry should have been called for a foul on Eric Gordon with 4.4 seconds remaining, but it was instead ruled a turnover. Paul’s o...

Torrential rain continued to batter northern Mozambique  on Tuesday, several days after Cyclone Kenneth, as the United Nations said aid workers faced “an incredibly difficult situation” in reaching thousands of survivors. The rains grounded aid operations for a third consecutive day leaving some of the worst-hit communities cut off with very limited supplies. A planned World Food Programme (WFP) flight to the island of Ibo was on stand-by until the weather improved, according to Deborah Nguyen, spokeswoman for the agency. “We are really concerned about the situation for people on Ibo island,” she said, as they had been left out in the open after the majority of homes were destroyed, and with very limited food. “For us it’s a frustrating day… There is not much we can do to reach these islands now,” she said. The government again urged residents of the main city of Pemba to flee to higher ground as flooding continued.  More than 570 milliliters has fallen in Pemba since K...

Posted April 30, 2019 18:15:09 Photo: RSPCA and police inspectors found the hens to be living in poor conditions at the Picton property. (Supplied: RSPCA NSW) A New South Wales commercial egg farmer has been convicted of animal cruelty charges relating to thousands of hens after coming to the attention of the RSPCA when activists tried to rescue them on his farm. Key points: The farm’s owner Shaun Robert Stone, 36, was charged with multiple animal cruelty offences Stone was fined $6,500 and banned from owning any animals for five years Protesters allegedly attended the chicken farm in June last year in an attempt to rescue the birds One thousand dead hens were found at the property in Picton, south-west of Sydney in June 2018, while a further 4,000 live hens were found living in poor conditions. Warning: A following image contains graphic content Following investigations by the RSPCA and NSW Police, the farm’s owner Shaun Robert Stone, 36, was charged with mul...

Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is taking drastic measures to ensure he’s healthy enough to play against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA playoffs. Embiid told ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan he was going through six separate treatment sessions daily on his left knee. The two-time All-Star added he sets his alarm for 5 a.m. ET to begin the regimen. “ Normally, sleep helps me a lot,” he said. “B ut right now sleep is secondary. I’ve got to take care of my body. I’ll sleep later.” In addition to the knee treatment, 76ers coach Brett Brown revealed Embiid received IV fluids before the team’s Game 2 94-89 win over the Raptors. Embiid missed Philadelphia’s Game 3 win over the Brooklyn Nets in the first round. In his four appearances during the series, he averaged 24.3 minutes per game in the series, a noticeable drop from his usage in the regular season (33.4 minutes). Prior to the start of the second round, Embiid indicated he wanted to see the...