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Kanye West's mother dies after surgery
By Sally Peck
Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 12/11/2007



Kanye West's mother has died at the age of 58 after complications resulting from surgery.

   
Kanye West with his mother, Donda
Dr Donda West died in Los Angeles as the result of complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure, according to the BBC, which cited her publicist, Patricia Green.

The 30-year-old hip hop star's spokesman said: "The family respectfully asks for privacy during this time of grief."

West is believed to have been in London filming a video for his new song Homecoming when his mother died.

He has made no secret of his admiration for his mother, often bringing her to parties and awards shows and made reference to her on all of his albums.

On his 2005 Late Registration album he raps: "Hey Mama, I wanna scream so loud for you, cuz I'm so proud of you / Let me tell you what I'm about to do, Hey Mama / I know I act a fool, but, I promise you I'm goin' back to school / I appreciate what you allowed for me / I just want you to be proud of me Hey Mama."

Although widely known as the mother of Kanye, Dr West had a 31-year career as an English professor, eventually chairing Chicago State University's English department before leaving academia in 2004 to help manage her son's career.

In May she published the book Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star.

RIP

Wi-fi security system is 'broken' 

Wireless networks are springing up everywhere
More holes have been picked in the security measure designed to protect the privacy and data of wi-fi users.
The latest attack lets criminals defeat firewalls and spy on where someone goes and what they do online.

It comes after a series of other attacks that, experts say, have left the basic protection in wi-fi comprehensively "broken".

But compatibility issues mean that many will have no alternative but to use the much weakened protection system.

Lock picking

The basic security measure in the technical specification for wireless networks, 802.11, is known as Wired Equivalent Privacy.

WEP encrypts data flying back and forth between a computer and an access point to stop people spotting and stealing confidential information.

It does this using an encryption key but numerous attacks have shown how easy it is to get hold of this key and unlock access to the wi-fi network or your data.

"WEP as a security measure is so broken that your (and everyone else's) kid sister can easily circumvent it," said computer security researcher Ralf-Philipp Weinmann, co-author of the aircrack-ptw tool that can crack WEP in minutes.

Anyone caring about their privacy, said Mr Weinmann, should not use WEP to stop others using their wi-fi hotspot.

Mr Weinmann and his colleagues unveiled aircrack in early 2007 but prior to that three other research teams, in 2001, 2004 and 2005 showed how to circumvent WEP.

The latest attack, created by Vivek Ramachandran of AirTight Networks, tricks a computer into thinking it is logged on to a wi-fi network it trusts. It exploits the basic hand-shaking system in wi-fi to get hold of lots of data it can analyse to crack a key.

While the chance that someone will piggyback on your wi-fi network is low, there have been cases in the UK where this has happened.


Malicious attackers can crack WEP to get at key data
In London one man has been arrested and charged under the 2003 Communications Act for using someone else's wi-fi link without permission.

Alongside this is the risk of people using your broadband connection for potentially criminal activity.

However, said Mark West of the home tech help company Geek Squad, many people are forced into using WEP despite its shortcomings.

"WEP might be all they can run," he said.

The well-publicised problems with WEP have resulted in improved security systems for wireless networks known as Wi-fi Protected Access (WPA).

An improved version of this, called WPA-2, appeared in 2004 but is not yet widely used.

Mr West said backwards compatibility problems might mean that people cannot opt for the better protection found in WPA or WPA-2.

Using either of these requires Windows XP fitted with Service Pack 2, Vista or OS X on the Mac.

Drivers for wi-fi access cards might also need to be updated and the firmware on a hub might also need refreshing. Any other device that tries to link via wi-fi will also need updating.

For many, said Mr West, updating all these separate components could be too much to ask.

A spokesman for BT said that it used WEP on its home hub products because of the compatibility issues.

"We use WEP for a very sensible reason," said the spokesman, "there are a number of devices out there in the marketplace that do not use WPA."

When helping people install wi-fi networks Geek Squad started trying to use WPA-2 but often had to fall back on the weaker protection.

WPA-2 was only made mandatory on wi-fi access points manufactured after September 2006, which means much wireless hardware still relies on WEP.

"It's often the lowest common denominator," said Mr West, adding that it was better than nothing.

He said: "It's more of a deterrent that will prevent most people being able to access that router."

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced her intention to stop a loyalist initiative which was to get £1.2m of government funding.
However, at the Northern Ireland assembly Finance Minister Peter Robinson accused her of being in breach of the ministerial code.

A 60-day deadline for the Ulster Defence Association to begin giving up guns expired last Tuesday.

The deadline was set in August after repeated violence linked to the UDA.

However, the UDA said it would adhere to its own timetable for getting rid of its weapons.

How cash carrot was pulled 
In a statement to the assembly, Ms Ritchie said the actions of the UDA had meant the retention of the Conflict Transformation Initiative originally proposed by Peter Hain could not be justified.

"The UDA's fractious nature means, at this time the organisation is unable to meet the objectives of the CTI (Conflict Transformation Initiative).

"The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately," she said.

After Ms Ritchie finished her statement, Mr Robinson claimed she had "ignored" the government's own legal advice and "might be acting beyond her legal powers".

The assembly suspended its sitting for about half-an-hour whilst legal advice was sought on the matter.

BBC Northern Ireland Political Editor Mark Devenport described the scenes in the chamber as "extraordinary".

   
After its honeymoon period there have been a number of rifts within the executive, over issues like the Irish language and gay rights.

However, the evident division between the SDLP minister and her colleagues is the most bitter and personal split within the executive since devolution was restored."

Ms Ritchie has said she came under pressure from direct rule ministers to compromise on her deadline.

However, Security Minister Paul Goggins said the final decision on whether to redirect £1.2m from the Conflict Transformation Initiative to other loyalist projects was hers.


The UDA insists it will decommission in its own time
Chris McGimpsey of Farset, the organisation which was administering the project, said Ms Ritchie's decision would be counterproductive.

"It's not a UDA issue - what we have here is a number of loyalist working class communities which are suffering from social deprivation," he said.

"I have no love of the UDA - they've threatened to kill me twice - but Farset has been going for 25 years and has a fairly good press in both communities, trying to administer funds into areas where the UDA and other paramilitary groups are strong in an effort to seduce people away from paramilitarism.

"What you have is the minister pulling the rug from under our feet, saying that by reducing funding in these communities she will reduce paramilitarism - the exact opposite is the case."

   

Cluxton slams "fair weather" supporters
11 October 2007


Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton has launched a stinging attack on the county's "fair weather" supporters.

The Parnells clubman hit out at the supporters who pack Croke Park in the summer but who are conspicuous by their absence during the winter months.

"It's funny that you go to a game up in Ballybofey in mid-winter and you have a handful of supporters there," he remarked.

"You go into Croke Park in the first round and you are playing anybody and it's packed to the gills. You are kind of saying to yourself, where are all these coming from and do they even support the game, or are they just looking for a day out?

"I'm not saying they are all football or rugby supporters or anything like that. I suppose in Dublin though, you probably have more critics than you do have supporters.

"They don't understand the term (supporter) I don't think."

Gentlemen please start your engines...........

Lads i am going to London for the NFL game in two weeks with the missus, we are staying beside Tower Bridge. The missus wants to "see the sights", are most of the main ones (Buckingham Palace, House Of Commons) handy to Tower Bridge? Also what is the best way to get around central London? I have been told its the tube as i hear the taxis are rip off merchants. Any advice best places to visit/eat/booze?

Charity footballers 'slow to pay' 

Organiser Dr Noreena Hertz has refused to name non-payers
Premiership footballers who agreed to donate a day's wages to a nurses' hardship fund have coughed up less than a third of the money, organisers say.
Five months ago, 255 players promised to make donations to the May Day for Nurses appeal.

Big names, including Steven Gerrard and Thierry Henry, agreed to participate. More then £750,000 was pledged but just £200,000 has so far been collected.

Organisers have refused to name those who have yet to pay their contribution.

The idea behind the hardship fund was that well-paid footballers would give up a day's pay in order to help hard-up nurses.

The campaign was launched right at the end of the football season so the poor Royal College of Nursing then had to go and track down players and clubs

Campaign organiser Dr Noreena Hertz

Now, in October, with just £200,000 collected, there is no indication as to whether the full amount will turn up.

But appeal organiser Dr Noreena Hertz says she is confident the players will all pay up.

She told BBC News: "The campaign was launched right at the end of the football season so the poor Royal College of Nursing then had to go and track down players and clubs during the holidays and when the clubs were touring."

She said players should be given until Christmas to pay.

Managers, including Sir Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce, and former players, such as Jamie Redknapp and Graeme Le Saux, are also taking part.

The money raised will go into a fund administered by the Royal College of Nursing and will be distributed to nurses for things like child care or transport to work.

Would there be any problems getting tickets for either Chelsea v Man City or Spurs v Blackburn as i will be over for the NFL game in three weeks.

MLA 'tired of listening to Irish' 

David McNarry wants ministers to stop speaking in Irish
An Ulster Unionist assembly member has said he is tired of listening to Stormont ministers speaking in Irish.
David McNarry has tabled a motion for debate seeking to have the practice stopped.

Mr McNarry said there was plenty of recognition already for the language and is also opposing proposed legislation for an Irish Language Act.

Caral Ni Chuillin said Sinn Fein would vigorously oppose the motion which she described as "unacceptable".

Protestants opting out of Magee 

Catholics outnumber Protestants by four to one at Derry's Magee site
The University of Ulster has admitted it is having trouble attracting Protestants to study at its campus in Londonderry.
Catholics outnumber Protestants by four to one at Derry's Magee site.

The university's pro-vice chancellor Jim Allen said it was a disturbing trend.

"It is worrying and the university has highlighted that," Mr Allen said. But he pointed out that the situation was better than a decade ago.

"Ten years ago it was 90/10. So we are beginning to win that battle," he said.

He said Protestant students who attended Magee were "very positive" about the university and the city.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YBXv5FISzjg

The evil looking Brazilian was banned for 4 months for this tackle............And i thought it was a mans game.

McConville talks of gambling hell 

Oisin McConville has been helped by Gamblers Anonymous 
Armagh gaelic football star Oisin McConville has spoken of his gambling addiction which left him with debts of more than £100,000.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport NI, McConville revealed that the problem "spiralled out of control" after Armagh's 2002 All-Ireland win.

"There was one day when I'd lost maybe £10,000," said the Crossmaglen man.

"I went out to the car and gathered together maybe £8 and went back (to the shop) and had another bet."

With no money left after that day's betting, McConville has barely enough fuel left in his car to take him home.

"When I was was driving home, the diesel light was on my car and I almost didn't have enough to get home.


"At that point, I just said to myself:'I can't go on like this any more'."


McConville spoke to BBC Northern Ireland journalist Denise Watson in advance of the publication of his autobiography entitled 'The Gambler' in November.

  My life was totally unmanageable

Oisin McConville


The book will detail the former All Star's five-year battle against his addiction and subsequent rehabilitation.



McConville told the BBC that he had been "eaten up" by his gambling problem.

"I was trying to portray to the general public that everything was brilliant, that I was playing great football and that it was great to be in the limelight.

"It was probably late 2002 and 2003 that the whole thing really started to spiral out of control.


"But the first thing you hear when you go to Gamblers Anonymous is the way your life has become uncontrollable due to gambling.


"That was exactly what it had done. My life was totally unmanageable.

"It had taken me from one of the highest points of my life to just rock-bottom."

McConville acknowledged that he felt "humiliated" by his situation.

"I had no pride left, no self-esteem."

  With gambling it is inside. Generally speaking nobody know that it's happening

Oisin McConville

The footballer gambled on "horses, poker games - really anything that moved" before his family's intervention started him on the road to rehabilitation.



"They were very good. They got me to spend three months in a place in Galway and that was where it all started for me.

"People may see it as three months of your life wasted but to be honest, it was the best three months I ever spent in my life."

McConville says that he knows that there are many people who have become mired in exactly the same predicament that he found himself.

"They need to come forward and admit it.

"Alcoholism you can see because you may see something stumbling out of a pub.

"With gambling it is inside. Generally speaking nobody know that it's happening."

McConville believes that sporting organisations such as the GAA should be aware of the problem.

"The GAA maybe needs to go out into the clubs and the counties and say that if there is a problem that we maybe have somebody here who can help."

Poyntzpass killer set to be freed 

Friends Damien Trainor (l) and Philip Allen (r) were shot dead in the bar
A loyalist double murderer is to be freed from prison after a review board recommended his release.
Stephen McLean and Noel McCready are serving life sentences for killing friends Damien Trainor and Philip Allen in a Poyntzpass bar in 1998.

The Sentence Review Commission recommended McClean be freed, but McCready's application be denied.

The commission's preliminary indication can be challenged by the Prison Service acting for the secretary of state.

The decision was taken by a review panel on 7 September.


McClean and McCready were members of the paramilitary Loyalist Volunteer Force.


The pair had been due for release in July 2000 under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, but were arrested while on temporary release following the brutal beating of a County Down man in a row over flags.

They were later cleared of all charges, but were kept in prison.

In July 2005 the House of Lords dismissed an appeal for release by McClean who was barred by NI Secretary Peter Mandelson in 2000 from the early release scheme.

Under the Sentence Review Commission's guidelines, prisoners who are supporters of the LVF, Continuity IRA, INLA and Real IRA are not eligible to have their sentences reduced.

Mr Trainor's father Sean told the Belfast-based Irish News that his son's killers should not be released.

"Those two innocent boys they murdered aren't coming back," he said.

"They should serve life for what they did. That's the way it should be.

"The heartache they have caused you couldn't describe."

O'Dwyer says keep it small

Wicklow manager Mick O'Dwyer
08 September 2007


Legendary Gaelic football coach says counties who engage the services of large backroom teams are on the wrong track.

O'Dwyer believes that counties like Dublin, Tyrone and Armagh have gone overboard in expanding the number of people who work in support of the senior county team-management.

"Seemingly Dublin have 15 or 16 (backroom team members)," O'Dwyer observed. "If they think it's the right thing to do then they are right to do that.

"I'm not going to tell the people of Dublin, Armagh or Tyrone what they should be doing but you don't see too many people around the Kerry football team at any time.

"They have selectors, a trainer, a manager, physio and maybe a doctor but they don't go bringing in forwards' coaches, goalkeeping coaches, backs' coaches, midfield coaches and what have you.

"Surely be to God the man in charge of the team should be able to do most of that."

Well worth a look now on Ch 4, about the people that jumped from World Trade Centre. In particular trying to trace one of the people that jumped.

Anyone got any going spare, they will go to a good home.

Gordon agrees £9m Sunderland move 

Craig Gordon has been training with Sunderland this week
Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon has agreed terms with Sunderland and a £9m transfer from Hearts will be completed on Wednesday, BBC Sport understands.
The 24-year-old had been expected to hold talks with Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill before making his choice.

But Gordon has agreed a five-year contract to join Roy Keane's side after undergoing a medical at the club.

It is understood that Sunderland will pay an initial £7m, plus £2m in future payments dependent on appearances.

Gordon had spent two days training with Sunderland after a fee was agreed with Hearts.

The Edinburgh club's captain was expected at Villa Park, but Keane appears to have persuaded him that his future lies at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland had a £5m offer rejected in July, but chairman Niall Quinn had stressed on Tuesday that they were determined to get their man.

It just shows how good the youth policy is when one person moves for £9m

Hearts assistant manager Stephen Frail

"This is Roy Keane's department really, but we are trying hard," he said.

"If it takes a bit longer, so be it. We are not going to lose our nerve now. There are lots of bits and pieces going on behind the scenes.

"My message to our fans is that we haven't jumped in when an agent has rung us with a fashionable player.

"A lot of things have to fall right for someone to come to play at Sunderland."

Sunderland have also made a bid for Tottenham striker Mido after previously failing to sign the likes of Leighton Baines from Wigan and Preston striker David Nugent.

English interest in Gordon had been rekindled after Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov last week indicated he would be willing to sell if the goalkeeper said he wanted to leave.

And Villa boss O'Neill had hinted that he had rekindled his interest after Hearts had reduced their "exorbitant" demands.

O'Neill is keen to sign a goalkeeper with Thomas Sorensen, who has one year left on his deal, set to miss the start of the season with a hamstring injury.

MY SPORT: DEBATE
Hearts must spend some of the Gordon money very wisely

yuri1874

BBC Sport understands that Manchester City boss Sven Goran-Eriksson was also considering entering the bidding - but it now appears that Sunderland have secured Gordon's services.


Steve Banks was in goal for Hearts in Monday's Edinburgh derby defeat by Hibernian as Gordon headed south.

And assistant manager Stephen Frail was sure that the Scotland goalkeeper had played his last game for the Tynecastle club.

"My feeling is that he has," he told BBC Sport. "If a bid has been accepted, it's just about personal terms.

"It's very sad and comes on the back of us losing our goalkeeping coach, Jim Stewart, so it's a difficult time.

"But it just shows how good the youth policy is when one person moves for £9m."

Rangers on rack as sectarian chanting mars win
ANDREW SMITH
CALEDONIAN STADIUM
SECTARIAN chanting by Rangers fans at yesterday's SPL opener in Inverness threatens to derail the club's season before it has even started after the introduction of new rules banning the singing of offensive songs in Scotland.

The Ibrox club are facing a possible fine or even being stripped of points after supporters spouted a series of hate-filled songs and slogans throughout the televised game at the Caledonian Stadium.

Fans shouted "F**k the Pope" at the end of a rendition of the The Sash and openly used the phrase "Fenian bastards" in another chant as their team strolled to a 3-0 victory. The words are clearly audible on television footage.

SPL delegate Alan Dick will refer to the sectarian singing in his first report to the league on Tuesday, the tone of which will determine what action will be taken against the club.

Under new legislation introduced by the SPL last month to clamp down on the unacceptable behaviour of certain fans, clubs have been warned to expect severe sanctions if their followers step out of line. Depending on the nature of the breach, clubs face a warning, a fine and the possible deduction of points.

If Dick's report hammers the Glasgow side's supporters for singing songs that are offensive on the basis of amounting to religious insults, the matter will be referred to an independent commission chaired by senior lawyers.

It is the latest incident involving Rangers fans singing sectarian songs, which on two previous occasions has seen the club fined more than £20,000 by UEFA for inflammatory chanting. The fines were imposed after encounters with Villarreal in March 2006 and in Pamplona five months ago.

"The club is wholly committed to continuing its effort to eradicate inappropriate behaviour," said a Rangers spokesman. "We will look into the circumstances surrounding today's game."

Yesterday's developments will also come as a huge embarrassment to the Ibrox club, which launched its own anti-bigotry campaign just ten days ago after it was hit with a fine of £13,000 by Uefa and warned about its fans' future conduct after sectarian chanting was heard during a game against Villarreal in the Uefa Cup.

Rangers' assistant manager Ally McCoist said he was terrified the team would also be docked SPL points.

He said: "Everyone at Ibrox is committed to showing Rangers in the best possible light on and off the field and that's why we're launching Follow With Pride," he said. "The club is constantly under the spotlight and our fans, more than anyone else, realise the importance of setting high standards of behaviour. We want to get that message across and show what a fantastic club this is."

Big shock tonight,Derry beat Antrim by a point. Antrim can have no complaints about poor preparation as the team have been together since the start of the year.

Everyone jump on the bandwagon... Ole Ole Ole and all that 

Source www.bbc.co.uk/northern ireland

UDA in show against criminality 

The UDA say they are opposed to criminality
Ulster Defence Association leaders from across NI have gathered to "present a united front against criminality".
The group's so-called Inner Council was showing its support for a claim by the Ulster Political Research group that "criminals have no place in the UDA".

UPRG spokesman Frankie Gallagher said those involved in selling drugs, extortion or other crime "did so without the UDA's backing".

He urged the community to help police bring them to justice.

Mr Gallagher said people who knew of anybody involved in criminality "must go to the police and report it".

"We will support them 100%," he said.

"If there are any of those people who are using the name of paramilitaries, or the UDA in particular, to peddle their crime, we are standing here to show the business community, the people in south-east Antrim and the rest of Northern Ireland that that's not the case," he said.