Ariel Castro suicide: Two guards placed on leave

 

Ariel Castro pleads to Judge Michael Russo during his sentencing on August 1, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio.

(CNN) -- Two Ohio correctional officers have been placed on leave as investigators look into the suicide of Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction told CNN.

Caleb Ackley and Ryan Murphy, both hired in 2007, were on duty in the prison unit where Castro was housed the night he hanged himself.

Castro, 52, was found hanged with a bedsheet September 3, coroner Dr. Jan Gorniak said. He was being held at the Correctional Reception Center in Orient.

Prison medical staff tried to revive him.

Castro pleaded guilty last month to 937 counts, including the kidnapping of Michelle Knight, Georgina DeJesus and Amanda Berry. He was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years.

Ariel Castro house demolished

Mario Balotelli winner secures Italy's passage to World Cup finals

Maria Balotelli celebrates after scoring his crucial penalty in the 2-1 win over the Czech Republic.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Italy and Netherlands seal spots in World Cup finals in Brazil
• Mario Balotelli scores the winner as Italy beat Czech Republic
• Robin van Persie double in 2-0 win for the Dutch in Andorra
• England hold Ukraine to a draw in vital Group H qualifier in Kiev

(CNN) -- Italy and the Netherlands sealed their places in the World Cup finals in Brazil next year while England survived an uncomfortable night in Kiev against Ukraine in key qualifying matches Tuesday.

Mario Balotelli scored the winner as Italy came from behind to beat the Czech Republic 2-1 to seal Group B, while the Dutch had a pair of Robin van Persie goals to thank for a 2-0 win in Andorra to wrap up Group D of European qualifying.

Roy Hodgson's England battled to a goalless draw to maintain their leadership of Group H, one point clear of Ukraine and Montenegro with two rounds of matches remaining.

It was an unconvincing performance and visiting goalkeeper Joe Hart was the busier goalkeeper in a match of few clear cut chances, but Frank Lampard, making his 100th appearance for England nearly grabbed the winner with a headed effort in injury time.

Italy fell behind to a 19th minute Libor Kozak volleyed strike in Turin, but the Azzurri struck back through Giorgio Chiellini in the 51st minute before Balotelli stepped up to hit the winner past Petr Cech from the spot three minutes later to set the four-time champions on the road to Brazil.

Milan's Balotelli had a mixed night, wasting several chances to put his side firmly in control, before winning the penalty as he was crudely fouled by Theodor Gebre Selassie.

Read: Balotelli does not regret leaving EPL

To complete an ultimately disappointing night for the Czechs, Daniel Kolar was given his marching orders near the end.

"We've qualified and we're really satisfied," said Italy coach Cesare Prandelli.

"Tonight there were spells in which we suffered physically but we also played some quality football. This squad has a lot of quality," he told AFP.

Fellow powerhouses Germany need just a single point from their final two matches to join them after a 3-0 win in the Faroe Islands, with Per Mertesacker, Arsenal new boy Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller scoring the goals.

Sweden still have a mathematical chance of overhauling the Group C leaders after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's first minute goal in the 1-0 win in Kazakhstan, but the Germans can seal qualification next month when they play the Republic of Ireland.

Switzerland are also all but assured of a finals place, five points clear of Iceland in Group E as a pair of Fabian Schar goals saw off Norway 2-0.

France revived their hopes by breaking a scoring drought which had lasted 526 minutes in a fighting 4-2 win in the Belarus.

Franck Ribery canceled out a Egor Filipenko opener for the hosts and then equalized for the second time after Timofei Kalachev's effort.

Samir Nasri and Paul Pogba grabbed vital late goals to clinch victory for the French, who draw level with world champions Spain on points in Group I.

Spain, who have played a game less, were salvaging a 2-2 draw with Chile in a friendly in Geneva, equalizing for the second time in added time through Jesus Navas.

Eduardo Vargas netted twice for the South Americans, with Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado canceling out his first effort.

Read: Real unveil Bale at Bernabeu

Wales' 3-0 home defeat to Serbia in Group A was notable for the appearance of Real Madrid's new world record signing Gareth Bale, who played for half an hour as a second half substitute and almost scored with a late free kick.

Bale has not played since a pre season friendly for his former side Tottenham, nursing a foot injury.

Earlier, Jordan won a marathon penalty shootout 9-8 with hosts Uzbekistan to qualify for an intercontinental playoff, with the winners reaching next year's finals.

They will play South America's fifth placed team after a topsy turvy contest in Tashkent.

The home side went ahead through Anzur Ismailov and dominated much of the first half, only for Saeed Murjan to level with a stunning half volley strike just before the interval.

Despite several chances for either side, the match went into extra time, which was delayed for 18 minutes by a floodlight failure.

The penalty drama was intense until the unfortunate Ismailov failed to convert his effort to leave the visitors celebrating.

US shops and restaurants fight patent trolls

 

 

 

The print and radio campaign will be shown across 15 US states.

The Internet Association is among a group of US trade bodies behind a new campaign calling for politicians to take action over patent trolls.

Patent trolls take out generalised patents, often on widely available technology, and then demand money from companies who use or offer it.
Shops and restaurants have been targeted for displaying QR codes and online store-locators, say the groups.
The radio and print adverts will appear in 15 US states.
"Patent trolls don't make anything, they just get rich," is a line from the Stop Bad Patents campaign, which claims that businesses can find themselves facing demands for $100,000 (£65,000) to settle - a considerable sum but often cheaper than defending themselves in court.
Its organisers want voters to contact their Congress representatives asking them to "stop bad patents, stop the trolls".
'legalized extortion' It is a joint initiative between the Internet Association, the National Restaurant Association, the National Retail Federation and the Food Marketing Institute, all of whom say their members are increasingly being targeted.
"Patent trolls use bad patents to bully companies of all sizes, in every economic sector, from coast to coast," said Michael Beckerman, President of The Internet Association.
"This is essentially legalised extortion, forcing hard-working businesses to go to court or write a cheque."
US President Barack Obama has already called on Congress to tackle the problem of people facing legal action over commonly used technology from others who belatedly take out patents on it.
Speaking to the BBC earlier this month, Alan Schoenbaum, general counsel at the cloud computing firm Rackspace, explained that patent trolls are often "entrepreneurs or finance people" rather than genuine inventors of new technology.
"Defending a lawsuit is extremely expensive... they play on that fear that the defendant is going to spend a lot of money to defend itself and it is simply cheaper to pay them off," he said.
However Erich Spangenberg, owner of "patent monetisation" company IP Nav, says the practice of buying patents and asserting that right is already commonplace in other industries.
"Much like an architect can design a building but does not build it, a song-writer can compose a song but doesn't have to sing it, an inventor can get granted a patent and ultimately is not forced to practise it," he responded.

Groklaw news website abandoned over US surveillance

 

 

Groklaw publishes information on technology and patent legal cases

An award-winning legal news website has stopped work, saying it cannot operate under current US surveillance policies.

Pamela Jones, Groklaw's founder, cited the alleged US practice of screening emails from abroad and storing messages "enciphered or otherwise thought to contain secret meaning" for five years.
Groklaw had promised its sources anonymity, but said it could not now ensure contributors would stay secret.
Experts said they were worried that a site like Groklaw was closing.
The US National Security Agency's operations came under the spotlight following a series of leaks to the Guardian newspaper by former intelligence analyst Edward Snowden.
The NSA has since confirmed that it collected and analysed emails and other "select communications" from non-US persons, and that messages from US citizens were "sometimes incidentally acquired" as part of its operations.
In the wake of the disclosures, two encrypted email services - designed so that no-one other than the recipient could read the messages - have also closed.
One of those services, Lavabit, alluded to harassment by the US government in a statement to its customers when it shut down.

There is a danger that, by encouraging people to contribute, those individuals might be incriminating themselves”

Andrew Alton Patents lawyer

'Impunity for journalists'

"There is no way to continue doing Groklaw, not long term, which is incredibly sad," Ms Jones wrote, adding: "There is now no shield from forced exposure."

Ms Jones suggested that the anonymity of Groklaw's contributors could be at risk, since emails were screened by the US government.
"I can't do Groklaw without your input," she said. "There is now no private way, evidently, to collaborate."
She added: "What kind of world are we living in if the governments of the world think total surveillance is an appropriate thing?"
The website gave no prior indication that it might close, and legal experts have said the development is unfortunate.
"I'm saddened to hear about the demise of Groklaw," said Michael Meurer, a professor of law at Boston University.
"It has been a great source for information about the latest developments in technology law and policy. Several of my students launched their research projects based on what they learned reading Groklaw."
London-based patent lawyer Andrew Alton, of Urquhart-Dykes and Lord, said: "It's been a great resource because it brings together all the available documents, instead of reading second or third hand analysis.
"I understand why Ms Jones has decided it cannot continue.
"There is a danger that, by encouraging people to contribute, those individuals might be incriminating themselves."
Heather Blake, of Reporters Without Borders, said it was an issue of great concern if journalists in the US and UK began to feel intimidated by their governments.
"This has been going on in countries where there have been high levels of impunity for journalists both online and offline," she said.
"Humans have a right to freedom of expression, and freedom of information."
Andrea Matwyshyn, a law professor at Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, added: "The final Groklaw post debunked the argument that if one has nothing to hide, one should not be concerned with internet privacy, comparing digital surveillance to the type of dignitary violation committed by a burglar who touches undergarments in a home.
"This comparison will likely strike a chord with many internet users who feel unable to understand who is collecting information about them and for what purpose."
Prominent patents blogger, Florian Mueller, who has been the subject of criticism by Groklaw, noted the website announced it would close in 2011.
"We've had our differences in the past," he said. "But I think it likely that Groklaw will be back."
The site, which was founded in 2003, has focused on technology and patent cases, most recently reporting on a battle between Apple and Samsung.

Sony names PlayStation 4 launch dates

 

 

Shoppers in the US and Canada will be the first to be able to buy the PS4 from stores

Sony has announced the launch dates for its PlayStation 4 console.

The next-generation games machine will become available in North America on 15 November and Europe on 29 November.
Its rival Microsoft has only said that the Xbox One will go on sale some time the same month.
Experts suggested that the latest revelation might help gain the Japanese firm headlines, but that it would be software that ultimately decided which company came out on top.
"Sony has made fantastic progress as it prepares to release the PS4, but the console still lacks a show-stopping exclusive game," said Rob Crossley, associate editor at the Computer and Video Games news site, following the announcement at the Gamescom trade fair in Cologne.
"That will certainly come eventually, but some might argue the most crucial time is now.
"Sony's press conference once again demonstrated the company has an enviably deep and meaningful relationship with the indie developer community... but Sony executives will no doubt be feeling uneasy as the list of major Xbox One exclusive games continues to grow."
Lewis Ward, a games expert at the consultants IDC, agreed that at this point the launch date was of limited importance.
"If it turns out that the PS4 goes on sale a week before the Xbox One, for example, then clearly Sony will have time to itself to make some hay," he said.
"But until we know when Microsoft is going to land I'm not sure what putting the date out there does much beyond making a news story - it won't change people's buying intentions."
Sony said there had already been more than one million pre-orders of its new console worldwide. It added that a total of 32 countries would be able to buy the PS4 during the Christmas holiday season.
Vita price cut

 

 

 A "re-imagined" Shadow of the Beast was announced as an exclusive for the PS4

Previously unannounced PS4 titles unveiled in Germany included:

• Shadow of the Beast - a reboot of the 1980s Commodore Amiga title - as a Sony exclusive
• Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, a post-apocalyptic game from the UK-based developers of cult title Dear Esther
• Minecraft, the landscape-building title which has already been a hit on the Xbox 360 and PCs

Sony also announced a price cut to its handheld console, the PlayStation Vita.
It said the "wi-fi only" version of the device would now cost $199 (£127) excluding tax - a $50 reduction. It also promised cheaper memory cards.
Similar cuts are being made in Europe. Retailers in the UK are now listing the model for about £170 including bundled games. The machine's price was reduced earlier in the year in Japan.
"The handheld business has not been performing well, but I think a $50 cut will push up Vita sales significantly," said Mr Ward.
"But the real driver over the long term will be must-have games and the choice is still thinner than some consumers would want."

League of Legends players have personal details hacked

 

US players of the League of Legends video game have had personal details including credit card details, email addresses and usernames hacked.

Developers Riot Games confirmed in a statement on their blog that their records had been accessed.
"We're really sorry to share that a portion of North American account information was compromised," it said.

 

Riot Games

"Usernames, email addresses, salted password hashes, and some first and last names were accessed."
Although the passwords had been protected, the company advised that any gamers with "easily guessable passwords" were vulnerable to account theft.
Riot Games is also looking into 120,000 transaction records from 2011 that may have been hacked to find out if users' credit card details have been leaked.
"Our investigation is ongoing and we will take all necessary steps to protect players," the company said.
 

 

Riot Games campaigned for the game to be recognised as a professional sport The company is requesting that US users update their passwords and said they were in the process of introducing new security measures.
"We're sincerely sorry about this situation," the firm added.
"We apologize for the inconvenience and will continue to focus on account security going forward."

 

Riot Games

Last month the US issued League of Legends players with athlete visas, effectively recognising the video game as a professional sport.
Players were given P-1 visas, intended for "individual athletes".
The move was described as "groundbreaking" for eSports, a growing community of professional gamers.
More than 40 million people worldwide play League of Legends.
The biggest tournaments are attended by tens of thousands of fans and receive coverage on dedicated TV channels.
Winners of the League of Legends Season 3 World Championship starting in September will win $1 million (£662,000) in prize money.

Maori head repatriated by Warrington Museum 170 years on

 

 

A mask of the head has been on display at the museum

The mummified head of a Maori will be sent back to New Zealand after 170 years in a Cheshire museum.

The severed head of an island chief is being repatriated at the request of a New Zealand museum due to its cultural importance.
It has been kept in Warrington Museum since 1843, though is not displayed in public as it is sacred to the Maori.
New Zealand's Te Papa Tongarewa is to thank Warrington for its care of the Toi Moko in a special ceremony.
It is expected to be repatriated later in the year.
Though the head itself is not on display, a mask is available to view demonstrating the intricate facial tattoos - or mokos - applied to heads after death to give what the Maori consider the most sacred part of the body additional sacred powers, the museum said.
Heads were smoked and dried in the sun to preserve them.
Museum manager Janice Hayes said: "We don't know the precise origin of the head - we do know that the Maoris used to preserve severed heads for two reasons: either to venerate a loved one or to ridicule an enemy defeated in battle.
"Te Papa Tongarewa has been asking for all such artefacts to be repatriated at their expense and Warrington Borough Council, which currently legally owns the head, has decided to return it."