Horror novelist Stephen King fumes at 'racist' Maine governor Paul LePage

Stephen King, the horror novelist, branded the governor of Maine a "racist and bigot" on Sunday, after he described black and Hispanic people as "the enemy".

Paul LePage, the Republican governor of Maine, where Mr King resides, sparked an outcry last Wednesday after saying that "you try to identify the enemy and the enemy right now, the overwhelming majority of people coming in, are people of colour or people of Hispanic origin".

A furious Mr King, the author of more than 50 novels, furiously responded to the remarks on Twitter, writing: "Our governor, Paul LePage, is a bigot, a homophobe, and a racist. I think that about covers it."

It marks the second war of words this month involving Mr LePage, who is known for his controversial outbursts. 

He was recently accused of becoming "unhinged" after unleashing a foul-mouthed tirade on Drew Gattine, a Democratic congressman.

The governor had left a voicemail on the mobile phone of Mr Gattine, who he claimed had accused him of being a racist.

"I want you to prove that I'm a racist," Mr LePage told him, adding that he had spent his life helping black people and calling Gattine a vulgar name related to oral sex. 

"I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you."

After leaving the voicemail, Mr LePage invited reporters to the governor's mansion, where he said he wished he could turn back time so he and Gattine could face off in a "duel".

"When a snot-nosed little guy from Westbrook calls me a racist, now I'd like him to come up here because, tell you right now, I wish it were 1825," he said. "And we would have a duel, that's how angry I am, and I would not put my gun in the air, I guarantee you, I would not be (Alexander) Hamilton. I would point it right between his eyes."

The voicemail followed another controversy in which LePage, who is white, said at a town hall meeting in Maine that he had a collection of photographs of drug dealers arrested in the state, and that 90 per cent of them "were black and Hispanic people."

Click to view : Stephen King: the 10 best films

 

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Tony Mowbray resigns as manager of crisis club Coventry City following 10-match winless run

The Sky Blues have failed to win a league game so far this season and ex-Celtic and West Brom chief Mowbray has decided to walk away

 Tony Mowbray has resigned as manager of League One crisis club Coventry City, following a 10-match winless run.

City scored a 94th minute equaliser to claim a 2-2 draw with AFC Wimbledon on Wednesday night, a result which leaves them bottom of the table after failing to win so far this term.

It's understood Mowbray told his players of his intention to leave the club in the dressing room after the match, having conceded that he wasn't the man to take the club forward.

He met with club officials on Wednesday evening, before the club announced his departure on Thursday.

A statement declared: "Coventry City can today confirm that Tony Mowbray has resigned as manager of the football club.

"Without a win in the first ten league games, Tony felt on professional level that he was no longer able to take the club forward. Coventry City FC would like to thank Tony for all his energy and dedication over the past 18 months.

"We would also like to wish Tony all the very best for the future and put on record that he will always be welcome at the football club."

Mowbray took charge of the club during the 2014-15 season, keeping the Sky Blues in the third tier, having joined a relegation fight.

Last term, led by the goals of loanee Adam Armstrong, they surged to the top of the table during the first-half of the season, but couldn't sustain their form, eventually falling outside the play-off places.

This season Mowbray led the side to six draws and four defeats in their 10 league fixtures.

Speaking after Wednesday's game said: “I won’t be a burden for this club. I won’t hang around for too long if we don’t win football matches.

"I won’t expect to be paid if I decide to leave. They can reinvest the money I currently earn as a football manager.

“I know this club needs every penny. I am an honourable guy and I will make some decisions, talk to the people above me. I have worked with Mark Venus for over 20 years so me and him will sit down and see what’s right.

“I am not a quitter by nature. I just want to make sure this club has the best chance. I only came here to get this club out of this league and yet ten games we are bottom of the league and a long way from promotion."

Technical director Venus remains at the club and will take responsibility of first-team duties for the foreseeable future.

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EAMONN REVEALS 'MOST BEAUTIFUL' BRIDE

EAMONN Holmes has revealed the “most beautiful bride” he has ever seen – and its not his wife Ruth Langsford.

The telly favourite is currently hosting Good Morning Britain while Piers Morgan is on holiday, and confessed his co-presenter Charlotte Hawkins stole the crown of blushing bride.

The pair have been friends for years and worked together on Sky's breakfast programme Sunrise before she left in 2014 for a job on ITV breakfast TV.

On today's GMB he revealed: "The most beautiful bride I ever saw in my life was Charlotte Hawkins."

A blushing Charlotte, who got hitched to husband Mark Herbert in 2008, thanked him before adding: "You're supposed to say your own wife!"

Eamonn, 57, quickly added: "Outside of Ruth."

Holding Charlotte's hand during their chat, he continued: "You were stunning. You were absolutely beautiful."

A little flustered at being the centre of attention Charlotte responded to her pal: "That's very nice of you to say."

The discussion sparked interest on Twitter with one super-fan uploading a shot from Charlotte's special day nine years ago showing the mum-of-one in a strapless ivory gown with a sweetheart neckline.

She wore a silver tiara matching to match her necklace and a veil flowing over her shoulders, while clutching a bouquet of pink flowers.

The confession came following a segment on the show centred on Pippa Middleton's upcoming wedding.

After Eamonn made his return to ITV breakfast telly for the first time in 12 years yesterday, he confessed his 3am alarm hadn't impressed wife Ruth.

Eamonn , 57, presents ITV show This Morning every Friday with wife Ruth.

Yet with a 10.30am air time, a later wake-up is needed.

Talking of his crack of dawn alarm call today he said of his other half: "She's not happy.

"It was 2.40am the alarm clock today, she was not pleased.

"I think there will be separate sleeping arrangements in force tomorrow."

Ruth later took to her own Twitter page to cheekily suggest the pair have another baby after watching him cuddle an adorable tot on the show.

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David Walliams 'furious' at OBE snub, claims Simon Cowell

David Walliams is "furious" that his Britain's Got Talent co-stars Ant and Dec have been awarded OBEs and he has not, Simon Cowell has said.

TV stalwarts Ant and Dec were given the accolade from the Prince of Wales at Buckingham Palace in January for services to broadcasting and entertainment.

Speaking ahead of Britain's Got Talent returning to screens this weekend for its 11th series, the show's creator Cowell said of Walliams: "He's furious."

Cowell quipped: "He's gone on an all-out assault this year to suck up to as many people as possible so that he can get there before me, and he probably will."

Ant agreed that Walliams is perhaps the most jealous of their OBE, and that "everyone thinks he already has one" because of the large amount of charity work he has done over the years.

Judge Alesha Dixon joked that it would be a "nightmare" if Walliams was awarded an OBE.

She said: "I would say David's more jealous because he's super-competitive. When he won best judge at the National TV Awards, he reminded us of it every day.

"So can you imagine what would happen if he became an OBE? It would be a nightmare because he would make sure that we all knew, he'd probably wear the medal every single day just to rub it in our faces, just in case we forgot, because he's very competitive."

However, former Little Britain star Walliams joked that Cowell is "a bit peeved" that Ant and Dec, who have fronted Britain's Got Talent since its inception in 2007, were given OBEs.

Walliams said: "Simon definitely thinks he should have a knighthood. I don't know why, I don't know what he thinks he's done. Maybe by just being famous for long enough.

"What he doesn't realise is you have to do something positive, you can't just spread evil and think that you'll get one. So I think he's a bit peeved about it.

"I think he thinks he was going to get one at one stage. Who knows, though it would be annoying to have to call him Sir Simon. I wouldn't like that, so I really hope it doesn't happen."

Cowell, Walliams, Dixon and Amanda Holden return to TV screens on Saturday as the reality programme kicks off for another series, which they have promised will be filled with emotional moments, plenty of talented youngsters, a 10ft robot and the programme's youngest-ever magician.

The programme's stars have cited the Missing People Choir, made up of people who have had somebody close to them reported as missing, as one of the most tear-jerking acts of the series, and Cowell has said they might even win this year.

Ant described their audition as "very emotional", adding: "It was a hard watch and they played images of the missing people behind them on stage."

Cowell said: "They've got a shot at winning, I think. I remember on the day thinking that it was special."

Stephen Mulhern is returning as the host of ITV2 companion show Britain's Got More Talent for the 11th year.

For the first time in the show's history, the spin-off's reveal show will be broadcast live as Mulhern meets the newly announced semi-finalists live in the studio.

Also returning are the golden buzzers, which each judge and presenters Ant and Dec can use just once to send one chosen act straight through to the semi-finals.

Following the pre-recorded audition shows, there will be a week of live semi-finals before the series concludes with the live grand finale.

The winner of the series will go on to win £250,000 and the opportunity to perform at the Royal Variety Performance 2017.

Britain's Got Talent returns on Saturday April 15 at 8pm on ITV

UK inflation remains above the Bank of England target in March

Inflation holds steady at 2.3%, as decline in air fares offsets sharp increase in food, alcohol and tobacco prices.

April 11, 2017

Inflation in Britain rose in line with expectations in March, remaining above the Bank of England's 2% target for the second consecutive month, after breaking through the threshold for the first time in three years, last month.

According to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Tuesday (11 April), inflation held steady at 2.3% year-on-year last month, the same rate as the 2.3% reading recorded in February, which was the fastest on record since September 2013.

Higher prices for food, alcohol and tobacco, clothing and footwear, miscellaneous goods and services were among the main contributors to the increase, the ONS added.

However, the increases were largely offset by a downward contribution from transport, with air fares and fuel prices declining, compared with the corresponding period last year.

On a monthly basis, inflation rose 0.4% last month, compared with a 0.7% increase recorded in the previous month and higher than analysts' expectations for a 0.3% rise.

Inflation stood at 0.5% in March last year but the sharp rise has been exacerbated by the pound's ongoing weakness, which has seen sterling fall by some 16% since the June Brexit vote.

However, while inflation stalled in March, analysts warned this was likely to be only a temporary respite.

"Adding to the upward pressure on consumer prices from sterling's fall, airfares inflation should add a few tenths of a percentage point back onto the CPI rate in April, while electricity prices will rise sharply in the coming months as a result of utility companies' price hikes," said Ruth Gregory, UK economist at Capital Economics.

"As a result, we think that CPI inflation will peak at just over 3% before the end of the year. But we don't think that that will panic the MPC into raising rates imminently."

Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Markit, added: "We expect inflation to continue to trend up to reach 3% by the end of the year and to likely peak around 3.3% early in 2018 as sterling's weakness continues to feed through.

"This will be uncomfortable for both consumers and the Bank of England. Consumers are facing a serious squeeze as higher inflation is occurring in tandem with muted earnings growth - and this looks set to bite even harder over the coming months."

Data released tomorrow is expected to show that wage growth has slowed down to 2.1% in the past three months, meaning households could see their spending budgets squeezed even further.

A report released earlier today by the British Retail Consortium showed UK retail sales fell 1% on a like-for-like basis in March, the third straight month of decline, as rising inflation forced consumers to be prudent with their spending.

North Korea vows to respond to US Navy's 'reckless' show of force

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North Korea has denounced the US deployment of a naval strike group to the region, warning it is ready for "war" as Washington tightens the screws on the nuclear-armed state.

The strike group, which includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, cancelled a planned trip to Australia this weekend to head to the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

"This goes to prove that the US reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase," a spokesman for North Korea's foreign ministry said. "The DPRK is ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US."

President Donald Trump, fresh from ordering a missile strike on Syria, which was widely interpreted as a warning to North Korea, has asked his advisers for a range of options to rein in Pyongyang, said a US official.

Mr Trump has previously threatened unilateral action against Pyongyang if China - North Korea's sole major ally - fails to help curb its neighbour's nuclear weapons ambitions.

But Pyongyang's response suggested the reclusive state is determined to continue on its current path despite repeated rounds of United Nations sanctions.

"We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms," the foreign ministry spokesman said.

"We will hold the US wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions."

Speculation over an imminent nuclear test is brewing as North Korea marks anniversaries including the 105th birthday of its late founding leader on Saturday - sometimes celebrated with a demonstration of military might.


South Korea's prime minister and acting president Hwang Kyo-Ahn told a cabinet meeting: "There is a possibility that the North launches more grave provocations such as another nuclear test to mark a number of anniversaries."

The current surge in tensions also coincides with today's scheduled gathering of North Korea's parliament, which meets once or twice a year to rubberstamp budgets or overhaul state organisations and personnel.

North Korea is on a quest to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the US mainland with a nuclear warhead and has staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year.

Satellite imagery analysis suggests it could be preparing for a sixth, with intelligence officials warning it could be less than two years away from achieving the ability to strike the US.

South Korea's top nuclear envoy said on Monday after talks with his Chinese counterpart that the two nations had agreed to "strong" new measures to punish Pyongyang if it carried out another nuclear test.

The talks came shortly after Mr Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit at which he pressed Beijing to do more to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Click to view : Kim Jong-un in pictures

"We are prepared to chart our own course if this is something China is just unable to co-ordinate with us," US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said after the summit.

On Sunday, US national security adviser HR McMaster criticised North Korea as a rogue nation engaged in provocative behaviour and said that denuclearisation of the peninsula "must happen".

"The president has asked them to be prepared to give us a full range of options to remove that threat," he told Fox News, apparently referring to Trump's advisers.

South Korea's unification minister Hong Yong-Pyo said on Monday that the repercussions of a potential military response were worrying.

"Pre-emptive strikes may be aimed at resolving North Korea's nuclear problems but, for us, it is also related to defending the safety of the public," he said.

While a US unilateral strike on North Korea from a shorter range might be more effective, it would likely endanger many civilians in South Korea and risk triggering a broader military conflict, experts warn.

Click to view : North Korea's nuclear history: key moments

United Airlines boss defiant over dragged passenger in leaked letter

The boss of United Airlines was defiant over an incident that saw a passenger dragged off a plane in a leaked memo to employees.

Oscar Munoz wrote to staff after footage emerged of the moment the traveller was forcibly removed from the overbooked flight after refusing to give up his seat.

In the letter, seen by Reuters, Mr Munoz did not apologise for the way the passenger was handled, instead claiming he had "defied" security officers.

The airline's CEO said there are lessons the company can learn from this situation, though he impressed that he "emphatically" stands behind his employees.

He wrote: "We sought volunteers and then followed our involuntary denial of boarding process (including offering up to $1,000 in compensation).

"When we approached one of these passengers to explain apologetically that he was being denied boarding, he raised his voice and refused to comply with crew member instructions."

The Chicago Department of Aviation said one of its officers had not followed protocol and had been placed on leave pending a review of his actions.

Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was preparing for take-off at O'Hare International Airport when cabin crew informed the passengers that the flight was overbooked.

The crew asked four passengers to free up space for staff who needed to be at work the following day.

As no-one offered to give up their seat, the airline choose four passengers at random.

The man who was selected refused to leave, prompting airport security guards to remove him from the plane.

A video of the incident shows the man screaming as his seatbelt is unbuckled and he is pulled from his seat by three guards.

He appears to hit his face on the adjacent seat, before he is seen being dragged down the aisle by his arms.

Witness Jayse Anspach said the passenger was a doctor who said he had to be at work the following day.

Mr Anspach added: "The doctor's face was slammed against an armrest, causing serious bleeding from his mouth.

"It looked like he was knocked out, because he went limp and quiet and they dragged him out of the place like a rag doll."

Mr Anspach said the passenger ran back into the plane 10 minutes later "with a bloody face".

Another witness, Audra Bridges, said the incident left passengers "shaky and so disgusted".

In an official statement United Airlines chief executive Mr Munoz said: "This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United.

"I apologise for having to re-accommodate these customers. Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened.

We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation."

It is the second time in recent weeks that United Airlines has been engulfed in controversy.

Last month, the airline was accused of sexism after barring two teenage girls from boarding a flight because they were wearing leggings.

The incident sparked a social media storm. The airline said the girls were travelling under an employee travel pass that includes a dress code.

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