Common Signs Deal With HBO

The good news keeps coming Common’s way. After landing a major role in in the upcoming Keanu Reeves film John Wick 2, Common has inked a two-year deal with HBO. According to Deadline, the deal gives HBO exclusive first-look rights at any projects that Common develops through his Freedom Road Productions. Common’s Freedom Road Productions is a venture with his manager Derek Dudley and head development and production Nicole Dow.This is a particularly interesting move for Common as a Chicago-based drama he is producing recently received a script order from Showtime, HBO’s rival network. If all goes well, Common could potentially have concurrent projects with both of the major premium cable networks.

Most Controversial Rap Album Covers

Twenty-five years ago today, Miami hip-hop group 2 Live Crew was arrested in Florida after a U.S. District Court Judge decided that their third album, As Nasty As They Wanna Be, was actually too nasty for the state of Florida. Despite having been on shelves since February 1989, ANAIWB became the first album to be declared legally obscene, a ruling that seems extraordinarily ridiculous in retrospect but was a landmark decision at the time. The album's cover, featuring four bikini-clad women standing over each of the group's four members,

Biker feared he was 'going to die' after being impaled through neck by iron rods

A motorcyclist says he's "lucky to be alive" after he was speared through the neck by two iron rods in a freak accident.

Hamar Singh Rajput was riding through Rajasthan, India, when he lost control of his bike which rammed into the back of a truck carrying building materials.

The 26-year-old crashed into the iron rods dangling off the back of the truck.

In a horrifying moment, two 3ft-long metal poles impaled Hamar through his neck, piercing his skin and emerging out of the middle section of his back.

And he's relived his terrifying ordeal, telling how he thought he was going to die.

Caters

Speared through: Hamar Singh Rajput with the iron rods impaled through his neck

Hamar said: "Two rods pierced into my neck as I rammed into the truck.

"I could feel that something had badly injured me.

"But then I felt the rods in my neck and the the feeling of death overtook me."

Manchester City stars Sergio Aguero and Toni Duggan dating, according to Argentine TV

All smiles: Duggan and Aguero are believed to have a close bond

Sergio Aguero could be hooking up with fellow Manchester City star Toni Duggan.

An Argentine television show has reported that the Premier League hit man is dating England international Duggan, who plays for City's Women's side.

Aguero and Duggan both sit as top goalscorer for their respective City teams.

Earlier this year, Aguero ended his relationship with South American singer Karina Tejeda and it has now been claimed that he has looked closer to his adopted home for his new love.

Horrific moment crane collapses onto car wiping out entire family captured on dashboard camera

A tragic accident in which a whole family were killed has been captured in disturbing dash-cam footage.

The Bogdanov family were wiped out when their car was crushed by a falling crane in the Siberian city of Omsk.

Father Dmitry, 31, his wife Yulia, 33 and their several month old son Egor all perished in the accident- captured on a fellow motorist's dash-cam.

A second vehicle was also struck by the huge structure, killing 41-year-old driver Pavel Bakashev.

Vancouver whale watching accident: Family pays tribute to "vibrant, outgoing" 29-year-old killed in tragedy

Victim: Katie Taylor, 29, was resort of Whistler, one of the five victims of the whale watching tragedy

The family of one of the British victims of the Vancover whale-watching tragedy have paid tribute to her as a "vibrant, outgoing and lovely young woman".

Katie Taylor, 29, was among five Britons who died after the Leviathan II cruiser capsized off Vancouver Island, Canada on Sunday.

In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, her family paid tribute to her: "Katie was a vibrant, outgoing and lovely young woman. She will be very much missed by all of her family and many friends.

"We would ask that you respect our privacy at such a difficult time."

Saudi prince held over record Beirut airport drug bust

A Saudi prince and four other people have been detained in Lebanon in the largest drug seizure in the history of Beirut airport, a security source has said.
Prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz was among those detained by airport security while allegedly "attempting to smuggle about two tonnes of Captagon pills and some cocaine," the security source said.

"The smuggling operation is the largest one that has been foiled through the Beirut International Airport," the source told the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity. 

Captagon is the brand name for the amphetamine phenethylline, a synthetic stimulant.
Manufacturing of the substance thrives in Lebanon and war-torn Syria, which have become a gateway for the drug to the Middle East and particularly the Gulf.

How Big And Rich MTN Walked The Outlaw Path Into $5.2bn Fine In Nigeria

A confidential document obtained from within Nigeria's Communications Commission (NCC) shows that MTN Nigeria, the telecom giant which was fined a massive $5.2bn yesterday, is a serial offender of regulations in the industry, and explains how the staggering figure was arrived at.

The fine, which MTN says it is studying, is a punishment for non-compliance with a deadline set by the NCC to disconnect all non-registered sim cards.

The document explains that the punishment follows a review of the registration records of all the telecom operators,and having taken into consideration their compliance records, the agency imposed a fine on MTN alone for non-compliance on SIM registration. 

Which Bond is the baddest? Graphic shows how many kills, women & martini each version got through & the answer might surprise you

Over the course of six decades and 24 films, Ian Fleming's legendary character James Bond has become synonymous with drinking martinis, sleeping with women and shooting anyone who gets in his way. Now, to mark the release of Spectre, MailOnline compiled the number of kills, sexual partners and martinis drunk by each of the six Bonds to have played the famous character. Which actor is your favourite? Mine is Roger Moore...by far! 

DRAKE’S DEAL WITH APPLE MUSIC MAY HAVE PREVENTED HIM FROM GETTING HIS FIRST #1 HIT

Drake is the #1 rapper alive right now, and he’s never had a #1 hit. Fortunately for him, that’s not horrible company to be in at this stage in his career. Jay Z was on year 13 before he andAlicia Keys teamed up for his first chart-topper, “Empire State of Mind,” and Snoop Dogg was 11 years in before he and Pharrell snagged the top spot with “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Still, neither rapper was ever as dominant on the radio waves as Drake has been in the last two years, and neither rapper “went Pop” out of the gate like Drizzy Drake did. It’s a pretty cruel reality. The guy’s doing numbers like he’s pop, but can’t reach the pop promiseland. For context, the first song MIMS–remember him?–ever served to radio went #1. Yeah, the “This Is Why I’m Hot” guy.

FBI will investigate case of student in South Carolina who was dragged out of her classroom by a police officer

he Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation Tuesday after a deputy flipped a student backward in her desk and tossed her across the floor for refusing to leave her math class.

Federal help was sought by Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who called what happened at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina, "very disturbing" and placed Senior Deputy Ben Fields on leave.

The sheriff's department said no one was hurt, but the confrontation prompted outrage after it was recorded and shared online. One student said it started when the girl refused to hand over her cellphone during class.

This guy used a frequent-flyer loophole to take a $60,000 trip in a first-class suite on Emirates — here's what it was like

If you're looking to fly in style, it doesn’t get much better than a first-class suite aboard the iconic Emirates airline.

Travel blogger Sam Huangrecently cashed in his Alaska Airlines frequent-flyer miles for a $60,000 trip around the world, and luckily he took plenty of pictures documenting what it was like.

"Unlimited Dom Perignon, wild caviar, and a shower spa while flying 40,000 feet in the air — it's no wonder the Emirates First Class Suite is consistently named one of the best airline seats in the world," Huang writes over at his travel blog,TopMiles.

Huang's trip spanned 11 cities, seven countries, and five continents, and he managed to pay only $300 for the journey — in addition to cashing in his frequent-flyer miles — by taking advantage of a clever loophole when booking the trip. After checking with the airline, Business Insider can confirm that the booking was legitimate.

Becky Watts's stepbrother tells court how the 16-year-old fought for her life as he killed her - but claims he was only trying to make her pass out

Becky Watts's stepbrother has told jurors of the moment he inadvertently killed the 16-year-old as he tried to handcuff her and force the schoolgirl into a suitcase during a botched kidnap attempt.

Nathan Matthews claimed he tried to make the teenager pass out by using a grip he said was 'like strangling' but which 'doesn’t completely restrict the air', as Becky desperately fought for her life.

The 28-year-old then told how 'something didn't feel right', adding: 'I checked for a pulse and she didn’t have a pulse.'

Taking to the witness box on the first day of his defence, Matthews described how he put on a mask and knocked on the schoolgirl's bedroom door before wrapping Sellotape around her mouth and trying to force her into a suitcase when she answered.

Matthews said he put handcuffs on Becky when she got down on her knees but then punched her and put his fingers on her nose to 'make her pass out' when the teenager began resisting.

RANKINGS: Here's who has the best chance at being our next president

With less than 100 days to go before the first actual votes of the 2016 presidential race are cast, the summer of the "outsider" has quickly become the autumn of the "outsider."

In the Republican field, real-estate tycoon Donald Trump and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson continue to dominate. They consistently account for more than 50% of the GOP vote in national and early-state polls.

And among the Democratic roster, self-described democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) has become the clear alternative to the party's front-runner, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Spectre stars join royals for James Bond world premiere

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry have joined the stars of new James Bond film Spectre for its world premiere in London.

The royal guests were met by director Sam Mendes and producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson ahead of the screening at the Royal Albert Hall.

Daniel Craig, who has played 007 for a decade, was the first to arrive on the red carpet on Monday night.

He told the BBC: "It's changed my life and I've loved every second of it."

The star also admitted that he "hated" watching himself on screen, but said "I love playing James Bond".

Craig said Mendes was "one of the best directors there is" and that he had enjoyed being "creatively involved from the very beginning".

JIMMY FALLON HOSPITALIZED WITH HAND INJURY ... Taping Cancelled

Jimmy Fallon is laid up in a New York City hospital this morning after having surgery on his hand ... TMZ has learned.

After taping his show on Thursday ... we know Jimmy did dinner at Upper East Side restaurant Scalinatella. He posed for pics with a table full of female fans.

We're told Jimmy left the restaurant around 9ish ... and went home.

Sad Tribute to a young female Corps member who died in an accident last night

Temi Omolabake died last night October 26th in a motor accident in Zamfara state on her way back to Sokoto from Sango Ota, Ogun State. She was a 2015 batch A Corp Member serving in Sokoto state. May her soul rest in peace, amen. A friend of hers wrote her a tribute. Read after the cut..

30 cities you have to visit at least once, according to travelers

ShutterstockWith its romantic canals and cobblestone streets, Bruges, Belgium, is a real-life fairy tale.

Condé Nast Traveler recently released the results of its annual Readers' Choice Awards.

This year, more than 128,000 travelers submitted millions of ratings and thousands of comments that the magazine's editors used to create lists of favorite cities, hotels, and resorts.

One of these lists declares 30 cities the best in the world for travelers. From bustling urban centers to a quaint Swiss city nestled on a river, there's a destination for every type of traveler.

NBA'S GLEN RICE JR. SHOT IN LEG In Gunfight At T.I.'s Restaurant

The man who was shot in the leg at T.I.'s Atlanta restaurant is former NBA player Glen Rice Jr. -- son of Glen Rice. 

We broke the story ... a fight broke out at Scales 925 on Sunday night ... after a verbal argument inside the eatery spilled out into the parking lot. 

During the incident, shots were fired ... and Rice was shot in the leg. 

Cops say they have footage showing Rice running from the scene of the crime and ditching a gun by throwing it on a stairwell. 

Rice was shown on footage getting into a Porsche and leaving the scene. 

What I learned by waking up at 4:30 a.m. for 21 days

Filipe Castro Matos

On April 2, I put myself to a new challenge. It was one of the biggest life hacks I’ve ever done.

The challenge was simple: waking up 21 consecutive workdays at 4:30 a.m., a challenge I gave the name of #21earlydays. I was already used to waking up early (6 a.m. almost every day), but this time I wanted to go further. I wanted to test myself and be more aware of my own limits. And at the same time, my idea was to share my progress with the world and try to change some preconceived ideas that society obliges us to follow.

Lamar Odom 'on dialysis and could need kidney transplant as organs scarred from brothel binge'

WENN/AKM-GSI

Long road to recovery: Lamar's organs are reportedly damaged

Lamar Odom's organs were reportedly so badly damaged by his near-fatal overdose at a Las Vegas brothel that he is on dialysis and may need a kidney transplant, it was claimed last night.

The former NBA star is still battling back to health after waking from a coma following his collapse at Dennis Hof's Love Ranch in Nevada earlier this month.

PEOPLE reports that Khloe Kardashian's estranged husband caught pneumonia which reportedly left permanent scarring on his lungs.

Jury finds man guilty in fatal Las Vegas Strip fireball case

A self-styled pimp was found guilty on Monday of killing three people in a shooting and fiery crash on the Las Vegas Strip in February 2013.
Ammar Asim Faruq Harris sat still and gave no reaction as the verdicts were read in Clark County District Court.
The state court jury will now be asked to decide if should be put to death for murder in the carnage at the heart of the casino district.
Jurors heard a week of testimony from dozens of prosecution witnesses, but didn't hear from Harris himself. He had pleaded not guilty to three murder, one attempted murder and seven discharge of a weapon charges.

One of India's most wanted gangsters has finally been captured after 20 years on the run

Indonesian police have arrested one of India's most wanted gangsters, sought in more than two dozen murder cases, on the resort island of Bali, Indian federal police said on Monday, ending a two-decade-long international manhunt.

(Photos) NBA: Players Show Love For Flip Saunders Including Heartbreaking Photo From Kevin Garnett

Source: Brad Mills, (USA
TODAY Sports)

The sports world lost another great yesterday when Minnesota Timberwolves head coachPhil “Flip” Saunders lost his battle with Hodgkins Lymphoma and passed away at the age of 60.  There was an outpour of grief and love for the coach from his many of his former players and others around the league but none was more heartbreaking than the picture posted by Kevin Garnett who spent much of his career with Flip and recently returned to the Timberwolves.

DONALD TRUMP: 'My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars'

Real-estate tycoon Donald Trump downplayed his upbringing during a town-hall event Monday morning.

The Republican presidential front-runner was asked if he's ever been told "no."

"My whole life really has been a 'no' and I fought through it," Trump said at the New Hampshire town hall, hosted by NBC's "Today" show. "It has not been easy for me. It has not been easy for me."

The billionaire businessman launched his real-estate empire with the support of his father, Fred Trump, who built homes in Queens and Brooklyn. But Donald Trump dismissed the support as "a small loan" of $1 million.

"I started off in Brooklyn. My father gave me a small loan of a million dollars. I came into Manhattan and I had to pay him back, and I had to pay him back with interest. But I came into Manhattan, I started buying up properties, and I did great," Trump continued. "I did a good job. But I was always told that would never work."

NBC anchor Matt Lauer, who was moderating the town hall, interjected.

"Let's just put this in perspective. You said this hasn't been easy for you, but 'my dad gave me a million-dollar loan.' That probably is going seem pretty easy to a lot of people," Lauer told Trump.

Trump agreed but said that loan pales in comparison to the size of his real-estate projects.

"You're right, but a million dollars isn't very much compared to what I built," he said. "I mean, I built one of the great companies."