|
(Continued from page 31)
• The office of newly elected Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring took the unusual step of not defending the law because it believes the ban violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. In her ruling, Wright Allen agreed.
• ___
Oscar Pistorius says he mourns for girlfriend on 1st anniversary of day he killed her
• JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Oscar Pistorius, the celebrated athlete who became a murder suspect, said Friday that he is consumed by grief on the first anniversary of the day that he fatally shot his girlfriend in his home.
• The rare statement by the double-amputee runner came ahead of the March 3 start of his trial for the killing of Reeva Steenkamp, shot in her boyfriend's bathroom in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's Day.
• "No words can adequately capture my feelings about the devastating accident that has caused such heartache for everyone who truly loved - and continues to love Reeva," said Pistorius, who told a court last year that he mistook Steenkamp for a dangerous nighttime intruder. Prosecutors allege the track star, who is out on bail, intentionally killed her after an argument.
• "The pain and sadness -- especially for Reeva's parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow," Pistorius said. "The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day, I will carry with me for the rest of my life."
• The statement from Pistorius, 27, was unusual because his uncle, Arnold, has normally been quoted in statements from his camp, which has sought to shield the runner from intense media and public interest in a case that transfixed many people around the world.
• ___
Japanese online retailer Rakuten moves into voice calls with Viber purchase for $900 million
• TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's Rakuten Inc. is buying Cyprus-based Viber Media, which operates a popular Internet phone application, for $900 million, fortifying the online retailer's social networking footprint.
• The Tokyo-based company said Friday it sees Viber, with 280 million global users, as a key platform as people are moving from TVs and computers to mobile devices to consume and enjoy content.
• Rakuten, which competes with Amazon.com and Yahoo, has been successful (Continued on page 33)
|
|
