Daily News Roundup

TUESDAY MAY 14

Doris Day, whose wholesome screen presence stood for a time of innocence in 1960s films, has died, aged 97.

The Doris Day Animal Foundation confirmed Day died early on Monday  at her Carmel Valley, California, home.

“Day had been in excellent physical health for her age, until recently contracting a serious case of pneumonia, resulting in her death,” the foundation said in an emailed statement.

She was known for her honey-voiced singing and was an actor whose film dramas, musicals and innocent sex comedies made her a top star in the 1950s and ’60s and among the most popular screen actresses in history.

With her lilting contralto, wholesome blonde beauty and glowing smile, she was a top box office draw and recording artist known for such films as Pillow Talk and That Touch of Mink and for such songs as Whatever

Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) from the Alfred Hitchcock film The Man Who Knew Too Much.

She celebrated her 97th birthday on April 3.

####

Briton James McMullan and Australian Sara Zelenak were stabbed to death by terrorists on London two years ago after Mr McMullan went to Ms Zelenak’s aid after she is believed to have slipped in the wet conditions as the carnage unfolded, an inquest has been told.

The inquest heard that Ms Zelenak, 21, and Mr McMullan 32, were among  eight people killed when three men used a rental van to run over pedestrians on the bridge before attacking members of the public with ceramic kitchen knives on June 3, 2017.

On Monday the inquest, held at the Old Bailey, heard from Erick Siguenza who had witnessed the terrorists get out of their crashed Ford Transit van just after 10pm and filmed what he saw on his mobile phone.

“As soon as the van crashed they stepped out and the driver was the one that stabbed the woman that jumped to get out of the way of the van crashing,” he told the court

“She was still on the floor and that’s when they started stabbing her and a man trying to help her up, and that’s when he was stabbed as well.”

Mr Siguenza said the woman, believed to be Ms Zelenak, was stabbed in her left hand side while the man, believed to be Mr McMullan, was stabbed in the chest.

“He was trying to help her up and that’s when they came to attack him,” he told the court.

Gareth Patterson QC, counsel for Ms Zelenak’s family, suggested Sara may have slipped over due to the wet pavement from recent rain and the fact she was wearing high heels, and cited a pathologist report that showed she had an injured ankle.

Mr Siguenza agreed he had the impression she might have lost her balance and slipped over.

Ms Zelenak had been on a night out at the time of the attack, and her friend Priscilla Concalves told the court how the pair was walking down stairs adjacent to the bridge when they heard “something big” and decided to head back up the steps.

“We went upstairs and saw what was happening, and people were also running, so that’s what we did,” she said.

“We started running and when I looked again she wasn’t next to me anymore.”

Ms Concalves said she tried in vain to call her friend as well as contact her on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

“The last time she checked her WhatsApp was 10.03pm,” she said.

“I thought maybe she had lost her phone so I sent messages on Messenger on Facebook as well.

“I was hoping she was maybe hiding somewhere, I don’t know.”

It was several days later that Ms Concalves found out her friend had been killed in the attack.

###

Wall Street suffered its worst day since early January — after China said it would impose further tariffs on imports from the United States, escalating their ongoing trade war.

A massive sell-off was sparked by fears that the world’s two largest economies are spiralling into a no-holds-barred dispute that could derail the global economy.

The finance ministry of China said it would set import tariffs — ranging from 5 to 25 percent — on $US60 billion worth of US goods, including frozen vegetables and liquefied natural gas, which will take effect on June 1.

“China’s adjustment on additional tariffs is a response to US unilateralism and protectionism,” the ministry said.

“China hopes the US will get back to the right track of bilateral trade and economic consultations and meet with China halfway.”

Beijing announced its new tariffs shortly after US President Donald Trump warned it not to retaliate.

The Trump administration, on Friday, raised tariffs on $US200 billion worth of Chinese goods, while US and Chinese negotiators were discussing a trade deal in Washington. Mr Trump also ordered his trade chief to begin the process of imposing tariffs on all remaining imports from China.

The US president, who has embraced protectionism as part of an “America First” agenda, said he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at a G20 summit in late June.

“Maybe something will happen,” Mr Trump said in remarks at the White House.

“We’re going to be meeting, as you know, at the G20 in Japan and that’ll be, I think, probably a very fruitful meeting.”