Real IRA Chief's Brother Dies After Shooting

The brother of a murdered Real IRA boss has died after being shot a number of times as he sat in his car in Dublin.

The victim, named as Vincent Ryan, was shot on McKee Road in Finglas, in the north of the city, shortly after 3pm on Monday.

He was taken to the Mater Hospital but died later from his injuries.

The 25-year-old was the brother of Alan Ryan, a leading member of the dissident republican group, who was shot dead near his family home in Clongriffin in 2012.

Vincent Ryan had been sitting alone in the the driver seat of his white Volkswagen Golf, having dropped off his partner and child, when he was shot a number of times by a gunman in a passing car.

A police source said it was "unlikely" the deadly attack was directly connected to Dublin's bloody gangland drug feud.

The violence last month saw men armed with assault rifles storm the city's Regency Hotel, killing one person and wounding two others.

That shooting, and a suspected reprisal killing in the city, led to heavily armed officers mounting roadblocks in parts of the Irish capital.

Police are seeking information about a silver or grey Volkswagen Golf with alloy wheels believed to have been used in the attack.

It was seen speeding away from the murder scene towards nearby Clune Road and Jamestown Road.

A car has since been found burnt out in the Victoria Bridge area on the Naas to Rathangan Road which investigators believe may be involved in the shooting.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Noel Rock, a newly elected politician for the area, said: "This latest shooting highlights precisely the kind of crime problems that this city is increasingly facing.

"Earlier this month the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald announced the provision of additional resources to allow gardai to conduct the operations and investigations needed to apprehend the thugs responsible and keep our streets safe.

"Dublin's new dedicated Armed Support Unit will help this ongoing situation but the gardai must be given all the necessary resources to target and catch these violent criminals."

Amazon And Facebook Founders In Rich Top Ten

Internet billionaires Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg shot into the top ten of the world's richest people according to the latest annual rankings by Forbes magazine.

The Amazon and Facebook founders climbed to fifth and sixth place on the chart.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates – who has topped the list for 17 out of the past 22 years – remained number one though his net worth shrank by $4.2bn (£3bn) to $75bn (£53.7bn).

But Mexican telecoms magnate Carlos Slim slipped from second into fourth position as his fortune tumbled by a third from $77.1bn (£55.2bn) to $50bn (£35.8bn). He is replaced by Zara tycoon Amancio Ortega. Investment guru Warren Buffett is in third spot.

Mr Zuckerberg's rise further up the rankings of the world’s mega-rich comes at the age of just 31 after his net worth rose by $11.2bn (£8bn) to $44.6bn (£31.9bn)

It follows the latest set of blockbuster financial results from Facebook last month showing revenues surge 44% to $17.9bn (£12.6bn) and net income climb 25% to $3.7bn (£2.6bn) last year.

Mr Bezos, 52, had a tougher reception on Wall Street as Amazon's latest results missed expectations – though it still saw annual sales top $100bn (£70bn). His net worth has risen from $34.8bn (£24.9bn) to $45.2bn (£32.3bn).

There were 1,810 billionaires on the latest Forbes list, down from 1,826 in 2015, with an average net worth of $3.58bn (£2.56bn), also lower than the year before. Their total net worth was $6.48tn (£4.64tn), down from $7.05tn (£5.04tn).

US presidential contender Donald Trump was ranked at 324, with his fortune climbing by $400m (£290m) to $4.5bn (£3.2bn).

Forbes said volatility in global markets had a notable effect on the list. China – whose economic woes have been at the centre of the volatility – saw the most number of newcomers, at 70, as well as the most number of people dropping off the list, at 42.

The number of women on the list fell to 190 from 197.

But Norwegian sisters Alexandra and Katharina Andresen, aged 19 and 20, were among the notable newcomers as the world's youngest billionaires with a $1.2bn (£860m) fortune.

UK theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh also joined the list, with a fortune of $1.2bn.

Highest ranking for a UK-based entry was for the industrialist Hinduja family. Their net worth of $14.5bn (£10.4bn) was unchanged.

Zimbabwe's Joice Mujuru forms ZPF to oppose Mugabe

A powerful former ally of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has launched a party to challenge his 35-year rule. 

Joice Mujuru said the Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) party had been formed because "Zimbabwe is a broken country". 

Ms Mujuru was Mr Mugabe's second-in-command until he sacked her in 2014 after accusing her of plotting to oust and kill him. 

"I'm neither a witch nor an assassin," Ms Mujuru said, at the party's launch in the capital, Harare. 

She is the most senior former Zanu-PF leader to form an opposition party, and is tipped to be its presidential candidate in the 2018 election. 

Her supporters ululated as she entered the hall to announce ZPF's launch, reports the BBC's Nomsa Maseko from the scene.

Was married to Solomon Mujuru, who was seen as Zanu-PF kingmaker

He died in suspicious fire in 2011

She was known as "Spill Blood" during the independence war

She claims to have shot down a Rhodesian helicopter with the machine-gun of a dying comrade and was later promoted to commander

After spending her youth fighting the war, she obtained secondary school qualifications and a degree while in government

First woman to become Zimbabwe's vice-president in 2004

Sacked from that position in 2014 and expelled from Zanu-PF in 2015

Forms Zimbabwe People First party in 2016 

Family has vast business interests.                                                                                          Ms Mujuru, 60, was flanked by other former Zanu-PF heavyweights, including Didymus Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo. 

She hailed the formation of ZPF as historic, and said it would fight the "scourge of corruption" in Zimbabwe. 

"Some revolutionaries are busy pulling Zimbabwe down," Ms Mujuru said. 

Our correspondent says she was a Zanu-PF member for more than 30 years, and will it find difficult to convince voters that she represents a new era.

But, encouragingly for Ms Mujuru, her supporters turned up at the launch to give their backing, she adds.                                                                                                         Zanu-PF has nominated Mr Mugabe, who turned 92 last month, for re-election in 2018. 

However, because of his advancing age, a battle to succeed him is raging in Zanu-PF between Mr Mugabe's wife, Grace, and Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was appointed to the post following Ms Mujuru's expulsion, correspondents say.

Mrs Mugabe led the campaign to oust Ms Mujuru, who was seen to harbour ambitions to succeed Mr Mugabe as Zanu-PF leader and president.

Chemical Terror Warning As IS Uses Toxic Agents

Islamic State has used chemical weapons in Syria and Iraq, says Russia

Chemical terrorism is "a grave reality of our time", Russia has said as it highlighted evidence of the repeated use of deadly toxic agents by Islamic State and other militants in Syria and Iraq.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov issued the warning as he called for a global pact to combat the threat.

Sergei Lavrov has warned the threat is 'getting extremely urgent'

Making the appeal to a UN disarmament conference in Geneva, he said there was a "growing danger" of chemical weapons being used by extremists in Libya and Yemen.

:: Islamic State Executes Eight Dutch Jihadists

Mr Lavrov said: "Nowadays this threat is getting extremely urgent in the light of newly revealed facts of repeated use of not only industrial toxic chemicals but also of full-fledged chemical warfare agents by ISIL (another name for IS) and other terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq."

He added: "There is a growing danger of similar crimes being committed on the territory of Libya and Yemen as well."

While in Geneva, Mr Lavrov also met UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, where they agreed on the need for the warring parties to return to the negotiating table amid the fragile ceasefire.

Mr Lavrov is also quoted as saying that Russia wants the Turkish-Syrian border closed because it is being used to supply weapons to terrorists, some of which are hidden in humanitarian aid.

Syrian President Bashar al Assad has described the truce, which has been in force since Saturday, as a "glimmer of hope".

In an interview with German TV, he said: "We will play our part to make the whole thing work."

He also said people living in Syria were suffering from a "humanitarian disaster".

Man Attempts To Kidnap Teenager In Underpass

Police are appealing for anyone who saw the incident to come forward

An attempt by a man to drag a teenager away from an underpass is being treated as kidnap, police have said.

The man approached the young woman – in her late teens – as she walked through an underpass in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, at 9.30am on Monday.

"Initially the offender tried to engage her in conversation and walked alongside her," a Thames Valley Police spokesman said.

"Then he grabbed her by the waist and started dragging her away."

The spokesman added: "She managed to grab on to some railings and call the police on her mobile phone.

"At this point the offender ran off. 

"The victim sustained cuts to her hand and elbow."

The man is described as being Asian, with some facial stubble, and 5ft 7in tall. 

He was dressed in a grey jumper or sweatshirt with a red top underneath, a dark-coloured jacket and tan-coloured trousers.

Detective Constable Stuart Malham said: "We want to speak to anyone in the area at the time of the incident, in particular several people who passed the victim as she was being held by the man.

"They may have assumed there was a domestic argument going on.

"This was not the case and any information they may have could be vital to the investigation."

A 34-year-old man, from Slough, Berkshire, has been arrested on suspicion of kidnap.

Luke Skywalker Has a Bigger Role in Star Wars: Episode VIII Says Daisy Ridley

Star Wars fans who were disappointed by the dearth of screen time for Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens can take heart: According to costar Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill’s sage Jedi will be back in a big way in the Star Wars: Episode VIII.

“It’s two hours of me and Mark Hamill staring at each other,” Ridley deadpanned to MTV News on the Oscars red carpet Sunday.

Turning slightly more serious, Ridley said she and Hamill “have been rehearsing a lot, and it’s really amazing.” She also seemed to confirm rumors that Episode VIII will pick up right where The Force Awakens left off, with Rey (Ridley) and Luke coming face to face on the remote planet of Ahch-To (a.k.a. Ireland’s Skellig Michael).

“When we went back to Skellig to do the opening of VIII, it was so crazy doing the same scene with a different crew of people,” Ridley said. “[Hamill is] amazing to rehearse with, and I’m very excited to be doing the rest of the stuff. It’s such a good story, seriously.”

She added, “Luke is so cool in this one. Really!”

Star Wars: Episode VIII is scheduled to open Dec. 15, 2017. Head over to MTV News to read the full interview.

Lena Dunham Calls out Magazine for Photoshopping Her

Don’t mess with Lena Dunham. 

The Girls creator and star took to Instagram to call out Spanish magazine Tentaciones for Photoshopping her image on their March cover. 

“Oh hello Spanish magazine Tentaciones! I am genuinely honored to be on your cover and so happy you used a pic by @ruvenafanador – he always makes me feel gorgeous,” Dunham, 29, told her 2.4 million followers. 

“But this is not what my body has ever looked like or will ever look like – mad photoshop has been done to this iteration,” she continued. “So if you’re into what I do, why not be honest with your readers? Much love, Lena.” 

Dunham recently opened up about being confident with her body image. 

“All the characters I play always dress like they’re a size 0 when they’re actually a size 10,” the actress explained to Papermagazine. “Some might call it ‘delusional’ and I like to think about it as this sort of rocket confidence that’s a little unearned but better than the opposite.” 

“I think that it was important to me also to announce that ‘this is what I look like. I don’t have an interest in changing unless it’s on my own terms’ – I won’t say I’ll never lose weight in my life, but it’d have to be for reasons that made sense to me and weren’t to try to meet some industry standard.”