A round-up of today's other news stories in brief
Robbie Williams marries Ayda Field in Los Angeles ceremony
LONDON – British singer Robbie Williams has married actress Ayda Field, celebrity websites and British tabloid newspapers reported yesterday.
Williams (36), who rose to fame with Take That before forging a successful solo career, tied the knot at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday in a low-key ceremony attended by family and friends, according to Peoplemagazine's website.
Williams met Ms Field (31) in 2006.
"At last Rob is happy," his father Pete Conway told the News of the Worldtabloid.
“That’s what you want for your kids and this is the happiest I’ve seen him. Ayda is so beautiful and so delightful and so lovely and just so right for him. They are brilliant together.” Williams’ spokesman was not available for comment.
Take That announced in July that Williams had rejoined them to record their first album together since he walked out on the band 15 years earlier. – (Reuters)
Turkey appoints new commander
ISTANBUL – The Turkish government yesterday appointed Gen Erdal Ceylanoglu as commander of the land forces, CNN Turk reported, defusing a row that was brewing between the government and the military leadership.
Gen Ceylanoglus appointment paves the way for the current head of the army, Gen Isik Kosaner, to become the top commander of Nato’s second-largest military, the broadcaster said.
Both posts were left unfilled at the end of the annual supreme military council last Wednesday after the government, which traces its roots to an Islamist movement, and secularist military clashed over who would lead ground forces, raising fears about stability.
President Abdullah Gul, must approve the appointments. – (Reuters)
Russian man dies in sauna contest
HELSINKI – A Russian man died in the finals of the world sauna championships in Finland after spending some six minutes sweltering in temperatures of 110 degrees Celsius, organisers said yesterday.
“After this incident we decided that this game is over and done,” Saija Jappinen, cultural secretary at Heinola city told Reuters, announcing the end of the event.
The world sauna championships have been held 12 times in Heinola, 138km northeast of Finland’s capital, Helsinki.
Dozens of competitors were whittled down to just two, but six minutes into the final judges noticed something was wrong with Russian champion Vladimir Lazyzhenskiy and dragged him and Finnish finalist Timo Kaukonen from the sauna.
Police are investigating the cause of death. – (Reuters)