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Jill Lawless

London's West End optimistic about Olympics

Last updated Wednesday, April 18, 2012 - 10:16pm

LONDON -- London's theater industry is increasingly confident that culture won't suffer during a summer devoted to celebrating sports.

Olympics, 2012 Summer Olympics, London, London Olympics, Olympic Sports, Sports, Theater Read more Comments

Movie sword-fight master Bob Anderson dies at 89

Jill Lawless The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, January 2, 2012 - 6:01pm

LONDON -- Olympic fencer and movie sword master Bob Anderson appeared in some of film's most famous dueling scenes -- though few viewers knew it.

Anderson, who has died at age 89, donned Darth Vader's black helmet and fought light saber battles in two of the three original "Star Wars" films, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi."

Anderson, who worked with actors from Errol Flynn to Antonio Banderas during five decades as a sword master, fight director and stunt performer, died early New Year's Day at an English hospital, the British Academy of Fencing said Monday.

Vader, "Star Wars"' intergalactic arch-villain, was voiced by James Earl Jones and playe

Olympics, Death, Fencing, Sports, Star Wars Read more Comments

(JOEL RYAN/The Associated Press) Prince Jackson arrives on stage at the Michael Forever the Tribute Concert, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011.

Michael Jackson’s children appear at tribute show

Jill Lawless The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, October 8, 2011 - 5:06pm

CARDIFF, Wales — Chart-toppers, soul singers and three generations of Michael Jackson’s family — including his children — celebrated the King of Pop at an energetic tribute concert Saturday, urging fans to focus on the late star’s music rather than his death.

Entertainment, Concerts, Tribute, International, Michael Jackson Read more Comments

Britain's Chancellor George Osborne leaves Downing Street in London, to attend Parliament, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011. Lawmakers were summoned back from their summer vacations for an emergency session of Parliament in the riots as government and police worked to regain control, both on the streets and in the court of public opinion. Calm prevailed in London overnight, with a highly visible police presence watching over the capital. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Brits to take gang-fighting tips from Americans

Danica Kirka, Jill Lawless The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, August 11, 2011 - 10:29am

LONDON -- Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday promised vigorous and wide-ranging measures to restore order and prevent riots erupting again on Britain's streets -- including taking gang-fighting tips from American cities.

Cameron told lawmakers there would be no "culture of fear" on Britain's streets, as police raided houses to round up more suspects from four days of rioting and looting in London and other English cities. He said the government was "acting decisively" to restore order after the riots, which shocked the country and the world.

London, Riots, International Read more Comments

(PETER BYRNE/The Associated Press) A rioter walks through a burning barricade in the Toxteth area of Liverpool on Wednesday August 10, 2011. In the northern city of Liverpool, about 200 youths hurled missiles at police in a second night of unrest.

Cameron: UK won't let 'culture of fear' take over

Danica Kirka, Jill Lawless The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, August 10, 2011 - 7:46am

LONDON — Britain will not let a "culture of fear" take over its streets, Prime Minister David Cameron insisted Wednesday, saying police have drawn up contingency plans to use water cannon if necessary to remove rioters from the streets.

England, Riots, Fire, International Read more Comments

A property is on fire near Reeves Corner in Croydon, south London Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011. A wave of violence and looting raged across London and spread to three other major British cities on Tuesday, as authorities struggled to contain the country's worst unrest since race riots set the capital ablaze in the 1980s. (AP Photo/PA, Lewis Whyld)

Parliament to address London riot crisis

Danica Kirka, Jill Lawless The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, August 9, 2011 - 10:29am

LONDON -- British Prime Minister David Cameron recalled Parliament from its summer recess Tuesday and nearly tripled the number of police on the streets after three days of rioting in London blossomed into a full-blown political crisis.

Cameron described the scenes of burning buildings and smashed windows in London and several other British cities as "sickening," but refrained from more extreme measures such as calling in the military to help beleaguered police restore order.

London, Riots, International Read more Comments

A burned out building, which was destroyed during rioting and looting on the Tottenham High Road in north London over the weekend , is seen Monday Aug. 8 2011. Residents surveyed shattered streets and arrested more suspects Monday after riots and looting erupted in an impoverished London neighborhood and hopscotched across the city that hosts next summer's Olympic Games. (AP Photo/ Max Nash / PA )

UK police arrest over 200 as London riots continue

Jill Lawless, Meera Selva The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, August 8, 2011 - 1:24pm

LONDON -- Residents surveyed shattered streets and arrested more suspects Monday after riots and looting erupted in an impoverished London neighborhood and hopscotched across the city that hosts next summer's Olympic Games.

The unrest was sparked by a police shooting, but some blamed unemployment, insensitive policing and opportunistic looting for the worst violence the city has seen in years. Police and politicians insisted the disorder was the work of a criminal minority and not a sign of social tensions or security lapses ahead of the 2012 Games.

London, Riots, International Read more Comments

Olympic satire 'Twenty Twelve' hits close to home

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, April 8, 2011 - 4:26pm

LONDON -- The broken clock had perfect timing.

"Twenty Twelve," a satirical BBC sitcom about the London Olympics, kicked off with an episode that saw organizers unveil a baffling backwards-running clock counting down to the start of the games.

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Anders Wiklund/The Associated Press
Claes Borgstrom (center), lawyer for the two women who claim to have been sexually assaulted by WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Sweden in August, talks to media at his office in Stockholm Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2010. Borgstrom, whose office is under police protection, denied that the case had anything to do with WikiLeaks or the current U.S. interest in Assange.

Hackers strike back to support WikiLeaks founder

Jill Lawless, Raphael G. Satter, The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, December 8, 2010 - 12:02pm

LONDON -- WikiLeaks supporters struck back Wednesday at perceived enemies of the site and its jailed founder Julian Assange, launching hack attacks against Mastercard, Swedish prosecutors, a Swedish defense lawyer and a Swiss group that froze Assange's bank account.

Internet hacktivists operating under the label "Operation Payback" claimed responsibility in a Twitter message for causing technological problems at MasterCard, which pulled the plug on its relationship with WikiLeaks on Tuesday.

MasterCard said it was "experiencing heavy traffic," but spokesman James Issokson told The Associated Press the company would not confirm whether WikiLeaks was involved. Issokson said MasterCard was trying to restore service Wednesday but was not sure how long that would take. The website's technical problems have no impact on consumers using credit cards for secure transactions, he added.

WikiLeaks, International Read more Comments

The Associated Press
Image from video of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton during a television interview recorded and aired on the day they announced their engagement Tuesday Nov.16, 2010. Prince William revealed that he proposed using the engagement ring of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, to make sure she "didn't miss out on the excitement". William and his long-term girlfriend, Kate Middleton, got engaged on holiday in Kenya last month and will marry next year.

Now the details: William, Kate plan royal wedding

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, November 17, 2010 - 12:40pm

LONDON -- Now it's all about the details: The dress, the date, the venue -- and who's going to pay.

Prince William and Kate Middleton sat down with advisers Wednesday to begin planning the royal wedding that some Britons have waited years to see -- and the British media settled in for months of juicy speculation.

The second in line to the throne and his long-term girlfriend will marry next spring or summer, but they haven't announced a date -- some say May is likely, others August -- or a venue.

Prince William, Royal wedding, International Read more Comments

Prince William gives UK long-awaited royal wedding

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, November 16, 2010 - 11:13am

LONDON -- The college romance that seemed to falter under the pressure of adulthood and the glare of the paparazzi has blossomed at last. Prince William is finally engaged to his longtime girlfriend and will give Britain its biggest royal wedding since Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer almost 30 years ago.

Royal officials announced Tuesday that William will marry Kate Middleton next spring or summer in London, ending years of rumored splits, reconciliations and will-they, wont-they speculation.

William is second in line to the British throne after Charles, his father. Kate and William's first child would move ahead of his younger brother Prince Harry to become third in line to the throne.

British Monarchy, Prince William, Royal wedding, International Read more Comments

World Cup anthems battle for fans' support

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 5:54pm

LONDON -- Never mind who wins on the field. There's another, more melodic, World Cup battle afoot -- on the music charts, in the stands and blaring from radios and mobile phones around the world.

Sports, International, Soccer Read more Comments

World Cup anthems battle for fans' support

Jill Lawless, The Associated Press The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, June 16, 2010 - 9:51am

LONDON — Never mind who wins on the field. There's another, more melodic, World Cup battle afoot — on the music charts, in the stands and blaring from radios and mobile phones around the world.

International, Soccer Read more Comments