While you were sleeping…

Good morning

Before you set off for work this morning, paramilitary troops set off for the ISIS-captured city of Ramadi. John Kerry said North Korea was way off U.S. nuclear talks. Bikers were dead after a three-gang shoot-out in Waco.

Taylor Swift scored highest at the Billboard Music Awards, while Beijing workers faced a swifter commute with a new dial-a-chopper service.

Kerry was really down on North Korea

The Secretary of State is in Korea where he said that any chance of peace with North Korea was a long way off. He was critical of leader Kim Jong Un’s “grisly” executions and said his leadership is “one of the most egregious examples of reckless disregard for human rights and human beings anywhere on the planet.”

Iraq enlisted Ramadi fighters

ISIS has just taken hold of the key Iraqi city of Ramadi, so the government is deploying paramilitaries to do what John Kerry said they would do, send them all home. So far 500 have died in the city and thousands have fled.

Texas Bikers died

Nine Texas bikers died, 18 were injured and 100 were arrested when a fight involving guns, knives, chains and clubs broke out between more than three rival gangs in Waco. They were arguing over recruitment and terrority at a sports bar and ‘breastaurant’.

Taylor Swift took home the most awards

Pop star Swift scooped eight awards at the Billboard Music Awards last night. Fortunately Calvin Harris won just one award, freeing him up to carry some of them home, one hopes (see above photo).

Beijing got chopper cabs

Traffic in the Chinese capital is notoriously awful, but fortunately commuters now have an alternative way to get to work. A new dial-a-chopper service has been launched.