British conductor Edward Downes dead at 85; he and wife end lives at Swiss suicide clinic

September 28th, 2009 LONDON - Scientists have got hold of incredible new footage that could shows a mysterious monster lurking beneath one of the deepest lakes in the British Isles, which is unlike any creature ever seen. According to a report in The Sun, Jonathan Downes spotted the "creature" thrashing around in one of the Lakes of Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland, while on holiday.

September 23rd, 2009 Charges unlikely for helping suicide in EnglandLONDON — England's top prosecutor unveiled new guidelines that could decriminalize many forms of assisted suicide, saying Wednesday that most people who help close friends or family kill themselves aren't likely to face charges. Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions, warned that there were no guarantees but said those who helped adults end their own lives were unlikely to be prosecuted if they were "wholly motivated by compassion" for someone who is severely disabled or terminally ill.

September 10th, 2009 Prince Edward visits British troops in AfghanistanLONDON — Britain's Ministry of Defense says Prince Edward recently spent two days visiting troops in Afghanistan. The ministry said Thursday that Edward visited the 2 Rifles Battle Group in the volatile Helmand province and had dinner with the soldiers.

September 1st, 2009 Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops director, dies at 74CINCINNATI — Erich Kunzel, the longtime conductor of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, has died. He was 74. Kunzel has been the Cincinnati Pops' conductor since it was established in 1977.

July 25th, 2009 UK nurses' group ends opposition to assisted dyingLONDON — Britain's main nurses' organization has dropped its opposition to assisted suicide, as a new poll released Saturday showed solid support for the right to die. The Royal College of Nursing said it was adopting a neutral stance on the issue after its research showed nurses were divided.

July 14th, 2009 Hand-in-hand British musician, wife commit suicideLONDON — He spent his life conducting world-renowned orchestras, but was almost blind and growing deaf — the music he loved increasingly out of reach. His wife of 54 years had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

July 14th, 2009 Report: Bolshoi Theater conductor steps downMOSCOW — The conductor of Russia's famed Bolshoi Theater tells news agencies he is resigning because bureaucrats are obstructing his creative work. Alexander Vedernikov's resignation announcement is the latest blow to the august theater, whose main building has been closed for four years for a reconstruction project that's running far behind schedule.

July 14th, 2009 LONDON - Distinguished British music conductor Sir Edward Downes and his wife Joan have taken their own lives at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland, their family announced Tuesday. Downes, 85, had lived with near blindness for the past 15 years and was going deaf, while his 74-year-old wife, a former ballet dancer, had terminal cancer.

July 14th, 2009 Switzerland offers legal assisted suicideSome countries allow incurably sick residents to receive medical help to end their lives, but Switzerland also permits foreigners to travel there for assisted suicide. Every year more than 100 terminally ill people from countries that ban the practice travel to Switzerland for assisted suicide.

July 12th, 2009 Officials: Swiss hostage is releasedBERN, Switzerland — Swiss officials say a tourist taken hostage in North Africa in January has been released. The Foreign Ministry says the Swiss man who was held in Mali is receiving medical treatment.

June 1st, 2009 Report: Singing sensation Susan Boyle in clinicLONDON — British media say that singer Susan Boyle has been taken to a clinic for treatment following her second-place finish in a talent competition. The Sun newspaper reported that Boyle was admitted to the Priory Clinic in London a day after she finished behind a dance group in the "Britain's Got Talent" television show.

April 16th, 2009 GREATER NOIDA - A doctor was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside his clinic here, police said Thursday. Amit Gupta, a medical practitioner, who ran a clinic in the Jagat Farms market of Greater Noida was shot dead by unidentified assailants late Wednesday, police said.

January 28th, 2009 LUCKNOW - The wife of a sales tax deputy commissioner in Uttar Pradesh has shot herself dead with the licensed revolver of her husband, the police said Thursday. 'Uma Goel, wife of Aadesh Goel, posted in the sales tax department in Kanpur, was today (Thursday) found dead inside the bathroom of her residence in Shastri Nagar area of Meerut,' deputy superintendent of police Vishal Vikram Singh told IANS on phone.

January 16th, 2009 LONDON - Celebrated Russian conductor Veronika Dudarova has died, aged 92. Dudarova led Moscow orchestras for 60 years after becoming a conductor at the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra in 1947, reports contactmusic.com.

December 30th, 2008 NOIDA - A man allegedly attacked a bus conductor and made off with the vehicle here early Wednesday, the police said. The hijacker was reported to have been a bus conductor earlier, but lost his job recently.