While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, May 14 edition

Derailed US train travelling at over 160kmh

Federal investigators said on Wednesday that preliminary data showed an Amtrak train in Philadelphia was travelling at more than 160kmh, or roughly twice the speed limit, when it derailed, killing seven people and injured more than 200.

The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB's) disclosure came as investigators pored over video footage and data from the black box aboard the train that crashed late Tuesday.

The NTSB has said it was also focusing on the condition of the tracks and equipment, crew training and the performance of the five-person crew, in addition to the train's speed.

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British soprano Sarah Brightman suspends plans to sing in space

British singer Sarah Brightman said Wednesday she was suspending plans to launch into space to perform on the International Space Station (ISS) due to "family reasons".

The Phantom Of The Opera singer had paid US$52 million (S$69 million) to fly to the ISS, and hoped to become the first soprano to sing on board.

A statement on Brightman's website said that she was postponing cosmonaut training and her plans to launch on the Soyuz TMA-18M spaceflight mission, scheduled for September.

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Arsenal footballers get a taste of durian before they visit Singapore

Some footballers from Arsenal, who are set to visit Singapore in July, were recently given a taste of the durian, the king of fruit in South-east Asia.

In a video posted on Arsenal's Facebook page on Wednesday, vice-president of Arsenal Singapore Tiong Jin Yan, introduced the pungent fruit to some of the club's players.

In the video, which has garnered over 17,000 likes, the players looked visibly apprehensive as Mr Tiong explained the significance of the durian in the region.

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Football: Morata sends Juventus into Champions League final at Madrid's expense

Juventus will face Barcelona in the Champions League final after Alvaro Morata came back to haunt former club and holders Real Madrid with the precious away goal in a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their semi-final on Wednesday to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

With Juventus leading 2-1 from the first leg, Cristiano Ronaldo's first-half penalty had put the hosts ahead on away goals.

However, Morata, who left Madrid for the Italian champions last July, struck the vital blow when he volleyed home Paul Pogba's knockdown on 57 minutes to take Juventus to their first final in 12 years in Berlin on June 6.

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Women take spotlight as curtain rises on Cannes film fest

A gritty French social drama by a female director opened the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday rather than a customary Hollywood blockbuster, helping to underline this year's focus on women.

Director Emmanuelle Bercot became the first woman since 1987 to open the world's most famous film festival with Standing Tall, starring French icon Catherine Deneuve.

The tough drama marks a change from the normally star-studded openers of past years, such as Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby, Robin Hood, The Da Vinci Code or The Fifth Element.

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