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Lamma Island boat collision: six crew members arrested after 37 people died

Diane A. Wade
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Lamma Island boat collision: six crew members arrested after 37 people died

Six crew members have been arrested after two boats that collided in the waters off Hong Kong on Monday night leaving 37 people dead.

“Police arrested six individuals this afternoon. They are being investigated for endangering people’s lives at sea,” Security Minister Lai Tung-kwok said.

One of the boats was carrying more than 120 people to a fireworks display when it half-sank following the collision near Lamma Island.

The search for survivors is continuing.

The crash happened about 20:30 local time on Monday.

Dozens of people were thrown into the waters as the pleasure boat sank within minutes of impact. The ferry was able to reach Lamma and disembark its passengers as it was taking on water.

The government has confirmed that 37 people died – 32 adults and five children. More than 100 people were injured. The number of people missing is unknown.

Police have arrested three crew members from each of the vessels involved in the accident, the security minister told a news conference.

The head of police, Tsang Wai-hung, said the suspects were responsible for operating the boats.

“From the investigation so far we suspect that the crew responsible for manning the two vessels had not exercised the care required of them by law to ensure the safety of the vessels as well as the people on board.

“We expect further persons to be arrested… The investigation will focus on criminal liability,” he said.

The crash is one of Hong Kong’s worst maritime accident in decades. It occurred during a busy period for passenger travel, at the end of a long holiday weekend to mark the mid-autumn festival that this year coincided with China’s National Day on 1 October.

Power company Hong Kong Electric confirmed that it owned the boat which sank. It was taking staff and family members to watch National Day fireworks in Victoria Harbour.

Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung dismissed concerns it would damage Hong Kong’s reputation as a centre of global maritime trade.

“This is definitely an isolated incident. The marine territory of Hong Kong is safe,” he said.

He said an independent committee would be set up to look into the causes of the crash, and suggest measures to prevent similar tragedies in future.

He declared three days of mourning starting from Thursday, and expressed his sympathies with the victims’ families.

Lamma lies some 3 km (two miles) south-west of Hong Kong island, and is popular with tourists and expatriates.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, but its ferries have a good safety record.

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Georgia election: ruling party and opposition both claim victory

Diane A. Wade
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Georgia election: ruling party and opposition both claim victory

Georgia’s governing party and the opposition have both claimed victory in the country’s parliamentary elections.

Early results suggest the opposition Georgian Dream coalition, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, had a clear lead in votes for party lists.

But President Mikheil Saakashvili said his ruling party was ahead in the race for seats decided on a first-past-the-post basis – nearly half the total.

It is seen as his biggest popularity test since he came to power in 2003.

The election could bring the first democratic transfer of power in Georgia’s post-Soviet history.

It is not yet clear when official results from Monday’s vote will be announced.

Georgia’s Central Electoral Commission (CEC) said there had been no grave violations during the voting. Observers from the European security organization OSCE are due to give their verdict at 14:30.

According to the CEC’s early results, the rival blocs are running neck-and-neck in the 73 first-past-the-post constituencies.

The other 77 out of 150 parliamentary seats in total are decided by the proportional, party list method.

With 25% of the party list vote counted, Georgian Dream had secured 53%, while Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement (UNM) had 41%.

Mikheil Saakashvili had sought to portray the election as a choice between his Western-leaning government, and a future in which he said Bidzina Ivanishvili would allow Russia to dominate the former Soviet republic. Bidzina Ivanishvili made his fortune in Russia in the early 1990s.

Tensions between Mikheil Saakashvili’s government and Russia escalated into a brief war in 2008 which saw Georgian troops expelled from two breakaway regions.

Thousands of cheering supporters of the opposition Georgian Dream bloc gathered to celebrate in the capital Tbilisi after the polls closed late on Monday.

“We have won! The Georgian people have won!” Bidzina Ivanishvili said in a speech broadcast on a Georgian TV station, the AFP news agency reports.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s richest man, said he expected his coalition to win 100 out of 150 parliamentary seats.

In televised comments, Mikheil Saakashvili conceded the opposition “has won the majority in the proportional vote”.

But he added that “in single-mandate constituencies, the majority of votes has been secured by Georgia’s [ruling] United National Movement”.

The UNM said it believed it had secured at least 53 of the 73 seats in the single-mandate constituencies, with a party’s spokeswoman predicting that it would have “a solid majority”.

The single mandate, first-past-the-post system helps to ensure that rural voters still have a voice. An MP representing a small district in the mountains is equal to one representing a large district in Tbilisi.

Under reforms scheduled to take effect after a presidential election next year the parliament and prime minister will have more power than the president.

The Central Electoral Commission said in a statement that turnout had been around 61%.

Earlier Bidzina Ivanishvili had staged a symbolic protest by refusing to vote, saying the authorities had “already resorted to very many violations”.

If the ruling party gets back into power despite failing to secure a majority of votes, the opposition could feel cheated of victory – and spark mass protests.

The government’s reputation has taken a battering in recent weeks because of a prisoner-abuse scandal.

Videos broadcast on national television showed prison inmates being beaten and sexually abused by guards.

The scandal sparked street protests and allowed Bidzina Ivanishvili to portray the government as high-handed.

Human rights group Amnesty International says many of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s supporters were “fined, fired, harassed or detained for expressing their political views” during the election campaign.

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Recipe: Roast salmon with peppers and pesto cream

Kathryn R. Bown
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Recipe: Roast salmon with peppers and pesto cream

Try this simple dish baked in a single tray that will feed the whole family.

 

INGREDIENTS

1.5 kg (3 lb 5oz) free-range chicken

4 sprigs of fresh tarragon

55 g (2oz) lightly salted butter, softened

1 large lemon, sliced

400 g (14 oz) baby new potatoes

400 g (14 oz) small carrots (try Chantenay), trimmed

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges

1 bulb garlic, cloves separated but still in skins

2 tbsp olive oil

125 ml (4fl oz) dry white wine

Roast salmon with peppers and pesto cream
Roast salmon with peppers and pesto cream

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Run your hand under the skin on the chicken breast, taking care not to tear it. Remove the leaves from two sprigs of tarragon and mash with half the butter and some seasoning. Spread under the skin, then add some of the lemon slices and the remaining sprigs of tarragon. Melt the remaining butter. Halve any larger new potatoes and carrots and place in a large roasting tin. Scatter over the red onion and garlic. Season with salt and lots of black pepper and toss with the oil. Place the chicken on top and add any remaining lemon slices to the tin. Brush the melted butter all over the chicken. Pour the wine into the base of the tin and roast for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the leg is pierced with a skewer. Lift the chicken off the veg and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

 

River Viiperi, Paris Hilton’s boyfriend, arrested at XS nightclub in Las Vegas

Lisa.Felice
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River Viiperi, Paris Hilton’s boyfriend, arrested at XS nightclub in Las Vegas

It has been reported that after Paris Hilton embarked on a same-sex kiss with a fellow member of the female species, her latest boyfriend River Viiperi was later arrested for misdemeanor battery.

TMZ are claiming that the alleged victim told police that 21-year-old model River Viiperi “punched him in the face sometime around 2:30 a.m. … and injured him so badly, he needed medical attention.”

It is believed the victim is the boyfriend of the girl that Paris Hilton shared her alleged liaison with.

The incident is said to have taken place at XS nightclub inside the Encore hotel during the early hours of Monday morning.

The US website claim the victim told security he wanted to “press charges”, with law enforcers arresting River Viiperi at the scene, before he was cited and released without going to the police station.

It is also reported that Paris Hilton had left the scene by the time police arrived.

Prior to the drama, the couple had been tweeting about their vacation in Las Vegas, having seen Justin Bieber perform live at the MGM Grand, another hotel on the famous Vegas strip.

Giving a shout-out to friends, Paris Hilton, 31, wrote: “At the @JustinBieber concert at @MGMGrand with @RiverViiperi @BarronHilton [younger brother] @VanessDubasso [Barron’s girlfriend]…

“So much fun at @JustinBieber’s concert with @RiverViiperi. He’s such an amazing performer!”

River Viiperi had also been gloating, adding: “Loving it @xslasvegas with my baby @ParisHilton + crew #lovinglife.”

Paris Hilton – who has been linked to Backstreet Boy singer Nick Carter, Good Charlotte rocker Benji Madden and The Hills star Doug Reinhardt – was only linked to River Viiperi for the first time in September.

 

Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman welcome baby girl Olive

Lisa.Felice
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Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman welcome baby girl Olive

Drew Barrymore and Will Kopelman have welcomed their first child into the world, a little girl called Olive.

Drew Barrymore was hardly known for being lucky in love, having had two divorces by the age of 27, but it seems she has finally found domestic bliss.

Having married Will Kopelman in June, the pair are now proud parents to their newborn daughter who was born towards the end of last month on September 26.

A spokesperson told Life&Style: “We are proud to announce the birth of our daughter, Olive Barrymore Kopelman, born September 26th, healthy, happy and welcomed by the whole family.”

Despite Drew Barrymore growing up in the spotlight, kick-starting her career in a commercial at 11-months, the statement added: “Thank you for respecting our privacy during this most special time in our lives.”

Drew Barrymore began dating Will Kopelman, an art consultant and the son of former Chanel CEO Arie Kopelman, in early 2011, before announcing their engagement a year later and eventually marrying in June.

Drew Barrymore, 37, walked down the aisle heavily pregnant in a private Jewish ceremony at her Montecito estate in California wearing a custom Chanel gown, designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

And it seems Drew Barrymore may have found inspiration from a former role when naming her little girl.

Back in 1999, the California native loaned her vocals to the title role in a CGI animated Christmas television special called Olive, The Other Reindeer.

Other stars aboard the ship included Dan Castellaneta – otherwise known as the voice of Homer Simpson – and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe.

The tale follows a young Jack Russell Terrier called Olive (Barrymore) who thinks she has what it takes to save Christmas after Santa cancels his annual flight because of a hurt reindeer.

Fellow celebrities to name their child Olive include Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher, and former Doctor Who actor David Tennant and wife Georgia Moffett.

Drew Barrymore formerly wed LA bar owner Jeremy Thomas in March 1994, before filing for divorce less than two months later, and Canadian star Tom Green in July 2001 – separating just five months later.

 

Hong Kong ferry sinks after Lamma collision

Diane A. Wade
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Hong Kong ferry sinks after Lamma collision

At least eight people have died after a ferry collided with another boat off Hong Kong.

A rescue operation is continuing for passengers still missing five hours after a boat half-sank following Monday night’s collision near Lamma island.

One of the vessels was carrying 124 passengers.

Search teams had rescued more than 100 people from the water, local media reported.

More than 20 injured people had been taken to a hospital on Lamma island, a police spokesman was quoted as saying.

Lamma lies some three kilometres (two miles) south-west of Hong Kong island, and is popular with tourists and expatriates.

The crash happened around 20:30 on Monday.

It came during a busy period for passenger travel in Hong Kong, at the end of a long holiday weekend to mark the mid-autumn festival that this year coincides with China’s National Day on 1 October.

Power company Hong Kong Electric was reportedly using a commercial boat to take 124 staff and family to watch National Day fireworks in Victoria Harbour.

The vessel and another boat – reportedly a ferry operated by Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry – collided, causing the HK Electric vessel to list, a company official was quoted as saying.

One survivor told The South China Morning Post: “After 10 minutes out a boat crashed into ours from the side at very high speed. The rear… started to sink. I suddenly found myself deep under the sea.”

“I swam hard and tried to grab a life buoy,” added the man.

“I don’t know where my two kids are.”

Hong Kong is one of the world’s busiest shipping channels.

 

Aimee Osbourne makes rare public appearance in Beverly Hills

Lisa.Felice
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Aimee Osbourne makes rare public appearance in Beverly Hills

Aimee Osbourne made a rare public appearance alongside her mother Sharon, as the pair headed out in Beverly Hills to do a spot of shopping at stylish clothing store Maxfield Bleu.

Sharon Osbourne, 59, was significantly more dressed up during the shopping trip than her 28-year-old daughter, wearing a black jumpsuit which she matched with a white jacket.

But the Osbournes did color coordinate their outfits, with Aimee wearing a white blouse on black jeans and heels.

Aimee Osbourne famously refused to appear in the reality show that turned her entire family into celebrities, and even went as far as to move out of their home in an effort to stay away from the camera’s.

When she did visit her family, the film crew was banned from filming her.

At the time, the eldest of the Osbourne offspring had ambitions to become a singer and didn’t want to be typecast as being part of her weird family by appearing on the show.

“I’m not some weirdo depressed daughter that’s afraid of the world and locks herself in her room all day; I just didn’t choose to do the show,” she once said in an interview.

“I want to be a singer, and I felt if I’d stayed with the Osbourne’s and done the whole thing I would have been typecast right away.”

Her refusal to join her family in their quest for fame has not dampened her relationship with them though, as Aimee Osbourne is said to be particularly close to mom Sharon.

Meanwhile, both her father Ozzie as her brother Jack have taken a step back from the Hollywood fame game.

Kelly and Sharon Osbourne both appear on popular US television shows, with Sharon appearing as a judge on America’s Got Talent, while her youngest daughter is a host on Fashion Police.

 

Why did Jerry Lewis and Muscular Dystrophy Association part ways

Sonia Pantiss
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Why did Jerry Lewis and Muscular Dystrophy Association part ways

Last year the Muscular Dystrophy Association announced that Jerry Lewis was stepping down as host of its annual Labor Day telethon, the marathon TV event he had made his personal showcase, soap box and sentimental journey for 45 years.

With the show cut from 21.5 hours to just 6, Jerry Lewis was being replaced by a quartet of hosts, the MDA said, and would make an appearance only at the end of the show, to say goodbye and sing You’ll Never Walk Alone one last time.

Then what seemed the sad but inevitable end of an era became something uglier. A few weeks before the show, the MDA issued a curt announcement that Jerry Lewis would not be making a goodbye appearance after all — and was resigning from his post as MDA national chairman. The telethon went on without him (raising $61.5 million in 2011, more than the previous year with Jerry Lewis, according to the MDA) and included a filmed tribute to him and warm words of thanks from various participants during the show.

A year later, Jerry Lewis has been all but erased from the telethon’s memory. This year’s show, aired the Sunday night before Labor Day, has been further downsized, to just three hours, with no named host and a smattering of B-list guest stars (Carrie Underwood, Will.i.am, Khloe Kardashian). It is no longer called a telethon, but simply an “entertainment special,” and there will be no tote board tallying the donations. In the press announcement of the event, Jerry Lewis’s name is nowhere mentioned.

The story behind Jerry Lewis’s departure remains untold. But a few things have become clear in the year since the awkward public breakup. Jerry Lewis was dumped by the MDA, the charity he had been identified with since the 1950s. He’s still bitter about it. And the telethon is withering without him.

Jerry Lewis still won’t talk about what happened.

“That’s not a place I want to go. Because if I go there, you’ll never get me back,” Jerry Lewis said when he was asked recently in Nashville, where he’s directing a new stage musical, The Nutty Professor.

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it. But I have already ingested all that I want from that whole f***ing adventure.”

The pain is not hard to discern. “This was a hurt man,” says Richard Belzer, the stand-up comic and Law and Order co-star, who has developed a close, almost father-son relationship with Jerry Lewis.

Jerry Lewis’ goodbye appearance was scrapped after he and the charity could not agree on its format and length. He wanted to do it live; the MDA floated several pre-taped options — “all insulting,” Richard Belzer claims.

“It’s as if they were trying to provoke him to leave.”

In the end, he did.

“It was a moral outrage, a PR nightmare and a sad commentary on this incredible philanthropic career,” says Richard Belzer.

To be sure, dealing with Jerry Lewis, now 86, has never been a walk in the park. His annual Labor Day orgy of sentiment, self-regard and showbiz schmaltz was for many years something of a punch line.

“You know why they love Jerry Lewis in France,” a comedian said not long ago.

“In France, they don’t get the telethon.”

Still, he raised an estimated $2 billion for “Jerry’s kids” over more than a half-century with the MDA, and a well-orchestrated, celebrity-studded farewell to him on the telethon might have been a fundraising bonanza.

MDA officials continue to maintain that Jerry Lewis simply retired.

“We honor Jerry Lewis, we admire the work he’s done for us, and we respect his decision to retire,” says Valerie Cwik, the MDA’s interim president.

Valerie Cwik replaced Gerald Weinberg, who was reportedly behind Jerry Lewis’ ouster and who stepped down as president last December, after 54 years with the organization.

And she insists that the changes in the telethon are part of a necessary evolution in fundraising strategy, to put less emphasis on the once-a-year event.

“It has to change because the American audience has changed,” says Valerie Cwik.

“A 21.5-hour show doesn’t fit in a 140-character world.”

Neither, apparently, does Jerry Lewis.

 

Somali and AU troops enter port of Kismayo

Roy Siemens
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Somali and AU troops enter port of Kismayo

The first Somali government and African Union (AU) troops are reported to have entered the strategic Somali port of Kismayo, witnesses and officials say.

They have been battling the al-Shabab militia for control of the city.

On Saturday, the al-Qaeda-aligned militants said they had withdrawn from Kismayo after an AU military assault.

Kenyan and Somali forces had launched a beach assault on the Islamist group’s last major bastion the day before, but had met some resistance.

Reports as to the size and make-up of the AU contingent have been mixed.

One resident said Somali Service that a small infantry unit of 11 Somali soldiers had entered the city from the west and were patrolling on foot on the main roads of Kismayo, while another said he had seen both Kenyan and Somali troops entering the city centre from the airport.

Around 100 troops were seen by a tribal elder in Kismayo taking over a police station and setting up an outpost on top of a tall building.

Somali government spokesman in Kismayo Mohamed Faarah Daher said AU and Somali forces had gone in to the city to establish security for the population, and had also taken up positions at the airport and sea port.

Kenyan troops are part of an African force trying to wrest control of Somalia from militants for the new United Nations-backed president.

After resisting the AU and Somali advance on Friday, al-Shabab announced it had shut its five-year administration in Kismayo the next day for strategic reasons.

Residents had spoken of increasing tension inside the port town amid the power vacuum that ensued.

A number of influential clan figures have been murdered in the past few days.

The Kenyan military said that Kenyan, Somali and AU troops were “currently consolidating the gains in Kismayo and expanding out to the rest of the city”, according to a message on its official Twitter account.

Kenyan soldiers have “established no-fire zones around markets, schools, mosques and hospitals”, another message read. Kenyan troops are reported to be present in Kismayo’s suburbs but not in the city centre.

The Kenyan Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi said Kenya welcomed the move on Kismayo.

“Kenya has been bearing the brunt of the instability in Somalia for a very long time. We host 650,000 refugees and we have been seeing sporadic incidents of grenade attacks in Kenya,” he said.

“So any action supported by the international community… is very positive because it is going to give room for Somalia to stabilize,” he added.

Last week, a Kenya military spokesperson said he feared the withdrawal might be a trap, making the army wary of entering Kismayo. There have been unconfirmed reports that al-Shabab may have mined parts of the town.

Correspondents say the loss of Kismayo will be a major blow to the Islamists.

Somalia’s second largest port is a significant source of revenue for whoever controls it and al-Shabab also used the port to bring in weapons.

AU troops pushed al-Shabab from the Somali capital, Mogadishu, in August 2011.

Along with other pro-government forces they have gone on to take control of most of the major towns previously in the hands of the militants.

But the al-Qaeda-linked group’s fighters are still highly active in much of the countryside in southern and central Somalia and have carried out attacks in cities they no longer control.

Since the overthrow of President Siad Barre in 1991, Somalia has seen clan-based warlords, Islamist militants and its neighbors all battling for control.

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Justin Lee Collins blackmailed by girlfriend Anna Larke

Lisa.Felice
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Justin Lee Collins blackmailed by girlfriend Anna Larke

Anna Larke, the girlfriend of Justin Lee Collins, blackmailed the British TV presenter in an attempt to get £20,000 ($31,000), a court heard.

Anna Larke, 38, allegedly told the former Friday Night Project host that she would “go to the police” and “hurt” him if she did not get the money.

Anna Larke described the claim, made by Justin Lee Collins’ defence counsel, as “absolute lies”.

Justin Lee Collins, also 38, of Kew, south-west London, denies harassment, causing fear of violence at St. Albans Crown Court.

Sonia Woodley QC, defending Justin Lee Collins, said: “You told him <<Give me £20,000 or I’m going to hurt you and I’m going to go to the police>>.”

Anna Larke, who had a nine-month relationship with Justin Lee Collins, denied the claim.

She said: “Oh my God, that’s absolute lies. I’ve never said that.”

Sonia Woodley said Justin Lee Collins sent Anna Larke a text message that said: “I’ve offered you all sorts of help, but I’m not getting involved in blackmail.”

Anna Larke, a public relations worker who was unemployed at the time of the alleged offences, said: “If I had just wanted money I would have gone straight to the press.”

Earlier, jurors were told Justin Lee Collins had smacked and sworn at Anna Larke.

Penelope Larke, her mother, said: “He called her all the names under the sun, terrible names.”

Anna Larke had also told her mother that Justin Lee Collins had hit her in the face on one occasion but had asked her to keep it secret.

“She said: <<Mum I have to tell you something, you have to promise me first that you won’t say anything to anybody>>, and then she said he smacked her and swears at her,” Penelope Larke told the court.

“She told me he smacked her in the private parts. I told her it wasn’t a very healthy relationship and that she should just pack her bags and come home.”

Her husband, Jeremy Larke, said his daughter had dismissed attempts to talk about the “reddish marks” he saw on her face and arms when she paid them a visit during her relationship with Justin Lee Collins.

He told the court that once Anna Larke moved back to the family home she said Justin Lee Collins had assaulted her during a trip to America.

Jeremy Larke told police his daughter had told them he had grabbed her hair and dragged her around the room.

In court, he said: “It was a great shock to me. I can’t believe he would beat her up.”

The alleged harassment happened between January and August last year.

The trial continues.

 

IKEA Saudi catalogue removes women from its pages

Diane A. Wade
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IKEA Saudi catalogue removes women from its pages

IKEA has said it regrets that images of women are missing from the Saudi version of its catalogue.

Women are clearly present in corresponding images in the firm’s English-language catalogue.

The Swedish furniture company said “excluding women from the Saudi Arabian version of the catalogue is in conflict with the IKEA Group values”.

It attributed the gaffe to the fact its Saudi operation is run by a franchisee.

IKEA Saudi catalogue removes women from its pages
IKEA Saudi catalogue removes women from its pages

Several images in the catalogue, published on IKEA’s Saudi website, show women completely absent in a number of promotional scenes.

The same images in other versions of the catalogue include women.

IKEA said it was reviewing its “routines” in response to the issue.

“We support the fundamental human rights of all people and we do not accept any kind of discrimination,” the company said in a statement.

Islamic Sharia law is applied strictly in Saudi Arabia, where the ruling Al Saud family espouses a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam known as Wahhabism.

Women live under various restrictions, including no right to drive, and must be covered whenever they are outside the home.

Saudi leader King Abdullah is seen as trying to cautiously introduce reforms, some aimed at loosening restrictions on women’s right to vote.

IKEA, which posted net profits of almost 3 billion euros ($3.9 billion) last year, operates three branches in Saudi Arabia.

 

Bobbi Kristina Brown pays tribute to Whitney Houston in a series of Twitter pictures

Lisa.Felice
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Bobbi Kristina Brown pays tribute to Whitney Houston in a series of Twitter pictures

Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only child of late singer Whitney Houston, paid tribute to her mother in a series of Twitter pictures last week.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, Tweeted: “I will always love you <3” along with a self-portrait of herself smiling with her eyes closed.

In another photo, dressed in a blue top with matching blue accessories, eye-shadow and nail polish Bobbi Kristina Brown Tweeted: “I am my mothers child (: # much love Xxxo”

The bereaved teen’s relationship with father Bobby Brown has been unstable for some years now, and deteriorated further following Whitney Houston’s death in February.

She even snubbed her father’s wedding in June, instead opting to shoot for her Lifetime reality show.

Bobbi Kristina Brown paid tribute to Whitney Houston in a series of Twitter pictures
Bobbi Kristina Brown paid tribute to Whitney Houston in a series of Twitter pictures

Set to premiere on October 24, the show follows the Houston clan including Pat, Whitney’ sister-in-law and manager, Pat’s daughter Rayah, Whitney’s brother Gary, Bobbi Kristina and Grammy Award-winning singer Cissy Houston in the aftermath of the pop superstar’s tragic death.

“Pat Houston, Whitney’ sister-in-law, manager and most trusted confidant, manages the business and estate of the beloved singer and her most prized possession, her daughter Bobbi Kristina,” said a Lifetime press release.

“The series will follow Pat and her husband, Gary, Whitney Houston’s brother, as they take on their greatest challenge, supporting and guiding Bobbi Kristina as she faces the world alone, without the one person she relied on the most, her Mother.”

Bobbi Kristina Brown is reported to be in a relationship with Nick Gordon whom Whitney Houston took into her home at the age of 12 when his father went to prison and his mother was unable to take care of him.

In another Twitter photo the aspiring actress sports two pairs of glasses, one atop the other with the caption: “DareToBeDifferent <3.”

 

PM Yoshihiko Noda reshuffles his cabinet ahead of upcoming polls

Diane A. Wade
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PM Yoshihiko Noda reshuffles his cabinet ahead of upcoming polls

Japan’s PM Yoshihiko Noda has named a new finance minister, in a reshuffle aimed at revitalizing his cabinet.

Koriki Jojima replaces Jun Azumi in the key post, while the foreign and defence ministers kept their jobs.

Makiko Tanaka, who served a brief tenure as foreign minister, was named education minister in a move seen as reflecting her ties with Beijing amid a territorial row with China.

Yoshihiko Noda, hit by poor poll figures, said the move would help tackle key issues.

“This is a reshuffle that will help the government and the ruling parties cooperate to address a number of issues we are facing domestically and diplomatically, and further strengthen the function of the cabinet,” he said.

Koriki Jojima, 65, is a former Democratic Party (DPJ) parliamentary affairs’ chief who worked with Yoshihiko Noda on the sales tax hike.

Makiko Tanaka, the daughter of the Japanese leader who normalized ties with China, was fired as foreign minister in 2002 by then LDP leader Junichiro Koizumi. She subsequently joined the DPJ and is seen as popular with voters.

Seiji Maehara, another popular figure, was named national policy minister. He had been seen as a potential DPJ leader but had to resign last year amid a row over a political donation.

The reshuffle comes with polls expected in coming months and the ruling DPJ hit by low public support. Ties between Tokyo and Beijing are currently very strained over a row about ownership of islands both claim in the East China Sea.

Last week the opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) – which governed Japan for half a century before it was ousted by the DPJ in 2009 – elected Shinzo Abe its new leader.

Shinzo Abe is a former prime minister who, when in office, called for a bigger global role for Japan and promoted efforts to boost national pride.

 

Pussy Riot activists appeal in Moscow court

Sonia Pantiss
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Pussy Riot activists appeal in Moscow court

A Russian court in Moscow has begun hearing an appeal by three activists from punk band Pussy Riot.

In August, three members of Pussy Riot were jailed for two years for staging an anti-Kremlin protest in Moscow’s main cathedral, Christ the Saviour.

The Russian Orthodox Church said on Sunday that clemency should be possible for the trio as long as they repented what they called their “punk prayer”.

But their lawyers have said that they doubt the appeal will be successful.

The three band members – Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 30 – were found guilty of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred” in August.

Their imprisonment sparked condemnation in many parts of the world.

The Pussy Riot members were all present in the Moscow court on Monday, in a glass-fronted defendants’ cage.

Yekaterina Samutsevich argued with the judge, complaining that her request for a different defence lawyer had not been met. The hearing was then adjourned temporarily.

Their obscenity-laced performance on 21 February, which implored the Virgin Mary to “throw out” President Vladimir Putin and sought, they said, to highlight the Russian Orthodox Church leader’s support for the president, enraged the Church.

But, in a statement, the Church said that though the women’s action “cannot be left unpunished”, if they showed penitence and reconsideration of their action their words “shouldn’t be left unnoticed”.

“The Church sincerely wishes for the repentance of those who desecrated a holy place, certainly it would benefit their souls,” senior Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida said.

The Church’s comments follow a suggestion from Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev last month that a suspended sentence would have been sufficient punishment for the women.

Their lawyers have said that their clients will not repent if it means admitting guilt.

“If they [the Church] mean repentance in the sense of a crime … it definitely won’t happen. Our clients won’t admit guilt. A call for that is pointless,” lawyer Mark Feigin told independent TV channel Dozhd on Sunday.

The father of one of the jailed women said that whether they repent or not, the trio has little hope of their sentences being quashed.

“The sentence is predetermined; their repentance will not affect it in any way,” Stanislav Samutsevich told Reuters.

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Bonnie and Clyde guns fetch $504,000 at New Hampshire auction

Sonia Pantiss
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Bonnie and Clyde guns fetch $504,000 at New Hampshire auction

Guns used by gangsters Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, who died in a hail of police bullets in 1934, have sold at New Hampshire auction for $504,000.

The guns were part of the RR Auction, entitled American Gangsters, Outlaws and Lawmen, taking place in New Hampshire on Sunday.

Bonnie and Clyde’s exploits during the Great Depression earned them a place in American folklore.

Al Capone and Baby Face Nelson items are among others up for sale.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow gained notoriety for a string of bank robberies before law enforcement officers ambushed them in Louisiana on 23 May 1934.

Items taken from the car in which the couple died, Bonnie Parker’s cosmetics case and a host of photographs, were among items up for sale.

Bonnie Parker’s Colt Detective Special .38 revolver drew the highest bid, selling for $264,000.

Meanwhile Clyde Barrow’s 1911 Army Colt .45 pistol went for $240,000. His pocket watch sold for $36,000.

Retired history professor ER Milner says it is clear why the couple is still so intriguing.

“Americans and, I think, most people love a lover… and here [were] these young people in the midst of the worst depression in the history of the world striking a blow for what they thought was right – and loving one another.

“It was almost a Shakespearean tragedy on a dusty road in Louisiana.”

 

Venezuela election: huge Caracas rally for opposition candidate Henrique Capriles

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela election: huge Caracas rally for opposition candidate Henrique Capriles

More than 100,000 people gathered in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in support of opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.

Henrique Capriles criticized President Hugo Chavez for what he called a long list of unfulfilled promises.

He demanded justice for three opposition activists killed during a rally in Barinas state on Saturday.

Hugo Chavez addressed large crowds in Zulia state, promising to deepen socialism.

He told his supporters it was impossible to lose the 7 October election.

Henrique Capriles said the rally was the biggest Caracas had ever seen.

“Bolivar Avenue is too small for us,” he said, referring to one of the main city streets.

He also paid tribute to the three men who had died.

“Yesterday, sadly, violence took three lives, something that should never have happened,” Henrique Capriles said, in his last major rally in the capital before the election.

“I want to tell their families, and those angels in heaven, that we are going to defeat violence on 7 October.”

The three were named as Antonio Valero, Omar Fernandez and Hector Rojas.

An initial statement by the opposition First Justice Party on Saturday night reported two deaths.

It said a rally had been planned in Barinas, President Hugo Chavez’s home state, on Saturday but the road was blocked by government supporters.

When Antonio Valero and Omar Fernandez left their car to try to gain access, they were fired on by gunmen inside a van, it said.

“This tragedy gives us more strength and faith to fight for a Venezuela where justice and non-violence reign,” the First Justice Party said.

Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said in a message on Twitter that a suspect in the killings had already been arrested.

Hugo Chavez and Henrique Capriles are wrapping up their campaigns over the next few days.

Addressing tens of thousands of people in the town of Cabimas in the western Zulia state, President Chavez said he regretted the deaths and called for calm.

“It’s not with violence that we face off. It’s with votes, ideas, peace, so let’s not fall into provocations,” he said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

There have been other incidents of violence on the campaign trail. Supporters of both candidates threw stones at each other earlier this month when Henrique Capriles attempted to march through the city of Puerto Cabello.

And four people were injured in a shooting that erupted during a voting rehearsal at the beginning of September.

With violent crime a key concern for voters, there are fears that further violence could erupt in what has become Venezuela’s closest fought election in over a decade.

Hugo Chavez, who has been in power since 1999, was diagnosed with cancer last year.

More than 30 opposition parties have backed Henrique Capriles as a single candidate to challenge the leftist president.

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Mikheil Saakashvili faces election test in Georgia

Diane A. Wade
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Mikheil Saakashvili faces election test in Georgia

Voters in Georgia are going to the polls in an election regarded as President Mikheil Saakashvili’s biggest test since he came to power in 2003.

Opposition leader Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s richest man, accuses the president of acting undemocratically and trampling on people’s rights.

Mikheil Saakashvili says his opponent would allow Russia to dominate the former Soviet republic.

The president led the country in a short war with Russia in 2008.

He has sought to portray the election as a choice between his progressive Western-leaning government, and a future dominated by Russia.

“Tomorrow, our enemy has its last chance to turn us off our path of independence,” Mikheil Saakashvili said in a recorded address carried on state TV on Sunday.

“But I am confident that tomorrow our freedom-loving nation will take the ultimate and decisive step towards liberation from the pincers of the conqueror and towards integration into the house of Europe.”

The government’s reputation has taken a battering in recent weeks because of a prisoner-abuse scandal.

Videos broadcast on national television showed prison inmates being beaten and sexually abused by guards.

The scandal sparked street protests and has allowed Bidzina Ivanishvili to portray the government as high-handed and uncaring.

“This regime cannot be the leadership of our country. This system should collapse,” he told supporters of his Georgian Dream coalition at a rally on Saturday.

Analysts say the election is crucial because Georgia’s political system is being altered to give more power to parliament.

Mikheil Saakashvili’s second term as president ends next year, and he is constitutionally barred from standing again.

A parliamentary majority for his United National Movement could see him continue his domination of Georgian politics after he steps down.

Fist-fights are already a common feature of campaign meetings, and there are fears a dispute over the results could lead to violence.

 

Honey Boo Boo sports strappy silver heels as she joins her family for a shopping trip to Walmart

Lisa.Felice
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0
Honey Boo Boo sports strappy silver heels as she joins her family for a shopping trip to Walmart

Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson is only seven-year-old, but she is already used to wearing make-up and grown-up clothes when she takes part in child beauty pageants.

So it was no surprise that the pint-sized reality star stepped out in a pair of strappy silver heels as she joined her family for a family shopping trip to Walmart on Saturday.

Honey Boo Boo was joined by her mother June Shannon and three sisters at the store in Alabama before the young star made a public appearance at a nearby shopping mall.

Alana Thompson also wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “show off!” perhaps appropriate for the star, whose confident appearance on the TLC show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo! has made it a big hit with viewers.

Honey Boo Boo stepped out in a pair of strappy silver heels as she joined her family for a family shopping trip to Walmart
Honey Boo Boo stepped out in a pair of strappy silver heels as she joined her family for a family shopping trip to Walmart

Since its début in August, the show has averaged 2.3 million viewers per episode.

It topped all individual cable and network broadcasts of the Republican National Convention on August 19 getting a 1.3 rating with adults 18-49, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In fact, the network has already ordered a second season of the show, along with three holiday specials – dubbed “HOLLAday” special shows, celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with America.

Amy Winter, general manager of TLC, said: “Alana and her family have become a pop culture phenomenon.

“What you see is what you get, and we are excited to share even more of their unbridled hilarity, sincerity and love with our viewers.”

The programme focuses on the four sisters, along with Anna’s baby Kaitlyn and Honey Boo Boo’s father Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson.

For their trip to Walmart, the sisters all sported casual clothes, with baby Kaitlyn strapped to Honey Boo Boo’s front.

The family was without patriarch Sugar Bear who has recently been treated in hospital for a nasty leg infection.

“He is not getting his leg amputated, what it was he had a four wheeler wreck a couple weeks ago and his leg was badly bruised,” June Shannon revealed.

“Sugar Bear is a big baby, when he gets hurt he’s a big baby and he likes us to stay and when we have to leave he doesn’t like it.”

 

Princess Charlene of Monaco at South Africa Night Gala

Diane A. Wade
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Princess Charlene of Monaco at South Africa Night Gala

Princess Charlene of Monaco put the spotlight back on South Africa, hosting a lavish gala dinner in celebration of all things South African at the glitzy Monte Carlo Opera House on Saturday night.

Princess Charlene, 34, attended South Africa Night with her husband, Prince Albert, and other family members, including her father, Mike and brother, Gareth.

Resplendent in a black and gold lace dress and with a beaming Prince Albert on her arm, Charlene looked fresh-faced and happy as she mingled with guests at the glamorous event.

Proceeds from South Africa Night will go to Princess Charlene’s personal charity, the Princess Charlene Foundation, which aims to help women and children on five of the world’s seven continents.

The gala evening also kicked off a week of festivities called A Touch of Africa, which will focus on Princess Charlene’s home nation and run in and around Monte Carlo until the 6th October.

Guests at the event included former James Bond actor, Sir Roger Moore, while Swedish model Victoria Silvstedt was also in town for the event.

In true South African style, the gala included music from African favorite Johnny Clegg, whose rendition of popular hit, Asimbonanga, had the well-heeled crowd up on their feet and dancing the night away.

Performing alongside a troupe of Zulu dancers, Johnny Clegg carried a ritual staff and sang a medley of tracks from his latest album, Human.

“There is a crisis for music in South Africa,” Johnny Clegg told reporters ahead of the gala.

“These concerts are a wonderful way of promoting our country’s musicians.”

After entertainment in the opulent marble-floored, Salle Garnier, guests moved to the nearby Café de Paris for a private dinner on the terrace.

Billed as a “voyage of discovery into African gastronomy”, chefs Dobby Doolooa and Jean-Claude Brugel created a special menu for the event, focusing on South African classics – albeit with a Monégasque twist.

The Africa Night Gala capped what has so far been a highly successful year for Monaco’s Prince Albert and Princess Charlene.

After a rocky start to their marriage, the couple has adapted to wedded bliss and look more in love than ever.

 

Christina Aguilera fat: the singer opens up about her struggles with weight gain and record executives

Lisa.Felice
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0
Christina Aguilera fat: the singer opens up about her struggles with weight gain and record executives

Christina Aguilera has opened up about her struggles with weight and the pressure put on her by record industry executives to be skinny.

The Voice star told Billboard magazine: “During the promotion of Stripped in 2002 I got tired of being a skinny, white girl.”

Christina Aguilera, who has natural Latin curves, said: “I am Ecuadorian but people felt so safe passing me off as a skinny, blue-eyed white girl.”

“The next time my label saw me, I was heavier, darker and full of piercings!” the five-time Grammy Award winner laughed.

“Let me tell you, that wasn’t an easy pill for them to swallow. I had gained about 15 pounds during promotion and during my Stripped tour.”

“They called this serious emergency meeting about how there was a lot of backlash about my weight,” she said.

“Basically, they told me I would effect a lot of people if I gained weight – the production, musical directors.”

“[They claimed] people I toured with would also miss out if I gained weight because I would sell no records or tickets for my shows,” she adds.

“I was young, so I lost the weight quickly and was toothpick thin during Back to Basics promos and touring.”

But this year, older and wiser, Christina Aguilera was ready to hit back at music execs.

When it came to working on the soon to-be-released CD, Lotus, she told them: “You are working with a fat girl. Know it now and get over it.”

“They need a reminder sometimes that I don’t belong to them. It’s my body,” she said.

“My body can’t put anyone in jeopardy of not making money anymore – my body is just not on the table that way anymore.”

After the failure of her 2010 album Bionic, Christina Aguilera hopes that Lotus, in stores November 13, will mark a comeback.

“This album represents a celebration of the new me.

“And to me the lotus has always represented this unbreakable flower that withstands any harsh weather conditions in its surroundings.

“It withstands time and remains beautiful and strong throughout the years,” she said.

“I tried to infuse as much as I could to promote strength and inspire people with that message,” Christina Aguilera explained.

“And now I’m at a place at 31, where the last time I felt this way was when I was 21.. and I had a lot to say and a lot to express.”

 

Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy share lunch with Ashley Olsen at Sant Ambroeus in New York

Lisa.Felice
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Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy share lunch with Ashley Olsen at Sant Ambroeus in New York

Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy are still together after six months despite their twenty year age difference.

The pair shares a palatial East Village love nest bought by Olivier Sarkozy earlier this year.

And now it appears Ashley Olsen is embracing the couple’s relationship and welcoming Olivier Sarkozy into the fold.

Ashley Olsen was spotted sharing lunch with her sister and Olivier Sarkozy at upscale eatery Sant Ambroeus in New York City’s West Village on Saturday.

The fashionable trio caused a stir at the venue.

Olivier Sarkozy looked casual in plaid shirt and jeans, while 26-year-old Mary-Kate opted for an all black look of leather pants, boots and jacket, complimented with a flowing scarf.

Ashley Olsen blended in, looking relaxed in flats, jeans and a pink cashmere coat.

Meanwhile Olivier Sarkozy’s ex-wife Charlotte, whom he divorced last year, has branded his relationship with Mary-Kate Olsen as “grotesque”.

Yet by all appearances, the cavalier half-brother of former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy isn’t concerned with the criticism.

He appeared in a jovial mood as he chatted with assorted friends while smoking a cigarette outside the eatery.

Meanwhile, dating older men seems to run in the family for the pint-sized uber-rich actresses-turned-fashion designers.

Mary-Kate’s twin sister Ashley Olsen was 21 when she dated biking super star Lance Armstrong who was 36 at the time – a 15 year age difference.

Olivier Sarkozy is divorced and has two children with his ex-wife Charlotte, and he is the managing director of the Washington, D.C. based Carlyle Group.

Mary-Kate Olsen also has a history of dating high profile men.

She was linked romantically to Heath Ledger before his death and dated Greek shipping heir and Paris Hilton’s ex Stavros Niarchos.

 

Lindsay Lohan assaulted by GOP congressional staffer Christian LaBella

Lisa.Felice
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Lindsay Lohan assaulted by GOP congressional staffer Christian LaBella

Lindsay Lohan has accused Christian LaBella, a Republican Party staff member, of assaulting her at New York W Hotel last night.

Christian LaBella, 25, works for Illinois congressman John Shimkus and has been photographed with vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan.

Christian LaBella was accused of harassment after allegedly getting in a tussle with Lindsay Lohan at the W Hotel in Manhattan’s Union Square, when he is said to have punched her after she demanded he delete cellphone photos of her.

But he will not face any criminal charges, to the fury of the actress, who apparently regards the fact that Christian LaBella has escaped punishment as “distressing and outrageous”.

The 26-year-old actress was involved in an altercation with Christian LaBella after meeting him at a nightclub before bringing him back to her room where a group of her friends was present, according to NBC News 4.

An argument between Lindsay Lohan and Christian LaBella is believed to have stemmed over photos he took of the actress on his mobile phone while at the hotel.

Lindsay Lohan’s publicist Steve Honig issued a statement later on Sunday confirming: “Lindsay was assaulted early this morning in a New York hotel.

“While she did sustain some injuries, she was not hospitalized.

“The assailant was arrested and is currently in police custody. Lindsay has spoken with police and is fully cooperating with the investigation.”

Law enforcement officials interviewed both Lindsay Lohan and Christian LaBella and determined the accusations against him could not be substantiated. They said his arrest would be voided.

An NYPD spokesman said that both parties have filed harassment claims against each other.

Christian LaBella has his own connections to the famous and powerful – his aunt is comedian Heather McDonald, and he is employed as a staffer for Illinois GOP congressman John Shimkus.

On his Facebook page, he has posted images of himself posing with high-profile figures such as Mitt Romney’s running mate Paul Ryan and former presidential candidate Herman Cain.

He has also met reality superstar Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner in another encounter pictured on his Facebook profile.

Lindsay Lohan reportedly met the suspect at Manhattan’s popular 1OAK nightclub in the city’s Chelsea district.

She is said to have later taken him to her room on the 15th floor of the nearby W Hotel.

According to NBC New York, the actress saw photos of herself on Christian LaBella’s phone at approximately 4:30 a.m. and confronted him about the images.

The website, citing police sources, reports: “LaBella then threw her on the bed causing scratches on her hands.”

Lindsay Lohan is believed to have run out of the room before returning a short time later, at which point she told police he choked her, threw her to the ground and climbed on top of her.

A friend of the actress is believed to have pulled Christian LaBella off Lindsay Lohan, who then pulled the fire alarm for help, according to NBC.

Christian LaBella, originally from Woodlands Hill, California but now based in Washington DC, was later apprehended by police who filed a report on the alleged assault.

According to TMZ, Lindsay Lohan claims he had taken over 50 photos and video of her before the incident.

John Shimkus confirmed that Christian LaBella worked for him, but condemned the alleged assault.

A spokesman said: “Obviously, the Congressman does not condone his actions.”

Lindsay Lohan’s mother Dina told the Daily News that her daughter was “very shaken up” after the encounter, adding: “Thank God he didn’t have a weapon.”

The star’s publicist Steve Honig expressed her anger at learning her alleged attacker had not been charged, saying: “We think it’s both distressing and outrageous. Lindsay was assaulted and there needs to be a consequence for that.”

But Christian LaBella’s uncle Peter Jessop told the Daily News that Lindsay Lohan’s behavior was “shameful”, adding: “She’s using her celebrity to launch a full-scale witch hunt against him just to be relevant again.”

The alleged incident comes less than a week after Lindsay Lohan was rushed to hospital after suffering from a bad lung infection.

According to TMZ, Lindsay Lohan had suffered with a case of “walking pneumonia” but her condition apparently deteriorated, causing her to seek medical attention.

The actress was reportedly taken to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital where she received treatment, including antibiotics.

She was discharged shortly afterwards and is said to be recovering.

 

Afghanistan: suicide bomber kills at least 20 people in Khost

Roy Siemens
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Afghanistan: suicide bomber kills at least 20 people in Khost

A suicide bomber has killed at least 20 people, three of them NATO soldiers, in the eastern Afghan city of Khost, according to NATO and local officials.

NATO did not confirm the nationalities of the soldiers, but correspondents say US troops operate in the area.

The Taliban claimed the attack, which also killed 10 civilians, six police and an Afghan interpreter for NATO.

Witnesses said the attacker waited for the soldiers to leave their vehicles before detonating the bomb.

About 60 people were wounded in the attack, some critically.

“A suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted a joint patrol in Khost city in a crowded area,” the governor’s office said.

Khost, like other parts of eastern Afghanistan, has seen a dramatic rise in violence.

In June, a suicide bomber killed 21 people including three US troops and a local interpreter in the city.

The Taliban-affiliated Haqqani network regularly mount large-scale attacks and suicide bombings in the area.

Over the weekend, a shooting at a checkpoint in eastern Afghanistan took the US military’s death toll in the war past 2,000.

Three US soldiers and contractor were killed in the attack in Wardak province on Saturday, along with three Afghan soldiers.

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Recipe: Cheesy fondue potatoes with bacon

Nancy Clayson
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Recipe: Cheesy fondue potatoes with bacon

Try this simple dish that is baked in a single tray and will feed the whole family this weekend.

 

INGREDIENTS

900 g (2 lbs) floury potatoes, peeled

4 rashers smoked back bacon

25 g (1oz) butter

½ small onion, very finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, crushed

1 level tbsp cornflour

200 ml (7 fl oz) dry white wine

200 g (7 oz) Gruyère cheese, rind removed and coarsely grated

200 g (7 oz) Emmental cheese, rind removed and coarsely grated

Freshly grated nutmeg

Cheesy fondue potatoes with bacon
Cheesy fondue potatoes with bacon

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Boil the potatoes for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, slice. Dry-fry the bacon for 3-4 minutes until crisp, then snip into strips with scissors. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic, and cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until softened but not colored. In a small bowl mix the cornflour with 3 tablespoons of the wine until you have a creamy paste, then blend in the remaining wine and pour into the saucepan. Stir in both cheeses and grate over a little fresh nutmeg. Heat gently, whisking continuously until thick and creamy. Layer the potatoes, cheesy fondue and bacon into 2 small ovenproof dishes (or 1 large). Add another layer of each then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

 

Anime girl: Anastasiya Shpagina transformed herself into a living cartoon character

Kathryn R. Bown
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Anime girl: Anastasiya Shpagina transformed herself into a living cartoon character

With her enormous, glassy eyes, purple hair and coquettish pose, Anastasiya Shpagina could have stepped from the scene of a Japanese anime film.

Anime fan Anastasiya Shpagina has transformed herself into a living cartoon character, complete with miniature waist, vividly-colored hair, and a defined pout.

Originally from the Ukraine, the 19-year-old takes style inspiration from the cartoons and computer animations that have a huge following in Japan, and has even adopted a Japanese name – Fukkacumi.

Anime characters often feature huge eyes and heads that are disproportionately large in comparison to their body.

Anastasiya Shpagina, who is just 5 ft 2 ins tall, is already reported to have slimmed down to just over six stone in her attempts to resemble a living anime character, and is said to spend 30 minutes painstakingly applying her dramatic make-up to each one of her eyes.

Anime fan Anastasiya Shpagina has transformed herself into a living cartoon character
Anime fan Anastasiya Shpagina has transformed herself into a living cartoon character

It is thought Anastasiya Shpagina may go even further in her efforts to achieve her desired look, with some reports claiming she intends to undergo surgery on her eyes to make her resemble her anime idols even more closely.

The teenager, who has over 10,000 fans on Facebook, also posts videos on YouTube demonstrating how she applies her make-up.

One clip, in which Anastasiya Shpagina reveals to fans how she achieves her “flower fairy” look, has been watched more than 150,000 times.

Anastasiya Shpagina is not the first young girl to take style inspiration from the world of fantasy. American Dakota Rose – or Kota Koti – has been dubbed the ‘real-life Barbie’ thanks to her doe-eyed stare and dainty proportions.

The teenager has amassed a global audience by posting fashion and beauty tutorials on YouTube.

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