Iranian athlete Mehrdad Karam Zadeh refused to shake the Duchess of Cambridge’s hand after she presented him with his discus silver medal on Sunday.
The Royal was warmly received on the podium by Paralympic GB’s gold medal winner Aled Davies and Chinese bronze medallist Lezheng Wang – but when it was Mehrdad Karam Zadeh’s turn to step up, the 40-year-old failed to offer a hand to the Duchess, clutching them close to his chest.
His decision not to shake hands with the Duchess was likely to have been a result of Iranian cultural convention which bans such contact between unrelated men and women. The Duchess appeared to have been briefed on the situation, because she did not offer her hand either.
His decision not to shake her hand threatened to overshadow a glittering night for Paralympics GB, which enjoyed its most successful day of the Games so far with seven gold medals.
Iranian athlete Mehrdad Karam Zadeh refused to shake the Duchess of Cambridge's hand after she presented him with his discus silver medal on Sunday
The Iranian delegation in London have not been available to comment on the incident, but according to the Daily Telegraph, they have told Games organizers Mehrdad Karam Zadeh was not making a political statement.
It’s believed the athlete was merely conforming to Iranian cultural convention, forbidding men from shaking hands with unrelated women.
A spokesman for St. James’s Palace has revealed the Duchess was briefed beforehand and warned not to offer her hand to Mehrdad Karam Zadeh.
“Many male athletes from Islamic countries do not shake hands in public with women they are not related to for cultural and religious reasons,” the palace representative said.
The palace added Kate Middleton was “honored” to get the chance to present the medals, particularly to a British champion in Davies.
It’s not the first time the Iranian custom has caused controversy.
Last year the Iranian volleyball team had to apologize after several team members shook hands with a female referee after a game against Afghanistan.
The gesture provoked outrage and Iran’s state-owned media described the players’ behavior as “stunning and inappropriate”.
New reports have claimed that late singer Robin Gibb was investigated by the FBI after allegedly making death threats against his first wife’s divorce lawyer.
Robin Gibb separated from Molly Hullis in 1980 after 12 years of marriage and newly-released documents show just how ugly the split turned.
Staff at Haymon & Walters, the law firm representing Molly Hullis, reported Robin Gibb to authorities after receiving “numerous threatening telegrams from Gibb which threatened their lives”, the records show.
He told them he had hired a hitman to kill them, sparking a probe by investigators that could have led to jail.
Robin Gibb, who died from colon cancer in May, sent telegrams from his home in Miami, Florida to the law firm of Haymon & Walters.
In one, Robin Gibb wrote: “What you have done is just about the limit. I warned and warned you. The situation is now very serious. Know one (sic) walks all over me… I have had enough.”
He added: “I have taken out a contract on (name deleted by FBI). It is now a question of time.”
Robin Gibb was investigated by FBI after making death threats to ex-wife Molly Hullis' lawyer
The New York Post acquired the legal papers from the FBI after a Freedom of Information request following Robin Gibb’s death in May after a battle with liver and colon cancer.
They show that investigators considered taking further action and asking Western Union, who sent the telegrams, for further information.
Agents also discussed how to look into the allegations without tipping off Robin Gibb who was at the height of his fame with brothers Maurice and Robin after the success of the album Saturday Night Fever.
The matter was eventually dropped after Robin Gibb’s lawyers wrote to the FBI and said the singer “would not be foolish enough to carry out any threat, especially in view of his singing career”.
According to the New York Post, Robin Gibb’s accused his wife of tipping off the FBI in an attempt to embarrass the star as a negotiating tactic in their divorce.
Documents reveal that the FBI closed the file on Robin Gibb in March 1981 because Molly Hullis and her lawyers declined to press charges.
A spokesman for Gibb family said they had no comment to make.
Robin Gibb and Molly Hullis, who met when he was just 18, had two children by the time he was in his early 20s. But the marriage had began to fall apart when he became dependent on amphetamines to stay up recording.
In interviews before his death, he revealed he did not spend as much time with her as she wanted.
“She wanted more of a home and roots. Because of my nature and work, I needed to keep changing my environment,” he said.
As she raised their children in Surrey, England, he went on a one-night-stand rampage across the U.S., estimating he slept with more than 100 women.
“They were mostly a distraction, almost like notches on a belt,” he recalled.
After their bitter divorce and custody battle – where he was banned from seeing his children, Molly Hullis remained in the UK after their divorce while the Gibb brothers settled in Florida.
Robin Gibb married his second wife, artist and author Dwina Murphy, in 1985 and they went on to have a son. In 2008, his housekeeper Claire Yang gave birth to their love child.
Robin Gibb once revealed he and Dwina, who were married until his death, had an “open marriage” and she confirmed: “We have an open relationship. Robin has had flings with friends of mine and he talks to me about them.”
Jennie Garth recently split from her husband Peter Facinelli after 11 years of marriage.
And since the couple announced their break-up, Jennie Garth, 40, has lost a significant amount of weight, with many conceding that she may well be another victim of the “heartbreak diet”.
And the extent of her weight loss was all too evident over the weekend, when the actress slipped into a yellow bikini to party at the Palazzo Resort & Casino Labor Day Celebration in Las Vegas.
Jennie Garth revealed a slightly protruding ribcage as she bared her torso in her two-piece attire.
With hardly an inch to pinch on the star, the blonde beauty appears to be at her slimmest.
Jennie Garth has lost a significant amount of weight after the split, with many conceding that she may well be another victim of the heartbreak diet
The newly single star had a ball at the event, lapping up the attention she was getting from numerous muscle-bound hunks.
Jennie Garth appeared particularly enamored by one man who she was seen sitting next to on the ledge of the pool.
Flashing her wide smile, the pair chatted away as they enjoyed some refreshing drinks in the sun.
Jennie Garth stayed in the water for most of the day, dancing to tunes played by a DJ poolside and enjoying some girly time with friends.
At one point she took a break from the sun and hopped inside the DJ booth with fellow actor Danny Masterson, who had been spinning records throughout the day.
Earlier in the afternoon, Jennie Garth posed on the red-carpet wearing a sexy black crochet cover all over her yellow bikini.
Jennie Garth’s daughters – 15-year-old Luca, nine-year-old Lola and five-year-old Fiona – are in Hawaii with their father, Peter Facinelli, so the former 90210 star is enjoying some grown up time.
The newly single mother-of-three just began dating photographer Noah Abrams, who’s shot for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Sports Illustrated, and GQ.
According to People Magazine, Noah Abrams, 33, hunk is currently directing a documentary about the Black Keys and compared the project to “a buddy comedy with the greatest soundtrack of all time” in Spin Magazine.
The flirty pair was spotted leaving a movie at Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood while holding hands and laughing last week.
Freddie Mercury, the iconic Queen frontman, becomes an “honorary member of the Angry Birds family” on September 3.
Freddie For A Day and Rovio Entertainment have made a partnership to start the week in which the legendary singer’s memory is celebrated with Freddie For A Day on his birthday, September 5.
“Freddie for a Day is such a great way to honor Freddie’s fun and flamboyant spirit while delivering an important message, and we’re delighted to be supporting them in our own Angry Birds style. Queen’s music has endured for a reason, because its creativity and contagious fun appeals to fans of all ages, and we’re happy to help keep Freddie’s memory and music alive for new generations of fans,” said Peter Vesterbacka, Rovio CMO.
Angry Birds join Freddie For A Day by releasing an animation of Freddie the Angry Bird.
The Finnish creators of Angry Birds release a video that presents an all-new animation of Freddie the Angry Bird, riding his bicycle to the track “Bicycle Race,” 1978 Queen hit.
The partnership includes also a limited-edition Freddie Mercury Angry Bird T-shirts, available at Angry Birds and Bravado web stores.
Tonight Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor are hosting a special Freddie For A Day fundraising evening in London at the Savoy.
This is the second year when friends, artists, celebrities are gathering to honor Freddie Mercury and raise funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust – Fighting AIDS Worldwide.
Now into its third year, Freddie For A Day, is an annual event, created by Liz Swanton, the web editor of the Mercury Phoenix Trust. She raised over £1,200 by spending a working day dressed as Freddie. Note that she is a City of London Banker in real life.
Everyone who loves Freddie or who wants to help raising funds can be Freddie for a day. All they have to do is to decide what to wear: the famous moustache, aviator sunglasses, or a full sparkly body leotard. And the options do not end here.
Born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946, Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991, from AIDS complications.
His popularity has grown even more after his death and he is still honored around the world. Two of his songs, “We Are the Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody“, have been voted as the greatest song of all time in major polls by Sony Ericsson and Guinness World Records. At the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Queen‘s “We Will Rock You” with solo artist Jessie J was opened with a video of Freddie Mercury from 1986’s Wembley Stadium performance. The audience was full of enthusiasm.
Freddie Mercury, the legendary Queen frontman. Two of his songs, We Are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody have been voted the greatest songs of all time.
The Mercury Phoenix Trust was founded in 1992 by Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor and Queen manager Jim Beach to distribute money raised from the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS awareness. According to their website, since then, the Trust has raised over $15 million to help in the fight against AIDS worldwide. www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com
Angry Birds join Freddie For A Day by releasing an animation of Freddie the Angry Bird. (video)
Ireland Baldwin, the teenage daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, had some stylish shots of her on a snowboard.
Despite the impossibly hot temperatures soaring to 32°C, the showbiz offspring worked herself up into a sweat doing stunts on her snowboard.
Ireland Baldwin, 16, sensibly opted for a bikini top to keep cool and wriggling into a pair of teeny weeny white shorts that were barely visible as she hopped around on her board.
The frayed denim cutoffs were paired with a patriotic stars and stripes cap.
Ireland Baldwin, the teenage daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, had some stylish shots of her on a snowboard
And Ireland Baldwin wasn’t afraid to get mucky in her little ensemble.
She obviously got a few bumps as later she tweeted: “Best remedy to heal scrapes and cuts fast? Best remedy to make bruises fade? #help.”
Ireland Baldwin has been reflecting of late, tweeting a series of positive mottos.
She wrote: “Never let ANYONE use you. Your <<good friend>> should be looking out for you just as much as you look out for and support them. #realtalk.
“Im (sic) turning over a new leaf… Fresh slate. No anger nor hate towards anyone. Just sending happy and healthy vibes.”
Perhaps Ireland Baldwin is referencing new addition to the family, stepmother and Alec’s new wife Hilaria.
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin tied the knot in a New York ceremony in June.
However, the girls seem to have bonded, gushing to one another via the social networking site.
Hilaria wrote: “I miss @IrelandBBaldwin”, to which Ireland replied, “@HilariaBaldwin don’t forget to text me every day… And pack my lunches and tuck me in.”
Experts have warned that gym supplements are often doing more harm than good.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) says high levels of additional protein can cause side effects.
These can included nausea as well as kidney and liver damage.
They want clearer warnings about what is in the powders and tablets.
Manufacturers say consumers are well protected with only 11 reported reactions in 11 years.
“The more protein in your diet the more you have to get rid of.”
Experts have warned that gym supplements are often doing more harm than good
Jane Griffin is a former British Olympic dietician and speaks for the BDA.
“People who have these high protein diets are now running into problems with their kidneys because of the amount of protein they must get rid of.”
The body needs protein for muscle growth and many gym goers use it to try to get bigger quickly.
Gym supplements come under food law so although they have to be labelled properly what is in them can vary.
They are different to medicines which legally have to ensure contents are more specific.
Euromonitor, who research the market size of products, estimate that the sports supplement industry grew 15% last year.
They think one in five people who go to the gym more than twice a week use supplements that can come in the form of powders and bars.
British Department of Health advises adults to avoid consuming more than twice the recommended daily intake of protein (55.5 g for men and 45 g for women).
Most adults will take this in during their normal daily meals.
There have been warnings before, most recently from the food standards agency, who advise people not to take gym supplements containing DMAA.
The stimulant was being sold in some pre-workout and “fat-burning” shakes.
The BDA argue there is now evidence to show excess levels of additional protein taken over a long time can cause health problems.
They believe people can get enough protein naturally from things like chicken and milk.
Richard Cook is 22 and a student from Chesterfield. He has been taking supplements for four years but says he had a bad reaction to one of them.
“It felt like I was on drugs. I was shaking and I got angry. It also had an effect on my girlfriend who didn’t want to be around me when a had taken it.”
Although he still takes protein and creatine gym supplements he says he has cut down from seven to four shakes a day.
“I started thinking to myself, with this one product, why am I taking it when I feel terrible?”
The Health Food Manufacturers’ Association, who represent the supplement industry, says compared to other foods or medicines, gym supplements have an enviable record.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the new UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, has given a deeply pessimistic view of the task ahead of him, as he takes up his new post.
In a recent interview with BBC, the veteran Algerian diplomat described his mission as “nearly impossible”.
Lakhdar Brahimi was appointed after his predecessor, Kofi Annan, resigned, saying he no longer saw a way to fulfill his mission after his peace plan failed to achieve a meaningful ceasefire.
Fighting in Syria has been escalating.
In the latest – still unconfirmed – incident, opposition activists say a warplane killed as many as 18 people in a single strike in Aleppo province.
Activists say 20,000 people have died since the uprising against the Syrian government began last March.
On Sunday, the pro-rebel Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 5,000 people were killed in August alone.
The conflict has increasingly come to resemble a full-scale civil war, forcing an estimated one million Syrians from their homes.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the new UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, has given a deeply pessimistic view of the task ahead of him, as he takes up his new post
Last month, the United Nations wound up the observer mission that had been tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Syria under the six-point peace plan negotiated by Mr Annan.
“I’m coming into this job with my eyes open, and no illusions,” said Lakhdar Brahimi.
“I know how difficult it is – how nearly impossible. I can’t say impossible – [it is] nearly impossible.”
With few people believing that Lakhdar Brahimi can do much, it seems he sees his job as keeping expectations low.
Lakhdar Brahimi is expected to visit Syria and meet President Bashar al-Assad on 8 September.
The spokesman for the Syrian foreign ministry, Jihad Makdissi, said Syria would “give Brahimi all that he needs to make his mission a success for the interest of the country”.
A former Algerian foreign minister, Lakhdar Brahimi has also held a series of key UN appointments, including that of UN envoy to Afghanistan and mediator of the peace deal that ended the Lebanese civil war.
Analysts say he has a formidable reputation at the UN and his appointment has been widely welcomed.
But Lakhdar Brahimi admitted to some trepidation about his new mission, saying he could understand those frustrated with the lack of international action in Syria.
“I’m scared of the weight of responsibility. People are already saying: <<People are dying and what are you doing?>>
“And we are not doing much. That in itself is a terrible weight.”
Lakhdar Brahimi said he had so far failed to see “any cracks” in the “brick wall” that had defeated Mr Annan – an “intransigent” Syrian government, escalating rebel violence and a paralyzed UN Security Council, where China and Russia have vetoed several resolutions aimed at putting pressure on Damascus.
He said he would keep Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan – now seen by many as irrelevant – in his “tool box” for possible adaptation, but admitted he “had ideas, but no plan yet”, apart from talking to as many people as possible.
Addressing the Syrian government, he said the need for political change in Syria was “fundamental and urgent”, but – as he has previously – refused to be drawn on whether President Bashar al-Assad should step down, as the opposition and several Western leaders are demanding.
“Change cannot be cosmetic,” he said.
“There will be a new order, but I do not know who will be the people in the order. That’s for Syrians to decide.”
He also sought to keep a distance between himself and the rebels, who have criticized him for his cautious stance.
“Please remember I am not joining your movement,” he said.
“I am working for two international organizations, the United Nations and the Arab League, and I do not speak the same language as you.”
Lakhdar Brahimi’s comments came after another day of violence inside Syria on Sunday.
In Damascus, an explosion hit a district where major military and security compounds are located, reports say.
State TV described the blast – involving two bombs – as “terrorism” and said four people had been lightly injured.
Activists said more than 100 people were killed on Sunday, at least 25 of them in the village of al-Fan near Hama, when it was stormed by government forces.
Many of the 25, all men, were killed by army shelling, activist groups said, but they named at least nine who they said had been summarily executed in their homes by government forces or militia.
State television said security forces had attacked what it called an armed terrorist group in the area, killing all of them.
Rebels and government forces have been involved in a fierce battle for Damascus since July.
The building affected was a base for officers guarding the joint chiefs of staff offices nearby but was empty at the time, officials said.
Bomb attacks in Damascus and the largest city, Aleppo, have become increasingly frequent in recent months, with the authorities often blaming them on “armed terrorist gangs”.
Ethiopia has decided to build a mausoleum to commemorate the life of former leader Meles Zenawi, who was buried on Sunday.
Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the building would include a library and an exhibition of Meles Zenawi’s life and achievements.
Thousands of people, including dozens of foreign leaders and dignitaries, attended Sunday’s funeral.
The ex-prime minister died last month in Brussels after 21 years in power.
The cause of the 57-year-old’s death has not been announced.
Meles Zenawi was praised for bringing development to Ethiopia, which has long been associated with hunger and famine.
Ethiopia has decided to build a mausoleum to commemorate the life of former leader Meles Zenawi, who was buried on Sunday
However, he was criticized for cracking down on opposition parties, the media and civil society groups.
The government has also set up a website in his honor.
Meles Zenawi’s flag-draped coffin was carried from his palace in the capital Addis Ababa to the city’s Meskel Square for a ceremony, then buried at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Leaders including South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, Benin Boni Yayi representing the African Union and US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice praised Meles Zenawi.
“He wasn’t just brilliant, he wasn’t just a relentless negotiator and a formidable debater, he wasn’t just a thirsty consumer of knowledge – he was uncommonly wise, able to see the big picture and the long game, even when others would allow immediate pressures to overwhelm sound judgement,” said Susan Rice.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates also attended the funeral, as did Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir – who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court on several counts of war crimes.
Meles Zenawi was a close Western ally and twice sent troops into neighboring Somalia to tackle Islamist militants.
Hailemariam Desalegn is to remain prime minister until the next elections, due in 2015.
Meles Zenawi:
• Emerged from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which carried out armed struggle against communist military regime in 1970s and 1980s
• Became president in a transitional government in 1991 and then prime minister in 1995
• Married another TPLF veteran, Azeb Mesfin, and had three children
• Under his leadership, a closed and secretive country gradually opened to the outside world
• But reputation tarnished in 2000s amid increasing repression in Ethiopia
Internal emails sent by the promoters of Michael Jackson’s planned 2009 comeback concerts saw them voice concerns over his stability and health.
In one email, sent the day Michael Jackson appeared in London to announce his This Is It shows, he was described as “an emotionally paralyzed mess”.
“[Jackson] is locked in his room drunk and despondent,” AEG’s Randy Phillips told company president Tim Leiweke.
The message was in 250 pages of emails obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
Internal emails sent by the promoters of Michael Jackson's planned 2009 comeback concerts saw them voice concerns over his stability and health
Randy Phillips told his boss he would try to “sober him [Jackson] up” ahead of a press conference at the 02 arena on 5 March, 2009.
Michael Jackson eventually made a five-minute appearance that day in front of hundreds of screaming fans, 90 minutes later than scheduled.
Lawyers for AEG said most of the correspondence was produced as discovery in ongoing litigation and did not give a complete picture of events.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the emails are likely to feature in two legal actions set to come to trial next year.
Lloyd’s of London, the shows’ insurers, are seeking to nullify a $17.5 million policy, claiming AEG made false claims about Jackson’s health and readiness to perform.
In a separate action, Michael Jackson’s heirs have accused the Anschutz Entertainment Group of pressuring the singer to carry on with the comeback despite indications he was too weak.
Numerous emails show Lloyd’s of London unsuccessfully seeking access to five years of Michael Jackson’s medical records.
A Lloyd’s underwriter wrote that repeated requests for written records were “always” met “with no response”.
Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Last November his personal physician, Conrad Murray, was convicted of his involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in jail.
Catch all the color and excitement as millions of Brooklynites & New Yorkers line up along Eastern Parkway for the Brooklyn Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 3, 2012.
This year, the West Indian American Day Parade & Carnival celebrates its 45th anniversary as it continues to enjoy the distinction of being New York City’s biggest cultural festivals by far.
As in the past, count on crowds to be waving flags from Trinidad, Barbados, Grenada and other Caribbean nations in a joyful expression of ethnic heritage & cultural pride.
This year, the West Indian American Day Parade & Carnival celebrates its 45th anniversary as it continues to enjoy the distinction of being New York City's biggest cultural festivals by far
Everyone’s invited to take part in the spectacle of thousands of marchers in colorful costumes “jumpin” down the parade route to the sounds of reggae and calypso.
A special added-attraction: the aromas of native foods like Jamaican jerk chicken, Bajan fried flying fish, and other soul-satisfying treats at the city’s biggest street festival.
A new research has found that coconut oil attacks the bacteria behind tooth decay and could be used in dental care products.
Scientists found that coconut oil which had been treated with enzymes stopped the growth of Streptococcus bacteria – a major cause of tooth decay.
Tooth decay affects 60% to 90% of children in industrialized countries.
Speaking at the Society for General Microbiology’s conference, the Irish researchers say that coconut oil also attacks the yeast which causes thrush.
The research team from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland tested the impact of coconut oil, vegetable oil and olive oil in their natural states and when treated with enzymes, in a process similar to digestion.
The oils were then tested against Streptococcus bacteria which are common inhabitants of the mouth.
A new research has found that coconut oil attacks the bacteria behind tooth decay and could be used in dental care products
Only the enzyme-modified coconut oil showed an ability to inhibit the growth of most strains of the bacteria.
It also attacked Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium which is a major cause of tooth decay.
It is thought that the breaking down of the fatty coconut oil by the enzymes turns it into acids which are active and effective against bacteria.
Previous research found that enzyme-modified milk could stop Streptococcus mutans from binding to tooth enamel.
Researchers now want to look at how coconut oil interacts with Streptococcus bacteria at the molecular level and which other strains of harmful bacteria it can inhibit.
Dr. Damien Brady, who led the research at the Athlone Institute of Technology with Patricia Hughes, a Masters student, said coconut oil could be an attractive alternative to chemical additives.
“It works at relatively low concentrations.
“Also, with increasing antibiotic resistance, it is important that we turn our attention to new ways to combat microbial infection.”
Their studies are also looking into the workings of antibacterial activity in the human gut.
“Our data suggests that products of human digestion show antimicrobial activity. This could have implications for how bacteria colonize the cells lining the digestive tract and for overall gut health,” said Dr. Damien Brady.
The annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon that for years featured Jerry Lewis was not broadcasted this year in Joplin, Missouri.
The program was a staple of local television coverage for decades over the Labor Day weekend.
Local programming, shown on KODE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Joplin, has been broadcast from Cycle Connection in Joplin for the past 12 years.
Nancy Hutson, owner of Cycle Connection and a longtime supporter of the MDA benefit, said local organizers of the telethon were notified in May by the national association that a telethon would not be held in Joplin this year.
“They are going to hold one in Springfield, but we were told the Joplin market is just too small,” she said.
The annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon that for years featured Jerry Lewis was not broadcasted this year in Joplin, Missouri
Nancy Hutson stressed that local MDA supporters may contribute at firefighter boot blocks this weekend in Carthage, Webb City and Neosho, among other places. Carl Junction is not planning on holding a boot block. The annual MDA Ride for Life, one of the major local fundraisers for the organization, was held in July.
“This is the money that funds our clinic with Mercy Health System and helps us provide the services the local families need,” Nancy Hutson said.
“These boot blocks also were a big part of the telethon.”
Before it was held at Cycle Connection, the telethon had been held at the former John Q. Hammons Trade Center. Before that, it was held at the KODE studios.
“What’s happening now is that there are so many other things to watch on television on so many more channels over the Labor Day weekend that we are finding it incredibly difficult to get people to call in,” Nancy Hutson said.
“It’s much different now than in the 1950s when this thing started and there were only three options for watching television. The times change, but the needs don’t change.”
The amount of money that has been raised locally during the telethon is well into the millions of dollars, Nancy Hutson said. In 1987, the tote board had a goal of $135,000. Last year, that goal was $600,000.
The telethon dates to the 1950s, when the Jerry Lewis Thanksgiving Party for MDA raised funds for the association’s New York City area operations. The Labor Day weekend show has originated from Las Vegas for 28 of the 46 years it has aired.
The annual Muscular Dystrophy Association television fundraiser goes a new way Sunday, with a different title and featuring three hours of taped appearances by entertainers including country music star Carrie Underwood, pop singer Gavin DeGraw, alternative pop group OneRepublic, Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am and songstress Carole King.
The renamed MDA Show of Strength was pre-produced and taped in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, Tennessee, said association spokeswoman Roxan Olivas in Tucson, Ariz.
It was set to show on various TV and cable channels in 150 markets around the country from 7:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central and Mountain time and 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time.
The renamed MDA Show of Strength was pre-produced and taped in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville
There won’t be a traditional tote board, and Roxan Olivas said some cities will have local hosts. But the overall event will urge national phone, text and online pledges toward funding efforts to find treatments and cures for neuromuscular diseases.
The annual MDA Labor Day weekend telethon ended a 45-year run last year with comedian and longtime host Jerry Lewis, who turned 86 in March and lives in Las Vegas.
Jerry Lewis was part of a comedy duo with Dean Martin and became a film icon with antics and characters including the The Nutty Professor.
He went on to become synonymous with the Labor Day MDA telethon after starting it in 1966 with a marathon 22-hour show at a single TV station in New York.
Jerry Lewis was MDA national chairman from the early 1950s to 2011, and is credited with raising more than $1.6 billion over the years. He was nominated in 1977 for a Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the telethon and muscular dystrophy relief.
The event moved to Las Vegas in 1973, and had stints in Los Angeles before moving back to Las Vegas.
Despite Jerry Lewis’ absence, telethon officials last year reported raising $61.5 million in a six-hour show with several hosts. A silent montage of Jerry Lewis film clips was shown, but he didn’t take part in person or tape his signature song, You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Self-styled messiah Rev. Sun Myung Moon, whose Unification Church became famous for marrying thousands of people in a single ceremony, has died, aged 92.
Sun Myung Moon set up the Church, popularly known as the Moonies, in the 1950s in the South Korean capital, Seoul.
He attracted huge publicity through mass weddings, and his claims to be the new messiah chosen by God.
Sun Myung Moon was also a fervent anti-Communist and set up newspapers and media businesses around the world.
Self-styled messiah Rev. Sun Myung Moon, whose Unification Church became famous for marrying thousands of people in a single ceremony, has died, aged 92
Church officials told the Associated Press news agency that Moon died on Monday at a hospital near his home in Gapyeong, north-east of Seoul.
He had been admitted to the hospital, which is owned by the Church, two weeks ago suffering from pneumonia.
The Church became notorious in the 1960s and 70s, often being accused of brainwashing members, breaking up families and lining Moon’s pockets.
He denied the allegations, but had to spend 11 months in jail after being convicted of tax evasion in 1982.
Sun Myung Moon owned large and lavish properties in the US, founded the Washington Times newspaper and ran arms factories in South Korea.
Michelle Obama has launched yet another incentive to try to slim down the U.S. as part of her Let’s Move campaign.
Tips from the First Lady and healthy living fanatic include to “steer clear of the cookie, snack and soda aisle” in a “supermarket shopping 101” cheat sheet on the letsmove.gov website.
Michelle Obama offers suggestions on the best times to shop, how to work your way around a store and a five-night meal plan with downloadable recipes.
“By always heading to the essential areas of the store first, you’ll train yourself to form a shopping pattern that’s healthier, and, in time, will get you in and out of the store faster,” Michelle Obama writes.
Michelle Obama has launched yet another incentive to try to slim down the US as part of her Let's Move campaign
She warns: “Whenever you decide to shop, just don’t do it on an empty stomach, hunger pangs will tempt you to stray from your shopping list.”
But if you can’t resist a snack, the First Lady has a few options for healthy treats to satisfy the craving, giving the green light to plain popcorn, frozen edamame, nuts, dried fruit, low-fat yogurt, hummus and raw veggies or salsa and baked tortilla chips.
Michelle Obama recommends buying in bulk, taking advantage of sales and keeping an eye on what’s in season.
Shoppers are also advised to opt for packaged food with short ingredient lists, paying close attention to exactly what is in it.
Michelle Obama’s shopping guidance appeared among a series of articles published on ivillage.com when she was guest editor.
She shared her personal experiences of being the primary shopper in her family before they moved to the White House, crediting a “flexible work schedule” for allowing her to seek out the best stores for healthy bargains.
“I am an absolute list person,” she said.
“And I actually enjoy the efficiency of the list because it also keeps me from buying stuff that we didn’t need. I had my path through the grocery store and I would make my list based on the path that I took.”
Michelle Obama continued: “I would start in the frozen -no, I would go over to the far right aisle in Dominick’s and work my way up.
“And the last thing I would do was the produce section and get all the vegetables and fruits and all that, and then get right into the line. And I stayed on the outer aisle.”
“And if you stay at the outer aisles you try to avoid going in and getting the processed, packaged foods.”
South African prosecutors have decided to provisionally drop murder charges against 270 miners at Lonmin Marikana platinum mine whose colleagues were shot dead by police.
The charges cannot be dismissed formally until the end of the inquiry, but prosecutors said all detained miners would be freed.
Local authorities used a controversial apartheid-era law to accuse the miners of provoking police to open fire.
Miners were demanding a huge pay rise and recognition of a new union.
The killings, at the Marikana mine, owned by Lonmin, shocked the nation.
State prosecutors charged 270 miners with murder under the “common purpose” doctrine.
South African prosecutors have decided to provisionally drop murder charges against 270 miners at Lonmin Marikana platinum mine
The rule was used by the white-minority apartheid regime to crack down on its black opponents, and at the time was opposed by the now governing African National Congress.
Lawyers had asked President Jacob Zuma to reverse the decision.
But he said in a statement earlier that he would not intervene in the case.
Acting national director of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba held a news conference on Sunday to announce the charges would be scrapped.
“Final charges will only be made once all investigations have been completed,” she said.
“The murder charges against the current 270 suspects will be formally withdrawn provisionally in court.”
She said those whose addresses have been verified by police would be released on Monday, and the rest would remain in custody until their next court appearance on Thursday.
The decision has salvaged some of the government’s credibility.
But the government will have to make sure that the miners co-operate with the judge-led commission of inquiry that was set up by Jacob Zuma to investigate the 16 August shootings.
South African media reports suggest some of the mine workers have decided to hold their own inquiry into the killings, which would create more embarrassment for Jacob Zuma.
On Friday, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe said the charges had “induced a sense of shock, panic and confusion” in the public and demanded a report from state prosecutors to explain their rationale.
Police said they opened fire on the strikers at Marikana after being threatened by a crowd of protesters who advanced towards them, armed with machetes.
The 270 miners, six of whom remain in hospital, were arrested during the protests.
They were charged on Thursday, with the prosecutors arguing they were part of the crowd whose actions provoked the police into opening fire.
No police officers have been charged over the deaths because a judicial inquiry and an internal police review are under way, but these are expected to take several months to complete.
The strike turned violent before the police shooting, with the deaths of 10 people including two police officers and two security guards who were hacked to death.
The protests were triggered by demands for a huge pay rise and recognition of a new union.
Talks are continuing to resolve the dispute, which has shut the mine for the past three weeks.
Pakistani Imam Khalid Chishti has been remanded in custody, accused of planting pages of the Koran among burnt pages in the bag of a Christian girl held for blasphemy.
The girl was detained two weeks ago near the capital Islamabad after an angry mob demanded she be punished.
Prosecutors say Imam Khalid Chishti will himself face charges of blasphemy.
The girl, named as Rimsha, is said to be about 14 and to have learning difficulties.
Imam Khalid Chishti has been remanded in custody, accused of planting pages of the Koran among burnt pages in the bag of a Christian girl held for blasphemy
Imam Khalid Chishti allegedly told a witness, after tampering with the girl’s bag, that this was a “way of getting rid of Christians”, a prosecutor said.
The case has sparked international condemnation.
Earlier this week, a court extended Rimsha’s detention at a maximum-security prison by a further two weeks.
Her father has said he fears for his daughter’s life and for the safety of his family. He has called on Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to pardon her.
Rimsha’s parents have been taken into protective custody following threats, and many other Christian families have fled the neighborhood.
Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws are often used to settle personal vendettas, correspondents say.
Last year two leading politicians were assassinated after speaking out against the legislation.
Imam Khalid Chishti appeared in the Islamabad court with a white blindfold and shackled hands.
There was a large police presence as he was ushered into the building.
“The imam was arrested after his deputy Maulvi Zubair and two others told a magistrate he added pages from the Koran to the burnt pages brought to him by a witness,” an investigator Munir Hussain Jaffri said.
He said Maulvi Zubair and some others had told the imam not to interfere, urging him to “give the evidence to the police as he got it”.
According to Munir Hussain Jaffri, Imam Khalid Chishti had told them: “You know this is the only way to expel the Christians from this area.”
The investigator said the cleric had been arrested at his home on Saturday under Pakistan’s blasphemy law.
“By putting these pages in the ashes he also committed desecration of the Holy Koran and he is being charged with blasphemy,” he said.
The girl’s lawyer told AFP news agency that Rimsha “should be acquitted immediately”, as it had been “fully proven that it was a conspiracy”.
Richard Bach, author of 1970s short novel Jonathan Livingston Seagull, has been seriously injured in a plane crash.
Richard Bach, 76, was reportedly trying to land his small plane on San Juan island in Washington state when he hit power lines and got trapped in the cockpit.
Local media reported that a group of holidaymakers had to cut him free.
Richard Bach was reportedly trying to land his small plane on San Juan island in Washington state when he hit power lines and got trapped in the cockpit
Richard Bach’s son, James, said his father was flying alone and suffered a head injury and broken shoulder.
The author is known to be a keen aviator.
“Right now we’re waiting for the sedation to wear off, for him to fully wake up,” James Bach told the Associated Press news agency.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull, published in 1970, is a fable telling the story of a bird that is guided through spiritual lessons.
The book, a bestseller made into a film in 1973, gave Richard Bach a loyal following.
Experts have found that couples who leap into bed together on the first date are less likely to have long and happy relationships.
A study looking at the effects of sex before marriage has found it is better not to, with early sexual satisfaction stunting the development of key ingredients of a healthy relationship, including caring and understanding.
Researchers from Cornell University in New York say it is better to abstain early on in a courtship or build up a gradual sexual relationship.
Experts have found that couples who leap into bed together on the first date are less likely to have long and happy relationships
The research, reported in The Independent On Sunday, is the first of its kind, and concluded: “Precocious, premarital sexual activities may have lasting effects on relationship quality.
“Courtship is a time for exploration and decision-making about the relationship, when partners assess compatibility, make commitments and building on emotional and physical intimacy.
“The postponement of sexual involvement is associated with higher levels of relationship quality.”
The study asked 600 couples, all with woman under the age of 45, to score areas of their relationships, including commitment, intimacy, sexual satisfaction, communication and conflict.
The results were much higher for women when sex was delayed for one month, while scores for the men followed a similar trend but the differences were not as great.
The Muscular Dystrophy Telethon is must-see TV watching during the Labor Day weekend, an end-of-summer tradition in the U.S. since it first began in New York City in 1954.
Now an entertainment extravaganza airing live from Los Angeles, the show for many years featured the much-loved actor and comedian Jerry Lewis rallying public support in the battle to combat muscular dystrophy, a crippling disease which currently has no known cure.
In a major announcement last year, it was revealed that after more than four decades the 85-year-old Jerry Lewis would be stepping down as the major host for the show.
As Jerry Lewis himself would say, “the show must go on” as 2012 marks the 47th Annual Labor Day Telethon.
With last year’s shakeup continuing to reverberate, the MDA announced in February that the 2012 telethon would be cut short from last year’s already curtailed 6 hours to 3 hours this year – beginning at 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, September 2.
As usual, the 2012 MDA telethon will be broadcast on some 160 “Love Network” television stations across the country and viewed on the Internet via streaming video at www.mda.org.
In a major announcement last year, it was revealed that after more than four decades Jerry Lewis would be stepping down as the major host for MDA Labor Day Telethon show
MDA Labor Day Telethon Stars
In 2012, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan are lending their time and talents to the MDA Labor Day Telethon, redubbed this year as “MDA Show of Strength.”
Other artists participating in the three-hour telecast include Gavin DeGraw, Alanis Morissette, Paula Abdul, Hot Chelle Rae, Carole King, OneRepublic and Jesse McCartney, among others. The show will include performances from Nashville, Hollywood and New York, as well as celebrity appearances by Khloe Kardashian Odom, Nancy O’Dell and Alison Sweeney.
Nationwide, the telethon usually creates an outpouring of support from a big-hearted American public who in 2011 helped raise more than $61 million in pledges & contributions for both service and research programs of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Will 2012 prove to be another record-breaking year for muscular dystrophy research and support? Stay tuned…
Muscular Dystrophy Telethon TV Stations in Major Cities:
Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan are lending their time and talents to the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the 2012 Labor Day Telethon.
The country music superstars will all participate in the annual MDA Labor Day Telethon, called MDA Show of Strength, on September 2.
Other artists participating in the three-hour telecast include Gavin DeGraw, Alanis Morissette, Paula Abdul, Hot Chelle Rae, Carole King, OneRepublic and Jesse McCartney, among others. The show will include performances from Nashville, Hollywood and New York, as well as celebrity appearances by Khloe Kardashian Odom, Nancy O’Dell and Alison Sweeney, among others. In addition, six families who have a personal connection to muscular dystrophy will share stories of strength, revealing how they have coped with such a debilitating disease.
Luke Bryan is lending his time and talent to the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the 2012 Labor Day Telethon, now MDA Show of Strength
“We couldn’t be more excited about the show and the incredible talent we have lined up this year,” says MDA Interim President Valerie Cwik, M.D.
“MDA is in business to save and enhance lives. Our show will both entertain and urge the American public to answer the call to support critically important research and services for more than a million Americans affected by neuromuscular diseases.”
MDA Show of Strength will air September 2 at 7:00 PM ET on MDA’s Love Network of more than 150 stations across the country, as well as on the MDA website.
The White House has decided to release details of one of its most closely guarded secrets – the recipe for President Barack Obama’s home-brewed honey ale.
The beer is believed to be the first-ever made at the White House.
The recipe was kept under wraps until 13,000 people signed an online petition demanding to know it, and someone even filed a freedom of information request.
Barack Obama has been taking the beer with him on the campaign trail, and is said to be known to offer it to voters.
For weeks, the White House had refused to comment on the recipe, but the secret was finally aired in a blog post entitled “Ale to the Chief”.
The White House has decided to release details of one of its most closely guarded secrets, the recipe for Barack Obama's home-brewed honey ale
The long-awaited special ingredients include: light malt extract, amber crystal malt, honey, gypsum, yeast and corn sugar.
“With public excitement about White House beer fermenting such a buzz, we decided we better hop right to it,” says the White House’s assistant chef Sam Kass, who brews the ale.
Although Sam Kass is the brewer, the White House stressed that it was Barack Obama who bought the equipment and pays for the ingredients out of his own pocket.
There is also a video on how the beer is brewed.
“God, that is one incredible beer, if I do say so myself. America I wish everyone could taste this but we don’t quite brew enough,” Sam Kass comments at one point.
Cynics may say there is more than a bit of politics in the mix.
One of the oldest political clichés states that people vote for the person they would most like to have a beer with – and Barack Obama’s rival in the November election, Mitt Romney, a Mormon, does not drink.
Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, co-founder of the popular file-sharing Pirate Bay website, has been arrested in Cambodia, the local police have announced.
Gottfrid Svartholm Warg was held in Phnom Penh after an international warrant was issued against him in April by his native Sweden.
Sweden acted after he had failed to show up for the start of his one-year jail term for copyright violations.
Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and three other founders had said the website was within the law.
Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, co-founder of the popular file-sharing Pirate Bay website, has been arrested in Cambodia
“His arrest was made at the request of the Swedish government for a crime related to information technology,” Cambodia’s police spokesman Kirth Chantharith told the AFP news agency.
“We don’t have an extradition treaty with Sweden but we’ll look into our laws and see how we can handle this case,” the spokesman added.
In Sweden, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg’s former defence lawyer Ola Salomonsson confirmed the arrest, the Aftonbladet newspaper reports.
Gottfrid Svartholm Warg and the site’s co-founders – Fredrik Neij and Peter Sunde, as well financier Carl Lundstroem – were convicted by a Swedish court of encouraging copyright violations in 2009.
Fredrik Neij, Peter Sunde and Carl Lundstroem all had their one-year jail terms reduced to between four and 10 months following an appeal in 2010.
They were also ordered to pay nearly $7 million in damages for copyright infringement to music and movie companies.
However, Gottfrid Svartholm Warg did not attend the appeal hearing, with his lawyer saying that he was too ill. The Swedish court then decided to uphold his sentence.
The operations of the Pirate Bay were largely shut down in Sweden six years ago, but the website has continued to function.
The site was founded in 2003, and claims to have more than 30 million users worldwide.
No copyright content is hosted on the site’s web servers. Instead, it hosts “torrent” links to TV, film and music files held on its users’ computers.
A new report claims that the way Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes relationship started was bizarre – and the Church of Scientology was apparently to blame.
The secretive religious group organized an “audition” process to find Tom Cruise a wife, according to Vanity Fair, grilling dozens of young women to make sure they posed no threat to the church or its most famous member.
And Katie Holmes was apparently not the first choice – the church wanted Tom Cruise to marry a young actress who was already a Scientologist, but she was seen as disrespectful to religious leaders.
The shocking allegations about the origins of the stars’ six-year marriage are made by writer Maureen Orth in the October issue of Vanity Fair.
Maureen Orth claims that the project to identify a new partner for Tom Cruise, following the break-up of his relationships with Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz, started in 2004 and was headed by Shelly Miscavige, wife of the church’s top official David Miscavige.
Scientology Church organized an “audition” process to find Tom Cruise a wife, claims Vanity Fair
A number of Scientologist actresses were interviewed by church leaders, according to former official Marc Headley, and told they were being considered for a role in a new training video.
However, they were faced with unexpected questions such as: “What do you think of Tom Cruise?”
Katie Holmes, who did not become a Scientologist until she started going out with Tom Cruise, was not part of this process.
Instead, Shelly Miscavige apparently chose Nazanin Boniadi, then 24, an Iranian-born actress who grew up in Britain, to be the megastar’s new partner.
Nazanin Boniadi was told she had been selected for “a very important mission”, and ordered to break up with her boyfriend.
When Nazanin Boniadi was flown to New York and taken for dinner by Tom Cruise at trendy restaurant Nobu, she began to suspect she was part of an elaborate set-up.
The pair went ice-skating at Rockefeller Center, where the rink had been closed for them, then spent the night together.
The actress, who has appeared in General Hospital, How I Met Your Mother and blockbuster Iron Man, was made to sign multiple confidentiality agreements over her relationship with Tom Cruise.
While the process which selected Nazanin Boniadi may have been arbitrary – one of the stipulations was that Tom Cruise could not go out with a woman who had ever been in a threesome – the star soon fell hard for the young woman.
However, Nazanin Boniadi was not affectionate enough towards her new boyfriend, Vanity Fair reports.
Tom Cruise was keen on extravagant romantic displays, and complained that the actress would not reciprocate his grand gestures.
Moreover, she was repeatedly in trouble for not respecting senior Scientologists – including Tom Cruise himself.
The first time they met, she congratulated him on winning a medal from the church, which apparently implied that she was superior to him.
And when she met Shelly Miscavige, she asked him to repeat himself because he was talking too fast.
When the couple had been dating for three months, Tom Cruise allegedly tired of his lover, and officials asked her to move out of his house in to the Scientology Celebrity Centre.
Her relationship with the star remained a secret, and Vanity Fair claims that she was once forced to do manual labor for telling a friend about the affair.
Scientology officials have dismissed several of the magazine’s sources as vindictive and unreliable, and deny the story about the wife search.
Just a few months after the break-up, Tom Cruise started seeing Katie Holmes, who converted to Scientology ahead of their marriage in November 2006.
Katie Holmes filed for divorce in June, and the split was finalized two weeks later.
Facebook announces it is cracking down on services that allow users to purchase Likes in bulk to boost the appearance of their page’s popularity.
Celebrities, organizations and brands all vie for fans to show their support by clicking the Like button on the social networking website.
But Facebook admitted on Friday that the Likes of a particular page might not necessarily reflect actual Facebook fans since marketers have increasingly circumvented the website’s policies and have been offering Likes for purchase, to bulk up numbers.
New Facebook security measures will work to make it more difficult for third parties to deceptively garners Likes.
Facebook announces it is cracking down on services that allow users to purchase Likes in bulk to boost the appearance of their page's popularity
“A Like that doesn’t come from someone truly interested in connecting with a Page benefits no one,” the company explained in a posting by their security team entitled “Improvements To Our Site Integrity Systems”.
“When a Page and fan connect on Facebook, we want to ensure that connection involves a real person.”
“We have recently increased our automated efforts to remove Likes on Pages that may have been gained by means that violate our Facebook Terms,” the announcement added.
The changes will likely mean a subtraction of about one per cent of the Likes on any given page.
Facebook maintained that it never sanctioned any of the rampant services available to purchase Likes and warned Page owners to be wary of marketing services that offer to build a brand’s presence on the website.
Facebook’s announcement seemed to be well received by users – the posting garnered over 700 Likes in the first few hours.
The admission that all Likes on a page may not be legitimate comes as Mark Zuckerberg’s empire struggles to prove it can monetize its popular web presence.
Advertising on the social networking website, one of the top destinations on the internet, is closely connected to a brand’s engagement with users and can often be quantified by the number of Likes a page earns.
In a crushing blow to the company before its highly anticipated IPO on May 18, General Motors pulled its $10 million advertising campaign on Facebook.
The auto-maker said they were reassessing how their marketing dollars were being spent and decided to make necessary adjustments.
But The Wall Street Journal cited sources who said GM execs were unimpressed with the effectiveness of Facebook as an advertising platform and just decided the partnership didn’t make sense.
Despite initial excitement about Facebook going public, the company stock has continued to plummet.
Shares of Facebook fell below $19 for the first time on Friday to $18.14, putting the shares about 52% below their IPO price of $38.
Analysts say Facebook’s innovation in terms of advertising will be key to generating revenue and boosting investor confidence in the viability of the company.
