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Meles Zenawi funeral: thousands of Ethiopians attend long-serving PM burial

Diane A. Wade
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Meles Zenawi funeral: thousands of Ethiopians attend long-serving PM burial

Thousands of Ethiopians are attending the state funeral in Addis Ababa of country’s long-serving Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died last month.

Meles Zenawi’s flag-draped coffin was carried in a procession from his palace to the city’s Meskel Square, where a solemn religious ceremony began.

Dozens of foreign leaders and dignitaries, including at least 20 African presidents, were present.

Meles Zenawi died at the age of 57 in Brussels, following a long illness.

He came to power in 1991 and was credited for bringing development and growth to Ethiopia.

But critics say this was achieved at the cost of respect for human rights.

Thousands of Ethiopians are attending the state funeral in Addis Ababa of country's long-serving Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died last month
Thousands of Ethiopians are attending the state funeral in Addis Ababa of country's long-serving Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who died last month

The state funeral – Ethiopia’s first in more than 80 years – began in Meskel Square after a journey of about an hour-and-a-half from Meles Zenawi’s official residence, the Grand National Palace.

The coffin was accompanied by hundreds of mourners, including Meles Zenawi’s widow Azeb Mesfin, who was seen being comforted by officials.

The coffin will later be taken for burial at the city’s Holy Trinity Cathedral.

The prime minister was a former Marxist rebel and not publicly religious, but was brought up as an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian.

In contrast to the secrecy traditionally surrounding the deaths of Ethiopian leaders, the ceremony is being broadcast live, and huge screens have been erected in cities and villages around the country.

The last Ethiopian leader to be honored with a state funeral was the Empress Zauditu in 1930.

African presidents such as South Africa’s Jacob Zuma and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame are attending the funeral, as well as several prominent international figures including Microsoft chairman Bill Gates.

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete laid a wreath next to Meles Zenawi’s coffin on Saturday.

He paid tribute to Meles Zenawi’s “charm, his intellect, his passion for Africa’s development”, adding that he was “a kind of leader that you can trust”.

Paul Kagame honored Meles Zenawi as “a gallant fighter for freedom not only for Ethiopia and Ethiopian people, but also Africa”.

Also attending is Sudan’s President, Omar al-Bashir, who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court on several counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in the Darfur conflict.

Meles zenawi became a dominant figure in the region after toppling toppling dictator Mengistu Hailemariam 21 years ago.

He ordered Ethiopian troops to intervene against al-Qaeda-linked militants in Somalia, mediated in the conflict in Sudan and South Sudan, and took a leading position in the African Union, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa.

Meles Zenawi will be succeeded by his deputy, Hailemariam Desalegn, 47, a relatively little-known politician from the south of Ethiopia.

Hailemariam Desalegn will formally take over as prime minister after Meles Zenawi’s funeral, and will serve until elections in 2015.

Some observers have voiced fears about the political transition.

The Brussels-based think tank, the Crisis Group, has warned that Hailemariam Desalegn will lead a weaker government that will face mounting grievances along ethnic and religious lines.

Meles Zenawi died suddenly from an infection on 20 August while being treated in hospital in Brussels.

He had not been seen in public for weeks before his death was announced, and there had been increasingly intense speculation about his health.

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Roman Catholic Church is 200 years behind, says Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini in his last interview

James J. Williams
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Roman Catholic Church is 200 years behind, says Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini in his last interview

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has described the Roman Catholic Church as being “200 years behind” the times.

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini died on Friday, aged 85.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera has published his last interview, recorded in August, in which he said: “The Church is tired… our prayer rooms are empty.”

Carlo Maria Martini, once tipped as a future pope, urged the Church to recognize its errors and to embark on a radical path of change, beginning with the Pope.

Thousands of people have been filing past his coffin at Milan’s cathedral, where he was archbishop for more than 20 years.

The cardinal, who had retired from the post in 2002, suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, is to be buried on Monday.

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has described the Roman Catholic Church as being "200 years behind" the times
Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini has described the Roman Catholic Church as being "200 years behind" the times

Carlo Maria Martini, a popular figure with liberal stances on many issues, commanded great respect from both Pope John Paul II and his successor Pope Benedict XVI.

The cardinal – a member of the Jesuit religious order – was often critical in his writings and comments on Church teaching.

He was a courageous and outspoken figure during the years he headed Europe’s largest Catholic diocese.

In his last interview, given to a fellow Jesuit priest less than a month ago and published the day after his death, the cardinal made sweeping criticisms of the Catholic Church.

Catholics lacked confidence in the Church, he said.

“Our culture has grown old, our churches are big and empty and the church bureaucracy rises up, our religious rites and the vestments we wear are pompous.”

Unless the Church adopted a more generous attitude towards divorced persons, it will lose the allegiance of future generations, the cardinal added. The question, he said, is not whether divorced couples can receive holy communion, but how the Church can help complex family situations.

And the advice he leaves behind to conquer the tiredness of the Church was a “radical transformation, beginning with the Pope and his bishops”.

“The child sex scandals oblige us to undertake a journey of transformation,” Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini says, referring to the child sex abuse that has rocked the Catholic Church in the past few years.

He was not afraid to speak his mind on matters that the Vatican sometimes considered taboo, including the use of condoms to fight AIDS and the role of women in the Church.

In 2008, for example, he criticized the Church’s prohibition of birth control, saying the stance had likely driven many faithful away, and publicly stated in 2006 that condoms could “in some situations, be a lesser evil”.

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Seal reveals Heidi Klum was having an affair with her bodyguard before they separated

Lisa.Felice
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Seal reveals Heidi Klum was having an affair with her bodyguard before they separated

Seal has sensationally revealed that Heidi Klum was having an affair with her bodyguard before the couple broke up.

Seal, 49, made the claims last night to TMZ, after pictures emerged this week of his estranged wife cavorting on the beach with her bodyguard.

The singer told TMZ that Heidi Klum, 39, was having an affair with the security guard before they separated earlier this year.

When initially asked what he thought about his former wife moving on with the heavy tattooed man, Seal said: “Whilst I didn’t expect anything better from him, I would of thought that Heidi would have shown a little more class and at least waited until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help.

“But I guess you all now have the answer you have been looking for the last seven months.”

He added that his top priority was his children’s well-being.

Seal has three biological children with Heidi Klum, including Johan, 5, Henry, 6, and Lou, 2. As well as Leni, 8, whom he formally adopted.

“That’s what happens when two people separate, they move on and generally meet other people in their lives,” he said.

“I certainly don’t expect Heidi to all of a sudden become a nun, but as always my main priority is the emotional well-being of my children, and to be quite honest if there is going to be someone else there in their lives there, I would much rather it was a familiar face.”

Seal’s sensational revelations come after pictures emerged this week of Heidi Klum cavorting around with a man believed to be her bodyguard during a sun-soaked holiday in Sardinia, Italy.

She was seen going topless and reclining on a sunlounger with the man in question at a swimming pool, looking loved up.

The pair then showed they have developed a close relationship as Heidi Klum massaged suncream into her tattooed companion’s shoulders while they took a dip and later floated around on a lilo.

It would appear that things are getting serious between the two – which is hardly a surprise seeing as they already knew each other so well.

As well as enjoying some romantic alone time by the pool the duo hit the beach with three of Heidi Klum’s children and her bodyguard has even met the in-laws in the form of her parents Gunther and Erna.

Youngsters Johan, Leni, and Henry, were all on hand for the trip with their famous mother, and were seen playing on the beach together during a day out – while Lou was spotted in Erna’s arms later.

The bodyguard, who has worked for Heidi Klum since she was still married to Seal, seemed to be getting on well with the children as they larked around together on the sand before he gave Heidi a tender hug.

However even during the family day out it seems the two couldn’t get enough of each other.

They took some time out to go and perch on a rock for a private chat and were very hands on with one another.

While Seal is not happy about the couple’s union, it appears that he has also moved on his love life with a new partner.

Last month Seal was seen cosying up to a pretty bikini clad brunette on a yacht – also in Sardinia.

Seal and Heidi Klum announced their split in January after seven years of marriage and filed for divorce three months later.

While their split was initially amicable, it seems things may have turned sour for the pair in the divorce.

A source told Star magazine that the supermodel is fuming at her former flame after he reportedly used intimate shots of the children in an ad campaign without her permission.

An insider told the publication via Radar Online: “Heidi felt that the children had gone through enough since their parents split, and she didn’t want their private moments out there for the world to see.

“But Seal maintained he had every right to use his personal photos – and, moreover, that it was a done deal and out of his hands.”

Heidi Klum allegedly hired a lawyer to demand that the company, Leica digital, take down the video – and it was retraced days later.

 

Top 10 most expensive and cheapest places to live in America

Diane A. Wade
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Top 10 most expensive and cheapest places to live in America

The New York boroughs of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn nabbed three spots on the list of the 10 most expensive cities to live in the U.S. – while towns in Texas scored among the cheapest.

Not surprisingly the island of Manhattan nabbed the top spot with the most expensive housing, according to a new report released by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) which indexed the cost of living in 300 cities across America.

While California cities were found to be equally pricey, locales down South fared among the least expensive.

“The top 10 most expensive cities are pretty stable, they remain almost static,” Dean Frutiger, project manager for the Cost of Living Index project at C2ER, told ABC News.

“There’s more change with the bottom,” he added.

The research by C2ER compiled the prices of 60 consumer goods and services in six key categories that include grocery items, housing, utilities, transportation, health care and miscellaneous expenses.

Housing was found to be the significant expense, accounting for an estimated 29% of a resident’s income.

The Big Apple is known to be notoriously expensive, with eye-popping rents charged for just the tiniest square footage.

The cost of living for a resident of Manhattan was found to be 133.5% higher than the national average.

Just across the East River in Brooklyn, living expenses are equally staggering.

The New York City borough that has been a haven for families and artists wanting to escape the bustle of Manhattan is now on par in terms of prices, with a cost of living index at 183.4.

Thus the hipster hideout is no longer offering relief for wallet-wearied New Yorkers, coming in at number two on the list.

The New York boroughs of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn nabbed three spots on the list of the 10 most expensive cities to live in the US
The New York boroughs of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn nabbed three spots on the list of the 10 most expensive cities to live in the US

The island getaway of Honolulu came third on the priciest places to settle down.

The tropical paradise had a cost of living index of 170.8.

The tech city of San Francisco came fourth, with an index of 163.2, and the neighboring California town of San Jose was fifth, with 156.5.

The New York City borough of Queens, whose Long Island City neighborhood has increasingly been welcoming Manhattan transplants, came sixth with an index of 151.4.

The wealthy Connecticut suburb of Stamford was seventh, with a cost of living 46.7% higher than the national average, and Washington DC was close behind in eighth with an index of 145.5.

Framingham-Natick, Massachusetts came in ninth, with an index of 143.0, and Orange County, California finished off the list in the number 10 spot, with living expenses at 42.5% above the average American.

With metro areas and holiday hot spots among the most enviable locales, towns in the U.S. South were found to be among the least expensive areas.

Harlingen, Texas, a border town on the southern tip of the Lone Star state, came in at the cheapest, with a cost of living index at 81.6 or 18.4% below the national average.

Two other Texas towns, Wichita Falls, in North Texas, and McAllen, near Harlingen, came in second and third.

Cities in neighboring Oklahoma were found to be equally inexpensive in addition to Memphis, Tennessee, Fayetteville, Arkansas and Springfield, Illinois.

  

THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES IN THE U.S.

1. Manhattan, New York – 233.5% of average

2. Brooklyn, New York – 183.4

3. Honolulu, Hawaii – 170.8

4. San Francisco, California – 163.2

5. San Jose, California – 156.5

6. Queens, New York – 151.4

7. Stamford, Connecticut – 146.7

8. Washington, DC – 145.5

9. Framingham, Massachusetts – 143.0

10. Orange County, California – 142.5

  

THE CHEAPEST CITIES IN THE U.S.

1. Harlingen, Texas – 81.6

2. Wichita Falls, Texas – 84.7

3. McAllen, Texas – 85.4

4. Muskogee, Oklahoma – 85.7

5. Norman, Oklahoma – 86.0

6. Fayetteville, Arkansas – 86.1

7. Memphis, Tennessee – 86.6

8. Ardmore, Oklahoma – 86.9

9. Springfield, Illinois – 87.0

10. San Marcos, Texas – 87.0

 

Glass shape affects drinking speed

Kathryn R. Bown
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Glass shape affects drinking speed

British researchers at the University of Bristol believe the shape of beer glasses affects the speed people drink.

Their study, published in the journal PLoS ONE, suggests people drink more quickly out of curved glasses than straight ones.

They argue that the curvy glassware makes pacing yourself a much greater challenge.

A group of 159 men and women were filmed drinking either soft drinks or beer as part of the study. The glasses all contained around half a pint of liquid, but some of the glasses were straight while others were very curved.

There was no difference in the drinking time for soft drinks. People drinking from both straight and curved glasses finished after around seven minutes.

British researchers at the University of Bristol believe the shape of beer glasses affects the speed people drink
British researchers at the University of Bristol believe the shape of beer glasses affects the speed people drink

However, for the beer drinkers there was a large difference between the two groups. While it took around seven minutes for people drinking from a curved glass to polish off their half pint, it took 11 minutes for those drinking from a straight glass.

The report said: “Drinking time is slowed by almost 60% when an alcoholic beverage is presented in a straight glass compared with a curved glass.”

The researchers thought that curvy glasses made it harder to pace drinking because judging how much was in the glass became more difficult owing to its curved shape.

The group of drinkers was shown a variety of pictures of partially-filled beer glasses and asked to say whether they were more or less than half full.

The team said people were more likely to get the answer wrong when assessing the amount of liquid in curved glasses.

The lead researcher Dr. Angela Attwood said: “They are unable to judge how quickly they are drinking so cannot pace themselves.”

She suggested that people were not concerned about pacing themselves with soft drinks, which could explain why glass shape had no effect on them.

However, the study looked only at the time taken to finish one drink in a laboratory setting. So it is not certain what happens on an evening out if multiple drinks are consumed.

She said altering the glasses used in pubs could “nudge” people to drink more healthily by “giving control back”.

The shape of a glass has already been shown to affect how much alcohol people pour. A study in 2005 showed people were more likely to pour extra alcohol into short, wide glasses than tall, narrow ones.

 

Labor Day 2012: special events and getaways

Diane A. Wade
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Labor Day 2012: special events and getaways

Since 1884, the first Monday in September has been a holiday in the US, as a tribute to workers.

Canada has the same, while many other countries have International Workers Day – May Day – instead, commemorating struggles for workers’ rights.

This year’s Labor Day falls on Monday, September 3rd.

To most people in North America, however, Labor Day is above all the last-blast of summer fun, and -for many kids – the last day of freedom before Back to School.

For a weekend getaway, head to a city that has big celebrations, or to one of the many family resorts that offer special packages – scroll down for sample packages.

• New York: Labor Day Parade

The first Labor Day Parade was held in New York City, on September 5 1882, and there’s still one in NYC today, with trade union members, high school bands, politicians, police and fire departments, and more. Location is usually in Manhattan, on 5th Ave. In 2012, NY Labor Day Parade will be held on Saturday, September 8th.

• West Indian American Day Carnival Parade (Brooklyn Carnival)

This extravaganza has Caribbean costumes, music, and food, spectators in the millions; it’s a multi-day event with a parade on Labor Day.

• Labor Day Weekend Events in Boston

It’s moving day for students (aka as the “Student Invasion”), so allow plenty of time to get to events such as a Schooner Festival or a free concert on Spectacle Island.

The first Labor Day Parade was held in New York City, on September 5 1882, and there's still one in NYC today, with trade union members, high school bands, politicians, police and fire departments, and more
The first Labor Day Parade was held in New York City, on September 5 1882, and there's still one in NYC today, with trade union members, high school bands, politicians, police and fire departments, and more

• Washington DC

An annual concert by the National Symphony Orchestra is performed on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building, and is free.

• Other Labor Day Events in DC

Kensington Labor Day Parade has a day of family entertainment, as does Greenbelt Labor Day Festival; Renaissance Festival, free Blues Festival, Kids Day at Nationals Park, and lots more.

• Detroit Labor Day Parade

Detroit, aka “Motor City” – where the automobile unions were born – has a major Labor Day Parade that’s one of the biggest in Michigan. The free three-day Detroit Jazz Fest is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, too.

• Chicago

The annual Chicago Jazz Festival is a big event. Also on the agenda for Labor Day Weekend: daytime events in Millennium Park including an interactive play that will please young kids; African Festival of the Arts in Washington Park, including an African village, entertainment, and family fun; and more. See Explore Chicago. Many events are free.

• St.Louis

Ten top ways to celebrate summer’s last weekend: a Japanese Festival at the Botanical Gardens, a Downtown Labor Day Parade, a Greek Festival, the Big Muddy Blues Festival, and more.

• Irvington, VA: Irvington Stomp

An event with a small-town feel, this “grape stomp” harvest festival celebrates wine-making in Irvington, VA, 1-½ hours east of Richmond; those close to Chesapeake Bay can arrive by boat. Grape Stomping Competitions, music, hayrides, corn maze, and more.

• Events in the Southeastern US

Many weekend events and festivals in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, NC, SC, and Virginia. Also: ten fun resort hotels for Labor Day Weekend.

• Orlando: Tom Joyner Family Reunion at Disney World

This big bash at Walt Disney World adds special entertainment to the usual theme park fun. To find out more, try this Orlando Local Guide, or Blackamericaweb.com, or search for “Joyner” at the Disney World website.

• Texas

About’s Guide for Texas highlights Westfest, Batfest, and other events.

• Events in Greater LA

Street Fairs, Long Beach Greek Festival, “Fiesta Hermosa” arts and crafts festival with kiddie carnival, and more.

• Copper Country Festival, CO

Copper Mountain (a popular ski resort during winter months) has a big bash on Labor Day Weekend, with big-name bands, street party, and “Copper Corral” for kids with free pony rides, face painting, etc.

• Myrtle Beach, SC

This major tourist destination – with a 60-mile stretch of beaches, and several amusement parks — has an annual family-friendly Beach, Boogie & BBQ Festival at Grand Park at The Market Common. To sample all the barbecue from competing teams, guests only need to purchase a reasonably-priced wristband; kids under 10 can sample free. See Festival details.

Labor Day Weekend Packages at Family Resorts

Many family resorts in the U.S. have end-of-summer bashes, often with a BBQ. For instance, in southern Maine the Pointe Sebago family resort on Lake Sebago has 775 acres and a package that includes buffet meals (with lobster on the menu), a boat cruise, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, activities for all ages, and entertainment.

The AAA four-diamond Resort at Squaw Creek, Lake Tahoe in California typically includes lots of activities during its Labor Day Weekend package, such as bocce ball, croquet, tie-dying a t-shirt, s’mores at outdoor fire pits, live music, poolside BBQ, and a dive-in movie, plus the usual biking, guided hikes, golf, and fly-fishing.

In Texas, the Texas: Barton Creek Resort & Spahas 4000 acres in the Hill Country near Austin, a kids club for ages 6 months and up, and an annual Labor Day Weekend package.

In New York state, the Villa Roma Resort Hotel in the Catskills – two hours from NYC – has seasonal packages all year long, including Labor Day Weekend, and programs for all ages, from tots to teens; packages typically include meals, theme night dinner, kids programs, and nightly entertainment. Be sure to check recent visitors’ comments for any resort.

Check your favorite family resorts and no doubt many will have a special weekend package to end the summer with a blast.

 

New York Labor Day Weekend 2012

Diane A. Wade
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New York Labor Day Weekend 2012

Labor Day is one of the oldest holidays in the United States, and is a part of the “big six” federal holidays.

Here you can find some ideas on how to spend your Labor Day weekend in New York:

Concerts:

• Journey – 9/2 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs

• Bela Fleck & The Flecktones – Anderson Center for the Arts – Binghamton

• Aloe Blacc – 9/2 – Highline Ballroom – New York

• Electric Zoo Festival – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Randalls Island – New York

• Incubus – 9/3 – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh

• Elton John – 9/3 – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts – Bethel

• Rock The Bells – 9/3 – South Island Field at Governors Island – New York

• Bela Fleck & The Flecktones – 9/3 – Belleayre Music Festival – Highmount

• Darius Rucker – 9/3 – NYCB Theatre at Westbury – Westbury

• Elton John – 9/4 – Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs

• Stevie Nicks – 9/4 – Nikon at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh

• Toby Keith – 9/4 – Darien Lake Performing Arts Center – Darien

• Manu Chao – 9/4, 9/5 – Terminal 5 – New York

New York Labor Day Weekend 2012
New York Labor Day Weekend 2012

Sports:

• 2011 U.S. Open – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4, 9/5 – Billie Jean King National Tennis Center – Flushing

• Toronto Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Yankee Stadium – Bronx

• Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Yankees – 9/5 – Yankee Stadium – Bronx

Theater:

• The Book of Mormon – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Eugene O’Neill Theater – New York

• Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Foxwoods Theatre – New York

• Lion King – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Minskoff Theatre – New York

• Jersey Boys – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – August Wilson Theater – New York

• Wicked – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Gershwin Theatre – New York

• Billy Elliot – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Imperial Theatre – New York

• Anything Goes – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Stephen Sondheim Theatre – New York

• Blue Man Group – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Astor Place – New York

• Avenue Q – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4, 9/5 – New World Stages: Stage 3 – New York

Miscellaneous:

• Cirque Du Soleil Zarkana – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4 – Radio City Music Hall – New York

• Saratoga Horse Racing – 9/2, 9/3, 9/4, 9/5 – Saratoga Race Course – Saratoga Springs

• Chris Tucker – 9/3 – Palace Theatre – Albany

• Chris Tucker – 9/4 – NYCB Theatre at Westbury – Westbury

 

Margaret Thatcher’s outfits to be sold at auction

Diane A. Wade
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Margaret Thatcher’s outfits to be sold at auction

Seven outfits worn by Margaret Thatcher during the 1970s in the early part of her career are being auctioned at Christie’s on Monday.

They form part of its London Sale, which is being held to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012.

Sold by a private collector, the suits which come in an array of colors, are thought to be the first of Lady Thatcher’s clothes to be sold at a public auction.

All of the Iron Lady’s outfits have been given a guide price of between £1,000 ($1,600) and £1,500 ($2,500).

Pat Frost, Head of the Textiles Department at Christie’s told the BBC: “These outfits were worn at the beginning of her career, when she got the <<milk snatcher>> tag, and were part of important moments like her introduction as leader at the Conservative Party conference.”

She said she was not aware of any previous auctions of Lady Thatcher’s outfits.

Last year Lady Thatcher’s black Asprey rectangular leather handbag sold for £25,000 ($39,000) at auction.

She was said to deploy it to enforce cabinet solidarity.

The term “handbagging” was used as a reference to the way she disciplined unrurly Tory backbenchers and ministers during her years in Downing Street.

 

Seven outfits worn by Margaret Thatcher during the 1970s in the early part of her career are being auctioned at Christie's on Monday
Seven outfits worn by Margaret Thatcher during the 1970s in the early part of her career are being auctioned at Christie's on Monday

Canary yellow dress

This was worn to the Conservative Party conference in 1975 and Lady Thatcher can be seen wearing it in contemporary news footage, standing alongside Edward Heath on the conference platform.

Navy dress

Margaret Thatcher can be seen in the navy suit during a Valerie Singleton programme.

Peach wool suit

This outfit she wore while being grilled about moisturiser by Sue MacGregor in 1971.

Light green suit

This was worn when she was confirmed as the new leader of the Conservative Party .

Navy suit

Margaret Thatcher is seen wearing the navy suit in an episode of Val Meets the VIPs, which was presented by Valerie Singleton.

Green suit

Margaret Thatcher wore the green suit in a 1972 edition of Panorama called Women in Politics.

 

Lady Gaga’s perfume Fame tops Madonna and Beyonce’s fragrances at Superdrug

Lisa.Felice
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Lady Gaga’s perfume Fame tops Madonna and Beyonce’s fragrances at Superdrug

Lady Gaga’s debut fragrance Fame, which contains notes of blood and semen, has become the number one best-selling women’s fragrance at Superdrug, in UK, just a week after hitting the shelves.

Advanced fragrance technology means that the dramatic looking black liquid turns clear as soon as it is sprayed in to the air, and the bottle is pure Lady Gaga: black and gold featuring gilded monster claws.

This unique perfume concept has translated in to ringing tills for team Lady Gaga, the £23.99 ($37.5) perfume has already sold more than both Beyonce and Madonna’s fragrances did in their first week of launch.

Lady Gaga’s debut fragrance Fame has become the number one best-selling women’s fragrance at Superdrug just a week after hitting the shelves
Lady Gaga’s debut fragrance Fame has become the number one best-selling women’s fragrance at Superdrug just a week after hitting the shelves

Sara Wolverson, Superdrug beauty director said: “Lady Gaga is a true original and she has brought something completely new to the fragrance market.

“While initial reports promised slightly scary fragrance notes the actual perfume is sophisticated, floral, addictive, moreish and sexy which paired with the black liquid and dramatic styling is truly original.

“We knew Lady Gaga would be popular but have been astounded by the rush to be the first to buy the fragrance.”

In her perfume campaign, Lady Gaga is seen reclining with an arm behind her head, while holding the perfume in her other hand.

Scantily clad men – who have been shrunk to miniature size – are strategically placed over her body to save her blushes.

Renato Semerari, president of Coty Beauty, said: “She is an artist that is never satisfied with the status quo – she always has this way of challenging everybody and trying to do something more, something different.”

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Five Ideas For Labor Day Weekend 2012

Diane A. Wade
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Five Ideas For Labor Day Weekend 2012

Labor Day is one of the oldest holidays in the United States, and is a part of the “big six” federal holidays.

1. Take It To the Beach – While You Still Can!

While fall doesn’t officially begin for another month, for many families, Labor Day is the last true summer weekend, with school just about or already beginning to start. Take advantage of this last gasp of warm-weather freedom by hoofing it to the nearest beach with a cooler and the kids in tow (though, of course, one or both are optional).

Labor Day is the last true summer weekend, with school just about or already beginning to start
Labor Day is the last true summer weekend, with school just about or already beginning to start

2. Throwback Family Weekend

Similarly, a long summer weekend provides the perfect opportunity for quality, outdoorsy bonding time. For those who prefer a single afternoon with relatives, a Labor Day picnic offers both togetherness and a manageable timeframe. The more ambitious can always embark on a 3-day camping trip, either at one site or road-tripping National Lampoon-style to different grounds. (If you’re from the South, has some great tips on where to rent a Labor Day Weekend cabin.)

3. Movie Weekend

For others who equate a holiday with relaxation, and “relaxing” with “not moving,” a movie weekend may be your best bet. There’s plenty showing in theaters: if you’re in a more alternative mood, indulge in a day of culture with some French fare (Marion Cotillard and Jean Dujardin – the guy from The Artist – are currently starring in Little White Lies), festival hits (Beasts of the Southern Wild will get to you – or should), indie rom-coms (Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg offer the anti-date flick, Celeste and Jesse Forever), and art-house selections (see Rob Pattinson do cerebral in Cosmopolis). Or – or in addition to – there’s always Netflix.

4. Channel Your Inner Chef

We recommend this cooking website, or standby Food Network’s site, for how to celebrate in culinary style. Both offer Labor Day-themed recipes, although our favorite dining idea is to host a Labor Day Lobster Bash – featuring, naturally, the most labor-intensive dish as the main course.

5. Absolutely Nothing

The cheapest option across the board and breadth of the country is to celebrate the hours you put in every week by sleeping a good chunk of them away. Turn off your alarm, make no plans, and don’t get dressed unless someone else has invited you to a picnic, barbecue, film, or his or her front porch for a drink. Happy Labor Day!

 

What Is Labor Day Weekend?

Diane A. Wade
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What Is Labor Day Weekend?

Labor Day is one of the oldest holidays in the United States, and is a part of the “big six” federal holidays.

First celebrated in 1878, Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894. Over the years, Labor Day has come to represent a slew of different things to people. To the working crowd, it is a day to celebrate ones hard work and labor. Others treat it as a day of rest and relaxation, while others simply spend the day with family, friends, and perhaps some good food.

Labor Day is one of the oldest holidays in the United States, and is a part of the "big six" federal holidays
Labor Day is one of the oldest holidays in the United States, and is a part of the "big six" federal holidays

To students, Labor Day marks the end of the summer and the beginning of the fall term or semester.

No matter how you treat Labor Day, everyone can agree that it is the perfect day to go to a concert or sporting event with friends or family. Although some people will go to relax and unwind, and others will go to celebrate the end of the summer, a live concert, or perhaps a baseball game is the perfect activity for Labor Day weekend 2012.

Labor Day always takes place on the first Monday in September. This year, Labor Day falls on September 3, with the weekend ranging from Friday, August 31 until Monday, September 3.

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Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa are expecting their first child

Lisa.Felice
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0
Amber Rose and Wiz Khalifa are expecting their first child

Amber Rose is pregnant with her first child, it has been reported.

Amber Rose and her rapper fiancé Wiz Khalifa did not plan the alleged pregnancy but are reportedly delighted to have a little one on the way.

It has also emerged that the engaged couple may tie the knot sooner than they originally intended to.

A source told Radar Online: “Amber and Wiz unexpectedly got pregnant, but they’re really happy to be starting a family together.”

And a baby on the way means the 28-year-old will be making some serious alterations to her lifestyle, including quitting smoking and accepting that her figure is going to change.

Amber Rose and her rapper fiancé Wiz Khalifa did not plan the alleged pregnancy
Amber Rose and her rapper fiancé Wiz Khalifa did not plan the alleged pregnancy

The insider claimed: “Amber’s already had to make some big lifestyle changes, like not smoking cigarettes anymore.

“As a model she’s used to having a thin waist, so this is going to be an adjustment for her.”

The happy couple was planning on marrying in the winter but MediaTakeout reports that they are now hoping to bump the big day up to October.

The website claims that Amber Rose is expected to give birth to the baby in January and doesn’t want to have the wedding too close to her due date.

It will be the first child for both of the stars.

Wiz Khalifa, whose real name Cameron Jibril Thomaz, announced the pair was set to wed in March when he posted on Twitter: “She Said Yes!!!”

Amber Rose then posted a snap of her stunning oval-shaped diamond ring to her own page and said she was the “happiest woman in the world”.

 

Labor Day weekend: Cape Cod beaches closed after multiple reports of sharks

Diane A. Wade
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0
Labor Day weekend: Cape Cod beaches closed after multiple reports of sharks

A number of popular Cape Cod beaches have been closed after multiple reports of sharks, including deadly great whites, swimming not far from the coast.

The closure is just the latest twist in an unusually shark-infested Cape Cod summer.

A string of beaches off the shore of Chatham, Massachusetts were shut down indefinitely on Wednesday, making it likely they will be closed throughout the Labor Day weekend.

Fishermen and tourists have reported an unexpectedly high number of sharks in the Atlantic off the Cape Cod coast, some less than 20 feet offshore.

Last week, a vacationing family filmed footage of a great white shark feeding on a seal just a few feet away from their boat.

And in July, a man was bitten in the leg by a shark while surfing off Ballston Beach.

A number of popular Cape Cod beaches have been closed after multiple reports of sharks
A number of popular Cape Cod beaches have been closed after multiple reports of sharks

This weekend’s beach closure was partly prompted by shark spotter Greg Skomal, who said he had seen three sharks up to 18 feet long swimming near the coast, according to the Cape Cod Times.

At Nauset Beach, lifeguards were on hand to prevent people from going into the water other than to get their feet wet.

One woman was asked to return to shore when she was wading knee-deep in the Atlantic, according to the Cape Cod Times.

A sign at the beach blamed ‘the presence of marine life in the water’ for the ban.

The recent influx of sharks in the waters off Massachusetts is believed to be down to the increasing prevalence of seals in the area.

“The elbow of the cape has these large, dense concentrations of grey seals now, and these white sharks go to the area to feed,” said Greg Skomal.

“Because the seals are so abundant, now the white sharks are paying more attention.”

The shark encounters will doubtless draw comparisons to Jaws, the 1975 blockbuster which was filmed on nearby Martha’s Vineyard.

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Matthew McConaughey lost 30 lbs for his new role in The Dallas Buyer’s Club

Lisa.Felice
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0
Matthew McConaughey lost 30 lbs for his new role in The Dallas Buyer’s Club

Matthew McConaughey was spotted a couple of days ago looking unrecognizable and showing off a gaunt frame on the set of his new movie.

Matthew McConaughey, 42, appeared thinner than ever as he returned to his Manhattan hotel on Thursday.

A white v-neck T-shirt, which would normally be fitted across his usual muscular torso, literally hung off the Hollywood hunk, while his blue jeans were even more baggier around his legs.

His extreme weight loss – for a new role playing a HIV victim – has also caused him to look pale and gaunt, and much older than his 42 years.

The actor is on a quest to lose a whopping 30 lbs for the new movie role and by the looks of it he is already there.

Matthew McConaughey appeared thinner than ever as he returned to his Manhattan hotel on Thursday
Matthew McConaughey appeared thinner than ever as he returned to his Manhattan hotel on Thursday

Matthew McConaughey is currently in New York filming The Wolf of Wall Street, based on a memoir by Jordan Belfort who spent 22 months in jail for offenses related to stock market manipulation and running a boiler room.

Work on the movie began in Manhattan earlier this month.

The film, directed by Martin Scorsese, also features Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, and French Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin and is set to open in theaters in 2013.

But his weight loss is actually for his next role in The Dallas Buyer’s Club.

Matthew McConaughey told Larry King in a recent interview: “I’m playing a guy who was sick and would have loved to have been healthier but wasn’t.

“For me, it’s more of a mental thing than a physical thing. I’ll get down to the weight I need to get to. I’m on my way, and it’s what I need to do for the job.”

The father-of-two, whose wife Camilla Alves is expecting their third child this fall, has been taking a philosophical approach to his punishing diet.

“It’s a bit of a spiritual cleanse, mental cleanse,” he said.

“[I’m] drinking a lot of tea.”

“It takes a while for your body to understand that it has to feed off of itself and that you’re not going to give it something else from the outside,” he adds.

The gritty role is based on the real life story of a Dallas man named Ron Woodruff, who contracted HIV through drug use in the ‘80s.

 

 

Neil Armstrong funeral: private service held in Cincinnati for the first man to walk on the Moon

Diane A. Wade
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0
Neil Armstrong funeral: private service held in Cincinnati for the first man to walk on the Moon

A private funeral service has been held for astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon.

Neil Armstrong died last Saturday aged 82.

The funeral in Cincinnati, Ohio, was by invitation only, reflecting Neil Armstrong’s own intensely private nature.

Hundreds of millions watched Neil Armstrong land on the Moon on 20 July 1969 and describe it as: “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The line became one of the most famous quotes of the 20th Century.

On Friday, Neil Armstrong’s family and friends as well as fellow astronauts gathered at a private golf club for the funeral.

A private funeral service has been held for astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon
A private funeral service has been held for astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the Moon

“Neil Armstrong’s first step on the Moon paved the way for others to be the <<first>> to step foot on another planet,” said Charles Bolden, head of the US space agency Nasa.

Flags flew half-mast across America on Friday, following President Barack Obama’s order to mark the funeral.

The president earlier described Neil Armstrong as “a hero not just of his time, but of all time”.

A public memorial for the astronaut is planned on 12 September in Washington.

Neil Armstrong’s family said last Saturday that he had died from complications after heart surgery.

The family statement praised him as a “reluctant American hero” and urged his fans to honor his example of “service, accomplishment and modesty”.

Last November, Neil Armstrong received the Congressional Gold Medal – the highest US civilian award.

Many of his colleagues and friends have paid tribute to him as a modest man who never sought the limelight.

Michael Collins, a pilot on the Apollo 11 Moon mission, said: “He was the best, and I will miss him terribly.”

In a rare interview with Australian TV this year, he reflected on a moment during his three hours on the Moon when he stopped to commemorate US astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts who had died in action.

Neil Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin collected samples, conducted experiments and took photographs during their moonwalk.

Apollo 11 was Neil Armstrong’s last space mission. In 1971, he left NASA to teach aerospace engineering.

Born in 1930 and raised in Ohio, Neil Armstrong took his first flight aged six with his father and formed a lifelong passion for flying.

Neil Armstrong flew Navy fighter jets during the Korean War in the 1950s, and joined the US space programme in 1962.

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Hurricane Isaac: Mitt Romney visits storm-damaged Louisiana

Diane A. Wade
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0
Hurricane Isaac: Mitt Romney visits storm-damaged Louisiana

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has visited an emergency centre in hurricane-damaged Louisiana, a day after accepting the Republican nomination for US president.

Mitt Romney attended a Friday rally with running mate Paul Ryan in Florida before cancelling a campaign stop in Virginia and diverting to the South.

Hurricane Isaac caused heavy flooding in areas around New Orleans and damage across the Gulf Coast.

Mitt Romney will challenge President Barack Obama in November’s election.

The Democratic president is due to tour storm-affected areas of Louisiana Monday, a US national holiday.

Mitt Romney has visited an emergency centre in hurricane-damaged Louisiana
Mitt Romney has visited an emergency centre in hurricane-damaged Louisiana

At least six deaths in Louisiana and Mississippi have been attributed to Isaac, which brought up to 16 in (41 cm) of rain in some areas.

Mitt Romney travelled on his new campaign plane to Louisiana, at the invitation of the state’s Republican Governor Bobby Jindal.

The two spent almost an hour meeting local officials and first responders on Friday.

“I’m here to learn and obviously to draw some attention to what’s going on here,” Mitt Romney told the governor, “so that people around the country know that people down here need help.”

The presidential candidate shook hands with National Guardsman and met residents who had lost their homes in the storm.

“He just told me to, um, there’s assistance out there,” resident Jodie Chiarello said.

“He’s good. He’ll do the best for us, you know. He speaks to our best interests at heart.”

Former Republican President George W Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina, in which 1,800 people died seven years ago, was widely perceived as a failure.

This year, Hurricane Isaac wrought less destruction and New Orleans benefited from a revamped set of flood defences erected after Katrina.

Correspondents say both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were eager to display crisis leadership in the wake of Isaac.

“The decision to travel on Monday was made before Governor Romney announced his decision to travel to Louisiana on Friday,” an Obama aide told reporters from the presidential plane Air Force One.

Meanwhile, the Romney campaign insisted it had not hurried to appear first amid the storm wreckage.

Barack Obama made federal emergency aid available earlier in the week. But he pledged further assistance for individuals in a Friday call with parish presidents and local leaders in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Senate Majority Leader Democrat Harry Reid said Mitt Romney’s visit was the “height of hypocrisy”, adding that Republicans planned to gut disaster aid.

Plaquemines Parish, just outside New Orleans, was among the areas hardest hit by flooding after an 8-ft (2.5-m) levee was overtopped, leaving many homes under about 12ft of water.

The Plaquemines levee was not part of a multi-billion dollar upgrade to the federal levees protecting the city.

Among those killed in the US by the storm were a man and a woman in the town of Braithwaite who apparently drowned in their kitchen as flood waters surged in.

In Mississippi, officials have been pumping water from a reservoir on the Louisiana border to ease the pressure behind a storm-battered dam.

About 600,000 people across Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas are without power as of Friday, Reuters reports.

Mitt Romney capped off the Republican convention on Thursday evening with a speech accusing President Barack Obama of failure.

The Obama campaign said the Republican had “gauzy platitudes, but no tangible ideas to move the country forward”.

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Paralympics 2012: wrong medals awarded

Diane A. Wade
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0
Paralympics 2012: wrong medals awarded

A scoring system error led to the wrong medals being awarded in the women’s combined F35/36-class discus event at London 2012 Paralympics.

Ukraine’s Mariia Pomazan originally won gold and Wu Qing of China silver, but the pair has swapped places in the new revised medal table.

Bronze medallist Bao Jiongyu of China has been demoted to fifth place, with Australia’s Katherine Proudfoot up to third from fifth.

The new medal ceremony is on Saturday.

In total, seven of the top 10 and all of the top five positions were changed.

Ukraine's Mariia Pomazan originally won gold and Wu Qing of China silver, but the pair has swapped places in the new revised medal table
Ukraine's Mariia Pomazan originally won gold and Wu Qing of China silver, but the pair has swapped places in the new revised medal table

Paralympic organisers said in a statement: “All combined class field events use a points scoring system where final positions are determined by points rather than distance.

“In today’s women’s combined class discus event [F35/36], incorrect medals were awarded following the use of inaccurate results data. We sincerely apologise to the athletes affected.

“The inaccurate data also affected the men’s shot put F42/44, although the final medal placing was not impacted.

“A new medal ceremony will be held during tomorrow [Saturday] morning’s athletics session.”

 

Armenia severs diplomatic ties with Hungary after the release of Azeri killer Ramil Safarov

Diane A. Wade
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1
Armenia severs diplomatic ties with Hungary after the release of Azeri killer Ramil Safarov

Armenia announces it is severing diplomatic ties with Hungary after the release of Azeri army officer Ramil Safarov convicted of murdering Armenian soldier Gurgen Markarian.

The Azeri serviceman, Ramil Safarov, was given a life sentence for hacking Armenian Gurgen Markarian to death with an axe in 2004 in Budapest.

On Friday, Ramil Safarov was flown to Baku and pardoned, despite Baku’s assurances that his sentence would be enforced.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a bitter war over an enclave in the early 1990s.

Armenia said on Friday that Hungary had made a “grave mistake” in sending Ramil Safarov back to Azerbaijan.

Azeri serviceman Ramil Safarov was given a life sentence for hacking Armenian Gurgen Markarian to death with an axe in 2004 in Budapest
Azeri serviceman Ramil Safarov was given a life sentence for hacking Armenian Gurgen Markarian to death with an axe in 2004 in Budapest

“With their joint actions, Azerbaijan and Hungary opened the door to the recurrence of such crimes,” President Serzh Sarkisian said in comments release by his press office.

“I cannot put up with this. The republic of Armenia cannot put up with this,” the president added.

The Hungarian authorities said they had returned Ramil Safarov to his homeland only after receiving assurances from the Baku government that his sentence would be enforced.

Ramil Safarov killed Gurgen Markarian at a military academy in Budapest, where both servicemen attended English-language courses organized by NATO.

During his trial in Hungary, Ramil Safarov said that the Azeri-Armenian war over Nagorno-Karabakh and insults from the Armenian officer were at the root of his actions.

Hungary and Azerbaijan have so far made no public comment on the case.

Azerbaijan and Armenia, both former Soviet republics, fought a war over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave in the early 1990s, which left some 30,000 people dead, and displaced hundreds of thousands.

Armenia-backed authorities are currently controlling Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies within Azerbaijan.

Despite a 1994 ceasefire, skirmishes continue on the borders of the disputed territory.

 

Marbella wildfire triggers thousands of evacuations

Diane A. Wade
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0
Marbella wildfire triggers thousands of evacuations

Firefighters are battling a huge wildfire raging near the wealthy resort of Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol.

At least one person has died and thousands more have been evacuated.

The body of an elderly man was found near Ojen. Rescue workers are searching for his wife.

Evacuations were ordered from near Marbella, Ojen and a camp site at Alpujata.

Marbella is famous for its up-market hotels and villas and is a favorite haunt of wealthy foreigners.

Firefighters are battling a huge wildfire raging near the wealthy resort of Marbella on Spain's Costa del Sol
Firefighters are battling a huge wildfire raging near the wealthy resort of Marbella on Spain's Costa del Sol

Hundreds of firefighters, backed up by emergency military personnel and 31 planes and helicopters, continue to battle a huge blaze that is being fanned by hot, dry winds.

According to the AFP news agency, a 12 km (7 mile) line of fire has spread across the high tree tops in the Sierra Negra mountains.

In addition to the dead man, who was found near his home, five people have been treated for injuries, some of them serious.

Angel Nozal, the mayor of Mijas, a town between Marbella and Malaga, told El Pais newspaper: “The fire is horrific, with flames 10 to 15 metres high.”

The Costa del Sol is one of Spain’s most popular holiday destinations and home to a large expatriate community.

Much of Spain’s countryside was left tinder-dry this summer by a prolonged heatwave. There have been major wildfires in northern Catalonia – near the Pyrenees – and on La Gomera, in the Canary Islands.

Residents of Ojen described panic as the flames forced them to flee without time to gather belongings.

“We left just in our clothes, our nerves jangling,” said Filomena Gomez.

Evacuees from Ojen are now staying in a sports hall in Marbella.

The wind speed has dropped since Thursday and the air is more humid, so there are hopes that the Costa del Sol blaze can be contained soon.

The fire started on Thursday afternoon in the Sierra Negra area of Coin, near Malaga and has now affected an area of some 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres).

Part of the AP-7 highway was cut temporarily, but other roads are unaffected. It is not yet clear how many homes have been damaged or destroyed.

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Anne Sinclair confirms separation from Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Diane A. Wade
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0
Anne Sinclair confirms separation from Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Anne Sinclair, wife of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has indirectly confirmed that they have separated, after he was embroiled in a sex scandal.

After Anne Sinclair was asked how her personal life was going “since your separation”, she told Le Parisien that she is “in good form”.

There were reports that the high-profile couple had split last month but neither party confirmed the rumors.

Anne Sinclair, a journalist, stood by her husband though a series of scandals.

Anne Sinclair, wife of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has indirectly confirmed that they have separated, after he was embroiled in a sex scandal
Anne Sinclair, wife of former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn, has indirectly confirmed that they have separated, after he was embroiled in a sex scandal

In June the couple, both 63, threatened to sue Closer magazine over allegations that they had separated.

DSK was forced to resign from the International Monetary Fund earlier this year after he was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid.

The charges were eventually dropped, but he has since faced a number of other civil and criminal actions related to sex allegations.

In March, DSK was charged along with two businessmen and a police chief with organizing a prostitution ring for orgies in France and the US, allegations which he denies.

In addition to having to resign from his job at the IMF, DSK had also been the favorite to be the socialist candidate in this year’s French election but had to pull out.

Anne Sinclair, a journalist, heiress and head of the Huffington Post’s French edition, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn were married for some 21 years.

Until recently they had lived in Washington DC, where she had covered US politics for French media.

 

Philippines 7.9-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami warning

Diane A. Wade
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0
Philippines 7.9-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami warning

A tsunami warning has been issued for the Philippines, Indonesia and Palau after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake offshore.

The quake had a depth of 33 km (20 miles) and struck at 20:47 local time, the US Geological Survey said. It was located off the Philippines island of Samar.

A tsunami warning has been issued for the Philippines, Indonesia and Palau after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake offshore
A tsunami warning has been issued for the Philippines, Indonesia and Palau after a 7.9-magnitude earthquake offshore

There are no details of any damage or casualties from the quake.

It is not yet known if a tsunami has actually been generated.

Warnings were also initially issued for Taiwan, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Yap, but were later lifted.

 

New Jersey Pathmark shooting: gunman shoots at least two dead before being killed in firefight with police

Diane A. Wade
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0
New Jersey Pathmark shooting: gunman shoots at least two dead before being killed in firefight with police

Three people have been shot dead after a gunman walked into a New Jersey Pathmark store and killed two staff members including an 18-year-old girl.

The shooter was an employee of Pathmark and entered the Old Bridge store around 4:00 a.m. with a shotgun and opened fire on staff who were stacking shelves before the scheduled 6:00 a.m. opening.

When police arrived at the store which is 25-miles from New York City they moved the employees to a nearby T.G.I. Friday’s where they were checked out by emergency workers.

Three people have been shot dead after a gunman walked into a New Jersey Pathmark store and killed two staff members including an 18-year-old girl
Three people have been shot dead after a gunman walked into a New Jersey Pathmark store and killed two staff members including an 18-year-old girl

“This is the worst phone call a mayor can receive,” said the mayor of Old Bridge Owen Henry.

“You can prepare for these things but you can’t prevent them.”

It is unknown how many other people were in the store before the police arrived but several members of staff would have been inside as the Pathmark was preparing to open at 6:00 a.m.

Police said that they received a telephone call around 4:30 a.m. informing them that shots were being fired from inside the supermarket.

According to store employees who fled the scene, the gunman entered into the Pathmark wielding a shotgun and began shooting.

It is not known how the shooter entered the building before opening hours.

The local police have sealed off the area and the case was turned over to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Witnesses inside said that there were around a dozen staff stacking shelves before opening.

The incident comes just weeks after a series of mass shootings shook the country.

In July, a gunman opened fire in a crowded Colorado movie theater and earlier this month a white supremacist opened fire in a Sikh temple in Wisconsin.

And last week a disgruntled former employee shot his former boss on the streets of New York City before becoming involved in shoot-out with police that left nine bystanders injured.

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Burning Man Festival ten principles

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Burning Man Festival ten principles

Burning Man Festival is a week-long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert also known as “the playa” in northern Nevada, US, taking place since 1986 with music, dance and human extravaganza.

The event begins on the last Monday in August, and ends on the first Monday in September, which coincides with the American Labor Day holiday.

The festival takes its name from the ritual burning of a large wooden effigy on Saturday evening. The event is described by many participants as an experiment in community, art, radical self-expression, and radical self-reliance.

Burning Man is organized by Black Rock City, LLC.

Aerial view of Burning Man 2012 "Fertility 2.0" arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada August 30, 2012
Aerial view of Burning Man 2012 "Fertility 2.0" arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada August 30, 2012

Burning Man Festival is organized by ten principles, which all visitors are expected to follow:

1. Radical Inclusion

Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.

2. Gifting

Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.

3. Decommodification

In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.

4. Radical Self-reliance

Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.

5. Radical Self-expression

Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.

6. Communal Effort

Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.

7. Civic Responsibility

We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.

8. Leaving No Trace

Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.

9. Participation

Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.

10. Immediacy

Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.

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Burning Man Festival 2012 theme is Fertility 2.0 in honor of the female form

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Burning Man Festival 2012 theme is Fertility 2.0 in honor of the female form

Burning Man Festival, the annual art, music, experience and everything else event held in the middle of the Nevada desert, is underway with more than 60,000 “burners” attending.

The theme of Burning man Festival 2012 is “Fertility 2.0” in honor of the female form as well as the artistic creations that come into being on the occasion of Burning Man.

This year’s residents of Burning Man will enjoy the fervent community dedicated to self-reliance and self-expression that began 26 years before.

Burning Man Festival, held in the middle of the Nevada desert, is underway with more than 60,000 burners attending
Burning Man Festival, held in the middle of the Nevada desert, is underway with more than 60,000 burners attending

“Black Rock City is a kind of Petri dish,” the website reads.

“Theme camps cling in fertile clusters to its latticework of streets, artworks tumble out of it, like pollen on the air.

“These nodes of interaction mutate, grow and reproduce their kind, only to efflorescence and spread across five continents.

“This year’s art theme contemplates the tendency of any being or living system to create abundant life.”

Festival-goers were encouraged to create works based on fertility and all its many wonders.

The Burning Man, so named for his destiny, will stand astride a grand pavilion that is similar in shape to the Pantheon of ancient Rome.

“Arching portals and two mezzanines will wrap around an atrium; circles will encompass circles, telescoping to an open skylight several stories overhead,” the site says.

“An interactive sculpture, sprouting from the courtyard of the chamber, will invite participants to clamber upward through the center of this mesmerizing space, much as bees might swarm about the pistil of a flower.”

Everyone visiting the “hive” is encouraged to “express their own peculiar sense of inner beeing”, which can include, but is not limited to pretending to be a bee and engaging in bee culture.

As always, Black Rock City residents are expected to obey the ten principles.

Radical Inclusion, Gifting, Decommodification, Radical Self-reliance, Radical Self-expression, Communal Effort, Civic Responsibility, Leaving No Trace, Participation and Immediacy are of the utmost importance to the community.

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Sage Stallone died from heart attack, LA coroner rules

Lisa.Felice
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Sage Stallone died from heart attack, LA coroner rules

Sage Stallone, son of actor Sylvester Stallone, died from natural causes due to a heart condition, the Los Angeles County Coroner has ruled.

Sage Stallone was found dead at his Hollywood home by an employee and a relative on 13 July.

Bottles of prescription pills were found but it was not clear if they were connected with his death.

Officials said on Thursday that the 36-year-old died due to a condition that causes blockage of the arteries.

Sage Stallone, son of actor Sylvester Stallone, died from natural causes due to a heart condition, the Los Angeles County Coroner has ruled
Sage Stallone, son of actor Sylvester Stallone, died from natural causes due to a heart condition, the Los Angeles County Coroner has ruled

Toxicology results showed Sage Stallone had only a small amount of the sedative hydrocodone in his body.

No other drugs were detected and the death has been classified a natural death.

The actor and film director’s sudden death stunned his family and friends.

Sylvester Stallone’s publicist described him as “devastated and grief-stricken” and the actor skipped several promotional events for his film The Expendables 2.

Sage Moonblood Stallone was the oldest of Sylvester Stallone’s children and co-starred with his father in two films, Rocky V and Daylight.

He also became involved in movie-making, directing a 2006 short, Vic, that was screened at the Palm Springs Film Festival.

In 1996, Sage Stallone co-founded Grindhouse Releasing, a company dedicated to preserving and promoting the B-movies and exploitation films of the 1970s and ’80s.

Sylvester Stallone’s spokeswoman said the actor had no comment about the coroner’s findings.

 

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