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Johnny Depp close to his publicist Robin Baum and to multiple women before official split from Vanessa Paradis

Lisa.Felice
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Johnny Depp close to his publicist Robin Baum and to multiple women before official split from Vanessa Paradis

As Johnny Depp grows closer to his Rum Diary co-star Amber Heard, it’s being reported that the actor was spending time with other beautiful women as his 14 year union with Vanessa Paradis crumbled.

Johnny Depp, 49 , was forced to deny rumors that he was involved with his Dark Shadows co-star Eva Green who he shared a sensational, supernatural love scene with in the Tim Burton flop.

But a report suggests that Johnny Depp has struck up a more serious bond with his pretty publicist, Robin Baum.

“Robin and Johnny spend a lot of time together obviously because of work but their relationship seems to be getting much closer than just business,” a source told RadarOnline.com.

“Robin is twice divorced and a mom but she and Johnny really seem to have some kind of crazy connection that goes way beyond a professional level.

“They travel a lot together for work and get to spend a lot of time together and they definitely have a total flirty vibe between them. I would put money on them having more than just a friendly relationship.”

A new report suggests that Johnny Depp has struck up a more serious bond with his pretty publicist, Robin Baum
A new report suggests that Johnny Depp has struck up a more serious bond with his pretty publicist, Robin Baum

They added that Johnny Depp’s partner Vanessa Paradis was aware of the close relationship between her partner and Robin Baum… and wasn’t happy about it.

“She knew that Johnny and Robin were together a lot and she didn’t like it, but there was nothing she could do because it was a working relationship she was told,” the source said.

But currently, bisexual actress Amber Heard, 26, is a “regular visitor” to the New Mexico set of The Lone Ranger where Johnny Depp is currently filming.

And Johnny Depp, who made an official announcement that he had split from partner of 14 years Vanessa Paradis on Tuesday, is even said to have bought Amber Heard a horse so they can ride together, according to a report in Globe magazine.

A source claims Johnny Depp is smitten by Amber Heard, and reportedly said: “When I first saw Amber, it was like seeing an old-time movie star like Lauren Bacall.”

Amber Heard who was born in Austin, Texas, previously worked as a model and before starring in The Rum Diary alongside Johnny Depp had had small roles in a number of films.

She attended a Catholic school in Austin until her junior year, then the ambitious teen left to pursue a career in Hollywood.

Amber Heard was active in her school’s drama department and appeared in local commercials and campaigns.

While she was raised a Catholic, after the death of her best friend died in a car crash Amber Heard declared herself an atheist.

Amber Heard, 26, has described her role as Johnny Depp’s love interest in the film, The Rum Diary, as “the best experience of my life”.

She gushed to magazine Dazed about Johnny Depp: “He’s such a wonderful presence; he is enigmatic and compelling and a true artist, seriously intelligent and incredibly sensitive.

“Everybody on set respects and likes him, which says a lot about an actor. It’s a grueling job at times and the stress level that everybody feels in the industry is intense – but it doesn’t affect Johnny.

“It seems like he has time to look everybody in the eye and I like that, it was wonderful to see.”

Amber Heard’s profile is set to rise as she recently joined the case of thriller Paranoia as the female lead alongside Gary Oldman, Harrison Ford, and Liam Hemsworth.

She also recently landed a role as an assassin in the sequel Machete Kills.

Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp had not been pictured together in public for months, but the Dark Shadows star insisted last month that there was no truth to talk of a split.

Despite Johnny Depp’s denials, a number of publications carried pictures and reports that he and Amber Heard enjoyed a trip together to Las Vegas on a private plane.

 

Moody’s downgrades 15 global banks and financial institutions

Clyde K. Valle
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Moody’s downgrades 15 global banks and financial institutions

Credit ratings agency Moody’s has decided to downgrade 15 global banks and financial institutions.

In the US, Bank of America and Citigroup were among those marked down.

The UK banks downgraded were Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays and HSBC. Lloyds also had its rating cut by Moody’s in a separate announcement.

The other institutions that have been downgraded are Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Credit Suisse, UBS, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, Deutsche Bank and Royal Bank of Canada.

Moody’s added that it was putting some of the banks on a negative outlook, which is a warning that they could be downgraded again in the future.

Explaining this, it said governments around the world had shown a “clear intent” to reduce their support for banks going forward.

Credit ratings agency Moody's has decided to downgrade 15 global banks and financial institutions
Credit ratings agency Moody's has decided to downgrade 15 global banks and financial institutions

In Friday trading, shares in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) were up 0.8%, HSBC had gained 0.6%, and Barclays had risen 0.5%. Lloyds was 1.6% higher.

In France and Germany, Societe Generale was up 2.1%, while shares in Deutsche Bank were flat.

In a statement, RBS responded to its downgrade saying: “The group disagrees with Moody’s ratings change, which the group feels is backward-looking and does not give adequate credit for the substantial improvements the group has made to its balance sheet, funding and risk profile.”

RBS estimated that the downgrade could mean it would need to find an extra £9bn in collateral for its debts.

Lloyds said it believed that the change would have “limited impact on our funding costs and market capacity”.

In the US, Citigroup said it “strongly disagrees” with Moody’s decision.

Of the banks downgraded, four were cut by one notch on Moody’s ranking scale, including HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, and also Lloyds.

A further 10 banks had their rating reduced by two notches, including Barclays. Credit Suisse was lowered by three notches.

Moody’s separates the 15 banks into three groupings, relative to its assessment of their resilience to any global financial market turmoil.

It puts HSBC in its strongest “first group”, together with Royal Bank of Canada and JP Morgan.

Moody’s says these banks have “stronger buffers” than many of their peers, and “generally more stable businesses”.

Barclays is in its “second group” of banks which Moody’s says faces “sometimes adverse factors”. Other banks at this level are BNP Paribas and Goldman Sachs.

RBS is in the bottom “third group”, which comprises banks which “have been affected by problems in risk management, or have a history of high volatility”. Other banks in this grouping include Bank of America and Citigroup.

 

Travis Weaver becomes Jerry Sandusky’s first accuser to step publicly

Diane A. Wade
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Travis Weaver becomes Jerry Sandusky’s first accuser to step publicly

Travis Weaver became the first alleged Jerry Sandusky victim to reveal himself to the public, saying in an interview that he was sexually abused by former Penn State assistant coach more than 100 times, starting when he was just ten.

Travis Weaver, a 30-year-old Ohio man, said Jerry Sandusky preyed on him after he and his brother went to a summer camp for the Second Mile, a charity the coach founded and through which he is accused of cultivating most of his victims

The revelation comes on the same day as a jury begins to deliberate Jerry Sandusky’s fate on 48 counts of sexual abuse charges.

In closing arguments, his attorney said the accusers were liars who were hoping to cash in on legal settlements from the university.

Travis Weaver is not one of the eight accusers who testified at trial, but he did tell his story to the grand jury that handed down the Sandusky’s indictment, NBC News reported.

An exclusive interview with Travis Weaver will air at 10:00 p.m. Thursday on Rock Center.

Travis Weaver became the first alleged Jerry Sandusky victim to reveal himself to the public
Travis Weaver became the first alleged Jerry Sandusky victim to reveal himself to the public

When asked what he would do if he ever met Jerry Sandusky again, Travis Weaver doesn’t hesitate: “I’d punch him in his mouth.”

“There would be no reason to say anything. He knows what he did.”

During the sex abuse trial, Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer Joe Amendola said the former coach is being railroaded by overzealous investigators and prosecutors.

He strenuously denied that accusations and Sandusky has maintained his innocence since his arrest last fall.

Joe Amendola said the accusers were greedy and they lied about the abuse in the hopes of winning big payouts from Penn State University so they could drive new cars and buy big houses.

Travis Weaver has also filed a lawsuit and is being represented by a well-known attorney who has specialized in sex abuse cases against the Catholic church.

The abuse began in 1992, Travis Weaver told NBC’s Rock Center, when he met Jerry Sandusky at a swimming pool at a camp sponsored by the Second Miles, which Sandusky founded to help at-risk young boys.

“It was like meeting my hero,” Travis Weaver said of Jerry Sandusky, who was once the top pick to replace legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.

The individual attention Jerry Sandusky gave Travis Weaver began innocently, but gradually grew more and more sinister, he said.

It began with a shower in the Penn State football team’s locker room.

“After the shower was over… he’d dry me off with a towel. He’d say he was trying to wrestle with me…” Travis Weaver told NBC.

He always assumed he was the only victim, he said.

He never imagined there have been other boys until Jerry Sandusky was arrested last fall.

Travis Weaver also blasted Jerry Sandusky’s wife, Dottie, who testified that she never saw or heard anything that would have made her think her husband was molesting boys.

He said the abuse continued for four years until he moved away to Ohio to flee Jerry Sandusky.

 

Matt Sandusky to testify he was abused as a child by Jerry Sandusky

Diane A. Wade
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Matt Sandusky to testify he was abused as a child by Jerry Sandusky

Matt Sandusky, the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, has dramatically accused the former Penn State coach of abuse as a jury deliberates over scores of sex abuse charges against him.

A lawyer for Matt Sandusky said the man told authorities that the former Penn State assistant football coach abused him.

Matt Sandusky, 33, is one of Jerry Sandusky’s six adopted children.

His lawyers, Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici, issued a statement on Thursday naming Matt Sandusky and saying that he had been prepared to testify on behalf of prosecutors at his father’s sex abuse trial.

The statement says Matt Sandusky is “a victim of Jerry Sandusky’s abuse”, but doesn’t go into specifics.

NBC News reported that Matt Sandusky was to take the stand as a “rebuttal witness” if Jerry Sandusky testified.

Jerry Sandusky’s defense team ultimately decided the 68-year-old former coach wouldn’t speak in his own defense.

Matt Sandusky, the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, has dramatically accused the former Penn State coach of abuse as a jury deliberates over scores of sex abuse charges against him
Matt Sandusky, the adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, has dramatically accused the former Penn State coach of abuse as a jury deliberates over scores of sex abuse charges against him

Matt Sandusky’s attorney’s told the network: “This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy.”

The statement came after jurors began deliberating 48 charges against the ex-coach.

Prosecutors say Jerry Sandusky met the 10 sex-abuse victims through his charity, The Second Mile, which he established in 1977.

Matt Sandusky’s lawyer says his client met with investigators very recently.

Matt Sandusky went to live with Jerry Sandusky and his wife, Dottie, as a foster child and was adopted by them as an adult.

Shortly after Jerry Sandusky’s arrest in November, Matt Sandusky’s ex-wife Jill Jones successfully obtained a restraining order forbidding the children from sleeping at their grandparents’ home.

At about the same time, details emerged that Matt Sandusky had attempted suicide just four months after first going to live with Jerry and Dottie Sandusky in 1995.

He had come into the home through The Second Mile charity, and was first a foster child before being legally adopted.

His name also came up last week during the testimony of one of Jerry Sandusky’s ten accusers.

The man, dubbed Victim 4 by prosecutors, said Matt Sandusky was living at the Sandusky home on an occasion when he had stayed there overnight.

When asked by prosecutors whether Jerry Sandusky ever engaged him in a soap battle in the showers, he recounted a time when he and Matt Sandusky had been playing racket ball.

When they were done, he said, they went back to a locker room. Matt got undressed and got into the shower and then Victim 4 and Jerry Sandusky followed him in there, he testified.

“Me and Jerry came in. He started pumping his hand full of soap,” he said.

At that point, Matt Sandusky shut off his shower and left and went to another locker room to shower, the witness said.

Asked by prosecutors about Matt’s facial expression when the soap battles started, he replied: “Nervous.”

Jerry and Dottie Sandusky married in 1966 and have no biological children together, but adopted six times and have served as foster parents.

The news comes just hours after Travis Weaver, a 30-year-old Ohio man, became the first alleged Jerry Sandusky victim to reveal himself to the public, saying in an interview that he was sexually abused by Jerry Sandusky more than 100 times, starting when he was just ten.

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Twitter taken down by cascading bug

Nancy Clayson
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Twitter taken down by cascading bug

Twitter blames a “cascading bug” for rendering the social networking site inaccessible yesterday.

Users from around the world reported difficulties logging on to the site after problems started at about 17:00 BST.

The service was affected for around two hours while engineers sought to solve the issue.

In a blog post, Twitter dismissed reports it had been hacked, and offered “sincere apologies” to its users.

“A cascading bug is one with an effect that isn’t confined to a particular software element, but rather its effect “cascades” into other elements as well,” explained Mazen Rawashdeh, the site’s vice president of engineering.

“One of the characteristics of such a bug is that it can have a significant impact on all users, worldwide, which was the case today.

“As soon as we discovered it, we took corrective actions, which included rolling back to a previous stable version of Twitter.”

Twitter blames a "cascading bug" for rendering the social networking site inaccessible yesterday
Twitter blames a "cascading bug" for rendering the social networking site inaccessible yesterday

Mazen Rawashdeh described the situation as “turbulence”.

“We began recovery at around 10:10 a.m., dropped again around 10:40 a.m. PDT, and then began full recovery at 11:08 a.m. PDT.”

Twitter’s last major downtime in the UK was on New Year’s Day when the site crashed after becoming overloaded.

In its earlier days, Twitter was famed for its flaky reliability, with its “fail whale” cartoon – which was displayed when the site was overloaded – becoming a regular sight for users.

However, added investment into the service has resulted in better stability, Mazen Rawashdeh wrote.

“For the past six months, we’ve enjoyed our highest marks for site reliability and stability ever: at least 99.96% and often 99.99%.

“In simpler terms, this means that in an average 24-hour period, twitter.com has been stable and available to everyone for roughly 23 hours, 59 minutes and 40-ish seconds.

“Not today though.”

 

Tumor removed from the mouth of a foetus at Jackson Memorial Hospital

Kathryn R. Bown
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Tumor removed from the mouth of a foetus at Jackson Memorial Hospital

Surgeons at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida have removed a tumor from the mouth of a foetus, in what has been described as a “world first” procedure.

After a scan at 17 weeks, mother Tammy Gonzalez said she “could see a bubble” coming out of her baby’s mouth.

Doctors said it was a very rare tumor called an oral teratoma and there was little chance her daughter would survive.

After the pioneering operation, baby Leyna was born five months later.

Doctors at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida, said this type of tumor was so rare it had been seen only once in 20 years at the hospital.

In the procedure, Tammy Gonzalez was put under a local anaesthetic as a needle was pushed through the protective amniotic sac around the foetus.

A laser was then used to cut the tumor from Leyna’s lips. The operation lasted just over an hour.

Surgeons at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida have removed a tumor from the mouth of a foetus, in what has been described as a "world first" procedure
Surgeons at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Florida have removed a tumor from the mouth of a foetus, in what has been described as a "world first" procedure

Tammy Gonzalez told a press conference in Miami: “When they finally severed the whole thing off and I could see it floating down, it was like this huge weight had been lifted off me and I could finally see her face.”

She described the surgeons as “saviors”.

The doctors said: “To our knowledge, this is the first successful treatment of a foetal oral teratoma in utero.”

Leyna Mykaella Gonzalez was born in October 2010 weighing 8lb 1oz. She is now a healthy 20-month-old child.

The only sign of her life-saving surgery is a tiny scar on her mouth.

The details have only just emerged after the operation was reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

 

Alec Baldwin drops his pants on David Letterman’s Late Show

Lisa.Felice
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Alec Baldwin drops his pants on David Letterman’s Late Show

Wednesday night Alec Baldwin made an appearance on the Late Show With David Letterman, and seemed to be in the mood to play the antics of recent days down.

But even dropping his pants for the host at the Ed Sullivan Theater, didn’t knock the host off course.

After taking the stage to Pat Benatar’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Alec Baldwin broke the tension by declaring that he’d lost weight – and dropped his pants as proof, David Letterman then downed his trousers too.

But sensing the inevitable, Alec Baldwin then said: “Let’s get to it, shall we?”

“You’re obviously burning to hold up the cover of the Daily News.”

“The picture, without knowing the story, tells a tale that’s not often true,” said David Letterman.

Alec Baldwin broke the tension by declaring that he’d lost weight and dropped his pants as proof, David Letterman then downed his trousers too
Alec Baldwin broke the tension by declaring that he’d lost weight and dropped his pants as proof, David Letterman then downed his trousers too

Alec Baldwin then offered his explanation, while pointing at the cover of the newspaper.

“I’m forming the letter <<F>> with my mouth, and what I’m saying is, <<What F-stop are you on with the camera?>>” Alec Baldwin said.

Earlier in the day, Alec Baldwin rolled his mountain bike over a television reporter’s foot outside his East Village apartment.

The actor then allegedly used the bike to knock the Inside Edition reporter aside as she asked Alec Baldwin a question about the row.

“Ouch, my back,” the 5-foot-2 woman said after her brush with the hot-headed Alec Baldwin.

“He shoved me and ran over my foot,” the Daily News reported.

They added that a Daily News reporter and photographer were hit by the handlebars.

Earlier Alec Baldwin tweeted: “15-20 cameramen outside my bldg this am, chasing me on my bike.”

“They’re knocking into ppl on the street, yelling <<Will you seek help, Alec?>>”

It came a day after he was accused of assaulting New York Daily News photographer Marcus Santos.

Alec Baldwin told The Charlie Rose Show earlier in the week that he was a victim.

“The guy lunged and almost hit me in the teeth with the lens of the camera,” Alec said Baldwin.

“So I just pushed the guy away.”

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Ireland Baldwin is the spitting image of Kim Basinger as she steps out for breakfast with her father

Lisa.Felice
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Ireland Baldwin is the spitting image of Kim Basinger as she steps out for breakfast with her father

Alec Baldwin famously referred to his daughter Ireland a “rude, thoughtless little pig” in a leaked voicemail message back in 2007.

But it seems that Alec Baldwin is on better terms with his teen daughter these days – and today they were spotted heading out for breakfast in New York.

Statuesque Ireland Baldwin, 16, is fast becoming the spitting image of her mother Kim Basinger, whose marriage to Alec Baldwin ended in divorce.

Alec Baldwin and his teen daughter Ireland were spotted heading out for breakfast in New York
Alec Baldwin and his teen daughter Ireland were spotted heading out for breakfast in New York

No doubt Alec Baldwin and his daughter had a good deal to talk about over their food – following the actor’s recent run in with the Press which saw him embroiled in a fracas with a photographer.

Alec Baldwin, 54, was dressed in workout gear and appeared to have worked up quite a sweat during his morning outing.

Ireland Baldwin, meanwhile, was wearing a white top, black miniskirt and denim shirt, teamed with tan boots.

Later in the day Alec Baldwin was seen out with fiancée Hilaria Thomas, heading into New York University.

 

Planned obsolescence: How your gadgets are built to break

Nancy Clayson
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Planned obsolescence: How your gadgets are built to break

Throughout history electronics manufacturers have sold products with built-in obsolescence, or introduced new formats forcing consumers to rebut accessories and even music, films and TV shows.

Recent examples include the evolution of music, from records to tapes, CDs and downloads, each format requiring users to buy the music they already own again with the promise of better quality.

Film buffs have also seen huge changes, from VHS to laserdisc to DVD, Blu Ray and, finally, downloads.

Many gadget makers sell electronics with batteries that cannot easily be replaced, forcing users to either upgrade or pay for expensive repairs
Many gadget makers sell electronics with batteries that cannot easily be replaced, forcing users to either upgrade or pay for expensive repairs

Many gadget makers, including Apple, also sell electronics with batteries that cannot easily be replaced, forcing users to either upgrade or pay for expensive repairs.

Apple and others have also often changed the design of power supplies and other accessories with each new model, forcing consumers to buy new versions.

TV makers also warn that even the latest TVs have a limited lifespan, with on average around 100,000 hours of use before they must be replaced.

However, manufacturers hope that consumers will upgrade to the latest technology far before this happens.

 

Apple accused of making all iPhone accessories obsolete by changing design of its future device

Nancy Clayson
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Apple accused of making all iPhone accessories obsolete by changing design of its future device

Apple was accused yesterday of ripping off consumers as it emerged the next version of the iPhone could render all current accessories obsolete.

Outraged iPhone owners flocked online to complain about the reports that Apple has decided to radically alter the size of the connector in the next iPhone, which is expected to be launched in October.

Speakers, docks and other expensive accessories costing hundreds of dollars would be rendered useless by the move, along with cheaper add-ons such as chargers. Even cars with the current connector built in would need to be upgraded.

Technology blog TechCrunch said it confirmed the change by speaking with three separate manufacturers, although Apple has not commented on the plan.

Current iPhones, and all previous models, have used a 30-pin connector for power and to plug in accessories.

However, reports claim the next iPhone will use a smaller 19-pin version, rendering all current accessories useless. Leaked pictures claiming to be the new handset also show a smaller, rounder connector.

Some reports claim the new connector will allow a smaller, thinner iPhone to be made, while others claim it could lead to a cable attached by magnets.

Apple was accused yesterday of ripping off consumers as it emerged the next version of the iPhone could render all current accessories obsolete
Apple was accused yesterday of ripping off consumers as it emerged the next version of the iPhone could render all current accessories obsolete

According to blogger Robert Scoble, the move will also allow Apple tighter control over accessory makers.

Apple charges firms to create accessories as part of its “made for iPhone” scheme which approves add-ons, although the firm has never revealed how much it charges to join the scheme.

Manufacturers must also buy a special “authentication chip” for some of their accessories, a move by Apple to cut down on unapproved accessories, and it is believed the chip is even found in some iPhone headphones.

“It will be nearly impossible to make unlicensed devices,” said Robert Scoble.

“Unfortunately these design goals mean making obsolete the something like 10 power chargers in my home. Sigh.”

Sirio Brozzi of the website Awesome Robo hit out at the move, and blogged: “People are stunned by this possibility, myself included. I mean, why fix something that’s not broken?”

He believes the move is planned to give both Apple and accessory makers a huge new market.

“Have you guys ever heard of <<planned obsolescence>>?” he added.

“It’s a practice which encourages planning and designing a product so it’s only useful for a limited time, before becoming obsolete.”

Apple also advertised for staff to work the new connector earlier this year, advertising for a Lead Engineer, who the firm said will be “responsible for identifying appropriate connection technology requirements for new products and follow through with selection and development of suitable interconnect products”.

“This will often involve adaptation of existing connectors or complete new designs,” Apple said.

Along with a change in its dock connector, the iPhone 5 has also been rumored to be receiving a newly designed speaker grill, a different back cover and antenna that are molded into one piece, and most notably, a larger screen.

However, some believe Apple could – at a price – supply adapters to allow older accessories to work with the new handsets.

The new iPhone is also expected to have a larger 4″ screen using Apple’s retina display, which uses individual pixels so small the human eye cannot see them, making on-screen text appear like a printed page, and allowing graphics and video to be shown at resolutions higher than a high definition TV.

It will also include Apple’s own maps software, which the company revealed a few weeks ago. In a bid to compete with Google’s maps, Apple even revealed it has a fleet of planes and helicopters photographing the world to build up a 3D map.

The iPhone accessories which could become obsolete

Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 8 – $850

Bose Sounddock 10 – $600

B&W Zeppelin mini speaker – $300

 

 

Talibans attack Spozhmai Hotel in Lake Qargha near Kabul

Roy Siemens
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Talibans attack Spozhmai Hotel in Lake Qargha near Kabul

Taliban militants have attacked Spozhmai Hotel outside Kabul in the Lake Qargha area, triggering a deadly gun battle with Afghan security forces and a hostage crisis.

Three guards and one police officer were killed, as were three militants, but two are still fighting, according to the chief of Kabul police.

An unknown number of people have been taken hostage, including women and children, but 18 have been freed.

The Taliban claimed the attack. Lake Qargha is on the outskirts of Kabul and is favored by residents of the Afghan capital for day trips and family outings.

The gunmen, armed with rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns, launched the attack on the hotel late on Thursday, officials say.

Taliban militants have attacked Spozhmai Hotel outside Kabul in the Lake Qargha area, triggering a deadly gun battle with Afghan security forces and a hostage crisis
Taliban militants have attacked Spozhmai Hotel outside Kabul in the Lake Qargha area, triggering a deadly gun battle with Afghan security forces and a hostage crisis

“Police forces have besieged the hotel where people gathered for a picnic or wedding party,” Kabul deputy police chief Daoud Amin told the AFP news agency.

“We will be very careful so that not to harm to civilians,” he added.

Some guests reportedly jumped out of hotel windows to flee from the attackers.

An unknown number remain inside.

The US-led coalition is providing support to the Afghan security forces, who are trying to flush out the insurgents from the hotel.

Reuters news agency quotes the Taliban as saying they attacked the hotel because wealthy Afghans and foreigners used it for “wild parties”.

Violence has recently increased across the country, with at least three US soldiers and about 20 Afghans killed in a series of attacks over the past seven days.

The attacks come as NATO prepares to hand responsibility to Afghan forces when the alliance’s combat troops leave in 2014.

 

Boat with 200 on board sinks near Christmas Island, north-western Australia

Diane A. Wade
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Boat with 200 on board sinks near Christmas Island, north-western Australia

Rescuers are searching for dozens of people believed to be missing after a boat sank near Christmas Island, off north-western Australia.

Ships have so far picked 110 survivors from the sea, but officials believe about 200 people were on the boat. Three bodies have been recovered.

The ship, believed to be carrying asylum-seekers, capsized on Thursday.

Australian patrol vessels, merchant ships and aircraft have been helping with the rescue.

Christmas Island is closer to Indonesia than Australia, and is targeted by asylum-seekers hoping to get to Australia, often on boats that are over-loaded and poorly maintained.

Officials said the boat issued an emergency call and was later found to be in distress by an Australian surveillance plane.

Rescuers are searching for dozens of people believed to be missing after a boat sank near Christmas Island, off north-western Australia
Rescuers are searching for dozens of people believed to be missing after a boat sank near Christmas Island, off north-western Australia

“We’re still in that critical window where more lives could be saved,” Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare said.

Everyone on board the boat was said to be male, with a 13-year-old boy among those rescued. Their nationalities remain unclear.

About 40 people were found clinging to the hull of the boat and more were found holding on to debris, Jason Clare said.

A spokeswoman from Australia’s Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said water temperatures were fair, which made finding more survivors more likely.

Those rescued have begun arriving at Christmas Island, where Australia has a large immigration detention centre. They were said to be in good health.

In recent years a flow of asylum-seekers, mainly from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Iraq, have been making their way to Australian territory by boat via Indonesia.

There have been a number of capsizes blamed on unseaworthy vessels carrying too many passengers.

About 50 asylum-seekers died when their boat broke up on rocks off Christmas Island in December 2010.

“This accident again underscores the dangerous nature of these hazardous journeys, and the desperate and dangerous measures people will resort to when they are fleeing persecution in their home countries,” the UN refugee agency said in a statement.

 

 

H5N1 bird flu virus mutations could cause deadly human pandemic

Kathryn R. Bown
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H5N1 bird flu virus mutations could cause deadly human pandemic

Scientists warn the H5N1 bird flu virus could change into a form able to spread rapidly between humans.

Researchers have identified five genetic changes that could allow the virus to start a deadly pandemic.

Writing in the journal Science, they say it would be theoretically possible for these changes to occur in nature.

A US agency has tried unsuccessfully to ban publication of parts of the research fearing it could be used by terrorists to create a bioweapon.

According to Prof. Ron Fouchier from the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, who led the research, publication of the work in full will give the wider scientific community the best possible chance to combat future flu pandemics.

“We hope to learn which viruses can cause pandemics and by knowing that we might be able to prevent them by enforcing strict eradication programmes,” he said.

He added that his work might also speed the development of vaccines and anti-viral drugs against a lethal form of bird flu that could spread rapidly among people.

The H5N1 virus has been responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of birds and has led to hundreds of millions more being slaughtered to stop its spread.

The virus is also deadly to humans but can only be transmitted by close contact with infected birds.

Scientists warn the H5N1 bird flu virus could change into a form able to spread rapidly between humans
Scientists warn the H5N1 bird flu virus could change into a form able to spread rapidly between humans

It is for this reason that relatively few people have died of bird flu. Latest World Health Organization (WHO) figures indicate 332 people have died of the illness since 2003.

Health officials are concerned though that the H5N1 virus could one day mutate into a form that could be spread between humans through coughs and sneezes through the air.

This could, they fear, result in a lethal pandemic that could spread rapidly across the world killing tens of millions of people.

It is only now that a study has confirmed that the emergence of such a deadly virus is theoretically possible.

A group led by Prof. Ron Fouchier wanted to find out which genetic changes were required to enable the H5N1 virus to mutate into a form that could be transmitted from person to person through the air.

His team compared the genetic structure of the bird flu virus with those responsible for earlier human flu pandemics.

The researchers found five key differences, which they reasoned could be the mutations required for airborne transmission of the virus.

They confirmed their theory was correct by genetically engineering those changes into the H5N1 virus which they found could then be spread between ferrets through coughing and sneezing.

A team from Cambridge University then looked to see whether such a mutation could emerge naturally and if so its likelihood.

The researchers studied the genetic structure of 3,000 bird viruses and 400 that occur in humans.

They found some of these viruses had two of the key changes needed to become airborne. Mathematical modeling suggested it was indeed possible for a virus to develop the three further changes required during the course of an epidemic.

It is the first time it has been shown that it is possible for bird flu to become airborne, but the research team was unable to determine precisely how likely this was to happen.

Prof. Derek Smith, who led the analysis, said more information was needed.

He said researchers required a better understanding of how flu viruses were transmitted between people in order to develop a clearer idea of the likelihood of the emergence of an airborne strain of bird flu.

“These are difficult things to find out,” said Prof. Derek Smith.

“What this work enables us to do is to prioritize particular experiments to obtain this information.”

It is clear though that the emergence of an airborne mutation of H5N1 is unlikely. Were it not it would have emerged already.

But researchers want to be able to calculate the risk of such a virus emerging more precisely in order to help public health officials in their contingency planning.

News of Prof. Ron Fouchier’s work, and another similar study by Yoshihiro Kawaoka published this May in the journal Nature, prompted the US National Security Advisory Board for Biotechnology (NSABB) to ask both journals last November to redact some sensitive parts of the research.

The NSABB believed the information could be used by terrorists to create a bioweapon.

The scientists who carried out the research, and the journals concerned, considered suggestions as to how the results could be redacted in the journals, but distributed to bona fide researchers who urgently needed the information.

But they concluded such a system was unworkable.

“You can’t share information with so many people in the field and keep it confidential,” according to Prof. Ron Fouchier.

Editor in chief of the journal Science, Dr. Bruce Alberts, said the publication of the research in both Science and Nature had “shone a spotlight” on the need to deal more effectively with research that could be misused by terrorists – so called “dual use research of concern” (DURC).

“It has become clear that we will need to work toward the establishment of a comprehensive, international system for assessing DURC, one that includes transparent procedures to allow selected access to any information omitted from a scientific publication to those with a need to know.”

But Prof. Ron Fouchier questioned whether a system of asking scientific journals to censor DURC work is ever workable or even appropriate.

“The general mode should be that science should be freely available so that the wider scientific community can build on the research,” he said.

“I have a hard time identifying research papers that you shouldn’t publish. So I’m not sure whether we should ever go down this alley.”

 

 

Workers sick during annual leave entitled to get extra time off, rules European Court of Justice

Clyde K. Valle
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Workers sick during annual leave entitled to get extra time off, rules European Court of Justice

Employees who fall sick during their annual leave are entitled to take corresponding paid leave at a later date, the EU’s top court has ruled.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling is legally binding throughout the EU.

Thursday’s ruling was prompted by a Spanish trade union case against a group of department stores.

“The right to paid annual leave cannot be interpreted restrictively,” the court says.

The court in Luxembourg said the EU Working Time Directive grants workers a right to at least four weeks’ paid annual leave “even where such leave coincides with periods of sick leave”.

Employees who fall sick during their annual leave are entitled to take corresponding paid leave at a later date, the EU's top court has ruled
Employees who fall sick during their annual leave are entitled to take corresponding paid leave at a later date, the EU's top court has ruled

The ECJ says “the point at which the temporary incapacity arose is irrelevant”.

“Consequently, a worker is entitled to take paid annual leave, which coincides with a period of sick leave, at a later point in time, irrespective of the point at which the incapacity for work arose.”

According to an earlier ECJ ruling, workers who fall sick before a period of annual leave can also reschedule that leave period so that it does not clash with their sick leave.

At least 15 EU countries use the opt-out, which enables workers voluntarily to work more than 48 hours a week.

An EU source said the ECJ ruling has full, immediate effect EU-wide, regardless of the type or size of employer.

Workers who believe their employer has infringed their right to paid annual leave can seek justice in their national courts.

Infringement cases against employers who violate the directive can also be brought by the European Commission or national governments.

In cases where workers fall sick towards the end of the year, and are unable to take all of their annual leave, they can under EU law carry over their unused leave into the next accounting period.

The ECJ has also ruled that the long-term sick have the right to accumulate at least a year of unused annual leave. But the ECJ says the amount is not open-ended and member states can set an upper limit.

 

 

Kripparrian completes Diablo III video game

Nancy Clayson
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Kripparrian completes Diablo III video game

Just over a month after the release of Diablo III, Kripparrian, a pro player, has managed to complete the game on its hardest setting.

Toronto-based Kripparrian posted a video on YouTube showing the hard fight against Diablo – the ultimate boss in the game.

To make the task harder, Kripparrian used the game’s “hard core” setting which left little room for error.

The achievement has been confirmed by the game’s developer, Blizzard.

The hugely popular Diablo III game casts players in the role of a hero who has to save the mythical world of Sanctuary from a demonic invasion.

Kripparrian made this job as hard as possible by playing the game’s Inferno mode which makes in-game enemies much tougher.

In addition, he used a “hard core” character. This meant that, if the character died once, the game would be over. He also got in-game help from another player called Krippi.

Just over a month after the release of Diablo III, Kripparrian, a pro player, has managed to complete the game on its hardest setting
Just over a month after the release of Diablo III, Kripparrian, a pro player, has managed to complete the game on its hardest setting

The final fight against Diablo, the ultimate boss in the game, took about 25 minutes and Kripparrian was jubilant once it was done.

The achievement was completed prior to the application of the latest patch for the game which makes monsters easier to kill.

“With this patch, the bosses, the mobs, they become easier,” he said in the video of the kill.

“We didn’t want to beat it that way. We wanted to beat the game when it was hard, at the hardest point possible. So it was a race against time.”

One of Blizzard’s community managers confirmed the achievement soon after and offered congratulations via Twitter.

 [youtube y-DjYYZitRU]

AWARE2 gigapixel camera creates images with unprecedented detail

Nancy Clayson
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AWARE2 gigapixel camera creates images with unprecedented detail

US engineers have unveiled AWARE2, a new camera capable of creating images with “unprecedented detail”.

The prototype machine is capable of taking pictures with resolutions of up 50 gigapixels, equivalent to 50,000 megapixels, according to the team from Duke University in North Carolina.

The new camera works by synchronizing 98 tiny cameras in a single device.

The machine is likely to be used first for military surveillance.

The camera was developed by a team led by engineer David Brady and Michael J. Fitzpatrick, professor of Electric Engineering at Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering, along with scientists from the University of Arizona, and the University of California.

They received funding from DARPA – the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

AWARE2 prototype machine is capable of taking pictures with resolutions of up 50 gigapixels, equivalent to 50,000 megapixels
AWARE2 prototype machine is capable of taking pictures with resolutions of up 50 gigapixels, equivalent to 50,000 megapixels

The prototype camera itself is two-and-half feet square and 20 inches deep.

“Each one of the microcameras captures information from a specific area of the field of view,” David Brady said.

“A computer processor essentially stitches all this information into a single highly detailed image. In many instances, the camera can capture images of things that photographers cannot see themselves but can then detect when the image is viewed later.”

Most consumer cameras currently on the market are capable of taking photographs ranging from eight to 40 megapixels.

Pixels are basically individual “dots” of data – and the higher the number of pixels, the better resolution of the image.

The researchers believe that within five years, as the electronic components of the cameras become miniaturized and more efficient, the next generation of gigapixel cameras should be available to the general public.

“The camera is so large now because of the electronic control boards and the need to add components to keep it from overheating,” David Brady said.

“As more efficient and compact electronics are developed, the age of hand-held gigapixel photography should follow.”

 

 

Queen of Sheba legend origins written in Ethiopians DNA

James J. Williams
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Queen of Sheba legend origins written in Ethiopians DNA

Scientists claim they found that clues to the origins of the Queen of Sheba legend are written in the DNA of some Africans.

Genetic research suggests Ethiopians mixed with Egyptian, Israeli or Syrian populations about 3,000 years ago.

This is the time the queen, mentioned in great religious works, is said to have ruled the kingdom of Sheba.

The research, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, also sheds light on human migration out of Africa 60,000 years ago.

According to fossil evidence, human history goes back longer in Ethiopia than anywhere else in the world. But little has been known until now about the human genetics of Ethiopians.

Professor Chris Tyler-Smith of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge, UK, a researcher on the study, said: “Genetics can tell us about historical events.

“By analyzing the genetics of Ethiopia and several other regions we can see that there was gene flow into Ethiopia, probably from the Levant, around 3,000 years ago, and this fits perfectly with the story of the Queen of Sheba.”

Scientists claim they found that clues to the origins of the Queen of Sheba legend are written in the DNA of some Africans
Scientists claim they found that clues to the origins of the Queen of Sheba legend are written in the DNA of some Africans

Lead researcher Luca Pagani of the University of Cambridge and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute added: “The genetic evidence is in support of the legend of the Queen of Sheba.”

More than 200 individuals from 10 Ethiopian and two neighboring African populations were analyzed in the largest genetic investigation of its kind on Ethiopian populations.

About a million genetic letters in each genome were studied. Previous Ethiopian genetic studies have focused on smaller sections of the human genome and mitochondrial DNA, which passes along the maternal line.

Dr. Sarah Tishcoff of the Department of Genetics and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, said Ethiopia would be an important region to study in the future.

Commenting on the study, she said: “Ethiopia is a very diverse region culturally and linguistically but, until now, we’ve known little about genetic diversity in the region.

“This paper sheds light on the very interesting recent and ancient population history of a region that played an important role in both recent and ancient human migration events.

“In particular, the inference of timing and location of admixture with populations from the Levant is very interesting and is a unique example of how genetic data can be integrated with historical data.”

The scientists acknowledge that there are uncertainties about dating, with a probable margin of error of a few hundred years either side of 3,000 years.

They plan to look at all three billion genetic letters of DNA in the genome of individual Ethiopians to learn more about human genetic diversity and evolution.

 

Lone star tick causes meat allergy in adults

Kathryn R. Bown
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Lone star tick causes meat allergy in adults

Hundreds of people in the U.S. have mysteriously developed meat allergy over the last few months.

And this rash of meat allergies, currently sweeping the East Coast of America, appears to have been caused by one single, little species of tick.

The lone star tick (Amblyomma Americanum), which is named for the tiny white spot on its back, may look harmless, and only causes a tiny little prick on your skin – but what follows next is a complete and potentially life-long, aversion to meat.

Dr. Scott Commins, the assistant professor of medicine at the University of Virginia, said the animals’ saliva trickles into the wound and causes the violent reaction – which can cause potentially deadly allergic reactions.

He said: “People will eat beef and then anywhere from three to six hours later start having a reaction; anything from hives to full-blown anaphylactic shock.

“And most people want to avoid having the reaction, so they try to stay away from the food that triggers it.”

The lone star tick (Amblyomma Americanum) only causes a tiny little prick on your skin, but what follows next is a complete and potentially life-long, aversion to meat
The lone star tick (Amblyomma Americanum) only causes a tiny little prick on your skin, but what follows next is a complete and potentially life-long, aversion to meat

He said he had seen about 400 cases, of which 90% of the patients had a history of tick bites.

Studies are now being carried out to confirm that the theory and Dr. Scott Commins added: “It’s hard to prove – We’re still searching for the mechanism.”

Dr. Scott Commins plans to research into the effects of the tick saliva on the human body’s natural antibodies for alpha-gel, which is contained in red meat, lamb and pork.

He said the antibodies in the blood rise after lone star tick bites – and hopefully experiments will prove this is the mechanisms causing the allergies.

Allergies usually first appear in children and rarely start in adults. The most common allergies include peanuts and pet hair.

But for adults who have been meat-eaters all their lives, suddenly developing this allergy could be difficult.

Dr. Scott Commins added: “Some people are totally destroyed. Others say: <<maybe I’m better off without it>>.”

 

Ann Curry back at work on Today show hours after reports she will be fired as co-host

Diane A. Wade
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Ann Curry back at work on Today show hours after reports she will be fired as co-host

Ann Curry has showed up at work hours after news surfaced that she would be fired next month as co-host of NBC’s Today show.

Reports surfaced Wednesday afternoon that Ann Curry, who took over the anchor chair June 9, 2011, would be removed from her spot as Matt Lauer’s co-host.

But on Thursday morning, Ann Curry was back next to Matt Lauer, acting like nothing had happened.

Ann Curry has taken the blame from many at NBC for the Today show’s ratings decline. The program lost the top spot among network morning shows this spring, a position it had held, unbroken, since 1995.

The New York Times reported that NBC executives were preparing for Ann Curry not to show up on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Today show producers contacted Hoda Kotb, who co-hosts the fourth hour of the program, and told her to be ready to go on the air at 7:00 a.m.

But Ann Curry, who reportedly makes $2 million a year, was there, acting like normal.

“Good morning Twitterverse,” she tweeted to her 1.2 million followers on Thursday.

“Good morning. From hot to hotter. You thought yesterday was a scorcher? In many places in the East today, it’s going to get even hotter,” she said at the opening of the show.

On Thursday morning, Ann Curry was back next to Matt Lauer, acting like nothing had happened
On Thursday morning, Ann Curry was back next to Matt Lauer, acting like nothing had happened

Later in the program she appeared alongside Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Natalie Morales – one of the women who has been mentioned as her possible replacement.

Her tweet, sent out about 8:00 a.m., received dozens of responses from her fans, who offered her their support.

The Times reported on Wednesday that Ann Curry will be kicked off the show before the Summer Olympics begin July 27.

Ann Curry has been criticized for not being as flexible or quite as quick-witted as Matt Lauer or Katie Couric, who had the hosting job for 15 years before leaving in 2006.

Katie Couric was replaced by Vieira.

Matt Lauer, who recently received a reported $30 million annual contract to stay at NBC is reportedly one of the people working to push Ann Curry out.

NBC producers are beginning to panic as ABC’s Good Morning America has begun trading off with the Today show for the top network morning show.

Ann Curry’s more prominent role in the morning show has received the blame for this slump.

Negotiations are currently underway with network executives to move Ann Curry into a new job, likely as a foreign correspondent.

But, she’s apparently not leaving without a fight.

“She got her dream job, and she doesn’t want to let it go,” a source told the Times.

Savannah Guthrie, who co-hosts the show’s third hour, is at the top of the list of Ann Curry’s possible replacements.

Natalie Morales, Today‘s news anchor, and Meredith Vieira, who left the co-host role last year, have been mentioned in talks for the position, news outlets reported.

A decision about Ann Curry’s departure from the show could be made before the Summer Olympics begins in later this summer.

Several staff members who work on the show have blamed Ann Curry as the reason for the decline in ratings after she took over the co-host job, according to the New York Times.

Today lost in the ratings this spring for the first time since 1995 after a string of 852 consecutive weeks.

Since then, Today and Good Morning America have been trading wins.

Some reports suggest the longtime member of the Today show may become a foreign correspondent at the network.

For Ann Curry, however, the reality of ending her time on the program has been difficult.

Attorney Robert B. Barnett is representing Ann Curry in the discussions.

The lawyer is known for having represented Christiane Amanpour in her talks with ABC as she left the news program This Week.

Ann Curry began working as news anchor for the Today show in 1997, a position she held onto until she was promoted to share the hosting role with Matt Lauer.

She has an extensive background in global reporting.

Ann Curry began a career at NBC in 1990 as part of the NBC News team.

 

Higher-fat salad dressings help your body to absorb more carotenoids from vegetables

Kathryn R. Bown
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Higher-fat salad dressings help your body to absorb more carotenoids from vegetables

A new study shows that choosing a low-fat dressing for your salad might help you keep your weight down because it has fewer calories, but you could lose some other health benefits.

The study found higher-fat dressings help the body absorb more carotenoids, compounds in vegetables linked with a reduced risk of illnesses including cancer and heart disease.

Researchers from Iowa State University fed 29 people salads dressed with butter, high in saturated fat, canola oil for monounsaturated fat, and corn oil for polyunsaturated fat.

Each salad was dished up with 3 grams, 8 grams or 20 grams of fat from dressings to see if fat dosage made a difference to the overall results.

The participants had their blood tested for absorption of fat-soluble carotenoids, which are compounds associated with a reduced risk of several chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

The study found higher-fat dressings help the body absorb more carotenoids, compounds in vegetables linked with a reduced risk of illnesses including cancer and heart disease
The study found higher-fat dressings help the body absorb more carotenoids, compounds in vegetables linked with a reduced risk of illnesses including cancer and heart disease

With all but the canola oil, made from genetically modified rapeseed, the more fat that was used the more carotenoids were absorbed, says the study in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

Canola oil promoted the same carotenoid absorption with three grams of fat as with 20 g, suggesting it may be a healthy choice for weight watchers. Olive oil is also rich in monounsaturated fat.

Professor Mario Ferruzzi of Purdue University said: “If you want to utilise more from your fruits and vegetables, you have to pair them correctly with fat-based dressings.

“If you have a salad with a fat-free dressing, there is a reduction in calories, but you lose some of the benefits of the vegetables.”

Results showed corn oil was the most dependent on dose, with the more fat on the salad, the more carotenoids the participants absorbed.

The butter rich in saturated fat was also dependent on dose when drizzled on the salads, but not to a lesser extent.

Canola oil and olive-oil based dressings promoted the same carotenoid absorption at three grams of fat, as they did at 20 grams – suggesting this would be a good choice of dressing for people watching their weight but wanting to remain healthy.

The researchers are taking the study further by trying to understand how meal patterns affect nutrient absorption – determining whether people absorb more nutrients if they eat vegetables at one time or spread throughout the day.

Prof. Mario Ferruzzi added: “Even at the lower fat level, you can absorb a significant amount of carotenoids with monounsaturated fat-rich canola oil.

“Overall, pairing with fat matters.

“You can absorb significant amounts of carotenoids with saturated or polyunsaturated fats at low levels, but you would see more carotenoid absorption as you increase the amounts of those fats on a salad.”

 

LeRoy Neiman, official painter of the Olympics, dies at 91

Sonia Pantiss
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LeRoy Neiman, official painter of the Olympics, dies at 91

Artist LeRoy Neiman, an official painter of five Olympiads famed for his instant renditions of sporting action, has died in New York aged 91.

One of the world’s most commercially successful contemporary artists, LeRoy Neiman’s colorful paintings were as distinctive as his handlebar moustache.

LeRoy Neiman captured events as diverse as the Super Bowl, the Grand National and the Cannes Film Festival.

Some of his most famous paintings were of the boxer Muhammad Ali.

His publicist Gail Parenteau confirmed his death at a Manhattan hospital but did not disclose the cause.

Artist LeRoy Neiman, an official painter of five Olympiads famed for his instant renditions of sporting action, has died in New York aged 91
Artist LeRoy Neiman, an official painter of five Olympiads famed for his instant renditions of sporting action, has died in New York aged 91

LeRoy Neiman – who is survived by his wife Janet Byrne – had continued to paint despite having his right leg amputated in April 2010 following a vascular problem.

“I’ve had a lucky life,” he told the Associated Press in 2008.

“I’ve zeroed in on what you would call action and excellence.

“Everybody who does anything to try to succeed has to give the best of themselves, and art has made me pull the best out of myself.”

In 1972 LeRoy Neiman sketched the world chess championship between Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik, Iceland, live on television.

He also produced live drawings of the Olympics for television and was the official computer artist of the Super Bowl for US network CBS.

LeRoy Neiman also had a decades-long association with Playboy magazine, which started in 1953 following a chance meeting with Hugh Hefner.

He regularly contributed to the magazine’s Man at His Leisure feature.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Hugh Hefner wrote: “Long time friend & resident Playboy artist LeRoy Neiman has passed away at the age of 91. R.I.P.”

 

Vanessa Paradis to receive $150M pay-off from Johnny Depp

Lisa.Felice
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Vanessa Paradis to receive $150M pay-off from Johnny Depp

According to new reports, Vanessa Paradis is set to receive from her 14-year long partner Johnny Depp one of the biggest pay-off between a non-married couple.

Johnny Depp, 49, is said to be paying Vanessa Paradis $150million in a bid to keep the split as amicable as possible for the sake of their children.

Johnny Depp is reported to be worth at least $320million and has an extensive property portfolio.

The couple has a mansion and apartment in Los Angeles and owns the island of Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Bahamas.

In Europe, the couple’s main home is in Plan-de-la-Tour in southern France, as well as a house in Paris, a canalside palazzo in Venice and Johnny Depp is said to have been the mystery buyer of a house in the Norfolk village of Burnham Market.

Although the pair and their children Lily-Rose, 13, and Jack, nine, were based in their Hollywood home in recent years, Vanessa Paradis, 39, was spotted house-hunting in Beverly Hills a few weeks ago.

Vanessa Paradis is set to receive from her 14-year long partner Johnny Depp one of the biggest pay-off between a non-married couple
Vanessa Paradis is set to receive from her 14-year long partner Johnny Depp one of the biggest pay-off between a non-married couple

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis only confirmed their split on Tuesday following months of speculation, but it is believed they had been living separate lives for months.

Last month, Vanessa Paradis visited a number of properties with price tags of between $7 million and $11 million.

She appeared glum as she looked around the properties on May 23 and there was no mistaking the strain of the relationship breakdown has taken its toll.

The French star was seen looking at a number of properties in Malibu and Beverly Hills including a seven bedroom home which is listed at $7,995,000.

The home boasts 7,580 square feet, eight separate bathrooms, media and game rooms, a wet and a dry saunas, a pool and spa.

Vanessa Paradis was also seen looking at a six bedroom home which cost a cool $10,995,000.

The master bedroom offers two separate baths, two terraces and a study and the property also has a separate guest house.

Two weeks ago, Johnny Depp was seen cutting a lonely figure as he hopped onto a jet on his way to New Mexico.

As late as last month Johnny Depp had denied there was any rift between himself and Vanessa Paradis, despite reports stating that they were living separate lives dating back to January.

 

Kim Kardashian denies wearing shapewear garment beneath Stella McCartney dress

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian denies wearing shapewear garment beneath Stella McCartney dress

Kim Kardashian denied that she wore a shapewear garment beneath the black Stella McCartney dress she was spotted in two nights ago in Paris.

Kim Kardashian, 31, wrote on her blog yesterday: “That’s exactly how I bought it with those nude panels inside. So no Spanx here!”

Despite her denial, the reality star has long proved a fan of shapewear.

Kim Kardashian has been photographed on several occasions flashing versions of Spanx-like garments underneath her clothing.

The nude material, or something very similar to a Spanx product, was spotted wrapped around her upper thigh as she stepped out in a black and white dress for a business meeting in Los Angeles in March.

It had happened just one month prior when the star had been photographed attending a church service.

Kim Kardashian denied that she wore a shapewear garment beneath the black Stella McCartney dress she was spotted in two nights ago in Paris
Kim Kardashian denied that she wore a shapewear garment beneath the black Stella McCartney dress she was spotted in two nights ago in Paris

Although Kim Kardashian may have not intentionally set out to criticize the multi-million dollar brand, Spanx defended its products as a response to her denial.

A spokesman for the company wrote in a letter to Racked.com that its customers should proudly let their “Spanx shape show!”

The statement continued: “Whether it’s a Slimmer & Shine slip or a Stella McCartney dress with a Spanx-inspired liner, we say let your Spanx show.”

Many had assumed that Kim Kardashian had again worn the shapewear, only this time underneath the Stella McCartney dress as a familiar beige garment peeked out from beneath it.

Furthermore, the dress has been spotted without the beige underlay on multiple celebrities in recent times, such as Gisele Bundchen, Kate Winslet and Vogue Japan editor Anna Dello Russo, which further grew suspicion.

According to Kim Kardashian, she received the dress with the beige panel already attached to it.

She said: “I wore this gorgeous polka dot Stella McCartney dress out yesterday and I’ve seen some publications saying I’m flashing my Spanx or control underwear underneath the dress.

“Stella made a full collection with these sheer panels on the side, and this is how my dress came. Xo”

Coco Perez, the gossip website, had first made note of the beige garment beneath the black dress.

The post was titled: That’s Not How You Wear Spanx, Kim.

It read: “Kim Kardashian flashed more than just her underpants in Paris on Monday, she flashed her whole damn Spanx!”

 

Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge enjoy honeymoon on Oahu Island’s beach in Hawaii

Lisa.Felice
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Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge enjoy honeymoon on Oahu Island’s beach in Hawaii

Newlyweds Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge were spotted hanging out on the beaches of Hawaii’s Oahu island for their honeymoon yesterday.

Alicia Etheridge flaunted her curves with a bandeau two-piece while Bobby Brown, 43, wore swim trunks, as they enjoyed quality time together taking romantic walks along the shore.

Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge swapped vows on Monday in Honolulu surrounded by friends and family, except Bobbi Kristina, his daughter with Whitney Houston.

Newlyweds Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge were spotted hanging out on the beaches of Hawaii's Oahu island for their honeymoon yesterday
Newlyweds Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge were spotted hanging out on the beaches of Hawaii's Oahu island for their honeymoon yesterday

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, was said to be shooting scenes for her Lifetime reality show, The Houston Chronicles.

However, Bobby Brown and Alicia Etheridge’ solo time together will be cut short because the musician will have to return to the stage with his New Edition peeps for their 30th anniversary tour.

 

Cissy Houston to perform tribute to Whitney at BET Awards

Lisa.Felice
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0
Cissy Houston to perform tribute to Whitney at BET Awards

Cissy Houston will perform a tribute to her late daughter Whitney Houston alongside other female singers at the upcoming BET Awards.

A source familiar with BET’s plans said Tuesday that Cissy Houston will take the stage at the July 1 awards show to honor her daughter.

Cissy Houston, 78, will be joined by “a few top divas,” the source said, though the source could not give their names.

The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the tribute has not been officially announced.

Cissy Houston will perform a tribute to her late daughter Whitney Houston alongside other female singers at the upcoming BET Awards
Cissy Houston will perform a tribute to her late daughter Whitney Houston alongside other female singers at the upcoming BET Awards

Whitney Houston died at age 48 in February in her hotel room in Beverly Hills. Authorities called her death an accidental drowning, complicated by heart disease and cocaine use.

The BET Awards airs live from The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Kanye West, Beyonce and Jay-Z are the top nominees.

 

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