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Egypt’s army to hand over power to an elected president

Diane A. Wade
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Egypt’s army to hand over power to an elected president

Egypt’s ruling military council has vowed to hand over power to an elected president by the end of June.

The promise comes as votes are counted after Sunday’s presidential run-off election, with both candidates claiming they are ahead in early results.

However, the council had earlier issued a declaration granting itself sweeping powers over legislation and the introduction of a new constitution.

Opposition groups condemned the declaration as a “coup”.

Lt Muhammad al-Assar from the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) told a news conference that a ceremony would be held in late June to hand over power to the new president, state media report.

However, the constitutional declaration issued by the SCAF late on Sunday effectively gives it legislative powers, control over the budget and over who writes the permanent constitution following mass street protests that toppled Hosni Mubarak in February 2011.

It also strips the president of any authority over the army.

The SCAF have even guaranteed themselves jobs for life.

There have been no big protests so far – the military must be hoping that Egyptians are simply too tired of politics to protest, and are willing to go for stability whatever the cost, our correspondent says.

But the army’s declaration was widely condemned in opposition circles.

Prominent political figure Mohamed El Baradei has described the document as a “grave setback for democracy and revolution”.

Former presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi, who came third in the first round of voting and was the favored candidate of many in the protest movement, said the declaration was a “seizure of the future of Egypt”.

“We will not accept domination by any party,” Hamdeen Sabahi said.

Parliament speaker Saad al-Katatni, of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the declaration was “null and void”.

The Brotherhood had earlier urged Egyptians to “protect their revolution” after the SCAF dissolved parliament – dominated by the Brotherhood – on Saturday.

Two days earlier, the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled that last year’s legislative polls were unconstitutional because party members were allowed to contest seats in the lower house reserved for independents.

On Monday morning, soldiers prevented MPs from entering parliament.

The Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohammed Mursi ran in Sunday’s poll against Ahmed Shafiq, who served as prime minister under former President Hosni Mubarak.

The Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Mursi ran in Sunday's poll against Ahmed Shafiq, who served as prime minister under former President Hosni Mubarak
The Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Mursi ran in Sunday's poll against Ahmed Shafiq, who served as prime minister under former President Hosni Mubarak

The Brotherhood said Mohammed Mursi was holding a 52%-48% lead over Ahmed Shafiq with almost all the vote counted after Sunday’s second-round run-off election.

Speaking at his party headquarters, Mohammed Mursi pledged to be a president for all Egyptians, adding that he would not “seek revenge or settle scores”.

Hundreds of Mohammed Mursi’s supporters gathered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square to celebrate his declaration of victory.

But Ahmed Shafiq’s campaign said it rejected “completely” Mohammed Mursi’s victory claim, and that figures it had obtained showed Shafiq in the lead.

Official results from the Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC) will be announced on Thursday, state TV reported.

Correspondents say that there was less enthusiasm in the run-off election than there was for previous rounds of voting, and some called for a boycott or spoiled ballots.

Ahmed Shafiq came second to Mohammed Mursi in last month’s first round, in which turnout among the 52 million eligible voters was only 46%.

Ahmed Shafiq

• Aged 70

• Veteran fighter pilot and former air force commander

• Appointed Egypt’s first aviation minister, earning reputation for competence and efficiency

• Promoted to PM during February 2011 protests

• Associated with former regime, though denies being backed by ruling military council

• Campaigned on a promise to restore security

Mohammed Mursi

• Aged 60

• US-educated engineering professor

• Head of Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)

• Served as independent MP 2000-05

• Quietly spoken, viewed by some as lacking charisma

• Has promised “stability, security, justice and prosperity” under an Islamic banner

 

David Nalbandian investigated by Scotland Yard after line judge Andrew McDougall injury

Clyde K. Valle
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David Nalbandian investigated by Scotland Yard after line judge Andrew McDougall injury

Scotland Yard is investigating a complaint of alleged assault against tennis player David Nalbandian, who was disqualified from the Aegon Championships final after line judge Andrew McDougall was injured.

Argentine David Nalbandian, 30, was leading Marin Cilic 7-6 (7-3) 3-4 at Queen’s final when he kicked a panel in front of Andrew McDougall’s seat.

Andrew McDougall’s leg was cut and umpire Fergus Murphy awarded the match to Marin Cilic despite boos from the crowd.

David Nalbandian apologised for the incident.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “We are aware of an incident at the Aegon Championships on June 17.

“A complaint has been made and the Metropolitan Police Service is now investigating. The allegation is of assault.”

David Nalbandian was leading Marin Cilic at Queen's final when he kicked a panel in front of Andrew McDougall's seat
David Nalbandian was leading Marin Cilic at Queen's final when he kicked a panel in front of Andrew McDougall's seat

The incident happened after David Nalbandian missed a lunging forehand in the second set.

He kicked an advertising hoarding, which flew off its hinges and struck Andrew McDougall in the shin, causing a large gash.

Andrew McDougall received immediate treatment from St John’s Ambulance and saw the tournament medical team.

David Nalbandian told the 6,000-capacity crowd: “I am very sorry, sometimes you get frustrated on court.”

He was deemed guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct and his £36,500 ($58,500) prize money was withdrawn and he could be hit with a further fine.

 [youtube XBnNDdR_n3k]

MuchMusic Video Awards 2012 Full List of Winners

Sonia Pantiss
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MuchMusic Video Awards 2012 Full List of Winners

MuchMusic Video Awards 2012, full list of winners:

Video Of The Year – Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen

International Video Of The Year (Artist) – Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F), Katy Perry

International Video Of The Year (Group) – Sexy And I Know It, LMFAO

MuchMusic Video Awards 2012
MuchMusic Video Awards 2012

International Video Of The Year By A Canadian – Boyfriend, Justin Bieber

UR Fave Video – Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen

UR Fave Artist – Justin Bieber

UR Fave International Artist – Katy Perry

Most Watched Video of the Year – Call Me Maybe, Carly Rae Jepsen

 [youtube z5S2CktIN68]

Katy Perry’s bodysuit was too revealing at the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto

Lisa.Felice
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Katy Perry’s bodysuit was too revealing at the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto

Last night Katy Perry sported a nude bodysuit as she took to the stage at the MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVA’s) in Toronto, Canada, to perform her new track Wide Awake.

However, despite the outfit being concealed somewhat by a huge pair of butterfly wings she was wearing for the rendition, it was when Katy Perry made her way off the stage after collecting her award for International Artist that she ran into trouble with the outfit.

But luckily Katy Perry thought quickly and decided to use her MuchMusic award – a long black rectangular box – to maintain her modesty by concealing her rear as she exited the stage after picking up the prize from Pretty Little Liars actress Lucy Hale.

The bodysuit was just one of three outfits Katy Perry sported at last night’s star-studded awards.

The nude bodysuit was just one of three outfits Katy Perry sported at last night's MMVA’s in Toronto
The nude bodysuit was just one of three outfits Katy Perry sported at last night's MMVA’s in Toronto

She had earlier arrived on the red carpet dressed as a Marvel-esque superhero in a black and gold gown with cartoon princess hair, accompanied by a mini-army of children dressed in tiny replicas of previous outfits worn by the star.

Katy Perry later toned things down with a prim pair of black culottes and a cream and black lace high necked fitted top, before changing into her bodysuit for the performance of Wide Awake.

The singer debuted the tune at the Billboard Awards in May with an elaborate performance in Las Vegas which saw her lowered onto the stage on a swing wearing a wedding dress.

She was then thrown across the stage as a long haired groom tried to catch her.

The lyrics clearly relate to the breakdown of her 14 month marriage in December last year.

Katy Perry sings: “I’m wide awake. I was in the dark, I was falling hard with an open heart. How did I read the stars so wrong? I was dreaming for so long. I wish I knew then what I know now. I wouldn’t dive in, I wouldn’t bow down.”

She even hints in the song that the marriage was over for a while.

“Not losing any sleep, I picked up every piece and landed on my feet. Need nothing to complete myself. I am born again, outta the lion’s den. I don’t have to pretend. The story’s over now, the end.”

 [youtube CyjRqU8htg0]

The women of Watergate scandal that helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to topple Richard Nixon

Diane A. Wade
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The women of Watergate scandal that helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to topple Richard Nixon

Since 1972, the public attention on Watergate scandal has been centered on all the president’s men, but the story is not without its fair share of female characters.

Four women each played a significant role in unraveling the scandal that would ultimately cost Richard Nixon the presidency.

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein would pen the series of articles that would expose the White House’s involvement in a cover-up of The Watergate Hotel burglary 40 years ago, with their help.

One of them was Judy Hoback, was working as a bookkeeper for the committee to re-elect President Nixon in 1972 when she was contacted by Carl Bernstein.

Judy Hoback told the BBC: “[Woodward and Bernstein] were pushy young men. I was really scared and they played on that.”

Now known as Judy Miller, she was the only employee from the CRP who willingly spoke with the Washington Post.

One of the women involved in Watergate scandal was Judy Hoback, who was working as a bookkeeper for the committee to re-elect President Nixon in 1972 when she was contacted by Carl Bernstein
One of the women involved in Watergate scandal was Judy Hoback, who was working as a bookkeeper for the committee to re-elect President Nixon in 1972 when she was contacted by Carl Bernstein

In a recent discussion with Carl Bernstein at the Watergate Hotel, Bob Woodward said Judy Hoback did more for them than Deep Throat himself, spurned CIA man Mark Felt, according to Politico.

Bob Woodward said: “There were stages when [Mark Felt] really helped us, but the real turning point in the coverage of Watergate was when Carl found the bookkeeper.

“[Hoback] had the details of the money and who controlled it and who got the money. You look at All the President’s Men, I really think the book-keeper is the key source.”

Debbie Sloan, the wife of CRP treasurer Hugh Sloan who was pregnant at the time, also did her part to aid in the Post investigation, when she allowed Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein into their home.

It was the couple’s honesty that helped confirm key details for the reporters, including details about key Republican officials involved in illegal shenanigans.

Debbie Sloan told the BBC: “We never thought six months ahead. We just thought <<this is what we have to do today>> because we have to live with ourselves and teach our children our values.”

She added: “Neither one of us ever considered lying about it. Ever.”

Marilyn Berger, a fellow Washington Post reporter, became part of the story when she alerted Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein that Ken Clawson, a member of the Nixon administration’s communications team, wrote the Canuck Letter, a forged letter to the editor of the Manchester Union Leader that alleged presidential contender Edmund Muskie was prejudiced against those of French Canadian descent.

The letter led Edmund Muskie, who was seen as the top threat to Richard Nixon’s re-election, to withdraw from the race.

The exposure of Ken Clawson as the Canuck Letter’s writer revealed a disturbing “dirty tricks” campaign by the Nixon camp.

The larger-than-life personality of Martha Mitchell, the Nixon campaign worker and wife of Attorney General John Mitchell made her the most flamboyant of the female Watergate figures.

In All the President’s Men, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein referred to Martha Mitchell as a “bizarre aspect of the Watergate affair” and “something of a truth-teller in Washington”.

In a 1974 interview with British journalist David Frost, Martha Mitchell said: “I was brainwashed. I was told this is what goes on in campaigns.”

Martha Mitchell died two years later, in 1976.

 

YouTube removes posts promoting terrorism

Nancy Clayson
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YouTube removes posts promoting terrorism

Google announces it removed about 640 videos from YouTube that allegedly promoted terrorism over the second half of 2011 after complaints from the UK’s Association of Police Officers.

The news was contained in its latest Transparency Report which discloses requests by international authorities to remove or hand over material.

Google said it terminated five accounts linked to the suspect videos.

However, the firm said it had rejected many other state’s requests for action.

Canada’s Passport Office was among the organizations rebuffed. It had asked for a video of a Canadian citizen urinating on his passport and then flushing it down the toilet be removed.

Google also refused to delete six YouTube videos that satirized Pakistan’s army and senior politicians. The order had come from the government of Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology.

Google announces it removed about 640 videos from YouTube that allegedly promoted terrorism over the second half of 2011
Google announces it removed about 640 videos from YouTube that allegedly promoted terrorism over the second half of 2011

But Google did act in hundreds of cases, including:

• requests to block more than 100 YouTube videos in Thailand that allegedly insulted its monarchy – a crime in the country

• the removal of a YouTube video that contained hate speech that had been posted in Turkey

• the termination of four YouTube accounts responsible for videos that allegedly contained threatening and harassing content after complaints by different US law enforcement agencies.

Overall, Google said it had received 461 court orders covering a total of 6,989 items between July and December 2011. It said it had complied with 68% of the orders.

It added that it had received a further 546 informal requests covering 4,925 items, of which it had agreed to 43% of the cases.

Google’s senior policy analyst, Dorothy Chou, said the company was concerned by the amount of requests that had been linked to political speech.

“It’s alarming not only because free expression is at risk, but because some of these requests come from countries you might not suspect – Western democracies not typically associated with censorship,” she said.

“For example, in the second half of last year, Spanish regulators asked us to remove 270 search results that linked to blogs and articles in newspapers referencing individuals and public figures, including mayors and public prosecutors.

“In Poland, we received a request from the Agency for Enterprise Development to remove links to a site that criticized it.

“We didn’t comply with either of these requests.”

 

Dalai Lama pulls Russell Brand’s beard while is introduced at a youth event in Manchester

Diane A. Wade
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Dalai Lama pulls Russell Brand’s beard while is introduced at a youth event in Manchester

Russell Brand introduced the Dalai Lama during a youth event in Manchester yesterday and admitted he was finding the experience somewhat surreal.

Acting as master of ceremonies for his holiness’s Century of Dialogue – Stand Up and Be The Change talk, Russell Brand, 37, was praised by the spiritual leader for his “openness”.

Introducing the free event at Manchester Arena, which was attended by several thousand under-25s, Russell Brand introduced the Dalai Lama, 76, in a frank and honest speech.

The comedian said: “Going from junkie to Shagger of the Year…three times… to now introducing the Dalai Lama. It has been an interesting journey.

“He is intense and sort of mellow, which is what you expect of someone who meditates five times a day.”

 

Russell Brand introduced the Dalai Lama during a youth event in Manchester yesterday and admitted he was finding the experience somewhat surreal
Russell Brand introduced the Dalai Lama during a youth event in Manchester yesterday and admitted he was finding the experience somewhat surreal

Russell Brand jokingly asked the Dalai Lama if had picked up any spiritual tips.

The Dalai Lama replied: “I think your openness transfers wonderfully.”

At one point the Dalai Lama playfully pulled his beard, with Russell Brand saying: “Not really a lot I can do in a situation like this. I just have to go with it.”

The two men went on to discuss their contrasting sleeping pattern, with Russell Brand more of a night owl and the Dalai Lama as an early riser.

The Tibetan leader said: “Day is for work, night is for sleep but you can do what makes you happy.”

Russell Brand replied: “Thank you for sanctioning my lifestyle.”

But the comedian found himself lost for words when the Dalai Lama admitted that while his sleep patterns weren’t affected by different time zones he travelled in, his bowel movements were.

Russell Brand quipped: “That was more information then I imagined was possible to receive.”

The Dalai Lama is currently on a 10-day tour of Britain and is appealing to the young to foster a culture of non-violence and global peace in 2012.

His Holiness is promoting his new online film Stand Up And Be The Change – shot by Rankin – which features the Gorillaz, Tilda Swinton, Stella McCartney, Willem Dafoe, Beth Ditto, Jarvis Cocker, Alison Mosshart, Michael Stipe and Grimes.

[youtube KDAi6Kyxd_E]

 

Kim Kardashian on Oprah’s Next Chapter: “I was in such a deep depression”

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian on Oprah’s Next Chapter: “I was in such a deep depression”

In a frank interview with Oprah Winfrey aired yesterday, Kim Kardashian opened up about her short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries.

Kim Kardashian, 31, stressed that she still has a “place in my heart” for Kris Humphries, yet after moving in together it dawned on her that married life was “not for me”.

Speaking to Oprah Winfrey on Oprah’s Next Chapter, Kim Kardashian said: “I was in love, I wanted the life that I always pictured my fairytale life to be.

“I would’ve had an extravagant wedding anyway, to end that relationship was a risk in itself to lose ratings and I had to take the risk to be honest to myself.”

Kim Kardashian, who never mentioned Kris Humphries by name during the chat, claimed they had never spent enough time alone before their 72-day matrimony for her to recognize his negative traits.

In a frank interview with Oprah Winfrey aired yesterday, Kim Kardashian opened up about her short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries
In a frank interview with Oprah Winfrey aired yesterday, Kim Kardashian opened up about her short-lived marriage to Kris Humphries

The reality star continued: “I think when people first meet, everything is great in the beginning, but I didn’t spend more than a whole week with my ex before we married.

“When we moved in together, I saw how our relationship was… I don’t want to get into the small things, but once we moved in, I knew he was not the one.”

As Oprah Winfrey quizzed her about the pre-wedding nerves, Kim Kardashian said: “I didn’t have an inkling, but everyone around me did. The night before, mum said, <<Do you want out?>> She said, <<You’re not yourself>>.

“But I said no, I got angry, I was thinking, <<How dare you!>>”

Kim Kardashian stressed that Kris Humphries did not do anything specifically wrong and denied that he hit her or lashed out

“He’s a good person,” she said.

“I will always have a place in my heart for him. It just wasn’t for me.”

While Kim Kardashian admitted she was “bored” in the romance, she didn’t attribute it as the reason for leaving.

She said: “You know in your heart. Mum was supportive, so I took that time off afterwards… I would rather have been beaten up in the media than live a life that wasn’t happy.

“I was in such a deep depression I thought I was going to back away from everything. I stayed at home for almost four months and I’m a better person now, as heartbreaking as it was to go through.”

She added: “For anyone I hurt, I’m truly sorry, I don’t wish pain on anyone, but the person I am because of that crazy experience, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

“I loved him, obviously it hurt him, and it hurt me too. It was embarassing, I don’t want to call it a mistake, it was a lesson.”

Kim Kardashian also claimed that her sex tape “introduced her to the world in a negative way”, so she was forced to “work ten times harder to get people to see the real me”.

The reality TV star wed Kris Humphries in a fairytale ceremony last August, but eventually their union broke down within less than three months.

Kim Kardashian is now dating rapper Kanye West, 35, and said one of the things that attracts her to him is the fact he is older than her.

She said: “I always dated five years younger. My whole thing was completely different, and now I just love that I’m with someone that’s a couple years older than me.”

 [youtube mxI-CH8hWYY]

General Salem Ali Qatan, Yemeni army commander, killed in suicide attack

Roy Siemens
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General Salem Ali Qatan, Yemeni army commander, killed in suicide attack

Yemeni army commander General Salem Ali Qatan leading the fight against militants in the south of the country has been killed in a suicide attack, officials say.

General Salem Ali Qatan was killed near his home in the port city of Aden, a medical official told AFP news agency.

Yemen is battling militants linked to al-Qaeda who have taken control of parts of the south of the country.

It has recently recaptured several strongholds in the restive southern province of Abyan.

General Salem Ali Qatan was killed near his home in the port city of Aden
General Salem Ali Qatan was killed near his home in the port city of Aden

Gen. Salem Ali Qatan, Yemen’s southern army commander, was killed while on his way to work by a man wearing an explosives belt, witnesses said.

One report said the attacker handed Gen. Salem Ali Qatan a paper, shook his hand and then detonated his explosives.

At least four other people were wounded in the attack, AFP reported.

An al-Qaeda-linked insurgency and separatist unrest have blighted the south of Yemen for years.

Last year, empowered by uprisings against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, Islamists consolidated their control over Abyan.

However, the Yemeni army recently launched an offensive that recaptured the towns of Shuqra, Zinjibar and Jaar.

 

IBM Sequoia overtakes Fujitsu as world’s fastest supercomputer

Nancy Clayson
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IBM Sequoia overtakes Fujitsu as world’s fastest supercomputer

IBM’s Sequoia supercomputer has taken the top spot on the list of the world’s fastest supercomputers for the US.

The newly installed system trumped Japan’s K Computer made by Fujitsu which fell to second place.

It is the first time the US can claim pole position since it was beaten by China two years ago.

Sequoia will be used to carry out simulations to help extend the life of aging nuclear weapons, avoiding the need for real-world underground tests.

It is installed at the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

“While Sequoia may be the fastest, the underlying computing capabilities it provides give us increased confidence in the nation’s nuclear deterrent,” said National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) administrator Thomas D’Agostino.

“Sequoia also represents continued American leadership in high performance computing.”

 

IBM's Sequoia supercomputer has taken the top spot on the list of the world's fastest supercomputers for the US
IBM's Sequoia supercomputer has taken the top spot on the list of the world's fastest supercomputers for the US

 

The computer is capable of calculating in one hour what otherwise would take 6.7 billion people using hand calculators 320 years to complete if they worked non-stop.

Although the US’s efforts helped secure it the lead, its overall tally of three computers in the top 10 was worse than six months ago when it had five.

China and Germany both have two supercomputers, while Japan, France and Italy have one.

But IBM proved to be the leading manufacturer claiming five out of the top 10 spots.

David Turek, vice president of deep computing at the firm, said his company had been preparing to retake the top spot for two years.

“Substantial planning went into this. We knew the day would come.”

Sequoia is 1.55 times faster than the Fujitsu model, and uses over 1.5 million processors.

In comparison the Japanese model has less than half the number of CPUs (computer processing units).

The IBM supercomputer is also more energy efficient than the Fujitsu model.

Sequoia consumes 7.9 megawatts compared to the K computer which uses 12.6 megawatts.

David Turek described Sequoia as the “pinnacle of energy efficiency” and said the reaction had been “very enthusiastic.”

“Government laboratories in Europe have already expressed interest,” he said.

The list is published every six months by German Professor Hans Meuer and US-based Professor Jack Dongarra.

Prof. Jack Dongarra said it was unlikely that another manufacturer would overtake IBM in the next year.

“Sequoia is very impressive,” he said.

The first computer to take the top position on the list was the CM-5/1024 in 1993, designed by Thinking Machines.

According to Prof Dongarra, Sequoia is 273,930 times faster.

“A calculation that took three full days to compute on the Thinking Machines in 1993 today can be done in less than one second on the Sequoia,” he said.

 

Shenzhou-9 capsule docks with the Tiangong-1 space lab

James J. Williams
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Shenzhou-9 capsule docks with the Tiangong-1 space lab

Shenzhou-9 capsule, with its crew of three, including the first Chinese woman astronaut, has docked with the Tiangong-1 space lab.

The coupling of the vehicles occurred just after 14:00 Beijing time (06:00 GMT) over China itself.

The latest Shenzhou mission was launched on Saturday, taking the nation’s first female astronaut, Liu Yang, into orbit.

Thirty-three-year old Liu Yang flies with Commander Jing Haipeng, 46, and fellow flight engineer, Liu Wang, 42.

It is China’s fourth manned mission and another opportunity to see how far the Asian nation has developed its space technology.

It follows on from last year’s unmanned Shenzhou-8 outing which completed successful rendezvous and docking manoeuvres at Tiangong.

Shenzhou-9 capsule, with its crew of three, including the first Chinese woman astronaut, has docked with the Tiangong-1 space lab
Shenzhou-9 capsule, with its crew of three, including the first Chinese woman astronaut, has docked with the Tiangong-1 space lab

That gave Beijing authorities the confidence to put astronauts on the current flight.

After Saturday’s lift-off from the Jiuquan spaceport, Shenzhou-9 worked through a series of engine burns to take it higher and closer to the orbiting space lab.

Monday’s docking was an automated procedure; computers – not the crew – were in charge of events.

A suite of radar, laser and optical sensors aligned Shenzhou with Tiangong. The capsule’s thrusters then drove it into the space lab’s docking ring.

The union happened at an altitude of about 340 km (210 miles). Liu Yang operated a handheld video camera to record the moment of docking.

Thirty-three-year old Liu Yang flies with Commander Jing Haipeng, 46, and fellow flight engineer, Liu Wang, 42
Thirty-three-year old Liu Yang flies with Commander Jing Haipeng, 46, and fellow flight engineer, Liu Wang, 42

It is understood that only two members of the crew will enter the lab at any one time. The third individual will stay in the Shenzhou craft in case of emergency.

During the flight, a range of scientific experiments are planned, including a number of medical tests geared towards understanding the effects of weightlessness on the human body.

At some point in the next few days, the astronauts will attempt a manual docking.

This would see the crew uncouple their vehicle from the lab, retreat to a defined distance and then command their ship to re-attach itself.

Liu Wang will take the lead in this activity.

“We’ve done over 1,500 simulations,” he said during the pre-launch press conference.

“We’ve mastered the techniques and skills. China has first class technologies and astronauts, and therefore I’m confident we will fulfill the manual rendezvous.”

China is already talking about a Shenzhou-10 mission to Tiangong sometime in the next year.

The lab is a prototype for the type of modules the nation hopes to join in orbit later this decade to form a permanently manned space station.

At about 60 tons in mass, this proposed station would be considerably smaller than the 400-tonne international platform operated by the US, Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan, but its mere presence in the sky would nonetheless represent a remarkable achievement.

Concept drawings describe a core module weighing some 20-22 tons, flanked by two slightly smaller laboratory vessels.

Officials say it would be supplied by freighters in exactly the same way that robotic cargo ships keep the International Space Station (ISS) today stocked with fuel, food, water, air, and spare parts.

The Shenzhou-9 crew is expected back on Earth before the end of the month.

 

Jack Osbourne diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, his parents reveal

Lisa.Felice
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Jack Osbourne diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, his parents reveal

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have revealed that their son Jack was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The TV and music star family said Jack was diagnosed from tests taken when he lost 60% vision in his right eye earlier this year.

Jack Osbourne, 26, told Hello! that after first feeling angry and upset he has now taken an attitude of “adapt and overcome”.

MS is an incurable neurological condition that damages the nerves and affects the transfer of messages around the body.

MS affects the brain and the nervous system and destroys myelin sheath layers between the nerves in the brain and spinal cord which stops impulses being carried around the body.

It can cause blindness, slurred speech, muscle weakness and a loss of coordination.

There is no known cause or cure for MS, which is three times more common in men than in women.

Between 2 and 5% of cases are discovered in children under 16.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have revealed that their son Jack was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have revealed that their son Jack was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

Jack Osbourne said he had chosen to speak out in order to raise awareness of the condition. He added that the support of his fiancée Lisa Stelly was helping him to stay positive.

MS can have a wide range of symptoms, including tiredness, temporary blindness, loss of co-ordination and speech difficulties.

It is unpredictable and affects everyone differently. One in five sufferers has a benign form with mild attacks and no permanent disability, while another 15% have a progressive disease that steadily worsens.

Jack Osbourne was diagnosed with the condition three weeks after the birth of daughter Pearl, now two months old.

“The timing was so bad,” he said.

“I’d just had a baby, work was going great – I kept thinking: <<Why now?>>”

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne said they were still trying to come to terms with their son’s condition.

Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne said she had been asking herself if she was to blame.

“I kept thinking: <<What did I do wrong, what did I eat or drink when I was pregnant?>> I feel like it’s somehow my fault.”

Former Black Sabbath star Ozzy Osbourne said: “If it was me, you’d think: <<Ozzy had a reputation and it caught up with him>>, but Jack is such a good guy.”

Jack Osbourne – known as an extreme sports enthusiast – will use a combination of daily drug treatments, holistic therapies and lifestyle changes.

The family was the subject of a worldwide hit reality TV show, The Osbournes, which originally aired on MTV between 2002 and 2005.

The programme, also featuring the Osbournes’ daughter Kelly, won an Emmy award in 2002.

 

Greece elections 2012: world leaders welcome New Democracy victory

Diane A. Wade
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Greece elections 2012: world leaders welcome New Democracy victory

World leaders have welcomed the narrow election victory of Greece’s broadly pro-bailout New Democracy party and urged Athens to form a cabinet quickly.

The eurozone group said reforms were Greece’s “best guarantee” to overcome tough economic and social challenges.

The US stressed that it was in everyone’s interests “for Greece to remain in the euro area”.

The Syriza party, which rejected the bailout terms and came a close second, said it would lead the opposition.

With more than 99% of votes counted, interior ministry results put New Democracy on 29.7% of the vote (129 seats), Syriza on 26.9% (71) and the socialist Pasok on 12.3% (33). There are 300 seats in parliament.

Greek voters went to the polls on Sunday following May’s inconclusive elections.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said Greeks had chosen to stay in the euro and called for a “national salvation government”.

Syriza’s leader Alexis Tsipras said his party would not take part in the government, and would instead become a powerful anti-austerity voice in the opposition.

The vote was watched around the world, amid fears that a Greek exit from the euro could spread contagion to other eurozone members and deepen the turmoil in the global economy.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said Greeks had chosen to stay in the euro and called for a "national salvation government"
New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras said Greeks had chosen to stay in the euro and called for a "national salvation government"

Tough austerity measures were attached to the two international bailouts awarded to Greece, an initial package worth 110 billion Euros ($138 billion) in 2010, then a follow-up last year worth 130 bn euros.

Stock markets responded positively to Sunday’s results, with share prices up in Asian trading.

In a statement on behalf of the 17 eurozone finance ministers, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Paul Juncker said that “continued fiscal and structural reforms are Greece’s best guarantee to overcome the current economic and social challenges and for a more prosperous future of Greece in the euro area”.

In a joint statement, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy also hailed the result, and expressed hope that a government would be formed quickly.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel telephoned Antonis Samaras to congratulate him on his victory.

A German government statement said she had “stated that she would work on the basis that Greece will meet its European commitments”.

Antonis Samaras said that the Greek people had voted to stay in the eurozone.

“There is no time to waste,” he said.

“A national salvation government must bring economic growth and reassure Greeks the worst is over.”

He added: “There will be no more adventures. Greece’s place in Europe will not be put in doubt,” promising that Athens would “honor its obligations.”

It appears Antonis Samaras wants to press ahead with spending cuts demanded by the country’s international creditors.

European leaders have warned that if the new Greek government rejects the bailout, the country could be forced to abandon the single currency.

New Democracy should be able to build a majority coalition with the socialist Pasok, benefiting from a rule which gives the leading party 50 extra seats in the 300-seat chamber.

However, coalition talks may not be easy.

In addition to Syriza’s showing, four other parties which oppose or want a radical overhaul of the bailout look set to take between 60 and 70 seats. They include the far-right Golden Dawn, which has about 7% of the vote.

New Democracy and Pasok have said they will keep the bailout in a renegotiated form.

The leader of Pasok, Evangelos Venizelos, proposed a broad four-party coalition including New Democracy, Pasok, the Democratic Left and Syriza.

“No decision can be taken without this national unity,” he said.

 [youtube 7WBPREtams0]

High cholesterol diet could help people with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease

Kathryn R. Bown
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0
High cholesterol diet could help people with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease

According to early studies in mice, a diet high in cholesterol may help people with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, a fatal genetic disease which damages the brain.

Patients with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) struggle to produce a fatty sheath around their nerves, which is essential for function.

A study, published in Nature Medicine, showed that a high-cholesterol diet could increase production.

The authors said the mice “improved dramatically”.

PMD is one of many leukodystrophies in which patients struggle to produce the myelin sheath. It protects nerve fibres and helps messages pass along the nerves.

Patients with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) struggle to produce a fatty sheath around their nerves, which is essential for function
Patients with Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) struggle to produce a fatty sheath around their nerves, which is essential for function

Without the sheath, messages do not travel down the nerve – resulting in a range of problems including movement and cognition.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, in Germany, performed a trial on mice with the disease and fed them a high cholesterol diet.

The first tests were on mice when they were six weeks old, after signs of PMD had already emerged. Those fed a normal diet continued to get worse, while those fed a cholesterol-enriched diet stabilized.

“This six-week-long cholesterol treatment delayed the decline in motor co-ordination,” the scientists said.

Further tests showed that starting the diet early was more beneficial, leading the researchers to conclude that in mice “treatment should begin early in life and continue into adulthood”.

This study was only in mice, meaning it is not known if there would be a similar effect in people – or if there would, how early treatment would have to start.

The authors of the report said: “Dietary cholesterol does not cure PMD, but has a striking potential to relieve defects.”

It is thought the cholesterol frees up a “traffic jam” inside cells in the brain. The disease is caused by producing too much of a protein needed in myelin, which then becomes stuck inside the cells. It is thought the extra cholesterol helps to free up the protein.

 

 

Universe could grind to a halt and time itself will slow down, new radical theory suggests

James J. Williams
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0
Universe could grind to a halt and time itself will slow down, new radical theory suggests

A new radical theory by academics suggests that time itself could be slowing down – and may eventually grind to a halt altogether.

The latest mind-bending findings – put forward by researchers working at two Spanish universities – proposes that we have all been fooled into thinking the universe is expanding.

In fact, the scientists say, time itself is slowing down until eventually, in billions of years time, it will cease altogether.

Although the findings might sound worrying, however, it’s probably not worth losing any sleep over, or indeed spending too long mulling over.

According to scientists, the gradual loss of time is not noticeable to the human eye.

And anyway, they say, we’ll all be long gone by the time really does end.

Scientists say time itself is slowing down until eventually, in billions of years time, it will cease altogether
Scientists say time itself is slowing down until eventually, in billions of years time, it will cease altogether

Professor Jose Senovilla told New Scientist magazine: “Everything will be frozen, like a snapshot of one instant, forever.

“Our planet will be long gone by then.”

Scientists have previously measured the light from distant exploding stars to show that the universe is expanding at a rapid rate.

The accepted theory is based on the idea that a kind of anti-gravitational force – known as “dark energy” – must be driving galaxies apart.

However, the scientists working on the latest theory say that we’re looking at thing backwards.

And Prof. Jose Senovilla proposes that the current assumption has got it all wrong – with the appearance of acceleration instead caused by time gradually slowing.

It might sound difficult to believe, but a cosmologist at Cambridge University, says the idea is not without substance: “We believe that time emerged during the Big Bang, and if time can emerge, it can also disappear – that’s just the reverse effect.”

 

Greece elections 2012 latest exit polls results

Diane A. Wade
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0
Greece elections 2012 latest exit polls results

Right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza parties are almost neck-and-neck after Greek parliamentary elections, according to the first exit polls.

New Democracy, which broadly supports a European bailout deal, was one to two percentage points ahead of Syriza, which opposes the measure.

The outcome could decide Greece’s future inside the euro.

If the exit poll is correct, New Democracy should be able to build a majority coalition.

The government will be relatively weak, and will seek to change the terms of the bailout.

The election was the second in six weeks, called after a 6 May vote proved inconclusive.

On that occasion, each of the main parties tried but failed to form a coalition government.

New Democracy is thought to have polled between 28 and 30% of votes, with 27-28% for Syriza, one exit poll carried out jointly by five polling companies for the main TV channels showed.

An earlier version of the poll only 80% complete had the two parties virtually neck and neck, prompting fears of a hung parliament.

The latest projection would give New Democracy 127 seats, benefiting from a rule which gives the leading party 50 extra seats in the 300-seat chamber.

Right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza parties are almost neck-and-neck after Greek parliamentary elections, according to the first exit polls
Right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza parties are almost neck-and-neck after Greek parliamentary elections, according to the first exit polls

It gave the centre-left Pasok, its potential coalition partner, 32 seats, enough for a majority in the 300-seat parliament, with Syriza gaining 72 seats.

New Democracy could also invite a small left-wing party, Democratic Left, to join the coalition to reflect some of the anti-bailout feeling in the country.

With such a strong showing by Syriza, Greece could be in for an autumn of discontent by opponents of the bailout deal.

Another poll for a separate TV station gave Syriza a marginal lead.

Coalition talks will be expected to start on Monday.

Several smaller anti-bailout parties are expected to get between 13 and 21 seats.

Sunday’s vote is being watched around the world, amid fears that a Greek exit from the euro could spread contagion to other eurozone members and send turmoil throughout the global economy.

Tough austerity measures were attached to the two international bailouts awarded to Greece, an initial package worth 110 billion Euros ($138 billion) in 2010, then a follow-up last year worth 130 billion Euros.

Many Greeks are unhappy with the conditions attached to deals which have been keeping the country from bankruptcy.

Polls have shown most Greeks favor staying in the euro and all the main parties except the communist KKE say they will keep Greece in the single currency, but Syriza believes it can renegotiate the bailout deal.

New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras has warned that rejection of the bailout would lead to a return to the drachma, but correspondents say a very large number of Greeks appear to have defied this pressure.

“Greeks voted with emotion and not with reason, this is why you see these numbers,” New Democracy supporter Evangelos Datsos told Reuters news agency after the initial exit polll results came through.

But Syriza supporters were confident of victory.

There is a subdued atmosphere in the Greek capital on Sunday night, with many people just at home, watching nervously on television.

Greeks are proud and therefore private when it comes to explaining their fears to foreigners, our correspondent says, but behind closed doors they are worried about what this means for their country and their futures.

 

France elections exit polls. Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party wins absolute majority in parliament.

Diane A. Wade
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0
France elections exit polls. Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party wins absolute majority in parliament.

President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party has won enough seats in French parliament to form an absolute majority, according to exit polls obtained by the AFP news agency.

The exit polls suggested Socialist Party and its allies would take more than 312 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly.

If confirmed, it means the Socialists will not have to rely on support from either the Greens or the far-left.

It gives the president strong backing as he seeks measures to boost growth.

President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party has won enough seats in French parliament to form an absolute majority, according to exit polls
President Francois Hollande’s Socialist Party has won enough seats in French parliament to form an absolute majority, according to exit polls

Francois Hollande has promised to hire more public workers and to refocus EU fiscal efforts away from their emphasis on austerity.

The vote was the second round of a two-part parliamentary election.

The polls suggested the conservative UMP party and its allies would win between 212 and 234 seats, and the far-right National Front between one and four seats.

 

David Nalbandian disqualified from Queen’s final after kicking line judge Andrew McDougall

Clyde K. Valle
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0
David Nalbandian disqualified from Queen’s final after kicking line judge Andrew McDougall

Argentine David Nalbandian was disqualified from the Aegon Championships final after injuring a line judge by kicking an advertising board into his shin.

David Nalbandian, 30, was leading Marin Cilic 7-6 (7-3) 3-4 when he smashed a panel in front of Andrew McDougall’s seat, causing his leg to bleed heavily.

Chair umpire Fergus Murphy awarded Marin Cilic the match, while ATP supervisor Tom Barnes confirmed the decision.

“I am very sorry, sometimes you get frustrated on court,” said David Nalbandian.

With the officials discussing what course of action to take, sections of the 6,000-capacity crowd booed and chanted “play on”.

But the match was abandoned and David Nalbandian was left to explain his behaviour.

“Sometimes I make a mistake I agree with,” he said.

“It’s a tough moment to end a final like that but sometimes we feel so much pressure from the ATP playing so many tournaments.

“Today I’ve made a mistake. Sometimes I agree and I do but everyone makes mistakes. I don’t feel it had to end like that – especially in a final.

“There are a lot of rules and sometimes they don’t do anything. The rule book is very big and I can tell you the ATP do a lot to the players and nothing happens.”

David Nalbandian was disqualified from the Aegon Championships final after injuring a line judge by kicking an advertising board into his shin
David Nalbandian was disqualified from the Aegon Championships final after injuring a line judge by kicking an advertising board into his shin

After edging the first set on a tie-break, David Nalbandian’s serve was broken in the opening game of the second.

He managed to level at 3-3 but immediately handed the advantage back by putting a forehand wide on the stretch.

The world number 39 continued his run before angrily booting the board, which broke apart and badly gashed Andrew McDougall’s left leg.

Tournament official Chris Kermode said: “We were in the middle of a wonderful final and David Nalbandian ran across and in frustration kicked a panel underneath the line judge.

“The panel went into his leg and cut it – he’s quite seriously injured. The match has ended with a code violation.

“David is struggling to come to terms with it. He clearly regrets what happened – but these things happen.

“It is sold out and the spectators are watching some great tennis, so to have the match end this way is quite disappointing.

“But there’s not a lot we can do about it. We are under the governance of ATP rules. You’d like to think you can bend the rules but if you allow it [the match to continue] it sets a precedent.”

Rule 8.04 of the ATP rule book states a player guilty of aggravated behaviour can expect to be fined “up to $25,000 or the amount of prize money won at the tournament, whichever is greater”.

Given that the runners-up prize money at Queen’s is 44,945 Euros ($56,803), David Nalbandian stands to lose more.

He was appearing in his first grass court final since Wimbledon in 2002.

Marin Cilic becomes the first Croatian to win a title on grass since Goran Ivanisevic triumphed at the All England Club in 2001.

“It was very bitter,” said the sixth seed.

“It’s definitely not the way I wanted to win. To end like this is not easy.

“The match was getting hot and it’s tough to see the final finish like this. I can’t change it, but I’m really sorry for the fans that it finished like this.”

 [youtube MAdwVHXhGzA]

Greece elections 2012 exit poll 75%

Diane A. Wade
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0
Greece elections 2012 exit poll 75%

Right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza parties are almost neck-and-neck after Greek parliamentary elections, according to the first exit polls.

Greece elections exit polls 75% at 19:00, local time:

New Democracy: 27.5-30.5%

Syriza: 27-30%

Pasok: 10-12%

Right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza parties are almost neck-and-neck after Greek parliamentary elections, according to the first exit polls
Right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza parties are almost neck-and-neck after Greek parliamentary elections, according to the first exit polls

Greek elections outcomes:

If pro-austerity parties (Pasok and New Democracy) win:

• Could have best chance of re-negotiating bailout

• May say austerity measures need longer time-frame

• But may need a third party to form majority

If anti-austerity parties (Syriza and others) win:

• Syriza threatening not to honor bailout

• If so, Greece could be forced out of euro

• Reintroduction of Drachma would lead to devaluation, inflation and business failures

• But could allow economy to grow

If there is a hung parliament:

• Third round of elections needed

• More political uncertainty

• Restricted access to bailout funds

 [youtube bYVFItW6dyQ]

[youtube 3jOj2Bu2uYg]

Kevin Costner wins oil-clean-up case brought against him by Stephen Baldwin

Diane A. Wade
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0
Kevin Costner wins oil-clean-up case brought against him by Stephen Baldwin

Actor Kevin Costner has won a multi-million dollar case brought against him by fellow Hollywood star Stephen Baldwin.

Stephen Baldwin had accused Kevin Costner of cheating him and his business partner in a deal to sell oil clean-up devices to BP after 2010’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

A federal jury in Louisiana deliberated for two hours before rejecting Stephen Baldwin’s claim for more than $17 million in damages.

Later Kevin Costner said he was grateful to have been able to clear his name.

“My name means more to me than money and that’s why we didn’t settle,” said Kevin Costner.

Kevin Costner has won a multi-million dollar case brought against him by fellow Hollywood star Stephen Baldwin
Kevin Costner has won a multi-million dollar case brought against him by fellow Hollywood star Stephen Baldwin

He went on to praise the jury for “doing their best to understand everything” in a difficult case.

Stephen Baldwin, along with his business partner Spyridon Contogouris, claimed they would not have sold their shares in Kevin Costner’s company Ocean Therapy Solutions when they did if they had known BP had put down a deposit on buying equipment worth $52 million.

Stephen Baldwin sold his shares for $1.4 million and Spyridon Contogouris sold his for $500,000 in June 2010.

In court, Stpehen Baldwin said he would have held out for more money if he had known about the potential BP deal.

The $17 million in damages Stephen Baldwin and his business partner were claiming was the amount they estimated they would have made from the fulfilled order.

Kevin Costner and his business partner Scott Smith said Stephen Baldwin and spyridon Contogouris knew BP was preparing to give a deposit but still they decided to sell-up.

Kevin Costner said he never saw Stephen Baldwin contribute anything to their company’s efforts to persuade BP to use the centrifuges.

Stephen Baldwin said no one had asked him to invest any capital or lobby BP but said he used his celebrity to market and promote the centrifuges while he also worked on a documentary about the nation’s worst offshore oil spill.

After the verdict Stephen Baldwin asked his attorney James Cobb to speak on his behalf.

“We’re disappointed. We thought we proved rather convincingly that these two guys, Mr. Costner and Mr. Smith, defrauded us,” said James Cobb.

“The jury saw it a different way but we respect the jury’s verdict.”

In June 2010 BP deployed a few of the oil-separating centrifuges it had ordered from Ocean Therapy Solutions.

The company capped the well in the Gulf of Mexico the following month, and it was permanently sealed in September 2010.

 

Rolling Stones to play farewell gig at Glastonbury Festival in 2013

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Rolling Stones to play farewell gig at Glastonbury Festival in 2013

It was reported that the Rolling Stones will play a farewell gig at next year’s Glastonbury Festival.

It is believed Mick Jagger, 68, Keith Richards, 68, Ronnie Wood, 65 and Charlie Watts, 71, will all play on the Pyramid stage during the coveted Sunday night headline slot after talks with organizer Michael Eavis.

This will be the first and only time the band perform at the famous Somerset festival which attracts up to 175,000 fans every year.

According to sources it will be the final date in only a handful of shows which will take place in Britain and America in 2013.

The famous rock group were due to tour this year for their 50th anniversary.

The Rolling Stones will play a farewell gig at next year's Glastonbury Festival
The Rolling Stones will play a farewell gig at next year's Glastonbury Festival

However, according to Rolling Stone magazine the anniversary tour was delayed because of Keith Richards’s health and his ability to make it through a full tour.

In April 2006, while on holiday in Fiji, the guitarist suffered a head injury and many fans commented that his performance during Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light documentary was often inaudible.

It is now believed the band will not do a full world tour as planned and will only do a number of shows across the UK and America.

A source told the Sunday Mirror: “All four members have agreed that next year is the right time to have one final hurrah and put on the gig of their lives.

“It’s a case of now or never, and obviously Glastonbury is the most important festival on the circuit.”

Rumors of the band playing at the festival has often circulated over the years.

Michael Eavis has also previously expressed how The Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton and Led Zeppelin would be his dream bookings.

He was unavailable to comment on whether he had finally been successful in his bid.

 

Chris Brown and Drake brawl: Drake not arrested at New York concert last night

Lisa.Felice
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0
Chris Brown and Drake brawl: Drake not arrested at New York concert last night

Drake performed at the Jones Beach Theater in New York last night and he was not arrested over his role in a vicious nightclub brawl with Chris Brown.

However, the notorious fight did make an impact on Drake’s Long Island show on Saturday, as he appeared to refer to his troubles twice during his set.

The concert came as it emerged that the nightclub where Drake and Chris Brown fought over R&B star Rihanna, sending several injured people to hospital, has been closed “indefinitely”.

Drake performed at the Jones Beach Theater in the town of Wantagh, and opened his set by saying: “When I woke up this morning, I had to think about a lot of things.”

But he continued: “But the only thing I gave a f*** about was that I was in New York City tonight.”

Drake performed at the Jones Beach Theater in New York last night and he was not arrested over his role in a vicious nightclub brawl with Chris Brown
Drake performed at the Jones Beach Theater in New York last night and he was not arrested over his role in a vicious nightclub brawl with Chris Brown

Later in the set, he seemed to make another reference to Wednesday night’s scuffle, when he said: “It’s last call and you’re really too drunk to give a f***.

“A n***** in the corner is standing there looking at you funny. You bump elbows with him on the way to the bathroom, but really there’s only one n***** that you got to think about.”

NYPD sources had suggested that the star could be arrested at the concert if he did not turn himself in, but by the time the evening came around there was no sign that he would be taken into custody.

Meanwhile it was reported by TMZ that W.i.P., the nightclub in New York’s SoHo district, has been shut down indefinitely over a number of violations apparently unrelated to the A-list brawl.

Earlier a second bystander released photos of her injuries that were a result of the flying bottles during the fight.

 

Rodney King, 1991 LA riots figure, found dead in his swimming pool aged 47

Diane A. Wade
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0
Rodney King, 1991 LA riots figure, found dead in his swimming pool aged 47

Rodney King, the figure at the centre of the Los Angeles riots in 1991, has been found dead in a swimming pool, according to police reports.

Rodney King’s fiancée found his body at the bottom of the swimming pool, but there was no sign of foul play. He was 47.

He was a victim of police brutality in 1991, but the officers involved were acquitted the following year.

The verdict triggered clashes between black youths and police which left more than 50 dead and thousands injured.

The beating was filmed by a bystander and part of the film was shown by media outlets across the world, causing public outrage.

A later trial resulted in two of the four officers being jailed.

Rodney King, the figure at the centre of the Los Angeles riots in 1991, has been found dead in a swimming pool
Rodney King, the figure at the centre of the Los Angeles riots in 1991, has been found dead in a swimming pool

Rodney King suffered brain damage during the beating. He sued the City of Los Angeles and won $3.8 million compensation.

Rialto Police Captain Randy Deanda said on Sunday King was found “unresponsive” at the bottom of his pool and was pronounced dead at 06:11 a.m.

 

France votes in second round of parliamentary elections

Diane A. Wade
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7
France votes in second round of parliamentary elections

France is voting in a second round of parliamentary elections seen as crucial for President Francois Hollande’s reform agenda.

Socialist Francois Hollande, who was elected last month, is seeking a solid left-wing majority in the lower house.

He has promised to hire more public workers and to refocus EU fiscal efforts from austerity to “growth”.

Socialists and their left-wing allies won 46% in last Sunday’s first round, against 34% for the centre-right UMP.

Nationwide, the turnout was a modest 57%. France’s 46 million eligible voters are picking representatives for 577 seats in the National Assembly.

After the first round, 36 seats out of 577 were declared in constituencies where the winner got more than 50% of the vote. Socialists and their allies won 25 of those seats.

France is voting in a second round of parliamentary elections seen as crucial for President Francois Hollande's reform agenda
France is voting in a second round of parliamentary elections seen as crucial for President Francois Hollande's reform agenda

The French Senate is already under the control of the Socialists and their allies following elections in 2011.

The Socialist Party has concluded electoral pacts with the smaller Europe Ecology/The Greens (EELV) as well as the Radical Left party – with marginal candidates withdrawing from the second round in order not to split the left-wing vote in individual constituencies.

The vote is also seen as a key test for the anti-immigration National Front (FN), which took 13.6% in the first round.

The FN – which has no nationally elected representative – is hoping to take a number of seats, notably for its leader Marine Le Pen in the northern town of Henin Beaumont.

Another closely watched race will be in La Rochelle in the west. Official Socialist candidate Segolene Royal – who is also Francois Hollande’s former partner – is standing against a dissident left-winger, Olivier Falorni, who defied the national leadership and maintained his candidacy.

In a well-publicized twist in the past week, Francois Hollande’s current partner, Valerie Trierweiler, expressed her support for Olivier Falorni in a tweet.

On the right, the UMP of former President Nicolas Sarkozy has concluded an electoral agreement with its centrist Radical Party and New Centre allies.

The start of Francois Hollande’s term has been dominated by the eurozone crisis. In his month since taking office, he has taken part in a series of summits urging his EU partners to engage in stimulus spending and to consider eurobonds.

His government is due to present a revised budget plan to parliament next month.

 

Turkey: 13 prisoners have died after fire broke out in a prison in Sanliurfa province

Diane A. Wade
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1
Turkey: 13 prisoners have died after fire broke out in a prison in Sanliurfa province

Thirteen prisoners have died and five others have been hospitalized after fire broke out in a prison in Sanliurfa province, southeast Turkey, officials said.

The victims suffocated after inmates set bedding alight at the jail in Sanliurfa province.

The fire was brought under control before it spread to the rest of the jail, which houses about 1,000 inmates.

Turkish media said the blaze took place during a mutiny, but the local governor denied the claim.

Thirteen prisoners have died and five others have been hospitalized after fire broke out in a prison in Sanliurfa province, southeast Turkey
Thirteen prisoners have died and five others have been hospitalized after fire broke out in a prison in Sanliurfa province, southeast Turkey

Governor Celalettin Guvenc told Reuters that the blaze took place following a row between the inmates.

It took one-and-a-half hours before the blaze was extinguished, the news agency reports.

Those detained at Sanliurfa include political prisoners, reports say.

Ibrahim Ayhan, a member of parliament from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), was among those in the jail but was not believed to have been harmed, broadcaster NTV said.

 

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