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Luka Rocco Magnotta arrested in a cybercafe in Berlin

Diane A. Wade
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Luka Rocco Magnotta arrested in a cybercafe in Berlin

Luka Rocco Magnotta, the Canadian porn actor wanted for the murder and dismemberment of his lover, has been arrested Berlin, Germany.

Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, was reportedly picked up in a cybercafe in Berlin’s Neukoelln district.

An Interpol notice says Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese student, in Montreal. Body parts were posted to political parties in Canada.

Earlier, French police said Luka Rocco Magnotta had flown to Paris from Montreal.

Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese student, in Montreal
Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese student, in Montreal

A video posted online, in which a man apparently uses an ice pick to kill another man, is believed to show Jun Lin’s murder, investigators say.

The suspect had reportedly worked as a bisexual porn actor and model.

Luka Rocco Magnotta was spotted by someone travelling on a bus from France to Berlin, the German news website Spiegel reports.

According to Germany’s BZ website, the internet cafe owner in Berlin recognized Luka Rocco Magnotta and alerted police.

Earlier, police in Paris found items of his in a hotel room – pornographic magazines and airline sick bags, French media say.

The hotel is in Bagnolet, an eastern suburb of Paris near the peripherique ring road.

 

Bedbugs are not exterminated with bug-bombs foggers. Ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.

Kathryn R. Bown
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Bedbugs are not exterminated with bug-bombs foggers. Ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.

New research shows that bug bombs are ineffective against bed-bug pests. In a new study, the first of its kind to be published, etymologists at Ohio State University tested three commercially available foggers – sold under the Hot Shot, Spectracide, and Eliminator brands, respectively – and concluded that all three products were virtually useless at fighting bed bug infestations.

In “Ineffectiveness of Over-the-Counter Total-Release Foggers Against the Bed Bug (Heteroptera: Cimicidae),” an article appearing in the June issue of JEE, authors Susan C. Jones and Joshua L. Bryant provide the first scientific evidence that these products should not be recommended for control of this increasingly worrisome urban pest.

“There has always been this perception and feedback from the pest-management industry that over-the-counter foggers are not effective against bed bugs and might make matters worse,” said Susan Jones, an urban entomologist with the university’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and a household and structural pest specialist with OSU Extension. “But up until now there has been no published data regarding the efficacy of foggers against bedbugs.”

Researchers exposed five different groups of live bedbugs to the products for two hours, and found few adverse effects on the bugs. When the bugs had a place to hide, as in real-world conditions, few died as a result of exposure to the foggers.

The only exception was one group of bedbugs that died in significant numbers five to seven days after being directly exposed to one of the foggers.

But the researchers say it’s very unlikely that bedbugs will be directly exposed to the mist from insect foggers because they can hide very easily in small spaces.

“These foggers don’t penetrate in cracks and crevices where most bed bugs are hiding, so most of them will survive,” Jones said. “If you use these products, you will not get the infestation under control, you will waste your money, and you will delay effective treatment of your infestation. Bed bugs are among the most difficult and expensive urban pests to control. It typically takes a professional to do it right. Also, the ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.”

Bedbugs are hitchhikers, they get into your house by clinging on to clothing, shoes, handbags and upholstered furniture. Once they’re in our house, they can live up to eight months without “eating”. The tiny bugs breed quickly and if you don’t treat for bedbugs quickly, you’ll have a major infestation on your hands. Experts say 40 bed bugs today will be 6000 in 6 months! Bedbugs don’t have to live on mattresses, they can also live in furniture and in walls.Bed Bugs close-up

Bed bugs are a major nuisance but generally don’t pose a threat to health, as their bites rarely cause more than itching welts or the occasional allergic reaction. Foggers, on the other hand, can be hazardous if used incorrectly.

In a 2008 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that at least 466 fogger-related injuries or illnesses were documented across eight states between 2001 and 2006. The most common ill effects—such as headaches, nausea, and coughing – tended to be minor and short-lived, although hospitalization was required in 21 cases.

“Bedbugs are among the most difficult and expensive urban pests to control. It typically takes a professional to do it right,” says Jones. “Also, the ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.”

Additionally, the CDC says excessive use of bug bombs, foggers, and other insecticides against bedbugs can lead to human illness and possibly death.

 

Journal source: http://www.entsoc.org/Pubs/Periodicals/JEE

Investors set their eyes on Europe and stocks follow global markets lower

Clyde K. Valle
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Investors set their eyes on Europe and stocks follow global markets lower

Signs of economic weakness around the globe and Europe’s intensifying debt crisis are unnerving investors, who have been piling out of riskier investments like commodities and equities for the perceived safety of higher-rated government bonds.

U.S. banking stocks are heading into a bear market as Europe’s debt crisis pressures the sector. The KBW Bank index , which measures the performance of 24 U.S. banks, is down 16 percent from a peak in March. The index was down 1.2 percent just after the open on Monday.

Morgan Stanley has come under pressure as bond markets treat the bank as a junk-rated company, and the higher borrowing costs could already be putting it at a disadvantage even before an expected ratings downgrade. The bank’s stock is off 40 percent since late March.

“We may well have a snap back rally on the equity side but I don’t think it will be a big one, there is still a lot of caution out there,” said Frank Lesh, a futures analyst and broker at FuturePath Trading LLC in Chicago.

“All we’ve really done is seen some short covering here in the stock indexes and we are just stable, bonds are still very elevated.”

With little on the economic or corporate calendar Monday, investors are taking most of their cues from any comments out of Europe.

 “Europe is front and center, back, left and right,” said Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG.

Germany’s DAX lost 0.9% to 5,993 and Switzerland’s SMI shed 0.6% to 5,741, though France’s CAC-40 managed to rise 0.5% to 2,968.49. Markets in Britain were closed for a holiday.

Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York said he was watching 1,275 as a support level on the S&P 500 after the index broke through its 200-day moving average on Friday following the worst decline for the index in 7 months.

“If we close under that tonight, then the market is headed lower in the short-term, possibly by 3 or 4 percent,” he said.

In a potential boost for markets looking for measures to end the debt crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pressing for much more ambitious measures, including a central authority to manage euro-area finances, and major new powers for the European Commission, European Parliament and European Court of Justice.

Three leading Portuguese banks said on Monday they would draw on funds provided under the country’s 78 billion-euro ($96-billion) international bailout to meet tough new capital requirements as they struggle with the country’s debt crisis.

 

Stock trends

 

Investors sold shares in Asia as well, including stock in Sony, which fell below 1,000 yen for the first time since 1980 — the year after it introduced the iconic Walkman portable cassette player.

Japan’s Nikkei 224 index dropped 1.7% to close at 8,295.63, its lowest finish since Nov. 28, 2011. The broader Topix index ended below the 700 mark for the first time since December 1983, Kyodo News Agency said.

Japan’s shares fell sharply on Monday, with the broader Topix index hitting a 28-year low as investors reacted to the disappointing Friday U.S. jobs data.

“While we are not down 20 percent and in official bear market territory, we believe that we have entered a bear market,” wrote Wayne Kaufman, chief market analyst at John Thomas Financial in a note on Monday.

“Equities have not responded to oversold conditions or to very attractive valuations versus bonds, and we must take that as a warning,” he said.

There are also worries about slowing growth in emerging markets such as China and India. Recent reports out of China last week showed the manufacturing sector contracted more than expected in May.

 

The S&P 500 (SPX) lost 3 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq (COMP) moved down 3 points, or 0.1%. The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) dropped 24 points, or 0.2%.

 

Facebook IPO aftermath

 

Companies: Shares of Facebook (FB), which have gotten hammered since the company’s IPO, edged slightly lower.

Groupon (GRPN) shares added 0.6% after dropping sharply Friday. The online discount service, which has been dogged with questions about its accounting practices since its initial public offering in November, ended its lock-up period Friday, meaning that insiders who own shares are now able to sell them.

 

Currencies and commodities

The dollar rose against the euro and Japanese yen, but fell versus the British pound.

Oil for July delivery lost 23 cents to $83.47 a barrel.

Gold futures for August delivery lost $2.60 to $1,614.60 an ounce.

 

Marine Le Pen threatens to sue Madonna after depicting her as a Nazi during Tel Aviv concert

Lisa.Felice
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Marine Le Pen threatens to sue Madonna after depicting her as a Nazi during Tel Aviv concert

Madonna was today threatened with legal action and accused of being an ageing self-publicist after she depicted Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front, as a Nazi during a concert in Israel.

An image of Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead appeared on a giant screen at the singer’s concert in Tel Aviv, Israel on Thursday.

Marine Le Pen has threatened to sue Madonna if she repeats the stunt when her tour reaches France in July.

The politician said: “We understand how old singers who need to get people talking about them go to such extremes.”

Asked if she was likely to sue, Marine Le Pen, 43, said: “If she does that in France, we’ll be waiting.”

Madonna, who will turn 54 in August, is due in France next month, when she will appear at the Stade de France in Paris and then in Nice on the Riviera.

Madonna was today threatened with legal action and accused of being an ageing self-publicist after she depicted Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front, as a Nazi during a concert in Israel
Madonna was today threatened with legal action and accused of being an ageing self-publicist after she depicted Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front, as a Nazi during a concert in Israel

Other sources in the National Front, which has frequently been linked with anti-Semitism and racism, said Madonna had offended all of its members.

“We are not a Nazi party, and object to being depicted as such,” said a source in the party, which won a fifth of the popular vote during the first round of presidential elections in April.

“If you accuse the National Front of being anti-Semitic and racist then you accuse a fifth of the French people of being anti-Semitic and racist.

“If Madonna repeats this slur in France then she will certainly be taken to court.”

Wallerand de Saint-Just, the National Front’s lawyer, confirmed he was looking into the possibility of legal action.

Marine Le Pen pledged to reform the party after taking over the leadership from her notorious father, Jean-Marie Le Pen last year.

He is a convicted racist and anti-Semite who has in the past denied that the Nazi Holocaust actually took place during World War II.

Despite this, Jean-Marie Le Pen came runner-up in the French presidential election in 2002, proving that he had widespread support.

Marine Le Pen has toned down the party’s extremist views, but regularly pledges to limit Muslim immigration, and to clamp down on Islamic culture in France.

Madonna’s depiction of Marine Le Pen appeared as she performed her song Nobody Knows Me in Tel Aviv last Thursday.

Madonna is well known for her provocative acts, and is currently dating a Frenchman called Brahim Zaibat who has a North African Muslim immigrant background.

Marine Le Pen won just under 18% of votes in the presidential election and is currently standing to become an MP in France’s National Assembly.

 

Tiananmen Square Anniversary: Chinese authorities arrest activists and place others under surveillance

Diane A. Wade
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Tiananmen Square Anniversary: Chinese authorities arrest activists and place others under surveillance

Chinese authorities have arrested activists and placed others under increased surveillance to stop them from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Searches on social media sites have also been restricted to try to prevent any reference to the 1989 events.

The foreign ministry expressed “strong dissatisfaction” over a call from the US to free those still in prison for their involvement in the protests.

In 1989, the army shot dead hundreds of civilians rallying for democracy.

Beijing says the June 1989 events were a counter-revolutionary revolt and defends its response. The Communist Party still prevents any public remembrance of the event.

Chinese authorities have arrested activists and placed others under increased surveillance to stop them from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown
Chinese authorities have arrested activists and placed others under increased surveillance to stop them from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown

On Sunday, the US government urged China to free all those still in prison after the crackdown on protesters.

It called China’s “violent suppression” of the Tiananmen Square demonstrations a “tragic loss of innocent lives”.

From the capital, Beijing, to Fuzhou on the east coast and Guiyang in the far south-west, Chinese police have moved to detain and pressure activists.

Hundreds have been rounded up in Beijing to prevent them from marking the anniversary, rights campaigners told AFP news agency.

A small group of elderly men who organized a protest in a park in Guizhou a week ago have been rounded up.

A human rights group, the Dui Hua Foundation, estimates that fewer than a dozen activists arrested in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown remain in jail. Hundreds were rounded up at the time.

Those left in jail are not students who led the protests, but people who committed arson or attacked martial law troops, Dui Hua executive director John Kamm told the Associated Press news agency.

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Vladimir Putin to be pressed by EU officials to take a stronger line on Syria crisis at St Petersburg summit

Diane A. Wade
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Vladimir Putin to be pressed by EU officials to take a stronger line on Syria crisis at St Petersburg summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be pressed by EU officials to take a stronger line on the crisis in Syria during a summit in St Petersburg.

EU member states want Russia to put pressure on its ally to withdraw heavy weapons from cities and comply fully with UN envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan.

Russia and China are also resisting US and European calls to condemn President Bashar al-Assad and seek his removal.

On Sunday, Bashar al-Assad denied his forces had any role in the Houla massacre.

In a televised address, President Bashar al-Assad told parliament the killing of more than 108 people in their homes, including 49 children, was an “ugly crime” that even “monsters” would not carry out.

Witnesses have blamed pro-government militiamen for the massacre, which has triggered international condemnation and led to several countries expelling Syrian diplomats in protest.

Bashar al-Assad said the only way to resolve the crisis was through political dialogue, and that “foreign meddling” was to blame for Syria’s divisions.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton are among those attending Monday’s summit.

On Sunday, Vladimir Putin invited the EU leaders for dinner ahead of the talks at a lavish estate on the outskirts of the city.

Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy
Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy

European diplomats regard the meeting as a chance to renew ties with Vladimir Putin since his return to the presidency earlier this month.

The leaders are also expected to discuss trade and Iran’s controversial nuclear programme. Russia will also be looking to speed up moves towards visa free travel in Europe.

“We need to make sure that Russia is using fully its leverage in convincing the [Assad] regime to implement [the peace plan],” an EU official quoted by the Reuters news agency said.

“The Russian side has certainly not been very helpful in finding solutions in terms of a political way out.”

Moscow insists it is not protecting Bashar al-Assad but says his removal cannot be a precondition for political dialogue.

Baroness Catherine Ashton, who met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov before Sunday’s dinner, said in a statement: “Russia’s role is crucial for the success of Annan’s plan.”

She said the EU wanted to “work closely with Russia to find a way to end the violence”.

The statement added that Baroness Catherine Ashton had spoken to Kofi Annan by telephone on Sunday and they had agreed that the crisis was at “a critical point”.

Analysts say pressure is growing on Moscow to concede that the initiative is stalled and to promote a compromise in which President Bashar al-Assad stands down to allow a transition of power.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that she had “made it very clear” to Sergei Lavrov in a telephone conversation that the focus was shifting to a political transition.

“Assad’s departure does not have to be a precondition, but it should be an outcome so the people of Syria have a chance to express themselves,” she said during a visit to Stockholm.

Although the summit is not expected to produce any major breakthrough in relations between Russia and the EU, it is still important.

EU leaders will be able to reacquaint themselves with Vladimir Putin and it is also a chance to gauge what kind of relationship Moscow and Brussels are likely to have during his six-year presidency.

 

MTV Movie Awards 2012 Winners Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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MTV Movie Awards 2012 Winners Full List

MTV MOVIE AWARDS 2012 WINNERS

MOVIE OF THE YEAR: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE: Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE: Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games

BEST GUT-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE: Bridesmaids – Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper

Twilight took home the Best Movie Award from MTV Movie Awards 2012 for the fourth year running
Twilight took home the Best Movie Award from MTV Movie Awards 2012 for the fourth year running

BEST FIGHT: Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig – The Hunger Games

BEST KISS: Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn

BEST ON-SCREEN DIRTBAG: Jennifer Aniston – Horrible Bosses

BEST HERO: Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

BEST MUSIC: Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO (21 Jump Street)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE: Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE: Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids

BEST CAST: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures) – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION: Elizabeth Banks – The Hunger Games

BEST TRUE TRAILBLAZER: Emma Stone

GENERATION AWARD: Johnny Depp

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MTV Movie Awards 2012: The Hunger Games beats Twilight with four gongs

Sonia Pantiss
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MTV Movie Awards 2012: The Hunger Games beats Twilight with four gongs

The big winner of this year MTV Movie Awards was the breakout hit The Hunger Games that swept the ceremony, taking home four gongs.

The film’s star Jennifer Lawrence won the prestigious Best Female Performance award – but unfortunately the 22-year-old wasn’t in Los Angeles to collect her trophy.

However, Jennifer Lawrence accepted her award via a pre-recorded video as she is currently filming in Prague, after her win was announced by Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth, the brother of her Hunger Games co-star Liam.

She said: “Thank you, MTV and all the fans, for this award. I want to thank Suzanne Collins for creating such an iconic, powerful character in Katniss Everdeen.

“It’s been such an honour to portray her and have audiences around the world embrace this movie.”

Looking at her golden popcorn trophy, Jennifer Lawrence humorously added: “I can’t eat this.”

Her co-star Josh Hutcherson also scooped a coveted award in the form of Best Male Performance, which was presented to him by Emma Watson and her Perks of Being a Wallflower co-stars Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller.

Josh Hutcherson said: “I’ve wanted to hold a Golden Popcorn since I was like four years old. This is incredible.

“It’s insane too, because every single one of those actors I admire and I want to be, so to even be up here is blowing my mind right now.”

He added to his many admirers: “You guys are the best fans in the world. You’re crazy and passionate and you make our job amazing.”

The Hunger Games’ star Josh Hutcherson scooped a coveted award at the MTV Movie Awards 2012 in the form of Best Male Performance
The Hunger Games’ star Josh Hutcherson scooped a coveted award at the MTV Movie Awards 2012 in the form of Best Male Performance

And Elizabeth Banks, who plays outlandish Effie Trinket in the movie, won Best On-screen Transformation.

Elizabeth Banks was presented the award by Magic Mike stars Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum and Joe Managaniello, who was dressed in a saucy fireman’s outfit.

The actress was carried out by the hunks after telling the audience: “I just want to thank MTV for this moment right here. This is just the best moment of my life.”

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson also scooped Best Fight, alongside Alexander Ludwig. Josh and Alexander took to the stage to collect the award from Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender.

But before they announced the winner, the duo indulged in a play fight which saw Charlize Theron pretend to knee Michael Fassbender in the face.

While The Hunger Games was the clear winner, the missed out on the Best Movie award, which went to Twilight for the fourth year running.

Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner accepted the accolade.

And Kristen Stewart also received the award for Best Kiss for the fourth year in a row, alongside her on and off-screen beau Robert Pattinson, who wasn’t in attendance at the bash.

So Kristen Stewart was a good sport and turned around to pretend she was smooching up a storm when she collected her trophy alone from That’s My Boy stars Leighton Meester, Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg.

Harry Potter won two awards – one for Best Hero and one for Best Cast, the latter of which was accepted on behalf of everyone by Emma Watson.

The first award of the evening went to Jennifer Aniston, who scooped the Best On-screen Dirtbag title for Horrible Bosses.

The actress looked stunning in leather and was clearly tickled by the accolade as she said in her acceptance speech: “I mean, do you know how long I have tried to unleash my on-screen dirtbag?”

She added: “I would like to say thank you to the television show Friends for letting me unleash my inner sweetheart and [Horrible Bosses director] Seth Gordon for letting me channel my inner dirtbag.”

The Breakthrough Performance gong went to Shailene Woodley for her role in The Descendants and the 20-year-old was overwhelmed by her win.

After Shailene Woodley hugged happy couple Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield who handed her the trophy, she told the crowd: “Dude, this is nuts. I’m so nervous right now.”

Johnny Depp took part in a special performance alongside The Black Keys, after which he was presented with the special Generation Award by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

The Hollywood heavyweight was clearly touched by the accolade as he mouthed the word, “Wow”, but he quickly turned to humor and said: “This is like the <<get out of the business>> award.”

Emma Stone also won a special title – the True Trailblazer Award. After a hilarious video clip was aired which saw stars including Mila Kunis, Jim Carrey and Anna Faris talk about the star, she grew tearful while delivering her acceptance speech, stating she is “a cryer”.

Bridesmaids won two awards, for Best Gut-Wrenching Performance and Best Comedic Performance by Melissa McCarthy, although their wins were not televised.

And an excited LMFAO took home the prize for Best Music.

The audience saw Christian Bale grow emotional when seeing Heath Ledger as The Joker as part of a preview clip for The Dark Knight Rises, and Wiz Khalifa performed during the show.

Russell Brand hosted the event and used the opportunity to say he was on the hunt for his “next wife” after splitting from Katy Perry, also making fun of old pal Michael Fassbender.

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Tintin cover fetches 1.3 million Euros at a Tintin memorabilia in Paris

Sonia Pantiss
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Tintin cover fetches 1.3 million Euros at a Tintin memorabilia in Paris

A rare 1932 cover drawing of a Tintin comic book has fetched a record 1.3 million Euros ($1.6 million) at auction in Paris.

The Tintin in America cover, hand-drawn by Belgian writer and illustrator Herge, broke the record – set by the same item in 2008, when it sold for 764,000 euros.

It shows the young adventurer Tintin, dressed as a cowboy and sitting with his dog, Snowy, as axe-wielding American Indians creep up on them.

It was bought by a private collector.

The Indian ink and gouache drawing work is one of only five remaining such works by Herge – real name Georges Remi – who died in 1983. Only two of those are in private hands.

A rare 1932 cover drawing of a Tintin comic book has fetched a record 1.3 million Euros ($1.6 million) at auction in Paris
A rare 1932 cover drawing of a Tintin comic book has fetched a record 1.3 million Euros ($1.6 million) at auction in Paris

The buyer is anonymous but he was represented at the auction by a friend identified only as Didier.

“If he’d have been able to get it for less I think he would have been happy,” Didier said after the sale, according to news agency Reuters.

“The aim was not to beat a record; the aim was to obtain the work, before anything else… You don’t come here to beat the world record, to spend money, that doesn’t make any sense.”

Saturday’s sale was part of a rare larger sale of Tintin memorabilia, reportedly including draft sketches of Tintin and a copy of Explorers on the Moon, signed by the first men to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, and fellow astronaut Michael Collins.

 

Revitalift Laser X3 from L’Oreal Paris mimics the effects of laser treatment

Kathryn R. Bown
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Revitalift Laser X3 from L’Oreal Paris mimics the effects of laser treatment

L’Oreal Paris launched Revitalift Laser X3, a new anti-ageing range with prices starting from just $31.99.

The products claim to smooth fine lines and wrinkles as effectively as a $5,000 clinical laser treatment.

An independent study backed up this claim.

Testing Revitalift Laser X3’s Daily Rejuvenating Moisturiser, $31.99, Super Serum, $39.99, and Precision Eye Cream, $31.99, for two weeks, the effects could be seen almost immediately.

The fine lines at the side of the eyes were instantly softened thanks to the eye cream. After just 24 hours, the serum and moisturizer appeared to have worked together to create smoother skin.

L’Oreal Paris launched Revitalift Laser X3, a new anti-ageing range with prices starting from just $31.99
L’Oreal Paris launched Revitalift Laser X3, a new anti-ageing range with prices starting from just $31.99

The skin cycle – the length of time it takes for our skin to make new proteins such as collagen – is four weeks, so it is remarkable to get such rapid results. What’s more, the products absorb easily and feel light on the skin – no greasiness or oily residue. The star ingredient is Pro-Xylane, derived from plant sugars.

It mimics the effects of a laser treatment and stimulates collagen, helps promote skin regeneration, reduces the appearance of fine lines and smooths wrinkles. In lab tests, it has been shown to increase skin plumpness because it retains large amounts of moisture.

It works alongside a special form of hyaluronic acid, a potent moisturizer that is absorbed easily by the skin, and lipohydroxy acid, a gentle exfoliating ingredient that refines the skin surface and stimulates new cell growth.

 

Extreme exercise may permanently damage the heart and trigger rhythm abnormalities

Kathryn R. Bown
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Extreme exercise may permanently damage the heart and trigger rhythm abnormalities

Researchers warn that extreme exercise, such as marathons, may permanently damage the heart and trigger rhythm abnormalities.

They say the safe “upper limit” for heart health is a maximum of an hour a day – after which there is little benefit to the individual.

A review of research evidence by US physicians says intensive training schedules and extreme endurance competitions can cause long-term harm to people’s hearts.

Activities such as marathons, iron man distance triathlons, and very long distance bicycle races may cause structural changes to the heart and large arteries, leading to lasting injury.

Lead author Dr. James O’Keefe, of Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, said exercise was generally beneficial for health but could tip into becoming harmful when taken to excessive lengths.

Dr. James O’Keefe said: “Physical exercise, though not a drug, possesses many traits of a powerful pharmacologic agent.

“A routine of daily physical activity can be highly effective for prevention and treatment of many diseases, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, and obesity.

“However, as with any pharmacologic agent, a safe upper dose limit potentially exists, beyond which the adverse effects of physical exercise, such as musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress, may outweigh its benefits.”

A review of research evidence by US physicians says intensive training schedules and extreme endurance competitions can cause long-term harm to people’s hearts
A review of research evidence by US physicians says intensive training schedules and extreme endurance competitions can cause long-term harm to people’s hearts

A review published in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings (must credit) looked at studies detailing the mechanisms, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular injury from excessive endurance exercise.

Dr. James O’Keefe and colleagues said research suggests that extreme endurance training can cause transient structural cardiovascular changes and elevations of cardiac biomarkers, all of which return to normal within one week.

But for some individuals, over months and years of repetitive injury, this process can lead to the development of patchy scarring of certain areas of the heart, and abnormal heart rhythms.

In one study, approximately 12% of apparently healthy marathon runners showed evidence for patchy myocardial scarring, and the coronary heart disease event rate during a two-year follow up was significantly higher in marathon runners than in runners not doing marathons.

The review said it had been known that elite-level athletes commonly develop abnormal electrocardiogram readings.

However, studies now show that changes to the heart triggered by excessive exercise can lead to rhythm abnormalities.

Endurance sports such as ultramarathon running or professional cycling have been associated with as much as a five-fold increase in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation, or abnormal heart rhythms.

Chronic excessive sustained exercise may also be associated with other heart problems including artery wall stiffening.

Dr. James O’Keefe said lifelong vigorous exercisers generally have lower death and disability rates compared with non-exercisers, but it was becoming important to detect intense exercisers whose regime might put them at risk.

The phenomenon has been dubbed Phidippides cardiomyopathy – after the fatal heart damage suffered by the original marathon runner.

The young Greek messenger in 490BC died suddenly after running 175 miles in two days, with the last leg of 26.2 miles from Marathon to Athens.

His death was the first report of a sudden cardiac death of a long distance runner.

Dr. James O’Keefe stressed the review findings should not undermine the message that physical exercise was good for most people.

He said: “Physically active people are much healthier than their sedentary counterparts. Exercise is one of the most important things you need to do on a daily basis.

“But what this paper points out is that a lot of people do not understand that the lion’s share of health benefits accrue at a relatively modest level.

“Extreme exercise is not really conducive to great cardiovascular health. Beyond 30-60 minutes per day, you reach a point of diminishing returns.”

Government guidelines recommend adults take aerobic exercise five times a week for 30 minutes or more for maximum health benefits.

Children should have at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day, including taking part in sports, brisk walking and running.

Aerobic exercise is achieved through sports such as jogging, running, cycling, tennis and swimming.

The level of aerobic exertion should be enough to raise the heart rate to 120 beats a minute or higher, which includes a brisk walk and swimming. But taking a stroll or even gardening is also regarded as healthy activity.

 

George Soros warns European leaders over a three-month window to save the euro

Clyde K. Valle
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George Soros warns European leaders over a three-month window to save the euro

George Soros warns European leaders they have a “three-month window” to save the euro.

The billionaire investor said he believed Greece would elect a government willing to abide by loan conditions imposed by the EU in this month’s elections.

But George Soros said the German economy would begin in weaken in the autumn, making it much harder for Chancellor Angela Merkel to provide further support.

He said leaders did not understand “the nature of the crisis”.

George Soros also said that while European leaders were focusing on debt levels, the crisis was “more of a banking problem and a problem of competitiveness”.

George Soros warns European leaders they have a "three-month window" to save the euro
George Soros warns European leaders they have a "three-month window" to save the euro

For this reason, he said they had “applied the wrong remedy”.

“You cannot reduce the debt burden by shrinking the economy, only by growing your way out of it,” George Soros added.

George Soros, speaking at a conference in Italy, was referring to the drastic austerity measures that have been implemented across Europe, measures that are now being questioned by a growing number of politicians and commentators.

Without policies to boost growth, which would enable governments to raise revenue to pay down debt, George Soros said time was running out for the euro.

“I expect the Greek public will be sufficiently frightened by the prospect of expulsion from the EU that it will give a narrow majority of seats to a coalition that is ready to abide by the current [bailout] agreement,” he said.

However, this would provide only temporary respite, he warned, as the German public becomes less willing to continue bailing out its weaker European neighbors.

“The crisis is likely to come to a climax in the [autumn]. By that time, the German economy will also be weakening, so that Chancellor Merkel will find it even more difficult than today to persuade the German public to accept any additional European responsibilities.

“That is what creates a three-month window.”

 

 

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: A-list pop stars will play for Queen Elizabeth II in front of Buckingham Palace

Diane A. Wade
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Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: A-list pop stars will play for Queen Elizabeth II in front of Buckingham Palace

An A-list concert, which will be held in front of Buckingham Palace later today, will mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Sir Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Sir Elton John are among the artists, and Madness will perform on the roof.

The audience will comprise of people who got tickets in a public ballot and those from charities with royal links.

At the end of the show, Queen Elizabeth II will light one of the last of around 4,500 beacons across the globe – in celebration of her 60-year reign.

In the afternoon, prior to the Jubilee concert, 10,000 ballot winners and VIPs will have a picnic in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

The concert follows Sunday’s spectacular River Thames pageant which attracted hundreds of thousands of rain-soaked people to watch the flotilla of 1,000 vessels.

Queen Elizabeth II travelled in a barge alongside senior members of the Royal Family as street parties were held around the country.

Buckingham Palace said the Royal Family were “touched” at the turnout, despite the weather.

The A-list concert, which starts at 19:30 BST (18:30 GMT) and will be broadcast by the BBC, also includes Robbie Williams, Ed Sheeran, JLS, Kylie Minogue, Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J, Dame Shirley Bassey and Annie Lennox.

And it will feature a special song – sung by 200 people from around the Commonwealth – co-written for the occasion by Gary Barlow and Lord Lloyd Webber.

An A-list concert, which will be held in front of Buckingham Palace later today, will mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
An A-list concert, which will be held in front of Buckingham Palace later today, will mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

Motown legend Stevie Wonder has said: “It’s an honour to celebrate The Queen. It’s an honour to celebrate Great Britain. The time is overdue that I meet Her Majesty.”

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry will join the Queen at the concert.

Pop veterans Madness will play their hit Our House on the roof of Buckingham Palace – echoing Queen guitarist Brian May’s performance of the National Anthem in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee.

After the musical tribute, the Queen will greet the crowds and set the national beacon ablaze.

At 22:30 BST (21:30 GMT), Queen Elizabeth II is scheduled to place a crystal glass diamond into a special pod, triggering the lighting of the last beacon in The Mall.

Beacons will be lit throughout the evening in the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, the Commonwealth and other overseas territories.

Bruno Peek, pageantmaster of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee beacons, said: “We set out to have 2,012 beacons, which would have been the most ever for this type of occasion.

“To have reached double that figure reflects the national and worldwide respect and affection for the Queen and the desire to celebrate her 60-year reign.”

The network of beacons across the UK will be placed on historic landmarks, hill-top vantage points and famous mountains.

Beacons will also be placed on the battlements of the Tower of London, and at St James’s Palace, Lambeth Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham, Balmoral and Holyroodhouse.

Sixty will be lit in sequence on Hadrian’s Wall – one for each year of the Monarch’s reign.

And the highest peaks of the UK’s four nations will be lit up by teams from four charities.

Help for Heroes will conquer Ben Nevis in Scotland, Walking With The Wounded will climb Snowdon in Wales, Cancer Research UK will scale England’s Scafell Pike and in Northern Ireland, Field of Life will go up Slieve Donard in County Down.

The hotel in Kenya where the Queen was told in 1952 of her father George VI’s death – which meant she would become the monarch – will also light a beacon.

The first of the beacons will be lit on the south Pacific island of Tonga, while Tristan da Cunha, a British territory in the South Atlantic, is the location for the most remote lighting.

Like the conclusion of the Thames pageant, the evening will end with a firework display.

Diamond Jubilee beacons:

• About 4,500 beacons will be lit in the UK, Commonwealth and overseas territories

• Beacons in the UK and British dependencies will be lit in stages between 22:00 and 22:30 BST

• The Queen will light the National Beacon near Buckingham Palace at 22:30 BST

• Overseas beacons will be lit at 22:00 local time in countries including Canada, Australia and Kenya

• Two types of Beacons are used: Bonfires and the church tower beacon fuelled by bottled gas

• Beacons were lit on Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and for 1977’s Silver Jubilee

 

Miiverse, Nintendo’s Wii U social network, presented ahead of E3 video games conference

Nancy Clayson
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Miiverse, Nintendo’s Wii U social network, presented ahead of E3 video games conference

A video presentation released ahead of the E3 video games conference has showed that Nintendo’s new Wii U console will embrace social networking.

Wii U console will promote the Miiverse in which users can see what others are playing, share self-created game content and swap gaming tips.

Nintendo said members would eventually be able to connect to the network via its 3DS handheld, PCs and smartphones.

The Japanese firm posted its first annual loss in April.

Its share price has nearly halved since it first announced the Wii U last year after investors expressed doubts about the potential of the next-generation device.

The revelations, ahead of the Los Angeles trade show, may be designed to create a new buzz about the product ahead of a more detailed press conference on Tuesday.

The presentation, by the firm’s global president Satoru Iwata, said that when users turned on their console it would show animated avatars on the television screen flocking towards the most popular games at that time.

However, the focus of the network is on a smaller touchscreen on the Wii U Game Pad.

This can be used to send typed or handwritten messages to other Miiverse members as well as drawings.

Wii U console will promote the Miiverse in which users can see what others are playing, share self-created game content and swap gaming tips
Wii U console will promote the Miiverse in which users can see what others are playing, share self-created game content and swap gaming tips

A video trailer showed one player using the device to quiz other gamers about how to kill a zombie. The actor then placed the handset next to his television to launch a video chat with another user.

“We believe it can solve the issue of ‘alone together’,” said Satoru Iwata.

“We believe it enables the sharing of more smiles, more laughs and more empathy.”

However, Patrick Garratt, founder of gaming website VG247, expressed reservations.

“The social aspects in the presentation show Nintendo realizes people now need to be constantly connected through their digital devices, but my concern is that the entire system appears to be closed,” he said.

“Without a wholesale embrace of Twitter and Facebook I think you have to ask serious questions about how well Nintendo understands the social networking space.”

The presentation also showed changes made to the game pad from the version displayed last year including redesigned thumbsitck controllers, extra buttons and a card slot to add data to the device.

Video games publisher Konami also opted to release a pre-show announcement video.

It included trailers for the firm’s upcoming Metal Gear Rising Revengeance – an action title featuring a cyborg ninja due out “early 2013” – and the latest in its vampire series, Castlevania: Lord of Shadows 2.

The coming days will bring a plethora of announcements from other firms at the trade show. Close to 200 are hosting exhibits.

Keynote presentations from Microsoft and Sony will be the focus of the event’s first day.

Both companies have said they would not debut their next-generation consoles at this year’s event. So the focus will instead be on how they will attempt to maintain interest in the seven-year-old Xbox 360 and six-year-old Playstation 3.

News site Examiner.com has reported that Microsoft’s announcement might include a new service called Xbox Smart Glass.

It said the product would allow users to control their console remotely via devices running Windows, Windows Phone, Android and iOS systems.

It added that the software would also work the other way, allowing consoles to screen content streamed to them by third-party devices.

Microsoft’s presentation is also likely to focus on its Kinect motion and voice recognition sensor, possibly including footage from a recently announced Harry Potter title.

There has been speculation that Sony will announce a tie-up or even a takeover of a cloud gaming company. This could allow Playstation owners to continue playing games when they do not have access to their consoles by streaming titles off remote servers to other types of devices.

Trade magazine MCV has reported a deal could involve one of two California-based companies: OnLive or Gaikai.

It noted that Gaikai had sent out a press release promising news that had “the potential to change the future of video games, game consoles and how we play”.

Cloud-based gaming services have had limited appeal to date because of issues including compromised picture quality and lag – delayed responses to button presses or joystick moves caused by the fact that commands have to be sent to a remote server.

However, one analyst noted that new technology might be about to solve these problems.

“A few weeks ago we saw Nvidia come out with a cloud GPU [graphics processing unit] product,” said Brian Blau, research director at Gartner’s consumer services group.

“Up until now cloud gaming vendors had to cobble together their own servers and graphics solutions and you can’t build those in a way that is easily maintainable and extendable over a long period of time.

“Now all of a sudden you can have standard Nvidia graphics with the same drivers you use on your desktop in a virtualized environment, and it provides a really great production environment for someone who wants to deliver cloud games.”

Tech site Engadget has also reported that Sony is expected to cut the price of its Vita handheld console. A similar move helped boost sales of Nintendo’s rival 3DS last year.

Away from the hardware manufacturers, extensions of existing gaming franchises are likely to dominate this year’s show with a raft of sequels, prequels and reboots set to be shown off.

Titles including Halo 4; Assassin’s Creed 3; Tomb Raider: Crossroads; Hitman: Absolution; Gears of War: Judgement; Dead Space 3; New Mario Super Bros 2; Disney Epic Mickey 2; God of War: Ascension and Star Wars 1313 are all set to be teased at the event.

However, hopes that the much anticipated Half Life 3 would be finally unveiled have been confounded by PC-developer Valve’s announcement that it would not announce any new products despite hosting a booth at the show.

Social games specialist Zynga is also exhibiting at the event – its first appearance. However, it has also signalled it would not launch any new products.

“We don’t have a big flashy show presence – it’s all business,” said the firm’s head of partner publishing Rob Dyer.

“We are focused on finding and signing partners to publish on our platform.”

 [youtube bmbGApm1uN4]

 

Princess Maha Al-Sudairi of Saudi tried to run from Shangri-La hotel in Paris without paying $8M bill

Diane A. Wade
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1
Princess Maha Al-Sudairi of Saudi tried to run from Shangri-La hotel in Paris without paying $8M bill

Princess Maha Al-Sudairi of Saudi tried to dodge paying an $8 million bill from a five-star establishment in Paris, leaving the hotel with her retinue of 60 servants in tow and a mountain of suitcases.

Princess Maha Al-Sudairi’s planned escape was always destined to end in farce and fiasco.

She and her entourage were instantly spotted by staff when filing out of the exclusive Shangri-La hotel at 3:30 a.m. last Friday.

They called the police and the wayward ex-wife of Saudi Crown Prince and deputy prime minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz – who is second-in-line to the Saudi throne – was stopped as her extensive luggage was being bundled into a fleet of limousines.

Most offenders in her position would have been arrested on the spot, charged and perhaps would already be behind bars.

But because the princess is protected by diplomatic immunity, police were unable to arrest or even charge her with an offence.

Instead the French authorities can only approach the Saudi Embassy in a bid to get them to help.

Princess Maha Al-Sudairi of Saudi tried to dodge paying an $8 million bill from a five-star establishment in Paris, leaving the hotel with her retinue of 60 servants in tow and a mountain of suitcases
Princess Maha Al-Sudairi of Saudi tried to dodge paying an $8 million bill from a five-star establishment in Paris, leaving the hotel with her retinue of 60 servants in tow and a mountain of suitcases

In the meantime the princess and her small army of servants have been offered refuge from their troubles – at another luxury hotel, the Royal Monceau, near the Champs-Elysees.

The five-star hotel is owned by “family friend”, the Emir of Qatar, who has offered to put her up while the matter is resolved. Princess Maha Al-Sudairi arrived in Paris with her entourage on December 23 last year and booked out an entire 41-room floor of the Shangri-La.

Up until then Princess Maha Al-Sudairi had been confined to a palace in the middle eastern state by Saudi King Abdullah after leaving behind a trail of unpaid bills with luxury firms across Europe, reportedly including Dior, jewellery outlets Chaumet and Victoria Casal, and at least one hotel.

Princess Maha Al-Sudairi repeatedly dodged demands from the hotel to settle her ballooning bill, the newspaper Le Parisien reported.

Matters finally came to a head last week when police found her and her servants attempting to leave the hotel. This is not the first time the royal has found herself in hot water.

Her global over-spending has been well-documented in the past.

Princess Maha Al-Sudairi was originally “cut off” by a furious King Abdullah after racking up massive debts all over the world during the last few years.

In June 2009, Princess Maha Al-Sudairi claimed diplomatic immunity in France after amassing $24 million in unpaid shopping bills, including $100,000 on designer lingerie alone.

The following year, she was once again bailed out by her oil-rich government after she ordered $30,000 worth of glassware and silverware from a Paris store.

Despite this, her fabulously wealthy credentials meant the “IOU” notes handed to shopkeepers which read “payment to follow” were usually accepted.

Over the years, up to 30 of Paris’s most exclusive retailers have fallen foul of her bouncing credit notes, French newspapers reported.

Shop owner Jacky Giami, who owns Paris’s Key Largo leisure wear store, said the princess and her relatives had more than $160,000 worth of his stock.

Last night, police in Paris said they were unable to arrest or charge Princess Maha Al-Sudairi because she was claiming diplomatic immunity. They said they would be asking the Saudi embassy to help settle her accounts.

 

Bruce Campbell, the man who transformed a passenger jet into a house in Oregon woodland

Diane A. Wade
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1
Bruce Campbell, the man who transformed a passenger jet into a house in Oregon woodland

Bruce Campbell reveals his future home is a 727-200 aircraft tucked away in the woods of Oregon.

Describing the plane as a “bird that’s meant to fly”, Bruce Campbell proudly gave CNN reporters a grand tour around his unusual choice of home.

Entering and exiting through stairs lowered down from the plane, Bruce Campbell explains that he tries to keep his new home clean and tidy as he wipes his feet and clambers through the latch-operated door.

With the passenger chairs ripped out of the main cabin there is plenty of room for Bruce Campbell’s possessions – cardboard boxes waiting to be unpacked are stacked throughout the room.

Bruce Campbell reveals his future home is a 727-200 aircraft tucked away in the woods of Oregon
Bruce Campbell reveals his future home is a 727-200 aircraft tucked away in the woods of Oregon

Clearly excited to be showing visitors around, Bruce Campbell says the prospect of living in the plane full-time “exhilarates” him.

With electricity already functioning, one of the first tasks in transforming the jumbo jet into a hospitable living space was, of course, getting a working plumbing system.

Bruce Campbell is still tinkering with it but one of the aircraft’s three toilets is already up and running.

“It’s small but I’m small”, he says, peeking into the functioning restroom.

Furthermore, he has installed a temporary shower within the main cabin of the plane.

Bruce Campbell concedes the shower doesn’t afford much privacy but points out that if you live in the middle of the woods that isn’t a pressing concern.

Describing the venture as an “experiment”, Bruce Campbell hopes that others will follow his lead: “It is a good experiment in a living environment that, I hope, will prove to be something that mankind will embrace with vigor at a later time.”

Lighting up with glee, Bruce Campbell ushers his guests into the space he describes as his “favorite playroom”: the cockpit.

And in warmer weather, the aircraft’s wings make for great decks – easily accessed through the emergency exits.

Bruce Campbell has had some visitors to his bizarre bolthole and, he says, some have fallen in love with it.

There is no radio or TV in the plane but an iPod touch provides music as Campbell potters away creating his new home.

“It’s not for everybody. But I think it is for a lot of people and it is definitely for me. I absolutely love it,” says Bruce Campbell as he concludes his tour.

 [youtube NgQnw1CDpWw]

Richard Dawson dies from esophageal cancer complications aged 79

Sonia Pantiss
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Richard Dawson dies from esophageal cancer complications aged 79

Richard Dawson, the actor and TV host who found fame in at the helm of game show Family Feud and in sitcom Hogan’s Heroes, has died at 79.

Richard Dawson, ex-husband of actress Diana Dors, was born in Gosport, Hampshire, UK, and played Corporal Peter Newkirk in World War II comedy Hogan’s Heroes for six years.

He became a panelist on TV show Match Game before hosting Family Feud for 10 years.

Richard dawson’ son Gary wrote on Facebook on Saturday: “It is with a very heavy heart that I inform you that my father passed away this evening from complications due to esophageal cancer.

“He was surrounded by his family. He was an amazing talent, a loving husband, a great dad, and a doting grandfather. He will be missed but always remembered.”

Richard Dawson, the actor and TV host who found fame in at the helm of game show Family Feud and in sitcom Hogan's Heroes, has died at 79
Richard Dawson, the actor and TV host who found fame in at the helm of game show Family Feud and in sitcom Hogan's Heroes, has died at 79

After starting his career as a stand-up comedian, Richard Dawson married the English pin-up Diana Dors in 1959. The couple settled in California but he was devastated when she walked out on him and they divorced in 1967.

By then, Richard Dawson was known as the Cockney prisoner of war in Hogan’s Heroes, which ran on CBS from 1965 to ’71.

He became Family Feud’s host when it launched on the ABC network in 1976 and won a daytime Emmy Award in 1978 for best game show host.

At its height, Family Feud was one of the most popular programmes on US TV, airing 11 times a week – five in daytime and six in the evening.

Known for giving the female contestants a kiss, Richard Dawson met his second wife Gretchen when she appeared on the programme with her family in 1981.

He left the show in 1985 but returned for one further series in 1994.

Not afraid to play on his TV persona, Richard Dawson appeared as the ruthless game show host Damon Killian alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 film The Running Man.

 

Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives star, dies at 72

Lisa.Felice
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Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives star, dies at 72

Actress Kathryn Joosten, best known for her roles in Desperate Housewives and The West Wing, has died at 72.

Kathryn Joosten died in California of lung cancer, 11 years after she was first diagnosed with the disease.

The actress won two Emmy Awards for playing nosey neighbor Karen McCluskey in suburban drama Desperate Housewives.

Kathryn Joosten had previously portrayed Delores Landingham, the secretary to fictional US President Josiah Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen, on The West Wing.

Her family said in a statement that the actress was “surrounded by love and humour ’til the end”, adding: “We are laughing through our tears.”

Actress Kathryn Joosten, best known for her roles in Desperate Housewives and The West Wing, has died at 72
Actress Kathryn Joosten, best known for her roles in Desperate Housewives and The West Wing, has died at 72

Kathryn Joosten did not begin her acting career until the age of 42, having worked as a psychiatric nurse at a medium security hospital unit in Chicago.

But after getting divorced and hearing her mother’s deathbed regrets at not having pursued her dreams, Kathryn Joosten decided to revisit her childhood passion for acting and became involved with her local community theatre.

She then worked as a street performer at Disney World in Florida before moving to Hollywood in the mid-1990s and winning small roles in shows including Murphy Brown, Frasier and The Drew Carey Show.

The West Wing brought wider recognition. “Some people in Hollywood think of me as a model for dramatic mid-life transitions – from suburban housewife to Emmy-winning actress,” she said.

“But I never plotted out a master plan for following my dreams.”

Her other roles included one of the recurring Gods in Joan of Arcadia and Claire in Dharma and Greg.

Her part in Desperate Housewives earned her the Primetime Emmy Awards for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series in 2005 and 2008, and she was nominated again in 2010.

Kathryn Joosten encouraged the show’s creator Marc Cherry to give her character lung cancer in order to raise awareness. The show ended in the US just three weeks ago after eight years on air.

 

Nigeria: Dana Air plane with at least 162 people on board crashes into a building in Lagos

Diane A. Wade
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Nigeria: Dana Air plane with at least 162 people on board crashes into a building in Lagos

A Dana Air passenger plane with at least 162 people on board has crashed into a building in Nigeria’s main city of Lagos, officials say.

Witnesses told Reuters news agency they saw the Dana Air plane strike the two-storey building and burst into flames.

At least 162 people were thought to be on board, but the head of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority said he doubted any could have survived.

The crash took place in a neighborhood just outside the airport in overcast weather, reports said.

A Dana Air passenger plane with at least 162 people on board has crashed into a building in Nigeria's main city of Lagos
A Dana Air passenger plane with at least 162 people on board has crashed into a building in Nigeria's main city of Lagos

Federal emergency personnel were said to be on their way to the scene.

There were conflicting reports as to whether the flight was arriving in Lagos from the Nigerian capital, Abuja, or was leaving Lagos bound for Abuja when the crash happened.

Nigeria, like many African countries, has a poor air safety record, though some efforts have been made to improve it since a spate of airline disasters in 2005.

 [youtube lp1diaXQWiQ]

Thames flotilla for the Diamond jubilee: magnificent nautical event in London

Diane A. Wade
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Thames flotilla for the Diamond jubilee: magnificent nautical event in London

LONDON — Under the rainy skies of London, the crowds acclaim for  the monarch marking 60 years on the throne, a flotilla of 1,000 boats set off down the Thames on Sunday in an extravagant royal pageant. Thousands of Londoners are lining the Thames in London for the Jubilee river pageant despite the dank weather, as street parties get under way across the nation.

The spectacle, along a seven-mile stretch, will end six hours later when the last boat passes Tower Bridge.

The Thames barrier is being lowered to slow the river’s flow. Some 20,000 people are expected to be in the boats of the flotilla, which will travel at 4 knots (4.6 miles) an hour.

Despite cool, drizzly weather, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to line the riverbanks between Hammersmith and Tower Bridge in London, feting the British monarch whose longevity has given her the status of the nation’s favorite grandmother.

The flotilla, the largest such pageant for 350 years, will range from rowing boats to military boats, including a barge carrying the Queen and other members of her family. The queen and members of her family will lead the river pageant aboard a flower-bedecked royal barge, accompanied by skiffs, barges, narrowboats, motor launches, row boats and sailing vessels from around the world.

Other vessels will include a contingent of Dunkirk “little ships” and tall ships such the Southampton-based Tenacious, which will be sailed by a mixed crew of able-bodied and disabled people.

More than 20 vessels from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) are being drafted in for the occasion to help with safety on the river. Another vessel will take on a ceremonial role during the pageant in celebration of the 60,000 lives saved by the RNLI during the Queen’s reign.

The 86-year-old queen, accompanied by her 90-year-old consort Prince Philip and an array of family members, was scheduled to spend two hours moving slowly down the river aboard a lavishly adapted royal barge, the Spirit of Chartwell, that was emblazoned for the occasion with a coat of 10,000 cut flowers.

Only once before in the 1,000-year history of the British monarchy had any reigning sovereign lived long enough to mark a diamond jubilee, and that was in 1897, when Queen Elizabeth’s great-great grandmother, Queen Victoria, then aged 78, achieved the landmark.

“We in Britain are experts at not letting the weather spoil our fun,” said Adrian Evans, pageant master for Sunday’s flotilla. “The London Philharmonic Orchestra will be playing ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ as they travel down the river, and the crowd can sing along with them.”

Hundreds of people ignored the persistent rain and camped out overnight to secure prime riverside spots. Crowds swelled into the thousands Sunday, with revelers in hats, flags, leggings and rain ponchos adorned with the Union flag mixing with burger and cotton candy vendors along the 7-mile (11-kilometer) route.

“It would have been wonderful if it had been sunny like last Sunday but we have come prepared,” said 57-year-old Christine Steele. “We have got blankets, brollies (umbrellas), flags and bunting. We even got our glittery Union Jack hats and wigs, and the Champagne is on ice.”

Not everyone in Britain is celebrating. The anti-monarchist group Republic held a riverbank protest Sunday to oppose the wave of jubilee-mania.

“People are sick and tired of being told they must celebrate 60 years of one very privileged, very remote and very uninspiring head of state,” said the group’s chief executive, Graham Smith. “The hereditary system is offensive to all the democratic values this country has fought for in the past.”

Jubilee celebrations kicked off Saturday with a royal day at the races, as the queen watched a horse with the courtly name of Camelot win the Epsom Derby.

 

 

VIDEO: Heroic garbage truck driver rescues runaway stroller in Seattle

Ricky Robinson
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VIDEO: Heroic garbage truck driver rescues runaway stroller in Seattle

 Jeff Blackburn was driving his garbage truck on his regular route in Seattle when he saw a woman jogging with a baby in a pram, TV network Komo 4 reports.

Scroll down for video



The mother turned the pram sideways at the top of a hill and moved away to talk to some other women when the stroller took off, he said.

“She was on a hill and almost immediately when she turned the corner the stroller started to turn and roll down the hill,” Mr Blackburn said.

“So I started honking the horn and speeding up so I could catch up to it before it got to the intersection, because at the bottom of the hill was a busy intersection with stop signs.” 

  

Blackburn acted quickly to avert disaster. He honked the horn of his truck repeatedly, attracting the attention of a FedEx truck that stopped in time. Quick thinking, he used his big truck to block traffic so the intersection was free for the stroller to roll across safely.

 

He then jumped out of his truck and ran across the road just in time to stop the stroller as it bumped over a curb.

 

He told KOMO4: “When I got to the bottom, I hit the brake, got out of the truck and tried to grab it. Luckily when I was honking the horn, a FedEx truck was going through the intersection and stopped because he heard the horn honking.”

 

The video shows a woman giving a helping hand with the rescue effort.

 

The boy was rescued unhurt and and it seems he had enjoyed the roll down the hill. Blackburn told KOMO4: “He seemed to be having a great time rolling down the hill… he seemed to enjoy it.”

 

The frantic woman arrived seconds later.

 

“She came running in — she was freaked out and was shaking and… I don’t even think she said anything, she just grabbed the kid and ran away,” Blackburn said. “She was just really, really shook up.”

 

He says he was in the right place at the right time because the FedEx truck going through the intersection would likely have never seen the stroller had it not been for all the horn honking.

 

Blackburn was asked if he had seen anything before in the three years he’s been on the route.

“No, this is the first. People usually hold on to their children,” he laughed.


Toronto Eaton Centre shooting: one person has been killed and 7 others injured

Diane A. Wade
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Toronto Eaton Centre shooting: one person has been killed and 7 others injured

Canadian police have confirmed that one person has been killed and seven others injured in a shooting at Eaton Centre in Toronto.

Witnesses described scenes of panic after gunfire broke out in the food court of the Eaton Centre.

“A herd of people were just running toward us, screaming, running, freaking out,” said one shopper.

Police said two of the injured were in a critical condition and warned that they were still hunting the shooter.

A 13-year-old boy was among those seriously injured.

Officials said a 25-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

As crowds gathered outside, an injured man with two bullet wounds in his chest was wheeled out on a stretcher and rushed away by ambulance.

Canadian police have confirmed that one person has been killed and seven others injured in a shooting at Eaton Centre in Toronto
Canadian police have confirmed that one person has been killed and seven others injured in a shooting at Eaton Centre in Toronto

Toronto police chief Bill Blair described it as a targeted shooting in which bystanders were also hit.

“The nature of the wounds indicate this individual was targeted,” he said.

“A lot of innocent people were hurt and a lot of innocent people were put at risk.

“We will be relentless in our pursuit of the individual or individuals that were responsible. We are receiving a lot of co-operation from the people that were present in the food court.”

He added: “I believe every Torontonian is shocked and appalled by this crime.”

Although some witnesses said they saw a man with a gun, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford told reporters at the scene that it was not immediately clear if the shooter was a man or a woman.

“It’s terrible when you hear something like this,” said Rob Ford.

“My heart goes out to the families that have been affected by this terrible crime. We have to apprehend this shooter.”

Marcus Neves-Polonio, 19, who works in the shopping centre’s food court, said he saw a man pull out a gun and start firing. He saw at least two people on the ground.

Erica Solmes, manager of a McDonald’s outlet, said she heard about 15 shots before hundreds of shoppers started stampeding for the exits.

Police constable Victor Kwong said at least two people had been trampled in the rush, including a pregnant woman who subsequently went into labour.

Gun ownership in Canada has been subject to licensing since the 1970s, and gun crime has dramatically declined over the years.

The last similar incident in Toronto was in 2005, when an exchange of gunfire between rival gangs in a street near to the Eaton Centre killed a teenage girl.

 [youtube SIra7CpYQzQ]

 

Diamond Jubilee Events Guide

Diane A. Wade
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Diamond Jubilee Events Guide

Celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in London with your neighbors by hosting a Big Jubilee Lunch.

Big Jubilee Lunch in London

 

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The Big Lunch is an annual nationwide event which encourages people across the UK to enjoy lunch with their neighbors.

This year The Big Lunch falls on the same weekend as The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, which is a four-day Bank Holiday weekend. So dust off the bunting and Union Jack flags from the Royal Wedding and enjoy a lunch fit for The Queen!

All you have to do is gather together your neighbors and choose what kind of an event you want – from a small gathering raising money for charity to a full-blown street party with music and a barbeque.

How to Organize a Big Jubilee Lunch

 

Every year since it began in 2009, The Big Lunch has been enjoyed by more than a million people, and this year’s special Big Jubilee Lunch is likely to attract even more participants.

If you want to get involved and set up your own local event, follow the “10 Steps to Organizing a Big Lunch Guide” on the Big Lunch website.

You can also request a Big Jubilee Lunch pack, containing advice as well as posters, leaflets and recipes.

 

The Central Weekend 2 – 5 June 2012

 

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The Central Weekend to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee takes place from Saturday 2 June to Tuesday 5 June 2012, with celebratory activities throughout the UK and across the Commonwealth

If you are considering visiting central London to join in with the celebrations, you may find it useful to visit the Transport for London website

Alternatively, you may wish to consider watching events on one of the many BBC Big Screens around the UK.

For information about the Official Diamond Jubilee Souvenir Programme click here.

Here is our run-down  of events over the Diamond Jubilee weekend, including approximate timings:

Saturday 2 June, 2012

 


The Queen will attend the Epsom Derby.

Sunday 3 June, 2012

 

The Big Jubilee Lunch: Building on the already popular Big Lunch initiative, people will be encouraged to share lunch with neighbours and friends as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. This may take the form of a traditional street party or a picnic lunch in small or larger groups. This event is being organised by the Big Lunch. Find out more.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: This event will take place on the Thames and consist of up to 1,000 boats assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will travel in the Royal Barge which will form the centrepiece of the flotilla. Find out more

Approximate timings are as follows:

14:30BST – The Queen embarks the Royal barge, the Spirit of Chartwell, near Albert Bridge  

16:15BST  – The Royal Barge comes alongside HMS President (Royal Naval Reserve Unit), near Tower Bridge  

Monday 4 June, 2012

 

BBC Concert at Buckingham Palace: There will be a televised Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace with tickets being available to UK residents by public ballot. The musical programme for the concert is still being planned and is expected to feature British and Commonwealth musicians. Details on how to apply for the concert will be available in due course. This event is being organised by the BBC. Find out more

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons: A network of 2,012 Beacons will be lit by communities and individuals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth. As in 2002, The Queen will light the National Beacon. Find out more

Approximate timings are as follows:

19:30BST  – Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace begins

After 22:30BST – The Queen lights the National Beacon outside Buckingham Palace 

 

Tuesday 5 June, 2012

 


On Tuesday 5 June, the Diamond Jubilee weekend will culminate with a day of celebrations in central London, including a service at St Paul’s Cathedral followed by two receptions, a lunch at Westminster Hall, a Carriage Procession to Buckingham Palace and finally a Balcony appearance, Flypast, and Feu de Joie. Find out more.

Download the Order of Service

Approximate timings are as follows:

10:15BST – The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace by car

10:30-11.30BST – Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s  

12.30BST – The Queen travels by car from Mansion House to the Palace of Westminster

14:20BST – Carriage Procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace commences

Approximately 15:25BST – Royal Family appear on the Balcony at Buckingham Palace 

 

 

Top 10 Art Exhibitions in London

 

The_Diamond_Jubilee_London_Art_Exhibition

 

Don’t miss out on the best London exhibitions! Catch one of these great London exhibitions as chosen by our editorial team.

 

Damien Hirst at Tate Modern

 

 

A shark suspended in formaldehyde, a bisected cow and calf… Damien Hirst is well-known for his imaginative and sometimes shocking works. This April, Tate Modern unveils the first substantial survey of Damien Hirst’s work ever held in the UK, featuring more than 70 iconic pieces. Until 9 Sep

 

Picasso and Modern British Art at Tate Britain

 

The influence of Picasso on British art and artists has rarely been recognized – until now, thanks to Tate Britain’s new exhibition. Picasso and Modern British Art explore the Spanish artist’s reputation in Britain, and looks at how Picasso’s work affected British modernism and inspired British artists. Until 15 Jul

 

British Design 1948-2012: Innovation in the Modern Age

 

In this Olympic year the Victoria & Albert Museum celebrates the best of British art and design since London last held the Olympic Games, in 1948. The exhibition brings together more than 300 objects from the fields of fashion, ceramics, graphics, photography, sculpture, product design, architecture, furniture and fine art. Until 12 Aug

 

Yayoi Kusama

 

 

One of Japan’s best-known living artists, Yayoi Kusama’s work spans more than six decades. Kusama is known for her immersive artworks and at this Tate Modern exhibition you can wander through a series of rooms covered in hallucinatory polka dots, mirrors and more. Until 5 Jun

Turner Inspired: In the Light of Claude

 

 

Turner’s daring painting technique dazzled audiences at the beginning of the 19th century and influenced future generations of artists. This National Gallery exhibition examines how Turner was inspired by Claude’s portrayal of light and landscape, and features pictures by Turner and Claude hung side-by-side. Until 5 Jun

 

Royal River: Power, Pageantry and the Thames at the National Maritime Museum

 

As well as being The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year, 2012 sees the 75th birthday of the National Maritime Museum. Royal River celebrates them both by exploring the relationship between British monarchs and the River Thames throughout history. Royal River is curated by one of Britain’s leading historians, David Starkey. Until 9 Sep

 

Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist at the Queen’s Gallery

 

Don’t miss the largest-ever exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci’s anatomical drawings at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. Da Vinci produced amazingly accurate anatomical drawings. His research included working in hospitals and medicals schools, where he dissected human and animal material. Until 7 Oct

 

Christian Louboutin at the Design Museum

 

This Design Museum offers a unique retrospective of famous shoe designer Christian Louboutin’s work and a preview of his next collection. Using items from Christian Louboutin’s personal archive the exhibition showcases his designs, methods and inspirations over the past 20 years. Until 9 Jul

 

The Queen: Art and Image at the National Portrait Gallery

 

To celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the National Portrait Gallery is bringing together 60 images from The Queen’s 60-year reign. See how The Queen has been portrayed through painting, photography and press images by renowned artists and photographers. Until 21 Oct

 

Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition

 

Don’t miss the highly popular summer exhibition at the Royal Academy, now in its 244th year. Displaying some of the best of contemporary art, the exhibition features more than 1,200 works by both new and distinguished artists, many of which are available to purchase. 4 Jun-12 Aug

 

 

The Diamond Jubilee – Frequently Asked Questions

Diane A. Wade
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The Diamond Jubilee – Frequently Asked Questions

A. Celebrations

What is Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee?
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee marks 60 years since her accession in 1952. Royal Jubilees celebrate significant periods in monarchs’ reigns and national life. In 2012, The Queen will become only the second UK monarch to mark 60 years on the throne. Celebrations were previously held for Her Majesty’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and Golden Jubilee in 2002.

Diamond_Jubilee_Carriage

 

When exactly is The Queen marking her Diamond Jubilee?

While Accession Day is on 6 February, celebrations will occur throughout 2012, with a special extended bank holiday central weekend in the United Kingdom on 2-5 June.

What events will take place over this bank holiday central weekend?
On Saturday 2 June, The Queen will attend the Epsom Derby. On Sunday 3 June the Big Jubilee Lunch and the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant will take place. On Monday 4 June a concert will be held at Buckingham Palace and a network of beacons will be lit throughout the UK and the Commonwealth. On Tuesday 5 June a Service of Thanksgiving will be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral, which will be followed by a formal carriage Procession.

Will there be events at other times during the year?
There will be many other events held locally and on a national scale. For example, in May 2012 a Diamond Jubilee Pageant will be held, as part of the Windsor Horse Show, involving equine displays and other acts from around the world.

For more information and news on Jubilee events and activities, please visit www.direct.gov.uk/diamondjubilee or see national and local media as further details are announced.

I would like to organise an event in my local area. Whom do I contact?
People should make contact with the appropriate organisations or representatives – for example, one of the organisations involved with the central weekend, Lord Lieutenancies and local authorities.

Will Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee be marked in other Realm countries?
Her Majesty is Queen in 15 Commonwealth Realms in addition to the United Kingdom. The British Monarchy and UK Government websites will carry details only for those events and celebrations taking place in the United Kingdom. More details will be available elsewhere about activities taking place in Her Majesty’s other Realms.

Diamond_Jubilee_Carriage2

B. Central Jubilee Weekend Events

Big Jubilee Lunch
I would like to organise a street party or Big Jubilee Lunch. Who should I contact for more information?
The Big Jubilee Lunch is being organised by the Big Lunch, which is part of the Eden Project. It will be held on Sunday 3 June 2012. For more information please see www.thebiglunch.com or contact [email protected]

Thames Pageant
From where can I watch the Pageant?
Details about where spectators can view the Pageant will be announced by the organisers in due course. Please see http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ for more details.

Can I register a vessel to take part?
Boat registrations closed on 31 October 2011. Please see http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/ for more details.

Can I get tickets to be on a boat sailing in the flotilla?
Further details about the Pageant will be announced on the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant website in due course.

Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace
When is the concert?
The Queen is hosting a concert organised by the BBC at Buckingham Palace on Monday 4 June.

Can I apply for tickets?
Details of how to apply for an invitation to the Concert will be announced in early 2012. Successful applicants, chosen by ballot, will be notified in writing.

Can I perform during the concert?
The content of the concert will be decided by the BBC.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons
Can I light a Beacon?
Details of how to take part in Beacon lighting ceremonies are available on www.diamondjubileebeacons.co.uk

When will the Beacons be lit?
The Queen will light the National Beacon on Monday 4 June. Further details about the lighting of Beacons will be announced by Diamond Jubilee Beacons Ltd.

Ceremonial Procession
Will there be a ceremonial procession to or from the Service of Thanksgiving, and if so, from where can I watch it?
There will be a formal carriage procession but details of the routes to and from the Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s Cathedral will be announced closer to the time and published on the Monarchy website.

C. Commemorative Articles

Can I produce Diamond Jubilee Souvenirs?
The Lord Chamberlain’s Office at Buckingham Palace produces definitive guidelines on the use of the Royal Arms, Royal Devices, Emblems and Titles and of photographs, portraits, engravings, effigies and busts of The Queen and Members of the Royal Family.

Special guidelines for the use of protected Royal Devices on souvenirs have been produced for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and can be found here – http://www.royal.gov.uk/pdf/DJ%20Emblem%20Guidelines/Souvenir%20Guidelines%20DJ%202012.pdf

Where can I find the Official Diamond Jubilee Emblem?
The Official Diamond Jubilee Emblem is based on an illustration by 10 year-old Katherine Dewar who won a BBC Blue Peter competition. It is available to download, free of charge from the Monarchy website and comes in a number of electronic formats; in English and in Welsh; and in colour, black and white and whiteout.

Where can I use the Emblem?
The emblem is available for use for activities associated with the Diamond Jubilee celebrations including community and national events, publications, retail and merchandising.

Unofficial Publications
As you would expect, the Royal Household takes seriously any reports of individuals or organisations using the Jubilee to raise money in an inappropriate or unauthorised manner. If you are invited to donate money to “official publications”, please write to The Queen’s Assistant Private Secretary, at Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.

D. Use of The Queen’s title, name and emblems

Can I name something after The Queen or the Diamond Jubilee?
As is customary in Jubilee years, the Deputy Prime Minister and the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales have been given discretion to sanction the use of The Queen’s title and name. A blanket approval is in place for the use of “Diamond Jubilee” and “Jubilee” for community events and buildings (subject to the proviso that building works start or finish in 2012, and events take place in 2012). Permission need not be sought for the use of the titles “Diamond Jubilee” and “Jubilee” in these circumstances.

Applications to use “The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee”, “Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee” and “Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee” must be submitted in writing. Applications in respect of England, Northern Ireland or any of the Crown Dependencies – Parliament and Constitution Division of the Cabinet Office; applications in respect of Scotland or Wales where responsibility for the subject of the application remains with the UK Government – to the Scotland Office and Wales Office respectively.

Can I use an image of the Crown or The Queen’s Cypher (EIIR) for my Jubilee event/project?
Applications to use an image of the Crown, The Queen’s Cypher (EIIR) or Her Majesty’s Coat of Arms must be submitted to the Constitutional and Policy team in the Parliament and Constitution Division of the Cabinet Office.

E. Invitations to Visit

Will The Queen or other Members of the Royal Family be visiting my local area in 2012?
The Queen’s Programme and details of where other Members of the Royal Family will visit will be announced in 2012. Please continue to check the Monarchy website for updates.

I would like to invite The Queen to my Diamond Jubilee event. How do I do this?
The Queen will be extraordinarily busy during her Diamond Jubilee and it will not be possible for her to accept all of the many invitations she will receive. However, if you wish to invite Her Majesty to an event please write to The Queen’s Diary Secretary at Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA.

F. Other

I would like to compose a piece of music for The Queen for her Diamond Jubilee. Can I perform or dedicate it to Her Majesty?
We have been overwhelmed by generous offers to compose or perform pieces of music in celebration of Her Majesty’s Jubilee next year and while there would of course be no objection to musical events of this nature taking place, it will not be possible to associate The Queen directly with these events.

How do I find out more information about Diamond Jubilee projects and events between now and next year?
For those events listed above and taking place over the Jubilee central weekend, please see their individual websites for more details as they are announced. Alternatively, the Government DirectGov website will be updated with further news and announcements as they occur.

The Diamond Jubilee – The Queen

Roy Siemens
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The Diamond Jubilee – The Queen

Early life

Her Majesty the Queen was born on 21 April 1926 in London, the first child of Prince Albert, The Duke of York, and his wife, formerly Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon.

Third in line to the throne, it seemed unlikely that Princess Elizabeth would be Queen. However, shortly after the death of George V, the new King – her uncle Edward VIII – dramatically abdicated so he could marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. Princess Elizabeth’s father then became King George VI and she became heir to the throne.

Princess Elizabeth and her younger sister Princess Margaret were educated at home. During the Blitz in 1940, they were moved to Windsor Castle and stayed there for most of the Second World War. In 1945, Princess Elizabeth joined the war effort, training as a driver in the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service (WATS).


The_Diamond_Jubilee_The_Queen

 

Princess, wife, mother

In November 1947, she married a distant cousin, Philip Mountbatten, who was then created His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The wedding – which took place during the austere post-War years – was described by Winston Churchill as a ‘flash of colour’. The Princess used ration coupons to buy the material for her dress.

The couple have four children. Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, is the eldest and next in line to throne. Both he and Princess Anne, The Princess Royal were born before their mother became Queen. Prince Andrew, The Duke of York and Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex are the only two children to be born to a reigning monarch since Queen Victoria.

Accession and coronation

George VI died on 6 February 1952 while Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip were touring Kenya. She returned home immediately and acceded to the throne. After months of preparation, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953. For the first time, the ceremony and the huge public celebrations were broadcast by TV across the UK, the Commonwealth and the rest of the world.

A young and glamorous Queen

On her accession, the Queen immediately began her political duties which included opening Parliament and receiving her prime ministers. Throughout the 1950s, the Queen and Prince Philip cut young and glamorous figures as they extensively toured the UK and the Commonwealth.

During the 1960s, the Queen made historic visits to West Berlin at the height of the Cold War, and welcomed Emperor Hirohito of Japan on a state visit to Britain. Against a backdrop of political and social unrest, she celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977. It was a huge success and tens of thousands of street parties were thrown by the public across the country.

The 1980s onwards

Five years later, the UK was at war over the Falkland Islands during which Prince Andrew served with the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. The 1980s also saw the birth of her first grandchildren, Peter and Zara Phillips.

Disaster struck in 1992 when a devastating fire broke out in Windsor Castle. The same year the respective marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne disintegrated. The Queen deemed this her ‘annus horribilis’. Tragedy was to follow in 1997, when Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car accident.

And 2002 was another year of personal sadness for the Queen, as both her sister Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother died, casting a shadow over the Golden Jubilee celebrations a few months later.

The Diamond Queen

For the last 60 years, during a period of great change in Britain, the Queen has continued to carry out her political duties as head of state, her role as head of the Commonwealth, the ceremonial responsibilities of the sovereign, and a large annual programme of visits in the UK as well as many foreign tours.

The Queen has also made numerous reforms to the monarchy during her reign. In 1992, she offered to start paying income and capital gains tax. She has opened her official residencies to the public – including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle – in order to finance their maintenance.

She supported ending the rule of male primogeniture, which now means the eldest child can succeed to the throne, regardless of gender. She also supported lifting the ban on anyone in the line of succession marrying a Catholic.

Her reign has heralded the introduction of less formal engagements and visits, and the introduction of the ‘walkabout’ – the meeting and greeting of large numbers of the public.

In 2002, the Queen celebrated 50 years on the throne; in 2006, her 80th birthday; and in 2012, her Diamond Jubilee. The Jubilee will be marked by celebrations across the UK throughout the year.

 

Official website of The Diamond Jubilee: http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/

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