A US panel of experts has backed the over-the-counter HIV tests that would allow people to check in the privacy of their homes if they have the virus.
Experts said the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test was safe and effective and its potential to prevent infections outweighed the risk of false results.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will decide this year whether to approve it.
The 20-minute test is 93% accurate for positive results and 99.8% for negative, the manufacturer said.
HIV affects nearly 1.2 million people in the US, with 50,000 new cases each year.
Experts said the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test was safe and effective and its potential to prevent infections outweighed the risk of false results
Experts on the Blood Products Advisory Committee voted 17-0 to back the test, saying it would help people who are HIV-positive get access to healthcare and social services.
They urged Pennsylvania-based OraSure, the company that manufactures the product, to include highly visible warnings about false negative results.
The panel also advised that the packaging should carry a toll-free phone number offering counseling to those testing positive.
Carl Schmid, deputy director of the AIDS Institute, welcomed the panel’s approval on Tuesday of the home test.
“We are always looking for game changers, and we believe this is one of them,” Carl Schmid told the Associated Press.
“Not only will it help reduce the number of infections but it will bring more people into care and treatment.”
FDA does not have to follow the recommendations of the advisory panel, though it usually does.
In 2004, the FDA approved a 99%-effective version of the test for use by healthcare professionals.
OraSure said the home test could retail for less than $60 if approved.
To take the test, the user swabs the outer gum area so the oral fluid, which is not the same as saliva, can be checked for the HIV virus.
The test provides results within about 20 minutes, but experts say the results should be confirmed with a blood test, which is more accurate.
Last week, a separate FDA panel approved a drug called Truvada, which could become the first drug in tablet form to protect healthy people from the HIV virus.
The 65th Festival de Cannes opens today on the French Riviera with 8 films generating big buzz.
Out of 1,779 films submitted this year, only 54 features made the cut.
From Moonrise Kingdom to Cosmopolis, you’ll find many mysterious twists in this year’s top line-up. And watch for red carpet photos with familiar faces including Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman, Bruce Willis, Robin Pattinson, Kristin Stewart and Director Philip Kaufman.
1. Moonrise Kingdom – Bruce Willis and Bill Murray – Wes Anderson’s film will open the festival on May 16th and play in competition. In this film, a couple of young lovers escape their New England town, which results in a local search party for them.
2. Killing Them Softly – Brad Pitt and Ray Liotta – Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) is a professional enforcer who investigates a crime that went down during a mob-protected poker game.
3. Mud – Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Shannon – When encountering a fugitive, two teenage boys agree to help him run from the bounty hunters and reunite with his true love.
The 65th Festival de Cannes opens today on the French Riviera with 8 films generating big buzz
4. The Paperboy – Zac Efron (The Lucky One), John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey, and Nicole Kidman – This film was directed by Lee Williams, who directed Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Precious. In this film, a reporter goes back to his hometown in Florida to investigate a case and find out more about a death-row inmate.
5. Lawless – Guy Pearce, Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf – This film is a prohibition-era American saga directed by Australian John Hillcoat. Set during the Depression-era in Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by authorities that demand part of their profits.
6. Cosmopolis – Robert Pattinson, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand – Traveling across New York City in a stretch limo for a haircut, this film follows a 28-year-old billionaire Asset Manager’s day that evolves into a journey with a cast of characters that break apart his world.
7. Rust and Bone – Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard – Ali leaves the north of France for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. His bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie has a terrible accident.
8. Hemingway & Gellhorn – Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen – Produced by HBO Films, this historic piece is the story of Ernest Hemingway and his third wife. Nicole Kidman plays Hemingway’s war-reporter wife Martha Gellhorn in a production screening out of the Cannes competition.
This year Festival de Cannes will pay tribute to Hemingway & Gellhorn director Philip Kaufman, who will be leading the Master Class. Following Martin Scorsese, Stephen Frears, Nanni Moretti, Wong Kar Wai and Sydney Pollack, Philip Kaufman will talk to Michel Ciment about filmmaking and his passion for cinema.
There are four juries who will be judging the 2012 films, including 1. Feature Film (President Nanni Moretti), 2. Cinefoundation and Short Films (President Jean-Pierre Dardenne), 3. Un Certain Regard (President Tim Roth), and 4. Golden Camera (Carlos Diegues).
Famous hairdresser Vidal Sassoon, who has died at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 84, is credited with revolutionizing hair-styling for women.
Here are five ways in which Vidal Sassoon changed the world of hair.
1. Hair for work
In the 1950s, hair was about height, curls and hairspray. Women often visited the hairdressers two or three times a week to have their hair elaborately teased and “set”. Hats added even more drama on top of dressed styles.
Vidal Sassoon’s “wash and wear” cuts of the 1960s changed all that, allowing women to spend less time on their appearance.
According to fashion commentator Caryn Franklin, Vidal Sassoon created a “visual aesthetic for modern women wanting to distance themselves from the modern housewife”.
As more and more women entered the workforce, they needed cuts that would reflect authority and efficiency in a male-dominated world.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times in 1993, Vidal Sassoon explained: “Women were going back to work, they were assuming their own power. They didn’t have time to sit under the dryer anymore.”
“Clients came into his salon every day who were at the forefront of the feminist expansion into the workplace,” Caryn Franklin says. Vidal Sassoon cuts were futuristic, illustrating where “women wanted to go” rather than where they currently were.
2. Celebrity hairdressing
Hailed as one of the world’s first celebrity hairdressers, Vidal Sassoon’s client list included Twiggy, Jane Fonda and Mia Farrow. Although he opened his first London salon in 1954, his first New York branch opened its doors in 1965 and became one of a string of international salons.
Not only was he stylist to the stars, he became a celebrity himself, moving to Los Angeles in the 1970s. He paved the way for other “name” hairdressers like Trevor Sorbie, Nicky Clarke and John Frieda.
A regular face on television, he appeared in his Sassoon commercials in the 80s alongside famous supermodels. He recently judged the final of reality TV show Shear Genius and a documentary about his life was made in 2010.
For a hairdresser to become a Hollywood sensation in Vidal Sassoon’s time “was a mega-mega achievement”, says celebrity hairdresser Errol Douglas.
Until then, hairdressers were not typically viewed as stylists, but Vidal Sassoon brought a designer image to the industry. At the same time he appealed to ordinary people.
For Guardian columnist Sali Hughes, Vidal Sassoon’s mass popularity stemmed from the fact that he was a “working class boy who started out as a barber and lived and breathed hair from when he was a child”.
Today Sassoon-esque short hair on women is a standard look
3. Short hair for women
Vidal Sassoon once explained to the Los Angeles Times that he viewed hair like fabric which needed to be shaped.
“My idea was to cut shape into the hair, to use it like fabric and take away everything that was superfluous.”
Vidal Sassoon didn’t invent the idea of short hair for women, but he brought a range of short styles into the mainstream.
He is perhaps best remembered for his “Mary Quant” cut, a geometric five-point bob worn by the fashion designer which contrasted sharply with the romantic, curly looks of the 1950s. Sassoon cuts “swept away classic femininity and added design into hair”, says Caryn Franklin.
Another look, the “Greek Goddess”, a short tousled perm, was inspired by the women of Harlem in New York.
And his looks got even shorter, such as the “pixie crop” worn by Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby. This was shocking to some in an era where androgynous style was only beginning to take off.
Today Sassoon-esque short hair on women is a standard look.
“He made short hair sexy,” says hair stylist Lee Stafford.
4. Hair products
As the years passed, the hairdresser devoted more and more time to developing the growing Sassoon brand. Although he steered hair styling away from lacquered beehives, he was one of the first stylists to create a popular line of products under his name.
Vidal Sassoon products catered for both the mass and high-end market, with luxurious product lines stocking salons while affordable hair-care items lined supermarket shelves.
Fashion historian Laura Kitty says that people ended up having “more of a connection” with the Sasoon brand because his products became so widespread, something other hairstylists didn’t have.
“He really managed to tap into the idea of aspiration mass market products for hair. It was like you were buying a haircut in his salon.”
Vidal Sassoon also branched into a range of hairdryers and styling tools for women to attempt to “create a Sassoon look” at home.
His two-in-one combined shampoo and conditioner Wash and Go “was the biggest selling hair product of the 80s”, says Sali Hughes.
5. Hair academies
Vidal Sassoon was the hairdresser’s hairdresser, notes Sali Hughes, pointing out that his geometric cuts needed cutting every six weeks, keeping stylists in business.
His training academies taught would-be hairdressers to create haircuts based on a client’s bone structure, a practice known as “precision cutting”.
And they produced alumni notable in the world of hairdressing, such as Lee Stafford, who says that hairdressers all over the world still come to London to train.
According to Laura Kitty, a large number of up-and-coming stylists in the 80s and 90s had trained at one of his academies.
And although Vidal Sassoon began as an apprentice barber and learned the “old methods”, he devised new techniques to teach to younger stylists as his career progressed.
“His ideas have been disseminated at a much larger scale than any other stylist in modern memory.”
But while his methods may have changed over the years, Lee Stafford says the essence of Vidal Sassoon styling remained the same.
“He never ever changed his philosophy, it was all about beautiful hair cutting.”
The Pentagon has issued further safety procedures for F-22, its most advanced fighter jet, after pilots complained of oxygen shortages during flights.
The rules include limiting the distance F-22 planes can travel from airstrips.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta did not rule out grounding the jets again if necessary.
The Air Force banned its F-22s from flying for four months last year to investigate the oxygen-deficit problem, but its cause remains unclear.
The Pentagon has issued further safety procedures for F-22 after pilots complained of oxygen shortages during flights
The Air Force has introduced more than a dozen pilot safety rules in the F-22, and says oxygen issues are very rare, but some pilots have refused to fly the aircraft.
The safety precautions announced on Tuesday mean the F-22 will have to abandon long-distance air patrol missions in Alaska, the Pentagon said. The jet has never been used in combat.
Leon Panetta has also asked for a back-up oxygen system to be put into the planes, with the first of these due to be installed in December.
“We haven’t determined the root cause,” Pentagon spokesman George Little said.
“It could be something connected to the oxygen system.
“It could be other aspects of the aircraft that could contribute to hypoxia-like [oxygen-deprivation] events, whether it’s G-forces, the altitude at which the plane flies.”
Twelve hypoxia-related incidents, including dizzy spells and blackouts, have been reported between April 2008 and January 2011.
There are worries that new F-35 fighter jets, which are being developed by Lockheed Martin, could pose similar problems.
“I think it’s safe to say that everybody in leadership is concerned about this,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
The F-35 will have many of the same features as the F-22, but cannot fly as high or as fast.
The 65th Cannes Film Festival (Festival de Cannes) opens today on the French Riviera with US director Wes Anderson’s film Moonrise Kingdom.
Wes Anderson’s movie, which stars Bill Murray, is one of the 22 movies selected to compete for the festival’s biggest prize, the Palme d’Or.
However, the celebrations have been marred by criticism that no female directors will be in competition.
The only woman to have won the prestigious award was Jane Campion in 1993, with The Piano.
A group of prominent female filmmakers have written an open letter to the French newspaper Le Monde criticizing the lack of women being showcased.
Ripe with sarcasm, the letter was signed by directors Fanny Cottencon and Virginie Despentes – who made the sexually explicit Baise Moi in 2000 – among others.
It said: “Men love their women to have depth, but only when it comes to their cleavages.
“All 22 films in the official selection were written, happy coincidence, by 22 men.”
However, festival director Thierry Fremaux has supported the longlist of nominees, insisting the judges “would never select a film that doesn’t deserve it just because it is directed by a woman”.
The 65th Cannes Film Festival opens today on the French Riviera with US director Wes Anderson's film Moonrise Kingdom
This year’s Palme d’Or judges are led by Italian Nanni Moretti and include Britain’s Ewan McGregor and Andrea Arnold, acclaimed for directing the 2009 film Fish Tank.
Last year saw the British filmmaker Lynne Ramsey nominated for her film We Need To Talk About Kevin.
Her star in that film, British actress Tilda Swinton, is due on the red carpet as a cast member of Anderson’s opening night film – which also stars Bruce Willis.
Also in competition this year is Ken Loach with his Glasgow-set comedy-drama The Angel’s Share.
He has been nominated 11 times, last winning the Palme d’Or in 2006 for the IRA drama The Wind That Shakes The Barley.
Past winners Michael Haneke and Jacque Audiard – who won the jury’s Grand Prize for his film A Prophet in 2009 – are also in the running.
Australian John Hillcoat and New Zealand’s Andrew Dominik are both nominated respectively for the prohibition era film Lawless and Killing Me Softly, which stars Brad Pitt.
Brad Pitt and his fiancée Angelina Jolie are both expected on the red carpet this year.
American David Cronenberg is in competition with his film Cosmopolis, starring an against-type Robert Pattinson, while Cronenberg’s son Brendan is competing in the Un Certain Regard category – which awards new talent – with his film Antiviral.
Two female film-makers join him in that category: France’s Catherine Corsini and Sylvie Verheyde.
The 2012 Cannes Film festival will take place from May 16 to May 27. Out of 1,779 films submitted this year, only 54 features made the cut.
Film festival held annually in Cannes, France. First held in 1946 for the recognition of artistic achievement, the festival came to provide a rendezvous for those interested in the art and influence of the movies. Like other film festivals, it became an international marketplace where producers and distributors could exchange ideas, view films, and sign contracts. The phenomenon of international coproduction arose at Cannes in the late 1940s.
Beau Sancy, one of the world’s oldest and most famous diamonds, has sold for $9.7 million at auction in Geneva – twice its reserve.
The 35-carat gem was worn by Marie de Medici at her coronation as queen of France in 1610.
It has since passed among the royal families of Europe, used to show off their wealth – and pay their debts.
Beau Sancy, one of the world's oldest and most famous diamonds, has sold for $9.7 million at auction in Geneva
The pear-shaped, rose-cut stone attracted fierce bidding and was won by an anonymous buyer.
“It’s extremely rare for a diamond of this importance to come on the market,” said David Bennett of auction house Sotheby’s.
“It’s never been out of royal hands, it’s of immaculate provenance, it’s in all the history books of famous stones.”
After being worn at Marie de Medici’s coronation, the diamond was pawned by Mary Stuart to finance the fight by her brother, the future Charles II, for the English throne, following the English Civil War.
Later still it was the centrepiece in the crown of the first king of Prussia, and it was sold by the Royal House of Prussia, the descendants of those who once ruled Prussia.
But, as its buyer was anonymous, no one knows whether it is royalty or commoner who owns the Beau Sancy now.
General Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb army commander, is set to go on trial on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide.
Ratko Mladic, 69, is the last of the main protagonists in the Balkan wars of the 1990s to face an international trial in The Hague.
He is accused of orchestrating the massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim boys and men at Srebrenica in 1995.
Ratko Mladic calls the accusations “monstrous” and the court has entered a “not guilty” plea on his behalf.
He spent 15 years on the run before being apprehended by Serb forces last May and sent to The Hague.
He has been awaiting trial in the same prison as his former political leader Radovan Karadzic, who was arrested in 2008 and is now about half way through his trial on similar charges to General Ratko Mladic.
In the hours leading up to the opening of proceedings, members of the Mothers of Srebrenica group gathered for a vigil outside the court.
General Ratko Mladic is set to go on trial on 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide
Judicial authorities have rejected defense calls to delay proceedings, most recently a petition to have the Dutch presiding Judge Alphons Orie replaced on grounds of alleged bias.
The number of crimes of which Ratko Mladic stands accused has been almost halved to speed up his trial.
Ratko Mladic is accused of committing genocide and other crimes against Bosnian Muslims and Croats in a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing that began in 1992 and climaxed in Srebrenica in 1995.
Then, Serb fighters overran the Srebrenica enclave in eastern Bosnia – supposedly under the protection of Dutch UN peacekeepers. Men and boys were separated off, shot dead and bulldozed into mass graves – later to be dug up and reburied in more remote spots.
Ratko Mladic is also charged in connection with the 44-month siege of Sarajevo during which more than 10,000 people died.
These were the worst atrocities in Europe since the end of World War II.
Over 200 hours, the prosecution will make its case against General Ratko Mladic, taking testimony from more than 400 witnesses.
Pre-trial hearings have been characterized by ill-tempered outbursts from Ratko Mladic, who has heckled the judge and interrupted proceedings.
“The whole world knows who I am,” he said at a hearing last year.
“I am General Ratko Mladic. I defended my people, my country… now I am defending myself.”
The case has stirred up strong emotions among watching survivors, with some shouting “murderer” and “killer” from the court gallery.
Ratko Mladic suffered at least one stroke while in hiding and remains in frail health.
The architect of the Balkan wars, former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, died in detention in his cell in 2006, before receiving a verdict.
Ratko Mladic charges
• Counts 1/2: Genocide of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats in Bosnia-Hercegovina and Srebrenica
The black box of Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 that crashed into Mount Salak, killing all 45 people on board, has been found by Indonesian search team.
The plane vanished 50 minutes after taking off from Jakarta for a brief demonstration flight on 9 May.
Data from the black box, found about 100 m from the tail of the plane, could help explain the cause of the crash.
The voice and data recorder was badly burned and had lost its distinctive orange color.
The black box of Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 that crashed into Mount Salak, killing all 45 people on board, has been found by Indonesian search team
Tatang Kurniadi, who heads the National Transportation Safety Commission, said the data from the black box would be analyzed in Indonesia with help from Russian experts.
It will take between two to three weeks for any details to be revealed.
Eight Russian pilots and technicians, Indonesian airline representatives and journalists were among those said to be on board the plane.
The plane took off from east Jakarta’s Halim Perdanakusuma airport at 14:00 on 9 May, on its second flight of the day.
At 14:50, it was recorded as dropping from 10,000 ft (3,000 m) to 6,000 ft near Salak, a peak measuring 7,200 ft (2,200 m).
Villagers living in the area reported seeing a plane flying low into the mountain area.
The crash came with Sukhoi officials on an Asia-wide tour to show off their aircraft to airline firms.
The Superjet 100, a mid-range airliner that can carry up to 100 people, is military plane-maker Sukhoi’s first commercial aviation plane.
It was created by a joint venture, majority-owned by Sukhoi, with Italy’s Finmeccanica and a number of other foreign and Russian firms also involved.
When Apple’s voice-activated assistant Siri has been asked over the weekend “What is the best smartphone ever?”, it appeared to favor the iPhone’s rival, Nokia’s Lumia 900.
But Siri now responds to the same question with a jovial: “Wait… there are other phones?”
Nokia has accused Apple of “overriding the software” after the quirk was noticed.
Apple would not confirm that a change had been made.
The Siri software, which is featured on Apple’s iPhone 4S, uses the computational search engine Wolfram Alpha to serve answers to some questions.
For a question such as “what is the best smartphone ever?”, Wolfram Alpha would pool available reviews and comment in order to come up with what it feels is the right result.
When Apple Siri has been asked over the weekend "What is the best smartphone ever", it appeared to favor Nokia’s Lumia 900
In this instance, the “best” result was determined by reviews on the website of US retailer Best Buy.
Nokia’s Lumia 900 came out on top.
However, when asked the same question, the software no longer attempts to search Wolfram Alpha to find its answer, instead producing a default answer.
Nokia spokeswoman Tracey Postill told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Apple position Siri as the intelligent system that’s there to help, but clearly if they don’t like the answer, they override the software.”
However, Nokia said Tracey Postill’s comments were “lighthearted” and “taken out of context”.
“We were certainly flattered and honored,” Nokia spokesman Doug Dawson added.
Chinese search giant Baidu has announced the launch of its first smartphone Changhong H5018.
It is the Baidu’s first move into the mass smartphone market.
Built by Foxconn, the low-cost Changhong H5018 is powered by Baidu’s own mobile operating system, Cloud.
Analysts say it is extremely important Baidu to secure significant presence in the booming mobile industry in China, which has the largest number of smartphone users in the world.
The phone will be the first mobile device to run on Baidu’s Cloud Smart terminal platform and will come with 100GB of cloud storage on Wangpan, the local equivalent of Dropbox and Google Drive.
Built by Foxconn, the low-cost Changhong H5018 is powered by Baidu's own mobile operating system, Cloud
With a price tag of less than 1,000 yuan ($158), it will face fierce competition at the Chinese low-end smartphone market.
Customers currently have a choice between low-cost handsets made by firms such as Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corp, HTC, Lenovo and Xiaomi.
But Baidu’s director of international communications, Kaiser Kuo, said he believed that H5018 would do well.
“It’s a terrific market opportunity for us, and Baidu is constantly adjusting, understanding what users are interested in,” said Kaiser Kuo.
“The new handset is integrated with the cloud – and with our 100GB offering, I think that no one will be able to match that.”
Earlier this year, Baidu said it had to develop a stronger presence in China’s rapidly expanding mobile space.
With its Cloud Smart terminal platform, it hopes to attract the interest of hardware manufacturers.
“Baidu is recreating itself – we used to be a product-focused company, but now we are becoming a platform-focused company,” said Kaiser Kuo.
It was important for internet companies to secure presence in the mobile industry, said Beijing-based digital media analyst Bill Bishop.
“Mobile internet usage is booming. If Baidu doesn’t have a significant presence, they risk challenges to their business, and they [could] miss out on a new frontier,” he said.
“That said, they also risk alienating other handset partners who might use them as the search partner, but now see them as competitors.”
The new smartphone is primarily aimed at the Chinese market.
“Access to cloud-based services is a critical piece of the technology, and since they are tailored for China, it doesn’t make sense to push outside to other markets right now,” said Kaiser Kuo.
With access to Google’s search hampered by the Chinese government’s internet regulations known as the Great Firewall of China, Baidu dominates the country’s search traffic.
France’s President Francois Hollande has arrived in Berlin for key talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after his plane was apparently hit by lightning.
Presidential plane was forced to turn back to Paris and Francois Hollande later completed his journey on a second plane.
During his inauguration speech earlier in the day, Socialist Francois Hollande appealed for “a compromise” over the German-led focus on austerity.
He called for an emphasis on “growth”.
Describing the incident with the first plane, Francois Hollande’s spokesman said that the aircraft “could have been hit by lightning”, the AFP news agency reports.
“For security reasons, it turned back,” he said, adding that no-one was hurt.
It is very common for planes to be hit by lightning and most pilots will experience two strikes a year, some many more.
Planes are designed to dispel the electricity out through the wingtips, so that it is rare to have to turn back after a strike.
Francois Hollande's plane was apparently hit by lightning during his flight to Berlin
Analysts are watching to see how German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande can overcome their differences on how to resolve the crisis.
Stock markets and the euro have fallen amid continuing political uncertainty in Greece.
The chairman of the group of eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, insisted on Monday that they would do “everything possible” to keep Greece in the euro.
Francois Hollande was sworn in for a five-year term at the Elysee Palace in Paris, becoming France’s first Socialist president in 17 years.
In his inauguration speech, Francois Hollande said he wished to deliver a “message of confidence”.
“My mandate is to bring France back to justice, open up a new path in Europe, contribute to world peace and preserve the planet.”
The new president said he was fully aware of challenges facing France, which he summarized as “huge debt, weak growth, reduced competitiveness, and a Europe that is struggling to emerge from a crisis”.
Francois Hollande also said he wanted other European leaders to sign a pact that “ties the necessary reduction of deficit to the indispensable stimulation of the economy”.
“I will tell them the necessity for our continent is to protect, in an unstable world, not only its values but its interests in the name of commercial exchange,” he added.
After the ceremonies, Francois Hollande named Jean-Marc Ayrault, leader of the Socialist group in parliament, as his prime minister.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, who is regarded as a Germanophile with good contacts in Berlin, had been widely tipped for the post.
Francois Hollande, 57, has spent the past week preparing to take up the presidency, and now the work begins in earnest.
Shortly after his swearing in, Francois Hollande left for Berlin to have dinner with Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said she would welcome the new leader “with open arms”.
But Angela Merkel’s embrace will hide some embarrassment after she openly supported Nicolas Sarkozy in the election battle.
“We don’t think the same on everything,” Francois Hollande acknowledged on French television on Monday.
“We’ll tell each other that so that together we can reach good compromises.”
Francois Hollande has demanded that a European fiscal pact that cracked down on overspending be renegotiated to include a greater emphasis on measures to stimulate growth, while Germany insists the treaty must be respected.
Whatever their differences, the crisis in the eurozone will put them under huge pressure to compromise, our correspondent says.
As the eurozone’s two biggest economies – and biggest contributors to its bailout funds – Germany and France are key decision-makers over the strategy supposed to pull Europe out of crisis.
According to official figures released on Tuesday morning, the French economy showed no growth in the first quarter of 2012. Growth in the final quarter of 2011 was also revised down to 0.1% from 0.2%.
However, Germany’s economy grew by a stronger than expected 0.5% in the first three months of the year.
Following his German trip, Francois Hollande will hold his first cabinet meeting on Thursday followed by a visit to Washington to meet US President Barack Obama on Friday.
Cissy Houston is reportedly telling friends she fully supports the idea of a family reality show because she believes the exposure will be great for granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown’s singing career.
Houston family just inked a TV deal with Lifetime to star in a reality show that will follow Whitney’s relatives in the wake of the singer’s untimely death.
Family sources told TMZ that Cissy Houston knows Bobbi Kristina Brown shares Whitney’s passion for music and she believes a reality show could be the perfect place to showcase her granddaughter’s talent.
Cissy Houston knows Bobbi Kristina Brown shares Whitney's passion for music and she believes a reality show could be the perfect place to showcase her granddaughter's talent
Cissy Houston also believes a reality show will “help with the healing process” by “keeping the family as one.”
Whitney Houston’s mother also likes the fact that her “extended family” will be making money from the deal.
But don’t expect Kardashian-style antics on the Houston show as producers are suggesting it will have a more serious tone, at least for now.
After 14 years, Bobby Brown comes out with a new album, The Masterpiece, because he has spent so much time trying to get his life on track.
Now on tour with bandmates New Edition, Bobby Brown, 43, says he is ready to return to his solo career with the album TheMasterpiece, due out June 5.
“It’s what I’ve been through throughout my life, and just trying to heal myself through my music,” Bobby Brown said in a recent interview.
The Masterpiece is Bobby Brown’s first album in 14 years. He was a multiplatinum star with New Edition and later developed his solo career. But his well-documented battle with drugs and his legal woes led to his musical decline. His turbulent marriage to Whitney Houston further eroded his image.
After 14 years, Bobby Brown comes out with a new album, The Masterpiece
In a recent interview with the Today show’s Matt Lauer, Bobby Brown denied that he got his late ex-wife addicted to drugs. Whitney Houston’s career was derailed by her drug use, which came to the public’s attention during her marriage to Bobby Brown. The superstar drowned in February in Beverly Hills, California; her death was complicated by heart disease and cocaine use, according to authorities.
“The Matt Lauer interview was just for me to clear the air about what everyone was feeling about my ex-wife’s death,” the singer said.
Although he was arrested for DUI in March, Bobby Brown insists he has been drug-free for more than seven years. He said his attempt to get his life in order is part of the reason why the album took so long to make.
“When you’re working on yourself, you have to really concentrate on working on yourself and it takes a back seat to what you want to do and what I’m gonna do,” Bobby Brown said.
Bobby Brown says TheMasterpiece, which he started working on last year, is “the best album I’ve done so far”.
“But I’m going to do better in the near future,” he said.
“I just want to get back to what I do, which is entertainment, and this is the start to me getting back to what I want to do.”
Bobby Brown is engaged to his manager, Alicia Etheridge, with whom he has a young son. He also has other older children, including 19-year-old Bobbi Kristina, his only child with Whitney Houston.
Bobby Brown said he and Alicia Etheridge plan a private wedding, and described his life as content.
“I’m happy right now in my life, I’m comfortable with who I am,” he said.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn is counter-suing New York hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo, who accused him of sexual harassment, seeking $1 million in damages.
The former IMF chief was held in New York in May 2011 after Nafissatou Diallo alleged he had forced her into sex in his suite in Manhattan’s Sofitel Hotel.
Prosecutors later dropped charges amid concerns about Nafissatou Diallo’s credibility.
She then opened a civil suit for undisclosed damages against the former French politician.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn is counter-suing New York hotel maid Nafissatou Diallo, who accused him of sexual harassment, seeking $1 million in damages
DSK filed his counter-claim on Monday, one year after Nafissatou Diallo’s original allegation, and one day before Francois Hollande was sworn in as the Socialist president of France.
The allegation led DSK to resign from his post at the IMF and was widely seen as having ruined his chance of becoming the socialist presidential candidate back in France.
He is now seeking compensation for the loss of his job, defamation and false imprisonment. His claim also demands further unspecified punitive damages as well as his legal fees.
In his legal filing Dominique Strauss-Kahn denies all wrong-doing and says the sexual encounter was consensual.
“Ms Diallo falsely and maliciously asserted that Mr. Strauss-Kahn sexually assaulted her when she knew such allegation to be untrue,” the claim states.
But accusations pertaining to his sexual conduct have continued to dog him since the maid’s allegations were dismissed.
In March DSK was placed under investigation by French authorities for links to a prostitution ring in the northern city of Lille.
One of Nafissatou Diallo’s lawyers said the counter-claim “personifies Strauss-Kahn’s misogynistic attitude”.
Both lawsuits have been filed at the Bronx Supreme Court in New York.
Asteroid 2012 JU passed within nearly 119,000 miles of Earth on May 14, just a whisker away from us in astronomical terms.
Indeed, the bus-sized asteroid came closer to us than the moon does, with our celestial partner spinning around us at a distance of 238,000 miles.
Luckily, we were never in any danger from the 12-metre wide asteroid, but it is another reminder of the risk we face from these remnants of the solar system’s early days.
NASA’s Near-Earth Object Programme, which is based at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, tracks the bullets from space.
Asteroid 2012 JU passed within nearly 119,000 miles of Earth on May 14, just a whisker away from us in astronomical terms
They put together an animation of 2012 JU’s orbit, showing how the asteroid swings towards Earth, having spent the last two months travelling towards us from Mars.
After its brief fly-by of our planet, allowing any space aliens on a Greyhound tour to take their space-photos of our little blue marble, the asteroid heads out towards the orbit of Jupiter.
Then the sun’s gravity pulls it back towards to centre of our solar system, and it sweeps round on another tour of the inner planets.
Earth gets asteroid fly-bys all the time from asteroids, with the NASA researchers doing their best to track as many as possible.
They are currently tracking 8,900 near-Earth asteroids, hoping to spot any threats to our planet before they arrive, like the asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs 65million years ago.
Evangelos Venizelos, leader of Greek Socialist Pasok party, has announced that the country is set to go to the polls again after days of coalition talks failed to produce agreement on a new government.
A final round of talks on Tuesday morning broke up without a deal.
In elections on 6 May, a majority of Greek voters backed parties opposed to austerity plans demanded by the EU and IMF in return for two bailouts.
Greek president Karolos Papoulias will appoint a caretaker government on Wednesday.
Karolos Papoulias will meet all political leaders at 13:00 local time on Wednesday to put in place an interim government until the new vote, which is expected to take place on 10 or 17 June.
“Unfortunately, the country is heading again toward elections,” Evangelos Venizelos told reporters after the talks on Tuesday.
The euro fell sharply on the news, tumbling from $1.2842 to $1.2771 shortly after 13:15 GMT – its lowest value since 18 January.
Greek shares also fell before recovering slightly.
Greek parliamentary results
The leader of the right-wing Independent Greeks Party, Panos Kammenos, said: “The pro-bailout parties would prefer a government which will further torment the Greek nation, rather than finding a solution. They have offered a proposal that is too rigid for me to accept.”
European leaders say that they will cut off funding for Greece if it rejects the bailout agreed in March.
This would mean effective bankruptcy for Greece and its all but certain exit from the European single currency, analysts say.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble again ruled out amending the bailout agreement.
“The people in Greece must know that what we have agreed for Greece and have set in train is an entirely unusual effort,” he said after talks in Brussels on Tuesday.
Polls suggest the leftist Syriza bloc, which came second in the 6 May vote and rejects all further cutbacks, could become the largest party after a new election.
Syriza wants to renegotiate the bailout package but also wants to keep Greece in the euro.
Greece must also decide whether to redeem an outstanding bond worth 436 million Euros ($558.67 million) which matures on Tuesday.
A Greek official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press that Athens would pay off the debt on schedule, thereby avoiding a default.
The chairman of the eurozone group of finance minister, Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxembourg, said on Monday he wanted Greece to remain in the single currency but warned that Athens must keep to its commitments.
Pasok and New Democracy, which signed up to the bailouts and had previously dominated Greek politics for decades, saw their combined share of the vote drop from about 77% to about 33% on 6 May.
Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez posed side by side at the Hollywood premiere of their hotly anticipated movie, What To Expect When You’re Expecting.
The stars each opted for sexy dresses but in entirely opposing ways, and it was Jennifer Lopez who came top of the style stakes by a long shot.
JLo resembled a Grecian goddess in a floor-sweeping blush-colored gown by Romanian designer Maria Lucia Hohan.
The pleated lamé silk dress oozed sex appeal with a neckline that plunged all the way to the 42-year-old’s waist.
Jennifer Lopez teamed the billowing long-sleeved frock with sparkling caged shoe boots and a clutch bag and bracelet to match.
She completed her elegant look with a sleek ponytail and deep plum lipstick, and arrived at the event with toyboy Casper Smart on her arm.
JLo resembled a Grecian goddess in a floor-sweeping blush-colored gown by Romanian designer Maria Lucia Hohan
Meanwhile Cameron Diaz went for a more overtly sexy look in a semi-sheer black knitted dress that clung to her slender figure.
The pleated mini skirt of the frock allowed Cameron Diaz, 39, to bare her endless pins and she accentuated her long legs further with the help of nude Mary Jane heels.
Cameron Diaz kept the accessories to a minimum with just a pair of black teardrop earrings, and she wore pink make-up while keeping her blonde locks loose.
The other female stars also dressed to impress as they arrived at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to pose on the red carpet this evening.
Brooklyn Decker, 25, was on trend as she opted for a lemon yellow drop waist maxi dress by Giambattista Valli that boasted different patterns on the top and skirt.
Meanwhile Anna Kendrick, 26, dazzled in a taupe dress with sparkling silver embellishment by Elie Saab couture.
Elizabeth Banks, 38, chose a dramatic crimson red dress with black embroidery
The ladies all posed up together at the event and were joined by the movie’s male stars Matthew Morrison, Chace Crawford and Joe Manganiello.
The comedy film, based on the book of the same name, hits cinemas in the US on May 14.
A new study has showed that women who cycle regularly are at risk of decreased sensation in the pelvic region.
Scientists at Yale University found that female cyclists may experience less pleasure during sex if the handlebars of their bike are lower than the seat.
They learned that a low handlebar position puts extra pressure on nerves and blood vessels, or neuropathies, in the genital area.
The study reported that modifying a bicycle’s setup by raising its handlebars “helps alleviate neuropathies” in females.
The findings, which were published in the Journal Of Sexual Medicine, were based on analysis of 48 women who each rode at least ten miles per week, four weeks per month.
Researchers had each participant mount their own bike on a stationary machine.
Scientists at Yale University found that female cyclists may experience less pleasure during sex if the handlebars of their bike are lower than the seat
They were asked to speak out if they experienced “soreness, tingling and other sensations”.
Sensation in the woman’s pelvic floor was then measured by a researcher using a pressure map.
Genital sensation was “measured in microns using biosthesiometry measures of vibratory thresholds”.
The study explained: “Handlebars positioned lower than the saddle correlated with increased perineum saddle pressures and decreased anterior vaginal and left labial genital sensation.”
The research follows a 2006 study from the same university, which acknowledged an association between cycling and decreased genital sensation, but not a reason for it.
While the effects of bike-riding for long periods of time have widely been linked to male erectile dysfunction, effects on a woman’s sexual health are often overlooked.
The German economy returns to growth in the first quarter of 2012 with a better-than-expected 0.5% rise in GDP, official figures have shown.
In Q4 2011, the German economy contracted by 0.2%, its first dip since 2009.
Meanwhile, the French economy recorded zero growth in the first quarter, after growth of 0.1% at the end of 2011.
Figures released later on Tuesday are expected to show that the eurozone as a whole has returned to recession.
Data also showed that the Italian economy fell deeper into recession after contracting by 0.8% in the first quarter, slightly worse than analysts had expected. The economy shrank by 0.7% in the previous quarter.
Compared with the same a quarter a year earlier, the German economy grew by 1.7%.
The German economy returns to growth in the first quarter of 2012 with a better-than-expected 0.5 percent rise in GDP
The German statistics agency Destatis said growth was due to a rise in exports and higher domestic consumption.
The return to growth means Germany has avoided a so-called double-dip recession, confounding the predictions of a number of commentators.
In contrast, the French growth figures failed to outperform analysts’ expectations, and the growth figure for the final quarter of last year was revised down to 0.1% from 0.2%.
“There was no good surprise,” said Philippe Waechter at Natixis Asset Management.
“There was weak consumption [and] no investment.”
The French GDP figures come on the day of the inauguration of the new French President Francois Hollande, who has vowed to boost economic growth.
In the run up to the presidential election, in which he ousted Nicolas Sarkozy, he campaigned hard for measures focusing on stimulating the economy alongside the austerity measures that have been adopted across the eurozone.
He will visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel later on Tuesday to make the case for growth.
Francois Hollande believes that growth rather than austerity is the best way for governments to reduce their debts, a view that is being discussed more widely as the eurozone economy continues to struggle and increasing numbers of Europeans voice their anger at austerity.
The eurozone economy contracted by 0.3% in the final quarter of last year, and many analysts believe growth figures published later this morning will show further contraction in the first quarter of this year. If they are correct, the eurozone will be back in recession.
Eric Stroud, an American chemist, says he’s found a substance – several, in fact – that can repel some of the most fearsome predators in the ocean.
He wants to use his discovery to protect them, and us.
Eric Stroud is setting up an experiment. He unwraps twenty pounds of frozen sardines, drops them into a mesh bag tied to the pier, and tosses the bag into the water. He’s hoping to attract a large bull shark.
“It’s a fairly dangerous shark,” he explains.
“It can be aggressive, especially when provoked or cornered.”
If a bull shark does turn up, he’ll throw a large baited hook into the water. But it’s not your typical fishhook. In fact, if all goes well, this hook won’t catch any sharks.
For more than a decade, Eric Stroud has been working to develop shark repellents.
He used to work as a chemist in the pharmaceutical industry. Then, in the summer of 2001, he and his wife went on a cruise to Bermuda.
“We hit bad weather, and we were trapped in a cabin, and on the news was shark bite after shark bite,” he says.
“It seemed like everyone that stepped in the ocean in Florida was getting attacked by a shark that summer.”
Eric Stroud's "smart hook" is magnetized and wrapped with a magnesium alloy foil
That’s when his wife suggested he turn his talents to developing shark repellents. When they got home to New Jersey, he set up several small pools in his basement, and filled them with small sharks.
He watched how the sharks fed, swam, and behaved. Then, one day, he accidentally dropped a large magnet from his workbench. He noticed some small nurse sharks dart away.
“That night, we put magnets into the water and couldn’t believe the nurse sharks were extremely distressed and stayed away from them,” he says.
Eric Stroud had discovered that magnets repel sharks.
He demonstrates the effect at the Bimini Biological Field Station in the Bahamas. He stands waist-deep in water, just offshore, in a fenced-in pen in the sea. Several young Lemon sharks glide around the perimeter. One of Eric Stroud’s assistants captures one of them and slowly rotates it onto its back underwater. This puts the shark into a sleep-like state.
Then Eric Stroud takes a magnet and spins it as he moves it towards the shark. The shark darts away suddenly.
“There you go,” he says.
“Look at that beautiful bend away from the magnet like he’s repelled by it.”
Sharks possess electrical sensors, called the ampullae of Lorenzini, that look like tiny freckles on their snouts. Biologists believe sharks use these sensors to detect the heartbeats of their prey and to navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field.
Eric Stroud suspects the spinning magnet overwhelms these electrical sensors.
“It’s probably something like a bright flashlight across your eyes,” he says.
“It’s just temporarily blinding, and you’re startled. And it’s not pleasant.”
Eric Stroud says other ocean species don’t appear to be affected.
“Bony fish, like tuna or swordfish, do not have this special organ. Therefore, they are not affected at all in the presence of magnets or metals.”
He says the same is true for eels, invertebrates, and crabs. “We have not tested this on sea turtles – which, like sharks, use the Earth’s magnetic field as a compass – but some early work by other researchers indicates they have no effect.”
Eric Stroud made his discovery in 2004. It helped him jumpstart a company he’d founded called SharkDefense, that aims to develop and commercialize shark repellents.
He and his team tested other substances, and they found that some metals also interfere with a shark’s electrical sensors.
“Certain metals didn’t work, others did,” says Eric Stroud.
“You begin to hone down the periodic table.”
Particularly effective are rare-earth metals like samarium, neodymium, and praseodymium.
His team are also in the process of testing various chemical shark repellents.
Eric Stroud’s original plan was to develop repellents to protect people, and he’s working on ways to do that. For instance, he and his partners are researching a magnetic underwater fence that might keep sharks away from swimmers.
But his main focus has switched to using repellents to protect sharks.
Many shark species are being overfished, and some are endangered. One reason is that fishermen trying to catch other fish often catch sharks by mistake. Eric Stroud wondered – what if he could produce fish hooks that catch fish like tuna and halibut as usual, but that sharks avoid?
“We realized we could magnetize the fishing hook, and coat it with a rare earth metal,” he says. “It looks just like a regular hook.”
Several countries are now testing his so-called SMART hooks to see if they work. Some tests show a 60 to 70 per cent reduction in the number of sharks caught.
Eric Stroud received an award from the World Wildlife Fund for his invention, and he’s hoping to sell the hooks commercially before long.
In the meantime, he continues to refine the design, trying new combinations of metals and magnets, and observing how they affect different types of sharks.
AMD is launching its new Trinity processor family boasting “twice the performance per watt” of its earlier Llano chips.
Like Intel’s rival Ivy Bridge release, the update includes up to four CPU (central processing unit) cores and a single GPU (graphics processing unit).
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) claims its product offers gamers a superior experience.
The first computers using the chips go on sale in June, with the US launch of a Hewlett Packard “Sleekbook”.
AMD’s focus on low power requirements reflects manufacturers’ desire to offer thinner laptops and slimmer all-in-one desktop models.
Trinity can be set to run off as low as 17 watts, half the minimum amount possible using Llano.
The move should also allow traditional-sized laptops to run off their batteries for longer. The firm says systems could last up to 12 hours, although the figure cannot be verified until models utilizing the chips are released.
AMD is launching its new Trinity processor family boasting "twice the performance per watt" of its earlier Llano chips
While Intel has shifted to a new manufacturing process – radically changing the design of its transistors – to make gains, AMD has opted for an alternative innovation.
The “Piledriver” architecture of its CPU cores introduces an energy-saving technique called “resonant clock mesh technology” which allows it to “recycle” some of the energy consumed as it carries out calculations.
“Over the past decade, several test chips successfully demonstrated a variety of resonant clocking implementations,” said AMD’s chief technology officer Steve Scott.
“None however, has achieved integration into a commercial processor due to various practicality or cost issues. AMD has managed to overcome these challenges.
“[It] results in a reduction in total core power consumption of up to 10%.”
Further power savings will be achieved by running more processes on the chipset’s GPU which is the same “Northern Islands” design used in its standalone Radeon graphics cards.
AMD claims that the component and the accompanying software drivers are superior to the equivalent products from Intel.
Third-party software including Photoshop, the media-player VLC, Adobe’s Flash plug-in and many of the leading web browsers have undergone recent updates to take advantage of GPU’s skill at handling “parallisable” tasks – processes that are split into different parts and then run simultaneously.
This ability is also particularly suited for handling computer graphics, and AMD is keen to promote Trinity’s ability to handle high definition games on systems not fitted with discrete graphics cards.
“Thirty frames per second is the industry standard for smooth gaming,” said Sasa Markinkovic, AMD’s head of desktop and software product marketing.
“What we are able to do with Trinity is offer HD, 1080p resolution, gaming and deliver 30 frames per second.
“When you look at Ivy Bridge it is a step forward for Intel in terms of graphics performance, but it’s still not good enough for HD gaming – and that makes the difference between playable and not playable.”
Computers using Trinity will also offer AMD’s “Steady Video” feature which automatically stabilizes playback of shaky videos posted to sites such as YouTube; and “Quick Stream”, a setting which ensures PCs prioritize streaming video when downloading several files from the internet at once.
Despite its advantages, one analyst said AMD might still find itself at a disadvantage against its long-term rival.
“Trinity is a compelling product from a graphics performance and power consumption perspective,” said Sergis Mushell, processor expert at the tech analysis firm Gartner.
“But Intel’s advantage is that it has a bigger ecosystem – there will be 10 to 15 times the number of systems using its chips than AMD’s.
“This gives it better economies of scale and the ability to offer its chips at more price points, ultimately putting it in a strong position to challenge Trinity.”
Francois Hollande is set to be sworn in as French president, before travelling to Berlin to discuss the future of the eurozone with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
He will be the first Socialist leader since 1995 to occupy the Elysee Palace.
Francois Hollande will later try to “find a compromise” with Angela Merkel over the German-led focus on austerity as the way out of Europe’s economic crisis.
On Monday, the value of stock markets and the euro fell amid continuing political uncertainty in Greece.
The chairman of the eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, insisted on Monday night that they would do “everything possible” to keep Greece in the euro.
Jean-Claude Juncker said he looked forward to the swift formation of a new Greek government, nine days after the general election.
But he also warned that Greece had to continue the “significant efforts” already made to restructure its economy despite these policies having been rejected by a majority of voters.
Francois Hollande is expected to be sworn in shortly after meeting outgoing President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Elysee Palace in central Paris at around 10:00.
The new leader has asked that the inauguration ceremony be kept as low-key as possible, and has invited just three dozen or so personal guests to join the 350 officials attending. Neither Francois Hollande’s children nor those of his partner, Valerie Trierweiler, will be there.
The ceremony will be followed by the traditional procession in an open-topped car along the Avenue des Champs-Elysees and the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier underneath the Arc de Triomphe.
Francois Hollande will then pay tribute to the 19th-Century educational reformer Jules Ferry and the Nobel Prize-winning chemist Marie Curie.
Francois Hollande is set to be sworn in as French president, before travelling to Berlin to discuss the future of the eurozone with Chancellor Angela Merkel
His first lunch as president will be with the former Socialist prime ministers Pierre Mauroy, Laurent Fabius, Michel Rocard, Edith Cresson and Lionel Jospin.
Francois Hollande, 57, has spent the past week preparing to take up the presidency, and now the work begins in earnest.
His first job is to name a new prime minister, who our correspondent says will most likely be Jean-Marc Ayrault, leader of the Socialist group in parliament, a German speaker and a close ally.
Michel Sapin, a key economic adviser to Francois Hollande, is tipped to be finance minister.
On Tuesday afternoon, Francois Hollande will fly to Germany for dinner with Chancellor Angela Merkel, who says she will welcome the new leader “with open arms”.
But her embrace will hide some embarrassment after Angel Merkel openly supported Nicolas Sarkozy in the election battle.
“We don’t think the same on everything,” Francois Hollande acknowledged on French television on Monday.
“We’ll tell each other that so that together we can reach good compromises.”
Francois Hollande has demanded that a European fiscal pact that cracked down on overspending be renegotiated to include a greater emphasis on measures to stimulate growth, while Germany insists the treaty must be respected.
Whatever their differences, the crisis in the eurozone will put them under huge pressure to compromise, our correspondent says.
As the eurozone’s two biggest economies – and biggest contributors to its bailout funds – Germany and France are key decision-makers over the strategy supposed to pull Europe out of crisis.
According to official figures released on Tuesday morning, the French economy showed no growth in the first quarter of 2012. Growth in the final quarter of 2011 was also revised down to 0.1% from 0.2%.
However, Germany’s economy grew by a stronger than expected 0.5% in the first three months of the year.
Following his German trip, Francois Hollande will hold his first cabinet meeting on Thursday followed by a visit to Washington to meet US President Barack Obama on Friday.
• 08:00-08:30 Francois Hollande arrives at the Elysee Palace and meets Nicolas Sarkozy
• 08:30-09:30 Inauguration ceremony followed by procession up the Champs-Elysees
• 09:45 Francois Hollande lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, under the Arc de Triomphe
• 11:45 Francois Hollande pays tribute to Jules Ferry in the Jardin des Tuileries
• 12:30 Francois Hollande honours Marie Curie at the Curie Institute
• 13:00 Ceremony at the Hotel de Ville with Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe
In a new trailer for the seventh season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kris Jenner, the matriarch of the family, is seen with a pout which looks suspiciously enhanced compared to her usual appearance.
Kris Jenner, 56, is seen looking shocked as she wakes up in her bed with a much bigger top lip.
The leader of the Kardashian clan shows off her new look to daughter Kim, 31, and son Rob, 25, as the two siblings stand gobsmacked at their mother’s bedside.
Kris Jenner, who is still in her pyjamas and is wearing no make-up, appears horrified by her overnight transformation and tries to hide her mouth with her hand.
Kris Jenner is seen looking shocked as she wakes up in her bed with a much bigger top lip
The rest of the family hear the commotion and rush into the bedroom surprised by Kris Jenner’s plump top lip.
It is not clear from the 30 second clip whether the mother-of-six has really had a bad reaction to a cosmetic surgery procedure, or if she is playing a prank on her children.
Later in the trailer viewers are shown the Kardashians going on holiday to their favorite destination of the Dominican Republic.
It isn’t long before Kris Jenner is the centre of attention again as her daughters decide to target their mother.
Four bikini clad Kardashian girls gang up on Jenner who is again lying in her bed.
The socialite and businesswoman is literally dragged from her mattress kicking and screaming on a dark blue rug.
Her daughters pull her all the way to the swimming pool before dumping her in the crystal blue waters while she is still wearing her dressing gown.
Embarrassed and not much amused by the antics of her offspring, Kris Jenner barely keeps her dignity as her derriere is exposed as she tries to exit the pool.
The seventh season of Keeping Up With the Kardashians will premiere on 20 May 2012 on E!
With eighteen, hour long episodes, this will be the longest ever series of the popular reality TV show.
