Mark Rothko’s artwork “Orange, Red, Yellow” has achieved the highest ever price for a piece of contemporary art at auction – fetching $86.9 million.
The 1961 painting was sold at Christie’s in New York.
The auction house said the total takings of $388.5 million had beaten the previous record for a contemporary art auction, set in 2007.
Last week Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” set the world record for an artwork – selling for $119.9 million.
Another high-profile contemporary art auction takes place on Wednesday – when Roy Lichtenstein’s “Sleeping Girl” is the pick of the pieces going under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York. The estimated value is put at $30 million-$40 million.
Mark Rothko’s artwork “Orange, Red, Yellow” has achieved the highest ever price for a piece of contemporary art at auction fetching $86.9M
On Tuesday, “Orange, Red, Yellow” soared past the previous Mark Rothko record of $72.84 million.
Sales director Laura Paulson said the work was a personification of the art of Mark Rothko, who died in New York in 1970.
Francis Bacon’s Triptych held the previous post-war art record – selling for $86.3 million in 2008.
A total of 14 artists recorded new highs for their works on Tuesday, including the $36.5 million paid for Yves Klein’s piece “FC1” and the $21.8 million registered for Gerhard Richter’s “Abstraktes Bild”.
“The market really responded,” said Brett Gorvy, Christie’s international head of post-war and contemporary art.
“It is a very knowledgeable market, a very sophisticated market. We saw very seasoned collectors, as well as new collectors coming forward.”
New estimates suggest that one in six cancers, two million a year globally, are caused by largely treatable or preventable infections.
The Lancet Infectious Diseases review, which looked at incidence rates for 27 cancers in 184 countries, found four main infections are responsible.
These four – human papillomaviruses, Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis B and C viruses – account for 1.9 million cases of cervical, gut and liver cancers.
Most cases are in the developing world.
HPV infection can cause cervical cancer
The team from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France says more efforts are needed to tackle these avoidable cases and recognize cancer as a communicable disease.
The proportion of cancers related to infection is about three times higher in parts of the developing world, such as East Asia, than in developed countries like the UK – 22.9% versus 7.4%, respectively.
Nearly a third of cases occur in people younger than 50 years.
Among women, cancer of the cervix accounted for about half of the infection-related cancers. In men, more than 80% were liver and gastric cancers.
Dr. Catherine de Martel and Dr. Martyn Plummer, who led the research, said: “Infections with certain viruses, bacteria, and parasites are some of the biggest and preventable causes of cancer worldwide
“Application of existing public-health methods for infection prevention, such as vaccination, safer injection practice, or antimicrobial treatments, could have a substantial effect on the future burden of cancer worldwide.”
Vaccines are available to protect against human papillomavirus (HPV) – which is linked to cancer of the cervix – and hepatitis B virus – an established cause of liver cancer.
And experts know that stomach cancer can be avoided by clearing the bacterial infection H. pylori from the gut using a course of antibiotics.
Commenting on the work, Dr. Goodarz Danaei from Harvard School of Public Medicine in Boston, the US, said: “Since effective and relatively low-cost vaccines for HPV and HBV are available, increasing coverage should be a priority for health systems in high-burden countries.”
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will start singing live again and is planning to release a new album of songs in the autumn, her promoter confirmed today.
There are even rumors of France’s outgoing First Lady starring in a new biopic about her family history.
News of Carla Bruni’s desire to revive her showbiz career came as her husband, Nicolas Sarkozy, was pictured at his first public engagement since losing the French presidential election.
Nicolas Sarkozy, 57, announced his retirement from politics after Sunday’s election defeat, which made him the first French head of state to be rejected after just one term for 31 years.
In the event, the vote was closer than many had predicted, and Nicolas Sarkozy has insisted his loss was not humiliating.
Despite claiming he “loves life too much to be bitter”, however, Nicolas Sarkozy appeared visibly tense today while accompanying Francois Hollande to a ceremony marking the 67th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
The former rivals laid a wreath at the tomb of the untold soldier, beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
Despite winning their bitter contest, Francois Hollande looked almost as strained as the outgoing president.
Nicolas Sarkozy is facing an uncertain future – his poor English means he is unlikely to be able to make money on the lucrative US lecture circuit, and he has ruled out any return to politics.
Carla Bruni will start singing live again after Nicolas Sarkozy lost presidential election
Veronique Rampazza, spokeswoman for Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, said: “Carla did not put her career on hold during Nicolas Sarkozy’s five years in office. She continues to compose.
“What she gave up for practical reasons was her public concerts, which she is now able to start again.”
Carla Bruni, 44, has a recording studio in her Paris townhouse and will release her new album in time for Christmas.
She is hoping to repeat the success of Quelqu’un m’a dit (Somebody Told Me), which came out 10 years ago, and sold around 2 million copies, mostly in France.
While critics praised the charming, folksy effort, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s later albums, No Promises and Comme si de rien n’était (As If Nothing Had Happened), were less well received.
After her marriage to Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008 following a whirlwind romance of just 80 days, Carla Bruni was never out of the limelight.
There were cover photo shoots for glossy magazines like Vanity Fair and Vogue – including a controversial one on the roof of the Elysee Palace – and she took a role in the Woody Allen film Midnight in Paris.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s actress sister, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, is producing a movie about the history of their multi-millionaire family, and the outgoing first lady may play herself.
In an interview in 2008 Nicolas Sarkozy said he would “start to make money” when he quit frontline politics.
This has led to speculation that he will follow the lead of his friend Tony Blair and try and establish himself as a multi-millionaire lecturer and international trouble shooter.
Nicolas Sarkozy’s problem in this respect is that he speaks poor English, and would struggle to impress backers in the United States, where political celebrities like Tony Blair and former American president Bill Clinton can earn up to $400,000 plus expenses per talk.
Nicolas Sarkozy is unlikely to return to his first career as a lawyer, either, but thanks to his Italian-born wife’s $30 million plus personal fortune he does not need to work again.
What it certain is that Nicolas Sarkozy will have a lot more time to spend with the couple’s seven month old baby daughter, Giulia.
According to Julia Carta, Simon Cowell’s make-up artist, the media mogul has been spritzing his face with a “miracle” serum made with Japanese herbs and water from the bottom of the sea.
Simon Cowell’s devotion to Botox is no secret, once famously describing it as “no more unusual than toothpaste”.
But, after several face freezing mishaps with the cosmetic toxin, it appears Simon Cowell has turned to a more natural way of maintaining his youthful looks.
Shinso Skin Care – which costs between £155 ($245) and £255 ($400) a bottle – is made from 69 different Japanese herbs and botanicals, including grapefruit peel, honey and olive tree extract, plus water from the depths of the Sea of Japan.
It claims to improve the appearance of skin “within two minutes”, working as a “natural face-lift” by penetrating deep into the skin to boost collagen levels, repairing damage and reducing wrinkles.
Shinso Skin Care is made from 69 different Japanese herbs and botanicals, including grapefruit peel, honey and olive tree extract, plus water from the depths of the Sea of Japan
International celebrity make-up artist Julia Carta, whose clients include actresses Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley, said she had used Shinso on Simon Cowell during filming for this year’s Britain’s Got Talent series.
“It’s like the Rolls-Royce of skin care – a real treat for the skin,” Julia Carta said.
“It is a bottle of precious water from the bottom of the Japanese sea – it’s really quite unique.
“I used the product on Simon whilst filming throughout the day to refresh his skin. It’s fantastic to hydrate and balance the skin.
“It is great for people coming off long haul flights who need instant hydration. It brightens and plumps the skin. It’s a great product.”
Beauty experts say the sea is one of the most bountiful sources of nutrients for anyone who prefers natural skin care.
Dr. Stefanie Williams, a Harley Street dermatologist, said Shinso was unlikely to give users instant results, as the product makers claimed, but that it did contain ingredients likely to be “beneficial” to staying young.
“This product contains anti-ageing ingredients, such as Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 [a muscle relaxer] and Human Oligopeptide-1 [promotes skin cell growth],” Dr. Stefanie Williams said.
“The instant-effects claim seems like an exaggeration, as it takes time to induce real changes in skin biology.
“But, overall, a good product with beneficial ingredients.”
Nao Tsuruta, who created the product, added: “With Shinso Skin Care, you can rejuvenate even the deepest layers of your skin by utilizing some of nature’s most precious ingredients found in deep sea waters and rare Japanese herbs and botanical extracts.”
Botox is a toxic protein or nerve poison which is injected into the face and forehead to relax frown lines and smooth wrinkles. It works by temporarily paralyzing the facial muscles.
Simon Cowell has admitted having the treatment in the past, saying: “Yes, I’ve had Botox, but not in an obsessive way.
“Then again, every guy I know who works in the City has had it now. It works, you do it once a year – who cares?”
But last year viewers were shocked at Simon Cowell’s appearance when, in June, he appeared to have a drooping left eye during the live Britain’s Got Talent semi-final.
A few months later his face and forehead appeared unnaturally smooth and waxwork-like when he was interviewed on Piers Morgan’s U.S. chat show.
Image-conscious Simon Cowell was also recently reported to have become hooked on an anti-ageing smoothie containing lingonberry, acerola berry and chokeberry that he discovered while touring the U.S. for the American X Factor last year.
Kim Kardashian was spotted yesterday struggling to make a graceful exit from Kanye West’s silver sports car after taking it for another spin around LA.
Kim Kardashian, 31, looked rather awkward as she tried to heave herself out of the snug bucket seat in the low-riding Mercedes SLR McLaren.
The reality star was taking her sister Khloe for a drive in the luxury vehicle before they both stopped in to visit Kourtney and Scott Disick, who are expecting their second child.
Kim Kardashian’s new rapper boyfriend, Kanye West, who attended the Met Gala in New York on his own last night, is letting her borrow his $500,000 car while she’s back on the West Coast.
Kanye West, 34, keeps the expensive motor at his Los Angeles residence and was seen driving it around the city with his ex girlfriend Amber Rose last year.
Kim Kardashian was spotted yesterday struggling to make a graceful exit from Kanye West's silver sports car
Earlier this week, Kim Kardashian was spotted rolling up at Barry’s Bootcamp fitness class in the silver vehicle and later stopped in for a snack at Mexican chain, Baja Fresh.
Car enthusiast Kim Kardashian has plenty of nice wheels herself – she owns a Range Rover, a Ferrari, a Bentley and Rolls Royce Ghost.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian’s acrimonious split from Kris Humphries rumbles on.
It has emerged that her estranged husband is adamant that her testimony is recorded on film, a move which she is said to be fighting.
Although the procedure is the norm in such cases, to be used as evidence if necessary, Kim Kardashian’s lawyer, Laura Wasser, is afraid the footage may emerge before their divorce trial gets to court.
A source told RadarOnline: “Kris’ lawyer Lee Hutton has told Laura that he intends to videotape Kim’s deposition, which is common practice in divorce proceedings.
“This is done in case a witness becomes unavailable at trial, and the deposition can be used as evidence. Kardashian’s camp has vowed to vehemently fight having the deposition taped, they don’t think it’s necessary and are afraid that it could get leaked to the media, despite assurances from Kris’ lawyer all video evidence will be kept in a safe and won’t see the light of day until the trial.”
RadarOnline reports that although Laura Wasser is expected to file documents to ask a judge to intervene, Kris Humphries’ people are ready to hit back with reasons why they should be for the move and will not back down unless his ex publicly apologizes for their sham marriage.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries split last October following 72 days of marriage and Kim went public with her romance with Kanye West last month.
A witness claimed a blonde girl identical to Madeleine McCann was seen at a campsite in Spain just three days after the British toddler went missing five years ago.
The groggy-looking blonde girl appeared alienated from the German family she was staying with at the resort on the Costa del Sol, according to a witness.
The potential sighting came three days after Madeleine McCann was abducted from Praia da Luz in Portugal, a few hours drive away.
British detectives investigating her disappearance have been told the German family paid extra after arriving at the campsite with one more child than expected on May 6, 2007, reports The Sun.
It is also believed that their vehicle had fake number plates to avoid detection.
The alarm was raised by holidaymaker Karen Sisson, 49, who was staying at the Cabopino campsite near Fuengirola.
A witness claimed a blonde girl identical to Madeleine McCann was seen at a campsite in Spain just three days after the British toddler went missing five years ago
Karen Sisson, from Gibraltar, told police at the time that the girl was wearing a pink T-shirt, shorts and a beige hat and seemed “out of it”.
She said that the girl seemed out of place with the German couple and their two curly-haired children.
Karen Sisson’s suspicions were further raised when she saw the girl wearing the same outfit the following day.
The mother-of-two left the next day but records show the German family stayed at the campsite for two weeks.
They checked in under the name Karsten Mayer, who gave 1970 as his year of birth.
Their car had a “BE” German number plate, which went out of official use 38 years ago – but the vehicle was a Mercedes Vito people carrier that was first manufactured in 1996.
A spokesman for the McCanns said yesterday: “This lady has done the right thing in reporting what she saw to the police.”
The development comes as Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann on Sunday declared they will never give up their search for their missing daughter as they took part in a ten-kilometre charity run.
Just three days after the fifth anniversary of Maddie’s abduction, the couple took part at the busy Liverpool event for the first time.
Kate McCann, 44, wore a white vest with a picture of Madeleine on the front and the words “Never give up” on the back.
It was the first year they felt able to take part in the event.
Writer Maurice Sendak, the author of children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, died early on Tuesday at 83.
Longtime friend and caretaker Lynn Caponera said she was with him when Maurice Sendak died at a hospital in Danbury, Connecticut. She said he had a stroke on Friday.
Where the Wild Things Are earned Maurice Sendak a prestigious Caldecott Medal for the best children’s book of 1964 and became a hit movie in 2009.
President Bill Clinton awarded Maurice Sendak a National Medal of the Arts in 1996 for his vast portfolio of work.
Maurice Sendak didn’t limit his career to a safe and successful formula of conventional children’s books, though it was the pictures he did for wholesome works such as Ruth Krauss’ A Hole Is To Dig and Else Holmelund Minarik’s Little Bear that launched his career.
Where the Wild Things Are, about a boy named Max who goes on a journey – sometimes a rampage – through his own imagination after he is sent to bed without supper, was quite controversial when it was published, and his quirky and borderline scary illustrations for E.T.A. Hoffmann’s Nutcracker did not have the sugar coating featured in other versions.
Maurice Sendak, the author of children's book Where the Wild Things Are, died early on Tuesday at 83
Maurice Sendak also created costumes for ballets and staged operas, including the Czech opera Brundibar, which he also put on paper with collaborator Pulitzer-winning playwright Tony Kushner in 2003.
He designed the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Nutcracker production that later became a movie shown on television, and he served as producer of various animated TV series based on his illustrations, including Seven Little Monsters, George and Martha and Little Bear.
But despite his varied resume, Maurice Sendak accepted – and embraced – the label “kiddie-book author”.
“I write books as an old man, but in this country you have to be categorized, and I guess a little boy swimming in the nude in a bowl of milk (as in In the Night Kitchen) can’t be called an adult book,” Maurice Sendak told The Associated Press in 2003.
“So I write books that seem more suitable for children, and that’s OK with me. They are a better audience and tougher critics. Kids tell you what they think, not what they think they should think.”
During that 2003 interview, Maurice Sendak also said he felt as if he were part of a dying breed of illustrators who approached their work as craftsmen.
“I feel like a dinosaur. There are a few of us left. (We) worked so hard in the `50s and `60s but some have died and computers pushed others out.”
Maurice Sendak, who did his work in a studio at the Ridgefield, Conn., home he moved into in the early 1960s, never embraced high-tech toys. He did, however, have a collection of Mickey Mouse and other Walt Disney toys displayed throughout the house.
When director Spike Jonez made the movie version of Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak said he urged the director to remember his view that childhood isn’t all sweetness and light. And he was happy with the result.
“In plain terms, a child is a complicated creature who can drive you crazy,” Maurice Sendak told the AP in 2009.
“There’s a cruelty to childhood, there’s an anger. And I did not want to reduce Max to the trite image of the good little boy that you find in too many books.”
Maurice Sendak’s own life was clouded by the shadow of the Holocaust. He had said that the events of World War II were the root of his raw and honest artistic style.
Born in 1928 and raised in Brooklyn, Maurice Sendak said he remembered the tears shed by his Jewish-Polish immigrant parents as they’d get news of atrocities and the deaths of relatives and friends.
“My childhood was about thinking about the kids over there (in Europe). My burden is living for those who didn’t,” Maurice Sendak told the AP.
Maurice Sendak, his sister Natalie, and late brother Jack, were the last of the family on his father’s side since his other relatives didn’t move to the United States before the war. The only family member Maurice Sendak really knew on his mother’s side was his grandmother.
Maurice Sendak told the New York Times in 2008 that he was gay and had lived with his partner, psychoanalyst Eugene Glynn, for 50 years before his death in 2007.
He never told his parents: “All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew.”
Maurice Sendak didn’t go to college and worked a string of odd jobs until he went to work at the famous toy store FAO Schwarz as a window dresser in 1948.
But it was his childhood dream to be an illustrator and his break came in 1951 when he was commissioned to do the art for Wonderful Farm by Marcel Ayme. By 1957 he was writing his own books.
Maurice Sendak received the international Hans Christian Andersen medal for illustration in 1970. In 1983 he won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award from the American Library Association.
But it was Brundibar, a folk tale about two children who need to earn enough money to buy milk for their sick mother that Maurice Sendak completed when he was 75, that he was most proud of.
“This is the closest thing to a perfect child I’ve ever had.”
Maurice Sendak stayed away from the book-signing bandwagon that many other authors use for publicity; he said he couldn’t stand the thought of parents dragging children to wait on line for hours to see a little old man in thick glasses.
“Kids don’t know about best sellers,” he said.
“They go for what they enjoy. They aren’t star chasers and they don’t suck up. It’s why I like them.”
Isabella Cruise, the adopted daughter of Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, has always kept quiet about her private life – until now.
Isabella Cruise, 19, has revealed she has reunited with her adoptive mother Nicole Kidman.
The artist has not appeared in public with her famous Australian mother for many years but is adamant they don’t have a troubled relationship.
In an interview with New Idea magazine, Isabella rubbished allegations that she does not speak to Nicole Kidman.
Isabella Cruise said: “I love mom. She’s my mom. She’s great. I see her sometimes and I speak to her.”
She added: “We’re a very close family. I love all of our family.”
Isabella Cruise, 19, has revealed she has reunited with her adoptive mother Nicole Kidman
The new claims are in stark contrast to what Nicole Kidman, who is currently filming The Railway Man, once said about both her adopted children back in 2007.
Nicole Kidman told GMTV: “My kids don’t call me mommy, they don’t even call me mom. They call me Nicole, which I hate and tell them off for it.”
It was also widely reported at the time that Tom Cruise’s current wife Katie Holmes admitted Connor and Isabella called her “Mom” after just two years in their lives.
Katie Holmes said: “His first two children are incredible, really smart and kind. They call me Mom.”
Isabella Cruise decided to stay in her father’s Beverly Hills mansion when her parents divorced in 2001, but she has now moved into a apartment with her boyfriend.
She is rumored to be living in a small apartment with Eddie Frencher in Downtown Los Angeles’ notorious Skid row district.
They are both followers of Scientology and she unashamedly told the magazine: “We are very proud to be Scientologists.”
Isabella Cruise and Eddie Frencher, 23, made their public debut at her brother Connor’s birthday party in January.
They have been dating for some time but kept their relationship under wraps for months.
Ukraine has decided to postpone the 18th summit of Central European states planned for 11-12 May in Yalta after several of European leaders said they would boycott it.
Europe-wide concern about the treatment of jailed Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko prompted the boycott. Yalta was the 11-12 May summit venue.
Former PM Yulia Tymoshenko has chronic back pain and is on hunger strike.
The presidents of Germany, Austria, Romania and the Czech Republic were among those who cancelled their trips.
Ukraine has not set a new date yet. There is also a threat that leaders may boycott Euro 2012 football matches in Ukraine next month.
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Dykusarov said: “As a number of European heads of state cannot take part in the 18th summit of Central European states, Ukraine deems it necessary not to hold the summit on 11-12 May in Yalta.”
Ukraine has postponed the 18th summit of Central European states planned for 11-12 May in Yalta after several of European leaders said they would boycott it
Yulia Tymoshenko is in jail in the eastern city of Kharkiv and on Tuesday she refused to be moved to a local hospital.
She has alleged that prison guards beat her during a previous attempt to move her to hospital and her supporters released photographs showing bruises on her body.
Ukraine denies her allegations, including her claim that she is being punished as an act of political revenge by President Viktor Yanukovych.
Yulia Tymoshenko was jailed for seven years in October 2011 for abuse of office during her time as prime minister. She is an arch-rival of Viktor Yanukovych, whom she helped oust from power in the 2004 Orange Revolution.
Viktor Yanukovych had been elected president in a rigged election. However, in 2010 he staged a political comeback, defeating Yulia Tymoshenko in a new presidential election.
The world’s first driverless cars will soon be a reality on the roads of Nevada after the state approved America’s first self-driven vehicle license.
The first to hit the highway will be a Toyota Prius modified by Google, which is leading the way in driverless car technology.
Its first drive included a spin down Las Vegas’s famous strip.
Other car companies are also seeking self-driven car licenses in Nevada.
The car uses video cameras mounted on the roof, radar sensors and a laser range finder to “see” other traffic.
The first self-driven car to hit the highway will be a Toyota Prius modified by Google, which is leading the way in driverless car technology
Engineers at Google have previously tested the car on the streets of California, including crossing San Francisco’s Golden Gate bridge.
For those tests, the car remained manned at all times by a trained driver ready to take control if the software failed.
According to software engineer Sebastian Thrun, the car has covered 140,000 miles with no accidents, other than a bump at traffic lights from a car behind.
Bruce Breslow, director of Nevada’s Department of Motor Vehicles, says he believes driverless vehicles are the “cars of the future”.
Nevada changed its laws to allow self-driven cars in March. The long-term plan is to license members of the public to drive such cars.
Google’s car has been issued with a red license plate to make it recognizable. The plate features an infinity sign next to the number 001.
Other states, including California, are planning similar changes.
“The vast majority of vehicle accidents are due to human error,” said California State Senator Alex Padilla, when he introduced the legislation.
“Through the use of computers, sensors and other systems, an autonomous vehicle is capable of analyzing the driving environment more quickly and operating the vehicle more safely.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed on a deal with Israeli opposition Kadima party, avoiding the early general election he had sought.
Kadima’s recently-elected leader, Shaul Mofaz, is set to be named deputy PM.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu said their new coalition wanted a “responsible” peace process with the Palestinians and “serious” talks about Iran’s nuclear programme.
The move came as parliament debated its dissolution before an election Benjamin Netanyahu had planned for September.
Kadima is currently the biggest party in the Knesset, but recent polls have suggested the number of seats it holds could be halved.
The new coalition will have a majority of 94 – one of the biggest in Israeli history.
President Shimon Peres welcomed the deal as “good for the people of Israel”.
According to an outline of the deal, Kadima would back Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party in return for changes to the so-called Tal Law, which allows ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students to defer military conscription.
It was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in February.
PM Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed on a deal with Israeli opposition Kadima party, avoiding the early general election he had sought
Secularists say the Tal Law is unfair, but small religious parties – which are crucial to Benjamin Netanyahu’s present coalition – want ultra-Orthodox youths to continue to be allowed to opt for religious study over military service.
Labour party leader Shelly Yachimovich has condemned the deal, saying it is a “pact of cowards.”
“This is the most ridiculous zigzag in the history of Israeli politics,” she wrote on her Facebook page.
Four months ago Shaul Mofaz publicly called Benjamin Netanyahu a “liar”, saying he had leaked an inaccurate quote in his name.
In March, he publicly pledged never to join Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
In addition to becoming vice PM, Shaul Mofaz will also join Netanyahu’s inner circle – previously known as the Forum of Eight, and will become a member of the security cabinet.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing administration had been scheduled to remain in power until October 2013.
He earlier announced plans to bring elections forward after disagreements with a junior coalition partner.
Opinion polls suggest Likud could win at least a quarter of the Knesset’s 120 seats if the elections were held in the autumn.
The polls are not very accurate or trustworthy in Israel, but Benjamin Netanyahu is, by some stretch, the most popular politician.
Benjamin Netanyahu must be credited with leading one of the country’s most stable governments of recent times.
He says the main issues in any election would be, as ever, security, including now the threat from Iran, and relations with the Palestinians.
Painter Thomas Kinkade died of accidental acute intoxication from alcohol and an anti-anxiety medication, an autopsy report revealed late Monday.
The Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office reported Thomas Kinkade’s cause of death as “acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication” and manner of death as “accident”, according to NBC Bay Area.
Diazepam is the active ingredient in name-brand drug Valium.
The self-proclaimed Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade, whose works captivated millions of Americans despite the scorn of many art critics, died in April at his home in Northern California at the age of 54.
The coroner’s report also said the painter suffered from “hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease”.
In layman’s terms, Thomas Kinkade had high blood pressure and thickened artery walls in his heart due to high cholesterol.
The painter’s brother told the San Jose Mercury News newspaper that the painter had battled alcoholism for several years and suffered a relapse before he died.
Patrick Kinkade said his brother had been burdened in recent years by a separation from his wife, financial troubles and the low opinion of his work by critics.
The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office reported Thomas Kinkade's cause of death as “acute ethanol and Diazepam intoxication” and manner of death as “accident”
Thomas Kinkade was arrested for drunk driving in 2010, the same year his company filed for bankruptcy.
Art galleries reported a surge in sales of Thomas Kinkade’s paintings following his death.
Thomas Kinkade’s scenes of country gardens and pastoral landscapes led to a commercial empire that was said to fetch some $100 million a year in sales. The artist’s paintings hang in an estimated one out of every 20 homes in the United States.
A key feature of Thomas Kinkade’s paintings is their glowing highlights and saturated pastel colors. His works often portray bucolic, idyllic settings such as gardens, streams, stone cottages, and main streets.
The painter is notable for the mass marketing of his work as printed reproductions and other licensed products through his company The Thomas Kinkade Company.
The prices of his painting’s range from $200 to more than $10,000.
“Thomas Kinkade, the celebrated <<Painter of Light>> is one of the most widely collected and beloved artists of our day,“ his official website says.
“Each year millions of people are drawn to the luminous light and tranquil mood of Kinkade’s paintings and include his creations in their lives through prints, books, and other fine collectibles.”
The University of California Berkeley graduate was a devout Christian and has said his inspiration comes from his religious beliefs and that his work is intended to contain a larger moral meaning.
“I try to create paintings that are a window for the imagination,” Thomas Kinkade said on his website.
“If people look at my work and are reminded of the way things once were or perhaps the way they could be, then I’ve done my job.”
US officials say FBI has foiled a plot by al-Qaeda in Yemen to detonate an upgraded version of the failed 2009 “underwear bomb”.
The device was seized in the Middle East following a CIA operation in Yemen and is now being studied by the FBI.
Reports say no target had been chosen and no plane tickets purchased by the time the alleged plot was foiled.
Officials say there was never any risk to the public. It is not clear what has happened to the would-be bomber.
Peter King, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee of the US House of Representatives, said counter-terrorism officials had told him: “We don’t have to worry about him anymore.”
The officials revealed that the would-be bomber was alive, but would not say whether he was in foreign custody, Peter King added.
US officials said the device had been seized in an unspecified Middle Eastern country outside Yemen within the last 10 days.
“As a result of close co-operation with our security and intelligence partners overseas, an improvised explosive device (IED) designed to carry out a terrorist attack has been seized abroad,” the FBI said.
“Initial exploitation indicates that the device is very similar to IEDs that have been used previously by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in attempted terrorist attacks, including against aircraft and for targeted assassinations,” it added.
President Barack Obama was first informed of the plot in April, White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said, adding the device had not posed a threat to the public.
The plot, disrupted as a result of US co-operation with other unnamed intelligence agencies, appears to have been caught at a relatively early stage – after the making of the bomb, but before the public was put at risk.
Fahd al-Quso, a senior al-Qaeda leader, was killed on Sunday by a drone strike, behind the updated underpants bomb plot
“What this incident makes clear is that this country has to continue to remain vigilant against those that would seek to attack this country. And we will do everything necessary to keep America safe,” Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters on Monday.
Officials said it appeared that AQAP leaders in Yemen had instructed a suicide bomber to board any flight of his choosing to the US with the bomb under his clothes, but that he had been stopped before reaching an airport.
It is not clear who built the device, but officials said it shared some features with the bomb sewn into the underwear of would-be suicide bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.
The Nigerian was arrested when his device failed to explode fully while on a plane bound for Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.
A US intelligence official said the latest device bore the “hallmarks” of the 2009 underwear bomb, which was built by the Saudi militant, Ibrahim al-Asiri.
It seems it is an improved model, with a more effective detonation system; it has no metal parts and probably would not have been detected by most airport security magnetometers.
It is not even clear if it would have been found by the body scanners that have been installed in some US airports after that attempted attack three years ago.
Abdulmutallab’s “underwear bomb” was not detected during security checks at airports in Lagos, Nigeria, and Amsterdam before he boarded Northwest Airlines Flight 253 for Detroit.
On the flight, the bomb did not detonate fully and passengers had to put out the fire. He has been sentenced to life in prison.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said air security would continue to incorporate threat and vulnerability analysis, pre-screening and screening of passengers, as well as random searches at airports, air marshals and other unspecified security measures.
It added: “We have no specific, credible information regarding an active terrorist plot against the US at this time, although we continue to monitor efforts by al-Qaeda and its affiliates to carry out terrorist attacks, both in the homeland and abroad.”
News of the operation emerged shortly after the US marked one year since the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
It also comes one day after Fahd al-Quso, an al-Qaeda leader in Yemen, was killed by a US drone strike.
The US had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Fahd al-Quso’s capture or death.
The Yemeni government has stepped up its battle against AQAP since Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down as president in November.
However, the group and its allies still control large parts of the country.
Anthony Edgar “Tony” Sale’s life is to be commemorated with an award for the best computer restoration project.
British pioneering computer conservationist Tony Sale is best known for the mammoth project that resulted in the re-creation of the Colossus computer.
At Bletchley Park, the original Colossus cracked messages sent by Adolf Hitler’s generals during World War II.
The award will recognize the project that has made a singular engineering achievement in restoration.
Overseen by the Computer Conservation Society (CCS) and backed by Google, the award will seek out those projects carried out in the same spirit that Tony Sale brought to his work, said David Hartley, chairman of the CCS.
Anthony Edgar “Tony” Sale’s life is to be commemorated with an award for the best computer restoration project
Dr. David Hartley said the idea for the award emerged soon after Tony Sale’s unexpected death in August 2011.
“This has all been stimulated by Tony Sale,” he said.
“We hope it will be a fitting tribute to him.”
Prior to embarking on the Colossus rebuild, Tony Sale worked at the Science Museum and, with Doron Swade, drove the recreation of other pioneering computers and helped found the CCS. He was also involved in the campaign to save Bletchley Park and was one of the founders of the National Museum of Computing.
To be considered for the award, a restoration project would have to demonstrate how it advanced understanding of how older machines were built and worked, said Kevin Murrell, secretary of the CCS.
“Computer history gets lost very quickly and it can be a very forensic job to piece all the information together,” he said.
The design process and inner workings of relatively modern machines and game consoles were often not well known, he said.
“Tony Sale would expect to see good research and the understanding of the machine as well as a working replica built in either software or hardware,” he said.
Potential candidates for the award are the restoration of the PDP 1 at the Computer History Museum or the recreation of Konrad Zuse’s Z1.
Victoria’s Secret model Anja Rubik didn’t leave much to the imagination when she walked the up red-carpeted steps at the 2012 Met Gala.
Wearing an Anthony Vaccarello slinky silk dress, Anja Rubik gave viewers more than they bargained for with her hip-high split and cut-away chest holes.
The 28-year-old Pirelli calender model is no stranger to showing off her toned, thin frame, however her cream-colored dress also revealed her obvious lack of underwear.
Wearing an Anthony Vaccarello slinky silk dress, Anja Rubik gave viewers more than they bargained for with her hip-high split and cut-away chest holes
Paying tribute to Angelia Jolie’s right leg meme from this year’s Academy Awards, Anja Rubik turned heads and drew a few gasps with her jutting hipbones.
The dress’s gaping holes over her chest and lower abdomen areas added to the near-naked effect.
At one point during the red-carpet arrivals, Anja Rubik hugged fellow model Karolina Kurkova, and if it wasn’t for her strategically bent knee, an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction seemed more than likely.
This year Met Costume Institute Gala, held in New York last night, was all about who can sparkle hardest, as the celebrities slip into futuristic fabrics.
Gwyneth Paltrow had no problems, paying tribute to last night’s hostess Muccia in a stunning short and backless lilac-silver dress that was probably the most elegant outfit on the red carpet tonight.
Sparkle seems to work best when given a slant, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s Barbarella minimalism or Sofia Vergara’s sensational Marchesa silver lace column dress.
The color is so subtle it allows the drama of the lace and the sexy shape of the gown to really do the talking, and Sofia Vergara finished off her look with a bright, bright slick of fuchsia pink lipstick which sealed the deal.
In the gold corner, Cameron Diaz was a column of light in a retina-searing Stella McCartney gold dress which she paired, rather cheekily, with the hairstyle made famous in her 1998 smash hit movie, There’s Something About Mary.
And Jessica Alba offers a masterclass in how to really shine, without looking like a gaudy street hoarding.
She added a frisson of Hollywood glamour to her burnished gold Michael Kors dress, with gothic touches such as black nails and a vintage style Roger Vivier‘s Pilgrim Coeur clutch.
It transforms the timeless beauty into a pewter dipped antique goddess, while Mad Men’s Jessica Paré, breathtaking beauty though she is, false foul of an all over large sequin fabric that seemed to drown her gloriously dainty figure.
Camilla Belle in Ralph Lauren worked the trend with a gothic slant, just like Alba, and triumphantly her dark lips stood out on a carpet filled with fashionable peach pouts.
Sofia Vergara's sensational Marchesa silver lace column dress
Lana Del Rey, unsurprisingly, also jumped at the chance to mine this fusion of old school glamour and film noir stylings, and debuted darker colored hair with her Joseph Altuzarra outfit which featured a stunning cape.
Carey Mulligan went furthest on this space oddity, in giant sequins by Prada; this dress ran the gamut of metallic hues and perhaps worked best on the newly married beauty’s slender shoulders as the skirt flared out in a Judy Jetson style hoop that looked awkward on the willowy Brit.
Leighton Meester also opted for metallic Marchesa, this time in gold, it was a bold move from the Gossip Girl star but one that aged her as her youth became lost within the archaic gold filigree patterned lace and giant diaphanous ruffles.
Scarlett Johansson filled out her Dolce and Gabbana fishtale dress admirably, but it’s pale color blended into the actress’s skin too softly and she always shines more brightly in rich colors.
Renee Zellweger was a vision in Pucci, an surprise choice for the star who was expected to wear Caroline Herrera, but a masterstroke, as she looked incredible in the dramatic backless black gown which, yes you guessed it, had accents of gold.
Rihanna played it reasonably safe in Tom Ford’s applique crocodile, but her stunning figure proved to be her winning accessory.
Her hair was slicked back to showcase her incredible cheekbones, but that was the same look chosen by Rooney Mara and Gisele Bundchen to heighten their air of Victorian melodrama in detailed Givenchy lace and embellished satin respectively.
Other stars wore their black in a gothic style, which was easily the second most popular trend of the evening.
Cate Blanchett, peerless beauty as always, nailed the look in a ravishing dress by Alexander McQueen that was at both extravagant and strangely minimalist, giving her the air of an elegant raven.
Another black look was sleek, as best personified by Rihanna, but also showcased to great effect by Rosario Dawson in super-sexy Calvin Klein and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley flying the British flag in Burberry.
Emma Roberts, Katharine McPhee and Eva Mendes were good enough to eat in various shades of orange, while the in the minority (for once) ladies in red, Chelsea Clinton, Emma Stone and Milla Jovovich made the most of the scarlet hue.
Mad Men star January Jones put pop into pastel in her fresh yellow dress, while Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel was a hip shade of blue to Brooke Burke’s slightly soppy take on the color.
Christina Ricci and Lily Collins boldly refused to follow the crowd and wore daring individual gowns.
Christina Ricci donned an incredible number by cult designer Thakoon, that certainly marked her out from the crowd with it’s large bow any celebrity other than Ricci would’ve looked plain ridiculous, but she managed to pull it off, just.
Not so Lily Collins, who just didn’t look glamorous enough in her pretty Victorian-style Valentino gown.
Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Ronnie Wood wore their rock ‘n’ roll credentials on their suited sleeves, and Jagger had his designer girlfriend L’Wren Scott cheering up his arm, while Wood had theatre producer Sally Humphreys by his side.
According to a new study, Amish children raised on rural farms in northern Indiana suffer from asthma and allergies less often even than Swiss farm kids, a group known to be relatively free from allergies.
“The rates are very, very low,” said Dr. Mark Holbreich, the study’s lead author.
“So there’s something that we feel is even more protective in the Amish than in European farming communities.”
What it is about growing up on farms – and Amish farms in particular – that seems to prevent allergies remains unclear.
Researchers have long observed the so-called “farm effect” – the low allergy and asthma rates found among kids raised on farms – in central Europe, but less is known about the influence of growing up on North American farms.
Dr. Mark Holbreich, an allergist in Indianapolis, has been treating Amish communities in Indiana for two decades, but he noticed that very few Amish actually had any allergies.
Amish children raised on rural farms in northern Indiana suffer from asthma and allergies less often even than Swiss farm kids, a group known to be relatively free from allergies
As studies on the farm effect in Europe began to emerge several years ago, Dr. Mark Holbreich wondered if the same phenomenon might be found in the United States.
He teamed up with European colleagues to compare Swiss farming children and non-farming children to Amish kids in Indiana.
Amish families, who can trace their roots back to Switzerland, typically farm using methods from the 1800s and they don’t own cars or televisions.
The researchers surveyed 157 Amish families, about 3,000 Swiss farming families, and close to 11,000 Swiss families who did not live on a farm – all with children between the ages of six and 12.
They found that just 5% of Amish kids had been diagnosed with asthma, compared to 6.8% of Swiss farm kids and 11.2% of the other Swiss children.
Similarly, among 138 Amish kids given a skin-prick test to determine whether they were predisposed to having allergies, only 10 kids – or 7% – had a positive response.
In comparison, 25% of the farm-raised Swiss kids and 44% of the other Swiss children had a positive test, the researchers report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The study did not determine why the kids who grew up on farms were less likely to develop asthma and allergies, but other research has pointed to exposure to microbes and contact with cows, in particular, to partially explain the farm effect.
Drinking raw cow’s milk also seems to be involved, Dr. Mark Holbreich said.
The going theory is this early exposure to the diverse potential allergens and pathogens on a farm trains the immune system to recognize them, but not overreact to the harmless ones.
As for why the Amish kids have even lower allergy and asthma rates than the other farming kids, “that piece of the puzzle we really haven’t explained”, Dr. Mark Holbreich told Reuters Health.
He speculated that it could be at least partly a result of the Amish having larger families or spending even more time outside or in barns than people on more modern working farms.
Dr. Corinna Bowser, an allergist in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, said there’s also a possibility that inherited factors could play a role.
“The Amish are still of a limited genetic pool, I would assume, because they’re much more segregated than the Swiss kids are,” Dr. Corinna Bowser told Reuters Health.
Dr. Mark Holbreich said upcoming studies will further investigate the differences between the farming groups, with an eye toward designing possible interventions.
For instance, pregnant mothers or young children could be exposed to the mysterious factors that seem to protect farm kids as a preventive treatment, he explained.
“The goal is to try to find a way to prevent this allergy and asthma epidemic that western populations are facing,” Dr. Mark Holbreich said.
Kim Kardashian has been spotted sporting an eye-catching halterneck orange bikini as she hit the beach with older sister Kourtney and her two-year-old nephew Mason on a recent holiday to Mexico.
Kim Kardashian, 31, was not content to just spend the day sunbathing – instead trying her hand at bodyboarding in the warm sea.
And she certainly seemed to be taking to the sport like a duck to water, laughing as she cruised in to shore on her bright yellow board.
Kim Kardashian later let her hair down for a stroll down the beach, and looked pensive as she shielded her eyes from the sun.
The reality star later joined sister Kourtney and nephew Mason, carrying the little boy as she splashed around in the water.
At one point, Kim and Kourtney swung delighted little Mason along on the sands.
Mason was dressed in black swimming trunks and a black hat with orange detail which matched his auntie Kim Kardashian’s swimming costume.
Kim Kardashian sporting a halterneck orange bikini as she hit Mexico beach with sister Kourtney and nephew Mason
Kourtney Kardashian meanwhile, dressed her growing baby bump in a black swimsuit and sheer patterned wrap.
She kept herself protected from the sun in a straw colored hat with black ribbon.
The sisters were in Mexico to celebrate Kourtney Kardashian’s 33rd birthday last month, but were without Mason’s father Scott Disick.
However, the sisters were also joined by her friend Robin Antin who also tried her hand at bodyboarding.
Robin Antin, an entrepreneur, actress and choreographer, who founded girl group The Pussycat Dolls, wore a patterned blue and purple bikini to splash around in the surf.
Kim Kardashianis regularly seen at the gym near her home on Los Angeles, and the results were clear to see as she displayed her washboard stomach and toned legs.
She admitted last month that she is working out up to six times a week to keep her famous figure in shape and has been changing her diet for the better.
Kim Kardashian wrote via Twitter: “I’ve been trying to change my bad eating habits – slow process but its working. I feel so much better! Sugar, dairy & gluten free. HARD!”
She added: “I will have sweets every once in a while & dairy but this is a huge step for me! Its a lifestyle change but I’m loving it so far!”
Kim Kardashian clearly appreciated the break, while divorce proceedings from estranged husband Kris Humphries are still ongoing.
She yesterday spent three hours at her lawyer’s Los Angeles home.
Euro fell against the dollar and the pound on Monday following French and Greek election results, which cast doubt on European austerity plans.
Pro-bailout parties in Greece performed poorly, while Francois Hollande won the French presidency, promising to focus more on growth.
The euro fell as low as $1.295, its lowest since January, and dropped to three-year lows against the pound.
The main European stock markets fell early on before recovering.
In Germany, the DAX fell by more than 2%, but by mid-afternoon was only down by 0.1%.
In Paris, the CAC 40 recovered to trade up by 0.7%.
Athens shares fell by as much as 8.3%. In London, markets were closed for a bank holiday.
Euro fell against the dollar and the pound on Monday following French and Greek election results, which cast doubt on European austerity plans
In New York, the Dow Jones opened down by 0.3%.
The interest rates on some government debt has also gone up, indicating a fall in investor confidence. The yield in the secondary markets for Greek 10-year bonds has gone up from 20% to 22.2%.
Asian markets also fell, with the Nikkei in Tokyo dropping 2.8%. South Korea’s KOSPI shed 1.8% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng dropped 2.4%.
In Greece, the socialist Pasok party saw an unexpectedly poor result, while Syriza, which has opposed austerity measures, had a strong performance.
The result has cast doubt on whether the country’s policies that currently include large spending cuts, tax increases and state job losses, can continue.
“The knee-jerk reaction was a little strong, but there’s chaos in Greece, and [politicians] being against the deal that was already agreed upon is almost like progress being set back a year and a half,” said Scott Freeze, president of StreetOne Financial.
While the French result was expected, there is still concern about whether Francois Hollande will be able to work as closely with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy did.
The two were the driving force behind the eurozone’s fiscal compact.
Francois Hollande stood on a platform of promoting growth rather than concentrating on austerity.
“The global financial markets aren’t thrilled by the idea that France and Greece have voted for governments less willing to work with the Germans on a consistent approach to addressing their fiscal deficits,” said Dick Green at Briefing.com.
During the campaign, Francois Hollande pledged to renegotiate the fiscal pact in which European countries agreed to strict controls on their budgets.
But following his victory, and the defeat of the governing coalition parties in Greece, Angel Merkel said that the deal was “not up for grabs”.
“It is a matter of principle in Europe that following elections, be they in small or large countries, we do not renegotiate what’s already been agreed,” she said.
“Otherwise we could not work together in Europe.”
The ratings agency Standard and Poor’s, which downgraded France from its triple-A rating in January said the election result would have no immediate impact on its credit status.
“We will analyze the policy choices of France’s president elect and the new government, taking into account the outcome of the parliamentary elections in June,” the agency said.
“The chances are that the next move is going to be down. The chances are it’s going to be slightly earlier than it would have been otherwise, but the agencies themselves will have a measured response,” said Georg Grodski, head of credit research at Legal and General.
“There is still hope that Mr. Hollande will tone down some of his rhetoric and accept that you can’t fix an economic problem by living on other people’s money.”
Customs officials in South Korea have discovered thousands of pills filled with powdered human flesh coming from China, it was revealed today.
South Korea says it will increase customs inspections targeting capsules containing powdered human flesh.
The Korea Customs Service said it had found almost 17,500 of the capsules being smuggled into the country from China since August 2011.
The powdered flesh, which officials said came from dead babies and foetuses, is reportedly thought by some to cure disease and boost stamina.
But officials said the capsules were full of bacteria and a health risk.
“It was confirmed those capsules contain materials harmful to the human body, such as super bacteria. We need to take tougher measures to protect public health,” a customs official was quoted as saying by the Korea Times.
The powdered flesh, which officials said came from dead babies and foetuses, is reportedly thought by some to cure disease and boost stamina
The San Francisco Times reported that tests carried out on the pills confirmed they were made up of 99.7% human remains.
Inspections are to be stepped up on shipments of drugs arriving from north-east China, Yonhap news agency reported.
The Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said that capsules were being dyed or switched into boxes of other drugs in a bid to disguise them.
Some of the capsules were found in travelers’ luggage and some in the post, customs officials said.
Allegations that human flesh capsules were being trafficked from north-east China into South Korea emerged last year in a South Korean television documentary.
At the time China’s Health Ministry said it was investigating the claims raised by the programme.
Ministry spokesman Deng Haihua, quoted at the time in China Daily, said China had “strict management of disposal of infant and foetal remains as well as placentas”.
“Any practice that handles the remains as medical waste is strictly prohibited,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.
Experts have found that men and women in their 30’s are more dissatisfied with their sex life than any other age group.
Financial worries and the stress of caring for children leave them too listless for bedroom fireworks, a survey claims.
But they should not despair. The best sex apparently happens in the 50’s, while sexual confidence peaks between the ages of 60 and 69.
The Sex Census 2012, which involved almost 25,000 respondents, suggests that 25% of those aged 30 to 39 are unhappy with their sex lives owing to money worries and the demands of modern life.
In the same age group 35% said caring for babies and young children was having a negative impact on their sexual relationships as they were just too tired.
Low body confidence and depression also played a part in their lack of desire.
But as the respondents got older their satisfaction levels increased. Of those between 50 and 59, 52% said they had a good sex life, with only a fifth saying they were unhappy.
Experts have found that men and women in their 30’s are more dissatisfied with their sex life than any other age group
Moreover, at age 18 women rated their sexual confidence at only four out of ten, while those aged 60 to 69 rated theirs at six out of ten.
The survey was funded by British charity Relate and the Ann Summers shop chain.
Paula Hall, sex therapist for Relate, said: “We know from previous research that the thirties can be a difficult period for some.
“Pressures such as mortgages, children and work can really hit hard in this decade, but combined with the impact of a double dip recession, it creates a pressure cooker for our relationships and sex lives and naturally something has to give.
“This age group is always a tricky one. The pressures to have it all are well documented but it’s important that people don’t give up on their sex lives.
“The results tell us that this age group actually want more sex, so people need to take time to work out what’s stopping them.
“It could be a communication barrier, or it might be the fact that you aren’t putting time aside for each other – whatever it is, having an open discussion can help get your sex life back on track.”
One of the more surprising findings of the survey was that 19% of the 70-plus age group had used a social networking site to meet a stranger for sex, as opposed to 13% in the 50 to 59 age group.
Perhaps unsurprisingly the highest percentage (26%) to use a site such as Facebook or Friends Reunited were the 30 to 39-year-olds.
Jacqueline Gold, chief executive of Ann Summers, said: “We are all aware of the impact stress has on our lives, but it is interesting to see the negative effect it has on our sex lives.
“Sex is a hugely important aspect of relationships and communication is a major part of this.”
The non-profit Institute for Economics and Peace has released its U.S. peace index for the second-straight year.
According to 24/7 Wall St., the rankings were compiled based on five categories, including violent crime, amount of law enforcement and the ability to obtain small arms.
Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) founder Steve Killelea told 24/7 Wall St.: “In perfect states, there’d be no crime, therefore you’d have no need for police, nor would you lock anyone up.”
Steve Killelea said that because peace is not an exact science, the organization’s findings are based on several factors.
He told 247WallSt.com: “I don’t think there’s a single silver bullet which creates peace. I think it’s multi-dimensional and really complex. So, on that basis, we’ve pulled out the correlations.”
Louisiana was marred by its murder rate, which – at 11.2 per 100,000 people – is the highest among each of the 50 states.
Maine, which has been crowned the most peaceful state in the nation, had the lowest levels of violent crime, incarceration and police officers.
A state’s education system also comes into play in the IEP data, with education appearing to have the most impact on where a particular state wound up on the list.
High school graduation rates in particular had a striking effect on that state’s rank in the peace index.
Steve Killellea told the 24/7 Wall St.: “It is not so much the quality of education that matters for peace, but that states keep children in school and off the streets.”
The IEP, which is based in Australia, first released the U.S. peace rankings last year.
According to IEP, Maine has been crowned the most peaceful state in America, having the lowest levels of violent crime, incarceration and police officers
US sitcom actor George Lindsey, who found fame as petrol station attendant Goober Pyle on the Andy GriffithShow, has died at the age of 83.
The Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home in Nashville said George Lindsey had died on Sunday following a brief illness.
George Lindsey played Goober on the Andy Griffith Show from 1964 to 1968.
He went on to play the same character in Hee Haw from 1971 until it ended in 1993. His other TV credits included M.A.S.H. and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
US sitcom actor George Lindsey, who found fame as petrol station attendant Goober Pyle on the Andy Griffith Show, has died at the age of 83
“America has grown up with me,” George Lindsey said in an interview with the Associated Press in 1985.
“Goober is every man, everyone finds something to like about ol’ Goober,” he added.
In a statement released by the funeral home, Andy Griffith said: “George Lindsey was my friend. I had great respect for his talent and his human spirit.”
George Lindsey also appeared in several movies, including Cannonball Run II.
And he lent his voice to animation films such as Robin Hood, The Rescuers and The Aristocats.
George Lindsey began his professional acting career on Broadway in the musicals Wonderful Town and All American.
