Bobbi Kristina and Bobby Brown were spotted this week having lunch at a Time Square restaurant in New York.
Bobbi Kristina, 19, and Bobby Brown were joined by the singer’s longtime girlfriend Alicia Etheridge and three other friends at Blue Fin restaurant located in the W Hotel in the heart of Times Square.
According to Us Weekly eyewitness, the lunch lasted about 90 minutes, and Bobbi Kristina Brown as being none too thrilled to be there. She “was on her phone and texting a crazy amount. She didn’t seem too thrilled to be there, in all honesty.”
Bobbi Kristina and Bobby Brown were spotted this week having lunch at Blue Fin restaurant in New York
Bobbi Kristina Brown, who has been living in Whitney Houston’s Atlanta home, has been keeping out of the spotlight for the past few weeks after making headlines when she was seen holding hands and kissing Nick Gordon – the boy that Whitney informally adopted when he was 12 years old.
Bobbi Kristina is getting ready to make her acting debut in a new Tyler Perry sitcom.
Meanwhile, Bobby Brown, who is notorious for his legal woes, was recently charged with a DUI and could face up to six months in jail if convicted.
Bobby Brown, the troubled ex-husband of late singer Whitney Houston, has avoided jail for DUI after making a plea bargain with prosecutors.
Bobby Brown, 43, pleaded no-contest to a charge of driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.
In return prosecutors dropped a charge of driving under the influence, which would have carried a stiffer penalty.
According to TMZ, Bobby Brown was sentenced to 36 months of summary probation and one day in county jail, the latter of which he already served after his arrest.
In addition, the singer has to complete a 90-day alcohol program.
Bobby Brown was arrested last month in Los Angeles after cops noticed he was driving while talking on his cell phone.
And when he was pulled over, they said he strongly smelled of alcohol.
During his sobriety test Bobby Brown blew a 0.12 on a breathalyzer, which is legally drunk in California.
Bobby Brown has avoided jail for DUI after making a plea bargain with prosecutors
At the time, his lawyer, Tiffany Feder, said “everyone is innocent until proven guilty”, but did not deny he had been drinking.
After being arrested, Bobby Brown was taken to Van Nuys jail.
Officer Tiana Reed said: “We observed intoxication once Mr. Brown was pulled over.
“We put him through four sobriety tests, none of which he passed.
“He was arrested at 12:20 p.m. and booked into the Van Nuys jail.”
Bobby Brown already has a DUI conviction.
He was arrested in Georgia back in 1996.
Bobby Brown eventually pleaded guilty to DUI and served eight days in jail.
Meanwhile it has emerged Bobby Brown may be on the road to reconciling with his daughter Bobbi Kristina.
According to US Weekly, Bobby Brown and his daughter Bobbi Kristina spent some quality time together in New York on Tuesday.
A witness said Bobbi Kristina Brown had lunch with her father at upmarket restaurant Blue Fin, which sits in the heart of Times Square
They were joined by his longtime girlfriend Alicia Etheridge and three other friends.
But while their meal lasted around 90 minutes the bystander claims Bobbi Kristina “was on her phone and texting a crazy amount”.
“She didn’t seem too thrilled to be there, in all honesty,” the source said.
Lawyers portrayed Amy Pinto-Walsh, painter Thomas Kinkade’s girlfriend, as a ruthless gold digger who is out to “tear down” the late artist’s reputation and do irreparable damage to his family, in a restraining order granted by a judge yesterday.
The order against Amy Pinto-Walsh claimed she broke a confidentiality agreement by talking to reporters the morning Thomas Kinkade was found dead and threatened to reveal his business and personal secrets.
Thomas Kinkade’s bodyguard, Dean Baker, – who drove him around after he was caught drink driving – said the family had reason to fear Amy Pinto-Walsh because she was prone to “impulsive and erratic” behavior and once threatened to “tear Mr. Kinkade down”.
Dean Baker was quitted in court documents and said he was witness to her behavior when he accompanied them on numerous vacations.
“On one occasion Pinto-Walsh made a threat to Mr. Kinkade along the lines of “I will tear you down. I would expect Pinto-Walsh to disclose confidential information,” Dean Baker said in his declaration filed on April 8.
The order against Amy Pinto-Walsh claimed she broke a confidentiality agreement by talking to reporters the morning Thomas Kinkade was found dead and threatened to reveal his business and personal secrets
A close friend of the family and godmother to the Kinkade children, Linda Raasch, left a similar declaration saying she was concerned about amy Pinto-Walsh’s motives, according to the Mercury News.
Linda Raasch said: “I told her releasing private and confidential documents would cause great emotional distress. But she was unmoved by my entreaties.”
However, the artist’s brother, Patrick Kinkade, said Amy Pinto-Walsh was a “good and sweet person” and was surprised at the restraining order.
Patrick Kinkade told the Mercury News: “Amy was Thom’s girlfriend. They enjoyed each other immensely. She’s a good person, a sweet person. She cared about Thom.”
The request for the restraining order said: “This threat is not just a mean-spirited act of betrayal, but a calculated attempt to garner money and fame at the expense of the grieving Kinkade family, including his wife and four daughters.”
Though the painter had separated from his wife, Nanette Kinkade, about two years ago, their divorce was not finalized when he died three weeks ago of what is believed to have been natural causes.
Thomas Kinkade was said to have been planning on marrying Amy Pinto-Walsh as soon as the divorce was finalized. They had been dating for 18 months.
“Amy was already part of his circle of friends and that really enraged Nanette,” an unnamed source told Radar Online.
“Nanette was furious and humiliated that he not only cheated on her, but moved on so quickly and publicly with her.”
Nanette Kinkade didn’t make any attempt to hide her frustration either, as she filed a restraining order against artist’s mistress shortly after his death, wanting to stop her from breaching a confidentiality agreement she signed more than a year ago.
Thomas Kinkade’s estranged wife fears Amy Pinto-Walsh will attempt to sell her story and could release private family photographs.
Thomas Kinkade, the so-called Painter of Light, was one of the most successful artists in the U.S., but he struggled with alcoholism before his death at the age of 54, and split from his wife Nanette in 2010.
Li Xueming, also known as Bo Xiyong, Bo Xilai’s elder brother, has quit the board of China Everbright International, a Hong Kong-listed company.
Everbright said that Vice-Chairman Li Xueming had resigned to minimize any adverse impact on the company of media reports on his family background.
Bo Xilai’s removal has become China’s biggest political scandal in years.
“The board would like to take this opportunity to clarify that recent reports by the media on Mr. Li’s family background have no relationship with the normal business and operations of the company,” Everbright said in the statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
“Mr. Li has demonstrated dedication and diligence in serving the company during his tenure of directorship,” it said.
Li Xueming, also known as Bo Xiyong, Bo Xilai’s elder brother, has quit the board of China Everbright International
Bo Xilai, once tipped for China’s highest office, was removed from his role as Chongqing party secretary in March and suspended from all political office in April.
He is being investigated for “serious discipline violations”, Chinese authorities announced on 10 April and his wife, Gu Kailai, is being investigated in connection with the death of British businessman Neil Heywood.
Since then the lifestyle and political and business dealings of Bo Xilai and his family have come under intense media scrutiny.
According to its website, China Everbright International focuses on alternative energy and waste management.
The New York Times has recently reported that Bo Xilai ran a wire-tapping system that extended as far as China’s president Hu Jintao.
Citing “nearly a dozen people with party ties”, the New York Times said the disgraced Bo Xilai ran a wire-tapping network across Chongqing, where he was party chief.
His officials even listened to a phone call involving Hu Jintao, the paper said.
Chinese authorities have not mentioned wire-tapping in reports about Bo Xilai, whose wife, Gu kailai, is being investigated over the death of British businessman, Neil Heywood.
They are investigating Bo Xilai over “serious discipline violations”, while Gu Kailai has been detained as a suspect in the death of Neil Heywood, found dead in Chongqing in November 2011.
Chinese authorities say they believe Neil Heywood was murdered.
The New York Times has recently reported that Bo Xilai ran a wire-tapping system that extended as far as China's president Hu Jintao
Bo Xilai – a high flier once expected to reach the top echelons of office – has not been seen in public since he was removed from his political posts, in the biggest political shake-up in China in years.
Bo Xilai’s wire-tapping operation began several years ago as part of an anti-crime campaign in Chongqing, the New York Times said.
It was handled by Wang Lijun, the police chief whose flight to the US consulate in February signaled the start of Bo Xilai’s downfall, and expanded into targeting political figures.
Last year, the paper reported, operatives were caught intercepting a conversation between the office of President Hu Jintao and Liu Guanglei, a top party law-and-order official whom Wang Lijun had replaced as police chief.
A conversation between Minister of Supervision Ma Wen, who was visiting Chongqing, and President Hu Jintao himself was also monitored, the paper said.
Authorities in Beijing found out and began investigating, straining the relationship between Wang Lijun and Bo Xilai.
The wire-tapping “was seen as a direct challenge to central authorities”, the newspaper reported, citing party insiders.
These new claims will add to the sense that this scandal has exposed deep rifts and mistrust at the very highest level of China’s Communist Party.
Also important were fears that Bo Xilai, seen as a divisive populist, could not be trusted if elevated to the highest levels in the party.
Bo Xilai’s fall from grace comes with China due to begin its once-in-a-decade leadership change in October.
Since the scandal erupted, the lifestyle and political and business dealings of he and his family have come under intense media scrutiny.
Bo Xilai’s brother has resigned as director of a Hong Kong-based company, a day after his son issued a statement defending his lifestyle.
Syrian activists say at least 70 people have been killed in an attack on a house in Hama.
They said several houses in the Mashaa at-Tayyar district in southern Hama were destroyed by a big explosion.
State media said 16 people died in the blast in a house used as a bomb factory by “armed terrorist groups”.
Meanwhile, a video has emerged which purportedly shows a man being buried alive by security forces, allegedly for sending material to TV stations.
The unnamed man, who is said to be a media activist, is seen pleading for his life as earth is shoveled over his head. He then goes silent.
The security forces are heard cursing him for receiving money for sending material to Arabic satellite TV stations.
Syrian activists say at least 70 people have been killed in an attack on a house in Hama
The video was leaked by sympathizers.
Following the blast in Hama, activists posted video on the internet showing a scene of devastation, with bodies being pulled from the rubble.
One report said 13 children and 15 women were among the dead.
They said the blast was caused by government shelling or even a Scud missile attack.
State television showed pictures of injured children in hospital and says that a group using the house to make bombs detonated them accidentally.
The reports cannot be independently verified owing to government restrictions on foreign media.
Continuing violence has been reported across Syria since a ceasefire was introduced earlier this month – including in towns where UN observers are present.
There are two observers currently stationed in Hama.
France now says the Security Council should consider the use of force in Syria if a UN-backed peace plan proposed by international envoy Kofi Annan fails to stop the violence.
The plan calls on Damascus to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from cities.
The UN has sent a small advance team of observers to Syria. Last weekend the Security Council approved the deployment of another 300.
The UN says about 9,000 people have died since pro-democracy protests began in March 2011. In February, the Syrian government put the death toll at 3,838 – 2,493 civilians and 1,345 security forces personnel.
Warner Bros. presented 10 minutes of 3D footage from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey at 48 frames per second at the CinemaCon 2012 convention in Las Vegas.
Director Peter Jackson said in a videotaped message that he hopes his movie can be played in 48fps in “as many cinemas as possible” when it opens December 14.
The Hobbit, the first major motion picture to be made at the higher frame rate, closed the Warner Bros. slate presentation Tuesday at CinemaCon.
The new film has been shot at a rate of 48 frames per second, compared with the industry standard of 24 frames.
Frame rate refers to the number of images displayed by a projector within one second. The cinema standard has been 24 fps for many decades. Jackson explained that in the early days of film, silent pictures were shown at an even lower frame rate – reducing the amount of film used – but it was bumped to 24 to support the requirements of sound.
However some attendees claimed the scenes looked like low-budget TV.
Warner Bros. presented 10 minutes of 3D footage from The Hobbit. An Unexpected Journey at 48 fps at the CinemaCon 2012
In a video introduction, Peter Jackson told the audience that using 48 frames per second produced a smoother image.
“The movement feels more real – it’s much more gentle on the eyes,” he said.
Peter Jackson said the new approach would take time to adjust to and some attendees agreed, branding the footage as a failure in digital technology.
The clips ranged from action sequences to quieter moments, including a dialogue sequence between Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and Gollum (Andy Serkis). The CinemaCon audience also saw the return of castmembers from the Lord of the Rings trilogy, including Ian McKellen (Gandalf), Cate Blanchett (Galadriel) and Orlando Bloom (Legolas).
The Los Angeles Times said the footage was “hyper-realistic”: “An opening aerial shot of dramatic rocky mountains appeared clearer than the images in most nature documentaries.
“But the effect was different when applied to scenes with actors dressed in period costume, whose every move – and pore – was crystal clear,” it added.
One projectionist told the newspaper it “looked like a made-for-TV movie”.
“It was too accurate – too clear. The contrast ratio isn’t there yet – everything looked either too bright or black,” they said.
However the Associated Press reported the footage was “vivid, with grass blades, facial lines and soaring mountains appearing luminous and pronounced. The actors looked almost touchable, as if they were performing live on stage”.
Other digital pioneers are making the same push for higher film speeds.
Avatar creator James Cameron has promised to shoot the sequel to his science-fiction blockbuster at 48 or 60 frames per second.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first chapter in Jackson’s two-part adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s fantasy classic.
The two films were shot back-to-back in 3D, with the second part, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, due in cinemas in December 2013.
On Tuesday, Sony announced that a software update for its digital cinema projection systems would support 48fps and be available in the fall. Sony expects the majority of its 13,000 installed 4K digital cinema projectors to support high frame rates by the time The Hobbit is released.
The Hobbit will also be available in 24 fps.
Peter Jackson’s Rings trilogy resulted in an estimated $2.9 billion at the global box office and a combined 17 Academy Awards.
According to a major safety review for the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA), there is still no evidence mobile phones harm human health.
Scientists looked at hundreds of studies of mobile exposure and found no conclusive links to cancer risk, brain function or infertility.
However, they said monitoring should continue because little was known about long-term effects.
The HPA said children should still avoid excessive use of mobiles.
It is the biggest ever review of the evidence surrounding the safety of mobile phones.
The study said exposure to low-level radio frequency fields was almost universal and continuous because of TV and radio broadcasting, Wi-Fi, and other technological developments.
A group of experts working for the HPA looked at all significant research into the effects of low-level radio frequency.
They concluded that people who were not exposed above guideline levels did not experience any detectable symptoms.
That included people who reported being sensitive to radio frequency.
Scientists looked at hundreds of studies of mobile exposure and found no conclusive links to cancer risk, brain function or infertility
They also said there was no evidence that exposure caused brain tumors, other types of cancer, or harm to fertility or cardiovascular health.
But they said very little was known about risks beyond five years, because most people did not use mobile phones until the late 1990s.
Prof. Anthony Swerdlow, who chaired the review group, said it was important to continue monitoring research.
“Even though it’s relatively reassuring, I also think it’s important that we keep an eye on the rates of brain tumors and other cancers,” he said.
“One can’t know what the long-term consequences are of something that has been around for only a short period.”
There has been speculation about the health effects of using mobile phones for years.
The HPA conducted a previous review in 2003, which also concluded that there was no evidence of harm. But there is now far more research into the subject.
The experts said more work was needed on the effect of radio frequency fields on brain activity, and on the possible association with behavioral problems in children.
They also called for more investigation into the effects of new technology which emits radio frequency, such as smart meters in homes and airport security scanners.
The HPA said it was not changing its advice about mobile phone use by children.
“As this is a relatively new technology, the HPA will continue to advise a precautionary approach,” said Dr. John Cooper, director of the HPA’s centre for radiation, chemical and environmental hazards.
“The HPA recommends that excessive use of mobile phones by children should be discouraged.”
Metropolitan Police in UK have issued a computer-generated image of what Madeleine McCann might look like now, as evidence into her disappearance are reviewed.
The picture, created with the McCann family, shows how Madeleine would look aged nine, the Metropolitan Police said.
Having analyzed the evidence, the Met said it is possible Madeleine McCann is alive, and they believe she was abducted.
Madeleine McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, was nearly four when she disappeared from a holiday apartment in Portugal in 2007.
On Tuesday, Det. Ch. Insp. Andy Redwood, who is heading the UK review, said his team was “seeking to bring closure to the case”.
The picture, created with the McCann family, shows how Madeleine would look aged nine
The UK review began last May after Prime Minister David Cameron responded to a plea from Madeleine’s parents Gerry and Kate.
The Metropolitan Police have been working in “close collaboration” with a senior investigating officer from Portugal’s Policia Judaria.
The review team has been compiling and reviewing material from three separate strands – the Portuguese investigation, inquiries by the UK law enforcement agencies, and the work of private investigators or agencies.
It is believed to be around 40,000 pieces of information equating to about 100,000 pages.
“The intention is to identify from that material investigative opportunities which we will then present to the Portuguese authorities who retain primacy for the investigation.
“Officers have so far identified around 195 such opportunities within the historic material, and are also developing what they believe to be genuinely new material,” said the Metropolitan Police.
The force said the objective of the team was to work with the Portuguese authorities with a view to having the case, closed since 2008, re-opened in due course.
DCI Redwood said: “From the outset we have approached this review with a completely open mind, placing Madeleine McCann at the heart of everything we do.
“We are working on the basis of two possibilities here – one is that Madeleine is still alive; and the second that she is sadly dead,” he said.
The Metropolitan Police have also appealed for anyone with new information to come forward.
Jessica Simpson is due to give birth any day now and she has taken to her Twitter page to announce she has been dreaming about her trip to the hospital.
Jessica Simpson, 31, still won’t be putting style on the backburner as she hopes that when the time comes, she’ll be dressed to impress.
She tweeted yesterday: “I just woke up from a dream that I wore a leopard caftan in the hospital. Fabulous!! Now I need to find one!”
Last week it was claimed that Jessica Simpson had already given birth but Jessica used the microblogging site to slam the rumors.
The star wrote: “To everyone who keeps congratulating me on the birth of my baby girl…I’m still pregnant!! Don’t believe what you read ladies and gents.”
Jessica Simpson still won’t be putting style on the backburner as she hopes that when the time comes, she’ll be dressed to impress
Jessica Simpson and her very large bump are frequently spotted out and about with fiancé Eric Johnson.
She has been upfront about her pregnancy and the cravings it’s brought about.
Jessica Simpson has revealed in a series of interviews that she is indulging in her favorite childhood foods.
Unlike some expectant mothers, she says she is not concerned about watching what she eats and is happy to “give into my cravings”.
Jessica Simpson is said to have put a grand baby weight loss plan in place after giving birth and has cited mother-of-two Jessica Alba as her post-baby inspiration.
She is rumored to be the next face of Weight Watchers for the slim down plan following the birth.
Canadian researchers, who examined the impact of the medications on the whole body, say common anti-depressants could be doing patients more harm than good.
Researchers at McMaster University examined previous patient studies into the effects of anti-depressants and determined that the benefits of most anti-depressants compare poorly to the risks, which include premature death in elderly patients.
“We need to be much more cautious about the widespread use of these drugs,” said study leader and evolutionary biologist Paul Andrews.
“It’s important because millions of people are prescribed anti-depressants each year, and the conventional wisdom about these drugs is that they’re safe and effective.”
Anti-depressants are designed to relieve the symptoms of depression by increasing the levels of serotonin in the brain, where it regulates mood.
The vast majority of serotonin that the body produces, though, is used for other purposes, including digestion, forming blood clots at wound sites, reproduction and development.
The researchers, whose study was published in the online journal Frontiers in Psychology, found that anti-depressants had negative health effects on all processes normally regulated by serotonin.
This included a higher risk of developmental problems in infants, problems with sexual function, digestive problems and abnormal bleeding and stroke in the elderly.
The authors reviewed three recent studies showing that elderly anti-depressant users are more likely to die than non-users, even after taking other important variables into account. The higher death rates indicate that the overall effect of these drugs on the body is more harmful than beneficial.
The higher death rates among anti-depressants users indicate that the overall effect of these drugs on the body is more harmful than beneficial
“Serotonin is an ancient chemical. It’s intimately regulating many different processes, and when you interfere with these things you can expect, from an evolutionary perspective, that it’s going to cause some harm,” Paul Andrews said.
Millions of people are prescribed anti-depressants every year, and while the conclusions may seem surprising, Paul Andrews says much of the evidence has long been apparent and available.
“The thing that’s been missing in the debates about anti-depressants is an overall assessment of all these negative effects relative to their potential beneficial effects,” he says.
“Most of this evidence has been out there for years and nobody has been looking at this basic issue.”
In previous research, Paul Andrews and his colleagues had questioned the effectiveness of anti-depressants even for relieving depression. They found patients were more likely to suffer relapse after going off their medications as their brains worked to re-establish equilibrium.
Paul Andrews says it is important to look critically at their continuing use.
“It could change the way we think about such major pharmaceutical drugs,” he said.
“You’ve got a minimal benefit, a laundry list of negative effects – some small, some rare and some not so rare. The issue is: does the list of negative effects outweigh the minimal benefit?”
Locals in Hradok, Slovakia, are currently living in a fear of this tiny tearaway – whose fearsome fighting skills have seen it dubbed the Kung Fu Guinea Pig.
The pint-sized ninja terrified dog walker Marta Domotorova when it attacked her Hungarian pointer dogs during a stroll on heathland near her Hradok home.
With a series of spinning kicks and leaps the fearless rodent saw off both the hapless hounds as they tried to play with it.
Marta Domotorova said: “Bona started barking and Meggie wanted to sniff it. I guess it got pretty scared although both dogs are harmless and just wanted to play.
“But then they got pretty scared when the guinea pig started its Kung Fu chops.”
The pint-sized ninja terrified two Hungarian pointer dogs during a stroll in Hradok
Local wildlife experts think the furious furball is an escaped household pet.
One said: “It’s not the first time we’ve heard of this. These creatures are usually docile family pets but when threatened they will fight for their lives like any animal that thinks it’s been cornered.”
Others have questioned whether the guinea pig is actually a hamster and some cynics – believe it or not – have suggested the little critter’s flight may have had some digital assistance.
The Office for National Statistics in UK has announced that the country’s economy has returned to recession, after shrinking by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012.
A sharp fall in construction output was behind the surprise contraction, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction. The economy shrank by 0.3% in the fourth quarter of 2011.
Wednesday’s figure is an early estimate and is subject to at least two further revisions in the coming months. It is compiled using 40% of the data gathered for later revisions.
The UK economy was last in recession in 2009.
Prime Minister David Cameron said the figures were “very, very disappointing”.
“I don’t seek to excuse them, I don’t seek to try to explain them away,” he said at Prime Minister’s Questions.
“There is no complacency at all in this government in dealing with what is a very tough situation, which frankly has just got tougher.”
David Cameron said it was “painstaking, difficult” work, but the government would stick with its plans and do “everything we can” to generate growth.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said the figures were “catastrophic” and asked David Cameron what his excuse was.
“This is a recession made by him and the chancellor in Downing Street. It is his catastrophic economic policy that has landed us back in recession,” Ed Miliband said.
UK economy returns to recession after three years
The ONS said output of the production industries decreased by 0.4%, construction decreased by 3%. Output of the services sector, which includes retail, increased by 0.1%, after falling a month earlier.
It added that a fall in government spending had contributed to the particularly large fall in the construction sector.
“The huge cuts to public spending – 25% in public sector housing and 24% in public non-housing and with a further 10% cuts to both anticipated for 2013 – have left a hole too big for other sectors to fill,” said Judy Lowe, deputy chairman of industry body CITB-ConstructionSkills, said.
Some have questioned the validity of the ONS’s figures, particularly on the construction industry, which has been particularly volatile in recent quarters.
But Joe Grice, chief economic adviser to the ONS, said the construction data was based on a survey of 8,000 companies and had been carefully checked and double checked.
The latest figures supported the view that the economy had been “flattish” in the past few quarters, he added.
Over the last year and a half, the economy has fluctuated between quarters of growth and contraction.
Bank of England governor Sir Mervyn King has previously warned that the economy will continue to “zig zag” this year.
He had forecast growth in the first quarter but then a contraction in the second quarter, when the extra bank holiday for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is expected to reduce output.
“It is clearly not good news, the missing link in the economy has been confidence,” said Graeme Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors.
“These are relatively small falls, so we shouldn’t be too alarmist.
“[But] regardless of the figures, it is the message that comes out to business – to be cautious – exactly when we want them to be a little more aggressive in terms of recruitment and investment.”
However, some pointed to other recent business surveys, which painted a more positive picture of the economy.
“These figures are at odds with the experiences of many UK businesses, which continue to operate with guarded optimism,” said David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce.
He added that he expected the preliminary estimate to be revised upwards when more information became available.
The estimate for construction output is based on published data for the first two months of the quarter, and an estimation for the third month.
But the ONS pointed out that, while there was “a tendency for upward revisions” to construction, March would need to be “exceptionally strong” in the construction sector to produce growth in the quarter.
The first estimate of GDP for the last three months of 2011 showed a contraction of 0.2%, which was later revised to a contraction of 0.3%.
US media report that Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is expected to suspend his campaign next week.
Newt Gingrich said on Wednesday that he expected Mitt Romney, who won five primaries on Tuesday, to be the Republican nominee.
The former House Speaker’s campaign had said it would reassess its future if he did not win the contest in Delaware.
Newt Gingrich has won only two primaries – South Carolina and Georgia – since the election season began in January.
He will reportedly hold his last campaign event on 1 May in Washington DC.
During a campaign stop in North Carolina on Wednesday, Newt Gingrich all but conceded.
“You have to at some point be honest about what’s happening in the real world as opposed to what you would like to have happened,” Newt Gingrich told supporters.
Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is expected to suspend his campaign next week
Newt Gingrich added that Mitt Romney “had a very good day yesterday. You have to give him some credit.”
He said he would continue to campaign for the next week as a “citizen”, adding he would discuss economic issues, such as high unemployment.
“We are going to stay very, very active and we are working out the details of our transition,” Newt Gingrich said.
“But I am committed to this party. I am committed to defeating Obama.”
Newt Gingrich was expected to go ahead with several scheduled campaign stops across North Carolina.
The former House Speaker had campaigned heavily in Delaware ahead of Tuesday’s primary, a state that Mitt Romney all but ignored.
But Newt Gingrich still lost the state’s vote by 30%.
Bob Walker, a Gingrich adviser and former US representative, said on Tuesday: “I don’t think we can lose by 30 points in Delaware and feel good about it.”
In December, Newt Gingrich confidently predicted he would become the Republican nominee, and for a time enjoyed high poll ratings.
Although he won his home state of Georgia and nearby South Carolina, Newt Gingrich racked up heavy losses as the primary season continued.
He had vowed to fight on, even as Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney’s main Republican challenger, suspended his own campaign earlier in April.
Following Tuesday’s wins, the Romney campaign will begin formally integrating with the Republican National Committee.
RNC chairman Reince Priebus said on Wednesday he had directed its staff to start communicating with Mitt Romney advisers.
Former Massachusetts Governor Romney’s delegate lead means it is impossible for any other candidate to capture the 1,144 delegates needed to secure the nomination at the Republican convention in August.
Oh Kil-nam, a retired South Korean economist, says his life was ruined by his decision to defect to North Korea.
Oh Kil-nam, 70, still does not know the fate of his wife and daughters – either dead or imprisoned in a labor camp.
In 1985, North Korean agents approached Oh Kil-nam and suggested he defect.
The agents offered him an important job working as an economist for the North Korean government and promised to provide free treatment for his wife’s hepatitis.
Oh Kil-nam took the offer seriously. He had just completed his PhD in Germany on a Marxist economist. Back at home in South Korea, Oh Kil-nam had been active in left-wing groups opposed to the country’s authoritarian regime.
His wife Shin Suk-ja was horrified by the idea of going to the North and opposed it from the start.
“Do you know what kind of place it is?” she asked.
“You have not even been there once. How can you make such a reckless decision?”
But Oh Kil-nam replied that the Northerners were Koreans too – they “cannot be that brutal”, he told her.
So at the end of November 1985, Oh Kil-nam, his wife and two young daughters travelled via East Berlin and Moscow to Pyongyang.
When they arrived at Pyongyang airport, Oh Kil-nam began to see he had made a mistake in coming. Communist party officials and children clutching flowers were there to meet them. But despite the cold of a North Korean December, the children were not wearing socks and their traditional clothes were so thin that they shivered.
“When I saw this I was really surprised and my wife even started to cry,” he said.
Communist party officials drove Oh Kil-nam and his family to what they described as a guest house. The building was inside a camp in the mountains and guarded by soldiers. There was no treatment for Shin Suk-ja’s hepatitis and no job for Oh Kil-nam as an economist. Instead, for several months, North Koreans indoctrinated them in the teachings of The Great Leader Kim Il-sung, the founder of the current regime.
Oh Kil-nam and his wife began working for a North Korean radio station.
“My wife began as a broadcaster but she was not able to carry on for long. Her health had deteriorated and at the same time she was quite critical of the North.”
Oh Kil-nam was less independent. “I began to read scripts based on party directives – in the end, I was like a parrot.”
Oh Kil-nam, now 70, still does not know the fate of his wife and daughters after more than 20 years
While he was there Oh Kil-nam came across South Koreans who had been abducted, including two air stewardesses and two passengers from a Korean Air Lines flight that had been hijacked by North Koreans in 1969.
Oh Kil-nam was approached to go on a mission abroad. He was to be based in the North Korean embassy in Copenhagen, from where he could do what had been done to him – lure South Korean students in Germany to the North Korean embassy.
When Shin Suk-ja heard about the plan she was furious.
“I remember the two of us talking about it softly under the blanket. I told my wife that by fulfilling this mission, we would preserve our livelihood in North Korea. But she slapped me in the face.”
His wife said they would have to pay the price for his mistakes – he could not entrap others.
“She told me I had to find a way to escape when I got to Europe, that there would be a way to rescue the family.”
On arriving at Copenhagen airport, Oh Kil-nam managed to escape from North Korean control. “I approached the immigration desk. I had a little piece of paper on which I had written: HELP ME. I explained that the passport they were seeing was not my real passport, that my real name was Oh Kil-nam, and that my real passport had been confiscated in North Korea.”
After two months in jail in Denmark, the Danish authorities sent Oh Kil-nam to Germany. There he tried to free his family, but with no luck.
“My biggest mistake was not to approach the German Foreign Ministry directly.”
Oh Kil-nam’s wife, Shin Suk-ja, and their daughters, Hye Won and Gyu Won
For Shin Suk-ja and her two daughters, Oh Kil-nam’s defection was catastrophic. They were taken to Yodok concentration camp, where the North Korean government imprisons its enemies. The conditions in this slave labor camp are reportedly as bad as anything in Nazi Germany or Stalin’s Gulag.
For a time, Oh Kil-nam heard nothing about the fate of his family. Then in February 1991 he managed to get six photographs of his wife and daughters and a tape cassette with a message from them.
“On the tape my daughters were telling me how much they missed me and my wife was saying that perhaps it would be OK for me to come back now.”
Oh Kil-nam suspected a trap. “North Korea was trying to stop me from heading back to South Korea because I had experience of working in its propaganda division. I knew a lot of its secrets, including the fact that many people from South Korea, who were kidnapped and taken to the North, were working there.”
But nonetheless the realization that he could not get back in touch with his family was devastating.
“By that time I had completely given up. My whole body was just broken down.”
In 1992, Oh Kil-nam returned to South Korea. “I felt that my death was not far away. I just wanted to be close to my brother and my sister on my death bed.”
Oh Kil-nam did not die but nor has he ever heard from his wife and daughters again. He does not know whether they are alive or whether they died in the prison camp.
“I do feel that I may be able to meet my family again, but it is just a hope, a glimmer of hope inside a dark tunnel.
“I hope there will come a day when I can meet my family again, hug them and embrace them, and cry tears of happiness. If it does happen it will be the happiest day of my life.”
The 2012 International German Beard and Moustache Championships have been held in Bad Schussenried.
Beards from around the world have travelled to Bad Schussenried and took part in 18 categories, including Imperial Moustaches, Dali Moustaches and Chin Beard Freestyle.
A total of 163 of the world’s most interestingly decorated faces paraded through the town before the competition got under way.
Beards from around the world have travelled to Bad Schussenried and took part in 18 categories, including Imperial Moustaches, Dali Moustaches and Chin Beard Freestyle
A panel of seven judges marked each individual competitor and decided who would be crowned king in each category.
German-born Arner Bielefeldt proved to be a cut above the rest in the Full Beard Freestyle category.
Arner Bielefeldt said it was his reward for four months of “training” in his adopted home in California, USA.
The Full Beard category was the keenest contested, with 23 competitors keeping their chins up.
Although it was a close shave Herbert Dobner of Isny, Germany eventually won by a hairs breadth.
A confused driver has ended up trapping his car on the steps of Chaussee d’Antin-La Fayette metro station in Paris, after mistaking it for the entrance to an underground car park.
“There’s a sign saying <<Haussmann Parking>> right in front… I made a mistake,” the driver – identified only as Johan – told the AFP news agency.
Johan, 26, managed to brake in time to stop the vehicle, leaving the back wheels sticking out.
No-one was hurt in the incident, which immediately drew a crowd of onlookers.
The confused driver has ended up trapping his car on the steps of Chaussee d'Antin-La Fayette metro station in Paris
Many took pictures of the car – a Dacia Duster – stranded on the stairs at the Chaussee d’Antin-La Fayette metro station.
The driver was later asked by French police to do an alcohol test, which he passed.
A member of staff at a local restaurant was quoted by AFP as saying that a similar incident took place at the site about five years ago.
A British-Indian team of scientists have announced the discovery of a new species of limbless amphibian.
The animal was identified by accident in the Western Ghats area in the state of Kerala, South India.
The specimens were found inside moist soil after digging the shrub-covered bank of a mountain stream.
The creature – about 168 mm in length and pink in color – belongs to an enigmatic, limbless group of amphibians known as the caecilians.
Ramachandran Kotharambath, lead author of the report, said the animal was identified as a new species following extensive comparisons with other, similar examples from this amphibian group.
According to the researchers, specimens of the novel caecilian – named Gegeneophis primus – were collected during field works in two consecutive monsoons, first in October 2010 and then in August 2011.
They were discovered at a valley on a plantation in the Wynad district of Kerala.
The creature, about 168 mm in length and pink in color, belongs to an enigmatic, limbless group of amphibians known as the caecilians
The new finding was made as part of a longstanding research collaboration between the department of zoology at the University of Kerala and London’s Natural History Museum. The Central University at Kasargod in Kerala also contributed to the discovery.
The finding has been reported in the latest edition of the academic journal Zootaxa.
The wider distribution, natural history and habitat preferences of the species are yet to be determined.
The discovery of this species indicates that the caecilian amphibians might have great diversity all along the Western Ghats area said Ramachandran Kotharambath.
“The discovery on a plantation points out that these elusive animals are very vulnerable to anthropogenic activities and are living silently right under our feet,” he explained.
The new species do not face any immediate threat as long as the habitat structure is maintained, according to the scientists.
They also say that they need to know how far and wide this species is distributed and what are the habitat requirements.
Though these tiny amphibians are at least safe now, any major modification in the plantation structure could dangerously affect the species survival, said Ramachandran Kotharambath.
Co-author Dr. Oommen says the discovery was significant since the finding ended a hiatus of almost half-a-century.
“It highlights the fact that the knowledge of caecilian amphibians of the Western Ghats remains incomplete and in need of further study.”
Are you looking for the best vacation spots in the world? New York City and The Hamptons; Paris and Dublin; Australia and Japan are just a few of great places to vacation, but take a peek at the following 5 locations for families, couples and friends vacations.
Tilos, Greece
Photo by commons.wikimedia.org user Chrischerf
Tilos is one of the most beautiful yet overlooked islands off the coast of Greece. Their strict no hunting laws and lush greenery make it one of the most eco-friendly spots on earth. The city center is a vision by the sea, boasting cobblestone streets, quaint shops and vendors and amazing dining venues. Livadia’s Red Beach and Agio’s Pandelimonas, a festival held in an abandoned monastery, are two of the island’s biggest attractions.
Nautilos Restaurant and Omonia are excellent dining venues near the city center. Dream Island and Hotel Eleni Beach are also outstanding accommodations. Both are located on the beach, overlooking a stunning Tilos harbor. There is perhaps no view more beautiful than the one that these hotels offer.
Washington D.C., USA
Washington D.C. is the seat of democracy for the United States. It is often passed over in favor of flashy resorts or beachside hotels, but it is one of the most interesting and exciting places to visit in the world. Lincoln’s Memorial and the White House are just two of the amazing attractions to visit.
Looking for a great place to eat? Check out Zaytinya in downtown D.C. It’s great for all ages. The Oval Room is an elegant restaurant that is located near the White House. It’s a stunning D.C. dining experience. Two of the nicest hotels to lodge are the Four Seasons Washington D.C. and Palomar Washington D.C (A Kimpton Hotel).
Niagara-On-The-Lake, Canada
Photo by flickr user Ken Doerr
One of the lesser-known villages in Canada is Niagara-On-The-Lake. Located in Ontario, it is only a few minutes away from Niagara Falls. It provides stunning views of the lake and offers attractions like the Caroline Cellars Winery and the Horseshoe side of the falls. The weather is also very balmy and reminiscent of seaside temperatures.
La Toscani di Carlotta is a charming dining venue complete with horse and buggy. Visitors will enjoy wonderful service and great food. Cecile’s House is a restaurant that specializes in making French-style breakfasts. For stellar lodging, visitors should check out the Harbour House Hotel or the White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa. Niagara-On-The-lake is a beautiful location that you or your family will never forget.
Devon, England
Photo by flickr user PhillipC
Its name originates from the term, ‘Devonshire.’ Birthed during the early days of England, Devon today retains much of its quaint village-style traditions and ambience. One of their most popular attractions is the Dartmoor Zoo, which was actually turned into a movie idea by Matt Damon. The Woolacombe Beach is also popular with both locals and tourists.
The Galley in Topsham and The Orange Tree Restaurant in Torquay are two of the most wonderful places to dine during your visit. Both specialize in traditional European food. The Elmdene in Torquay and The Old Rectory Hotel in Marinhoe are also two of the finest hotels in the Devon region.
Hunstville, Canada
Hunstville is the perfect place to relish the fun of braving the wilderness. Arrowhead Provincial Park is downright beautiful. It is an outstanding area for camping. North Ridge Ranch also offers dog sledding. Rock Ridge Resort offers fun activities for children.
Spencer’s Tall Trees Restaurant and The Little Place by the Lights are two amazing eateries for locals and tourists to enjoy. The former specializes in comfy lumberjack food while the latter serves up great Italian fare. For lodging; check out the Tulip Inn or the Walker Lake Resort. Both are quaint and beautiful mountain-based resorts.
Taking a daily dose of aspirin could cut bowel cancer patients’ chance of dying from the disease by about a third, say experts.
The study published in the British Journal of Cancer looked at 4,500 bowel cancer patients living in The Netherlands.
All of the patients on aspirin were taking a low dose – 80 mg or less a day – something already recommended for people with heart disease.
But experts say it is too soon to start routinely offering it for bowel cancer.
A wealth of evidence already suggests aspirin might prevent certain cancers from developing in the first place. And more recent work suggests it might also work as a cancer therapy – slowing down or preventing a cancer’s spread.
But the drug can also have unpleasant and dangerous side effects, causing irritation of the stomach lining and internal bleeds in a very small minority of patients.
In the study, which spanned nearly a decade, a quarter of the patients did not use aspirin, a quarter only took aspirin after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, and the remaining half took aspirin both before and after their diagnosis.
Most of the patients on aspirin had been taking it to prevent cardiovascular disease-related problems like stroke or heart attack.
Taking a daily dose of aspirin could cut bowel cancer patients’ chance of dying from the disease by about a third
Taking aspirin for any length of time after diagnosis cut the chance of dying from bowel cancer by 23%.
The patients who took a daily dose of aspirin for at least nine months after their diagnosis cut their chance of dying from the disease by 30%.
Taking aspirin only after bowel cancer had been detected had a bigger impact on reducing mortality compared with when aspirin was taken before and after diagnosis – reducing death risk by 12%.
This may be because those who took aspirin and still got bowel cancer had a particularly aggressive form of tumor that did not respond as well to aspirin, say the researchers.
Lead researcher Dr. Gerrit-Jan Liefers, of the Leiden University Medical Centre, said: “Our work adds to growing evidence that aspirin not only can prevent cancer from occurring but if it is there it can help prevent it spreading.”
He said aspirin should not be seen as an alternative to other treatments, such as chemotherapy, but could be a useful additional treatment.
“It’s possible that some older people may have other health problems which mean that they are not well enough to have chemotherapy. Bowel cancer is more common in older people so these results could be a big advance in treatment of the disease, particularly in this group. But we need further research to confirm this.”
Dr. Gerrit-Jan Liefers said they now planned to hold a randomized controlled trial – the “gold standard” in medical research – to look at how well aspirin fared against a dummy drug in people aged over 70 with bowel cancer.
Aspirin
• Active ingredient is acetylsalicylic acid
• Used for many years as a painkiller
• Has an anti-inflammatory action
• Low-dose (75 mg) is already recommended for people with known cardiovascular disease to prevent stroke and heart attack
• Benefits for healthy people are still unclear
• Can cause fatal internal bleeding, although this is relatively rare
Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee for the presidential elections in US, has vowed to take the White House from President Barack Obama and end four years of “disappointments”.
Speaking while racking up a series of primary night victories, Mitt Romney said a “new campaign” was beginning, heralding the start of the road to November’s vote.
“Hold on a little longer. A better America begins tonight,” Mitt Romney said.
Mitt Romney easily won primaries in Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
His claim to the Republican nomination is now unrivalled, with no serious challengers remaining in the contest.
With 14 primaries remaining, Mitt Romney has amassed an unbeatable lead in the race for the delegates who will formally crown him the Republican nominee at the party’s convention in late August.
Without competition in the remaining contests he is expected to cruise past the 1,144 delegates he needs to take the nomination.
Mitt Romney has vowed to take the White House from President Barack Obama and end four years of "disappointments"
Among the states still to vote are California and Texas, both heavily populated states with large hauls of delegates.
Just Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul actively remain in the contest.
Newt Gingrich, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, spoke in North Carolina as Tuesday’s results came in but gave few clues as to his future in the contest.
He had pinned his hopes on a strong showing in Delaware, but instead polled less than half of Mitt Romney’s total.
As the results began to come in on a night with the most electoral delegates at stake since Super Tuesday, Mitt Romney took the stage in New Hampshire, the site of his first primary win of the year.
He focused on the forthcoming general election campaign, saying America needed a new direction and a renewal of its greatness.
“Tonight is the start of a new campaign to unite every American who knows in their heart that we can do better,” Mitt Romney said.
“The last few years have been the best that Barack Obama can do, but it’s not the best America can do.
“Tonight is the beginning of the end of the disappointments of the Obama years and the start of a new and better chapter that we will write together.”
Mitt Romney accused the president of failing to deliver on his promises of “hope and change” made during his 2008 election campaign.
The average American is still feeling the pain of the economic collapse, Mitt Romney said. “It’s still about the economy… and we’re not stupid.”
Shortly after Mitt Romney’s remarks, Barack Obama took to the stage in Colorado, a state his strategists see as part of a potential route to re-election.
Barack Obama is making a three-state tour of campuses in Colorado, North Carolina and Iowa – all swing states set to feature heavily in November.
The trip is an effort to highlight the growing cost of higher education and, analysts say, revitalize his support among young voters who may have become disillusioned with the president since 2008.
Barack Obama stressed his humble background and said that the election in November would be about making education, and the nation as a whole, affordable for ordinary people.
His spokesman Ben LaBolt said in a statement that the choice between the two men was clear.
“The title for Governor Romney’s speech tonight should have been Back to the Future, because he has proposed a return to the same policies that got us into the economic crisis in the first place,” he said.
“Mitt Romney has spent the past year out on the campaign trail tearing down the president with a negative message that even Republicans who have endorsed him have criticized.
“This marks the end of that monologue. Now he must put his record and his agenda next to the president’s.”
Barber Osgerby, the British creative team behind the London Olympic torch, has won the prestigious Design of the Year award 2012.
The aluminum torch is perforated with 8,000 holes, each representing one of the torchbearers.
The winner was chosen from 89 entries and was presented at an awards ceremony at London’s Design Museum, which organizes the annual event.
Another Olympic design triumphed in the architecture category – the Velodrome.
Barber Osgerby, the British creative team behind the London Olympic torch, has won the prestigious Design of the Year award 2012
The Olympic torch relay will run for 70 days ahead of the London 2012 Olympics.
It will journey across the UK, taking in places such as Wells Cathedral, Cardiff Castle, Giant’s Causeway, Forth Rail Bridge, York Minster, Blackpool Tower and Windsor Castle.
Design Museum director Deyan Sudjic said the torch was “a triumph of symbolism and beauty”.
He added that it “demonstrates how design can celebrate traditional qualities in a modern manner”.
However the design has split critics and the public.
Times columnist Carol Midgeley defended the design: “I think it’s rather elegant, actually.”
But the Daily Telegraph asked readers to vote on whether it most resembled a torch, cheese grater, cigarette holder or wastepaper bin.
The fashion award went to Issey Miyake’s 132.5 collection.
Recent RCA graduate Kihyun Kim won the furniture prize for his balsa wood 1.3 Chair.
The 2012 Olympic Torch, along with the other shortlisted designs, is on display at the Design Museum until 4 July.
On the Design Awards jury were newspaper proprietor Evgeny Lebedev, Wallpaper editor Henrietta Thompson, Dutch designer Hella Jongerious and chairman of the Canary Wharf group, Sir George Iacobescu.
Self-proclaimed Painter of Light Thomas Kinkade left behind some warring women when he died nearly three weeks ago.
Though Thomas Kinkade had separated from his wife about two years ago, they were still in the process of getting divorced when he died of natural causes at 54.
New reports allege that Thomas Kinkade had planned to marry his live-in girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh, as soon as he was finally divorced from his first wife Nanette, with whom he had four daughters.
Thomas Kinkade and Amy Pinto-Walsh had been dating for about 18 months at the time of his death.
“Amy was already part of his circle of friends and that really enraged Nanette,” an unnamed source told Radar Online.
“Nanette was furious and humiliated that he not only cheated on her, but moved on so quickly and publicly with her.”
Nanette Kinkade didn’t make any attempt to hide her frustration either, as she filed a restraining order against his mistress shortly after his death.
She wants to stop Amy Pinto-Walsh from breaching a confidentiality agreement she signed more than a year ago.
Thomas Kinkade had planned to marry his live-in girlfriend, Amy Pinto-Walsh, as soon as he was finally divorced from his first wife Nanette
Nanette Kinkade fears Amy Pinto-Walsh will attempt to sell her story and could release private family photographs.
Thomas Kinkade was one of the most successful artists in the U.S., but he struggled with alcoholism before his death at the age of 54, and split from his wife Nanette in 2010.
He used to estimate that around one out of every 20 homes in America.
Thomas Kinkade’s estate – of which Nanette Kinkade is the principal trustee – has filed documents with a Santa Clara court seeking an injunction against Amy Pinto-Walsh, according to Los Gatos Patch.
Its attorneys argue that the painter’s mistress, who is still living in his mansion in Monte Sereno, California, is planning to disclose information which would breach a confidentiality agreement signed in February 2011.
The restraining order would ban Amy Pinto-Walsh from saying or doing anything which would make Thomas Kinkade, his wife or his business “appear in a negative light or false light”.
Amy Pinto-Walsh would also be prevented from writing or contributing to any sort of book, article or other publication about the late artist.
In particular, the lawsuit seeks to stop her divulging personal information which she found out “as a personal assistant and companion to Thomas Kinkade”.
While it is not clear what exactly prompted the legal battle, the suit alleges that Amy Pinto-Walsh told a family friend that she intended to sell the story of her relationship with Thomas Kinkade and release unseen photographs of the painter.
The suit continues: “The release of these items would be personally devastating not only for Mrs. Kinkade, but also for the family’s four daughters, who are grieving the sudden loss of their father.”
The family also fears that Amy Pinto-Walsh could jeopardize Thomas Kinkade’s business empire, which relied on the production of prints and reproductions as much as original paintings.
They say she had access to “trade secrets” such as the artist’s painting techniques and computer programmes, and could try to sell them on to others.
Amy Pinto-Walsh, who had been in a relationship with Thomas Kinkade for 18 months before his death, told Los Gatos Patch at the time that the painter “had a heart condition”.
Nanette Kinkade’s lawsuit cites this revelation of a “non-public health condition” as one breach of Amy Pinto-Walsh’s confidentiality agreement.
The suit also says that Thomas Kinkade died on the night of April 5, which contradicts previous reports that he was found dead the next morning.
While the artist was phenomenally successful and extremely wealthy, Thomas Kinkade apparently suffered from a drinking problem throughout much of his life, and in June 2010 was arrested for DUI.
Thomas Kinkade was also saddened by constant attacks on the quality of his work by art critics, and devastated by his divorce from Nanette.
William Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well has a co-author, according to a research from Oxford University academics.
Thomas Middleton has been revealed as the most likely co-author, according to in-depth analysis of the play’s vocabulary, rhyming, style and grammar.
Professor Laurie Maguire says the latest literary research shows groups of writers working together on plays.
“The picture that’s emerging is of much more collaboration,” said Prof. Laurie Maguire.
“We need to think of it more as a film studio with teams of writers.”
This major study of All’s Well That Ends Well says that the most likely and logical explanation for differences in style and inconsistencies in the text is that it is the work of two authors.
Prof. Laurie Maguire says that a majority of plays written in this era had more than one writer – but the iconic status of Shakespeare has meant a reluctance to consider his work in this way.
She says she is “very confident” that there is “a second hand” in the authorship of the play.
The research by Prof. Laurie Maguire and Dr. Emma Smith, from Oxford University’s English faculty, suggests that the playwright Thomas Middleton, a contemporary of Shakespeare’s, appears to be the likely candidate.
Writers have their own distinctive literary “fingerprints” – a kind of stylistic DNA – and a highly-detailed analysis of the language in the play shows “markers” strongly linked to Thomas Middleton.
Thomas Middleton has been revealed as the most likely co-author of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well by Oxford University academics
The rhyming and rhythms of sections of the play, the phrasing, spelling and even individual words suggest the involvement of Thomas Middleton.
As an example, the word “ruttish” appears in the play, meaning lustful – and its only other usage at that time is in a work by Thomas Middleton.
The distinctive way that stage directions are used in places is much closer to Thomas Middleton’s style than to William Shakespeare, says the study.
There cannot be any definite conclusion to this kind of literary detective work – and the academics say there could be other candidates such as John Fletcher – but Prof. Laurie Maguire says there is an “arresting” stylistic match with Thomas Middleton.
Thomas Middleton, who lived between 1580 and 1627, was a Londoner, younger than William Shakespeare, and Prof. Laurie Maguire says his more modern grammar can be detected in the text.
Thomas Middleton became a celebrated writer – remembered for works such as The Changeling and Women Beware Women.
But Dr. Emma Smith says that his collaboration with William Shakespeare in about 1607 could be likened to an established musician working with a rising star.
The question of the authorship of Shakespeare’s plays has been a continued source of speculation and conspiracy.
Prof. Laurie Maguire says that there is no serious scholarship which challenges the idea that Shakespeare wrote the plays attributed to him.
But she says the latest research suggests a much more collaborative approach to writing plays for the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage.
Plays were written quickly and for a commercial audience – and there were often stables of writers who worked together to produce a play.
Writers within these teams had specialized roles, she says, such as people who were particularly good at writing plots.
Prof. Laurie Maguire says the cultural reverence for Shakespeare – so-called “bardolatry” – has helped to support the idea of the playwright as a creative genius, producing his works in isolation.
While much of Shakespeare’s writing is his work alone, she says that in All’s Well That Ends Well there is another writer – so much so that in places one author seems to be handing over to the other.
The play itself recognizes the mixing and matching of life.
“The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”
Or else, as it says later: “It is like a barber’s chair that fits all buttocks.”
Bo Guagua, the son of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai, has defended his lifestyle in an open letter to his university.
In the letter to the Harvard Crimson, Bo Guagua said he was “deeply concerned” about his family.
Bo Guagua, 24, denied he was a bad student, citing his grades, and set out how his education had been funded.
The whereabouts of his father are unknown and his mother is being investigated in connection with the death of British national Neil Heywood.
The removal of Bo Xilai, who was once tipped for China’s highest office, has become the country’s biggest political scandal in years.
Since Chinese authorities announced he had been sacked from his political positions earlier this month a stream of reports concerning him and his family have emerged.
Bo Guagua pictured with his father Bo Xilai and his mother Gu Kailai
Some reports have focused on the reportedly extravagant and well-funded lifestyle of his son, Bo Guagua, who is currently studying at Harvard University after completing his degree at Oxford.
Since the allegations against his family emerged, Bo Guagua has kept a low profile. But in the letter published on Tuesday on the Harvard Crimson website, he said he wanted to address recent media reports.
“I am deeply concerned about the events surrounding my family, but I have no comments to make regarding the ongoing investigation,” Bo Guagua wrote.
“It is impossible to address all of the rumors and allegations about myself, but I will state the facts regarding some of the most pertinent claims.”
His education, Bo Guagua said, had been funded by scholarships and his mother’s earnings as a lawyer. His grades, which he cited, had earned him his university places.
While at Oxford University he had taken part in social events and extra-curricular activities – but these were a “regular feature of social life” at university.
In China, Bo Guagua said, he had never participated in a for-profit business. And he did not drive a Ferrari, he said, addressing a specific claim.
The Wall Street Journal reported last year that Bo Guagua had arrived at then US ambassador to China Jon Huntsman’s residence to pick up his daughter in a red Ferrari.
“I understand that at the present, the public interest in my life has not diminished,” Bo Guagua said.
“However, I wholeheartedly request that members of the press kindly refrain from intruding into the lives of my teachers, friends and classmates.”
Benjamin Samuels, president of Harvard Crimson, said the statement came from Bo Guagua’s Harvard’s Kennedy School e-mail address, and that the team had then spoken to him via telephone to verify the statement was his.
Allegations against his parents emerged earlier this year after Chongqing’s police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in an apparent bid to seek asylum.
Chinese state media said Wang Lijun, who was once Bo Xilai’s right-hand man, had information concerning the death of British businessman Neil Heywood, who died in a Chongqing hotel in November 2011.
Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, is now being investigated in connection with the case, amid unconfirmed media reports that Neil Heywood was poisoned.
Bo Xilai has not been seen since his sacking was announced. It comes with China due to begin its once-in-a-decade leadership change in October.
