President Hamid Karzai called for NATO troops to leave Afghan villages and confine themselves to major bases after 16 civilians were shot dead by a U.S. soldier.
In a near-simultaneous announcement, the Afghan Taliban said it was suspending nascent peace talks with the United States seen as a strong chance to end the country’s decade-long conflict, blaming “shaky, erratic and vague” U.S. statements.
Hamid Karzai, in a statement after meeting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Kabul, said as a consequence of the weekend massacre, “international security forces have to be taken out of Afghan village outposts and return to (larger) bases”.
In advance of his visit an Afghan man who apparently targeted U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta in a suicide attack at Britain’s main base in Afghanistan died of his injuries.
The civilian had sustained severe burns after driving on to a runway at Camp Bastion at the same time as Leon Panetta was landing for a visit to U.S. troops and local political leaders.
International security forces have to be taken out of Afghan villages, said President Hamid Karzai after meeting U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Kabul
The US soldier accused of carrying out the shooting was attached to a small special forces compound similar to others around the country which underpin NATO’s anti-insurgent strategy ahead of a 2014 deadline for Western combat forces to pull out.
The incident has harmed relations between Afghanistan and the United States and “all efforts have to be done to avoid such incident in the future”, Hamid Karzai said on Thursday, warning it also had hurt the trust Afghans had in foreign forces.
The Sunday killings in Kandahar province on Sunday have raised questions about Western strategy in Afghanistan and intensified calls for the withdrawal of foreign combat troops.
The Taliban decision to suspend the talks was a blow to NATO hopes of a negotiated settlement to the war, which has cost the United States $510 billion and the lives of over 1,900 soldiers.
In a drastic makeover for the search engine, Google search will soon “answer questions” instead of just hunting words.
Google searches will no longer throw up a simple list of blue links – a huge change for the page that forms the world’s “doorway” to the web.
Within few months, the top of the Results page will be dotted with information that “answers questions” posed in Search.
The move echoes what Microsoft has done with its Bing search engine.
Bing is the second most-popular search engine in the U.S. – and built to deliver answers to questions.
“People today expect more than 10 blue links on a page,” says Microsoft.
Google has quietly amassed information on 200 million of “entities” – people, places, products – and the new version of search will feed users information about the “entity” they are searching for.
In a drastic makeover for the search engine, Google search will soon “answer questions” instead of just hunting words
Instead of relying on Wikipedia, for instance, to provide facts and figures, Google will provide this information itself.
In 2010, Google acquired FreeBase, a “knowledge graph” company – and has expanded its database of “entities” from 12 million to 200 million today.
Unnamed sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal said that the change – a dramatic shift for Google – would start to appear over the next few months.
Amit Singhal, a senior vice president at Google said in a recent interview that most searches rely on other sites to provide an answer – not Google itself.
“We cross our fingers and hope there’s a Web page out there with the answer,” says Amit Singhal.
Amit Singhal claims that the changes are part of an ongoing process which could take years.
The Wall Street Journal claims that the process will be much more rapid.
The new version of search will use what’s called “semantic search”, which attempts to understand the meaning of searches, rather than simply hunting for words.
Google still accounts for roughly 66% of the search market worldwide.
But the new, beefed-up version of search could keep the giant ahead of competitors such as Microsoft’s Bing, and enable the search engine to compete with Facebook, if the social network ever unveils its own search engine.
Yoda, the “world’s ugliest dog”, has died at 15, her owner announced today.
Yoda, a Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix, shot to fame in 2011 when she won the World’s Ugliest Dog contest in California.
When Terry Schumacher found Yoda she initially mistook the abandoned dog for a rat, but the animal went on to win a $1000 prize for her looks.
Yoda had short tufts of hair, a protruding tongue and skinny bald legs.
Yoda, the "world's ugliest dog", has died at 15
The dog, which died in her sleep on Saturday, only weighed 1.8 lbs (0.8kg) and lived a rough life before she was found behind an apartment building.
After the competition Yoda appeared on television and even featured in makeover show.
Terry Schumacher says she will miss “her funny little ways” but she is “comforted knowing she will be joining my Mom and Dad who loved her so much. Her memories will live on forever.”
Taliban militants in Afghanistan have suspended preliminary peace negotiations with the United States.
The militants blamed the Americans’ “ever-changing position”. One key stumbling block was reported to be US efforts to involve the Afghan authorities.
The group has objected to this, as they regard the Kabul government as illegitimate.
Meanwhile, President Hamid Karzai has called on NATO forces to leave Afghan villages after a US soldier killed 16 civilians.
According to officials, the priority for Afghan government was to avoid civilian casualties at any cost.
President Hamid Karzai told the visiting US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta that Afghan troops should take the lead for nationwide security in 2013.
President Hamid Karzai has called on NATO forces to leave Afghan villages after a US soldier killed 16 civilians
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Taliban said the talks should focus on a political office being established in Qatar and on a prisoner exchange.
They said they were suspending the talks because of “the shaky, erratic and vague standpoint of the Americans”.
US diplomatic sources say the Taliban were told by US negotiators that the Afghan government had to be a part of any negotiations.
The Taliban statement reiterated that the group “considers talking with the Kabul administration as pointless.”
Other conditions reportedly set by the US in the talks include accepting of the Afghan constitution – which the Taliban have rejected – and publicly denouncing al-Qaeda.
The Taliban’s suspension of the talks is a significant setback for efforts to begin peace talks with the insurgents.
It was thought that a deal to exchange five Taliban fighters currently held at Guantanamo Bay for a kidnapped American soldier was only weeks away.
The Costa Concordia’s bell is reported to have gone missing, two months after the ship ran aground off Italy.
An investigation has been launched into the disappearance, the Italian news agency Ansa reports.
The images of the Costa Concordia’s bell, taken underwater by divers soon after the vessel sank, became a well-known image associated with the disaster.
At least 30 people are believed to have died when the ship struck rocks near the Tuscan coast in January.
Soon after the Costa Concordia capsized, images taken by divers showed the bell still hanging in position on the wreck, but several metres under water.
The location of the wreck, off the island of Giglio, is considered a crime scene and is continually patrolled by coastguard launches.
This would make it almost impossible for any diver intending to loot the wreck to enter and steal the bell.
The images of the Costa Concordia’s bell, taken underwater by divers soon after the vessel sank, became a well-known image associated with the disaster
It is likely that if the bell’s disappearance is confirmed, suspicion will focus on the search-and-rescue teams, who have constant access to the wreck.
It would have been difficult to get the large, heavy and gleaming bell onto the shore unnoticed – and it is possible that it has simply dislodged itself, he adds.
The Costa Concordia lies half-submerged in a precarious position on an underwater slope, and is considered to be at risk of slipping further into the depths.
Costa Concordia’s captain, Francesco Schettino, denies accusations of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship before all those aboard were evacuated.
Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard, one of the biggest box office hits of the 1990’s returns to movie theaters this month celebrating its 20th anniversary in a special one-night in-theater event on Wednesday, March 28 at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard became one of the most popular hits of 1992, marking Houston’s acting debut.
Additionally, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album went on to become the No. 1 best-selling soundtrack of all time with nearly 12 million copies sold in the U.S., and the sixth best-selling album overall in the Nielsen SoundScan era. Featuring the hugely successful cover of “I Will Always Love You,” the album also launched four other hit singles for Houston: “I’m Every Woman,” “Queen of the Night,” and two Oscar nominated songs, “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You.”
Tickets for The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard event are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
Presented by NCM Fathom Events and Warner Bros., The 20th Anniversary of The Bodyguard event will be broadcast to more than 400 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.
Whitney Houston’s The Bodyguard returns to movie theaters to celebrate its 20th anniversary in a special one-night in-theater event on Wednesday, March 28
“When originally released, the story and unforgettable songs of The Bodyguard, captured the hearts of audiences everywhere,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of NCM Fathom Events.
“Through this special anniversary presentation, fans will be able to come together for one night and see it once more on the big screen.”
Directed by Mick Jackson, Kevin Costner stars as a former Secret Service Agent-turned bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston’s character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. The bodyguard ruffles the singer’s feathers and most of her entourage by tightening security more than they feel is necessary. Eventually the bodyguard and the singer start an affair, and she begins to believe his precautions are necessary when the stalker strikes close to home.
Warner Bros. will release The Bodyguard 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ on March 27. Special features include Whitney Houston’s well-known “I Will Always Love You” music video and “Memories of The Bodyguard,” a making-of documentary. Featuring director Mick Jackson, writer/producer Lawrence Kasdan, actors Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner and others, the cast and crew will discuss the story’s 17-year path to the screen, reworks of the script, how Jackson and Houston joined the production and more.
Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston’s mother, has reacted fiercely to the pictures and video showing granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and Whitney’s “adopted” son Nick Gordon in a romantic grip, and then kissing.
Cissy Houston, 78, told a close friend: “What they’re doing is incestuous.”
Bobbi Kristina’s grandmother feels her granddaughter has problems and Nick Gordon is taking advantage of her.
Cissy Houston has reacted fiercely to the pictures and video showing granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon in a romantic grip
Although Whitney Houston never formally adopted Nick Gordon, she considered him her son and Bobbi Kristina called him her brother. For his part, Nick Gordon called Bobbi Kristina his sister.
Cissy Houston is so concerned that Bobbi Kristina has become impressionable and therefore an easy target for Nick Gordon, she’s asking the Whitney Houston Estate to take legal steps to get him evicted from Whitney’s home in Atlanta, where Bobbi Kristina is also living.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon were seen showing some heavy PDA in Atlanta on March 13
Even though they have denied their romance, Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon definitely are still getting hot and heavy, they can’t deny the passion.
New pictures and video show Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina, 19, engaged in heavy PDA with her pseudo-adopted brother Nick Gordon, 22.
Bobbi Kristina was seen in a full-on lip-lock with Nick Gordon during a lunch run in Atlanta on Tuesday, confirming suspicions the two are romantically involved.
Nicholas Gordon has denied a relationship with Bobbi Kristina Brown, but the pair was just spotted making out and canoodling again in Atlanta
Nicholas Gordon has denied a relationship with Bobbi Kristina Brown, but the pair was just spotted making out and canoodling again in Atlanta.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon were seen showing some heavy PDA in Atlanta on March 13, TMZ reports.
According to HollywoodLife.com, Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon were spotted at Romeo’s New York Pizza in John’s Creek, Georgia.
Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon were seen showing some heavy PDA in Atlanta on March 13
Their lunch date was super-romantic, according to a source inside the restaurant, who also confirmed that they frequent the pizza place and are often seen around town.
“A few of my friends went to school with Bobbi and they definitely know her around here,” the source said.
“They were here Tuesday and Monday and they’re in here a lot.”
Furthermore, the source said that they do not hide their PDA at all.
“They’re always all over each other,” the source said.
“They don’t try to hide it at all. I’m surprised they’re saying that they’re not together.”
Whitney Houston unofficially “adopted” Nick Gordon into the family roughly 10 years ago after learning he was having problems at home. He’s been living with the Houstons ever since.
HBO has decided to cancel TV horse-racing drama Luck, which stars Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, after a third animal was injured and put down during production.
The series was filming its second season when the incident happened.
In a statement, HBO said it was “with heartbreak” that it was ceasing “all future production” on Luck.
Produced by Michael Mann and David Milch, the series looks at the seedy side of life in US horse-racing.
It sees Dustin Hoffman play a crime kingpin scheming to gain control of a racetrack and introduce casino gambling.
Luck debuted in the US in January and will see its first season finale broadcast on 25 March.
It is currently being shown in the UK on the Sky Atlantic channel.
HBO has decided to cancel TV horse-racing drama Luck, which stars Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, after a third animal was injured and put down during production
The decision to cancel the entire series came one day after filming was suspended pending an investigation into the horse’s death.
“It is with heartbreak that executive producers David Milch and Michael Mann together with HBO have decided to cease all future production on the series <<Luck>>,” HBO said in its statement.
“While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision.”
On Tuesday the American Humane Association (AHA) issued the suspension order, pending a “thorough and comprehensive investigation”.
HBO said the horse was being led to a stable by a groom when it reared and fell back, suffering a head injury.
The animal was put down at the track in suburban Arcadia, California, where Luck was filming.
Although the AHA – which oversees Hollywood productions – noted the accident did not occur during filming or racing, it issued the demand “that all production involving horses shut down”.
On Tuesday, California Horse Racing Board vet Dr. Gary Beck said he had just examined the horse as part of routine health and safety procedures before it was to race later in the day.
“The horse was on her way back to the stall when she reared, flipped over backwards, and struck her head on the ground,” Dr. Gary Beck said in a statement.
A second vet determined that euthanasia was appropriate, he added.
Dr. Rick Arthur, medical director of the state racing board, said such injuries occurred in stable areas every year and were more common than thought.
During filming of the first series in 2010 and 2011, two horses were hurt during racing scenes and were subsequently put down.
The AHA called for a production halt at the Santa Anita Racetrack after the second horse’s death, and racing resumed in February after new protocols were put in place.
The first two horse deaths drew criticism from animal rights group PETA, which said the safety guidelines were “clearly inadequate” as they failed to prevent the deaths.
On Tuesday, PETA vice-president Kathy Guillermo said: “Three horses have now died and all the evidence we have gathered points to sloppy oversight, the use of unfit, injured horses, and disregard for the treatment of thoroughbreds.”
US researchers have found that the examination of the back of the eye may offer an insight into the health of someone’s brain.
A small study, published in the journal Neurology, linked damage to the retina with declining brain function.
Researchers believe issues with the blood supply may be damaging both the eye and the brain.
The eye condition the researchers were looking at was retinopathy, which is common in patients with Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Damage to the retina can eventually lead to blindness.
Scientists followed 511 women, who were 65 or older, for a decade. Some 39 were diagnosed with retinopathy.
Those with the eye condition tended to have lower scores in tests of brain function, including memory and abstract reasoning exams.
The eye condition the researchers were looking at was retinopathy, which is common in patients with Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure
Brain scans also showed up more areas of damaged brain tissue, ischemic lesions, in those with retinopathy.
Dr. Mary Haan, from the University of California, San Francisco, said: “Problems with the tiny blood vessels in the eye may be a sign that there are also problems with the blood vessels in the brain that can lead to cognitive problems.
“This could be very useful if simple eye screening could give us an early indication that people might be at risk of problems with their brain health and functioning.”
There was only a small number of patients with retinopathy in the study. Much larger studies would be needed to see if the findings could be used as a clinical test for declining brain function.
While there was no suggestion of dementia in the patients, brain decline can be an early sign of the disease.
Dr. Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, who was not involved in the research, said: “Accurate early detection of the cognitive decline that can be associated with dementia could unlock our ability to treat it.
“This small study offers clues for another possible route doctors could consider when monitoring for the signs of cognitive decline.
“The study adds to mounting evidence linking vascular health to cognitive decline, and underlines the importance of looking after our hearts. It will be useful to see whether the people in this study went on to develop dementia.”
Bo Xilai, one of China’s most prominent politicians, has been removed from his post as Chongqing’s Communist Party leader, state news agency Xinhua reports.
Bo Xilai, 62, was a strong contender for promotion to China’s top rungs when the party changes its leadership later this year.
However, a scandal erupted when his former chief of police Wang Lijun spent a day at a United States consulate last month.
Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang will replace Bo Xilai, said the Xinhua report.
The move comes just a day after the end of the country’s annual parliamentary session, the National People’s Congress (NPC), where Bo Xilai’s absence from a meeting sparked speculations about his future.
After a long silence, Bo Xilai spoke last week about the incident involving ex-police chief Wang Lijun, answering questions from journalists at a meeting on the sidelines of the NPC.
Bo Xilai said he had not imagined Wang Lijun would run off. It came suddenly, he said.
“I feel like I put my trust in the wrong person,” Bo Xilai added, speaking at a meeting of Chongqing delegates.
Bo Xilai, one of China’s most prominent politicians, has been removed from his post as Chongqing's Communist Party leader
Wang Lijun has also been sacked from his job as deputy mayor of Chongqing, said another Xinhua report following the earlier announcement on Bo Xilai’s removal.
Wang Lijun’s visit to the US consulate in the city of Chengdu sparked rumors that he had intended to defect. State media reported that he was on vacation to recuperate from stress.
Wang Lijun, who led the crackdown on organized crime in Chongqing that propelled both him and his boss into the limelight, was later placed under police investigation for the incident.
Premier Wen Jiabao, answering a question at a news conference on Wednesday at the closing of the NPC session, said ”progress” had been made in the investigations, but did not reveal details.
He said local authorities must ”seriously” reflect and learn from the incident and that Beijing regarded this ”very seriously”.
Reactions to the brief announcement of Bo Xilai’s removal from his post in state media have been swift. The news spread quickly, prompting thousands of posts on the Sina Weibo microblogging site on Thursday morning.
“Swift and thorough! The ultra-leftish stronghold has finally come to an end. It’s a big fortune for China, a big fortune for the people!” posted a writer for Xinhua.com, Wang Ruogu.
“Bo Xilai might have his personal mistakes, what he has been pushing for might be problematic… but he has truly done a lot of great things for the people,” said another comment by a former journalist.
Bo Xilai is the nearest thing China has to a Western-style politician, correspondents say.
Like China’s leader-in-waiting Xi Jinping, Bo Xilai is the son of a famous communist hero, but he has gone on to forge his own unique public personality. Correspondents say the suave and charismatic Bo Xilai seems at home in front of the cameras and appears to enjoy pushing his policies in public.
Bo Xilai ran the big coastal city of Dalian and then became commerce minister, before moving to the post in Chongqing, a sprawling city in western China.
The remains of at least five individuals from a previously unknown human species have been identified in southern China.
The bones have been dated to between 11,500 and 14,500 years ago.
Scientists are calling them simply the Red Deer Cave people, after one of the sites where they were unearthed.
The team has told the PLoS One journal that far more detailed analysis of the fossils is required before they can be ascribed to a new human lineage.
“We’re trying to be very careful at this stage about definitely classifying them,” said study co-leader Darren Curnoe from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
“One of the reasons for that is that in the science of human evolution or palaeoanthropology, we presently don’t have a generally agreed, biological definition for our own species (Homo sapiens), believe it or not. And so this is a highly contentious area,” he said.
Much of the material has been in Chinese collections for some time but has only recently been subjected to intense investigation.
The remains of at least five individuals from a previously unknown human species have been identified in southern China
The remains of some of the individuals come from Maludong (or Red Deer Cave), near the city of Mengzi in Yunnan Province. A further skeleton was discovered at Longlin, in neighboring Guangxi Province.
The skulls and teeth from the two locations are very similar to each other, suggesting they are from the same population.
But their features are quite distinct from what you might call a fully modern human, says the team. Instead, the Red Deer Cave people have a mix of archaic and modern characteristics.
The Red Deer Cave people have a mix of archaic and modern characteristics, say scientists
In general, the individuals had rounded brain cases with prominent brow ridges. Their skull bones were quite thick. Their faces were quite short and flat and tucked under the brain, and they had broad noses.
Their jaws jutted forward but they lacked a modern-human-like chin. Computed Tomography (X-ray) scans of their brain cavities indicate they had modern-looking frontal lobes but quite archaic-looking anterior, or parietal, lobes. They also had large molar teeth.
Dr. Darren Curnoe and colleagues put forward two possible scenarios in their PLoS One paper for the origin of the Red Deer Cave population.
One posits that they represent a very early migration of a primitive-looking Homo sapiens that lived separately from other forms in Asia before dying out.
Another possibility contends that they were indeed a distinct Homo species that evolved in Asia and lived alongside our own kind until remarkably recently.
A third scenario being suggested by scientists not connected with the research is that the Red Deer Cave people could be hybrids.
“It’s possible these were modern humans who inter-mixed or bred with archaic humans that were around at the time,” explained Dr. Isabelle De Groote, a palaeoanthropologist from London’s Natural History Museum.
“The other option is that they evolved these more primitive features independently because of genetic drift or isolation, or in a response to an environmental pressure such as climate.”
Dr. Darren Curnoe agreed all this was “certainly possible”.
Attempts are being made to extract DNA from the remains. This could yield information about interbreeding, just as genetic studies have on the closely related human species – the Neanderthals and an enigmatic group of people from Siberia known as the Denisovans.
Whatever their true place in the Homo family tree, the Red Deer People are an important find simply because of the dearth of well dated, well described specimens from this part of the world.
And their unearthing all adds to the fascinating and increasingly complex story of human migration and development.
“The Red Deer People were living at what was a really interesting time in China, during what we call the epipalaeolithic or the end of the Stone Age,” says Dr. Darren Curnoe.
“Not far from Longlin, there are quite well known archaeological sites where some of the very earliest evidence for the epipalaeolithic in East Asia has been found.
“These were occupied by very modern looking people who are already starting to make ceramics – pottery – to store food. And they’re already harvesting from the landscape wild rice. There was an economic transition going on from full-blown foraging and gathering towards agriculture.”
Quite how the Red Deer People fit into this picture is unclear. The research team is promising to report further investigations into some of the stone tools and cultural artefacts discovered at the dig sites.
The co-leader on the project is Professor Ji Xueping of the Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
A new species of frog has been found living in Staten Island, New York City, say US scientists.
While new species are usually discovered in remote regions, this so-far unnamed type of leopard frog was first heard croaking on Staten Island.
Jeremy Feinberg of Rutgers University in New Jersey noticed the frogs there had a call he had never heard before.
They look identical to other species, but genetic analysis showed they are a new species of leopard frog that probably once lived in Manhattan.
While studying leopard frogs Jeremy Feinberg noticed that instead of the long “snore” he was expecting, he heard a short, repetitive croak.
“When I first heard these frogs calling, it was so different, I knew something was very off,” Jeremy Feinberg said.
While new species are usually discovered in remote regions, this so-far unnamed type of leopard frog was first heard croaking on Staten Island
The frogs are currently found in Staten Island, mainland New York, and New Jersey, sometimes in sight of the Statue of Liberty.
By analyzing their current range of habitats the scientists believe they would have lived all over New York, with the centre of their population at the Yankees Stadium on the Bronx, to the north of Manhattan itself.
The research by scientists at the University of California, Rutgers, UC Davis and the University of Alabama has been published online in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
“For a new species to go unrecognized for all this time in this area is amazing,” said Professor Brad Shaffer, one of the authors from the University of California Los Angeles.
“Many amphibians are secretive and can be very hard to find, but these frogs are pretty obvious, out-there animals,” Prof. Brad Shaffer said.
“This shows that even in the largest city in the US there are still new and important species waiting to be discovered that could be lost without conservation.”
There are more than a dozen species of leopard frog found from Canada to Central America.
Jennifer Lopez was seen on the set of her music video Follow The Leader yesterday in Mexico, alongside her male stunt double.
The pair struck remarkable similarities with both their physiques clad in tight black leggings and matching black zip tops.
The male extra even had his long brown hair braided at the side, just like Jennifer Lopez.
The stunt double watched intently as Jennifer Lopez hopped into the back of a pick-up truck for the music video clip.
Jennifer Lopez was seen on the set of her music video Follow The Leader yesterday in Mexico, alongside her male stunt double
Jennifer Lopez has been filming the clip for the last couple of days, and it hasn’t been just her male stunt double that has had his eyes on the gorgeous Latina lovely.
Casper Smart has been with his girlfriend on the Acapulco set since she filming started over the weekend.
He was seen sharing an amorous moment with Jennifer Lopez, staring into her eyes as he stood shirtless showing off his tanned and tattooed torso.
The back-up dancer also lovingly fed Jennifer Lopez some donuts in-between takes, whilst also indulging in the tasty treats.
In return Jennifer Lopez gave her beau a tight squeeze as she continued her grueling action-packed day of singing and dancing.
Stacy Francis, the former X Factor contestant who once had so much to say about her run-in with Whitney Houston is suddenly keeping her mouth shut.
Just days before Whitney Houston‘s tragic death, the pop icon had a physical altercation with Stacy Francis over her rumored on-and-off again boyfriend Ray J.
When the incident was brought up during Oprah Winfrey‘s interview with Patricia Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and best friend, she made no effort to hide the fact that something had in fact transpired between the singers.
“[Stacy Francis] was wherever Whitney was at the party,” Patricia Houston told the talk show queen.
“Whenever I turned around, there she was!”
Stacy Francis, the former X Factor contestant who once had so much to say about her run-in with Whitney Houston is suddenly keeping her mouth shut
Following the interview, HollywoodLife.com reached out to Stacy Francis’ legal representative, Ed Shapiro, for a comment.
He said: “Stacy called me last night and told me that if anyone wanted a response from her with regard to Oprah’s interview with the Houstons, to tell them, <<I have nothing to say>>.”
Then, on March 12, someone tweeted: “They giving @stacyfrancis hell LOL!,” presumably about the Oprah’s Next Chapter interview, which aired March 11 on Oprah’s OWN Network.
Stacy Francis replied moments later, saying: “actually they r not.. I really really don’t care.. That’s how it is when u know the truth..”
Bobbi Kristina Brown has broken her silence on Twitter for the first time since December 26 to admit her romance with Nick Gordon.
Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, and Nicholas Gordon, 22, are proud to be together.
“I’ve proved my loyalty to [Krissy] and the Houston family,” Nick Gordon tweeted on March 13.
“I don’t owe any of you anything. Ha I don’t even know y’all haters. And Kriss is doing really well, I’ve been so happy with her strength.”
Nick Gordon went on to say discuss that he is not blood related to Bobbi Kristina: “For the stupid ppl out there she gave birth to 1 child. And she trusted me with EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Bobbi Kristina Brown has broken her silence on Twitter for the first time since December 26 to admit her romance with Nick Gordon
Bobbi Kristina Brown tweeted for the first time in three months about her relationship with Nick Gordon. The 19-year-old retweeted tons of positive tweets about her relationship by fans.
“@ndgordon I don’t understand why the world is so against LOVE!!!” Bobbi Kristina tweeted.
“Let @ndgordon love and support @REALbkBrown! Stop hating people.”
Bobbi Kristina Brown also retweeted this comment from a fan: “@ndgordon its no ones business what you and @REALbkBrown do. If people don’t understand that’s their problem. Do what makes you happy.”
Earlier reports claimed that Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown has been dating Nick Gordon – Whitney’s unofficially adopted son – but now it sounds like their relationship may be further along than anyone thought.
A Houston family friend told Star magazine that Nick Gordon actually proposed to Bobbi Kristina on March 10 and she said yes.
The family friend says Nick Gordon is taking advantage of “vulnerable” Bobbi Kristina Brown, but his grandmother says he’s actually “very protective” of Whitney Houston’s daughter.
“Nick took care of Whitney and Kristina,” Nick’s grandmother Maxine Gordon told Star.
“He’s always been extremely protective of Kristina.”
A Houston family friend told Star magazine that Nick Gordon actually proposed to Bobbi Kristina on March 10 and she said yes
However, the family friend believes that Nick Gordon is only proposing to Bobbi Kristina because she is about to inherit Whitney Houston’s 10 million dollar fortune.
“Krissy said Nick is the only person she trusts in the world,” the friend reveals.
“He’s always been extremely protective of Kristina. [They] have blurred the boundaries between a platonic relationship and a romantic one for some time. They’ve even been sleeping in the same bed.”
The friend believes they’re both making a terrible mistake.
“Nick is getting her at her most vulnerable,” the friend says.
“If he really loved her, he’d back off the engagement and just be her friend.”
Nick Gordon and Bobbi Kristina recently took the Twitter to defend their controversial relationship.
Wanting to pick a baby name with meaning, Jessica Simpson makes a quirky, but cute, choice.
You’ll never guess what Jessica Simpson’s naming her daughter!
Choosing a baby name is difficult for any parents-to-be, but it’s especially challenging for celebrities in the spotlight like Jessica Simpson and fiancé Eric Johnson.
“They tossed around a lot of names, including some wacky ones like Zinfandel, but couldn’t agree on anything,” a family friend tells In Touch. But now they’ve finally chosen.
Wanting to pick a baby name with meaning, Jessica Simpson makes a quirky, but cute, choice
Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson have finally decided what they’re naming their baby-to-be: Maxwell!
“They’re going to call her Maxwell, Maxi for short,” the friend reveals.
But why Maxwell?
Maxwell is Eric Johnson’s middle name, and also his grandmother’s maiden name.
“Jessica wanted a name with meaning,” the friend says.
Jessica Simpson, 31, has been spotted out wearing a diamond “M” necklace in honor of the newcomer. The couple has even ordered monogrammed onesies for the baby, who is due on April 20.
“[Jessica’s] gained so much weight and the baby is so big that doctors pushed up the date,” the friend explains.
“Jessica and Eric are so eager to meet Maxwell!” the friend says.
Nick Gordon denies he is dating his “sister” Bobbi Kristina Brown, but he says they are “just close”.
Last week ,HollywoodLife.com reported that Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon were holding hands and kissing on the lips while shopping at Target near their home in Johns Creek, Georgia.
“We’re just close,” Nicholas Gordon told ABC.
“Just going through her mom’s passing and grieving together.”
On March 9, Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon were also spotted walking around Target and kissing on the lips and holding hands, which clearly showed the two are more than just friends.
Nick Gordon is not blood related in any way to Bobbi Kristina Brown, but Whitney Houston took him in 10 years ago when his dad went to prison.
Nick Gordon denies he is dating his “sister” Bobbi Kristina Brown, but he says they are “just close”
Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon have been living in Whitney Houston’s town home in Atlanta for years and they’ve even tweeted that they sleep in the same bed sometimes.
Plus, Nick Gordon’s grandmother told Star magazine that he is very close with Bobbi Kristina and took care of both her and Whitney Houston.
In a report put out by E! News, a source close to Bobbi Kristina Brown explained that Nick Gordon is a great person and friend and has always been supportive of the 19 year-old beauty.
The insider also dished that the pair first met when they were younger, when Nick Gordon explained to Bobbi Kristina that he wanted to enlist in the army after high school due to family problems – but, to avoid this from happening, Whitney Houston stepped in to take him in as her own son.
Since Whitney Houston fostered Nick Gordon, he has been the man of the house, and by the looks of his recent tweets, he feels the same way about this relationship.
Since the release of Bobbi Kristina and Nick Gordon photo together, there have been many controversial tweets and he is firing back, as he wrote: “All the haters that dont know us or th real story can’t un follow me. I don’t give a f**k.”
He also added: “Some ppl have no lives so they gotta be in ours.”
Whitney Houston’s adopted son also made his place in the family known, stating: “She called me her <<God Son>> I swear some ppl in this world act like they don’t have a brain…”
Nick Gordon closed out his defensive remarks by writing: “I’ve proved my loyalty to her and the Houston family. I don’t owe any of you anything. Ha I don’t even know y’all haters.”
Man vs. Wild’s Bear Grylls has been fired by Discovery Channel after he reportedly refused to work on two upcoming channel’s projects.
A Discovery Channel spokesperson told the Hollywood Reporter exclusively that they have ended their relationship with the wilderness guru.
“Due to a continuing contractual dispute with Bear Grylls, Discovery has terminated all current productions with him,” the spokesperson said.
Sources told the Hollywood Reporter website that Bear Grylls has been unwilling to participate in two upcoming projects, in violation of his contract.
British Bear Grylls, 37, has been starring in the series since 2006, and has travelled all over the globe, from Nambia to Zambia, and from the Arctic Circle to China.
The sixth season of the series wrapped up production last August.
The show documented the British adventurer’s travels as he made his way through some of the most inhospitable places on Earth.
While the news comes as something of a shock, Bear Grylls will hardly be scraping for his next project.
He has garnered something of a cult following for his blood-and-mud-covered adventures, and has several projects on the horizon.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that Bear Grylls’ memoir, “Mud, Sweat, and Tears” is due out in the U.S. this May. In the UK, it is already a best-seller.
On top of celebrity endorsements for brands like Dockers and Degree deodorant, Bear Grylls’ clothing brand is sold at Wal Mart and outdoor adventure store REI.
Man vs. Wild’s Bear Grylls has been fired by Discovery Channel after he reportedly refused to work on two upcoming channel’s projects.
Man vs. Wild show – aired as Born Survivor in the UK – ran into considerable controversy in 2007 when it was revealed that Bear Grylls and his camera crews would spend the night in hotels, rather than camping in the wild, as the show depicted.
The series was briefly taken off the air and returned with a disclaimer reading: “Bear Grylls and the crew receive support when they are in potentially life threatening situations, as required by health and safety regulations.
“On some occasions, situations are presented to Bear so he can demonstrate survival techniques. Professional advice should always be sought before entering any dangerous environment.”
Bear Grylls told the AP in 2008: “I think the new shows will reassure (fans). Everything is strong and double-checked. Discovery is so cautious of everything. If I so much as break wind on these shows, it’s acknowledged now.”
Bear Grylls said he slept in the hotel to spend time with his family.
The scandal wounded Bear Grylls’ public image as being a rugged survivalist, and he was publically lambasted by Les Stroud of Survivorman.
Les Stroud said before he ended his popular show that being in the wilderness was incredibly demanding on his mind and body.
“It takes a lot out of me as I really do what I do for real, with no camera crew, no nights in hotels like others do, and it takes a toll on my body,” Les Stroud told Reuters.
“I need to move on,” he added.
Bear Grylls has also come under fire for his surmounting wealth – the reality star owns and lives on a private island in Wales and owns properties in Malibu and has a house barge on the Thames.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Bear Grylls was not part of the network’s upfronts – the all-important week when television executives pitch their upcoming season programming.
Kim Kardashian remained uncharacteristically silent after Mad Men actor Jon Hamm referred to her as “a f***ing idiot” last week.
However, Kim Kardashian has finally spoken out and hit back at Jon Hamm’s comments, calling them “careless”.
Kim Kardashian, 31, took to her Twitter page to express her opinion over his choice words.
The reality star wrote: “Calling someone who runs their own businesses, is a part of a successful TV show, produces, writes, designs, and creates, <<stupid>>,is in my opinion careless.
“I respect Jon and I am a firm believer that everyone is entitled to their own opinion and that not everyone takes the same path in life. We’re all working hard and we all have to respect one another.”
Kim Kardashian has finally spoken out and hit back at Jon Hamm's comments, calling them “careless”
Jon Hamm referred to Kim Kardashian when he recently hit out at the cult of celebrity in an interview with April’s Elle UK magazine, saying that it made “idiots” like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian into millionaires.
“Whether it’s Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian or whoever, stupidity is certainly celebrated,” Jon Hamm told April’s Elle UK magazine.
“Being a f***ing idiot is a valuable commodity in this culture because you’re rewarded significantly.”
Jon Hamm referred to Kim Kardashian when he recently hit out at the cult of celebrity in an interview with April's Elle UK magazine, saying that it made “idiots” like Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian into millionaires
Jon Hamm added that the success of reality TV stars “doesn’t make any sense” to him.
The actor added that he also didn’t understand why blonde, skinny women have become the epitome of beauty by modern society, saying curvy women like his Mad Men co-star Christina Hendricks are more beautiful.
His comments come as the new series of successful TV show Mad Men, in which he plays womanizing advertising exec Don Draper, is due to air.
The fifth series follows on from his character’s shock proposal to his secretary Megan at the end of series four.
NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory captured a dark, planet-sized Death Star-like object flying close to the sun on Monday.
The black Jupiter-sized orb is briefly engulfed in light from the sun, then flies off into space.
A video edited from the Solar Dynamics Observatory’s photos inspired a wave of speculation on YouTube.
The imagery was captured by NASA’s space telescope and edited together by a YouTube user, Sunsflare, who challenged experts to explain the strange “visitor”.
Naturally, the space agency has a rather more ordinary explanation for the strange, black orb.
It’s not a visitor from another solar system – or a planet being born out of the surface of the sun, as others had speculated.
Instead, it’s a solar “prominence” or “filament” – a feature extending out from the sun which forms over the course of a day, and can extend hundreds of thousands of miles into space.
NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory captured a dark, planet-sized Death Star-like object flying close to the sun on Monday
Scientists are still puzzled as to why these features form. The “dark” parts are material cooler than the surrounding solar matter.
C. Alex Young, a solar astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre said, in a reply to Sunsflare’s video: “Filaments appear to be dark because they’re coolerin relation to what’s in the background. When you look at it from the edge of the sun, what you see is this spherical object and you’re actually looking down the tunnel.”
NASA says: “A solar prominence (also known as a filament when viewed against the solar disc) is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun’s surface.
“Prominences are anchored to the Sun’s surface and extend outwards into the Sun’s hot outer atmosphere, called the corona.
“Scientists are still researching how and why prominences are formed.
“An erupting prominence occurs when such a structure becomes unstable and bursts outward, releasing the plasma.”
NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory frequently captures the phenomenon – although often as violent eruptions, rather than the eerie sphere of this week’s activity.
“It is not uncommon for prominence material to drain back to the surface as well as escape during an eruption,” says Holly Gilbert a Goddard solar physicist.
“Prominences are large structures, so once the magnetic fields supporting the mass are stretched out so that they are more vertical, it allows an easy path for some of the mass to drain back down.”
ARM Holdings, one of the leaders in microprocessor Intellectual Property, has unveiled what it describes as the “world’s most energy-efficient microprocessor” design.
ARM Holdings says that microcontrollers based on the “Flycatcher” architecture will pave the way for the “internet of things” – the spread of the net to a wider range of devices.
It suggests that fridges and other white goods, medical equipment, energy meters, and home and office lighting will all benefit from the innovation.
Two companies have licensed the technology.
They are NXP Semiconductors and Freescale.
“It opens up all devices to the potential of being connected all the time,” said Freescale’s Geoff Lees.
“It’s allowing us to provide connectivity everywhere. So anything from consumer appliances, MP3-music audio docks, kitchen equipment with displays right through to remote sensors in rain monitoring equipment or personal medical devices – an area where ultra-long battery life allied to high performance and safety is becoming more and more important.”
The Flycatcher chip is the most energy efficient in the world and works on ultra-low power
The Cortex -M0+ architecture is designed to provide chip-makers with the means to build microcontrollers that require “ultra low power” but are capable of 32-bit processing.
ARM says it went back to the drawing board to create the new processor cores which measure 1mm by 1mm in size.
It says the microcontrollers should draw around a third less energy than their predecessors, which only offered 8 and 16-bit capabilities.
It adds that its design has been created to be a low leakage part – meaning it consumes almost no power when it is in sleep mode. The firm says that means devices can offer wireless connectivity when paired with modern bluetooth or radio equipment, offering years of life from a single battery-pack rather than months.
ARM’s director of embedded marketing Gary Atkinson says it could herald a new generation of smart energy systems.
“Every developed nation country has a graph showing electricity demand is going to outstrip supply at some point in the next 20 years unless we do something different,” Gary Atkinson said.
“What we need to do is something called design response – where all the devices on the network can make a decision as to whether or not to come on in order to smooth out peaks and troughs in electricity demand.
“So you should add connectivity to things like fridges, washing machines, freezers and dishwashers. If the wider electricity network is being very heavily used and if the element in your dishwasher could go off for two or three minutes to alleviate that – well then that would make a big difference.”
ARM says it expects the microcontrollers will sell for around 13-20 pence per device – and it will charge its clients about a 1-2% royalty fee from that price on top of a license charge.
Although the sums may appear small, the firm notes that Ericsson recently forecast there would be 50 billion connected devices by 2020 compared to 10-15 billion at present.
ARM says much of that growth will come from types of equipment that are not connected to the net at present – presenting the firm and its customers with a huge growth opportunity.
However the Cambridge-based company does not have the market to itself.
Arizona-headquartered Microchip Technology designs and builds a rival range of 32-bit “Pic” microcontroller, while California-based Atmel offers 32-bit “Avr” products.
Almost half of India’s 1.2 billion people have no toilet at home, but more people own a mobile phone, according to the latest census data.
Only 46.9% of the 246.6 million households have lavatories while 49.8% defecate in the open. The remaining 3.2% use public toilets.
Census 2011 data on houses, household amenities and assets reveal that 63.2% of homes have a telephone.
Analysts say the data show the complex contradictions of the Indian system.
They say the census reveals a country where millions have access to cutting-edge technology and consumer goods but a larger number of poor who lack access to even basic facilities.
About 77% of homes in the eastern state of Jharkhand have no toilet facilities, while the figure is 76.6% for Orissa and 75.8% in Bihar. All three are among India’s poorest states with huge populations which live on less than a dollar.
“Open defecation continues to be a big concern for the country as almost half of the population do it,” Registrar General and Census Commissioner C. Chandramouli said while releasing the latest data.
“Cultural and traditional reasons and a lack of education are the prime reasons for this unhygienic practice. We have to do a lot in these fronts,” he said.
Almost half of India's 1.2 billion people have no toilet at home, but more people own a mobile phone, according to the latest census data
The data also reveal that Indians now largely live in nuclear families with 70% of homes consisting of only one couple – a dramatic change in a country where joint families were always the norm.
The census figures also show changes in how people access information and entertainment.
More than half of population – 53.2% – has a mobile phone.
There has been a 16% rise in the number of homes with television sets, while the use of radios has declined by 15%.
The data show that 47.2% of households have a television while only 19.9% have a radio.
And the reach of computers with internet access is still miniscule, with only 3.1% of the population connected.
Bobby Brown earned a fortune after his album Don’t Be Cruel became one of the biggest hits of the 80’s, but now it appears he has fallen on hard times, as he was forced to use an airport shuttle bus in Los Angeles yesterday.
Bobby Brown, 43, also had to push his own luggage when he touched down at LAX airport with his current squeeze Alicia Etheridge.
It would be no surprise if Bobby Brown, who looked decidedly grumpy when he climbed on the bus, is struggling financially.
For it was revealed earlier this week Bobby Brown had claimed in court that possession he owned, which were kept in a storage facility he shared with ex-wife Whitney Houston, had to be auctioned off because they could not afford the bill.
Bobby Brown was forced to use an airport shuttle bus in Los Angeles yesterday, as he is struggling financially
In a sworn declaration submitted during their contentious divorce in 2007, Bobby Brown said the former couple had mounting cash worries.
He said: “It was no secret that I (as well as Whitney) had financial commitments we could not meet.
“In fact, just after the first of the year, our possessions held in storage were auctioned off due to a default judgement obtained for unpaid fees.
“Additionally, after Whitney and I separated I had no where to go and very little money to live on. I was for all intents and purposes, homeless.”
However, money troubles are not the only worries Bobby Brown will have on his mind at the moment.
For it has also emerged his daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown wants to change her surname to Houston and write him out of her life completely.
Whitney Houston left all of her estate to her daughter Bobbi Kristina, 19, and left nothing to her former husband Bobby Brown.
