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Beyoncé gave birth to baby girl Blue Ivy Carter

Lisa.Felice
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Beyoncé gave birth to baby girl Blue Ivy Carter

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have welcomed a baby girl – their first child, it has been reported.

Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter has been named Blue Ivy Carter, according to eonline.com.

It was reported that Beyoncé, 30, gave birth to her daughter by caesarean section at Lenox Hill hospital in New York last night and the website said “multiple sources” have confirmed the news.

Meanwhile, celebrities have already started tweeting their congratulations to the couple with Russell Simmons and Rihanna were among the first.

Russell wrote: “Congrats to my good friends Beyonce and Jay-Z.”

Rihanna posted: “Welcome to the world princess Carter! Love Aunty Rih.”

Beyoncé gave birth to her daughter Blue Ivy Carter by caesarean section at Lenox Hill hospital in New York last night
Beyoncé gave birth to her daughter Blue Ivy Carter by caesarean section at Lenox Hill hospital in New York last night

The New York Daily News reported that Beyoncé checked into the Upper East Side hospital under the name Ingrid Jackson.

Beyoncé, who was spotted out with her mother on Thursday night, is said to have booked out the entire fourth floor spending $1.3million.

While a spokesperson for the power couple was not available for comment security is said to have been tightened at the hospital.

Hospital workers are being asked to turn in their mobile phones and security cameras have been covered, according to the news site.

Baby rumors reached fever pitch on December 30 with reports that Beyoncé had given welcomed a daughter called Tiana May Carter.

It came after reports suggested that staff at St Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital – a private facility in New York – had been told to prepare for a VIP arrival.

However, Beyoncé’s sister Solange rebutted the rumors by telling fans that the singer had spent New Year’s Eve at her house party in Brooklyn.

The baby girl is the first child for Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z and the second grandchild for her parents Tina and Mathew Knowles.

Beyonce’s younger sister Solange, 25, has a 7-year-old son Daniel Smith JR.

The addition to the Knowles clan will be some welcome good news just weeks after her parents’ divorce became final.

Tina and Mathew had been married for 31 years.

Elder Efraim: ‘I am led into custody without any justification’

Diane A. Wade
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Elder Efraim: ‘I am led into custody without any justification’

Elder Efrem

This is what Elder Efrem said to the monks who met him to take his blessing according to agioritikovima.gr.

‘I am a monk and I have handed over my life to the hands of the Most Holy Lady from the beginning of my life’.

‘Most of the faithful perceive you as a confessor you is led into prison without any justification’ said the monks to him.

He replied: ‘From a young age I have given myself over to the Most Holy Lady. Where I am going now, I am also doing the same. Therefore, do not be scared. I have never pursued glory and neither have I done any heroic acts. Had I wished for these, I wouldn’t become a monk in the Holy Mountain. I have defended and will continue to defend the Holy Mountain and the property of our monastery which our forefathers have created’.

‘I am taken into custody without any justification’, he added.

 

via Pemptousia

The Holy Community of the Holy Mountain at the side of Abbot Efraim

Diane A. Wade
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The Holy Community of the Holy Mountain at the side of Abbot Efraim

 

The Holy Community of the Holy Mountain at the side of Abbot Efraim

Monday, 26 December 2011

Aimilios Polygenis

 

A few minutes ago, the members of the Holy Community of the Holy Mountain expressed their overwhelming support for Abbot Efraim of the Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi.

According to information, today, Monday 26 December, 2011, a delegation from the Holy Community of the Holy Mountain visited Abbot Efraim in his cell in the monastery.

The members handed over a letter of support to the Abbot, stressing that the entire Community expressed its unstinting confidence in and respect for his person.

In their letter, the Representatives of the Holy Monasteries of the Holy Mountain emphasized that the decision to place Abbot Efraim in preventative detention was an affront to the religious sensibilities of the people, the most holy Church and Athonite monasticism.

The letter reads as follows:

SEAL OF THE HOLY COMMUNITY

Ref. No. Φ. 4/5/3069

The Very Reverend

Holy Abbot

of the H. M. of Vatopaidi

Archim. Efraim

and the honourable brotherhood with him

therein

                        We embrace Your Reverence in brotherhood in the Lord.

It is with profound sorrow and great astonishment that we have been informed of the issue of an arrest warrant for the immediate preventative detention of Your Reverence.

It causes us and the whole Athonite world deep pain that this hasty issue and dispatch of the above arrest warrant should have occurred on the days leading up to the glorious feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as do the inexplicable haste and immediate mobilization of a powerful force of police and the urgent delegation of a prosecutor, in disregard of Athonite procedures, for Your arrest, as if it were the case of an extremely dangerous malefactor. These actions are an affront to the religious sensibilities of the faithful, of our most holy Church and of Athonite monasticism.

Holy fathers and brethren, we share your profound pain at this unprecedented tribulation and the cross you are bearing during these holy days, when your Spiritual Father, known from his youth for his love of the Church and monasticism, as well as his contribution over many years to Your Holy Monastery and the Holy Mountain in general, has been dragged away and taken into detention. His treatment has been an offence against the whole Athonite fraternity.

In sharing the pain of Your trial, we express through this present letter, sealed with Our stamp, the unanimous support of Our Holy Community, encompassing the holy Abbot with Our undivided respect, trust and genuine love in Christ.

We pray from the depths of our hearts that Our Lord, Who became incarnate for Our salvation, through the intercessions of Our Lady the Mother of God, the guardian of this Holy Place, will strengthen all of You, will bring this trial to a satisfactory conclusion and will disperse the shafts of the enemy and of those who are against the Church.

With much love in the Lord and with brotherly affection, we remain

All the Representatives and Stewards

of the twenty Holy Monasteries of the Holy Mountain of Athos.

12-year-old Jessica Joy Rees, the NEGU founder, lost her battle with brain cancer after 10 months

Kathryn R. Bown
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12-year-old Jessica Joy Rees, the NEGU founder, lost her battle with brain cancer after 10 months

12-year-old Jessica Joy Rees lost her battle with brain cancer on Thursday, few days after her parents wrote on their blog about how they were excited for a great 2012 and being confident that the girl would reach her goal of making 50,000 of her “Joy Jars”.

Joy Jars were filled with candy and toys for sick children.

Jessica Joy Rees’ parents were exploring other medical treatments in Europe and out of reach of the FDA and they continued to pray and encouraged others to do the same.

Unfortunately, Jessica Joy Rees died after 10 months and 2 days of battle with the cancer.

“We have prayed and prayed and prayed for sweet Jessie to be healed here on earth but God’s plan was to use heaven for healing,” the parents wrote on Facebook when Jessica Joy Rees died on Thursday.

“Jessie earned her wings today and is with Jesus now!!! No pain..complete vision…spreading joy,” the post continued.

Calling on friends and fans to pray for their family, Eric and Stacey Rees told of their continued plans to help advance cancer research after Jessie lost her 10 month and 2 day battle.

 

Jessica Joy Rees died after 10 months and 2 days of battle with the brain cancer
Jessica Joy Rees died after 10 months and 2 days of battle with brain cancer

 

Tens of thousands of people responded by posting updates to the page in a show of support that includes “likes” and prayers.

By Friday afternoon the outpouring surpassed Jessica’s goal to get one “like” for each of the estimated 50,000 American children with cancer.

“Thank you all for honoring Jessie by helping her reach her 50,000 goal today. We will NEVER EVER GIVE UP spreading hope, joy and love to kids fighting cancer. Jessie’s dream is now our destination!” Jessica Joy Rees’ parents wrote on her Facebook page shortly after she died.

Jessica Joy Rees, the Orange County seventh-grader, called “Jessie” by family and friends, began her blog and Facebook page after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in March.

A second tumor was discovered in September.

While some of Jessica Rees’ posts discussed her struggles as she underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments, others urged readers in dozens of countries to support pediatric cancer research and to pray for other children with the illness.

Jessica Rees always signed her posts with the acronym “NEGU” [NEE’-goo], short for “never ever give up.”

Also, Jessie Rees and her parents started The NEGU Foundation, a nonprofit organization to raise awareness of pediatric cancer, support sufferers and raise money for research.

The foundation sold and provided thousands of “JoyJars” stuffed with candy and toys to sick children.

More than 3,000 were sold and distributed in 27 states last year, according to the NEGU website.

Co-host Ryan Seacrest also allowed her to announce country singer, and eventual winner, Scott McCreery.

Jessica Rees wrote on Facebook that her mission was “to encourage kids fighting cancer to Never Ever Give Up by spreading hope, joy and love. A cheerful heart is great medicine.”

After a particularly hard day in November, Jessica Rees took to her website, jessicajoyrees.com to admonish her pain and focus on her love for all that she did still have in her life.

“I love spreading joy to kids with our JoyJars. I love reading all of the posts on Facebook. I love having so many people praying for me. I love that people are supporting NEGU and allowing us to help kids. I love my family and all of my new friends,” Jessica Rees wrote.

A celebration service was scheduled for Wednesday at the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, where her father, Erik Rees, is a pastor.

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Corey Feldman plans to reveal the names of two Hollywood paedophiles that abused him

Lisa.Felice
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Corey Feldman plans to reveal the names of two Hollywood paedophiles that abused him

Former teenage star Corey Feldman, who starred in some classic movies and became an 80’s Hollywood icon, admits he was preyed on by many men and he plans to reveal the names of two Hollywood perverts in a tell-all book.

On film sets such as The Goonies, Stand By Me and The Lost Boys, Corey Feldman, 40, claims to have been sexually abused by paedophiles.

The Dancing On Ice star explained how at age 14 he was being leached upon and used by men like vultures.

Corey Feldman told The Sun: “It was basically me laying there pretending I was asleep and them going about their business.”

The Canadian actor, who has been clean of drugs for 20 years, will write a book to chronicle all the abuse that he and other actors endured as children.

Corey Feldman decided it was time to open up about the seedy side of the industry after his Lost Boys co-star Corey Haim, 38, died and an agent was charged with child abuse.

He said that Corey Haim, who died from heart failure and pneumonia, was also sexually abused and the people who did it believe that they are above the law.

Corey Feldman says he and his Lost Boys co-star Corey Haim (right) were sexually abused as teenage actors
Corey Feldman says he and his Lost Boys co-star Corey Haim (right) were sexually abused as teenage actors

Corey Feldman feels Hollywood have used the pair as scapegoats and labeled them drug addicts and has-beens.

He said: “Even today people say about me, <<Eighties heartthrob; hasn’t done anything since>>. The truth is I haven’t stopped. Last year I did four films.

“Corey and I were pegged as the scapegoats… People need to know the reason Corey and I were swept under the carpet like the beaten dogs that were sent to the pound so no one had to deal with us anymore.”

The actor first spoke out about his troubled past last year and he believes that is the reason why an anonymous former child actor claimed he had been abused by talent agent Martin Weiss.

Corey Feldman said: ”I stood up and said there is a bigger problem, that I’d lost Corey and that I didn’t want to see any more kids lost to these sick perverts.”

Although Martin Weiss, 47, did not abuse Corey Feldman, he is still helping the detective in charge of the case with investigations.

Corey Feldman is aware of the danger he is putting himself and his family in by naming those who molested him but after losing his good friend Corey Haim he wants to protect his own son.

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Two-hour birthday party spent out in Dubai’s Cavalli Club totals $108,357.80

Diane A. Wade
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Two-hour birthday party spent out in Dubai’s Cavalli Club totals $108,357.80

A two-hour birthday party spent out in Dubai’s Cavalli Club managed to total a $108,357.80 bar tab (387,988 AED = Arab Emirates Dirham) according to the receipt published over Twitter this week.

The party took place at Cavalli Club on January 2 and featured a bottle of Cristal at $34,033 as well as a cheaper item of a $33 birthday cake.

Doubted by some viewers in authenticity, a manager of Cavalli Club confirmed that the receipt showed a figure regularly seen at their tables.

“Despite individuals and businesses feeling the effects of the downturn throughout 2011, Cavalli Club has seen high-spenders consistently frequent the venue,” David Lescarret, operations manager at the club told ArabianBusiness.com.

“Last year saw an average of two tables per month spend between AED 200,000 to AED 500,000 in one night, and we expect this trend to continue into the New Year,” David Lescarret said.

A two-hour birthday party spent out in Dubai’s Cavalli Club managed to total a $108,357.80 bar tab (387,988 AED), according to the receipt published over Twitter this week
A two-hour birthday party spent out in Dubai’s Cavalli Club managed to total a $108,357.80 bar tab (387,988 AED), according to the receipt published over Twitter this week

Other items on the guests’ receipt include one 3-liter Cavalli vodka at $1,347.70, two 3-liters of Cristal at $19,058.48, and 13 Roederer Cristals at $22,935.52.

It can be assumed that there was more than one person behind this bill but the manager of the club would not give specifics on their spenders.

Of the $108,357.80 total, the receipt reminded a 10% municipality and service charge fee would be added.

Those fees, together, would equal an extra $21,671.56.

 

World’s tallest suspension bridge opened in Mexico

Diane A. Wade
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World’s tallest suspension bridge opened in Mexico

Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge, the world’s tallest suspension bridge, was opened in Mexico Thursday, spanning a ravine higher than New York’s Empire State building and Paris’ Eiffel Tower.

Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge is 403 meters or 1,322 feet tall and connects between the northwestern states of Sinaloa and Durango in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains.

Officials with the Guinness Book of World Records were present as was President Felipe Calderon for the opening ceremony.

The world’s tallest bridge features four highway lanes celebrated for cutting transportation time between the two regions by an estimated six hours.

Without including the Empire State Building’s lightning rod, the bridge can easily fit its towering height from head to toe or the height of Paris’ Eiffel Tower which stands at 324 meters or 1063 feet.

Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge is 403 meters or 1,322 feet tall and connects between the northwestern states of Sinaloa and Durango in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains
Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge is 403 meters or 1,322 feet tall and connects between the northwestern states of Sinaloa and Durango in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains

After four years of construction, the Baluarte Bicentennial Bridge is priced at 2.18 billion pesos or 158.98522 million U.S. dollars.

The bridge is so named as the country celebrates it’s bicentennial independence from Spain which was in 1810.

The Durango-Mazatlan highway newly constructed to reach the bridge cost its own amount of over 20 billion pesos or 1.45858 billion U.S. dollars.

It had been deemed President Felipe Calderon’s most significant transportation project during his six-year term according to the country’s transportation ministry.

“With developments in infrastructure, we’ll continue to achieve the targets established during my term,” President Felipe Calderon said Thursday according to TheAge.com.

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27 faces of man’s ancestors, stretching back 7 million years, rebuilt by forensic anthropologists

James J. Williams
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27 faces of man’s ancestors, stretching back 7 million years, rebuilt by forensic anthropologists

Scientists have used forensic technology to recreate some of the most distant members of the human evolutionary “family”, ancestors stretching back seven million years, an presented the models at an exhibition in Dresden, Germany.

Forensic anthropologists created 27 model heads using fossil remains, and include a glimpse of sahelanthropus tchadensis, an ancestor dated to about seven million years ago, when our “hominid ancestors” first originated in Africa.

They use similar computer-assisted techniques to police teams attempting to reconstruct human remains – and the near-complete skulls of ancestors such as sahelanthropus tchadensis have allowed researchers to reconstruct lifelike faces of what ancestors might have looked like.

Salhelanthropus tchadensis dates to a time before humans and chimpanzees, our closest evolutionary cousins, became genetically separate, about seven million years ago.

“Using forensic anthropological methods, the various hominids were recreated not as characteristic ideals, but as individuals,” says the museum in Dresden.

“Each one tells its own story: where they lived, what they ate, their likely cause of death and much more.”

Salhelanthropus tchadensis dates to a time before humans and chimpanzees, our closest evolutionary cousins, became genetically separate, about seven million years ago
Salhelanthropus tchadensis dates to a time before humans and chimpanzees, our closest evolutionary cousins, became genetically separate, about seven million years ago

Some of the oldest spears ever found are also on display – dating back 400,000 years.

“There is little doubt that Africa is the cradle of humanity: this is where the most ancient remains of our ancestors were unearthed,” says the museum.

“The exhibition introduces you to the excavation sites in Africa where scientists are conducting research into the origins of mankind.

“Every step in the scientific process is clearly explained, showing exactly how conclusions are reached.”

Jason Derulo fractured his neck during rehearsal and cancelled the world tour

Lisa.Felice
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Jason Derulo fractured his neck during rehearsal and cancelled the world tour

R&B star Jason Derulo has narrowly avoided paralysis after falling directly on his head during a rehearsal for his world tour.

Jason Derulo, 22, was practicing a dance routine for his concert when the accident happened.

The singer landed badly and suffered an acute fracture to his vertebrae, miraculously avoiding paralysis.

Jason Derulo was rushed to a hospital in Pembroke Pines, Florida where he posted a photo of himself onto his Twitter page.

R&B star Jason Derulo has narrowly avoided paralysis after falling directly on his head during a rehearsal for his world tour
R&B star Jason Derulo has narrowly avoided paralysis after falling directly on his head during a rehearsal for his world tour

Doctors have ordered Jason Derulo to wear a neck brace for the next few months, meaning that he has had to cancel his world tour.

Jason Derulo told his Twitter followers: “I fractured my neck doing tumbling & acrobatics 4 tour!

“Always tryin 2 push boundaries 4 YOU!”

Perhaps in reference to his neck brace Jason Derulo then tweeted: “Like my new chain? ;)”

The singer later explained the injury to his fans on his Facebook page, saying: “My injury is called a <<Hang Man’s Break>> because it is the same bone that is broken when someone is hung!

“I am so blessed to still be here.

“95% of ppl [sic] with the same injury end up paralyzed or gone. Everything happens for a reason.

“Traumatic experiences can change you for the better.

“My outlook on life is so much clearer! Don’t forget what’s important.

“Life is short so do it today, tomorrow could be a day too late!”

Jason Derulo was preparing to kick off his Future History world tour, which was named after his album.

His world tour was supposed to begin in Glasgow on February 23.

Jason Derulo’s record label has issued a statement from him in the wake of the accident.

In the statement he says: “To all my fans who planned to come to the Future History world tour, the pain of letting you down cuts me way deeper than this injury I’ve sustained.

“My fans mean everything to me so I’m praying for a speedy recovery in order to perform for you in the near future.”

Jason Derulo has since been released from hospital.

“Bill Clinton had a scary appetite,” the former White House pastry chef remembers

Diane A. Wade
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“Bill Clinton had a scary appetite,” the former White House pastry chef remembers

Bill Clinton is known as a vegan now, though he was once a ravenous diner with an insatiable hunger, Roland Mesnier, the former White House pastry chef, revealed.

Roland Mesnier described former President Bill Clinton’s appetite as “scary” saying:

“He could eat five or six pork chops in a day.”

The former White House pastry chef added that his kitchen staff “had to be ready”.

Bill Clinton is known as a vegan now, though he was once a ravenous diner with an insatiable hunger, Roland Mesnier, the former White House pastry chef, revealed
Bill Clinton is known as a vegan now, though he was once a ravenous diner with an insatiable hunger, Roland Mesnier, the former White House pastry chef, revealed

Roland Mesnier, who has been making pastries for presidents for a quarter century, told the Washingtonian that cooking for the president was no easy feat.

For one thing, Bill Clinton is allergic to both flour and chocolate. For a pastry chef, this could be frustrating, Roland Mesnier said.

The former chef remembered one night he crafted a strawberry cake for the president. He said Bill Clinton devoured half of the cake – without help from Hillary or Chelsea – and then wanted a slice or two in the morning.

“No one could find the cake,” Roland Mesnier said.

“Clinton was pounding on the table and shouting, <<I want my goddamned cake.>>”

When the missing cake was nowhere to be found, there was only one conclusion to be made.

“We decided (Vice President Al) Gore must have eaten it,” Roland Mesnier told the Washingtonian.

Roland Mesnier served everyone from President Carter to President George W. Bush, but left before his second term.

The French chef is the author of three books, including his memoir, All the Presidents’ Pastries.

Bill Clinton, who is now 65, said his vegan diet is serving him well.

“I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now,” Bill Clinton said.

“It’s turning a ship around before it hits the iceberg, but I think we’re beginning to turn it around.”

While in office Bill Clinton, who has a family history of heart disease, was well known for gorging on fatty snacks like doughnuts, burgers and steaks as he worked long hours in the Oval Office.

But following a quadruple bypass in 2004 he has had to adjust his diet and lower his cholesterol intake.

Bill Clinton had to make more changes last year when doctors implanted two stents to open one of the veins from that surgery.

After taking advice from U.S. diet guru Dr. Dean Ornish, Bill Clinton appeared noticeably thinner last August at daughter Chelsea’s wedding, where he revealed he had lost 20 lbs.

Bill Clinton told CNN that he realized he had been playing “Russian Roulette” with his body because even though he had cut down on some unhealthy foods, he was still taking in too much cholesterol.

Actress Junie Hoang sues IMDb for revealing her age

Diane A. Wade
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Actress Junie Hoang sues IMDb for revealing her age

A Texas actress, who sued Amazon.com and its Internet Movie Database (IMDb) for revealing her age, was forced to unveil her identity.

The actress is Huong Hoang, who may be better known by her stage name, Junie Hoang.

Junie Hoang has appeared in such films as Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver and Hoodrats 2: Hoodrat Warriors.

She filed a million-dollar claim against Amazon, the Associated Press reports.

Junie Hoang says the company mined her account information on IMDB Pro, the professional part of the site, to learn her advanced age, which is 40.

It then posted it on her profile – causing her offers for roles to dry up.

Junie Hoang filed a million-dollar claim against Amazon for revealing her age on IMDb
Junie Hoang filed a million-dollar claim against Amazon for revealing her age on IMDb

Last month a federal judge in Seattle ordered the lawsuit dismissed, saying Junie Hoang had no grounds to proceed with an anonymous complaint.

The actress was given two weeks to file an amended complaint with her name included.

Junie Hoang refiled her lawsuit Friday under her real name, Huong Hoang.

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis split after 14 years of relationship?

Lisa.Felice
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Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis split after 14 years of relationship?

Rumours have been spread last night that Johnny Depp’s 14-year relationship with French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis is on the rocks.

Johnny Depp, 48, is on the brink of a split because of the couple’s constant bickering, according to a report in the US.

A source told the RadarOnline: “People around him are worried about how Johnny is doing because he and Vanessa seem so fractured right now.”

RadarOnline report appears to contradict Johnny Depp’s claims in interviews about his enduring love for Vanessa Paradis, 39, the mother of his children, Lily-Rose, 12, and Jack, 9.

The website quoted a source close to the actor as saying: “Johnny isn’t handling anything well right now.”

Rumours have been spread last night that Johnny Depp’s 14-year relationship with French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis is on the rocks
Rumours have been spread last night that Johnny Depp’s 14-year relationship with French singer and actress Vanessa Paradis is on the rocks

RadarOnline also suggested Johnny Depp is seeking legal advice over the alleged unravelling of the 14-year relationship.

“Johnny has started reaching out to lawyers, probably to quietly discuss how to get out of the relationship.

“They’re not married but they’ve been together for years and have kids together so it isn’t as easy as just breaking up.

“Johnny is so talented at acting, but he doesn’t seem able to hide how badly things are going right now,” the unnamed source added.

There were claims of problems in the relationship last April when a French magazine splashed a photo on its front page of Johnny Depp appearing to kiss another woman.

The woman turned out to be the actor’s publicist Robin Baum who reportedly attended the unveiling of Penelope Cruz’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with Johnny Depp while Vanessa Paradis was at home in France with their children.

At the time, Voici magazine wrote: “Are Johnny and Vanessa heading for a split?”

“Whenever Johnny and Vanessa are rumored to be having relationship problems, it’s Robin who as his press officer has to deny them.

“This woman is dangerous.”

France’s 24heuresactu website said: “Is Johnny cheating on Vanessa and splitting up one of the world’s best-known celebrity couples?”

Johnny Depp was most recently spotted on New Year’s Eve in Los Angeles with Vanessa Paradis, their two children and a woman believed to be his mother, Betty Sue.

The actor was married briefly in the early Eighties to make-up artist Lori Anne Allison before his high-profile romances with actress Winona Ryder and supermodel Kate Moss.

Johnny Depp has been with Vanessa Paradis since 1998, when they met on the set of the Roman Polanski thriller, The Ninth Gate.

Speaking about their first meeting in an interview last year, Johnny Depp said: “She was wearing a dress with an exposed back and I saw that back and that neck, and then she turned around and I saw those eyes, and – boom! – my life as a single man was done.

“You have this feeling,” Johnny Depp added. “I can’t really explain what it was, but I had it when I met her.

“I saw her across a room and thought: <<What’s happening to me?>>”

Johnny Depp said the couple hadn’t seen the need for marriage.

“I never found myself needing that piece of paper. Marriage is really from soul to soul, heart to heart.

“You don’t need somebody to say: <<OK, you’re married>>.

“She and I have been together for nearly 14 years, and, well, I can hardly believe it.

“It only seems like yesterday that we met.”

Of his own parents’ broken marriage, Johnny Depp said: “I recall hearing my parents argue and thinking: <<Come on, this is torture. Just split!>>

“They stuck it out until I was 15, but I’d seen it coming for years. When they finally did divorce, I thought: <<OK, this is the right thing>>.”

Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis split their time between their home in Meudon in the Paris suburbs, Los Angeles, Le Plan-de-la-Tour in the south of France and an island in the Bahamas.

New Zealand: 11 people died in a hot-air balloon crash in Wairarapa region

Diane A. Wade
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New Zealand: 11 people died in a hot-air balloon crash in Wairarapa region

Eleven people have died in a hot-air balloon crash in the Wairarapa region, about 80 km (50 miles) north-east of New Zealand’s capital Wellington.

Police and witnesses say the balloon struck power lines and burst into flames, before plunging to the ground.

The crash happened on farmland at Clareville, near the town of Carterton, in the Wairarapa region – an area that is popular with balloonists.

Five couples from the Wellington area were on board, plus the pilot. Nobody survived.

“We are deeply sorry to learn of this tragic accident and our hearts go out to those who are now mourning the loss of life,” Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee said, according to Associated Press news agency.

Eleven people have died in a hot-air balloon crash in the Wairarapa region, about 80 km (50 miles) north-east of New Zealand’s capital Wellington
Eleven people have died in a hot-air balloon crash in the Wairarapa region, about 80 km (50 miles) north-east of New Zealand’s capital Wellington

An investigation by New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission is under way.

Eyewitness Bevan Lambess, who was driving by, told Reuters news agency: “The wicker basket was on fire and I saw something holding it down – it looked like ropes but I got closer and it was actually the top (electric) power line that was holding the basket down.

“It probably still would have been 15m in the air. I slowed down and then the whole basket started to go up in flames.”

Police commander Mike Rusbatch said two people appeared to have jumped from the basket of the balloon as it came down.

Another witness, David McKinley, told the state broadcaster TVNZ he noticed part of the basket was on fire when it passed over his garden.

“It was just above the trees when I first saw it. It looked like he tried to raise it a bit higher. All of a sudden there was just 10 m of flames.

“It was like a rocket coming down,” David McKinley said.

The incident occurred in bright, clear conditions with little wind.

The only victim publicly identified so far is the pilot and balloon owner, Lance Hopping, reported AP.

Lance Hopping was considered an experienced and safety-conscious pilot who acted as safety officer for the Balloons over Wairarapa annual event – with organizer Jonathan Hooker quoted as saying he had more than 10,000 hours of commercial ballooning experience.

The incident is New Zealand’s worst air disaster since 1979, when an Air New Zealand sightseeing flight crashed into Mt Erebus in Antarctica, killing all 257 passengers on board.

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Pageant mother is doping her 6-year-old daughter for Toddlers&Tiaras show

Diane A. Wade
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Pageant mother is doping her 6-year-old daughter for Toddlers&Tiaras show

The latest shocking revelation from TLC’s controversial reality show Toddlers & Tiaras, which tracks the bizarre world of U.S. child beauty pageants, was aired yesterday, when a pageant mother described the means they use to get their children ready for the stage.

Alana Holler, 6, and her mother June, from McIntyre, Georgia, are the subjects of this week’s show.

June Holler, a self-proclaimed “Coupon Queen” told producers that she has tried various products to excite her daughter, including feeding her with Pixie Stix – tubes of powdered sugar referred to as “pageant crack” – but an unidentified “special juice” is her new secret weapon.

The mother says: “We had tried Pixie Stix… We went through fifteen bags at one pageant, and it just don’t do anything for her.”

With the sugared sticks failing to boost her child’s energy levels, June Holler resorted to making her own liquid concoction.

“A lot of pageant moms and people know what the <<special juice>> is – everybody has their different concoctions, <<special juice>> is to help her energize her.”

“A lot of moms say, <<Oh, well you’re doping up your child>>, well hey, no I’m not. I’m not hurting her”, June Holler continued.

“…She just drinks it for pageants, to give her that extra <<oomph>>. So, whatever works for your child, use it.”

A bystander explains: “They want their child to stand out, so you’ve got those moms that are going to do whatever is necessary to put their child in that light.”

June Holler told producers that she has tried various products to excite her daughter Alana, including feeding her with Pixie Stix, but an unidentified “special juice” is her new secret weapon
June Holler told producers that she has tried various products to excite her daughter Alana, including feeding her with Pixie Stix, but an unidentified “special juice” is her new secret weapon

No matter how safe June Holler claims her daughter’s “special” drink is, viewers have voiced their concern about its effects on the youngster’s behaviour.

No brand names are mentioned on the show, but many have speculated that the drink is Mountain Dew, a caffeinated soft drink. Others believe it even contains alcohol.

June Holler is filmed instructing Alana to take “two big gulps” from an unlabelled drinks bottle. Within seconds the change is apparent.

The young pageant contestant starts rapidly swinging her arms over her head and spinning around on the floor, exclaiming: “My go-go juice is kicking in right now!”

After her drink fix, Alana Holler takes to the stage in a plaid shirt displaying inches of stomach to perform a routine, inspired by sex symbol Daisy Duke.

Describing how the drink makes her feel, Alana Holler says smiling: “Go-go juice makes me laughy, and play-ey, and makes me feel like I want to pull my mommy’s hair.”

It seems Alana Holler is already a spirited child though. She has a bizarre speaking manner that is at once precocious and incoherent.

Alana Holler tells the camera: “Those other girls must be crazy if they think they’re gonna beat me, honey boo boo child!”

The 6-year-old girl reveals that she wants to win pageant to make money because “a dollar makes me holler, honey boo boo!”

But Alana Holler is not entirely enthusiastic about the pageant experience. She says: “Beauty is so boring, I don’t want to do it.”

The mother’s enthusiasm is more than evident though. As her daughter takes to the stage, she is filmed yelling encouragement, and instructing dance moves.

When she is not accompanying her daughter on the pageant circuit, June Holler says she spends her time collecting money-saving coupons and stockpiling hundreds of household products – a pursuit her daughter claims she wants to follow.

Footage taken inside the family home reveals rooms stocked with hundreds of items ranging from toilet paper to rolls of aluminium foil.

Toddlers & Tiaras show has caused outcry with many who believe that it could influence youngsters to adopt inappropriate behaviour and campaigners set up a Facebook group, “Take <<Toddlers And Tiaras>> off the Air!” in a bid to have the plug pulled on the show.

Previous series have featured children as young as three, emulating inappropriate characters including a prostitute from Pretty Woman and buxom country singer Dolly Parton.

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Jimmy Kimmel Christmas challenge: “I Gave My Kids a Terrible Present”

Diane A. Wade
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Jimmy Kimmel Christmas challenge: “I Gave My Kids a Terrible Present”

After his success with Halloween prank among kids, late night jokester Jimmy Kimmel did it again for Christmas. This time, his success on YouTube was even bigger and the commedian had to do a second part of Christmas prank.

The first Christmas present challenge – “I Gave My Kids a Terrible Present” – in which the comedian appealed to parents to post videos of their children opening one terrible Christmas present early, aired three weeks ago.

But even after the show aired with the clips, parents continued to post more videos on YouTube of their tortured children opening unwanted presents.

Before debuting the compilation, Jimmy Kimmel said: “Hundreds more videos were posted online, so once again we went through them and picked the best of the worst kids.”

After his success with Halloween prank among kids, late night jokester Jimmy Kimmel did it again for Christmas
After his success with Halloween prank among kids, late night jokester Jimmy Kimmel did it again for Christmas

From pickles to Barbie dolls, the reactions varied. Some children cried and some screamed, but other pranks backfired when the children actually liked their gifts.

“Pickles! Yuck! Put that away from me. I don’t want no pickles,” said one extremely disappointed girl when she discovered a glass jar.

Another girl, who opened up a stick of deodorant, was confused at first, but then proceeded to roll some on with a smile on her face.

Footage shows a girl, kicking and screaming, chanted: “No broccoli, no broccoli, no broccoli.”

Another girl, a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, throws her gift across the room and sobs to her mother after opening a Green Bay Packers jersey, then tells her father: “IT SUCKS.”

Two boys who got Barbie dolls as gifts had different, but negative reactions. One cried and told his mom: “You broke my heart,” while the other screamed in agony.

But stealing the show were two brothers with completely opposite reactions.

Both clad in Angry Birds pajamas, the boys open their gifts at the same time. The older brother, who wanted a Nintendo 3DS for Christmas instead got a chain with “3DS” on it.

The boy then cries, saying that his brother, who got a potato, received the best gift while he got the worst.

The latest video prank has more than 65,000 hits on YouTube in just two days. First part has collected more than 15 million views on the video-sharing site.

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Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge are expecting their first child

Lisa.Felice
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Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge are expecting their first child

Sienna Miller is expecting her first child with boyfriend Tom Sturridge.

Sienna Miller, 30, who has been dating actor Tom Sturridge for just over a year, is believed to have broken the news to friends and family just before Christmas.

The actress’ sister, Savannah Miller, tweeted today: “THRILLED.”

A source told Us Weekly that Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge “don’t have plans right away to marry, if at all”.

“Friends are really happy with her relationship with Tom. He’s younger, yes, but he’s mature and he’s a good guy,” the source added.

Sienna Miller who has been dating actor Tom Sturridge for just over a year, is believed to be pregnant and has broken the news to friends and family just before Christmas
Sienna Miller who has been dating actor Tom Sturridge for just over a year, is believed to be pregnant and has broken the news to friends and family just before Christmas

Allegedly Sienna Miller’s family were sick of the actress’ going back to actor Jude Law and are thrilled with the news.

Sienna Miller and Jude Law, 39, called time on their relationship in February.

The pair’s first split was in 2006 after two years of dating when Jude Law admitted to cheating on the star with his children’s nanny.

Sienna Miller and Tom Sturridge’s friends reportedly said they were not surprised by the news of the pregnancy.

“They just spent the holidays in Paris together after they announced the news in London,” says the source.

A representative for Tom Sturridge tells Us Weekly: “We don’t comment on our client’s personal lives at all.”

Sienna Miller’s agent was not available for comment.

Chelsea Clinton’s NBC contract unlikely to be extended?

Diane A. Wade
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Chelsea Clinton’s NBC contract unlikely to be extended?
Rumours claim that Chelsea Clinton's much-hyped deal with NBC may already be coming to an end
Rumours claim that Chelsea Clinton's much-hyped deal with NBC may already be coming to an end

Chelsea Clinton was billed as one of the most “boring people of her era” while her performance was slammed as monochromatic and lacking charisma. Now rumours claim that Chelsea Clinton’s much-hyped deal with NBC may already be coming to an end.

Chelsea Clinton’s original contract with NBC was only for 90 days and sources say it is unlikely she will extend this.

According to the New York Post, NBC created “unrealistic expectations for Chelsea, who in turn signed the short contract to see if she liked it or not”.

The source said: “It’s possible she will do more for NBC in the future, [but] she doesn’t know if she’ll sign another contract.”

 

According to other sources, Chelsea Clinton, 31, was “set up for a fall”, merely used as a ratings grabber so that the network could announce her deal to become a full-time special correspondent to great fanfare.

There was huge anticipation in the run up to her December 12 debut but she was barely off the air before critics were slamming her as wooden, nervous and boring.

An NBC news spokesman has denied that Chelsea Clinton is already poised to leave the network.

“This is 100 per cent false,” NBC spokesman told New York Post.

“You will see more pieces from Chelsea. She has been warmly welcomed into this news division, and we can’t be more pleased with her work. We hope she will be with us for a long time. There was no over-hyping of her role.”

Chelsea Clinton’ spokesperson said: “She is only at the beginning of her contract, and when she gets closer to the end, discussions will begin about whether or not to renew.

“In the meantime she is very much enjoying her time there and looking forward to her next piece airing.”

In her first segment with NBC, Chelsea Clinton chatted with Rock Center host Brian Williams on the NBC sofa and did a segment on a non-profit organization.

Her first report was a feel-good piece from the Topps Center in the poverty-stricken Pine Bluff in Jefferson County, Arkansas.

Chelsea Clinton was filmed making cornbread and interviewing founder Annette Dove about the 500 children and young adults they serve.

The report was part of the network’s Making a Difference series. While her debut went smoothly it wasn’t met with enthusiasm by many.

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Yasmin Chaudhry drowned her baby in bucket while her boyfriend watched live on Skype

Diane A. Wade
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Yasmin Chaudhry, a young mother from Norway, drowned her baby daughter in a bucket while her boyfriend watched live on Skype.

Yasmin Chaudhry, 26, killed the one-year-old girl by plunging her into a bucket of water during a 3:00 a.m. Skype video call with her British partner.

The mother said she had just wanted to discipline her baby for waking up and “disobeying her”.

Yasmin Chaudhry called an ambulance and initially told paramedics that the baby had fallen into the bucket by accident.

The little girl was unconscious when the paramedics arrived and was pronounced dead the next day, in October 2010.

Yasmin Chaudhry was initially arrested on suspicion of negligence because of inconsistencies in the stories she gave to police and the paramedics, but is now facing a preliminary charge of murder.

“This has been a long investigation and she eventually admitted it to us in October 2011,” said Norwegian police prosecutor Kristin Rusdal.

“She said it was done to discipline the child. She had been holding her under water.

“She had discussed the discipline with this friend, with whom she had a relationship. They met online and had met in person only once.”

Yasmin Chaudhry claimed that her boyfriend – who is not the child’s father – told her to do it.

Both of them deny wanting to kill the baby.

The British man has not yet been named because his name does not appear in any of the court documents published in Norway.

Kristin Rusdal confirmed a preliminary murder charge had been filed against the British man and said police were discussing extradition.

Officers from Oslo flew to UK just before Christmas to question the boyfriend with the help of Scotland Yard.

“We could issue a formal request to the British authorities to see if they wan to investigate the case, but because it is so closely tied to our investigation we would like to see them together,” said Kristin Rusdal.

Yasmin Chaudhry’s five-year-old son was taken into care following the horrific episode in October 2010.

Yesterday, Yasmin Chaudhry was remanded until February 4.

The baby’s father now lives in Pakistan after splitting with the mother.

Yasmin Chaudhry’s lawyer said: “He is, of course, very shocked.”

Pregnant Beyonce pictured for the first time since birth rumours

Lisa.Felice
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Pregnant Beyonce pictured for the first time since birth rumours

At the end of 2011 internet rumours claimed Beyonce had given birth to her baby girl, but the pregnant singer has been seen today for the first time since the speculation began.

Beyonce has been exclusively pictured stroking her tummy as she was escorted out of a New York office building by a body guard.

The 30-year-old singer, who was dressed in skinny jeans and a blazer, used a huge patterned scarf to cover her stomach.

Beyonce was wearing gold heels, albeit much lower than her usual six inch favourites.

Beyonce has been exclusively pictured stroking her tummy as she was escorted out of a New York office building by a body guard
Beyonce has been exclusively pictured stroking her tummy as she was escorted out of a New York office building by a body guard

It was the first time Beyonce has been pictured since December 21 but witnesses had spotted the star celebrating New Year’s Eve with her husband Jay-Z at Buttermilk Channel in Brooklyn, New York.

Her younger sibling Solange, 25, confirmed her sister was very much still pregnant when the clock struck midnight.

Solange tweeted: “Shout out to my sister for being THE cutest pregnant woman ever!”

Baby rumours reached fever pitch on December 30 with reports that Beyoncé had given welcomed a daughter called Tiana May Carter.

The news came after reports suggested that staff at St Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital – a private facility in New York – had been told to prepare for a VIP arrival.

How 4-year-old Hitler was saved from drowning in the icy River Inn by a future priest

James J. Williams
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How 4-year-old Hitler was saved from drowning in the icy River Inn by a future priest

A 4-year-old boy – who historians believe could have been Adolf Hitler – was saved from drowning in the icy waters of the River Inn in Passau, Germany, in January 1894.

The story has surfaced from a newspaper report chronicling how the little boy was saved from drowning in a German archive.

Max Tremmel, a priest who went on to become one of Europe’s most famous organists, said his predecessor Johann Kuehberger had rescued the terrified Hitler.

Father Max Tremmel told before his death in 1980 how Father Johann Kuehberger, around the same age as Hitler, had seen the other boy struggling in the waters of the River Inn and dived in to rescue him.

The story was never verified by Hitler during his lifetime. But now a small cutting from the Donauzeitung – Danube newspaper – of 1894 has been found in Passau.

The report described how a “determined comrade” – the paper at the time was left-wing – went into the freezing water to save the boy who would grow into mankind’s biggest monster.

Father Johann Kuehberger saved 4-year-old Adolf Hitler from drowning in the icy waters of River Inn of Passau in 1984
Father Johann Kuehberger saved 4-year-old Adolf Hitler from drowning in the icy waters of River Inn of Passau in 1984

The near-drowning episode also featured in a German book called “Out of Passau- Leaving a City Hitler Called Home” by Anna Elisabeth Rosmus, a personal history of her family’s connections with it.

Anna Elisabeth Rosmus wrote: “The banks of the River Inn provided an idyllic setting for the children to play.

“In 1894, while playing tag with a group of other children, the way many children do in Passau to this day, Adolf fell into the river.

“The current was very strong and the water ice cold, flowing as it did straight from the mountains.

“Luckily for young Adolf, the son of the owner of the house where he lived was able to pull him out in time and so saved his life.”

Hitler would, as a young man and later among his generals, tell stories of how he played cowboys and Indians on the banks of the river but he never once related the near-drowning tale.

“In Passau, however, everyone knew the story. Some of the other stories told about him were that he never learned to swim and needed glasses,” the writer said.

No name is given for the child in the old Passau newspaper but historians believe it gives credence to Father Max Tremmel`s claim that it was indeed Hitler.

Later this month, Bavarian Radio is to run a news feature programme on the incident.

Called “If Hitler had drowned. The legend of a fatal lifesaving” will feature several elderly Passau residents confirming that they heard the story of Hitler’s near-brush with death as they grew up in the city.

It is likely that Hitler airbrushed the incident out of his life history.

Being rescued by a boy who went on to represent a religion he despised would not have sat well with the myth Hitler had built around himself of being called by destiny to save Germany.

Syria: at least 10 people died and 46 were injured in a suicide atack in central Damascus

Roy Siemens
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Syria: at least 10 people died and 46 were injured in a suicide atack in central Damascus

At least 10 people have been killed and 46 have been injured in a suicide attack on a district in central Damascus, Syria, according to the state media.

National state TV showed pictures of the blood-spattered streets of Midan district following the attack, which it blamed on “terrorists”.

Two weeks ago 44 people died in similar blasts the authorities also blamed on terrorists. Opposition activists accused the government of staging them.

Arab League monitors are in Syria on a month-long observer mission.

They are trying to ensure compliance with a peace plan, but activists say a Syrian government crackdown has continued, with scores of people killed.

At least 10 people have been killed and 46 have been injured in a suicide attack on a district in central Damascus, Syria
At least 10 people have been killed and 46 have been injured in a suicide attack on a district in central Damascus, Syria

A resident of Midan – the scene of reported anti-government protests in recent weeks – told Reuters news agency that ambulances were in the area.

Most foreign correspondents have been barred from reporting within Syria itself.

“Immediate information indicates that a suicide terrorist blew himself up at a traffic light in the Midan neighbourhood,” Reuters news agency quoted state television as saying.

According to state TV, at least 10 people are confirmed dead with authorities fearing the toll could rise to 25 and state news agency Sana said 46 had been injured.

According to Syrian authorities, most of those killed were civilians, but some security personnel were among the casualties.

TV pictures showed the shattered blood-splattered windows of what appeared to be a bus carrying policemen.

The Syrian government blamed a similar bombing two weeks ago on al-Qaeda, but no proof has been offered. Damascus blames the wider protests and violence in the country on Islamist militants.

Many observers are skeptical of those claims and opposition groups accuse the Syrian leadership of staging the blasts to try to influence Arab League observers, who are in the country to monitor the ongoing violence.

The Arab League mission has been criticized by opposition groups for failing to stem government violence and even for failing to report accurately the situation in Syria.

Burhan Ghalioun – the head of the main opposition group, the Syrian National Council – said he feared the observers could be providing political cover for the regime to suppress street protests.

Opposition activists have urged Syrians to take to the streets in mass protests ahead of an Arab League meeting in Cairo on Sunday, which will debate the initial findings of the observer mission.

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Girl, 15, raped by two men during a family Christmas cruise

Diane A. Wade
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Girl, 15, raped by two men during a family Christmas cruise

A 15-year-old girl from Iowa, who was vacationing with her family on a Royal Caribbean cruise liner for Christmas, has accused two fellow passengers of raping her on the ship.

Luiz Scavone, 20, and another 15-year-old boy are accused of luring the teenager from a teen nightclub on the ship to a private room where the incident is said to have occurred.

Both suspects, Brazilian nationals, were arrested when the ship returned to Port Everglades, Florida on Tuesday.

According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports, the girl’s family departed Fort Lauderdale on Christmas for a ten-day cruise to St Thomas, St Maarten, St Kitts and Haiti aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas.

Luiz Scavone, 20, and another 15-year-old boy are accused of luring the girl from a teen nightclub on the ship to a private room where the incident is said to have occurred
Luiz Scavone, 20, and another 15-year-old boy are accused of luring the girl from a teen nightclub on the ship to a private room where the incident is said to have occurred

The girl told police she met the 15-year-old boy on the last night of the cruise at an on-board teen club called Fuel, and he invited her to a party in his private room, where Luiz Scavone was waiting.

According to arrest documents, both males refused to allow her to leave and raped her.

The girl immediately reported the alleged incident to ship officials, who alerted the FBI. Both suspects were arrested once the ship returned to Port Everglades.

Luiz Scavone is accused of one count of committing a lewd and lascivious act.

Appearing in court on Wednesday, Luiz Scavone’s bond was set at $10,000. He was being held at the Broward County Main Jail on Wednesday pending an immigration hold.

According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by the Sentinel, the second defendant was charged with lewd and lascivious battery and taken to Broward’s Juvenile Assessment Center.

Cynthia Martinez, the manager of Global Corporate Communications for Royal Caribbean, said in a statement: “Royal Caribbean’s guest care team offered the female guest a variety of assistance, including medical care and counseling.”

Cynthia Martinez said Royal Caribbean “will continue to support law enforcement agencies during their investigation”.

International maritime law states that cruise ships must take every measure possible to ensure the safety of their passengers. However, since each country has its own version of laws on the high seas, they can be difficult to sort out.

There is no federal law for statutory rape on the high seas.

This isn’t the first case of an alleged underage sexual assault seen aboard a cruise liner in recent memory.

The incident comes only weeks after a Carnival Cruise Lines employee was accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl who was on holiday with her family.

And only ten days prior, 19-year-old Dylan Cole Bloodsworth, from Alabama, was sentenced to ten years in prison for raping a 13-year-old girl on-board a Carnival cruise ship in Mexico, where she was vacationing with her family.

Brain function decline starts at 45, much earlier than previously thought

Kathryn R. Bown
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Brain function decline starts at 45, much earlier than previously thought

The brain’ skills can start to decline as early as 45, much earlier than previously thought, suggests a study published in the British Medical Journal.

A major study shows the brain’s capacity for memory, reasoning and comprehension starts waning in middle age rather than in the 60s.

Researchers say the finding is important because younger people should be encouraged to boost their brain power with healthier living, while some may benefit from medicines to stave off further decline.

Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in France and University College London in the UK studied more than 7,000 people over a 10-year period.

The study participants were civil servants aged between 45 and 70 working in London when cognitive testing began in 1997 to 1999.

Cognitive function was measured three times over 10 years to assess memory, vocabulary, hearing and visual comprehension skills.

Tasks included recalling in writing as many words beginning with the letter S as possible and as many animal names as could be thought of.

All cognitive scores, except vocabulary, declined among all age groups during the study, and there was evidence of faster decline among older people.

The brain' skills can start to decline as early as 45, much earlier than previously thought, suggests a study published in the British Medical Journal
The brain' skills can start to decline as early as 45, much earlier than previously thought, suggests a study published in the British Medical Journal

The study found that, in men group, there was a 3.6% drop in reasoning after 10 years among those who were aged 45 to 49 at the start of the study and 9.6% among those aged 65 to 70. In women group, the decline was 3.6% and 7.4% in the same age groups.

Dr. Archana Singh-Manoux, who led the study, said there had been debate over when mental skills started failing, with some researchers concluding there was little evidence of problems before 60.

But this was disproved by the study findings, she added.

Dr. Archana Singh-Manoux said: “Cognitive decline is already evident in middle age, between 45-49 years.

“The results for all tests, except vocabulary, showed significant declines in all age categories in both men and women.”

The study says diseases such as dementia are believed to take at least 20 to 30 years to develop but promoting healthy lifestyles and good heart health could help.

“There is emerging consensus that ‘what is good for our hearts is also good for our heads, making aggressive control of behavioural and cardiovascular risk factors as early as possible key targets for clinical practice and public health” it said.

Medicines and other medical interventions are more likely to work at an earlier age, so could be used in people whose cognitive decline is faster than the average, it said.

Previous research suggests around half of people with diagnosed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) develop Alzheimer’s.

In cases of MCI, a person has cognitive or memory problems which are more marked than typical age-related memory loss, but not yet as severe as those found in Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Anne Corbett, research manager of the Alzheimer’s Society in UK, said: “This large, important study adds vital information to the debate over when cognitive decline begins.

“However, the study does not tell us whether any of these people went on to develop dementia, nor how feasible it would be for GPs to detect these early changes.

“More research is now needed to help us fully understand how measurable changes in the brain can help us improve diagnosis of dementia.

“An early diagnosis is essential as it can provide access to support and potential treatments which can vastly improve people’s quality of life.”

Kim Kardashian unveiled photo promoting her new perfume inspired by Elizabeth Taylor

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian unveiled photo promoting her new perfume inspired by Elizabeth Taylor

Kim Kardashian took the Twitter and unveiled a photo promoting her new perfume and has made it clear that she was inspired by Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor.

Kim Kardashian, 31, tells her fans that she is “channeling [sic] ElizabethTay [sic]” in her True Reflection ad campaign.

The reality star has smokey-eye and wears a silver, sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline.

It is the second photo that she has posted online from the upcoming promotion.

Kim Kardashian tweets: “Another pic from my True Reflection fragrance ad campaign…ultra glam!

“LOVE red lips! #Channeling ElizabethTay.”

Kim Kardashian unveiled a photo promoting her new perfume True Reflection inspired by Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor
Kim Kardashian unveiled a photo promoting her new perfume True Reflection inspired by Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor

She has made no secret of her love of Elizabeth Taylor, who died at the age of 79 in March 2011.

At the end of the last year, Kim Kardashian spent $65,000 at a Christie’s auction to buy a set of three gold and jade Lorraine Schwartz bangles once owned by Elizabeth Taylor.

Kim Kardashian was one of the final people to interview Elizabeth Taylor in an article that was published in the March issue of US Harper’s Bazaar.

She said to the Oscar-winner: “You are my idol.

“But I’m six husbands and some big jewels behind. What should I do?”

Elizabeth Taylor told her: “I never planned to acquire a lot of jewels or a lot of husbands.

“For me, life happened, just as it does for anyone else.”

Kim Kardashian’s Twitter followers obviously agree that she has captured the spirit of the Cleopatra star.

One fan tweeted: “@Kim Kardashian is the modern day Elizabeth Taylor! Those pictures are timeless.”

Earlier Kim Kardashian posted another picture from the photo shoot, this time a side shot in which she is wearing a pale pink lipstick.

The reality star told her fans: “That was a pic from my new fragrance ad campaign True Reflection, which comes out this spring!

“It is so different than my other fragrances!”

Kim Kardashian has just returned to Los Angeles after a brief trip to Dallas, where she visited her sister Khloe, who moved to Texas with her husband, basketball player Lamar Odom.

The couple relocated after Lamar Odom was transferred from the LA Lakers to the Dallas Mavericks.

Radioactive cream can treat skin cancer without surgery

Kathryn R. Bown
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A new radioactive cream can obliterate tumours caused by the most common skin cancers without surgery or conventional radiotherapy in just two hours.

According to Italian scientists, the new technique has minimal side effects and the treatment does not even leave a scar.

The vast majority of those who suffer the less dangerous forms have surgery to remove the affected tissue.

Other treatments include radiotherapy and “freezing” of the tumours if they are small and superficial.

An estimated 3% of patients have deep tumours which are difficult to remove surgically because they are on sensitive areas such as the eyes, nose or ears. Others cannot have surgery due to age or medical conditions.

These patients are given radiotherapy, which involves at least ten sessions at a hospital and often results in serious side-effects.

For the new technique, the researchers harnessed rhenium-188, a radioactive isotope which was previously rare and expensive but is now being supplied in quantities large enough to treat thousands of patients a week by nuclear physicists at the British-funded Institut Laue-Langevin in France.

The treatment, which is said to be painless, involves putting a piece of surgical foil on the tumour area, painting on the radioactive paste and removing it one or two hours later.

Researchers believe that the radiation causes healthy skin to re-grow, so there is no scarring.

In the Italian trial, 85% of patients were cured after one treatment and up to 95% after three treatments.

Oliver Buck, chief executive of the German technology firm ITM which developed the therapy, said: “This means that patients with large and difficult-to-treat tumours not only have hope but keep their quality of life under what would otherwise be dire conditions.

“These people sometimes have to go through horrible surgery which removes part of their face. By contrast this treatment is generally done in a single non-invasive session.”

Trials are now being held in Germany and Australia, and Oliver Buck believes the treatment could be licensed in the UK within two years. He says it will “certainly” be cheaper than current therapies.

Oliver Buck said: “The radiation does not affect surrounding tissue and also seems to activate the body’s healing mechanisms.”

He stressed that surgery remains the “gold standard” as it removes all the cancerous tissue but said those who cannot have it for various reasons could benefit.

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