As well as shoes, Jimmy Choo produces a range of luxury goods.
Its shoes featured the 90s TV hit show, Sex and the City, and are still seen on the feet of the famous, including Kate Middleton, Beyonce and Kendal Jenner.
Malaysian-born Jimmy Choo was trained at the renowned Cordwainers Technical College in London.
He founded the business in 1996 with former Vogue journalist Tamara Mellon.
In 2001, Tamara Mellon and private equity investors bought out Jimmy Choo.
Ten years later, Tamara Mellon left the business to launch her own clothing line.
In 2014, Jimmy Choo listed on the London Stock Exchange, by which time JAB, owned by the German billionaire Reimann family, was the main shareholder.
JAB Holdings is backing this deal.
Michael Kors describes itself as a luxury brand, and, like Jimmy Choo, it is named after its founder and creative force.
Its handbags are priced at between $200-600.
Recent years have been a struggle for Michael Kors, its most recent same-store sales figures were down 14%.
Michael Kors said the acquisition was expected to deliver a number of benefits, including “the opportunity to grow Jimmy Choo sales to one billion dollars” and “a more balanced portfolio with greater product diversification”.
It said Jimmy Choo would also have the opportunity to grow in the men’s luxury footwear category, as well as greater exposure to global markets, “particularly the fast-growing market in Asia”.
In a rare healthcare speech, President Donald Trump has issued a challenge to Republican senators to rally behind their bill, on the eve of a crucial vote.
“Now is the time for action,” he said.
A procedural vote is due on July 25 as Republicans push forward in their attempt to repeal ObamaCare, President Barack Obama’s signature law.
However, among Republicans there is confusion about the bill and it is unclear whether the healthcare will pass.
Senator Ron Johnson told reporters: “I don’t have a clue what we’re going to be voting on.”
Senators will vote on a procedural motion to start debate on a health care bill.
Republicans have a majority in the Senate but there are deep divisions in their party on the issue.
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor: “Many of us have waited literally years for this moment to arrive and, at long last, it finally has.”
However, several senators have expressed unhappiness over the process, because it is not clear what they will vote on if the procedure vote passes.
There appear to be two choices – either a repeal-and-replace bill that has already struggled to win support across the party, or a bill that enacts repeal with a two-year delay, in the hope of finding agreement before that time elapses.
Image source Flickr
Senator John McCain, recently diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor, will return to Congress to cast his vote.
President Trump increased the pressure on his party by warning them they had a duty to adhere to seven years of promises.
In a White House speech laced with frustration, he said: “To every member of the Senate I say this: The American people have waited long enough.
“There’s been enough talk, and no action. Now is the time for action.”
The president lambasted his predecessor’s overhaul of healthcare and stood alongside people he said were “victims” of the 2010 law.
ObamaCare extended healthcare insurance to about 20 million people but Republicans hate the way it introduced government-run marketplaces, where premiums have risen sharply for some people.
The GOP’s proposed alternative includes steep cuts to Medicaid, a healthcare program for the poor and disabled.
It removes ObamaCare’s individual mandate requiring all Americans to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
The non-partisan Congressional Budgetary Office (CBO) found the bill would strip 22 million Americans of health insurance over the next decade.
However, if the bill gets to the floor of the Senate, amendments could be added to change the various provisions.
A Republican politician has blamed “female senators” for the spluttering efforts by his party to pass a healthcare bill.
Blake Farenthold, a congressman from Texas, told a local radio station if a man from his state was responsible, he would challenge him to a duel.
“Some of the people that are opposed to this, they’re some female senators from the North East.”
If it was “a guy from south Texas” who was generating so much discord in the party, he said, he would ask them to settle their differences in a gun fight.
Susan Collins of Maine was one of three female Republicans who said they could not back the Senate’s last healthcare plan, a repeal with two-year delay, which hit the buffers last week.
She has been strongly opposed to the Republican bill from the start over the cuts to Medicaid.
Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia also came out against the bill, expressing concerns over plans to weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions and affordability.
There was an outcry when Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell drafted the first healthcare bill in private among a group of 13 that did not include any women.
Puerto Rican stars Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee have lashed out against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of using their song, global hit Despacito, for political gains.
President Nicolas Maduro presented an altered version of the song during his weekly TV show on July 23.
The reworked lyrics promoted Nicolas Maduro’s plans for a controversial new citizen’s assembly, which will be elected on July 30 to rewrite the constitution.
The singers branded it an outrage.
Nicolas Maduro was seen clapping along to the remix, as his audience danced.
“Our call to the <Constituent Assembly> only seeks to unite the country … Despacito!” go the new lyrics.
Luis Fonsi responded angrily on social media: “At no point was I asked, nor did I authorize, the use or the change in lyrics of Despacito for political means, and much less so in the middle of the deplorable situation experienced by Venezuela, a country I love so much.
“My music is for all those who want to listen to it and enjoy it, not to be used as propaganda that tries to manipulate the will of a people who are crying out for their freedom.”
Image source YouTube
Daddy Yankee posted a picture of President Maduro with a large red cross over it on Instagram and wrote: “That you illegally appropriate a song [Despacito] does not compare with the crimes you commit and have committed in Venezuela.
“Your dictatorial regime is a joke, not only for my Venezuelan brothers, but for the entire world.”
Despacito translates as “slowly”, referring to the speed of the lead singer’s seduction technique.
However, the Venezuelan version strips back the lyrics.
Instead, the new chorus runs: “Slowly, take your vote rather than weapons, and express your ideas. Always in peace and calm.”
Introducing the new take to an audience of supporters, Nicolas Maduro said a creative group had reworked it and he wanted to put it to the test.
“What do you think, eh?” the president asked the crowd.
Venezuela has been shaken by often violent protests in recent months, and millions joined a general strike last week.
Some 100 people have died in the unrest, which has further hammered an imploding economy that is running short of food and medicine.
The constituent assembly President Maduro wants to establish would have power to rewrite the constitution and bypass the opposition-controlled legislature.
Critics say the president is trying to cement a dictatorship. He argues it is the only way to bring peace back to the divided nation.
The original Puerto Rican version of Despacito has been a worldwide success, and a version featuring Justin Bieber recently became the most-streamed song of all time.
Another high-profile member of the governing Socialist Party, Diosdado Cabello, also drew on Despacito recently to score political points.
“As the song says, step by step, slowly and suavely, they [the critics] want to create a coup,” he said, according to local media.
A variety of opposition parodies have also gone viral on social media, including one called Madurito.
Another called Bien Flaquito(Very Skinny) played on Venezuela’s food shortages.
Three Square Market is to become the first US company to microchip its employees.
The Wisconsin company is offering to implant the tiny radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip into workers’ hands for free – and says everyone will soon be doing it.
The rice grain-sized $300 chip will allow them to open doors, log in to computers and even purchase food.
So far, 50 employees have signed up for the chance to become half-human, half-walking credit card.
Three Square Market, which provides self-service “micro markets” to businesses around the world, was inspired by the micro-chipping already taking place in Sweden, where so-called “bio-hackers” have been inserting the tiny devices into willing participants for at least three years.
Three Square Market are even working with a Swedish company, BioHax, to deliver the new technology, which they see as one day being simply another payment and identification method – only instead of a credit card or phone, there would be a microchip between your thumb and finger.
While a large proportion of the world might think twice before putting a tiny chip in their hand, it seems those at Three Square Market had no such worries.
The chip will replace everything you might have in your wallet – from your key fob to your credit card and ID. For now, it is just aiming to make life easier for those using Three Square Market’s facilities.
The tour grossed $93.2 million in the first half of 2017, with an average of almost 40,000 ticket sales per date.
Justin Bieber himself has not yet commented on the decision on social media, but unnamed sources told media the singer was “just over it”.
However, a statement on his website read: “Justin loves his fans and hates to disappoint them.
“He is grateful and honored to have shared that experience with his cast and crew for over 150 successful shows across six continents during this run.
“However, after careful consideration he has decided he will not be performing any further dates. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.”
Most of Justin Bieber’s remaining dates were in the US, but he was also due to play in Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia.
Chinese officials said last week that Justin Bieber had been banned from mainland China because he had engaged in what they described as “bad behavior”.
According to the International Monetary Fund, the US and UK economies will expand more slowly in 2017 than previously predicted.
The IMF said “weaker-than-expected activity” in Q1 of 2017 meant the UK would grow by 1.7%, compared with an earlier 2% forecast.
The IMF also revised down its US growth forecast from 2.3% to 2.1%.
However, the IMF’s overall global economic predictions – of 3.5% growth in 2017 and 3.6% in 2018 – remain unchanged.
The UK growth forecast for 2018 remains unchanged at 1.5%, but US growth for next year is now predicted to come in at 2.1%, instead of the 2.5% previously forecast.
In its latest World Economic Outlook, the IMF said the “pick-up in global growth” that it had anticipated in its previous survey in April remained “on track”.
However, the IMF added that while the global growth projection was unchanged that masked “somewhat different contributions at the country level”.
It said that the main factor behind its downward revision for US growth in 2018 was “the assumption that fiscal policy will be less expansionary than previously assumed, given the uncertainty about the timing and nature of US fiscal policy changes”.
“Market expectations of fiscal stimulus have also receded.”
President Donald Trump’s administration had been widely expected to pursue policies including tax cuts and infrastructure investment to try to boost the US economy.
However, the chances of Trump’s administration being able to push through these policies now appears less likely.
The IMF’s outlook for several eurozone economies was brighter than initially thought, with countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain seeing growth forecasts revised up.
The biggest eurozone revisions were for the Spanish and Italian economies. Spain is now forecast to grow 3.1% in 2017, up from the previous prediction of 2.6%. Italy’s 2017 growth forecast has risen from 0.8% to 1.3%.
The euro area as a whole is expected to grow by 1.9% in 2017, up from 1.7%.
The IMF said first-quarter growth in many of those countries was better than expected, and that there was evidence of “stronger momentum in domestic demand than previously anticipated”.
China’s growth projections have also been revised up, reflecting, the IMF says, “a strong first quarter of 2017 and expectations of continued fiscal support”.
Its 2017 forecast has risen from 6.6% to 6.7%, while growth in 2018 is now expected to be 6.4% instead of 6.2%.
The IMF hailed China’s “policy easing and supply-side reforms”, including efforts to reduce excess capacity in the industrial sector.
Texas police have arrested a truck driver whose vehicle was found in a Walmart car park in San Antonio with dozens of people in the back of it.
Nine men had died inside, and 28 others, including children, were taken to hospital.
They were inside the trailer in San Antonio without access to air conditioning or water while outside temperatures hit 110F.
Police say they believe the incident is linked to people smuggling.
The truck’s driver, named by authorities as 60-year-old James Mathew Bradley Jr. from Clearwater, Florida, is expected to appear in court later.
Video footage from Walmart reportedly showed a number of vehicles arriving to pick up some of the survivors. Several others may have managed to escape on foot into the woods nearby.
One person found in the woods was being treated, local officials said.
Image source AP
Mexico’s government said it was working closely with US authorities to identify the nationalities of the victims.
San Antonio is a few hours’ drive from the border with Mexico, and the US immigration department is trying to establish the victims’ legal status.
Eight people were found to be dead at the scene while another died in hospital, immigration officials said.
Officials were brought to the trailer by a man who had approached an employee of the Walmart and asked for water.
The driver would be charged in connection with the “horrible tragedy”, said San Antonio police chief William McManus in a press briefing.
He said the people ranged from school age to in their 30s.
Local fire chief Charles Hood said the survivors had heart rates of over 130 beats per minute and were very hot to touch. In addition to the 20 people in a critical condition, eight others were taken to hospital in a less severe state.
The fire chief confirmed at least two of the victims were school-age children. Their condition is not clear.
“We’re very fortunate that there weren’t 38 of these people who were all locked inside this vehicle dead,” he added.
Richard Durbin, the US attorney for the Western District of Texas, said the authorities were working to identify those responsible for the incident.
“These people were helpless in the hands of their transporters. Imagine their suffering, trapped in a stifling trailer in 100-plus degree heat,” he said in a statement.
They were victims of “ruthless human smugglers indifferent to the wellbeing of their fragile cargo”, Richard Durbin added.
Seventeen employees of Turkish opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet are about to go on trial on charges of aiding a terrorist organization.
If found guilty, their sentence could be up to 43 years in jail.
A dozen of Cumhuriyet‘s journalists and managers are behind bars in pre-trial detention. Ten of them have been imprisoned for almost nine months.
On July 15, Turkey marked the first anniversary of a failed coup. There were massive commemorations held by thousands of jubilant people, hailing the day as the triumph of democracy.
However, critics argue that day – and the introduction of the state of emergency soon after – were actually the beginning of a massive crackdown, with more than 50,000 people arrested in the last year.
Image source Wikimedia
Press freedom groups say Turkish media has been particularly hard hit during this period, as about 150 media outlets have been shut down.
Turkey is currently listed as the country with the biggest number of imprisoned journalists. Journalism organizations say more than 150 journalists are behind bars, most of them accused of terror charges.
Can Dundar, the previous editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper, is the number one suspect in the case starting on July 24.
He was give a three-month jail term last year for espionage in another case but was released on bail. He now lives in exile in Germany.
He too gives the figure of imprisoned journalists as more than 150.
In the indictment against Cumhuriyet, there are accusations such as “changing the paper’s editorial policy”, preparing “violent and divisive news” and “interviewing leaders of terrorist organizations”.
“This is an oddity, it is absurd,” says defense lawyer Adil Demirci.
“This is obviously a political case. They are targeting Cumhuriyet because it is an opposition paper.”
The head of media organization PEN Turkey, Zeynep Oral, believes the state of press freedom in the country is the worst it has been for decades.
“You never know what will happen tomorrow,” she says.
“Anybody can put anybody into jail these days. But even if a single journalist is behind bars for no reason, no-one will ever be free in this country.”
Journalists and press freedom activists all over the world will be watching the Cumhuriyet trial very closely. The hearings are expected to last all week.
Amid reports President Donald Trump is considering presidential pardons for family members, aides and even himself, he has insisted he has the “complete power” to pardon people.
Democratic Party spokesman Mark Warner has called the reports “extremely disturbing”.
The US authorities are probing possible collusion between the Trump team and Russia. Intelligence agencies think Russia tried to help Donald Trump to power.
Moscow denies this, and President Trump says there was no collusion.
The Washington Post reported on July 20 that Donald Trump and his team were looking at ways to pardon people close to him.
Presidents can pardon people before guilt is established or even before the person is charged with a crime.
Describing the reports as disturbing, Senator Mark Warner, who sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said “pardoning any individuals who may have been involved would be crossing a fundamental line”.
Image source Wikipedia
On July 22, President Trump tweeted: “While all agree the U. S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS.”
Donald Trump also attacked “illegal leaks” following reports his attorney general discussed campaign-related matters with a Russian envoy.
The Washington Post gave an account of meetings Attorney General Jeff Sessions held with the Russian ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak. The newspaper quoted current and former US officials who cited intelligence intercepts of Sergey Kislyak’s version of the encounter to his superiors.
One of those quoted said Ambassador Kislyak spoke to Jeff Sessions about key campaign issues, including Donald Trump’s positions on policies significant to Russia.
During his confirmation hearing earlier this year, Jeff Sessions said he had no contact with Russians during the election campaign. When it later emerged he had, he said the campaign was not discussed at the meetings.
An official confirmed to Reuters the detail of the intercepts, but there has been no independent corroboration.
The officials spoken to by the Post said that Sergey Kislyak could have exaggerated the account, and cited a Justice Department spokesperson who repeated that Jeff Sessions did not discuss interference in the election.
However, the Post‘s story was the focus of one of many tweets President Trump fired off on July 22.
“A new INTELLIGENCE LEAK from the Amazon Washington Post, this time against A.G. Jeff Sessions. These illegal leaks, like Comey’s, must stop!” the president said.
The Washington Post is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has been an occasional sparring partner for Donald Trump. “Comey” refers to James Comey, the former FBI director President Trump fired.
Earlier this week, President Trump told the New York Times he regretted hiring Jeff Sessions because he had stepped away from overseeing an inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the US election.
Jeff Sessions recused himself in March amid pressure over his meetings with Sergey Kislyak. He says he plans to continue in his role as attorney general.
Several other regular targets for Donald Trump featured in his series of tweets.
The president accused the “failing” New York Times of foiling an attempt to assassinate ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
It is not clear what President Trump was referring to, but on July 22 a US general complained on Fox News that a “good lead” on Anu Nakr al-Baghdadi was leaked to a national newspaper in 2015.
A New York Times report at the time revealed that valuable information had been extracted from a raid, but the paper stressed on July 22 that no-one had taken issue with their reporting until now.
Donald Trump again urged Republicans to “step up to the plate” and repeal and replace President Obama’s healthcare reforms, a key campaign pledge of his that has collapsed in Congress.
Ben Affleck also addressed reports that Warner Bros was working on plans to “usher out” his Batman gracefully as he is getting too old.
“I still can’t believe that after two films [Warner Bros bosses] Kevin Tsujihara, Sue Kroll and Toby Emmerich have said, <We want you to be our Batman> – and I believe them.”
Regarding War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves taking over his directing role and starting afresh with scripting, Ben Affleck said: “I would be an ape on the ground for Matt Reeves, never mind Batman.
“It’s a great time in the DC universe, so you can see why I am so excited to be Batman.”
The Warner Bros panel also featured a new Justice League trailer and confirmed that Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman would be getting a sequel.
It’s unsurprising as Patty Jenkins’ movie is the biggest of the summer, taking $386 million so far in the US and $771 million around the world.
It is also the third highest-grossing Warner Bros movie ever, behind The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises – and the highest-grossing live action movie by a female director.
Warner Bros also confirmed it intends to make a standalone Batgirl movie and a new Green Lantern movie.
Home Alone star John Heard has died at the age of 72.
According to TMZ, the actor was found dead on July 21 in his hotel room in Palo Alto, California.
The Santa Clara medical examiner’s office confirmed the death. The cause of death is unknown.
John Heard had reportedly been staying at the hotel after “minor back surgery” this week.
Image source IMDb
The Palo Alto police department said: “Our officers responded with the Fire Department to a hotel in our city on a report of a person in need of medical aid.
“The person was determined to be deceased. While still under investigation, the death is not considered suspicious at this time.”
Last week China issued data suggesting trade with North Korea was not as strong as implied by President Donald Trump.
However, while China has stopped coal imports from North Korea, it has continued to trade iron, iron ore and other commodities.
Although North Korea doesn’t publish economic data, South Korea’s central bank releases GDP figures every year, based on data from its Ministry of Unification and the National Intelligence Service.
The 2016 GDP data is the highest growth rate since the 6.1% recorded in 1999.
The last year’s performance is a turnaround from 2015, when the North Korean economy contracted by 1.1% after a fall global commodity prices hit the value of its coal and iron ore exports.
North Korea is among the world’s poorest countries with per capita gross national income standing at 1.5 million won ($1136) a year. South Korea’s per capita income is more than twenty times that.
International tensions over North Korea’s were ramped up further last week after the test of a long-range missile, which it is believed was capable of reaching Alaska.
The Audi recall affects cars fitted with six- and eight-cylinder diesel motors meeting the Euro 5 and Euro 6 emissions criteria, including some models made by parent company Volkswagen and sister company Porsche.
The upgrade is available for Audi cars with affected engines in Europe and other markets outside North America.
The Reuters news agency reported that German car industry officials and politicians had agreed to improve diesel vehicles’ emissions through software updates in order to avoid diesel bans in cities.
The thriving economies of countries in the Asia Pacific region remain threatened by political tensions that surface every time a sticky issue comes up. Japan and South Korea ties are less than friendly, despite both being US allies. China is at loggerheads with many of its smaller neighbors over territorial disputes and its aggressive militarization of the contested islands.
With President Trump scrapping the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal done by the previous administration, it would be wise for these Asian nations to band together, not to fight a superpower, but to find alternative solutions that would be favorable for them in light of the uncertainty of US policies that affect them.
Japan and China are two of the richest countries in the world, with the former generally viewed as “old money” and the latter as “nouveau riche.” Flattering or derogatory implications aside, it cannot be denied that both are the chief entities that make this once destitute eastern region now a powerful force in the international economic landscape.
It is therefore incumbent upon these countries’ leaders to rethink their differences and find ways to improve their relations. Achieving respectful politeness will pave the way for productive dialogues that will protect their solid global standing and safeguard the fiscal and defense forces’ stability not only for themselves but also for the other emerging Asian economies. Other than China’s military belligerence, the delusional leader of rogue nation North Korea is proceeding with his nuclearization goals, causing global agitation. Tokyo’s Abe Shinzo wields more influence in fixing the strained ties with China, his country being a long-time major US ally and a seemingly unsinkable force. But it won’t be an easy job for Abe, with the sitting US president flip-flopping on his views of Beijing’s Xi Jinping and giving the Japanese Prime Minister a politically induced headache.
Historical accounts allege that the fight for regional supremacy between the two countries already existed 1,500 years ago. China had the upper hand in geographical dimensions but Japan’s innovative progress in the 19th century and its victories in the Japan-Qing War in 1895 and over Russia in 1905 solidified its superiority over its Goliath-size neighbor. The Sino-Japanese bond was on friendlier footing in the mid-1970s to the ‘80s but events in the following decade cropped up that led to tensions that have not abated since then.
In the 1990s, nationalistic Japanese historians revised school textbooks to cast the nation in a better light and instill patriotism in the minds of the young children. Among the revisions were the downplaying of the crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army against its enemies in World War ll, including China, and the purported sanitization of the events that occurred in the Rape of Nanking in 1937. The number of people killed in that massacre has never been factually established and various counts put them between 40,000 and 300,000.
A thorny issue that has hounded the two countries is China’s insistence that Japan apologize for its WWll atrocities through financial compensation. But a book by author June Dreyer mentions an incontestable fact – 70 percent of Japanese aid in the 1980s went to China. The never-ending demand for apologies now does not solicit sympathy from the Japanese but has the opposite effect of annoying them.
Adding to the tensions is the continuing dispute between Tokyo and Beijing of ownership of the Senkaku Islands, or Diaoyu Islands as China calls them. The United States had given back control of the islands to Japan under the Okinawa Reversion Agreement. China, however, does not honor the agreement, insisting that the islands belongs to them. The long-held animosity escalated in 2012 when Japan purchased the set if islands from a private individual for more than 2 billion yen.
An accord that is mutually acceptable can put to rest these contentious issues if leaders Abe and Xi are open to rebuilding the damaged lines of communication. Further, Japan’s prime minister should nurture its relations with the new US administration and maintain the cordial ties it had with the previous resident of the White House. Pres. Trump’s vacillating moods now has him favoring Pres. Xi, and Abe must be careful not to offend him. Japan needs Washington and Beijing for economic and security soundness.
Image source Flickr
For its part, China should keep in mind that its current economic strength cannot continue if it repeatedly provokes other nations with its combative and hostile behavior. It should learn to respect the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration denying its rights to the Spratly Islands in favor of the Philippines. Despite the court’s ruling in July 2016, China continued building artificial reefs and a military airfield on the contested land. and ignored several countries’ requests to abide by the legal decision.
Earlier this year, three China Coast Guard ships entered the waters around Senkaku Islands, which is the subject of a Japan-China territorial dispute. The move came days after US Secretary of State James Mattis paid a visit to Japan and reaffirmed its government’s support for Japan’s claim.
Notwithstanding the recent chill in relations, Abe and Xi have vowed to resume communication and restore healthy ties when the two met on the sidelines at the G20 summit in Hamburg earlier this month.
Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer wants to minimize talk of divisions within the Trump administration after announcing his resignation.
Sean Spicer is reportedly stepping down because he is unhappy with President Donald Trump’s appointment of a new communications director.
However, he told Fox News he had “no regrets” about his six-month stint.
Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci has been picked for the role that Sean Spicer had partially filled.
The shake-up at the White House comes amid several investigations into alleged Russian meddling in last year’s presidential election and whether Donald Trump’s campaign team colluded with Moscow.
“The president obviously wanted to add to the team, more than anything,” Sean Spicer told interviewer Sean Hannity.
“I just thought it was in the best interest of our communications department, of our press organization, to not have too many cooks in the kitchen.
“Without me in the way, they have a fresh start, so that I’m not lurking over them.”
Sean Spicer, 45, defended President Trump’s agenda, saying it was an honor and a privilege to serve him, and hit out at what he termed “media bias”.
He said: “I was increasingly disappointed about the way the media here do their job – or don’t do their job.”
Sean Spicer also said he had told President Trump he “would stay on for a few weeks to achieve a smooth transition”, and was looking forward to spending more time with his family.
Meanwhile, President Trump wrote on Twitter: “Sean Spicer is a wonderful person who took tremendous abuse from the Fake News Media – but his future is bright!”
The New York Times reported that Sean Spicer had “vehemently” disagreed with the appointment of Anthony Scaramucci, which he believed to be a “major mistake”.
Sean Spicer’s often chaotic press briefings over the past six months were a cable news hit, but in recent weeks he had withdrawn from appearances in front of the camera.
In an assured debut, Sean Spicer attended Friday afternoon’s news conference to announce that Sarah Huckabee Sanders, formerly his deputy, would step into his shoes.
“I love the president and it’s an honor to be here,” Anthony Scaramucci said, adding: “He is genuinely a wonderful human being.”
Anthony Scaramucci, who has no previous experience in communications roles, paid tribute to Sean Spicer as “a true American patriot” and “incredibly gracious”.
“I hope he goes on to make a tremendous amount of money,” he added.
Anthony Scaramucci also apologized and said he had been “unexperienced” as he explained his previous criticism of Donald Trump.
In an August 2015 interview with Fox Business, Anthony Scaramucci dismissed Donald Trump as a “hack” and “an inherited money dude” with “a big mouth”.
Anthony Scaramucci is currently senior vice-president of the Export-Import Bank, a government agency which guarantees loans for foreign buyers of American exports.
Venezuela’s National Assembly has appointed 33 judges to the Supreme Court, prompting accusations of an attempted power grab.
The assembly, which is controlled by the opposition, says it has the right to name and fire justices under Venezuela’s constitution.
However, the Supreme Court, which is largely made up of pro-government members, has described the move as illegal.
The opposition is stepping up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro to call early elections.
President Maduro has refused and is instead going ahead with plans to form a constituent assembly which would have the power to rewrite the constitution and bypass the National Assembly.
The impasse has left the country in a political crisis and scores of people have died in months of anti-government protests.
Following the National Assembly’s announcement, the government said it would not allow serving judges to be unseated.
Venezuela’s Supreme Court has ordered “civil and military authorities” to carry out “coercive actions” in response to the appointments, but it is unclear what that will entail.
Meanwhile, the opposition Democratic Unity coalition (MUD) has called for protest marches on July 22 from seven points in the capital Caracas to the Supreme Court headquarters.
The opposition says the current justices are illegitimate, having been rushed into their positions shortly before the governing party lost its majority in 2015.
Since the opposition took over the National Assembly last year the court has consistently blocked all bills passed by Congress.
The opposition announced last week that it would appoint new judges and that it would also take the first steps to set up a national unity government. Analysts say such proposals raise the possibility of a parallel state structure.
On July 20, millions of Venezuelans joined a general strike called by the opposition.
At least three people were killed in clashes between police and protesters and there were more than 300 arrests.
Protesters barricaded roads in Caracas and other cities with rubbish and furniture.
The opposition said that 85% of the country joined the strike but President Maduro said its effect was minimal and that its leaders would be arrested.
Meanwhile, Colombia, France, Spain, the US and the EU have urged the Venezuelan government to cancel the vote for a new constituent assembly on July 30.
However, President Nicolas Maduro has rejected the calls.
Prince George Alexander Louis – known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge – was born on July 22, 2013.
Chris Jackson Getty Images
“The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this lovely picture as they celebrate Prince George’s fourth birthday, and would like to thank everyone for all of the kind messages they have received,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
Getty Images royal photographer Chris Jackson, who took the photo at the end of June, said: “I’m thrilled and honored that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen to release this portrait to celebrate Prince George’s fourth birthday.
“He is such a happy little boy and certainly injects some fun into a photoshoot.”
Earlier, Prince William gave his children a guided tour of a helicopter at the Airbus factory in Hamburg on the last day of their official tour of Germany and Poland.
Prince George tried on a pilot’s helmet while Princess Charlotte played with buttons in the cockpit.
In September, Prince George is due to start school.
Prince George will go to Thomas’s Battersea, a private preparatory school located a few miles from the family residence in Kensington Palace in London, where the family will be based.
American citizens are to be ban from traveling to North Korea.
In a statement, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that the ban would be published next week in the Federal Register, to come into effect 30 days later.
US officials linked the move to the death of jailed American student Otto Warmbier.
Once the ban is in effect, US citizens will need special validation to travel to or within North Korea.
Otto Warmbier traveled to North Korea with Young Pioneer Tours. He was arrested in 2016 for trying to steal a propaganda sign and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was returned to the US in a coma in June and died a week later.
Koryo Tours and Young Pioneer Tours, who both operate in North Korea, revealed on July 21 that they had been told of the upcoming ban by the Swedish embassy, which acts for the US as Washington has no diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.
Image source Wikimedia
It appears the embassy was urging all US nationals to depart immediately and was trying to check on the number of US tourists left in North Korea.
Heather Nauert’s statement said: “Due to mounting concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention under North Korea’s system of law enforcement, the Secretary has authorized a Geographical Travel Restriction on all US nationals’ use of a passport to travelling through, or to North Korea.
“Once in effect, US passports will be invalid for travel to, through, and in North Korea, and individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea.
“We intend to publish a notice in the Federal Register next week.
“The restriction will be implemented 30 days after publication.”
After the death of Otto Warmbier, the China-based Young Pioneer Tours announced it would no longer take visitors from the US to North Korea.
There has been movement towards a ban for a while in the US, which increased with the Warmbier death.
In May, two congressmen introduced the North Korea Travel Control bill to cut off the foreign currency the country earns from American tourists.
The House foreign affairs subcommittee is scheduled to take up the draft legislation on July 27 but it would still have to go to the Senate. So there could be an executive order.
Some are suggesting the US is using the date the ban is set to be announced – 27 July – to cloud North Korea’s Victory Day on the same day.
North Korea only relaxed its rules for American visitors in 2010.
The state department does not keep a record of the number of American tourists.
Tour operators suggest that up to 1,000 visit every year.
Staying healthy used to just mean eating well and getting a good amount of exercise. These days, the market is saturated with thousands of dietary supplements and protein shakes that can help us burn fat, build muscles and get all of the nutrition that we need. These products don’t come cheap and there are so many people out there making good money from them, so, why aren’t you one of them? The market is huge and your chances of making a successful business are pretty good. Here’s how to do it.
Although there’s a huge market out there, that doesn’t mean you can make good money doing the same thing as everybody else. Knowing your competition is important in any business but it is especially important in the dietary supplement world. The truth is, a lot of these products are exactly the same. The pre-workouts that people love taking are often just caffeine powder and a mix of proteins. What you need to be looking at is the way that they are marketing it. Everybody is selling the same stuff, the thing that makes them a success is how they spin it, so as long as you can come up with a good angle, you should be able to make some sales.
Deal With The Right Manufacturer
When you’re selling anything that people put into their bodies, safety needs to be a priority. If anybody has an adverse reaction, that bad publicity could kill your business immediately and it’s unlikely that you’ll recover. When you’re speaking to manufacturing companies, ask them if they have patient access. That way they will be able to identify any health problems that their products cause and alter their formula accordingly. That means you can avoid any bad press and be sure that your customers are getting the best product available.
Create A Brochure
A brochure is a pretty old fashioned marketing form that doesn’t work for a lot of businesses. However, when it comes to selling supplements, it can be very effective. There are loads of great places that you can put them where you’ll hit your target audience. Sports equipment stores and gyms are the best places to put them, and you should see a spike in web traffic soon after distributing them.
Once you’ve established yourself and you have a healthy customer base, you can start using your brochures to keep them coming back. As soon as they get comfortable dealing with a certain company, they won’t be likely to go elsewhere. You can establish that loyalty by sending out brochures with special offers and deals for long term customers.
Make Sure That You Sell In Bulk
Selling smaller quantities is not bad, but most of the people that are serious about their workout regime tend to get through a lot of this stuff. Selling bigger quantities at a slightly reduced rate will help increase sales. If the customers are happy then you’ll be more likely to establish brand loyalty and keep them coming back. This won’t happen if they can’t get the larger amounts from you that your competitors are offering.
Summer is here, and for many of us, this is a perfect time for a makeover. Not only can you change up your personal style, but you can experiment with new makeup ideas and hairstyles which can transform your image. The warmer weather is also the perfect opportunity to get out in the sun, do more exercise, and work on improving your body. So, without further ado, here are some great ideas to help you make the most of the summer months before winter gets you scurrying indoors again. Transform your wardrobe
Now is the time to clear out wardrobe to make your room for your summer outfits. Remember, your style is your own, so you don’t need to be a dedicated follower of fashion. You don’t even need to buy anything new, as you could mix and match the items you currently own into an entirely different outfit. However, if you are stuck for an idea, take a look online and see what others are wearing. While bright colours are usually a must for summer clothes, you may want to take a hint from royalty, and check out Kate Middleton’s new summer outfit at Popsugar.com. Alternatively, take a walk down your local high street and (discreetly) check out what people are wearing in your town. Not only will you get an idea of what you should add to your wardrobe, but you will probably also learn the kind of outfits you should definitely avoid! Don’t overlook your feet. Havaianas are a summer staple, so head over to http://www.theiconic.com.au/ to see what they have to offer. You will want to give your toes room to breath, and catch a little piece of the sun, so find the right footwear to complement the rest of your summer outfit. We also looked at the summer styles in shades here at Bellenews.com, so from your head to your toes you can build up a great new look. Whatever outfit you choose this summer, be true to yourself and find something you will feel comfortable and confident in wearing. It doesn’t matter what your body size is; there will always be an outfit you can fit into. Don’t be envious of the models on the catwalk, or those you see in magazines. Be proud of who you are, and wear something that suits the style you are looking to create. Not only are you trying to convey a fabulous new image to others, but you should also enjoy your latest ensemble. Begin your summer workout
(image: pixabay) When it’s cold and wet outside, you have a reasonably good excuse to delay your workout plan. However, with the sun shining, you should make the most of the good weather and start to work on your body. For starters, think about what you are trying to achieve. You may be trying to lose weight, or want to work on your cardio. There is a range of great ideas at Bodyandsoul.com.au that should give you plenty of ideas on where to start your workout. As you plan, make sure you pace yourself as you don’t want to burn yourself out before you have barely begun. Particularly if your body has been ‘resting’ for the last few months, you are going to need to be gentle on your arms and legs to avoid an injury and cramping. For many people, exercise is a chore, but you don’t have to limit yourself to anything you will endure. Summer is a time to have fun, and there are many ways to keep fit while having a good time. You might also enlist your family and friends in the activities you take part in, ensuring you all have the opportunity to stay fit over the summer. Therefore, think outside of the box a little. Check out the ideas on Fitfulfocus.com, and you are sure to find something you will enjoy doing. Whatever you do, try and spend some time each day in a keep fit activity. Use a fitness tracker to help you monitor how many pounds and calories you are losing, and set yourself targets. Of course, you will be battling against the rays of the sun, so look after yourself. Drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated, and layer yourself in sunscreen to protect your skin. Remember to eat healthily too, so cut back on those summer barbecues, and focus on delicious fruit smoothies to ensure your body looks good in the outfits you have chosen to wear.
The two deceased have not been named but police said that both victims were tourists – a 22-year-old from Sweden and a 39-year-old from Turkey.
They died after they were crushed by debris from either a collapsed wall or an old building, police said.
Dozens more were injured when buildings collapsed, some of them suffering broken bones with a number in serious condition, Kos regional government official Giorgos Halkidios said.
The Greek army is supporting the emergency services with the rescue operation, he added.
Image source Wikimedia
Kos was nearest to the epicenter of the quake and appeared to be the worst hit, with damage caused to a number of older buildings, including cracked walls and smashed windows.
The mayor said the buildings that suffered the most damage were built before “earthquake building codes” were introduced.
“The rest of the island has no problem. It’s only the main town that has a problem,” Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis said.
The roof of a bar on the island also collapsed, and a ferry was unable to dock due to damage at the harbor, Greek police said.
Tourists later gathered outside terminal buildings at Kos airport having left their hotels and apartments.
In Turkey, pictures shared on social media showed people in the city of Bodrum walking with water lapping their ankles and localized flooding, and about 80 people sought hospital treatment for minor injuries.
Others described waking in the night after being violently shaken in their beds.
Residents fled their homes and tourists ran from holiday apartments with pillows and blankets. Some sustained injuries after jumping from windows in panic, Turkish broadcaster NTV said.
At a hospital in Bodrum, the wounded were being treated in the garden as a precaution after the quake caused slight damage to parts of the hospital ceiling, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.
The earthquake also triggered high waves off Gumbet, a resort town near Bodrum, which flooded roads and left parked cars stranded, Turkish media report. There were no reports of casualties.
Turkey and Greece sit on significant fault lines and are regularly hit by earthquakes.
One of the deadliest in recent years hit the heavily populated northwest of Turkey, in 1999, killing some 17,000 people.
Formed in 1996, Linkin Park have sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.
The band had a string of hits including Faint, In The End and Crawling, and collaborated with Jay-Z.
Their album Meteora topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2003 and is regarded as one of the biggest indie rock records of all time.
Linkin Park had been due to begin a tour next week.
Chester Bennington leaves a wife, and six children from two marriages.
He is said to have struggled for years with alcohol and drug abuse, and has talked in the past about contemplating suicide as a result of being a victim of abuse as a child.
O.J. Simpson has been granted parole after nine years in a Nevada prison.
The former football star is serving time for armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and 10 other charges over a 2007 confrontation at a Las Vegas hotel.
O.J. Simpson was acquitted in 1995 of the murders a year earlier of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.
He was found guilty in 2008 of the botched Las Vegas robbery – exactly 13 years to the day after he was sensationally cleared in the so-called trial of the century.
O.J. Simpson and a group of five others stormed into a hotel room to confront two sports-memorabilia collectors and seize items that he claimed belonged to him from his career.
The hour-long hearing for Prisoner 1027820 took place at the Lovelock Correctional Facility, a medium-security prison in the Nevada desert.
“Thank you!” said the 70-year-old, bowing his head as the board approved him for release in October.
O.J. Simpson told parole officials on July 20 the objects he took from the Las Vegas hotel room were later ruled by officials to legally belong to him.
“I’ve spent a conflict-free life,” he said.
However, in 1989 O.J. Simpson admitted spousal abuse after police responded to a domestic violence call at his home.
According to police records, his wife had run from the house screaming to officers: “He’s going to kill me!”
On July 20, Bruce Fromong, who was one of O.J. Simpson’s victims in the robbery a decade ago, testified in favor of his release.
“I’ve known OJ for a long time,” said Bruce Fromong.
“I don’t feel that he’s a threat to anyone.
“He’s a good man. It’s time to give him a second chance.”
O.J. Simpson appeared to dab a tear.
He told the commissioners he had helped establish a Baptist prayer meeting in prison, adding: “I could have been a better Christian.”
He also rejected suggestions he had an alcohol problem.
“I’ve done my time,” the former football star said.
“I’ve done it as well and as respectfully as anybody can. I think if you talk to the wardens they’ll tell you.
“I’ve not complained for nine years. All I’ve done is try to be helpful… and that’s the life I’ve tried to live because I want to get back to my kids and family.”
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners said it had received hundreds of letters for and against O.J. Simpson’s parole.
In 2013, the board granted him parole on some of his convictions, but not for the more violent charges.
His daughter, Arnelle Simpson, choked up as she told the parole board: “My experience with him is that he’s like my best friend and my rock.”
She added: “He is remorseful, he truly is remorseful.”
However, O.J. Simpson’s legal problems are likely to continue after he is released.
An attorney for the family of Ron Goldman vowed to pursue him for due payment of damages.
Despite the 1995 not-guilty verdict, a civil court jury held O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife and her friend, awarding $33.5 million to their families.
Two years ago a court enlarged that judgment to about $58 million, but it remains largely unpaid.
Legal experts say the families could claim a portion of O.J. Simpson’s future earnings, such as book deals or TV appearances.
However, under federal law O.J. Simpson’s estimated $20,000 monthly pension from the NFL is out of reach to creditors.
Following his playing career, O.J. Simpson appeared in TV commercials before taking roles in movies like the comedy The Naked Gun.
Salvador Dalí, who died in 1989 at the age of 85, was buried in a crypt in a museum dedicated to his life and work in Figueres, in north-eastern Spain.
A crowd gathered outside the museum to watch as police escorted the experts into the building on July 20.
The exhumation went ahead despite the objections of the local authorities and the foundation carrying Salvador Dalí’s name, both of which claimed that not enough notice had been given ahead of the exhumation.
María Pilar Abel Martínez, a tarot card reader who was born in 1956, says her mother had an affair with Salvador Dalí during the year before her birth. Her mother, Antonia, had worked for a family that spent time in Cadaqués, near the painter’s home.
Last month a Madrid judge ordered the exhumation to settle the claim. It is contested by the Dalí foundation, which manages the estate of the painter, who was not believed to have had any children.
María Pilar Abel Martínez’s action is against the Spanish state, to which Salvador Dalí left his estate.
She says her mother and paternal grandmother both told her at an early age that Salvador Dalí was her real father.
However, the claim has surprised many, including Ian Gibson, an Irish-born biographer of Salvador Dalí, who said that the notion of the artist having an affair that produced a child was “absolutely impossible”.
“Dalí always boasted: <I’m impotent, you’ve got to be impotent to be a great painter>,” Ian Gibson said.
