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Tianjin Explosion Area Evacuated over Chemical Contamination

Diane A. Wade
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Tianjin Explosion Area Evacuated over Chemical Contamination

China has ordered the evacuation of residents within a 2 miles radius of the Tianjin blast site over fears of chemical contamination.

The evacuations came as police confirmed the highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide was found near the site.

A man was found alive 200ft from the blast core, Xinhua news agency said.

Eighty-five people are now known to have died and hundreds were hurt in the giant blasts in the north-eastern Chinese port on August 12.

People sheltering at a school used as a safe haven since the disaster have been asked to leave wearing masks and long trousers, reports say.

Anti-chemical warfare troops have entered the site.

The People’s Daily newspaper tweeted that they had been sent to handle highly toxic sodium cyanide which had been found there.

The discovery was confirmed by police “roughly east of the blast site” in an industrial zone, state-run Beijing News said.

Photo Xinhua
Photo Xinhua

Officials had until then only confirmed the presence of calcium carbide, potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate. Calcium carbide reacts with water to create the highly explosive acetylene.

Officials have so far insisted that air and water quality levels are safe.

Some fires have continued to smolder and at least one reignited on Saturday. Xinhua said several cars at the site had “exploded again”.

Of the 721 people injured, 25 are in critical condition and 33 are serious.

At least 21 firefighters are among the dead and an unknown number remain missing.

Dozens of relatives of the missing tried to disrupt a news conference given by officials on August 15, demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.

The operators of the Tianjin site have been accused of violating safety rules.

China’s government has ordered officials to make nationwide checks on dangerous chemicals and explosives and to “crack down unwaveringly on illegal activities to ensure safety”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAa7jZebntk

Japan Marks 70 Years Since End of WWII Under Criticism from South Korea and China

James J. Williams
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Japan Marks 70 Years Since End of WWII Under Criticism from South Korea and China

Japan is marking 70 years since the end of World War Two with commemoration ceremonies across the country.

The Asian country has been criticized by South Korea and China, which accused it of failing to properly atone for its actions during the war.

At Tokyo’s memorial service, Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe and Emperor Akihito observed a minute’s silence.

Shinzo Abe had expressed “profound grief” on August 14 over Japan’s role in the war.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye said the Japanese premier’s remarks “left much to be desired”.

Speaking on August 15 at a ceremony in Seoul, Park Geun-hye called on Shinzo Abe to reiterate Japan’s apologies for abuses during its wartime occupations of neighboring countries.Japan WWII commemoration 2015

“History can never be covered up. History remains alive through its witnesses’ vivid testimony,” she said.

Japan’s surrender to the allies on August 15, 1945, freed the then-unified Korea from 35 years of occupation, leading Koreans to celebrate the date as Liberation Day.

President Park Geun-hye also called on Japan to resolve, “at the earliest possible date”, the issue of so-called “comfort women” – Asian women forced to work as s** slaves for the military during the war.

Shinzo Abe stopped short of issuing a fresh apology this year to victims of Japanese aggression, saying that future Japanese generations should not be “predestined to apologize” for their country’s wartime actions.

A spokeswoman for the Chinese foreign ministry said on August 15 that Japan should have made a “sincere apology to the people of victim countries … rather than being evasive on this major issue of principle”.

Speaking at the ceremony in Tokyo, PM Shinzo Abe said Japan’s war dead “sacrificed their life for the future and the prosperity of our homeland”.

“Their sacrifice was the foundation of today’s prosperity and we shall never forget their contribution. We always reflect the past and we hate the horror of the war,” he said.

Emperor Akihito also spoke at the ceremony in Tokyo, striking a more apologetic tone than Shinzo Abe with an expression of “deep remorse” for the nation’s wartime aggression.

Shinzo Abe did not visit Japan’s controversial Yasukuni war shrine this year, as he has in previous years, although there will be commemorations at the site.

Koichi Hagiuda, a member of parliament and aide to Shinzo Abe, visited the shrine with a cash offering on behalf of the prime minister.

“I paid respects to the souls of those who sacrificed their precious lives in the past war,” Koichi Hagiuda said.

The shrine has been criticized by China and South Korea because along with Japan’s war dead it honors leaders who were later convicted of war crimes.

As well as commemorations that seek to consign wartime atrocities to the past, there will be events that highlight ongoing tensions in the region.

Thousands of South Korean protesters are expected to hold an anti-Japanese rally on August 15. This past week a Korean protester set fire to himself outside the Japanese embassy in Seoul.

Meanwhile, in North Korea, clocks were set back 30 minutes on August 15 to so-called Pyongyang Time to remove the country from a shared time zone established under Japanese colonial rule.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0UQoDJiI4

Kayla Mueller: ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Raped American Hostage

Roy Siemens
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Kayla Mueller: ISIS Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Raped American Hostage

American volunteer Kayla Mueller who was killed in February while held hostage by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria, was abused by the group’s top leader, officials tell ABC News.

Kayla Mueller, 26, from Prescott, Arizona, was repeatedly raped by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, they said.

She travelled to the Turkey-Syria border in 2012 to work with refugees.

Counterterrorism officials made the Food for Life volunteer’s family aware of the abuse in June.

Kayla Mueller was abducted while working in Aleppo, Syria, in 2013. ISIS said she was killed in a Jordanian air strike, but the US blames ISIS for her death.Kayla Mueller raped by ISIS leader

“We were told Kayla was tortured, that she was the property of Baghdadi. We were told that in June by the government,” Kayla’s parents, Carl and Marsha, told ABC News.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi personally took the American aid worker to the home of another senior ISIS member – Abu Sayyaf – who was in charge of ISIS oil and gas until his death in a US special forces operation in May, says ABC News, citing US officials.

The channel said Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi regularly visited the compound where Kayla Mueller was being held and repeatedly assaulted her.

Officials said they had obtained information about the abuse from at least two teenage Yazidi girls who were held hostage as s** slaves and found inside the Sayyaf compound at the time of the US attack.

Kayla Mueller was reportedly held for some time by Abu Sayyaf and his wife, Umm Sayyaf, who was also captured by US special forces in May.

At the time, the Pentagon said Umm Sayyaf was suspected of being an ISIS member and of being complicit in the enslavement of a young Yazidi woman who was rescued in the raid.

Hundreds of young women and girls – many of them Yazidis captured in northern Iraq – are believed to be held as slaves by ISIS militants in areas under their control.

The Yazidi girls provided intelligence used by the US to interrogate Abu Sayyaf’s wife, who “spilled everything” about several ISIS leaders and their whereabouts, a counterterrorism official told ABC.

Umm Sayyaf was handed over to the Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq last week to face trial.

The information that has come to light appears to contradict speculation that Kayla Mueller was treated well in captivity, as a letter written in 2014 and smuggled out to her family implied.

In that letter, Kayla Mueller tried to reassure her family, saying that she had been treated with “utmost respect + kindness”.

North Korea Switches to New Time Zone to Mark Liberation from Imperialism

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea Switches to New Time Zone to Mark Liberation from Imperialism

North Korea has changed its time zone, turning clocks back by 30 minutes, to mark its liberation from the Japanese at the end of WW2.

Bells rang out in the capital Pyongyang at midnight on August 14 as the new time zone came into effect.

North Korea announced the move earlier this week, surprising South Korea whose president, Park Geun-hye, warned it ran counter to efforts to foster co-operation.

The communist country had been nine hours ahead of GMT – like South Korea and Japan.

Before being colonized by Japan in 1910, the entire Korean peninsula – then one country – was 8.5 hours ahead of GMT.North Korea switches to new time zone

Jong Sok, chief astronomer at the Pyongyang Observatory, said changing time zones made a lot of sense – and was appropriate as the country marked 70 years since it was liberated from Japanese rule.

“With the time standard that we have used up until now, the time when the sun is at its highest position is not correctly noon,” Jong Sok told the Associated Press.

“I think it is the lawful right of a sovereign state that our republic – to mark the 70th anniversary of our liberation and the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japanese imperialism – has announced our time as Pyongyang Time, the same as our ancestors used and which was robbed from us by the Japanese imperialists.”

State news agency KCNA said earlier this week “wicked Japanese imperialists” had “deprived Korea of even its standard time” by changing the clocks during the occupation.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye said on Monday Pyongyang’s “unilateral” decision, taken without any consultation with Seoul, was “highly regrettable” and threatened a “further deepening of disparity between the two Koreas”.

The Importance of the Font Used for Your Sign

Dana R
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The Importance of the Font Used for Your Sign

There are a number of reasons that creating signage for your business can be stressful. However, when you find a professional sign service, it can help to make the entire experience stress-free. One of the biggest issues and sources of headaches comes when choosing the font for the signs. If the fonts are not created properly, you may wind up with a sign that does not look anything like what you imagined. Some more information about fonts can be found here.

The Importance of the Font

The font is a type of electronic file that contains characters, symbols or glyphs. Every computer comes with certain types of fonts that are stored on the computer’s hard drive. They are typically stored as an OpenType or TrueType file, which are readable by this computer as dots on the page. Fonts are able to be resized by changing the size on the computer that is being used.

professional-sign
Photo Source: qualitysigncompany.net

However, it is important to remember that a font can vary from one computer to another. If a file is opened on a new computer the computer will look for a font that corresponds with what was originally used. If the computer does not recognize that font or offer a corresponding font, then it will try to find something similar to use as a substitute. In some cases, this will lead to issues with the placement and spacing of the letters.

If a sign is being created, you do not want these issues. It can cause the sign to appear unprofessional, which can also make those viewing the sign believe the entire business is unprofessional.

Signs and Your Business

When you have a business it is important to find signage that represents the business as a professional establishment. This means that the sign needs to be designed by someone who knows what they are doing. Attempting to do this yourself will likely result in a huge ‘fail’ that may actually make your business lose customers. Take some time to find a quality sign maker in order to get a sign that truly meets your specific business needs. Failure to put the time and effort into this can result in sub-par results and a sign that does not properly represent the look or the feel of the business that you have.

More information about quality business signs can be found by contacting Burry Signs. This company understands what it takes to create a quality sign and ensure it meets the needs of the company that ordered it.

Greece Bailout Deal Agreed by Eurogroup

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece Bailout Deal Agreed by Eurogroup

Eurogroup has agreed a third bailout deal for Greece after the Greek parliament backed the plan.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the deal sent a message “loud and clear” – Greece will stay in the eurozone.

The agreement demands tax rises and more tough spending cuts in return for Greece’s third bailout in five years.

The deal means new loans of up to €86 billion ($95 billion) will be made available over the next three years.

It comes at a heavy political price for Greek PM Alexis Tsipras, who has faced a rebellion in his left-wing Syriza party.

More than 40 Syriza MPs voted against him when parliament decided on the bailout agreement on Friday, after all-night talks.

Reports in Greece suggest he will seek a vote of confidence in parliament next week, bringing the prospect of snap elections closer.

Announcing the “comprehensive and ambitious reform package”, Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem said: “All the intense work of the past week has paid off.

“If implemented with determination, the deal will allow the Greek economy to return to growth.”

He added: “Of course there were differences, but we have managed to solve the last issues.”Greece bailout deal eurogroup

Jean-Claude Juncker said: “The past six months have been difficult. They have tested the patience of policy-makers and they have tested the patience of our citizens even more.

“Together, we have looked into the abyss. But today, I am glad to say that all sides have respected their commitments.”

He added: “The message of today’s Eurogroup is loud and clear: on this basis, Greece is and will irreversibly remain a member of the euro area.”

Before the first tranche of around €26 billion can be disbursed around August 20 there will have to be a series of votes in national parliaments across Europe.

Greece must repay about €3.2 billion to the European Central Bank (ECB) on August 20.

Eurogroup finance ministers also confirmed that the thorny issue of writing off some of the Greece’s debts would be considered in the autumn.

This has been a crucial demand of both Alexis Tspiras and the IMF, which says it will only contribute if there is some form of debt relief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9khLBf-tuaU

Cutting Fat from Your Diet Leads to More Body Fat Loss than Reducing Carbs

Kathryn R. Bown
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Cutting Fat from Your Diet Leads to More Body Fat Loss than Reducing Carbs

According to a National Institutes of Health study, cutting fat from your diet leads to more fat loss than reducing carbs.

Scientists intensely analyzed people on controlled diets by inspecting every morsel of food, minute of exercise and breath taken.

Both diets, analyzed by the National Institutes of Health, led to fat loss when calories were cut, but people lost more when they reduced fat intake.

Experts say the most effective diet is one people can stick to.

It has been argued that restricting carbs is the best way to get rid of a “spare tire” as it alters the body’s metabolism.

The theory goes that fewer carbohydrates lead to lower levels of insulin, which in turn lead to fat being released from the body’s stores.

“All of those things do happen with carb reduction and you do lose body fat, but not as much as when you cut out the fat,” said lead researchers Dr. Kevin Hall, from the US-based National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Cutting fat better than low carb

In the study, 19 obese people were initially given 2,700 calories a day.

Then, over a period of two weeks they tried diets which cut their calorie intake by a third, either by reducing carbs or fat.

The team analyzed the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide being breathed out and the amount of nitrogen in participants’ urine to calculate precisely the chemical processes taking place inside the body.

The results published in Cell Metabolism showed that after 6 days on each diet, those reducing fat intake lost an average 463g of body fat – 80% more than those cutting down on carbs, whose average loss was 245g.

Dr. Kevin Hall said there was no “metabolic” reason to chose a low-carb diet.

However, studies suggest that in the real world, where diets are less strictly controlled, people may lose more weight by reducing carbohydrate intake.

Dr. Kevin Hall is now analyzing brain scans of the participants to see how the diets affect how rewarding food is.

Prince George Hounded by Paparazzi

Lisa.Felice
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Prince George Hounded by Paparazzi

Kensington Palace has issued an appeal to world media not to publish unauthorized images of Prince George as paparazzi harassment of the third in line to the UK throne has increased and photographers’ tactics are becoming increasingly dangerous.

Some paparazzi had gone to “extreme lengths” to take pictures and “a line has been crossed”, the palace said.

It wants to “inform discussion” on unauthorized photography of children.

The Kensington Palace said a small number of media organizations, mostly in Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and the US, had published photos of two-year-old Prince George in “unacceptable circumstances”.

However, it said the “vast majority”, and all UK publications, had refused.

The palace says in recent months, photographers have:

  • Used long range lenses to photograph Kate Middleton playing with her son in private parks
  • Monitored the movements of Prince George and his nanny around London parks, as well as the movements of other household staff
  • Photographed the children of private individuals visiting Prince William and Kate Middleton’s home
  • Pursued cars leaving family homes
  • Used other children to draw Prince George into view around playgrounds
  • Hidden on private property in fields and woodland locations around Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Norfolk home
  • Obscured themselves in sand dunes on a rural beach to take photos of Prince George playing with his grandmother
  • Placed locations near the home of Kate Middleton’s parents in Berkshire under steady surveillance

The palace said the most recent incident, which was last week, involved a photographer who was discovered by police lying down in the boot of a rented car attempting to shoot photos outside a children’s play area.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Kensington Palace tweeted: “The Duke and Duchess want to extend their thanks for the kind and supportive messages they have received in recent months.

“They have been delighted to share photos of their children and will continue to do so in the months and years ahead.

“Yet undercover paparazzi continue to pursue their children, selling images of Prince George to international publications.”

In the published letter, Kensington Palace communications secretary Jason Knauf said Prince George had become the paparazzi’s “number one target”.

He said: “It is of course upsetting that such tactics – reminiscent as they are of past surveillance by groups intent on doing more than capturing images – are being deployed to profit from the image of a two-year-old boy.

“In a heightened security environment such tactics are a risk to all involved.

“The worry is that it will not always be possible to quickly distinguish between someone taking photos and someone intending to do more immediate harm.”

Jason Knauf said Prince William and Kate Middleton wanted Prince George and his sister Princess Charlotte “to be free to play in public and semi-public spaces with other children without being photographed”.

They want to give their children a childhood that is “free from harassment and surveillance”, he said.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “The covert actions of photographers have at times caused concerns during police protection operations when they have been considered a possible security threat.

“Photographers are potentially putting themselves at risk from armed intervention where our armed officers perceive a risk to the personal safety of their principal, the public and themselves.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GAB82pS1WA

Cuba: US Embassy Reopened After 54 Years

Diane A. Wade
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Cuba: US Embassy Reopened After 54 Years

The US flag has been raised over the reopened embassy in Cuba after more than 54 years since it was closed.

The reopening of the US embassy in Havana is a symbolic step signaling the warming of ties between both countries.

John Kerry, who presided over the ceremony in Havana, is the first US Secretary of State to visit Cuba in 70 years.

The US flag was presented by the same US marines who brought it down in 1961.

Cuba reopened its embassy in Washington in July.

However, issues remain, with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro blasting the US for not lifting its trade embargo.

In an open letter on August 13, Fidel Castro said the US owed Cuba millions of dollars because of its 53-year-long embargo. The letter makes no mention of today’s reopening of the US embassy.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

John Kerry described the hoisting of the flag as a “historic moment” speaking during the ceremony on August 14.

He also warned that the US would not stop pressing for political change in Cuba.

“The people of Cuba would be best served by a genuine democracy, where people are free to choose their leaders,” John Kerry told a crowd of hundreds gathered outside the embassy building.

In the past, John Kerry conceded, US policies have not led to democracy.

“Cuba’s future is for Cubans to shape,” he added.

Three retired marines who lowered the American flag for the last time on January 4, 1961, handed it over to marines to raise it once again in Havana as the American national anthem played.

Cuban leader Raul Castro and President Barack Obama agreed to restore ties in December 2014.

While trade and travel restrictions have been relaxed, the Republican-led US Congress has not lifted the trade embargo the US imposed on the communist-run island in 1960.

Cuba says the embargo – which it calls a blockade – is hugely damaging to its economy.

It says relations will be fully restored only once it is lifted.

Fidel Castro’s open letter was published in state newspaper Granma to mark his 89th birthday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B98-_Sk1uTk

Donald Trump Fired from Celebrity Apprentice

Nancy Clayson
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Donald Trump Fired from Celebrity Apprentice

NBC has ruled out the possibility of Donald Trump returning to host The Celebrity Apprentice.

Bob Greenblatt, NBC’s entertainment chairman, said the show will not be back next season, but will return in the future with a new host.

NBC cut ties with the republican presidential candidate in June over comments he made about immigrants.

Donald Trump has hosted The Celebrity Apprentice since 2010.

Before that he hosted The Apprentice from 2003.

Photo NBC
Photo NBC

In June, NBC cancelled its broadcasts of Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants that are co-owned by Donald Trump.

Earlier that month, Donald Trump accused Mexicans of adding drugs and crime to the US as he announced he was seeking the Republican presidential nomination.

“They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists,” he said.

Donald Trump also pledged to build a “great wall” on the US border with Mexico and insisted it would be paid for by Mexicans.

He later insisted he was criticizing US lawmakers, not Mexican people.

NBC faced pressure from Hispanic advocacy groups to drop Donald Trump’s shows and a petition gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

Upon confirming that Donald Trump would not return as The Celebrity Apprentice host, Bob Greenblatt said he was “a lovely guy and “very much a collaborator and worked with us closely on Celebrity Apprentice”.

“We weren’t in any sort of adversarial position,” he added.

Bob Greenblatt said that a number of people have expressed interest in taking over from Donald Trump and they would be open to a woman taking over.

Talk show host Leeza Gibbons won the most recent 7th edition of The Celebrity Apprentice in February.

Donald Trump is the frontrunner in the Republican race for US president in recent weeks, ahead of Jeb Bush and Scott Walker in the opinion polls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt0ymjQ7Jq8

Al Schmitt Gets Star on Walk of Fame

Sonia Pantiss
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Al Schmitt Gets Star on Walk of Fame

Al Schmitt has become the latest entertainment figure to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

One of the most celebrated recording and mix engineers in the business, Al Schmitt has won 23 Grammys – more than anyone else in his field.

Photo AFP/EPA
Photo AFP/EPA

Barbra Streisand, Sam Cooke and Paul McCartney are just a few of the music stars with whom the music producer was worked over the course of a career that has spanned more than half a century.

Al Schmitt, 85, was joined by producer Don Was and musician Joe Walsh at the dedication ceremony on August 13, fittingly held outside the Los Angeles headquarters of Capitol Records.

Rihanna Joins The Voice in Season 9

Sonia Pantiss
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Rihanna Joins The Voice in Season 9

Rihanna will join The Voice as a key adviser to all the coaches on the show’s upcoming season 9.

Pharrell Williams, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine will return as mentors, along with Gwen Stefani – who previously served as a coach on season 7.

Photo Twitter
Photo Twitter

Adam Levine and the singing competition’s host, Carson Daly, have welcomed Rihanna on Twitter.

“Welcome @Rihanna to @NbcTheVoice as an Advisor for this season #VoiceRIHveal,” Adam Levine tweeted.

Carson Daly also wrote: “Welcome @rihanna to @NBCTheVoice family!!! So stoked to have you. #VoiceRIHveal.”

The Voice Season 9 begins on NBC on September 21.

Stolen Pablo Picasso’s La Coiffeuse Returned to France

Sonia Pantiss
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Stolen Pablo Picasso’s La Coiffeuse Returned to France

Pablo Picasso’s oil painting La Coiffeuse (The Hairdresser) that was stolen from Paris’ Centre Georges Pompidou 14 years ago has been returned to France.

The 1911 cubist painting from 1911, which is valued at $15 million, was found in a shipment from Belgium to Newark, New Jersey, in December 2014.

A label described the painting as a mere handicraft worth $37.Picasso La Coiffeuse

The artwork was handed over to the French embassy in Washington by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

“We’re so glad that it’s going to be shown to the world again,” the agency’s director, Sarah Saldana, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Picasso’s painting was last seen on public display in Munich, Germany, in 1988.

It was then returned to Paris’ Centre Georges Pompidou. The museum reported it stolen from its archives in 2001.

Experts from the museum authenticated the painting as Pablo Picasso’s earlier this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbeSL7L1N_I

Greece Bailout Deal: Parliament Approves Draft Terms for €85 Billion Bailout

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece Bailout Deal: Parliament Approves Draft Terms for €85 Billion Bailout

The Greek parliament has approved the draft details a third bailout in five years after talks that lasted through the night and well into the morning.

The new deal involves tax rises and spending cuts in return for a bailout of about €85 billion ($95 billion).

Greece’s Alexis Tsipras also survived a significant rebellion within his own Syriza party.

The terms of the bailout will be discussed by eurozone finance ministers later on Friday, August 14.

The deal received 222 votes for, 64 against and 11 abstentions.

There were 31 “No” votes from Syriza members, and 11 abstentions – the biggest rebellion within Alexis Tsipras’ party so far. The rebels represented almost a third of all Syriza’s members of parliament.

According to the Greek media, the prime minister will ask for a confidence vote before parliament in the next week.

The debate itself was preceded by hours of often angry exchanges in parliament.Alexis Tsipras Greece bailout deal

Voting started just after 09:30 local time, more than six hours after the main debate began. The debate itself had been delayed by procedural issues.

Members of parliament had to agree on the terms so that eurozone ministers could endorse the draft deal.

Greece faces an urgent deadline on August 20, when it must repay about €3.2 billion to the European Central Bank (ECB).

If Greece had failed to agree on new terms for a bailout, the ECB is likely to have stopped giving emergency funds to Greek banks.

One of Alexis Tsipras’ most vocal critics within his own party was his former ally, parliamentary speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou.

Zoe Konstantopoulou said she could not support the deal, and faced calls from Alexis Tsipras to hurry her handling of the bill. Instead, she took time to raise several concerns, delaying the timing of the debate – to the prime minister’s visible frustration.

Another Syriza member, Panagiotis Lafazanis, told Alexis Tsipras: “I feel ashamed for you. We no longer have a democracy, but a eurozone dictatorship.”

Alexis Tsipras told the parliament: “I have my conscience clear that it is the best we could achieve under the current balance of power in Europe, under conditions of economic and financial asphyxiation imposed upon us.”

Rebels have insisted the government should make good on its electoral promise to reverse spending cuts and tax rises.

In two prior votes on bailout reforms, rebels had refused to approve tax increases, pension cuts and market reforms.

China Stock Market Trades Flat as Yuan Rate Strengthens

Clyde K. Valle
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China Stock Market Trades Flat as Yuan Rate Strengthens

Chinese stocks were flat on August 14 as the central bank raised the trading range of the yuan.

China’s central bank set the yuan rate at 6.3975 per dollar compared to Thursday’s close of 6.3982.

The rate is set daily and allows a 4% fluctuation – over the past week, the bank had guided the yuan to a record low sparking fears of a currency war to help lagging Chinese exports.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite was flat at 3,947.47 points.China stock market after yuan devaluation

Following the mainland’s lead, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also remained unchanged, trading flat at 24,005.92.

Japanese shares traded lower with the Nikkei 225 index closing 0.4% lower at 20,519.45 points.

Investors are anticipating next week’s release of Japan’s economic growth for the past three months.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 also fell by 0.5% finishing at 5,360.90 points as investors took a cue from Wall Street’s flat close and the ongoing uncertainty over the yuan.

China’s currency is important to Australia as it is the main export market for the country’s natural resources.

In South Korea, the Kospi index remained closed on August 14 as the country will mark a national holiday on August 15.

Fidel Castro Criticizes US on Eve of Embassy Reopening

Diane A. Wade
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Fidel Castro Criticizes US on Eve of Embassy Reopening

Fidel Castro has published an open letter to Cubans in which he makes no mention of the historic reopening of the US embassy in Havana.

The former Cuban leader instead criticizes American foreign and economic policies since World War Two and accuses the US of owing Cuba millions of dollars.

The letter was published to mark Fidel Castro’s 89th birthday.

The US embassy will be reopened in Havana on August 14, with Secretary of State John Kerry attending.

Fidel Castro said the US owed Cuba money because of the trade embargo the US imposed on the communist-run island in 1960.

Cuba says the embargo – which it calls a blockade – is hugely damaging to its economy.

The letter says relations will only be fully restored once it is lifted.Fidel Castro criticizes US before embassy reopening

Three marines who lowered the American flag for the last time on January 4, 1961, will raise it again during Friday’s ceremony in Havana.

They are now retired and in their late 70s.

“I’m gonna love seeing that flag go back up,” said former marine Jim Tracy, 78, on a State Department video.

Cuba reopened its embassy in Washington last month.

In his birthday letter published in state newspaper Granma, Fidel Castro says Cuba is committed to “good will and peace in our hemisphere” but adds: “We will never stop fighting for the peace and welfare of all human beings, regardless of the color of their skin and which country they come from.”

Fidel Castro led his country from the Cuban Revolution, in 1959, until 2006, when he stood down because of undisclosed health problems.

He passed on power to his younger brother, Raul Castro, who embarked on a number of economic reforms.

After Raul Castro and President Barack Obama announced in December that Cuba and the US had agreed to restore diplomatic relations, it took Fidel Castro more than a month to express lukewarm approval for the historic reconciliation.

The AAC Share Price Crash – What a Corporate Murder Indictment Can Do to a Thriving Stock

Dana R
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The AAC Share Price Crash – What a Corporate Murder Indictment Can Do to a Thriving Stock

Some situations cannot be foreseen, no matter how good your strategy skills are in business. Up until just a couple of weeks ago, AAC Holdings had one of the hottest stocks on the New York Stock Exchange, having grown 150% since its original public offering in October last year. However, now, the company has faced a sharp, shocking nosedive, with its share price dropping as much as 53% on August 4th, with trading on the stock briefly halted because of its volatility on the same day.

Why did AAC Holdings lose so much market confidence in such a short space of time? The short version of the story is that four of its employees, including its president Jerrod Nathan Menz, were indicted by California Attorney General Kamala Harris for the murder of a patient in the care of A Better Tomorrow drug and alcohol treatment center – a facility operated by American Addiction Centers, AAC’s key operating unit.

To understand the full story, however, we need to look back five years to July 2010, when AAC was operating as ForterusInc, and the death that sparked the scandal took place.

The Death of GaryBenefield at A Better Tomorrow

The patient Jerrod Nathan Menz and AAC have been indicted with the murder of a 52 year old man named Gary Benefield. MrBenefield lived in Springerville, Arizona, where he worked at a coal power plant. The day before his 53rd birthday, Gary Benefield left Arizona to fly to Los Angeles, where he then went on to A Better Tomorrow treatment center in Murrieta to receive treatment for an addiction which has not been specified in the notes concerning his case.

Gary Benefield had several pre-existing medical conditions. He suffered from emphysema, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and had also recently been admitted to hospital with pneumonia. He had been using an oxygen tank prior to his trip to LA, which had been emptied at the airport.

The report from the investigation into MrBenefield’s case by the California Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes, which was released in 2012, shows what happened when Gary Benefield arrived at the A Better Tomorrow rehab center. He was not provided with further oxygen, as would be expected for a patient in his condition, but was instead given some antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. Staff at the clinic then reportedly failed to check in on MrBenefield from around midnight until the following morning. The next day – MrBenefield’s 53rd birthday – he died. The coroner concluded the cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

murder-incident
Photo Source: www.examiner.com

Indictment

Five years later, almost to the day, California prosecutors unsealed a murder indictment against Jerrod Nathan Menz, two employees who had left A Better Tomorrow in the time in between, and one Mignon Dean, who is still with AAC. This sparked the immediate resignation from the board by Menz, who was also one of the company’s founders and its second largest shareholder, as well as the massive stock downturn for AAC Holdings.

Other Incidents Examined by the California Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes at A Better Tomorrow

The death of Gary Benefield is not the only death that has come under scrutiny at A Better Tomorrow drug and alcohol treatment center. The report from 2012 by the California Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes also looked at four other patient deaths which had occurred in around the same two year timeframe as MrBenefield’s. In addition to these, there were also two patients who committed suicide, whose families took legal action against A Better Tomorrow for failing to take reasonable preventative action.

Jerrod Nathan Menz posted bond and is not expected to go to court for the criminal case until October. AAC filed stating that they do not admit liability for the death of Gary Benefield, and will fully defend those indicted.

Of course, a complicated case like this and the cost of what could be a lengthy defense has been more than enough to scare the markets away from AAC shares, and it will probably take a long time before confidence in the business resumes, if it ever does.

Russia Extends Food Embargo in Retaliation for Western Sanctions

Diane A. Wade
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Russia Extends Food Embargo in Retaliation for Western Sanctions

Russia has announced it is extending its list of countries subject to a food import ban in retaliation for Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said the ban would now apply to Iceland, Liechtenstein, Albania and Montenegro.

Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine would be added in 2016 if an economic agreement between Kiev and the EU came into force.

The bulldozing of tonnes of Western-produced cheese and other foodstuffs has angered anti-poverty campaigners.

Russia began destroying banned produce earlier this month, steamrollering fruit and burning boxes of bacon. Critics say it should be used to feed the poor and hungry.

The move comes after the EU and US introduced sanctions over Russia’s annexation of Crimea and actions in eastern Ukraine.

Photo RIA Novosti
Photo RIA Novosti

Certain products from EU countries as well as Australia, Canada, Norway and the US were banned in August last year.

Speaking at a cabinet of ministers on August 13, Dmitry Medvedev said Iceland, Liechtenstein, Albania and Montenegro would also now be affected because they had joined EU sanctions against Russia.

“Joining the sanctions is a conscious choice which means readiness for retaliatory measures from our part, which have been adopted,” the prime minister said in comments broadcast on state-owned channel Rossiya 24.

The ban includes meat, fish, dairy products, fruit and vegetables.

Dmitry Medvedev previously said that the counter-sanctions had given domestic agriculture a significant boost and had not caused shortages, according to Rossiya 24.

Russian authorities have also started burning Dutch flowers, saying they pose a safety risk because they may be infected with pests.

However, critics say Russia wants to take revenge on the Netherlands over its handling of the investigation into the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over rebel-held eastern Ukraine last year.

In a rare move against President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s Communist Party announced on August 13 it had submitted a bill to parliament calling for smuggled Western food to be given to the needy instead of being destroyed.

The Kremlin says food cannot be given away because it could be unsafe.

Warren G. Harding Had a Love Child with Nan Britton, DNA Tests Confirm

Nancy Clayson
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Warren G. Harding Had a Love Child with Nan Britton, DNA Tests Confirm

The 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding, had a love child, advanced DNA tests revealed.

President Warren Harding fathered a child with Nan Britton during his presidency.

The tests show that Warren Harding, who was married, was indeed the father of Elizabeth Ann Blaesing, Nan Britton’s daughter.President Warren G Harding love child

Warren Harding’s immediate family and the public had rejected the claims and shamed Nan Britton, calling her a liar.

Dr. Peter Harding, one of the former president’s grand-nephews who spearheaded getting the DNA tests done, thinks advanced DNA testing was definitely conclusive.

He and his cousin Abigail Harding pursued the tests with James Blaesing, a grandson of Nan Britton.

Ancestry.com, which provided the test with their AncestryDNA service, confirmed the results were true to the BBC.

Elizabeth Ann Blaesing died in 2005. Her mother wrote a book, The President’s Daughter, in 1927, in an attempt to make money and prove Warren Harding’s paternity after his death at 57 as he had left no financial arrangement for their daughter.Nan Britton and daughter Elizabeth Ann

The scandal rocked the 1920s, also known as the “Roaring Twenties” – the president was married and much older than Nan Britton.

In the past, the Blaesing family did not want to submit to DNA tests, thinking it insulting to their late matriarch.

Chicago’s Bean Sculpture Copied in China

Sonia Pantiss
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Chicago’s Bean Sculpture Copied in China

British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor has complained of plagiarism following reports that a sculpture similar to Cloud Gate he made for Chicago has been constructed in China.

The artist said in a statement: “It seems that in China today it is permissible to steal the creativity of others.”

According to Chinese media, the stainless steel work in the town of Karamay, north-west China, is intended to represent “a big oil bubble”.

Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate was unveiled in Chicago in 2006.

The sculpture, which reflects Chicago’s dramatic skyline, is also known as The Bean. It featured prominently in Source Code, a 2011 thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal.Chicago Bean and China Big Oil Bubble

“I feel I must take this to the highest level and pursue those responsible in the courts,” Anish Kapoor said.

“I hope that the Mayor of Chicago will join me in this action.

“The Chinese authorities must act to stop this kind of infringement and allow the full enforcement of copyright.”

An employee of Karamay’s tourism bureau denied that the Chinese sculpture was a copy of Anish Kapoor’s, insisting any similarities were coincidental.

“While we use similar materials, the shapes and meanings are different,” Ma Jun told the Wall Street Journal’s China Real Time blog.

“Cloud Gate intends to reflect the sky, but ours reflects the ground.”

Piracy of goods, brands and copyrighted materials is so rife in China that there is a word for the results – Shan Zhai, a term originally used to describe a bandit stronghold outside government control.

Anish Kapoor is known for works including the Orbit tower in London’s Olympic Park and the Sky Mirror in Nottingham.

His more recent works include Dirty Corner, a 200ft steel tube in the gardens of France’s Palace of Versailles, which has caused controversy and has been the target of vandalism.

Greece’s Economy Grew by 0.8% in Q2 2015

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece’s Economy Grew by 0.8% in Q2 2015

Greece’s economy grew by 0.8% in Q2 2015, confounding expectations of a steep contraction.

The official figures, based on a flash estimate, also revised a reading of 0.2% negative growth in Q1 to a flat reading, showing no change in economic activity.

The reading did not break down which sectors had been most active.

The figures, provided by Greece’s Elstat agency, come as the parliament prepares to vote on new bailout plans.

The Greek government has defended the controversial new program as tough, but essential if the country is to avoid financial collapse.

The credit crisis sparked six years of recession in Greece, from which it emerged in 2014 before shrinking again.

Until these latest figures were released, Greece’s economy had been forecast to shrink again this year by between 2.1% and 2.3%.

Nikos Magginas at National Bank said it was now possible that the contraction would be less than 2%.Greece economic growth 2015

He said there were a number of sectors likely to have helped boost activity: “Some economic activity indicators in the second quarter, including consumption, industrial production and tourism, had shown particular resilience.”

Greece must repay some €3.4 billion ($3.8 billion) to the ECB by August 20. If the deal is not finalized by then, Athens may need more emergency funding.

Eurozone finance ministers are expected to meet at the weekend to endorse the draft deal.

PM Alexis Tsipras said the deal would end the country’s economic uncertainty.

The chances of the eurozone vote succeeding improved on Thursday afternoon, when Finland, which originally indicated it favored a temporary Greek exit from the euro, backed the plan.

Finland’s finance minister, Alexander Stubb, said: “We have come a long way during the summer. The future of the euro was at stake…. but now we’ve got a solution and will live with it.”

On August 12, former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis said the bailout deal was “not going to work”, because it was based on an unsustainable debt burden that the economy would be unable to produce enough to repay.

Yanis Varoufakis was removed from the talks early last month and replaced by the present finance minister, Euclid Tsakalotos.

Samsung Unveils Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 at New York Press Conference

Nancy Clayson
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Samsung Unveils Galaxy S6 Edge Plus and Galaxy Note 5 at New York Press Conference

Samsung has unveiled two new smartphones, the Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Galaxy Note 5.

Both smartphones have 5.7in screens and are going on sale earlier in the year than their previous generations.

The new launches follow five successive falls in Samsung Electronics’ quarterly profits.

Analysts say the popularity of mid-range phones from Chinese rivals, and Apple’s shift to bigger iPhones, have dented demand for Samsung’s devices.

However, Samsung remains the world leader in terms of overall smartphone shipments.

The announcements were made at a press conference in New York.

Samsung also revealed that its smart wallet service, Samsung Pay – which allows the phones to trigger payment card transactions.

The service would go live in South Korea on August 20.

Samsung Pay will be extended to the US on September 28 and then to the UK and Spain at an unspecified date.

Like previous versions of the Note, Galaxy Note 5 comes with a stylus – which Samsung says makes it suitable for productivity tasks. But the phone now has metal edges and a glass back to give it a more “premium” feel.

Photo Samsung
Photo Samsung

In a change of strategy, Samsung has no plans at present to release the Note 5 in Europe – a decision it says is purely for marketing reasons.

Unlike last year, there is no “edge” edition of the Note.

Instead, the Galaxy S6 Edge Plus is targeted at those who want a “phablet”-sized handset with curved sides.

The “plus” in its name refers to the fact that its screen is both 0.6in larger than the earlier edition and more scratch-resistant.

Photo Samsung
Photo Samsung

The Galaxy S6 Edge+ now has an extra gigabyte of memory, taking it up to 4GB of RAM to aid multi-tasking, but uses the same in-house Exynos processor as before.

This marks a change from the S5 Plus, which was the same size but contained a faster processor than the original S5.

The decision to host a standalone press conference for the handsets marks a change of strategy for Samsung.

All the previous versions of the Note were unveiled at Germany’s annual IFA tech show, which is still three weeks away. The S5 Plus was announced last October in a low-key press release.

One of the benefits of announcing the new models together at this point is that it should give Samsung about a month’s lead on Apple – reports suggest the company will update its own smartphones on September 9.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ and the Galaxy Note 5 go on sale on August 21.

Advancements in Detecting Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Dana R
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Advancements in Detecting Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

On an increasing basis, clinicians have embraced the use of neuroimaging techniques to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), and as the detection methods improve for MTBI, personal injury attorneys may find a wealth of data with which to help their clients in seeking restitution for injuries related to negligence.

MTBI, sometimes referred to as concussion, results from external impact or other forces that involve the head. Other causes can include shock waves from large explosions, as encountered in the military, yet the most common origins of MTBI stem from motor vehicle accidents, head injuries during falls, sports-related injuries and physical violence. Physically, the accident jolts the head forwards and backwards or side-to-side, and the acceleration and deceleration resulting from the impact causes the brain to hit against the skull.

Brain-Injury

Over 1.7 million people in the United States suffer from TBI annually. However, the cases of MBTI may go underreported because victims with mild cases frequently seek out their private physician rather than seek treatment in a hospital emergency room, which may be more inclined to order neuroimaging tests to determine the extent of the injuries. Fortunately, approximately 80 percent of TBI cases are mild with recovery periods within days to weeks.

However, a significant minority will develop post-concussive symptoms that can continue for months and years. In some cases, MBTI may lead to more extensive disability thus disrupting a victim’s ability to work.

Neuroimaging in Detecting MBTI

As recognition of MBTI has increased, the diagnostic frameworks have improved. Generally, 80 to 90 percent of MBTI patients have positive prognoses, yet that means approximately 10 to 20 percent continue to suffer with a range of persistent cognitive, physical and emotional symptoms. For MBTI, detecting brain alterations is more difficult than moderate to severe TBI, and clinicians have increasingly relied upon diffusion imaging to discern diffuse axonal damage. The literature discussing investigations into this phenomenon present two hypotheses regarding the causative factors: neurogenic or psychogenic. As neuroimaging has made inroads into the diagnosis, the neurogenic causative factors have gained a hold.

Thus, obtaining a conclusive diagnosis or more accurate data regarding MBTI in a victim represents a critical element of a personal injury legal action. Generally, conventional testing using computed axial tomography scans (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has not resulting in differentiating diagnoses from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. Therefore, the current objective is to diagnose MBTI through the utilization of more sophisticated tools, such as diffusion tensor imaging, which can detect damage to brain’s white matter, which functions as the pathways that connect neurons. Diffuse axonal injury is the most common injury in MBTI, and these innovative techniques are gaining importance in evaluating subtle changes to the brain that traditional methods miss.

Symptoms

Victims suffering from MBTI experience a range of symptoms that may be different for each individual. These fall into categories including cognitive, physical, behavioral and emotional symptoms. Cognitive symptoms may include lack of concentration, inattention, an inability to focus and difficulties making decisions. Physical symptoms can include headaches, hearing problems, blurred vision, changes in smell or taste, sensitivity to light, a persistent feeling of lethargy, sleep disturbances, dizziness or vertigo. In addition, emotional symptoms can result in irritability, anger, sadness, anxiety, depression and getting easily frustrated by small matters.

Most symptoms will resolve within three months; however, for the significant minority of victims in which the symptoms continue unabated, having the neuroimaging data from sophisticated testing not only lends credence to the reality of the pain, but also evidence of real trauma that directly changes their lives.  Moreover, Oregon personal injury attorneys may have clients describing feelings of being in a fog, an inability to think on one’s feet or difficulties in concentrating. These attorneys may well serve their clients well by suggesting investigational neuroimaging when MBTI is indicated.

IKEA Knife Attack: Eritrean Suspect Faced Deportation Before Vasteras Attack

Diane A. Wade
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IKEA Knife Attack: Eritrean Suspect Faced Deportation Before Vasteras Attack

One of the IKEA knife attack suspect, who is accused of killing two people at a store in Vasteras, Sweden, faced imminent deportation hours before the attack, Swedish officials say.

The 35-year-old Eritrean suspect attended a meeting on his asylum status just hours before the knife attack, officials added.

The suspect, who was found at the scene with serious knife injuries, had earlier met to discuss his failed residency application, the Swedish Migration Agency said.

A mother and her adult son died in the attack in Vasteras on August 10.

A second man has also been detained.IKEA knife attack Vasteras

On August 12, the prosecutor’s office said that investigators were still holding the 23-year-old who was staying at the same centre for asylum seekers as the injured man.

He has denied any involvement in the attack.

Police say the reason for the stabbing is unclear, but they do not believe it was politically motivated.

Migration officials said the 35-year-old had attended a meeting at the agency on Monday morning about plans to deport him to Italy after his residency application was rejected last month.

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet has reported that CCTV images show the suspect grabbing two knives from the kitchenware section of IKEA just before the two shoppers, a 55-year-old woman and her 27-year-old son, were attacked.

“The attack ends when the alleged murderer stabs himself in the stomach,” the report said.

Police chiefs have not confirmed the footage or whether knives on sale in the shop were used.

The 35-year-old has not yet been interviewed due to the serious nature of his injuries.

Police increased security at refugee accommodation centers in the region this week after confirming they had arrested two Eritrean asylum seekers over the murders.

The store in Vasteras, which is about 70 miles west of the capital Stockholm, is one of the largest in Sweden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiV8BUVPDPg

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen Divorce Rumors Amid Deflategate Scandal

Clyde K. Valle
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Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen Divorce Rumors Amid Deflategate Scandal

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen are heading towards a split despite their sweet public messages to each other on social media, OK! Magazine reports.

A source told the gossip magazine: “Things between Tom and Gisele have been strained for a long time.

“Gisele is ramping up the social media activity because her marriage is breaking down.”

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

The magazine claims that the New England Patriots quarterback and his wife had a “massive fight” at a recent birthday dinner for Tom.

Since then, the couple has been allegedly communicating via angry texts.

A rumor of Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s divorce isn’t new, as the couple has dealt with speculation since tying the knot in February 2009.

Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady reportedly signed an ironclad prenuptial agreement but OK! Magazine says the marriage may end in a $460 million divorce battle.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen’s divorce rumors come in the midst of an actual battle he is currently having with the NFL over his alleged role in deflating footballs.

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