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Joan Collins Denies Being Arrested in Republic of Ireland

Lisa.Felice
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Joan Collins Denies Being Arrested in Republic of Ireland

Joan Collins has denied that she was arrested in the Republic of Ireland.

Irish politician Joan Collins was arrested at a protest against new water meters in Dublin on April 20.

Actress Joan Collins has taken to Twitter saying: “No I am not the Joan Collins Who was a rested (sic) yesterday At a Dublin protest meeting !!! The very idea !!”

United Left TD Joan Collins said she was taking part in a “peaceful protest”.Joan Collins denies arrest

The politician later tweeted that she should not be confused with the British actress.

“For the record I’m not @JoanCollinsOBE as I’d never take an honor from a monarch nor did I wear shoulder pads in the 80s. The very idea!”

Joan Collins, 81, was made a dame in the Queen’s New Year’s honors list in 2014.

She was previously a patron of UKIP, but said that does not mean she would vote for them, and has declared herself an admirer of former PM Margaret Thatcher.

Irish parliamentarian Joan Collins sits on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

Joan Collins was among 13 people arrested at the demonstration, which was part of continuing protests against the introduction of water charges in Ireland.

Gwyneth Paltrow Files for Divorce from Chris Martin

Lisa.Felice
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0
Gwyneth Paltrow Files for Divorce from Chris Martin

Gwyneth Paltrow and her estranged husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, have filed for divorce.

The actress cited irreconcilable differences in the documents, which were filed in Los Angeles on April 20 after 11 years of marriage.

The divorce documents request joint custody of their two children, Apple and Moses.

Gwyneth Paltrow, 42, and Chris Martin, 38, announced their separation in March 2014, describing it as a “conscious uncoupling”.

Her lifestyle blog Goop.com crashed after the couple posted a joint statement about their decision.Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin divorce

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin said they had “come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much, we will remain separate”.

The couple said they had been “working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us”.

“We are, however, and always will be a family, and in many ways we are closer than we have ever been,” their statement said.

“We are parents first and foremost, to two incredibly wonderful children and we ask for their and our space and privacy to be respected at this difficult time.

“We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and co-parent, we will be able to continue in the same manner.”

Their divorce’s confirmation comes after days of speculation the actress had filed the papers.

The documents do not list any details about how Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin will divide their assets, but asks that both sides pay their own lawyers’ fees.

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin married in secret ceremony in December 2003, days after they announced Paltrow was pregnant with their first child.

Jeremy Clarkson Will Be Back on BBC

Sonia Pantiss
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Jeremy Clarkson Will Be Back on BBC

Jeremy Clarkson will return to the BBC”, Kim Shillinglaw, the head of BBC 2 and BBC 4, has said.

Kim Shillinglaw, who has the task of finding Jeremy Clarkson’s replacement after he was dropped from Top Gear, said he had not been banned by the BBC.

“It’s serious and unfortunate what happened but there is no ban on Jeremy being on the BBC,” Kim Shillinglaw said.

“It’s a big deal what happened and Jeremy, as any human being would, needs some time.”

Jeremy Clarkson, 55, was removed from Top Gear on March 25 after assaulting producer Oisin Tymon.

Kim Shillinglaw said it was an “open book” on who might replace Jeremy Clarkson, following rumors it could be a woman.

She said: “We’ll definitely look at some women but it’s not a driving priority.” Jeremy Clarkson BBC return

Kim Shillinglaw also confirmed Jeremy Clarkson’s final Top Gear scenes would be screened later this year

“No way would I want the available material not to be seen by viewers,” she said.

However, there is not enough footage to piece together the three remaining episodes of Top Gear, which was pulled off air in the aftermath of the altercation with Oisin Tymon on March 4.

Sue Perkins, the host of BBC One’s The Great British Bake Off, was named the bookmakers’ favorite to replace Jeremy Clarkson two weeks ago.

She was the front-runner for the job, followed by Dermot O’Leary and Jodie Kidd.

The news prompted a barrage of abusive tweets for Sue Perkins, whose Twitter timeline was filled with “blokes wishing me dead”, including threats from someone who “suggested they’d like to see me burn to death”.

Sue Perkins later quit Twitter, leading Jeremy Clarkson’s co-presenter James May to suggest those who sent the abusive tweets should “do the world a much bigger favor by killing yourself”.

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

Rolls Royce CEO John Rishton to Be Replaced by Warren East

Clyde K. Valle
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Rolls Royce CEO John Rishton to Be Replaced by Warren East

Rolls-Royce chief executive John Rishton will be replaced by Warren East after his retirement on July 2.

John Rishton, who has been at the company since 2011, said it was “time for a change in lifestyle”.

Warren East was head of UK chipmaker Arm Holdings between 2001 and 2013 and has been a non-executive director at Rolls-Royce since the beginning of last year.Rolls Royce CEO John Rishton to Be Replaced by Warren East

He helped turn Arm into a leading developer of chips to major technology companies such as Apple.

Warren East said he was “delighted” to be appointed as the new chief executive.

“[Rolls-Royce] is well positioned in growth markets, with world-class engineering skills and a proud record of innovation and delivery.

“The markets which Rolls Royce serves and the technology it deploys are fascinating. This is a wonderful opportunity and I am very much looking forward to leading this remarkable company.”

John Rishton said: “We have made good progress transforming Rolls-Royce and have a strong team in place. While there is clearly more to do, the company is better placed to face the future.”

Tesco Reports Worst Results in History

Clyde K. Valle
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Tesco Reports Worst Results in History

British retailer Tesco has reported the worst results in its history with a record statutory pre-tax loss of $9.5 billion for the year to the end of February.

That compares with annual pre-tax profit of $3.35 billion a year earlier.

It is the biggest loss suffered by a UK retailer and one of the largest in the country’s corporate history.

Around $7 billion of the losses were the result of the fall in property value of its UK stores, 43 of which it said would close earlier this month.

The decline in the value of its property portfolio comes as a direct result of falling footfall in many of its out of town superstores.Tesco annual loss

Tesco CEO Dave Lewis admitted it had been “a very difficult year for Tesco”.

He added: “The results we have published today reflect a deterioration in the market and, more significantly, an erosion of our competitiveness over recent years.

“We have faced into this reality, sought to draw a line under the past and begun to rebuild, and already we are beginning to see early encouraging signs from what we’ve done so far.”

Dave Lewis added that he expected conditions in the coming financial year to remain challenging.

However, investors reacted positively to the results.

Tesco’s share price rose by more than 1% in early trading on the London Stock Exchange.

The results cap a tumultuous year for the supermarket giant which is still being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after it overstated its half-year profit forecast in August by $389 million.

Annual group trading profit, which counts sales through the supermarket’s tills was also down 60% at $2 billion, compared with $4.9 billion a year earlier.

Tesco company said the performance of its European stores disappointed as a result of “strong competition from discount retailers” which held back its sales performance, particularly in Ireland which saw a like-for-like sales fall 6.3% in the year.

In Asia, Tesco said trading profit was $836 million, once currency fluctuations were stripped out, 15.3% lower than a year earlier a result of sales falling in South Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Tesco said it had also agreed a plan with the trustees of its pension scheme to pay $400 million a year to help mend its $5.75 billion pension deficit.

The company has started a consultation with staff to replace the current defined benefit pension scheme with a cheaper defined contribution scheme.

Hair Pulling John Key: New Zealand Prime Minister Apologizes to Auckland Waitress

Nancy Clayson
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Hair Pulling John Key: New Zealand Prime Minister Apologizes to Auckland Waitress

New Zealand PM John Key has apologized to an Auckland cafe waitress for repeatedly pulling her hair.

According to the unnamed waitress, the prime minister had tugged her ponytail on several occasions, even after she had asked him not to.

John Key’s office said on April 22 that his actions were meant to be “light-hearted” and he apologized.

The incident has sparked criticism from an opposition party and the public.

The waitress wrote on the Daily Blog that the hair-pulling started during last November’s election campaign, when John Key’s National Party was re-elected.

The woman said that she had begun avoiding John Key whenever he came into the cafe, and had told his security officers that she didn’t like her hair being pulled.

She said she finally told John Key in person to stop in March, but he continued to do so.

John Key later apologized and gave the waitress two personalized bottles of wine.Hair pulling John Key

His office said in a statement: “His actions were intended to be light-hearted. It was never his intention to make her feel uncomfortable and he has apologized to her.”

John Key told reporters on April 22 that he had “a very warm and friendly relationship” with staff at the cafe where “we have lots of fun and games there, there’s always lots of practical jokes and things”.

One of the leaders of New Zealand’s Green Party, Metiria Turei, said his actions raised questions about workplace bullying.

“As politicians our job is to make people feel safe at work, not bullied… We should expect higher standards of behavior from our prime minister, not this weird hair-pulling,” Metiria Turei told The New Zealand Herald.

New Zealanders have been discussing John Key’s actions on Twitter with the hashtags #tailgate. and #ponytailgate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kv5nnXeDQU

Earth Day 2015: Pledge to Plant One Billion Trees

James J. Williams
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Earth Day 2015: Pledge to Plant One Billion Trees

The Earth Day is observed in more than 190 countries on April 22 each year.

The annual event is celebrated with outdoor performances, where individuals or groups perform acts of service to earth.

Typical ways of observing Earth Day include planting trees, picking up roadside trash, conducting various programs for recycling and conservation, using recyclable containers for snacks and lunches.

People are encouraged to sign petitions to governments, calling for stronger or immediate action to stop global warming and to reverse environmental destruction.

TV stations frequently air programs dealing with environmental issues.Earth Day 2015

The April 22 Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson and first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water and soil pollution.

Some people prefer to observe Earth Day around the time of the March Equinox.

In 1978, American anthropologist Margaret Mead added her support for the equinox Earth Day, founded by John McConnell. She stated that the selection of the March Equinox for Earth Day made planetary observance of a shared event possible.

Earth Day 2015 will be a global “give back to Earth” event, as an “offering” for all the planet gives us.

This year’s Earth Day goal is planting of a billion trees worldwide

Earth Day is not a public holiday and public life, with regard to transport schedules and opening hours for schools and businesses, is not affected.

Flawless white diamond fetches $22.1 million at New York auction

Sonia Pantiss
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Flawless white diamond fetches $22.1 million at New York auction

A flawless white 100-carat diamond has fetched $22.1 million at Sotheby’s auction house in New York.

The emerald-cut diamond, originally mined by De Beers in South Africa, has been bought by an anonymous buyer after only three minutes’ bidding.

The gem had taken more than a year to cut, polish and perfect.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Only six perfect diamonds weighing more than 100 carats have been auctioned in the past 25 years, according to Sotheby’s.

The diamond had a pre-sale estimate of between $19 million and $25 million.

Gary Schuler, the head of Sotheby’s jewellery department in New York, described the diamond as “the definition of perfection”.

“The color is whiter than white, it is free of any internal imperfections and so transparent that I can only compare it to a pool of icy water,” Gary Schuler said before the sale.

The gem was the highlight of a sale of more than 350 jewels expected to sell for a total of more than $50 million.

In 2013, a flawless pink diamond known as the Pink Star set a world record price for a gemstone at auction when it sold for $83 million in Geneva.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6q762LjadQ

NYC buses must display Killing Jews ad

Diane A. Wade
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NYC buses must display Killing Jews ad

New York City’s buses must display a controversial advertisement that refers to Muslims killing Jews, a judge has ruled.

New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had opposed the advertisement, arguing it could incite terrorism and violence.

Judge John Koeltl rejected the argument and said the ad was protected under the US constitution, which enshrines the principle of free speech.

The ad, a parody paid for by the controversial American Freedom Defense Initiative, lead by notorious anti-Muslim blogger Pamela Gellar and author Robert Spencer, depicts a man wearing a scarf around his face, accompanied by this quote: “Killing Jews is Worship that draws us close to Allah.”

The quote adds that his actions are attributed to “Hamas MTV,” and then states: “That’s His Jihad. What’s yours?“, with “Hamas TV” being a reference to Palestinian Media Watch’s translation of a hateful, anti-Israel music video released online.NYC buses must display Killing Jews ad

The ad includes a disclaimer that the ad’s statement does not reflect the MTA’s stance. It’s also not the first time the Authority will run an ad from the AFDI, which touts itself as a pro-Israel organization.

The ad has already been displayed on public transport in Chicago and San Francisco.

Judge John Koeltl said that although he was sensitive to security concerns, the MTA had underestimated the tolerance of New Yorkers and overestimated the potential impact of the ad.

“It strains credulity to believe that New Yorkers would be incited to violence by ads that did not incite residents of Chicago and San Francisco,” he said.

Judge John Koelt delayed enforcing his ruling for 30 days so the MTA could decide whether to appeal.

MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg said they were “disappointed in the ruling and are reviewing our options”.

The American Freedom Defense Initiative is run by controversial blogger and activist Pamela Geller. It is listed as an anti-Muslim group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights group.

Oil prices to rise further

Clyde K. Valle
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Oil prices to rise further

Oil prices will rise further, say industry leaders at the World Economic Forum on East Asia in Indonesia.

Industry leaders at the meeting in Jakarta said the long-term view was that demand for oil is growing.

Oil prices are around their highest levels for 2015.

The price of Brent crude was at $63 a barrel on April 21, up 40% from its January low of $45 a barrel and near its high for the year of $65.Oil prices World Economic Forum on East Asia

Oil prices more than halved in the second half of last year, as falling demand and high levels of output caused a glut in supply.

Melody Boone Meyer, president of Asia-Pacific exploration and production at US energy giant Chevron, said that dramatic falls were not an uncommon feature of the oil market.

“The price of oil in the last 30 years has fallen five times by 50%,” Melody Boone Meyer said at the forum.

“There’s a surplus of supply right now, and inevitably the decline will occur.”

It was important to continue with projects that were in development, Melody Boone Meyer added, emphasising that Chevron had a lot of projects that are well supported at these price levels.

Shahril Shamsuddin, group chief executive at Malaysia’s SapuraKencana Petroleum, backed that view: “The light at the end of the tunnel is that, in the long term, demand is growing and over the next two to three years we will see prices come to an optimum level.”

Handry Satriago, the CEO of GE Indonesia, said that a lot of its customers in the country were delaying projects because of the slump in prices.

“Since last year we experienced some delay, but last year was because of the political situation of the country,” he said.

“We were having the election, and a new government, but now that delay has became more delayed due to the current situation.”

The company has been trying to work with partners to “keep projects warm” and not to cancel them.

“We show our commitment to them [oil partners], that we are here and we continue to support and work together,” Handry Satriago said.

“We also lobby to the government to make sure that the project can continue.”

With Asia expected to become a net importer of oil in the next decade as consumption booms, government officials said it was necessary to secure energy supplies, even with falling prices.

Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, lost its position as South East Asia’s sole nation in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2008 after it became a net oil importer.

Listeria outbreak: Blue Bell recalls all products

Kathryn R. Bown
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Blue Bell has decided to recall all of its products because of a potentially lethal listeria contamination.

In a statement, the Texas-based company said its ice cream, frozen yoghurt and other products could be contaminated with listeria.

Listeria can cause “serious and sometimes fatal infections”.

The recall began last month in response to the deaths of three people in Kansas who had eaten Blue Bell’s ice cream.

Tests later revealed that five people in Kansas and three in Texas had been made ill by the bacteria. A batch of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream was linked to the outbreak.Blue Bell recall listeria

Blue Bell now says that after further inspections, it found the bacterial infection had contaminated not just one batch, but several of its factories.

It said it “can’t say with certainty” how the bacteria was introduced to the manufacturing line.

“We’re committed to doing the 100% right thing, and the best way to do that is to take all of our products off the market until we can be confident that they are all safe,” said Blue Bell CEO Paul Kruse in a statement.

Paul Kruse added the company would be instituting a new procedure called “test and hold”, in which all of its products will be tested first and held until the results indicate the products are safe.

This is the first recall in the 108-year-old company’s history.

It comes just a few weeks after Sabra Dipping Co recalled 30,000 cases of hummus, because of possible contamination with the same poisonous bacteria.

Listeria is a food-borne organism which can cause fever and nausea. In most cases, people make full recoveries.

The disease can be fatal to people with weakened immune systems and lead to miscarriages among pregnant women.

Serbian presidential jet’s plunge caused by coffee spill

Nancy Clayson
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Serbia’s presidential jet went into a sudden plunge on a flight to Rome last week when the co-pilot tried to mop up a coffee spill, an inquiry found.

President Tomislav Nikolic and other passengers were reportedly thrown around the 34-year-old Falcon 50’s cabin before the captain managed to regain control.

Coffee was spilt on the control panel and the co-pilot mistakenly disengaged the autopilot when trying to mop it up.Serbian presidential jet coffee spill

Tomislav Nikolic had been heading to Rome on April 17 for a meeting with Pope Francis.

The jet later turned back to Belgrade. The plane landed safely back in the Serbian capital, but the president was forced to cancel his official visit to meet Pope Francis in the Vatican, and his advisers put the incident down to yet another malfunction on the ageing, incident-prone aircraft.

Co-pilot Bojan Zoric has been suspended after the inquiry found he had “accidentally activated the emergency switch”. That caused the plane to plunge from a height of 34,000 feet.

One of the Falcon’s three engines shut down because of the sudden drop in altitude, but it was quickly restarted.

4 Reasons to Invest in Bitcoin

Dana R
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4 Reasons to Invest in Bitcoin

Bitcoin has been shaking up the tech and finance worlds ever since it was first introduced in 2009 as the world’s first cryptocurrency created by Satoshi Nakamoto. Since then world media has been paying close attention to bitcoin’s status as a real means of value exchange, with many questions surrounding its viability and investment value still continuing to rise to the surface.

Thanks to the infographic provided by BuddyLoans, we take another look at the phenomenon of bitcoin and pick out four reasons, despite its volatile value fluctuations, why it might be worth investing in.

Decentralised Nature

Due to bitcoin’s origins and separation from any political or state affiliation, many people have seen it as an interesting investment vehicle safe from governmental manipulation. Its decentralised nature, for some, has made it appear a good form of portfolio insurance.

Couple that with the fact that bitcoin is easy to carry and store, and that it doesn’t need to be deposited or controlled by banks or other financial regulations, and it definitely makes for an interesting investment option.

Youth

Also a possible reason as for why not to invest, bitcoin’s relative youth, when compared to long-standing investment options like gold for example, raise a lot of questions. Yet even a decade-old, bitcoin’s newness makes it particularly volatile in terms of its value but also leaves room for very large profits.

If you can handle that kind of risk then bitcoin could prove a very bankable investment strategy yet.

Open Payment Network

Unlike conventional financial networks like Mastercard and Paypal that have specific company owners, the Bitcoin network is independent, uncontrolled and relatively unlimited in terms of what you could do with it.

The consequence of its open payment network throws it open to innovation that might supersede conventional payment technologies much in the same way the open web has allowed companies like Google, YouTube and Facebook to dominate. Investing in it allows you to capitalise if and when these developments come to fruition.

Bitcoin Payments and Applications

Another key reason to look into bitcoin as an investment surrounds the fact that it is resilient in the face of international money transfers and speedier than the likes of Moneygram and Western Union to boot.

What’s more are the number of bitcoin applications and start-ups in development, seeking to make payment even easier for bitcoin users and enable them to convert local currencies into the cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin is still an interesting prospect to say the least. To find out more information make sure you take a look at the following infographic.

Crypto-Currency

Solar Impulse 2 takes off in 6th flight from Chongqing to Nanjing

James J. Williams
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Solar Impulse 2 takes off in 6th flight from Chongqing to Nanjing

Solar Impulse 2 has taken off in its sixth flight from Chongqing in western-central China to Nanjing in the east.

The zero-fuel airplane started to fly around the world in Abu Dhabi, UAE on March 9.

Solar Impulse 2 was only supposed to stay a few hours in Chongqing after arriving from Myanmar (Burma), but poor weather grounded the plane for three weeks.

The team is now confident conditions will remain fair for the Nanjing leg.

Getting to eastern China would set up the project for its greatest challenge yet – a five-day, five-night crossing to Hawaii.

The latest leg saw Solar Impulse 2 leave the runway at Chongqing International Airport at just after 06:00 local time, on April 21. Project chairman, Bertrand Piccard, is again at the controls of the single-seater aircraft.Solar Impulse 2 Chongqing flight

Bertrand Piccard is taking it in turns with CEO Andre Borschberg. But as the engineer in the partnership, Andre Borschberg wants to do the Hawaii leg, so Bertrand Piccard has elected to do both Chinese stages. He brought the plane in from Mandalay, Myanmar, to Chongqing, and is now flying the 1,200km to Nanjing as well. It should take him about 17 hours.

Once in Nanjing, the team will stay put for at least 10 days, carefully checking over the aircraft and running through a training program ahead of the first Pacific leg.

“I think 10 days is the time we need to get ready. Then we need to wait for a good weather window,” explained mission director Raymond Clerc.

“That could be three days; we could have to wait three weeks – because this leg is really the most important and is very complex. To go towards Hawaii could last five days and five nights.”

Nanjing is about 125 miles from the coast, very close to Shanghai. The first Pacific leg would cover a distance of more than 4,950 miles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtEpRVepy64

Mohamed Morsi sentenced to 20 years in jail

Roy Siemens
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Mohamed Morsi sentenced to 20 years in jail

Former Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for ordering the arrest and torture of protesters during his rule.

It is the first verdict Mohamed Morsi has received since his ousting and is one of several trials he faces.

Mohamed Morsi was deposed by the army in July 2013 following mass street protests against his rule.

Since then, the authorities have banned his Muslim Brotherhood movement and arrested thousands of his supporters.Mohamed Morsi sentenced to 20 years in jail

Mohamed Morsi and 14 other Muslim Brotherhood figures escaped a more serious charge of inciting the killing of protesters, which could have carried the death sentence.

Most of the other defendants were also given 20-year prison sentences.

The group stood accused of inciting supporters to kill a journalist and opposition protesters in clashes outside the presidential palace in late 2012.

As crowds grew outside the palace, Mohamed Morsi ordered the police to disperse them.

They refused, so the Muslim Brotherhood brought in their own supporters. Eleven people died in the ensuing clashes, mostly from the Brotherhood.

Hearing the verdict, Mohamed Morsi and the other defendants gave a four-fingered salute, a symbol of the deadly clearance of Brotherhood supporters at the Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque in 2013, AP reports.

Mohamed Morsi himself has rejected the authority of the courts, shouting during his first trial that he was the victim of a military coup.

On April 20, a court sentenced 22 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death for an attack on a police station in Cairo, part of an ongoing crackdown against the Islamist movement.

Bobbi Kristina Brown opens her eyes

Lisa.Felice
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Bobbi Kristina Brown opens her eyes

Bobbi Kristina Brown has “opened her eyes” nearly three months after being found unresponsive in a bathtub in her home, a statement released by her father’s lawyer has said.

Christopher Brown said he wanted to clarify comments Bobby Brown made during a concert in Dallas over the weekend about his 22-year-old daughter’s condition.Bobbi Kristina Brown opens her eyes

The statement says that “there has been improvement” in Bobbi Kristina Brown’s condition.

However, it says that Whitney Houston’s daughter is just beginning her rehabilitation.

The statement ended: “The quality of her life will not be known for years to come.”

Bobbi Kristina Brown is the only child of Bobby Brown and the late Whitney Houston.

Whitney Houston was found face down and unresponsive in a bath in Beverly Hills in February 2012, just before the Grammys.

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

Boston Marathon 2015: African runners dominate top 10

Clyde K. Valle
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Boston Marathon 2015: African runners dominate top 10

Lelisa Desisa has won the men’s race at this year’s Boston Marathon and Kenya’s Caroline Rotich came first in the women’s race.

Kenya’s Caroline Rotich took the title in two hours 24 minutes 55 seconds after a sprint finish with Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba.

Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa’s victory at 2:09:17 was more comfortable and he crossed the finish line 30 seconds ahead of his compatriot Yemane Adhane Tsegay.

African runners dominated the top 10 in both races.

This is the second victory for Lelisa Desisa at the Boston Marathon.Boston Marathon 2015 winners

Lelisa Desisa’s last came in 2013, the year that a bomb exploded close to the finish some two hours after he crossed the line.

He returned his winner’s medal that year in honor of the three people killed.

“I’m happy to win,” Lelisa Desisa said after Monday’s race.

Caroline Rotich and Mare Dibaba battled for first place in the closing stages of the race, but Rotich was more determined.

She is the fifth Kenyan woman in a row to win at Boston.

Rita Jeptoo, who won the women’s race in 2013 and 2014, has been banned from athletics for two years after testing positive for drugs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk6IHNvvzoI

Maglev train sets new world speed record in Japan

Nancy Clayson
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Maglev train sets new world speed record in Japan

Japan’s Maglev train has broken its own world speed record, hitting 603km/h (374mph) in a test run near Mount Fuji.

The magnetic levitation train beat the 590km/h (366mph) speed it had set last week in another test.

Maglev trains use electrically charged magnets to lift and move carriages above the rail tracks.Maglev train world speed record

Central Japan Railway (JR Central), which owns the trains, wants to introduce the service between Tokyo and the central city of Nagoya by 2027.

The 280km (173mph) journey would take only about 40 minutes, less than half the current time.

However, passengers will not get to experience the maglev’s record-breaking speeds because the company said its trains will operate at a maximum of 505km/h (313mph).

Construction is estimated at nearly $100 billion just for the stretch to Nagoya, with more than 80% of the route expected to go through costly tunnels, reported AFP news agency.

The government is also hoping to sell the maglev train technology overseas.

Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe is visiting the US on Sunday where he is expected to pitch for a role in building a new high-speed rail line between New York and Washington.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNKrgfL794s

South Korea: PM Lee Wan-koo in bribery scandal

Diane A. Wade
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South Korea: PM Lee Wan-koo in bribery scandal

South Korean PM Lee Wan-koo has offered to resign after facing accusations of accepting bribes.

President Park Geun-hye has not said if she will accept Lee Wan-koo’s resignation, but has expressed sympathy for him.

State news agency Yonhap said Park Geun-hye had called for a “thorough investigation” into the scandal.

Lee Wan-koo denies accepting 30 million won ($27,700) in illegal campaign funds in 2013, but has come under pressure to stand down.

Under South Korean law, politicians cannot accept more than 100,000 won in contributions.

The scandal erupted when businessman Sung Wan-jong was found dead earlier this month in a suspected suicide.

Sung Wan-jong was about to be questioned by authorities over allegations that he embezzled company money to bribe politicians.

Investigators found a note in his pocket listing the names of several people, including Lee Wan-koo, and numbers which appeared to indicate amounts paid to them.

An opposition party then called for Lee Wan-koo’s impeachment.

Referring to Lee Wan-koo’s resignation, Park Geun-hye said in a written statement: “I find it regrettable. I also feel sympathy for the agony of the prime minister.”

The president is currently in Peru on a four-day state visit. Yonhap reported that she would decide on whether to accept Lee Wan-koo’s resignation by next week.

Lee Wan-koo has been in the job for only two months.

He filled the position after a protracted hunt for a candidate to replace his predecessor, Chung Hong-won.

Chung Hong-won resigned shortly after the Sewol ferry disaster in April 2014 that killed more than 300 people.

Phil Rudd pleads guilty to possession and threat to kill

Sonia Pantiss
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Phil Rudd pleads guilty to possession and threat to kill

AC/DC’s former drummer Phil Rudd has changed his plea to guilty on a charge of a threat to kill, at a court in Tauranga, New Zealand.

The court heard Phil Rudd had asked for a former employee to be “taken out” because he was angry his solo album had not performed well.

Phil Rudd, who had denied the charges, also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and methamphetamine.

One second charge of a threat to kill has been dropped for lack of evidence.

Australian-born Phil Rudd was arrested at his home in the coastal town in November 2014 and has since been out on bail.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

The court summary heard on April 21 that he had fired a number of employees in August after his solo album, Head Job, flopped in the charts.

A month later, the court heard, Phil Rudd called an associate saying he wanted one of the people he had fired “taken out”.

He later offered the associate NZ$200,000 ($153,000) as well as “a motorbike, one of his cars or a house”, which the person assumed was payment “for carrying out his earlier request”.

Phil Rudd is then alleged to have called the victim threatening to “come over and kill you”.

“As a result of threats made by the defendant, the victim was genuinely very fearful for his safety,” the court summary read.

Phil Rudd’s lawyer, Craig Tuck, told reporters outside the court that the charge “essentially revolved around an angry phone call – that was it”.

The 60-year-old faces up to seven years in jail for the threat charge. Possession of cannabis carries a sentence of three months and methamphetamine possession six months.

Phil Rudd has been released on bail until another hearing in June.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd5hg2Htbqo

Cirque du Soleil sells majority stake to private investors

Clyde K. Valle
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Cirque du Soleil sells majority stake to private investors

Cirque du Soleil has sold a majority stake to US and Chinese private investors, valuing the company at $1.5 billion.

Guy Laliberte, who founded the Canadian circus company in 1984, has retained a minority stake.

The two buyers are US private equity firm TPG Capital LP and Fosun Capital Group, which is owned by Chinese conglomerate Fosun International Ltd.

Cirque du Soleil has staged performances in front of 160 million people in 48 countries around the world.

The company has recently sought to expand in China.Cirque du Soleil Kooza dress rehearsal at Royal Albert Hall, London, Britain - 04 Jan 2013

“After 30 years building the Cirque du Soleil brand, we have now found the right partners in TPG, Fosun and the Caisse to take Cirque du Soleil forward to the next stage in its evolution as a company founded on the conviction that the arts and business, together, can contribute to making a better world,” said Guy Laliberte said in a statement.

Quebec pension fund giant Caisse de Depot et Placement will also acquire a minority stake.

Based in Montreal, Cirque du Soleil started as the project of a small group of stilt-walkers and street performers who formed a performance troupe called the Le Club des Talons Hauts (the High Heels Club) to put on a performance celebrating the 450th anniversary of the European discovery of Canada by Jacques Cartier in 1534.

Since then, the company has expanded rapidly, taking in approximately $1 billion annually from 18 global shows, some of which tour and others of which are based in theatres in Las Vegas.

It employs about 5,000 people globally and is known for its mixture of acrobatics, artistic costumes and choreography.

Cirque du Soleil has faced difficulties in its efforts to expand, which led to layoffs in 2012.

In 2013, Cirque du Soleil was fined by US regulators after one of its acrobats died during a live show in Las Vegas.

Copa America 2015 – Fans, Flair and Fatigue

Nancy Clayson
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Copa America 2015 – Fans, Flair and Fatigue

This June sees Chile host soccer’s Copa America. The world’s oldest international soccer tournament is also one of the most raucous and colorful sporting festivals in the world.

Some of the most entertaining soccer players in the world combine with wild spectators to create a dramatic spectacle throughout the whole of the four week-long competition. Supporters are currently snapping up tickets for this year’s event which takes place in Chile and begins on June 11.

One of the most interesting aspects of this year’s Copa America will be watching how two of the giants of world soccer react following their last tournament performances, which were played out in the FIFA World Cup a year ago.

Copa America 2015 - Fans, Flair and Fatigue
Copa America 2015 – Fans, Flair and Fatigue

Recently, Brazil looks to have overcome the hangover following the harrowing 7-1 defeat to Germany in the World Cup semifinals. As if the scoreline was not embarrassing enough, the result was exacerbated by the fact that the Brazilians were on home soil, in front of their adoring fans.

Legendary World Cup winner Dunga is now in charge of la seleção, and they have powered to eight straight wins since last summer’s debacle. The form of talismanic striker Neymar, now installed as captain, has had a big role to play.

Eternal rivals Argentina managed to progress one round further at the World Cup, eventually losing out to Germany in the final. It will be 22 years since Argentina lifted silverware—their last trophy being 1993’s Copa America.

National coach Gerardo Martino will be looking to knit together a side that can be as resilient as it is exhilarating. Blessed with a forward line that reads like a who’s who of the world’s greatest—Lionel Messi,  Carlos Tevez, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria—surely the time has come for them to deliver?

And yet, the 2015 Copa America could be the most unpredictable tournament in years. Most of the world’s finest players migrate toward the riches of the European soccer leagues for their regular jobs. This year, a mere five days separates the end of the European soccer season and the opening game of the Copa America. (The UEFA Champions League final takes place in Berlin, Germany on June 6th).

With such close proximity between the Copa America and a regular season which followed a World Cup year, a major factor in deciding the outcome of the tournament could be which nation copes best with fatigue.

Furious 7 breaks $1 billion barrier in just 17 days

Sonia Pantiss
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Furious 7 breaks $1 billion barrier in just 17 days

Furious 7 has become the fastest film to take more than $1 billion worldwide.

The movie took just 17 days to break the $1 billion barrier, compared to 19 for Avengers and the final Harry Potter.

Furious 7, starring Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker, has also topped the US box office for a third week with $29.1 million.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, starring Kevin James, was second with $24 million.

The movie, which moved the shopping center policeman’s segway adventures to Las Vegas, was savaged by critics giving it a 0% score on aggregate reviews site Rotten Tomatoes.Furious 7 breaks record

Low-budget, social media-themed thriller Unfriended took third place over the weekend with $16 million – 16 times the film’s modest production budget.

It marks another success story for production company Blumfeld, which has already made the highly profitable but low budget movies The Purge, Ouija and The Boy Next Door.

Tom Hardy’s Soviet thriller Child 44 took just $600,000 across 510 cinemas.

With a budget of $50 million it means the film could be one of the year’s biggest flops.

Rounding out the weekend’s top five were Home with $10.3 million and The Longest Ride with $6.9 million.

According to box office tracker Rentrak and studio estimates, Furious 7 has already taken almost $300 million in the US and Canada alone.

A song from the Furious 7 soundtrack – Wiz Khalifa’s See You Again, featuring Charlie Puth – has also been breaking records.

See You Again got more Spotify streams in 24 hours than any other track in the US, and also topped the UK singles chart on Sunday as the fastest-selling single of 2015 so far.

North American box office Top 5:

  1. Fast & Furious 7 – $29.1 million
  2. Paul Blart: MallCop 2 – $24 million
  3. Unfriended – $16 million
  4. Home – $10.3 million
  5. The Longest Ride – $6.9 million

Bobbi Kristina Brown is awake, Bobby Brown announces

Lisa.Felice
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Bobbi Kristina Brown is awake, Bobby Brown announces

Bobbi Kristina Brown is “awake” nearly three months after she was found unconscious in a bath, her father Bobby Brown has said at a concert in Dallas.

On April 18, Bobby Brown told the audience that “Bobbi is awake” and that “she is watching me”.

Few details have been released about Bobbi Kristina Brown’s health since she was taken to hospital on January 31.Bobbi Kristina Brown awake

Bobbi Kristina Brown is the only daughter of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston.

It is believed she was released from hospital last month.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 22, was discovered in a bath tub less than two weeks before the third anniversary of Whitney Houston’s death.

Whitney Houston was also found unresponsive in a hotel bath in February 2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYZrlJeW1B8

Asian Awards 2015: Zayn Malik pays tribute to One Direction

Sonia Pantiss
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Asian Awards 2015: Zayn Malik pays tribute to One Direction

Zayn Malik has paid tribute to One Direction at this year’s Asian Awards ceremony, where he made his first solo appearance since leaving the band.

Zayn Malik, 22, was presented with the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music at the fifth annual Asian Awards, held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.

Asian Awards celebrate excellence across the global Pan-Asian community.

Zayn Malik said he had an “amazing” time as a member of the pop band.Zayn Malik Asian Awards 2015

He also said he was “not really a guy of many words”.

Zayn Malik added: “I’d also like to take this moment to thank four of the best guys that I ever met whilst being in the band and doing all the amazing things that I did.

“Some of the things that we did will stay with me for the rest of my life.”

He ended his speech by saying: “Here’s to the future.”

Zayn Malik left One Direction last month after returning to the UK from the band’s tour having been “signed off with stress”.

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