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Sony attack: Co-chair Amy Pascal resigns after email hack

Clyde K. Valle
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Sony attack: Co-chair Amy Pascal resigns after email hack

Sony Pictures’ co-chair Amy Pascal has decided to step down following a debilitating cyber attack that revealed her private emails.

Amy Pascal will start a production company that will launch in May 2015.

She has already apologized for certain revelations that came as a result of the leaked emails.

Last month, Sony condemned the “vicious” attack, which led it to suspend the release of the film The Interview.

“I have spent almost my entire professional life at Sony Pictures and I am energized to be starting this new chapter based at the company I call home,” said Amy Pascal in a statement.Amy Pascal quits Sony Pictures after hack attack

She added that her transition to a production role had been discussed “for some time”.

As part of the agreement, Sony will fund Amy Pascal’s production company for at least the next four years, and it will retain distribution rights.

Sony did not immediately name a successor to Amy Pascal, leaving Michael Lynton as the sole head of one of Hollywood’s biggest production studios.

Amy Pascal was one of the highest profile Sony names whose emails were leaked as part of the hack.

She reportedly commented on the viewing habits of President Barack Obama in a derogatory manner in an email to producer Scott Rudin.

Amy Pascal and Scott Rudin both subsequently apologized for the emails, with Amy Pascal saying in a statement at the time: “The content of my emails to Scott were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am.

“Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended.”

On November 24, Sony revealed that it had been the subject of a hack by a group calling themselves Guardians of Peace (GOP).

GOP was later traced back to North Korea, who US authorities believe instituted the attack in retaliation for Sony’s decision to produce The Interview, in which North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is killed.

The group gained access to the company’s network and stole huge amounts of internal information, including emails and copies of films, such as Annie, that had not yet been released.

Although Sony did withdraw The Interview before its planned release, it ultimately made it available to view online and allowed it to be shown at some cinemas.

The Interview made about $15 million through downloads alone over its first three days of distribution.

Moaz al-Kasasbeh: Jordan bombs ISIS targets after pilot’s death

Roy Siemens
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Moaz al-Kasasbeh: Jordan bombs ISIS targets after pilot’s death

Jordan’s warplanes have carried out their first air strikes on Islamic State (ISIS) targets since the militants released a video showing the killing of captured Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh.

On their way back, the planes flew over the village of Moaz al-Kasasbeh.

Their flight coincided with a visit to the village by King Abdullah II, who was meeting the pilot’s family.

King Abdullah II has vowed to the step up the fight against ISIS. Jordan is part of a US-led coalition bombing the militants.

Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh was captured by the militants last year after his F-16 fighter jet crashed in Syria. ISIS this week released a video showing the pilot being burned alive in a cage, sparking outrage and calls for revenge in Jordan.

State television pictures on February 5 showed the king sitting somber-faced with Saif al-Kasasbeh, the pilot’s father, at a gathering in Aya village, near the city of Karak, south of the capital Amman.King Abdullah of Jordan pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh

The king gestured to the skies as the warplanes flew overhead, the Associated Press news agency said.

Saif al-Kasasbeh told mourners that the aircraft were returning from a raid on Syria’s Raqqa, the de facto capital of the militants’ self-declared caliphate, which spans territory in Iraq and Syria.

While Jordan did not specify the location of the air strikes, a security official quoted by Reuters said they had targeted ISIS in Syria.

However, anti-ISIS activists in Raqqa said there were no coalition air strikes in the city on February 4.

“The response of Jordan and its army after what happened to our dear son will be severe,” King Abdullah said, after cutting short a trip to the US this week.

Jordan responded to the release of the gruesome video, which depicted the caged pilot engulfed in flames, by executing two convicts, including Sajida al-Rishawi, a failed female suicide bomber.

Jordan had earlier sought to secure the pilot’s release in a swap involving Rishawi.

However, it is now believed that IS had killed the pilot a month ago.

Saif al-Kasasbeh praised the king and condemned the militants.

“You are a wise monarch,” the Reuters quotes him as saying.

“These criminals violated the rules of war in Islam and they have no humanity. Even humanity disowns them.”

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Ukraine: Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande arrive in Kiev for new peace talks

Diane A. Wade
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Ukraine: Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande arrive in Kiev for new peace talks

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande have arrived in Ukraine’s capital Kiev to present a new peace initiative.

Secretary of State John Kerry, who is also in Kiev, said the US wanted a diplomatic solution, but would not close its eyes to Russian aggression.

Fighting between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels has killed more than 5,000 people since last April.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of arming rebels in eastern Ukraine and sending regular troops across the border.

Russia denies direct involvement but says some Russian volunteers are fighting alongside the rebels.

Speaking at a joint news conference with John Kerry, Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk said: “We need to get peace. But we will never consider anything that undermines territorial integrity… of Ukraine.”

John Kerry accused Russia of violating Ukraine’s sovereignty, saying that Russia had been acting with “impunity”, crossing the Ukrainian border “at will with weapons [and] personnel”.

“We are choosing a peaceful solution through diplomacy – but you cannot have a one-sided peace,” he said.

John Kerry added that President Barack Obama was still “reviewing all options”, including the possibility of providing “defensive weapons” to Ukraine, due to the dangerous escalation in violence.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

The US is currently only providing “non-lethal” assistance.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said any decision by the US to supply weapons to Ukraine would “inflict colossal damage to Russian-American relations”.

Several senior Western officials have also expressed concern at the prospect of US arms being sent to Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier likened the option to “throwing more weapons on the bonfire”, while NATO commander Philip Breedlove said governments must take into account that the move “could trigger a more strident reaction from Russia”.

Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel arrived in Kiev on February 5, in what appeared to be a speedily arranged visit.

They met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who thanked them for their visit at “a very urgent time”.

Francois Hollande had said that he and Angela Merkel would present a new peace proposal based on the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine, which could be “acceptable to all”.

However, he warned that diplomacy “cannot go on indefinitely”.

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on February 6.

A spokesman for the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin would discuss “the fastest possible end to the civil war in south-eastern Ukraine”.

Correspondents say it is not clear how the latest attempt will differ from previous, aborted peace efforts – but there is speculation that Francois Hollande and Angela Merkel hope to discourage the US from supplying Ukraine with weapons.

The talks in Kiev come as NATO unveils details of a plan to bolster its military presence in Eastern Europe in response to the Ukraine crisis.

A new rapid reaction “spearhead” force of up to 5,000 troops is expected to be announced, with its lead units able to deploy at two days’ notice.

NATO is also establishing a network of small command centers in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, officials said on February 5 that the European Union is adding 19 people, including five Russians, to its sanctions list over the Ukraine crisis.

Nine “entities” will also be targeted by the sanctions, which were reportedly agreed at an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers last week.

Fighting has intensified in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks amid a rebel offensive.

The fiercest fighting has been near the town of Debaltseve, where rebels are trying to surround Ukrainian troops. The town is a crucial rail hub linking the rebel-held cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Some 1.2 million Ukrainians have fled their homes since last April, when the rebels seized a big swathe of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

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Berlin Film Festival 2015: Juliette Binoche’s Nobody Wants the Night to open festival

Sonia Pantiss
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Berlin Film Festival 2015: Juliette Binoche’s Nobody Wants the Night to open festival

Juliette Binoche’s Nobody Wants the Night will open the 65th Berlin Film Festival on February 5.

Nobody Wants the Night, starring Juliette Binoche as an Arctic explorer, is one of 19 films vying for the Golden Bear, the festival’s top prize.

Other films in contention include Werner Herzog’s Queen of the Desert, starring Nicole Kidman as Gertrude Bell and Robert Pattinson as TE Lawrence.

Kenneth Branagh’s live action version of Cinderella – starring Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother – will screen out of competition, as will the long-awaited film adaptation of E.L. James’ best-seller 50 Shades of Grey.

Ian McKellen’s take on an ageing Sherlock Holmes will also play out of competition. Mr. Holmes, directed by Bill Condon, focuses on the enigmatic detective in retirement. Ian McKellen previously worked with Bill Condon on the 1998 film Gods and Monsters.

There will be a special gala screening of Woman in Gold, starring Helen Mirren as the late Maria Altmann, who successfully fought the Austrian government in her bid to reclaim the Gustav Klimt paintings stolen from her family by the Nazis.Berlin Film Festival 2015

Woman in Gold, directed by Simon Curtis, co-stars Ryan Reynolds, Katie Holmes and Daniel Bruhl.

Spanish director Isabel Coixet is only the second woman to open the festival and one of three female directors in competition at the Berlinale – Europe’s first major film event of the year.

This year’s competition selection is considered more populist than previous years. Two German film-makers who have found international success compete for the Golden Bear with their latest offerings.

Wim Wenders directs James Franco in Everything Will Be Fine, about a man who knocks down a child in his car and Oliver Hirschbiegel will be hoping to overcome the humiliation of his Princess Diana biopic with Elser – also known as 13 Minutes – about the man who tried to kill Hitler in 1939.

Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups stars Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale in a story of disillusionment in Hollywood, while Peter Greenaway’s Eisenstein in Guanajuato follows Russian film-maker Sergio Eisenstein “who travels to Mexico filled with the hubris of being an internationally celebrated star director”.

Andrew Haigh directs Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years, about a long marriage challenged by an unexpected event.

From China comes Gone with the Bullets. Directed and starring Jiang Wen, the movie is the sequel to Chinese comedy hit Let the Bullets Fly. Dissident director Jafar Panahi will present Taxi, the Iranian third film since he was slapped with an official filmmaking ban in 2010.

This year’s Berlin Film Festival jury will be headed by director Darren Aronofsky.

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First time buying a home? You just got a huge boost from the U.S. government

James J. Williams
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First time buying a home? You just got a huge boost from the U.S. government

The U.S. government just gave first-time homebuyers and other budget-minded house shoppers a big boost with a sweeping rule change that provides federal backing to mortgages with down payments as low as 3 percent. The change manifests in two parallel programs: Fannie Mae’s My Community Mortgage and Freddie Mac’s Home Possible Advantage.

The programs both offer fixed-rate loans for candidates’ primary residences. My Community Mortgage, which opened to buyers and owners in early December, offers loans to applicants with credit scores as low as 620. Its refinancing component will initially be limited to candidates who currently hold Fannie mortgages. Home Possible Advantage, which begins in March, may be open to buyers with even lower credit scores and includes a no-cash-out refinancing program open to all mortgage holders, not just current Freddie customers. It also doesn’t establish a hard credit score floor for purchase loans, broadening the pool of potential borrowers.

First time buying a home? You just got a huge boost from the U.S. government
First time buying a home? You just got a huge boost from the U.S. government

These programs represent the government’s latest effort to assist first time homebuyers and other qualified borrowers to enter the market and become homeowners, but they’re not exactly groundbreaking. Private companies like Prospect Mortgage, a leading national independent mortgage banker  led by Fannie Mae veteran (and former CEO) Michael Williams, have offered HUD eligible purchase and refinancing products with low down payments for years.

During Williams’ tenure, Fannie Mae faced down an existential crisis—the quarter prior to his tenure saw a shocking loss of more than $23 billion—and emerged with its strongest balance sheet and loan pipeline in years. After serving as Board Chairman for over a year, Mr. Williams took on the additional role of CEO at Prospect Mortgage in mid-2014) shortly after returning Fannie to a $5 billion quarterly profit, cementing his reputation as a fearless reformer.

The new Fannie and Freddie programs build on the foundation Mr. Williams laid during his tenure as Fannie CEO. Both promise to reduce barriers to entry for first time homebuyers currently priced out of the housing market.

Despite surging profits at Fannie and Freddie, the housing market recovery remains patchy, disproportionately favoring higher-income buyers and those who already own a home. According to the New York Times, the U.S. homeownership rate currently sits near 64 percent, a multi-year low. And first time homebuyers make up just 29 percent of the pool of prospective buyers, far below the 40 percent historic average.

Structural factors, such as stagnating wage growth at the lower end of the income scale, account for some of the discrepancy. But other factors, including traditional mortgage issuers’ overly strict lending criteria and onerous down payment requirements for first-time buyers and refinancing candidates, are a direct legacy of the recent housing bust.

My Community Mortgage and Home Possible Advantage could significantly improve buyer access at the lower end of the income scale, though experts are divided on just how much help they’ll provide. And Andres Carbacho-Burgos, a respected Moody’s economist, warned that any broadening of access would have to be accompanied by a renewed focus on mortgage monitoring and buyer counseling programs to safeguard against a rise in default rates.

Visit Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac online to learn more about their respective programs for first time homebuyers and refinancing candidates.

Suge Knight out of hospital and back to jail

Lisa.Felice
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Suge Knight out of hospital and back to jail

Suge Knight has been released from hospital and taken back in to police custody.

Marion “Suge” Knight, 49, complained of chest pains on February 3 about an hour after pleading not guilty to murder and attempted murder.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kelvin Moody said Suge Knight was released and taken into custody around 09:00 local time on February 4.

The music producer is accused of intentionally running down and killing a friend on January 29.Suge Knight jailed for murder

Suge Knight, who founded Death Row Records, which featured Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac Shakur as its top artists, faces a total of four charges under his real name Marion Hugh Knight and faces life in prison if convicted.

It is alleged a truck Suge Knight was driving hit and killed his friend Terry Carter, 55, in the incident in the suburb of Compton last week.

Another man, Cle “Bone” Sloan, 51, was injured.

Suge Knight’s lawyer said his client was trying to escape an attack at the time.

On February 2, a court commissioner revoked the $2 million bail after police said the defendant had a violent past and could intimidate witnesses.

Suge Knight founded Death Row Records in the 1990s but later declared bankruptcy and the company was sold at auction.He has previously been convicted of armed robbery and assault with a gun.

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Arthur Neal Jr: Missing lottery winner found dead in Detroit

Nancy Clayson
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Arthur Neal Jr: Missing lottery winner found dead in Detroit

Arthur Neal Jr., an 86-year-old man from Detroit whose family said he disappeared a day after winning $20,000 in the lottery in December was found stabbed to death in a vacant house, authorities said on February 4.

Arthur Neal Jr., who went missing on December 20, was found dead on Sunday afternoon, said Officer Nicole Kirkwood, a Detroit police spokeswoman.

The man was reported missing on December 28, Nicole Kirkwood said.

Photo WXYZ
Photo WXYZ

Family members told local media that Arthur Neal Jr. won $20,000 in the lottery on December 19. Police have not confirmed the lottery win, Nicole Kirkwood said.

A Michigan Lottery representative could not be reached immediately for comment.

An autopsy determined that Arthur Neal Jr. died from multiple stab wounds, the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office said.

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TransAsia plane crash: 31 confirmed dead as rescue teams continue search for 12 missing people

Diane A. Wade
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TransAsia plane crash: 31 confirmed dead as rescue teams continue search for 12 missing people

Taiwanese rescue teams are continuing to search for the 12 people who remain unaccounted for after a plane crashed in a river.

Thirty-one people are now known to have died when the TransAsia ATR-72 plane came down in Taipei’s Keelung River on February 4.

Fifteen survivors were pulled from the wreckage, including a two-year-old boy.

Taiwan’s aviation regulator has ordered all operators of ATR planes to conduct “special checks”.

Many of the passengers were Chinese tourists and China will reportedly participate in a probe into the crash.

The death toll was expected to rise as rescue teams searched the river for the missing passengers.

“This morning we have some 60 divers going underwater to search” in addition to 20 boats scouring the river, said Liu Yung-chou, from the national fire agency which is leading the rescue operation.

Aviation authorities in Taiwan said the pilot and co-pilot were among the dead.

The ATR-72 turbo-prop plane had just taken off from Taipei Songshan Airport and was heading to the Kinmen islands, just off the coast of the south-eastern Chinese city of Xiamen.

Dramatic video footage shot from inside a passing car showed the plane banking sharply before clipping a taxi and the edge of the elevated road with its wing.

The final communication from the pilots to air traffic control was “Mayday, mayday, engine flame out”, aviation officials confirmed on February 5, after an audio snippet was widely broadcast by local media.TransAsia plane crash Taiwan 2015

The cause of the crash has not been identified, but the message indicates that one of the engines had stopped working – one propeller appeared from the footage to be not turning.

The aircraft ended up mostly underwater in the river, broken into several pieces. Rescue teams in dinghies ferried survivors to safety, but many of those on board were trapped inside the sunken wreckage.

Overnight, a crane hauled the half-submerged fuselage from the river.

Local media have reported the story of one escape, by a couple and their two-year-old son.

Lin Ming-wei was seated next to where the fuselage broke apart, Taiwan’s Central News Agency (CNA) reported. Unhurt, he acted quickly to get out of his seat and help his wife scramble out of the opening.

He found his son in the water and the boy was later resuscitated. Lin Ming-wei’s wife and son are recovering in hospital, CNA reported.

TransAsia is a Taiwan-based carrier that operates domestically and on some international routes from Taiwan. Its director, Peter Chen, said the aircraft was “the newest model. It hadn’t been used for even a year”.

The plane’s flight data recorders, also known as black boxes, have been recovered.

Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration said in a statement that all 22 ATR planes being operated in Taiwan had to undergo a variety of checks including on the engines, fuel control systems and propeller systems.

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Tim Farriss severs finger in boating accident

Sonia Pantiss
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Tim Farriss severs finger in boating accident

The guitarist of Australian band INXS, Tim Farriss, may never play the guitar properly again after severing his finger in a boating accident.

Tim Farriss, 57, caught his left hand while operating a winch on his boat in Sydney last month, severing his ring finger.

He has undergone surgery twice to try to reattach the finger but has been left with permanent hand damage.INXS Tim Farriss severs finger

In an email to his brothers and bandmates, Tim Farriss reportedly said the situation was “horrific”.

“I don’t know if I will be able to play properly again,” local media quoted him as saying.

The band’s manager, Chris Murphy, said Tim Farriss was now home and undergoing physiotherapy to help him regain some movement

“He is getting the best possible care and we hope with time he will regain movement in his finger. This was a terrible accident, we are all here to support him.”

Tim Farriss has since thanked fans for their messages, posting on Facebook that he was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and well wishes”.

“Thank you all, I’m feeling the love and it’s really helping me get through this nightmare.”

Tim Farriss is a founding member of INXS, which was one of the world’s biggest bands in the 1980s and 1990s.

Brian Williams admits Iraq chopper story was not true

Diane A. Wade
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Brian Williams admits Iraq chopper story was not true

NBC’s Brian Williams has apologized after a story he repeatedly told about coming under fire in Iraq was revealed to be untrue.

Brian Williams, one of America’s most famous news anchors, said he was on a helicopter forced down in 2003, but veterans have now disputed his account.

Brian Williams, the longest-serving network anchor in the US, has often recounted his experience, but now blames the “fog of memory”.

“I made a mistake in recalling the events of 12 years ago,” he said.

“I want to apologize. I said I was travelling in an aircraft that was hit by RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] fire. I was instead in a following aircraft.”

Brian Williams said his account was “a bungled attempt by me to thank one special veteran and by extension our brave military men and women, veterans everywhere, those who have served while I did not”.Brian Williams helicopter story

He repeated the story as recently as January 30, describing his ordeal on TV while paying tribute to a retired soldier who helped protect the grounded aircraft and crew.

Brian Williams’ apology came after veterans who were on the helicopter that was hit posted comments on the broadcaster’s Facebook page.

One wrote: “Sorry dude, I don’t remember you being on my aircraft.”

Flight engineer Lance Reynolds, who was on the chopper that was hit, told military newspaper Stars and Stripes: “It was something personal for us that was kind of life-changing for me. I know how lucky I was to survive it.”

“It felt like a personal experience that someone else wanted to participate in and didn’t deserve to participate in.”

Some in the US media say the admission by Brian Williams may harm his career.

NBC has not said whether Brian Williams will face disciplinary proceedings, the Washington Post reports.

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Bruce Jenner transition: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian show support

Lisa.Felice
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Bruce Jenner transition: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian show support

Kim Kardashian’s husband, Kanye West, was immediately supportive when he found out Bruce Jenner was officially transitioning to live as a woman.

But Kourtney Kardashian’s boyfriend, Scott Disick, “didn’t react very well” when he first learned of Bruce Jenner’s plans, new reports claim.

However, a source told People magazine, Scott Disick “is now on board,” just like Kanye West was from the start.

Kanye West “is totally fine with it. He believes in live and let live, and he took it all in stride”, the source told the magazine.

The magazine further shares that Bruce Jenner was completely open with his family about his process.Bruce Jenner transitioning Kanye West and Kim Kardashian

“Bruce told them everything – where things stood, what his plans were for the future, and what everyone could expect,” says People magazine’s source.

“Everyone basically knew what was up, but it was still a shock to hear it outlined so explicitly.”

The insider also talked about Kris Jenner’s reaction: “Kim went to Kris and asked her how she felt. They had a very long conversation about it. Once Kim was satisfied that Kris was emotionally OK, she was able to give Bruce her unconditional support.”

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West “are just trying to show Bruce love and acceptance – complete acceptance”, says the People source.

Bruce Jenner’s transition to a woman is expected to be showcased on the upcoming season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

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Bruce Jenner’s woman transition confirmed by his mother

Lisa.Felice
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Bruce Jenner’s woman transition confirmed by his mother

Bruce Jenner’s mother said she supports his decision to become a woman and admits that she didn’t know of the struggles he dealt with while being a man.

Esther Jenner, 88, said that if her son’s transformation can help others who are struggling with their identity, “then it will all be worth it”.

Bruce Jenner’s mom confirmed on February 3 the former decathlon champion is becoming a woman.

“Right now I am more proud of him for what he’s allowing himself to do,” Esther Jenner told Radaronline.com.

“I am more proud of him now than when he stood on that podium and put the gold medal around his neck. He deserves all the respect.”

Esther Jenner admitted she “did not know of his” inner struggle with being a man until recently.

“I just learned about” his transition, she said.

“Bruce filled me in, and we had a very long, long, long talk about it.”Bruce Jenner woman transition

Bruce Jenner’s mom said she loves her son just the same.

“I support him whole-heartedly,” she said.

“I just love him like I always have.”

Bruce Jenner, she said, will be an inspiration to thousands of others who have long felt themselves women trapped in men’s bodies.

She added: “I have never been more proud of Bruce for who he is, himself as a father, as an Olympian, a wonderful public speaker.

“He instills enthusiasm in people. He’s gifted.”

According to his mother, Bruce Jenner’s transformation will be televised.

Until now, Bruce Jenner’s transformation was a poorly-kept secret as the athlete who once graced a Wheaties box began transforming in front of America’s eyes, appearing in public with long flowing locks and lipstick on his lips.

While his former wife, Kris Jenner, has reportedly been struggling with his decision to become a woman, the Kardashian girls have been supportive.

Bruce Jenner, 65, is a thrice-married father of six who is step-dad to the Kardashian girls and Rob Kardashian.

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Johnny Depp marries Amber Heard in Los Angeles

Lisa.Felice
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Johnny Depp marries Amber Heard in Los Angeles

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard got married on February 3 at their Los Angeles home.

They legally wed in the US days before they are set to exchange vows on his private island Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Bahamas.

Johnny Depp, 51, and Amber Heard, 28, are slated to have a slightly bigger island wedding reception over the February 7-8 weekend, with around 50 guests, including the actor’s kids with Vanessa Paradis, Lily Rose and Jack.

Some family members and friends will stay at Johnny Depp’s house on the island, while others will camp out on his 156-foot yacht Vajoliroja.Johnny Depp and Amber Heard married

Amber Heard will walk down the aisle in a Stella McCartney wedding dress. It’s not known, at this time, what the bride and groom wore for their more private wedding on February 3.

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard started dating in 2012 after meeting on the set of The Rum Diary and got engaged in January 2014.

The wedding marks the first marriage for Amber Heard and the second for Johnny Depp, who was married to Lori Anne Allison from 1993 to 1995.

Johnny Depp was in a long relationship with Vanessa Paradis, with whom he had his children, before they split up in 2012.

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Cadbury fans stockpiling chocolate in US

Nancy Clayson
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Cadbury fans stockpiling chocolate in US

Chocolate giant Hershey Inc has successfully blocked the import of Cadbury sweets because, it says, it creates “brand confusion” with Hershey’s products.

Cadbury chocolate varies around the world. In the UK, the first ingredient in a classic Dairy Milk bar is milk. In the United States, where Hershey has the license to make and sell all Cadbury products, the first ingredient is sugar.

Thousands of fans in small shops across the United States and on social media have been urging Hershey to allow them legal access to their favourite British chocolate. Some have even called for a Boston Tea Party-like protest with plots to throw “inferior” chocolates into the nearest body of water.

Soon the US recipe may be their only choice. Hershey sued LBB Imports, which used to be known as Lets Buy British Imports, for trademark infringement and dilution, arguing that Toffee Crisp’s orange packaging was too similar to Reese’s peanut butter cups and that Yorkie bars were too confusing to people looking for York Peppermint Patties.

Hershey has the rights in the United States to sell York, Cadbury, Kit Kat and Rolo trademarks as well as Maltesers. British Maltesers are out too.

The lawsuit was settled after LBB Imports agreed to stop importing the disputed products. LBB Imports President Nathan Dulley says he estimates that about $50 million worth of British chocolate is sold in the US each year – a Hershey’s Kiss sized drop in the grand scheme of American chocolate sales.

While Nathan Dulley says Hershey’s case has merit, he thinks it’s petty and that Pennsylvania-based Hershey should have allowed the small amount of imports for the niche expatriate market.

“We did attempt to make an agreement. Ultimately, these decisions do affect small businesses across the country,” Nathan Dulley says.

“At end of the day you’re talking about a $6 billion behemoth – both businesses should be able to coexist.”

Hershey executives have said they want to protect their intellectual property and that they’d asked LBB repeatedly to stop importing the disputed chocolates. They have not commented on the social media call #BoycottHershey or the online petitions, including one posted on the White House website.

More than 30,000 people have signed the online petitions in protest and on Twitter chocolate lovers are milking the spat to condemn what they feel are chemical-laden, inferior Hershey products.

“Shame on you Hershey. Give the people what they want! #boycotthershey Good ingredients trump crap every time,” read one tweet.

In stores across the US, shoppers are buying as much of the so-called proper chocolate they can afford or carry.

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Bobbi Kristina Brown biography

Lisa.Felice
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Bobbi Kristina Brown biography

Bobbi Kristina Brown was born in 1993 during Whitney Houston’s marriage to Bobby Brown, which ended in divorce in 2007.

Whitney Houston’s daughter became a public figure during the mid-2000s reality show Being Bobby Brown, in which she frequently appeared alongside her parents and often had a front-row seat to their marital fireworks.

Bobbi Kristina Brown and her mother performed together on national TV in 2009, when the two sang My Love Is Your Love in Central Park on ABC’s Good Morning America.

Given their close relationship, it’s no surprise that Whitney Houston’s death was a major blow for Bobbi Kristina.

Days after her mother’s body was found, a grieving Bobbi Kristina – then 18 – was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center because she was “overwhelmed”, family friend Kim Burrell said.Bobbi Kristina Brown and her mother Whitney Houston

After Whitney Houston’s death, Bobbi Kristina Brown talked of pursuing a career in acting and music, just like her mother.

In 2012, she reportedly lobbied for a role in a planned biopic of her mother’s life. Lifetime’s Whitney, directed by actress Angela Bassett, debuted in January 2015, but the Houston family was not involved.

Bobbi Kristina Brown did make her acting debut in 2012 on Tyler Perry’s show For Better or Worse. Her performance in the small role won praise from Tyler Perry.

Even before her mother’s death, videos of Bobbi Kristina Brown singing surfaced on YouTube and were quickly criticized by fans who felt her talent did not live up to Whitney Houston’s.

Bobbi Kristina Brown appeared on episodes of Lifetime’s brief reality show The Houstons: On Our Own, which followed her life after Whitney Houston’s death.

One of the show’s story lines revolved around Bobbi Kristina Brown’s relationship with Nick Gordon, who had lived with Whitney Houston and her daughter since he was 12 years old.

Bobbi Kristina Brown reportedly got engaged to Nick Gordon, and in January 2014, she tweeted out a picture of wedding rings along with the words: “#HappilyMarried• SO#Inlove.”

However, Bobby Brown attorney Christopher Brown said Bobbi Kristina Brown was never married to Nick Gordon.

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Zacarias Moussaoui: 9/11 plotter accuses Saudi royals of funding al-Qaeda attacks

Roy Siemens
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Zacarias Moussaoui: 9/11 plotter accuses Saudi royals of funding al-Qaeda attacks

9/11 terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui has claimed members of the Saudi royal family helped fund the 2001 attacks.

Al-Qaeda’s Zacarias Moussaoui, who is imprisoned in Colorado for his role in the 9/11 attacks, gave testimony in October to lawyers for victims suing Saudi Arabia.

His statement came to light when it was filed in court this week in response to a Saudi bid to drop the lawsuit.

Saudi Arabia has rejected the accusation from a “deranged criminal” with no credibility.

They have made several attempts for the lawsuit to be dropped.Zacarias Moussaoui accuses Saudi royals of funding attacks

In a rare interview for an inmate at a high security “supermax” prison, Zacarias Moussaoui said “extremely famous” Saudi officials, including Prince Turki al-Faisal Al Saud, a former Saudi intelligence chief, were funding al-Qaeda from the late 1990s.

Zacarias Moussaoui also claimed to have met a Saudi official in Afghanistan who worked in the US embassy.

The two men were later supposed to travel to Washington to find a location “suitable to launch a stinger [missile] attack” on Air Force One, he said.

His claims, made under oath, have not been verified.

Zacarias Moussaoui was arrested weeks before the 9/11 attacks on immigrations charges and was in prison at the time of the attacks. He had taken flying lessons in Minnesota and had been wired money by an al-Qaeda affiliate.

In court at his sentencing, Zacarias Moussaoui said he had been part of a grandiose plot to fly a Boeing 747 into the White House.

However, testimony from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed – also in US custody – was used by Zacarias Moussaoui’s defense lawyers to undercut his claims during trial.

Families of 9/11 victims allege that Saudi Arabia and a government-affiliated charity knowingly provided funding and other material support to al-Qaeda that helped it carry out the attacks.

Plaintiffs include families of the nearly 3,000 people killed, as well as insurers that covered losses suffered by building owners and businesses.

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Don Covay dies from stroke complications at 76

Sonia Pantiss
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Don Covay dies from stroke complications at 76

R&B singer and songwriter Don Covay has died in a New York hospital at the age of 76.

His songs were performed by the Rolling Stones, Otis Redding and Aretha Franklin.

Don Covay’s daughter, Ursula, confirmed the singer’s death to The Washington Post.

He died in a New York hospital earlier this week from complications following a stroke.

Don Covay gave Aretha Franklin one of her biggest hits with Chain of Fools in 1968, a song he had written 15 years earlier.

His singing style also influenced Mick Jagger, as seen in the Rolling Stones cover of his song Mercy Mercy.Don Covay dead at 76

Don Covay started out in music in a gospel group with his siblings at school, before joining doo-wop group Rainbows.

While trying to make it as a solo artist and singer-songwriter he spent time as Little Richard’s chauffeur and warm-up act.

Don Covay’s first chart hit came in 1961 with Pony Time. The track, however, became an even bigger hit when Chubby Checker recorded his own version a year later in 1962, topping the pop and R&B charts.

This pattern continued with his song Mercy Mercy, which he recorded in 1964 with a then-unknown Jimi Hendrix on guitar, which went into the top 40.

A year later the Rolling Stones recorded their own version for their album Out of Our Heads, causing many to point out the similarity in singing styles between Mick Jagger and Don Covay.

While working as a songwriter at the Brill Building in New York, Don Covay wrote for artists including Gladys Knight and the Pips, Wilson Pickett and Solomon Burke.

He was also part of the short-lived group the Soul Clan which featured Burke, Joe Tex, Ben E King and Arthur Conley.

His work has been covered by a wide variety of artists including Gene Vincent, Connie Francis, Steppenwolf, Bobby Womack and the Small Faces.

Don Covay suffered a stroke in 1992 and a year later stars including Ronnie Wood, Iggy Pop and Todd Rundgren produced a tribute album entitled Back to the Streets: Celebrating the Music of Don Covay.

After a gap of 23 years, Don Covay released his last album Ad Lib in 2000, which featured Rolling Stones guitarists Ronnie Woods and Keith Richards, Bad Company vocalist Paul Rodgers, Wilson Pickett, Syl Johnson and Huey Lewis.

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Ricardo Medina Jr. released without charge in roommate’s death case

Lisa.Felice
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Ricardo Medina Jr. released without charge in roommate’s death case

Actor Ricardo Medina Jr. has been released without charge after his roommate, Joshua Sutter, was stabbed to death with a sword.

Ricard Medina’s lawyers said he was acting in self defense after he was assaulted by Joshua Sutter at their home in LA.

Prosecutors have decided not to file charges, instead asking detectives to carry on investigating.

Speaking three days after his arrest, the ex-Power Rangers actor said he was “very sorry”.

Ricardo Medina, 36, added: “I am very happy to be out of jail and my heart goes out to the Sutter family.”

The actor said he and a female friend locked themselves in his bedroom after a row with Joshua Sutter.Ricardo Medina Jr murder case

Ricardo Medina claimed his flatmate kicked the door open, at which point he grabbed the sword to protect himself.

His lawyer, Allen Bell said: “There simply aren’t facts here for a crime. It is a self defense case.

“You have an individual here who was the victim of a beating in the kitchen area before he went to the bedroom and locked the door to secure himself from any continuing violence.

“He kicked the door in to continue the aggression.”

Ricardo Medina was arrested after calling emergency services.

Joshua Sutter, 36, was pronounced dead in hospital.

Ricardo Medina played the Red Ranger on Power Rangers Wild Force in 2002 and later played Deker on Power Rangers Samurai.

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Dieudonne M’bala M’bala to go on trial for Paris attacks comment

Diane A. Wade
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Dieudonne M’bala M’bala to go on trial for Paris attacks comment

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala is set to go on trial for a Facebook comment appearing to back Paris gunman Amedy Coulibaly.

The comment referred to a series of three attacks in Paris in January in which 17 people were killed.

The controversial French Comedian is charged with condoning terrorism.

If found guilty, Dieudonne M’bala M’bala could face up to 7 years in jail and a €5,000 ($5,900) fine.

He already has several convictions for inciting anti-Semitism.

Following a massive march in Paris to condemn the attacks, Dieudonne M’bala M’bala wrote on his Facebook account: “I feel like Charlie Coulibaly [French: je me sens Charlie Coulibaly].” Dieudonne M'bala M'bala Paris attacks

The statement combined the “Je Suis Charlie” slogan adopted worldwide after the Paris attacks with the name of one of the three gunmen involved in the attacks.

AmedyCoulibaly killed a policewoman near a Jewish school on January 8 before going on to hold up kosher supermarket HyperCacher the following day, when he murdered four Jewish hostages.

On January 7, two gunmen killed 12 people at magazine Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine that has frequently launched withering attacks on religion, including depictions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s comment drew an angry response from many in France.

French PM Manuel Valls said that freedom of speech should not be confused with anti-Semitism, racism and Holocaust denial.

After Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he had asked the authorities to investigate Dieudonne M’bala M’bala’s remarks, the comedian posted a response on his Facebook page, arguing that he was being treated as a public enemy when all he wanted to do was make people laugh.

The comedian’s detention drew claims of double standards over free speech from some quarters in France.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala is also facing an inquiry into whether he condoned terrorism in a video in which he mocked the beheading of US journalist James Foley by Islamic State militants.

He was acquitted last year over comments made in a video in which he called for the release of a man who tortured and murdered Ilan Halimi, a Jewish man, in Paris in 2006.

Dieudonne M’bala M’bala has attracted controversy over his trademark “quenelle” gesture. It has been called an inverted Nazi salute, but the comic argues it was intended to be anti-establishment.

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TransAsia GE235 crash UPDATE: At least 23 people killed in Taiwan plane crash

Diane A. Wade
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TransAsia GE235 crash UPDATE: At least 23 people killed in Taiwan plane crash

TransAsia Airways flight GE235 carrying mostly Chinese tourists has crashed into Taiwan’s Keelung River, killing at least 23 people.

Dramatic video footage emerged showing the TransAsia Airways plane clipping a bridge as it came down shortly after take-off from a Taipei airport.

The plane, carrying 58 people, has broken up and the fuselage is lying half-submerged in the Keelung River. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

At least 15 people have been pulled out alive, with 20 still missing.

Television footage showed some passengers wading clear of the sunken wreckage and a toddler being pulled out alive by rescuers.

The dramatic moment a toddler was rescued from the sunken wreckage of the jet.

Emergency teams have cut the plane open to gain access, attempting to reach the remaining passengers trapped in the front section of the fuselage.

“At the moment, things don’t look too optimistic,” Wu Jun-hong, a Taipei fire department official coordinating the rescue effort, told reporters.

Wu Jun-hong said the fire department had requested heavy cranes to pull the body of the plane out of the water.

TransAsia said in a statement that one passenger had already been discharged from hospital.

The ATR-72 turbo-prop plane had just taken off from Taipei Songshan Airport and was heading to the Kinmen islands, just off the coast of the south-eastern Chinese city of Xiamen.TransAsia Flight GE235 crash

It is the second TransAsia ATR-72 to crash in seven months, following an accident last July which killed 48 people and injured 15.

According to a recording played on local media, the final communication from the pilots to air traffic control was: “Mayday, mayday, engine flame out.”

The recording was not immediately verified by aviation officials.

Flight controllers lost contact with the plane at 10:55 local time.

Footage of the plane filmed from inside passing cars showed it banking sharply, hitting a taxi and clipping the bridge before crashing into the river.

“I saw a taxi, probably just meters ahead of me, being hit by one wing of the plane,” an eyewitness told local media.

“The plane was huge and really close to me. I’m still trembling.”

TV footage showed rescuers standing on the tail section of the broken wreckage trying to pull passengers out of the plane with ropes.

The majority of the plane, including the front section of the fuselage and the wings, appeared to be underwater.

The plane’s flight data recorders, also known as black boxes, have been recovered.

TransAsia said it had contacted relatives of all the 22 Taiwanese passengers and was attempting to reach relatives of the Chinese nationals on board.

The company’s chief Chen Xinde offered a “deep apology” in a televised news conference, but said his planes had been “under thorough scrutiny” since mid-2014.

“Both our planes and our flight safety system are following strict regulations, so we also want to know what caused the new plane model to crash, but I don’t want to speculate,” he said.

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Greece crisis: PM Alexis Tsipras optimistic after EU and ECB talks

Clyde K. Valle
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Greece crisis: PM Alexis Tsipras optimistic after EU and ECB talks

Greece’s PM Alexis Tsipras says he believes it will be possible to find a solution to the stand-off with the EU over his country’s debt.

Alexis Tsipras said he was “optimistic” after meeting the heads of the European Commission, European Council and European Parliament in Brussels.

The new prime minister and his finance minister are on a diplomatic offensive to reassure eurozone leaders about their plans.

Alexis Tsipras has pledged to renegotiate the terms of a €240 billion bailout.

His far-left party Syriza was elected last month on a promise to end austerity measures.

“We respect the rules of the European Union,” Alexis Tsipras said after his meetings on February 4.

“I’m very optimistic… Of course we don’t have already an agreement but we are in a good direction to find a viable agreement.”Alexis Tsipras EU talks Brussels

Speaking at the joint news conference, European Parliament President Martin Schulz described their talks as “fruitful” but said there were difficult times ahead.

Meanwhile, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said his talks with ECB chief Mario Draghi in Frankfurt had also been encouraging.

“We had a very fruitful discussion and exchange,” Yanis Varoufakis told reporters.

He is keen to convince the ECB that Greece’s debt payments could be linked to the performance of the economy – the more it grows the more interest Greece would pay – through the use of debt swaps.

However, a report in the Financial Times quoted officials involved in the negotiations as saying that the ECB would oppose a crucial part of his plan – the sale of short-term treasury bills to raise €10 billion.

Today’s talks were the latest in a series of European trips to reassure leaders about the plans of a government elected on January 25 on a promise of writing off most of Greece’s spiraling debt.

Alexis Tsipras’s Syriza party had also sparked alarm on the markets and among eurozone officials when it said it would refuse a new tranche of bailout funding, prompting questions about how it would finance itself.

Greece’s current program of loans ends on February 28. A final €7.2 billion is still to be negotiated, but the new government has already begun to roll back austerity measures.

Yanis Varoufakis is hoping to obtain quick cash for Greece while a new plan is agreed amongst the various eurozone members.

Eurozone finance ministers are due to meet on February 11 to discuss Greece’s debt proposals.

Earlier, Alexis Tsipras met European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk.

Jean-Claude Juncker was expected to press Alexis Tsipras for a “technical” extension of Greece’s current deal. The Greek leader is to travel to Paris to meet President Francois Hollande later.

On February 5, Yanis Varoufakis is expected to meet Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German finance minister.

Wolfgang Schaeuble has emerged as the one of the toughest critics of the new Greek government, previously saying: “Elections change nothing. There are rules.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has ruled out Greece’s debt cancellation, saying creditors had already made concessions.

Greece still has a debt of €315 bilion – about 175% of GDP – despite some creditors writing down debts in a renegotiation in 2012.

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Bobbi Kristina Brown was never married to Nick Gordon

Lisa.Felice
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Bobbi Kristina Brown was never married to Nick Gordon

Bobbi Kristina Brown is not and never has been married to Nick Gordon, an attorney representing her father, Bobby Brown, has said.

Bobby Brown’s attorney Christopher Brown released a statement on February 3 disputing reports that Bobbi Kristina Brown is married to Nick Gordon.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, has been hospitalized since January 31 after being found unresponsive in a bathtub at her Atlanta home. Nick Gordon and a friend called police.Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon not married

In January 2014, a representative for the family confirmed that Bobbi Kristina Brown and Nick Gordon had gotten married, but did not release additional details.

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

The singer died in 2012 after being found unresponsive in a Los Angeles hotel bathtub.

Whitney Houston left her entire estate to Bobbi Kristina Brown.

Bobbi Kristina Brown Moved to Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital after Suffering Seizures

Lisa.Felice
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According to recent reports, Bobbi Kristina Brown is being treated at a new hospital in Atlanta after suffering a series of seizures.

Bobbi Kristina Brown, 21, was moved to Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital on February 2 after initially being treated at a smaller medical facility closer her home in suburban Roswell, Georgia, CNN reported.

Whitney Houston’s daughter was found submerged, face down in a tub at her Atlanta home on January 31. She was rushed to North Fulton Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma. However, her immediate prognosis was described as bleak.

She is in “really bad shape,” a source close to the Houston family told CNN.

“Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst,” the source said of loved ones who have gathered at Bobbi Kristina Brown’s bedside – including her father Bobby Brown and husband Nick Gordon.

The individual also said that Bobbi Kristina Brown’s eyes had opened and closed on February 2, but doctors warned the family against reading too much into the movement. The medical team is reportedly attempting to reduce swelling on her brain, but they won’t know the extent of possible damage until she’s taken off of prescribed sedatives, the source said.

Study: Intense jogging is as bad as no exercise at all

Kathryn R. Bown
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Study: Intense jogging is as bad as no exercise at all

According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, too much jogging may be as bad for you as not exercising at all.

Scientists studied more than 1,000 healthy joggers and non-joggers over a 12-year period.

Those who jogged at a steady pace for less than two and a half hours a week were least likely to die in this time.

But those who ran more than four hours a week or did no exercise had the highest death rates.

Analyzing questionnaires filled out by all the people in the Danish study, scientists concluded the ideal pace was about 5mph and that it was best to jog no more than three times a week or for 2.5 hours in total.Intense jogging is unhealthy

People who jogged more intensively – particularly those who jogged more than three times a week or at a pace of more than 7mph – were as likely to die as those who did no exercise.

Researcher Jacob Louis Marott, from the Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen, said: “You don’t actually have to do that much to have a good impact on your health.

“And perhaps you shouldn’t actually do too much.

“No exercise recommendations across the globe mention an upper limit for safe exercise, but perhaps there is one.”

Scientists are not yet sure what is behind this trend – but they say changes to the heart during extreme exercise could contribute.

In their report, scientists suggest: “Long-term strenuous endurance exercise may induce pathological structural remodeling of the heart and arteries.”

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Lance Armstrong charged over Aspen car crash

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Lance Armstrong charged over Aspen car crash

Cyclist Lance Armstrong is due in court after being accused of leaving the scene of an accident and crashing into two parked cars.

According to police, Lance Armstrong left the scene in the ski resort of Aspen, Colorado, before officers arrived.

According to recent reports, his girlfriend Anna Hansen told police she was driving, before changing her story.

Lance Armstong, 43, who was stripped of seven Tour de France titles for doping, faces court on March 17.

He could face a fine and up to 90 days in jail if convicted of the charges of leaving the scene and driving too fast for the snowy conditions.Lance Armstrong and Anna Hansen Colorado car crash

Anna Hansen, 33, who lives in Aspen, was initially cited for the incident after telling police she had been driving the couple home from an Aspen Art Museum party.

She claimed to have lost control and hit two parked cars, before speaking to the owner and offering to pay for the damage, the police report said.

The Aspen Daily News reported that the couple had made the “joint decision” to avoid negative headlines.

Officers then spoke to the valet at the event, who said Lance Armstrong had driven away from the gala.

On January 12, the charges were transferred to Lance Armstrong. Anna Hansen will not face charges.

Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France victories and banned for life from racing in 2012 by the US Anti-Doping Agency after he admitted using performance-enhancing drugs.

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