According to researchers, evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be traced back to 1300BC – much earlier than previously thought.
The team at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK analyzed translations from ancient Iraq or Mesopotamia.
Accounts of soldiers being visited by “ghosts they faced in battle” fitted with a modern diagnosis of PTSD.
The condition was likely to be as old as human civilization, the researchers concluded.
Prof. Jamie Hacker Hughes, a former consultant clinical psychologist for the UK’s Ministry of Defense, said the first description of PTSD was often accredited to the Greek historian Herodotus.
Referring to the warrior Epizelus during the battle of Marathon in 490BC he wrote: “He suddenly lost sight of both eyes, though nothing had touched him.”
Prof. Jamie Hacker Hughes’ report – titled Nothing New Under the Sun – argues there are references in the Assyrian Dynasty in Mesopotamia between 1300BC and 609BC.
In that era men spent a year being toughened up by building roads, bridges and other projects, before spending a year at war and then returning to their families for a year before starting the cycle again.
A diagnosis and understanding of PTSD emerged after the Vietnam War. It was dismissed as shell shock in World War One.
Potential triggers for post-traumatic stress disorder:
SkyMall shopping magazine has filed for bankruptcy protection.
The in-flight catalog is popular for selling unusual gadgets and other oddities.
“With the increased use of electronic devices on planes, fewer people browsed the SkyMall in-flight catalog,” the company’s interim chief executive, Scott Wiley, said in court papers.
The magazine’s parent company, Xhibit Corporation, said SkyMall revenues were $15.8 million in 2014.
That is a nearly 50% decline from 2013.
In 2014, the company suffered large setbacks when both Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines said they would cease carrying the catalogue.
Furthermore, SkyMall had been hurt in recent years by the sluggish US economic recovery.
“A substantial portion of the products and services SkyMall offers are products or services that consumers may view as discretionary items rather than necessities,” the company wrote in its filing.
SkyMall’s parent Xhibit said it would hold an auction of the company’s remaining assets on March 24.
It said the company had approximately $1 million to $10 million in assets and liabilities that ranged from $10 million to $50 million.
The company, which was founded in 1989, is based in Phoenix, Arizona and has around 150 employees.
Brazil’s three most populous states are experiencing their worst drought since 1930, Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira has said.
The states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais must save water, Izabella Teixeira said after an emergency meeting in the capital Brasilia.
Izabella Teixeira described the water crisis as “delicate” and “worrying”.
Industry and agriculture are expected to be affected, further damaging Brazil’s troubled economy.
The drought is also having an impact on energy supplies, with reduced generation from hydroelectric dams.
Brazil is supposed to be in the middle of its rainy season but there has been scant rainfall in the south-east and the drought shows no sign of abating.
The crisis comes at a time of high demand for energy, with soaring temperatures in the summer months.
“Since records for Brazil’s south-eastern region began 84 years ago, we have never seen such a delicate and worrying situation,” said Izabella Teixeira.
Her comments came at the end of a meeting with five other ministers at the presidential palace in Brasilia to discuss the drought.
The crisis began in Sao Paulo, where hundreds of thousands of residents have been affected by frequent cuts in water supplies, our correspondent says.
The city’s Cantareira reservoir system, which serves over eight million people, has now dropped to 5.2% of its capacity despite recent rain, Brazil’s TV Globo reported.
Accumulated rainfall in the area of Cantareira is said to be only 33.5% of that predicted for the month, Globo’s G1 news site added.
Sao Paulo state suffered similar serious drought problems last year.
Governor Geraldo Alckmin has taken several measures, such as raising charges for high consumption levels, offering discounts to those who reduce use, and limiting the amounts captured by industries and agriculture from rivers.
Critics blame poor planning and politics for the worsening situation.
Political opponents say the state authorities failed to respond quickly enough to the crisis because Geraldo Alckmin did not want to alarm people as he was seeking re-election in October 2014, allegations he disputes.
In Rio de Janeiro state, the main water reservoir has dropped to level zero for the first time since it was built.
Environment Secretary Andre Correa acknowledged that the state was experiencing “the worst water crisis in its history”.
However, he said there was enough water in other reservoirs to avoid rationing in Rio de Janeiro for at least another six months.
Andre Correa described the situation in Sao Paulo as “infinitely worse”.
Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais are asking residents and industries to reduce water consumption by as much as 30%.
McDonald’s is rolling out its newly simplified menu, which features fewer items in order to reduce confusion and boost speed.
According to an inside source the following would be removed nationally: the honey mustard Snack Wrap, chipotle BBQ Snack Wrap, bacon habanero ranch Quarter Pounder, bacon and cheese Quarter Pounder, premium chicken club sandwich and premium ranch BLT chicken sandwich.
The southern-style chicken sandwich will also be axed except in some markets. Additionally, local level operators can choose to remove the buffalo ranch McChicken or grilled onion cheddar burger from the menu.
Deeper cuts at McDonald’s could be on the way.
On the company’s conference call Friday, McDonald’s USA President Mike Andres said its menu rationalization test is “clearly ongoing,” as the chain has unveiled a lot of products during the last year and a half.
The cuts are aimed at simplifying a menu that’s grown complex over the years and proved to be an obstacle in the fast-food giant’s need for speed.
McDonald’s menu items excluding beverages, desserts or combo meals grew to 72 last year from 53 just four years earlier, according to market research firm Datassential.
The cuts come as McDonald’s is rolling out its customizable create-your-taste platform, a build-your-own sandwich option the company plans to begin expanding aggressively to 2,000 stores in the US this year. It is part of the Golden Arches’ effort to turn around its struggling U.S. business and compete with restaurants like Chipotle Mexican Grill that have seen success with their customized offerings.
Miley Cyrus has revealed that she can’t spell the last name of her boyfriend Patrick Schwarzenegger.
It’s been three months since Miley Cyrus and Patrick Schwarzenegger started dating but the singer admits there’s one thing about their relationship she just can’t get the hang of – Patrick’s last name.
In a new interview with Good Morning America, Miley Cyrus, 22, said: “Literally, I just had this conversation, I can’t tell you.
National Peanut Butter Day is celebrated annually in the US on January 24.
This auspicious occasion was created many years ago, to allow peanut butter lovers to celebrate the creation of this wonderful food.
Peanut butter is a food paste made primarily from ground dry roasted peanut and is popular in North America, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Asia, particularly the Philippines and Indonesia.
Peanut butter can be eaten and used in many different recipes.
Families and friends can celebrate Peanut Butter Day by getting together and creating delicious recipes containing peanut butter, from cookies and cakes to sautes and sauces. These can of course be consumed at home, or some prefer to make a day of it and go on a picnic style outing. There are many individuals that eat nothing but peanut butter on Peanut Butter Day.
There are even schools that will only serve peanut butter sandwiches to their students on this festive day.
Peanut butter is mainly used as a sandwich spread, sometimes in combination with other spreads such as jam, chocolate (in various forms), vegetables or cheese. The United States is a leading exporter of peanut butter. Nuts are also prepared comparably as nut butters.
According to Indian media, President Barack Obama has cancelled plans to visit the Taj Mahal during his upcoming visit to India.
Barack Obama was scheduled to go to India’s famed monument to love with First Lady Michelle Obama on January 27, at the end of a three-day visit to India.
Hundreds of cleaners had been hired to spruce up the white marbled mausoleum in preparation for their arrival.
The Hindustan Times website cited unnamed Indian officials as saying Barack Obama was cutting his India visit short to fly to Saudi Arabia following the death of King Abdullah.
The Hindu website carried a similar report, quoting a government source as saying: “It’s possible that he might leave India earlier.”
The White House did not comment on the reports.
Barack Obama will hold talks with Indian PM Narendra Modi and become the first serving US president to be guest of honor at the Republic Day parade during his second visit to India since taking office.
Analysts say the invitation to attend India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26 emphasizes a new closeness between the world’s two largest democracies.
The cancellation of the Taj Mahal visit would deprive India’s top tourist attraction of publicity at a time when the government is trying to boost visitor numbers.
Twitter users rushed to thank Barack Obama for orchestrating a clean-up of the mausoleum in the town of Agra, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved empress who died during childbirth in 1631.
An actuator is a motor accountable for controlling or moving a mechanical system. It follows that such gear can move a system in a linear, circular, or both circular and linear motions. A rotary and linear actuator, also called a dual one, is an example of an actuator that moves a mechanical system in both linear and rotary motion. As a result, the uses of rotary and linear actuators are applied differently from other types of actuators.
As aforementioned, rotary and linear actuators can provide both circular and straight-line motions simultaneously. Therefore, the circular and linear motions for most rotary and linear actuators are controlled differently. This is possible because the system use the two-axis stepper motor driver (for controlling the two motions differently). Nonetheless, the circular and linear motions for some dual motion actuators are controlled together depending on their application. The drawing underneath is a demonstration of a linear and rotary system in action.
Rotary and Linear Actuators
Where are Dual Actuators Used?
Certain applications require both linear and rotary motion. For instance, dual linear actuators are used in robotic selection and placing of modules. This occurs where it is necessary to shift a component to an insertion point axially (before screwing the component in place). Further, dual actuators are applicable in laparoscopic and similar medical instruments, which require a shaft that may rotate selectively. Consequently, dual actuators are used in industries such as production industries, manufacturing industries, and automotive industries.
Clearly, Rotary and Linear actuators produce both circular and linear motions concurrently. As a result, they are applicable in mechanical industries such as the automotive, manufacturing, and production industries.
Sean Penn wants to adopt Charlize Theron’s son and filed legal documents to become the boy’s adoptive father.
Charlize Theron adopted Jackson, now 3, in 2012 when he was a few months old.
The couple’s reps have not commented, but many are taking the move as indication that they plan to wed, despite the actress’ past admissions that marriage doesn’t interest her much.
Charlize Theron has been spotted wearing a diamond ring on several occasions, fueling speculation that she and Sean Penn are engaged. Sources debunked the rumors last summer, but they recently heated up again.
In November, Sean Penn and Charlize Theron were accused of wrongly mistreating Jackson during a hike, after a woman called police saying she saw the toddler screaming, and assumed the stars had done something wrong. It was ultimately determined by the cops that nothing unpleasant or criminal had taken place, and Jackson was just having a standard tantrum.
Charlize Theron broke her silence on her relationship with Sean Penn in a Vogue cover story last spring: “I was single for a really long time. I was enjoying mommyhood. You just naturally become kind of selfish about your time, and all of it is dedicated to this little thing, whether he needs it or not.”
The actress confessed, however, that she didn’t see the romance with Sean Penn coming, explaining: “Sean and I have known each other for eighteen years. We were just really good friends. And it’s been slow going because you are aware that you could screw that up and lose it. We had to think about it.”
Sean Penn, whom Jackson reportedly calls “daddy” already, is also father to daughter Dylan, 23, and son Hopper, 21, from his marriage to Robin Wright.
Patrick Dempsey’s wife, Jillian Fink, filed for divorce after 15 years of marriage, ETonline reported.
Patrick Dempsey, 49, and Jillian Fink are the parents of three children, 12-year-old Tallulah and 7-year-old twins Sullivan and Darby.
The couple said in a statement: “It is with careful consideration and mutual respect that we have decided to end our marriage.
“Our primary concern remains the wellbeing of our children, and we ask with profound gratitude that you respect our family’s privacy at this very sensitive time.”
The Grey’s Anatomy star was reportedly in Daytona Beach, Florida, for a racing event at the time of his wife’s divorce filing.
Patrick Dempsey is one of the highest-paid actors in TV, making a reported $16 million in 2014 from his Grey’s Anatomy stint and endorsement deals.
Late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was buried on January 23 in an unmarked grave in a public cemetery in Riyadh.
Leaders of the Muslim world and thousands of Saudi subjects paid their final respects to King Abdullah at a simple ceremony at a Riyadh mosque after Friday prayer.
In accordance with royal custom, the body of King Abdullah, who died at 1 AM., was swathed in white and laid out for visitation at the Imam Turki ibn Abdullah Grand Mosque in the capital.
The afternoon funeral was attended by Middle East monarchs and a few presidents from countries near enough to Saudi Arabia to travel to the ceremonies that by Islamic practice must be conducted before the next sundown following a believer’s death.
Photo Reuters
World leaders who plan to attend memorials scheduled this weekend sent condolences and praise for King Abdullah’s role as a mediator between the West and Islam.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II left the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to attend the funeral and declared 40 days of mourning in his own kingdom.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared “much sadness” at the news of King Abdullah’s passing and announced three days of mourning in the Palestinian territories.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised King Abdullah for “strengthening cooperation and solidarity in the Muslim world, especially concerning the Palestinian question and the situation in Syria.”
Iran, Saudi Arabia’s chief rival in the Muslim world, sent condolences to the Saudi people and said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif would travel to Riyadh to pay respects.
Saudi Arabia’s more austere form of Islam eschews public displays of grief and elaborate ritual, even for its monarchs, who are among the world’s richest men.
King Abdullah was reported to have a net worth of $20 billion.
The funeral was open to the public, including women in their separate section of the mosque, and shops and businesses will remain open during a three-day mourning period.
Cubs’ first African- American player Ernie Banks died on January 23 at the age of 83, his wife, Liz, confirmed.
Known as “Mr. Cub,” Ernie Banks became the Cubs player on September 17, 1953, and went on to become an 11-time All-Star and two-time National League Most Valuable Player.
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts released the following statement Friday night: “Words cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball. He was one of the greatest players of all time. He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I’ve ever known. Approachable, ever optimistic and kind-hearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub. My family and I grieve the loss of such a great and good-hearted man, but we look forward to celebrating Ernie’s life in the days ahead.”
Ernie Banks, who hit 512 home runs and had 1,636 RBIs, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
In 1950, Ernie Banks began playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro leagues. After serving two years in the military, he joined the Cubs.
Ernie Banks played more games at first base (1,259) than he did at shortstop (1,125), but he is remembered more for his most productive younger seasons at shortstop.
A statue of Ernie Banks’ likeness was unveiled near the corner of Clark and Addison outside of Wrigley Field at the start of the 2008 baseball season.
World leaders gather in Saudi Arabia to pay their respects in person after the death of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on January 23.
French President Francois Hollande and UK’s PM David Cameron will be in Riyadh. The US delegation is led by Vice-President Joe Biden.
King Abdullah died Friday at 1 AM, aged 90. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh after Friday prayers.
King Salman, 79, pledged continuity after his accession to the throne.
He also moved swiftly to appoint heirs and ministers, including one prince from the ruling dynasty’s third generation.
On January 24, Joe Biden, David Cameron and Francois Hollande will take part in official ceremonies in the Saudi capital.
Iran will be represented by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
King Abdullah died on Friday, weeks after being admitted to hospital with a lung infection, and he was buried later that day.
Within hours of acceding to the throne, King Salman vowed to maintain the same policies as his predecessors.
“We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment,” he said.
He named another of King Abdullah’s half-brothers, Muqrin, as the new crown prince.
Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef was appointed deputy crown prince, making him second in line to the throne and in effect smoothing the line of succession for years to come.
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is a grandson of King Abdulaziz, usually referred to as Ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. The crown has so far passed between Ibn Saud’s sons, but few are still alive.
King Abdullah came to the throne in 2005 but had already been Saudi Arabia’s de-facto leader for 10 years because his predecessor, King Fahd, had been debilitated by a stroke.
Abdullah had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years, and King Salman had recently taken on the ailing monarch’s responsibilities.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia has appointed his nephew, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, as deputy crown prince.
The powerful interior minister has become the second in line to the throne after Crown Prince Muqrin.
The announcement of the deputy crown prince’s appointment on January 23, following the death of King Abdullah, quiets further speculation over future succession in the kingdom. It paves the way for the deputy crown prince to become the first grandson of Abdulaziz ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, to succeed to the throne.
Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, age 69, is next in line after King Salman.
The moves by Saudi Arabia’s new king to ease the transition of power came just hours before King Abdullah’s surviving sons carried their father’s shrouded remains on a pallet atop their shoulders to his grave at Oud Cemetery in the capital Riyadh.
In keeping with the traditions of Wahhabi strand of Sunni Islam, which frowns on idolizing the dead and dramatic public expressions of grief, members of the royal family and other mourners were somber and restrained, and the grave was unmarked.
Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, has been credited as the main force behind the eradication of al-Qaeda operatives inside Saudi Arabia when they waged a campaign to destabilize the kingdom between 2003 and 2006. He was appointed interior minister in November 2012.
Photo Reuters
Also on January 23, King Salman’s son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was named defense minister, a position the new king held until he succeeded his half-brother, King Abdullah.
In addition, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, age 34, was designated chief of the royal court, replacing Khaled Al Tuwaijri, who was removed from all his posts.
Khaled Al Tuwaijri was an influential adviser to King Abdullah.
The appointments signal the intention of the new Saudi leader to continue the government’s drive to curb dissent at home and Islamist and anti-Sunni forces abroad.
In the kingdom, they also reassert the eminence of the Sudairi Seven, made up of the seven sons of the kingdom’s founder and Hassa bint Ahmad Al Sudairi, one of his wives.
King Abdullah’s sons retained their positions, but the new royal appointments mark a reversal of the late king’s practice of elevating his sons and allies to senior positions.
All other current ministers in the cabinet, including the oil minister Ali al-Naimi, will keep their positions, King Salman said in another royal decree.
The appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as deputy crown prince resolves, at least for the moment, some of the questions that shadowed King Abdullah’s waning years. In particular, it sets forth a path for the transfer of power from the sons of the kingdom’s founder to his grandsons.
Under Saudi Arabia’s monarchy, unlike most other monarchies, the throne doesn’t pass automatically from parent to eldest child upon the death or abdication of the monarch. Saudi law stipulates only that the throne passes to the “most upright” of the sons and grandsons of the kingdom’s founder.
In 2006, the Saudi royal family established a panel designed to help future kings choose their heirs. King Abdullah and his successor, however, were excluded from its mandate.
Under the provisions of the so-called Allegiance Committee, the king’s choice for crown prince is subject to a vote by the panel. If the committee disapproves of the king’s selection, it offers an alternative candidate. If the two sides still fail to agree, the committee votes on one of the two nominees.
The Philippine government is facing calls for an inquiry after it admitted relocating homeless people temporarily during Pope Francis’ visit.
Social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman said that nearly 500 people were taken from the streets of Manila to an upscale resort in the outskirts.
House of Representatives member Terry Ridon called for an inquiry, saying the move was a “clearing operation”.
Pope Francis arrived in the Philippines last week and left on January 19.
Terry Ridon said the government relocation scheme was “truly horrendous, given the fact that Pope Francis visited our country to – first and foremost – see and talk to the poor.”
According to the Philippine Star, he plans to summon Corazon Soliman to explain her agency’s actions before lawmakers.
Corazon Soliman said in interviews this week that the homeless families were removed shortly before the pontiff arrived on January 15.
Photo EPA
Many of them lived along the Manila Bay seafront, the venue for January 18 mass which drew a record crowd of six million.
On January 14, they were taken to the Chateau Royale resort, which charges hundreds of dollars for a room per night, and returned to the capital on Monday after Pope Francis had left.
The families are now temporarily residing at government facilities in Manila, Corazon Soliman said.
She defended the move as an effort to protect them from large crowds and crime syndicates during the Pope’s visit, adding that it was part of a scheme to eventually move them to rent-free temporary accommodation.
“Part of the orientation is to familiarize themselves with a room with a door and toilets,” Corazon Soliman told the AFP news agency.
She insisted it was “not for keeping them out of sight”, and said the Pope saw shanties and homeless people during his trip.
The controversy comes after reports that street children had been rounded up and put into cages in detention centers, which the government has denied.
Pope Francis had made poverty one of the central themes to his visit, calling for mercy and compassion for the poor and meeting and hugging street children.
King Salman of Saudi Arabia has pledged continuity, hours after his accession to the throne following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah.
The new king moved swiftly to appoint heirs and ministers, including one prince from the ruling dynasty’s third generation.
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud died last night, weeks after being admitted to hospital with a lung infection.
He was buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh, following Friday prayers.
King Abdullah’s burial was conducted in line with the traditions of Wahhabism – the ultra-conservative form of Sunni Islam followed by the kingdom – where funerals are austere and simple.
His body was wrapped in a shroud and taken by ambulance to the Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque in Riyadh.
Following prayers, which were attended by Gulf heads of state as well as foreign leaders including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif, King Abdullah’s body was taken to a public cemetery and buried.
Within hours of acceding to the throne of the oil-rich kingdom, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 79, vowed to maintain the same policies as his predecessors.
“We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment,” the king said in a speech broadcast on state television.
King Salman’s profile was updated on his official Twitter account, where he wrote: “I ask God to help me succeed in my service of the dear [Saudi] people.”
He named another of King Abdullah’s half-brothers, Muqrin, who is in his late 60s, as the new crown prince.
Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 55, was appointed deputy crown prince, making him second in line to the throne and effectively smoothing the line of succession for years to come.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef is a grandson of King Abdulaziz, usually referred to as Ibn Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. The crown has so far passed between Ibn Saud’s sons, but few are still alive.
King Salman also appointed his own son, Mohammed bin Salman, as defense minister. Other ministers, including foreign, oil and finance, were kept in place, state TV reported.
King Salman spent 48 years as governor of Riyadh province before becoming crown prince and defense minister.
King Abdullah came to the throne in 2005 but had already been Saudi Arabia’s de-facto leader for 10 years because his predecessor, King Fahd, had been debilitated by a stroke.
Abdullah was said to be aged about 90. He had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years, and King Salman had recently taken on the ailing monarch’s responsibilities.
President Barack Obama paid tribute to King Abdullah as a leader who “was always candid and had the courage of his convictions”. Vice-President Joe Biden said he would lead a delegation to Riyadh to pay respects.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin praised King Abdullah’s “grounded, considered and responsible leadership”, while Iran offered Saudi Arabia its condolences and said its foreign minister would travel to Riyadh for an “official ceremony” on Saturday.
However, human rights groups said Saudi Arabia’s human rights record had been poor under King Abdullah.
Martin Scorsese’s planned HBO TV documentary on President Bill Clinton has been shelved indefinitely, according to reports.
The New York Times said the project – which was announced in December 2012 – had stalled over disagreements on control of the film.
The newspaper said Bill Clinton had wanted more say over the interview questions and the final cut.
A spokesman for the former president said the claim was “inaccurate”.
The documentary was partly shot over the past two years, and was to feature Bill Clinton making a philanthropic visit to South Africa.
According to unnamed sources working on the project, Bill Clinton’s aides had wanted to approve the questions he would be asked and the film’s final edit.
Martin Scorsese’s spokesman declined to comment on the dispute, but HBO said: “[The film’s] not happening soon but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.”
When the documentary was first announced, Martin Scorsese described Bill Clinton as “a towering figure who remains a major voice in world issues”.
He added: “Through intimate conversations, I hope to provide greater insight into this transcendent figure.”
At the time, Bill Clinton also said he was pleased to become the subject of a “legendary director”.
Martin Scorsese is currently preparing for his next film, Silence, in Taiwan.
This year’s Sundance Film Festival in Utah has opened with a documentary about famed jazz singer Nina Simone.
What Happened, Miss Simone? traces the singer’s life from her early days as a classically trained pianist to her later jazz and blues career.
Nina Somone’s struggles with mental illness and her involvement in the civil rights movement are also covered in the documentary.
The premiere, in Park City, Utah, was followed by a short concert by singer-songwriter John Legend.
“I’m so grateful to be here today honouring the legacy of the wonderful, powerful, dynamic, super-talented Nina Simone,” John Legend told the audience at Thursday’s event.
John Legend, who received an Oscar nomination last week for a song he co-wrote for Martin Luther King biopic Selma, went on to perform three numbers made famous by Nina Simone, who died in 2003.
The latest edition of the annual independent film showcase, which runs until February 1, will feature 118 feature-length documentary and narrative films in its program.
Festival co-founder Robert Redford makes an on-screen appearance himself this year in A Walk in the Woods, an adaptation of the Bill Bryson memoir that will have its premiere later.
Other titles in the line-up include Slow West, a 19th Century western starring Michael Fassbender; True Story, a fact-based crime drama starring James Franco and Jonah Hill; and Grandma, a comedy starring Lily Tomlin that will close this year’s event.
Festival director John Cooper said there had been “a lift in the quality” in submissions, adding that “the wild ride of the festival is going to be felt by the audiences.”
The opening of this year’s event follows the announcement that Sundance London, an offshoot of the festival that ran from 2012 to 2014, will not take place in 2015.
It also comes in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks in Paris, something Robert Redford touched upon during a news conference on January 22.
“That was a sad event, it was a shocking event,” he told reporters.
“I also have a hunch it was a bit of a wake-up event.
“Freedom of expression seems to be in danger in a lot of areas,” Robert Redford continued.
“But as far as we’re concerned, we will do everything in our power to keep it alive here.”
Amedy Coulibaly, the Islamist militant shot dead by French special forces two weeks ago after he attacked Jewish supermarket HyperCacher, has been buried near Paris.
Police sources said Amedy Coulibaly had been buried in the Muslim section of the Thiais cemetery, outside Paris.
Seventeen people died in three days of violence in Paris that began with an assault on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on January 7.
Two other attackers, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, have already been buried.
Amedy Coulibaly, 32, killed four people and held a number of others hostage at a Jewish supermarket in eastern Paris on January 9.
Police also believe Amedy Coulibaly killed a female police officer in the Montrouge area of the French capital a day earlier.
Amedy Coulibaly is believed to have had a long history of criminal activity – including drugs offences – and links to at least one of the Kouachi brothers.
Earlier, France’s top legal authority ruled that it was lawful to strip a dual national convicted of terrorism offences of his French nationality.
Ahmed Sahnouni, a Moroccan naturalized by France in 2003, had challenged the stripping of his citizenship.
However, the Constitutional Council ruled that the move was justified by the seriousness of the need to tackle Islamist extremism.
Ahmed Sahnouni was jailed for seven years in 2013 for terror-related activities.
Under French law, nationals can be stripped of their naturalized citizenship if they are convicted of “terror acts”, but only if the move would not make them stateless.
According to a recent poll, 81% of French people wanted dual nationals convicted of terrorism offences to have their French passports taken away.
It also suggested 68% believed French citizens involved in violent jihad abroad should not be allowed to return to France.
Greece’s left-wing party Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras says an end to “national humiliation” is near, as opinion polls put the party ahead three days before the general election.
Alexis Tsipras asked supporters for a clear mandate to enable him to end Greece’s austerity policies.
He repeated his promise to have half of Greece’s international debt written off when the current bailout deal ends.
Greece has endured deep budget cuts tied to the massive bailout.
The country’s election on January 25 is being closely watched by financial markets which fear that a Syriza victory could lead Greece to default on its debt and exit from the euro.
Photo Reuters
“On Monday, national humiliation will be over. We will finish with orders from abroad,” Alexis Tsipras told thousands of cheering supporters at the party’s final election rally in Athens.
“We are asking for a first chance for Syriza. It might be the last chance for Greece.”
Greece has gone through a deep recession and still has a quarter of its workforce unemployed.
However, there have been warnings that a Syriza victory could lead to a dangerous confrontation with other eurozone countries.
Syriza is tipped to win but without an outright majority, and analysts say the party may struggle to find a coalition partner.
Alexis Tsipras has said he will not govern with those who support what he has called the policies of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Germany is seen in Greece as taking the hardest line on its debt.
Earlier this month, a spokesman for Angela Merkel said Germany expected Greece to uphold the terms of its international bailout agreement.
Under those terms, the EU, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank – the so-called troika – supported Greece with the promise of €240 billion in return for budget cuts and economic reforms.
Latest polls show Syriza widening its lead over PM Antonis Samaras’s centre-right New Democracy party.
A poll to be published on January 23 by Metron Analysis put Syriza’s lead over New Democracy up to 5.3 percentage points from 4.6 points.
Another poll, by Rass, had Syriza 4.8 points in the lead.
Antonis Samaras will hold his final election rally on January 23 as both sides make a final push to win over undecided voters.
The first batch of GSK’s Ebola experimental vaccine is on its way to Liberia.
The shipment will be the first potentially preventative medicine to reach one of the hardest hit countries.
However, experts say that, with Ebola cases falling, it may be difficult to establish whether the jab offers any protection against the virus.
The vaccine has been produced by British company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the US National Institutes of Health.
GSK said a plane carrying some 300 initial doses of the vaccine was expected to arrive in Monrovia on January 23.
The company hopes the first volunteer will be immunized in the next few weeks.
GSK CEO Andrew Witty said the pace of development was almost unparalleled and was comparable to only the development of a pandemic flu vaccine or new medicines for HIV.
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Scientists aim to involve 30,000 volunteers in the trial in total, including frontline health workers.
If all regulations are met, 10,000 volunteers will be given the GSK vaccine.
A matching number will get a placebo, dummy vaccine. And there are plans for a further 10,000 people to get a separate experimental jab.
The results will be compared to see if either vaccine offers any meaningful protection against the virus.
A version of the vaccine has already been tested on 200 healthy volunteers across the UK, US, Switzerland and Mali.
GSK says it has been found to have an acceptable safety profile so far.
However, it is only in affected countries that experts can determine whether it provides adequate protection against the virus.
Dr. Moncef Slaoui, of GSK said: “Shipping the vaccine today is a major achievement and shows that we remain on track with the accelerated development of our candidate Ebola vaccine.
“The initial phase one data we have seen are encouraging and give us confidence to progress to the next phases of clinical testing.”
GSK stresses the vaccine is still in development and the World Health Organization, and other regulators, would have to be satisfied the vaccine is both safe and effective before any mass immunization campaigns could be considered.
Field trials of other promising vaccines – for example one involving the company Merck – are planned in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in the months to come.
There are reports that a trial of an experimental drug called Zmapp might start in the next few weeks.
However, experts say with the number of Ebola cases falling opportunities to test vaccines and drugs could be limited.
Saudi Arabia’s new king, Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, acceded to the throne on the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah, on January 23.
King Salman, 79, was governor of Riyadh province for 48 years before becoming defense minister in 2011 and crown prince a year later.
He had already taken on the duties of the king as Abdullah’s health faded.
King Salman is part of an influential faction within the royal family formed of sons and grandsons of the late King Abdulaziz (usually referred to as Ibn Saud) by a favorite wife, Princess Hassa al-Sudairi.
After the deaths of the former king, Fahd, who ruled from 1982 until 2005, and two previous crown princes, Sultan and Nayef, Salman was already the most powerful surviving member of this faction.
As governor of Riyadh, Salman oversaw its transformation from an isolated desert town into a crowded city of skyscrapers, universities and Western fast-food chains.
The post raised Salman’s international profile as he hosted visiting VIPs and envoys and helped secure foreign investment.
As defense minister Salman was head of the Saudi military as it joined the US and other Arab countries in air strikes in Syria in 2014 against the Islamic State militant group.
King Salman’s sons include:
Deputy Oil Minister Prince Abdulaziz
Prince Faisal, the governor of Medina
Prince Sultan, the head of the tourism authority and a former Royal Saudi Air Force pilot and astronaut.
King Salman is not believed to be as personally interested in political or social reform as his predecessor and his priority will be to maintain stability in Saudi Arabia.
Commentators have drawn attention to King Salman’s reputation as a mediator within the huge Saudi royal family, with its complex network of competing factions.
This task has become more fraught as the second tier of senior political posts in Saudi Arabia – the control of key ministries and governorships – has passed from the sons to grandsons of the late King Abdulaziz.
King Salman’s own Sudairi faction within the family, once a powerful and united group of seven full brothers, has itself developed internal rivalries as the sons of those brothers establish their own power bases.
The king’s health has also been a concern. He is reported to have suffered at least one stroke that has left him with limited movement in his left arm.
Correspondents say King Salman has appeared alert and well-briefed in recent meetings but, given his age, there are concerns about his stamina.
After becoming king, Salman announced that the new crown prince would be his half-brother Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, the youngest surviving son of the late King Abdulaziz.
McDonald’s is being sued in Virginia by ten former employees for racial discrimination.
The suit alleges that some employees were fired from one franchise because there were “too many black people”.
It is being backed by a group campaigning for better wages for fast-food workers and the local Virginia National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
McDonald’s has not yet commented specifically on the suit.
The company issued a general statement, saying: “McDonald’s has a long-standing history of embracing the diversity of employees, independent franchisees, customers and suppliers, and discrimination is completely inconsistent with our values.
“McDonald’s and our independent owner-operators share a commitment to the well-being and fair treatment of all people who work in McDonald’s restaurants.”
The suit is part of a continuing effort on the part of labor organizers to hold McDonald’s responsible for the behavior of its franchisees.
McDonald’s and other restaurant groups have argued that it should not be held responsible for the behavior and labor practices of franchisees.
However, their position has been weakened by the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
It ruled that McDonalds “could be held jointly liable for labor and wage violations by its franchise operators” in July.
Since then, current and former employees have filed lawsuits against many McDonald’s franchises and the larger corporation alleging wage theft and other illegal practices.
In the lawsuit filed in Virginia on January 22, which is not part of the NLRB’s larger activity, 10 former employees – nine of whom are African-American and one of whom is Hispanic – allege that they were subject to “rampant racial and sexual harassment” by supervisors at three restaurants run by McDonald’s franchisee Michael Simon.
Michael Simon became franchise operator of the three restaurants in late 2013, when the majority of the employees at the restaurants were African-American.
Soon after, the suit alleges Michael Simon instituted a plan to hire more white employees, with supervisors allegedly telling employees that the restaurants were “too dark” and they needed to hire new employees to “get the ghetto out of the store”.
Subsequently, in mid-2014, a large number of white employees were hired and several of the African-American employees who are part of the suit were fired.
The fired workers alleged that when they attempted to contact McDonald’s corporate office, there was no response.
McDonald’s is due to report its Q4 2014 earnings before US markets open on January 23.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has died weeks after he was admitted to hospital, royal officials have announced.
King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who was said to be aged about 90, had been suffering from a lung infection.
A statement released on January 23 said the king’s 79-year-old half brother, Salman, had become king.
King Abdullah came to the throne in 2005 but had suffered frequent bouts of ill health in recent years.
King Salman had recently taken on the ailing monarch’s responsibilities.
Before the announcement, Saudi television cut to Koranic verses, which often signifies the death of a senior royal.
The late king’s half brother Muqrin, who is in his late 60s, has been named the new crown prince, the official statement said.
All three are sons of the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, King Abdulaziz, usually referred to as Ibn Saud, who died in 1953.
King Salman called on the royal family’s Allegiance Council to recognize Muqrin as his crown prince and heir.
“His Highness Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and all members of the family and the nation mourn the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who passed away at exactly 01:00 this morning,” the statement said.
Following tradition, King Abdullah will be buried later on Friday in an unmarked grave.
President Barack Obama expressed his personal sympathies and those of the American people, on the death of King Abdullah.
“As a leader, he was always candid and had the courage of his convictions. One of those convictions was his steadfast and passionate belief in the importance of the US-Saudi relationship as a force for stability and security in the Middle East and beyond,” he said.
Vice-President Joe Biden tweeted that he would lead a delegation to Riyadh to pay respects.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II cut short a visit to Davos, Switzerland, to travel to Saudi Arabia, as Jordan’s royal court declared 40 days of mourning.
Abdullah was the 13th of the 37 sons of King Abdulaziz. He is believed to have been born in August 1924 in Riyadh, although there is some dispute about his actual birth date.
In 1962 Abdullah was appointed commander of the Saudi National Guard, where he earned the respect and loyalty of the desert tribes.
When he came to the throne in 2005 he succeeded another half-brother, Fahd.
However, Abdullah had already been Saudi Arabia’s de-facto leader for 10 years because his predecessor had been debilitated by a stroke.
Correspondents say King Abdullah was seen as a reformer at home, albeit a slow and steady one.
He allowed mild criticism of his government in the press, and hinted that more women should be allowed to work.
King Salman spent 48 years as governor of Riyadh Province before becoming crown prince and defense minister.
