Adam Levine shared the first picture of himself and his new wife Behati Prinsloo since tying the knot last month in Mexico.
The couple joined together for a serious selfie.
Adam Levine shared the first picture of himself and his new wife Behati Prinsloo since tying the knot last month in Mexico (photo Instagram)
“There is a strong situation going on here,” Adam Levine captioned the image of himself and Behati Prinsloo making stern faces.
In the Instagram picture, Adam Levine dons an interesting ensemble – complete with an unbuttoned printed shirt and blue bandana tied around his head – while his model wife wears a black hat and delicate necklaces.
The 25-year-old Victoria’s Secret model also took to Instagram on August, sharing a photo of herself playing golf.
“Putting for par……#madeit,” Behati Prinsloo captioned the picture.
The Ebola infected US aid workers, Dr. Kent Brantly and Nurse Nancy Writebol, appear to be improving after receiving an experimental drug, officials have said.
It is not clear if the ZMapp drug, which has only been tested on monkeys, can be credited with their improvement.
Dr. Kent Brantly was flown from Liberia to Atlanta for treatment on Saturday. His colleague Nancy Writebol arrived back in the city of Atlanta on Tuesday.
Since February, 887 people have died of Ebola in four West African countries.
The World Bank is allocating $200 million in emergency assistance for countries battling to contain the Ebola outbreak.
Dr. Kent Brantly and Nurse Nancy Writebol’s condition appear to be improving after receiving Ebola experimental serum ZMapp
It is the world’s deadliest outbreak to date and has centered on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. There have also been two cases in the Nigerian city of Lagos, where eight people are currently in quarantine.
British Airways has temporarily suspended flights to and from Liberia and Sierra Leone until August 31, 2014, because of the health crisis, the airline said in a statement. It follows a similar suspension by two regional air carriers last week.
The Ebola virus spreads by contact with infected blood and bodily fluids. The current outbreak is killing between 50% and 60% of people infected.
There is no cure or vaccine for Ebola – but patients have a better chance of survival if they receive early treatment.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says clinical trials are to start in September on an Ebola vaccine that has shown promising results during tests on animals.
Dr. Kent Brantly and Nancy Writebol were treated with the ZMapp serum before their evacuation from Liberia.
According to a CNN report, quoting a doctor in Liberia, Dr. Kent Brantly’s condition improved dramatically within an hour of receiving the drug.
Service in Mission (SIM), the Christian aid group that employs Nancy Writebol, says she has had two doses of the drug and did not respond as well as Dr. Kent Brantly but she is showing “improvement”.
“She is walking with assistance… strength is better… has an appetite,” SIM spokesman Palmer Holt told the Washington Post newspaper in an email on Monday.
Nancy Writebol is on her way to a special isolation ward at Atlanta’s Emory University Hospital, where Dr. Kent Brantly is being treated by infectious disease specialists.
A US general has been killed in an attack by a man in Afghan military uniform at British-run Camp Qargha near Kabul, US officials say.
Fifteen others have been injured. Half of them are thought to be Americans and they also include a German general.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense said the Afghan soldier was shot dead after he opened fire.
The major-general is the most senior international soldier killed since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.
The attacker was a soldier who was recruited three years ago.
The US general has been killed in an attack by an Afghan soldier at Camp Qargha near Kabul
The incident is said to have occurred late morning or lunchtime after a dispute between Afghans and an armed Afghan soldier.
The Afghan soldier opened fire from a guard post at a large group of senior Afghan and international troops.
By the time he had emptied the magazine of his US-issue M16 rifle, more than a dozen people had been shot, our correspondent says.
The Afghan commander of the British-led officers’ academy, General Gulam Sakhi, was among those wounded, and German military sources said a German general was also hit. At least one British soldier was also wounded.
The training academy is modeled on UK military academy Sandhurst and will be the only British military presence in Afghanistan when operations end this year.
The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said in a statement: “We can confirm that an incident occurred involving local Afghan and ISAF troops at Camp Qargha.
“The camp, also known as the Kabul ANA Officer Academy, is an Afghan National Security Forces facility. We are in the process of assessing the situation.”
The academy is set in a long, low ridge of hills close to Kabul.
Its military history syllabus includes the analysis of Afghan tactics in past wars against the British, as well as during the mujahedeen wars against the Soviet army.
There were 10,000 applicants who applied ahead of its first intake.
Shortly after the academy opened there was a shooting incident when an Afghan soldier in a neighboring barracks opened fire, injuring Australian and New Zealand troops providing security.
There are also troops from other nations at the site, including a large contingent of US soldiers.
Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, has demanded his village home for her children, potentially triggering the first legal dispute since former South African president’s death.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela’s lawyers said she was asserting her “customary rights” by demanding the house.
Nelson Mandela’s estate was provisionally valued at 46 million rand ($4.3 million) following his death in December.
The thrice-married Nelson Mandela divorced Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 1996.
The couple had two daughters, Zinzi and Zenani.
Nelson Mandela has one surviving child, Makaziwe, from his first marriage to the late Evelyn Mase.
He was married to Graca Machel, the wife of Mozambique’s late President Samora Machel, at the time of his death.
The thrice-married Nelson Mandela divorced Winnie Madikizela-Mandela in 1996 (photo Getty Images)
Nelson Mandela’s large family – which includes grandchildren and great grandchildren – was hit by legal disputes over his wealth and burial site as he battled a recurring lung infection in the months leading to his death at the age of 95.
In his will, Nelson Mandela said: “The Qunu property should be used by my family in perpetuity in order to preserve the unity of the Mandela family.”
The executor of the will, South Africa’s Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, has not yet commented on the letter sent to him by Mvuzo Notyesi Incorporated, the legal firm representing Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
In the letter, the lawyers said Winnie Madikizela-Mandela obtained the house in Qunu while he was in jail for fighting white minority rule.
“The view we hold is that the aforesaid property belongs to the generation of Mr. Nelson Mandela and Mrs. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela as their common and parental home,” it said.
“It is only in this home that the children and grandchildren of Mrs. Madikizela-Mandela can conduct their own customs and tradition and the house cannot be given to the sole custody of an individual nor can it be generally given to the custody of any person other than the children of Mrs. Madikizela-Mandela and/or her grandchildren,” it added.
The letter said this did not mean that Nelson Mandela’s other children would be denied access to the property.
“However, control and supervision of the property should be properly determined according to custom and tradition,” the lawyers said.
There was an outpouring of grief across the world following Nelson Mandela’s death at the age of 95.
He was revered for battling against apartheid in South Africa and had spent 27 years in jail before being released in 1990 and becoming the country’s first democratically elected president in 1994.
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was prominent at services to honor the former president after his death.
He did not leave anything for her in his will, which was unveiled in February.
At the time, executors said Graca Machel was likely to waive her claims to the estate, although she was entitled to half of it.
Nelson Mandela also had a home in Houghton, an upmarket suburb in South Africa’s main city, Johannesburg.
His will said it should be used by the family of Makgatho, his deceased son from his marriage to Evelyn Mase.
“It is my wish that it should also serve as a place of gathering of the Mandela family in order to maintain its unity long after my death,” Nelson Mandela wrote.
Australian child protection services are investigating a man accused of abandoning a baby with Down’s syndrome to a surrogate mother in Thailand to assess his suitability to have a young child in his custody.
It comes after local media reported he had served time for molesting two girls under 10 in the late 1990s.
The man and his wife took home only one baby from Thailand after the surrogate mother had twins, leaving behind son Gammy.
The case has made international headlines, causing uproar in Australia.
Besides Down’s syndrome, the six-month-old baby has a congenital heart condition and a lung infection.
Surrogate mother Pattharamon Chanbua has been looking after Gammy as well as two children of her own
Surrogate mother Pattharamon Chanbua has been looking after Gammy as well as two children of her own.
She claims his parents abandoned Gammy and had asked her to have an abortion when she was told of the child’s condition four months after becoming pregnant.
Pattharamon Chanbua, 21, has said the father met the twins, but only took care of the girl and refused to carry or look at Gammy even though the babies were side by side.
The parents have told local media in Australia that they did not know of his existence, and claimed that the allegations made by Pattharamon Chanbua are lies.
One local newspaper quoted a family friend saying the parents did know about the boy being born, apparently contradicting their version of events.
“Gammy was very sick when he was born and the biological parents were told he would not survive and he had a day, at best, to live and to say goodbye,” the friend said.
She suggested Pattharamon Chanbua had broken the surrogacy agreement by giving birth in a smaller hospital instead of an international one, which meant that the biological parents had no legal rights to the babies.
The couple had been locked in a legal battle with Pattharamon Chanbua to take home their daughter and she had insisted on keeping Gammy to give him a Thai funeral, the friend alleged.
Both the Australian government and Thai health authorities are now looking into the case and the larger issue of commercial surrogacy in Thailand, which is mostly unregulated.
Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone will make a $100 million payment to end the bribery trial.
Bernie Ecclestone’s offer was based on an existing provision in German law.
Earlier on Tuesday German prosecutors accepted the offer from the 83-year-old billionaire who dominates motor racing.
Bernie Ecclestone went on trial in April, accused of paying a German banker 33 million euros ($44 million) to ensure that a company he favored could buy a stake in F1.
He denies wrongdoing.
The ruling means he walks free from the district court in Munich and can continue running the sport. It also means Bernie Ecclestone is found neither guilty nor innocent.
His personal wealth is put at $4.2 billion by Forbes.
If found guilty, Bernie Ecclestone could have faced a 10-year jail term and the end of his decades-long dominance of motor racing.
Bernie Ecclestone will make a $100 million payment to end the bribery trial (photo Reuters)
A BayernLB banker, Gerhard Gribkowsky, was allegedly paid by Bernie Ecclestone to ensure the F1 stake was bought by a company that he favored, so that he would remain in charge of the sport.
Gerhard Gribkowsky was sentenced to 8 and half years in prison in 2012 for accepting bribes.
Bernie Ecclestone says the payment was given to Gerhard Gribkowsky after the banker threatened to make false claims about the F1 boss’s tax status.
Prosecutors said Bernie Ecclestone’s advanced age and other mitigating circumstances gave grounds to accept the $100 million offer.
Bernie Ecclestone has attended most of the hearings in person and arrived at the courthouse on Tuesday in a limousine, looking relaxed and accompanied by his wife, Fabiana Flosi.
Asked by Judge Peter Noll if he could raise the $100 million, Bernie Ecclestone replied “yes”. When asked if the payment could be made within a week, his defense lawyer, Sven Thomas, said: “That’s do-able.”
Judge Peter Noll ruled that $99 million would go to the Bavarian state coffers while $1 million would be donated to a children’s hospital. The sum is believed to be a record for such a payment.
Court spokesperson Andrea Titz said Bernie Ecclestone: “The court did not consider a conviction overwhelmingly likely from the present point of view.
“With this type of ending… there is no ruling on guilt or innocence of the defendant.”
Under German law defendants can in certain circumstances “buy” termination of a trial.
The legal proviso exists in order to ease the burden on the courts and to deal with cases where reaching a judgment could prove difficult.
However, a lawyer quoted by the Spiegelonline website, Franz Bielefeld, said it was unusual for the clause to be invoked in mid-trial – more often it is done before a trial starts.
Former White House press secretary James Brady has died at 73.
James Brady was shot in the head in a 1981 attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life.
His family said James Brady, who was left wheelchair-bound in the shooting, died after an undisclosed illness.
James Brady, who served in three Republican administrations, became an advocate for stricter gun control.
He lobbied for a law signed in 1993 that bore his name and required background checks for handgun sales.
In 2000, Democratic President Bill Clinton renamed the White House press briefing room in his honor.
James Brady was shot in the head in a 1981 attempt on President Ronald Reagan’s life
President Barack Obama described James Brady as a “legend” at the White House and praised his warmth and professionalism and “the strength he brought to bear in recovering from the shooting that nearly killed him”.
“Since 1993, the law that bears Jim’s name has kept guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals,” he said.
“An untold number of people are alive today who otherwise wouldn’t be, thanks to Jim.”
James Brady, a lifelong Republican, served in the Nixon and Ford administrations and as a Senate aide before joining Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign.
On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. opened fire on the president’s party outside a Washington hotel, striking four people, including James Brady and Ronald Reagan.
James Brady was the most seriously wounded. Ronald Reagan was shot in one lung. Two law enforcement officers suffered lesser wounds.
Photos and video of the incident show a wounded James Brady sprawled on the ground as Secret Service agents rushed Ronald Reagan into his vehicle and others wrestled John Hinckley Jr. to the ground.
The former press secretary suffered brain damage, partial paralysis, short-term memory impairment and slurred speech.
John Hinckley Jr. was tried and found not guilty due to insanity. Since the trial he has been committed to a Washington DC psychiatric hospital, but has been allowed to spend limited time at his mother’s home.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian travelled to Punta Mita, Mexico, with their 13-month-old daughter, North, as he recorded his latest album, the follow-up to last year’s Yeezus.
On Monday, August 4, Kim Kardashian posted a picture of her husband and baby girl on Instagram, writing: “#BringYourDaughterToWorkDay.”
Kanye West and baby North in the recording studio (photo Instagram)
In the picture, a grown-up looking North sits on her daddy’s lap in the recording studio, wearing a white onesie.
Kim Kardashian, 33, recently Instagrammed some shots of baby North enjoying the sun and sand in Mexico. The family stayed at Joe Francis’ house, Casa Aramara.
The World Bank is to allocate $200 million in emergency assistance for West African countries battling to contain the Ebola outbreak.
The money will be distributed to the governments of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea as well as to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The number of people killed in the outbreak has reached 887, the WHO says.
The World Bank’s announcement came as African leaders including 35 presidents discuss the crisis in Washington.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim – an expert on infectious diseases – said that he was “deeply saddened” by the spread of the virus and how it was contributing to the breakdown of “already weak health systems in the three countries”.
“I am very worried that many more lives are at risk unless we can stop this Ebola epidemic in its tracks,” he said.
The World Bank will allocate $200 million in emergency assistance for West African countries battling to contain the Ebola outbreak
In the short term, the money will be used to pay health workers, dispel rumors about the disease in local communities and address the immediate needs of getting sick people into health facilities.
Over the long term, the funds will be used to help countries deal with the economic impact of the outbreak and to monitor the spread of the disease.
The package is now awaiting approval by the World Bank’s Board of Directors, though officials say the confirmation could come as early as this week.
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) say preliminary research suggests the epidemic is likely to shave one percentage point from Guinea’s economic output this year.
In other developments:
Nigeria has recorded its second Ebola case – one of the doctors who treated a man who died from the virus after his arrival from Liberia
Liberia has ordered that the bodies of people killed by the Ebola virus must be cremated following the refusal of some communities to allow the burial of victims on their land.
The Ebola virus spreads by contact with infected blood and bodily fluids.
Touching the body of someone who has died of Ebola is particularly dangerous.
The evacuation of the second US health worker to become infected in Liberia, nurse Nancy Writebol, is expected later.
Nancy Writebol will be flown to Atlanta in the US to a special isolation ward at Emory University Hospital, where Dr. Kent Brantly, who arrived from Liberia on Saturday, is being treated by infectious disease specialists.
A Canadian couple is investigated by Chinese authorities on suspicion of stealing state secrets about China’s defense and the military, state media say.
Xinhua news agency named the suspects as Kevin and Julia Garratt. The couple runs a coffee shop in Dandong just across the border from North Korea.
The news agency said Dandong’s State Security Bureau was investigating the case.
Kevin Garratt and his wife Julia couple run a coffee shop in Dandong just across the border from North Korea
Kevin and Julia Garratt taught in southern China for several years and then moved to Dandong, where they opened Peter’s Coffee House.
Dandong is the main China-North Korea border crossing and trade link.
The Xinhua report did not say whether the couple had been detained.
Besides running the cafe, the couple regularly held community events for people to practice their English and helped people to get in touch with North Korea tour organizers.
According to its website, the coffee shop is “only meters from the border of North Korea and Dandong’s Friendship Bridge” and is “the perfect stop off while en route to or returning from the Hermit Kingdom”.
Canada’s embassy in Beijing told Reuters news agency it was aware of the reports and stood “ready to provide assistance as required”.
Late last month, Canada announced that a top government research organization had been struck by Chinese “state-sponsored” hackers.
The Chinese embassy in Ottawa dismissed the report as a “groundless allegation”.
LinkedIn has agreed to pay $6 million in wages and damages after regulators found it failed to account for all the hours worked by its employees.
This includes $3.3 million in unpaid wages and $2.5 million in damages to be paid to 359 former and current employees.
It also agreed to provide compliance training and distribute its policy on overtime work to all applicable staff.
LinkedIn has agreed to pay $6 million in wages and damages after regulators found it failed to account for all the hours worked by its employees
The company said talent was its “number one priority” and it was eager to “rectify the situation”.
“This was a function of not having the right tools in place for a small subset of our sales force to track hours properly,” said Shannon Stubo, vice president of corporate communications at LinkedIn.
According to the US Department of Labor, the affected employees worked at the firm’s offices in California, Illinois, Nebraska and New York.
“Off the clock hours are all too common for the American worker. This practice harms workers, denies them the wages they have rightfully earned and takes away time with families,” said Susana Blanco, of the US Labor Department.
However, the regulator added that LinkedIn had cooperated with the investigation and had agreed to take proactive steps to prevent future violations.
“This company has shown a great deal of integrity by fully cooperating with investigators and stepping up to the plate without hesitation to help make workers whole,” said David Weil, administrator of the Wage and Hour Division.
“We are particularly pleased that LinkedIn also has committed to take positive and practical steps towards securing future compliance.”
Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were deadly enemies at the height of their careers, and Stallone has now opened up about their intense rivalry.
Meanwhile, Hollywood’s toughest men buried the hatchet and appear together new action sequel The Expendables 3.
Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were deadly enemies at the height of their careers (photo Getty Images)
Sylvester Stallone says: “There were times when we could not even be in the same room. I was always like <<Oh it’s him>>. Arnold was like someone you wanted to strangle every day, like in the morning and at night. We were so competitive. He was Mr. Olympia. We came along at the same time, of course I was first but he was bigger.”
A judge has approved Jodi Arias request to represent herself in Travis Alexander murder trial.
Jodi Arias, 34, admitted killing Travis Alexander at his suburban Phoenix home in 2008 but said it was self-defense.
Prosecutors argued it was premeditated murder carried out in a jealous rage when Travis Alexander wanted to end their affair.
Jodi Arias was found guilty of first-degree murder last year but jurors couldn’t reach a decision on sentencing. Under Arizona law, while Jodi Arias’ murder conviction stands, prosecutors have the option of putting on a second penalty phase with a new jury in an effort to secure the death penalty.
Jodi Arias will represent herself in Travis Alexander murder trial (photo Getty Images)
Jodi Arias will have the task of arguing a death penalty case just four weeks from now despite having no legal experience and no college degree or high school diploma. She got her GED in jail.
Travis Alexander’s family, who lauded Jodi Arias’ conviction after spending every day of the trial sitting in the front row of the gallery, often sobbing and looking away from horrific crime scene photographs, will now have to see Arias argue her own case in an attempt to save her life.
Her defense lawyers will remain on as advisory council.
Jodi Arias has long clashed with her defense attorneys and tried to fire them previously. The feud only intensified after she gave a series of media interviews following her May 2013 conviction. Her lawyers also have tried to withdraw several times, but the judge rebuffed their requests.
The five-month trial that began in January 2013 was broadcast live and provided seemingly endless amounts of cable TV and tabloid fodder.
Jodi Arias told jurors of an abusive childhood, cheating boyfriends, dead-end jobs, relationship with Travis Alexander and her contention that he had grown physically violent.
This time around the trial will not be broadcast live after the judge ruled footage may not be used until after a verdict.
If the new jury fails to reach a unanimous decision during the second penalty phase set for September 8, the death penalty will be removed from consideration. The judge would then sentence Jodi Arias to spend her life behind bars or to be eligible for release after 25 years.
Hidden germs like Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, plus mold and yeast are lurking in your kitchen and have the potential to make you and your family very sick if you don’t know where to look.
Cheryl Luptowski, a Home Safety Expert at the National Sanitation Foundation International (NSF International) said: “People think that the bathroom is the dirtiest place in their house. When in fact the kitchen has the most germs.”
Cheryl Lupotowski and University of Arizona-Tucson Professor and Microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba (AKA Dr. Germ) reveal the 10 dirtiest spots in the average home kitchen, plus expert advice on how to banish germs.
1. Sponges and Dishcloths Microbe: E. coli
According to a study by the NSF, more than 75% of dish sponges and rags have some sort of coliform bacteria–a family of bacteria that includes Salmonella and E. coli and is an indicator of potential fecal contamination. EXPERT ADVICE: Microwaving your sponges and dishcloths on high for about 30 seconds will kill most bacteria, according to Dr. Germ.
2. Sink Microbe: E. coli
You may think that this is one of cleanest spots because everything gets washed in the sink. 45% of kitchen sinks were found to have coliform bacteria. EXPERT ADVICE: Dr. Germ advises disinfecting the sink with a kitchen cleaner and just to be safe, don’t apply the 10 second rule when you drop food in the sink.
3. Refrigerator Vegetable Compartment Microbes: Salmonella, Listeria, yeast and mold “Dark moist environments tend to breed germs, even in the refrigerator. Produce should always be stored on a separate shelf above meat, poultry and seafood to avoid raw juices dripping onto the produce. First, avoid cross-contamination by separating ready-to-eat and unwashed produce. Also, keep them separate in your grocery cart, during food preparation, and when using kitchen tools and appliances,” said Cheryl Luptowski.
Hidden germs like Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, plus mold and yeast are lurking in your kitchen
EXPERT ADVICE: To effectively clean the compartment, first remove the drawer from the refrigerator if possible. Cheryl Lupotowski advises washing the bin using a clean sponge or soft cloth and a mild detergent mixed with warm water. Rinse with tap water and wipe dry with a paper towel. To help control odors, use warm water mixed with a baking soda solution (about 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of water). Rinse and wipe dry.
4. Refrigerator Meat Compartment Microbes: Salmonella, E. coli, yeast and mold
This is another dark moist environment that’s a breeding ground for bacteria. Store meat and seafood on a separate shelf below produce to avoid raw juices from dripping onto the produce. EXPERT ADVICE: “Clean monthly the same way you clean the vegetable compartment and whenever you see any spilled meat juices,” says Cheryl Lupotowski.
5. Cutting Board Microbe: E. coli
In a study by the NSF, 18% of cutting boards were found to have coliform bacteria. EXPERT ADVICE: Dr. Germ recommends using separate cutting boards: one for produce and one for meat, seafood, and poultry to avoid cross-contamination. Wash each one in hot soapy water and dry with a paper towel since bacteria thrive in moist environments.
6. Blender Gasket Microbes: Salmonella, E. coli, yeast and mold “Appliances and utensils that are not properly disassembled and cleaned can harbor microorganisms,” says Cheryl Luptowski.
EXPERT ADVICE: “To clean properly, completely disassemble the blender, removing the jar, lid, plus the blade and gasket at the bottom and place them all in the dishwasher after each use. If the pieces are not dishwasher safe, hand them thoroughly in hot soapy water, then rinse and dry before re-assembling,” says Cheryl Lupotwoski.
7. Kitchen Countertops Microbe: E. coli
32% of kitchen countertops were found to have coliform bacteria, according to an NSF study. EXPERT ADVICE: Wiping down countertops with dirty sponges and dishcloths increases the chance that this area will be a germ hot spot in your kitchen. Break out the kitchen disinfectant again and use disposable paper towels to clean up this area.
8. Can Opener Microbes: Salmonella, E. coli, yeast and mold
Simply rinsing this tool isn’t enough to safeguard it from germs because it comes into direct contact with food. EXPERT ADVICE: “To effectively clean, place the can opener in the dishwasher after each use (if dishwasher safe). If hand washing, wash in hot soapy water, rinsing thoroughly with clean tap water before air drying after each use. If hand washing, pay special attention to the area around the cutting blades to be sure all food residue is removed,” says Cheryl Luptowski.
9. Rubber Spatula Microbes: E. coli, yeast and mold
For two-piece spatulas, it’s important to separate the handle from the spatula portion before cleaning. EXPERT ADVICE: “If they are dishwasher safe, place both sections in the machine after each use. If hand washing, wash in hot soapy water, rinsing thoroughly with clean water. For one-piece spatulas, hand wash it thoroughly in hot soapy water, paying special attention to the area where the handle joins the spatula. Rinse thoroughly and dry,” says Cheryl Luptowski.
10. Food Storage Container with Rubber Seal Microbes: Salmonella, yeast and mold
Containers that have not been cleaned thoroughly have high counts of yeast and mold which may make food spoil quickly. EXPERT ADVICE: “If dishwasher safe, place both the container and the lid in the dishwasher and wash after each use. If hand washing, wash both the container and lid in hot soapy water, paying special attention to the area around the seal as well as any grooves where the cover attaches to the container. Rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry,” says Cheryl Lupotowski.
Salmonella: “Within 8 to 12 hours after eating a contaminated food item, a person may develop abdominal pain and diarrhea, and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Symptoms generally last a day or less, but can be more serious in older or debilitated people,” says Cheryl Lupotowski.
Listeria: “Within 7 to 30 days after eating a contaminated food item, a person may develop symptoms including fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. Listeria primarily affects pregnant women and their fetuses, newborns, the elderly, people with cancer, and those with impaired immune systems. Can cause fetal and infant death,” says Cheryl Lupotowski.
E. coli: “Within 2 to 5 days after eating a contaminated food item, a person may develop severe diarrhea (possibly bloody) and abdominal cramps. Usually little or no fever is present, and the illness resolves in 5 to 10 days,” says Cheryl Lupotowski.
Whoopi Goldberg lashed out at Donald Trump on Monday’s The View when discussing his tweets about two Americans who contracted the Ebola virus while treating an outbreak in West Africa.
“I don’t really know how to respond to it in a polite way,” the actress said.
“I like Donald, I try to be respectful, but this was an idiotic comment.”
Whoopi Goldberg lashed out at Donald Trump on Monday’s The View when discussing his tweets about two Americans who contracted the Ebola virus while treating an outbreak in West Africa
Donald Trump took to Twitter on August 1 to protest the return of Dr. Kent Brantly and nurse Nancy Writebol to the US, where they are receiving treatment for the deadly virus at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta.
“Stop the EBOLA patients from entering the US. Treat them, at the highest level, over there. THE UNITED STATES HAS ENOUGH PROBLEMS,” Donald Trump tweeted.
“The US cannot allow EBOLA infected people back. People that go to far away places to help out are great-but must suffer the consequences!”
Whoopi Goldberg said she understands why Donald Trump would be fearful of the virus hitting American soil, but stressed it “doesn’t carry in the wind” and can only be spread through bodily fluids.
“I’m not defending him, but he is also a friend of mine, so I don’t want to be disrespectful to him, but that was a stupid comment,” Whoopi Goldberg said.
“Do your homework, Donald. Just do your homework.”
Former American Idol alum Dexter Roberts has revealed he was forced to drop out of this summer tour after being diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF).
“After months of hospital and doctor visits, I finally have a diagnosis. I have Rocky Mountain spotted tick fever, with symptoms of fever, rash, headache, abdominal issues, shortness of breath and muscle pain,” the country singer wrote on his Facebook page on July 31.
Dexter Roberts has revealed he was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (photo Getty Images)
Dexter Roberts made it to the Top 7 on the most recent season of American Idol before being eliminated. He believes he contracted the disease shortly after the American Idol Season 13 finale in May, while on a turkey hunt in Kentucky.
“I found several ticks on me throughout the four-day hunt, but that is nothing unusual for turkey hunting,” he wrote.
“Shortly after the <<American Idol>> tour started, I started having severe headaches, chest pains and muscle weakness on my left side, along with tremendous abdominal issues and shortness of breath. The medical facilities, while on tour, were unable to make a diagnosis. After my return home from the tour I found myself, once again, back at a hospital emergency room, where the doctor discovered a rash in my head from the tick bite.”
RMSF is a commonly reported yet potentially fatal disease.
Dexter Roberts said he started taking medication last week.
A study by Oxford University suggests that playing video games for a short period each day could have a small but positive impact on child development.
Scientists found young people who spent less than an hour a day engaged in video games were better adjusted than those who did not play at all.
However, children who used consoles for more than three hours reported lower satisfaction with their lives overall.
The research is published in the journal Pediatrics.
Experimental psychologist Dr. Andrew Przybylski analyzed British surveys involving 5,000 young people aged 10 to 15 years old.
Some 75% of those questioned said they played video games daily.
Children were asked to quantify how much time they spent gaming on a typical school day – using consoles or computers.
Playing video games for a short period each day could have a small but positive impact on child development (photo Getty Images)
They then rated a number of factors, including:
Satisfaction with their lives
How well they got on with peers
How likely they were to help people in difficulty
Levels of hyperactivity and inattention
The answers were combined to assess levels of psychological and social adjustment.
When compared with all other groups, including those who played no video games at all, young people reporting under an hour of play each day were most likely to say they were satisfied with their lives and showed the highest levels of positive social interactions.
The group also had fewer problems with emotional issues and lower levels of hyperactivity.
According to the results, people who spent more than three hours playing games were the least well adjusted.
Dr. Andrew Przybylski points out that though the effect of video games on children is statistically significant in this study, factors such as the strength of family relationships play a larger role.
Over 400 Ukrainian troops have crossed into Russia during heavy fighting with pro-Russian separatists at the Gukovo checkpoint in eastern Ukraine.
A Ukrainian security spokesman, Andriy Lysenko, said the 311 soldiers and border guards “had to cross into Russian territory”.
Ukraine is trying to get them back now through diplomatic channels, he said.
Earlier a Russian security official said 438 Ukrainian troops had been given refuge in Russia as “defectors”.
The border area is very tense amid Ukrainian allegations that Russian forces have been helping the separatists with rocket barrages.
Over 400 Ukrainian troops have crossed into Russia during heavy fighting with pro-Russian separatists (photo EPA)
Russia has announced that it will hold an air force exercise this week near the border. A Russian defense ministry spokesman said 100 aircraft would take part in the operation.
The Russian foreign ministry meanwhile accused Ukrainian forces of deploying tactical missiles and launchers near the city of Donetsk
In his statement on the Ukrainian troops at the border Andriy Lysenko, spokesman for Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (SNBO), dismissed Russia’s claim that the troops had defected.
He also denied reports that the separatists had captured some Ukrainian National Guard servicemen during the fighting.
Another Ukrainian military spokesman said the group of soldiers had retreated into Russia after running out of ammunition and other supplies during the fighting. He said they belonged to the 72nd motorized brigade.
Recently Kiev has been gaining ground against the rebels and claims to have retaken more than 60 towns in Donetsk and Luhansk.
Civilians are preparing for a siege as government forces close in on the rebel-held cities of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Residents are stockpiling food and supplies and are sleeping in basements, with reports suggesting Luhansk is virtually surrounded and without power.
Western governments and Ukraine accuse Russia of supplying heavy weapons and volunteers to the pro-Russian rebels, who have declared independence from Kiev.
Russia denies supplying such hardware to the rebels, while condemning Kiev’s military offensive in the east.
At least 27,000 Russian tourists are stranded abroad after tour operator Labirint suspended its activity.
A company statement blamed the move on the deterioration in the rouble exchange rate and the “negative political and economic situation”.
There are signs that EU-US sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis are hurting the wider economy, including Western investment in Russia.
A Russian tycoon says his executive jet is grounded because of US sanctions.
At least 27,000 Russian tourists are stranded abroad after tour operator Labirint suspended its activity (photo AFP)
Billionaire businessman Gennady Timchenko – close to President Vladimir Putin – told Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency that Gulfstream was no longer servicing his jet and the pilots were not allowed to use its navigation equipment.
He is reckoned to have a fortune of $14.4 billion, owning big stakes in gas and infrastructure firms. He is among dozens of Russians hit by sanctions over the Ukraine conflict.
An agency assisting Russian tourists, Turpomoshch (Tour Help), said in a statement it is now trying to book Russians onto return flights in various countries, including Bulgaria, Egypt and Tunisia.
Labirint’s sudden failure on Saturday left some 27,000 Russian tourists without return tickets, Turpomoshch said.
Anxious Labirint customers are bombarding Turpomoshch with calls at a rate of five per minute, the agency says, adding that “our managers are working flat-out” to help them.
Another reason Labirint gave for its move was the Russian state’s advice that military or security service officials should not go abroad.
Last month another Russian tour operator, Neva, also went bust.
Italian prosecutors have reopened an inquiry into the death of cyclist Marco Pantani after his family presented what it says is evidence he was murdered.
Marco Pantani, who won the 1998 Tour de France, was ruled to have died of a cocaine overdose after being found dead in his room on February 14, 2004.
His mother believes Marco Pantani, who was 34 when he died, was murdered.
Italian prosecutors have reopened an inquiry into the death of cyclist Marco Pantani (photo Il Calcio Magazine)
Tonina Pantani alleges he was beaten and forced to drink a lethal dose of cocaine dissolved in liquid.
“We have just received documents sent by those close to [Marco Pantani] and we have opened an investigation,” said Paolo Giovagnoli, the public prosecutor in Rimini, where Marco Pantani’s body was found.
“We will read them and if we decide to proceed with a new investigation, we will appoint an examining magistrate to do so.”
In the year of his victory in the Tour de France, Marco Pantani also won the Giro d’Italia.
Tonina Pantani told La Repubblica newspaper: “I will never stop until I see the truth written about Marco…”
The Pantani family says the marks found on Marco Pantani’s body show he had been beaten, and the high amount of cocaine found in his system suggested he had swallowed the drug, which it claims is something he would not have done willingly.
World leaders and royals have gathered for ceremonies marking 100 years since Britain joined World War One.
Prince Charles and UK’s PM David Cameron attended a service in Glasgow, while Prince William and Kate Middleton are in Belgium with many heads of state.
At the Liege ceremony, Prince William paid tribute to the soldiers who “died to give us our freedom”.
The day concludes with a candle-lit vigil at Westminster Abbey and a “lights out” event around the UK.
The public can join the switch-off ending at 23:00 – the time Britain declared war on Germany in 1914.
World leaders and royals have gathered for ceremonies marking 100 years since Britain joined World War One
About 17 million soldiers and civilians were killed between 1914 and 1918.
The day’s events began in Liege, Belgium, where 50 heads of state gathered for a service to mark the invasion of Belgium.
French President Francois Hollande said Belgium had been the first battleground of WWI and had offered “solid resistance” in Liege.
Speaking to the gathered European leaders, Prince William said: “We were enemies more than once in the last century and today we are friends and allies.
“We salute those who died to give us our freedom. We will remember them.”
Prince Harry unveiled a memorial arch in Folkestone, Kent – where a parade followed the route taken by millions of soldiers who marched to the harbor to begin their voyage to France in WWI.
Tara Reid has introduced a new fragrance inspired by Sharknado 2: The Second One called Shark by Tara, billed as a “light and refreshing perfume perfect for day-to-day wear”.
Tara Reid has introduced her new fragrance inspired by Sharknado
The actress is hawking the perfume for $24.95 via her website.
A description of Shark – which has a bottle featuring a fin in place of an “r,” natch – explains that it “incorporates a plethora of lavender-colored flowers, which is Tara’s favorite color”.
According to the description on Tara’s website, Shark is a mix of iced mint, violet, lemon, jasmine, tuberose, muguet, cool blue rose, amber and, last but not least, musk.
The Australian couple and the Thai surrogate mother of baby Gammy who has Down’s syndrome have given conflicting accounts of how he was left behind.
Pattharamon Chanbua, 21, was paid by the Australians to have their child. But they took home only one baby when she had twins, leaving behind Gammy.
The parents of baby Gammy have told local media that they only knew about his healthy twin sister.
However, the surrogate mother said the father visited the twins in the hospital.
Pattharamon Chanbua has claimed that she was asked by the couple to have an abortion once they knew about Gammy’s condition. But she refused as it was against her Buddhist beliefs.
She plans to keep Gammy and raise him as her own child. Besides Down’s syndrome, the six-month-old baby has a congenital heart condition and a lung infection.
Pattharamon Chanbua has claimed that she was asked by the Australian couple to have an abortion once they knew about Gammy’s condition (photo Reuters)
The case has made international headlines and caused an uproar particularly in Australia, where both Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Immigration Minister Scott Morrison have expressed regret over the situation.
The parents reportedly told Channel 9 that they had a daughter of Gammy’s age but she did not have a brother.
They said they had experienced trouble with the surrogacy agency, describing it as “traumatizing”.
The unnamed couple, who live south of Perth, also denied any knowledge of a son to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
“We saw a few people at the hospital. We [didn’t] know who the surrogate was – it was very confusing. There was a language barrier,” they said.
They added that they had saved for a long time to pay for the surrogacy and it had “taken every cent we have”. They have been told that the agency now no longer exists, claims the father.
But Pattharamon Chanbua told Fairfax Media that the father, who is in his 50s, “came to the hospital to take care of the girl but never looked Gammy in the face or carried him”, even though the two babies stayed next to each other.
She also said she was now considering suing the parents.
Politicians have since weighed in, with Australian PM Tony Abbott calling it an “incredibly sad story”. He said the Australian government would look into the case.
It is illegal to pay for surrogacy in Australia, so couples have to find a surrogate who is happy to carry the child for no payment beyond medical and other reasonable expenses.
The difficulty in finding such surrogates has prompted some Australians to head overseas for commercial surrogacy arrangements.
Portugal’s central bank has announced a plan to rescue Banco Espirito Santo (BES).
The group will be split into two – a “good bank” with the healthy assets and a “bad bank” with the riskier ones.
The “good bank”, which will be called Novo Banco, will be loaned 4.9 billion euros ($6.6 billion) from what is left of Portugal’s bailout fund.
The move had been expected after BES on Friday reported a record loss of 3.6 billion euros for the first half of the year.
Since June, when concerns about the financial health of the company first came to light, its shares have plunged 89%.
BES, which is Portugal’s largest listed lender, will be delisted from the stock market on Monday, with shareholders set to lose almost all their investment.
All of BES’s depositors will be protected.
BES will be delisted from the stock market, with shareholders set to lose almost all their investment
“The plan carries no risk to public finances or taxpayers,” said Carlos Cosa, Portugal’s central bank governor at a late night news conference in Lisbon.
“There was an urgent need to adopt a solution to guarantee the protection of deposits and assure the stability of the banking system,” he added.
Novo Banco will consist of the bank’s core business of taking deposits and lending to home-buyers and companies.
It is so far unclear what will happen to the “bad bank”, most of which relates to other businesses in the Espirito Santo Group, which include tourism, health and agriculture.
The cash injection for Novo Banco comes from a so far unused part of Portugal’s bailout fund from the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The idea is that Novo Banco will be run by the “resolution fund” – set up as part of the eurozone’s banking reforms and funded by Portugal’s financial institutions. The bank will eventually be sold off, with the proceeds used to pay back the 4.9 billion euro loan from the bailout fund.
In a statement, Novo Banco’s chief executive, Vitor Bento said “the key uncertainties that have been hanging over the institution for some time have now been removed”.
“Novo Banco is also taking with it… a dedicated workforce, a strong customer focus and comprehensive banking services that help to drive the Portuguese economy,” he added.
Vitor Bento was installed as chief executive of BES just three weeks ago as part of a management reshuffle designed to restore confidence in the bank.
The European Commission said it approved of the rescue plan.
“The adoption of this resolution measure is adequate to restore confidence in financial stability and to ensure the continuity of services and avoid potential adverse systemic effects,” it said in a statement.
Portugal itself only recently emerged from a three-year bailout plan. It was lent 78 billion euros in total by the EU and the IMF on the condition that it implemented severe austerity measures.
