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GM recalls 218,000 more cars over fire safety fears

Clyde K. Valle
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GM recalls 218,000 more cars over fire safety fears

GM has announced it will recall another 218,000 cars in the US over fire safety fears.

The move comes a day after a global recall of 2.6 million GM cars over possible faulty seat belts, transmissions, air bags, and fire issues.

GM has announced it will recall another 218,000 cars in the US over fire safety fears
GM has announced it will recall another 218,000 cars in the US over fire safety fears

The latest recall covers its smaller Chevrolet Aveo cars from 2004 to 2008.

The total number of cars GM has recalled globally this year is more than 15 million.

No fatalities have been associated with this latest recall.

The company has been under intense pressure recently from regulators to improve its safety standards.

Last week the company was fined $35 million for failing to address different defects which have been linked to 13 deaths.

That was the maximum allowed by US law and it was the single highest civil penalty ever levied as a result of a recall investigation.

GM has already put aside $1.3 billion in the first three months of the year to cover the costs of the recalls and it now estimates it will cost the firm around $400 million in the April to May period.

The carmaker expects an internal investigation about the issue to conclude within the next two weeks.

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Vintage or Retro? How to Be On-Trend

Lisa.Felice
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Vintage or Retro? How to Be On-Trend

Bill Maher, Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake. Stars young and old are adopting a new sense of style that harkens back to the 60’s.

With the changing of each season comes a bevy of style trends. They line the racks of department stores and fill the display windows of the savviest shopping districts. You can see them on runways, in magazines, and on the streets of every town and city across the country. But when a trend passes, fashionistas are left with closets full of newly out-dated looks that may or may not ever come back onto the scene.

But one trend that never goes out of style is vintage or retro fashion. These looks harken to eras gone by, and they are perennial favorites that can accent a current trend or stand alone in all of their inspired glory. When selecting vintage or retro clothing, it is important, first, to understand the differences between the two genres. Then you will have the tools you need to fill your wardrobe with special and unique pieces with a lot of history.

Vintage

Vintage fashion includes authentic clothing from earlier decades that is back in style. These pieces can be new (never worn during their original time) or second-hand. Vintage clothing that has never been worn is typically considered more valuable, and it often comes from old warehouse stock. Second-hand vintage clothing has been worn and usually has a more accessible price point. The key to vintage clothing exists in its authenticity. While it may have new repairs — restored seams, replaced buttons, or inconspicuous patches, for example– it is a garment manufactured in the past. This gives vintage clothing its fashion power; it contains all of the history of its design and creation in every fiber of the fabric.

Speaking of which, vintage fashion often features fabrics that are ubiquitous to their time. For example, the 1970s are synonymous with polyester, and vintage clothing from that popular era will almost universally be crafted from it. An important element to keep in mind is that the quality of some vintage fabrics may have degraded over the years; lace from the 1940s is likely to have some weaknesses, for example. Another important consideration to make when purchasing vintage clothing is the fit. Sizing in bygone eras differed significantly from sizing today. Vintage clothing is typically made smaller than an equivalent size on the market today. A medium from the 1950s will fit more like a small or extra small by today’s standards. Larger sizes such as extra large or larger are rare in vintage fashion, so vintage patterns might be an option for those who need larger sizes than are typically available in vintage stores.

Popular vintage clothing styles include 50s dresses with voluminous skirts and narrow waists and skinny ties paired with body-conscious blazers. Also in vogue today are styles reflected in television shows like Mad Men (which has also inspired the skinny ties revival) and Downton Abbey, which are igniting the search for vintage 1960s and 1920s fashions respectively.

Retro

Retro fashion is fashion inspired by the past but manufactured today. These fashions recall an earlier era and reference an older style, but they have the benefit of modern construction and modern fabrics. Easy access to retro clothing may have drawbacks for those who wish to own authentic pieces of the past, but retro clothing has benefits too. Because they have been crafted today, retro clothing designs reflect today’s sizing and are made in large quantities. This can make it easier for fashionistas to find exactly what they want in the size they need.

Another benefit of retro clothing is that it is produced in today’s modern fabrics. This may make retro clothing more comfortable. Fabrics can include lycra for better movement or be made from environmentally-friendly fabrics.

Inspiration from the past is at the heart of retro clothing, but today’s designers often find ways to combine modern style with the designs of the past. For example, skinny ties are being incorporated into clothing for both men and women, independent of accompanying 1950s-inspired pieces. Other retro trends include lace details reminiscent of the past but crafted from more resilient fabrics of today.

The Budding Career of a Nursing Assistant

Kathryn R. Bown
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The Budding Career of a Nursing Assistant

Every so often, a number will catch your eye. For example, if you check the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you will notice they predict a 21 percent increase in Nurse Assistant jobs before 2022. The need for this position will escalate at a faster than average pace because of an aging population and changes in health care.

Aging Needs

Traffic through doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals is picking up. The boomer generation is growing into all the problems that go with getting old. Most of the problems are not life-threatening, but they accumulate slowly.

In time, they will need help in long-term care, nursing, and hospice facilities. That’s not pessimistic; it’s just realistic. The generation’s aging is complicated by its increasing longevity. This invites chronic problems like geriatric diabetes, progressive lung and heart problems, and Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The Needs of Caring

The upside is that it drives the economy. The need for doctors, nurses, technicians, and nursing assistants wearing quality scrubs is real.

Healthcare delivery will grow and reinvent itself. The Affordable Care Act and cuts in Medicare and Medicaid will direct care away from institutions to home and community care options. And, here lies a great future for budding nurse assistants. As growth continues, you can expect expansion in duties and income.

What to Expect

Almost half of nurse assistants work in skilled-nursing facilities while others work in hospitals, residential health care, and home health care. You can expect to work hard:

  • cleaning and bathing patients
  • assisting patients with toilet and dressing
  • turning and lifting patients
  • taking vital signs and recording patient health worries
  • serving meals and helping patients to eat

Growing into the job, you can be assigned to dispense medications, sterilize equipment, and transport patients about the facility.

Who Makes a Good Hire?

Nurse Assistants work in a medical tradition with ethics, standards, and hierarchy. There is a system of protocols you will learn over time. But, since you also spend more time with patients than the doctors and nurses do, you will develop long lasting personal relationships that contribute to their care and recovery.

  • Empathy: Most nursing assistants work with the elderly who often have special needs beyond their illness and injury. The career attracts the most compassionate and empathetic workers, people who are genuine.
  • Effective communication skills: Nurse Assistants must address patient, resident, and family concerns with communication skills that empathize with patients and share information with other staff.
  • Patience: The routines include feeding, bathing, and cleaning patients. It can be physically and emotionally stressful, but the best candidates have a commitment to healthcare.
  • Energy: Nurse Assistants tackle daily physical work lifting, re-positioning, and moving patients. They work on their feet and handle multiple tasks.

Despite the challenges in the work, the most successful career nursing assistants thrive on the challenge because of their commitment.

How to Get There?

You need at least a high school diploma or a GED and on-the-job training. But, you will have an advantage if you finish a state-approved program on the principles of nursing, CPR training, and supervised work in the field.

You will find such programs in high schools, community colleges, and vo-tech schools. But, depending on the state where you live, you may be required to complete an exam to make you a Certified Nursing Assistant. That puts you on a registry with authorization to work in nursing environments.

For those interested in opportunities that can lead to higher earnings, a Master of Science in Nursing degree is becoming an increasingly popular path to pursue. This degree is now offered via several online schools, making it easier than ever to advance your career. An MSN degree will let potential employers know that you have learned excellent management skills, and gained a clear understanding of hospital finance. These factors combined will ensure that you are a top choice in the eyes of any institution or hospital. Best of all, online classes can easily be balanced between any work schedule.

You can expect a criminal background check and some other requirements to meet state board standards. And, as you continue your career and education, you may want to focus on care-specific certifications in geriatrics or pediatrics.

There is potential here, the sort of career people can commit to early on knowing there is growth and opportunity.

Nigeria: Boko Haram kills 17 people in Alagarno attack

Roy Siemens
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Nigeria: Boko Haram kills 17 people in Alagarno attack

Boko Haram has been accused of killing at least 17 people in an attack on Alagarno, a village in north-east Nigeria, close to Chibok, where hundreds of schoolgirls were seized.

It comes a day after 118 people died in a double bombing in the central city of Jos, also blamed on Boko Haram.

Alagarno attack comes a day after 118 people died in a double bombing in the Nigerian city of Jos
Alagarno attack comes a day after 118 people died in a double bombing in the Nigerian city of Jos (photo AFP/Getty Images)

In the latest attack, Boko Haram fighters reportedly spent hours killing and looting in the village of Alagarno.

Alagarno is near Chibok, from where the schoolgirls were abducted last month.

The abductions of more than 200 girls caused international outrage and prompted foreign powers to send military advisers to assist Nigeria’s army.

People in north-east Nigeria are extremely vulnerable to attacks because many areas are no-go zones for the military and the insurgents operate freely, correspondents say.

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eBay cyber-attack: Users urged to change passwords

Nancy Clayson
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eBay cyber-attack: Users urged to change passwords

eBay is urging users to change their passwords following a cyber-attack that compromised one of its databases.

The auction site said the database was hacked between late February and early March, and had contained encrypted passwords and other non-financial data.

eBay added that it had no evidence of there being unauthorized activity on its members’ accounts.

However, it said that changing the passwords was “best practice and will help enhance security for eBay users”.

eBay is urging users to change their passwords following a cyber-attack that compromised one of its databases
eBay is urging users to change their passwords following a cyber-attack that compromised one of its databases

The company has 128 million active users and accounted for $212 billion worth of commerce on its various marketplaces and other services in 2013.

A post on eBay’s corporate site said that cyber-attackers accessed the information after obtaining “a small number of employee log-in credentials”, allowing them to access its systems – something it only became aware of a fortnight ago.

“The database… included eBay customers’ name, encrypted password, email address, physical address, phone number and date of birth,” it said.

“However, the database did not contain financial information or other confidential personal information.

“Extensive forensics subsequently identified the compromised eBay database, resulting in the company’s announcement today.”

Although eBay also owns the PayPal money transfer service, it said that the division’s data was stored separately, encrypted and that there was no evidence that it had been accessed.

It added that any members who used the same login details used on eBay for other sites should also update them.

eBay has not provided any information about the kind of encryption it used.

One expert said there was still a concern that the hackers might be able to make use of their haul.

Prince Charles likens Vladimir Putin to Hitler

Diane A. Wade
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Prince Charles likens Vladimir Putin to Hitler

Prince Charles likened some Nazi actions in Europe to those of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, said Marienne Ferguson, a former Polish war refugee who met the prince in Canada.

Marienne Ferguson was speaking after meeting Prince Charles at a Nova Scotia immigration museum where she works.

As they discussed Hitler’s takeover of countries, Prince Charles “said something to the effect of <<it’s not unlike… what Putin is doing>>,” she recalled.

Clarence House said it would not comment on a private conversation.

Prince Charles and Vladimir Putin are both due to attend a D-Day anniversary event in France next month.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pier 21, Canada's national immigration museum in Halifax
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pier 21, Canada’s national immigration museum in Halifax

On Monday, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Pier 21, Canada’s national immigration museum in Halifax, during their four-day tour of the country.

The prince chatted to museum volunteer Marriene Ferguson, who left Poland for Canada just prior to the Nazi occupation.

Marienne Ferguson, now 78, managed to escape to Canada along with her parents and two sisters, but other members of her family were sent to Nazi camps, according to the Daily Mail.

“He [Prince Charles] asked when I came to Canada, I told him 1939,” Marienne Ferguson said.

They had discussed how “Hitler was going into different countries and taking them over”.

She added that she could not “exactly remember” the phrase Prince Charles had used, but that he then “said something to the effect of ‘it is not unlike what is now happening in Russia, what Putin is doing'”.

“But it was only a moment… It was a very short remark.”

Vladimir Putin has been widely condemned since he annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the same comparison between Vladimir Putin and Hitler in March, when Russia began issuing passports to Ukrainian citizens.

“Now if this sounds familiar, it’s what Hitler did back in the ’30s,” Hillary Clinton said.

Prince Charles has previously faced criticism at Westminster over his so-called “black spider” memos expressing his views on controversial issues to ministers.

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Nicki Minaj asks Atlanta judge to dismiss Terrence Davidson’s $30 million legal claim

Lisa.Felice
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Nicki Minaj asks Atlanta judge to dismiss Terrence Davidson’s $30 million legal claim

Nicki Minaj has asked a federal judge in Atlanta to dismiss a $30 million legal claim against her by her former wig designer, Terrence Davidson.

Terrence Davidson sued Nick Minaj in February, accusing her of selling wigs based on his designs without permission.

Nicki Minaj’s lawyers argued that the case should be thrown out as Terrence Davidson had failed to state a valid claim.

Terrence Davidson sued Nick Minaj in February, accusing her of selling wigs based on his designs without permission
Terrence Davidson sued Nick Minaj in February, accusing her of selling wigs based on his designs without permission

They added he was “upset because he lost his most famous client”.

Terrence Davidson, who began working for Nicki Minaj in 2010, created wigs the star wore at high-profile events and in her Super Bass music video.

He claims Nicki Minaj and her team reneged on discussions to launch his own reality show and wig line, saying the star had since copied his wig designs and was selling them online.

Christopher Chestnut, Terrence Davidson’s lawyer, said his client’s wigs “significantly contributed” to Nicki Minaj’s notoriety and helped her rise to fame.

The hair stylist stopped working for Nicki Minaj in 2013, citing creative differences.

According to legal papers, Nicki Minaj’s lawyers said Terrence Davidson was seeking to force himself into a business relationship the star and her team had developed in a bid to receive money he had not earned.

Responding to claims, Nicki Minaj prevented him from becoming a reality TV star, they said Terrence Davidson’s “self-described talents are insufficient to garner the same types of business opportunities he may have received when serving as [Nicki Minaj’s] hairstylist”.

Hosni Mubarak sentenced to three years in jail

Diane A. Wade
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Hosni Mubarak sentenced to three years in jail

Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak has been sentenced to three years in prison after a Cairo court found him guilty of embezzling public funds.

Hosni Mubarak’s two sons, Alaa and Gamal, were also convicted and given four-year terms.

The three were also fined $3 million and ordered to repay the $17.6 million they were accused of stealing.

Hosni Mubarak, 86, is also on trial for abuse of power and conspiring in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising that forced him to resign.

Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak has been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling public funds
Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak has been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling public funds

He was found guilty of the charge relating to the protesters in 2012 along with former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly and sentenced to life in prison.

In January 2013 the Court of Cassation upheld an appeal by the two men against their convictions on technical grounds and ordered a retrial.

In August, a court ordered Hosni Mubarak’s release from prison and transfer to a military hospital in Cairo, where he is being held under house arrest.

Public attention in Egypt has largely shifted away from the case since the military overthrew his democratically-elected successor, Mohamed Morsi, in July.

Mohamed Morsi was in turn put on trial on a variety of charges, including incitement to murder, espionage and fraud.

Despite the subsequent return to power of many of their associates, the Mubaraks were charged with embezzlement in February.

They were accused of diverting $17.6 million meant for maintenance of presidential palaces to renovate their own private residences.

They denied the charge and asserted at the trial that the prosecution’s case was “completely unsubstantiated because it never happened”.

For the verdict on Tuesday, Hosni Mubarak sat in the caged dock in a wheelchair, wearing a grey suit. His sons stood beside him in white prison clothing.

It was not clear if the three years Hosni Mubarak and his sons have spent in custody would count towards their sentences, and also if the former president would return to the military hospital or be sent to Torah prison.

Russia and China sign huge gas supply contract

Clyde K. Valle
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Russia and China sign huge gas supply contract

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a huge gas supply contract with China during his visit to the Asian country.

The deal between Russia’s Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) has been 10 years in the making. No official price has been given but it estimated to be worth over $400 billion.

Russia has been keen to find an alternative energy market for its gas as it faces the possibility of European sanctions over the crisis in Ukraine.

Shares in Gazprom rose 2% on the Russian market following the news.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a huge gas supply contract with China during his visit to the Asian country
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a huge gas supply contract with China during his visit to the Asian country (photo Reuters)

The agreement is expected to deliver some 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year eastward to China’s burgeoning economy, starting around 2018.

The main argument has been over price and China is thought to have been driving a hard bargain.

Over the last ten years it has found other gas suppliers. Turkmenistan is now China’s largest foreign gas supplier, and last year it started importing piped natural gas from Myanmar.

Another sticking point has been the construction of pipelines into China.

Currently there is one complete pipeline that runs across Russia’s Far East to the Chinese border, called “The Power of Siberia”. The pipeline was started in 2007, three years after Gazprom and CNPC signed their initial agreement in 2004.

Financing the $22-30 billion cost of sending it into China has been central to the latest discussions.

China is Russia’s largest single trading partner, with bilateral trade flows of $90 billion in 2013.

China and Russia aim to double the volume to $200 billion in 10 years.

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Pakistan: At least 32 militants killed in North Waziristan air strikes

Roy Siemens
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Pakistan: At least 32 militants killed in North Waziristan air strikes

At least 32 militants including “important commanders” have been killed in North Waziristan air strikes.

Pakistani officials described precision air strikes on targets near the border with Afghanistan.

Tens of thousands of Pakistanis have died in bomb attacks since the Pakistani Taliban began its campaign against the central government in 2007.

At least 32 militants including important commanders have been killed in North Waziristan air strikes
At least 32 militants including important commanders have been killed in North Waziristan air strikes

Several offensives have been launched against the militants, but the government is also pursuing talks.

“Before the launch of the air strikes, we had confirmed intelligence information about hideouts of the militants and their top commanders,” said a senior military official in Miranshah quoted by the Reuters news agency.

The army said in a statement that the strikes were targeting militants involved in attacks against Pakistani armed forces and Pakistani soldiers.

At least nine soldiers were killed and several critically wounded by a roadside bomb in the region earlier this month.

There have been similar air strikes since the beginning of the year, but this operation appears to have been the largest in a while.

North Waziristan, one of seven lawless tribal districts in Pakistan’s north-west, is a stronghold of Taliban and al-Qaeda linked militants.

The peace talks between the government and the Pakistani Taliban stalled after one round of negotiations in February, and a 40-day ceasefire between the two sides came to an end in mid-April.

Prince George threw food at cousin Mia Grace Tindall when they first met

Lisa.Felice
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Prince George threw food at cousin Mia Grace Tindall when they first met

Prince George threw food at his cousin Mia Grace Tindall, when they first met, Mike Tindall revealed.

In an interview with the Mirror on Monday, Mia’s father Mike Tindall, who is married to Zara Phillips (Prince William’s first cousin), revealed it was total “carnage” when it came to the two babies.

Prince George threw food at his cousin Mia Grace Tindall, when they first met
Prince George threw food at his cousin Mia Grace Tindall, when they first met

“I don’t think Mia will remember that day. She was 2-months-old, but it was great. It was carnage,” the Gloucester Rugby player laughed on May 19.

“George was eating at the time,” Mike Tindall continued.

“He’d got to that stage where more food goes on the table than in his mouth.”

Meanwhile, baby Mia Grace, now 4-month-old, “was just chilling and sleeping,” her father said.

Mia’s mom, Zara Phillips, is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth’s second child, Princess Anne, making Mia 16th in line for the throne.

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall married in July 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s baby boy, 9-month-old Prince George, is the third in line for the throne.

Tara the Hero Cat throws out first pitch at Bakersfield Blaze baseball game

Clyde K. Valle
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Tara the Hero Cat throws out first pitch at Bakersfield Blaze baseball game

Tara the Hero Cat, who saved 4-year-old Jeremy Triantafilo from a neighborhood dog in California, threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a minor league baseball game Tuesday.

Tara was held by owner Roger Triantafilo as a baseball tied to a fishing line was pulled toward home plate at a game of the Bakersfield Blaze, an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

Tara the Hero Cat threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Bakersfield Blaze baseball game
Tara the Hero Cat threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Bakersfield Blaze baseball game (photo Twitter)

The cat became an Internet sensation last week after surveillance video of her rushing a dog that was mauling the boy went viral.

Jeremy Triantafilo, Roger’s son, was playing in his family’s driveway in Bakersfield, California, when the K-9 ran up and grabbed his leg.

Tara, a stray adopted by the Triantafilo family six years ago, pounced into action and chased off the attacker.

Jeremy Triantafilo received 10 stitches for two lacerations to his calf. The dog was quarantined and will reportedly be euthanized.

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Led Zeppelin faces copyright lawsuit over Stairway to Heaven

Sonia Pantiss
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Led Zeppelin faces copyright lawsuit over Stairway to Heaven

Led Zeppelin faces a legal dispute over the song Stairway to Heaven, widely seen as one of the greatest rock compositions of all time.

The copyright infringement action is being taken on behalf of late guitarist Randy California, who played on the same bill as Led Zeppelin in the 1960s.

Randy California’s lawyers say that he should be given a writing credit on the 1971 track.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the eight-minute song had earned $562 million as of 2008.

The magazine says that the song was so profitable in part because Led Zeppelin did not release it as a single, leaving fans with no option but to buy the entire album, which is untitled but known as Led Zeppelin IV.

The famous Stairway to Heaven opening guitar riff loosely resembles guitar work on Spirit’s instrumental Taurus
The famous Stairway to Heaven opening guitar riff loosely resembles guitar work on Spirit’s instrumental Taurus

Both Led Zeppelin and Warner Music have said they will not comment on the allegations.

Media reports say that the court case is likely to be based on allegations that the famous Stairway to Heaven opening guitar riff loosely resembles guitar work on an instrumental called Taurus.

Taurus was written by Randy California’s Los Angeles-based psychedelic band, Spirit, in 1968.

The plaintiffs include Spirit’s founding bassist Mark Andes and a trust that manages royalties for Randy California, who died in 1997 trying to save his son from drowning.

Randy California is quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek as describing Stairway to Heaven as a “rip-off” shortly before he died.

“It is fairly blatant, and note for note,” Mark Andes told Bloomberg Businessweek.

“It would just be nice if the Led Zeppelin guys gave Randy a little nod. That would be lovely.”

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page is reputed to have begun writing Stairway to Heaven in 1970 in a remote cottage in Wales.

Earlier this month the band unveiled two previously unheard recordings ahead of the re-issue in June of its first three albums.

Jimmy Page, now 70, meanwhile has scotched rumors of a reunion concert.

For a band that broke up in 1980, following the death of the drummer John Bonham, interest in Led Zeppelin remains intense.

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Nigeria: Two bomb explosions kill at least 46 in Jos

Roy Siemens
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Nigeria: Two bomb explosions kill at least 46 in Jos

Two bomb explosions killed at least 46 people in the central Nigerian city of Jos, police say.

The first blast was in a busy market and the second went off outside a nearby hospital.

No group has said it carried out the attack but Boko Haram militants have carried out a spate of recent bombings.

Jos has also seen deadly clashes between Christian and Muslim groups in recent years.

Two bomb explosions killed at least 46 people in the central Nigerian city of Jos
Two bomb explosions killed at least 46 people in the central Nigerian city of Jos (photo Reuters)

A spokesperson for the regional governor told AFP news agency that most of the victims were women. The market and bus terminal are part of the commercial centre of Jos.

The second blast was some 30 minutes after the first and killed some rescue workers.

President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attack as a “tragic assault on human freedom”.

“President Jonathan assures all Nigerians that the government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror and… will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilization,” his office said.

Although Boko Haram has previously targeted Jos, the capital of Plateau state, the city has been relatively calm for almost two years.

Plateau state lies on the fault-line which divides Nigeria’s largely Muslim north from its mainly Christian south.

The state has witnessed violence blamed on land disputes between semi-nomadic Muslim Fulani herdsmen and mainly Christian Berom farmers.

Nigeria is also currently trying to trace more than 200 girls captured by Boko Haram in April from a boarding school in the north-eastern town of Chibok.

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Miss Kay Robertson reveals why she stayed with Phil after he admitted to adultery

Sonia Pantiss
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Miss Kay Robertson reveals why she stayed with Phil after he admitted to adultery

In a recent interview with Fox News, Duck Dynasty’s Miss Kay Robertson opened up about her husband Phil’s pre-fame battle with alcoholism and revealed why she stayed with him after he admitted to adultery.

Miss Kay, who married Phil Robertson when she was just 16 years old, said: “The worst advice I ever got was when they told me to leave him.”

Miss Kay has been married to Phil Robertson since she was just 16 years old
Miss Kay has been married to Phil Robertson since she was just 16 years old

“I attribute a lot of [sticking with Phil] to my grandma. She was such a stickler for staying with your marriage. She always used to say, <<You have to fight for your marriage>>.”

Miss Kay Robertson, now 63, added: “Of course I was someone that never believed I would have to do that because I read way too many books that ended with, <<And they lived happily ever after>>…When I say, <<I love you>>, it’s for life. If we would not have stayed together I would have known in my heart that I had done everything I could possibly do to make that marriage work.”

During Phil Robertson’s bout with alcoholism, Miss Kay said she reassured the couple’s children, Alan, Jase, Willie, and Jep, that their father was at heart a good man who deserved forgiveness.

“I told my kids, <<Your dad is a good man. He has a good heart but right now the he’s letting the devil control him and that’s who we should hate – the devil and not Phil. We’ll pray and pray that the devil will leave him but he has to make the choice to do that,” Miss Kay Robertson recalled.

“I knew that from the Bible, and eventually he did make the right choice. I think that’s why my heart and my kids were easy to forgive too.”

Kylie Jenner Denies Having A Nose Job

Lisa.Felice
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Keeping Up With the Kardashians star Kylie Jenner took to Twitter to deny recent rumors that she had a nose job.

Kim Kardashian’s sister wrote: “These plastic surgery rumors hurt my feelings, to be honest, and are kinda insulting … Just in case anyone forgot … I’m 16.”

Two months ago, Kylie Jenner sparked plastic surgery rumors, and fans of Keeping Up With the Kardashians reality show speculated that she got a nose job after her nose appeared thinner than usual in photos that she posted on Instagram.

In addition to a nose job, reports also claimed Kylie Jenner had gotten botox injections, a cosmetic procedure her older sister Kim Kardashian has admitted to in the past.

Julie Nelson of KARE 11 is married to Kurt Krumenauer

Lisa.Felice
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Julie Nelson of KARE 11 is married to Kurt Krumenauer

KARE 11 news anchor Julie Nelson is married to  Kurt Krumenauer, the president of Midwest Apartment Brokers.

In 2000 Julie Nelson won a regional Emmy for anchoring
In 2000 Julie Nelson won a regional Emmy for anchoring

Kurt Krumenauer met Julie Nelson when he was 12.

Julie Nelson, 43, and Kurt Krumenauer are the proud parents of their two little girls in second and third grade.

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Macklemore apologizes for controversial Jewish costume he wore on Seattle stage

Lisa.Felice
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Macklemore apologizes for controversial Jewish costume he wore on Seattle stage

Rapper Macklemore has apologized for the Jewish caricature costume he wore on stage in Seattle, which critics said was anti-Semitic.

Macklemore said he didn’t mean to offend anyone but realized the outfit could have looked like a “Jewish caricature”.

“I respect all cultures and all people,” the singer wrote on his website.

Macklemore has apologized for the Jewish caricature costume he wore on stage in Seattle
Macklemore has apologized for the Jewish caricature costume he wore on stage in Seattle

“I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are. I love human beings, love originality and… happen to love a weird outfit from time to time.”

Macklemore wore the costume at a performance in Seattle on Friday.

He explained that he randomly chose the elements of the outfit so that he could disguise himself and move freely around during the secret show.

“I acknowledge how the costume could, within a context of stereotyping, be ascribed to a Jewish caricature,” he wrote.

“I am here to say that it was absolutely not my intention and unfortunately at the time I did not foresee the costume to be viewed in such regard.”

Pictures from the concert show Macklemore wearing a black wig, beard and a fake hooked nose.

Macklemore added: “I’m saddened that this story, or any of my choices, would lead to any form of negativity.”

His website also now includes a link to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which was formed to fight anti-Semitism.

Along with Ryan Lewis, Macklemore is a Grammy award-winner and has been an advocate for the gay community, as well as tolerance and diversity, especially through the song One Love.

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Michael Jace arrested over wife’s fatal shooting

Lisa.Felice
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Michael Jace arrested over wife’s fatal shooting

The Shield star Michael Jace has been arrested on suspicion of murder after his wife April Jace was found shot dead at their home in Los Angeles.

Officer Chris No says police arrived at the couple’s home on Monday evening after a report of shots being fired.

Officials say April Jace, 40, was found dead inside.

Michael Jace has been arrested on suspicion of murder after his wife April Jace was found shot dead at their home in Los Angeles
Michael Jace has been arrested on suspicion of murder after his wife April Jace was found shot dead at their home in Los Angeles (photo Getty Images)

Michael Jace, 51, was then taken into custody and booked on suspicion of homicide.

He is being held on $1 million bail.

Lt. John Jenal from the Los Angeles Police Department said two children were at the single-family home at the time of the shooting.

They were in protective custody on Tuesday morning, he told LA’s City News Service.

Michael Jace called police himself to report the shooting, TMZ reported.

The actor played Detective Julien Lowe in FX drama The Shield and was a police officer in Southland.

He also had parts in Forrest Gump, State of Play, Boogie Nights and Planet of the Apes.

Michael and April Jace were married for nine years while he has another child from a previous relationship.

Michael Jace was previously married to Jennifer Bitterman but they divorced in 2002.

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CIA ends use of vaccination programs as cover for spying operations

Diane A. Wade
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CIA ends use of vaccination programs as cover for spying operations

The CIA will no longer use vaccination programs as cover for spying operations, a White House official announced.

The agency used the ruse in targeting Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011.

Lisa Monaco, Barack Obama’s leading counter-terrorism adviser, wrote to the deans of 13 prominent public health schools last week saying that the CIA had agreed it would no longer use vaccination programs or workers for intelligence purposes.

The CIA also agreed not to use genetic materials obtained through such programs.

Dr. Shakil Afridi offered a program of hepatitis vaccinations in Abbottabad as cover for his CIA-backed effort to obtain DNA samples from children at a compound where Osama bin Laden was later killed during a 2011 raid by US navy Seals.

The doctor was convicted and sentenced by a Pakistani court to 33 years in prison for treason. The sentence was later overturned and Shakil Afridi faces a retrial.

The CIA will no longer use vaccination programs as cover for spying operations
The CIA will no longer use vaccination programs as cover for spying operations

The health school deans were among a group of medical authorities who publicly criticized the CIA’s use of the vaccination program after it was disclosed by media accounts and Pakistan’s arrest of Shakil Afridi as a CIA operative.

In her letter dated May 16, Lisa Monaco said the US “strongly supports the global polio eradication initiative and efforts to end the spread of the polio virus forever”.

Lisa Monaco said the CIA director, John Brennan, committed in August 2013 to “make no operational use of vaccination programs, which includes vaccination workers”. She said the CIA policy “applied worldwide and to US and non-US persons alike,” and that no DNA or genetic material would be used from such programs.

The CIA spokesman Dean Boyd said Brennan “took seriously the concerns raised by the public health community, examined them closely and took decisive action”.

Lisa Monaco’s letter and the CIA statement did not acknowledge any error in the decision to use the Pakistan vaccine program as a spying cover. The letter was first disclosed in a report by Yahoo News.

The public health deans warned last year that the CIA’s use of a vaccination program had played a role in the shootings of several health workers in Pakistan and could hamper anti-polio efforts. “Public health programs should not be used as cover for covert operations,” they said.

Last week, Pakistan’s health ministry announced it would require all travelers leaving the country to first get a polio vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that polio’s spread is an international public health emergency, and identified Pakistan, Syria and Cameroon as nations that have allowed polio to spread beyond their borders.

Pakistan was the only country with reported endemic polio that saw a rise in new cases in 2012, the WHO reported. The country accounted for more than a fifth of all polio cases identified around the world in 2013.

The CIA’s use of a polio vaccine program to spy on Osama bin Laden’s compound undercut Barack Obama’s high-profile speech to the Muslim world in 2009 in which he touted US efforts to slow the growth of polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. With Obama administration assurances, Muslim scholars in two international groups issued religious decrees urging parents to vaccinate their children.

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Divorce parties gain popularity in Iran

Nancy Clayson
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Divorce parties gain popularity in Iran

Divorce parties gain popularity in Iran’s major cities as more marriages meet a premature end.

According to the conservative Jomhuri-ye Eslami newspaper, the parties sometimes require extravagant preparations, complete with black roses and huge cakes.

“You go to a florist to order a bouquet of black roses. Next you come to us to order invitation cards,” one card shop owner tells the publication.

Divorce parties gain popularity in Iran's major cities as more marriages meet a premature end
Divorce parties gain popularity in Iran’s major cities as more marriages meet a premature end

“I don’t miss you at all,” says one invitation, quoting the lyrics of a Persian pop hit.

“I swear I will not fall in love again as long as I live. Even if I do, it’s ok, as long as it’s not with you,” the lyrics continue inside the card.

The demand for divorce cards has been going up over the past two years, another shop owner told the Shahr-e Khabar news website.

Officials in the capital Tehran have recently expressed concern about the trend of celebrating divorce, the pro-government Iran newspaper says, and Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi, one of the country’s top conservative clerics, has spoken out over the issue.

Last year, Iran saw a 4.6% rise in divorce cases, and a 4.4% decline in marriage rates. Nearly 20% of Iranian marriages now end in divorce.

Billboard Music Awards 2014: Justin Timberlake accepts seven awards by video

Sonia Pantiss
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Billboard Music Awards 2014: Justin Timberlake accepts seven awards by video

Justin Timberlake accepted seven Billboard Music Awards by video while he is on tour, leaving it to a Michael Jackson hologram to steal the show at the ceremony in Las Vegas.

It mimicked Michael Jackson’s famous dance moves while performing Slave to the Rhythm, a song from the late star’s new posthumous album Xscape.

Justin Timberlake’s haul of awards included top artist and Billboard 200 album.

Imagine Dragons won five and Pharrell, Robin Thicke and TI each won four.

Katy Perry was awarded top female artist, while Jennifer Lopez was handed the Icon Award, giving an emotional speech and performing at both the opening and finale of the show.

Justin Timberlake accepted seven Billboard Music Awards by video while he is on tour
Justin Timberlake accepted seven Billboard Music Awards by video while he is on tour (photo Billboard)

Many artists performed remotely as they were on tour including Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus, who sang her cover of The Beatles track Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips.

Accepting the award for top streaming artist Miley Cyrus thanked her “amazing fans” before sticking her tongue out.

Justin Timberlake appeared on screen dancing with his band to accept the evening’s big prize of top artist.

“All the other finalists, Miley, Imagine Dragons, Bruno, Katy, I love you guys, it’s not a competition, but if it is, I won!” he said.

The biggest moment of the show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena came when the Michael Jackson hologram took over the stage, accompanied by dancers, beaming lights and blasts of fire – the result of several months planning.

Fans voted to give the Milestone Award to Carrie Underwood, who teamed up with fellow country star Miranda Lambert for a performance.

Imagine Dragons were happy to accept their five awards – which included top group and rock artist, in their home town of Las Vegas.

Lorde performed her new hit Tennis Court and was a double winner – taking the prizes for best new artist and rock song for Royals.

Robin Thicke performed a new song Get Her Back and paid tribute to estranged wife Paula Patton as he collected top R&B song for Blurred Lines.

Kendall Jenner fared less well on stage, fumbling her words while introducing Australian boyband 5 Seconds of Summer.

“And now we welcome … One …” Kendall Jenner said, appearing to be about to say One Direction, before explaining: “Guys, I’m the worst reader.”

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Ennio Morricone cancels New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City concerts due to back injury

Sonia Pantiss
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Ennio Morricone cancels New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City concerts due to back injury

Ennio Morricone has canceled concerts in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City due to a back injury suffered earlier this year.

The Italian film composer is renowned for his work on spaghetti westerns such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West.

The show at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on June 15 was set to be his first performance in the city.

In a statement Ennio Morricone apologized to fans, saying he was “extremely disappointed”.

Ennio Morricone has canceled concerts in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City due to a back injury suffered earlier this year
Ennio Morricone has canceled concerts in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico City due to a back injury suffered earlier this year

“I was very much looking forward to my first Los Angeles performance and only my second New York City performance,” said Ennio Morricone, who was also scheduled to perform at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on June 13 and in Mexico City on June 18.

“Hollywood has been instrumental in bringing my work to American audiences, and my 2007 performance in New York was one of the high points of my career to date,” he continued.

“I apologize to my fans for having to cancel these shows, and hope that I am able to make it back soon.”

Ennio Morricone was expected to conduct his own 100-piece orchestra during the performances and would have been accompanied by a 75-voice choir in LA.

The singers were informed on Sunday that the show had been cancelled, according to Variety magazine, due to Ennio Morricone’s “serious health issues”.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Ennio Morricone’s lawyer has revealed that the injury prevents him from conducting or flying.

Ennio Morricone previously postponed a series of April dates in Europe with “great disappointment”, following medical advice after a recent “back procedure”.

They were rescheduled for June, July and October, with the first due to take place in Cologne on June 22. It is not yet known if these dates will go ahead.

According to the LA Times, Ennio Morricone had said he would continue to compose while he recovers.

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Moscow train crash kills at least four people near Bekasovo

Diane A. Wade
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Moscow train crash kills at least four people near Bekasovo

Four people died after a freight train hit a passenger train near Moscow, Russian officials say.

Several carriages were derailed in the crash, said to have occurred at 12:38 local time near Bekasovo 1 station, 37 miles from Moscow.

Injured people were reportedly carried from the train as emergency services rushed to the scene.

Four people died after a freight train hit a passenger train near Moscow
Four people died after a freight train hit a passenger train near Moscow (photo AFP)

The passenger train was on its way from Moscow to Chisinau in Moldova.

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said at least four people were killed and 15 were injured.

According to Russian news agency ITAR-TASS, several carriages on the freight train came off the rails near the town of near Naro-Fominsk and hit the passenger train.

Several carriages on the passenger train are said to have then derailed, and some of them overturned.

The cause of the accident was not immediately clear.

Traffic on the line – which also serves Kiev in Ukraine – was suspended as a result.

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Beijing denounces US charges against Chinese officers accused of cyber-theft

Diane A. Wade
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0
Beijing denounces US charges against Chinese officers accused of cyber-theft

Beijing has denounced the US charges against five Chinese army officers accused of economic cyber-espionage.

China says the US is also guilty of spying on other countries, including China, and accuses the US of hypocrisy and “double standards”.

US ambassador in Beijing has been summoned over the incident. China says relations will be damaged.

US prosecutors say the Chinese officers stole trade secrets and internal documents from five companies and a labor union.

China’s defense ministry put out a strongly-worded statement on its website on Tuesday saying that China’s government and its military “had never engaged in any cyber espionage activities”.

It also took aim at the US, saying: “For a long time, the US has possessed the technology and essential infrastructure needed to conduct large-scale systematic cyber thefts and surveillance on foreign government leaders, businesses and individuals. This is a fact which the whole world knows.

“The US’ deceitful nature and its practice of double standards when it comes to cyber security have long been exposed, from the WikiLeaks incident to the Edward Snowden affair.”

Beijing has denounced the US charges against five Chinese army officers accused of economic cyber-espionage
Beijing has denounced the US charges against five Chinese army officers accused of economic cyber-espionage (photo FBI)

The defense ministry added that China’s military had been the target of many online attacks, and “a fair number” of those had been launched from American IP addresses.

It said the arrest of the five Chinese army officers had “severely damaged mutual trust”.

According to a Xinhua report on Tuesday, between March and May this year, a total of 1.18 million computers in China were directly controlled by 2,077 machines in the US via Trojan horse or zombie malware.

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang lodged a “solemn representation” with US ambassador Max Baucus on Monday night, Xinhua reported.

On Monday US Attorney General Eric Holder said a grand jury had laid hacking charges against the Chinese nationals, the first against “known state actors for infiltrating US commercial targets by cyber means”.

Eric Holder identified the alleged victims as Westinghouse Electric, US Steel, Alcoa Inc, Allegheny Technologies, SolarWorld and the US Steelworkers Union.

“The alleged hacking appears to have been conducted for no reason other than to advantage state-owned companies and other interests in China, at the expense of businesses here in the United States,” he said.

In the indictment brought in the western district of Pennsylvania – the heart of the US steel industry – the US named Wang Dong, Sun Kailiang, Wen Xinyu, Huang Zhenyu, and Gu Chunhui, all officers in Unit 61398 of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as the alleged conspirators.

FBI officials said the hacking – between 2006 and 2014 – caused “significant losses” at the companies and that there were likely to be many more victims.

Last year, cyber-defense company Mandiant published a report on a Chinese military unit the firm said was behind the vast majority of significant attacks on American federal agencies and companies.

In March, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the Pentagon planned to more than triple its cyber-security capabilities in the next few years to defend against such internet attacks.

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