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Donetsk and Luhansk pro-Russian separatists hold self-rule referendums

Roy Siemens
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Donetsk and Luhansk pro-Russian separatists hold self-rule referendums

Pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine are holding “self-rule” referendums – a move condemned by the Ukrainian government and the West.

Self-proclaimed leaders in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are going ahead with the vote despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call to postpone it.

Self-proclaimed leaders in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are going ahead with the vote despite Russian President Vladimir Putin's call to postpone it
Self-proclaimed leaders in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions are going ahead with the vote despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s call to postpone it

Ukraine says the vote could result in the “self-destruction” of the regions.

Pro-Russian gunmen occupying offices in a number of towns have been involved in heavy clashes with Ukrainian troops.

Reports say there was a fierce fighting overnight on the outskirts of the rebel-held city of Sloviansk, which remains sealed by government troops conducting what the government in Kiev describes as an “anti-terror” operation.

At least seven people were killed in clashes in the port of Mariupol on Friday, officials said.

Referendum organizers said earlier this week that most of the polling stations were controlled by pro-Russian activists and would be ready for voting.

Millions of ballot papers have been prepared.

They contain only one question in both Ukrainian and Russian: “Do you support the act of state self-rule of the Donetsk People’s Republic/Luhansk People’s Republic?”

The organizers have suggested they intend to hold a second round of voting later this month, on joining Russia. They also say they will boycott Ukraine’s presidential elections on May 25.

There are no independent or international observers involved in Sunday’s vote.

On Saturday, Ukraine’s interim President Oleksandr Turchynov admitted many in eastern Ukraine supported the pro-Russian militants, but warned that the referendums were “a step towards the abyss”.

The EU and US have also condemned the referendums, amid fears that Ukraine could be sliding to civil war.

A survey by the Pew Research Centre suggested a majority even in eastern Ukraine – 70% – wanted to remain in a united country, despite concerns about governance.

President Vladimir Putin earlier called for a postponement of the vote to create the conditions necessary for dialogue.

Last month, Russia annexed Ukraine’s southern autonomous republic of Crimea, after a referendum.

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Eurovision 2014: Conchita Wurst wins trophy for Austria

Sonia Pantiss
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Eurovision 2014: Conchita Wurst wins trophy for Austria

Austria’s “bearded lady” Conchita Wurst has been crowned the winner of the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest held in Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen.

Conchita Wurst has been crowned the winner of the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest held in Copenhagen
Conchita Wurst has been crowned the winner of the 59th annual Eurovision Song Contest held in Copenhagen

Conchita Wurst, 25, won the competition with her song, Rise Like a Phoenix, with 290 points.

Collecting her trophy Conchita Wurst said: “This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are – we are unity and we are unstoppable.”

The Netherlands finished second with 238 points with Sweden third with 218.

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Mother’s Day Recipe: Eggs Benedict with Salmon

Kathryn R. Bown
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Mother’s Day Recipe: Eggs Benedict with Salmon

Eggs Benedict with Salmon

 

Ingredients (8 servings):

3/4 cupplain low-fat yogurt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon prepared Dijon-style mustard

Eggs Benedict with salmon
Eggs Benedict with salmon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoonwhite sugar

1 pinch ground black pepper

1 dash hot pepper sauce

8 eggs

8 slices rye bread

8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into thin slices

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1 teaspoon capers, for garnish

 

Directions:

  1. To make the sauce: In the top of a double boiler, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, egg yolks, mustard, salt, sugar, pepper and hot sauce. Cook over simmering water while stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
  2. In a large stock pot heat 2 quarts of salted water to a boil. Carefully break the eggs one at a time into the boiling water. When all the eggs have been added, reduce the heat to medium. When the eggs float to the top, remove them with a slotted spoon and let drain briefly.
  3. To assemble final dish: Toast bread slices and place on warm plates. Top each piece of toast with a slice of smoked salmon and a hot poached egg. Drizzle with yogurt sauce; garnish with parsley and capers.

Pope Paul VI’s beatification ceremony announced for October 19

James J. Williams
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Pope Paul VI’s beatification ceremony announced for October 19

Pope Francis approved a miracle credited to the intercession of Pope Paul VI – who died in 1978 after a 15-year pontificate and is remembered by many for his ban on artificial contraception for Catholics.

Pope Paul VI’s beatification ceremony will be held at the Vatican on October 19, Pope Francis announced.

The move came two weeks after the canonization of two other 20th Century popes – John XXIII and John Paul II.

Beatification is the third of four steps in the process by which someone officially becomes a saint.

It requires at least one miracle to have been attributed to the intercession of a candidate for sainthood who, once beatified, is given the title blessed.

Pope Paul VI’s beatification ceremony will be held at the Vatican on October 19
Pope Paul VI’s beatification ceremony will be held at the Vatican on October 19

After beatification, a separate miracle would have to be verified in order for Paul VI to be canonized – declared a saint – allowing him to be venerated by the universal Church as “an example of holiness that can be followed with confidence”.

Paul VI was born Giovanni Battista Montini in the Lombardy region of Italy in 1897, the son of a prominent newspaper editor.

He was elected pope in 1963 and continued the reforms of his predecessor, John XXIII.

Paul VI died in August 1978 and was succeeded briefly by Pope John Paul who died in October 1978.

During his 15-year pontificate Pope Paul VI wrote seven encyclicals – the most controversial of which was Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life), published in 1968.

Its uncompromising position on birth control led to protests around the Catholic world and some national Roman Catholic Church hierarchies openly modified the statement.

In 1995 Pope John Paul II supported Paul VI’s view on birth control in his encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life).

October’s beatification ceremony will be held at the end of a crucial meeting of global bishops to discuss Catholic teaching on family life, called by Pope Francis.

As is customary, the Vatican gave no details about the miracle – which the Holy See requires must be a phenomenon certified by doctors as having no medical explanation.

However, Italian media report the miracle involved a Californian baby who was born healthy despite the pre-birth diagnoses of a ruptured foetal bladder and absence of amniotic fluid.

The mother reportedly refused to abort the child, instead praying for Paul VI’s intercession at the behest of a nun.

Darrin Campbell killed his family before burning James Blake’s house

Nancy Clayson
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Darrin Campbell killed his family before burning James Blake’s house

Florida police say the family found dead in James Blake’s burned home were shot and killed by their father, Darrin Campbell, who set the house alight before killing himself.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Col. Donna Lusczynski said investigators were looking to determine a motive.

The victims had rented the $1.5 million home from former tennis star James Blake for about two years.

James Blake, 34, was not at the home, located in a wealthy Tampa neighborhood, at the time of the fire.

Darrin Campbell had been an executive for several high-profile companies around the US
Darrin Campbell had been an executive for several high-profile companies around the US

Col. Donna Lusczynski said they had not found a suicide note from Darrin Campbell, 49, but investigators had concluded the deaths were a so-called murder-suicide.

His wife, Kimberly Campbell, and their two children were found shot in the head in their respective bedrooms in the home.

Darrin Campbell then scattered fireworks and petrol around the house before setting it ablaze, according to police.

Police said Darrin Campbell had purchased “several” petrol cans and $650 of fireworks days before the fire destroyed their home.

Darrin Campbell had been an executive for several high-profile companies around the US and his wife, Kimberly, was a housewife. Their two children, Colin, 19, and Megan, 15, went to a nearby school,

“This is certainly disturbing,” Donna Lusczynski said, adding the two teenagers were well-liked at their school.

“Anytime something like this happens, it’s a tragedy.”

Firefighters were called on Wednesday morning to the home. Neighbors told police they heard explosions coming from the property.

Kimberly Campbell’s father said earlier the family had been close-knit and successful.

William Weimer, vice-president of Phantom fireworks, confirmed Darrin Campbell had bought fireworks on Sunday, describing them as the kind of fireworks usually set off in back gardens.

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9/11 unidentified remains transferred to underground repository at WTC site

Nancy Clayson
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9/11 unidentified remains transferred to underground repository at WTC site

The unidentified remains of 9/11 victims returned to the World Trade Center site in a solemn procession on Saturday morning.

The remains left the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Manhattan’s East Side shortly before 7 a.m. in three city vehicles. They were accompanied by police and fire department vehicles with lights flashing but no sirens.

Construction workers paused as the motorcade passed, and about 10 firefighters stood in the cool breeze saluting the vehicles as they arrived. The remains will be transferred to a repository 70 feet underground in the same building as the National September 11 Memorial Museum.

The unidentified remains of 9/11 victims returned to the World Trade Center site in a solemn procession
The unidentified remains of 9/11 victims returned to the World Trade Center site in a solemn procession

Like many decisions involving the site of the nation’s worst terrorist attack, the disposition of the unidentified remains has been contentious.

A group of victims’ family members who say the remains should be stored in an above-ground monument separate from the museum protested the procession. About a dozen wore black bands over their mouths at the site Saturday.

Other family members support the plans, which have been in the works for years.

Uniformed officers from the New York Police Department and Fire Department of New York and the Port Authority police carried the three caskets into the repository.

The facility will be available for family visits but will be overseen by the medical examiner. Officials hope that improvements in technology will eventually lead to the identification of the 7,930 fragmentary remains.

The death toll stemming from the attacks at the World Trade Center stands at 2,753. Of those, 1,115 (41%) have not been identified.

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Multiple sclerosis: Why more women than men get MS?

Kathryn R. Bown
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Multiple sclerosis: Why more women than men get MS?

A new study suggests that a key difference in the brains of male and female patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) may explain why more women than men get the disease.

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine found higher levels of protein S1PR2 in tests on the brains of female mice and dead women with MS than in male equivalents.

Four times more women than men are currently diagnosed with MS.

Experts said the finding was “really interesting”.

MS affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, which causes problems with muscle movement, balance and vision.

Four times more women than men are currently diagnosed with MS
Four times more women than men are currently diagnosed with MS

Abnormal immune cells attack nerve cells in the central nervous system in MS patients.

There is currently no cure, although there are treatments that can help in the early stages of the disease.

Researchers in Missouri looked at relapsing remitting MS, where people have distinct attacks of symptoms that then fade away either partially or completely. About 85% of people with MS are diagnosed with this type.

Scientists studied the blood vessels and brains of healthy mice, mice with MS, and mice without the gene for S1PR2, a blood vessel receptor protein, to see how it affected MS severity.

They also looked at the brain tissue samples of 20 people after they had died.

They found high levels of S1PR2 in the areas of the brain typically damaged by MS in both mice and people.

The activity of the gene coding for S1PR2 was positively correlated with the severity of the disease in mice, the study said.

Scientists said S1PR2 could work by helping to make the blood-brain barrier, in charge of stopping potentially harmful substances from entering the brain and spinal fluid, more permeable.

A more permeable barrier could let attacking cells, which cause MS, into the central nervous system, the study said.

Prof. Robyn Klein, of the Washington University School of Medicine, said: “We were very excited to find the molecule, as we wanted to find a target for treatment that didn’t involve targeting the immune cells.

“This link [between MS and S1PR2] is completely new – it has never been found before.”

She said she did not know why the levels of S1PR2 were higher in women with MS, adding she had found oestrogen had “no acute role”.

Prof. Robyn Klein would be looking at taking her findings to clinical trials in the “next few years”.

The research was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines engaged

Lisa.Felice
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cheryl Hines engaged

According to new reports, Cheryl Hines is engaged to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Cheryl Hines and RFK Jr. first started dating in 2012 and their engagement news was shared at Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix, Arizona, held on April 29, Us Weekly reported.

Cheryl Hines and RFK Jr. first started dating in 2012 and their engagement news was shared at Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix
Cheryl Hines and RFK Jr. first started dating in 2012 and their engagement news was shared at Muhammad Ali’s Celebrity Fight Night in Phoenix

This will be the second marriage for Cheryl Hines, 48, and the third for Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 60, who specializes in environmental law.

When they’re not traveling together, the couple enjoys volunteering and promoting their respective causes.

RFK Jr. has six children from his first two marriages. His shares his oldest two children, Bobby III, 29, and Kathleen, 26, with first wife Emily Ruth Black. He shared his other four kids, Conor, 19, Kyra, 18, Finn, 16, and Aiden, 13, with second wife, the late Mary Kathleen Richardson.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding invitation revealed

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding invitation revealed

Approximately 100 people were given spots on the guest list of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s much-anticipated Paris wedding on May 24.

According to Us Weekly, the invitations feature a simple design: gold lettering on a neutral background. Information is scarce; all that’s included are a few lines about the date and dress code for the ceremony and rehearsal dinner.

Approximately 100 people were given spots on the guest list of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s much-anticipated Paris wedding on May 24
Approximately 100 people were given spots on the guest list of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s much-anticipated Paris wedding on May 24 (photo Us Weekly)

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are keeping most details under wraps until their friends and family arrive in France.

“Guests won’t know the venue until they get to Paris,” a source told the publication.

“[Kim] hasn’t even told her sisters.”

Kim Kardashian, 33, recently tweeted about the upcoming event, noting that the vows would not be filmed, but “everything leading up til and after” would be.

“We’ve decided to keep this close to our heart and share thru photos,” Kim Kardashian wrote.

Sefer Calinak ejected from Turkish dating show after revealing he killed ex partners

Lisa.Felice
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Sefer Calinak ejected from Turkish dating show after revealing he killed ex partners

Sefer Calinak, who appeared on a Turkish television dating show, shocked the audience by revealing he had murdered his former wife and a former lover.

Sefer Calinak, 62, told Flash TV’s Luck of the Draw he had served prison sentences for both murders and had been released under an amnesty program.

“I’m an honest person looking for a new wife,” he said.

Sefer Calinak shocked the audience by revealing he had murdered his former wife and a former lover
Sefer Calinak shocked the audience by revealing he had murdered his former wife and a former lover

Sefer Calinak was asked to leave the show by the host, in an episode that made headlines in Turkish newspapers.

He explained that he had murdered his first wife – also his cousin – out of jealousy.

Sefer Calinak said he then killed his subsequent lover accidentally, “when I swung an axe”.

In an interview after the show, Sefer Calinak vowed not to kill his next partner.

“Women would leave me after I told them that I murdered my previous wives. But I spent 14 years in jail. I have changed,” Sefer Calinak told the Haberturk newspaper.

The head of Turkey’s Media Monitoring Group, Hulya Ugur Tanriover, was quoted by Hurriyet newspaper as saying a complaint should be filed against the program.

Hulya Ugur Tanriover said the criminal records of the participant should have been checked.

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Weekly Address: Michelle Obama marks Mother’s Day and speaks out on Nigeria kidnaps

Diane A. Wade
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Weekly Address: Michelle Obama marks Mother’s Day and speaks out on Nigeria kidnaps

Michelle Obama has said the mass kidnap of Nigerian schoolgirls is part of a wider pattern of threats and intimidation facing girls around the world who pursue an education.

The first lady said she and President Barack Obama were “outraged and heartbroken” over the abduction on April 14 of more than 200 girls from their school.

Michelle Obama was speaking instead of her husband in the weekly presidential address.

Michelle Obama was speaking instead of her husband in the weekly presidential address
Michelle Obama was speaking instead of her husband in the weekly presidential address (photo White House)

The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has claimed the abductions.

Michelle Obama, who was speaking ahead of Mother’s Day in the US on Sunday, said the girls reminded her and her husband of their own daughters.

“What happened in Nigeria was not an isolated incident. It’s a story we see every day as girls around the world risk their lives to pursue their ambitions,” she said.

Michelle Obama cited the Pakistani schoolgirl and campaigner Malala Yousafzai, who was shot and wounded by the Taliban for speaking out for girls’ education.

“The courage and hope embodied by Malala and girls like her around the world should serve as a call to action,” she said.

It is unusual for a US first lady to make outspoken foreign policy remarks, but Michelle Obama has campaigned for the girls’ release.

Michelle Obama has often appeared alongside her husband during the weekly address, which is broadcast on radio with a video version available online. This is the first time she has delivered the speech alone.

Earlier this week, Michelle Obama tweeted a picture of herself in the White House holding a sign with the message “#BringBackOurGirls”.

The UN Security Council expressed outrage over the abductions, saying it would consider “appropriate measures” against Boko Haram. The US is seeking to have UN sanctions imposed on the group.

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Yingluck Shinawatra’s supporters gather in Bangkok to defend democracy

Diane A. Wade
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Yingluck Shinawatra’s supporters gather in Bangkok to defend democracy

Supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra’s government are gathering in western Bangkok for what they are calling a rally in support of Thailand’s democracy.

Earlier this week, a court ordered PM Yingluck Shinawatra and nine ministers to step down.

Thousands of police are on standby as opposition protesters are also planning a march in the capital.

Supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra’s government are gathering in western Bangkok for what they are calling a rally in support of Thailand’s democracy
Supporters of Yingluck Shinawatra’s government are gathering in western Bangkok for what they are calling a rally in support of Thailand’s democracy (photo AP)

Yingluck Shianwatra’s removal came after six months of protests which have unnerved investors and reduced tourist numbers.

Thailand has faced a power struggle since 2006, when Yingluck Shinawatra’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted as prime minister by a military coup, accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Their Pheu Thai party has a strong base of support with rural voters. Its supporters are known colloquially as “red shirts”.

Opposition supporters – dubbed “yellow shirts” – tend to be urban and middle class. They have been protesting against Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration for six months, occupying official buildings and disrupting elections in February.

Yingluck Shinawatra was ordered to step down on Wednesday over the illegal transfer of her security chief. Another court has indicted her for negligence.

A caretaker government led by Thaksin Shianwatra loyalist Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan is running the country and says it is working towards a July 20 election.

The opposition says it will not contest the polls and that political reforms must be introduced first.

On Friday, a rally of “yellow shirts” ended with police firing tear gas and water cannon. At least five demonstrators were injured.

At least 25 people have died over the course of the protests in Thailand.

South Sudan rivals Salva Kiir and Riek Machar sign ceasefire deal

Roy Siemens
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South Sudan rivals Salva Kiir and Riek Machar sign ceasefire deal

South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar have signed a peace deal after a five-month conflict.

The deal calls for an immediate truce and the formation of a transitional government ahead of the drafting of a new constitution and new elections.

The conflict in the world’s newest state has left thousands dead and more than one million homeless.

A ceasefire agreed in January collapsed within days, with both sides accusing each other of restarting the fighting.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday’s agreement “could mark a breakthrough for the future of South Sudan”.

Salva Kiir and Riek Machar signed the deal in Addis Ababa, after their first face-to-face meeting since the hostilities began
Salva Kiir and Riek Machar signed the deal in Addis Ababa, after their first face-to-face meeting since the hostilities began

The UN has accused both the South Sudanese government and the rebels of crimes against humanity, including mass killings and gang-rape.

The rivals signed the deal in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa late on Friday, after their first face-to-face meeting since the hostilities began.

The agreement calls for a cessation of hostilities within 24 hours of the signing. A permanent ceasefire will then be worked on.

Salva Kiir and Riek Machar are to issue immediate orders for troops to end combat and to allow in humanitarian aid.

It was not immediately clear who would form the transitional administration.

The deal was also signed by Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn, who hosted the talks.

Leading mediator Seyoum Mesfin, from the regional Igad bloc, congratulated Salva Kiir and Riek Machar for “ending the war”.

However, African Union official Smail Chergui warned that “given the current crisis, the restoration of peace in South Sudan will not be easy”.

A UN report released on Thursday said that “widespread and systematic” atrocities had been carried out by both sides in homes, hospitals, mosques, churches and UN compounds.

It called for those responsible to be held accountable.

An estimated five million people are in need of aid, the UN says.

The violence began when President Salva Kiir accused his sacked deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup.

Riek Machar denied the allegation, but then marshaled a rebel army to fight the government.

The battle assumed ethnic overtones, with Riek Machar relying heavily on fighters from his Nuer ethnic group and Salva Kiir from his Dinka community.

The UN has about 8,500 peacekeepers in South Sudan. However, they have struggled to contain the conflict.

South Sudan gained independence in 2011, breaking away from Sudan after decades of conflict between rebels and the Khartoum government.

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Lack of exercise tops heart risk factors in 30+ women

Kathryn R. Bown
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Lack of exercise tops heart risk factors in 30+ women

According to an Australian study, lack of exercise is the biggest risk factor for heart disease in women aged 30 and above.

If all over-30s followed recommended guidelines on exercise, nearly 3,000 lives could be saved each year in Australia alone, say researchers.

Lack of exercise is the biggest risk factor for heart disease in women aged 30 and above
Lack of exercise is the biggest risk factor for heart disease in women aged 30 and above

More needs to be done to warn women of inactivity, as it outweighs other risk factors such as obesity, they say.

A team at the University of Queensland, Australia tracked the health of more than 30,000 women born in the 1920s, 1940s and 1970s.

They found smoking had the greatest impact on women’s heart disease risk below the age of 30.

However, as women got older and more gave up smoking, it was overtaken by physical inactivity as the dominant influence on heart disease risk.

Continuing efforts to encourage people to stop smoking were warranted, the researchers reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

But they said greater effort were needed to promote exercise, which they describe as a “Cinderella” risk factor compared with obesity.

Sarajevo’s City Hall re-opens 22 years after Bosnian War fire

Sonia Pantiss
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Sarajevo’s City Hall re-opens 22 years after Bosnian War fire

Sarajevo’s iconic city hall – now housing the national library – has been re-opened 22 years after it was destroyed by shelling during the Bosnian War.

The building was hit by a mortar and burned down during the Bosnian Serb siege of the city in 1992.

It was restored to mark the centenary of WWI, which was triggered by the assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Franz Ferdinand was shot dead after leaving city hall on June 28, 1914.

Sarajevo's iconic city hall has been re-opened 22 years after it was destroyed by shelling during the Bosnian War
Sarajevo’s iconic city hall has been re-opened 22 years after it was destroyed by shelling during the Bosnian War

The city hall was re-opened at a ceremony on Friday, with 3D projections on its facade showing key moments in the history of the 19th Century building.

“Tonight… we mark the triumph of civilization over barbarism, of light over darkness, of life over death and the triumph of the idea of unity and co-existence over the idea of inhuman and unnatural divisions and clashes,” said Bakir Izetbegovic, the Muslim Bosniak member of Bosnia’s three-man presidency.

The building – in the city’s old Turkish quarter – had no military significance. Almost two million books – including many rare manuscripts – were destroyed in 1992.

The city hall – which was first opened in 1896 – was converted into the national library in 1949.

It now houses the national and university libraries, the city council and a museum.

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Chris Brown to serve additional 131 days in jail

Lisa.Felice
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Chris Brown to serve additional 131 days in jail

Chris Brown will serve an additional 131 days in jail after admitting to violating his probation.

He admitted to a court in Los Angeles on Friday that he committed a crime in Washington DC last October.

Chris Brown will serve an additional 131 days in jail after admitting to violating his probation
Chris Brown will serve an additional 131 days in jail after admitting to violating his probation

The Los Angeles judge sentenced Chris Brown to 365 days but gave him credit for 234 days he has spent in rehab and jail.

Chris Brown has been under court supervision since 2009 when he pleaded guilty to assaulting pop singer Rihanna, who was his girlfriend at the time.

The Grammy winner has been in custody since March, when he was arrested over alleged violations of his rehab sentence.

His latest probation violation relates to an altercation in the nation’s capital last year.

Chris Brown faces a misdemeanor assault charge after a man accused the singer of punching him outside a Washington hotel.

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Michelle Obama to deliver weekly presidential address to condemn Nigerian girls’ abduction

Diane A. Wade
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Michelle Obama to deliver weekly presidential address to condemn Nigerian girls’ abduction

Michelle Obama is to deliver Barack Obama’s weekly presidential address to condemn last month’s abduction of Nigerian girls.

First ladies normally refrain from outspoken foreign policy remarks, but Michelle Obama has been a vocal campaigner for the release of more than 200 girls.

Fifty-three of the schoolgirls escaped soon after being seized in Chibok on April 14 but many more remain captive.

Islamist militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack.

Michelle Obama is to deliver Barack Obama's weekly presidential address to condemn last month's abduction of Nigerian girls
Michelle Obama is to deliver Barack Obama’s weekly presidential address to condemn last month’s abduction of Nigerian girls

The United Nations Security Council expressed outrage over the abductions in north-eastern Borno state, and demanded the immediate release of the students.

It said it would consider “appropriate measures” against Boko Haram. The US is seeking to have UN sanctions imposed on the group.

Michelle Obama is due to make the address ahead of Mother’s Day, which the US marks on Sunday.

“As the mother of two young daughters, Mrs. Obama is taking up the opportunity to express outrage and heartbreak the president and she share over the kidnapping,” White House deputy spokesman Eric Schultz said.

“The first lady hopes that the courage of these young girls serves as an inspiration… and a call to action for people around the world to fight to ensure that every girl receives the education that is their birthright,” he added.

Michelle Obama has often appeared alongside her husband during the weekly address, which is broadcast on radio with a video version available online. This is the first time she will deliver the speech alone.

Earlier this week, she tweeted a picture of herself in the White House holding a sign with the message “#BringBackOurGirls”.

President Barack Obama has described the kidnapping as “heartbreaking” and “outrageous”.

A small number of US and British experts have now started arriving in Nigeria to assist the government’s rescue efforts.

A senior US official said Washington was also considering a Nigerian request for surveillance aircraft.

But analysts have pointed out the difficulty of using aerial reconnaissance in the region’s rugged forests.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday he believed the schoolgirls were still in his country and had not been moved to neighboring Cameroon.

Boko Haram has admitted capturing the girls, saying they should not have been in school and should get married instead.

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Alan and Si Robertson at Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home fundraising event in Ruston

Sonia Pantiss
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Alan and Si Robertson at Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home fundraising event in Ruston

Duck Dynasty’s Alan Robertson will join his uncle Si Robertson in the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home fundraising event in Ruston on Friday, May 9.

According to the press release, all proceeds of the event will benefit the Children’s Home.

Alan and Si Robertson will share the stage as they entertain the crowd with stories of faith, family and their life on television’s Duck Dynasty.

Alan Robertson will join his uncle Si Robertson in the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home fundraising event in Ruston
Alan Robertson will join his uncle Si Robertson in the Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home fundraising event in Ruston (photo Duck Commander)

Sometimes referred to as the “beardless brother” because he’s the only clean shaven Robertson, Alan joined the cast of Duck Dynasty for the premier of the fourth season, an episode which broke several cable television ratings records.  Previously a local pastor for twenty years, Alan Robertson joined the show and the family business so he could expand his ministry and share the word of God with a larger audience.

“I’m so excited Alan is joining our event,” said Rick Wheat, CEO of Louisiana Methodist Children’s Home.

“Alan and Si make a great team and I expect we’ll all hear an entertaining message about the importance of family and faith.  I can’t wait for the event and I’m encouraging everyone to join us for a fun evening.”

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. at Louisiana Tech University’s Thomas Assembly Center.  General admission tickets to the program with Alan and Si Robertson are $25 for adults, $15 for youth/students, and $12.50 each for groups of 15 or more.

There are also tickets remaining to the special “meet and greet” reception with Alan and Si Robertson beginning at 5:00pm.  The reception includes a professional photo with Si and Alan Robertson, silent and live auction, refreshments, and reserved seating at the main event.  Tickets to the reception are $275 each or $500 for two.

Sponsorships are still available and companies are encouraged to consider sponsoring the event or purchasing a block of tickets for employees and customers.  Current event sponsors include WildHorse Resources, Brennan Dodge, Bank of Ruston, Argent Financial, Princeton Place, Arbor Lakes, Leslie Lakes Retirement Center, Red Peach Radio, The Radio People, Graphic Industries, Children’s Home board member Jeanne Browning, and Aramark.

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Amnesty International: Nigerian authorities failed to act on warnings of Chibok school raid

Roy Siemens
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Amnesty International: Nigerian authorities failed to act on warnings of Chibok school raid

According to Amnesty International, Nigeria’s military had advance warning of an attack on Chibok, where some 270 girls were kidnapped but failed to act.

The human rights group says it was told by credible sources that the military had more than four hours’ warning of the raid by Boko Haram militants.

Fifty-three of the girls escaped soon after being seized in Chibok on April 14 but more than 200 remain captive.

Nigeria’s authorities say they “doubt the veracity” of the Amnesty report.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said on Friday that he believed the schoolgirls were still in his country and had not been moved to neighboring Cameroon.

Fifty-three of the girls escaped soon after being seized in Chibok on April 14 but more than 200 remain captive
Fifty-three of the girls escaped soon after being seized in Chibok on April 14 but more than 200 remain captive

“There are stories that they have moved them outside of the country. But if they move that number of girls to Cameroon, people will see, so I believe they are still in Nigeria,” Goodluck Jonathan told journalists at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Abuja.

Amnesty International says it was told by several people that the military in Maiduguri, capital of the north-eastern Borno state, was informed of the impending attack on Chibok town soon after 19:00 local time.

It says that a local official was contacted by herdsmen who said that armed men had asked them where the Government Girls’ Secondary School was located in the town.

Despite the warning, reinforcements were not sent to help protect the town in the remote area, which was attacked at around midnight, Amnesty International says.

One reason, the rights group says, was a “reported fear of engaging with the often better-equipped armed groups”.

Amnesty’s Africa Director Netsanet Belay said it amounted to a “gross dereliction of Nigeria’s duty to protect civilians”.

Boko Haram has admitted capturing the girls, saying they should not have been in school and should get married instead.

In a video released earlier this week, leader Abubakar Shekau threatened to “sell” the students.

Teams of experts from the US and UK – including military advisers, negotiators and counselors – have arrived in Nigeria to help locate and rescue the abductees.

Seven American military officials arrived on Friday, with more expected to come on Saturday, including three FBI personnel.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden” in the Hausa language, began its insurgency in Borno state in 2009.

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Santa Cruz Mayor Percy Fernandez caught on camera groping journalist Mercedes Guzman

Nancy Clayson
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Santa Cruz Mayor Percy Fernandez caught on camera groping journalist Mercedes Guzman

Santa Cruz Mayor Percy Fernandez is in trouble for groping journalist Mercedes Guzman at a public event.

In a video that’s gone viral, the mayor of Bolivia’s largest city is seen placing his hand on the thigh of Mercedes Guzman on April 30.

The UNO network journalist is first seen on the video greeting the mayor in the traditional Latin-American style, with a kiss on the cheek. When she sits down in her assigned seat next to him, Percy Fernandez, 75, puts his hand on her leg. For a brief moment, there’s a bit of a struggle as the journalist tries to get the mayor’s hand off her thigh. The video was aired by Gigavision, a Bolivian TV network.

It’s not the first time Percy Fernandez’s advances have been seen on video.

In 2012, Percy Fernandez was caught on camera – also at a public event – touching city council President Desireé Bravo’s bottom twice.

Santa Cruz Mayor Percy Fernandez is in trouble for groping journalist Mercedes Guzman at a public event
Santa Cruz Mayor Percy Fernandez is in trouble for groping journalist Mercedes Guzman at a public event

Lupe Cajías, president of the La Paz Association of Journalists, denounced the latest incident and strongly criticized the mayor.

“On one hand, I think it reflects the arrogance of power; and on the other hand, a lack of control of (the mayor’s) own actions. The two things are probably related. If you think there’s no boundaries because you’re above good and evil, then you can grab a journalist’s leg or talk with double-meaning in front of the camera without shame,” Lupe Cajías said.

After a public outcry and complaints by Mercedes Guzman’s family, the mayor’s office sent a video to Santa Cruz media in which Percy Fernandez apologizes for the incident.

“I’m worried that I might’ve disrespected you while you were performing your duties. I apologize again to you and your dignified family,” Percy Fernandez says on the video.

Mario Espíndola, Mercedes Guzman’s husband, accepted the apology but said Percy Fernandez’s behavior is going well beyond just unpleasant and embarrassing moments.

“We all obviously want Percy Fernandez to stop doing that because ultimately him, as mayor, is the one who loses the most,” Mario Espíndola said.

But some say the apology was not enough, that it was forced and insincere.

Opposition lawmaker Marcela Revollo filed a complaint accusing Fernandez of s**ual harassment, s**ual violence and discrimination.

“We consider this an expression of violence against all Bolivian women, considering that the mayor’s actions have happened before,” Marcela Revollo said after filing the complaint.

It’s not yet known if prosecutors will call Percy Fernandez to answer to the charges.

Percy Fernandez is one of the country’s most popular mayors. First elected in 2010 to represent the city of 1.5 million people, Percy Fernandez is expected to run for another five-year term in 2015.

Pagina Siete, a Bolivian newspaper, published a survey Monday showing that the Santa Cruz leader is at the top of a list of popular mayors in Bolivia.

In February, President Evo Morales called Percy Fernandez “the best mayor in Bolivia” and appeared with him at a public event.

There has been no reaction from the president’s office regarding the latest incident and no indication of whether President Evo Morales still endorses the embattled mayor.

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Vladimir Putin visits Crimea for first time since annexation

Diane A. Wade
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Vladimir Putin visits Crimea for first time since annexation

Vladimir Putin is making his first visit to Crimea since Russia annexed it from Ukraine.

The Russian president told crowds marking the 1945 Soviet victory over the Nazis that Crimea had shown loyalty to a “historical truth” in choosing to be part of Russia.

The Kiev government protested at the visit, calling it a “gross violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty”.

Kiev also reported that more than 20 people had died in a security operation against separatists in Mariupol.

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that about 20 pro-Russian protesters and one Ukrainian security officer had been killed in the southern port.

Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists had clashed at the police headquarters, which was set on fire.

Vladimir Putin is making his first visit to Crimea since Russia annexed it from Ukraine
Vladimir Putin is making his first visit to Crimea since Russia annexed it from Ukraine

In the Crimean port of Sevastopol, Vladimir Putin thanked the armed forces for their role in World War Two and hailed the incorporation of the peninsula into the Russian Federation.

He watched a fly-by of Russian aircraft and addressed seamen on naval vessels, as crowds gathered on cliffs overlooking the harbor.

Vladimir Putin said: “I am sure that 2014 will go into the annals of our whole country as the year when the nations living here firmly decided to be together with Russia, affirming fidelity to the historical truth and the memory of our ancestors.”

He earlier addressed thousands during a huge, hour-long military parade in Moscow’s Red Square, vowing to defend the “motherland”.

Vladimir Putin told the crowd that May 9, known as Victory Day in Russia, was a “day of grief and eternal memory” and stressed how the “iron will of the Soviet people” had saved Europe from slavery.

“It is a holiday when an overwhelming force of patriotism triumphs, when all of us feel particularly acutely what it means to be loyal to the motherland and how important it is to defend its interests,” he said.

NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Vladimir Putin’s visit to Crimea was “inappropriate”, adding: “We consider the Russian annexation of Crimea to be illegal, illegitimate and we don’t recognize it.”

US National Security Council spokesperson Laura Magnuson said: “We do not accept Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea. Such a visit will only serve to fuel tensions.”

Ukraine’s interim authorities held subdued memorials to mark the Soviet victory.

A brief veterans’ ceremony was held in Kiev’s main park, in front of PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk and several former presidents.

The authorities feared pro-Russian activists would try to stoke violence if there were any higher profile celebrations.

Nazi Germany invaded the USSR – which included Ukraine – in June 1941 and advanced almost as far as Moscow before being driven back to Berlin.

Crimea was put under Ukrainian administration in 1954.

After the collapse of the USSR, Russia maintained a large military presence on the peninsula, and more than half of the region’s population identified themselves as ethnic Russian.

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Morrissey’s early life to be turned into film

Sonia Pantiss
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Morrissey’s early life to be turned into film

Morrissey’s early life is being turned into a film by the team behind Oscar-nominated short The Voorman Problem.

The former Smiths frontman’s biopic, provisionally entitled Steven, will focus on the singer’s life “pre-Smiths”, growing up in Manchester.

The early life of Morrissey is being turned into a film by the team behind Oscar-nominated short The Voorman Problem
The early life of Morrissey is being turned into a film by the team behind Oscar-nominated short The Voorman Problem

“It’s as much a film for non-Morrissey fans as it is for die-hard devotees,” said director Mark Gill

“But I can’t deny that this is a love letter to Steven Patrick Morrissey and the dark satanic mills of Manchester.”

Mark Gill, whose dark comedy The Voorman Problem starred Martin Freeman and Tom Hollander, said his project would be “more of a portrait than a conventional biopic”.

He will co-write the script with William Thacker. Shooting is scheduled to begin at the end of the year.

It is not known whether Morrissey, 54, has given his blessing to the project.

The singer wrote extensively about his childhood in his recent memoirs, which were published last year.

Morrissey also used his autobiography to criticize the UK legal system and the music business.

Glastonbury 2014: Metallica to headline Saturday night slot

Sonia Pantiss
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Glastonbury 2014: Metallica to headline Saturday night slot

Metallica has been announced as the Saturday night headliners on the Pyramid Stage at this year’s Glastonbury festival.

Metallica will join the previously announced headliners Arcade Fire and Kasabian at the event in Somerset on June 25-29.

Metallica has been announced as the Saturday night headliners on the Pyramid Stage at this year’s Glastonbury festival
Metallica has been announced as the Saturday night headliners on the Pyramid Stage at this year’s Glastonbury festival

It marks Metallica’s debut appearance at Worthy farm and it is the first time a heavy metal band have headlined the event.

Tickets for this year sold out in just one hour and 27 minutes in October.

The news of Metallica’s booking echoes that of the announcement in 2008 that Jay Z was to become the first rapper to fill the coveted Pyramid Stage headline slot.

The rapper won over critics with his exuberant performance, cheekily taking to the stage with a guitar and singing along to Oasis’ song Wonderwall.

Other artists playing this summer include Dolly Parton, De La Soul, Manic Street Preachers and Ed Sheeran.

Hundreds of other acts will play across more than 100 stages at the festival in Somerset.

Oscar Pistorius sells Pretoria house where Reeva Steenkamp died

Clyde K. Valle
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Oscar Pistorius sells Pretoria house where Reeva Steenkamp died

A ballistics expert called by Oscar Pistorius’ defense team at his murder trial in Pretoria has questioned the state’s version of how he shot his girlfriend.

Defense witness Tom Wolmarans says wounds show Reeva Steenkamp may have been standing when first shot.

Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies intentionally shooting Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.

The prosecution alleges he shot her dead after a row and that she was cowering from him in the toilet.

He says he accidentally shot her through the toilet door in a state of panic, mistaking the 29-year-old model and law graduate for an intruder.

Oscar Pistorius has sold his home in the Silverwoods Estate where Reeva Steenkamp died
Oscar Pistorius has sold his home in the Silverwoods Estate where Reeva Steenkamp died

Tom Wolmarans, a former police officer, says all four shots hit Reeva Steenkamp.

The state alleges one missed and ricocheted off a wall and injured her back and that the final bullet hit her hand and head as she was sitting in a defensive position.

But Tom Wolmarans said splinter evidence showed the model was leaning forward towards the door when the first bullet hit her hip.

The next bullet hit Reeva Steenkamp’s arm, the third bullet her hand and the last bullet hit her head as she was falling backwards, he said.

On Thursday the court heard evidence about when Reeva Steenkamp may have eaten her last meal.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Oscar Pistorius has sold his home in the Silverwoods Estate where Reeva Steenkamp died.

He put the house on the market at the end of March in order to fund his legal costs, one of his lawyers said at the time.

An estate agent confirmed to South Africa’s Beeld newspaper that a sale was under way.

Oscar Pistorius trial started at the beginning of March and was expected to last five weeks. The defense has said that it hopes to wrap up its case by May 16.

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Mother’s Day of Duck marathon: Celebrate Mother’s Day with Duck Dynasty

Sonia Pantiss
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Mother’s Day of Duck marathon: Celebrate Mother’s Day with Duck Dynasty

The Robertson family has launched a photo contest for this year’s Mother’s Day of Duck marathon.

The Robertson family has launched a photo contest to celebrate this year’s Mother’s Day
The Robertson family has launched a photo contest to celebrate this year’s Mother’s Day

Duck Dynasty cast wrote on their Facebook page: “Tweet, Instagram or upload a photo of you and your mom with #MothersDayofDuck for your chance to see your image on TV this #MothersDay! #DuckDynasty www.bit.ly/1k4lp4S“

This year’s Mother’s Day is celebrated on Sunday, May 11.

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