The last letter to be written on Titanic has sold for £119,000 ($200,000) at an auction in the UK.
The letter was written by survivors Esther Hart and her 7-year-old daughter Eva eight hours before the ship hit an iceberg and sank in 1912.
The letter only survived because it was in the pocket of her husband’s coat which he gave her to keep warm.
The letter was written by Titanic survivors Esther Hart and her 7-year-old daughter Eva eight hours before the ship hit an iceberg and sank in 1912
Meant for her mother in Chadwell Heath, east London, the letter went under the hammer at a Wiltshire auctioneers.
Esther Hart wrote that they were enjoying what she called the “wonderful’ journey”.
She said they were likely to arrive in New York early because of the speed the ship was doing.
Her husband Benjamin died along with more than 1,500 people in the disaster.
The letter was auctioned at Henry Aldridge & Son of Devizes on Saturday.
While the hammer price was £101,000, fees and other charges brought the total to £119,000, which the auctioneers said was a new world record for a Titanic letter.
Silvio Berlusconi has sparked outrage in Germany by saying “for the Germans, concentration camps never existed”.
The former Italian prime minister was referring to a previous gaffe in which he told a German member of European Parliament that he could play a Nazi concentration camp guard in a film.
His latest comments were at a rally in Milan ahead of the European elections.
German Families Minister Manuela Schwesig said Silvio Berlusconi’s “attacks” against Germans were “unspeakable”.
Silvio Berlusconi has sparked outrage in Germany by saying that for the Germans, concentration camps never existed (photo Wikipedia)
Silvio Berlusconi was referring to a 2003 incident involving Martin Schulz, who is now president of the European parliament.
He had said to Martin Schulz: “I know that in Italy there is a man producing a film on Nazi concentration camps – I shall put you forward for the role of Kapo [guard] – you would be perfect.”
The president of Martin Schulz’s Socialists and Democrats (S&D) bloc, Hannes Swoboda, called Silvio Berlusconi’s latest comments “sickening”.
This is the latest in a long line of Silvio Berlusconi comments to have sparked criticism.
Silvio Berlusconi is one of Italy’s richest men and served as prime minister for nine months from May 1994 and then again for two terms from 2001 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2011.
He faced frequent allegations of conflicts of interest but it was Italy’s debt crisis that forced his resignation in 2011.
Silvio Berlusconi is embroiled in several legal cases and in 2012 was convicted of tax fraud, leading to his expulsion from the Italian Senate. His sentence for that conviction was to carry out community service in an old people’s home.
Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII are to be declared saints at an unprecedented open-air ceremony in Rome on Sunday.
A Mass co-celebrated by Pope Francis and his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict, will be witnessed by one million pilgrims and a vast TV and radio audience.
Nearly 100 foreign delegations are due, including royal dignitaries and heads of state and government.
It is the first time two popes have been canonized at the same time.
Correspondents say the move is being seen as an attempt to unite conservative and reformist camps within the Roman Catholic Church.
Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII are to be declared saints at an unprecedented open-air ceremony in Rome
Pilgrims have been pouring into Rome and special bus, train and boat services ferried many more into the city early on Sunday morning for the two-hour ceremony which starts at 10:00 local.
Some had bagged places to sleep overnight as close as possible to St Peter’s Square, hoping to be among the first in when it opens to the public.
Giant screens have also been erected in nearby streets and elsewhere in the city for those unable to get into the square.
The Vatican confirmed on Saturday that 87-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI would make a rare public appearance alongside his successor, Pope Francis.
“He will co-celebrate, which does not mean he will go to the altar,” a Vatican spokesman said.
“We will all be happy to have him there.”
Benedict XVI became the first pope to resign for 600 years when he quit for health reasons a year ago, sending shock waves around the world.
The process of saint-making is usually long and very costly.
However, John Paul II, whose 26-year reign ended in 2005, has been fast-tracked to sainthood in just nine years.
Many among the huge crowds that gathered as he lay dying cried out “Santo subito!” (Make him a saint immediately!).
By contrast Italian-born John XXIII, known as the Good Pope after his 1958-1963 papacy, had his promotion to full sainthood decided suddenly and very recently by Pope Francis.
By canonizing both John XXIII – the pope who set off the reform movement – and John Paul II – the pope who applied the brakes – Pope Francis has skillfully deflected any possible criticism that he could be taking sides.
South Korea’s PM Chung Hong-won has resigned amid criticism of the government’s handling of the sinking of the Sewol ferry.
In a statement, a sombre Chung Hong-won said the “cries of the families of those missing still keep me up at night”.
The Sewol ferry with 476 people on board – most of them students and teachers – sank off South Korea on April 16.
Officials have confirmed 187 died, but scores are missing presumed drowned.
Furious relatives have repeatedly criticized what they see as the slowness of the recovery operation.
“The right thing for me to do is to take responsibility and resign as a person who is in charge of the cabinet,” Chung Hong-won said in a brief televised statement.
“On behalf of the government, I apologize for many problems from the prevention of the accident to the early handling of the disaster.”
South Korea’s PM Chung Hong-won has resigned amid criticism of the government’s handling of the sinking of the Sewol ferry
He added: “There have been so many varieties of irregularities that have continued in every corner of our society and practices that have gone wrong. I hope these deep-rooted evils get corrected this time and this kind of accident never happens again.”
There was no immediate word from President Park Geun-hye about whether she would accept Chung Hong-won’s resignation.
An opposition party spokesman described it as “thoroughly irresponsible” and a “cowardly evasion” of responsibility.
The day after the disaster, Chung Hong-won was booed and someone threw a water bottle at him when he visited grieving parents.
Divers were battling atrocious weather conditions on Sunday as they tried to retrieve more bodies trapped in the sunken ferry.
A coastguard spokesman said heavy seas whipped up by strong winds were badly complicating recovery efforts.
“The situation is very difficult due to the weather, but we are continuing search efforts, using the occasional calmer periods,” the spokesman said, adding that 93 divers would take part in Sunday’s operation.
All 15 crew members involved in the navigation of the ferry are now in custody, facing criminal negligence charges.
On Friday, divers found 48 bodies of students wearing lifejackets in a single room on the vessel meant to accommodate just over 30 people.
The group was crammed into a dormitory and all were wearing lifejackets, a South Korean Navy officer said.
The presence of so many victims in the cabin suggested many had run into the room when the ship tilted, correspondents said.
The reason for the disaster is still unclear.
But prosecutors are said to be investigating whether modifications made to the ferry made it more unstable.
Factors under consideration include a turn made at about the time the ship began to list, as well as wind, ocean currents and the freight it was carrying.
Zimbabwe’s opposition party – Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) – says it is suspending its leader Morgan Tsvangirai, amid deepening divisions in its ranks.
A statement issued by the party after a meeting in Harare accused Morgan Tsvangirai of a “remarkable failure of leadership”.
It also said Morgan Tsvangirai had deviated from the party’s democratic founding principles.
Morgan Tsvangirai, 62, lost a third election challenge to veteran President Robert Mugabe in 2013 and defied calls to stand down after this defeat.
The MDC leadership is reported to have been riven with in-fighting for months since then.
Morgan Tsvangirai lost a third election challenge to veteran President Robert Mugabe in 2013 and defied calls to stand down after this defeat
Several other senior party figures were also reported to have been suspended at Saturday’s meeting, and some suspended members to have been reinstated.
The MDC statement said the party had been “transformed into a fiefdom of the leader” under Morgan Tsvangirai. It also accused him of sponsoring a culture of violence against MDC members not aligned with him.
MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti, who spoke to journalists after the meeting, said Morgan Tsvangirai and some other senior officials had “betrayed” the MDC’s struggle, AFP reported.
But an MDC spokesperson, Douglas Mwonzora, maintained that Morgan Tsvangirai remained the MDC’s legitimate leader.
“This was not a national council meeting,” he told AFP.
From 2009 to 2013 Morgan Tsvangirai served as prime minister in a fragile power-sharing government, with Robert Mugabe remaining Zimbabwe’s president.
That unity government ended with the elections in July 2013.
Robert Mugabe’s party won a huge majority in the vote, which Morgan Tsvangirai dismissed as fraudulent.
The NBA is investigating a report alleging that Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, made racist remarks.
In a recording posted by TMZ, a man it says is Donald Sterling is heard asking his girlfriend V. Stiviano not to broadcast her association with black people nor bring them to games.
The NBA described the remarks as “disturbing and offensive”.
Donald Sterling later told TMZ the recording “does not reflect his views”.
In a recording posted by TMZ, a man it says is Donald Sterling is heard asking his girlfriend V. Stiviano not to broadcast her association with black people nor bring them to games
The celebrity website published the 10-minute audio recording on Friday.
The conversation is alleged to have taken place after V. Stiviano posted a photo of herself online with the basketball legend, Magic Johnson.
The man specifically mentions Magic Johnson on the recording, saying: “Don’t bring him to my games, OK?”
It was not clear how or when the conversation was recorded.
“We are in the process of conducting a full investigation into the audio recording obtained by TMZ,” NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement.
“The remarks heard on the recording are disturbing and offensive, but at this time we have no further information.”
Magic Johnson later responded on Twitter, saying: “I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner.”
He also said the alleged comments were “a black eye for the NBA”.
In a joint statement later published by TMZ, Donald Sterling and the Clippers said: “We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered.”
“We do know that the woman on the tape – who we believe released it to TMZ – is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family.
“Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life.”
The statement adds: “He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologises to anyone who might have been hurt by them.”
A new Turkish law gives the secret services greater powers of surveillance and extending immunity for its agents.
The law also provides for prison terms of up to 10 years for journalists who publish leaked information.
It is the latest in a series of measures which critics say are designed to bolster the power of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He is accused of introducing the measures to stifle corruption scandals.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused police, prosecutors and judges of being behind leaked information implicating him in a corruption scandal
The new law extends the ability of secret service agents to conduct foreign operations, tap phone conversations and to access data held by private and public institutions.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party, has said the law has effectively turned Turkey into an “intelligence state”.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused police, prosecutors and judges of being behind leaked information implicating him in a corruption scandal.
Earlier this year, recordings surfaced online purportedly of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his son Bilal discussing how to hide large sums of money.
Another scandal broke when a video on the YouTube website emerged appearing to reveal top officials discussing how to stage an undercover attack inside Syria.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government tried to ban YouTube and Twitter but the move was overturned in the courts, although a ban remained on a handful of YouTube videos in particular.
He has purged hundreds of people from the judiciary and police since several of his allies were arrested over another corruption scandal in December.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the recordings are fabricated and has railed against “plots” to undermine him.
Despite the various scandals, his AKP party won more than 45% of the vote at local elections in March.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused US-based cleric and former ally Fethullah Gulen of being behind attempt to topple his government, which Gulen denies.
Afghanistan presidential election preliminary results show the poll will go to a second round, after no candidate reached the 50% needed for an outright win.
Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah won most votes with 44.9%. Former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani came second with 31.5%.
They are now expected to face a run-off vote on May 28.
Final official results are due to be announced on May 14 after a period for adjudication of complaints.
Full preliminary results were due two days ago.
Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani are now expected to face a run-off vote on May 28 (photo Reuters)
The delay has fuelled allegations on all sides that ballot boxes were stuffed and the count was rigged, our correspondent says.
Power-sharing scotched
Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani could now form a power-sharing deal, or choose to go to a second round.
Before the results were announced, both men promised to fight in a run-off.
“We have not talked or negotiated with anyone about forming a coalition government,” Abdullah Abdullah told reporters on Thursday.
Millions of Afghans defied Taliban threats to take part in the election.
Turnout was double that of the previous presidential election in 2009, despite a number of attacks in the run-up and bad weather on polling day.
Afghanistan’s current President Hamid Karzai was constitutionally barred from standing for a third term.
One Direction band is accused of plagiarism over the video for their latest single You & I.
Australian production company Oh Yeah Wow claims One Direction’s You & I clip is copied from a video it shot for Clubfeet’s Everything You Wanted.
A statement on Oh Yeah Wow’s reads: “It seems that the chaps of One Direction have taken it upon themselves to regurgitate our original concept.
“Don’t get us wrong, we here at Oh Yeah Wow are big One Direction fans.”
Referring to differences between the former X Factor group’s video and their own, it adds: “Yes 1d fans, we are aware ours doesn’t have the creepy facial morph stuff.”
Australian production company Oh Yeah Wow claims One Direction’s You & I clip is copied from a video it shot for Clubfeet’s Everything You Wanted
The post goes on to explain that the production company is not against inspiration helping what it calls “creative evolution”, but says “plagiarism and copycatting is becoming increasingly common and acceptable”.
It adds: “Considering the sleep deprivation one must endure to create an original piece with practically no budget, you can start to understand the annoyance we might feel when some affluent young bucks and a director devoid of creativity, decide to effectively steal (and subsequently dilute) our idea.”
The post then provides the Twitter handles of the band and the video’s director and encourages readers to post the message on social media using #nodirection.
Last year, Uncut published a statement from The Who guitarist Pete Townshend denying rumors that he was taking action over the similarity between his band’s Baba O’Riley and One Direction’s Best Song Ever.
Avril Lavigne has denied her most recent music video for Hello Kitty is racist.
The video clip, which appeared on Avril Lavigne’s on April 22, has faced criticism for its depiction of Japanese culture.
It appeared on YouTube on Tuesday before being taken down and reappearing the following day.
The video has since been reported it was removed because it was leaked, rather than because of the negative response it received.
Avril Lavigne has denied her most recent music video for Hello Kitty is racist
One review called the video “unseemly” and “an embarrassment in any language” adding that the presence of “four identical, creepily expressionless Asian women” standing behind the Canadian singer during the video was offensive to Asian culture.
Another suggested that there are “serious questions about whether it’s offensive (expressionless Asian dancers, Tokyo-as-prop) or offensively obvious”.
In response, Avril Lavigne wrote on Facebook: “RACIST??? LOLOLOL!!! I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan.
“I flew to Tokyo to shoot this video specifically for my Japanese fans, WITH my Japanese label, Japanese choreographers AND a Japanese director IN Japan.”
Despite negative reviews, many of Avril Lavigne’s fans praised the video, including a comment on the singer’s website which reads: “I came here to say that this video is excellent for the song design, you guys did a good job to try an capture that hello kitty obsession, overall concept, feel and visual,etc.
“People who dislike this don’t have a freaking clue about the range of musical diversity.”
Hello Kitty will be the fourth track to be taken from Avril Lavigne’s recent self-titled fifth studio album.
Oasis is not playing Glastonbury this year, festival organizer Emily Eavis confirmed on Twitter.
Bookies had suspended bets on the band playing after Liam Gallagher sent a cryptic series of tweets, using letters to spell out the name of his former band.
This year’s Saturday headliner still hasn’t been announced.
Oasis is not playing Glastonbury this year
It’s 20 years since the release of Oasis’ debut album Definitely Maybe.
Emily Eavis confirmed the band wouldn’t be appearing in a simple tweet, responding to someone asking her directly.
Liam Gallagher’s tweet could have been linked to the fact he was pictured this week with Oasis band mate Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs.
The pair apparently had a drink together, with Bonehead tweeting the word “pub” in a similar style to Liam Gallagher’s message.
Arcade Fire and Kasabian are the headliners for the Friday and Sunday nights of the festival, held in Somerset at the end of June.
The Black Keys, Dolly Parton and Lily Allen are some of the other acts performing over the weekend.
Spring is the perfect time to give your home a makeover. The warmer days, with their additional daylight, will give you the impetus to renew your living space.
Here are five ideas to use when renovating your house.
1. The walls
Why not take some inspiration from the experts? It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can transform a room and if you want to get some additional ideas on colour and wall coverings take a look at The Ideal Home website. Remember that even though virulent green, for example, may be the colour of choice for interior designers, it might not suit your house, especially if the rooms are small. Sometimes it’s better to opt for more neutral colours and then personalise the space with some pictures or lighting effects.
Spring is the perfect time to give your home a makeover (photo Imgur)
2. The floor
An old carpet can very easily make a room look tired and unloved. If the carpet is threadbare, and beyond repair, this might be a good time to think of an alternative floor covering. You might consider a visit to a specialist such as www.easystepflooring.co.uk in order to have a look at natural wooden floors. These are easy to clean, and they will enhance the natural dimensions of your room.
3. The main bedroom
All too often busy parents spend their time and energy on their children’s rooms and neglect the appearance of their own room. A bedroom should be the place where you can relax at the end of an arduous day. Take a good look around the room; see if you can include a comfortable chair with your décor. The lighting should be calming; a dimmer switch is always a good idea. Good Housekeeping is an excellent resource for new ideas. Sometimes you just need to change the soft furnishings to affect a total transformation.
4. Furniture
It may be too expensive to replace all of your furniture, but you can always reupholster tired sofas and chairs. If your room is small, try not to choose a busy or vibrant pattern. You can always visit your local charity shop or auction house for additional furniture and restoring good quality wooden desks or chairs can actually be good fun. If you are following an overall theme for your house, try to stick to it. Though, with shabby chic, the rules demand to be broken.
5. Lighting
Most rooms can be enhanced with clever lighting. A single overhead light can be very harsh, so why not balance the appearance of your room with a mix of sidelights, spots and dimmed lights? Halogen bulbs are useful for mimicking daylight if your room is dark. You can also use tinted light bulbs, rather than the standard white variety. Remember that a simple change of lampshades can also change your room’s ambience.
You don’t have to spend a fortune when transforming your home. As long as you employ a little imagination, carry out some research and be realistic about the effect that you are trying to achieve, you’ll be able to give your house the makeover it deserves.
Beyonce features the cover of Time magazine’s special 100 most influential people issue in 2014.
Beyonce was profiled by Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, who said the 32-year-old “doesn’t just sit at the table. She builds a better one”.
Sheryl Sandberg recently collaborated on a campaign to ban the use of the word “bossy” to describe women at work.
Others who made the list included Pope Francis – profiled by Barack Obama, who also featured – and Pharrell Williams.
Beyonce features the cover of Time magazine’s special 100 most influential people issue in 2014 (photo Time magazine)
Other stars considered among the world’s most influential people include Sherlock‘s Benedict Cumberbatch – championed by fellow actor Colin Firth – and 12 Years a Slave director Steve McQueen, dubbed “a visionary” by one of the film’s star Lupita Nyong’o.
Kerry Washington, American Hustle star Amy Adams and intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden also made the list, as did Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez who wrote the soundtrack to hit Disney film Frozen.
Miley Cyrus was championed by her godmother Dolly Parton who said: “If I didn’t know how smart and talented Miley is, I might worry about her.”
Dolly Paton added: “I did it my way, so why can’t she do it her way?”
Beyonce was credited with having “shattered music-industry rules – and sales records” when she released her surprise album in December last year.
Sheryl Sandberg, who shared her own perspective on women in the workplace in her book Lean In last year, championed Beyonce as “The Boss”.
“She raises her voice both on and offstage to urge women to be independent and lead,” she wrote.
Beyonce’s career has gone from strength to strength since her days in Destiny’s Child. It has taken in film roles and a fashion line, alongside sold out world tours such as last year’s Mrs. Carter Show.
Matthew McConaughey, House of Cards star Robin Wright and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Donna Tartt are also regarded as hugely influential.
Gravity director Alfonso Cuaron made the list for providing “some of the most arresting, visually stunning work in recent cinema”, according to Star Trek director JJ Abrams.
Photo messaging app Snapchat creators Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos also featured on the list, alongside politicians like Hilary Clinton, Germany’s Angela Merkel and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Actor, director and Sundance Film Festival creator Robert Redford – “the godfather of indie film” according to Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein – was also honored, as was fashion designer Phoebe Philo and American Idol winner and country star Carrie Underwood.
Pharrell Williams made the list for “having way too much fun”, according to Justin Timberlake, whose debut solo album was produced by Williams.
Microsoft has completed Nokia’s mobile phone deal for 5.44 billion euros ($7.5 billion).
The deal between Microsoft and Nokia should have been completed earlier this year but it was delayed by a hold-up in regulatory approvals.
The sale will see the end of production of mobile phones by Nokia.
Microsoft has completed its purchase of Nokia’s mobile phone business for 5.44bn euros
“Today we welcome the Nokia devices and services business to our family,” said Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella.
“The mobile capabilities and assets they bring will advance our transformation.”
Noki will now focus on networks, mapping services and technology development and licenses.
Two Nokia plants will remain outside the deal – a manufacturing unit in Chennai, India, subject to an asset freeze by Indian tax authorities, and the Masan plant in South Korea, which it plans to shut down.
Former Nokia chief executive Stephen Elop has become executive vice president of the Microsoft devices group, in charge of Lumia smartphones and tablets, Nokia mobile phones, Xbox hardware, Microsoft Surface, and Perceptive Pixel (PPI) products.
Five NATO soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, the NATO-led security mission ISAF has said.
Five NATO soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan
ISAF gave no further details, saying in a statement that it was still reviewing the circumstances of the crash. The nationalities of the soldiers are unknown at this stage.
Afghan officials said the helicopter had come down in Kandahar province because of a mechanical failure.
Foreign forces are due to hand over responsibility for security to their Afghan counterparts at the end of 2014.
Fatal incidents involving foreign troops have declined as they prepare for the withdrawal.
However, such crashes have been relatively frequent over the years because coalition forces depend heavily on air transport.
Barack Obama has arrived in Malaysia – the third leg of the US president Asian tour.
President Barack Obama is the first serving American leader to visit the predominantly-Muslim nation since 1966.
The visit signals closer bilateral relations after decades of uneasy ties.
Barack Obama is expected to seek closer trade relations with Malaysia to dilute China’s influence in the region.
The US has already provided Kuala Lumpur with military assistance, most recently in the search for the missing Malaysian airline.
President Barack Obama is the first serving American leader to visit Malaysia since 1966
Barack Obama landed at Malaysia’s Air Force base in Subang on Saturday evening local time.
The US president has already visited Japan and South Korea as part of a four-nation tour of Asia.
Ahead of the visit, Malaysia’s government controlled newspapers printed the American flag on their front pages, along with the words “Welcome, Mr. President”.
But some analysts say it has taken Barack Obama too long to visit Malaysia, especially since he lived in the region as a child.
American presidents had stayed away because of years of anti-Western rhetoric under former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad, but current PM Najib Razak wants Washington to recognize Malaysia as a global player.
In his turn, Barack Obama wants Kuala Lumpur to sign a free trade deal with 10 other nations – the so-called Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Ben Rhodes, Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser, said relations between the US and Malaysia had blossomed in recent years.
Malaysia has become a “pivotal state” in the Obama administration’s push to strengthen ties throughout the fast-growing and strategically important region, the Associated Press quoted Ben Rhodes as saying.
However, some Malay Muslims claim that the US-led trade deal will reduce their economic privileges over other ethnic groups in the country.
Barack Obama arrived in Malaysia from South Korea and will finish his Asian tour in the Philippines on April 29.
Ford has reported a 39% drop in 2014 Q1 profits as its performance in the key North American market weakened.
Ford earned $989 million in the January to March period, down from $1.64 billion a year before.
Profits in North America fell to $1.5 billion from $2.4 billion in 2013, with sales volumes in the region down by 3%.
The carmaker also set aside $400 million to boost its reserve fund that deals with vehicle warranty issues, such as safety recalls and dealing with customer complaints.
Ford has reported a 39 percent drop in 2014 Q1 profits as its performance in the key North American market weakened
Ford CFO Bob Shanks said the boosting of such contingency funds was normal across the car industry, as vehicles became more complex.
The company’s boss Alan Mulally said it had been a “solid quarter”, as the firm prepared for “the most aggressive product launch schedule in its history”.
Ford is launching a record 23 new vehicles globally in 2014.
Overall revenue for the first quarter rose slightly to $35.9 billion, and it sold 1.6 million vehicles in the three months, a rise of 6%.
Ford said it had increased its market share in China, and in the Asia Pacific region it reported profits of $291 million compared with a loss of $28 million.
In Europe, Ford reduced losses to $194 million from a deficit of $425 million a year earlier.
Currency devaluations in Venezuela and Argentina meant losses in the South American region widened to $510 million from $218 million last year.
Profits in the Middle East and Africa rose 15% to $54 million.
The last letter to be written on the Titanic could fetch $170,000 when it will be auctioned in the UK later.
The letter was written by survivors Esther Hart and her 7-year-old daughter Eva eight hours before the ship hit an iceberg and sank in 1912.
The letter only survived because it was in the pocket of her husband’s coat which he gave her to keep warm.
Meant for her mother in Chadwell Heath, east London, the letter will go under the hammer at a Wiltshire auctioneers.
Esther Hart wrote that they were enjoying what she called the “wonderful’ journey”.
She said they were likely to arrive in New York early because of the speed the ship was doing.
The letter was written by survivors Esther Hart and her 7-year-old daughter Eva eight hours before the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in 1912
Her husband Benjamin died along with more than 1,500 people in the disaster.
The letter will be auctioned at Henry Aldridge & Son of Devizes on Saturday.
Titanic memorabilia continues to be big business. A menu from the day of the disaster was sold for $129,000, while a violin played as the ship sank went for $1.5 million.
Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge said the letter was unique.
“It’s very rare because it’s a letter that’s written on board Titanic, which makes it exceptional,” he said.
“But what rises it to the absolute top of the pile is it’s the only letter known that was written on Sunday 14 April, so the day the ship hit the iceberg.
“So we can say with absolute certainty that about 12 hours after this letter was written the Titanic was at the bottom of the North Atlantic.”
The letter, embossed with the White Star Line flag, is headed “On Board RMS Titanic” and dated “Sunday afternoon”.
In it, Esther Hart describes being sick the day before and unable to eat or drink.
She said she had since recovered and had been to a church service with Eva that morning.
She wrote that Eva had sung “so nicely” to the hymn Oh God Our Help In Ages Past and they were both due to sing in a concert on board “tomorrow night”.
Remarking on the stability of the ship, which was not supposed to roll, Esther Hart wrote: “Anyhow it rolls enough for me.”
She added: “Well, the sailors say we have had a wonderful passage up to now.”
The Titanic sank on the night of Sunday April 14, 1912, on the fifth day of its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic.
The G7 powers have agreed to impose fresh sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
A G7 statement gave no detail of the sanctions, but US officials said they could announce measures by Monday.
The West accuses Russia of leading a secession rebellion in Ukraine’s east, months after it annexed Crimea. Moscow denies the allegations.
Meanwhile, negotiators are trying to secure the release of international observers seized by pro-Russia gunmen.
Forces in the city of Sloviansk are still holding the eight European military observers and several Ukrainian army personnel who they seized on Friday and accuse of espionage.
The observers were taking part in a mission linked to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Forces in Sloviansk are holding eight European military observers and several Ukrainian army personnel (photo AFP)
Rebel militia continue to occupy official buildings in a dozen eastern cities, defying the government in Kiev.
Russia has tens of thousands of troops deployed along its side of the border with Ukraine and has said it would act if its interests were threatened.
The US accused Russian jets of violating Ukraine’s airspace on Friday in a further sign of escalation.
Pentagon spokesman Col. Steven Warren said Russian aircraft had entered Ukrainian airspace several times in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the G7 praised Ukraine for acting with restraint in dealing with the “armed bands” that had occupied government buildings.
But the group, which includes the US, UK, Germany, Japan, France, Canada and Italy, condemned Russia’s “increasingly concerning rhetoric and ongoing threatening military maneuvers”.
“Given the urgency of securing the opportunity for a successful and peaceful democratic vote next month in Ukraine’s presidential elections, we have committed to act urgently to intensify targeted sanctions and measures to increase the costs of Russia’s actions,” said the statement.
The US and EU already has assets freezes and travel bans in place target a number of Russian individuals and firms accused of playing a part in the annexation of Crimea.
On Friday, Ukraine’s interior ministry said armed separatists had seized OSCE representatives, who were believed to be military observers from Germany, Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic.
Pro-Russian leaders in Sloviansk confirmed the bus had been stopped near the town of Sloviansk and said they were checking the identities of those on board.
The self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, said at least one passenger had been carrying maps showing separatist checkpoints in the area, which suggested “their involvement in espionage”.
Last weekend, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov broadcast an appeal to President Vladimir Putin asking for Russian troops to protect the city from “fascists” after three of his men died in a gunfight.
Russia’s OSCE envoy Andrei Kelin promised to take “all possible steps” to free the representatives, according to Russian media reports.
South Korean authorities have arrested all 15 crew members involved in the navigation of the ill-fated Sewol passenger ferry.
They are all facing criminal negligence charges.
The prosecution requested arrest warrants for four additional crew members. Eleven others, including the captain, had been detained earlier.
Sewol ferry with 476 people on board sank off South Korea on April 16.
Divers have recovered 183 bodies, but scores are missing presumed drowned.
Many of the victims were students and teachers from Danwon high school, south of Seoul.
Sewol ferry with 476 people on board sank off South Korea on April 16.
The ferry sank on a trip from the port of Incheon to the island of Jeju.
In the latest move on Saturday, the arrests warrants were issued for two helmsmen and two members of the steering crew.
Prosecutor Yang Jung-jin, of the joint investigation team, said the four crew members were taken into custody late on Friday, the Associated Press reported.
The 15 crew members are facing charges of criminal negligence and of failing to help passengers, the prosecution says.
On Friday, divers found 48 bodies of students wearing lifejackets in a single room on the vessel meant to accommodate just over 30 people.
The group was crammed into a dormitory and all were wearing lifejackets, a South Korean Navy officer said.
The presence of so many victims in the cabin suggested many had run into the room when the ship tilted, correspondents said.
The head of the operation to retrieve bodies said he had “no idea” how long the ship search would take.
The South Korean government has said it is “mobilizing all available resources” towards the rescue effort.
The prosecutors are also said to be investigating whether modifications made to the ferry made it more unstable.
Standard & Poor’s has downgraded Russia’s rating to “BBB-“from “BBB” – one notch above “junk” status.
The move comes as foreign investors continue to take money out of the country amid tensions over the situation in Ukraine.
Also on Friday, Russia’s central bank raised its key interest rate from 7% to 7.5% as it sought to defend the value of the rouble.
Announcing the downgrade, S&P said: “In our view, the tense geopolitical situation between Russia and Ukraine could see additional significant outflows of both foreign and domestic capital from the Russian economy.”
The credit ratings agency said this could “further undermine already weakening growth prospects”.
Standard & Poor’s has cut Russia’s rating to one notch above “junk” status (photo CBC)
S&P warned that further downgrades were possible if the West imposed tighter sanctions against Moscow.
Investors have been pulling money out of Russia since last year when the country’s economy ran into trouble, but this process has intensified in recent weeks amid concerns over Ukraine.
In the first quarter of this year, foreign investors have withdrawn $63.7 billion from Russia, and economic growth has slowed significantly – it is expected to grow at no more than 0.5% during 2014.
Russian shares, which have traded lower this week, fell further following the downgrade, with the MICEX stock index slipping over 1.6% at one stage.
Russia’s central bank said its rate rise was because of a higher inflation risk and the weakness of the rouble. The Russian currency has lost nearly 8% against the dollar this year.
The bank said its move would enable it to lower inflation to 6% by the end of 2014 and added it did not plan on cutting rates in coming months.
Russia’s Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev dismissed S&P’s move, saying that “partially, it is kind of a politically motivated decision”.
However, analysts said other credit rating agencies were likely to follow suit.
Brazilian former army colonel Paulo Malhaes, who admitted torturing and killing political prisoners under military rule up to the 1980s, has been found dead.
Paulo Malhaes, 76, was killed by three men who entered his home outside Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, police say.
Last month, Paulo Malhaes said he never regretted killing “as many people as necessary” and tortured “many” prisoners.
Almost 500 people disappeared or were killed in Brazil when it was ruled by the army between 1964 and 1985.
Thousands more were detained and tortured, including current President Dilma Rousseff.
Last month Col. Paulo Malhaes appeared before Brazil’s National Truth Commission, which is investigating past abuses
According to his wife, Col. Paulo Malhaes was suffocated by three men who broke into their home. Police say the assailants stole computers and some guns.
Prominent Brazilian lawyer Wadih Damous said the intruders may have been after secret files he held.
Last month Col. Paulo Malhaes appeared before Brazil’s National Truth Commission, which is investigating past abuses.
He gave testimony on how he had tortured many political prisoners.
“I did my duty. I have no regrets,” he told the commission.
He defended his actions saying that the people he killed and tortured were “guerrillas who fought an armed struggle”.
Brazilian police say they are looking for CCTV images which might help identify Col. Paulo Malhaes’ killers.
Duck Dynasty’s Missy Robertson celebrated her 43rd birthday on Tuesday, April 22 – the same day as her brother-in-law and Duck Commander CEO, Willie Robertson.
Missy Robertson spent her birthday watching son Reed and nephew John Luke (Willie and Korie Robertson’s son) play in tennis regionals.
She wrote on her Facebook page: “Beautiful day for a birthday watching Reed and John Luke play in tennis regionals. Thank you, everybody, for so many sweet wishes! I am blessed beyond measure.”
Missy Robertson spent her birthday watching son Reed and nephew John Luke’s play in tennis regionals (photo Facebook)
After marrying Jase Robertson in 1991, and now busy raising another generation of Robertsons, Missy West learned early on that she needed to step up her game.
With help from her mother-in-law, Miss Kay, Missy Robertson transitioned into the lifestyle of a large family easily. She also learned that being a Robertson meant helping with the family business.
However, after working for Duck Commander for many years, Missy Robertson is now able to devote much of her time to her real passion of vocal music, both singing and volunteering as a music teacher at her children’s school.
Missy Robertson also handles her own family’s many activities and tries her best to keep 44-year-old Jase in line.
Jase and Missy Robertson have been married for more than 22 years and have three children: Reed, Cole, and Mia.
