Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s appointment to the board of file-sharing company Dropbox is being criticized by some service users.
Protests on social media say Condoleezza Rice is a controversial figure after revelations of widespread wiretapping on US citizens during her time in office.
A petition has been launched inviting supporters to boycott the company.
However, some analysts claim the bigger concerns for the file-sharing company are competing services.
Condoleezza Rice’s appointment to the board of file-sharing company Dropbox is being criticized by some service users
Following the launch of Mailbox for Android and the wider implementation of Dropbox for Business, the company also announced the addition of Condoleezza Rice as a new board member.
Condoleezza Rice, who served as former President George W. Bush’s Secretary of State from 2005 to 2009 and National Security Adviser from 2001 to 2005, was appointed by Dropbox to expand its global footprint, according to its official blog.
However, this has been condemned by some Dropbox users who have launched a campaign.
Voicing concerns on social media, some have said it is inappropriate for the file-sharing company to hire Condoleezza Rice, accusing her of being involved in widespread wiretapping during her time in office.
Those pressing Dropbox to revoke Condoleezza Rice’s appointment are using the hashtag #DropDropbox in an attempt to boycott the company.
A petition has also been created which amassed approximately 3,000 signatures in its first few hours.
Dropbox has yet to release an official statement addressing the backlash, but a company’s recent blog post said: “We’re honored to be adding someone as brilliant and accomplished as Ms Rice to our team.”
The US Department of Homeland Security has warned that it believes hackers are trying to make use of the Heartbleed bug.
It advised the public to change passwords for sites affected by the flaw once they had confirmed they were secure.
However, an official added that there had not been any reported attacks or malicious incidents.
The alert comes as several makers of net hardware and software revealed some of their products had been compromised.
Affected equipment includes network routers and switches, video conferencing kit, phone call software, firewalls and apps that let workers remotely access company data.
The encryption flaw can potentially be exploited to steal passwords and secret keys used to protect computer users.
Experts say home kit is less at risk.
The Department of Homeland Security advised the public to change passwords for sites affected by the flaw once they had confirmed they were secure
There had been reports that domestic home networking equipment – such as Wi-Fi routers – might also make use of unpatched versions of the OpenSSL cryptographic library used to digitally scramble sensitive data.
However, a security researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory said he thought this would be a relatively rare occurrence.
News of the Heartbleed bug emerged on Monday when Google Security and Codenomicon – a Finnish security company – revealed that a flaw had existed in OpenSSL for more than two years.
This had made it possible to impersonate services and users, and potentially eavesdrop on data communications.
The flaw only exposed 64K of data at a time, but a malicious party could theoretically make repeated grabs until they had the information they wanted.
The website set up to publicize the danger noted that it was possible to carry out such an attack “without leaving a trace”, making it impossible to know for sure if criminals or cyberspies had taken advantage of it.
Media reports initially focused on the risk of logging into compromised online services such as webmail, cloud storage and banking, with some – but not all – companies suggesting users should reset their passwords.
Warnings from companies including Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, Red Hat and Watchguard Technologies that some of their internet products are compromised may now place the spotlight on the corporate sector.
The US government has said that it was working with third-party organizations “to determine the potential vulnerabilities to computer systems that control essential systems – like critical infrastructure, user-facing and financial systems”.
Meanwhile, officials suggested members of the public should “closely monitor your email accounts, bank accounts, social media accounts and other online assets for irregular or suspicious activity, such as abnormal purchases or messages”.
Oscar Pistorius said that Reeva Steenkamp did not scream or shout as he grabbed a gun and fired shots that killed her.
At the athlete’s murder trial in Pretoria, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said it was “improbable” that Reeva Steenkamp would stand in the bathroom saying nothing while Oscar Pistorius was just 10 ft away shouting at her to call the police.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, said he could not explain why she had not shouted out.
The Paralympic champion denies murder saying the killing was a terrible accident.
He admits killing Reeva Steenkamp but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius believed Reeva Steenkamp had been in bed when he grabbed his gun, made his way to the bathroom and fired shots through the door.
The prosecution says he killed her after an argument.
On the third day of his cross-examination, Gerrie Nel pressed Oscar Pistorius to explain the final moments leading up to the shooting.
Gerrie Nel asked why he had not checked whether Reeva Steenkamp had heard his calls for her to phone the police, or why he had not taken her to safety instead of going to confront the supposed intruder.
Oscar Pistorius said that Reeva Steenkamp did not scream or shout as he grabbed a gun and fired shots that killed her
Oscar Pistorius said it was his personality to confront what he believed was an intruder.
The trial has been adjourned until Monday morning.
Later, Gerrie Nel questioned Oscar Pistorius’s account that he had not heard Reeva Steenkamp shout or scream during the whole incident.
He said it was the “most improbable” part of the account.
“At that stage when you shouted at Reeva to phone the police, she was 3 m away from you in the toilet, but she didn’t say anything,” he said.
“Why would she not say anything?”
Oscar Pistorius said he did not know.
The prosecutor accused the athlete of lying, and said he had shot Reeva Steenkamp while she was talking to him from the bathroom.
“She wasn’t scared of an intruder,” he said.
“She was scared of you.”
He went on: “Are you sure that Reeva did not scream after the first shot?”
Oscar Pistorius took a long time to answer, and broke down into sobs.
“At no point did Reeva shout out or scream,” he said.
Gerrie Nel then disputed his claim, saying he would not have been able to hear if he had just fired his gun.
Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defense disputes their testimony.
Gerrie Nel repeated a line of attack he had used on Thursday, testing the defendant’s version of events, and accusing him of lying.
Oscar Pistorius told the court he had heard a window opening and closing, and had immediately got out of bed and grabbed his gun.
“I told Reeva to get down and phone the police,” he said.
Gerrie Nel asked if he had not looked at Reeva Steenkamp, or asked if she had heard the noise.
“On the morning of the 14th I was sure of what I heard,” he said.
“My whole being was fixated on this person that I thought was in the bathroom.”
The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp.
If he is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive up to 15 years in prison.
Oscar Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.
Category 3 Cyclone Ita has hit northern Queensland in Australia with “very destructive” winds of more than 140 mph.
The storm is crossing the coast near Cape Flattery and will head south-south-west overnight, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.
Residents in low-lying areas have been warned to prepare for damaging waves, strong currents and flooding.
It is the strongest storm to hit since Cyclone Yasi, which struck in 2011.
Previously classed as a category-five storm, it was downgraded by the BOM at 17:51 local time to category four, then category three when it hit the Cape York Peninsula.
Category 3 Cyclone Ita has hit northern Queensland in Australia with “very destructive” winds of more than 140 mph (photo ABC)
However, the BOM warned it was still carrying “very destructive winds” of 140 mph.
In its bulletin at 23:00 local time, BOM said the storm was estimated to be 30 miles north of Cooktown and 135 miles north-north-west of Cairns.
Residents in coastal areas were also warned to expect a “dangerous storm tide overnight” and rising sea levels that could flood low-lying areas.
“People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to follow instructions regarding evacuation of the area,” BOM said in its advisory.
Residents in the cyclone’s path – between Cape Melville and Cooktown – should “stay calm and remain in a secure shelter”, it added.
The Cape York peninsula is sparsely populated, with residents concentrated in a number of towns.
A cyclone warning is in place in coastal areas including Cooktown, Cape Melville, Port Douglas and Cairns, and several inland areas.
Cooktown Mayor Peter Scott said in quotes carried by ABC that around 350 people were in the town’s cyclone shelter.
Cyclone Ita brought torrential rain to the Solomon Islands late last week, causing flash floods that left at least 21 people dead.
Kylie Minogue has confirmed she will quit The Voice UK after one series.
Kylie Monogue, 45, joined the talent show last year, replacing Jessie J, and was credited with boosting viewing figures during the first few episodes.
However, the singer said touring commitments meant she would be unable to return for a second series.
Kylie Minogue tweeted: “Due to timing of my tour I won’t be back next season for The Voice UK.”
Kylie Minogue has confirmed she will quit The Voice UK after one series (photo BBC One)
“Thanks to all who supported!”
“I absolutely loved my time on the show, and I’ll miss all of the incredible people who were a part of my experience,” the singer said.
Jermain Jackman was crowned the winner of this year’s series, marking the first victory for mentor will.i.am.
Kylie Minogue’s candidate in the final, Jamie Johnson, was eliminated in the first round of phone voting.
Although the third series of The Voice enjoyed a ratings spike during the audition stages, peaking with 9.41 million viewers, the live final was the least successful yet.
An average audience of 6.6 million tuned in for the show, down from 7.24 million in 2012, and 7.1 million people the year before.
The BBC has already commissioned another two series of The Voice.
It has not yet been confirmed whether Kylie Minogue’s fellow panelists Tom Jones, Ricky Wilson and will.i.am will return for the fourth series next year.
German furniture store chain Zurbrueggen has apologized for selling mugs with Adolf Hitler’s face on them.
The ceramic cups feature a faint image of a Nazi-era postage stamp with Adolf Hitler’s profile on it, postmarked with a swastika stamp.
The mug also features a rose and handwriting in English.
Zurbrueggen has apologized for selling mugs with Adolf Hitler’s face on them (photo AFP)
The Zurbrueggen furniture chain apologized for the “terrible” mistake, which it blamed on “a stupid chain of unfortunate circumstances”.
The cups’ Chinese designer had mistakenly chosen the image of the former dictator, it said, which the chain then ordered in error – 5,000 of them.
“No one noticed the problem during unpacking,” the company’s owner told the Neue Westfaelische Zeitung daily newspaper.
The small chain sold 175 of the mugs before anyone drew attention to the black and white profile of the world’s most infamous Nazi.
Those customers could make a profit on their purchase, though. The company promised to compensate them with a 20-euro ($28) gift voucher – a significant mark-up on the original 1.99 euro price.
The company may not be the only one keen to get hold of the notorious mugs.
The Neue Westfaelische Zeitung also reports that a contemporary history museum in Bonn, the House of History, has also expressed “great interest” in getting hold of some.
Ukraine’s interim PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk has offered to devolve more powers to eastern regions, where pro-Russian separatists are defying the government.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk is holding talks with regional leaders in Donetsk, where activists demanding self-rule are holding a big government building.
It is not clear if the prime minister’s offer will satisfy the separatists.
The threat of Russia cutting gas deliveries has now prompted Ukraine to seek gas from French and German firms.
The EU says it can pump gas back to Ukraine with reverse-flow pipeline technology. Usually the Russian gas flows to Europe via Ukraine.
In Kiev, Ukraine’s Energy Minister Yuri Prodan said it would seek the gas “on the conditions offered by European gas companies”, which he named as Germany’s RWE and “a French gas company”.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk is holding talks with regional leaders in Donetsk, where activists demanding self-rule are holding a big government building (photo CNN)
On Thursday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said in a letter to 18 European countries that gas supplies to Ukraine could be cut if Kiev did not pay off its debts, and warned this could affect gas deliveries to Europe.
In 2009, a Russian gas dispute with Ukraine led to gas shortages in several EU countries.
Gazprom says Ukraine owes it $2.2 billion (1.4 billion euros) and recently doubled the price it must pay.
The US has accused Russia of using energy “as a tool of coercion” over Ukraine, and says it is working to help Ukraine find gas and financing.
In Donetsk, Arseniy Yatsenyuk urged regional leaders to tell locals that the Kiev government would ensure security and economic progress in the east, Interfax news agency reports.
“In the framework of the changed constitution, we will be able to satisfy specific requests of every single region,” he pledged.
But Kiev has rejected Russian pressure to turn Ukraine into a loose federation, fearing that more regions could break away and join Russia.
The separatist protest follows Russia’s annexation of Crimea last month – described as the biggest political confrontation in Europe since the end of the Cold War.
Near Donetsk on Friday seven miners died in a gas explosion, apparently unrelated to the current tensions.
The mainly Russian-speaking region is dominated by Soviet-era coal-mining and heavy industry.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk pledged that the Russian language would keep its official status in the region, in parallel with Ukrainian.
Language is a highly sensitive issue in eastern Ukraine, where ties with Russia are strong.
The billionaire industrialist Rinat Akhmetov – reckoned to be Ukraine’s richest man – is participating in the talks.
NATO says up to 40,000 Russian troops are massed near Ukraine’s eastern border.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called for legal guarantees of Ukraine’s neutrality, reminding NATO that it should not try to draw Ukraine into the alliance.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk is also expected to travel to another eastern city, Dnipropetrovsk, which has also seen protests.
Activists in Ukraine’s mostly Russian-speaking east have also been occupying a state security building in the city of Luhansk, with gunmen armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles among them.
Ukrainian officials are trying to negotiate a deal whereby the protesters would vacate the buildings in return for protection from prosecution.
The interim government accuses Russia of orchestrating the unrest, as a provocation similar to the anti-Kiev protests which gripped Crimea. Russia denies the claim.
Talks are due to take place in Geneva next week between Russia, Ukraine, US and the EU – the first four-way discussions since the crisis began.
A woman was taken into custody after throwing what she said was a shoe at Hillary Clinton during a Las Vegas speech.
The incident happened just moments after Hillary Clinton took the stage Thursday at an Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries meeting at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino.
Hillary Clinton, 66, ducked, but did not appear to be struck by the flying object. She quickly joked about the incident.
A woman was taken into custody after throwing what she said was a shoe at Hillary Clinton during a Las Vegas speech (photo NYDailyNews)
The former first lady quipped: “Is that somebody throwing something at me? Is that part of Cirque du Soleil?”
She added: “My goodness, I didn’t know that solid waste management was so controversial. Thank goodness she didn’t play softball like I did.”
Ilene Rosen, a witness and the wife of a conventioneer, told the Associated Press the unidentified object-thrower walked down the aisle and got roughly six rows from the front of the seating area when she threw the object.
The woman then turned around, threw her hands in the air and walked toward the back of the room before ushers surrounded her, Ilene Rosen said.
Security officers escorted the woman out of the room. She said she threw a shoe but didn’t identify herself to reporters or explain why she did it.
Family members of Mickey Rooney have reached an agreement on where and how the actor should be buried, attorneys said Thursday.
Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney died on April 6 at 93.
Mickey Rooney will be buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery alongside other screen legends like Douglas Fairbanks, Cecil B. DeMille and Jayne Mansfield, the parties in the dispute agreed Thursday, according to court documents.
The announcement came ahead of a court hearing slated for Friday morning. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Steele was to decide whether Mickey Rooney’s remains would be released from a mortuary to his estranged wife, Janice Rooney, who wanted to inter him in a pre-arranged family plot, or to his conservator, Michael Augustine, who had said the actor wished to be buried at Hollywood Forever.
The agreement Thursday sidesteps a potentially costly and arduous court battle.
Mickey Rooney will be buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery alongside other screen legends
“Despite her strong desire to be buried beside her husband, Jan feels she owes it to Mickey’s fans to work with Mike to allow Mickey to be buried alongside of (sic) other members of Hollywood royalty,” Michael Augustine and Janice Rooney said in a joint statement Thursday.
The dispute began after Mickey Rooney’s lawyers filed a will revealing that the actor left his estate of only $18,000 to a stepson, Mark Aber, and his wife, Charlene, who had served as his primary caretakers.
Mickey Rooney was living with Mark and Charlene Aber when he died.
The actor’s latest will disinherited Janice, Mickey Rooney’s wife of 35 years, and his nine children.
In 2011, Mickey Rooney sued Christopher and Christina Aber – Rooney’s wife’s biological son and wife – for elder abuse, claiming they stole money and deprived him of food and medications and would not let him leave his home. The couple settled the case in October after admitting taking $2.8 million from the actor’s accounts.
Michael Augustine and Janice Rooney will be collaborating on a small funeral for family, which Christopher and Christina Aber are not permitted to attend, the court document said.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have attended a state reception held in their honor as they continue their tour of New Zealand.
The Duke of Cambridge told guests at the event in Wellington that New Zealanders were warm-hearted, generous people.
He said they also had “an instinctive sense of justice and freedom”.
In other remarks, Prince William joked about the loud war dance used by the New Zealand rugby team, saying his 8-month-old son, Prince George, did the haka at night.
Earlier, Prince William and Kate Middleton paid their respects to New Zealand’s war dead.
Prince William and Kate Middleton paid their respects to New Zealand’s war dead at the Blenheim War Memorial (photo Getty Images)
They laid a wreath in a service at the town of Blenheim’s war memorial, and later met some of the approximately 5,000 people who had gathered for the occasion.
Prince William also unveiled a new portrait of the Queen at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, by the artist Nick Cuthell.
On Wednesday, Prince George attended his first official public engagement at a “crawl-about” with babies of similar age at Government House in Wellington, with childcare group Plunket.
Prince George will not be making any more appearances during his parents’ 19-day tour of New Zealand and Australia.
Prince William also received a tiny teddy bear from a well-wisher and was given a friendship bracelet from a little boy and immediately put it on his right wrist.
The royal couple was also given a helmet for Prince George when they visited Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre.
Peter Jackson – the film director behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy and an aviation enthusiast – showed Prince William and Kate Middleton around the museum.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has met opposition leaders in crisis talks aimed at quelling weeks of protests.
Nicolas Maduro opened the talks by shaking hands with his bitter rival, opposition leader Henrique Capriles.
The rare meeting, broadcast live on television, was brokered by foreign ministers from South American nations.
Venezuela protests erupted over soaring crime rates in February, but have snowballed into wider anti-government rallies. Some 40 people have been killed.
Nicolas Maduro, who says the protests are part of a “fascist” US-backed plot against him, told the meeting that there would be no deal with the opposition.
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has met opposition leaders in crisis talks aimed at quelling weeks of protests
“There are no negotiations here. No pacts. All we’re looking for is a model of peaceful coexistence, of mutual tolerance,” he said.
The president has said any kind of formal deal with the opposition would make him a “traitor to chavismo”, the socialist platform of his predecessor Hugo Chavez.
Nicolas Maduro called on the opposition to renounce violence.
Henrique Capriles, who was narrowly defeated in last year’s presidential election, insisted that the opposition did not want a coup against the government.
The talks lasted six hours. There will be another round of talks on Tuesday.
Pope Francis sent a letter giving his support to the talks.
“I urge you not to get stuck in the conflict of the moment but open yourselves to one another to become true builders of peace,” Pope Francis said, in a letter read out at the meeting.
Venezuela is sharply divided between supporters and opponents of Nicolas Maduro, who narrowly beat Henrique Capriles to the presidency last year.
Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl has filed a $6 million lawsuit against Duane Reade Inc, claiming the pharmacy chain used a picture of her leaving one of its shops in promotional material.
The case was filed in a court in Manhattan, New York, on Wednesday.
Katherine Heigl is famous for her roles in films including Knocked Up and 27 Dresses and also won an Emmy for playing the character of Izzie Stevens in medical drama Grey’s Anatomy.
Duane Reade Inc is yet to give a statement in response.
Katherine Heigl has sued Duane Reade for $6 million in damages
In documents submitted to the court, Katherine Heigl says she was recently photographed by paparazzi in New York City as she left a Duane Reade pharmacy.
She says the company is exploiting her image for commercial gain despite her objection.
Katherine Heigl’s complaint also says she plans to donate any damages she may receive to a charity that helps animals.
Last year Katherine Heigl was named one of Hollywood’s most overpaid stars, second only to Adam Sandler.
Forbes magazine estimated that for every $1 Katherine Heigl was paid for her 2013 films, she returned $3.50.
Comedy Central’s Stephen Colbert will succeed Late Show host David Letterman upon his retirement in 2015, CBS has said.
Stephen Colbert, 49, is host of acclaimed late-night satire program The Colbert Report.
David Letterman, 66, said last week he was retiring after 21 years hosting the CBS show and 11 years on NBC’s Late Night.
On his show, Stephen Colbert plays a satirical version of himself to mock right-wing pundits. He has suggested he will retire the character for the new show.
Stephen Colbert will succeed Late Show host David Letterman upon his retirement in 2015 (photo CBS)
“Stephen Colbert is one of the most inventive and respected forces on television,” CBS president Leslie Moonves wrote in a statement following the announcement.
“David Letterman’s legacy and accomplishments are an incredible source of pride for all of us here, and today’s announcement speaks to our commitment of upholding what he established for CBS in late night.”
Stephen Colbert’s biting brand of satire has drawn critical acclaim as well as provoking ire, often from the Republicans and conservatives he skewers.
Recently he was attacked on social media for a joke some viewed as disparaging toward Asian Americans but which he meant as a satirical jab at the owner of the Washington Redskins American football team.
Of his hiring to the Late Show top spot, Stephen Colbert said, “simply being a guest on David Letterman’s show has been a highlight of my career.”
“I never dreamed that I would follow in his footsteps, though everyone in late night follows Dave’s lead.”
Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is resigning amid problematic launch of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, US media report.
The ObamaCare – regarded by the president’s supporters as one of his main domestic achievements – has been marked by early technical problems and delays.
Kathleen Sebelius has been health secretary since Barack Obama took office in 2009.
The reports say Barack Obama will nominate Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the current budget director, to replace her.
The New York Times reported that Kathleen Sebelius had made the decision to resign herself.
Barack Obama had resisted calls for the health secretary to stand down after the websites where people could enroll for health insurance ran into problems last October.
Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is resigning amid problematic launch of President Barack Obama’s healthcare law
After the rocky start, the White House now points to the more than 7 million people who have signed-up for coverage on federal and state-run marketplaces sites created by the Affordable Care Act.
Barack Obama says the program was “here to stay”.
Republicans see it as inappropriate government intrusion into the healthcare industry. US residents face a tax penalty next year if they do not have some form of health coverage.
The 2010 law is intended to extend health insurance to the roughly 48 million Americans who do not receive it through their employers, the government, or a privately purchased plan.
It also aims to slow the growth in the cost of healthcare and requires private plans to meet a certain level of coverage.
Analysts say Republicans in Congress may use Sylvia Mathews Burwell’s nomination proceedings to focus on criticism of the law ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The ObamaCare remains controversial among the American public, as some people have seen their insurance costs rise or their old plans cancelled, and others object to having to purchase insurance at all.
Demi Moore and her ex-husband Bruce Willis attended their daughter Rumer Willis’ musical performance at hotspot DBA in West Hollywood, California, on April 5.
However, instead of mingling with each other, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis decided to sit in different areas while supporting their eldest child.
An eyewitness told Us Weekly: “They stayed after to congratulate her and chat for a bit.”
Demi Moore and Bruce Willis attended their daughter Rumer’s musical performance at hotspot DBA in West Hollywood
“Bruce and Demi did not interact with each other.”
Demi Moore, 50, was accompanied by one male and two female friends for the special outing, while Bruce Willis, 59, was joined by his very pregnant wife Emma Heming-Willis.
Rumer Willis, 25, plays multiple roles in For the Record: Tarantino, a musical mash-up that pays homage to several of director Quentin Tarantino’s blockbuster hits. One of the roles includes Pulp Fiction character Mia, which Bruce Willis starred in back in 1994.
Demi Moore and Bruce Willis split in 2000 after 13 years of marriage, and are also parents to daughters Scout, 22, and Tallulah, 20.
Bruce Willis is expecting his second baby with Emma Heming, 35.
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival – known as Coachella or the Coachella Festival – is an annual two-weekend, three-day music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
The place where the festival is being held is located in the Inland Empire’s Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert.
Pixie Geldof has cancelled a planned DJ performance at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in California this weekend following the death of her sister Peaches.
Pixie Geldof has cancelled her Coachella 2014 performance following the death of her sister Peaches
Pixie Geldof has yet to break her silence about the sad loss, but she has pulled out of a Coachella gig on Saturday to mourn Peaches’ sudden passing.
A festival spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Pixie Geldof was scheduled to DJ at The Old Navy Oasis event, but is no longer participating.”
Peaches Geldof, 25, was found dead at her home in Kent, England, on April 7 and initial autopsy results have proved inconclusive. A cause of death is not expected to be determined for several weeks until toxicology results are made available.
Controversial prime ministerial candidate of India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Narendra Modi has for the first time publicly admitted that he is married.
Narendra Modi, 63, made the declaration when he filed election nomination papers.
He married Jashodaben when he was 17 but the couple have lived apart.
Narendra Modi has always avoided questions on his personal life amid suggestions he wished to appear celibate for Hindu nationalist reasons.
Jashodaben is a retired school teacher and reports say she lives in a one-room house in a village in Gujarat.
Narendra Modi, who has been chief minister of the western state of Gujarat since 2001, is standing for parliament for the first time.
Narendra Modi has for the first time publicly admitted that he is married
In his nomination form for Vadodara constituency in Gujarat, Narendra Modi wrote the name “Jashodaben” in a mandatory column regarding his marital status.
In previous elections, including the 2012 Gujarat assembly elections, Narendra Modi left the column blank.
Critics have accused Narendra Modi of deserting his wife after he joined the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which prizes celibacy.
They say the fact that Narendra Modi has refused to acknowledge his wife for so long shows his poor attitude to women.
Reports say Narendra Modi’s decision to finally acknowledge her came after “strict legal advice to come clean” on his marriage.
In an interview to The Indian Express in February, Jashodaben said she lived on a monthly pension of 14,000 rupees ($232).
Jashodaben Chiman Modi said Narendra Modi had left her after three years, during which they spent some three months together, and that they had parted amicably.
“Narendra was married to Jashodaben Chiman Modi at a very young age by our parents, but it was only a formal ritual…” Narendra Modi’s older brother Som said in a statement issued by the party’s Gujarat wing on Thursday.
The BJP leader is seen as a dynamic and efficient leader who has made his state an economic powerhouse.
Narendra Modi also is accused of doing little to stop the 2002 religious riots when more than 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed – an allegation he has consistently denied.
Jerry Lewis will make a special appearance at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California, on Saturday, October 11.
Jerry Lewis, 88, is known for his long friendship and adventures with Dean Martin in films like Living it Up and The Stooge.
Jerry Lewis will make a special appearance at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside on October 11
He is also known for his charity work for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
The evening will include stories of Jerry Lewis’ eight decade career in Hollywood with narrative and musical performances. There will also be a video montage of highlights in his career.
The night will conclude with an audience Q & A.
Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, March 28. Tickets range from $38.50 to $71 (plus fees).
In a letter to European leaders, President Vladimir Putin has warned Europe that Ukraine’s delays in paying for Russian gas have created a “critical situation”.
Pipelines transiting Ukraine deliver Russian gas to several EU countries and there are fears that the current tensions could trigger gas shortages.
Armed pro-Russian separatists are holed up in official buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, a European human rights body has stripped Russia of voting rights.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) monitors human rights in 47 member states, including Russia and Ukraine.
Protesting against Russia’s annexation of Crimea last month, PACE suspended Russia’s voting rights as well as Russian participation in election observer missions.
The Russian delegation had boycotted the meeting. Its leader, Alexei Pushkov, described the proceedings as a “farce”.
Vladimir Putin has warned Europe that Ukraine’s delays in paying for Russian gas have created a critical situation
Russian state gas giant Gazprom says Ukraine’s debt for supplies of Russian gas has risen above $2 billion (1.4 billion euros).
Gazprom said on Wednesday it could demand advance payments from Kiev for gas but President Vladimir Putin said the company should hold off, pending talks with “our partners” – widely believed to mean the EU.
President Vladimir Putin warned that the “critical” situation could affect deliveries of gas to Europe, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying.
Vladimir Putin suggested “special” measures, he added, without elaborating. Nearly one-third of the EU’s natural gas comes from Russia.
Previous Russian gas disputes with Ukraine have led to severe gas shortages in several EU countries. The EU says it has extra gas supplies and reverse-flow technology to deal with any such disruption now.
In Kiev, the authorities said Ukraine would not prosecute pro-Russian activists occupying official buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk if they surrendered their weapons.
Ukraine has accused Russia of stirring up the unrest, a claim Moscow denies.
NATO says up to 40,000 Russian troops are massed near Ukraine’s border.
Ukraine fears that the Russian separatist actions are a provocation similar to the protests that gripped Crimea days before Russian troops annexed the peninsula last month.
The separatists in the east – a mainly Russian-speaking region with close ties to Russia – are demanding referendums on self-rule. In Donetsk they have declared a “people’s republic”.
Russia, the US, Ukraine and the EU are to hold talks in Geneva next Thursday to try to resolve the impasse, EU diplomats have said.
They will be the first four-way talks since the crisis began.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US Secretary of State John Kerry by telephone on Wednesday that the meeting should focus on fostering dialogue among Ukrainians and not on bilateral relations among the participants.
In another development, President Vladimir Putin sacked 14 generals, Russian media report.
It was not immediately clear if the move was a routine step. Russia has some 800 generals in its army alone.
Oscar Pistorius has denied “picking on” his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as his cross-examination continues at his murder trial in Pretoria.
The Paralympic champion was commenting on a mobile phone message Reeva Steenkamp had sent him.
The prosecution has been trying to portray Oscar Pistorius as self-obsessed and negligent with firearms.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, saying he accidentally shot her dead through a door, fearing there was an intruder in his house.
Prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius intentionally killed his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day last year by firing a gun through a bathroom door at her after a row at his Pretoria home.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate.
In Thursday’s proceedings:
Oscar Pistorius said he had not meant to pull the trigger
Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused the athlete of being selfish, negligent and lying
Gerrie Nel said Oscar Pistorius’ apology in court was a “spectacle”
Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, said she was “unmoved” by his apology
Oscar Pistorius denied ever shouting at Reeva Steenkamp, or a previous girlfriend
Under intense cross-examination, Oscar Pistorius said he had not meant to pull the trigger, even to fire at an intruder.
“It was an accident… I didn’t have time to think,” he said, his voice trembling after he had been generally calm in contrast to previous days.
Oscar Pistorius has denied picking on Reeva Steenkamp, as his cross-examination continues at his murder trial in Pretoria (photo CNN)
Earlier, chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel, known as the “bull terrier” in South Africa for his fierce questioning, suggested that Oscar Pistorius was only concerned about himself during the couple’s three-month relationship.
Gerrie Nel is trying to give an impression that the Paralympic athlete is self-centred, contemptuous of his girlfriend and lacking responsibility.
He suggested that Oscar Pistorius should have apologized to Reeva Steenkamp’s family in private, rather than making a “spectacle” by doing it in court as he opened his defense on Monday.
The athlete replied that he had not had the opportunity and had been unable to find the correct words.
When Gerrie Nel noted that in Monday’s apology, Oscar Pistorius did not say he was sorry for killing Reeva Steenkamp, the athlete replied: “I’m terribly sorry that I took the life of their daughter.”
In court, June Steenkamp shook her head as Oscar Pistorius was taken through several WhatsApp messages, which Reeva Steenkamp had sent.
In one, Reeva Steenkamp wrote: “You have picked on me incessantly since we got back from Cape Town.”
Asked to comment, Oscar Pistorius said: “I don’t feel like I picked on her incessantly – maybe we were having a rough time in our relationship.”
He also denied ever shouting or screaming at Reeva Steenkamp, or a previous girlfriend, Sam Taylor, as she had testified earlier in the trial.
Referring to an incident when a gun was fired in a restaurant, Oscar Pistorius said he had not been aware the gun was loaded but insisted he had not pulled the trigger.
Gerrie Nell said a gun firing itself would be a “miracle”. He also accused Oscar Pistorius of lying and not taking responsibility for his actions.
“You will blame anybody but yourself,” the prosecutor said, after Oscar Pistorius had questioned the decisions of his defense lawyers.
Oscar Pistorius did admit keeping ammunition in his bedside table, rather than in a safe.
He said he was usually armed “for my own safety”.
On Wednesday’s dramatic first day of questioning by Gerrie Nel, Oscar Pistorius became distraught as he was shown a photo of Reeva Steenkamp after her death.
An Australian P-3 Orion aircraft searching for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has detected a possible new signal in the southern Indian Ocean, Australian officials say.
The plane picked up the signal in the same area where an Australian vessel detected audio pings earlier this week, officials said.
The signal would require further analysis, but could have been from a “man-made source”, officials said.
Flight MH370 vanished on March 8, with 239 people on board.
The Australian plane picked up the signal in the same area where a vessel detected audio pings earlier this week
The search zone was tightened on Thursday after a US navy “towed pinger locator” picked up audio signals in the area, sparking hopes that the plane’s black box was in the area.
Australian vessel Ocean Shield picked up four acoustic signals in the area, twice over the weekend and twice on Tuesday.
Speaking after the latest possible signal was detected, retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, who is leading search efforts, said: “The acoustic data will require further analysis overnight but shows potential of being from a man-made source.”
Up to 14 planes and 13 ships are involved in Thursday’s search, scouring an area of 22 300 sq miles, around 1,400 miles north-west of Perth. It is the smallest designated area in the hunt to date.
Planes have dropped buoys equipped with hydrophone listening devices into the water to help pick up signals.
The batteries on the black box only last about a month, so teams need to work quickly to track the audio signals before they stop broadcasting.
Malaysia has come under criticism for its handling of the search, with families of the passengers on the plane accusing the authorities of a lack of transparency.
The investigation came under further scrutiny after it emerged that the final words from the plane were “good night Malaysian three seven zero”, and not “all right, good night”, as previously reported by the government.
Kathy Griffin has received death threats from Demi Lovato’s fans after she insulted the former Disney star on Twitter.
Kathy Griffin, 53, explained the fracas on The Howard Stern Show on April 8.
“I couldn’t sleep so I went on Twitter and said I’m going to tweet things using Siri, but I’m not going to correct any of the spelling,” the Bravo personality said.
When a fan asked: “Who’s the douchiest person you’ve met?”, Siri responded: “Debbie Lovato is a little douche.”
That’s when “the death threats started a flowing,” she said.
After a brief (now deleted) retort from the singer, Demi Lovato, 21, asked her fans to stop the hate.
Kathy Griffin has received death threats from Demi Lovato’s fans after she insulted the former Disney star on Twitter
“I love you guys so much but y’all gotta chill with sending hate towards other people,” Kathy Griffin said.
“Regardless of what they say or do. The cruel things some of you are saying can really, REALLY hurt people. It’s called cyber-bullying and somethings should NEVER be wished upon EVER. No matter WHAT.”
Kathy Griffin read Howard Stern some of the most intense tweets she received including: “@kathygriffin I will burn your house down [expletive],” “@kathygriffin I will come to your house and rape you [expletive] #lovaticswantkathygriffindead,” and “@kathygriffin don’t you ever talk [expletive] about Demi again or else us Lovatics will kill you in yourself.”
The comedian found some of the tweets comical, but said their extreme nature provoked the police to reach out to her.
“They actually contacted me,” Kathy Griffin said of the authorities.
“At that point it goes beyond Twitter hate.”
Though she said Demi Lovato isn’t off limits in her standup show, Kathy Griffin did explain: “The point is I have no problem with Demi Lovato or Debbie.”
