Dolly Parton will perform at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, the event organizer, Emily Eavis, has confirmed to BBC 6 Music.
Dolly Parton later told her three million followers the news via Twitter.
“I’m incredibly excited to FINALLY announce that the #BlueSmokeWorldTour is coming to @GlastoFest on June 29th! 😉 Stay tuned for more info…” the country singer wrote.
Dolly Parton will perform in Sunday afternoon’s renowned “legend slot” on the Pyramid Stage, which last year featured fellow country star Kenny Rogers.
Festival-goers enjoyed a mass singalong of Islands in the Stream – his hit duet recorded with Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton will perform at this year’s Glastonbury Festival
Emily Eavis appeared to rule out rumored headline acts Prince, Stone Roses and Fleetwood Mac.
However, she did admit timings were still a work in progress.
Arcade Fire have already confirmed they are 2014’s Friday night headliners for the event.
The Canadian seven-piece revealed the news in December, tweeting a photo bearing the words “June 27 – Glastonbury”.
Lily Allen is among the other acts who have already let slip they will be performing, but Emily Eavis said the remaining headline acts would stay a closely guarded secret for now, and would “be with you in the spring.”
According to Ukraine’s Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, Russian military forces are blockading Sevastopol airport in the Ukrainian region of Crimea.
Arsen Avakov called their presence an “armed invasion”.
Armed men also took over the other main Crimean airport, Simferopol, on Friday morning.
Relations between Russia and the Ukraine have been strained since the ousting of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanokovych, who is now in Russia.
These tensions have been particularly evident in Crimea, Ukraine’s only Russian-majority region.
On Thursday, pro-Russian armed men stormed the Simferopol parliament, ousted the existing cabinet and appointed a new prime minister.
Meanwhile, in a further challenge to Kiev, Viktor Yanukovich is preparing to give a press conference on Friday, after resurfacing in Russia on Thursday, asserting that he is still Ukraine’s lawful president.
Armed men took over Simferopol airport in Crimea on Friday morning
Armed men, said by Arsen Avakov to be Russian soldiers, arrived in the Sevastopol military airport near Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Base on Friday morning.
The men were patrolling outside, backed up by armored vehicles, but Ukrainian military and border guards remained inside, Arsen Avakov said.
“I consider what has happened to be an armed invasion and occupation in violation of all international agreements and norms,” Arsen Avakov said on his Facebook page.
Armed men also arrived at Simferopol airport overnight, some carrying Russian flags.
A man called Vladimir told Reuters he was a volunteer helping the group there, though he said he did not know where they came from.
“I’m with the People’s Militia of Crimea. We’re simple people, volunteers,” he said.
“We’re here at the airport to maintain order. We’ll meet the planes with a nice smile – the airport is working as normal.”
On Thursday, a separate group of unidentified armed men entered Crimea’s parliament building by force, and hoisted a Russian flag on the roof.
The Crimean parliament later announced it would hold a referendum on expanding the region’s autonomy on May 25.
Recent developments in the Crimea region – which traditionally leans towards Moscow – heightened tensions with Russia, which scrambled fighter jets to monitor its borders on Thursday.
Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, last night urged his government to maintain relations with Kiev and even join Western efforts to bail out its troubled economy – but he is also rewarding the rebellious Crimean government with humanitarian aid from Russia.
Venezuela’s police and National Guard have used tear gas to break up a student demonstration in the capital, Caracas.
Hundreds of protesters were demanding the release of fellow students detained during two weeks of unrest, and called a fresh march for Sunday.
In another part of Caracas, a large pro-government march was held.
Earlier this week, President Nicolas Maduro declared an early start to the week-long Carnival public holiday in an attempt to end the unrest.
On Monday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Luisa Ortega said 13 people had died in the violence, although President Nicolas Maduro put the figure of protest-related deaths at more than 50 on Wednesday.
Despite the start of the long holidays on Thursday, students again gathered in Caracas.
“There’s no Carnival for anybody here. Here we are still on the streets, committed to the fight,” student leader Juan Requesens told EFE news agency.
Their peaceful demonstration ended in clashes with security forces when some masked protesters tried to block a road.
Police and the National Guard used tear gas to break up the protest, while demonstrators hurled stones at them.
Venezuela’s police and National Guard have used tear gas to break up a student demonstration in Caracas
Juan Requesens said there would be a “big march” on Sunday.
At the presidential palace in Caracas, hundreds of Nicolas Maduro’s supporters took part in a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Caracazo, the violent protests against economic measures imposed in 1989 by the government.
There were no reports of other large protests in other parts of Venezuela on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua, who is in Uruguay as part of a regional tour, said he believed the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) would be a better forum to discuss the current political crisis in Venezuela.
Panama had suggested the Organizations of American States (OAS) should discuss the issue, but Venezuela requested the motion to be cancelled.
“UNASUR has been much more efficient on these issues than the OAS. How many coups has the OAS stopped in its existence? On the contrary, it has legitimized many,” Elias Jaua told reporters.
On Wednesday, Nicolas Maduro held a “national peace conference” without the participation of the opposition.
The Roman Catholic church and a major business federation took part in the meeting.
The current unrest started more than two weeks ago with student protests in the western states of Tachira and Merida demanding increased security. They also complained about record inflation and shortages of staple items.
Quentin Elias has been found dead at his New York home at the age of 39.
The former lead singer of French band Alliage and model for several fashion designers such as Armani and Jean Paul Gaultier has reportedly died of a massive heart attack.
A statement posted to Quentin Elias’ official Facebook page this afternoon confirmed the news of his death: “Quentin Elias passed away at his home in New York on February 25th, 2014. The family would like to thank everyone for supporting Quentin’s career as he truly loved to perform for his loving fans.”
Quentin Elias has been found dead at his New York home
According to Quentin Elias’ management company, EventsLive Productions, the singer was confirmed dead in his home on February 25.
Quentin Elias is perhaps best known as the former lead singer of ’90s French boy band Alliage, and for his solo music career that began after he relocated to New York City in 2002. According to Obnoxious TV, he worked in NYC as a television actor, a stage actor, and a fashion model for Armani and Jean Paul Gaultier.
It was questions about the use of steroids that he emphatically denied.
Originally from France, of Algerian origin, Quentin Elias was the lead singer for Alliage from 1996 to 1999. After his departure from the group, he relocated to New York City.
Former revolutionary fighter Huber Matos – the only exiled dissident among the original leaders of the 1959 Cuban revolution – has died in Miami at the age of 95.
Huber Matos was arrested in 1960 and sentenced to 20 years in jail for sedition.
Human rights groups campaigned for his case until his release and expulsion from Cuba in 1979.
Huber Matos eventually settled in Florida after a period in Costa Rica, where his remains are to be taken after a funeral in Miami.
He fought the troops of General Fulgencio Batista in 1959 alongside Fidel Castro but later fell out with the communist leader.
Huber Matos was the only exiled dissident among the original leaders of the 1959 Cuban revolution
A statement released by relatives said Huber Matos had died on February 27 at Miami’s Kendall Regional Hospital of a massive heart attack he had suffered two days earlier.
The former revolutionary fighter’s funeral will be in Miami on Sunday before his remains are taken to Costa Rica, as he had wished.
Born in Yara in 1918, Huber Matos graduated as a teacher in Santiago, before pursuing a PhD in the capital, Havana.
The first time Costa Rica welcomed him was in 1957, when he had to leave Cuba because of his opposition of the rule of Gen. Fulgencio Batista.
Huber Matos is thought to have been instrumental in the Cuban insurrection by Fidel Castro’s Sierra Maestra rebels by smuggling the weapons they used from Costa Rica
When Huber Matos stepped down as a rebel military commander, Fidel Castro ordered his arrest.
Sentenced to 20 years in prison for sedition, he was released in 1979 and immediately left for San Jose, Costa Rica.
Huber Matos eventually settled in Miami, where he became involved in Cuban politics as he considered the government led by Fidel and Raul Castro a “dictatorship”.
In this week’s episode of Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson struggled to turn on his television to watch a Jason Bourne movie.
Miss Kay and Phil Robertson finally gave up and called son Willie help them figure out how to work their TV set.
“Pioneer men and technology go together about as well as mayonnaise and apple sauce,” said Miss Kay Robertson as she called up Willie who was somewhat reluctant to help.
“Let’s make something clear,” said Willie Robertson.
Miss Kay Robertson asked Willie for a lesson in texting
“I love my parents and I’m happy to help them with the occasional simple task, but it’s never just one simple task and it never takes just one minute.”
As soon as Willie Robertson finished helping his father learn how to turn on his Jason Bourne films, Miss Kay asked him for a lesson in texting.
“The grandkids want me to talk to them on the phone with text and I don’t know how to do it,” Miss Kay Robertson said.
“I want to learn how to make that little heart and a smiley face.”
“Oh good grief,” said Willie Robertson who immediately regretted teaching his mom about emojis.
In this week’s episode of Duck Dynasty, Si Robertson’s coworkers at the Duck Commander warehouse learned some new and disgusting habits from the Vietnam War veteran.
Uncle Si’s nephew, Jase Robertson, commented on throwing away the hardened drop of mustard that sits over the dispenser. Like most people, he finds that part to be gross.
Not Uncle Si though who says his life motto is “waste not, want to”.
“It tastes good and it’s chewy,” Si Robertson explained while disgusting all of his coworkers who were avoiding doing work.
But Willie Robertson found a way to motivate his crew: ice cream.
“As CEO, I’ve learned that motivating people is hard,” he said.
Si Robertson’s coworkers at the Duck Commander warehouse learned some new and disgusting habits from the Vietnam War veteran
So in order to get the Duck Commander crew working again, Willie Robertson bought a soft serve ice cream place.
Unfortunately for Willie, his tactics didn’t work because they were “manipulative” according to Jase.
Instead, Jase Robertson updated a four wheeler that he bought without permissions on his corporate card.
While Willie disciplined his brother on abusing his position at Duck Commander, he couldn’t deny Jase’s idea worked.
“When I was growing up, my parents taught me the value of hard work and when you’re running a business it’s easy to get caught up in trying to make sure everyone is working hard all the time,” said Willie Robertson.
“What I’ve learned is that life can’t be all about work,” he continued.
“Sometimes the best way to get people to work hard, is to let them have a little fun first.”
“Because even though hard work is important, everybody deserves a little fun. even if your definition of fun is sending your grown son little smiley faces and hearts even stinking minute,” Willie Robertson concluded.
In this week’s episode of Duck Dynasty, Phil Robertson revealed he doesn’t like skinny women because he prefers a full-figured woman like Miss Kay.
“I don’t like skinny women or skinny TVs,” Phil Robertson said as he struggled to turn on his television to watch a Jason Bourne movie.
“You like a full-figured TV, like you like a full-figured woman,” his wife Miss Kay agreed.
Phil Robertson revealed he prefers full-figured women like Miss Kay
Phil Robertson, 67, agreed that he liked “chubby women like [Miss Kay]”.
Miss Kay and Phil Robertson finally gave up and called son Willie help them figure out how to work their TV set.
“Pioneer men and technology go together about as well as mayonnaise and apple sauce,” said Miss Kay Robertson as she called up Willie who was somewhat reluctant to help.
Captain Francesco Schettino has returned to the wreck of Costa Concordia cruise ship for the first time as part of his manslaughter trial.
Costa Concordia hit a reef near the island of Giglio in January 2012 and capsized, with the loss of 32 lives.
Francesco Schettino was taken to the wreck on board a small boat, two days after travelling back to Giglio.
He denies the charges of manslaughter and abandoning ship, which could see him jailed for up to 20 years.
The captain arrived on the island off the Tuscan coast on Tuesday and is said to have wept when he saw the wreck from a ferry taking him to Giglio.
Francesco Schettino attended a health-and-safety briefing at a hotel on Thursday morning to prepare him for the short boat trip out to the wreck, on which he was accompanied by a group of court-appointed experts.
He was taken out to the wreck on a small boat and was then seen standing on the ship itself.
Francesco Schettino was being allowed on to the ship “as a defendant, not a consultant”, said Judge Giovanni Puliatti.
The 290m-long vessel was righted in September 2013 in one of the largest, most complex salvage operations ever, but remains stranded after its ill-fated journey.
Francesco Schettino has been accused of leaving the luxury liner before the 4,229 people on board the ship were taken off.
Captain Francesco Schettino has returned to the wreck of Costa Concordia cruise ship for the first time as part of his manslaughter trial
“They want to show that I am weak, just like two years ago. It’s not true. I want to show I’m a gentleman, not a coward,” Italian media quoted him as saying.
He lambasted the media “frenzy” surrounding his return to vessel, describing those who accused him of abandoning the ship of not understanding “a bloody thing”.
“There is a frenzy that is making me nervous,” Francesco Schettino told journalists and cameramen who surrounded him.
“You have to respect civility.”
Correspondents say that he grew increasingly angry on the dockside after the visit, frequently gesticulating as he nervously paced around.
Francesco Schettino has already accepted some degree of responsibility, asking for forgiveness in a television interview last year as he talked of those who died.
But he denies abandoning the ship after it hit a reef near the island.
The captain maintains he managed to steer the stricken vessel closer to shore so it did not sink in deep water where hundreds might have drowned.
Francesco Schettino’s lawyer Domenico Pepe said the captain’s former employer, Costa Crociere, had shifted the blame towards him.
“It is very, very difficult because Schettino does not have the economic resources of Costa,” he said. The firm is believed to be the biggest cruise operator in Europe,
“Schettino is confronting the whole world on his own.”
An Italian court convicted five others of manslaughter in July 2013.
They had all successfully entered plea bargains, whereas Francesco Schettino’s request for a plea bargain was denied by the prosecution.
The complex operation to salvage the Costa Concordia took 18 hours and followed months of stabilization and preparation work by a team of 500 engineers and divers.
Ports in the UK, Italy,France, Turkey and China are now bidding for the lucrative contract to dismantle it.
Katy Perry’s video for her new track Dark Horse has been edited following claims from some Muslims it was blasphemous.
More than 65,000 people signed a petition which stated the video – featuring a pendant with the Arabic word for God on it being reduced to sand – was offensive.
The music video has not been cut, but the pendant has now been digitally “scrubbed” out of the scene.
Petition instigator Shazad Iqbal, said he was “thrilled” with the outcome.
“The name of Allah has been removed from the Dark Horse video – we couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support so I thank each and every one of you deeply, our voices have been heard,” he wrote on Change.org.
Katy Perry’s Dark Horse video has been edited following claims from some Muslims it was blasphemous
“I feel that the impact we have made and the total number of signatures obtained does convey just how worthy a cause this is, it is a significant step towards the right direction.”
It is unclear whether YouTube made the change or if it was instructed to by Katy Perry’s record company.
Katy Perry’s video features the pop star as an Egyptian queen who transforms suitors into sand by disintegrating them.
Shazad Iqbal, from Bradford, began the petition after he spotted one of the suitors wearing the pendant.
Explaining his reasons for starting the petition, Shazad Iqbal wrote: “Blasphemy is clearly conveyed in the video, since Katy Perry – who appears to be representing an opposition of God – engulfs the believer and the word God in flames.”
“Using the name of God in an irrelevant and distasteful manner would be considered inappropriate by any religion,” he added.
Katy Perry’s Dark Horse video has attracted more than 37 million views since it premiered on YouTube on February 20.
In a recent interview with People magazine, Paula Deen continues to apologize and says that she can empathize with what Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson went through.
Excerpts of the interview published by E! Online revealed Paula Deen continues to insist she “would never ever hurt anyone intentionally”, and admitted that she was so fixated on what people said online about her that she “could not get off the computer except to go to the bathroom and eat”.
Paula Deen continues to apologize and says that she can empathize with what Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson went through
Paula Deen’s public profile tanked last year after the controversy over her past use of the n-word went public, but others who went through similar scandals, like Phil Robertson, didn’t suffer as she did. Paula Deen says because of what she went through, she can empathize with others that go through the same thing.
North Korea has fired four short-range missiles towards the sea off the country’s east coast on Thursday, according to a South Korean Defense Ministry official.
The communist country launched the missiles at 5:42 p.m. local time from a mountain site just north of the border with South Korea, the official added.
North Korea has fired short-range missiles into the sea as part of military exercises in the past, Reuters reported.
Four short-range missiles have been fired towards the sea off North Korea’s east coast on Thursday, according to a South Korean Defense Ministry official.
North Korea has fired four short-range missiles towards the sea off the country’s east coast
The communist country launched the missiles at 5:42 p.m. local time from a mountain site just north of the border with South Korea, the official added.
North Korea has fired short-range missiles into the sea as part of military exercises in the past, Reuters reported.
The move is widely seen as a response to South Korea’s military exercises with the US.
Experts say that the test-firing of the four missiles – with an estimated range of about 125 miles – is unlikely to trigger a significant rise in military tensions.
They are mainly about North Korea expressing its displeasure over the US-South Korea military drills – which Pyongyang has condemned as provocative – and a recent UN rights report which described human rights abuses in the North Korea as possible crimes against humanity.
Former Dating Game host Jim Lange has died at his home in Mill Valley, California, at the age of 81.
Jim Lange died Tuesday morning after suffering a heart attack, his wife Nancy told The Associated Press Wednesday.
He had a successful career in radio, but he is best known for his television role on ABC’s The Dating Game, which debuted in 1965 and on which he appeared for more than a decade, charming audiences with his mellifluous voice and wide, easygoing grin.
Jim Lange also played host to many celebrity guests. Michael Jackson, Steve Martin and Arnold Schwarzenegger, among others, appeared as contestants.
Dating Game host Jim Lange has died at his home in Mill Valley
Later, after The Dating Game brought him national recognition, Jim Lange also hosted the game shows Hollywood Connection, $100,000 Name That Tune and The New Newlywed Game.
He also worked as a disc jockey for decades in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, and upon his retirement from broadcasting in 2005, he was the morning DJ for KABL-FM, which specializes in playing classics from the Big Band era to the 1970s.
Jim Lange is survived by his wife, a sister, five children, two stepchildren and four grandchildren.
South Korean missionary Kim Jong-uk, who is detained in North Korea, has appeared before media to read from a statement publicly apologizing for “anti-state crimes”.
Kim Jong-uk, 50, said he was arrested after entering via China with religious materials in October.
Religious activity is restricted in North Korea, with missionaries arrested on multiple occasions in the past.
Foreign nationals arrested in North Korea sometimes make public confessions which they later say were under duress.
Merrill Newman, an 85-year-old US national, was briefly held last year. He was freed after confessing to committing crimes during the Korean War – a statement he said was given under duress.
Kim Jong-uk has appeared before North Korean media to read an apology
In his first public appearance since his arrest, Kim Jong-uk said he wanted to let his family know he was in good health.
He said he acted “under directions” from South Korea’s National Intelligence Services (NIS), setting up an underground church in Dandong, China, to collect information on life in North Korea to send back.
“I was thinking of turning North Korea into a religious country, and destroying its present government and political system,” Kim Jong-uk also told the news conference.
One report said Kim Jong-uk had been working in Dandong for seven years helping North Korean refugees.
Kim Jong-uk said he was unsure of his punishment and asked that he be released.
The North Korean state media in November said it had arrested an unnamed South Korean “spy”, a charge which South Korea’s intelligence agency denied.
On Thursday, South Korea’s Unification Ministry urged North Korea to release and repatriate Kim Jong-uk.
As I Lay Dying’ Tim Lambesis has pleaded guilty to attempting to hire an undercover agent to murder his estranged wife.
The metal band singer, who initially denied the charge, could face nine years in prison for the attempted contract killing.
Tim Lambesis, 32, who formed As I Lay Dying in San Diego in 2000, has sold more than a million albums.
He remains free on $2 million bail until he is sentenced on May 2 in Vista Superior Court, California.
Tim Lambesis has pleaded guilty to attempting to hire an undercover agent to murder his estranged wife
Tim Lambesis had asked a personal trainer at his gym to help him get rid of his wife Meggan, claiming she had restricted his visits with their three adopted children after they separated in September 2012.
The singer was arrested in May 2013 after prosecutors said he met a sheriff’s deputy posing as a hitman, called Red, and handed over $1,000 along with his wife’s address and front door security code.
The undercover agent, San Diego County Sheriff’s Officer Howard Bradley, testified last year that Tim Lambesis met him at an Oceanside bookshop in May and said he wanted his wife “gone”.
Howard Bradley said he asked Tim Lambesis directly if he wanted his wife killed, and the singer replied: “Yes, I do.”
Two Ukraine’s government buildings have been seized by armed men in Simferopol, the capital of the Russian-majority region of Crimea.
The Russian flag had been raised over both the parliament and the regional government buildings in Simferopol.
On Wednesday pro-Russian separatists and supporters of Ukraine’s new leaders confronted each other in the city.
Ukrainian interim President Oleksandr Turchynov warned Russia against any “military aggression” in Crimea.
Oleksandr Turchynov said Russia’s troops from Black Sea Fleet should not move outside their naval base in the Crimea.
“I would like to call on the leadership of the Russian Federation to respect the basic agreements on the Russian military presence in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea,” he said.
Meanwhile Russia is performing a second day of military exercises, saying it fighter jets were on “combat alert”.
“Constant air patrols are being carried out by fighter jets in the border regions,” Russia’s defense ministry told Interfax.
Two Ukraine’s government buildings have been seized by armed men in Simferopol
On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin ordered a snap drill to test the combat readiness of troops in central and western Russia, near the border with Ukraine. Thursday’s exercises appear to be part of that drill, analysts say.
Also on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry expressed concern over what it termed “massive violations of human rights in Ukraine”.
Amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West, NATO has issued a statement saying it would continue to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
The US has warned against any military intervention by Russia.
On Wednesday Simferopol saw clashes erupt between Ukrainians who support the change of government and pro-Russians.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said the area near the government buildings has been cordoned off to prevent “bloodshed”. He added that the seizure of the buildings was the work of “provocateurs”.
“Measures have been taken to counter extremist actions and not allow the situation to escalate into an armed confrontation in the centre of the city,” he said in a statement on his Facebook page.
Regional Prime Minister Anatoliy Mohylyov told a local TV station said he would take part in talks with the gunmen and told government employees who normally work there not to come in.
The men have not yet made any demands or issued any statements but did put up a sign reading: “Crimea is Russia”.
They threw a flash grenade in response to questions from a journalist, AP news agency reported.
Tensions have been rising in Crimea since President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted last week.
Crimea – where ethnic Russians are in a majority – was transferred from Russia to Ukraine in 1954.
Ethnic Ukrainians loyal to Kiev and Muslim Tatars – whose animus towards Russia stretches back to Stalin’s deportations during World War II – have formed an alliance to oppose any move back towards Moscow.
The number of deaths which can be connected to two weeks of anti-government protests in Venezuela has risen above 50, President Nicolas Maduro has said.
Official estimates put the number killed in clashes at 13.
Nicolas Maduro has blamed the violence on fascist groups.
The president was speaking ahead of a meeting intended to put an end to the unrest, sparked by anger at high inflation, rampant crime and food shortages.
But the main opposition coalition has refused to attend, calling it a farce.
“We will not lend ourselves to a sham dialogue that would end in a mockery of our compatriots,” the bloc’s vice-president, Jorge Arreaza, told reporters.
The number of deaths which can be connected to two weeks of anti-government protests in Venezuela has risen above 50, President Nicolas Maduro has said
On Monday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Luisa Ortega said 13 people had died in protest-related violence. At the time, opposition groups said the number of dead was at least 15.
Speaking at a pro-government rally staged by farmers outside the presidential palace, Nicolas Maduro said there were “more than 50 dead as a result of road blocks and barricades”.
“Yesterday, an 84-year-old lady died in eastern Caracas because she was held up at a road block for three hours and died in her family’s car of a heart attack,” he said.
He did not further clarify his reasons for giving a steep increase in the death toll.
Elsewhere in Caracas, hundreds of people, mostly women, led by the wife of imprisoned opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez protested against the government’s handling of the demonstrations.
Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra has been summoned by an anti-corruption panel to hear charges of negligence over a government rice subsidy scheme.
Yingluck Shinawatra’s opponents, who are seeking to replace her, say the program was rife with corruption.
If found guilty, the prime minister could be removed from office and face a five-year ban from politics.
Thailand’s political crisis has become increasingly violent since mass anti-government protests began in November.
Yingluck Shinawatra, who flew to the northern city of Chiang Rai on Wednesday, will not attend the hearing at the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) in person.
NACC officials say she will be represented by her lawyer, who will hear the charges set against her.
The prime minister, who denies the corruption charges, says she is willing to co-operate with the NACC “to establish the facts”.
Yingluck Shinawatra has been summoned by an anti-corruption panel to hear charges of negligence over a government rice subsidy scheme
The rice subsidy programme – a flagship policy of Yingluck Shinawatra’s administration – saw the Thai government buying farmers’ crops for the past two years at prices up to 50% higher than world prices.
The policy was originally popular with farmers. However, it has led to Thailand’s rice exports being badly hit and accumulated losses of at least $4.4 billion.
Recently, the scheme has left many farmers out of pocket, as the government cannot borrow money to make the payments until a new parliament has convened.
Yingluck Shinawatra says she was only in charge of formulating the policy, not the day-to-day running of the scheme. She has also complained that the commission has treated her unfairly.
Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, is due to visit to the wreck on Thursday.
It will be Francesco Schettino’s first time back on the ship since it hit a reef near the island of Giglio in January 2012 and capsized, killing 32 people.
The visit is part of an investigation at Francesco Schettino’s trial, where he is accused of manslaughter and abandoning ship. He denies the charges.
If found guilty, Francesco Schettino could face up to 20 years in prison.
He arrived back on Giglio, off the Tuscany coast, on Tuesday, and was reported to have wept when he first saw the stranded ship.
The 290m-long vessel was righted in September 2013 in one of the largest, most complex salvage operations ever, but remains stranded.
Capt Francesco Schettino will board the ship along with inspectors on Thursday, but will not be allowed to interfere with their investigation.
Costa Concordia’s Captain Francesco Schettino will revisit ship on Thursday
He would be allowed onto the ship “as a defendant, not a consultant”, said Judge Giovanni Puliatti.
The captain has been accused of leaving the luxury liner before all 4,229 people on board had been evacuated.
Francesco Schettino has already accepted some degree of responsibility, asking for forgiveness in a television interview last year as he talked of those who died.
But he denies abandoning the ship after it hit a reef near the island.
Francesco Schettino maintains he managed to steer the stricken vessel closer to shore so it did not sink in deep water where hundreds might have drowned.
An Italian court convicted five others of manslaughter in July 2013.
They had all successfully entered plea bargains, whereas Francesco Schettino’s request for a plea bargain was denied by the prosecution.
The complex operation to salvage the Costa Concordia took 18 hours and followed months of stabilization and preparation work by a team of 500 engineers and divers.
Ports in Italy, Britain, France, Turkey and China are now bidding for the lucrative contract to dismantle it.
NASA’s Kepler telescope has identified 715 new planets beyond our Solar System.
In the nearly two decades since the first so-called exoplanet was discovered, researchers had claimed the detection of just over 1,000 new worlds.
Kepler’s latest bounty orbit only 305 stars, meaning they are all in multi-planet systems.
The vast majority, 95%, are smaller than our Neptune, which is four times the radius of the Earth.
Four of the new planets are less than 2.5 times the radius of Earth, and they orbit their host suns in the “habitable zone” – the region around a star where water can keep a liquid state.
NASA’s Kepler telescope has identified 715 new planets beyond our Solar System
Whether that is the case on these planets cannot be known for sure – Kepler’s targets are hundreds of light-years in the distance, and this is too far away for very detailed investigation.
The Kepler space telescope was launched in 2009 on a $600 million mission to assess the likely population of Earth-sized planets in our Milky Way Galaxy.
Before Wednesday, the Kepler spacecraft had confirmed the existence of 246 exoplanets. It has now pushed this number up to 961. That is more than half of all the discoveries made in the field over the past 20 years.
Former CNN anchor Miles O’Brien revealed his left forearm was amputated after an apparently minor injury put his life in jeopardy.
In a blog post on his personal website Tuesday, PBS science correspondent Miles O’Brien recounted the February 12 blow to his arm he suffered while on assignment in Asia and the medical emergency that followed.
Miles O’Brien was diagnosed with “acute compartment syndrome”, in which blocked blood flow in an enclosed space in the body can cause life-threatening consequences.
Part of his arm was removed in a choice between “a life and a limb”, Miles O’Brien said, quoting his doctor. He is grateful to be alive, the PBS reporter said.
Miles O’Brien has continued working despite the ordeal, PBS spokeswoman Anne Bell said.
Miles O’Brien revealed his left forearm was amputated after an apparently minor injury put his life in jeopardy
He covers science for PBS NewsHour and is a correspondent for public TV’s documentary series Frontline and the National Science Foundation’s Science Nation online magazine.
According to his blog, Miles O’Brien was securing cases filled with camera gear on a cart as he wrapped up a reporting trip to Japan and the Philippines. One of the cases fell onto his left forearm, he wrote, adding: “It hurt, but I wasn’t all <<911>> about it.”
The arm was sore and swollen the next day but worsened on the next, February 14, and he sought medical care.
Miles O’Brien did not detail where he was and PBS couldn’t immediately provide the information.
At the hospital, as his pain increased and arm numbness set in, a doctor recommended an emergency procedure to relive the pressure within the limb, O’Brien wrote.
“When I lost blood pressure during the surgery due to the complications of compartment syndrome, the doctor made a real-time call and amputated my arm just above the elbow,” Miles O’Brien wrote.
He typed the blog post with one hand and help from speech recognition software, he noted, and ended it with dark humor.
“Life is all about playing the hand that is dealt you. Actually, I would love somebody to deal me another hand right about now – in more ways than one,” Miles O’Brien wrote.
Mayor of New Jersey capital Trenton, Tony Mack, has been removed from office by a judge, 19 days after he was found guilty of corruption.
Trenton Mayor Tony Mack had argued he should not be removed until his sentencing was complete and his appeals were exhausted in federal court.
Tony Mack was arrested in 2012 in a government sting and accused of trying to extort bribes from developers.
He refused to resign after his February 7 conviction.
Tony Mack has continued to draw a salary as mayor since then.
Trenton Mayor Tony Mack was found guilty of corruption
Only a conviction in a state court would have automatically required him to forfeit his office. He was charged under federal law.
Judge Mary Jacobson agreed and signed an order removing Tony Mack from office. He will also be ineligible for public office in the future and will be stripped of his state-funded pension.
Tony Mack became Trenton’s first new mayor in 20 years in 2010, but almost immediately faced accusations of cronyism in hiring and city contracting as well as a campaign finance investigation.
Prosecutors said Tony Mack accepted bribes and conspired to use his influence to push through a proposed city car park project that was in fact part of a law enforcement sting operation.
Ukraine’s interim cabinet has been presented at Kiev’s main protest camp, the Maidan.
The Maidan council named Arseniy Yatsenyuk to become prime minister.
Ukraine’s new government – to be voted on by parliament on Thursday – includes leading activists.
Daunting challenges lie ahead, including fixing Ukraine’s struggling economy which faces default.
Meanwhile, ousted President Viktor Yanukovych has been put on the international wanted list.
Viktor Yanukovych is accused of being behind last week’s deaths of more than 100 protesters at the hands of riot police in and around the Maidan.
The Maidan council named Arseniy Yatsenyuk to become prime minister
The Maidan council – made up of protester groups and activists – announced its nominations at a big gathering of protesters at the camp, which is spread over Kiev’s Independence Square.
The council proposed Fatherland Party leader Arseniy Yatsenyuk to lead the cabinet until after early presidential elections on May 25.
Arseniy Yatsenyuk – a former speaker of parliament and foreign minister – has been one of the main opposition leaders during the protests which first erupted in late November.
It was agreed that acting Defense Minister Arsen Avakov would keep his post. Other nominations include:
The key foreign affairs ministry portfolio goes to Andriy Deshchytsia, who played a key role in rallying diplomats in support of the protests
Overall Maidan commander Andriy Parubiy – who commands huge respect among the protesters – was named candidate for secretary of the National Security and Defence Council
Tetyana Chornovol and Dmytro Bulatov – prominent activists who were badly beaten by unknown attackers earlier this year – are set to head the anti-corruption bureau and the ministry of youth and sports respectively. [youtube hW031-_eJSM 650]
Fusilier Lee Rigby’s murderers Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale have been given a whole-life term and a minimum of 45 years in jail, respectively.
Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove into Lee Rigby with a car before hacking him to death in Woolwich, south-east London, in May last year.
The pair were absent during sentencing after a scuffle in the dock.
The judge began to sentence the men they started shouting and scuffling with court security guards. They had to be forced to the ground and were removed from court.
Fusilier Lee Rigby’s family sobbed as Michael Adebolajo shouted “allahu akbar”, and Michael Adebowale called out “that’s a lie” as the judge told them their extremist views were “a betrayal of Islam”.
Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale killed Fusilier Lee Rigby as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich
Sentencing the killers in their absence, the judge said they had been convicted on “overwhelming” evidence of the “barbaric” murder of Lee Rigby.
The British Muslim converts had “butchered” the 25-year-old soldier, he said.
Michael Adebolajo was the leader of the “joint enterprise”, the judge said, but Michael Adebowale played his part “enthusiastically”.
The judge said the pair carried out the murder “in a way that would generate maximum media coverage”.
Fusilier Lee Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London on May 22, 2013. He died of multiple cut and stab wounds.
It was back in the late 16th century when Shakespeare immortalised the tragic heroine Juliet. When she spoke of “Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face,” Juliet wasn’t referring to her bedtime beauty routine, of course. However, when it comes to yours, you can travel back in time and glean secrets from the past, and blend the past with the present.
The Native American Indians knew of witch hazel’s magical properties as soothing balm and a cleanser. A few drops of it in warm water or on your facial sponge can work wonders for your skin. Other natural remedies for skin cleansing and facials include snail gel — currently flying off the shelves fast enough to make snails jealous!
Okay, the face of a snail probably isn’t that much to look at — except perhaps to other snails — yet Chilean snail farmers have long known about the healing effects of snail gel itself, particularly of the Helix Aspersa breed (the common garden snail). Rich in collagen, elastin, glycolic acid and vitamins A, C and E, people who have used snail gel twice a day as part of a facial beauty routine have reported it to leave a softer, silkier complexion, lessen the appearance of scars and acne, smoothen out wrinkles and rejuvenate the overall feel of the skin.
Naturally, this doesn’t mean you should dash out into your back garden and rub a snail all over your face (and just imagine if your partner were to walk in you doing that!). The shops sell plenty of facial masks with which you can pamper your skin, but if you want to try a few natural methods to better skin and get in touch with the deeper you, here are some suggestions:
For a refreshing facial steam add one teaspoon of lavender buds, a teaspoon of jasmine green tea, a teaspoon of camomile flowers and three rosebuds to a bowl containing 400 millilitres of boiling water. Place your head over the bowl, cover with a towel and steam for five minutes. Do this once a week.
Mix a tablespoon of plain yogurt, a tablespoon of cooked oatmeal and one egg together. Mix into a paste, smooth onto your face and relax for 10 minutes. This can help energize your face and take away that run-down feeling the pace of modern life can sometimes give you.
Image by Reggie Alvey
For softer skin, mix one egg yolk with one tablespoon of milk and two tablespoons of honey. Smooth into a paste and apply as above. For red or troubled skin add five drops of lavender. For acne-prone skin add a drop of camphor, bergamot, tea tree oil and two drops of lavender.
Of course, whether you travel back in time to observe your skincare routine or live in the now and let the snails live to fight another day, you should still drink plenty of water and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. There are just some things that snails can’t argue with!
Julie Wellingworth is a life coach with a passion for beauty and something of a romantic. She loves looking good, travel and the novels of Jack Kerouac.
