Henrique Capriles – Venezuela’s opposition leader – has told a crowd of supporters not to feel intimidated and to vote in upcoming local elections.
Speaking in the capital, Caracas, Henrique Capriles said not voting on December 8 could be “very costly”.
Henrique Capriles was speaking as thousands turned out for a day of protest.
On Wednesday, the National Assembly gave President Nicolas Maduro controversial new powers to rule by decree.
Nicolas Maduro says the powers will enable him to fight corruption and fix the economy.
The National Assembly’s measure allows Nicolas Maduro to govern without consulting parliament for 12 months.
Despite being a big oil producer, Venezuela is facing shortages of food and other essential goods, as well as power cuts and 54% inflation.
Henrique Capriles has told a crowd of supporters not to feel intimidated and to vote in upcoming local elections
Nicolas Maduro has already forced retailers to slash prices by up to 60%, as part of his fight against what he calls “economic sabotage”.
The government has also imposed strict controls over the sale of foreign currency, to combat a growing black market in dollars.
The opposition accuses Nicolas Maduro of planning to use his new powers to suppress its activities.
Local elections will take place in two weeks.
“Everybody has to overcome their fears and vote. Voting doesn’t cost a thing, but not doing it can be very costly,” Henrique Capriles, who narrowly lost to Nicolas Maduro in April’s presidential election, told the crowd on Saturday.
Henrique Capriles said two of his aides were detained without explanation on Thursday night.
He accused Nicolas Maduro of being too cowardly to arrest him, relying instead on detaining people around him.
“Why don’t they come for me? Maduro, don’t be a coward, come on,” Henrique Capriles told supporters.
One of those arrested was man in charge of organizing Henrique Capriles’ travel agenda, Alejandro Silva.
The government confirmed two members of the opposition had been arrested, accused of planning to provoke disturbances during Saturday’s protests.
Duck Dynasty stars are entering the children’s publications sphere with a picture book, Everything’s Better With a Beard.
Publisher Simon & Schuster will release Everything’s Better With a Beard in March 2014. The photographic picture book has a simple message: Slap some facial hair on everything -from rubber duckies to sunflowers to trucks – and it’s instantly better.
Simon & Schuster will release Everything’s Better With a Beard in March 2014
Everything’s Better With a Beard, written by Si, Willie, Phil, Jase, Jep and Alan Robertson, will be full of homespun Duck Dynasty wisdom that kids will love.
“Kay has set up a special section in their house for all the grandchildren that is filled with children’s books,” Willie Robertson said in a press release.
“We’re proud to now have books with our names on them to add to the collection, and we’re happy to promote beards any time we get a chance.”
The home of Duck Dynasty’s family has become a huge tourist draw over the years.
On any given day the Official Duck Commander hometown tour takes visitors to 26 locations featured on the show, including the Duck Commander Store and Warehouse, Haskell’s Donuts, Debbie’s Snowballs, and Danken Trail.
Now, Monroe, Louisiana, is pulling out all the stops for some serious holiday festivities.
Throughout December there will be a host of events, which include meet and greets featuring the stars themselves, a massive laser light show-and lots and lots of camouflage.
Get involved in the fun on Saturday, December 14, as Monroe’s Downtown RiverMarket presents A Very Merry Commander Christmas– an event featuring appearances by members of the Robertson family.
Get working on growing out your beard and don’t pack your razor, as organizers hold a star of Duck Dynasty look-a-like contest.
On December 14, Monroe’s Downtown RiverMarket presents A Very Merry Commander Christmas, an event featuring appearances by members of the Robertson family
Get your game face on for the Duck Commander Duck Derby on the Ouachita River. In the afternoon, approximately 10,000 plastic ducks will float down from near the Endom Bridge for the duck race. Prizes will be awarded.
Later in the day, Louisiana’s favorite first family will serve as the grand marshals.
A boat flotilla will make its way to The Downtown RiverMarket, culminating in a laser light show and live music.
“The whole family is excited to ride down the river in the ‘Duck the Halls’ flotilla, and then for the grand finale, the night ends with the biggest laser light show our area has ever seen,” said Korie Robertson.
“It is going to be a great day for families to come out and enjoy.”
Not only is it guaranteed to be a fun day, Korie Robertson says she’s excited to be part of the event because it benefits the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana.
“Christmas is about family, giving to others, and enjoying time together, but most importantly, Christmas is about celebrating Jesus’ birth,” she said.
Monroe has more to offer this holiday season than A Very Merry Commander Christmas. Make your holiday trip complete with some Commander Christmas shopping.
You can visit the family’s new shop to find great, unique gifts for those on your list this year.
“Rebecca, our oldest daughter, and I just opened a fun new clothing and gift boutique, Duck and Dressing, that we are really excited about, and, of course, fans are always welcome to stop by our warehouse and visit the Duck Commander store,” Korie Robertson said.
You can even try Willie and Miss Kay Robertson’s recipes during your trip at Willie’s Duck Diner.
Korie Robertson says besides Willie’s, Cotton, is their go-to restaurant.
“It’s in downtown Monroe in a cool, old building that overlooks the Ouachita River,” Korie Robertson said.
“You have to try the duck wraps and the duck fat fries; so good!”
For a sweet snack, stop by Not Just Pie, where Korie Robertson recommends the delicious blueberry creme pie.
Duck Dynasty’s Reed Robertson, the eldest son of Jase and Missy Robertson, admitted that the pressures of being on a hit television show changed him, and not necessarily for the better.
In a new film by the Christian group IamSecond, Reed Robertson said: “A couple years ago, I started to get real cynical and looking at everything like <<That’s wrong>>, or <<They are looking at that wrong>> because I thought I had it all figured out.”
“I guess I got really caught up in thinking that I was better than everyone else because of who my family was.”
The changes in Reed Robertson’s personality caused his friends and loved ones to begin avoiding him. He grew angry and depressed, and after getting snubbed by his pals after church one day, he “finally hit rock bottom.”
“No one wanted anything to do with a cynical person like me,” he said.
“I told my youth minister that I was, I pretty much told him that I wanted to kill myself.”
Reed Robertson, the eldest son of Jase and Missy Robertson, admitted that the pressures of being on a hit television show changed him
Reed Robertson, now 18, wrote a suicide note, but after speaking with his parents, Jase and Missy Robertson, he had a change of heart.
“My mom was devastated of course. She’s crying and all this kinda stuff. She’s thinking where she went wrong and it wasn’t her at all,” he said.
“My dad told me, he said, <<That is the most selfish thing that you can do… Leave this world because you can’t take it>>. And I really believe that that’s true.”
Now, Reed Robertson said his situation has turned around and he’s “back on track with Jesus”.
“I just thought about, like, <<I’m about to leave all these people that I could have a really huge impact with>>,” he said.
“I was finally free of doubts, of having an attitude of being cynical, and I remember being so relieved. And Jesus brings that relief. I think who taught me that was the men in my life and my family.”
The 30-minute documentary The Robertsons also recently shed light on past issues regarding Reed’s grandparents, where it was revealed that Phil Robertson’s one-time drinking problem almost destroyed his family.
Duck Dynasty will return on December 11 with the Robertson family’s annual Christmas special.
Addressing the delegates of the European Olympic Committees at the Vatican on Saturday, Pope Francis has warned that the commercialization of sport may undermine its spiritual values.
Pope Francis told Olympic leaders that looking for profit and victory at all costs risked reducing athletes “to mere trading material”.
“Sport is harmony, but if money and success prevail as the aim, this harmony crumbles,” the Pope said.
The pontiff has struck a different tone to his predecessor on a range of issues.
Pope Francis said recently the Church was too focused on preaching about abortion, gay people and contraception.
He played basketball as a young man and is a keen supporter of his local San Lorenzo football club in Buenos Aires.
Pope Francis told Olympic leaders that looking for profit and victory at all costs risked reducing athletes to mere trading material
Pope Francis had two days of meetings with leaders of the world of sport. He met Sepp Blatter, the head of the International Football Federation (FIFA) and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
He has also been talking about the spiritual values of team games with the rugby squads of Italy and Argentina – ahead of their encounter in Rome.
“Rugby is like life because we are all heading for a goal. We need to run together and pass the ball from hand to hand until we get to it,” Pope Francis told the rugby players.
Addressing the delegates of the European Olympic Committees at the Vatican on Saturday, the Pope said: “When sport is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost, it risks reducing athletes to mere trading material from whom profits are extracted.”
Thomas Bach presented the Pope with the Olympic Order in Gold, telling him: “You truly understand the joy in human spirit that sport can bring but just as much the deeper values that it can nurture.”
Sepp Blatter gave Pope Francis a special Latin edition of the FIFA magazine.
Mount Etna has erupted again, showering volcanic ash on towns dotting the mountain’s slopes and nearby Taormina.
Etna is Europe’s most active volcano erupting occasionally. Its last major eruption occurred in 1992.
Etna is Europe’s most active volcano erupting occasionally
The eruption Saturday did not force any evacuations, but a highway was closed for half an hour as a precaution. Italian authorities also briefly closed two of four air corridors serving the nearby Catania airport but air traffic was not interrupted.
Dennis Rodman plans to visit North Korea for an exhibition basketball tour late next month.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Dennis Rodman said he’ll be accompanied on the trip by a dozen or so former NBA players. But he refused to name names.
“I have seven people right now,” he said.
“I talked to a couple of guys last week. Lot of guys are saying, <<OK, great. I’ll go. We’ll go>>. But I’m not saying this to get people to go over there to prove a point — <<OK, great, let’s go over there and make a difference.>>”
Back in the news as a self-appointed ambassador and friend of Kim Jong-un, Dennis Rodman returned Thursday to where he won the last three of his five NBA championships playing alongside Michael Jordan. On a promotional tour to pitch a vodka brand, Dennis Rodman held court downtown amid camera flashes.
Dennis Rodman, 52, said he wouldn’t talk about his relationship with Kim Jong-un or North Korean politics, including its widely condemned human-rights record and secretive nuclear weapons program. Though he eventually touched on those subjects, Dennis Rodman glossed over several related questions and largely ignored a challenge to his answer about whether North Korea was holding US citizens as hostages, including 85-year-old Korean War veteran Merrill Newman.
Dennis Rodman plans to visit North Korea for an exhibition basketball tour late next month
The Swedish Embassy is negotiating on behalf of Newman because the US has no diplomatic ties to North Korea. Dennis Rodman’s friendship with Kim Jong-un has afforded him the kind of access denied statesmen from the West and even President Barack Obama.
Dennis Rodman came under criticism for being “naive” during a previous visit to North Korea, where he was photographed often with Kim Jong-un, and some members of the diplomatic community fear his antics could further aggravate already-sensitive negotiations.
He said his reasons for returning to North Korea were much more personal and beyond that, Kim Jong-un’s motives were not his concern.
“Like I told you, this is not all about trying to create this major buzz,” Dennis Rodman said.
“Because I don’t want my friend to sit there and say I been doing this all along to slip in some information on him. I don’t want that. That’s why I’m not doing that. We’re friends and that’s it.
“This ain’t about me trying to be a politician and try to get some scoop on him and stuff like that. … He’s my friend first. Other than that, I don’t give a damn what … he does.”
Khloe Kardashian has open up about Kris Jenner’s separation from her stepfather, Bruce Jenner, and how it has affected the family.
“It wasn’t some huge shock for the older kids,” the reality star said during an interview with The Kyle and Jackie O Show in Sydney, Australia, on November 21.
“[They’ve been] living apart for maybe like a year now,” she confirmed.
“I even said on the show, <<Once you guys put that much space in between you guys, I don’t think you will ever move back together>>,” she added.
“<<Because you kind of get comfortable in that space>>. So I wasn’t for him moving out in the first place. I just kind of saw it going down this road.”
Khloe Kardashian has open up about Kris Jenner’s separation from her stepfather, Bruce Jenner
The transition may not have been too tough on Kim, Kourtney and Rob Kardashian, but the decision to begin a new chapter proved to be a bit more difficult for younger sisters Kendall and Kylie, Bruce Jenner’s biological kids.
“They have a harder time kind of understanding it,” Khloe Kardashian admitted.
“They were like, <<Well, why don’t you guys just get a divorce then?!>>.”
But as it turns out, the change actually helped their parents’ relationship.
“They’re nicer to each other [now]. My mom could get frustrated with him very quickly. Or he would always want to play golf and be gone,” she said, but now “he actually wants to come over more and be around us more. I would say it’s a really positive thing. My mom and him, there’s no animosity”.
As for dating post-split, that’s apparently a different story.
“[They aren’t] looking to be with other people right now,” Khloe Kardashian explained.
Paris shootings suspect Abdelhakim Dekhar has been charged with attempted murder and kidnapping.
Abdelhakim Dekhar was arrested in a car park in Paris on Wednesday after French police launched a large-scale manhunt.
He is suspected of threatening a TV station a week ago, before attacking Liberation newspaper office and Societe Generale HQ on Monday.
Prosecutors have said that samples of DNA from Abdelhakim Dekhar, 48, matched that from the crime scenes.
Abdelhakim Dekhar’s lawyer, Remi Lorrain, has complained of “violations of his right to be presumed innocent”.
Abdelhakim Dekhar has been charged with attempted murder and kidnapping
The spate of attacks started on Friday November 17, when a gunman threatened the Paris TV station, BFMTV.
Then on Monday, a photographer’s assistant was seriously hurt in a shooting at the left-wing newspaper, Liberation, before shots were fired in front of the headquarters of the Societe Generale bank in the Paris business district of La Defense.
Abdelhakim Dekhar was arrested on Wednesday in an underground car park in the Paris suburb of Bois-Colombes following a tip-off from a member of the public.
He was found in a semi-conscious state after an apparent suicide attempt.
The French authorities say Abdelhakim Dekhar was jailed in 1998 for his role in a string of fatal shootings in Paris and he was sentenced to four years in jail, but was released soon after the verdict, having already served his time in pre-trial detention.
Turkish ambassador to Cairo has been expelled, a day after PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for Egypt’s ousted President Mohamed Morsi to be freed.
Relations with Ankara would be lowered to charge d’affaires, officials said.
On Friday, PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeated his criticism of the July overthrow of Mohamed Morsi and urged the Egyptian authorities to free him.
Egypt’s foreign ministry accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of provocation and interfering in his country’s internal affairs.
Responding to Cairo’s decision to expel Ambassador Huseyin Avni Botsali, Turkey also announced the downgrading of ties and barred the Egyptian ambassador, declaring him “persona non grata”.
Turkey has been a vocal critic of the military overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, who is in prison awaiting trial on charges of inciting murder and violence.
Responding to Cairo’s decision to expel Ambassador Huseyin Avni Botsali, Turkey also announced the downgrading of ties and barred the Egyptian ambassador
He is one of thousands belonging to the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood who have been detained in a crackdown the interim authorities have portrayed as a struggle against “terrorism”.
Hundreds of people have also been killed in clashes with security forces.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his criticisms on Friday, condemning the violent dispersal of pro-Morsi protesters in August.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Badr Abdelatty accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of “interfering in Egypt’s internal affairs”.
He said Turkey was “attempting to influence public opinion against Egyptian interests, supported meetings of organizations that seek to create instability in the country”.
A bitter row over the August crackdown led both countries to recall their ambassadors.
Turkey’s ambassador to Cairo returned in September, but the Egyptian ambassador to Turkey was never reinstalled.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, like Mohamed Morsi, has his roots in political Islam. Ankara and Istanbul have hosted a series of meetings of the international Muslim Brotherhood.
Amphotericin B, a drug commonly used to beat severe fungal infections, can make flu far worse, animal studies suggest.
The effects in people are still uncertain, but doctors have called for it to be assessed “urgently”.
Amphotericin B is given to people needing chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant.
The findings, in the journal Cell Reports, showed the drug interfered with the way the body defended itself against flu.
Amphotericin B is given to people needing chemotherapy or a bone marrow transplant
Previous research had shown that the protein IFITM3 makes it harder for a flu virus to infect the body.
Mice that are unable to produce the protein are more vulnerable to infection and will have more severe symptoms.
Now researchers at the University of Massachusetts and the Sanger Institute in the UK have shown that an antifungal drug destroys IFITM3 and leaves mice susceptible to flu.
Prof. Abraham Brass, from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, said: “Sometimes a very useful drug can also have unforeseen effects.
“We now see that a major part of the body’s natural defenses to influenza virus is rendered inactive by Amphotericin B.
“While these studies don’t confirm that such an interaction may translate into clinical relevance for patients, it does suggest that some vigilance is warranted, especially for patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer and may already have suppressed immune systems.”
China has created an “air-defense identification zone” over an area of the East China Sea, covering islands that are also claimed by Japan.
China’s Defense Ministry said aircraft entering the zone must obey its rules or face “emergency defensive measures”.
The zone came into effect from 10:00 local time on Saturday.
The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are a source of rising tension between the countries.
In its statement, the Defense Ministry said aircraft must report a flight plan, “maintain two-way radio communications”, and “respond in a timely and accurate manner” to identification inquiries.
“China’s armed forces will adopt defensive emergency measures to respond to aircraft that do not co-operate in the identification or refuse to follow the instructions,” said the statement.
China has created an “air-defense identification zone” over an area of the East China Sea, covering islands that are also claimed by Japan
A map posted on Twitter by state news agency Xinhua showed the zone covering a wide area of the East China Sea, including regions very close to South Korea and Japan.
Responding to questions about the zone on an official state website, a defense ministry spokesman, Yang Yujun, said China set up the area “with the aim of safeguarding state sovereignty, territorial land and air security, and maintaining flight order”.
“It is not directed against any specific country or target,” he said, adding that China “has always respected the freedom of over-flight in accordance with international law”.
“Normal flights by international air liners in the East China Sea Air Defence Identification Zone will not be affected in any way.”
There has been no response so far from Japan.
The islands have been a source of tension between China and Japan for decades.
In 2012, the Japanese government bought three of the islands from their Japanese owner, sparking mass protests in Chinese cities.
Since then, Chinese ships have repeatedly sailed in and out of what Japan says are its territorial waters.
In September this year, Japan said it would shoot down unmanned aircraft in Japanese airspace after an unmanned Chinese drone flew close to the disputed islands.
China said that any attempt by Japan to shoot down Chinese aircraft would constitute “an act of war”.
Last month Japan’s defense minister, Itsunori Onodera, said China’s behavior over the disputed East China Sea islands was jeopardizing peace.
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Geneva for Iran nuclear talks involving the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany after three days of lower-level meetings.
The foreign ministers hope to close a deal for Iran to curb uranium enrichment in return for a loosening of sanctions.
But Iran insists it must be allowed to enrich uranium for power stations, and denies it is seeking nuclear weapons.
Some US politicians say they will push for more sanctions if the talks fail.
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Geneva for Iran nuclear talks
Negotiators have been working since Wednesday to try to find an agreement that is acceptable to both sides.
The talks had been scheduled to conclude on Friday, but were extended amid hopes of a possible breakthrough.
The state department said John Kerry, who arrived in Geneva early on Saturday, had the goal of “continuing to help narrow the differences and move closer to an agreement”.
John Kerry’s participation in itself does not prove a deal is at hand, but it does show that the talks may have reached a critical stage.
The other ministers from the so-called P5+1 group of nations were also arriving on Saturday.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters as he arrived: “I want a deal, but a solid deal, and I am here to work toward that end.”
Duke Energy Renewables has agreed to pay out $1 million over the deaths of golden eagles at two wind farms.
The huge energy supplier agreed to the sum after pleading guilty to charges over the deaths of 14 eagles in the past three years at the Wyoming site.
It is the first time the Obama administration has taken action against a wind energy company in such a case, the AP news agency report.
The fines will go to wildlife and wetlands conservation bodies.
Duke Energy Renewables has agreed to pay out $1 million over the deaths of golden eagles at two wind farms
The charges were brought under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which protects golden eagles as well as other species.
According to one study by federal biologists in 2013, wind energy facilities in 10 US states have killed at least 67 golden and bald eagles since 2008, AP said.
The eagles often fail to look up as they search for prey until it is too late, slamming into the turbines. They can also be sucked in by the tornado-like vortex created by the fast-moving blades.
Duke Energy Renewables president Greg Wolf said the company “deeply regretted” the impact to golden eagles at two of its wind facilities, and had been working closely with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to “take proactive steps to correct the problem”.
These have included installing radar technology to help detect eagles in flight nearby and further curbing turbines at times of high eagle flight activity.
Duke Energy Renewables is the renewable energy arm of Duke Energy. This corporation, with market capitalization put at around $50 billion, says it is the largest electric power holding company in the US, serving more than seven million customers.
Katie Couric is leaving ABC News and she is reportedly looking toward a new role with Yahoo.
“Katie is an incredible journalist and this was an opportunity that she couldn’t pass up,” said an ABC executive with knowledge of the situation.
“Thanks to the powerful association between ABC News and Yahoo we know that Katie will continue to work closely with us and welcome her on our air anytime.”
It has been widely speculated that Katie Couric might one day reunite with her former Today executive producer Jeff Zucker at CNN. Jeff Zucker took over leadership of CNN in January.
Katie Couric joined ABC News in June 2011 as part of a multi-year deal
Katie Couric joined ABC News in June 2011 as part of a multi-year deal that also included her hosting the talk show, which is now suffering in the ratings. Jeff Zucker initially executive produced the show, but left to head CNN.
The exit from ABC News will be the second time Katie Couric has parted ways with the network.
Katie Couric started her career there as a desk assistant in 1979.
As part of ABC News, Katie Couric anchored specials, conducted interviews, hosted on Good Morning America and took part in special events coverage.
Between her stints on Today and joining ABC News, she spent five years anchoring The CBS Evening News.
Kim Kardashian came under fire this week after deciding to aid victims of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines by selling off a boatload of items from her closet, a la Victoria Beckham.
Her initiative has sparked a firestorm of social media outrage after it was pointed out that only 10% of the proceeds were going to charity.
Kim Kardashian’s charitable eBay auction launched on Thursday with a number of gently used designer goods, including Christian Louboutin diamond-embellished platform pumps and a Givenchy white dress that she wore while pregnant with daughter North.
“Hi guys, this is a very special auction because a portion of the proceeds of my eBay auction are going to International Medical Corps, a nonprofit organization that provides critical health services on remote islands where families are struggling to access medical care and basic resources like food, clean drinking water and vital medications,” Kim Kardashian wrote on her website.
“The proceeds will go directly to the communities they’re serving in the Philippines and will help typhoon survivors get access to medical care and ultimately save lives. My prayers and thoughts are with those affected by the typhoon.”
Kim Kardashian came under fire after deciding to aid victims of the devastating Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines by selling off a boatload of items from her closet
Reaction to Kim Kardashian’s benevolent effort was swift and merciless.
“Kim #Kardashian is on eBay selling some of her clothes for charity. 10% goes to the charity. Hope that doesn’t break her! #generosity #vile,” tweeted one.
“What on earth does she need the money for?” asked another.
Kim Kardashian “consistently” auctions off her couture, explains her spokesperson, and always gives 10% of the money away (usually to her church).
It’s “something she learned from her father,” and she does it year-round, “not just when there’s a tragedy,” adds the rep.
For this particular auction, Kim Kardashian decided to change the beneficiary in order to help the Philippines, but she kept the percentage at the usual number.
Given how high end the items are (other designers represented include Chanel, Gucci, Lanvin and Balenciaga), a good chunk of change should be raised, even at the 10% rate.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Whisk egg yolks and brown sugar together in a large bowl. Stir in heavy cream, pumpkin puree, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Divide pumpkin mixture between seven (5-inch) ramekins about 1/2 inch from the top.
Place the ramekins in a baking dish and fill with the baking dish hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake in preheated oven until just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove ramekins and refrigerate until completely cool, at least 2 hours.
Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar onto each creme brulee. Melt the sugar with a chef’s torch until crisp and dark brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.
Moldovan dancer Domnica Cemortan admitted at Francesco Schettino’s trial she had been in a romantic relationship with the captain, and had been present on the ship’s bridge at the moment when the ship ran aground.
Francesco Schettino, the captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, faces manslaughter charges after the vessel ran aground in Italy, claiming the lives of 32 of those on board.
Domnica Cemortan admitted at Francesco Schettino’s trial she had been in a romantic relationship with the captain
Domnica Cemortan said: “The story that I distracted the captain is fake, because I was very far from him, he was working and acting like a captain.”
The Moldovan feels all the blame for the crash is being heaped Francesco Schettino, but said there “can not be only one person accused for this big accident, and I asking myself where are the others, where are the other officers in this story?”
North Korea has acknowledged that it is holding an US citizen, the state department announces.
The captive’s identity has not been confirmed as consular access has not been granted, AP news agency reports.
The disclosure comes amid concern for Merrill Newman, 85, who was reportedly detained weeks ago in North Korea.
The news came via Swedish officials, who oversee consular issues for the US as it lacks diplomatic ties with North Korea.
Merrill Newman, a Korean War veteran, was taken off a plane by uniformed officers on October 26 at the end of a trip to North Korea
The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang had been requesting access to the American on a daily basis, a state department spokesman said.
Jeffrey Newman said his father Merrill, a Korean War veteran, was taken off a plane by uniformed officers on October 26 at the end of a trip to North Korea.
Merrill Newman was visiting the country with a friend, on a guided tour arranged with a travel agent “approved by the North Korean government for travel of foreigners”, Jeffrey Newman said.
US officials have not specifically confirmed the case, but have called on North Korea to “resolve the issue”.
Merrill Newman appeared to have discussed his experience in the Korean War with North Korean officials the day before his detention, his son added.
According to a new study, women who drank the most sweet soft drinks had a 78% increased risk of endometrial cancer.
Researchers have found that other sweet treats, such as baked goods, didn’t have an effect. Nor did natural fruit juice, even though it’s full of naturally occurring sugars.
The findings fit in with other research linking sugar intake, obesity and a lack of exercise with the cancer, which kills more than 8,000 US women a year.
“Other studies have shown increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has paralleled the increase in obesity. Obese women tend to have higher levels of estrogens and insulin than women of normal weight,” said Maki Inoue-Choi, who did the study while at the University of Minnesota and now is at the National Cancer Institute.
It has to do with how insulin, which controls how the body uses sugar, affects other hormones such as estrogen.
“Increased levels of estrogens and insulin are established risk factors for endometrial cancer,” Dr. Maki Inoue-Choi said.
Dr. Maki Inoue-Choi and colleagues studied the records of 23,000 middle-aged women who had gone through menopause. Endometrial cancer is more common in women past menopause.
The women had been taking part in a bigger study of diet, and regularly filled out questionnaires on what they ate and drank every day. They were specifically asked about Coke, Pepsi and other cola drinks; caffeine-free versions of these drinks; 7-Up and similar sugar-sweetened sodas, and other sugary drinks such as lemonade or Hawaiian Punch.
They were also asked about sugar-free drinks such as Fresca, Diet Ginger Ale and other beverages. And they were asked about cookies, brownies, doughnuts, candy and pies.
The researchers arranged the women into five groups, called quintiles, from those who ate none of these things a week to those who ate 60 or more servings a week.
Women who drank the most sweet soft drinks had a 78 percent increased risk of endometrial cancer
The women showed one known pattern – those who were older, weighed more, who had late menopause or had a history of diabetes were at higher risk of endometrial cancer, which is diagnosed in nearly 50,000 US women every year.
“In contrast, women who ever smoked or experienced a greater number of live births were at lower risk of endometrial cancer,” the researchers wrote in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, which is published by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Women who drank sugary drinks had a higher risk of the most common type of endometrial cancer, called Type I endometrial cancer. The more they drank, the higher the risk, the researchers found.
“The risk was 78% among women in the highest quintile of sugar-sweetened beverage intake,” they wrote.
Other studies have found that coffee and exercise reduce the risk, but Dr. Maki Inoue-Choi and colleagues did not.
“Fruit juice intake was not associated with the risk of Type I endometrial cancer,” they added.
“Similarly, neither sweet/baked good nor starch intake was associated with Type I endometrial cancer risk.”
It might not be anything special about sugary drinks, the researchers say. It might be that women who drink a lot of such drinks have other unhealthy habits, too.
And Inoue-Choi says it’s not clear why drinks and not other sweet foods showed an effect.
“One possibility is that sugar from whole foods comes with other nutrients, such as fiber,” she said in a telephone interview.
“Sugar from beverages doesn’t come with these nutrients.”
More research will be needed to tease out an explanation. But Dr. Maki Inoue-Choi notes that obesity is still, by far, the biggest risk factor for endometrial cancer, causing half of all cases.
Estrogen is one known cause of endometrial cancer, which affects the lining of the uterus. Women who take hormones, as in hormone replacement therapy, are usually given a form of progesterone, also, to protect against endometrial cancer.
Fat cells also secrete estrogen and that’s one reason why obesity can cause the disease, experts say.
There are two main types of endometrial cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute – Type I and Type II.
Dr. Maki Inoue-Choi and colleagues found that sweetened drinks only affected Type I risk. But Type I accounts for 80% of endometrial cancers.
It’s usually diagnosed early, in time for treatment, because in 90% of cases the woman has abnormal bleeding, the American Cancer Society says.
Duck Dynasty stars Willie and Korie Robertson and principals of the sprawling Trinchero Family Estates winery toasted their new joint wine label Tuesday at a launch party in St. Helena.
The Duck Commander Wines label is “a great opportunity to join with a tremendous success story – the Robertson family,” said Roger Trinchero, the winery’s chief executive officer, at the party with about 75 staff and family members, local distributors and guests.
Roger Trinchero said while the business aspect of the new label was attractive, it was the chemistry between the two families that was compelling for him.
“They come from the same sort of background that we did – plus they are really great people,” Roger Trinchero said.
Willie and Korie Robertson and principals of the sprawling Trinchero Family Estates winery toasted their new joint wine label at a launch party in St. Helena
“We share the same values,” he added.
“Not to mention that the brand itself has tremendous potential.”
The Duck Commander by Robertson Family Wines feature a Red Blend, a Chardonnay and a Pink Moscato.
The wines, which sell at a mid-range price point of around $10 per bottle, are currently available at Wal-Mart, and will be at stores nationally by January.
Bob Torkelson, Trinchero’s COO, said a representative from the Robertson clan approached him about the possibility of producing their wine label.
He said the Trinchero family was “thrilled” to be associated with the project – both for business reasons and because they resonated with the Robertsons. The two families shared a private dinner Monday night at the Trinchero estate north of St. Helena.
“To be associated with the most popular reality TV show ever, plus to be with a great family group, really makes it a win-win for us,” Bob Torkelson said.
Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson was the big star at Wednesday’s opening of the Bass Pro Shops in Colorado Springs.
Four hundred people who stood in line – some for more than 24 hours – were issued wristbands to receive autographs from Willie Robertson, but he also made an appearance on stage during the store’s opening ceremonies and waved to enthusiastic fans.
Willie Robertson was the big star at Wednesday’s opening of the Bass Pro Shops in Colorado Springs
“We saw him, and that’s all that’s important,” one woman in the crowd was overheard telling her kids.
Willie Robertson politely signed autographs and posed for pictures.
Sadie Robertson, daughter of Duck Dynasty stars Willie and Korie Robertson, posted on Facebook a picture of herself wearing a red dress from Sherri Hill line of prom dresses in the Louisiana swamp.
The prom dress, including ones that Sadie Robertson modeled in at the Sherri Hill’s New York Fashion Week on September 9th, is part of her effort to create a clothing line that promotes modesty, a biblical value and a matter of heart that are increasingly unfamiliar in today’s fashion trends.
Sadie Robertson wears red Live Original by Sherri Hill prom dress
Sadie Robertson, 16, has attracted much attention after modeling in the prom dresses that received her father Willie Robertson’s approval at fashion show in New York, where the entire Robertson clan attended the event to show their support.
She teamed up with popular design for young women’s formal wear to create the “Sadie Robertson Live Original by Sherri Hill” collection.
While the gowns are designed by Sherri Hill, Sadie Robertson would choose which dresses she wanted as part of her modest clothing line.
The prom dresses collection will be available in the spring of 2014.
Leonardo DiCaprio has donated $3 million to help save tigers in Nepal.
Leonardo DiCaprio, 39, made the donation to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) via his charitable foundation.
The funds will be used to significantly increase the number of tigers in Nepal by 2022 – the next year of the tiger.
In a statement, Leonardo DiCaprio said he’s “hopeful” the money will help “exceed the goal” of doubling Nepal’s tiger population.
Nepal’s tigers are classified as endangered and – as with the general tiger population – are under threat from “habitat destruction and escalating illegal poaching”.
The star’s donation will help enforce anti-poaching patrols and protect and restore areas for the tigers to breed in Nepal.
Leonardo DiCaprio has donated $3 million to help save tigers in Nepal
So far, the foundation has helped increase the tiger population in Nepal’s Terai Bardia National Park from 18 to 50.
“His foundation is all about delivering real results for conservation on the ground and empowering local communities; nowhere is that more evident than in Nepal,” said Carter Roberts, president of the WWF.
The DiCaprio Foundation aims to protect “Earth’s last wild places and foster a harmonious relationship between humanity and the natural world”.
Earlier this year, Leonardo DiCaprio’s foundation raised $38.8 million through donations and an art auction at Christie’s in New York.
The tiger grant is the first from the proceeds of the auction, according to the WWF.
Leonardo DiCaprio will next be seen on the big screen playing the lead in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, due to be released on January 17.
