3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
Rich and Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin
1 cup heavy cream, divided
freshly ground black pepper to taste
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
2 cups freshly shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).
Place potatoes, garlic, and salt into a large pot, fill with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer the potatoes until tender but not mushy, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer about half the potatoes to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Pour half of the cream over the potatoes, season with black pepper and nutmeg, and sprinkle half of the Gruyere cheese onto the mixture. Top with the remaining potatoes; sprinkle again with black pepper and nutmeg. Pour on the remaining cream, and sprinkle with remaining Gruyere cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese topping is crisp and brown on top, about 1 hour.
Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius was served with new indictment papers Wednesday containing two extra charges believed to allege that he recklessly shot his gun out the open sunroof of a car last year and fired someone else’s handgun at a restaurant weeks before he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Oscar Pistorius has already been indicted on a main charge of murder for the February 14 shooting death of Reeva Steenkamp and another firearm charge for illegal possession of ammunition in his home.
The double-amputee Olympian now faces the two additional charges relating to firing guns in public.
Oscar Pistorius will likely face all four charges at his trial starting in March, although his lawyers can argue against the new gun charges being added to his current indictment as the offenses are alleged to have taken place in Johannesburg, in a different court jurisdiction to the fatal shooting of Reeva Steenkamp at his upscale villa in the South African capital, Pretoria, in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine’s Day.
Oscar Pistorius faces two additional charges relating to firing guns in public
His lawyers were served with the new papers, South Africa’s national prosecution spokesman Nathi Mncube told The Associated Press.
“What happened today is: Mr. Pistorius was served with a new indictment,” Nathi Mncube said.
“We have to advise him [of the extra charges] to accord him with enough time to prepare his defense.”
Nathi Mncube declined to give the exact details of the new charges, only saying they “relate to the contravention of the firearms act.”
He also said there had been no indication from Oscar Pistorius’ lawyers if they would challenge the adding of the charges to his indictment for the trial.
Prosecutors sought special permission to include the two gun charges against Oscar Pistorius on the indictment because they did not fall in the same jurisdiction. Permission was granted by South Africa’s director of public prosecutions last month.
It’s reported in South Africa that the new charges relate to two alleged incidents where Oscar Pistorius recklessly shot a gun in public: The first when the Paralympic is alleged to have fired his own licensed 9mm handgun – the gun used to kill Reeva Steenkamp – out the open sunroof of a car in Johannesburg while traveling with friends last year.
President Barack Obama paid tribute to the legacy of the past and the politics of the present by awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honor – to 16 people.
Among those receiving Presidential Medal of Freedom in Wednesday ceremony are former President Bill Clinton, iconic talk show host Oprah Winfrey and late astronaut Sally Ride.
Barack also paid tribute to the memory of President John F. Kennedy.
“This is one of my favorite events every year,” said Barack Obama.
“This year it’s just a little more special, because this marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy establishing this award.”
Former President Bill Clinton was among those receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Barack Obama noted that members of the Kennedy clan were in attendance: Robert Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy, and JFK’s grandson and son of Caroline Kennedy, Jack Schlossberg.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is “presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors,” says the White House.
Later in the day, presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton – and first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton – pay another tribute to JFK with a visit to his grave site at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
The Obamas and Clintons will lay a wreath near the eternal flame that marks JFK’s final resting place.
The 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination is Friday, November 22.
Barack Obama will again speak about JFK’s legacy during a dinner for the Medal of Freedom honorees at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Sean Penn screamed at a fan in a San Francisco hotel bar on Tuesday night.
Sean Penn – who served 33 days in 1987 for assaulting a photographer, and allegedly beat up two shutterbugs in 2009 – was taken by surprise by a fan who apparently tried to take his picture with a cell phone at the St. Regis hotel bar in San Francisco.
Sean Penn screamed at a fan in a San Francisco hotel bar
“Do we look like f***ing zoo animals?” Sean Penn screamed as he approached the man, whoTMZreports had attended the same conference the actor had been at that day.
According to the gossip website’s video footage of the incident, Sean Penn then grabbed the man’s phone and chucked it on the ground, yelling: “I’ll make you eat the phone … get the f*** out of here!”
Sean Penn later suggested to someone who worked for the hotel: “You should do something about that.”
The Paris gunman has been captured and taken into custody on suspicion of carrying out recent attacks on the Liberation office and Societe Generale HQ, prosecutors say.
French police said the man bore a strong resemblance to the person shown in surveillance camera footage.
He was taken into custody at about 19:00 local time from a vehicle in a car park in Bois-Colombes, west of Paris.
The suspect threatened a TV station last Friday, and attacked the Liberation office and Societe Generale HQ on Monday.
He was apprehended from a stationary car in an underground car park.
The Paris gunman was taken into custody from a vehicle in a car park in Bois-Colombes
Prosecutors said the reading of the man’s rights had been postponed and he was not yet in a position to be questioned. They gave no further explanation and have not yet given the man’s identity nor any motive.
Hundreds of police were involved in an intensive manhunt since Monday and security was stepped up at all media outlets.
An appeal for information generated almost 700 calls.
The first incident – last Friday – was at the offices of the BFMTV television channel.
The intruder emptied the chamber of his gun in the reception area without firing, saying: “Next time, I will not miss you.”
CCTV showed that he spent only a few seconds in reception, before hurrying out.
On Monday, the suspect attacked the offices of the Liberation newspaper, firing twice and critically injuring a 23-year-old photography assistant.
Two hours later, the same man fired shots outside the headquarters of the bank Societe Generale, in the western business district of La Defense. No-one was hurt.
A car was then hijacked and the driver was forced to drop the suspect off near the Avenue des Champs Elysees, where he disappeared.
George W. Bush revealed his painting hobby, talked about his granddaughter and poked fun at his post-White House years on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night.
The former president said that he was inspired to take up painting after reading a Winston Churchill essay.
When he hired an instructor for weekly lessons, the 43rd president said he told her: “There’s a Rembrandt trapped in this body. Your job is to find it.”
George W. Bush, 67, shared paintings of his dog Barney and a stray cat that he adopted and named Bob said painting has changed his life.
George W. Bush presented Jay Leno with a portrait of the comedian
He presented Jay Leno with a portrait of the comedian, prompting him to say: “I can’t make fun of him now.”
When asked what caused a blocked artery that led to his hospitalization in August, George W. Bush joked that it was because he “didn’t behave that well when I was younger and I might have smoked some”.
George W. Bush has kept a mostly low profile since exiting office in early 2009 while the country was in two wars and struggling with an economic crisis.
“It’s hard for some to believe, but I think eight years in the spotlight’s enough,” he said.
Former First Lady Laura Bush also appeared on Jay Leno’s show to discuss the couple’s charitable causes. They also showed the strand of pearls George W. Bush gave her for their 36th wedding anniversary and a video clip of their first grandchild, nicknamed Mila.
IKEA France directors are being investigated by French prosecutors over allegations that they snooped on employees and customers.
Chief executive Stefan Vanoverbeke, his predecessor Jean-Louis Baillo, and chief financial officer Dariusz Rychert were arrested on Monday.
They are accused of trying to obtain information on employees and customers from police files.
Similar legal action has been taken against at least two police officers.
The IKEA bosses face accusations of “complicity to collect personal data” and “complicity to violate professional secrecy”.
The move comes after police searched the company’s premises earlier this month.
The scandal first came to light last year after an IKEA insider leaked emails between the company and a security company to the satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaine.
IKEA France directors are being investigated by French prosecutors over allegations that they snooped on employees and customers
The emails suggested that the firm was seeking access to records about its staff and customers from a police database holding millions of names and the personal information of criminals, victims and even witnesses.
Two unions have filed complaints against IKEA, accusing them of spying on hundreds of employees and customers over a period of five years.
Since January, 10 people have been placed under formal investigation including four police officers and the company’s former head of security.
Stefan Vanoverbek’s lawyer, Alexis Gulbin, said his “client totally disputes his involvement in this matter”.
“He’s calmly awaiting the next steps in the process. He was the one who took corrective measures as soon as the problems were discovered,” said Alexis Gulbin.
Last year IKEA France suspended and later fired its head of risk management and three of its senior directors.
Since then the company has also put in place a new code of conduct.
A spokeswoman for IKEA France said the firm was aware of the latest developments and would continue to assist the authorities.
Toyota has announced it is looking to start commercial sales of fuel cell-powered cars by 2015.
The Japanese carmaker set the target as it unveiled a concept fuel cell powered car, called the FCV, at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Its cells can be recharged within minutes and it can cover about 300 miles on a single charge, according to the firm.
Earlier this week, rival Hyundai said it plans to start mass production of such cars as early as next year.
The South Korean company has announced plans to start commercial sales of a fuel cell-powered version of its sports utility vehicle, the Tucson, in the US market.
Toyota is looking to start commercial sales of fuel cell-powered cars by 2015
Honda Motor is also expected to unveil its latest concept version of a fuel cell-powered vehicle later this week.
Many carmakers have been looking to develop the fuel cell technology further and bring it to mass production.
One of the main reasons is that it is emission-free.
The technology uses hydrogen to generate electricity to power the engine and the waste products are heat and harmless water.
At the same time, fuel cells charge much faster and travel a longer distance after being charged, compared with battery-operated electric cars.
However, there are concerns over the demand for such vehicles, not least because there are not enough hydrogen filling stations.
Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng have reached an “amicable” divorce settlement to end their 14-year marriage.
The News Corp boss and his estranged wife told a New York court they would move forward with “mutual respect” and a shared interest in their daughters’ welfare.
The details of the settlement have not been disclosed publicly.
Rupert Murdoch, 82, filed for divorce from Wendi Deng in June saying his marriage had “irretrievably broken down”.
Wendi Deng and Rupert Murdoch have a pre-nuptial agreement and are holding shares in trust for their children.
Rupert Murdoch and Wendi Deng have reached an “amicable” divorce settlement to end their 14-year marriage
They have two school-age daughters together, Grace and Chloe.
Wendi Deng, 44, is 38 years younger than the Australian-born media mogul, who is said by Forbes to be worth $9.4 billion.
Rupert Murdoch met his Chinese-born wife in 1997 at a cocktail party in Hong Kong. They were married two years later, weeks after his second divorce.
His global media portfolio includes the Wall Street Journal, Times Newspaper Ltd, as well as television channels such as Fox News and Sky, and the 20th Century Fox movie studio.
Rupert Murdoch filed for divorce just days before News Corp was split into two companies, one for its entertainment assets and the other for its publishing business. He is chairman of both firms.
The detained captain of Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise and other two British activists have been granted bail by a court in northern Russia.
Peter Willcox previously captained Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ship when it was blown up by French agents in harbor in New Zealand in 1985.
Britons Alex Harris and Kieron Bryan were also bailed along with Dutch national Faiza Oulahsen.
Nine other foreign detainees and three Russians were granted bail earlier.
A third Briton, Anthony Perrett, is also hoping for a decision on Wednesday while three other British activists will have their bail hearings later this week.
Of the 13 detainees who appeared in court earlier this week all but one were given bail.
Peter Willcox, the captain the seized Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise, has been granted bail by a court in northern Russia
Australian activist Colin Russell, 59, who acted as the ship’s radio operator, was ordered to remain in pre-trial detention until February 24.
Greenpeace said it was “baffled” why he had been kept in custody for another three months while a spokesperson for Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said she was concerned about his case and monitoring it closely, the Canberra Times reports.
The detainees have been held on charges of hooliganism after taking part in a protest at an Arctic offshore oil rig operated by the Russian company Gazprom.
If found guilty they face up to seven years in prison.
Kieron Bryan was on the ship as a freelance journalist and videographer.
Alex Harris, 27, acted as communications officer on the ship.
In a letter from prison to a fellow Greenpeace activist in October, quoted by the Torquay Herald Express, the activist wrote: “I dream of the outside world a lot. When I wake I’m sleeping with steel bars digging into my back, facing the same four green walls I’ve faced for 25 days. That’s the hardest time of the day.
“Despite everything that has happened I don’t hate Russia, I just want to go home.”
The Dutch foreign ministry says the bail ruling for Faiza Oulahsen was a positive development.
Nine people bailed on Tuesday were named as: Miguel Orsi (Argentina), Camila Speziale (Argentina), Ana Paula Maciel (Brazil), Paul Ruzycki (Canada), Sini Saarela (Finland), Francesco Pisanu (France), Cristian D’Alessandro (Italy), David Haussman (New Zealand) and Tomasz Dziemianczuk (Poland).
On Monday, Russian national Yekaterina Zaspa, who served as medical crew on the ship, was bailed along with photographer Denis Sinyakov and activist Andrey Allakhverdov.
Bail of 2 million roubles ($61,000) was stipulated for each detainee.
White supremacist serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin, who targeted black and Jewish people in a nationwide killing spree, has been put to death in Missouri.
Joseph Paul Franklin, 63, was executed for shooting dead a man and wounding two others outside a synagogue in 1977.
He was convicted of seven other racially motivated murders. He claimed to have committed 20 in total.
Joseph Paul Franklin’s execution came after the Supreme Court upheld an appeal court’s decision to lift a stay of execution.
In 1978, Joseph Paul Franklin shot Larry Flynt, leaving him partially paralyzed, after seeing a picture of a mixed-race couple in one of his magazines.
However, Larry Flynt – who opposes the death penalty – had sued to prevent Joseph Paul Franklin’s execution.
In a recent interview with the St Louis Post-Dispatch, Joseph Paul Franklin said he had renounced his racist views.
Joseph Paul Franklin was executed for shooting dead a man and wounding two others outside a synagogue in 1977
He said his motivation had been “illogical” and was partly a consequence of an abusive upbringing.
Joseph Paul Franklin said he had interacted with black people in jail, adding: “I saw they were people just like us.”
His lawyers’ appeal focused on a dispute over the type of lethal injections that Missouri uses in its executions.
US and EU manufacturers have been cutting off the supply of drugs used for lethal injections in recent years in an attempt to distance themselves from executions.
As a result, Missouri, which long used a lethal three-drug cocktail for executions, has changed the drugs it uses three times in as many months.
The single drug used in the execution of Joseph Paul Franklin was pentobarbital, a short-acting barbiturate that can induce death in high doses.
On Tuesday, Joseph Paul Franklin’s lawyers won a stay of execution when they argued in federal court that using this drug would violate the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
However, early on Wednesday, a federal appeals court overturned the stay of execution. Its ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court, sealing Joseph Paul Franklin’s fate.
An anti-capital punishment group, Supporters of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, attended a candlelight vigil for Joseph Paul Franklin outside a church in the city of St Louis.
Roman Polanski’s latest film, Venus in Fur, opened in France this month, with a likely 2014 release coming from Sundance Selects.
Venus in Fur (La Venus a la Fourrure) -a second stage-to-screen adaptation – premiered at the Cannes Film Festival a few months ago.
Venus in Fur premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013
Taking over the roles made famous by Hugh Dancy and Nina Arianda (the latter winning a Tony for best actress), Roman Polanski brought on his wife,Emmanuelle Seigner, and her own Diving Bell and the Butterfly co-star, Mathieu Amalric.
Emmanuelle Seigner and Mathieu Amalric play a duo thrown into a game of cat and mouse centered on a young actress determined to book the lead role in a new play.
Venus in Fur’s first French trailer (without subtitles) and the first poster are now available.
Malala Yousafzai has received the EU’s Sakharov human rights prize at a ceremony in Strasbourg.
In a speech, the Pakistani schoolgirl and campaigner, who was shot in the head by the Taliban, dedicated the award to “the unsung heroes of Pakistan” and to human rights campaigners worldwide.
European Parliament President Martin Schulz presented the award.
Malala Yousafzai, 16, was shot a year ago after campaigning for better rights for girls in Pakistan.
The Sakharov Prize for free speech is awarded by the European Parliament annually in memory of Soviet physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.
The 50,000 euro ($65,000) prize is considered Europe’s top human rights award.
“I am hopeful the European Parliament will look beyond Europe to the suffering countries where people are still deprived of their basic rights, their freedom of thought is suppressed, freedom of speech is enchained,” Malala Yousafzai said.
Malala Yousafzai has received the EU’s Sakharov human rights prize at a ceremony in Strasbourg
“Many children have no food to eat, no water to drink and children are starving for education. It is alarming that 57 million children are deprived of education… this must shake our conscience.”
Malala Yousafzai began her speech with a famous quote often attributed to the 18th Century French philosopher Voltaire: “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
She said children in countries such as Pakistan “do not want an iPhone, a PlayStation or chocolates, they just want a book and a pen”.
MEPs gave her a standing ovation.
More than 20 former laureates attended the ceremony, a parliament spokesman said. Malala Yousafzai is the 25th laureate.
Martin Schulz called her “a global icon” and told her “you have given hope to millions of children”.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that your dream becomes a reality,” he said, referring to her ambition to spread free education to boys and girls everywhere.
Martin Schulz also praised her father for “not locking her away, and giving her freedom”.
Mala Yousafzai joins a distinguished list of winners of the Sakharov Prize that includes Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson met 600 of his loyal fans at Sam’s Club in Las Vegas for a book signing session.
Si Robertson met 600 of his loyal fans at Sam’s Club in Las Vegas for a book signing session
Si Robertson, 65, came to Las Vegas last week to autograph copies of his New York Times bestselling book Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom From Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle.
Duck Dynasty’s recently released Christmas album, Duck The Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas, featuring several top country stars, is reaching No 1 in Billboard Top Country Albums chart.
Duck The Halls debuted on October 29 and sold nearly 70,000 albums in its first week.
Now, three weeks in, it is the biggest debut country holiday album in the last decade, according to Nielsen Soundscan.
Phil, Si, Willie, Jase, Korie, Missy, Sadie and the rest of the Robertson family show off their singing talents in the CD, include a few classics such as I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Silent Night as well as originals like Have a Hairy Christmas and a Happy Happy Happy New Year and Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Christmas, which Willie wrote with Dallas Davidson.
Although none of them had vocal experience except for Missy Robertson, Willie said they weren’t concerned.
“We’ve all sung in church our whole lives,” the Duck Commander CEO said, “and we do lots of karaoke.”
“There are funny parts, serious parts, a little prayer, some of our antics,” he said.
“It’s got us all over it.”
The Robertson family has invited special guests George Strait, Alison Krauss, Luke Bryan and Josh Turner to join them on the 13-track album, which was produced by Buddy Cannon.
Duck The Halls debuted on October 29 and sold nearly 70,000 albums in its first week
The Duck Dynasty Christmas Special will air on A&E December 11, at 9/10 C.
Duck The Halls song list:
1. Ragin’ Cajun Redneck Christmas (Willie Robertson) Written by Willie Robertson and Dallas Davidson
2. I’ll Be Home For Christmas (Missy Robertson) Written by Walter Kent, Kim Gannon and Buck Ram
3. You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (Si Robertson) Words by Theodor S. Geisel and Music by Albert Hague
4. Christmas Cookies (Phil Robertson and George Strait with Miss Kay) Written by Aaron Barker
5. Away In A Manger (Sadie Robertson with Alison Krauss, Luke 2: 8-14 Scripture Reading by Mia) Arranged by Buddy Cannon, Willie Robertson, Jase Robertson, Korie Robertson and Missy Robertson
6. Hairy Christmas (Willie Robertson and Luke Bryan with Phil, Uncle Si, Jase, Jep) Written by Chancie Neal, Jimmy Melton and Michael Mobley
7. Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Missy and Jase Robertson) Written by Frank Loesser
8. Duck The Halls (Robertson Family) Arranged by Buddy Cannon, Willie Robertson, Jase Robertson, Korie Robertson and Missy Robertson
9. Camouflage And Christmas Lights (Reed Robertson) Written by Michael Logen and Andrew Dorff
10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Sadie Robertson and Robertson kids with Uncle Si) Written by Johnny Marks
11. Night Before Christmas (Si Robertson) Written by Willie Robertson
12. Why I Love Christmas (Missy Robertson with Josh Turner) Written by Josh Turner
13. Silent Night (Robertson family) Arranged by Buddy Cannon, Willie Robertson, Jase Robertson, Korie Robertson and Missy Robertson
At least ten Egyptian soldiers are reported killed and dozens more wounded in a car bomb attack near the North Sinai city of el-Arish.
Al-Masri al-Youm newspaper said a convoy of buses carrying infantry soldiers was hit by a roadside bomb as it moved through the Kharouba area.
The death toll was likely to rise, a security source said.
Attacks on security forces in the Sinai have increased since Islamist President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in July.
No group has admitted carrying out Wednesday’s bombing, but the peninsula has grown increasingly unstable in recent years, triggered by the fall of President Hosni Mubarak.
His overthrow in February 2011 left the northern Sinai prone to groups of jihadists, some with links to the Gaza Strip.
Ten Egyptian soldiers are reported killed and dozens more wounded in a car bomb attack near the North Sinai city of el-Arish
In September security forces launched an offensive against Islamist militants in the Sinai, but have suffered a spate of deadly bombings. In recent months some 100 members of the security forces have been killed.
Wednesday’s attack, which took place at around 07:45 local time on the road from Rafah to el-Arish, is thought to be the bloodiest against the military since Mohamed Morsi was deposed.
Among the 10 who died were six soldiers, three security officers and the driver, the military said.
Another 35 soldiers were wounded in the explosion which was said to have hit one of the two buses in the convoy.
The attack is reported to have targeted Egypt’s Second Field Army, which has been deployed in Sinai and has been involved in an operation to destroy tunnels along Egypt’s border with Gaza.
The soldiers were on their way back to Cairo on leave, reports said. Some of the most seriously wounded victims were being airlifted to hospital in the capital.
President Barack Obama has urged senators to hold off from proposing more sanctions against Iran to allow time for world powers to complete a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme.
A White House spokesman warned that if a deal with Tehran was not agreed, Iran would continue enriching uranium.
Envoys from the P5+1 group of nations will begin a new round of negotiations with Iran in Geneva on Wednesday.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Javid Zarif said he believed issues could be resolved.
In a message on the video-sharing site YouTube, Javid Zarif said: “We expect and demand respect for our dignity. For us Iranians, nuclear energy is not about joining a club or threatening others. Nuclear energy is about a leap, a jump toward deciding our own destiny rather than allowing others to decide for us.”
Barack Obama has urged senators to hold off from proposing more sanctions against Iran
Barack Obama held two hours of talks with senators at the White House on Tuesday, along with Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
In recent days some legislators have expressed concern that the White House is moving too fast and should take a harder line with Tehran.
“We have the opportunity to halt the progress of the Iranian programme and roll it back in key respects, while testing whether a comprehensive resolution can be achieved,” the White House said in a statement.
It said that if there was not an initial agreement, Iran would grow its stockpiles of enriched uranium, install new centrifuges and develop a plutonium reactor in the city of Arak.
Press secretary Jay Carney said President Obama had told the senators new sanctions would be most effective as a consequence if Iran refused to accept the deal now on the table or agreed and then failed to comply.
The president also rejected reports that Iran would receive at least $40 billion in sanctions relief.
Since 2006 the UN Security Council has imposed a series of sanctions on entities and people involved in Iran’s nuclear programme.
Separate US and EU sanctions have targeted Iran’s energy and banking sectors, crippling its oil-based economy.
Duck Dynasty’s Si and Jase Robertson have teamed up with insurer State Farm to reinforce the importance of turkey fryer and cooking safety this holiday season with a brand-new video titled Hang on a Minute with Jase and Si Robertson.
The video captures the importance of turkey frying safety in a humorous yet educational way by cautioning viewers to “hang on a minute and think before you fry”. Regardless if the person frying the bird is experienced or a novice, everyone should take appropriate safety precautions prior to frying.
Si and Jase Robertson have teamed up with insurer State Farm to reinforce the importance of turkey fryer and cooking safety this holiday season
Jase Robertson and Uncle Si have been frying turkey for years without incident because they recognize the dangers and take the proper safety measures to reduce their risk of a fire.
Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. Based on data from State Farm, more cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. The good news is that State Farm cooking fire claims on Thanksgiving Day have been reduced from 66 claims in 2010 to 29 claims in 2012, the lowest number of claims in a decade.
While the reduction is significant, the fact remains there are still injuries and damage to property as a result of turkey frying or cooking fires each year.
November is the number one month for grease and cooking related fire and December is the second highest month.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Proserpine has sold for £3,274,500 ($5,275,000) at Sotheby’s in London, setting a new record for the artist.
Sotheby’s said a fierce round of bidding, involving five international bidders, was won by a private collector in the UK.
Proserpine, depicting the empress of the underworld, is a defining image of the Pre-Raphaelite art movement.
Rossetti’s Proserpine, depicting the empress of the underworld, is a defining image of the Pre-Raphaelite art movement
The model is Jane Morris, wife of artist William Morris.
Biographers have said Jane Morris’ life bore similarities to that of the captive goddess, abducted by Pluto after eating pomegranate seeds, suggesting she was caught between a loveless marriage and her intimate relationship with Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
The drawing, in colored chalks, had come to the art market for the first time in more than 40 years and been expected to fetch up to £1.8 million ($2.9 million).
Proserpine was begun in 1878, and acquired by Glasgow MP William Graham in 1880.
It was last sold in 1970 by the Stone Gallery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
George Zimmerman’s bail has been set at $9,000 after being charged with aggravated assault with a weapon and battery.
He was accused in court of choking girlfriend Samantha Scheibe and threatening suicide.
George Zimmerman, who was arrested a day earlier on a felony assault charge for allegedly threatening his girlfriend with a gun, was released on $9,000 bond with an order to stay away from the woman and firearms.
The former neighborhood watch volunteer, who was acquitted in the shooting of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, was released Tuesday after posting bail.
While being locked up for two days meant his estranged wife Shellie Zimmerman, who had her own domestic dispute with him in September, was able to have him served with a divorce petition, his lawyers confirmed.
Shellie Zimmerman, through her attorney, released a statement saying she was “saddened” to hear of the latest news regarding her husband, “but unfortunately not surprised.”
His lawyers said that while George Zimmerman was stressed, he did not appear suicidal.
“I don’t think he’s going to hurt himself or anyone else,” said Daniel Megaro, one of two public defenders appointed by the court to represent George Zimmerman after he declared he is indigent with $2.5 million debts.
Questions about George Zimmerman’s state of mind arose during his initial court appearance on the charges stemming from Monday’s dustup with girlfriend Samantha Scheibe at her home in Apopka, Florida.
In requesting $50,000 bond, the prosecutor said Samantha Scheibe had told authorities about an incident a week and a half earlier – “a choking that she did not report to the police”.
Samantha Scheibe also claimed that George Zimmerman had “mentioned suicide in the recent past” during a breakup talk, telling her that he had “nothing to lose,” the prosecutor said.
“She is in fear for her safety,” the prosecutor said as George Zimmerman, wearing a jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, listened quietly.
George Zimmerman’s bail has been set at $9,000 after being charged with aggravated assault with a weapon and battery
George Zimmerman is not facing any criminal charges from the alleged choking incident. Outside court, Daniel Megaro and the other defense lawyer, Jeff Dowdy, said they only learned of the choking allegation in court and had not spoken to their client about it.
They predicted that George Zimmerman would be cleared of wrongdoing in Monday’s clash. The judge found probable cause for his arrest on charges of felony aggravated assault, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal mischief.
George Zimmerman was barred him from having weapons, and his lawyers said his guns had been confiscated by the sheriff’s department after Monday’s confrontation.
Meanwhile, police have released the recordings of 911 calls that Samantha Scheibe and George Zimmerman separately made during the argument.
In her call, Samantha Scheibe can be heard shouting at George Zimmerman: “You just broke my glass table, you just broke my sunglasses, and you put your gun in my f——’ face, and told me to get the f— out!”
She can then be heard pleading with George Zimmerman to leave her house, before telling a dispatcher: “He just pushed me out of my house and locked me out!”
When asked what kind of weapon her boyfriend displayed, Samantha Scheibe said it was a “shotgun,” adding that “he has all of his guns inside, both the shotgun and his AR” as well as “two handguns”.
Looking to clarify, the 911 operator asks Samantha Scheibe if George Zimmerman has an “AR-15 ” – an assault rifle – and she replies: “Yeah.”
In the other audio recording, George Zimmerman tells a dispatcher: “My girlfriend has, for lack of a better word, gone crazy on me.”
When asked why he’s calling, George Zimmerman replies: “I just want everyone to know the truth.”
He also denied brandishing any weapon at his girlfriend.
“She’s got a 9 millimeter. I have my firearms. She was throwing my stuff out. And in one of the bags was one of my firearms. I never pulled a firearm. I never displayed it. When I was packing it, I’m sure she saw it. I mean, we keep it next to the bed.”
Later in the call, George Zimmerman can be heard saying: “I just wanted to leave.”
He adds: “She’s pregnant with our child and she told me it was better if we co-parented and she raised the child on her own. That’s fine. I said, <<Are you sure this is what you want to do?>> She said, <<Yes>>. As soon as I started to pack up my stuff and leave, she just completely changed…”
The dispatcher asks: “When you said she changed, what did she do?”
George Zimmerman replies: “At first she was letting me pack my stuff so that I could go – we could go our own ways amicably. When she changed, she just started smashing stuff, taking stuff that belonged to me, throwing it outside, throwing it out of her room, throwing it all over the house.”
He also disputed the allegation that he broke the table: “She broke a glass table because she threw something on it – I don’t even know if it was mine or hers, whatever it was.”
Police later said Samantha Scheibe declared she is not pregnant. No one was hurt during the incident, police said.
White supremacist serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin has been granted a stay of execution by a federal judge amid legal challenges over the use of a new drug in the execution process.
The ruling came hours before Joseph Paul Franklin was due to be put to death in Missouri.
Joseph Franklin, 63, was sentenced to death for killing one man and wounding two others outside a synagogue in 1977.
He was also convicted of a series of other racially motivated murders.
Joseph Paul Franklin also confessed to being the sniper who shot publisher Larry Flynt in 1978, leaving him partially paralyzed.
In the past two years US and European drug manufacturers have sought to distance themselves from executions – cutting off supplies and leaving US states that use the death penalty scrambling for alternatives.
Missouri announced it would instead use pentobarbital, sourced not from a pharmaceutical company but from a compounding pharmacy that makes small batches of drugs on demand for specific clients.
Joseph Paul Franklin has been granted a stay of execution by a federal judge amid legal challenges over the use of a new drug in the execution process
However, campaigners object to these pharmacies, partly because they are not subject to regulation by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In her ruling on Tuesday, District Court Judge Nanette Laughrey said that a lawsuit filed by Joseph Paul Franklin and other death-row inmates challenging Missouri’s drug protocol must first be resolved.
She said details of the execution protocol had been “illusive at best”.
“It is clear from the procedural history of this case that through no fault of his own, Franklin could not resolve his claims without a stay of his scheduled execution date.”
Judge Nanette Laughrey added: “Franklin has been afforded no time to research the risk of pain associated with the department’s new protocol, the quality of the pentobarbital provided, and the record of the source of the pentobarbital.”
Joseph Paul Franklin was to be executed for shooting a man dead outside a Missouri synagogue in 1977 – one of some 20 killings in which he targeted black and Jewish people across several states.
In 1978, Joseph Paul Franklin shot Larry Flynt after seeing a picture of a mixed-race couple in one of his magazines.
However, Larry Flynt opposes the death penalty and had backed the appeal by convicts on Missouri’s death row.
If the execution is carried out, Joseph Paul Franklin would be the 35th inmate executed in the US in 2013, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
A roof collapsed at the construction site of a South African shopping mall killing one person, officials say.
About 50 others are feared trapped at the construction site.
Rescue teams are working in the dark and are using sniffer dogs to look for survivors beneath the rubble at the site in Tongaat, north of Durban.
About 30 people had been taken to hospital – some with massive traumatic injuries, paramedics say.
Officials said those trapped were construction workers.
Rescue teams are working in the dark and are using sniffer dogs to look for survivors beneath the rubble at the site in Tongaat
The deputy mayor of the municipality told South African media that authorities had obtained an injunction a month ago to halt construction at the site.
“There are areas of the law that they [construction firms] did not follow in terms of building,” Nomvuzo Shabalala told broadcaster ENCA.
“We were not aware that they were continuing building,” she added.
Chris Botha, from the ambulance company Netcare 911, said it was too early to know the cause of the collapse.
The accident happened around 16:30 local time.
About 100 rescue workers are at the scene, where hydraulic equipment is being used to break through the concrete blocks.
Tongaat is a small town about 25 miles north of Durban and has a large South African Asian population.
Nearby transport routes to Tongaat had been affected as the main road through the town has been shut to traffic and trains have been stopped.
Duck Dynasty‘s Si Robertson communicates telepathically to Jase Robertson on his birthday.
Should have sent a Hallmark card, Jack! #birthdayfail.
Si Robertson communicates telepathically to Jase Robertson on his birthday
Uncle Si posted on his Facebook account: “The telegraphs, the telephone…and hey… your mind are lost arts of communications.
Whether I did or did not commit a #birthdayfail is the opinion of one Jason Silas Robertson. Check out this and other #birthdayfail videos at Hallmark.”
