Grace Of Monaco release date has been delayed until 2014, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The movie was due for release in November 2013, making it eligible for next year’s Oscars.
In the film, Nicole Kidman plays Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly known as movie star Grace Kelly, during a crisis in her marriage to Prince Rainier III.
Grace Of Monaco release date has been delayed until 2014
Director Olivier Dahan previously coaxed an Oscar-winning performance out of Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. The new film co-stars Tim Roth, Frank Langella and Derek Jacobi.
The movie has already been screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where Nicole Kidman was serving on the festival jury.
But it has been met with some resistance by Prince Albert II of Monaco, who criticized the film for being historically inaccurate.
In a statement released earlier this year, Prince Albert and his sisters said Grace Of Monaco contained “major historical untruths and a series of purely fictional scenes”.
“The Princely family wishes to emphasize that this film is by no means a biopic,” the statement said.
President Barack Obama has said recent moves by Iran should offer the basis for a “meaningful agreement” on its nuclear programme.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting, Barack Obama said words now had to be “matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable”.
The US leader recently exchanged letters with his newly-elected counterpart over the nuclear issue.
Barack Obama also called for a strong UN resolution on Syria’s chemical arms.
He said the purpose of such a resolution should be “to verify that the [Bashar al-Assad’s] regime is keeping its commitments” to remove or destroy its chemical weapons.
The deal for Syria to hand over its chemical weapons by mid-2014 was agreed earlier this month between the US and Russia, averting a possible Western military strike.
Differences have since emerged over whether the deal should be enforced by a UN Security Council resolution under Chapter VII of the organization’s charter, which would authorize sanctions and the use of force if Syria did not comply with its obligations.
Opening the UN summit on Tuesday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Syrian government must “fully and quickly honor” its obligations under the deal.
“The international community must bring to justice the perpetrators of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, confirmed unequivocally by the UN investigation mission,” he said.
On Iran, Barack Obama said the US wanted to resolve the nuclear issue peacefully, but was determined to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting, Barack Obama urged for diplomatic push on Iran nuclear programme
“The roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested” he said, adding that he had urged his Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue a deal.
“Iran’s genuine commitment to go down a different path will be good for the region and the world,” Barack Obama said.
Iran insists it is a peaceful programme, but Western countries suspect it of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s new President, Hassan Rouhani, has said he wants to present his country’s “true face”.
A meeting between Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani – the first such encounter since the 1979 revolution – has not been ruled out.
There is also speculation that he and Barack Obama may shake hands on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will discuss its nuclear programme with John Kerry and other diplomats.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Tehran said the meeting represented the “beginning for nuclear talks in the new era”.
The meeting will be attended by foreign ministers from the other four permanent UN Security Council members – the UK, China, France and Russia – and also Germany, which make up the so-called P5+1.
Hassan Rouhani has said he is ready to restart stalled nuclear talks without preconditions.
Western ministers will want to see an Iranian willingness to make concessions on its nuclear programme if there is to be any lifting or lightening of UN and Western sanctions.
Iran for its part will want a clear indication that the US is willing to treat Iran with the respect it believes it deserves as a significant regional player.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton, met Javad Zarif on Monday and described their discussion as “good and constructive.” She said her team would hold talks with Javad Zarif again in October in Geneva to assess progress.
Last week, Hassan Rouhani said that his country would never “seek weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons”, and that his goal was “constructive engagement” with the international community.
Usain Bolt has renewed his sponsorship deal with kit-maker Puma until after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Jamaican Usain Bolt, 27, has been with Puma since 2003, and last renewed what is considered to be the biggest sponsorship deal in athletics in 2010.
The Olympic champion said he was proud to continue with Puma “for the years ahead”.
Usain Bolt has renewed his sponsorship deal with kit-maker Puma until after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro
Usain Bolt had earlier indicated he may retire after the 2016 Games, but recently said he may compete for a year after that.
There was no mention in the Puma announcement about any retirement plans.
Usain Bolt has won six Olympic gold and eight World Championship gold medals to date. In addition, his time of 9.58 seconds in the 100 metres is the fastest run to date.
Puma chief executive Bjoern Gulden said the firm had supported Usain Bolt since he was 16.
“He will play a crucial role in our future product concepts, as well as brand communications leading towards the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and beyond,” Bjoern Gulden added.
In addition to its contract with Usain Bolt, Puma has a longstanding commitment to Jamaican Track & Field.
The deal is a boost for Puma as it continues to take on bigger sportswear rivals Adidas and Nike.
Duck Dynasty guys Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were invited at a sold-out show at Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel to share stories, their faith, duck call demonstrations, and hunting tips on September 22.
“People are thinking, what in the world are these guys going to do on stage?” Jase Robertson told The Daily Tribune.
Duck Dynasty guys Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were invited at a sold-out show at Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel
“We share stories of our lives. We share our faith. We banter back and forth. A lot of that is off the top of our heads. When we get together, that’s the way we are.”
The Robertsons’ patriarch Phil Robertson created the Duck Commander duck call in 1972 and founded Duck Commander Co. in 1973.
All the family members were raised to hunt and cook duck, dove, squirrel, deer, geese and turkey.
The Kenyan stand-off at Westgate shopping centre enters fourth day with security forces combing the Nairobi mall attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants.
An explosion and gunfire were heard at the Westgate complex on Tuesday morning, but later a senior police source said the operation was “over”.
At least 65 people have been killed, including three soldiers.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s foreign minister said “two or three” Americans and a British woman were among the attackers.
In an interview with the US TV programme PBS Newshour, Amina Mohamed said the Americans were 18 or 19 years old, of Somali or Arab origin, and lived “in Minnesota and one other place”.
Amina Mohamed said the Briton was a woman who had “done this many times before”.
She appeared to contradict earlier comments from Kenya’s interior minister, who suggested that all the attackers were men – though some may have been dressed as women.
Amina Mohamed’s remarks have fuelled media speculation about the possible involvement of Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the men who carried out attacks on London’s transport system on July 7th, 2005.
The Somali Islamist al-Shabab movement said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia.
Earlier, a Kenyan officer at the scene said he believed there could be two or three attackers left inside the building.
The Kenyan stand-off at Westgate shopping centre enters fourth day with security forces combing the Nairobi mall attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants
The interior ministry said security officials were in “mop-up operations” and that “we’re very near the end”, while the police said they were cleaning up explosives that had been planted in the area.
The ministry said it believed all hostages had been released – though messages on an al-Shabab Twitter feed said hostages were still being held and militants were “holding their ground”.
Official sources said that six of the attackers have been killed – three on Monday and three since midnight.
Officials said earlier that 10 people had been arrested in connection with the attack.
Between 12 and 15 militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing on shoppers and staff.
At least 18 foreigners are among the dead, including six Britons, as well as citizens from France, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China.
The interior ministry said on Tuesday that three soldiers had succumbed to their injuries, and eight were still being treated.
“We’ve lost three heroes,” the ministry said on its Twitter account.
Nearly 200 people were wounded, including five Americans.
The Kenyan Red Cross said 51 people remained unaccounted for.
President Barack Obama called the attack a “terrible outrage” and said the US was providing all the co-operation it could to Kenya.
Thousands of Kenyans have been responding to appeals for blood donations.
Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia.
There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of Somalia as part of an African Union force supporting Somali government forces.
Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.
Despite being pushed out of key cities in the past two years, it remains in control of smaller towns and large swathes of the countryside.
UN special representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay called on Tuesday for a fresh surge in African troops to Somalia to counter an estimated 5,000 al-Shabab fighters, Reuters news agency reported.
Duck Dynasty’s Jase Robertson revealed how he convinced wife Missy to eat frog.
“I’m not a trophy type hunter in any way. We were raised on the river bank, and we were extremely poor. We commercial-fished the river for money. We lived off the land. Ninety percent of the meals we had growing up were from the woods and the water,” Jase Robertson said.
“I only deer hunt for food. The big bucks that everybody’s after, they don’t taste near as good as some of the others.”
Jase Robertson has had fun with his wife Missy, who was not raised killing her own food. One time he brought home frog and convinced her to eat it by telling her it was chicken.
Jase Robertson revealed how he convinced wife Missy to eat frog
After eating the meal, Missy Robertson told Jase: “That was the greatest chicken I ever ate. What did you do to it?”
“Well, you just ate frog,” Jase Robertson replied.
Jase Robertson said that their newfound fame hasn’t changed how the family interacts with each other or their values.
“We’re not into things. What can you buy? What can you do? If you’re happy with the people you’re with, to me, that’s what matters,” he said.
“We’re enjoying the ride. It’s a good thing. We use [our fame] as a platform to share our faith. We go around and try to make a positive impact on our world and use our notoriety to do that.”
Duck Dynasty, a half-hour reality TV show, debuted in 2012 and follows the Robertson’s family’s lives in Louisiana.
Duck Dynasty’s Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were in Detroit on Sunday for a sold-out performance at MotorCity Casino, and the Tigers wisely took advantage of the opportunity.
Uncle Si, Willie and Jase Robertson were invited to Comerica Park to throw out the first pitch at Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers.
Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were invited to Comerica Park to throw out the first pitch
Fox Sports Detroit’s Steve Kornacki wrote about the event: “The sellout crowd at Comerica recognized them as they walked onto the field because their long beards quickly catch your attention. They also were wearing Tigers home uniform tops and baseball caps. Willie, of course, wore his standard stars-and-stripes bandana. Many of the fans gave them a standing ovation as they strode to the mound.”
“That was some great welcome we got,” said Jase Robertson.
China has banned the export to North Korea of several weapon-related technologies which could be used in the development of nuclear weapons.
China’s Commerce Ministry published the list, which includes components for nuclear explosive devices and rocket systems, on Monday.
The ministry said the move would help implement UN resolutions on North Korea, and would be effective immediately.
Analysts say the ban shows China taking a firmer line against its ally.
China has banned the export to North Korea of several weapon-related technologies which could be used in the development of nuclear weapons
The list includes technology in nuclear, missile, chemical and biological fields.
It says the restrictions are developed in accordance with several UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea.
China is North Korea’s only ally and its major trading partner.
Western powers have previously criticized China for not rigorously enforcing UN sanctions imposed on North Korea because of its nuclear programme.
However, relations between Beijing and Pyongyang have been seriously strained in recent months.
In March, China supported a UN Security Council resolution tightening sanctions against North Korea, in response to Pyongyang’s third nuclear test in February.
Kim Kardashian launched a new perfume and her latest campaign was shot before the birth of her daughter North West.
Interestingly the name of her new perfume is Pure Honey, the current shade Kim Kardashian’s new dye job.
Kim Kardashian, 32, tweeted a picture of her fragrance campaign on Monday.
Kim Kardashian’s new perfume Pure Honey
“So excited to share that my fifth perfume, Pure Honey is here!” Kim Kardashian wrote alongside the picture, that features an extreme close-up shot of the star.
Throughout Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy, the star was seen continuously on the go rarely taking a break, and it seems that having a baby certainly hasn’t slowed down the wheels of her many business ventures.
Kim Kardashian took to her blog to say: “I wanted Pure Honey to be both light and sweet but also powerfully seductive. As women we all have these dual natures.”
“We can be girly and playful but also tempting and captivating at the same time. Combining the two elements was the perfect way to capture our full femininity.”
“I created it to be delectable and crave-able, like all beautiful women are.”
And like all celebrities who put their names to household products, Kim Kardashian claims she did more than just give her signature to the final design.
“I am super involved from start to finish,” she claims.
“On bottle design to ad campaign. I had this really great honey idea, so we moved away from just florals. I wanted to make sure that it had the little bee on it.”
Pure Honey is Kim Kardashian’s fifth fragrance, which also include True Reflection, Glam, Gold and Signature.
President Barack Obama conquered a long-term smoking habit because he was afraid of his wife, he has joked with a UN official.
The jesting admission, which Barack Obama made apparently unaware he was on camera, came at the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.
Barack Obama privately told a human rights campaigner that he had not had a cigarette in roughly six years.
“That’s because I’m scared of my wife,” the president said with a smile.
Barack Obama revealed he conquered a long-term smoking habit because he was afraid of his wife
The conversation between Barack Obama and Maina Kiai, the UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, occurred near an open microphone and was later broadcast by CNN.
“I hope you’ve quit smoking,” Barack Obama said to Maina Kiai, a Kenyan.
“Sometimes,” Maina Kiai responded, as the two smiled and shook hands.
Both Barack Obama and Maina Kiai attended Harvard University Law School.
Barack Obama has publicly acknowledged his struggles to quit smoking in the past. In 2011, Michelle Obama said her husband had finally overcome the habit.
According to a UN report, the number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths has fallen dramatically last year.
Death rates fell from 2.3 million during its peak in 2005 to 1.6 million last year, says UNAIDS.
The number of new HIV infections fell by a third since 2001 to 2.3 million.
Among children, the drop was even steeper. In 2001 there were more than half a million new infections. By 2012 the figure had halved to just over a quarter of a million.
The authors put the fall in deaths and infection rates in children down to better access to antiretroviral drugs which help suppress the virus.
Without treatment, people with HIV can go on to develop AIDS which makes simple infections deadly.
By the end of 2012 almost 10 million people in low and middle income countries, including South Africa, Uganda and India, were accessing antiretroviral therapy, according to the report.
The number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths has fallen dramatically last year
The improved access is being attributed to drugs being more affordable and available in communities, as well as more people coming forward for help.
According to UNAIDS, the world is “closing in” on its Millennium Development Goals to stop and reverse the AIDS epidemic by 2015.
But it says the world can go beyond its target of getting 15 million people on HIV treatment by 2015. The World Health Organization has now revised its guidelines making even more people eligible for treatment.
The report also found that progress has been slow in providing HIV services to people who are most at risk of infection, like those who inject drugs.
And it highlights the need to do more to deal with violence against women and girls. They make up a key group of people vulnerable to infection.
Bev Collins, Health Policy Advisor at Doctors without Borders said: “Huge leaps forward have been made to make sure that millions of people – especially in the developing world – can access lifesaving HIV treatment at an affordable price.
“But this is no time for complacency. We need to keep on rolling out access to better treatment strategies, expanding access to accurate, cost-effective testing, and to care”
Around 30 Greenpeace activists have been accused by Russian prosecutors of piracy and will be prosecuted for trying to board an Arctic oil platform.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, modeled on the FBI, will question the activists.
The Greenpeace ship, Arctic Sunrise, is being towed to the port of Murmansk.
Around 30 Greenpeace activists have been accused by Russian prosecutors of piracy and will be prosecuted for trying to board an Arctic oil platform
Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said “all those who assaulted the platform, regardless of nationality, will be prosecuted”.
The campaigners were detained on Thursday along with their ship after two Greenpeace activists tried to climb onto a Gazprom offshore platform, in a protest against oil drilling in the Arctic.
Arctic Sunrise was raided by armed Russian men in balaclavas who abseiled down from helicopters. The ship was seized in the Pechora Sea, near the rig.
Greenpeace said the Russian authorities “are holding 30 of our activists”, though that figure was not confirmed by Russian officials.
UN chemical weapons inspectors are expected to return to Syria on Wednesday, according to Russian government.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said they would investigate alleged chemical weapons attacks at Khan al-Assal, Sheikh Maqsoud and Saraqeb, according to the Interfax news agency.
UN chemical weapons inspectors are expected to return to Syria
They had been preparing to do so when chemical weapons were fired at suburbs of Damascus on August 21.
Last week, the UN inspectors confirmed the nerve agent sarin was used in that attack.
They were not asked to ascertain who fired the sarin-filled artillery rockets that hit eastern and western parts of the Ghouta agricultural belt, killing hundreds of people, but Western powers have claimed it could only have been carried out by Syrian government forces.
The Syrian and Russian governments have challenged them to present firm evidence, and instead claimed that rebels were responsible.
On Monday Khloe Kardashian dropped her Lamar Odom’s surname from her Instagram account, now simply going by her maiden name on the social networking site.
Later that same evening, Khloe Kardashian, 29, was spotted heading to dinner at a steakhouse in Topanga Canyon, California, wearing her wedding ring.
She seemed to be in a pensive mood as she valeted her car outside of her dinner destination.
Showing off her newly slim frame, Khloe Kardashian sported white denim trousers and a low-buttoned black shirt as she wore her ombre tresses in flowing waves over her shoulders.
Khloe Kardashian dropped her Lamar Odom’s surname from her Instagram account
The mixed signals on Monday follow reports that Khloe Kardashian’s marriage is on rocky ground due to Lamar Odom’s alleged drug abuse.
Lamar Odom hasn’t been seen for several days and is reported to be holed up in his downtown LA residence, which is a 45 minute drive from the mansion he shared with Khloe Kardashian in Tarazana.
Last week there were several reports that a split will be announced soon, but no announcements have been made yet.
Meanwhile, Radar has claimed that Khloe Kardashian won’t decide the fate of her marriage to her husband until after she is done filming Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
The reason is said to be because Khloe Kardashian doesn’t want to discuss a decision to divorce on the E! reality show.
“Khloe is steadfast, that she won’t decide whether she wants out of the marriage until she is done shooting the current season of the … show,” a sources tells Radar.
“She has been through so much the last year with Lamar, and Khloe just doesn’t want this to be played out in front of the cameras.
“It’s a very sensitive situation, she is being a trooper and is being a total professional while shooting.”
Michael Douglas, winner of the trophy for best actor in a miniseries or movie for playing Liberace in HBO’s Behind The Candelabra, closed his speech with a reference to his son Cameron who is serving a lengthy prison term for various drug crimes.
The actor said he hoped “they allow me to see him soon”.
It came in a no-holds-barred speech, which saw Michael Douglas cover everything from smutty jokes to thanking his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones for “her support”, despite their separation.
Backstage, Michael Douglas explained it will be another year before he can visit 34 year-old Cameron.
“I’m questioning the system,” he said.
Michael Douglas won Emmy award for best actor in a miniseries or movie for playing Liberace in HBO’s Behind The Candelabra
“At first I was certainly disappointed with my son, but I’ve reached a point now where I’m disappointed with the system.”
Cameron Douglas was convicted in 2010 of selling methamphetamine.
A judge nearly doubled his sentence after he was found guilty of repeatedly breaking prison rules by arranging to get drugs.
Cameron Douglas is scheduled for release in 2018.
“If you happen to have a slip, they punish you,” Michael Douglas said.
“In my son’s case, he has spent almost two years in solitary confinement.”
Michael Douglas said he’s optimistic Attorney General Eric Holder might change laws involving non-violent drug offenders.
From the stage, Michael Douglas also thanked his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones “for your support”.
That was an attention-getter following the announcement last month that the couple was taking “some time apart to evaluate and work on their marriage”.
Catherine Zeta-Jones did not accompany her husband to the Emmys. She was in China this weekend.
Apart from his emotional moments, Michael Douglas also let a few jokes slip out.
“This is a two-hander, and Matt, you’re only as good as your other hand,” he jokes, referring to co-star Matt Damon, who was also nominated for the gong.
“So I can say you were magnificent. You really deserve half of this.
“You want the bottom or the top. The top? I figure that.”
Michael Douglas and co-star Matt Damon also took to the stage during the awards show where they paid tribute to Liberace and introduced a performance by Sir Elton John.
A dead white woman has been identified among Islamic terrorists killed by soldiers as they stormed Nairobi’s Westgate mall where 62 shoppers were shot dead this weekend, Kenyan officials said.
The claim, made by three sources to news agency Reuters, will fuel speculation that the dead woman is Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of 7/7 bomber Jermaine Lindsay, who is wanted by Kenyan police on a string of terror charges. Police will also investigate the possibility that she is a hostage dressed in one of the terrorist’s clothes.
Asked if it was Samantha Lewthwaite, dubbed the “White Widow”, an intelligence officer said: “We don’t know.”
Moments after the news broke, al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda affiliated terror group behind the massacre at Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Centre, used their Twitter feed to claim that Samantha Lewthwaite was safe.
There were conflicting reports about the identity of the attackers. Al-Shabaab claimed on Twitter last night that the group was being led by Samantha Lewthwaite, who was married to Jermaine Lindsay, one of the 7/7 suicide bombers.
Known as the White Widow, Samantha Lewthwaite is wanted by Kenyan police over links to a suspected terrorist cell planning bomb attacks.
Known as the White Widow, Samantha Lewthwaite is wanted by Kenyan police over links to a suspected terrorist cell planning bomb attacks
A link between Samantha Lewthwaite and the Westgate attack was made after soldiers claimed they had seen a white woman in a veil shouting orders to gunman in Arabic.
Samantha Lewthwaite converted to Islam as a young woman and married Jermaine Lindsay who went on to be a 7/7 London suicide bomber. She has become a key figure in the terror group behind this weekend’s attack.
She has even been involved in training a group of all-female suicide attackers at camps in lawless neighboring the 29-year-old, who grew up as a normal teenager in Aylesbury before meeting Jermaine Lindsay, a British Muslim, in an online chat room when she was 17. The pair married three years later.
When Jermaine Lindsay was named as one of four suicide bombers who blew up Tube trains and a bus in 2005, killing 52 people, Samantha Lewthwaite initially condemned her late husband’s attack and denied any knowledge of his plan. This was a lie.
More than eight years later, Samantha Lewthwaite is one of al-Qaeda’s main recruiters in East Africa and is an official spokesperson for al-Shabaab (The People), the terrorist group behind the horror in Nairobi.
Samantha Lewthwaite, who is the world’s most wanted woman, has been on the run in East Africa after police foiled a Christmas bomb plot against Western tourists in the coastal resort of Mombasa in 2011.
Kenyan Special Forces were today locked in a fight to the death with Islamic terrorists who have been barricaded inside Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Centre with up to 40 hostages since Saturday.
Witnesses described hearing four large explosions at the Westgate Shopping Centre followed by the sight of thick plumes of smoke and the sounds of fierce gunfire after the military tried to break the three day siege by gaining access from the roof.
It is feared that some of the gunmen, who are from al-Qaeda affiliated group al- Shabaab, may have blown themselves up, though a Kenyan government minister said that militants had set fire to some mattresses in a supermarket as a decoy.
Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said that three of the terrorists have now been killed and that most hostages were now free.
“We think the operation will come to an end soon,” he said.
“We are in control of all the floors, the terrorists are running and hiding in some stores… there is no room for escape.”
Witnesses described hearing four large explosions at the Westgate Shopping Centre followed by the sight of thick plumes of smoke
The Red Cross has put the death toll at 62 and says 63 are still missing. At least 175 were injured, including children.
The Kenyan interior ministry said “almost all” the hostages have been evacuated from the mall hours after it was rocked by a series of blasts.
In a Twitter message it added “some individuals” have been arrested at Nairobi airport.
In a series of updates, it said 16 Kenyan soldiers had been injured, adding that the focus of the operation is now clearing the building.
Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku said security forces now have control over all four storeys of the shopping mall and are confident there is no escape route for the surviving terrorists.
He said: “We are doing anything reasonably possible, cautiously though, to bring this process to an end.
“The terrorists could be running and hiding in some stores, but all floors now are under our control.”
As Kenyan soldiers and more armored personnel carriers descended on the mall, a spokesman for terror group al-Shabaab Ali Mohamud Rage said in a statement posted on an Islamist website that those held inside will “bear the brunt of any force” used by soldiers against the militants.
The statement read: “We authorize the mujahedeen inside the building to take actions against the prisoners as much as they are pressed.
“We are telling Christians advancing onto the mujahedeen to have mercy for their prisoners who will bear the brunt of any force directed against the mujahedeen.”
Meanwhile, a Twitter account claiming to represent al-Shabaab yesterday claimed that terrorists from seven nations are involved in the attack, including the U.S., Britain and Canada.
The HSM Press Office account, which has been suspended twice, claimed the group were Ahmed Nasir Shirdoon, 24, from London, UK; Gen Mustafe Noorduiin, 27, from Kansas City, U.S., Abdifatah Osman Keenadiid, 24, from Minneapolis, U.S., and Ahmed Mohamad Isse, 22, from Saint Paul, U.S; Ismael Guled, 23, from Finland; Abdirizak Mouled, 24, from Ontario, Canada; and Zaki Jama Caraale, 20, and Sayid Nuh, 25, both from Somalia.
BlackBerry has agreed in principle to be bought by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial for $4.7 billion.
BlackBerry has announced in statement that Fairfax, its largest shareholder, had offered $9 a share in cash to buy the company.
Trading in BlackBerry shares was temporarily halted in New York pending the announcement.
On Friday, BlackBerry announced 4,500 jobs cuts in a bid to stem losses.
BlackBerry has agreed in principle to be bought by a consortium led by Fairfax Financial for $4.7 billion
In August, the Canadian company said it was evaluating a possible sale.
BlackBerry said it has “signed a letter of intent agreement under which a consortium to be led by Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited has offered to acquire the company subject to due diligence”.
The statement continued: “Diligence is expected to be complete by November 4, 2013. The parties’ intention is to negotiate and execute a definitive transaction agreement by such date.”
However, BlackBerry said it was not in exclusive talks with Fairfax and would continue to “actively solicit, receive, evaluate and potentially enter into negotiations” with other potential buyers.
BlackBerry’s financial problems came to a head this year following disappointing sales of its new Z10 model smartphone.
Released in January – after many delays – Z10 has failed to enthuse consumers.
Over the summer, word trickled out BlackBerry had hired a series of advisors to help it explore options.
Jana Kramer is Cat Woman in new Nationwide Insurance commercial.
Jana Kramer has had a little country music success with Why Ya Wanna but a very successful acting career – One Tree Hill, All My Children – and is engaged to country singer Brantley Gilbert.
Jana Kramer is Cat Woman in new Nationwide Insurance commercial
Now Jana Kramer joins the world of Flo in doing commercials for Nationwide Insurance.
In a new ad, Jana Kramer portrays a cat burglar, but with a twist: she replaces items stolen by real burglars.
Jana Kramer is singing Nationwide is on your side jingle and Julia Roberts doing the voice over.
Adam Levine called out Lady Gaga on Twitter for being unoriginal.
Adam Levine, 34, took to Twitter on Friday to air his grievances with the state of pop music, and slyly called out Lady Gaga for contributing to the problem.
To begin his diatribe, The Voice star and Maroon 5 frontman lamented the conventional process of recycling old ideas for new generations, and continued by explaining what he believes to be the premise of good pop music.
While it wasn’t completely clear Adam Levine was taking a shot at Lady Gaga, the 27-year-old singer felt the heat and opted to offer her own response.
If Adam Levine was going after Lady Gaga, he’ll certainly face a firestorm from her army of fans, known as the Little Monsters, some of whom have already responded.
Adam Levine called out Lady Gaga on Twitter for being unoriginal
Lady Gaga certainly tweeted a reply to one fan: “@madelinemonster thats us, changing the world. twisting the panties of one popstar at a time.”
She is not the first female pop star Adam Levine seems at odds with, more like the latest.
He’s also got an alleged beef with his Voice co-star Christina Aguilera.
Their on-screen bickering led many to believe the two disliked each other, however Christina Aguilera recently spoke out to dispel the rumor.
In an interview with Fox News, Christina Aguilera said: “We’re both very passionate, but it isn’t personal with Adam. It never has been. We’re just very strong personalities.”
Before gearing up for the new season of The Voice, Adam Levine has been going hard on social media, sharing intimate moments with his fiancée Behati Prinsloo, and reportedly joining his bandmates in the studio to work on their fifth studio album.
According to Deadline, Adam Levine also has joined forces with his pal, Community writer Gene Hong, to create a semi-autobiographical comedy about his life for NBC.
Kerry Washington has been subject to speculation that she is expecting a child on Sunday night as she attended the Emmy Award Ceremony in Los Angeles in a flowing dress.
Kerry Washington, 36, the star of political thriller Scandal, was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series but missed out to Homeland’s Claire Danes.
However, Kerry Washington set tongues wagging once more by wearing a flowing Marchesa gown which may or may not have been hiding the very beginnings of a baby bump.
Kerry Washington sparked more rumors she is pregnant by wearing loose fitting gown at Emmys
The beautiful floor length, cream design with rose detailing and gold thread was regarded by many celebrity watchers as just the kind of loose fitting number you would chose if you were in the early stages of pregnancy.
Gossip that Kerry Washington was expecting a child first began to circulate when she married in private with just her parents and sister in attendance last July.
Kerry Washington, wed San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, 32, in Ohio after dating for a year.
So far the actress has kept mum on the baby question although in 2010 when she was engaged to actor David Moscow she told Jet magazine that she was not ready for children.
More recently in July, shortly after her wedding, Kerry Washington toldPeople magazine: “I’m blessed in all areas of my life.”
The death toll of Tropical Storms Manuel and Ingrid in Mexico now stands at 110, the interior minister says.
Another 68 are still missing, believed dead, after a landslide destroyed the village of La Pintada in western Guerrero state.
President Enrique Pena Nieto asked Congress to increase the federal budget in light of the emergency.
Officials are still trying to evaluate the total extent of the damage.
“We are confronting rainfall that has practically been the most extensive in the history of the entire national territory,” President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Sunday.
“Today we can already anticipate that due to the damages that we have seen, our [emergency] funds are insufficient.”
Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said work was under way to establish which areas were worst affected by Tropical Storm Manuel which hit Mexico’s western coast, and Ingrid, which made landfall on its eastern coast last week.
Twenty-four out of Mexico’s 31 states have been affected by the twin storms.
“There’s no point in the government offering us kind words and nothing else,” Alicia Sanchez told the Associated Press news agency.
The death toll of Tropical Storms Manuel and Ingrid in Mexico now stands at 110
“They’ve made us promises but I don’t think they’ll keep them,” the Acapulco resident said.
Acapulco’s international airport re-opened for commercial flights on Sunday, a week after it had to close due to power cuts and flooding.
Some 20,000 people are still living in shelters in the surrounding state of Guerrero.
Rescue workers continue to search the rubble and mud for bodies of those buried in a landslide in La Pintada, where some 40 homes were swept away by mud from a hillside.
Touring the site of the disaster on Saturday, President Enrique Pena Nieto said there was little hope of finding anyone alive.
Lt Carlos Alberto Mendoza, who is leading the team of soldiers searching La Pintada, said it was the most daunting task he had faced in more than two decades of service.
“They are doing unbelievable work, hours and hours for just one body,” he said of his team of 16 soldiers.
“No matter how hard the day is, they never get tired of working,” he added.
Continuing rainfall is putting the rescue workers at risk of renewed landslides.
Five police officers died on Thursday when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed into a hillside on its way to La Pintada.
A total of 1.2 million people were affected when Tropical Storm Manuel made landfall on 15 September on Mexico’s south-western coastline.
More than 25,000 tourists had to be airlifted out of Acapulco after the beach resort was cut off.
Just 24 hours after Manuel had made landfall, Tropical Storm Ingrid hit the country’s Gulf coast, causing destruction in Verazcruz and Tamaulipas.
After temporarily weakening, Manuel regained strength and hit Mexico’s north-western coast with hurricane-strength winds and more rain on Thursday.
Forecasters say rains will continue to fall on the Gulf Coast of Mexico and the country’s interior until Tuesday.
Chinese politician Bo Xilai is appealing against his life imprisonment sentence, reports say.
The former party chief of Chongqing was sentenced to life imprisonment on Sunday. He was found guilty of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power.
Bo Xilai was removed from office last year amid a scandal which saw his wife Gu Kailai convicted for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.
He denied all charges in a vigorous defense at his trial.
The downfall of Bo Xilai – who had been seen as a candidate for promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s top decision-making body – was the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades.
Bo Xilai is appealing against his life imprisonment sentence
“He informed the court yesterday of his request for an appeal following the verdict,” AFP news agency quoted a lawyer with “direct knowledge” of the case as saying.
Another unnamed source quoted by the news agency said Bo Xilai would appeal against the “entire verdict”.
Earlier, the ruling Communist Party said the life sentence given to Bo showed that no one was above the law.
“The resolute punishment of Bo Xilai according to law has fully shown that there are no exceptions in the face of party discipline and state laws,” a commentary in the party-run People’s Daily said.
Many analysts say the case was simply a legal way of getting rid of one of China’s most popular politicians.
Bo Xilai is reported to have erupted in anger as he was sentenced.
Bo Xilai was expected to lodge an appeal but correspondents say few think it will be successful.
Nine million iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C have been sold in three days, according to Apple.
Apple said that sales of the iPhone 5S and 5C had beaten previous launches of new phones.
Apple said demand for the iPhone 5S had outstripped supply and Apple shares rose almost 6% on the news before falling back to trade 4% higher.
The 5S has a fingerprint sensor built into the phone’s main button. The cheaper 5C comes with a plastic back in a choice of colors.
In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook said: “The demand for the new iPhones has been incredible, and while we’ve sold out of our initial supply of iPhone 5S, stores continue to receive new iPhone shipments regularly.
Apple said that sales of the iPhone 5S and 5C had beaten previous launches of new phones.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and are working hard to build enough new iPhones for everyone.”
Analysts said that while the sales were strong, Apple had made an effort to ensure that the opening weekend was a success.
“Apple was concerned about the public relations angle of a soft first weekend, so they took some steps to strengthen the numbers,” telecom analyst Jeff Kagan said in an email.
“Traditionally users could pre-order devices. Not this year.
“This year anyone who wanted a new iPhone must get into line. That bolstered the lines and strengthened [the] opening weekend from a PR perspective. This upset users, but made for great numbers,” he said.
In a notification to market regulators Apple said it expected sales in its fourth quarter to be at the higher end of its previous announced range of between $34 billion and $37 billion.
Apple also forecast that its gross profit margin would be near the high end of the previously provided range of 36-37%.
