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Lamar Odom goes missing

Lisa.Felice
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Lamar Odom goes missing

According to new reports, Lamar Odom has gone missing.

TMZ claims that people close to Lamar Odom have been unable to find or contact him for the last 72 hours.

The reports come after it was alleged that Khloe Kardashian threw him out of the house on Wednesday.

Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom have been subject to persistent rumors that their marriage is in trouble after Lamar allegedly cheated on Khloe with two different women.

But several sources have told TMZ the real reason behind their marriage crisis is that Khloe Kardashian, 29, reportedly believes that her husband has a drug problem.

“Really hard to sit here and listen to people talk s*** about my family! F*** you and shame on you! I’m too protective for this s***!” Khloe Kardashian tweeted on Sunday.

Earlier this week the Kardashian family allegedly staged an intervention to convince Lamar Odom, 33, to return to rehab, but he refused, reports the gossip website.

Lamar Odom goes missing after Khloe Kardashian kicked him out of the house
Lamar Odom goes missing after Khloe Kardashian kicked him out of the house

Khloe Kardashian urged Lamar Odom in August 2012 to go to rehab and after he entered a San Diego facility she hired private investigators to make sure he didn’t leave.

The NBA star reportedly constantly threatened to leave the rehab clinic and Khloe visited several times to convince him to stay, but he left after three weeks, sources said.

Lamar Odom, who won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, stayed clean and played well last season for the Los Angeles Clippers, but sources said he resumed using drugs after the season.

Khloe Kardashian was convinced of recent reports of Lamar Odom’s infidelity, but feels his drug abuse has been the main problem, the website reported.

Neither Khloe Kardashian nor Lamar Odom has contacted a divorce lawyer.

“Khloe is more concerned about saving Lamar than ending her marriage,” a source told TMZ.

Khloe Kardashian allegedly tossed Lamar Odom out of the house after the failed intervention, and he was pictured Wednesday as an associated loaded a number of large suitcases into his car in Calabasas, California.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian got married in 2009 about a month after meeting each other.

Khloe Kardashian has recently endured reports that Lamar Odom had an affair with Jennifer Richardson for a year until March 2013 and a six-week fling with lawyer Polina Polonsky at the start of the summer.

Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman on romantic stroll in South of France

Lisa.Felice
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Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are spending a romantic few weeks together in the South of France after being reunited on Thursday.

And despite the scandal that is still surrounding her divorce, Lauren Silverman, 36, looked the picture of happiness on Friday as she was spotted walking arm-in-arm with Simon Cowell, 53, while cupping her growing baby bump.

Wearing a short print sundress, Lauren Silverman grinned as she took photos of the music mogul, amid reports that they are planning to set up home together.

While neither have spoken out about their plans in the wake of Lauren Silverman’s split from husband Andrew, they seemed very much together as they had some fun in the St Tropez sunshine.

Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are spending a romantic few weeks together in the South of France
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are spending a romantic few weeks together in the South of France

Clearly unfazed by the recent rumors of an extra-marital affair, Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman were relaxed and happy as they headed to a go-karting track for the day.

But instead of racing, Lauren Silverman seemed satisfied with just taking photos of Simon Cowell as he sat in one of the cars with a huge grin on his face.

And she couldn’t seem to stop touching her blossoming bump, which was clearly visible through her flimsy print dress, which caught the wind.

Lauren Silverman added a hat over her mane of dark hair and sunglasses over her face, but theirs was no mistaking the fact that she was in high spirits as she breezed along.

Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman were pictured sharing an intimate meal in St Tropez over the weekend and were even spotted kissing in public, reports The People.

“Simon and Lauren looked like any other happy couple enjoying their summer holiday,” a source told the paper.

“They laughed lots and were extremely tactile.

“The kiss was clearly a sign that things are indeed very real between them. They looked intimate and romantic.”

Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman were reunited in Cannes on Thursday and are believed to be staying together in a lavish $8,000-per-night hotel.

And despite the fact that she’s only just split from her businessman husband, Lauren Silverman is reportedly already setting up a life and a home with Simon.

“Simon is delighted Lauren has flown to be by his side and he wants to show he is caring for her. It also sends out a clear signal that he is doing the right thing,” said an insider.

Australian man snatched by crocodile in Mary River

Nancy Clayson
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Australian man snatched by crocodile in Mary River

An Australian man is believed to have been killed by a crocodile in the Northern Territory while swimming in Mary River during a birthday party.

Police say he ignored signs to stay out of the water at a popular camping ground at Mary River, 65 miles from Darwin, the state’s capital.

The river has one of the highest crocodile populations in the area.

Onlookers watched in horror as the victim was suddenly attacked.

The man is believed to have been killed by a crocodile in the Northern Territory while swimming in Mary River during a birthday party
The man is believed to have been killed by a crocodile in the Northern Territory while swimming in Mary River during a birthday party

The victim and another man had gone swimming across the river, and were swimming back when the crocodile attacked, police say.

“Several of the group in the party witnessed the male being taken in the jaws of the croc for a period of time, and then he was out of sight,” Senior Sergeant Geoff Bahnert is quoted as saying by the AP news agency.

“The Mary River is known worldwide to have the greatest saturation of adult saltwater crocodiles in the world. You don’t swim in the Mary River,” he added.

Saltwater crocodiles can grow up 23ft long and weigh more than a tonne; they are a common feature of Australia’s tropical north.

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John Lennon’s black knitted tie sells for $5,000 at Liverpool auction

Sonia Pantiss
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John Lennon’s black knitted tie sells for $5,000 at Liverpool auction

One of John Lennon’s black knitted tie has sold for more than £3,000 ($5,000) at an auction in Liverpool.

John Lennon gave the tie to Joyce McWilliams in 1962 when she was 15 and used to attend the lunchtime sessions at the famous Cavern Club.

He also gave her a handkerchief, which he had used to mop his forehead in the hot club.

John Lennon gave the tie to Joyce McWilliams in 1962 when she was 15 and used to attend the lunchtime sessions at the famous Cavern Club
John Lennon gave the tie to Joyce McWilliams in 1962 when she was 15 and used to attend the lunchtime sessions at the famous Cavern Club

Rare photographs of The Beatles were also sold at he auction at the Beatles Shop in Mathew Street.

Joyce McWilliams took the items home and was heartbroken when her mother told her that she had washed the handkerchief.

“The Beatles were recording some numbers and I was sitting on the edge of the stage holding the microphone stand,” she said.

“It was very hot in the club and John asked me to lend him a handkerchief to mop his brow with.

“He handed it back to me, and loosened his tie when I said: <<I thought you were going to give me your tie>>, and he just handed it to me.”

Manager Stephen Bailey, said the auction had gone well.

“Every year we think that the quality and number of rare items offered for auction must decrease and we are always proved wrong,” he said.

“It is amazing, people just keep coming into the shop month after month with the most unusual rare items.”

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Mike Tyson close to death from ongoing drug and alcohol problems

Clyde K. Valle
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Mike Tyson close to death from ongoing drug and alcohol problems

Mike Tyson claims he is “on the verge of dying” from ongoing drug and alcohol problems.

Former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson, 47, admitted he is a continual substance abuser but added he is hopeful of finally getting clean.

It is not known whether he will be checking into a drug and alcohol treatment center or not.

“I want to live my sober life. I don’t want to die. I’m on the verge of dying, because I’m a vicious alcoholic,” Mike Tyson said on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

“I’m a bad guy sometimes. I did a lot of bad things, I want to be forgiven.”

Mike Tyson claims he is "on the verge of dying" from ongoing drug and alcohol problems
Mike Tyson claims he is “on the verge of dying” from ongoing drug and alcohol problems

At the age of 20, in 1987, Mike Tyson held the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles.

But five years later he was convicted of raping Desiree Washington and sentenced to six years in prison.

He returned to the ring but retired from the sport in 2006 and in 2007 was sentenced to 24 hours in jail and 360 hours of community service for drug possession and driving under the influence.

Mike Tyson, who now works as a boxing promoter, added: “I hope they can forgive me. I want to change my life, I want to live a different life now.

“I haven’t drank or took drugs in six days, and for me that’s a miracle.

“I’ve been lying to everybody that thinks I was sober, but I’m not. This is my sixth day. I’m never going to use again.”

Red meat could trigger Alzheimer’s disease

Kathryn R. Bown
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Red meat could trigger Alzheimer’s disease

According to a recent research, eating too much red meat could trigger Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists found that a build-up of iron – abundant in red meat – could cause oxidant damage, to which the brain is particularly vulnerable.

Researchers say this could in turn increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

Prof. George Bartzokis of UCLA said that more studies have suggested the disease is caused by one of two proteins, one called tau, the other beta-amyloid.

As we age, most scientists say, these proteins either disrupt signaling between neurons or simply kill them.

He and colleagues looked at two areas of the brain in patients with Alzheimer’s and they compared the hippocampus, which is known to be damaged early in the disease, and the thalamus, an area that is generally not affected until the late stages.

Using brain-imaging techniques, they found that iron is increased in the hippocampus and is associated with tissue damage in that area. But increased iron was not found in the thalamus.

Prof. George Bartzokis said that most research had focused on the buildup of the proteins tau or beta-amyloid that cause the plaques associated with the disease.

Eating too much red meat could increase the risk of Alzheimer's
Eating too much red meat could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s

But he believes the breakdown occurs further “upstream”, and it is the protein’s destruction of myelin, the fatty tissue which enables nerve signals to be sent along fibres, which disrupts communication and promotes the build-up of the plaques.

These amyloid plaques in turn destroy more and more myelin, disrupting brain signaling and leading to cell death and the classic clinical signs of Alzheimer’s.

He points out that myelin is produced by cells called oligodendrocytes.

These cells, along with myelin itself, have the highest levels of iron of any cells in the brain, George Bartzokis says.

He adds that although iron is essential for cell function, too much of it can promote oxidative damage, to which the brain is especially vulnerable.

Hypothesizing that elevated iron in the tissues could cause tissue breakdown, he targeted the vulnerable hippocampus, a key area of the brain involved in the formation of memories, and compared it to the thalamus, which is relatively spared by Alzheimer’s until the very late stages of disease.

They found increased iron levels in patients with Alzheimer’s.

Prof. George Bartzokis said: “It is difficult to measure iron in tissue when the tissue is already damaged.”

But the MRI technology we used in this study allowed us to determine that the increase in iron is occurring together with the tissue damage.

“We found that the amount of iron is increased in the hippocampus and is associated with tissue damage in patients with Alzheimer’s but not in the healthy older individuals – or in the thalamus.

“So the results suggest that iron accumulation may indeed contribute to the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.”

The link to iron could mean that dietary changes and surgical interventions could lower the chances of the developing the disease, he said.

He explained: “The accumulation of iron in the brain may be influenced by modifying environmental factors, such as how much red meat and iron dietary supplements we consume and, in women, having hysterectomies before menopause.”

Prof. George Bartzokis said drugs are already being developed to remove iron from tissue and the new study may allow doctors to determine who is most in need of such treatments.

Tony Abbott launches campaign for Australia election

Diane A. Wade
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Tony Abbott launches campaign for Australia election

Tony Abbott, the favorite to win next month’s Australian general election, has launched his campaign.

The conservative opposition leader has vowed to control government spending and build a stronger economy by putting “bulldozers on the ground and cranes into our skies”.

Opinion polls show Tony Abbott is poised to end six years of Labor rule.

Earlier this week, Tony Abbott faced electoral rival and PM Kevin Rudd in a second election debate.

Tony Abbott, the favorite to win next month's Australian general election, has launched his campaign
Tony Abbott, the favorite to win next month’s Australian general election, has launched his campaign

Addressing a major rally of his Liberal Party in the city of Brisbane, eastern Australia, on Sunday, Tony Abbott said the country could not afford another term under the governing centre-left Labor.

“We’ll build a stronger economy so everyone can get ahead… I hope to be an infrastructure prime minister who puts bulldozers on the ground and cranes into our skies,” he said.

The first debate between the two election rivals on August 11, where Kevin Rudd had been expected to shine, was seen as a draw.

It remains unclear whether there will be a third debate.

Labor has switched prime ministers twice during the time it has been running the country.

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Gerard Depardieu throws big housewarming barbecue in Nechin

Sonia Pantiss
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Gerard Depardieu throws big housewarming barbecue in Nechin

Gerard Depardieu, who stirred up controversy by becoming a tax exile last year, has thrown a big housewarming barbecue in Belgium.

The 64-year-old actor invited some 200 people, including his new neighbors, to celebrate in the grounds of the five-bedroomed chateau he bought in Nechin in December.

Gerard Depardieu bought the property after France’s Socialist government proposed a 75% tax rate on high incomes.

The tax hike was later blocked by France’s highest court.

Since it was proposed last year, Gerard Depardieu has also taken on Russian citizenship, in a move much criticized in his home country.

Gerard Depardieu has thrown a big housewarming barbecue in Belgium
Gerard Depardieu has thrown a big housewarming barbecue in Belgium

Hailed as one of the finest actors of his generation for films that include Cyrano de Bergerac, Gerard Depardieu told reporters he was a “citizen of the world”.

“I have worked around the world but I settled in Nechin,” he said.

Saturday’s feast reportedly featured T-bone steaks and suckling pig.

Earlier in the day, Gerard Depardieu was made an honorary citizen of Estaimpuis municipality, which includes Nechin.

Daniel Senesael, the mayor of Estaimpuis, said: “When he came to set up house here, he always told me that he wanted to do something nice with the neighbors.

“He kept his word. He bought his house, the neighbors were invited… and so I think it’s great when you keep your promises… and you can mingle with Depardieu, what more do you want?”

Gerard Depardieu told France’s Figaro magazine on Friday that the tax controversy had been “a big misunderstanding” and that he loved France “as much as ever”.

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Bo Xilai accuses Wang Lijun of lying over allegations of power abuse

Diane A. Wade
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Bo Xilai accuses Wang Lijun of lying over allegations of power abuse

Bo Xilai has accused his ex-police chief Wang Lijun of lying over allegations of abuse of power.

Disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai launched a scathing attack on Wang Lijun, his former associate in the central city of Chongqing, saying his testimony was “full of lies and fraud”.

The trial, in its fourth day in the city on Jinan, was later adjourned until Monday.

Bo Xilai, a former Communist Party chief in Chongqing, denies wrongdoing.

The scandals involving Bo Xilai’s family have captivated the country.

Many analysts assume the outcome of the trial has been predetermined with a guilty verdict, however, observers say Bo Xilai has put up a spirited defense.

Foreign media are not allowed into the trial, but the court in the eastern city of Jinan has been posting regular updates on China’s micro-blogging site Weibo (in Mandarin).

On Saturday the trial focused on accusations that Bo Xilai covered up the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in 2011.

Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, has already been convicted of murdering Neil Heywood.

Former police chief Wang Lijun testified against Bo Xilai on Saturday
Former police chief Wang Lijun testified against Bo Xilai on Saturday

Wang Lijun had been a key figure in court on Saturday, testifying that Bo Xilai had punched him after he told the politician his wife was responsible for the death of Neil Heywood

But Bo Xilai told the court on Sunday: “His character is extremely bad, he created rumors… and threw dust in the public’s eyes.

“It’s beneath legal credibility to present such a person as a key witness. Wang Lijun was lying during the trial and his testimony was not valid at all. His testimony was full of lies and fraud.”

He added: “He said I hit him with my fist instead of slapping him in the face. But the truth is I never learned the technique of Chinese boxing so I wouldn’t be able to have that power.”

On Saturday, Bo Xilai acknowledged he made “serious errors of judgement” but that the charges against him were “exaggerated”.

The abuse of office charge stems from accusations that Bo Xilai knew and covered up the fact that his wife murdered Neil Heywood.

Bo Xilai told the court he had discussed the accusations with her, and his wife told him that she was being framed for the murder.

He also described two difficult meetings he had with Wang Lijun on 28 and 29 January 2012.

Days after this confrontation, Wang Lijun fled to a US consulate to seek asylum, and the scandal became public knowledge.

Wang Lijun has already stood trial for his own actions and been jailed for 15 years, for defection, power abuse and bribe-taking.

Gu Kailai has also testified against her husband. On Friday, Bo Xilai described his wife as “insane” because she had implicated him in corruption.

She claimed that wealthy Chinese entrepreneur Xu Ming bought gifts for the family in order to gain favors.

Bo Xilai is also accused of embezzling 5 million yuan ($800,000) in 2000 which had been earmarked for a construction project in Dalian. Bo Xilai was the city’s mayor in the 1990s.

But at Saturday’s hearing Bo Xilai blamed his wife Gu Kailai for this, saying he had no knowledge that she had taken the money until later on.

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North Korea angry at Swiss decision to block ski lifts deal

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea angry at Swiss decision to block ski lifts deal

North Korea has reacted angrily to Swiss decision to block a deal to sell ski lifts to the secretive communist country.

The equipment – which included chair lifts and cable cars – was for the Masik ski resort project which is currently under construction.

But the Swiss government said last week the equipment constituted luxury goods and so was subject to UN sanctions.

North Korea’s Skiers’ Association said such equipment should not be banned.

The resort, it said in a statement, was aimed at giving North Koreans “highly civilized and happy living conditions and make them enjoy all blessings.

“Cableway equipment for the ski resort do not produce any rocket or nuclear weapon,” it added.

North Korea has reacted angrily to Swiss decision to block a deal to sell ski lifts to the secretive communist country
North Korea has reacted angrily to Swiss decision to block a deal to sell ski lifts to the secretive communist country

The Masik ski resort site was believed to be a pet project of leader Kim Jong-un, who reportedly skied when he attended secondary school in Bern under an assumed name.

It is also being viewed as a response to South Korea hosting the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Work on the site had been delayed by heavy rains and landslides, but Kim Jong-un wanted the resort to be finished by the end of the year.

The North Korean leader has repeatedly visited the site and promoted it as an attempt to enhance the lifestyle of the nation’s citizens.

But Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) labeled the resort a “prestigious propaganda project for the regime”.

“It is inconceivable that this resort will be used by the general public,” SECO spokeswoman Marie Avet said.

The ski lift deal with Swiss company Bartholet Maschinenbau, valued at more than $7 million, is reportedly the third to fall through due to sanctions.

Austrian and French manufacturers also turned down deals, citing political reasons.

Julie Harris dies from congestive heart failure aged 87

Sonia Pantiss
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Julie Harris dies from congestive heart failure aged 87

Actress Julie Harris died Saturday at her West Chatham, Massachusetts home at the age of 87.

The cause of Julie Harris’ death was congestive heart failure, according to the Associated Press.

Julie Harris was renowned first and foremost for her work on Broadway, and the actress garnered an unprecedented five Tony Awards for best actress in a play.

Her accolades came for a wide array of roles, including First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, Hamlet’s Ophelia and Joan of Arc.

Julie Harris debuted on Broadway in 1945 in It’s A Gift, and though the play didn’t last long, it was an auspicious beginning for the young actress.

Julie Harris was renowned first and foremost for her work on Broadway, and the actress garnered an unprecedented five Tony Awards for best actress in a play
Julie Harris was renowned first and foremost for her work on Broadway, and the actress garnered an unprecedented five Tony Awards for best actress in a play

At the age of 24, Julie Harris thrilled critics as the lonely teenager Frankie in 1950’s The Member Of The Wedding, inspiring The New York Times to declare that she was “extraordinary – vibrant, full of anguish and elation”, according to the AP.

Just five years later, Julie Harris won her first Tony for portraying Sally Bowles in I Am A Camera.

It didn’t take long for her to win a second Tony, this time for her performance as Joan of Arc in 1955 Broadway production of The Lark.

More Tonys came for her work on French comedy Forty Carats, period piece The Last Of Mrs. Lincoln and The Belle Of Amherst; the audio recording on Amherst led to a Grammy Award, as well.

Julie Harris also was a brilliant film actress, and her 1952 screen debut – reprising her role in an adaptation of The Member Of The Wedding – resulted in an Oscar nomination for best actress.

Fitting considering her sheer talent, Julie Harris starred opposite other film legends of the era, including James Dean on Elia Kazan’s East Of Eden and Paul Newman on Harper.

And she impacted the small screen as well, most memorably starring as a Southern belle in the 1980s soap opera Knots Landing.

She also won three Emmys for other roles, including as Queen Victoria on the Hallmark Hall Of Fame production of Victoria Regina.

Julie Harris was born on December 2, 1925 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where she was raised by a father who was an investment banker and a mother who worked as a nurse.

Her stage debut came at age 14, when she performed in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame at the Grosse Point County Day School, according to the AP.

That start inspired her to pursue acting for the rest of her life: She continued to study the craft at Yale University and, later, the Actor’s Studio.

Julie Harris’ last accolades came in the form of a life-achievement Tony in 2002 and Kennedy Center Honors in 2005.

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Amanda Knox Refuses to Return to Italy for Retrial

Nancy Clayson
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New reports claim that Amanda Knox will not return to Italy for a retrial in the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher.

Meanwhile, David Marriott, a spokesman for the Knox family, told CNN that Amanda Knox, 26, had never agreed to attend the re-trial and that there is “no requirement she be there”.

However, Amanda Knox could still be forced to return to Italy if the country requires her extradition from the United States, the network reported.

In an interview in May, Amanda Knox expressed her fear and uncertainty about returning to the country where she was held in prison for several years for the murder of her roommate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.

“I’m afraid to go back there,” she told CNN.

“I don’t want to go back to prison.”

Amanda Knox was convicted of the November 2007 murder of the British exchange student, whose body was found in the villa they shared in Perugia, in central Italy.

Her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was also found guilty of the killing. He received 25 years behind bars, while she was given 26 years.

But the convictions were turned over in 2011 due to “lack of evidence”. The appellate court noted that the murder weapon was never found, said that DNA tests were faulty and that prosecutors provided no murder motive.

Their convictions had come despite a drifter from the Ivory Coast, Rudy Guede, being found guilty of the assault and murder. He is currently serving a 30-year sentence.

After she was acquitted, Amanda Knox returned home to Seattle, Washington, where she remains.

But last year, Italy’s Supreme Court said the ruling was full of “deficiencies, contradictions and illogical” conclusions and ordered the new appeals court to look at all the evidence.

The new court must conduct a full examination of evidence to resolve the ambiguities, the high court judges said.

They said the new appeal process would serve to “not only demonstrate the presence of the two suspects in the place of the crime, but to possibly outline the subjective position of Guede’s accomplices”.

It said hypotheses ran from a simple case of forced intimate relationship involving Meredith Kercher “to a group e**tic game that blew up and got out of control”.

Amanda Knox has said that such claims were “a bombardment of falsehood and fantasy”.

No date for the new trial has been set. Florence’s appeals court was chosen since Perugia only has one appellate court.

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have both denied wrongdoing and said they weren’t even in the apartment that night, although they acknowledged they had smoked marijuana and their memories were clouded.

Earlier this year, Amanda Knox said the future was very unsure for her financially and that she is almost broke because of her huge legal bills – despite a $1.5 million book advance.

She will be paid a reported $ 4million in total for her memoir Waiting To Be Heard but claimed that her retrial and a potential libel lawsuits will leave her penniless.

Amanda Knox also revealed that to make money in the future she will be writing more books and will be taking a creative writing course at the University of Washington, near her home in Seattle.

Donald Trump sued by New York’s attorney general for phony Trump University

Clyde K. Valle
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Donald Trump sued by New York’s attorney general for phony Trump University

Donald Trump has been sued by New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for $40 million, claiming the real estate mogul helped run a phony “Trump University” that falsely promised to make students rich.

Instead, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that the university steered them into expensive and mostly useless seminars, and even failed to deliver promised apprenticeships.

After the lawsuit was filed on Saturday, Doald Trump shot back that it is false and politically motivated.

Eric Schneiderman says many of the 5,000 students who paid up to $35,000 thought they would at least meet Trump but instead all they got was their picture taken in front of a life-size picture of him.

“Trump University engaged in deception at every stage of consumers’ advancement through costly programs and caused real financial harm,” Eric Schneiderman said.

“Trump University, with Donald Trump’s knowledge and participation, relied on Trump’s name recognition and celebrity status to take advantage of consumers who believed in the Trump brand.”

State Education Department officials told Donald Trump to change the name of his enterprise years ago, saying it lacked a license and didn’t meet the legal definitions of a university.

In 2011 it was renamed the “Trump Entrepreneur Institute”, but it has since been dogged by complaints from consumers and a few civil lawsuits claiming it didn’t fulfill its advertised claims.

New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claims Donald Trump helped run a phony Trump University that falsely promised to make students rich
New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claims Donald Trump helped run a phony Trump University that falsely promised to make students rich

Eric Schneiderman’s lawsuit covers complaints dating to 2005 through 2011 and it claims that students paid between $1,495 and $35,000 to learn from the mogul.

He said the three-day seminars failed to teach consumers everything they needed to know about real estate, as the “university” had promised. The Trump University manual tells instructors not to let consumers “think three days will be enough to make them successful”, Eric Schneiderman said.

At the seminars, consumers were told about “Trump Elite” mentorships that cost $10,000 to $35,000 in which students were promised individual instruction until they made their first deal.

Eric Schneiderman said participants were urged to extend the limit on their credit cards for real estate deals, but then used the credit to pay for the Trump Elite programs.

The attorney general said the program also failed to promptly cancel memberships as promised.

The lawsuit added that many of students were unable to land even one real estate deal and were left far worse off than before the lessons, facing thousands of dollars in debt.

But Donld Trump’s attorney accused Eric Schneiderman of trying to extort campaign contributions from the real estate mogul through his investigation.

Attorney Michael D. Cohen told The Associated Press on Saturday that Eric Schneiderman’s lawsuit was filled with falsehoods. He insisted that Donald Trump and his university never defrauded anyone.

“The attorney general has been angry because he felt that Mr. Trump and his various companies should have done much more for him in terms of fundraising,” Michael D. Cohen said.

“This entire investigation is politically motivated and it is a tremendous waste of taxpayers’ money.”

State Board of Elections records show Donald Trump has spent more than $136,000 on New York campaigns since 2010.

He contributed $12,500 to Schneiderman in October 2010, when Eric Schneiderman was running for attorney general, records show.

An outspoken conservative, Donald Trump himself flirted with a presidential run last year.

“Donald Trump will not sit back and be extorted by anyone, including the attorney general,” Michael D. Cohen said.

Eric Schneiderman is suing the program, Donald Trump as the university chairman, and the former president of the university in a case to be handled in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

He accuses them of engaging in persistent fraud, illegal and deceptive conduct and violating federal consumer protection law. The $40 million he seeks is mostly to pay restitution to consumers.

He dismissed Donald Trump’s claim of a political motive.

“The fact that he’s still brave enough to follow the investigation wherever it may lead speaks to Mr. Schneiderman’s character,” Eric Schneiderman spokesman Andrew Friedman told AP.

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Unclaimed Powerball ticket expires soon

Nancy Clayson
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Unclaimed Powerball ticket expires soon

A mystery Powerball player who is due $1 million in winnings has only hours left to collect their prize.

The ticket was bought in Westchester, New York, last year but it still remains unclaimed. If the owner of the lucky numbers doesn’t come forward by Sunday, the money will return into the system.

Lottery officials are now encouraging all players to check their tickets for the combination 1-6-7-20-49 and Powerball 23.

“We’re hopeful the lucky winner has already signed the ticket and is making plans to claim it before it’s too late,” Gardner Gurney, acting director of the Division of the Lottery told CNN.

The ticket was bought at the Playland Market in Rye on August 25, 2012. Ralph Alfalahi, who works at the store, told USA Today: “I have no idea who it is. I wish I knew.”

Ralph Alfalahi has even put a sign outside the deli reminding customers and passersby of the winning numbers from nearly a year ago.

The ticket was bought in Westchester, New York, last year but it still remains unclaimed
The ticket was bought in Westchester, New York, last year but it still remains unclaimed

Meanwhile, lottery officials are also trying to find the winner – before it’s too late. The $1 million will go into a shared pool for future winners if it is not picked up by Sunday.

“We use the news media, social media and any other means possible to publicize the fact that it hasn’t been claimed yet and encourage players to check their tickets,” New York Lottery spokeswoman Christy Calicchia said.

The winner has to hand the lucky ticket in at a lottery service center or can post it in. As long as the mail is postmarked August 25 it will be valid for the prize.

Christy Calicchia said that the commission will be monitoring the post for last-minute claims. After federal and state taxes, this prize would amount to an estimated take-home $662,000.

Unclaimed prizes are more common than you might think. Last year there was $65 million in expired winnings in New York State alone.

In 2002, a single prize of $68 million went unclaimed in Brooklyn, the largest missed winnings in the state.

Christy Calicchia explained that lottery prizes are not picked up for a number of reasons, including tickets lost or destroyed in the wash.

The spokeswoman told CNN that players sometimes simply don’t realize that they have won.

“Most people don’t realize that there is more than one prize in the lottery drawing,” she said.

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Medecins Sans Frontieres reports Syria chemical deaths

Roy Siemens
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Medecins Sans Frontieres reports Syria chemical deaths

Medecins Sans Frontieres reports hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with “neurotoxic symptoms”, of whom 355 have died.

MSF said the patients had arrived in three hospitals in the Damascus governorate on August 21 – when opposition activists say chemical attacks were launched against rebels.

But MSF says it cannot “scientifically confirm” the use of chemical weapons.

Both sides in the conflict accuse each other of using them.

MSF says staff at the hospitals described a large number of patients arriving in the space of less than three hours with symptoms including convulsions, extreme salivation, contracted pupils and sight and respiratory problems.

The charity said many were treated with atropine, a drug administered to those with “neurotoxic symptoms”.

Medecins Sans Frontieres reports hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms
Medecins Sans Frontieres reports hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms

“MSF can neither scientifically confirm the cause of these symptoms nor establish who is responsible for the attack,” said MSF Director of Operations Bart Janssens.

“However, the reported symptoms of the patients, in addition to the epidemiological pattern of the events, characterized by the massive influx of patients in a short period of time, the origin of the patients, and the contamination of medical and first aid workers, strongly indicate mass exposure to a neurotoxic agent.

“This would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, which absolutely prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons.”

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has given its latest assessment of the number of casualties from the alleged attacks.

The British-based group said it estimated that 322 had died, 54 of them children.

In the immediate aftermath, casualty figures varied widely with opposition activists saying between several hundred and more than 1,000 had been killed.

MSF’s disclosure adds to mounting allegations that chemical weapons were used in suburbs to the east of Damascus and in an area to the south-west on August 21.

Unverified video footage posted soon afterwards shows civilians, many of them children, dead or suffering from what appear to be horrific symptoms consistent with a chemical attack.

Rebels and opposition activists accuse forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of carrying out such attacks.

But state TV accuses the rebels, saying barrels of chemical weapons were found as troops entered previously rebel-held districts.

Soldiers had “suffocated” as they tried to enter Jobar, one of the towns in the Ghouta district around Damascus.

Khloe Kardashian kicks Lamar Odom out of house on alleged drug abuse

Lisa.Felice
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0
Khloe Kardashian kicks Lamar Odom out of house on alleged drug abuse

Khloe Kardashian has reportedly kicked Lamar Odom out of the house due to his alleged drug abuse.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian have been subject to persistent rumors that their marriage is in trouble after Lamar allegedly cheated on his wife with two different women.

However, several sources have told TMZ the real reason behind their marriage crisis is that Khloe Kardashian reportedly believes Lamar Odom has a drug problem.

Earlier this week the Kardashian family allegedly staged an intervention to convince Lamar Odom, 33, to return to rehab, but he refused, reports the gossip website.

Khloe Kardashian, 29, urged Lamar Odom in August 2012 to go to rehab and after he entered a San Diego facility she hired private investigators to make sure he didn’t leave.

Lamar Odom reportedly constantly threatened to leave the rehab clinic and Khloe Kardashian visited several times to convince him to stay, but he left after three weeks, sources said.

Khloe Kardashian has kicked Lamar Odom out of the house due to his alleged drug abuse
Khloe Kardashian has kicked Lamar Odom out of the house due to his alleged drug abuse

The NBA player, who won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, stayed clean and played well last season for the Los Angeles Clippers, but sources said he resumed using drugs after the season.

Khloe Kardashian was convinced of recent reports of Lamar Odom’s infidelity, but feels his drug abuse has been the main problem, the website reported.

Neither Khloe Kardashian nor Lamar Odom has contacted a divorce lawyer.

“Khloe is more concerned about saving Lamar than ending her marriage,” a source told TMZ.

Khloe Kardashian allegedly tossed Lamar Odom out of the house after the failed intervention, and he was pictured Wednesday as an associated loaded a number of large suitcases into his car in Calabasas, California.

The couple got married in 2009 about a month after meeting each other.

Khloe Kardashian has recently endured reports that Lamar Odom had an affair with Jennifer Richardson for a year until March 2013 and a six-week fling with lawyer Polina Polonsky at the start of the summer.

Si Robertson on his iced tea habit and why his wife Christine is not part of Duck Dynasty

Sonia Pantiss
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Si Robertson on his iced tea habit and why his wife Christine is not part of Duck Dynasty

In a recent interview with Parade magazine, Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson revealed why his wife isn’t part of the show and gave details about his famous iced tea habit.

Si Robertson revealed his famous blue cup, which he carries around with him everywhere he goes, was given to him by his mother while he was in Vietnam.

“My mama sent me that to me when I was in Vietnam – she put it in a boot and then put two jars of jalapeno peppers in each boot. I love my jalapeno peppers,” the Duck Dynasty star told Parade magazine.

Si Robertson’s blue cup was given to him by his mother while he was in Vietnam
Si Robertson’s blue cup was given to him by his mother while he was in Vietnam

He also said he drinks two gallons of tea a day and his wife Christine is worried about the quantity. But it is Christine who makes his everyday tea.

“We do it the old-fashioned way. Put three bags in a pot of water, turn the heat on the water and let it boil, put a saucer over it and let it seep. Then pour it into a gallon jug and then I drink it,” said Si Robertson.

Si Robertson also revealed he never drinks sweet tea.

Uncle Si said his wife Christine doesn’t want to be part of the show just because: “She’s got better sense than all the rest of us!”

Duck Dynasty Season 4 airs Wednesday, at 9/8c on A&E.

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Nelson Mandela still critical but stable in Pretoria hospital

Diane A. Wade
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Nelson Mandela still critical but stable in Pretoria hospital

Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times.

The 95-year-old South African former leader is “still critical but stable”, according to a statement from President Jacob Zuma’s office.

Nelson Mandela remains in hospital in Pretoria two-and-a-half months after being admitted with a recurring lung infection.

Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times
Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times

The statement largely squares with comments from members of his family.

However, Saturday’s statement does provide some fresh insight into the precariousness of the health of the global icon and the reserves he still appears able to call upon.

The statement said doctors were still working hard to bring about a turnaround in his health and, as a result of medical interventions, Nelson Mandela’s condition tended to stabilize.

President Jacob Zuma, who is travelling to Malaysia on an official visit, urged the country to continue praying for Nelson Mandela and to keep him in their thoughts at all times.

Nelson Mandela, who stepped down as the country’s first black president in 1999, entered hospital on June 8.

The anti-apartheid activist’s lung infection is believed to date back to the period of nearly three decades he spent in prison, for his activities in the African National Congress.

People from South Africa and around the world have sent Nelson Mandela their best wishes, and flowers and other tributes have collected outside Pretoria’s Medi Clinic Heart Hospital.

Hilaria Baldwin gives birth to baby daughter Carmen Gabriela

Lisa.Felice
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Hilaria Baldwin gives birth to baby daughter Carmen Gabriela

Hilaria and Alec Baldwin welcomed their first child together, a baby daughter, on Friday.

Hilaria Baldwin, 29, gave birth to Carmen Gabriela at Mount Sinai hospital in New York.

The yoga instructor proudly shared their baby news on Twitter, writing: “We are overjoyed to announce the birth of our daughter Carmen Gabriela. She is absolutely perfect.”

Alec Baldwin, 55, was early spotted arriving the hospital carrying several heavy bags ahead of the birth.

His daughter Ireland, from his marriage to Kim Basinger, also took to Twitter to share her joy.

Hilaria Baldwin gave birth to Carmen Gabriela at Mount Sinai hospital in New York
Hilaria Baldwin gave birth to Carmen Gabriela at Mount Sinai hospital in New York

Ireland Baldwin, 17, wrote: “Welcome to the world, Carmen! I’m a f***ing sister!The best big sister!! Love you so much”

Then she added: “I was born October 23. Carmen was born Friday, August 23.”

Hilaria Baldwin previously revealed plans for a natural childbirth, although she admitted she could choose an epidural if the pain got too bad.

She said: “Right now, I want to do it naturally. That’s not to say there’s something wrong with the epidural, but that’s the way I was raised  –  I’m a pretty natural person. But if it does get to the point where I am screaming for the epidural, I have no problems with that. We’ll see where it goes.”

Hilaria and Alec Baldwin revealed they were expecting a girl several months ago. She recently showing off the baby’s pastel designed nursery complete with yoga mats.

Before settling on Carmen, Hilaria Baldwin said she wanted a name that reflected the child’s American and Spanish heritage.

Hilaria Baldwin told the New York Post: “We’re kicking it around. We want a name reflecting America as well as my family from Spain.”

Linda Ronstadt reveals Parkinson’s disease ended her career

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Linda Ronstadt reveals Parkinson’s disease ended her career

Folk-rock singer Linda Ronstadt revealed she is facing an uphill battle as she loses her voice to Parkinson’s disease.

Struck down with Parkinson’s eight months ago, 11-time Grammy-winner Linda Ronstadt has opened up about the life-changing diagnosis that has ended her career.

Speaking to the AARP in an interview which will be published next week, Linda Ronstadt, who has released more than 30 studio albums over four decades, revealed she first noticed symptoms as early as eight years ago.

Linda Ronstadt, now 67, initially put her shaking hands down to the result of shoulder surgery and believed her inability to sing was due to a tick bite that ravished her system.

“My health has never recovered since then,” she says.

The singer sadly revealed during her candid chat that the disease means she “can’t sing a note” anymore.

Realizing there was a serious problem when her singing voice failed her, the Parkinson’s diagnosis came out of the blue and was hard to comprehend.

“I couldn’t sing and I couldn’t figure out why. I knew it was mechanical. I knew it had to do with the muscles, but I thought it might have also had something to do with the tick disease that I had,” she tells the publication.

Linda Ronstadt revealed she is facing an uphill battle as she loses her voice to Parkinson’s disease
Linda Ronstadt revealed she is facing an uphill battle as she loses her voice to Parkinson’s disease

“It didn’t occur to me to go to a neurologist.”

“Parkinson’s is very hard to diagnose, so when I finally went to a neurologist and he said, <<Oh, you have Parkinson’s disease>>, I was completely shocked. I wouldn’t have suspected that in a million, billion years.”

Adding that “No-one can sing with Parkinson’s disease, no matter how hard you try,” it soon became apparent that the star’s illustrious career was over.

No longer fully in control of her faculties, Linda Ronstadt is forced to walk with the assistance of poles at times and is wheelchair-bound when she travels.

Most well known for hit songs You’re No Good and When Will I Be Loved, Linda Ronstadt was also notably engaged to Star Wars creator George Lucas in the 1980s.

While she never married, Linda Ronstadt adopted daughter Mary in 1990 and son Carlos in 1994 as infants.

Linda Ronstadt’s new autobiography, Simple Dreams, will be released on September 17, however, it doesn’t deal with her Parkinson’s diagnosis and subsequent loss of voice.

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Eli Lilly faces China bribery claims

Clyde K. Valle
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Eli Lilly faces China bribery claims

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has said it is “deeply concerned” by claims that it bribed Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs.

Chinese paper 21st Century Business Herald cited a former staff, identified by a pseudonym, as saying Eli Lilly paid out 30 million yuan ($4.9 million).

The claims come at a time when China is investigating some drugs firms over similar bribery allegations.

Eli Lilly said it had launched an internal probe last year after a former manager made similar allegations against it.

“At the time of the allegations, we did an exhaustive investigation to search for any evidence of kickbacks,” the company said in a statement.

“Although we have not been able to verify these allegations, we take them seriously and we are continuing our investigation.”

The drugmaker said it interviewed employees, monitored emails and audited expense reports as part of its internal probe.

Eli Lilly has said it is "deeply concerned" by claims that it bribed Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs
Eli Lilly has said it is “deeply concerned” by claims that it bribed Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs

However, it said it had not employed any sales managers by the name of Wang Wei, who was mentioned in the 21st Century Business Herald report.

Eli Lilly is the latest foreign drugmaker to be engulfed by such claims in China.

Earlier this week, a British risk consultant, Peter Humphrey, was formally arrested by Chinese authorities amid a continuing probe into pharmaceutical companies.

One of the companies being probed, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), is reportedly a former client of Peter Humphrey’s firm, ChinaWhys.

Chinese authorities have accused GSK of directing up to $500 million through travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials.

GSK has said that some senior executives in its China office appeared to have broken the law and several GSK employees have also been detained over the last few weeks.

In July, Chinese police had visited the Shanghai office of AstraZeneca and took an employee in for questioning.

Bob Filner: San Diego mayor quits denying harassment

Diane A. Wade
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Bob Filner: San Diego mayor quits denying harassment

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who has been battling harassment allegations by 18 women and a related lawsuit, has finally bowed to calls for him to quit.

Democrat Bob Filner stood aside with an apology to the women concerned, but denied harassing anyone.

Bob Filner’s departure follows a deal with the Californian city’s council over legal fees for the lawsuit he faces.

City Council President Todd Gloria will now become acting mayor and a special election will be held in 90 days.

“The city should not have to go through this, and my own personal failures were responsible and I apologize to the city,” the 70-year-old Bob Filner told a special meeting of the San Diego city council on Friday.

“To all the women that I’ve offended, I had no intention to be offensive, to violate any physical or emotional space,” he added.

“I was trying to establish personal relationships, but the combination of awkwardness and hubris led to behavior that I think many found offensive.”

But he struck a defiant tone as he added: “Not one of the allegations has ever been independently verified or proven in court.

“I’ve never s***ally harassed anyone.”

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who has been battling harassment allegations by 18 women and a related lawsuit, has finally bowed to calls for him to quit
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who has been battling harassment allegations by 18 women and a related lawsuit, has finally bowed to calls for him to quit

He said he had been the victim of “the hysteria of a lynch mob”.

Under Bob Filner’s resignation deal, the city will pay his legal fees in a joint defense of a lawsuit filed by the mayor’s former communications director, said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.

It will also pay for any settlement costs against the mayor except for punitive damages. The city would also pay up to $98,000 if Bob Filner wants to appoint his own lawyer.

He also faces a criminal investigation, the California attorney general’s office said on Friday.

Bob Filner’s former spokeswoman, Irene McCormack Jackson, was the first to accuse him publicly of inappropriate behavior. She launched a lawsuit last month against him and the city.

Irene McCormack Jackson alleged that the mayor had asked her to work without underwear, demanded kisses and told her he wanted to see her without clothes.

Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, told reporters: “It is not appropriate for the city of San Diego to provide a gift of public funds to a s***al harasser to help him fight the victim of the lawsuit we filed.”

She also said she strongly supported the mayor’s resignation.

Since the lawsuit, a series of women, including high-profile city residents and a great-grandmother, have come forward with accusations against Bob Filner.

Veronica Froman, a retired rear admiral, said Bob Filner once blocked her from leaving a room, ran his finger up her cheek and asked if she had a man in her life.

The president of the city port tenants’ association, Sharon Bernie-Cloward, said Bob Filner had groped her on her bottom at an event last year.

“I was left there startled and fearful,” she was quoted as saying by US media.

“I actually had someone walk me to my car that night.”

Other alleged victims included several businesswomen, a college dean and two military veterans who said he harassed them as they attended a meeting for women who had been raped while serving in the armed forces.

Bob Filner initially resisted pressure to quit, submitting himself instead to undergo two weeks of behavioral therapy.

But as allegations continued to stack up, pressure for Bob Filner to go mounted, including from both US senators for California and the national head of the Democratic National Committee.

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Pentagon moving forces closer to Syria

Roy Siemens
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Pentagon moving forces closer to Syria

The Pentagon has decided to move its forces closer to Syria as the US weighs its options in the conflict there, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has suggested.

Chuck Hagel gave no details, but media reports say the US Navy is strengthening its presence in the eastern Mediterranean.

On Friday, President Barack Obama said fresh allegations of chemical weapons use by the Syrian government this week was of “grave concern”.

Syria’s main ally Russia said there was evidence rebels were behind the attack.

Chuck Hagel has suggested that the Pentagon is moving its forces closer to Syria as the US weighs its options in the conflict there
Chuck Hagel has suggested that the Pentagon is moving its forces closer to Syria as the US weighs its options in the conflict there

The Syrian opposition, however, has said hundreds died in a government assault on the outskirts of Damascus on Wednesday.

Despite calls from many different countries, there is no sign yet that the Syrian authorities will allow a UN inspection team to visit to investigate the claims.

The UN’s disarmament chief, Angela Kane, is due to arrive in Damascus on Saturday to push for access to the site. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he is determined to “conduct a thorough, impartial and prompt investigation” into the events.

Unverified footage shows civilians – many of them children – dead or suffering from what appear to be horrific symptoms as a result of the attack.

Chuck Hagel said President Barack Obama had asked the Pentagon for options on Syria, amid rising pressure on the US to intervene.

“The defense department has responsibility to provide the president with options for all contingencies,” he said.

“That requires positioning our forces, positioning our assets, to be able to carry out different options – whatever options the president might choose.”

Chuck Hagel was speaking to reporters travelling with him to Malaysia.

Earlier, US defense officials said a fourth US warship – armed with cruise missiles – had been moved into the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The officials stressed that the US Navy had received no orders to prepare for military action.

Bo Xilai trial: Chinese politician admits some responsibility

Diane A. Wade
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Bo Xilai trial: Chinese politician admits some responsibility

Bo Xilai has admitted “some responsibility” for the government funds he is accused of embezzling.

The disgraced Chinese politician told a Jinan court that his wife Gu Kailai had taken the money, and he knew nothing about it at the time.

However, Bo Xilai admitted he did not do enough to stop it.

“I feel ashamed. I was too careless,” he said.

Bo Xilai also mocked a former colleague who had accused him of being actively involved in the embezzlement.

He said Wang Zhenggang’s testimony was “illogical”, and that only a fool would discuss bribery in front of witnesses.

The scandals involving Bo Xilai’s family, which used to be one of the most elite in China, have captivated the country.

Bo Xilai, who rose to become the Communist Party chief in Chongqing, denies bribery and corruption – and also the charge of abuse of office, which the court has not yet examined.

He is accused of using his position to cover up for his wife Gu Kailai, who has been convicted of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood.

Bo Xilai’s ex-police chief Wang Lijun, his close colleague in Chongqing, is also testifying against him.

Many analysts assume the outcome of the trial, now in its third day, has been predetermined – with a guilty verdict.

But Bo Xilai has given what, for China, is an unusually vigorous defense, observers say.

They say the court hearing is as much about getting rid of a popular politician as it is about criminal wrongdoing.

Bo Xilai has admitted "some responsibility" for the government funds he is accused of embezzling
Bo Xilai has admitted “some responsibility” for the government funds he is accused of embezzling

Foreign media are not allowed into the trial, but the court in the eastern city of Jinan has been posting regular updates on China’s micro-blogging site Weibo (in Mandarin).

“I feel I should take some responsibility for the money ending up in Gu Kailai’s account. I feel ashamed,” Bo Xilai told the court.

“I failed to retrieve the money later, and that’s a factual statement, but can you say I had the intention to embezzle the money? No.”

Bo Xilai was referring to a 5 million yuan ($800,000) sum of money in his wife’s account, which had alleged been earmarked for a Dalian city construction project.

Earlier in Saturday’s proceedings, Wang Zhenggang, former urban planning director of Dalian, gave testimony against Bo Xilai, who used to be Dalian’s mayor and therefore Wang Lijun’s boss.

Wang said he saw Bo Xilai make a call to his wife and explicitly said he was going to funnel money to the family.

Bo Xilai refuted the testimony, saying he had no need for the money as his wife was a successful lawyer and his son’s study in the UK was funded through a full scholarship.

He also mocked Wang Lijun’s testimony, saying: “Is this in line with the way an embezzler would think?… Would I say something this sensitive on the phone?”

“It is not even what the most stupid corruption offender would do,” he said.

On Friday, Bo Xilai described his wife, Gu Kailai, as “insane” because of her testimony implicating him in corruption.

She had said that wealthy Chinese entrepreneur Xu Ming bought gifts for the family in order to gain favors.

Gu Kailai also said she felt that Neil Heywood – whom she has been found guilty of killing – had posed a threat to her son, Bo Guagua.

But Bo Xilai dismissed her testimony, reportedly saying: “In her unstable mental state, prosecutors put pressure on her so she would turn on me.”

Bo Xilai’s downfall was seen as the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades.

In February 2012 his police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu amid an apparent fall-out with Bo Xilai.

Shortly afterwards, Chinese authorities announced that they were reinvestigating the death of Neil Heywood, who died in a Chongqing hotel in November 2011.

The release of trial proceedings during Bo Xilai’s hearing are in sharp contrast with Gu Kailai’s trial in August 2012. That hearing took just one day and few details were released.

The Chinese authorities are on high alert for any unrest that might be triggered by Bo Xilai’s trial – with police closely guarding a security perimeter that spans several miles around the court.

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North West’s picture: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby is an amazing combination of the two

Lisa.Felice
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0
North West’s picture: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby is an amazing combination of the two

The first photo of North West, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby daughter, was finally revealed on Friday during an interview with the rapper on Kris Jenner’s chat show.

And it appears the tiny girl possesses both her mother and father’s looks.

With her almond-shaped eyes, full head of hair and full pout, little North West looks very similar to Kim Kardashian when she was a baby.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby girl also has predominant cheeks, similar to her father.

In his highly-publicized sit down with Kris Jenner, Kanye West said: “I pray that she looks like her mother when she’s older.”

However, Kris Jenner told the rapper that she thought North West was the perfect combination of both Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

It appears baby North possesses both her mother Kim Kardashian and father Kanye West's looks
It appears baby North possesses both her mother Kim Kardashian and father Kanye West’s looks

“I think she is an amazing combination of the two of you. She is so adorable. She has Kim’s eyes, I think she has your cheeks and both of your lips. Some days she has your lips and some days she has Kim’s lips,” Kris Jenner gushed.

“They dissect her,” the chat host and North West’s grandmother explained to the audience.

“Kim would go <<Look at her ears mom, look at her ears!>>. It is so cute how obsessed you guys are.”

Whether or not she looks more like her mother or her father, there is no doubt that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s little cherub shares the same strong genes as the rest of the Kardashian clan.

Dark hair and almond-shaped eyes is a feature that is predominant in many members of the famous family.

Sisters Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian all have flowing brunette tresses, brown eyes and long eye lashes.

Kourtney Kardashian’s three-year-old son Mason whom she shares with partner Scott Disick, also possesses strong Kardashian genes, however her one-year-old daughter Penelope looks a little more like her father with her fairer hair and facial features.

Meanwhile, a flashback to baby pictures of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West show the now famous identities looking just as cute as their daughter North.

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