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Chelsea Manning: Bradley Manning announces his female identity

Nancy Clayson
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Chelsea Manning: Bradley Manning announces his female identity

Convicted soldier Bradley Manning has revealed that he wants to live as a woman named Chelsea and intends to undergo hormone therapy to begin his transition to a female.

Bradley Manning, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison on Wednesday for leaking thousands of classified documents to WikiLeaks, made the shock announcement through his attorney on the Today show on Thursday.

“As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female,” Bradley Manning wrote in the statement entitled, The Next Stage of My Life.

“Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible. I hope that you will support me in this transition.”

Bradley Manning added that he now wishes to be referred to as Chelsea and as a “she” rather than a “he”.

On Thursday, Bradley Manning’s lawyer David Coombs denied the former intelligence analyst was making this announcement for the attention or because she was a narcissist.

“Chelsea didn’t want to have this be something that overshadowed the case,” he explained.

In this undated photo provided by the US Army, Bradley Manning poses wearing a wig and lipstick
In this undated photo provided by the US Army, Bradley Manning poses wearing a wig and lipstick

David Coombs added that Fort Leavenworth, where Bradley Manning is serving her term, does not provide hormone therapy for soldiers, but that he hoped it would “do the right thing” and provide it.

“If not, I am going to everything in my power to make sure everything is done to force them,” he said.

During the 12-week court case, an image that was released by the Army emerged showing Bradley Manning wearing a blonde wig and makeup in a photograph she had taken herself.

“She never really wanted this to be public,” David Coombs added of Bradley Manning’s identity.

“Now that it is, unfortunately, you have to deal with it in a public manner.”

Bradley Manning’s lawyers had argued throughout the case that he was under incredible stress at the time of the leaks due to his struggles with gender identity disorder in the masculine environment.

On Wednesday, Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking an unprecedented volume of classified documents to WikiLeaks.

The 25-year-old first class Army private appeared not to show any emotion when his long-awaited fate was read out, though spectators gasped inside the military courtroom at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Because of the 1,294 days he has already spent in custody, Bradley Manning will immediately shave three and a half years off his 35-year term.

Bradley Manning is eligible for parole after serving at least one-third of the sentence, which means he could be free in eight years, when he’s 33 or 34 years old.

He also learned he will be reduced in grade to the rank of private E1, dishonorably discharged from the military and forfeit all pay and allowances.

In a press conference following the hearing defense attorney David Coombs said he was saddened by the sentence, adding that it didn’t represent the harm his client had caused.

David Coombs said: “When I heard the sentence I thought to myself <<I have represented hundreds of clients some of them have committed murders and some have molested children and those clients received less time than private Manning>>.”

He added that he was surprised by the decision to dishonorably discharge Bradley Manning from the military, adding: “Bradley Manning is a man of honor.”

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Robert Mugabe sworn in for seventh term as Zimbabwe’s president

Diane A. Wade
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Robert Mugabe sworn in for seventh term as Zimbabwe’s president

Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a seventh term in office as the country’s president.

Thursday has been declared a public holiday to allow supporters of Robert Mugabe, 89, to attend the inauguration.

The ceremony had been delayed by a court petition filed by his main rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, over allegations of widespread electoral fraud.

But the Constitutional Court dismissed the case, declaring Robert Mugabe’s re-election “free, fair and credible”.

Robert Mugabe won with 61% of the presidential vote against 34% for Morgan Tsvangirai on July 31.

The elections ended a fragile power-sharing government formed by the two men in 2009 under pressure from regional leaders following elections the year before marred by violence and allegations of electoral fraud.

Outgoing Prime Minister and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he would not be attending the inauguration ceremony.

“Expecting Tsvangirai to attend the inauguration is like expecting a victim of robbery to attend a party hosted by the robber,” his spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, told AFP.

Free fizzy drinks and T-shirts reading “Mugabe fearless revolutionary” were being given to the arriving crowds.

Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a seventh term in office as Zimbabwe's president
Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a seventh term in office as Zimbabwe’s president

One of the banners in the stadium reads: “It’s Africa versus Europe with Zimbabwe as the new battlefront.”

The US and UK have expressed concern over the official results granting victory to Robert Mugabe and his Zanu-PF party.

But the African Union has said that any irregularities were not enough to overturn the margin of victory.

Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lost two court cases related to fraud claims in last month’s disputed elections. Rulings were issued despite the MDC withdrawing its case saying it would not get a fair hearing.

The party alleged that more than a million voters were prevented from casting their ballots in polling stations, mostly in the capital and urban areas considered to be MDC strongholds.

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which placed 7,000 observers around the country, has also judged the election flawed.

MDC officials have indicated they are unwilling to continue their partnership government with Zanu-PF.

Meanwhile, the US said recently that sanctions imposed on Robert Mugabe and some 119 other Zimbabwean individuals would remain in place until there were further political reforms.

Some 40 heads of state and government have been invited to attend the high-profile inauguration ceremony.

Once inaugurated, Robert Mugabe will serve another five-year term. Under the new constitution approved in a referendum earlier this year he will be able to serve another term after this.

Robert Mugabe served as Zimbabwe’s first post-independence prime minister between 1980 and 1987, and has held office as president ever since.

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Porter Ridge draws 1.4 million viewers on premiere night

Sonia Pantiss
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Porter Ridge draws 1.4 million viewers on premiere night

Porter Ridge, Discovery’s new reality show from the producers of Duck Dynasty set in the backwoods of Indiana, drew 1.4 million viewers on its premiere night last Tuesday, overshadowed by other unscripted shows on the net.

Looking at the Tuesday nationals, Nielsen estimates that Porter Ridge averaged a 0.7 rating/2 share in adults 18-49 and 1.42 million viewers in the 10:30 p.m. half-hour – a decent start but lagging cable competition in its time period, including a repeat of The Big Bang Theory on TBS, Legend Shelby Swamp Man on History and USA’s Suits.

Discovery’s new reality show Porter Ridge drew 1.4 million viewers on its premiere
Discovery’s new reality show Porter Ridge drew 1.4 million viewers on its premiere

Certainly, no one expected Duck Dynasty-like numbers for Porter Ridge, as even that now red-hot show bowed to 1.8 million viewers with its series premiere nearly 18 months ago.

Porter Ridge had a solid lead-in at 10 p.m. from Tickle (0.9/2 in 18-49, 1.91 million viewers overall), a spinoff of Discovery’s Moonshiners.

Discovery logged its best numbers of the night in the 9 o’clock hour with Amish Mafia (1.1/3 in 18-49, 2.54 million viewers overall), which tied with TNT’s Rizzoli & Isles as cable’s top show for the time period in 18-49. It was second on all of television (behind NBC’s America’s Got Talent) in men 18-49 and 25-54.

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Madonna wears gold grills to visit Rome branch of her Hard Candy fitness studio

Lisa.Felice
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Madonna wears gold grills to visit Rome branch of her Hard Candy fitness studio

Madonna was keen to give fans and photographers a closer look at her gold grills as she paid a visit to the Hard Candy fitness studio in Rome on Wednesday.

While the unusual fashion accessory is a common feature in the mouths of younger stars like Justin Bieber and Rihanna, Madonna – who celebrated her 55th birthday last week – clearly puts no limit on what she can get away with.

Madonna was keen to give fans and photographers a closer look at her gold grills as she paid a visit to the Hard Candy fitness studio in Rome
Madonna was keen to give fans and photographers a closer look at her gold grills as she paid a visit to the Hard Candy fitness studio in Rome

Wearing a black mini-dress, black tights and those fingerless leather gloves she’s so fond of sporting, Madonna called in to the Colosseo gym for what amounted to a quick inspection, but all eyes were inspecting her mouth as she made her across the threshold.

The singer and actress let her hair down in France recently at the Menton music festival before celebrating son Rocco’s 13th birthday with a game of paintball that included young boyfriend Brahmin Zaibat and her teenage daughter, Lourdes.

Her own birthday fell on August 16, and Madonna celebrated by throwing a fancy dress party themed around the French Revolution.

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Lamar Odom Seen Loading Sizable Amount of Luggage into His Car Amid Divorce Rumors

Lisa.Felice
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Lamar Odom was seen loading a sizable amount of luggage into his car on Wednesday.

Lamar Odom, 33, was seen standing by while a man packed two large suitcases and some smaller bags into the trunk of his white Mercedes-Benz in Calabasas, California, amid rumors his wife Khloe Kardashian has filed for divorce following persistent rumors of his infidelity.

The basketball star was seen standing outside a gas station supermarket wearing khaki shorts and a white top as the man loaded the luggage into the trunk of the car.

Lamar Odom is likely not leaving for training as basketball season is over and the pre-season only starts in October. He also hasn’t yet given the LA Clippers an answer as to whether or not he’ll play for them this coming season.

Once the luggage was packed, he was seen getting into the luxury vehicle and driving off.

Lamar Odom was no doubt relieved to hear that he will not be prosecuted for destroying a photographer’s equipment.

The LA City Attorney will not file vandalism charges against that star for trashing a cameraman’s equipment last month in Hollywood, according to TMZ. Instead, an informal hearing will be held in the City Attorney’s office.

Meanwhile, his wife Khloe Kardashian has allegedly threatened to file for divorce from the sportsman.

Khloe Kardashian, 29, is furious that her husband of four years has been accused of having affairs with two different women and has told him she will file for a legal separation if more cheating rumors surface.

A friend close to Khloe Kardashian, who is reportedly worth $18 million, told Life and Style magazine that the reality star is “humiliated and p***ed off” about allegations Lamar Odom cheated on her with Jennifer Richardson for a year until March 2013 and also had a six-week long affair with lawyer Polina Polonsky at the start of the summer.

The insider said that Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom, who has an estimated fortune of $56 million from his 14-year basketball career, signed a pre-nuptial agreement with a built-in cheating clause that would see her secure $500,000 for every year they were married if he is unfaithful to her.

The source added: “With both mistresses coming out, she can’t handle much more. If more women come forward, she will do it.

“[Although] Khloe is a strong girl, the cheating rumors have really worn her down.”

Khloe Kardashian’s mother Kris Jenner previously denied her daughter was preparing to file for divorce.

Kris Jenner recently said: “Khloe and Lamar are absolutely not getting divorced. There’s been no talk of divorce.”

Other sources close to the couple, who got married just one month after they started dating, also insisted that Khloe Kardashian has not even spoken to a divorce lawyer.

NSA gathered up to 56,000 personal emails between people with no links to terror suspects

Diane A. Wade
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NSA gathered up to 56,000 personal emails between people with no links to terror suspects

Declassified court documents show a NSA surveillance system illegally gathered up to 56,000 personal emails by Americans with no links to terror suspects annually.

Officials revealed that a judge in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ruled the programme illegal in 2011.

The US government faces mounting criticism over its surveillance operations after the leaks of whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

The court, whose rulings are normally kept secret, said the NSA may have violated US law for collecting as many as 56,000 emails on an annual basis between 2008 and 2011.

But intelligence officials speaking to reporters anonymously say the scooping of emails was unintentional, blaming it on a technological problem.

The NSA was unable to separate out emails between Americans with no direct connection to terrorism, so the agency was collecting tens of thousands of “wholly domestic communications” every year, the court documents said.

NSA may have violated US law for collecting as many as 56,000 emails on an annual basis between 2008 and 2011
NSA may have violated US law for collecting as many as 56,000 emails on an annual basis between 2008 and 2011

In the ruling, Judge John Bates criticized the NSA over the breach of privacy, marking it as “the third instance in less than three years in which the government has disclosed a substantial misrepresentation regarding the scope of a major collection programme”.

The court found that the data gathering violated the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, prohibiting “unreasonable searches and seizures”.

The court’s opinions, which are usually kept secret, were revealed by the government in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Government officials said that the court rulings had been declassified to show that eavesdropping programmes at fault had been found and fixed, highlighting its oversight measures.

The scope of the NSA’s massive surveillance programme, which sweeps up internet traffic and phone records, was exposed in June in leaks to media by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama promised to be more transparent about US spying programmes, with “appropriate reforms” to guarantee greater oversight.

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Bo Xilai goes on trial in China

Diane A. Wade
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Bo Xilai goes on trial in China

Chinese politician Bo Xilai has gone on trial on charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power.

The former Chongqing Communist Party leader once tipped for the highest office is accused of accepting money from two businessmen, the court said. Bo Xilai has so far denied one charge.

The abuse of power charge relates to his wife’s role in the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood, the court said.

Bo Xilai’s trial is China’s most politically-charged in decades.

Two years ago the 64-year-old high-flier was seen as a candidate for promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s seven-member top decision-making body.

But in February 2012, as China prepared for its once-in-a-decade leadership handover, questions emerged over the death of Neil Heywood.

Bo Xilai’s wife, Gu Kailai, has since been convicted of Neil Heywood’s murder. Bo Xilai faces multiple charges and is widely expected to be found guilty.

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

The trial – which started at 08:30 – is taking place at the Intermediate People’s Court in Jinan, which is in Shandong province. The court is providing an account of proceedings on its official microblog.

“I hope the judge will try this case fairly and justly according to the law of the country,” Bo Xilai reportedly said.

Five of Bo Xilai’s relatives are said to be in court, along with 19 journalists and 84 other people. Foreign journalists have not been allowed in.

Bo Xilai has gone on trial on charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power
Bo Xilai has gone on trial on charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power

According to the indictment posted by the court, Bo Xilai is accused of receiving bribes totalling 21.8 million yuan ($3.56 million) from two Dalian-based businessmen.

The court microblog quoted Bo Xilai as saying about one of the cases: “That Tang Xiaolin gave me three bribes – that did not happen. He asked me to help him sort out something, and these were all done according to procedure.”

Bo Xilai said he had admitted this “against his will” under questioning, adding: “What I meant was that I was willing to take the legal responsibility but I had no idea of all these details back then.”

The abuse of power charge is connected to his wife’s role in Neil Heywood’s murder and his treatment of Wang Lijun, his now-jailed former police chief whose flight to the US consulate brought the case out into the open, the court indictment said.

Hearings would last two days, CCTV said in a tweet, with a verdict “likely in early September”.

Security was tight at the court, with police blocking the gates and lining roads leading up to it.

As party leader in Chongqing, Bo Xilai was seen as a powerful, populist and charismatic figure.

He was known for two high-profile campaigns: a large-scale crackdown on crime and a drive to promote China’s old communist values. But analysts said his ambition earned him enemies and he was considered controversial by top party leaders.

In February 2012, around the time that China was preparing to promote a new generation of leaders, 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, and both Bo Xilai and his wife disappeared from public view.

Gu Kailai has since been jailed for the murder of Neil Heywood – a crime she carried out, state media say, because of differences over a business deal. Wang has also been jailed for his role in covering up events, among other charges.

Bo Xilai is the last major player in connection with the case to face trial. Interest has been intense, with many Chinese microbloggers speaking out.

Most expressed skepticism about the proceedings, judging the trial merely a political show. Nevertheless a large number still believe Bo Xilai has a case to answer when it comes to corruption and abuse of power.

Herkuang in Shanghai says: “This Bo Xilai trial thing is merely a procedural thing. Those [party] elders have already made up their minds on what to sentence him with… Just watch the end result.”

But some of comments about Bo Xilai and his alleged conduct were dripping with sarcasm. “What a clean official! Just one count of bribe-taking in 30 years as a civil servant?” Li Zhiqiang, law lecturer at Lanzhou University, said.

Other internet users were more complimentary, however. One user, “Small Town Girl”, said ahead of the trial: “Looking at him from a rational perspective, he made contributions to the people of Dalian and Chongqing.”

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Watergate: Tapes reveal Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush called Richard Nixon in support

James J. Williams
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Watergate: Tapes reveal Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush called Richard Nixon in support

Newly released tapes show two future US presidents called Richard Nixon in support after he gave a speech on the Watergate scandal amid a staff exodus.

Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush attempted to boost Richard Nixon as he denied any knowledge of the infamous break-in at his political rivals’ offices.

The calls are among the final installment of recordings to be released from the Republican’s administration.

Richard Nixon, who quit in 1974, remains the only US president to have resigned.

His second term was engulfed by scandal after burglars tied to his re-election committee in 1972 broke into the Democratic party’s headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington DC, in an attempt to dig up dirt on his political adversaries.

The recordings are the last of a total of 3,000 hours of tape released by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Another 700 hours remain restricted by national security and privacy concerns, but the archive says they will now be reviewed in order to see what can be released.

The tapes cover the time period between 9 April and 12 July 1973, the day before the existence of Nixon’s secret recording system in his offices was made public to a Senate panel probing the Watergate scandal.

The tapes implicated him in a cover-up about the break-in.

The calls from the future presidents came on April 30, after Richard Nixon had made a public address about the growing scandal.

Earlier that day, three senior White House officials had resigned over the affair and another was sacked.

Ronald Reagan, who was governor of California at the time, told Richard Nixon the Watergate speech had been the right one to make
Ronald Reagan, who was governor of California at the time, told Richard Nixon the Watergate speech had been the right one to make

Ronald Reagan, who was governor of California at the time, told Richard Nixon the Watergate speech had been the right one to make.

“You can count on us,” he said.

“We’re still behind you out here and I wanted you to know that you’re in our prayers.”

George Bush called the same evening. The newly appointed chairman of the Republican National Committee said he had watched the speech with “great pride”.

Richard Nixon complained to George Bush about the reaction from broadcasters.

“The folks may understand,” Richard Nixon said, adding: “To hell with the commentators.”

The tapes also show Richard Nixon press secretary Ron Zeigler briefing the 37th president about the possibility of further serious revelations by the Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward.

Despite the crisis engulfing him, Richard Nixon remained actively engaged in global diplomacy.

At one point – in discussions with an aide – Richard Nixon can be heard describing the Chinese as “the ablest people in the world”.

The president can also be heard holding a lengthy Oval Office conversation with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev before a June 1973 summit.

Richard Nixon expresses a close interest in ties with China – a relationship he describes as the “key to world peace”.

In the hour-long one-on-one, assisted by an interpreter, the two leaders chatted about personal topics, including their families.

“We must recognize…. while we will naturally in negotiations have some differences, it is essential that those two nations, where possible, work together,” Richard Nixon said to Leonid Brezhnev.

“If we decide to work together, we can change the world,” he said.

“That’s my attitude as we enter these talks.”

Previous releases show the president as a paranoid man who was obsessed with the Kennedy family.

Richard Nixon considered Senator Ted Kennedy such a political threat that he ordered surveillance in the hope of catching him in an affair.

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Honey Boo Boo sings Kim Kardashian song

Lisa.Felice
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Honey Boo Boo sings Kim Kardashian song

Alana Thompson, aka Honey Boo Boo, and her mother June Shannon chatted with Access Hollywood at Alice’s Tea Cup in New York City.

Honey Boo Boo and her mother June Shannon chatted with Access Hollywood at Alice’s Tea Cup in New York City
Honey Boo Boo and her mother June Shannon chatted with Access Hollywood at Alice’s Tea Cup in New York City

The 7-year-old reality star was asked about Kim Kardashian and she started singing a song about fellow  star and also singing her own Honey Boo Boo song.

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Pope Benedict resigned following a mystical experience

Diane A. Wade
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Pope Benedict resigned following a mystical experience

Pope Emeritus Benedict has said he resigned after God told him during what he called a “mystical experience”, a Catholic news agency reported.

Pope Benedict announced his shock resignation in February and became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years.

“God told me to do it,” the Zenith agency quoted Benedict as saying to a visitor to the convent in the Vatican gardens where he is living out his retirement in near isolation.

According to the agency, Benedict told his visitor, who asked to remain anonymous, that God did not speak to him in a vision but in what the former pope called “a mystical experience”.

Pope Benedict announced his shock resignation in February and became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years
Pope Benedict announced his shock resignation in February and became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years

According to Italian media, Pope Benedict’s decision to step down was influenced by the various scandals that blighted his eight-year papacy, including the arrest of his personal butler for leaking private documents alleging corruption in the Vatican.

He was succeeded by Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, who was elected as the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years.

According to the Rome-based Zenith, Benedict told his visitor that the more he observes the way Pope Francis carries out his papal duties, the more he realized the choice was “wanted by God”.

Last Sunday, Benedict spent a day at the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, to escape the heat of the capital.

The visit indicated that the 86-year-old ex pope’s health was good enough for him to travel.

There had been media reports that since his resignation, Pope Emeritus Benedict’s health had deteriorated dramatically.

Fed minutes reveal clues of tampering timeline

Clyde K. Valle
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Fed minutes reveal clues of tampering timeline

Minutes of the Federal Reserve’s July meeting revealed few clues about the central bank’s timeline for unwinding its extraordinary efforts to support the US economy.

Officials said they were “broadly comfortable” with plans to scale back the Fed’s $85 billion a month bond-buying programme.

However, the timing remains murky.

Almost all agreed a change in the programme was “not yet appropriate” but “a few” favored swift action.

Fed officials said that recent economic data had been “mixed”, which could indicate that plans to begin the so-called “taper” might be put off if the economy were to weaken.

The central bankers will reconvene on September 17 for a two-day meeting, which will be followed by a press conference by chairman Ben Bernanke.

Minutes of the Federal Reserve's July meeting revealed few clues about the central bank's timeline for unwinding its extraordinary efforts to support the US economy
Minutes of the Federal Reserve’s July meeting revealed few clues about the central bank’s timeline for unwinding its extraordinary efforts to support the US economy

The Dow tumbled by more than 100 points after the minutes were released, although quickly recovered. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also fell briefly.

After Ben Bernanke hinted at plans to end the bank’s accommodating monetary policy in June, mortgage rates jumped sharply, threatening a fragile housing recovery.

Fed officials acknowledged that market reaction to discussion of an easing of expansionary monetary policy has been volatile.

“Meeting participants pointed to heightened financial market uncertainty about the path of monetary policy and a shift of market expectations toward less policy accommodation,” according to the minutes.

The September Federal Open Market Committee meeting will occur after a spate of economic data has been released, including another jobs report as well as revised second-quarter GDP estimates.

Officials hope this new data will help give them a better sense of when tapering should begin, which many investors believe will happen sometime before the end of this year.

Ben Bernanke has indicated that the timing of the Fed’s decision will be dependent on a healthy US economy.

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German man dancing on Angela Merkel’s military jet

Nancy Clayson
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German man dancing on Angela Merkel’s military jet

A German man spent four hours partying alone in his underpants on a military jet used by Angela Merkel.

German authorities are investigating say the 24-year-old entered the cockpit, pushed buttons randomly, deployed an emergency slide, and sprayed a fire extinguisher over the plush interior.

Police tried and failed to persuade the man to leave with a megaphone.

They found a bag with his identity documents and, allegedly, ecstasy and marijuana near the aircraft.

The incident, at Cologne airport on July 25, was brought to a close by a police dog biting the man in the leg.

The suspect, named only as Volkan T, has been taken to a psychiatric institution.

He is reportedly a German bodybuilder of Turkish descent who was not previously known to police.

Berlin-based paper Welt am Sonntag has seen a leaked police log of the incident and claims the document shows “security weaknesses” and “errors” by the air force.

The incident got underway when the local resident, reportedly carrying his bag of drugs and suffering from relationship worries, made his way to the military part of Cologne-Bonn airport.

He got through the gate by saying he was planning a wedding at the officers’ mess and wanted to look at the building again.

The man spent four hours partying alone in his underpants on a military jet used by Angela Merkel
The man spent four hours partying alone in his underpants on a military jet used by Angela Merkel

From there the man was able to climb over a barbed wire fence onto the military airfield, undetected by security cameras.

Spotting the government plane, one of two Airbus A319s maintained by the German military for high-ranking politicians’ use, he climbed onto its wing where he proceeded to dance in his underwear.

From there he was able to open the emergency exit door and enter the plane.

The door to the cockpit was open; the man “pressed all the buttons at random,” eventually activating an alarm.

The plane was full of fuel and could have been flown as far as Beijing, the Welt am Sonntag claims, had the intruder had the requisite knowledge.

It was another three hours before the plane was secured, in which time the man allegedly caused around 100,000 euro ($134,000) worth of damage.

The aircraft, used by Chancellor Angela Merkel for official trips, is fitted out in cream and beige with a private office with two VIP seats and a sofa, a conference suite and a further 32 seats for delegations.

It has been repaired and is now back in the service of the nation.

Angela Merkel herself was many miles away at the time, enjoying a performance of The Flying Dutchman at the Bayreuth Festival in Bavaria.

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Bradley Manning sentenced to 35 years in WikiLeaks case

Diane A. Wade
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Bradley Manning sentenced to 35 years in WikiLeaks case

Bradley Manning, the US soldier convicted of handing a trove of secret government documents to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Pte First Class Bradley Manning, 25, was convicted in July of 20 charges against him, including espionage.

Last week, he apologized for hurting the US and for “the unexpected results” of his actions.

Prosecutors had asked for a 60-year sentence in order to send a message to future potential leakers.

Bradley Manning will receive a credit against his sentence of about three and a half years, including time he has already served in jail and 112 days in recompense for the harsh conditions of his initial confinement.

He could be eligible for parole in about 11 years.

On Twitter, WikiLeaks called the sentence a “significant strategic victory”.

In the military courtroom in Fort Meade, Maryland, on Wednesday, Judge Col Denise Lind declared Pte Bradley Manning would be demoted to private and dishonorably discharged from the US Army, and forfeit his pay.

While stationed in Iraq in 2010, the junior intelligence analyst passed hundreds of thousands of battlefield reports and diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks, the pro-transparency group headed by Julian Assange.

Bradley Manning has said he leaked the secret files in the hopes of sparking a public debate about US foreign policy and the military.

Bradley Manning has been sentenced to 35 years in prison in WikiLeaks case
Bradley Manning has been sentenced to 35 years in prison in WikiLeaks case

In a statement during the sentencing hearing, Bradley Manning told the court martial at Fort Meade, Maryland that “the last three years have been a learning experience for me”.

He said he mistakenly believed he could change the world for the better, and that in retrospect, he should have worked “inside the system”.

His defense lawyers are expected to make a statement later on Wednesday.

The verdict and sentence will be reviewed, and possibly reduced, by a military district commander and will be automatically reviewed by the Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

Bradley Manning may also petition the court for lenience during the appeals process.

He is expected to serve his sentence at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International and the Bradley Manning Support Network have announced an online petition asking President Barack Obama to pardon Pte Manning.

The young soldier grew up in Oklahoma and in Wales, where his mother is from, and reportedly joined the US Army to help pay for college.

As an intelligence analyst, Bradley Manning had access to a large amount of very sensitive information, despite his junior rank. He deployed to Iraq in 2009.

A military psychiatrist testified that Bradley Manning had struggled with his gender identity and wanted to become a woman at the time of the leak.

Navy Capt. David Moulton testified that Bradley Manning had felt abandoned by friends and family and that his relationship with his boyfriend had hit a rough patch.

According to evidence presented by the defense, military supervisors ignored Bradley Manning’s erratic behavior, which included trying to grab a gun during a counseling session.

His lawyers said such actions had shown that Bradley Manning had not been fit for duty overseas.

Defense lawyers said Bradley Manning was treated unfairly in solitary confinement in Quantico, Virginia and in a cell at Camp Arifjan, a US Army installation in Kuwait.

Bradley Manning told the court he remembered thinking: “I’m going to die, I’m stuck inside this cage.”

The leaks enabled WikiLeaks to publish sensitive messages between US diplomats and records of military incidents in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a cockpit video showing a US Apache helicopter killing 12 people in the Iraqi capital in 2007.

The revelations caused significant embarrassment to the US government, and US officials have said the disclosures damaged US relations with its allies and disrupted the war effort in Afghanistan.

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Si Robertson commercial outtakes for Flextone go viral

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Si Robertson commercial outtakes for Flextone go viral

During the time, Flextone Game Calls has hired professional athletes and big-name hunters to help get the word out about some of his products, and their on-air talents have run the gamut from stiff-as-a-board to loosy-goosy.

However, no one’s ever performed quite like Si Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame.

The company’s president, Matt Busbice, contracted with Si Robertson to help him promote Flextone’s Black Rack, a rattling system that employs two full racks. Hunters beat the fake antlers together to simulate the sound of two bucks fighting.

Matt Busbice said the sound is remarkably different.

“I’ve got a pair of sheds in my office and a pair of Black Racks. Whenever you rattle the Black Rack versus the pair of sheds, it sounds exactly like two deer fighting,” he said.

“I have a video of two deer fighting, and you can tell the difference. There’s more tine-to-tine contact, and there’s more grinding.”

When Si Robertson showed up in the early spring to shoot the commercial, Matt Busbice and his staff introduced him to the Black Rack system, and Uncle Si instantly grasped the concept. He stood in front of the camera, and said: “Say when.”

“We wanted it to be Si explaining the Black Rack concept,” Matt Busbice said.

“We didn’t want to coach him much. We gave him some prompts, and he was just knocking it out of the park.”

Si Robertson promotes Flextone's Black Rack, a rattling system that employs two full racks
Si Robertson promotes Flextone’s Black Rack, a rattling system that employs two full racks

Matt Busbice has published the outtakes on YouTube, and they’re as funny as any Duck Dynasty episode. The video is all classic Si Robertson.

“Hey, look here,” Uncle Si starts.

“I’ve been deer hunting as long as I’ve been duck hunting, alright?”

Si Robertson then picks up two sheds and claps them together.

“This is a deer fighting himself, OK? Not realistic, alright? Hey, you ain’t even got a full rack here. You got the left side and the right side, and he’s fighting himself. No good.”

Matt Busbice said he had the time of his life shooting the commercial.

“Working with Si – I would characterize it as genius,” Matt Busbice said.

“I always thought that the producers and the big Hollywood writers were doing a lot of coaching for Si; that’s not even close to true. He requires no coaching. He’s basically one of the most natural talents I’ve ever worked with. He by far blew away anybody I ever worked with as far as raw humor and delivering the message.”

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Si Robertson on faith and his philosophy of life

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Si Robertson on faith and his philosophy of life

Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson opened up to LifeWay Christian Resources about his faith and the reason he and the rest of the Robertson family have found success.

Uncle Si has a propensity for stretching the truth during his stories on the reality TV show. However, when he sat down with LifeWay for two exclusive video interviews, he was serious about what Christ can do – as serious as he can be.

“A lot of people say, <<Hey, God doesn’t have a sense of humor>>. Yes, He does. God has a great sense of humor. Look at me. Look at Phil. Look at Willie. Look at Jase,” Si Robertson said with a laugh, referring to other members of the Robertson family.

“God has taken four guys that look like five miles of muddy road and made them famous in the TV world.”

In preparation for the September 3 release of his new book Si-cology 1: Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty’s Favorite Uncle, Si Robertson attributes the success of their business and TV show to God.

In preparation for the September 3 release of his new book, Si Robertson attributes the success of their business and TV show to God
In preparation for the September 3 release of his new book, Si Robertson attributes the success of their business and TV show to God

“[People] ask us all the time, <<How did you become so successful?>> That would be one answer: The Almighty is the one who has made this a success,” he said.

A video interview released by LifeWay last spring with Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson went viral with almost 4 million views.

While Si Robertson has experienced God in his success, he also sees God as the one who is there during difficult moments.

“I wonder when people run into bad times, when they go to the doctor and they find out, <<I’m dying of cancer>>, and they don’t believe in God, who do they turn to?” Si Robertson asked.

“We are all mortal. We are all going in that grave,” he continued in the first of two short video interviews at LifeWay.com.

“There ain’t but one way you gonna beat it.”

For Si Robertson, above all the success and fame, the Gospel is the most important thing in his life.

“Like Phil always tells them, <<If you’ve got something to offer me better than I just shared with you, I’m all ears>>,” Si Robertson said.

“[Jesus] beat the grave and He promises you that since He beat it, if you believe in Him, He’ll make you beat it.”

In the second two-minute video, Si Robertson gives his own apologetic for believing in the resurrection of Christ: spring.

“In the winter, things are dead and dull, but then there is an explosion of life,” Si Robertson said.

“That’s what He promises people who believe in His Son. That’s what all the Robertsons are banking on.”

 

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Honey Boo Boo sisters play risky game with bouncy balls

Lisa.Felice
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0
Honey Boo Boo sisters play risky game with bouncy balls

Honey Boo Boo and her family proved yet again that their approach to life is piloted by their own unique and quirky brand of American values.

In an upcoming episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Anna “Chickadee”, 18, and Lauryn “Pumpkin”, 13, are seen crashing into each while holding giant balls as Mama June eggs them on and Honey Boo Boo delights in the carnage.

In a clip from the episode, the reality show family from McIntyre, Georgia is seen enjoying a picnic in the park.

While June Shannon, Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson and Honey Boo Boo relax in the shade, the two sisters face off in the potentially dangerous game.

They are seen standing apart before charging at each other with large rubber balls in an attempt to knock the other down.

“Y’all are supposed to hold the balls,” shrieks Mama June, clearly enjoying the action.

Anna “Chickadee” and Lauryn “Pumpkin” are seen crashing into each while holding giant balls as Mama June eggs them on and Honey Boo Boo delights in the carnage
Anna “Chickadee” and Lauryn “Pumpkin” are seen crashing into each while holding giant balls as Mama June eggs them on and Honey Boo Boo delights in the carnage

“I did pretty good, I knocked Anna down on the first try,” says Pumpkin.

“Knocking Pumpkin down is like knocking a rhino down,” says sore loser Anna.

“I thought my sisters’ heads were going to fall off,” Honey Boo Boo gleefully exclaims.

Anna then pretends to be a bull and Pumpkin a sumo wrestler. As they start to charge each other for the umpteenth time, Mama June yells: “Hold your balls!”

The girls are both seen toppling to the ground.

“You just knocked the livin’ p*ss out of me,” says Pumpkin.

“I knocked Anna down because of my momentus. It’s science,” continued the reality star, displaying her admirable grasp of the English language.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo new episode airs tonight 8/9c on TLC.

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Hosni Mubarak release ordered by Cairo court

Roy Siemens
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0
Hosni Mubarak release ordered by Cairo court

Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak will be freed after a Cairo court ruled his release on bail in a corruption case.

Reports from Cairo suggest Hosni Mubarak may be freed from prison on Thursday, but the prosecution may still appeal.

Hosni Mubarak, 85, still faces charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the uprising that forced him from power in 2011.

The former leader was sentenced to life in jail last year, but a retrial was later ordered after his appeal was upheld.

That retrial opened in May but Hosni Mubarak has now served the maximum amount of pre-trial detention permitted in the case.

On Wednesday, the court in the capital ordered the release of Hosni Mubarak, said his lawyer and judicial sources.

Asked when Hosni Mubarak could actually leave the prison, his defense lawyer Fareed El-Deeb told Reuters: “Maybe tomorrow.”

The ruling came during a hearing on charges that the former president had accepted gifts from state-run publisher al-Ahram.

Judge Ahmed el-Bahrawi said, who is overseeing the case, was quoted by Reuters as saying that the ruling “is final and the prosecution cannot appeal against it”.

Hosni Mubarak may be freed from prison on Thursday, but the prosecution may still appeal
Hosni Mubarak may be freed from prison on Thursday, but the prosecution may still appeal

Prosecutors have previously brought new charges when courts have ordered Hosni Mubarak’s release – a move intended to keep the ailing ex-leader in detention.

Analysts say Hosni Mubarak’s release – if it happens – would be seen by many as a sign the military is rolling back the changes that flowed from the 2011 uprising.

Egypt is under a state of emergency amid the bloodshed which has accompanied the interim government’s crackdown on Islamists opposed to the army’s ousting of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi on July 3.

European Union foreign ministers are currently meeting to determine a response to the clampdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Some EU leaders have called for the 28-member bloc’s 5 billion-euro ($6.7 billion) aid package to Egypt to be cut after more than 900 people were killed in clashes last week.

The violence erupted as security forces cleared two sit-ins in Cairo by people demanding the reinstatement of Mohamed Morsi.

However, sources say the EU ministers are likely to consider the military and security support provided by several European nations, and whether there might be a formal suspension of this across the bloc.

The EU’s foreign policy chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton, has offered to mediate a political solution to the crisis and is working on “confidence building measures” between the interim government and Brotherhood.

In Washington, senior officials discussed on Tuesday whether to reduce the $1.3 billion in military aid that the US gives Egypt every year. The meeting reportedly produced no imminent changes to US policy.

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Syria: Chemical weapons attacks kill hundreds in Damascus outskirts

Roy Siemens
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0
Syria: Chemical weapons attacks kill hundreds in Damascus outskirts

Hundreds of Syrians have been killed early this morning on the outskirts of Damascus following chemical weapons attacks, Syrian opposition activists say.

Rockets with toxic agents were launched at the suburbs of the Ghouta region early on Wednesday as part of a major bombardment on rebel forces, they say.

The Syrian army says the accusations have been fabricated to cover up rebel losses.

The main opposition alliance said that more than 1,000 people were killed by the attacks.

Activist networks also reported death tolls in the hundreds, but these could not be independently confirmed.

It is also not clear how many died in the bombardment of the sites and how many deaths were due to any exposure to toxic substances.

Images showed dozens of bodies with no visible signs of injuries, including small children, laid out on the floor of a clinic.

In a statement, the army described the accusations of chemical weapons use as grave, and stressed the military’s right to fight what it described as terrorism in Syria.

It accused the opposition of fabricating the accusations to divert attention from the huge losses its forces had suffered recently.

Hundreds of Syrians have been killed early this morning on the outskirts of Damascus following chemical weapons attacks
Hundreds of Syrians have been killed early this morning on the outskirts of Damascus following chemical weapons attacks

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and French President Francois Hollande called for UN inspectors to be allowed access to the area and said Britain and France would raise the issue at the UN.

If confirmed, the attacks would mark a “shocking escalation in the use of chemical weapons in Syria”, William Hague said.

The Arab League echoed the call for the inspectors to go to the site, while Saudi Arabia called for the UN Security Council to convene immediately to discuss the matter.

The attack took place as part of a heavy government bombardment of the region surrounding Damascus, where government forces have been trying to drive out rebel forces.

Casualties were reported in the areas of Irbin, Duma and Muadhamiya among others, activists said.

Footage uploaded to YouTube from the scene by activists shows many people being treated in makeshift hospitals.

The videos show victims, including many children, having convulsions. Others are apparently immobile and have difficulty breathing.

“Many of the casualties are women and children. They arrived with their pupils dilated, cold limbs and foam in their mouths,” a nurse at a Duma medical facility, Bayan Baker, told Reuters.

The number of casualties is much higher than in previous allegations of chemical weapons attacks.

The Sana news agency said the reports of the attack were “baseless”, quoting a “media source”.

The reports were “an attempt to divert the UN chemical weapons investigation commission away from carrying out its duties”, Sana said.

The head of the inspection mission, Ake Sellstrom, said he had seen TV footage of the latest attack but nothing more.

“It sounds like something that should be looked into,” Ake Sellstrom told the Swedish TT news agency.

Ake Sellstrom said that whether his team went to the scene would depend on whether any UN member state went to the UN Secretary General and asked them to.

The inspectors arrived on Sunday and are due to investigate three other locations, including the northern town of Khan al-Assal, where some 26 people were killed in March.

Both the rebels and government forces have accused each other of using chemical weapons during the conflict.

It has not been possible to independently verify the claims.

In July 2012, the Syrian government implicitly admitted what had long been suspected by experts in the field of chemical weapons proliferation – that Syria had stocks of chemical weapons.

Experts believe it has large undeclared stockpiles of mustard gas and sarin nerve agent.

Damascus said the weapons, stored and secured by the armed forces, would never be used “inside Syria”, but could be used against an external attack.

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TIFF 2013: Jay-Z documentary to show at Toronto festival

Sonia Pantiss
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0
TIFF 2013: Jay-Z documentary to show at Toronto festival

A documentary about Jay-Z’s role as curator of new music festival Made In America has been added to the bill for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Ron Howard’s Made In America tells the story of the Philadelphia festival of the same name.

Widely considered as the kick-off to Oscar season, the 11-day film festival will feature 146 world premieres.

Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts are among a host of Oscar-winning stars expected to attend.

The pair are set to walk the red carpet for John Wells’ film August: Osage County, adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts.

The documentary about Jay-Z's role as curator of new music festival Made In America has been added to the bill for this year's Toronto International Film Festival
The documentary about Jay-Z’s role as curator of new music festival Made In America has been added to the bill for this year’s Toronto International Film Festival

Colin Firth is also due to attend for the premiere of Jonathan Teplitzky’s film, The Railway Man, in which he plays the lead.

The Railway Man, a true story about the role of a British soldier who was captured by Japanese troops during WWII and for the rest of his life remained haunted by his captivity, also stars Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman.

Colin Firth previously won an Oscar for The King’s Speech, which went on to have award success after being shown at Toronto.

Other films included in the full programme, which was released on Tuesday, include Dallas Buyers Club starring Matthew McConaughey.

Matthew McConaughey, who plays real-life AIDS activist Ron Woodroof, lost nearly 40 lbs for the part and his performance has already been tipped for an Oscar nod.

Meanwhile, the film 12.12.12 about the Hurricane Sandy benefit concert will also feature.

Launched in 1976, TIFF is among the world’s top film events, and has served as a platform for international films seeking distribution in North America.

The 2013 festival, which opens with the WikiLeaks drama The Fifth Estate on September 5, will screen 366 feature and short films from 70 countries.

Pink Panther jewel thief arrested in France

Nancy Clayson
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0
Pink Panther jewel thief arrested in France

A suspected member of the Pink Panthers gang of jewel thieves has been arrested in southern France.

The man has not been named but is said to be in his 40s, of Montenegrin origin. He apparently escaped earlier this year from a Swiss prison.

French police said he was arrested at his home in Montpellier, as he tried to escape through a window.

His arrest follows a string of major thefts in Cannes, in southern France, but it is not clear if there is a link.

The French Riviera has seen a string of recent jewel robberies
The French Riviera has seen a string of recent jewel robberies

The Pink Panthers are an international band of jewel thieves, many of whom hail from the Balkans, who are known for their daring robberies and burglaries.

They are thought to have stolen over 250 million euros of precious stones over 10 years.

The arrested suspect is a former French legionnaire.

He is said to be one of five men who broke out of the Bois-Mermet prison, near Lausanne in Switzerland, in May.

At least one other of the escapees was thought to be a member of the Pink Panthers.

Another member of the gang escaped from a Swiss prison last month.

The Pink Panthers were given their name when police in London made an arrest in 2003, and found a diamond ring hidden in a jar of face cream – a ploy used in the original Pink Panther comedies starring Peter Sellers.

Director Ted Post dies in Los Angeles aged 95

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Director Ted Post dies in Los Angeles aged 95

Veteran film and TV director Ted Post, who worked with Clint Eastwood on Hang ‘Em High and Magnum Force, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 95.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1918, Ted Post first directed Clint Eastwood in 24 episodes of his 1960s western series Rawhide.

Clint Eastwood insisted Ted Post direct his 1968 western Hang ‘Em High but reportedly fell out with him on Magnum Force, the second film in the Dirty Harry series.

Ted Post’s other directing credits include 1970’s Beneath the Planet of the Apes.

He also worked on the 1980 pilot episode of long-running police series Cagney and Lacey, in which Loretta Swit played the Christine Cagney role subsequently taken on by Sharon Gless.

Ted Post would later blame Clint Eastwood for the decline of his career, accusing the actor of claiming to have had directed more of Magnum Force than he did.

Director Ted Post, who worked with Clint Eastwood on Hang 'Em High and Magnum Force, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 95
Director Ted Post, who worked with Clint Eastwood on Hang ‘Em High and Magnum Force, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 95

“I believe that Clint became afflicted with a touch of megalomania,” he told one interviewer.

“Clint’s greed and ego began to affect his sensitivity and judgment.”

In 1996, Ted Post formed Pro Bono Productions, a non-profit corporation intended to showcase the skills of older members of the Hollywood community.

Clint Eastwood publicly endorsed the initiative, along with Jack Lemmon, Karl Malden, Gregory Peck and others.

The director’s final film was 4 Faces, a low-budget title released in 1999.

Ted Post died at the UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica on Tuesday and is survived by his wife Thelma, two children and four grandchildren.

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Luca Parmitano recalls ISS spacewalk drowning scare

James J. Williams
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Luca Parmitano recalls ISS spacewalk drowning scare

Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano has described his fear as water began filling his helmet during a spacewalk and he only just made it back into the International Space Station (ISS).

In a blog post Luca Parmitano said water was sloshing around, getting into his eyes and ears.

His spacewalk on July 16 with partner Christopher Cassidy was aborted once mission control heard about the leak.

Barely able to see, Luca Parmitano used his safety cable to get back to the airlock.

“As I move back along my route towards the airlock, I become more and more certain that the water is increasing. I feel it covering the sponge on my earphones and I wonder whether I’ll lose audio contact,” he wrote.

“The water has also almost completely covered the front of my visor, sticking to it and obscuring my vision.,, the water covers my nose – a really awful sensation that I make worse by my vain attempts to move the water by shaking my head.

“By now, the upper part of the helmet is full of water and I can’t even be sure that the next time I breathe I will fill my lungs with air and not liquid.

“To make matters worse, I realize that I can’t even understand which direction I should head in to get back to the airlock. I can’t see more than a few centimetres in front of me, not even enough to make out the handles we use to move around the station.”

Luca Parmitano has described his fear as water began filling his helmet during a ISS spacewalk
Luca Parmitano has described his fear as water began filling his helmet during a ISS spacewalk

As he struggled to hear the voices of Christopher Cassidy and a mission controller, Shane Kimbrough, Luca Parmitano suddenly remembered his safety cable.

“Its cable recoil mechanism has a force of around 3 lbs that will <<pull>> me towards the left. It’s not much, but it’s the best idea I have: to follow the cable to the airlock.”

“I move for what seems like an eternity (but I know it’s just a few minutes). Finally, with a huge sense of relief, I peer through the curtain of water before my eyes and make out the thermal cover of the airlock: just a little further, and I’ll be safe.”

The trouble cropped up barely an hour into what was to be a six-hour spacewalk to perform cabling work and other routine maintenance.

NASA is investigating the incident and has suspended all of its spacewalks until the problem is fixed.

The US space agency says it is also looking more broadly at past operations and maintenance, to ensure the safety of future spacewalks.

However, two Russian cosmonauts aboard the ISS will go on a spacewalk on Thursday, to install a platform for a small optical telescope and do work on a docking assembly. Their spacesuits are very different from the US ones. The ISS currently has a crew of six.

Luca Parmitano, 36, expressed bewilderment about the source of the water, as it did not appear to have come from his drinking flask.

The scare happened during his second spacewalk.

Luca Parmitano became the first Italian to conduct a spacewalk, after arriving at the space station in May.

“Space is a harsh, inhospitable frontier and we are explorers, not colonizers. The skills of our engineers and the technology surrounding us make things appear simple when they are not, and perhaps we forget this sometimes. Better not to forget,” Luca Parmitano concluded in his blog post.

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EDT: Greece launches new public television after ERT closure

Diane A. Wade
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EDT: Greece launches new public television after ERT closure

Greece’s new public television, EDT, has begun broadcasting news, more than two months after the government shut down the previous state broadcaster, ERT.

ERT’s 2,700 workers were all sacked in June, but carried on making shows for web streaming and satellite relay.

Greece’s conservative-led coalition said ERT cost too much in an economic crisis. A left-wing party withdrew from government in protest at the closure.

The European Broadcasting Union stopped ERT relays when EDT began airing news.

Greece's new public television, EDT, has begun broadcasting news, more than two months after the government shut down the previous state broadcaster, ERT
Greece’s new public television, EDT, has begun broadcasting news, more than two months after the government shut down the previous state broadcaster, ERT

Greek authorities recently announced that more than 500 people had been hired on a two-month contract for the new state broadcaster.

Its first news programme was a two-hour broadcast that began at 08:00 local time. The show was presented by two journalists who used to work for ERT.

Since it went on air for the first time last month, EDT has been mainly showing old Greek black-and-white films.

Union representatives at ERT have vowed to continue their programming via the internet, the Associated Press news agency reported.

European Broadcasting Union (EBU) representatives had visited Greece frequently to meet government officials and express disagreement with the decision to close ERT.

Former employees at ERT’s headquarters had called on the EBU to keep the channel’s signal alive through its satellites.

Kanye West shows baby North picture on Kris Jenner show

Lisa.Felice
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0
Kanye West shows baby North picture on Kris Jenner show

According to new reports, baby North West is about to make her big debut on her grandmother show.

E! Online reported that Kanye West is set to stop by the Kris Jenner’s daytime talk show on Friday and he’s making one unforgettable appearance.

According to audience members who attended the taping earlier this week, Kanye West proudly shows off a picture of his baby daughter with Kim Kardashian for the world to see.

One eyewitness tells E! News: “North is very beautiful. She has big cheeks, a lighter complexion than Kanye, but closer to Kanye’s color than Kim’s. She has straight black hair and almond eyes just like Kim. She has a round face and is really cute.”

“North was lying in a bed on her stomach [in the pic], she was wearing a dark onesie,” the insider added and explained that neither parent was in the snapshot of the little one.

Kanye West proudly shows off a picture of his baby daughter North with Kim Kardashian on Kris Jenner’s show
Kanye West proudly shows off a picture of his baby daughter North with Kim Kardashian on Kris Jenner’s show

And when asked why he decided to reveal the first photograph of his daughter on the show, the eyewitness said: “[Kanye West] said he had decided he wanted to show the picture of North because they didn’t want to make money on the photo and he is fed up of paps following him around.”

Kanye West also said that the wants to raise Nori to “be a normal kid,” and photographers add extra pressure for the new father.

This will mark the first time that the world has seen baby North West, as well as mark her debut on the small screen.

While Kanye West only showed off the snapshot momentarily, reports claim that Nori’s mug will be shown on the screen during the airing of the show for much longer.

Kanye West also gushed about “being in love with [Kim Kardashian] from the moment he met her,” according to the eyewitness.

“He said he always wanted to be with her and that they were the perfect match.”

It was announced Monday that Kanye West would be making a guest appearance on Kris show.

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Kim Kardashian debuted baby North at funeral of Kanye West’s grandfather

Lisa.Felice
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0
Kim Kardashian debuted baby North at funeral of Kanye West’s grandfather

New reports claim that Kim Kardashian was first pictured with baby North ten days ago at the funeral of Kanye West’s grandfather.

The couple took their baby daughter to Oklahoma to say farewell to Portwood Williams Senior, who died at the age of 98 on August 10.

Kim Kardashian dressed respectfully in all black, wearing a high necked ruffled dress and covering her arms with a long sleeved crocheted cardigan.

On her feet were simple silver heels, while she wore her hair loose and layered around her face.

Kim Kardashian carried baby North, holding her close against her chest under a grey shawl as they left the ceremony surrounded by a crowd of mourners.

Just North’s feet could be seen, sticking out under the blanket in a tiny pair of socks.

But a fellow guest at the ceremony revealed the baby was wearing white.

Kim Kardashian attended the funeral of Kanye West’s grandfather with her daughter North
Kim Kardashian attended the funeral of Kanye West’s grandfather with her daughter North

“She’s got a head full of hair and a beautiful olive skin tone,” they told Radar.

A second source added: “She looks like Mason did when he was a baby. They even have the same eyebrows.”

While Kanye West is known for his love of high fashion, he dressed appropriately in a smart black suit with navy blue shirt.

It was the very first trip away from home for little Nori, who was born in Los Angeles on June 15.

And while the occasion was a sad one, it is sure to have been a welcome chance for Kanye West to introduce his only child to her extended family.

While his mother, Dondra, died aged 58 following plastic surgery in 2007, Kanye West rapper remains in close contact with her family, visiting regularly.

And although North sadly missed the chance to meet her great-grandfather, Portwood Williams did previously meet Kanye West’s famous girlfriend – and give her his blessing.

Back in February Portwood Williams voiced his approval for Kanye West’s girlfriend, calling her “beautiful”.

He added: “And she’s just as sweet as she is beautiful. That’s what I liked about her!”

Showing she shares Kanye West’s sense of duty, Kim Kardashian chose to miss her little sister Sweet Sixteen to support her boyfriend at the funeral.

While Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were unable to join Kylie Jenner on Saturday night, they did send Kanye’s hip-hop chums Drake and Big Sean along to entertain the teen on her big night.

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