Germany has decided to cancel a Cold War-era pact with the US and the UK in response to revelations about electronic surveillance operations.
Details of snooping programmes involving the transatlantic allies have been leaked to the media by Edward Snowden.
The revelations have sparked widespread outrage in Germany, where elections are due next month.
The agreement dates from 1968-1969, and its cancellation is largely symbolic.
Germany has decided to cancel a Cold War-era pact with the US and the UK in response to revelations about electronic surveillance operations
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in a statement: “The cancellation of the administrative agreements, which we have pushed for in recent weeks, is a necessary and proper consequence of the recent debate about protecting personal privacy.”
Germans’ experience of mass surveillance under the Communist and Nazi dictatorships makes them particularly sensitive to perceived infringements of personal privacy, and the country has strong data protection laws.
The agreement cancelled on Friday gave the Western countries which had troops stationed in West Germany – the US, the UK and France – the right to request surveillance operations to protect those forces.
A German official told the Associated Press news agency that the agreement had not been invoked since the end of the Cold War, and admitted that the decision would have no impact on current intelligence co-operation.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign Office told reporters that the agreement had not been in use since 1990.
Henning Riecke of the German Council on Foreign Relations told AP that the German government needed to do something to demonstrate at home that it was taking the issue seriously.
“Ending an agreement made in the pre-internet age gives the Germans a chance to show they’re doing something, and at the same time the Americans know it’s not going to hurt them.
“Given the good relations between the intelligence agencies, they’ll get the information they need anyway,” he said.
Ariel Castro will spend his immediate prison future in isolation for his own safety, according to prison officials.
On Friday kidnapper Ariel Castro was transferred from a Cleveland jail to the Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton, 24 miles away.
It is described as a clearinghouse for Ohio inmates and will be his residence until his longer term home is determined.
Ariel Castro will spend his immediate prison future in isolation for his own safety
Ariel Castro, 53, can expect a bleak existence with a lot of time to ponder on his actions as his only contact will be guards and the inmates who will bring his meals.
As a high profile criminal, Ariel Castro will be a target for other inmates and so won’t be allowed to mix with the general prison population.
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman JoEllen Smith described Ariel Castro as “calm and cooperative” during Friday’s transfer.
Ariel Castro was strip-searched, photographed, fingerprinted and checked for gang markings. In the coming days he will undergo medical and mental health evaluations.
Ultimately Ariel Castro is expected to end up in the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, a maximum-security lockup about an hour and a half away from Cincinnati.
On August 1, an unrepentant Ariel Castro apologized for holding his three victims, Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus, who were hostage over a decade.
Sentenced to life in prison without parole, plus 1,000 years, Ariel Castro declared to the Cleveland court room he was “not a monster”.
Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus, who were held captive and abused in Ariel Castro’s home for a decade, have returned to the “House of Horrors” in an extraordinary show of bravery.
On Friday morning, Michelle Knight visited to Ariel Castro’s home, where she was held from August 2002 until her escape on May 6, so that she could thank neighbors for their support.
Amanda Berry and her father also returned to the home on Tuesday to thank those who helped her when she fled for safety, and Gina DeJesus also visited Seymour Street this week, 19ActionNews reported.
Michelle Knight has returned to Ariel Castro’s home on Seymour Avenue to thank neighbors for their support
Michelle Knight’s visit came as it emerged her captor will start his term – a life sentence plus 1,000 years – isolated from other inmates.
A spokeswoman for Ohio’s prisons department said Ariel Castro won’t go into general population once he enters the state’s prison system. She says it’s for his own protection because of his high profile.
At his sentencing on Thursday, Michelle Knight told Ariel Castro: “You took 11 years of my life away, but now I have it back. I spent 11 years in hell. Now your hell is just beginning.”
As part of Ariel Castro’s plea agreement, the Seymour Avenue house will be torn down in the near future.
Ariel Castro, 53, was sentenced after pleading guilty to 937 counts including kidnapping, rape and murder.
Fonterra, New Zealand’s main dairy exporter, has found a strain of bacteria causing botulism in some of its products, including infant formula and sports drinks.
It has led to a global recall of up to 1,000 tons of dairy products across seven countries, including China.
Fonterra has not named the eight companies affected.
Botulism is one of the most dangerous forms of food poisoning, often leading to paralysis.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries confirmed on Saturday that the tainted products included infant formula, sports drinks, protein drinks and other beverages.
The bacterium was found in three batches of Fonterra’s whey protein used in infants’ Nutricia Karicare follow-on formula, Fonterra said.
The whey product was produced in May 2012, with a dirty pipe at one of its processing plants in Waikato responsible for the contamination, the company said.
Fonterra has found a strain of bacteria causing botulism in some of its products
Nutricia has locked down all five batches of formula believed to contain the tainted product and says none of its product was actually sold.
Fonterra – the fourth largest diary company in the world – says it has urged its customers to urgently check their supply chains.
“We are acting quickly,” Fonterra chief executive Theo Spierings said.
“Our focus is to get information out about potentially affected product as fast as possible so that it can be taken off supermarket shelves and, where it has already been purchased, can be returned.”
The countries affected beside New Zealand include China, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.
Fonterra said there had been no reports of any illness linked to the affected whey product.
The dairy industry powers New Zealand’s economy, with the country exporting up to 95% of its milk.
Fonterra is a major supplier of bulk milk powder products used in milk formula in China.
Chinese consumers have a special interest after a tainted milk formula scandal in 2008 killed six babies and made some 300,000 infants sick.
The Chinese authorities have already ordered domestic importers to recall all milk products that could be affected.
Fonterra’s chief executive, Theo Spierings, plans to fly to China on Saturday to deal with the fall-out.
Botulism is a rare paralytic illness caused by a toxin which is very poisonous to humans.
Roy Bennett, a leading Zimbabwe opposition figure, has called for a campaign of “passive resistance” after election results showed President Robert Mugabe’s party had won a large majority in parliament.
Roy Bennett, treasurer of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said people should force Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF to “rule by themselves”.
The MDC has already said it will not recognize the results, alleging fraud.
It comes as the party holds emergency meetings to discuss the outcome.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) earlier said Zanu-PF had won 137 seats in the 210-seat chamber – just short of two-thirds – with most seats declared.
Results in the presidential race have yet to be announced.
PM Morgan Tsvangirai, who heads the MDC and is running for president against Robert Mugabe, has already dismissed the election as “a sham”.
Amid rising tension, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on President Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai to send “clear messages of calm”to their supporters.
His spokesman, Martin Nesirky, said Ban Ki-moon wanted any election disputes to be handled “transparently and fairly”.
The MDC was believed to be holding talks on Friday and Saturday to decide on a response to the results.
Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC has already said it will not recognize the election results, alleging fraud
Its treasurer Roy Bennett said there should be a wave of social disobedience in order to bring the regime to a halt.
“I’m calling on the people of Zimbabwe, who are our constituents and who we represent in the positions we hold, for passive resistance and for total disengagement,” he said.
“And let Zanu-PF rule and rule by themselves and bring the country to a standstill.”
Morgan Tsvangirai, 61, earlier said the vote was “null and void”.
A local monitoring group has also said that the poll was “seriously compromised”.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) – the largest group of domestic monitors with some 7,000 people on the ground – said as many as one million people had been unable to cast their ballots.
It said voting irregularities were much more likely to affect urban areas, where support for Morgan Tsvangirai is strong, than in President Robert Mugabe’s rural strongholds.
However, the two main observer groups have broadly endorsed the election, saying it was free and peaceful.
African Union (AU) mission head Olusegun Obasanjo dismissed the complaints of fraud, saying the election was fair and free “from the campaigning point of view”.
He acknowledged incidents “that could have been avoided and even tended to have breached the law” but added: “We do not believe that these incidences [incidents] will amount to the result not representing the will of the people.”
Meanwhile, monitors from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) described the elections as “free and peaceful” but said it was too early to call them fair.
South Africa became the latest country to endorse the result, challenging critics to provide evidence of vote-rigging.
Zanu-PF and the MDC have formed an uneasy coalition government since 2009. That deal ended deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year.
Robert Mugabe is running for a seventh term.
If Zanu-PF clinches a two-thirds majority it will be able to change Zimbabwe’s constitution.
Under Zimbabwean law, seven days are set aside for legal challenges with another two days for rulings to be made. After that, the swearing-in of a new government takes place.
A global travel alert has been issued by the US state department because of fears of an unspecified al-Qaeda attack.
The department said the potential for an attack was particularly strong in the Middle East and North Africa.
The US intercepted electronic communications between senior al-Qaeda figures, according to officials quoted by the New York Times.
The alert comes shortly after the US announced nearly two dozen embassies and consulates would be shut on Sunday.
The US state department said the alert expires on August 31, 2013, and it recommended US citizens travelling abroad be vigilant.
“Current information suggests that al-Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August,” the statement said.
The alert warned of “the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure”.
In its report, the New York Times says high-level intercepts were collected and analyzed this week and that the CIA, state department and White House immediately recognized their significance.
President Barack Obama has ordered that “all appropriate steps” be taken to protect Americans in response to a threat of an al-Qaeda attack, AFP news agency quoted a White House official as saying.
A global travel alert has been issued by the US state department because of fears of an unspecified al-Qaeda attack
“The president is being updated on a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula,” the official added.
Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, said that congressional leaders had been briefed about the alert.
“There is some understanding of the seriousness of the threat,” she told reporters.
Republican lawmaker Jason Chaffetz said he understood there was “a very real worldwide threat”.
Dutch Ruppersberger, the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said the threat was not prompted by “the regular chit chat” gleaned from would-be militants online or elsewhere.
“The most important thing we have to do is protect American lives,” he told the Associated Press news agency.
An unnamed senior US official told NBCthe threat may be related to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which ends next week.
In the Muslim world, Sunday is a work day. In other parts of the world US diplomatic offices are shut on Sunday.
The official said the state department had “been apprised of information” leading it to take these “precautionary steps… out of an abundance of caution”.
Last year on September 11, the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked, leaving four Americans dead.
Other embassies are routinely targets of protesters.
The US diplomatic missions to be closed on Sunday are in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Algiers, Algeria; Amman, Jordan; Baghdad, Iraq; Cairo, Egypt; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Djibouti, Djibouti; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Doha, Qatar; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Erbil, Iraq; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Kabul, Afghanistan; Khartoum, Sudan; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Manama, Bahrain; Muscat, Oman; Nouakchott, Mauritania; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Sanaa, Yemen and Tripoli, Libya.
Rihanna and Karrueche Tran narrowly missed an awkward encounter when they both went on a night out to Play House in Hollywood on Thursday night.
While it is unknown whether Rihanna and Karrueche Tran had partied together inside, they both exited the venue separately.
Rihanna showed off her stunning new wavy hairstyle
Rihanna, 25, had snuck out the back entrance of the popular late night venue, while Karrueche Tran, 25, departed with a male pal at the front, alongside other party goers.
It is very unlikely that Rihanna and Karrueche Tran had exchanged words inside after having both enjoyed romances with Chris Brown consecutively.
Karrueche Tran is the last one to have picked up where Rihanna left off and is currently dating Chris Brown.
Chris Brown and Karrueche Tran sparked rumors of an official reconciliation in June when they cosied up for a picture together.
Earlier this year, Chris Brown dumped Karrueche Tran to be back in the arms of his superstar ex Rihanna.
But they broke up once more as Chris Brown revealed he would be enjoying his birthday without Rihanna during an Australian radio interview.
Chris Brown told the Kyle and Jackie O show: “I can’t really be focused on wife-ing somebody that young.”
And he seemed to have wasted no time in rekindling his romance with Karrueche Tran following the split.
Karrueche Tran is now even living in Chris Brown’s Hollywood Hills home.
Andrew Silverman believes his estranged wife Lauren was “totally into Simon [Cowell]” for years before the pair embarked on an affair, it was emerged today.
It came as photos emerged today of Simon Cowell sharing an intimate moment with Lauren Silverman during a cruise off the coast of the French Riviera in August 2012.
Meanwhile, the New York Postand TMZ.com suggest that Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman had in fact begun their “affair” long before her marriage ended.
A source close to Andrew Silverman today said he believes the affair only started earlier this year, adding: “He knew Lauren was always totally into Simon, but as far as Andrew is concerned it was this spring when things went to another level.”
Andrew Silverman had even joined his wife and good friend Simon Cowell while house hunting in Los Angeles in October.
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman had in fact begun their “affair” long before her marriage ended
The source admits: “Andrew maybe was in a little bit of denial about this. He knew Lauren had star f***ing tendencies – not literally – and that she enjoyed being around celebrities, but he had no real clue.”
Having filed for divorce after discovering his wife is pregnant by the man he had thought his friend, Andrew Silverman now hopes that the divorce will be speedy and the couple can come to an agreement over their 7-year-old son Adam.
However, in a chilling threat, if it does go to court, real estate millionaire Andrew Silverman knows “plenty about Simon”, according to friends – which could prove to be extremely embarrassing for the X Factor judge.
Earlier today, the Silvermans met at the house Lauren and their young son have been staying at in the Hamptons to discuss their divorce.
This week, it was revealed that Andrew Silverman has taken the unusual step of naming Simon Cowell as a co-respondent in the divorce papers he filed two weeks ago.
Kim Kardashian made a surprising return to the spotlight on Friday for the first time in more than seven weeks.
Kim Kardashian, 32, appeared in a brief video recording on her mother Kris Jenner’s daytime chat show.
In the pre-taped segment, Kim Kardashian surprised her mother with a short message, saying: “Hey mom, I just wanted to say congratulations on your new show. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there in person, but I’m just loving life a little bit too much at home right now.”
“But I watch you every single day and you are so amazing. You really are born to do this. I just want to say I love you and have an amazing show.”
Kim Kardashian looked happy and healthy in the clip dressed in a white top.
Following the video message, Kris Jenner broke down in tears as she marveled about the surprise with her guest host Diddy.
“You did make me cry… Thank you Kimmy,” Kris Jenner said as she wiped her eyes with a towel.
“That made me cry… Thank you Kimmy, thank you Sean,” she continued.
In fact Kris Jenner was so touched she couldn’t continue saying her thanks at the end of the programme, forcing Diddy to take over.
Kim Kardashian returns to spotlight after seven weeks in hiding with a video message on Kris Jenner’s show
“I just wanted to say thank you Ciara,” Kris Jenner said of her musical guest, before cracking up again.
“I can say this right now…”
Diddy had helped Kim Kardashian surprise the mother and matriarch by pretending to show Kris Jenner a clip that would feature on the new cable TV channel Revolt, which he is launching in October this year with Comcast.
“Check this out for Revolt. I bought something special that I am going to debut on the network, I am going to debut it here first on the Kris show,” Diddy said before showing the clip of Kim Kardashian.
It wasn’t quite the big reveal many fans had been hoping for and there was no sign of her daughter North West.
Earlier in the day, Kim Kardashian had tweeted her fans, telling them that she was going to surprise her mother.
“Getting ready to surprise my mom on @krisjennershow today!!!! You ready NYC? Tune in!” she wrote.
Kim Kardashian, who welcomed her first child with Kanye West on June 15, was last seen in public in an olive green dress on June 12.
On June 29, Khloe Kardashian posted a head shot of Kim sleeping on the couch at home.
Kim Kardashian’s absence from the spotlight has been rather unusual for the reality star, who has relentlessly pursued media attention from the moment her tape was “leaked” in 2007.
There have been suggestions Kim Kardashian has been laying low while she gets back into shape. Her boyfriend Kanye West, who doesn’t share her affection for publicity, has also encouraged her to be more private.
Kim Kardashian’s best friend Jonathan Cheban recently said she has almost regained her pre-pregnancy body.
Jonathan Cheban said: “Knowing Kim, I’m sure she looks 80 per cent at this point, she’s pretty much perfect.”
Kim Kardashian’s video will no doubt be a welcomed boost for Kris Jenner, who has struggled to win over critics with her daytime show.
Simon Cowell could be forced to reveal details of his personal finances in Lauren Silverman’s divorce battle, it has emerged today.
Simon Cowell, who is worth an estimated $350 million, was named as a co-respondent in the divorce papers filed by his pregnant lover’s estranged husband Andrew Silverman two weeks ago, and as such could be called to the witness stand in the case.
In this situation, Simon Cowell, 53, is likely to be quizzed by lawyers about his financial situation in order to determine the appropriate settlement value for Lauren Silverman.
It was also reported that Simon Cowell had attempted to reach a financial settlement with Lauren before the baby news was made public.
Simon Cowell could be forced to reveal details of his personal finances in Lauren Silverman’s divorce battle
One friend said: “Simon is gearing up for a potentially ugly child support battle. He tried desperately to reach an agreement with Lauren before it went public but she surprised Simon and leaked the news.
“Simon was hoping to reach a financial agreement with her and then release a joint statement but Lauren is savvy and wants to be famous and when he refused her opening demands for marriage she leaked it.”
In addition to potentially having to reveal monetary details of his life on the witness stand, Simon Cowell could also be left with Andrew Silverman’s legal bill, estimated to reach around $300,000, if the real estate mogul achieves his aim of proving adultery.
Andrew Silverman had cited adultery as the basis of the marriage breakdown in the papers, in which he also labeled his estranged wife, with whom he has a seven-year-old son, as “cruel and inhuman”.
For Andrew Silverman to prove adultery, Simon Cowell would have to reveal evidence of his meetings with Lauren, such as hotel receipts and text messages.
Simon Cowell is also said to be concerned that the claims of adultery, which are as yet entirely unproven, will endanger his various multi-million dollars sponsorship deals.
Ellen DeGeneres received an Emmy nomination for her job hosting the 2007 Oscars and now she will be taking the helm again at next year’s ceremony.
“It’s official: I’m hosting the #Oscars!” Ellen DeGeneres, 55, tweeted on Friday.
She added: “I’d like to thank @TheAcademy, my wife Portia and, oh dear, there goes the orchestra.”
It will mark Ellen DeGeneres’ second time as Oscar host after she emceed the 79th Annual Academy Awards in 2007, for which she was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program.
“I am so excited to be hosting the Oscars for the second time,” Ellen DeGeneres said in a statement.
“You know what they say – the third time’s the charm.”
This year’s host, Seth MacFarlane, drew mixed reviews for an edgy performance. He had already taken himself out of the running for a return engagement next year.
Ellen DeGeneres will emcee the Academy Awards for the second time
Oscars producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron expressed their delight at having the talk show queen back.
“As a longtime friend, we had always hoped to find a project for us to do together and nothing could be more exciting than teaming up to do the Oscars,” they wrote in press release.
“There are few stars today who have Ellen’s gift for comedy, with her great warmth and humanity. She is beloved everywhere and we expect that the audience at the Dolby Theatre, and in homes around the globe, will be as excited by this news as we are.”
“Ellen is talented, wonderfully spontaneous, and knows how to entertain a worldwide audience,” said Dawn Hudson, Academy CEO.
“She’s a big fan of the Oscars; we’re huge fans of hers. It’s a perfect match.”
Ellen DeGeneres became a household name with her talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which has earned 45 Daytime Emmys during its 10 seasons.
The 2014 Oscars Ceremony will take place on Sunday, March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe’s party has won a two-thirds majority in parliament in this week’s elections, officials say.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said that Zanu-PF had won 142 seats in the 210-seat chamber.
Analysts say the result is enough for Zanu-PF to change the constitution. Results in the presidential race have yet to be announced.
Earlier, the two main observer groups said voting had been free and peaceful.
African Union mission head Olusegun Obasanjo dismissed complaints of fraud, while another observer urged all parties to “accept the hard facts”.
Robert Mugabe’s party has won a two-thirds majority in parliament in this week’s elections
PM Morgan Tsvangirai, who is challenging Robert Mugabe in the presidential race, has described the election as a “huge farce”.
A local monitoring group has also said that the poll was “seriously compromised”.
Zanu-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have formed an uneasy coalition government since 2009.
That deal ended deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year.
Before the latest results were announced, Zanu-PF spokesman Rugaro Gumbo predicted that Robert Mugabe, 89, – who is running for a seventh term – would get at least 70% of the vote in the presidential poll.
“We are expecting a landslide victory,” he was quoted as saying in Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper.
Japanese carmaker Toyota has raised its forecast for annual profit as a weak yen and a recovery in sales in the US continue to boost its growth.
Toyota now expects to make a net profit of 1.48 trillion yen ($14.8bn) for the current financial year, up from its earlier projection of 1.37 trillion yen.
The carmaker raised the outlook as it said earnings for the April to June quarter had jumped 93% from a year ago.
Many Japanese firms have seen a surge in profits thanks to the weakening yen.
The yen has fallen by nearly 25% against the US dollar since November, after the government unveiled a series of aggressive policy moves.
A weak currency not only makes Japanese goods more affordable to foreign buyers but also helps to boost profits of exporters when they repatriate their foreign earnings back home.
On Friday, Toyota reported a net profit of 562 billion yen in the three months to the end of June, up from 290 billion yen during the same period last year.
Toyota has raised its forecast for annual profit as a weak yen and a recovery in sales in the US continue to boost its growth
The company said that cost cutting measures had also helped to lift its earnings during the quarter.
“Operating income increased due to the impact of foreign exchange rates and our global efforts for profit improvement, through cost reduction activities such as companywide value analysis,” Takuo Sasaki, chief marketing officer for Toyota, said in a statement.
Takuo Sasaki added that the “enhancement of the model mix and pricing” had also helped to boost profits.
Toyota also set a worldwide production target of 10.1 million vehicles for the 2013 calendar year, which would be a record across the industry.
It kept its sales goal for the year at 9.96 million vehicles, making it a close race with US rival General Motors for the title of world’s top carmaker.
Toyota said it sold 1.3 million vehicles in the US, its biggest market, in the January to July period, up 8% from a year ago.
The US accounts for nearly a quarter of Toyota’s global sales.
However, Toyota saw slower-than-expected growth in Southeast Asia, its third biggest market after North America and Japan.
Toyota sold about 539,000 vehicles in the region in the January-June period which was the same as last year, but 15% below the industry-wide growth.
The US Labor Department has announced that the country’s economy added 162,000 new jobs in July.
The figure – which measures the number of jobs outside the US farming sector – was below economists’ expectations of more than 180,000 and the government also cut its previous estimates for hiring in May and June.
Nonetheless, the new jobs helped the unemployment rate to fall to 7.4%.
That was down from 7.6% and is the lowest jobless rate in four years.
The news adds to the picture of a slowly growing US economy and may make its central bank more likely to end its monetary stimulus programme.
The Federal Reserve is currently buying $85 billion a month in bonds which helps to keep borrowing costs low.
However, there is much speculation as to when the Fed will start to rein in this stimulus programme.
US economy added 162,000 new jobs in July
Its chairman, Ben Bernanke, has said that it might start cutting down the rate of bond buying by the end of the year and stop altogether by the middle of 2014, depending on the strength of the economy.
Earlier this week, figures showed that the US economy grew at a faster-than-expected annualized pace of 1.7% in the second quarter of the year.
That was up from the growth rate for the first three months of 2013, which was revised lower to 1.1% from 1.8%.
Gordon Charlop, of Rosenblatt Securities said the figures were moderately encouraging: “The idea that the unemployment dropped at all, went below 7.6%, is showing that the trend is going the right way.
“We’re sort of grinding along here. We’re not surging. I don’t think there’s anything here that will cause the Fed to do anything significant.”
Revisions to previous months’ data saw May’s jobs increase downgraded to 176,000, below the 195,000 previously estimated, while June’s increase was lowered to 188,000, from the 195,000 originally reported.
Paul Ashworth, chief economist at Capital Economics, said despite that, the employment picture was much brighter than last year: “While July itself was a bit disappointing, the Fed will be looking at the cumulative improvement.
“On that score, the unemployment rate has fallen from 8.1% last August, to 7.4% this July, which is a significant improvement.”
Other figures released on Friday confirmed the picture of moderate economic growth.
US consumer spending and inflation both rose in June, with the US Commerce Department saying spending was 0.5% higher and annual inflation running at 1.3% – although that is still well below the US target of 2%.
After Catherine Zeta-Jones turned up alone to the Red 2 premieres in Los Angeles and New York, the rumor mill went into overdrive that she’s getting a divorce from Michael Douglas after 13 years of marriage.
They’ve overcome Michael Douglas’ stage 4 cancer and her bipolar disorder but apparently they’re now calling it quits.
Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones divorce
“Michael and Catherine’s marriage is effectively over,” one close family insider told Star magazine.
“Michael is going to announce the split soon, but he wants to wait until after the Emmys in September.”
According to this insider: “Catherine is fighting to save the marriage but he’s had it.”
“Michael has been through so much in recent years. he feels that life is too short for all this misery – her wild rages, temper tantrums, mood swings, secret boozing and demanding ways!”
And considering Michael Douglas’ divorce to first wife Diandra in 2000 was one of the most expensive in Hollywood history, his split from Catherine Zeta-Jones could cost a lot of money. Star magazine are putting the couple’s joint worth at a cool $300 million.
Another source said: “It’s been a long, rocky road for Michael and Catherine, but it’s clear to every-one that the end is near.”
Meanwhile the National Enquirer reports that Michael Douglas, 68, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, 43, secretly split a year ago in a trial separation.
Jamie Lee Curtis has been hospitalized after she was involved in a car crash.
Jamie Lee Curtis, 54, was taken to hospital after a black Yukon SUV she was a passenger in collided with a BMW in the trendy Venice Beach area on Thursday morning.
Jamie Lee Curtis has been hospitalized after she was involved in a car crash
According to a witness, Jamie Lee Curtis called Jodie Foster moments after the incident and Jodie showed up within minutes to lend some aid.
In photographs taken at the scene, Jamie Lee Curtis looked shaken up as she spoke to a police officer who had attended the scene.
Debris littered the road, and Jamie Lee Curtis chatted with Jodie Foster about what had just happened.
Firefighters also attended, and were pictured delivering first aid at the scene.
An ambulance then took Jamie Lee Curtis to ER, but according to TMZ her injuries were minor and she is now back home recovering.
Another person was also taken to hospital, and his injures were more serious.
Simon Cowell tried to avoid questions about his impending fatherhood at an ill-timed X Factor press panel on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, I have to keep this private for the moment. It’s just one of those things, but thank you anyway,” said Simon Cowell, 53, at the Fox panel at the Television Critics Association meeting in Beverly Hills.
When a cheeky reporter asked: “The new baby. Were you as surprised by the news as we were?”
Simon Cowell replied: “I haven’t read the newspapers. Am I missing something?”
Dressed in his signature white T-shirt and a stoic expression, the music mogul handled the pressure well as he attempted to divert the attention to the upcoming season of the singing competition.
Simon Cowell went on to tell the press at the Fox portion of the TCA summer tour that he will open up about married lover Lauren Silverman’s pregnancy when the time is right.
“There are a lot of things I will eventually clear up when the time is right,” he explained.
Simon Cowell tried to avoid questions about his impending fatherhood at an ill-timed X Factor press panel
“I really have to be sensitive here because there are a lot of people’s feelings involved.”
When asked if he could reveal how he’s feeling, Simon Cowell candidly replied: “I would love to, but I have to respect a lot of other people’s feelings.”
Unable to get an enlightening response from Simon Cowell, one determined reporter asked his X Factor colleagues Kelly Rowland, Paulina Rubio and Demi Lovato how they thought he would be as a father.
“No comment,” said Demi Lovato, who is no stranger to public controversy herself, which quickly silenced the questioning.
Later speaking to magazine PEOPLE, Kelly Rowland, who was seen attempting to lighten the mood by playfully plucking out grey hairs from Simon Cowell’s head, said: “I think that Simon has always been a very classy guy, he’s always been a very respected guy, and he’s going to be a great father.”
Paulina Rubio, who just joined the show as a judge said: “He didn’t tell me anything yet, but I will support him if it is true.”
Demi Lovato added: “There’s no reason for me to talk about his person life, and I’m here about talk about the show.”
But she was very complimentary about show boss Simon Cowell. She said: “Simon is very tough but off camera he’s like a teddy bear. He has a big heart.”
“I’ve learned so much from him. I think he puts up a front with the rest of the world to be this bad guy but you get to know him he’s a really, really sweet person.”
Simon Cowell, who is worth an estimated $350 million, insisted he will do everything he can to support and provide for his child after the news broke on Wednesday that 36-year-old Lauren Silverman is expecting.
It has now emerged that Lauren Silverman’s husband, Andrew, has cited Simon Cowell in divorce papers. The move, clearly designed to embarrass him, could potentially force him to reveal details of the alleged affair in court.
Lauren Silverman is accused in the papers of adultery with Simon Cowell and of being “cruel and inhuman” towards her husband.
In a statement Andrew Silverman said: “My top priority is protecting my seven year old son while working to resolve all outstanding issues with my wife. Hopefully people can respect the interest of our child during this process.”
Silvio Berlusconi has broadcast an angry video message after his jail sentence for tax fraud was upheld by Rome’s Court of Cassation, the country’s highest court.
Italy’s former PM Silvio Berlusconi said he was the innocent victim of “an incredible series of accusations and trials that had nothing to do with reality”.
The court also ordered a further judicial review on whether Silvio Berlusconi should be banned from holding public office.
Silvio Berlusconi, 76, is unlikely to go to jail because of his age.
While he is expected to serve out his sentence as house arrest, Silvio Berlusconi has the option of asking to do community service instead, with the deadline for the application not expected to fall until mid-October.
The ruling by Rome’s Court of Cassation, against which he cannot appeal, came after a three-day hearing. Silvio Berlusconi was not in court.
In an emotional nine-minute video, Silvio Berlusconi denounced the decision as “based on nothing, and which deprives me of my freedom and political rights”.
“No-one can understand the onslaught of real violence that has been directed against me following an incredible series of accusations and trials that don’t have any foundation in reality,” he said.
He described the more that 50 court cases he has faced as “genuine judicial harassment that is unmatched in the civilized world”.
Silvio Berlusconi has broadcast an angry video message after his jail sentence for tax fraud
“In exchange for the commitments I have made over almost 20 years in favor of my country and coming almost at the end of my public life, I have been rewarded with accusations and a verdict that is founded on absolutely nothing, that takes away my personal freedom and my political rights.”
Silvio Berlusconi criticized the country’s judicial record, saying: “Is this the Italy that we want? Is this the Italy that we love? Absolutely not.”
It is the billionaire businessman’s first definitive conviction after decades of criminal prosecutions.
The case concerns deals that his firm Mediaset made to purchase TV rights to US films.
Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced to four years in prison at the conclusion of the trial in October last year, though this was automatically reduced to a year under a 2006 pardon law.
The court at the time heard that he and other executives had bought TV rights at inflated prices to avoid paying taxes.
He was labeled the “author of a whole system of tax fraud”.
The review of the lower court’s five-year ban on holding public office means Silvio Berlusconi can remain as a senator and as leader of his centre-right People of Freedom Party (PDL) for now.
Silvio Berlusconi’s political grouping forms part of Italy’s coalition government. Prime Minister Enrico Letta needs both the PDL and his own centre-left Democratic Party to govern.
In a statement after the court ruling, Enrico Letta urged “a climate of serenity” for the good of the country.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano also urged the country to stay calm.
Silvio Berlusconi’s legal team said there were “solid reasons” why Berlusconi should have been acquitted, and it would “evaluate and pursue any useful initiative, also in Europe, to make sure that this unjust sentence is radically reformed”.
Anti-establishment politician Beppe Grillo welcomed the court ruling, comparing the sentence to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
In a statement on his blog, Beppe Grillo said Berlusconi had “polluted, corrupted and paralyzed Italian politics for 21 years”.
Zimbabwean presidential and parliamentary elections were “free, honest and credible”, the African Union observer mission’s head has said.
Olusegun Obasanjo said the incidents reported during Wednesday’s poll could not “change the outcome”.
The largest observer group said earlier the poll was “seriously compromised”.
President Robert Mugabe’s party is claiming victory in the election, which was rejected as a “huge farce” by PM Morgan Tsvangirai.
On Wednesday, voters were choosing a president, 210 lawmakers and local councilors. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has five days to declare who won the poll.
First official results from national assembly elections show that Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party is taking an early lead. However, the seats announced were mostly in Robert Mugabe’s rural strongholds, correspondents say.
Zanu-PF spokesman Rugaro Gumbo predicted that Robert Mugabe – who is running for a seventh term – would get at least 70% of the vote in the presidential poll.
“We are expecting a landslide victory,” he was quoted as saying in Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald newspaper.
Zanu-PF and Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have shared an uneasy coalition government since 2009 under a deal brokered to end the deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year.
Speaking in the capital Harare on Friday, Olusegun Obasanjo said the elections were fair and free “from the campaigning point of view”.
First official results from national assembly elections show that Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party is taking an early lead
The former Nigerian president admitted that there were “incidents that could have been avoided”, but he stressed that the AU observers did not believe they could change the overall outcome of the poll.
His assessment sharply contrasted to that by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) – the largest group of domestic monitors.
It said on Thursday that the elections were “seriously compromised”, with as many as a million people being unable to cast their ballots.
The ZESN said potential voters were much more likely to be turned away from polling stations in urban areas, where support for Morgan Tsvangirai is strong, than in Robert Mugabe’s rural strongholds.
The group also alleged significant registration irregularities before the poll.
But speaking to al-Jazeera, Olusegun Obasanjo questioned ZESN’s conclusions, describing them as “not verifiable”.
He said he was satisfied that the apparent anomalies between registration between urban and rural voters mentioned by ZESN had been explained by the registrar-general, who had the accurate figures for birth and death.
Olusegun Obasanjo also said that Morgan Tsvangirai’s camp should have addressed concerns about the electoral roll before the vote – not after.
On Thursday, Morgan Tsvangirai said the elections were “null and void”.
“Our conclusion is that this has been a huge farce. The credibility of this election has been marred by administrative and legal violations which affected the legitimacy of its outcome.
“It’s a sham election that does not reflect the will of the people.”
Another observer mission – the Southern African Development Community – is expected to give its verdict on the elections later on Friday.
It is illegal to publish unofficial election results in Zimbabwe. Police have warned they would take action against anyone trying to leak early results.
Extra units – some in riot gear – have now been deployed in Harare.
Under the electoral law, if no presidential candidate gains 50% of the ballots, a run-off will be held on September 11.
Doctor Who’s 12th doctor will be revealed in a special live programme on Sunday, the BBC has announced.
The show, presented by Zoe Ball, will feature an interview with the new lead, as well as 11th Doctor Matt Smith and executive producer Steven Moffat.
“The decision is made and the time has come to reveal who’s taking over the Tardis,” Steven Moffat said.
“For the last of the Time Lords, the clock is striking twelve.”
Doctor Who Live: The Next Doctor is on BBC One at 7 p.m. on August 4.
According to the official announcement, Zoe Ball “will unveil the 12th Doctor in the first ever interview in front of a live studio audience set against the backdrop of a swirling vortex, amongst Daleks and the Tardis”.
Matt Smith, who has played the Time Lord since 2010, announced in June that he would be bowing out in this year’s Christmas special.
The announcement sparked much speculation about who might take over, with Peter Capaldi, Ben Daniels, Rory Kinnear and Ben Whishaw among the bookies’ favorites.
Doctor Who marks its 50th anniversary on 23 November with a special episode, starring Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt as the Doctor.
Matt Smith is the 11th Doctor and he will depart in this year’s Christmas special
Billie Piper will return as Rose Tyler, while Jenna Coleman will continue as Clara Oswald.
The episode will also see the return of the Daleks and the Zygons.
Kourtney Kardashian is rumored to be pregnant with child number three.
Spotted leaving Barney’s of New York in Beverly Hills on Thursday, which carries high-end nursery accessories as well as top fashion brands, Kourtney Kardashian, 34, carried a huge shopping bag.
Pushing her one-year-old daughter Penelope in a black and white pram, Kourtney Kardashian looked sleek in a navy blue shirt and wide-legged jeans.
Although she was seen on Wednesday looking particularly tired, Kourtney Kardashian showed no signs of fatigue on her shopping trip.
With her hair slicked back into a modern, feminine take on the pompadour hairstyle, her skin glowed with the tan she picked up on a family holiday to Mexico earlier in July.
Flat black pumps proved a sensible shoe choice for a shopping trip, and she continued to keep things simple by wearing minimal jewellery.
Three-year-old son Mason and long term boyfriend Scott Disick chose not to accompany the girls on their day out, although the family of four are often seen together.
However, they may soon be a party of five if the rumors of a third pregnancy prove true.
According to OK! magazine, Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick has already shared their joyful news with friends.
“Kourtney has confessed she’s expecting,” a source told OK.
“She’s very excited and only telling a select few right now – but she just couldn’t keep it quiet any longer.”
The source says that Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian had always planned to have another baby right after Penelope arrived.
“Kourtney has that kind of glow she had with Mason and Penelope… they wanted to have one right after Penelope,” the insider added.
During their recently vacation to Mexico, it was noticed that Kourtney Kardashian routinely avoided drinking alcohol and eating raw fish – two tell-tale signs of pregnancy.
Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian were reportedly inspired to add to their family after Kim Kardashian, 32, gave birth to daughter North West in June.
“When Kourtney first held Nori, a huge look passed between her and Kim, who turned to Scott and joked: <<Uh-oh>>
“Scott knew exactly what she was <<thinking>> They would be next!”
“Nori was the tiniest baby either of them had ever seen,” added the source.
“Automatically their parental protection thing totally kicked in. They can’t wait to have another little one!”
Meanwhile, potential father-to-be Scott Disick grabbed lunch in Beverly Hills, attracting attention in his bright yellow Rolls Royce.
The enormous convertible is said to cost around $500,000 and is hardly the most family-friendly vehicle, although that shouldn’t prove a problem for Scott Disick, who owns a fleet of cars and may well be glad of the excuse to buy yet another one.
Later Scott Disick joined Kourtney Kardashian and his young daughter to continue their shopping trip.
The couple stopped off at LA favourite Freg Segal and Kourtney Kardashian picked up a pink smoothie drink to keep her energy up.
The couple took turns to tote baby Penelope, who was dressed for the hot weather in patterned grey leggings and a loose-fitting white top.
Experts in keeping the romance alive, Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick made sure to fit a little kissing time into their busy day.
Kim Kardashian seems happy to keep the world waiting by having a little fun before she reveals daughter North West.
Posting a picture on herFacebook page of herself cradling a newborn, with sister Kourtney cooing beside her, Kim Kardashian set the rumor mill in motion by commenting: “Love these precious moments…”
At last, the world thought they were glimpsing the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West for the very first time after her birth in June.
“Enough, we all know it’s not your baby Kim,” Kathy Jimenez commented, while Carla C. Aguilera Mantovani confirmed: “It’s Mason!”
And on closer inspection it became more obvious that these perceptive fans were correct in identifying the baby as Mason Disick, the son of Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick.
The baby in the “fake-out” photograph was wrapped in a blue blanket, indicating it was a boy in the picture, and Kim Kardashian looked significantly slimmer than she might be expected to be after giving birth a month ago.
Kim Kardashian posted a Facebook picture of herself and sister Kourtney cooing over a new born baby
Some fans however, did not see the funny side of the joke.
Anabel Ibarra Covarrubias posted: “Enough kim!! We already know this is not ur baby north west !! … U want millions of dollars just to see ur baby ? C’mom … Ur baby worth that money? Cuz i dont think so !!!”
This isn’t the first time Kim Kardashian has fooled people into thinking they were seeing a picture of her newborn.
Shortly after the birth on June 15,TMZ reported that Kim Kardashian had text pictures of various babies who were not her daughter to a number of friends in a bid to discover whether they could be trusted.
As the first picture of North West will be worth a vast amount of money, it is said that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wanted to see whether any of their friends would try to sell the fake picture.
Unfortunately for Kim Kardashian and her family, it appeared that their worries were not baseless as one recipient attempted to sell the photo to at least one news outlet.
Although we have only seen one picture of Kim Kardashian herself since the birth – a shot her sister Khloe shared via Instagram showing the new mother sleeping – Radar Online reported that Kim has been spotted out and about in Southern California, though keeping a low profile and avoiding the paparazzi.
A source also told the gossip website that “Kim is excited to have the whole world see her baby”.
However, fiercely protective Kanye West has made it clear that his baby girl “isn’t America’s baby”.
Fans shouldn’t have to wait too long though – it is rumored that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are considering a $2 million magazine deal that will debut baby North to the world.
Lauren Silverman, who is expecting Simon Cowell’s baby, was accused of being a “gold digger” on Thursday.
New York socialite Lauren Silverman, 36, has allegedly issued Simon Cowell with a string of outrageous demands, telling him she wants marriage and her own reality TV show before she will allow him access to the child.
Lauren Silverman smiled for the cameras as she made her first public appearance since news of the unplanned pregnancy broke on Wednesday morning.
In an official statement later that day, Lauren Silverman said: “I am committed to sorting things out with Andrew as amicably as possible to ensure the well-being of our son. I would hope for some space and privacy in order to work through this.”
Her lawyers, Robert Cohen and Bernard Clair of Cohen Clair Lans Greifer & Thorpe LLP, added: “We are working to resolve this situation in a fair and reasonable way that protects the best interests of our client and her son.”
Her husband, Andrew Silverman stated: “My top priority is protecting my seven year old son while working to resolve all outstanding issues with my wife. Hopefully people can respect the interest of our child during this process.”
Lauren Silverman had been holed up with her mother Carole and son Adam at the $4 million family home in the Hamptons, New York.
The socialite, who is said to be ten weeks pregnant with Simon Cowell, emerged to walk her son to his school bus wearing a white linen blouse which seemed to hint at a slight bump underneath.
She later stepped out in a black clinging linen dress.
Meanwhile Simon Cowell, 53, faced the press for the first time since the news broke at a television studio 2,500 miles away in Los Angeles.
The music mogul refused to answer questions about the baby at an ill-timed X Factor press conference, instead calling the matter “private” and insisting the matter was “sensitive”.
It has emerged that Andrew Silverman has cited Simon Cowell in divorce papers.
Lauren Silverman has allegedly issued Simon Cowell with a string of outrageous demands before she will allow him access to the child
The move, clearly designed to embarrass Simon Cowell, could potentially force him to reveal details of the alleged affair in court.
Lauren Silverman is accused in the papers of adultery with Simon Cowell and of being “cruel and inhuman” towards her husband.
And a friend claimed that the Silvermans were far from being an “estranged couple”, as has been suggested.
It is claimed that Andrew Silverman, a real-estate developer and millionaire casino owner, recently upgraded his wife’s engagement ring with a ten-carat diamond.
Yesterday Lauren Silverman was accused of issuing Simon Cowell with a string of demands – but the claims made against her are alleged to have come from Cowell’s supporters, so could be designed to win favor for the multi-millionaire.
A source claimed: “Lauren is now going around telling people that she will be in charge of all his [Simon Cowell’s] properties around the world and has demanded a country home in the Cotswolds.”
She has also threatened not to allow him access to the child unless he marries her.
“Lauren has also started to push Simon to turn her into a reality TV star. She wants her own show like the Kardashians and has already apparently started filming the pregnancy.
“Simon is horrified and has said no. He [Simon Cowell] is already talking about creating separate baby wings in all his homes for Lauren and the baby.
“His mansions are huge and he will effectively be allowed to carry on with his own life without disruption.
“He has no problems looking after his heir apparent – that is all he is interested in and he will ensure Lauren has a roof over her head in order to raise his child.”
Others around Simon Cowell, who is believed to be worth $350 million, claimed a wedding was not on the cards.
One said: “Simon does NOT, NOT, NOT plan to get married to her [Lauren Silverman]. Simon is gearing up for a potentially ugly child support battle.
“He tried desperately to reach an agreement with Lauren before it went public but she surprised Simon and leaked the news.
“Simon was hoping to reach a financial agreement with her and then release a joint statement but Lauren is savvy and wants to be famous and when he refused her opening demands for marriage she leaked it.”
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are said to have first met on holiday in Barbados around seven years ago, and struck up a relationship around 12 months ago.
Even his closest friends were unaware that they were seeing one another.
Simon Cowell could be hauled in front of a US court to give evidence about his affair with his former friend’s wife after being listed on court papers as co-respondent.
Lauren Silverman posted a picture of them together to her Instagram page cuddled up together during a holiday.
Along with the picture she wrote: “Me and my lil Simey monster #simoncowell x.”
Andrew Silverman, 37, is understood to have learned his wife was expecting Simon Cowell’s baby only last month. He filed the papers at Manhattan’s Supreme Court on July 15.
New York is a no-fault divorce state, meaning that couples do not need a reason to end their marriage.
But Andrew Silverman is said to feel so betrayed by his wife and his long-term friend that he has filed for a divorce on the grounds of adultery in an attempt to shame the pair in public.
This is heavily discouraged by lawyers because of the huge costs and the often bitter fallout it causes between couples.
Under US law, Andrew Silverman is required to prove his wife’s infidelity, even if she and Simon Cowell admit to the affair. It means Simon Cowell would have to reveal evidence of his meetings with Lauren Silverman, such as hotel receipts and text messages.
Simon Cowell would also have to take a paternity test to show whether or not the baby was his. If adultery is proved, he will be asked to foot Andrew Silverman’s legal bills, which could come to more than $300,000.
According to new reports, Simon Cowell is now worried about the sponsorship deals he has for his various shows.
