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Porter Ridge: New reality series from Duck Dynasty creator staring rural Hoosiers

Sonia Pantiss
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Porter Ridge: New reality series from Duck Dynasty creator staring rural Hoosiers

Porter Ridge, a new reality show set in rural Spencer, Indiana, is the latest brainchild of Duck Dynasty‘s creator Gurney Productions.

In contrast to the duck-call empire built in West Monroe, Louisiana, Porter Ridge is a comedic documentary series centered on Terry Porter and his Country Auto Parts company.

Porter Ridge will premiere on the Discovery Channel at 10:30 p.m., on August 13.

A tight-knit circle of friends in Owen County sought out the limelight of cable television, according to Discovery Channel executive producer Joe Weinstock.

Jeff Watson, known as Jeff the Bear Man because of the eight brown bears he owns, watched an episode of Duck Dynasty and found contact information for that show’s co-creator, Scott Gurney.

“[Jeff Watson] literally cold-emailed [Scott Gurney], saying <<I have some great neighbors who surround me in this little rural community in Southern Indiana. You need to come check them out>>,” Joe Weinstock said.

“You can imagine Scott getting many of these types of emails. For some reason, he responded to this one.”

On Porter Ridge Road, Scott Gurney discovered salvage yard owner Porter, described as a “fast-talking, shirtless, wild man” in Discovery promotional material.

“He does not wear a shirt, and he probably has one of the most beautiful tans known to man,” Joe Weinstock said.

Porter Ridge is a new reality show set in rural Spencer, Indiana, from the Duck Dynasty's creator
Porter Ridge is a new reality show set in rural Spencer, Indiana, from the Duck Dynasty’s creator

Porter Ridge viewers will meet Dirty Andy, a bearded deal maker, and Elvis Larry, a garbage man who loves to share gossip.

“This is so real, so visceral, so authentic,” Joe Weinstock said.

“You can’t put a better group of characters together. It’s amazing how all these individuals just live by each other.”

While Duck Dynasty is based on the Robertson family, owners of Duck Commander, no cast members of Porter Ridge live in a mansion.

“Money is not the most important object for these individuals,” Joe Weinstock said.

“It’s family, religion and fun.”

In addition to Porter being shirtless and Jeff Watson keeping bears on leashes, Porter Ridge features demolition derbies, pumpkins launched from cannons and rivals who live on nearby Dog Killer Ridge.

Joe Weinstock said Porter Ridge isn’t designed to make Hoosiers look bad.

“When people see the show, I believe they’re going to come away feeling pretty darn good,” said Joe Weinstock, an Oklahoma native who worked for MTV Networks, Spike TV and Gurney Productions before being hired by Discovery in 2012.

“It has a lot of heart. In the end, these neighbors who all unite and live on Porter Ridge Road love each other.”

When MTV aired Buckwild, a Jersey Shore successor set in rural West Virginia, the 2013 show wasn’t well-received in its home state.

“This show plays to ugly, inaccurate stereotypes about the people of West Virginia,” Senator Joe Manchin said in December, before the first episode aired.

Buckwild ceased production following a cast member’s death. Shain Gandee died of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in April after stranding his Ford Bronco in deep mud.

Duck Dynasty, meanwhile, is a runaway hit. The premiere of its third season on cable network A&E attracted 8.6 million viewers in February, making it the year’s No. 1 “nonfiction” cable series.

Porter Ridge will air on 12 consecutive Tuesdays, and the show is expected to receive promotion throughout Shark Week – the signature Discovery Channel programming that begins August 4.

Joe Weinstock said the likelihood of a second season of Porter Ridge should be known after a month of episodes air.

“I feel like this is something really special,” Joe Weinstock said.

“It’s bottled and packaged like no other show you’ve seen.”

Phil Robertson reveals he won’t do Duck Dynasty much longer

Sonia Pantiss
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Phil Robertson reveals he won’t do Duck Dynasty much longer

Duck Dynasty‘s patriarch Phil Robertson may soon be ready to hang up his hunting whistle for good.

In a recent interview with Parade magazine, Phil Robertson hints that he’ll likely leave the A&E hit reality show in the not-too-distant future.

Asked how much longer he plans to be involved, the Duck Commander founder replies: “Not long.”

But that doesn’t mean the series will end.

“I think it’ll go on without me,” Phil Robertson muses.

Since its premiere in the spring of 2012, Duck Dynasty has accumulated millions of fans, many of whom flock to the Robertson family’s Duck Commander warehouse just to catch a glimpse of the stars.

In a recent interview with Parade magazine, Phil Robertson hints that he'll likely leave the A&E hit reality show in the not-too-distant future
In a recent interview with Parade magazine, Phil Robertson hints that he’ll likely leave the A&E hit reality show in the not-too-distant future

“I told Missy, my wife, the only person I’d stand in line for is God Almighty,” Phil Robertson’s son Jase tells Parade.

“<<You made the universe? All right, I’ll get in line!>>”

Jase Robertson appears on the show with his father, Uncle Si, and brothers Willie and Jep, all of whom have long, full beards. But come August, when Season 4 premieres on A&E, there will be another face on the show – eldest brother, clean-shaven Alan, who recently rejoined the business.

Doing the show has brought the family “a whole lot closer,” Willie Robertson tells Parade.

“It’s probably the opposite of most reality shows. And nobody gets a big head because we’re all doing it together.”

In fact, fame doesn’t seem to have changed the group much at all. While some episodes feature situations suggested by producers, Jase Robertson insists they never do anything out of character.

“They come up with ideas, but I get to be myself in those ideas,” he tells Parade.

“One day when we were gonna play golf, a wardrobe person brought me a pair off knickers,” he recalls.

“I guess they thought that would be funny. But I don’t wear knickers. They said, <<A&E wants you to>>. I was like, <<I don’t care!>>”

Willie Robertson sensed the show could be good for business, but he had one hesitation: the name, Duck Dynasty.

“I thought, <<That sounds like a Chinese food place!>>” Willie Robertson  quips.

Libya: Mass jailbreak from Benghazi prison

Roy Siemens
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Libya: Mass jailbreak from Benghazi prison

More than 1,000 inmates have escaped from a jail in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

A security official from the jail told the AP news agency that most of the escapees were facing serious charges.

More than 1,000 inmates have escaped from a jail in the Libyan city of Benghazi
More than 1,000 inmates have escaped from a jail in the Libyan city of Benghazi

Benghazi is one of the most unstable parts of post-revolution Libya. Last year the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed there.

It is not clear whether the jailbreak was part of ongoing political unrest in the city.

Earlier protesters attacked offices linked to the Muslim Brotherhood following the assassination of the prominent political activist Abdelsalam al-Mismari.

They stormed offices of the Justice and Construction Party, the Brotherhood’s political wing.

A retired air-force colonel and a senior police officer were also shot dead on Friday in Benghazi, in the latest in a series of targeted killings of security personnel.

Libya’s government is struggling to control armed groups nearly two years after Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was toppled.

Vladimir Putin catches huge pike on Siberia fishing trip

Nancy Clayson
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Vladimir Putin catches huge pike on Siberia fishing trip

Russian President Vladimir Putin stripped to his waist and landed a 21 kg pike during a trip to Siberia.

Vladimir Putin was joined on the trip by PM Dmitry Medvedev, in a clear bid to prove Russia’s top two remain unified despite reports of in-house tension.

Dressed in camouflage and sporting a slouch hat, Vladimir Putin manned the helm aboard a small fishing boat before taking a turn casting a line.

Vladimir Putin landed a 21 kg pike during a fishing trip to Siberia
Vladimir Putin landed a 21 kg pike during a fishing trip to Siberia

State television showed Vladimir Putin laughing in amazement as he dragged the pike onto the jetty.

He then turned to the cameras and kissed his prize on the gills.

“It was very interesting relaxation. Putin and Medvedev socialized very warmly, talked and went swimming,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state television.

While the cameras were still rolling, Vladimir Putin also took his top of, in his latest show of peck-flexing machismo.

Vladimir Putin has never shied away from self-publicity, particularly in bolstering his hardman reputation.

He was famously pictured in 2007 while on holiday in southern Siberia’s Tuva region swimming, hunting and fishing with no shirt on to show off his masculine physique.

Vladimir Putin is also a keen jodu player and has been photographed flying helicopters, driving formula 1 racing cars and shooting guns on a regular basis.

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Sydney Leathers Inside Edition interview: “Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin have more of a business relationship than a marriage”

Nancy Clayson
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Sydney Leathers Inside Edition interview: “Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin have more of a business relationship than a marriage”

Sydney Leathers, the alleged virtual mistress of New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, gave her first interview with CBS’s Inside Edition.

In the interview Sydney Leathers, 23, cried as she apologized to Anthony Weiner’s wife Huma Abedin “for the pain she probably feels” but says she thought the political power couple had “more of an arrangement, or a business relationship, than a marriage”.

Sydney Leathers hypothesizes that Huma Abedin’s own ambitions may have played a role in her staying with the mayoral candidate after his texting scandal in 2011.

“I do think that was probably part of it, for the power, for the fame, for the stature,” Sydney Leathers said.

The renewed discussion about Anthony Weiner’s recent indiscretions was prompted by Sydney Leather’s decision to release screen grabs of their conversations to gossip site The Dirty as well as pictures of the mayoral candidate, all of which were exchanged more than one year after he resigned from Congress.

Sydney Leathers first contacted Anthony Weiner in her role as a political blogger, right after the previous texting scandal, to lambast him for his actions.

Anthony Weiner never responded to the message, and it wasn’t until a year later that they finally contacted, “poking” each other on a social networking site.

From there, their relationship turned dirty, escalating to phone s** sessions twice a week from June to November 2012.

Sydney Leathers called the affair “dark and dirty” and that new-father Anthony Weiner was using their online trysts as a way of “acting out”.

But she also said that they truly loved each other, and that Anthony Weiner even offered to buy the Indiana-based Sydney Leathers an apartment in Chicago so they could spend time together when he was in town.

“I’ve found the perfect woman. Gorgeous, s**y and like a bit crazy,” Anthony Weiner wrote in one exchange.

“I think it was a fantasy thing for both of us,” she said.

Anthony Weiner’s online mistress Sydney Leathers gave her first interview with CBS's Inside Edition
Anthony Weiner’s online mistress Sydney Leathers gave her first interview with CBS’s Inside Edition

Anthony Weiner even got jealous of her other online relationships.

“Me being hit on by other men really upset him,” Sydney Leathers said.

“We were Facebook friends, so he could see if men were commenting on photos of me, or telling me that I was pretty.

“Really minor things like that really bothered him.”

Their relationship took a turn for the worse in the lead up to the New York City mayoral race, when Anthony Weiner contacted Sydney Leathers and asked her delete their conversations.

“Do me a solid,” Anthony Weiner texted Sydney Leathers four months ago.

“Can you hard delete all our chats here.”

“Obviously I knew that he wanted me to erase any evidence of out conversations,” Sydney Leathers said.

“Because that was around the time I knew that he was going to run for mayor.”

For Sydney Leathers, things turned scary when a man claiming to be Anthony Weiner’s “brother” contacted her “to see if she was going to be a problem”.

Anthony Weiner’s brother Jason denies any contact with Sydney Leathers, but a Facebook message from Weiner to Leathers asks her if they’re “ok” after a conversation with his brother.

“My brother e-mailed me asking about you and whether I pissed you off. he told me to look at your feed, but nothing seems about me. maybe he was just tallying up pro and con comments and took one of your pithy posts as being something bad about me,” Anthony Weiner wrote.

In the interview, Sydney Leathers said she had initially been attracted to Anthony Weiner because of his politics, but had since seen another side to him.

“He’s not who I thought he was,” she said.

When asked what she would like to say to him now, Sydney Leathers responded: “Stop lying, stop embarrassing his wife, and get help.”

Sydney Leathers was spotted out on Thursday for the first time since disclosing the mayoral candidates indiscretions. She wore an eye-catching blue dress and towering wedge heels as she grabbed coffee in Los Angeles on Thursday.

Laughing as she chatted on the phone and visited Starbucks, she seemed unfazed by the political storm created by her revelations of her six-month virtual affair with the married politician.

The Inside Edition interview came as her high school friends described her as someone who was always desperate for fame just as it emerged she had got herself an agent and was hoping to make $100,000 by selling her story.

Sydney Leathers hoped Anthony Weiner would be her ticket out of “Conservative Hell” Indiana and alleges he promised to put her up in a condo in Chicago and a possible job at Politico, they said.

She lives with her machinist father in Princeton and had a difficult relationship with her thrice-married mother since they split six years ago.

Since the revelations, Anthony Weiner has admitted that he started three different virtual relationships with women after he resigned from Congress following his Twitter texting scandal in 2011.

And earlier this week, Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin held a joint press conference declaring their dedication to both one another and the campaign.

Afterwards, Anthony Weiner sent an email to supporters saying that the bid for New York City’s mayor was “too important” to give up over “embarrassing personal things”.

Rivals, newspaper editorial pages and former New York congressional colleagues urged Democrat Anthony Weiner to quit after he acknowledged exchanging raunchy messages and photos online after he had resigned from Congress for similar behavior.

Anthony Weiner’s strongest rivals in the polls, Christine Quinn and Bill Thompson, criticized him but didn’t directly call on him to quit.

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Francisco Jose Garzon Amo: Spanish train driver accused of reckless manslaughter

Diane A. Wade
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Francisco Jose Garzon Amo: Spanish train driver accused of reckless manslaughter

Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, the driver of Spanish train that derailed near Santiago de Compostela killing 78 people, has been accused of “reckless manslaughter”, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz has said.

Jorge Fernandez Diaz said Francisco Jose Garzon Amo, who was slightly hurt in Wednesday’s accident, had been taken to a police station.

Francisco Jose Garzon Amo is suspected of driving too fast on a bend. Reports say the train was travelling at more than double the speed limit at the time of the crash.

The 52-year-old driver has refused to answer questions.

At least 130 people were taken to hospital after the accident near the north-western city of Santiago de Compostela.

Thirty-two people were seriously injured, including children.

People from several nationalities were among the wounded, including five Americans and one Briton. One American was among the dead.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who hails from the city of the crash, declared three days of official mourning on Thursday.

A judge was due to interview Francisco Jose Garzon Amo on Sunday, the interior minister said.

Spanish train driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo has been accused of reckless manslaughter
Spanish train driver Francisco Jose Garzon Amo has been accused of reckless manslaughter

“He has been detained for the alleged crimes of reckless manslaughter,” Jorge Fernandez Diaz said.

“There are reasonable grounds to consider that he may have been responsible for what happened, which must be established by a judge and the investigation.”

The driver had been under police surveillance in hospital since the accident but he was discharged on Saturday and taken to a police station.

Police said Francisco Jose Garzon Amo had refused to answer their questions while he was in medical care.

State rail operator Renfe said the train came off the tracks about 3 or 4 km (2-2.5 miles) from Santiago de Compostela station at 20:41 local time on Wednesday.

The accident occurred on the express route between the capital, Madrid, and the port city of Ferrol on the Galician coast, with 218 passengers on board and four crew.

Footage captured by a security camera shows the train crashing as it hurtled round a bend.

The train’s data recording “black box” is with the judge in charge of the investigation.

It is unclear whether anyone else is subject to investigation.

Renfe president Julio Gomez Pomar was quoted by El Mundo newspaper as saying the driver had 30 years of experience with the company and had been operating trains on the line for more than a year.

Gomez Pomar said the train had no technical problems.

The derailment happened on the eve of Santiago de Compostela’s main annual festival where thousands of Christian pilgrims were expected to flock to the city in honor of St James.

The local tourism board cancelled all festivities as the city went into mourning.

According to official figures, the crash is one of the worst rail disasters in Spanish history.

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Five or more cups of tea a day lowers risk of advanced prostate cancer by a third

Kathryn R. Bown
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Five or more cups of tea a day lowers risk of advanced prostate cancer by a third

A new research shows that drinking five or more cups of tea a day lowers the risk of advanced prostate cancer by a third.

Men who drink five or more cups daily have a 33% lower risk of developing stage IV prostate cancer, scientists found.

They also have a 25% reduced risk of reaching stage II, compared with those who drink just one cup a day.

Drinking five or more cups of tea a day lowers the risk of advanced prostate cancer by a third
Drinking five or more cups of tea a day lowers the risk of advanced prostate cancer by a third

Stage II is where the tumor has grown inside the prostate gland but not spread. By stage IV the cancer has typically spread to the lymph nodes, bones or liver.

It is believed naturally occurring compounds in tea called flavonoids inhibit cancer cells from forming tumors.

The good news is that it doesn’t matter if you have milk, sugar, sweetener or lemon in your tea. The health benefits are not reduced.

Scientists in the Netherlands analyzed data on 58,279 men and found 3,362 cases of prostate  cancer, including 1,164 advanced cancers.

By finding out how much tea the men drank and what foods they ate, they were able to compare their lack of flavonoid intake with their health record.

Dr. Milan Geybels, lead researcher at Maastricht University, said: “We had data on tumour stage for most cases which made it possible to stratify data against the stage of the disease.

“Our study included a large number of advanced stage prostate cancers.”

One cup of tea provides about 150-200mg of flavonoids.

JJ Cale dies of heart attack aged 74

Sonia Pantiss
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JJ Cale dies of heart attack aged 74

Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter JJ Cale had died of heart attack at the age of 74.

An announcement on his personal website said JJ Cale had passed away at a hospital in La Jolla, California, on Friday.

JJ Cale helped originate the Tulsa Sound, combining blues, rockabilly, and country
JJ Cale helped originate the Tulsa Sound, combining blues, rockabilly, and country

Born in Oklahoma, JJ Cale helped originate the Tulsa Sound, combining blues, rockabilly, and country. He became famous in 1970, when Eric Clapton covered his song After Midnight.

JJ Cale recorded more than a dozen albums over four decades.

JJ Cale’s songs were covered by Carlos Santana, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, Bryan Ferry, among others.

In 1977 Eric Clapton also popularized JJ Cale’s Cocaine.

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RealToothFairies website slammed for cashing on childhood’s imaginary figures

James J. Williams
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RealToothFairies website slammed for cashing on childhood’s imaginary figures

A recently launched website that sells “real” Tooth Fairy toys has been slammed for commercializing a character that once existed solely in children’s imaginations.

RealToothFairies, which features six Tooth Fairies with Barbie-like features, lets children buy toys and accessories, as well as request “Magic Letters” from their personalized fairies.

While the website markets itself as a fun and educational tool for young children, some have branded it as “sleazy” for hijacking the one fictional character who had escaped commercialization.

The interactive website, launched this month by Hasbro former vice president Howard Bollinger, lets children and parents log in and navigate various tooth-themed games, activities and products.

A shop for “earthie girls”, the term the site uses to refer to young children, features a huge variety of books, jewelry, costumes, downloadable songs and party decorations.

But while children used to think $1 to $5 under the pillow was a generous gift for losing a tooth, Real Tooth Fairy sets the monetary standard far higher.

RealToothFairies, which features six Tooth Fairies with Barbie-like features, lets children buy toys and accessories from their personalized fairies
RealToothFairies, which features six Tooth Fairies with Barbie-like features, lets children buy toys and accessories from their personalized fairies

The Birthday Party Collection, for example, which includes party favors like ten rainbow wands, 12 pink cups, 20 balloons and 20 pink plates, costs a whopping $379.99.

VIP memberships to the website, which let girls access more games and products, also cost a fee.

While the site is aimed at young girls aged five to ten, the cartoon representations of Tooth Fairies appear far older, with tiny waists, revealing outfits and make-up that liken them to Barbies.

What’s more, a leaked video of the Real Tooth Fairy LLC’s pitch to investors demonstrates the company’s perception of young girls as merely a profitable marketing opportunity.

In a transcript of the video posted on CommercialFreeChildhood.org, a voiceover says:  “With a target audience of 10million U.S. girls ages six to ten who lose 20 teeth, that translates to 200 million Tooth Fairy moments.”

The “cha-ching” sound of a cash register is heard in the background, before the voiceover adds: “And biology guarantees that will never stop.”

Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood, also known as CCFC, has launched an initiative to stop the toy company from “[cashing] in on one of childhood’s most treasured imaginary figures”.

CCFC director Dr. Susan Linn said in a statement: “It’s bad enough that so many commercial characters marketed to little girls are s***alized.

“It’s especially egregious to s***alize a childhood icon that has only existed in children’s imagination.”

Critics of the website have taken to Twitter to voice their concern.

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MERS virus unlikely to reach same scale as SARS

Kathryn R. Bown
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MERS virus unlikely to reach same scale as SARS

The new Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, which has killed half of those infected, is “unlikely” to reach the same scale as SARS, ministers in Saudi Arabia say.

Most of the 90 MERS cases reported so far have been in Saudi Arabia.

MERS is from the same group of viruses as the common cold and SARS, which killed 774 people.

However, a detailed analysis of the Saudi cases, published in Lancet Infectious Diseases, did warn of “major gaps” in understanding of the virus.

The MERS coronavirus emerged in 2012 and has infected 90 people worldwide, 45 of them have died.

MERS is from the same group of viruses as the common cold and SARS, which killed 774 people
MERS is from the same group of viruses as the common cold and SARS, which killed 774 people

The global concern is that cases could spread much further, echoing the SARS outbreak.

Cases have been centered on the Middle East – with patients in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Additional cases in France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia and the UK have all been linked to travel to the Middle East.

Researchers in Saudi Arabia have published details of the 47 cases reported in the country.

They suggest a pattern of mostly older men being infected. Most cases were also in people with other medical problems, more than two-thirds of the reported cases also had diabetes.

The lead researcher and Deputy Minister for Public Health, Prof. Ziad Memish, said: “Despite sharing some clinical similarities with SARS, there are also some important differences.

“In contrast to SARS, which was much more infectious especially in healthcare settings and affected the healthier and the younger age group, MERS appears to be more deadly, with 60% of patients with co-existing chronic illnesses dying, compared with the 1% toll of SARS.

“Although this high mortality rate with MERS is probably spurious due to the fact that we are only picking up severe cases and missing a significant number of milder or asymptomatic cases.

“So far there is little to indicate that MERS will follow a similar path to SARS.”

However, the latest Saudi investigation both highlighted the need to find where the virus was coming from.

Prof. Ziad Memish’s report said: “Reducing the rate of introduction of MERS coronavirus into human beings is unpredictable because the source of the virus is not yet known.

“We are searching vigorously for the source.”

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Justin Bieber pictured spitting over hotel balcony onto crowd of waiting fans

Lisa.Felice
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Justin Bieber pictured spitting over hotel balcony onto crowd of waiting fans

Justin Bieber was photographed spitting over a hotel balcony onto a crowd of waiting fans.

Showing just what he thought of the throng of adoring girls, Justin Bieber can be seen hurling saliva over them ahead of his concert in Toronto as his amused friends looked on.

Justin Bieber was photographed spitting over a hotel balcony onto a crowd of waiting fans
Justin Bieber was photographed spitting over a hotel balcony onto a crowd of waiting fans

After the disgusting act, Justin Bieber, 19, seemed to be pleased with himself, turning to his group of admiring friends to laugh.

His impressed pals joined in with the tearaway teen and then they all crowded around him as he took a snap on his phone.

Seeing the reaction from his legions of loyal fans, Justin Bieber seems to get even more amused and starts filming them on his phone.

With his friends looking on, the star grins as he snaps away at the people below him, who have just been showered in his saliva.

Justin Bieber is seen in what appeared to be the same outfit he wore earlier in a video he posted on his Instagram account.

Hordes of fans were seen gathered outside his Toronto hotel and were filmed by Justin Bieber in the video.

This is not the first time Justin Bieber has been accused of spitting.

Earlier this month, an Ohio based DJ alleged Justin Bieber confronted him inside a bar and “spat in his face” because the pint sized superstar suspected he was taking pictures of him.

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Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: Sugar Bear dresses up for proposal to June Shannon

Lisa.Felice
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Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: Sugar Bear dresses up for proposal to June Shannon

Honey Boo Boo’s father Sugar Bear decided to wear his “funeral shirt” when he finally plucked up the courage to propose to June Shannon on the latest episode of reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

Sugar Bear, real name Mike Thompson, donned his finest garment and roped the girls into helping him prepare a romantic candlelit dinner so he could finally ask Mama June to marry him.

And when he slipped into his outfit Honey Boo Boo revealed: “When Sugar wears his funeral shirt you know he’s serious.”

When the big moment finally arrived, June Shannon could not believe it when her partner began to make his slightly rambling proposal.

Hoping to make it third time lucky after being turned down twice before, Sugar Bear said: “But um, now on a serious note, um, I’ve talked with the girls.

Sugar Bear decided to wear his “funeral shirt” when he finally plucked up the courage to propose to June Shannon
Sugar Bear decided to wear his “funeral shirt” when he finally plucked up the courage to propose to June Shannon

“Me and the girls been talking for the last couple of weeks. I love the girls and they love me.

“I know you and me have had some ups and downs, but the girls need a father figure that’s going to be around for a while.”

Sugar Bear then showed her his pièce de résistance, a golden egg which contained the engagement ring he had earlier picked out with their daughter Honey Boo Boo,

He said: “Alana laid this golden egg. Alana told me she laid it so I don’t know.

“But, um, it would be a great honor, um, it would be a great extreme honor. Would you marry me and be my wife?”

At this point of course the credits had rolled and viewers were left on tenterhooks until next week, though the fact Sugar Bear and June Shannon got married back in May could have slightly dampened the suspense.

The reality show actually started with an equally gripping sporting event, where Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon attempted to best her mother in a game of ten pin bowling during a family outing.

After insisting she did “not want to bowl with the grannies” she accepted a bet with her elder, and if she lost she would have to rub June Shannon’s smelly feet.

When it was clear she was losing Pumpkin tried to hijack her parent’s game when she took a toilet break, saying: “My momma’s left foot is nasty and I don’t want to go near it so I’ve got to win this.”

But her lost regardless, and was mercilessly taunted for her cheating ways into the bargain.

June Shannon told Pumpkin: “These feet will see these hands tonight. Cheaters never prosper they just rub peoples feet.”

Kourtney Kardashian shows off 40 lbs post-baby weight loss

Lisa.Felice
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Kourtney Kardashian shows off 40 lbs post-baby weight loss

Kourtney Kardashian showed off her newly svelte beach body, after shedding over 40 lbs following the birth of her one-year-old daughter Penelope.

Kourtney Kardashian, 34, has recently made it a habit of parading around in various skimpy bikinis as she vacations at the Setai Hotel in Miami, Florida.

Wearing her dark locks over her shoulders, Kourtney Kardashian appeared to be enjoying the feel of the soft wind caressing her skin as she strolled along in the warm summer weather.

Kourtney Kardashian showed off her newly svelte body, after shedding over 40 lbs following the birth of her daughter Penelope
Kourtney Kardashian showed off her newly svelte body, after shedding over 40 lbs following the birth of her daughter Penelope

The reality star sported a gold pendant that rested over her sternum, bringing attention to her incredible post-baby curves.

Kourtney Kardashian donned simple rubber flip flops for her frolic on the balmy coastline.

Sporting her stripy two-piece, the dark-haired beauty dipped her toes in the frothing surf.

Kourtney Kardashian has been on holiday with her long-time beau Scott Disick and their two children Penelope and 3-year-old Mason.

Speaking of her dramatic weight loss after birthing Penelope, Kourtney Kardashian told US Weekly magazine earlier this year: “It was harder to lose weight the second time around.

“I gained 45 pounds with Penelope. I’m 5ft tall so that’s a lot.

“It took me twice as long as last time but I feel healthy and really much better about it.

“This time, the focus is really on being a mom and being present, knowing my priorities.”

Egypt: At least 100 people killed at Cairo pro-Morsi protest

Roy Siemens
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Egypt: At least 100 people killed at Cairo pro-Morsi protest

At least 100 people are reported to have been killed in Egypt’s capital Cairo at a protest held by supporters of ousted President Mohamed Morsi.

Clashes are still taking place around the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque.

A doctor at a field hospital close to the protest said that in addition to the dead, more than 1,000 were injured.

Both pro- and anti-Morsi supporters had been holding huge protests overnight.

Many thousands occupied Cairo’s Tahrir Square in support of the army, which removed Mohamed Morsi from office earlier this month.

Army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had urged people to take to the streets to give the military a mandate for its intervention.

It is not yet clear whether the clashes around the mosque represent a concerted effort by the security forces to clear the area.

Early on Saturday, Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim had vowed to end the sit-in at the mosque.

At least 100 people are reported to have been killed in Cairo at a protest held by supporters of Mohamed Morsi
At least 100 people are reported to have been killed in Cairo at a protest held by supporters of Mohamed Morsi

He said local residents had complained about the encampment and that the protest would be “brought to an end soon and in a legal manner”.

The minister said the prosecutor would issue an order, but this has yet to happen.

Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad told Reuters news agency: “They are not shooting to wound, they are shooting to kill.”

A senior Brotherhood politician, Saad el-Hosseini, told the agency that this was an attempt by security forces to clear the mosque area.

“I have been trying to make the youth withdraw for five hours. I can’t. They are saying they have paid with their blood and they do not want to retreat,” he said.

There has also been violence in Egypt’s second city of Alexandria, where at least 10 people have been killed in clashes between rival factions.

Since Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president, was ousted on July 3, dozens of people have died in violent protests.

Mohamed Morsi has now been formally accused of conspiring with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip and has strong links with the Muslim Brotherhood.

He is alleged to have plotted attacks on jails in the 2011 uprising that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak.

Mohamed Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders were freed during a breakout at a Cairo prison in January 2011.

He is to be questioned for an initial 15-day period, a judicial order said.

The order issued on Friday was the first official statement on Mohamed Morsi’s legal status since he was overthrown and placed in custody at an undisclosed location.

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North Korea: Huge parade to mark armistice 60th anniversary

Roy Siemens
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0
North Korea: Huge parade to mark armistice 60th anniversary

North Korea is holding a huge parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War.

State TV showed soldiers and military hardware parading through the capital Pyongyang in a carefully choreographed display.

Troops and spectators shouted their allegiance to North Korea’s young ruler, Kim Jong-un.

The 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce although North Korea and South Korea remain technically at war.

Correspondents say the lavish parade of weapons and goose-stepping soldiers is reminiscent of marches held by the Soviet Union and China at the height of the Cold War.

The TV pictures showed Kim Jong-un walking up to the podium on a red carpet with a military band playing in the background. The North Korean leader oversaw the parade flanked by military and ruling party leaders.

North Korea is holding a huge parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War
North Korea is holding a huge parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the armistice that ended the Korean War

Large banners hung from gas-filled balloons and the main square in Pyongyang was filled with North Korean flags.

Over the past week North Korea has staged mass rallies and fireworks displays to commemorate the anniversary.

It comes as North and South Korea try to restore ties following a period of high tension.

Earlier this month, they ended a third round of talks on the re-opening of a jointly-run industrial zone without reaching a deal.

Work at Kaesong has been suspended since mid-April when North Korea withdrew its workers.

The move came amid tense relations between the two Koreas after Pyongyang’s nuclear test in February.

In South Korea, the anniversary was marked with a speech by President Park Geun-hye.

Park Geun-hye vowed not to tolerate provocations from North Korea but also said Seoul would work on building trust with the North.

“I urge North Korea to give up the development of nuclear weapons if the country is to start on a path toward true change and progress,” she said.

[youtube KJN6cNupFIE]

World Youth Day 2013: Pope Francis re-enacts Way of the Cross in Rio de Janeiro

Diane A. Wade
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0
World Youth Day 2013: Pope Francis re-enacts Way of the Cross in Rio de Janeiro

Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion.

The Stations of the Cross march comes on the Pope’s fifth day in Brazil for World Youth Day – a weeklong event for more than a million young Christians.

Pope Francis spoke about the lack of faith in political institutions perceived as selfish and corrupt by young people.

A planned field vigil outside Rio de Janeiro was moved to the city because of rain.

Young Catholics played drums on Copacabana beach as they waited for the Pope. People from all over the world travelled to Brazil for the pontiff’s visit.

“Jesus is united with so many young people who have lost faith in political institutions, because they see in them only selfishness and corruption,” Pope Francis said.

Protests, sometimes violent, broke out in cities across Brazil last month against corruption, poor public services and the high cost of events like the 2014 World Cup.

Pope Francis, 76, also expressed understanding for Christians who had lost faith in the church because of what he called the “incoherence of Christians and ministers of the gospel”.

The Roman Catholic Church has been rocked by scandals over abuse by priests.

Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion
Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion

A pilgrim described the Pope as “very clever” and “very humble” with “a lot” of personality.

“It’s what our religion… our church is needing right now,” she said.

Shortly after Pope Francis finished speaking, police held a group of protesters who tried to invade the stage. They were demonstrating against the state governor of Rio, Sergio Cabral.

In Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo, some 300 demonstrators attacked several bank branches and at least one police post in protest against the state governor there.

Police said at least eight bank branches were attacked, and for a time several of Sao Paulo’s main avenues were blocked.

Tear gas was used to disperse the protesters.

Earlier, Latin America’s first pontiff met a group of prisoners in a palace of the Rio archdiocese.

Pope Francis then emerged on a balcony to address the crowd, urging them to cherish the elderly on Grandparents’ Day.

“How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society,” he said.

Pope Francis then went to a park where he heard three Brazilians, a Venezuelan and an Italian confess their sins.

Brazil is the world’s biggest Roman Catholic country, despite the growing popularity of Pentecostal Christianity in the country.

[youtube qkR3Jr9UzAo]

Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatens legal action against Times newspaper over open letter

Diane A. Wade
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0
Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatens legal action against Times newspaper over open letter

Turkey’s PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened legal action against British newspaper Times for publishing an open letter criticizing his handling of recent protests.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Times of “renting out its pages for money”.

Hollywood celebrities and academics were among those who signed the letter this week accusing Turkey’s government of “dictatorial rule”.

A row over a park in Istanbul last month triggered widespread anti-government protests.

At least four people were killed and thousands more injured as police cracked down on demonstrators who accused Recep Tayyip Erdogan of becoming increasingly authoritarian.

“The press wants to throw mud to see if it sticks,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in comments broadcast on Turkey’s NTV channel.

Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened legal action against British newspaper Times for publishing an open letter criticizing his handling of recent protests
Turkey’s PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened legal action against British newspaper Times for publishing an open letter criticizing his handling of recent protests

“The Times is renting out its own pages for money. This is the Times’ failing. We will pursue legal channels regarding the Times.”

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said those who signed the letter – taken out as an full-page advertisement – had “rented out their thoughts” and did not genuinely support democracy.

“If they truly believed in democracy, they couldn’t have displayed such a lack of character to call the leader of a party that won 50% of the vote a dictator,” the prime minister said.

The Times has so far not commented on the remarks.

The open letter was signed by 30 people including Turkish pianist Fazil Say, film stars Sean Penn and Susan Sarandon, film director David Lynch and British historian David Starkey.

They condemned the crackdown on anti-government protesters and compared giant pro-government rallies – organized by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP party to counter the protests – to the huge rallies staged in Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany.

The wave of unrest in Turkey was sparked by demonstrations against controversial plans to redevelop Istanbul’s Gezi Park.

Turkish authorities’ heavy-handed response sparked anti-government protests nationwide.

[youtube QMY9gjgbTMo]

Lady Gaga reveals her newly pierced septum

Lisa.Felice
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0
Lady Gaga reveals her newly pierced septum

Lady Gaga’s make-up artist uploaded a video of the singer getting her septum pierced.

The video, which shows Lady Gaga looking calm, features hard electronic music throughout the nose piercing process.

Following the process Lady Gaga, 27, posed alongside piercer Steve Bennet, showing off her natural beauty as she went make-up free once again.

Lady Gaga reveals her newly pierced septum
Lady Gaga reveals her newly pierced septum

Shortly after the video went online fans began to speculate about whether the music was in fact a hint of what to expect from her forthcoming album ARTPOP.

However, Lady Gaga’s make-up artist quickly dispelled the rumors tweeting: “The music’s not from the album, it’s from the experience xoxo.”

But looking for any information they could get her fans quickly started quizzing her piercer who posted the picture, captioned: “Getting hype with Lady Gaga at my studio in Chicago. (pierced her septum with 16 anatometal seamless).”

Answering some of their questions he wrote: “She was so fun and full of energy. It was such a pleasure meeting her. Cannot wait till her new album is released!”

And fans won’t have long to wait to hear new music as Lady Gaga is set to perform at the MTV Music Awards next month.

[youtube eD0kqoDY72M]

Pumpkin Shannon and Sugar Bear take on whopping 4lb Pigzilla sandwich

Lisa.Felice
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0
Pumpkin Shannon and Sugar Bear take on whopping 4lb Pigzilla sandwich

Honey Boo Boo’s sister Lauryn “Pumpkin” Shannon and father Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson have met their match in the form of a 4 lb sandwich.

In the latest episode of hit reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, 13-year-old Pumpkin got ready to tackle the “Pigzilla” – consisting of 3 lbs of meat and a 1 lb bun.

The reality show family from McIntyre Georgia decamp to Papa Buck’s BBQ to get gluttonous, with Pumpkin hoping to be the first woman to win.

“Pigzilla has been challenged 55 times and it’s only defeated once – by a professional eater,” family matriarch June Shannon explains.

“I think it’s going to be defeated twice because, hey, I’ve got my own professional eater on my hands. We’ll see which beast wins.”

With winnings of $200 up for grabs and only 45 minutes to scarf the giant meat and bread creation, Pumpkin and Sugar Bear steel themselves for the task ahead.

Pumpkin Shannon getting ready to tackle the Pigzilla, consisting of 3 lbs of meat and a 1 lb bun
Pumpkin Shannon getting ready to tackle the Pigzilla, consisting of 3 lbs of meat and a 1 lb bun

“Before I eat Pigzilla, I need to concentrate,” says Pumpkin.

“I need to get in the zone. I don’t need any distractions.”

Luckily, Mama June had plenty of advice for her eating prodigy, who she hoped would be the “redneck Kobayashi”.

“Dip the bun in the water,” June Shannon tells Pumpkin, who put on her “professional shirt” for the occasion.

“Every time she wears her professional shirt, you know she’s being serious,” says June Shannon.

After learning the sandwich would cost her $30 if it didn’t get eaten, she urges her family onward: “Hell no, you better eat that s***.”

However, the challenge is only complete if the participant keeps the sandwich down for five minutes, according to Mama June.

“And then you can puke,” June Shannon confides.

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June Shannon is legally blind after untreated childhood cataracts

Lisa.Felice
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0
June Shannon is legally blind after untreated childhood cataracts

June Shannon has revealed that she is legally blind as a result of childhood cataracts that were not properly treated.

Mama June’s eyesight is obviously an issue during Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Season 2, when the family goes go-karting to celebrate her husband Sugar Bear’s 41st birthday.

Honey Boo Boo’s mother admits that her blurry vision make her afraid to get into a go-kart, and has prevented her from getting a driver’s license.

June Shannon’s eyesight has been an issue in the past when interacting with seven-year old daughter Honey Boo Boo and her sisters Pumpkin, 13, Chubbs, 16, and 18-year-old Chickadee.

During the season premiere, June Shannon, 33, was shown putting her daughters’ cell phones into a cheese ball bucket when they refused to stop texting. But when Mama June uses her own phone, she is forced to squint and hold it inches from her face.

June Shannon has revealed that she is legally blind as a result of childhood cataracts that were not properly treated
June Shannon has revealed that she is legally blind as a result of childhood cataracts that were not properly treated

During the first season, June Shannon was shown having to squint incredibly hard to see the numbers at Bingo. Her imperfect vision is also an issue when she tries to save money by doing Honey Boo Boo’s pageant make-up herself.

“My mama better stick to couponing and stay away from the makeup table,” Alana Thompson aka Honey Boo Boo says.

Though cataracts are very common in older people – with around 50% of adults developing them by age 80 – experts estimate that a baby’s chances of being born with cataracts is only around one in 5,000.

In the past Mama June has expressed insecurities about her “forklift foot” that was run over by a piece of heavy machinery. Even Sugar Bear wasn’t allowed to see her sockless.

But for the most part, June Shannon is confident, happy and doesn’t let physical issues get her down.

After encouragement from her family, Mama June takes the wheel at the go-kart track – and even laughs when the kart gets jammed and she has to be rescued by three attendants.

What are childhood cataracts?

  • A cataract is an eye disease in which the clear lens of one or both eyes becomes cloudy
  • It is estimated that one in 5,000 children are born with cataracts
  • In most cases, the exact cause is not known, but some possible causes include genetic conditions or infections during pregnancy
  • Doctors recommend performing surgery within the first two months and definitely by four months
  • Cataract operations are generally very successful, with a low risk of serious complications

Kate Middleton floral Séraphine dress sells out and has a month-long waiting list

Lisa.Felice
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0
Kate Middleton floral Séraphine dress sells out and has a month-long waiting list

Maternity brand Séraphine sales have soared by 40% since it was revealed Kate Middleton is a fan of their designs.

After donning one of their dresses on her first Royal outing since the birth of Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, Séraphine saw sales rocket further.

New mother Kate Middleton was photographed arriving at her parents’ home in Bucklebury wearing the £50 ($80) Blossom Knot Front Lavender Dress on Wednesday.

Demand for the dress has been so high that the site has now stated that orders will not be shipped for at least another month.

This isn’t the first time that Kate Middleton has worked her magic on Séraphine’s sales.

Maternity brand Séraphine sales have soared by 40 percent since it was revealed Kate Middleton is a fan of their designs
Maternity brand Séraphine sales have soared by 40 percent since it was revealed Kate Middleton is a fan of their designs

Sales of one item, the £39 ($60) Brooke dress, quadrupled after Kate Middleton was reported to have taken a fancy to it when she was shopping in Sloane Square, according to founder Cecile Reinaud.

Total sales are up 40% since March, when Kate Middleton was linked with the brand.

Kate Middleton has been a fan of Séraphine throughout her pregnancy, ordering over a dozen designs from the brand; who have two West London boutiques, one of which is conveniently located on Kensington Church Street, near Kensington Palace.

Séraphine has four London outlets and sells through the internet to more than 30 countries.

Cecile Reinaud said: “The Kate effect is worldwide. From China, Russia to South Africa, sales are boosted  due to the fact she chose our brand to dress her royal bump.”

Séraphine reported a turnover of £5.2 million ($8 million) in the year ending March 2013 and Cecile Reinaud expects turnover for 2014 to reach £8 million ($12 million).

Séraphine prides itself on offering unrivalled wardrobe solutions for pregnant women, available in their London boutiques and at selected Peter Jones and John Lewis stores, and online through their international websites.

Created by Cecile Reinaud, Séraphine’s collections hope to exude effortless Parisian chic, and have earned the brand an A-list following including Angelina Jolie, January Jones, Claudia Schiffer, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner and Kate Hudson.

FBI and Russian FSB security services in talks over Edward Snowden

Diane A. Wade
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0
FBI and Russian FSB security services in talks over Edward Snowden

The FBI and Russian FSB security services are “in talks” over fugitive Edward Snowden, according to President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman.

However, Dmitry Peskov repeated Russia’s position that it would “not hand anyone over”.

Edward Snowden, 30, has been stuck in transit at a Moscow airport for the past month as he has no valid travel documents.

The US Attorney General, Eric Holder, has sought to assure Moscow he would not face the death penalty in America.

Washington wants him extradited for leaking details of surveillance programmes.

Dmitry Peskov did not specify what the nature of the talks between the agencies was.

He did, however, remind reporters that President Vladimir Putin had expressed a strong determination not to allow the case to interfere with US-Russian relations.

The FBI and Russian FSB security services are "in talks" over fugitive Edward Snowden
The FBI and Russian FSB security services are “in talks” over fugitive Edward Snowden

Vladimir Putin had not taken part in any discussions with the American authorities over Mr Snowden case, Dmitry Peskov said.

Edward Snowden “has not made any request that would require examination by the head of state”, Dmitry Peskov added.

The Russian president has refused to hand him to the American authorities, but said he could stay in Russia only if he stopped leaking US secrets.

Edward Snowden, whose passport has been cancelled by the US, has been in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport since arriving from Hong Kong on June 23.

On Thursday Edward Snowden’s lawyer Anatoly Kucherena denied earlier reports that Snowden had been given Russian travel documents.

Edward Snowden has requested temporary asylum in Russia, and said recently his favored final destination was Latin America.

In a letter to Russian Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov, Eric Holder said that the charges against Edward Snowden were not punishable by death.

If additional charges were brought which could incur capital punishment, the US would not seek to impose such a penalty, he added.

The Snowden affair has caused diplomatic ructions around the world, upsetting America’s close allies and traditional enemies.

Leaks by the former CIA worker have led to revelations that the National Security Agency (NSA) is collecting Americans’ phone records.

On Wednesday evening, an attempt to block funding for the programme narrowly failed in a 205-217 vote in the House of Representatives.

The White House had lobbied Congress to support the surveillance.

Opponents of the US, including Bolivia, Venezuela and Nicaragua, have all offered Edward Snowden asylum.

Ariel Castro avoids death penalty as he accepts plea deal

Nancy Clayson
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0
Ariel Castro avoids death penalty as he accepts plea deal

Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro appeared in court today to accept a plea deal under which he will serve a life sentence plus 1,000 years for the kidnap and rape of Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus.

Ariel Castro, 53, was said to have agreed to the deal – after initially pleading not guilty to all 977 counts against him – to spare him the death penalty. His previous not guilty pleas were withdrawn.

Under the offer, Ariel Castro will spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole, meaning he will die in prison.

It also means his three victims Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus will not have to testify about their more than ten-year ordeal in front of a jury.

Speaking in court today, Ariel Castro said: “I said I was willing to work with the FBI and I would tell them everything.”

The judge asked him if he understood that he would die in prison and there would never be a possibility he would be released from prison.

Ariel Castro replied: “I do understand that and I said because of the s** crimes I knew I would have the book thrown at me.

“There are some things I do not comprehend because of my s**ual problems throughout the years. But I trust my lawyers and I understand my rights and the sentence.”

Ariel Castro appeared in court to accept a plea deal under which he will serve a life sentence
Ariel Castro appeared in court to accept a plea deal under which he will serve a life sentence

Offering some form of an explanation for his despicable crimes, Ariel Castro said: “I was a victim as a child and it just kept going.”

The judge cut him off and told him to save his story for his sentencing hearing.

Prosecutors said if evidence of additional crimes came to light, Ariel Castro could still be indicted on future charges that included the death penalty.

Ariel Castro’s lawyers have said for weeks that they would consider an agreement under which the former Cleveland school bus driver would plead guilty to some charges in return for his life.

He has been charged with 977 counts including kidnapping and repeated rape. He has also been charged with murder under a fetal homicide law for allegedly forcing one of the women to miscarry.

Gina DeJesus, 23, Michelle Knight, 32, and Amanda Berry, 27 were freed from Ariel Castro’s home in a rundown area of Cleveland in May.

The house will be torn down, it was revealed this week.

Also freed was a six-year-old girl who, according to DNA evidence, was fathered by Ariel Castro with Amanda Berry during her captivity.

A grand jury on July 17 added 648 charges to a previous indictment against Ariel Castro and an $8 million bond was put in place.

The indictment against Ariel Castro alleges he repeatedly restrained the women, sometimes chaining them to a pole in a basement, to a bedroom heater or inside a van.

It says one of the women tried to escape and he assaulted her with a vacuum cord around her neck.

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Prince Harry talks of nephew Prince George

Nancy Clayson
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0
Prince Harry talks of nephew Prince George

Prince Harry has talked about his duties as an uncle to his new nephew Prince George, saying that he will “make sure he has fun”.

Prince Harry, 28, said that he had already cuddled the prince, who was born on Monday and has been named George Alexander Louis – Prince George of Cambridge.

He said it was “fantastic to have another addition to the family”, and that the newborn “was crying his eyes out” when he met him.

Prince George is third in line to the throne.

Prince Harry – who is now fourth in line to the throne – spoke while on a visit to a photographic exhibition in London documenting the work of his Africa-based charity Sentebale.

The charity helps children living in Lesotho who are orphaned by the country’s HIV/Aids epidemic.

Prince Harry has talked about his duties as an uncle to his new nephew Prince George
Prince Harry has talked about his duties as an uncle to his new nephew Prince George

When asked what his mission was as an uncle he replied: “To make sure he has a good upbringing, and keep him out of harm’s way and to make sure he has fun.

“The rest I’ll leave to the parents.”

Prince George was born at 16:24 BST on Monday at the private Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where Prince William and Prince Harry were also born.

The prince joked: “I only hope my brother knows how expensive my babysitting charges are.”

And asked what his nephew was like he held up his hands and said: “Well he’s about that long and about that wide.”

Kate Middleton and Prince William left hospital with their son on Tuesday evening, staying overnight at Kensington Palace.

The Queen spent 30 minutes with her new great-grandson on Wednesday. At a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday evening, the monarch said she was “thrilled” at the arrival of her third great-grandchild.

Kate Middleton and Prince William left Kensington Palace shortly after the Queen’s visit and were driven to the home of the duchess’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

It had been expected that the couple would want to spend time at Middleton family home but it is not known how long they will stay.

Prince William has two weeks’ paternity leave before he is due back at work in Anglesey where he is an RAF search and rescue pilot.

[youtube 4HvEBxz8GIc]

Mohamed Morsi accused of plotting with Hamas

Roy Siemens
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0
Mohamed Morsi accused of plotting with Hamas

Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi is being held over allegations of links with Palestinian militants Hamas and plotting attacks on jails in the 2011 uprising, it has been announced.

The ousted president is to be questioned for an initial 15-day period, a judiciary order said.

Mohamed Morsi has been held at an undisclosed location since his removal by the military on July 3.

The announcement comes as supporters and opponents of the deposed president prepare to stage mass rallies in Cairo.

The order issued on Friday is the first official statement on Mohamed Morsi’s judicial status since he was overthrown.

It says the former president is suspected of conspiring with Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and has strong links with Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, during the uprising against former President Hosni Mubarak.

The state-run Mena news agency says Mohamed Morsi is accused of colluding with the Palestinian group to storm police stations and jails, “setting fire to one prison and enabling inmates to flee, including himself, as well as premeditated killing of officers, soldiers and prisoners”.

Mohamed Morsi and several Muslim Brotherhood leaders were freed during a breakout at a Cairo prison in January 2011.

Mohamed Morsi is being held over allegations of links with Palestinian militants Hamas and plotting attacks on jails in the 2011 uprising
Mohamed Morsi is being held over allegations of links with Palestinian militants Hamas and plotting attacks on jails in the 2011 uprising

A spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood, Gehad el-Haddad, described the accusations as “ridiculous”. He told Reuters news agency that the order marked the return of the “old regime”.

The army has warned any attempt to use violence during mass rallies planned on Friday will be “dealt with decisively and with force”.

On Wednesday, army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on people to take to the streets to give the military a mandate to confront violence and “terrorism”.

Since Mohamed Morsi was ousted, dozens of people have died in clashes between supporters and opponents of the Islamist leader.

Militants have also staged deadly attacks in the Sinai peninsula.

The Tamarod movement that organized protests which preceded Mohamed Morsi’s removal has urged its supporters to take part in Friday’s rallies.

“We call on all of the great Egyptian people to gather in the squares on Friday to officially demand that Mohamed Morsi be put on trial and to support the Egyptian armed forces in its coming war on terrorism,” it said.

Some analysts say the military could be preparing to move against sit-ins by Morsi supporters, including one in front of the Rabaa al-Adawiya mosque in a Cairo suburb.

Mohamed Morsi narrowly won the presidential election in June 2012 to become Egypt’s first democratically elected president, but his opponents accused him of trying to impose an Islamist agenda on the country.

Interim President Adly Mansour has set out a “roadmap” towards a revision of the constitution introduced by Mohamed Morsi and for fresh elections in early 2014, but this has been rejected by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Hisham Qandil, who was prime minister under Mohamed Morsi proposed his own roadmap on Thursday, involving:

  • the release of those detained by the army since Mohamed Morsi’s removal
  • an independent investigation into the deaths of at least 51 people at the Presidential Guards HQ earlier this month
  • a delegation to be allowed to visit Mohamed Morsi to check on his health
  • a halt to protest marches, with both sides agreeing to hold rallies only in specific locations

There has been no official response to Hisham Qandil’s suggestions, and military spokesmen have previously given the Muslim Brotherhood a deadline of Saturday to join the official process.

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