British Airways is to become the first European airline to let passengers switch on their mobile phones and other devices just after landing.
From 1st of July, once an aircraft has got off the runway people can power up their electronics, rather than having to wait until it has stopped.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said it is satisfied there are no safety implications.
Airlines from other countries have allowed similar rules for some time.
Passengers have generally been forbidden from using their electronic devices on planes owing to fears of interference, especially when taking off and landing.
BA’s new rules will allow mobiles to be switched on and used as soon as the aircraft is off the runway.
“Customers will no longer have the frustration of having to wait until their plane has arrived at the terminal building before being able to use their mobile phones and other handheld electronic devices,” said Ian Pringle, BA flight training manager.
British Airways is to become the first European airline to let passengers switch on their mobile phones and other devices just after landing
“Now they’ll have that extra time to phone ahead for that important business meeting, check their emails, or make sure someone is there to meet them at the airport.”
The rules will not affect restrictions during take-off, however, where devices will still have to be switched off until the plane reaches 10,000 ft (3,050 m).
The change, which will apply to BA flights landing anywhere in the world, is in response to feedback from customers, the airline said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the equivalent of the CAA in the United States, has also been looking at allowing wider use of personal electronics on flights.
A draft proposal published last week said existing rules, first drawn up in 1966, had become “untenable” in an age of modern technology and communication.
Several studies later, the FAA has agreed to change guidelines, but is still debating to what degree.
The FAA agreed with experts that advances in technology, both in aviation and consumer electronics, mean any threat of interference is either minimal or non-existent.
But there is greater concern about take-off and landing, with authorities keen both to ensure aircraft equipment is not interfered with and that passengers are not overly distracted at “critical” moments.
It is likely that pressure on aviation authorities worldwide to relax rules has been driven by a major revenue opportunity for airlines.
Technology exists, and is in limited use, for passengers to use Wi-Fi internet and to make calls at high altitude, usually at premium rates.
Any change in policy would be welcome news for actor Alec Baldwin. In December 2011, he was kicked off an American Airlines flight before take-off after refusing to stop playing the popular Scrabble-like game Words With Friends.
Australia’s PM Julia Gillard has been ousted by Kevin Rudd as leader of Labor Party.
Kevin Rudd won by 57 votes to 45, in a leadership ballot of Labor lawmakers.
The change comes ahead of a general election due in September, which polls suggest Labor is set to lose.
This is the latest twist in a long and bitter rivalry between Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd – but it could be the last as the prime minister has said she will now leave politics.
“I will not re-contest the federal electorate… at the forthcoming election,” said Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female prime minister.
“What I am absolutely confident of is it will be easier for the next woman and the woman after that and the woman after that, and I’m proud of that,” she added.
Despite their bitter rivalry, Kevin Rudd praised his predecessor, describing her as a woman of extraordinary intelligence, with great strength and energy.
“Julia, as prime minister and prior to that as deputy prime minister, has achieved much under the difficult circumstances of a minority government,” Kevin Rudd told a news conference after his victory.
Australia’s PM Julia Gillard has been ousted by Kevin Rudd as leader of Labor Party
Kevin Rudd is more popular with voters than Julia Gillard, and many believe Labor will perform better in the election under him.
Wednesday’s leadership test was the third faced by Julia Gillard since she took office in 2010. She herself ousted Kevin Rudd as prime minister in 2010.
Kevin Rudd has exacted his revenge, after three years of him and his supporters mounting a destabilization campaign targeted very much at her.
The ballot followed months of speculation over the party’s leadership, and came after a day of drama that saw Kevin Rudd’s supporters push for a vote.
Shortly before the vote, a key power-broker, Bill Shorten, switched his support to Kevin Rudd, saying Labor stood a better chance in the polls with him.
Many people do not think Kevin Rudd will win the election but he may mitigate the losses and shorten the time Labor could spend in opposition if the party loses.
A poll published earlier this month suggested that three cabinet ministers would lose their seats at the poll under Julia Gillard’s leadership, but would retain their seats if Kevin Rudd was leading the party.
The vote makes Kevin Rudd the leader of the Labor Party, but not prime minister.
Julia Gillard must write to Governor General Quentin Bryce stating that she is resigning as prime minister before Kevin Rudd can be sworn in.
A shake-up in the cabinet is expected following the leadership change.
Deputy PM Wayne Swan has already quit because of Kevin Rudd’s victory. He has been replaced by Kevin Rudd ally and transport minister Anthony Albanese.
Kim Kardashian sent a few friends fake pictures of her baby daughter North West to see who would try to sell them to the press – and now they’ve shown up on gossip website TMZ.
One of Kim Kardashian’s so-called pals attempted to sell the bogus photo of a newborn to a publication.
Kim Kardashian sent a few friends fake pictures of her baby daughter North West to see who would try to sell them to the press
The baby, who is seen wrapped in a blanket, could easily pass for being the child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who was born June 15.
But sources have confirmed that the photo Kim Kardashian sent around was a fake with two images of a baby that is not Kim and Kanye West’s now appearing online.
It seems Kim Kardashian wanted to test the principals of several of her friends as the world waits for a first glimpse of her child.
A second picture of a different baby, which is also believed not to be North West, has been doing the rounds, TMZ claims.
Kim Kardashian left hospital on Thursday and is currently getting used to being a new mother.
She is believed to have moved into mother Kris Jenner’s home, along with little North and Kanye West, until renovations on their $9 million Bel Air home are complete.
Paula Deen appeared on the Today show this morning in a last-ditch attempt to save her career in the wake of her racism scandal.
Disgraced chef Paula Deen sobbed as she claimed “very hurtful lies” had destroyed her reputation and insisted that she had only used the n-word once – something she deeply regretted.
Paula Deen added that she believed she should not have been dropped as a representative for Food Network and Smithfield and that other partners “who know who I am” have stood beside her.
“The main reason I am here today is that it’s important to me that I tell you and everyone out there what I believe and how I live my life,” Paula Dee began.
“I believe that every creature on this earth was created equal.
“I want people to know who I am and people that have worked beside me know what kind of person I am. I am so distressed that people I’ve never heard of are suddenly experts on who I am.
“What you see is what you get. I’m not an actress. I’m heartbroken. I’ve had to hold friends in my arms as they’ve sobbed because they know what’s been sobbed about me that’s not true.”
She said that she had used a racist slur on one occasion in a stressful robbery situation, but said that “it was a world ago” and something she regretted.
“If there’s anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back, please pick up a rock and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me,” Paula Deen sobbed.
“I want to meet you. I want to meet you.”
Paula Deen admitted to using the n-word in a deposition that was released last week. On the Today show she said that, even knowing the upset is has caused her career, she would admit the truth if given the choice again.
“There’s a couple of kinds of people that I don’t like – that I am prejudiced against – and that’s thiefs and liars,” she said.
Paula Deen appeared on the Today show this morning in a last-ditch attempt to save her career in the wake of her racism scandal
Paula Deen appeared on the Today show less than a week after she cancelled an interview amid the scandal over her use of racial slurs.
Following her dismissal from the Food Network, meat producer Smithfield announced at the weekend that they will be dropping Paula Deen as their company spokeswoman and will be ending their partnership. The company also sells a line of Paula Deen-branded hams.
The company released a statement saying it “condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen”.
Another blow came when it was announced over the weekend that she will not be appearing on home shopping network QVC as litigation continues in the discrimination lawsuit.
Paula Deen, 66, became embroiled in the racial controversy when a former employee testified that she heard Deen repeatedly use the n-word and talk of how she wanted to have a plantation themed wedding for her brother with an all-black serving staff to emulate slaves.
After the testimony was released publicly, both Paula Deen and her career have spiraled out of control in a public relations nightmare.
First she released a heavily-edited video on Friday where she spoke directly to her fans, asking for their forgiveness.
Paula Deen was due to follow that up with an appearance on the Today showthat same morning, but cancelled at the last minute leaving co-anchor Matt Lauer to explain on air.
After the initial video was released another, longer one was then posted on YouTube and was taken down soon after.
In this one she explains her absence from the Today show and apologizes “to those that I have hurt”.
Paula Deen says: “I was invited to speak to Matt Lauer about a subject that has been very hurtful for a lot of people.
“Matt I was physically not able this morning, the pain has been tremendous that I have caused to myself and to others so I am taking this opportunity, now that i have pulled myself together and am able to speak, to offer an apology for those I’ve hurt.”
Over the weekend, her loyal fans showed their support bylining up in droves to eat at her Savannah, Georgia restaurant, and bash the Food Network on social media.
“Everyone in this nation has used a racist comment at one time or another. She grew up in the South,” Facebook user Maria O’Donnell wrote on the channel’s page.
Over the weekend, more stories about the chef’s alleged racism as a former employee alleged that Paula Deen and her brother regularly called him “my little monkey”.
Another told how as an oyster cook at one of her restaurants the black wait staff were regularly forced to work at her private parties held at her Savannah, Georgia estate without pay.
“Paula and Bubba just gave us beer and alcohol and I don’t even drink. It was insulting and unfair. I was like, <<Pay me!>>,” Sheldon J. Ervin told Radar.
While the Network cut ties to the chef, who headlined three shows on the channel that she has worked with for the past 11 years, QVC has waited to make any final moves.
“QVC shares the concerns being raised around the unfortunate Paula Deen situation. QVC does not tolerate discriminatory behavior,” vice president Paul Capelli said in a statement.
“We are closely monitoring these events and the ongoing litigation. We are reviewing our business relationship with Ms Deen, and in the meantime, we have no immediate plans to have her appear on QVC.”
Brazil’s Congress has rejected proposed constitutional amendment PEC 37 that was a key grievance of protesters who took to streets across the country.
Demonstrators had argued PEC 37, which would have limited the power of federal prosecutors to investigate crimes, might open the way for more corruption.
On Tuesday, the measure was defeated by 430 votes to nine.
Congress also voted to use all the royalties from newly discovered oil fields for education and health.
Some of the largest oil finds in recent years have been discovered off the Brazilian coast and the country is expected to be able to produce tens of billions of barrels of crude oil over the coming decades.
However, many of the finds are “pre-sal” (“beneath the salt”) reserves, located deep in the ocean floor.
The process of extracting oil from such depths carries huge risks and requires new technologies, and will take time.
Congress voted to allocate 75% of the royalties of those newly-found pre-sal sites to education and 25% to health, but it is not clear when those royalties would start coming in.
The PEC 37 constitutional amendment rejected on Tuesday had been a thorn in the side of many protesters and its defeat has been described by one national newspaper as a direct result of “pressure from the streets”.
Brazil’s Congress has rejected proposed constitutional amendment PEC 37 that was a key grievance of protesters
The amendment would have assigned the power to conduct criminal investigations exclusively to the police, thus removing the role of federal prosecution service from the evaluation of criminal charges.
Its critics said it would have affected the ability of prosecutors to conduct effective, fair and impartial criminal investigations, including those into organized crime and corruption.
In another move to try and pacify protesters angry at a broad range of issues, including poor public services, high levels of corruption and the high cost of hosting major sporting events such as the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics, the government also promised to speed up the pace of reform.
The government said it would simplify a referendum to establish a constituent assembly – proposed on Monday by President Dilma Rousseff – in order to allow for a vote as early as September 7.
Ministers suggested they would focus on a more straightforward referendum proposing political reform.
It could address “concrete questions”, such as campaign financing and political representation, they said.
Education Minister Aloisio Mercadante said the government wanted political reform with “wide public participation”.
“We want [the referendum] to happen as soon as possible,” he said.
A controversial measure to recruit more foreign doctors to address a shortfall in the health system is also going ahead despite the objections of organizations representing Brazilian medical practitioners.
The president of the senate, Renan Calheiros, has proposed free transport for all students.
Various city authorities have reversed increases in public transport fares that were a source of widespread public anger.
The flurry of political activity is taking place ahead of a series of demonstrations in various Brazilian cities on Wednesday.
One of the largest is due to take place in the city of Belo Horizonte where Brazil’s football team will play Uruguay in the semi-final of the Confederations Cup.
There is a public holiday in the city, and tens of thousands of protesters are expected. A protest group has promised to start the day demonstrating in front of the national team’s hotel.
The cost of the World Cup, for which the Confederations Cup is a dress rehearsal, has been a key issue in recent protests.
Security will be tight with thousands of police on duty and other special forces on standby.
There were violent clashes in Belo Horizonte on Saturday during another protest.
The nature of the demonstration is likely to be seen as an early test of whether the rash of political concessions is having an impact, our correspondent adds.
The wave of rallies in more than 100 cities began in Sao Paulo, where residents were unhappy at planned rises in public-transport fares.
Those increases have since been shelved, but the protests spread across Brazil, and the protesters’ demands have become more wide-ranging.
Leading South African cleric Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for ex-President Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba visited Nelson Mandela, 94, in hospital in Pretoria, praying with his wife Graca Machel.
Elders from Nelson Mandela’s Tembu clan are due to visit him on Wednesday, local media say.
Nelson Mandela’s condition became critical on Sunday, following his admission on June 8 with a recurring lung infection.
The scene at the hospital, where well-wishers have decorated a wall with flowers and supportive messages, is described as quiet, save for waiting journalists.
It is Nelson Mandela’s third stay in hospital this year with lung problems.
Nelson Mandela, known by his clan name Madiba, is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years. He left power after five years as the country’s first black president.
Cape Town Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s prayer, delivered during a visit to the private hospital late on Tuesday, seemed to echo the growing feeling in South Africa that Nelson Mandela is reaching the end of his life, correspondents say.
“May [we] be filled with gratitude for all the good that he has done for us and for our nation, and may [we] honor his legacy through our lives…” reads the prayer, which was posted on Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s Facebook page.
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba has prayed for Nelson Mandela’s “peaceful end” as he remains in a critical condition in hospital
“Grant Madiba eternal healing and relief from pain and suffering. Grant him, we pray, a quiet night and a peaceful, perfect, end.”
Meanwhile, a friend of Nelson Mandela and the leader of the opposition United Democratic Movement (UDM) party, Bantu Holomisa, denied that a row had broken out in the ex-president’s family over funeral arrangements.
Bantu Holomisa, along with Nelson Mandela’s children, grandchildren, traditional leaders and government ministers, met on Tuesday in Qunu, the village where Mandela grew up and spent of his time after he stepped down as president in 1999, South Africa’s Star newspaper reports.
“The purpose of the meeting was to brief the elders about Mandela’s condition…. One does not want to leave the elders behind,” Bantu Holomisa told the local Mail and Guardian newspaper.
The Star reports that it has learned from three sources that Nelson Mandela’s grandson and his traditional heir, Mandla, wants the former president to be buried in the nearby village of Mvezo where he was born.
However, other family members want the burial to take place in Qunu and they also want the bodies of three of Nelson Mandela’s children, including his eldest son, Makgatho, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005, to be exhumed from Mvezo and moved back to Qunu, the paper reports.
According to South Africa’s Times newspaper, clan elders are due to travel to Pretoria on Wednesday to visit Nelson Mandela.
The former South African president has children from his two previous wives, Evelyn Mase and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, both of whom he divorced.
Nelson Mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
He has a long history of lung problems, and was diagnosed with tuberculosis in the 1980s while he was a prisoner on Robben Island.
After his release, Nelson Mandela said that the tuberculosis was probably caused by dampness in his prison cell.
Liberace’s old Las Vegas mansion has been put up for sale for $529,900.
The expansive main living area contains two of Liberace’s favorite chandelier, with mirrored walls and fitted wardrobes.
Another room features a raised stage style area with bright red carpet and a small mirrored ceiling.
One room boasts tile piano keys decorating the floor, while a mirror bar is etched with Liberace’s signature and an image of a piano.
The home sits on almost half an acre of land, includes five fireplaces and “several large areas for entertaining” according to Las Vegas Inc.
A new owner can look forward to a bedroom ceiling adorned with a $1.6 million reproduction of Michelangelo’s painting at the Sistine Chapel, according to the publication.
Liberace’s former Las Vegas Mansion is owned by the JPMorgan Chase bank that seized the home from its last owner through foreclosure and is asking for cash-only offers
There is also one of Liberace’s signature “L” logos left on one of the outside gates of the home, which has changed hands twice since his foundation sold it in 1989.
Another outside shot shows an ornate front door decorated with gold and what looked to be brightly colored stained glass windows at either side of the house.
The two-storey, 14,939 square foot house is on sale for more than $3 million less than in its heyday.
The two bedroom, ten bathroom home, which was built in 1962, is owned by the JPMorgan Chase bank that seized the home from its last owner through foreclosure and is asking for cash-only offers.
Liberace, born Władziu Valentino Liberace, bought the house in 1974.
Liberace, who died of an AIDS related illness in 1987, has enjoyed some posthumous fame recently after Michael Douglas played him in HBO biopic Behind the Candelabra.
Starring Matt Damon as Liberace’s secret boyfriend Scott Thorson, the film follows the last ten years of Liberace’s life based on Thorson’s memoir, Behind the Candelabra: My Life With Liberace.
Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris, is reportedly keen to come to the UK and visit Mark Lester following revelations this week claiming he’s her biological father.
On Tuesday Jason Pfeiffer, a friend of Michael Jackson, claimed he is able to confirm rumors that both his children, Paris and Prince, were fathered by British actor Mark Lester.
Jason Pfeiffer, said to be a close friend of Michael Jackson, has claimed that the singer made the startling confession just a few months before he died on June 25, 2009.
Now Paris Jackson is reportedly hoping to visit Mark Lester when she is discharged from hospital following her recent suicide bid.
A source told the Mirror: “Paris is deeply interested in learning about her father’s friendship with Mark and what happened.
“In no way would she ever see him as a replacement for Michael but she’s curious…
“Michael always described Mark as his <<special friend>>. Now it has even greater significance.”
Paris Jackson is interested to visit Mark Lester after revelations he is her biological father
The paper goes on to say that Paris Jackson’s brother Prince isn’t interested about the apparent revelations and “can’t be bothered” as he is happy to continue being under the guardianship of Michael’s mother Katherine, 83.
Mark Lester, who made his name in the 1969 film version of Oliver! has long been rumored to be the father of Michael Jackson’s children.
Jason Pfeiffer has also claimed that Michael Jackson wanted Prince and Paris’ mother Debbie Rowe to have no part in their lives, saying he was “mom and dad” to his children.
Jason Pfeiffer, 39, told the Sunday Mirror: “One day as we walked about his children and Debbie Rowe, he just came out and said that his children were actually fathered by Mark.”
He added: “Michael felt Mark was one of his closest friends. He said he was a great actor and very good man. He mentioned that he had taken several people’s sperm and decided on Mark.”
Michael Jackson had his two eldest children with Debbie Rowe while his son Blanket was born to an anonymous surrogate mother.
Jason Pfeiffer has claimed how Michael Jackson confided in him during a visit to Arnold Klein’s medical clinic in Beverly Hills in 2009.
His friend believes that Michael Jackson made the confession for a reason, as four months later he died, aged 50, after his doctor Conrad Murray reportedly gave him a fatal dose of anesthetic propofol.
Jason Pfeiffer has hinted that Michael Jackson would welcome Mark Lester to be more involved with his children’s lives.
Mark Lester, 54, has also spoken about the possibility of him being the father to Michael Jackson’s kids, revealing that he was asked to donate sperm by the late singer.
However, in an interview on ITV show Lorraine on Tuesday morning, Mark Lester insisted that even if he was their biological father, it wouldn’t change anything.
He said: “As far as I’m concerned the children are in the best possible place for them, Michael was their father, Michael brought those children up, whether or not he was the biological father, he was their father from day one. I can’t see why that situation would change.”
Mark Lester added in the wake of Paris Jackson’s suicide attempt: “Okay we’ve had this slight hiccup with Paris, but I’m sure that is a hiccup and things will get back on track.”
He also revealed that he would love for Paris Jackson and her siblings to come to the UK and stay with him.
Mark Lester said: “If they [the children] ever need to come over to the UK they can come and visit, be lovely to see them, the door is always open for them to come.”
Sony has launched Xperia Z Ultra waterproof Android smartphone with a 6.4 in screen (16.3 cm).
Sony is pitching the Xperia Z Ultra as being the slimmest large-screened handset on the market.
The Xperia Z Ultra can also accept sketches or notes written using a standard pencil or metal-tipped pen in addition to an optional stylus.
Sony says it intends for the device to challenge Samsung’s dominance of the jumbo-sized handset sector.
According to a study by consultants Transparency Market Research, Samsung accounted for 70% of the overall “superphone and phablet” market in 2012 thanks to the popularity of models including the Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.
Earlier this year, it added the Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Mega – a 6.3 in-screened handset – to its line-up.
Sony already offers a 5 in handset of its own, the original Xperia Z, which it unveiled in January.
The Ultra follow-up was unveiled at the Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai. The new device will go on sale in China, Indonesia and Singapore in July and then in Europe in September.
“Southeast Asia is the key market for the product because the trend towards large-screened smartphone devices is stronger there,” said Calum MacDougall, director of Xperia marketing.
“But we also see the trend in Europe as well.
“In the large-screen segment at the moment most consumers are looking at the Galaxy Note. Now we can offer something that is really distinct: a stronger screen, greater portability, waterproofing and something different around the stylus and the pen.”
Sony has launched Xperia Z Ultra waterproof Android smartphone with a 6.4 in screen
Sony is not alone in seeking to erode Samsung’s lead.
Over recent months Huawei has announced the 6.1in Ascend Mate; ZTE the 5.7 in Grand Memo; Acer the 5.7 in Liquid S1; Asus the 6 in FonePad Note; and Lenovo the 5.5 in Ideaphone K900.
Calum MacDougall said Sony intended to compete against these by promoting the Xperia Z Ultra’s “premium” features rather than trying to match or undercut the Chinese and Taiwanese firms’ prices.
Sony reported its first annual profit in five years in May, but some analysts said its figures were skewed by asset sales and did not reflect a turnaround for its electronics divisions.
The Xperia Z Ultra is 6.5 mm (0.26 in) thick – only slightly deeper than the thinnest device on the market, Huawei’s Ascend P6.
Unlike the original Xperia Z the new phone does not need a flap over its headphone socket to protect it from water damage, addressing complaints the feature was fiddly to use.
It can also be submerged to a deeper limit – 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in freshwater for up to half an hour.
The device also features:
A 1080p resolution screen with in-built software to upgrade lower definition videos and photos
16 gigabytes of internal storage with support for 64 GB microSD cards
An 8 megapixel rear camera
A battery offering up to 11 hours talk time or 120 hours of audio playback – a figure which Sony claims is a record
Those concerned about using such a big device for quick tasks are also offered an optional bluetooth add-on which can be paired to the handset using NFC (near field communication) to make calls, view text messages or stream music.
The accessory is similar to the HTC’s Mini accessory announced in January for its 5 in Butterfly handset.
Transparency Market Research said that over 150 million Android super-sized phones were sold in 2012 and predicted the market would grow to 400 million by 2018.
Another consultancy firm, Frost & Sullivan, agrees that demand for such devices appears to be robust despite the fact many users would struggle to use them unless they had both hands free.
“For many people in developing parts the phablet is their first communications and computing device and allows them to have a single machine rather than multiple ones,” said the firm’s managing director Manoj Menon.
“But going forward companies are going to find it increasingly hard to differentiate between their products on size – it will have to be on software and other features. So, Sony seems to have the right strategy at this time.”
Three Chinese astronauts on Shenzhou-10 spacecraft have returned to Earth in a capsule that has landed safely after a 15-day mission in space.
The astronauts travelled on the Shenzhou-10 spacecraft to China’s space laboratory, the Tiangong-1.
They completed manual docking exercises and astronaut Wang Yaping gave a video lecture to students back on Earth.
The Shenzhou-10 is China’s fifth manned space mission and came 10 years after China first sent an astronaut into space.
Three Chinese astronauts on Shenzhou-10 spacecraft have returned to Earth in a capsule that has landed safely after a 15-day mission in space
State TV showed the capsule touching down in grassland in the Inner Mongolia region at around 08:07 local time.
The mission control centre burst into applause after the crew were reported to be safe and well, reports said.
Mission commander Nie Haisheng was the first to exit the capsule at 09:31, followed by colleagues Wang Yaping and Zhang Xiaoguang.
The astronauts needed time to allow their bodies to adjust to Earth’s gravity before emerging from the space capsule, Chinese media said.
Nie Haisheng, who has been on one previous space mission, has now spent more hours in space than any other Chinese astronaut, having clocked up over 470 hours across his two missions, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Wang Yaping, China’s second woman in space, delivered the country’s first space lecture from the Tiangong-1.
China plans to eventually put a permanently manned space station above the Earth.
Losing cellulite may be difficult because you subscribe to the tall tales attributed to it.
Here are some of them. 1. Only overweight people can get cellulite
This is very untrue. To understand why, you need to identify the nature of cellulite. It is not normal fat, but a mixture of fat, water and toxic substances that should have been expelled from your body. Instead, it forms into a fatty tissue that gets trapped in spaces between your septa – or connective tissues. Because of this, cellulite is harder to remove. Some women have a genetic predisposition to be more susceptible to cellulite, so even if you’re fit and slender, you might still end up with cellulite.
Losing cellulite may be difficult because you subscribe to the tall tales attributed to it
2. Cellulite is only found on your buttocks and thighs
It is also found on your stomach, arms and neck. Cellulite is characterized by the lumping and dimpling of your skin, very similar to an orange’s skin.
3. Dairy and fried foods create cellulite
As mentioned, cellulite is attributed to your genetic makeup and not necessarily to your weight. Studies have shown that cellulite relates more to your body fat percentage than to anything else. Although diet is a contributory factor in cellulite generation, they do not necessarily create cellulite. Instead, they add huge amounts of cellulite into the body, making it more prone to cellulite.
4. Cellulite creams can eliminate cellulite
Some creams claim to eliminate the cellulite by burning the fat underneath your skin. But the thing is, there are no medical studies that confirm this. The best that cellulite creams can do is to improve the appearance of the skin, making it less dimply and creating a smoother appearance. However, the cellulite is still there, lurking underneath.
5. Liposuction can remove cellulite.
Cellulite, being subcutaneous fat, would be hard to remove with liposuction. Some people even complain that the liposuction increased the dimples and made the creases more severe-looking. Liposuction is at best, only a quick fix but will not provide a long-term solution to cellulite.
A collection of items once owned or gifted by Monica Lewinsky, including a black negligee and a letter signed by former President Bill Clinton, is being auctioned online, Nate D. Sanders Auctions announced Monday.
The 32-item collection was submitted by Monica Lewinsky’s one-time lover Andy Bleiler to special prosecutor Kenneth Starr during his investigation of the former White House intern’s relationship with Bill Clinton, said Laura Yntema, the auction manager.
Details of Monica Lewinsky’s affair with Andy Bleiler surfaced amid the probe that led to Bill Clinton’s 1998 impeachment by the House of Representatives on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.
The 32-item collection was submitted by Monica Lewinsky’s one-time lover Andy Bleiler to special prosecutor Kenneth Starr
President Bill Clinton was later acquitted by the U.S. Senate.
Andy Bleiler, Monica Lewinsky’s former high school drama teacher, was married at the time of his five-year affair with the San Francisco native, Laura Yntema said.
It is believed Monica Lewinsky was friendly with the Bleilers in the 1990s, Laura Yntema added.
three sealed and slightly crushed boxes of presidential M&Ms
handwritten notes and greeting cards signed by Monica Lewinsky
a letter typed on White House stationary signed by Bill Clinton
several articles of casual clothing Monica Lewinsky gave to Andy Bleiler’s wife, Kate Nason
Monica Lewinsky’s infamous “blue dress” is not among the items listed for sale.
The lot is expected to nab between $25,000 and $50,000 when bidding concludes Thursday, Laura Yntema said.
Laura Yntema said she was not sure why the items were used as evidence during Kenneth Starr’s investigation into Bill Clinton’s misconduct.
Monica Lewinsky, 39, has largely avoided the media limelight after dominating tabloid headlines and late-night talk show jokes throughout the late 1990s.
Dylis Croman has been identified as the mystery woman posing with Miley Cyrus in a cryptic Twitter post in which the singer gives her father Billy Ray a very public ultimatum.
Dylis Croman starred alongside Billy Ray Cyrus during his late 2012 run in Broadway show Chicago.
Billy Ray Cyrus – who recently split from wife Tish again – is seen here posing with Dylis Croman in a photograph taken last November in New York at an after party following his debut in the hit musical.
On Monday night Miley Cyrus tweeted her father, after he continued to ignore her texts: “@billyraycyrus since you won’t reply to my texts I’m giving you an hour to tell the truth or ill tell it for you (sic)” and attached an image of her with an attractive mystery woman.
Miley Cyrus, 20, was seemingly frustrated with her father’s lack of communication over the last few days, but it appears she quickly had a change of heart.
Dylis Croman has been identified as the mystery woman posing with Miley Cyrus in a cryptic Twitter post in which the singer gives her father Billy Ray a very public ultimatum
Four minutes later, all evidence of the picture and message were removed, and a new tweet from Miley Cyrus appeared claiming: “Wtf? My twitter was just actin all types of cray!”
Miley Cyrus’ later tweet seems to conveniently suggest her Twitter account was hacked. But this isn’t the first time that Miley Cyrus has used the social networking site to berate father Billy Ray.
The day after her mother started divorce proceedings she tweeted: “Since your texts and email obviously aren’t working would you like to talk like this?”
Billy Ray Cyrus didn’t reply.
However, despite being taken down, the picture of Miley Cyrus and Dylis Croman and her accompanying message have certainly raised questions about what the singer is insinuating about her father and his former Broadway co-star.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley’s mother are currently going through divorce proceedings again after Tish filed due to “irreconcilable differences”.
Chris Brown is allegedly being charged with hit and run.
According to TMZ, Chris Brown, 24, has been hit with two criminal charges by the L.A. City Attorney.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred last month when Chris Brown allegedly rear-ended another driver but reportedly refused to give her his driver’s license or pass over correct insurance details.
The singer’s Range Rover reportedly inflicted “medium damage” on the Mercedes in Toluca Lake in May, according to a report from TMZ.
Chris Brown, who didn’t try and flee the scene, has more to lose than most as he’s still on probation for beating on and off girlfriend Rihanna back in 2009.
As well as reportedly being charged with hit and run, he has also been charged with driving without a license, claim TMZ.
Each charge carries a maximum of six months in jail, however the City Attorney is said to be intent on raising the incidents with the L.A. County D.A.
Chris Brown is allegedly being charged with hit and run
Chris Brown could be in violation of his parole and if he is found guilty he could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.
The singer on Tuesday spoke out about the reports on his Twitter account, calling the incident “ridiculous” and denying that he gave the other driver false details.
“It’s not a hit and run if u get out the car, exchange information (who has NO DAMAGE to either cars).This is really ridiculous,” Chris Brown wrote.
“I have a valid drivers license and I gave the woman the right info. She saw cameras and wanted to make a scene.”
Chris Brown then accused the woman of trying to make money out of the incident.
“She contacted the cops thinking of a payday from Chris Brown when I followed the proper procedures,” he wrote.
“My lawyers will be contacting you. I will not stand for this bullying and yellow journalism!”
Chris Brown also updated his avatar on the social networking site, changing it to a picture of the Mercedes in question in an effort to prove that there was no damage done to the other car.
“Based on My profile pic is the pic I took of the persons car after <<the hit and run>>. NO damage. Just a dirty car.once again, I gotta clear my name,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, on Monday it was claimed that Chris Brown did not harm a woman who accused him of assault at a nightclub, according to the establishment’s owner.
Deanna Gines, 24, alleges that Chris Brown pushed her to the ground while partying at Heat Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, California, on Saturday.
However, the club’s owners said they have reviewed security footage and insist Chris Brown has been wrongly accused.
“Based on the information which we have gathered from our security company, mall security, and other party goers which were at HEAT on Saturday night; It is apparent that the alleged incident regarding Chris Brown is false,” they said.
Kim Kardashian gave birth ten days ago and she has already shown her stripes as a fiercely protective mother.
Kim Kardashian, 32, hatched a plan to weed out who she can trust after welcoming her daughter into the world.
It appears that Kim Kardashian sent a few friends a fake picture of her baby, who is called North West, to see who would try to sell them to the press.
One of Kim Kardashian’s so-called pals attempted to sell the bogus photo of a newborn to a publication.
Kim Kardashian sent a few friends a fake picture of her baby North West to see who would try to sell them to the press
The baby, who is seen wrapped in a blanket, could easily pass for being the child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who was born June 15.
But sources have confirmed that the photo Kim Kardashian sent around was a fake.
It seems Kim Kardashian wanted to test the principals of several of her friends as the world waits for a first glimpse of her child.
A second picture of a different baby, which is also believed not to be North West, has been doing the rounds, TMZ claims.
It has also been alleged that Kanye West, 36, proposed to Kim Kardashian days after their first child was born.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are said to be planning a September wedding in Paris, The Sun reports.
Kim Kardashian left hospital on Thursday and is currently getting used to being a new mother.
She is believed to have moved into mother Kris Jenner’s home, along with little North and Kanye West, until renovations on their $9 million Bel Air home are complete.
Kim Kardashian only finalized her divorce from Kris Humphries earlier this month and the pair were married for just 72 days before splitting up in October 2011.
Prior to that Kim Kardashian was married to music producer Damon Thomas from 2000 until 2004.
Selena Gomez gushed to her fans about her excitement after welcoming her baby sister Gracie Elliot Teefey into the world earlier this month.
Selena Gomez, 20, couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she enjoyed a visit from her mother Mandy, step-dad Brian Teefey and her new baby sister during a lunch break in Malibu, California.
Evidently overjoyed to be enjoying some quality time with her little sibling, Selena Gomez appeared to be in her absolute element as she took some time out from a photo shoot for her Dream Out Loud clothing line.
Selena Gomez was giggling away with delight as she cuddled up to Gracie, and looked absolutely besotted as she stared into her eyes lovingly.
Selena Gomez couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she enjoyed a visit from her mother Mandy, step-dad Brian Teefey and her new baby sister
As Mandy and her husband Brian Teefey looked on with pride, Selena Gomez decided to capture the special moment with a cute picture, leaning in to her sibling as she snapped away on her iPhone.
And after a tender few hours with her sister, Selena Gomez seemed in no mood at all to head back to work, stopping for one last cuddle before dragging herself away.
Selena Gomez was thrilled to announce her baby sister arrival via her Twitter page earlier this month, writing: “Momma, Brian, and me are all so grateful for all your well wishes. My lil sissy Gracie Elliot Teefey was born on June 12th. Luv you all XO.”
Mandy Teefey gave birth at a hospital in Northridge, Los Angeles, with her husband Brian and other family members by her side.
Selena Gomez’s mother – who divorced Ricardo Gomez when Selena was just five-years-old – got re-married in 2006, but was devastated when she tragically miscarried during her last pregnancy in December 2011.
At the time, doting Selena Gomez cancelled her scheduled concerts in Chicago and Seattle to fly home to be with her grieving mother.
Selena Gomez announced happier news to her fans on Mother’s Day: “Momma and Brian are finally letting me share the news… My mommy’s carrying my baby brother or sister 🙂 I’m the happiest girl in the world!”
She shares a special bond with her mother, who raised her as a working single parent in difficult circumstances after falling pregnant at the age of 16.
The star has previously said: “I remember my mom would run out of gas all of the time and we’d sit there and have to go through the car and get quarters and help her get gas because she never liked to ask my grandparents for money.
“She was really strong around me. Having me at 16 had to have been a big responsibility. My mom gave up everything for me, had three jobs, supported me sacrificed her life for me.”
Miley Cyrus issued a public ultimatum to her father Billy Ray after she again had trouble getting hold of him.
On Monday night a tweet from Miley Cyrus’ account warned: “@billyraycyrus since you won’t reply to my texts I’m giving you an hour to tell the truth or ill tell it for you” and attached an image of her with an attractive mystery woman.
Miley Cyrus, 20, was seemingly frustrated with her father’s lack of communication over the last few days, but it appears she quickly had a change of heart.
Four minutes later, all evidence of the picture and message were removed, and a new tweet from Miley Cyrus appeared claiming: “Wtf? My twitter was just actin all types of cray!”
Her later tweet seems to conveniently suggest her Twitter account was hacked. But this isn’t the first time that Miley Cyrus has used the social networking site to berate father Billy Ray.
The day after her mother started divorce proceedings Miley Cyrus tweeted: “Since your texts and email obviously aren’t working would you like to talk like this?”
Billy Ray Cyrus didn’t reply.
However, despite being taken down, the picture of Miley Cyrus and the unknown woman will certainly prompt the most questions.
In the snap, clearly not taken that long ago given Miley Cyrus’ short cropped hairdo – the two women seem to know each other and happily posed for the camera.
An unknown woman appears in a picture seemingly unknowingly posted from Miley Cyrus’s Twitter account
The redhead’s identity is still unknown – but the cryptic message accompanying the tweeted picture indicated that Miley Cyrus has plenty to talk about with her father.
Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley’s mother are currently going through divorce proceedings again after Tish filed due to “irreconcilable differences”.
Tish Cyrus set into motion legal action to end their marriage on June 13, but on Sunday afternoon the pair seemed to be rather loved up, despite neither wearing wedding rings on the day out with daughter Noah.
Three years ago, Billy Ray Cyrus filed for divorce, though he later dropped it in an attempt to iron out their problems.
When Billy Ray Cyrus filed the first time in 2010, he claimed Miley’s fame had compromised their family, but there seems to be no hint of that this time round.
When they got back together a year later, Billy Ray Cyrus said: “I’ve dropped the divorce. Things are the best they’ve ever been.
“I feel like I got my Miley back in a way. I feel like we are the daddy and daughter that we were before Hannah Montana happened.”
Meanwhile Miley Cyrus’ own relationship has faced continued scrutiny after she and fiancé Liam Hemsworth have rarely been seen together in recent months amid unconfirmed rumors their engagement was off.
However, they showed a united front last week as they stepped out in public together for the first time in five months.
Edward Snowden is still in the transit area at Moscow airport, Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed.
Vladimir Putin said intelligence leaker Edward Snowden remained a free man, and the sooner he chose a destination the better.
The US said earlier that it did not seek “confrontation”, but that Russia should hand over Edward Snowden.
Because Edward Snowden is in the pre-immigration area of the airport, he is technically not yet on Russian soil.
The Russians have rejected American charges that they have assisted Edward Snowden.
China has also rejected similar charges, saying accusations that it allowed him to leave Hong Kong despite a warrant for his arrest were “groundless and unacceptable”.
Edward Snowden flew from Hong Kong to Moscow on Sunday. The US has revoked Edward Snowden’s passport, and he has applied for asylum in Ecuador.
He was expected to board a flight to the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Monday but never appeared.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has confirmed that Edward Snowden is still in the transit area at Moscow airport
Speaking at a news conference earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Moscow to comply with common law practices between countries and extradite Edward Snowden to America.
“There are standards of behavior between sovereign nations. There is common law,” John Kerry said.
“We would simply call on our friends in Russia to respect the fact that a partner nation- a co-member of the permanent five of the United Nations [Security Council] – has made a normal request under legal systems.”
But President Vladimir Putin said that Russian security agencies “didn’t work and aren’t working” with Edward Snowden.
His comments back up those of his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who earlier insisted that “we are in no way involved with either Mr. Snowden, his relations with US justice, nor his movements around the world”.
Edward Snowden, 30, is wanted by the US for revealing to the media details of a secret government surveillance programme, which he obtained while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
He is charged with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence.
In recent years, research has blamed a lack of sleep to everything from high blood pressure to cancer and obesity.
But it’s not just our physical health that suffers. Expert Dr. Chris Idzikowski reveals in his book Sound Asleep the latest thinking about sleep. 1. A good night’s sleep is vital for memory
We tend to see sleep as the body’s opportunity for stopping, but in truth it is one of the most active periods of the day (or, rather, night) for the brain, and it’s vital for memory, learning and brain function.
A complete adult sleep cycle lasts 90 minutes, and we go through four or five of these cycles in a healthy night’s sleep.
Each cycle is made up of distinct stages, characterized by different brainwaves.
We start with so-called “drowsy” sleep. During this time we’re crossing the threshold into slumber and we might experience dream-like hallucinations that appear at once real and fantastical.
Next, we move into light sleep, and then slow-wave or deep sleep.
Scientists have discovered that deep sleep, in particular, is when the brain consolidates declarative memories – our memory of facts and figures, events and occurrences.
During deep sleep, regions of the brain associated with memory and learning, specifically the hippocampus and the neo-cortex, communicate with one another. New information that has been temporarily stored in the hippocampus is transferred to the neo-cortex, where it becomes part of our long-term learning.
However, if you were thinking that this means you can play facts and figures into your brain as you sleep and expect to wake up with them permanently embedded, think again.
It appears that new information must have passed into the hippocampus at least an hour before you go to sleep.
We complete the sleep cycle by rising again to light sleep and then entering a period of REM (rapid eye movement), or dreaming sleep.
As the period of REM draws to a close, we experience a momentary waking before beginning the next 90-minute cycle of the night. In terms of brainwaves you’re awake, but your eyes likely won’t open and most people don’t even notice that they’ve risen to the surface of sleep before descending again into a new phase.
Overall, we spend up to 5% of the night in drowsy sleep, up to 50% in light sleep and up to 25% in deep sleep. Around 20% of the night is spent in REM sleep.
2. A good sleep helps you ride a bike
During REM or dreaming sleep, the brain shuts off the nerves that feed into the spinal column, temporarily paralyzing the body to prevent us acting out our dreams.
Not everything is paralyzed, though. During this stage, our eyes move benea
Expert Dr. Chris Idzikowski reveals in his book Sound Asleep the latest thinking about sleep
th our eyelids, our heart rate and blood pressure increase.
We don’t know quite why this happens, but one theory is that even though we don’t always recall them, dreams are intrinsically exciting and the body responds accordingly.
Studies have shown that REM sleep is essential for forming procedural memories (also called implicit memory or muscle memory). This is our record of how to do things using our motor skills, from doing up buttons to riding a bike or driving a car.
Over time, these skills feel automatic, so you don’t even have to actively remember how to do them.
One study showed that participants who were deprived of REM sleep after learning a new skill had impaired ability to perform that new skill when they woke up.
3. What food gives you vivid dreams?
Many people say that a ripe blue cheese will give you vivid dreams – but there doesn’t seem to be any scientific evidence for this.
On the other hand, a study in 2002 revealed tentative findings that vitamin B6 supplements might promote more vivid dreams.
It is thought that the vitamin converts amino acids into the brain chemical serotonin, which may be involved in dreams.
You can find B6 in such foods as avocados, Marmite, broad beans, bananas, molasses, salmon and herring.
4. Get more daylight to beat insomnia
Light is crucial for good sleep, so have a ritual of getting some daylight on to your face as soon as you wake up. Light receptors in the retina – the thin layer of tissue at the back of the eye – send chemical messages to your brain to confirm that the morning is here and that it’s time to wake up.
This not only means you’ll start to wake up, it will also set your biological clock so that you feel sleepy at the right time in the evening, too.
Simply open the window and let the light flood your face for a few moments.
It’s a good idea to get a decent amount of daylight throughout the day, too.
A study published this month by Northwestern University in the U.S. found employees working in offices with windows slept an average of 46 minutes more per night than those in windowless workplaces.
The researchers said this was due to the first group having more light exposure.
5. Women’s body temperature is too high for sleep
In general, women need around 20 minutes more sleep than men in every 24-hour period.
No one is certain why this would be, but scientists at Loughborough University have hypothesized that in order to perform multiple, complex tasks simultaneously, women use more of their brains than men do, so they have greater need for consolidation time – and that means a greater need for sleep.
The bad news is that women are more likely to be sleep-deprived than men. One Canadian study found 35% of women said they have trouble sleeping, compared with only 25% of men.
Women tend to be lighter sleepers, disturbed more easily during the night than men. This may be partly a result of evolution.
When you’re asleep, certain brainwaves are emitted that dumb down your response to external stimuli such as noise. But the brain will let through any “essential” noise – such as the sound of your baby crying.
Another reason women are more likely to sleep badly is down to the menstrual cycle.
When the egg has been released from the ovarian follicle and the remnants of the follicle have released the hormone progesterone, a woman’s temperature rises by up to 0.4 C.
This slight increase can make a woman feel too hot in bed, making it harder to get to sleep or to stay asleep.
The menstrual cycle also disrupts a woman’s rhythms for releasing melatonin – the hormone that regulates your biological clock.
Interestingly, studies show that oral contraceptives reduce the amount of deep sleep women get and increase the amount of light sleep.
They also increase body temperature throughout the menstrual cycle (and even for a while after you stop taking the Pill), though it’s not clear why.
6. Why lack of sleep makes you hungry
If you have had too little sleep, your secretions of the hormone leptin may be up to a third lower than healthy sleepers.
Leptin is the “satiety” hormone, and helps us to feel full when our calorie intake has reached appropriate levels.
As a result, studies show you may consume roughly 900 calories a day more than you actually need in order to feel full.
7. Cool down to get to sleep
Your average body temperature is 37C, but over the course of the day it undergoes tiny fluctuations above and below the average of approximately 0.5C.
In a healthy adult, body temperature is at its highest around 11 p.m. After this peak, it begins to fall, and this is one of the triggers that we think tell the body that it’s time to sleep. Body temperature reaches its lowest point at around 4 a.m.
Research suggests that the best time for dropping into slumber is when body temperature is falling at its fastest. For this reason, sleep specialists recommend having a hot bath about 90 minutes before you try to sleep. Then, when you get out of the bath, your body temperature falls rapidly.
You should also keep your bedroom relatively cool.
8. No need for the bathroom at night
During sleep, nutrients continue to be absorbed from food we’ve eaten throughout the day, but activity in the intestines slows down.
Most importantly, the peristaltic waves that usually carry waste into the anal canal keep waste back, minimizing the need to get up. This is why we often need to go to the toilet first thing, when the system reverses again and the night’s waste is pushed on.
Increasing age can cause you to need the toilet more often during the night.
In men, this can be a sign of benign prostate enlargement or, more rarely, prostate cancer.
If you have noticed you are waking up several times a night to go to the bathroom, see your GP.
Former President Nelson Mandela’s medical condition remains unchanged, the South African government has announced.
Nelson Mandela, 94, has been in a Pretoria hospital since June 8 being treated for a recurring lung infection, and his condition became critical on Sunday.
“Doctors continue to do their best to ensure his recovery, well-being and comfort,” the latest updatesaid.
The statement came as Nelson Mandela’s family members were meeting at his home in the village of Qunu.
His eldest daughter, Makaziwe, and some grandchildren were said to be at the meeting in Eastern Cape province.
Little has emerged from the family meeting, which South African media say was called to discuss “sensitive family business”.
Nelson Mandela, 94, has been in a Pretoria hospital since June 8 being treated for a recurring lung infection, and his condition became critical on Sunday
In the latest statement President Jacob Zuma thanked the South African public for “ongoing support and understanding”.
His spokesman said on Monday that South Africans should not hold out “false hopes”.
Mandela family members, including grandchildren, have continued to visit him in hospital, where dozens of white doves were released by a local businessman in tribute.
The scene at the hospital, where well-wishers have decorated a wall with flowers and supportive messages, is described as quiet, save for waiting journalists.
It is Nelson Mandela’s third stay in hospital this year with lung problems which are thought to date from damage sustained while working in a prison quarry.
He contracted tuberculosis in the 1980s while being held in jail on the windy Robben Island.
Nelson Mandela is revered for leading the fight against white minority rule in South Africa and then preaching reconciliation despite being imprisoned for 27 years.
He left power after five years as the country’s first black president.
Nelson mandela retired from public life in 2004 and has rarely been seen at official events since.
German proposal to postpone further EU membership talks with Turkey for about four months has been backed by EU foreign ministers.
The EU-Turkey talks had been scheduled to resume this Wednesday.
But Germany, Austria and the Netherlands have criticized Turkey’s crackdown on anti-government protests.
Turkish police arrested at least 20 people in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, suspected of attacking police during the recent unrest in Istanbul.
Turkish media say the suspects are also accused of belonging to a “terror organization”.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle played down tensions with Turkey on Tuesday, saying he had had a “really good, constructive” discussion with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday evening.
Ahmet Davutoglu was upbeat, saying he saw “no obstacle” to reopening Turkey’s talks with the EU eventually.
Turkey began accession negotiations with the EU in 2005, at the same time as Croatia, which will join the 27-nation bloc next week.
Germany, Austria and the Netherlands have criticized Turkey’s crackdown on anti-government protests
But Turkey’s talks have been stalled for three years, and an EU Commission reporton Ankara’s progress last October highlighted numerous concerns about democracy and human rights.
Like all would-be member states, Turkey has to satisfy a detailed set of EU requirements, called the acquis. Last year Turkey received 856 million euros ($1.1 billion) in EU aid to help it make the necessary institutional reforms.
Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel wants Turkey to have a privileged partnership with the EU, rather than full EU membership. She hopes to win re-election in September – before the talks with Turkey resume.
Last week Germany summoned the Turkish ambassador in a row over Turkey’s membership bid.
The two countries had earlier exchanged angry words in connection with the Turkish police action against demonstrators. Turkish police have used water cannon and tear gas against protesters – a crackdown widely seen to have fuelled anger against PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
Initially peaceful protesters had staged a sit-in aimed at stopping a development project in Gezi Park, in the heart of Istanbul.
EU foreign ministers have now agreed to resume accession negotiations with Turkey, but only after a progress report on its EU bid is presented in October, diplomats say.
The next policy area to be negotiated is Chapter 22, dealing with regional policy.
Out of 35 chapters in total only 13 have been openedsince Turkey’s negotiations began, and eight have been frozen because of Turkey’s dispute with Cyprus. So far, only one chapter – on science and research – has been closed.
The Republic of Ireland chaired the foreign ministers’ talks in Luxembourg on Tuesday. Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore said “we agreed to open a new chapter in accession negotiations with Turkey” and “the Inter Governmental Conference with Turkey will take place later this year”. The conference is the forum for Turkey’s membership bid.
“While we have been disturbed by the reaction to the recent peaceful protests in Turkey, I believe that the EU accession process is the most effective tool we have in influencing the reform agenda in Turkey. EU-inspired reforms have facilitated the increasing space for peaceful protest and dissenting voices,” Eamon Gilmore said.
“The protests have also shown that Turkey needs further reform. Moving ahead with the EU accession process by opening Chapter 22 will, I believe, allow the EU to continue contributing to shaping the direction of future reform in Turkey.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Russia has had no involvement in the travel plans of fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden.
Edward Snowden’s whereabouts are unclear after he flew from Hong Kong to Moscow on Sunday. His US passport has been revoked.
Sergei Lavrov insisted Edward Snowden had not crossed the border and rejected what he termed US attempts to blame Russia for his disappearance.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the US did not seek “confrontation” but Russia should hand over Edward Snowden.
Correspondents say Sergei Lavrov’s comments suggest that Edward Snowden remained air-side after landing at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, and so has technically never entered Russian territory.
“We are in no way involved with either Mr. Snowden, his relations with US justice, nor to his movements around the world,” Sergei Lavrov said.
“He chose his itinerary on his own. We learnt about it… from the media. He has not crossed the Russian border.
“We consider the attempts to accuse the Russian side of violating US laws, and practically of involvement in a plot, to be absolutely groundless and unacceptable.”
Edward Snowden, 30, is wanted by the US for revealing to the media details of a secret government surveillance programme, which he obtained while working as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA).
Speaking during a visit to Saudi Arabia, John Kerry said the transfer of Edward Snowden was a matter of rule of law, and that Russia should remain “calm”.
Edward Snowden’s whereabouts are unclear after he flew from Hong Kong to Moscow
Edward Snowden is charged with theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information and willful communication of classified communications intelligence.
He has applied for asylum in Ecuador. The US has revoked his passport.
Reuters news agency quotes a Moscow airport source as saying that Edward Snowden arrived in Moscow from Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon and was due to depart for the Cuban capital, Havana, the following day, but did not use the ticket.
The source said he was travelling with Sarah Harrison, a British legal researcher working for the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.
Meanwhile, China has also described US accusations that it facilitated the departure of fugitive Edward Snowden from Hong Kong as “groundless and unacceptable”.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman said the Hong Kong government had handled the former US intelligence officer’s case in accordance with the law.
The White House had criticized what it termed “a deliberate choice to release a fugitive despite a valid arrest warrant”.
The Chinese government has expressed deep concern about Edward Snowden’s allegations that the US had hacked into networks in China.
Tuesday saw the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party praise Edward Snowden for “tearing off Washington’s sanctimonious mask”.
In a strongly worded front-page commentary, the overseas edition of the People’s Daily said: “Not only did the US authorities not give us an explanation and apology, it instead expressed dissatisfaction at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for handling things in accordance with law.
“In a sense, the United States has gone from a <<model of human rights>> to <<an eavesdropper on personal privacy>>, the <<manipulator>> of the centralized power over the international internet, and the mad <<invader>> of other countries’ networks.”
Speaking during a visit to India, US Secretary of State John Kerry said it would be “deeply troubling” if it became clear that China had “willfully” allowed him to fly out of Hong Kong.
“There would be without any question some effect and impact on the relationship and consequences,” he said.
He also called on Russia to “live by the standards of the law because that’s in the interests of everybody”.
Edward Snowden was in hiding in Hong Kong when his leaks were first published.
He is being supported by the whistleblowing website WikiLeaks, which said on Sunday that he was heading to Ecuador accompanied by some of its diplomats and legal advisers.
Ecuador is already giving political asylum at its London embassy to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Edward Snowden’s leaks have led to revelations that the US is systematically seizing vast amounts of phone and web data under an NSA programme known as PRISM.
US officials have defended the practice of gathering telephone and internet data from private users around the world.
They say PRISM cannot be used to target intentionally any Americans or anyone in the US, and stress that it is supervised by judges.
A collection of Monica Lewinsky’s old clothes, handwritten notes, and gifts signed pictures of former President Bill Clinton are now up for sale for thousands of dollars.
Before she became notorious for her relationship with President Bill Clinton, Monica Lewinsky also had an affair with her married former high school drama teacher Andy Bleiler.
Andy Bleiler gained momentary international recognition during the investigation into Monica Lewinsky’s affair with President Bill Clinton, as he came forward and told about their lengthy affair.
Though it is unclear when or how his marriage to then-wife Kathy ended, the two have since split and for some reason, Kathy ended up with a collection of clothes and gifts that the couple got from Monica Lewinsky over the years.
All of these items were included as part of the evidence gathered by Kenneth Starr, the independent counselor pursuing the impeachment charges over the affair.
Andy Bleiler’s ex-wife, who now goes by Kate Nason, handed the lot over to an unidentified third party, who has since put the goods up for auction.
“Monica was friends with the couple, so I think she gave some of her clothes to Kathy, just to wear they may have exchanged some of the clothes,” said Laura Yntema, an auction manager at Nate D. Sanders.
A collection of Monica Lewinsky’s old clothes, handwritten notes, and gifts signed pictures of former President Bill Clinton are now up for sale for thousands of dollars
Included are eight pieces of clothing that was “gifted to Kate Bleiber” including a floor-length negligee. Monica Lewinsky’s weight has been the subject of ridicule in the past, and the clothes that she gave the Bleilers are all sizes L and XL.
The infamous blue dress is not included in the group of items up for sale.
While her old baggy jackets may not seem directly related to the presidential affair, there are a number of other gifts and items that Monica Lewinsky gave her former teacher from her time working as a White House intern.
There are two auto-pen signed photos of Bill Clinton- and one with him alongside Hillary- that Monica Lewinsky sent to Andy Bleiler.
In her role as a White House staffer, it would not have been unusual for her to submit a request for a personalized photo to be signed in the style of the president.
Monica Lewinsky also arranged for the president to write a birthday note to Andy Bleiler, who she carried on a five-year affair with including some time when her relationship with the two men overlapped.
“Dear Andy: Hillary and I want to personally extend our warmest wishes to you as you gather with your family and friends to celebrate your birthday. As you look forward to the year ahead, please accept our best wishes for good health and much happiness. Happy Birthday!” the typed note from President Bill Clinton wrote.
All of that correspondence would likely have gone through the proper channels at the White House given that they were composed on official letterhead.
Monica Lewinsky also gifted a pack of White House matches and boxes of M&Ms with the seal of the president.
The lot is being sold by Nate D. Sanders, a memorabilia collector, and has received one bid of $2,500 so far. The sale will close in three days time.
Laura Yntema said the auction house expects the final sale of the lot to be anywhere between $250,000 and $500,000.
“Most of the bidding happens on the last day,” she said.
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has proposed a referendum on political reforms in an effort to tackle protests that have swept the country.
Dilma Rouseff also promised to boost spending on public transport and focus on health and education as part of what she called “five pacts” with the people.
She later met regional mayors and governors, who agreed to her plans.
But some activists promised to carry on with the largest protests Brazil has seen for at least two decades.
Dilma Rousseff said the reforms would be broad and focus on five areas:
Fiscal responsibility: guaranteeing economic stability and curbing inflation
Education: investing 100% of Brazil’s oil royalties in education
Health: hiring foreign doctors to provide medical services in remote and under-developed areas
Constituent Assembly: establishing an assembly to eventually amend Brazil’s constitution to ensure reforms make it “from paper to practice”
Public transport: investing more than 50 billion reais ($25 billion) for new investments in urban mobility projects and to improve public transport
Mayara Longo Vivian, a leader of the Free Fare Movement, said there had been “concrete measures” among the president’s proposals and that the “fight would continue”.
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has proposed a referendum on political reforms in an effort to tackle protests that have swept the country
On Monday evening, there were fresh demonstrations in several cities, although they appeared to be smaller than those that led to clashes with police last week.
A week ago 100,000 people marched down the city’s Rio Branco Avenue, but on Monday just a few dozen were chanting in front of the Candelaria church.
More people joined in as they marched, and soon a few thousand demonstrators had popped up and were occupying the city centre’s main avenue.
Street vendors were selling Brazilian flags and Anonymous masks for those who came unprepared.
In other protests, hundreds of people blocked the main road to Brazil’s busiest port, Santos, and hundreds more came out to protest against corruption in the capital, Brasilia.
Two women were killed at a protest in the central state of Goias, not far from Brasilia. Police said they were killed by a driver who sped through a roadblock they had set up with other protesters.
The deaths bring to four the total number of lives lost in the unrest.
The president met leaders of one protest faction before meeting with state governors and mayors.
“My government is listening to democratic voices,” Dilma Rouseff told a televised news conference.
“We must learn to hear the voices of the street. We all must, without exception, understand these signals with humility and accuracy.
“Brazil is ready to move forward and has made it clear it does not want to stand where it is.”
She also suggested tougher penalties for corruption, and warned against any repeat of the violence that was seen last Thursday.
Dilma Rousseff faces re-election next year, when Brazil is also due to host the football World Cup. Rio de Janeiro will also host the Olympics in 2016.
Many of those demonstrating are unhappy at the cost of building stadiums in a country where many live in poverty and ticket prices for such prestigious international competitions are out of reach.
Unrest has dogged many of the fixtures currently taking place in Brazil as part of FIFA’s Confederations Cup, seen as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup and using many of the same facilities.
FIFA’s Secretary General Jerome Valcke has said the organization has “no plan B” for next year’s World Cup.
The wave of rallies in more than 100 cities began in Sao Paulo, where residents were unhappy at planned rises in public-transport fares.
Those increases have since been shelved, but the protests rapidly became more widespread and the protesters’ demands more wide-ranging.
Brazilians have been demanding better health and education, saying they are fed up with paying relatively high taxes and feel that they do not get enough back from the state.
Protesters are also angry about corruption and are scornful of politicians.
South Korea has issued a cyber alert after a hacking attack on government websites.
The website of the presidential office was one of several official and media sites hit by an apparently co-ordinated attack on Tuesday morning, reports said.
The identity of the hackers was not known, a government statement said.
The incident came on the anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War, which divided the Korean peninsula.
“The government can confirm a cyber attack by unidentified hackers that shut down several sites including the Blue House,” the Science Ministry said in a statement, referring to the presidential office.
The website for the office for Government Policy Co-ordination and some media servers were also said to be affected by the attack.
South Korea has issued a cyber alert after a hacking attack on government websites
Messages praising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and claiming that hacking collective Anonymous was responsible were left on the hacked websites.
However, Anonymous denied any involvement in the South Korean cyber-attacks on its official Twitter account, AFP news agency reported.
Instead, the “hacktivist” group was said to have planned attacks against North Korean websites.
A number of North Korean websites went offline on Tuesday morning and appeared to have been targeted by hackers on Tuesday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing unnamed sources.
These included the websites of North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency, newspaper Rodong Sinmun, and portal Naenara.
Anonymous has previously claimed to have hacked and vandalized social networking profiles linked to North Korea as part of its Operation Free Korea.
South Korea has raised its cyber-alert level, and asked citizens to review their internet security.
South Korean investigators say North Korea has frequently carried out cyber attacks in the South.
On March 20, cyber attacks on six South Korean banks and broadcasters affected 32,000 computers and disrupted banking services.
South Korea has blamed that incident – which came at a time of heightened tensions between the two Koreas following Pyongyang’s nuclear test on February 12 – on North Korea.
North Korea has also been blamed for previous cyber attacks in 2009 and 2011.
