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Mushroom diet: M-Plan promises to help women lose weight still keeping their curves

Kathryn R. Bown
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Mushroom diet: M-Plan promises to help women lose weight still keeping their curves

The mushroom plan is being touted as the latest weapon for savvy celeb dieters who want to shed pounds quickly but still keep some of their curves.

Dubbed the “M-Plan”, the new diet based on mushrooms promises to help women lose weight from their tums, bums, thighs and upper arms, but still keep their bust intact.

The “M-Plan” is a favorite among celebrities like Emmerdale‘s Roxanne Pallett who to want to drop a dress size quickly in time for red carpet events such as Soap Awards.

The diet promises to help women lose weight from the stubborn areas over a 14-day period by replacing just one regular lunchtime snack or dinner with a mushroom inspired dish.

Women’s nutritionist and health broadcaster, Jeannette Jackson, explains: “If we eat more mushrooms, it’s likely that less high calorie foods will be consumed throughout the day over all because of the vegetable’s powerful nutritional values.

“The dietary fibre in mushrooms helps promote good bowel function leaving you feeling more satisfied, so you won’t be hungry again as quickly, preventing you from snacking.

“Mushrooms are also extremely rich in protein – an ideal nutritional food source yet the vegetable is low in calories which is important where weight loss is considered.

“There’s a myth that the waist is the last area of the body where women lose weight. In fact, it’s one of the areas of the body that we move the most along with bums, thighs and upper arms.

The mushroom plan is being touted as the latest weapon for savvy celeb dieters who want to shed pounds quickly but still keep some of their curves
The mushroom plan is being touted as the latest weapon for savvy celeb dieters who want to shed pounds quickly but still keep some of their curves

“Not only do mushrooms help with weight loss – the super vegetable can help improve your looks too given that mushrooms are high in B vitamins, iron and zinc, all of which are needed to make your skin, hair and nails strong, healthy and shiny.”

Avid fans include celebrities such as Emmerdale and Waterloo Road star, Roxanne Pallett, plus Kelly Osbourne, who both claim to have lost dress sizes from eating raw mushrooms regularly.

Katy Perry also eats a diet heavy in mushrooms to keep her sexy slender figure.

Jeannette Jackson added: “We all know that feeling of losing weight everywhere but where we want, particularly if you’re a typical British pear-shape.

“But the mushroom diet, just like the fungi itself, means you keep the weight where you want it up top and shed pounds where you don’t down below!

“It’ll be of no surprise that female celebrities will be looking more svelte than normal and I can exclusively reveal that mushrooms are the reason celebrities can look so good at the very last minute.”

Lucy Wyndham-Read, the USA Pro fitness and nutrition expert, said: “Well there is no denying that mushrooms are a powerhouse of nutritional benefits and one of their greatest assets is that they are super Low GI.

“Plus, the fact that they are so very low in calories means, as part of a diet, they can help in weight loss. Plus mushrooms are super cheap, so this is a way to save pounds and drop the pounds.

“But it’s untrue that mushrooms have the power to lose fat from everywhere except the bust! I carefully advise women not to expect this to happen and too much of a good thing is actually never a good thing.

“The fact is – if we eat a healthy, well-balanced, clean, natural diet and exercise regularly, we can all lose weight.”

Photo: George Michael airlifted to hospital following car crash on M1 motorway

Sonia Pantiss
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Photo: George Michael airlifted to hospital following car crash on M1 motorway

George Michael was involved in a crash in his Range Rover during rush hour on the M1 motorway near St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK, on Thursday.

George Michael, 49, was recovering last night after being airlifted to hospital with a head injury following the accident.

An ambulance crew was so concerned at the singer’s condition that a helicopter was summoned, and the motorway was closed for half an hour while it landed to take George Michael away.

Although the ambulance service said he suffered a head injury, George Michael was well enough to be discharged from hospital last night.

No other vehicle was involved in the incident, which happened just before 6 p.m. near the junction with the M25.

George Michael’s spokesman Connie Filippello said: “George Michael was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic accident, no third party was involved. He is being treated for superficial cuts and bruises but is fine. We have no further comment at this time.”

George Michael was involved in a crash in his Range Rover during rush hour on the M1 motorway near St Albans, Hertfordshire
George Michael was involved in a crash in his Range Rover during rush hour on the M1 motorway near St Albans, Hertfordshire

The singer, who has enjoyed a successful solo career since finding fame in the 1980s duo Wham!, is banned from driving.

In 2010, George Michael he was jailed for eight weeks for crashing a Range Rover into a shop in north London while under the influence of drugs.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years, having served a two-year ban imposed in 2006 when he was convicted of driving while on drugs after being found slumped in his Mercedes.

Speaking at the singer’s home in Highgate, North London, last night, George Michael’s boyfriend Fadi Fawaz, 39, said: “He is perfectly fine. Of course I was worried, but I have spoken to him and he is good.
“He suffered a few bruises but there is nothing to worry about. I have no idea what happened, I wasn’t there.”

Hertfordshire Police said: “The exact circumstances of what happened are unclear at this time, and until further investigations have been carried out it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesman said that a 49-year-old man “sustained a head injury and following treatment, stabilization and immobilization by land and air ambulance crews, he was flown to hospital for further care”.

Only 18 months ago, George Michael – real name Georgios Panayiotou – spent a month fighting for his life in an Austrian hospital after a severe bout of pneumonia. George Michael fell ill while preparing for a concert in Vienna, and needed a tracheotomy to keep him breathing when he slipped into a coma.

US criticizes Russia for sending missiles to Syrian government

Roy Siemens
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US criticizes Russia for sending missiles to Syrian government

The US has criticized Russia for what it calls an “unfortunate decision” to deliver missiles to the Syrian government.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey said the shipment “will embolden the regime and prolong the suffering” that has killed 80,000.

The sophisticated anti-ship missiles could be used to counter any future foreign military intervention, US officials told The New York Times.

Some 1.5 million people have fled the conflict, says the UN refugee agency.

Most have fled to Jordan and Lebanon, but not all have been registered yet, meaning the true total is likely to be far higher, according to the UNHCR.

Meanwhile, Syria’s national production has dropped by 40% and the number of people living below the poverty line has risen from two million to five million in just two years, according to the man in charge of the UN’s plans for reconstructing Syria after the conflict.

Abdullah al-Dardari, a former deputy prime minister in President Bashar al-Assad’s administration, said the rebuilding what has been destroyed would cost up to $80 billion.

The US has criticized Russia for what it calls an "unfortunate decision" to deliver missiles to the Syrian government
The US has criticized Russia for what it calls an “unfortunate decision” to deliver missiles to the Syrian government

Gen. Martin Dempsey’s description of Moscow’s decision to send missiles to Syria as “ill-timed and very unfortunate” comes amid growing alarm that chemical weapons may have been used in the country, something President Barack Obama has said would be “a red line”.

Russia is one of Syria’s few remaining allies and a long-term arms supplier to the Assad regime. Over the years, in contracts worth billions of dollars, it has sold thousands of tanks, artillery units, aircraft, helicopters and defense systems to Damascus.

In 2007, the two countries signed a deal on the supply of Yakhont missiles which, with a range of 300 km (200 miles), could prove a threat to warships in the Mediterranean.

Although there have been growing calls for arms to be channeled to the rebel fighters in Syria, there has so far been very limited enthusiasm in the West for outright military intervention.

But there is concern that the presence of sophisticated Russian-supplied weaponry will make it much harder to agree and carry out such intervention, implement a blockade or conduct targeted airstrikes in the future.

Without confirming reports of the missile shipment, Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the supply of missiles did not break any international rules.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met Sergei Lavrov in Sochi on Friday to discuss plans for an international conference to try to find a way of ending the Syrian conflict, which would aim to bring together the Syrian opposition and members of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The UN estimates that 80,000 people have died in the uprising, and that some 4.25 million people have been displaced within the country.

The simmering conflict has raised tensions on Syria’s borders: On Friday, Turkish state media reported at least 10 people were killed when a fuel tank exploded in the southern town of Altinozu in Hatay province, where car bombs killed 50 people last week.

The fuel tank was set alight by smugglers during a raid by police, officials said.

Frustrated by the lack of international consensus on Syria, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has had talks this week with President Barack Obama in Washington where he was expected to call for a more assertive stance.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday the UN should discuss imposing a no-fly zone inside Syria at the international conference being mooted.

“With respect to a no-fly zone… it is not a decision that could be taken between the United States and Turkey. It is something that would have to come through the UN Security Council,” he said.

Syria’s Russian-made military:

  • Nearly 5,000 tanks; 2,500 infantry fighting vehicles; 2,500 self-propelled or towed artillery units
  • 325 Tactical aircraft; 143 helicopters
  • Nearly 2,000 air defense pieces
  • 295,000 active personnel; 314,000 reserve personnel

Statistics: IISS

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Connecticut head-on train crash injures at least 60 people near New York City

Diane A. Wade
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Connecticut head-on train crash injures at least 60 people near New York City

At least 60 people have been injured, five critically, after a head-on, rush-hour collision between two commuter trains near New York City, officials say.

Some 250 people were on the trains involved in Friday evening’s crash. No fatalities have been reported.

Officials said a train that left New York City’s Grand Central station en route to New Haven, Connecticut, derailed then was hit by another train.

Amtrak has suspended its service between New York and Boston.

Metro-North Railroad described it as a “major derailment”, just outside Bridgeport, Connecticut.

A train that left New York City's Grand Central station en route to New Haven, Connecticut, derailed then was hit by another train
A train that left New York City’s Grand Central station en route to New Haven, Connecticut, derailed then was hit by another train

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said the front of one of the trains had been extensively damaged and its wheels were “sticking into the other train”.

One of the five people with the most serious injuries was described as being in a “very critical” condition.

Investigators are trying to find out what caused the crash, which came shortly after 18:00 local time.

Gov. Dannel Malloy said he had no reason to believe it was anything other than an accident.

Bridgeport Police Chief Joseph Gaudett said most of those hurt were walking wounded.

“Everybody seemed pretty calm,” he told the Associated Press.

“Everybody was thankful they didn’t get seriously hurt. They were anxious to get home to their families.”

But Canadian passenger Alex Cohen told NBC Connecticut that “people were screaming… they had to smash a window to get us out”.

One witness, Brian Alvarez, told CNN: “I saw this one car and it was completely destroyed and they were pulling people out of the car. They were all bloody.”

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Christoph Waltz: Man points gun at him and threatens to blow up studio with hand grenade during Cannes TV interview

Sonia Pantiss
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Christoph Waltz: Man points gun at him and threatens to blow up studio with hand grenade during Cannes TV interview

Christoph Waltz was left shaken last night after a man pointed a hand-gun at him during a live French news programme TV show and threatened to blow up a studio with a hand grenade.

Cristoph Waltz, who won Oscars for roles in two Quentin Tarantino movies, was being interviewed about Cannes Film Festival on the set of Canal +’s Le Grand Journal Du Festival with fellow actor Daniel Auteuil when two shots were fired.

A recording of the moment shows the audience run away in panic, as security guards rush Christoph Waltz and Daniel Auteuil off stage.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Christoph Waltzt said he feared for his life.

“I was on a panel at the Studio Canal platform off the beach when a man produced a gun.

“I think it was a pistol and he fired but luckily for me they were blanks.

“Then he shouted he had a grenade and again luckily for me there was no grenade.

“The police have him. They tackled him to the ground. I don’t know who he was or where he came from or what his problem was.”

Christoph Waltz was left shaken last night after a man pointed a hand-gun at him during a live French news programme TV show and threatened to blow up a studio with a hand grenade
Christoph Waltz was left shaken last night after a man pointed a hand-gun at him during a live French news programme TV show and threatened to blow up a studio with a hand grenade

Witness Arthur Laiguesse said: “The bodyguards jumped over the barriers into the crowd and pulled him to the ground. The police arrived and told everyone to run because there was a grenade in his hand.”

Police arrested the man at the scene and found he was carrying a dummy grenade and a knife, authorities said.

“It really appears to be a crazy guy,” said a police source.

Speaking to France 24, Michel Denisot, the programme’s presenter, said: “He said to a woman next to him <<If I were you, I wouldn’t stick around here>>. “There were no bullets in the gun and the grenade was a fake.”

Christoph Waltz revealed what happened after he arrived at the fabled Eden Roc restaurant for a dinner hosted by Charles Finch, the London-based film producer and magazine publisher.

The actor was quite composed and unfazed when he told what had happened to him earlier in the evening.

“I’m fine there’s nothing to worry about now,” Christoph Waltz said.

Christoph Waltz, who has won two best supporting actor Oscars for Django Unchained and Inglourious Basterds, and Daniel Auteuil, both of whom are serving on the Cannes jury, returned to the set.

The shooting was the second security incident on day three of the 12-day Cannes Film Festival, the world’s largest cinema showcase that attracts thousands of actors, directors, film executives, journalists and fans.

A police source said $1.4 million worth of Chopard jewellery intended to adorn movie stars had been stolen from a room at the Suite Novotel hotel overnight on Thursday.

But Chopard said the value had been exaggerated and the items were not for actresses to use, declining to give further details.

Actress Robin Wright last night said she had heard rumors of an incident in Cannes.

“I saw ambulances and police but I didn’t know what they were for. It held traffic up but I didn’t know the details till I heard it from Christoph as you just have.”

Christoph Waltz is a festival jury member along with Steven Spielberg and Nicole Kidman.

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Mariah Carey’s American Idol finale performance branded worst lip-sync of all time

Sonia Pantiss
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Mariah Carey’s American Idol finale performance branded worst lip-sync of all time

Mariah Carey’s performance on last night’s American Idol finale was so good it had some wondering whether she hadn’t lip-synched the entire thing.

However, Mariah Carey, 43, whose voice has sounded strained in recent years, clearly wasn’t given enough credit.

A rep for Mariah Carey told Entertainment Tonight on Friday that the star sang every song live during her greatest hits medley, which included Hero, My All, Vision of Love, Make It Happen, We Belong Together and her new single #Beautiful.

While Mariah Carey’s fans raved about her performance, many on Twitter wondered whether the pop star hadn’t lip-synched.

“Hahaaa Mariah Carey’s Idol Finale Performance Could Be The Worst Lip Synching Of All Time,” wrote @FSBigBob, while @Joey O’Hern tweeted: “Mariah, you look great…but your lip-synching was off. Good try though!”

Mariah Carey’s rep, however, said not only did she sing live, but she also entertained the audience with additional songs in between live shots.

Mariah Carey's performance on last night's American Idol finale was so good it had some wondering whether she hadn't lip-synched the entire thing
Mariah Carey’s performance on last night’s American Idol finale was so good it had some wondering whether she hadn’t lip-synched the entire thing

With former judge Jennifer Lopez scheduled to make a performance comeback later in the show, it was up to Mariah Carey to “really make the show her own”, as they often tell the contestants.

Mariah Carey stood tall in an astonishingly decadent fishtail dress replete with crystals, maribou feathers and was herself dripping in jewels.

Realizing perhaps that dancing isn’t her strongest point, Mariah Carey dispensed with any gimmicks and just stood still save for a few hand moments as she slammed straight into her incredible back catalogue.

She stormed through a seven-minute medley of some of her biggest hits, including Vision of Love, Make it Happen and Hero, before ending with #Beautiful.

The last of those songs debuted at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week as Mariah Carey’s 45th entry on the chart to date.

It was classic Mariah Carey, and though some critics slammed her on Twitter for appearing to lip sync, her fans seemed generally happy with the treasure trove of powerful ditties.

Mariah Carey had a secret weapon in the form of Randy Jackson.

Her fellow judge stepped forward at the end of the song and bashfully accepted the applause still rattling away for Mariah Carey’s crowd pleasing melange.

Mariah Carey could be preparing to bring her minimum thread counts and feathered costumes to a city near you soon.

A source told E! that Mariah Carey is in discussions for a world tour and with her future on Idol looking uncertain, this could definitely be the way forward for the diva of divas.

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Dick Trickle 911 call before suicide

Clyde K. Valle
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Dick Trickle 911 call before suicide

The 911 call legendary NASCAR Dick Trickle made to a hapless operator before he ended his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound was released today.

In the recording, Dick Trickle matter-of-factly tells the female operator that he is at “the Forest Lawn Cemetery at 150” – where he was later found dead.

When the 911 operator asks him for his name, Dick Trickle repeats the address, not once identifying himself as the racer who entertained generations with his extrovert driving skills

Dick Trickle says that he is “on the back side of it. By a ’93 pickup. There’s gonna be a dead body..it’s suicide”.

The confused operator asks Dick Trickle if he was there to witness one, but instead he chillingly responds with: “I’m the one.”

Legendary NASCAR Dick Trickle made a chilling 911 call before he ended his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound
Legendary NASCAR Dick Trickle made a chilling 911 call before he ended his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound

Stunned, the woman pleads with Dick Trickle, saying “listen to me” but Trickle simply repeats: “150 Forest Lawn in the back by a Ford pickup.”

The operator begs to let her send “help to you”, but that is in vain as he had already hung up.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said authorities tried to call the number back, but no one answered.

This comes as it was revealed that Dick Trickle suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest days before his suicide according to Chuck, his brother.

Dick Trickle, 71, who died on Thursday from a self inflicted gunshot wound was so distressed by his mystery ailment that he visited doctors twice a day.

According to his brother, the popular racer became depressed by a discomfort under his left breast telling him that he “didn’t know how much longer he could take the pain”.

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Ireland Baldwin displays tan lines in backless top

Lisa.Felice
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Ireland Baldwin displays tan lines in backless top

Ireland Baldwin shared a picture with her Twitter followers on Friday showing a white bikini line running across her pink back.

Ireland Baldwin, 17, accompanied the snap, in which she is wearing a pair of denim shorts and backless top, with a short, simple message: “Tan lines.”

Last week the aspiring model shared several snaps of herself enjoying the sunny weather on the beach in Santa Cruz, California, describing the coast town as one of her “favorite places on earth”.

Ireland Baldwin shared a picture with her Twitter followers after Santa Cruz holiday
Ireland Baldwin shared a picture with her Twitter followers after Santa Cruz holiday

Meanwhile Ireland – the daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger – says she is excited about becoming a big sister to her father and new wife Hilaira Thomas’ baby.

Ireland Baldwin said: “I have always wanted a sibling, I’m so excited to meet my sister. I want her to know that I’m here for whatever she needs.”

The young model also revealed she has a great relationship with her stepmother, Hilaria Baldwin.

Ireland Baldwin told People magazine: “I love Hilaria. She saved my dad, getting him into amazing shape. And she brought him out of a bad place of being lonely.”

While Ireland Baldwin’s parents had a bitter break-up, she insists they have put all of their differences aside for her sake.

Beyoncé is pregnant with second child, multiple sources confirm

Lisa.Felice
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Beyoncé is pregnant with second child, multiple sources confirm

After days of speculation, according to E! News, multiple sources have confirmed to them that Beyoncé is expecting her second child with Jay-Z.

Suspicions were first sparked by the careful camouflage of the Givenchy gown Beyoncé, 31, wore to attend the Met Ball in New York.

The high waisted bodice with a detailed pattern made it hard to see the superstar’s actual shape.

But it was when Beyoncé had to cancel her Mrs. Carter Show performance in Antwerp, Belgium on Tuesday citing “dehydration and exhaustion” that the rumor mill went into overdrive.

Beyoncé recently told ABC News that she “would like more children” and that she feels 16-month-old Blue Ivy could do with some company.

She wore custom, hand beaded white peplum one-piece by designers Ralph & Russo when she took the stage in Antwerp a day after the cancelled concert, and though there was no sign of a bump the fitted corset gave little away.

Multiple sources have confirmed that Beyoncé is expecting her second child with Jay-Z
Multiple sources have confirmed that Beyoncé is expecting her second child with Jay-Z

The New York Post newspaper also claimed that “multiple sources” told them Beyoncé is pregnant following her attendance at the star-studded Met Ball, where the star’s rumored pregnancy was the talk of the night.

Beyoncé is said to have “carefully” hidden her baby bump in the high-waisted Givenchy gown, but multiple photos have since surfaced of the singer sporting a growing stomach on her 65-date Mrs. Carter Show world tour, which touched down in Dublin, Ireland, on Sunday.

Pictures of her on stage in London appear to show an uncharacteristically rounded tummy.

Beyoncé welcomed her first child, daughter Blue Ivy Carter, into the world in January 2012.

The singer and her husband Jay-Z – real name Shawn Carter – remained tight-lipped about her first pregnancy until sensationally announcing it live at the MTV Video Music Awards in August 2011.

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Madeleine McCann case: Potential suspects identified by UK detectives

Diane A. Wade
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Madeleine McCann case: Potential suspects identified by UK detectives

A number of persons of interest have been identified by UK detectives reviewing the case of the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Madeleine McCann, from Rothley, Leics, was nearly 4-year-old when she went missing from her family’s Portuguese holiday flat in an Algarve resort.

Scotland Yard said officers were working closely with Portuguese police and considering their next steps.

They denied asking Portuguese police to make any arrests.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police went on to say Madeleine’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, were being kept up-to-date with their progress.

Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the couple, said: “Kate and Gerry remain very, very pleased with the work that Scotland Yard are doing and have been encouraged by Operation Grange [the case review] from the day it began.

“Beyond that, they simply will not comment on what are police operational matters.”

A number of persons of interest have been identified by UK detectives reviewing the case of the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann
A number of persons of interest have been identified by UK detectives reviewing the case of the 2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann

The Met Police statement also said: “Our investigative review is ongoing and we are encouraged by the progress we are making.

“We are reviewing a significant number of documents and continue to identify potential lines of inquiry.

“We can confirm that as part of this process we have identified a number of persons of interest, but any suggestion that the MPS [Met Police Service] is asking the Portuguese police to make arrests in connection with this inquiry is entirely inaccurate.”

The UK review into Madeleine McCann’s case – known as Operation Grange – began last May after Prime Minister David Cameron responded to a plea from her parents.

Its objective is for a team of UK officers to work with the Portuguese authorities with a view to reopening the case, which has been closed since 2008.

As part of the review, a computer-generated image of how Madeleine McCann might look now was produced.

Detectives are also poring over thousands of pieces of information from the Portuguese investigation, inquiries by the UK law enforcement agencies, and the work of private investigators and agencies.

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Cannes Film Festival 2013: $1 million Chopard jewels stolen from Novotel hotel room

Sonia Pantiss
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Cannes Film Festival 2013: $1 million Chopard jewels stolen from Novotel hotel room

More than $1 million (777,000 euros) worth of Chopard jewels have been stolen from Novotel hotel in Cannes, French police say.

The jewels were to be loaned to stars appearing at the famous annual film festival on the French Riviera.

They were taken from the hotel room of an employee of exclusive Swiss jewellers Chopard in the early hours of Friday morning.

Police say the thieves ripped the safe containing the jewels from a wall of the room at the Novotel hotel.

Festival officials said the Palme d’Or was not among the stolen items.

Celebrities choosing Chopard's gems for their red carpet appearances at this year's Cannes festival include Cara Delevigne, Lana Del Rey and Cindy Crawford
Celebrities choosing Chopard’s gems for their red carpet appearances at this year’s Cannes festival include Cara Delevigne, Lana Del Rey and Cindy Crawford

The event’s top award is also made by Chopard, which is an official sponsor of the festival.

Celebrities choosing Chopard’s gems for their red carpet appearances at this year’s festival include Julianne Moore, Lana Del Rey and Cindy Crawford.

The theft happened a few hours after the festival was shown The Bling Ring, a new film by director Sofia Coppola.

The Bling Ring is about teenagers who find out when celebrities are attending red carpet events in order to break into their homes and steal their designer clothes, bags and shoes.

The 66th annual Cannes Film Festival is currently taking place in Cannes, France, from 15 to 26 May 2013.

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Jorge Rafael Videla: Argentina’s former military leader dies in prison aged 87

Diane A. Wade
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Jorge Rafael Videla: Argentina’s former military leader dies in prison aged 87

General Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentina’s former military leader, has died aged 87 while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity.

Jorge Rafael Videla is reported to have died from natural causes in prison.

The general was jailed in 2010 for the deaths of 31 dissidents during the 1976-83 military dictatorship, of which he was overall leader until 1981.

Up to 30,000 people were tortured and killed during this period, in a campaign known as the “Dirty War”.

Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla had been sentenced to life in prison for torture, murder and other crimes in 1985, but was pardoned in 1990 under an amnesty given by the president at the time, Carlos Menem.

In April 2010, the Supreme Court upheld a 2007 federal court move to overturn his pardon.

Eight months later Jorge Rafael Videla was found “criminally responsible” for the torture and deaths of 31 prisoners and jailed for life.

Most of the left-wing activists were taken from their cells in the central city of Cordoba and shot dead shortly after the military took power.

The army said at the time that they were killed while trying to escape.

General Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentina’s former military leader, has died aged 87 while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity
General Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentina’s former military leader, has died aged 87 while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity

Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla was one of 30 members of the security forces charged with the murders.

Last year, he was also convicted of overseeing the systematic theft of babies from political prisoners.

At least 400 babies are thought to have been taken from their parents while they were held in detention centres.

More than 100 children given for adoption to military or police couples have since been reunited with their biological families.

A court in Buenos Aires sentenced Jorge Rafael Videla to 50 years in prison, while another ex-military leader, Reynaldo Bignone, received 15 years for his alleged role in the crime.

In an interview with an Argentine journalist last year, Jorge Rafael Videla said the crackdown he oversaw was the price Argentina had to pay in order to remain a republic.

“War, by nature, is cruel,” he said.

“An internal war, between brothers, is especially cruel.”

Jose Miguel Vivanco, director of Latin America for US-based Human Rights Watch, said Jorge Rafael Videla presided over one of the region’s cruellest repressions in modern times.

“He was arrogant to the end and unwilling to acknowledge his responsibility for the massive atrocities committed in Argentina,” he said.

“Many of the secrets of the repression will die with him.”

Argentina’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel told Reuters news agency: “Death has brought an end to his physical existence but not what he did against the people.”

The head of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an association that works to uncover the real identities of the stolen children, described Jorge Rafael Videla as a “bad man”.

“I’m reassured that a discredited man has departed this world,” said Estela de Carloto in a statement to local media.

Jorge Rafael Videla was born in 1925, the son of an army colonel.

In 1976, he and two other military leaders staged a coup against President Isabel Peron, the widow of former leader Juan Domingo Peron.

Argentina’s dictatorship:

  • 1976: Military junta under General Jorge Rafael Videla seizes power – thousands of political opponents are rounded up and killed in what becomes known as “the dirty war”
  • 1982: Jorge Rafael Videla’s successor, General Leopoldo Galtieri, orders invasion of British-held Falkland Islands – more than 700 Argentine soldiers killed in its unsuccessful defense
  • 1983: Civilian rule returns to Argentina, and investigations into human rights abuses begin
  • 2010: Jorge Rafael Videla is sentenced to life imprisonment for murders during his term in office
  • 2012: Jorge Rafael Videla sentenced to 50 years for overseeing systematic theft of the babies of political prisoners

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Why do women’s feet swell during pregnancy?

Kathryn R. Bown
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Why do women’s feet swell during pregnancy?

Roger W. Harms, M.D., leading obstetrician at the Mayo Clinic, explains why women’s feet swell during pregnancy.

“Your body produces and retains more fluid during pregnancy,” he says.

“Also, your growing uterus puts pressure on your veins, which impairs return of blood to your heart. In turn, this can lead to swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. Hormonal changes might play a role as well.”

To avoid cankles, Dr. Roger W. Harms suggests a number of measures:

1.     Sleep on your left side:

This takes pressure off the inferior vena cava – the large vein that returns blood from the lower half of your body to your heart.

Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day
Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day

2.     Stand in water:

Standing in a pool can compress tissues in the legs and might provide temporary relief.

3.     Stay cool:

It might be soothing to apply cold-water compresses to swollen areas.

4.     Wear compression stockings:

Your midwife or GP might recommend wearing supportive tights or stockings.

5.     Drink plenty of fluids:

The Institute of Medicine recommends about two litres of fluids a day during pregnancy.

6.     Exercise:

Walking and swimming can alleviate swelling.

7.     Stay off your feet:

Avoid standing for long periods, and don’t cross your legs.

When you can, sit with your feet up and occasionally rotate your feet at the ankles.

Better still, lie down with your legs elevated.

Kim Kardashian squeezes her swollen feet into perspex stilettos

Lisa.Felice
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0
Kim Kardashian squeezes her swollen feet into perspex stilettos

Kim Kardashian tottered out in a pair of sky-high perspex high heels on Thursday after she complained that a pair of caged Givenchy heels had hurt her swollen feet just last week.

Heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian’s feet were so swollen that she barely managed to squeeze them into the footwear.

Puffy, her ankles were also clearly suffering, even appearing severely pinched in the stylish shoes.

But the 32-year-old reality star was keen to power on, strutting around while wearing another item of clothing that was very tight.

Kim Kardashian wore a clingy white shift dress for the afternoon outing.

Heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian's feet were so swollen that she barely managed to squeeze them into the footwear
Heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian’s feet were so swollen that she barely managed to squeeze them into the footwear

The attire was a similar design to a black frock she had slipped into earlier this month to promote her clothing line in Dallas, Texas.

Kim Kardashian’s dress featured what appeared to be an attached matching white cape and of course, her stilettos.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore her hair out in a straight style and had her usual smoky eye and nude lip combination applied for make-up.

She was joined by her mother Kris Jenner, who beamed at her daughter as she surveyed her outfit.

Kim Kardashian was dressed-to-the-nines to film scenes for her reality TV show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Kris Jenner, 57, was also wearing white in the form of a white blazer.

She paired the item with a Kardashian staple – a pair of leather trousers.

Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day
Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day

The reality matriarch and manager also got around in a pair of sky-high heels – hers a pair of suede ankle boots.

The mother-of-six also toted a patterned Givenchy handbag – the designer a favorite of the family.

Earlier this month, Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day.

Meanwhile recent reports claimed that Kanye West wouldn’t be around following the birth of their child in July because he is planning on embarking on a world tour later this year, following the release of his new album.

However, following claims that she would be left alone with a young baby, TMZ.com have now revealed that Kim Kardashian is planning on joining her beau on the road along with their child.

The website claims that the touring company has been asked to provide cribs and soundproof hotel rooms to provide the most comfortable accommodation for the couple and their baby throughout the tour.

However, Kim Kardashian is contractually obliged to remain in town over the winter for filming of her family reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

“Kim just feels like she can’t win,” the source added.

“She feels that both of their work schedules are going to prevent them from spending quality time together after the baby is born.”

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Fast Food: Advertisements vs. Reality

Nancy Clayson
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Fast Food: Advertisements vs. Reality

Photographer Dario D was fed up with his fast food order not looking quite as appetizing as it did on the advert and decided to see how the food sold over the counter matched up to the promised product.

He bought burgers and tacos from some of the biggest chains in the United States and set them up in his studio for a professional standard photo shoot.

And the difference was clear to see.

Dario D found that most of the burgers he bought were not quite as tall as the adverts promised they would be.

In fact, Big Macs would struggle to fit inside their boxes if they matched their picture.

Another McDonald’s burger, the Angus Deluxe Third Pounder, would have the same trouble.

Dario D embarked on the project following: “a lifetime of disappointment, bafflement, and rage”, posting the results on his website.

He gave Burger King’s Whopper a few tries, but after slightly squashed results could only conclude: “They need to fire the guy who does his yoga on top of the Whoppers.”

In one side-by-side comparison, he showed the results of asking staff at different locations to make the Whopper look like its advert.

Photographer Dario D found that most of the burgers he bought were not quite as tall as the adverts promised they would be
Photographer Dario D found that most of the burgers he bought were not quite as tall as the adverts promised they would be

“Both times, the cashiers turned and took strangely long, careful looks, as if nobody had ever requested that before,” he said.

“They said sure.”

Out of curiosity, Dario D complained about the “misleading” adverts.

A member of Burger King’s Consumer Relations Team replied: “One may find the Whopper Sandwich as pictured in commercials more attractive because during photo sessions, professional food stylists are used to ensure the consistency and appearance.”

It wasn’t just burger chains where the food failed to size up to its commercial counterpart.

In Taco Bell and Jack in the Box, the tacos were thin compared with the packed shells in the adverts.

Of the Taco Bell results, Dario D said: “Since these tacos are pretty dry and empty, I can only tolerate them with hot sauce, which, for me, is when they become good.”

With the help of a green screen and rotating chair, Dario D took each product’s photo at the most flattering angle he could before using digital software to show the advert and real product side-by-side.

Dario D said: “I gave the items as fair a chance as absolutely possible.”

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George Michael car crash: singer airlifted to hospital with head injury following motorway crash

Sonia Pantiss
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0
George Michael car crash: singer airlifted to hospital with head injury following motorway crash

George Michael has been airlifted to hospital with a head injury following a crash on the M1 motorway in UK.

George Michael, 49, remains in hospital after the crash at junction 6A, near St Albans, Hertfordshire.

A spokesman for the former Wham! star confirmed he had been involved in an accident on Thursday but said the singer only had “superficial cuts” and was “fine”.

George Michael was a passenger in a Range Rover and no other vehicles were involved, the spokesman added.

Connie Filippello, spokesman for George Michael, said: “George Michael was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic accident yesterday evening. No third party was involved.

“We have no further comment at this time.”

George Michael has been airlifted to hospital with a head injury following a crash on the M1 motorway
George Michael has been airlifted to hospital with a head injury following a crash on the M1 motorway

Ambulance spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The man who we believe to be in his 40s sustained a head injury and following treatment, stabilization and immobilization by land and air ambulance crews, he was flown to hospital for further care.”

Hertfordshire Police said the northbound carriageway of the road was closed for an hour while emergency services dealt with the incident.

Two people were in the car at the time of the crash at about 17:50 BST. No arrests have been made.

A police spokesman said: “The exact circumstances of what happened are unclear at this time and until further investigations have been carried out it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

In September 2010, George Michael was given an eight-week sentence for crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis.

The singer was also fined £1,250 ($1,950) at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London and given a five-year driving ban.

George Michael was arrested in Hampstead, north London, after driving his Range Rover into a branch of photographic store Snappy Snaps.

Barack Obama makes U.S. Marine break military rules by holding an umbrella while in uniform

Diane A. Wade
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0
Barack Obama makes U.S. Marine break military rules by holding an umbrella while in uniform

Hosting Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the White House’s Rose Garden yesterday, President Barack Obama requested a standing Marine to open an umbrella and protect his head from the light rain that was falling.

However, according to Marine Corps regulations, not even the President of the United States can request a Marine to carry an umbrella without the express permission of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

The Marine Corp Manual, which is the bible for all soldiers serving, specifically states that a soldier’s uniform dress code does not allow the carrying of an umbrella and “no officer or official shall issue instructions which conflict with, alter, or amend any provision without the approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps”.

Indeed, male Marines are informed never to carry an umbrella from the earliest phases of training.

Regulation MCO P1020.34F of the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations chapter 3, rules out any use or carrying of an umbrella while a Marine is in uniform.

However, female Marines “may carry an all-black, plain standard or collapsible umbrella at their option during inclement weather with the service and dress uniforms. It will be carried in the left hand so that the hand salute can be properly rendered”.

During the press conference, President Barack Obama dodged questions about the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups, shifted responsibility for the Benghazi attack to Congress, and said he offers no apologies for the Department of Justice’s secret seizure of reporter’s phone records in search of a classified intelligence leak.

Hosting Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Rose Garden, President Barack Obama requested a standing Marine to open an umbrella and protect his head from the light rain
Hosting Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Rose Garden, President Barack Obama requested a standing Marine to open an umbrella and protect his head from the light rain

In a rain-soaked Rose Garden press conference originally intended to be a victory lap for the United States’ relationship with Turkey, Barack Obama stood alongside Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and fielded questions which quickly shifted to the trio of scandals that are engulfing his administration.

Addressing the Benghazi fallout pre-emptively before Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke, Barack Obama said that “at my direction, we’ve been taking a series of steps that were recommended by the review board”.

He spoke of various measures he was recommending, to “learn the lessons of Benghazi”. But he referred to the murders of four Americans there as an “incident”, not a terror attack.

The president said: “That’s why, at my direction, we’ve been taking a series of steps that were recommended by the review board after the incident. We’re continuing to review our security at high-threat diplomatic posts, including the size and nature of our presence; improving training for those headed to dangerous posts; increasing intelligence and warning capabilities.

“And I’ve directed the Defense Department to ensure that our military can respond lightning quick in times of crisis.”

His remarks focused on “properly funding” the State Department and Pentagon-run security at diplomatic posts, shifting the burden to Congress to “provide resources and new authorities so that we can implement all the recommendations of the Accountability Review Board which issued a report last month”.

Barack Obama said: “We’re going to need Congress’s help in terms of increasing the number of our Marine Corps Guard who protect our embassies.

“We’re not going to be able to do this alone.”

“’We need Congress.”

The review board is under fire for failing to interview high-level Obama administration figures, including then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Interviewing Clinton, Republicans on Capitol Hill have said, would have provided insights into who was accountable for lapses in security that left the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya vulnerable to attack.

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Dick Trickle suicide: Chuck Trickle says his brother suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Dick Trickle suicide: Chuck Trickle says his brother suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest

Dick Trickle’s brother, Chuck, has said the legendary NASCAR driver suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest before his suicide.

Richard “Dick” Trickle, 71, who died on Thursday from a self inflicted gunshot wound, was so distressed by his mystery ailment that he visited doctors twice a day.

According to his brother, Dick Trickle became depressed by a discomfort under his left breast telling him that he “didn’t know how much longer he could take the pain”.

“It’s a shock to me,” said Chuck Trickle to The Las Vegas Review Journal.

“It’s real hard to think about. He was my brother, my friend and my hero, in that order.”

“He was very down.”

Chuck Trickle, who lives in Las Vegas said that to his knowledge his brother was healthy, except for the pain under his chest, but when they last spoke a week ago he suspected that something was wrong when he heard his brother curse.

Chuck Trickle said his brother was so beloved that “he could’ve run for president and won”.

“He was there for everybody,’ Chuck Trickle said. ‘He left a very large footprint on this earth.”

Chuck Trickle’s son, Chris, was shot in 1997 while driving in Las Vegas. He died the following year, and the case never was solved.

Dick Trickle’s brother, Chuck, has said the legendary NASCAR driver suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest before his suicide
Dick Trickle’s brother, Chuck, has said the legendary NASCAR driver suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest before his suicide

During his racing career, Dick Trickle attracted attention when he drilled a hole in his safety helmet to allow him to smoke a cigarette as he competed.

He also installed cigarette lighters in his cars so he could smoke during races, the local news station noted.

Dick Trickle recalled in an interview with Fox Sports two years ago of a fan who came up to him while signing autographs and asked him about the cigarettes.

“He says, <<How many cigarettes did you smoke during that race?>> And I said, <<How many yellows were there?>> I said, <<One for every yellow>>.”

Dick Trickle said he quit smoking two and a half years before that interview but did it “just for no good reason”.

He died on Thursday at age 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police confirmed.

The body of the retired race car driver was found at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina, 30 miles west of Charlotte. His body was discovered near his pickup truck.

It is not known why he chose the cemetery as the location to end his life.

Dick Trickle had actually called police before shooting himself and forewarned them “there would be a dead body and it would be his”.

He made his debut on the NASCAR circuit in the #84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing.

His career spanned 24 years, during which he competed in a total of 2,200 races.

Dubbed the “White Knight” by his corporate sponsor SuperAmerica, Dick Trickle was said to have nabbed the most wins in short track racing.

He was named the Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s Winston Cup in 1989 at age 48.

Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tim Johnson says foul play is not suspected.

Dick Trickle leaves behind his wife of 53 years Darlene and three children.

They are the proud parents of three children. 50-year-old Tod Allen Trickle born on March 22, 1963, 41-year-old Chad Trickle born on March 03, 1972 and their eldest and only daughter 52-year-old Victoria Trickle, now Vicky Trickle Bowman, who once worked as her father’s personal assistant.

Darlene Carol Trickle, 69, was born Darlene McMahon on January 11, 1944, she got married to her childhood sweetheart Dick Trickle shortly after he graduated from High School in May, 1961.

At age of 8, Dick Trickle almost died while playing tag with his cousin in a house under construction.

He fell two floors to the basement and broke his hip and spent three years in a cast from his waist to his feet – walking with a limp for the rest of his life.

And tragically, his nephew, Chris Trickle, who was also a NASCAR driver was murdered in an unsolved drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1998.

Chris Trickle died from his wounds 409 days after the shooting.

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Michelle Knight was Ariel Castro’s punching bag

Nancy Clayson
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0
Michelle Knight was Ariel Castro’s punching bag

A family friend of one of the Cleveland victims has revealed that Michelle Knight, the first of three women to be kidnapped off the street who suffered more than a decade of abuse in Ariel Castro’s house of horrors, was subjected to numerous beatings and treated like “a punching bag”.

Michelle Knight, now 32, vanished in August 2002, and was not seen again until earlier this month when she emerged from a dilapidated house on Seymour Avenue with Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.

The owner of the home, 52-year-old Ariel Castro, faces kidnapping and rape charges. He is accused of chaining up all three women in the home and raping them.

A family friend of one of the victims told CNN that Michelle Knight was often hit with hand weights and other objects and treated like a “punching bag” for 11 years.

Her relatives say that she is deaf in one ear, and may need facial reconstruction surgery. She was released from a hospital on Friday.

Michelle Knight was often hit with hand weights and other objects and treated like a “punching bag” for 11 years
Michelle Knight was often hit with hand weights and other objects and treated like a “punching bag” for 11 years

Michelle Knight stayed in the hospital for several days after the other two women left.

She told CNN in a statement: “I am healthy, happy and safe and will reach out to family, friends and supporters in good time.”

Michelle Knight told police that her alleged captor repeatedly raped her and caused her to miscarry at least five times over the years by starving her and punching her in the stomach.

Police sources told the National Enquirer that Ariel Castro had no interest in having children with Michelle Knight, because she was only 4-foot-7 and he believed her to be “mentally disabled”.

The magazine’s source added that Ariel Castro was grooming his 6-year-old daughter with Amanda, Jocelyn, as another sex slave because the other captives “were getting to old for him”.

Police had not been looking for Michelle Knight when she was found in Ariel Castro’s house.

Michelle Knight disappeared in 2002 at age 21. Her mother concluded she might have run away from home because she was angry about the state taking away her child.

Police dropped the case when they couldn’t reach her mother.

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Dell reports 79% fall in profits as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Dell reports 79% fall in profits as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets

Dell has reported a 79% slide in net profit, underlining a fall in personal computers sales as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets.

The PC maker’s net profit fell to $130 million in the three months to May 3, on revenue down 2% to $14 billion.

Dell is in the middle of a dispute between founder Michael Dell and two of its biggest shareholders.

Michael Dell wants to take the company private, but some investors oppose the plan.

Dell has reported a 79 percent slide in net profit, underlining a fall in PC sales as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets
Dell has reported a 79 percent slide in net profit, underlining a fall in PC sales as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets

Michael Dell and private equity group Silver Lake have offered to buy back the company for $24.4 billion, and have pledged to shift the business away from PCs to mobile devices.

But its biggest shareholders – the investor Carl Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management – have argued that the valuation of the company is too cheap, and that Michael Dell’s deal is a “giveaway”.

Instead, they have proposed to offer additional shares to shareholders and install mew management.

In its quarterly results, Dell said that revenue from new technologies, services and software, rose 12% to $5.5 billion. That was in contrast to PC sales, which fell 9%.

Dell did not issue a profit guidance for the second quarter due to the ongoing dispute. The company has created a special committee of the board to study the private equity deal and alternative bids.

Dick Trickle commits suicide at 71 calling police before shooting himself to instruct where to find his body

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Dick Trickle commits suicide at 71 calling police before shooting himself to instruct where to find his body

Retired race car driver Richard “Dick” Trickle died on Thursday at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police say.

The body of the NASCAR legend was found at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina, 30 miles west of Charlotte.

Dick Trickle’s body was discovered near his pickup truck.

The victim had actually called police before shooting himself and forewarned them “there would be a dead body and it would be his”.

Dick Trickle made his debut on the NASCAR circuit in the #84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing.

His career spanned 24 years, during which he competed in a total of 2,200 races.

Richard “Dick” Trickle died on Thursday at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
Richard “Dick” Trickle died on Thursday at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound

Dubbed the “White Knight” by his corporate sponsor SuperAmerica, Dick Trickle was said to have nabbed the most wins in short track racing.

He was named the Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s Winston Cup in 1989 at age 48.

During his racing career, Dick Trickle attracted attention when he drilled a hole in his safety helmet to allow him to smoke a cigarette as he competed.

He also installed cigarette lighters in his cars so he could smoke during races, the local news station noted.

Dick Trickle recalled in an interview with Fox Sports two years ago of a fan who came up to him while signing autographs and asked him about the cigarettes.

“He says, <<How many cigarettes did you smoke during that race?>> And I said, <<How many yellows were there?>> I said, <<One for every yellow>>.”

Dick Trickle said he quit smoking two and a half years before that interview but did it “just for no good reason”.

Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tim Johnson says foul play is not suspected.

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Arne Svenson: TriBeCa residents threaten to sue artist for secretly photographed them in their own apartments

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Arne Svenson: TriBeCa residents threaten to sue artist for secretly photographed them in their own apartments

Residents at a luxury TriBeCa apartment block in Lower Manhattan are very furious after discovering that artist Arne Svenson, who is their neighbor at a nearby building, has secretly been taking their photographs to exhibit and sell.

Arne Svenson freely admits to secretly photographing his neighbors at the exclusive 475 Greenwich St apartment block in TriBeCa, but claims he hasn’t done anything wrong.

His photographs are careful not to show anyone’s face in full, but they do show the residents engaged in a wide range of intimate and private activities including cleaning, taking a nap, watching television and carrying their sleeping kids to bed.

The photographs are currently on display at the Julie Saul Gallery in New York as part of an exhibition called The Neighbors which opened on Saturday.

Prints are available to buy for up to $7,500 and in sizes up to 5 feet by 2 feet.

Arne Svenson freely admits to secretly photographing his neighbors at the exclusive 475 Greenwich St apartment block, but claims he hasn’t done anything wrong
Arne Svenson freely admits to secretly photographing his neighbors at the exclusive 475 Greenwich St apartment block, but claims he hasn’t done anything wrong

Residents of the Greenwich Street building – where penthouses fetch up to $6 million – are furious over what they see as an invasion of privacy and are concerned about the safety of their children.

“A grown man should not be able to photograph kids in their rooms with a telephoto lens,” resident Clifford Finn told the New York Post.

“You can argue artistic license all you want, but that’s really the issue here. I’m sorry, but I’m really bothered by this.”

A number of residents who are featured in the exhibition are understood to be considering legal action. Although they’ve been advised the may have better luck in a civil case rather than a misdemeanor criminal proceeding because their faces aren’t fully visible.

Arne Svenson, 60, who lives on the second floor of the nearby 125 Watt St building, is unapologetic.

“For my subjects, there is no question of privacy,” he said in a statement accompanying the exhibit.

“They are performing behind a transparent scrim on a stage of their own creation with the curtain raised high. The neighbors don’t know they are being photographed; I carefully shoot from the shadows of my home into theirs.

“I am not unlike the birder, quietly waiting for hours, watching for the flutter of a hand or a movement of a curtain as an indication that there is life within.”

Arne Svenson, whose previous exhibitions have included photos of sock puppets, was inspired to do this latest project after he inherited a bird watching telephoto lens from a friend.

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Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods go fishing with his yacht in Florida

Lisa.Felice
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0
Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods go fishing with his yacht in Florida

Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods only made their first public appearance together as an official couple at the Met Ball a couple of weeks ago.

However, it seems Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn, who have been dating for a number of months, are well past the awkward first few dates stage.

The golfer and the skier looked more than comfortable to show off their sporting physiques as they spent a day lounging and fishing on Tiger Woods’ yacht in Florida on Tuesday.

Tiger Woods, 37, who in recent years has discovered there are plenty more fish in the sea after splitting from his wife Elin Nordegren after a string of infidelities on his part, seemed happy with his new girlfriend.
Making the most of the warm weather the golfer lounged about on the boat with his shirt off while casually dangling his rod in the water.

Dressed in a pair of white shorts and white trousers Tiger Woods completed his look with a backwards white cap.

Lindsey Vonn, 28, was equally as happy to show off her body and slipped into a bandeau bikini.

Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods looked more than comfortable to show off their sporting physiques as they spent a day lounging and fishing on golfer’s yacht in Florida
Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods looked more than comfortable to show off their sporting physiques as they spent a day lounging and fishing on golfer’s yacht in Florida

Clearly excited about her trip she ran to a bridge nearby to take a couple of snaps of Tiger Woods as he tried to catch fish.

Wearing her hair off her face in a messy bun and a pair of dark shades, Lindsey Vonn showed off her natural good looks and laid-back style.

Things are clearly going well between the couple as they were joined for their trip by Tiger Woods’ children from his marriage to Swedish Elin Nordegren – Sam and Charlie.

The children also enjoyed a spot of fishing however they didn’t seem to be enjoying it quite as much as their father, as they looked a little fed up waiting to catch something.

Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods’ relaxing day out comes after their last outing ended a little raucously.

It has been reported that Lindsey Vonn was left embarrassed and angry as Tiger Woods had too much to drink at a Met Gala after party.

Tiger Woods reportedly “looked uncomfortable” as his girlfriend led him through the roof top party.

Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods, who announced their love on Twitter and Facebook with a series of professional shots, are said to have left the party at around 2 a.m. when Woods stumbled up the stairs and fell over.

Luckily, Lindsey Vonn was on hand to pick her man up and she dragged him out of the party to their waiting car outside.

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Pope Francis condemns money cult in his first major speech on financial crisis

Diane A. Wade
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0
Pope Francis condemns money cult in his first major speech on financial crisis

In his first major speech on the financial crisis, Pope Francis has called on world leaders to end the “cult of money” and to do more for the poor.

Free market economics had created a tyranny, in which people were valued only by their ability to consume, the pontiff told diplomats in the Vatican.

“Money has to serve, not to rule,” he said, urging ethical financial reforms.

Meanwhile, the Vatican’s own bank announced it would publish its annual report for the first time.

The Institute for Works of Religion, which has been at the centre of various financial scandals in recent years, is to hire an external accountancy firm to ensure it meets international standards against money laundering.

The bank would launch a website and publish its annual report in an effort to increase transparency, new president Ernst Freyberg said.

The institute is considered one of the world’s most secretive banks.

In his first major speech on the financial crisis, Pope Francis has called on world leaders to end the "cult of money" and to do more for the poor
In his first major speech on the financial crisis, Pope Francis has called on world leaders to end the “cult of money” and to do more for the poor

Pope Francis said life had become worse for people in both rich and poor countries.

In a biblical reference, the pontiff said the “worship of the golden calf” of old had found a new and heartless image in the current cult of money.

He added that reforms were urgently needed as poverty was becoming more and more evident.

People struggled to live, and frequently in an undignified way, under the dictatorship of an economy which lacked any real human goal, Pope Francis said.

Pope Francis made his remarks during an address to newly accredited ambassadors to the Holy See.

The new pontiff, who took over from Benedict XVI in March, is renowned for his efforts of tackling poverty in his native Argentina.

The pontiff has previously said that the Church has a special duty to defend the poor.

“I would like a Church that is poor and is for the poor,” he said following his election as head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics two months ago.

The Pope said he had chosen the name Francis in a direct reference to St Francis of Assisi, the Italian founder of the Franciscan Order who was devoted to the poor.

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David Beckham to retire from football at the end of season

Clyde K. Valle
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0
David Beckham to retire from football at the end of season

David Beckham has announced he will retire from football at the end of this season at the age of 38 after an illustrious 20-year career.

The former England captain made 115 appearances for his country and 394 for Manchester United, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League.

David Beckham signed a five-month deal at Paris St-Germain (PSG) in January.

“I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” he said.

PSG have two more games before the end of the season, at home against Brest on Saturday and away to Lorient on May 26.

David Beckham, who donates his salary with the newly crowned French champions to charity, has made 13 appearances since moving to Paris.

The Leytonstone-born midfielder has played for United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, AC Milan and PSG, lifting 19 trophies including 10 league titles.

He is the only English player to win championships in four countries.

“If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy,” he said.

“I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”

David Beckham has announced he will retire from football at the end of this season at the age of 38 after an illustrious 20-year career
David Beckham has announced he will retire from football at the end of this season at the age of 38 after an illustrious 20-year career

David Beckham joined United as a trainee in 1991, making his first-team debut the following year and signing his first professional contract in 1993.

He became one of the world’s most high-profile sportsmen during his time at Old Trafford – and a global celebrity following his marriage to Victoria Adams of pop group the Spice Girls in 1999.

Then came a move to Real Madrid in 2003 with whom David Beckham clinched La Liga in 2007 before switching to the United States with LA Galaxy.

He was loaned to AC Milan during the MLS off-season in 2009 and 2010, and his stay in the US ended when he signed for PSG.

David Beckham made his England debut against Moldova in 1996 and captained the side from 2000 to 2006, making his 115th and final England appearance in a 3-0 win over Belarus in 2009.

“To this day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country. I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country,” he said.

“I want people to see me as a hardworking footballer – someone who, when he steps on the pitch, he gives everything he’s got. When I look back on my career that is how I look back on it and that is how I hope people have seen me.”

David Beckham was the first English player to score at three consecutive World Cup finals and has the joint-second most goal assists in European Championship finals history.

He played a significant role in the successful bid to bring the 2012 Olympic Games to London and in March of this year became the first sportsman from outside of China to be invited to become the ambassador for the sport in the country.

“Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love,” added David Beckham.

“However, I feel like I’m starting a new adventure and I’m genuinely excited about what lies ahead.

“I’m fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it’s my time to give back.”

British PM David Cameron said: “David Beckham has been an outstanding footballer throughout his career.

“Not only that – he has been a brilliant ambassador for this country, not least if we remember all the work he did in helping us win London 2012.”

England manager Roy Hodgson added: “He’s had a glittering career, iconic status, and I wish him well in the future.”

David Beckham concluded his statement by thanking his family.

“I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without my family. I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realise my dreams,” he said.

“I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period.”

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