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Verdesse: green coffee pill promises to help suppress appetite and to encourage fat burning

Kathryn R. Bown
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Verdesse: green coffee pill promises to help suppress appetite and to encourage fat burning

Verdesse, the new A-list diet aid of choice, is a green coffee pill, which is believed to help suppress the appetite as well as encouraging fat burning.

Already believed to be using the pills are Demi Moore, Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry, while the rest of the Los Angeles glitterati are set to follow suit

Verdesse is made from unripe coffee bean extract, and contains no caffeine – unlike green tea.

Instead, the beans contain chlorogenic acids, including one that happens to be a potent natural fat-buster called 5-caffeoylquinic acid.

“My clients have been going crazy for green coffee bean pills,” a well-respected Hollywood nutritionist revealed in an interview with Grazia.

“They’re taking Tinseltown by storm. In the run-up to the Oscars, actresses do almost anything to look as slender as possible and they’re all fighting it out to have the best body on the red carpet.

“As soon as this pill got a name for itself as being the new miracle weight loss tablet, word spread like wildfire among the Hollywood elite.

“You’re supposed to take 800 mg a day but some are taking 1,600 mg and insisting <<it can’t do any harm>>.”

Although taking double the correct dose isn’t recommended, there is some evidence to support green coffee’s fat-busting reputation.

A study conducted by scientists from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania found that taking the pills can help boost weight-loss by an impressive 10% – even when taken in relatively low doses.

Joe Vinson, who led the study, said: “Based on our results, taking multiple capsules of green coffee extract a day – while eating a low-fat, healthful diet and exercising regularly – appears to be a safe, effective, inexpensive way to lose weight.”

But not everyone agrees with Joe Vinson, and a significant number of health professionals have come forward to outline the downsides of green coffee bean pills which can include anxiety and high blood pressure.

Verdesse, the new A-list diet aid of choice, is a green coffee pill, which is believed to help suppress the appetite as well as encouraging fat burning
Verdesse, the new A-list diet aid of choice, is a green coffee pill, which is believed to help suppress the appetite as well as encouraging fat burning

“Side effects can include anxiety, high blood pressure and IBS [irritable bowel syndrome],” says Romi Polichino, a London-based nutritionist.

“People have suffered from any of these things, or panic attacks and epilepsy, shouldn’t take them.”

Worse, suppliers outside of Europe and the USA are relatively uncontrolled and some have been found to substitute cheap ephedrine for the expensive coffee extract.

“The quality of these pills can vary,” adds Romi Polichino.

“You can buy them cheaply online but who knows what’s in them? I’ve heard that lots of them have fillers added to bulk them out.”

Banned in the UK, ephedrine is a substance that acts similarly to cocaine when ingested, leaving the user with a racing pulse and making them hyperactive, while also suppressing the appetite.

But even without the potential for ephedrine contamination, nutritionists are concerned that the pills will become popular with women who don’t need to lose weight – and will suffer as a result.

“Women who are already slim shouldn’t be taking these pills,” says Romi Polchino.

“In my view, more rigorous research needs to be carried out before we start putting them in our mouths.”

Italy deadlock creates confusion in Europe

Diane A. Wade
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Italy deadlock creates confusion in Europe

European markets and politicians have reacted anxiously after Italy’s general election produced a stalemate between centre-right and centre-left blocs.

France and Germany urged continued reform, while Spain described the result as a “jump to nowhere”.

Italian markets fell sharply while others in Europe and around the world opened down.

Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi said fresh elections should be avoided, and called for a period of reflection.

With all domestic votes counted, Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left bloc won the lower house vote but has failed to secure a majority in the Senate. Control of both houses is needed to govern.

A protest movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo won 25%, but the centrist bloc led by current PM Mario Monti came a poor fourth, with about 10%.

The outcome of the election, which comes amid a deep recession and tough austerity measures, was so close between the two main blocs that the margin of victory given in interior ministry figures was less than 1% in both houses of parliament.

The winning bloc automatically gets a majority in the lower house. But the same is not true in the Senate, where seat allocations are decided by region and can conflict with the national vote.

European politicians reacted with a mixture of calm and concern.

European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said the EU expected Italy to “honor its commitments” on debt and deficit reduction, and other structural reform.

“We clearly hear the message of concern expressed by Italian citizens,” he said at a news conference.

“The Commission has full confidence in Italian democracy and… will work closely with the future government towards the re-launch of growth and job creation in Italy.”

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said the result “creates problems” but would not undermine the European single currency.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, meanwhile, urged Italy to continue its reforms, and called for a government to be formed “as quickly as possible”.

But his Spanish counterpart there was “extreme concern” about the financial consequences.

“This is a jump to nowhere with positive consequences for nobody,” Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said, according to Associated Press news agency.

European markets and politicians have reacted anxiously after Italy's general election produced a stalemate between centre-right and centre-left blocs
European markets and politicians have reacted anxiously after Italy’s general election produced a stalemate between centre-right and centre-left blocs

Shares and the euro fell as the outcome of the election became clear, amid concern that the reform agenda would be delayed.

Italy’s FTSE MIB index initially fell 4.7%, while London’s FTSE 100 shed 1.5% and share markets in Frankfurt and Paris also fell more than 2%.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.55% and Asian markets lost between 0.7% and 2.2%.

The yield on Italian government bonds rose sharply, implying markets are more wary of lending to Italy.

As Silvio Berlusconi conceded to his opponents in the lower house, he said that everyone should now reflect on what to do next so that fresh elections could be avoided.

“Italy must be governed,” Silvio Berlusconi said.

“Everyone must be prepared to make sacrifices.”

He would not do a deal with Mario Monti’s centrist bloc, saying that the prime minister’s poor showing was down to popular discontent with his austerity measures.

Silvio Berlusconi, 76, left office in November 2011, facing claims of economic mismanagement as the eurozone struggled to contain Italy’s debt crisis.

Italians have had more than a year of technocratic government under Mario Monti. But his attempts to reduce spending caused widespread public resentment and his decision to head a centrist list in the parliamentary elections attracted little more than 10% of the vote.

In a surge in support, Beppe Grillo’s anti-austerity Five Star Movement attracted more than a quarter of the vote, making it the most popular single party in the lower chamber.

Correspondents say this was an extraordinary success for the Genoese comic, whose tours around the country throughout the election campaign – hurling insults against a discredited political class – resulted in his party performing well in both chambers.

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Donkey meat sold as beef in South Africa

Kathryn R. Bown
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Donkey meat sold as beef in South Africa

A study published by South Africa’s Stellenbosch University found that donkey, water buffalo and goat meat have been sold as burgers and sausages in South Africa.

The study found that 99 of 139 samples contained species not declared in the product label.

It found soya and gluten were not labelled in 28% of products tested, undeclared pork in 37% and chicken in 23%

This was mostly in sausages, burger patties and deli meats, it said.

The disclosure comes at a time of a growing scandal in Europe about horsemeat being sold as beef.

On Monday, Swedish company Ikea withdrew meatballs from sale in 14 European countries after tests in the Czech Republic found traces of horsemeat in a batch made in Sweden.

Leading supermarkets in the UK, including Tesco and Sainsbury, have also withdrawn beef products from shelves after they were found to contain horsemeat.

“There’s a fair share of fraudulent meat products on the South African market, according to a new study by meat scientists from Stellenbosch University,” the university reports on its news blog.

“The study found that anything from soya, donkey, goat and water buffalo were to be found in up to 68% of the 139 minced meats, burger patties, deli meats, sausages and dried meats that were tested. In other cases, even undeclared plant matter was detected.”

These ingredients were not declared on the products’ packaging labels, it said.

A study published by South Africa’s Stellenbosch University found that donkey, water buffalo and goat meat have been sold as burgers and sausages in South Africa
A study published by South Africa’s Stellenbosch University found that donkey, water buffalo and goat meat have been sold as burgers and sausages in South Africa

The study was done by experts from the Stellenbosch University’s Department of Animal Sciences and the Food & Allergy Consulting & Testing Services in Milnerton, Cape Town.

“Our study confirms that the mislabelling of processed meats is commonplace in South Africa and not only violates food labelling regulations, but also poses economic, religious, ethical and health impacts,” one of the researchers, Louwrens Hoffman, is quoted as saying.

Practicing Muslims and Jews, who constitute significant minorities in South Africa, do not eat pork, in accordance with their religious beliefs.

The products tested were collected from supermarkets and butchers, the university said.

“Our findings raise significant concern on the functioning of the meat supply chain in South Africa,” Louwrens Hoffman is quoted as saying.

“Even though we have local regulations that protect consumers from being sold falsely described or inferior foodstuffs, we need these measures to be appropriately enforced.”

None of the meat mislabelled in South Africa is harmful to humans if consumed, correspondents say.

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Pippa Middleton gets food column in Waitrose Kitchen magazine

Lisa.Felice
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Pippa Middleton gets food column in Waitrose Kitchen magazine

There’s a world of difference between Delia Smith and Pippa Middleton when it comes to tips about food, but that hasn’t stopped Waitrose ditching the former and giving the latter her own column in its magazine.

Pippa’s Friday Night Feasts will advise on the best meals to start the weekend off with friends.

“It will be an exciting opportunity to share my own passion and enthusiasm for food and entertaining,” said Pippa Middleton, 29.

A picture of a beaming Pippa Middleton features on the front cover of the latest edition of the Waitrose Kitchen magazine.

She said: “I’m delighted to be writing for Waitrose Kitchen, a magazine that’s always been a source of inspiration to me.”

Editor William Sitwell said his latest signing would be “an excellent contributor…bringing with her a wealth of experience of entertaining”.

He added: “Readers will love her relaxed and easy entertaining ideas which will help with the preparation for all sorts of occasions.”

The company refused to issue a copy of the first column due out on March 28.

However, if Pippa Middleton’s book Celebrate is anything to go by readers can expect such illuminating advice as having a bonfire on Bonfire Night and serving pumpkin soup in a hollowed-out pumpkin at Halloween.

The decision by Waitrose to drop Delia Smith earlier this year was met with uproar among many of its customers, who have relied on her cooking know-how for decades.

Pippa Middleton gets food column in Waitrose Kitchen magazine
Pippa Middleton gets food column in Waitrose Kitchen magazine

The deal with Waitrose follows further evidence of how the Middletons appear to be cashing in on their association with the Royal Family.

In December, only weeks after the announcement that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting her first child, the Middletons’ Party Pieces website presented a range of baby goods.

The “Little Prince” and “Little Princess” party packs are described as suitable for American-style baby showers.

Last year, the website set up by Pippa and Kate Middleton’s mother Carole in 1987, offered paraphernalia themed around the Royal Wedding and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Shoppers will have to pay £1.20 ($1.9) a month for a copy of the Waitrose magazine if they want to discover Pippa Middelton’s advice on feasting, although it is free to those with Waitrose and John Lewis cards.

The column on the magazine appears to be part of a PR strategy to create a Pippa Middleton brand.

She has started using her name and photograph to promote the products sold on the Party Pieces website.

This significant move to boost Pippa Middleton’s own profile occurred in between her holidaying in Mustique with stockbroker Nico Jackson, 35, and then taking off on a skiing trip with him in Zermatt.

Het Arresthuis prison transformed into luxury hotel

Kathryn R. Bown
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Het Arresthuis prison transformed into luxury hotel

Het Arresthuis was one of the Netherlands’ most feared prisons for almost 150 years, but following its closure and something of a makeover, it has been transformed into a luxury hotel.

The 105 prisoner’s quarters have been converted into 40 spacious rooms, including 24 standard rooms, 12 deluxe rooms, and four suites, all of which feature modern furnishings and chic interior design.

All of the rooms are equipped with air conditioning, a flat screen TV, free WiFi, and even a personal coffee and tea machine.

The hotel also features a sauna, fitness centre, central patio with olive trees, and an organic herb garden.

Het Arresthuis opened its doors in 1862 and quickly established a reputation as an intimidating jail.

Despite the prison featuring lots of bars, this place has both kinds – the ones you can’t get past and the ones where you can get a drink.

After being abandoned for a number of years, Het Arresthuis reopened in 2002. But in mid 2007 it closed permanently after which construction of the hotel began.

Het Arresthuis was also called “bolletjesbajes” which translates as stuffer’s prison.

Het Arresthuis was one of the Netherlands' most feared prisons for almost 150 years, but following its closure and something of a makeover, it has been transformed into a luxury hotel
Het Arresthuis was one of the Netherlands’ most feared prisons for almost 150 years, but following its closure and something of a makeover, it has been transformed into a luxury hotel

Het Arresthuis in Roermond is not the only former prison which has been transformed into a hotel.

After closing in 1996, Oxford Prison in UK was transformed into a Malmaison hotel.

Another prison which is now a hotel is the Jailhotel Lowengraben in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Built in 1862, it was used as a prison until 1998, before being converted into a hotel.

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Pope Benedict XVI will be known as “pope emeritus” and will retain the honorific “His Holiness” after resignation

Diane A. Wade
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Pope Benedict XVI will be known as “pope emeritus” and will retain the honorific “His Holiness” after resignation

Vatican officials announced today that Pope Benedict XVI will be known as “pope emeritus” and will retain the honorific “His Holiness” after he abdicates on Thursday.

He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Josef Ratzinger.

Pope Benedict will wear his distinctive white cassock without any cape or trimmings.

He will surrender his gold ring of office, known as the fisherman’s ring, and his personal seal will be destroyed in the same way as when a pope dies.

Benedict XVI will also give up wearing his specially-made red leather loafers, instead wearing brown shoes hand made for him by a Mexican craftsman during a brief visit to Mexico last year, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said on Tuesday.

His resignation is the first by a pope for some 600 years.

The title “emeritus” is used when a person of status, such as a professor or bishop, hands over their position so their former rank can be retained in their title.

The Pope is to spend his final hours at his Vatican residence saying farewell to the cardinals who have been his closest aides during his eight-year pontificate.

His personal archive of documents will be packed up and, at 20:00 on Thursday, the Swiss Guard on duty at his Castel Gandolfo residence will be dismissed, to be replaced by Vatican police.

Vatican officials announced today that Pope Benedict XVI will be known as "pope emeritus" and will retain the honorific "His Holiness" after he abdicates on Thursday
Vatican officials announced today that Pope Benedict XVI will be known as “pope emeritus” and will retain the honorific “His Holiness” after he abdicates on Thursday

This will mark the formal end of his papacy and the beginning of the period of transition to his successor, due to be chosen next month.

From March 4, the College of Cardinals will meet in general congregations to discuss the problems facing the Church and set a date for the start of the secret election – or conclave to elect Pope Benedict’s successor.

That successor will be chosen by 115 cardinal-electors (those younger than 80 years old) through ballots held in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.

A two-thirds-plus-one vote majority is required. Sixty-seven of the electors were appointed by Benedict XVI, and the remainder by his predecessor John Paul II.

About half the cardinal-electors (60) are European – 21 of those being Italian – and many have worked for the administrative body of the Church, the Curia, in Rome.

Chris Brown opens about his 2009 attack on Rihanna

Lisa.Felice
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Chris Brown opens about his 2009 attack on Rihanna

Chris Brown has opened up about his 2009 attack on Rihanna, saying that it is the “greatest regret” of his life.

Although Chris Brown, 23, described the assault as a “mistake” he also admitted that the couple had moved on and Rihanna has “forgiven” him.

Speaking to The Mirror, Chris Brown, who is desperately trying to re-vamp his image, claimed that he has had to work hard for Rihanna’s forgiveness.

“That night was the deepest regret of my life, the biggest mistake,” said Chris Brown, having clearly come to terms with the wrong he did.

“But she loves me – what can I say? I’m forgiven… but, yes, I worked hard for it,” he added, suggesting that the couple had put the incident behind them even if other people hadn’t.

“Sometimes you row, you fight, with the one you love and things get said, stuff spirals,” Chris Brown added.

Chris Brown continues to face a public backlash against his actions, which left Rihanna bruised and battered after he attacked her during an argument back in 2009.

He was sentenced to 5-year probation and six months of community service by a court after admitting to the assault.

Due in part to the fact that the pair have reconciled, they’ve faced a fresh onslaught from domestic abuse campaigners and the general public.

Chris Brown has opened up about his 2009 attack on Rihanna, saying that it is the "greatest regret" of his life
Chris Brown has opened up about his 2009 attack on Rihanna, saying that it is the “greatest regret” of his life

Chris Brown, who spent Monday at Elton John’s Oscar party without Rihanna, seemed unfazed by host Seth MacFarlane’s joke about him during the ceremony.

As he introduced Quentin Tarantino’s violent revenge western Django Unchained Seth MacFarlane described it as, “the story of a man fighting to get back his woman, who’s been subjected to unthinkable violence – or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie”.

The reference to Chris Brown’s 2009 assault of Rihanna drew gasps from the audience in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.

Although Rihanna wasn’t at the Oscar party with her other half, the couple holidayed together in Hawaii last week to celebrate her 25th birthday.

Seth MacFarlane blasted by Jewish watchdogs for anti-Semitic Oscars jokes

Sonia Pantiss
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Seth MacFarlane blasted by Jewish watchdogs for anti-Semitic Oscars jokes

Family Guy comedian Seth MacFarlane found himself at the centre of more scandal on Monday in the wake of his controversial hosting of Oscars 2013.

Seth MacFarlane caused outrage among viewers when his Ted alter-ego took to the stage at Sunday night’s ceremony with Mark Wahlberg, and told his co-star that if he “wants to work in this town” he’s got to be Jewish.

His Ted then added to Mark Wahlberg: “I was born Theodore Shapiro and I would like to donate to Israel and continue to work in Hollywood forever.”

But the gags, which came as the pair presented the award for Best Sound Mixing and Best Sound Editing, weren’t received well by many Jewish rights groups, with the comedian labeled “offensive, unfunny and inappropriate”.

Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement: “While we have come to expect inappropriate <<Jews control Hollywood>> jokes from Seth MacFarlane, what he did at the Oscars was offensive and not remotely funny.

“It only reinforces stereotypes which legitimize anti-Semitism. It is sad and disheartening that the Oscars awards show sought to use anti-Jewish stereotypes for laughs.”

The League’s Founder and Dean, Rabbi Marvin Hier, added: “The Oscars are transmitted to every corner of the globe, even to such places where such hateful myths are believed as fact.

“Every comedian is entitled to wide latitude, but no one should get a free pass for helping to promote anti-Semitism.”

The statement continued with the League accusing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of failing to show “greater sensitivity” by allowing the sketch to be aired during the show.

Seth MacFarlane divided opinion with many of his jokes, which saw him take mock Adele’s weight and Chris Brown and Rihanna’s relationship, as well as a sketch which was deemed racist after the comedian used a colored sock to illustrated Denzel Washington.

However, a spokeperson for the Academy said in a statement of Seth MacFarlane’s hosting: “If the Oscars are about anything, they’re about creative freedom.

“We think the show’s producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and host Seth MacFarlane, did a great job, and we hope our worldwide audience found the show entertaining.”

If Seth MacFarlane’s success is to be judged by the ratings of the show, then controversy rules.

The 85th Oscars cracked 40 million viewers for the first time since 2010 – pulling 40.3 million viewers on ABC, an overall increase of 3% from 2012’s telecast hosted by veteran master of ceremonies Billy Crystal, which drew 39.3 million viewers.

Even better, viewership rose 11% in the important 18-49 demographic with a 13.0 rating over the 2012 show’s 11.7 rating in the same category

However, the show failed to top the 2004 Oscar’s audience of 43.5 million viewers who tuned in to watch Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King take Best Picture.

Despite the success of the show, Seth MacFarlane said on Tuesday that he would not return to host another show.

Retweeting a message from another website asking him if he would reprise his presenting role, Seth MacFarlane replied: “No way. Lotta fun to have done it, though.”

According to the comedian’s sister, Seth MacFarlane had to be reassured at length by his family that things went well after the ceremony.

Speaking on Access Hollywood Live, Seth MacFarlane’s sister Rachael explained: “He’s incredibly, incredibly critical of himself. So we were saying, <<You were fantastic, it was amazing>>. He said, <<I’m always going to find something>>.”

 

 

Russia meteor trajectory tracked down

James J. Williams
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Russia meteor trajectory tracked down

Astronomers have traced the origin of a meteor that injured about 1,000 people after breaking up over Ural mountains region in central Russia earlier this month.

Using amateur video footage, they were able to plot the meteor’s trajectory through Earth’s atmosphere and then reconstruct its orbit around the Sun.

As the space rock burned up over the city of Chelyabinsk, the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings.

The team, from Colombia, has published details on the Arxiv website.

Numerous videos of the fireball were taken with camera phones, CCTV and car-dashboard cameras and subsequently shared widely on the web. Furthermore, traffic camera footage of the fireball had precise time and date stamps.

Early estimates of the meteor’s mass put it at ten tonnes; US space agency NASA later estimated it to be between 7,000 and 10,000 tonnes. NASA estimates the size of the object was about 17m (55ft).

Using the footage and the location of an impact into Lake Chebarkul, Jorge Zuluaga and Ignacio Ferrin, from the University of Antioquia in Medellin were able to use simple trigonometry to calculate the height, speed and position of the rock as it fell to Earth.

Astronomers have traced the origin of a meteor that injured about 1,000 people after breaking up over Ural mountains region in central Russia earlier this month
Astronomers have traced the origin of a meteor that injured about 1,000 people after breaking up over Ural mountains region in central Russia earlier this month

To reconstruct the meteor’s original orbit around the Sun, they used six different properties of its trajectory through Earth’s atmosphere. Most of these are related to the point at which the meteor becomes bright enough to cast a noticeable shadow in the videos.

The researchers then plugged their figures into astronomy software developed by the US Naval Observatory.

The results suggest the meteor belongs to a well known family of space rocks – known as the Apollo asteroids – that cross Earth’s orbit.

Of about 9,700 near-Earth asteroids discovered so far, about 5,200 are thought to be Apollos. Asteroids are divided into different groups such as Apollo, Aten, or Amor, based on the type of orbit they have.

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Copyright Alert System starts catching illegal downloaders

Nancy Clayson
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Copyright Alert System starts catching illegal downloaders

Internet users who illegally share music, movies or television shows online could soon receive warning notices from the nation’s five major Internet service providers.

The Copyright Alert System, organized by the recording and film industry, is being activated this week to target consumers using peer-to-peer software.

Under the new system, complaints will prompt an Internet service provider – such as Verizon or AT&T – to notify a customer whose Internet address has been detected sharing files illegally.

A person will be given up to six opportunities to stop before the Internet provider will take more drastic steps, such as temporarily slowing their connection, or redirecting Internet traffic until they acknowledge they received a notice or review educational materials about copyright law.

Consumers who maintain they have been wrongly accused would be forced to pay $35 to appeal the decision. The fee would be reimbursed if they prevail.

Proponents say the focus is on deterring the average consumer rather than chronic violators.

The director of the organization behind the system, Jill Lesser of the Center for Copyright Infringement, said in a blog post Monday that the program is “meant to educate rather than punish, and direct [users] to legal alternatives”.

The Copyright Alert System, organized by the recording and film industry, is being activated this week to target consumers using peer-to-peer software
The Copyright Alert System, organized by the recording and film industry, is being activated this week to target consumers using peer-to-peer software

Each Internet provider is expected to implement their own system.

The program gives each customer five or six “strikes” after a music or film company has detected illegal file-sharing and lodged a complaint.

The first alerts are expected to be educational, while the third and fourth would require the customer to acknowledge that they have received the warnings and understand their behavior is illegal.

The final warnings are expected to lead to “mitigation measures”, such as slowing a person’s Internet connection speeds.

Officials involved in the effort acknowledge it’s unlikely to stop the biggest violators.

There are ways to disguise an IP address or use a neighbor’s connection that is unlocked.

Public wireless connections, such as those offered at coffee shops, also won’t be monitored.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West pose on the cover of L’Officiel Hommes

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West pose on the cover of L’Officiel Hommes

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West posed nude on the cover of French fashion magazine L’Officiel Hommes.

Kim Kardashian, 32, was caught in an expression sure to make her daughter blush as Kanye West reveals his bare back, wrapping his arms around her.

The black and white image features on the spring issue of the men’s magazine, shot by Nick Knight.

Its release comes just days after Kim Kardashian was forced to shut down rumors she is planning her exit from Keeping Up with the Kardashians after season nine.

It had been suggested that Kim Kardashian may want to leave the show following the birth of her first child with Kanye West, after claiming her baby will not appear on television.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West posed nude on the cover of French fashion magazine L'Officiel Hommes
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West posed nude on the cover of French fashion magazine L’Officiel Hommes

Kim Kardashian told DuJour magazine: “I think there’s always an evolution of, you know, what you want to do in life. It’s all about finding things that really excite you and motivate you and spark you all over again.

“I’m realizing that no matter what, if you go into something with all these expectations and plans, once you’re actually living it, it could be completely different.”

Kim Kardashian also told the publication that rapper Kanye West has taught her “a lot about privacy”, and after his own reluctance to appear in the series, perhaps it wouldn’t be a surprise if she did decide to bid farewell to the Kardashian bubble.

“I’m ready to be a little less open about some things, like my relationships,” Kim Kardashian added.

“I’m realizing everyone doesn’t need to know everything. I’m shifting my priorities.”

Markets affected by Italian election deadlock

Clyde K. Valle
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Markets affected by Italian election deadlock

European markets have opened lower, with the inconclusive election result in Italy raising fears that political deadlock will delay economic reforms.

Italy’s FTSE MIB index fell 4.7%, while London’s FTSE 100 shed 1.5% and share markets in Frankfurt and Paris also fell more than 2% at the start.

The yield on Italian government bonds also rose sharply, implying markets are more wary of lending to Italy.

Earlier, stock markets in Asia had closed lower.

Japan’s main Nikkei 225 stock index lost 2.2%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.8% and Australia’s ASX was down 1%.

Oil prices also dropped, hit by worries that uncertainty in the eurozone could hit demand, with Brent crude falling 87 cents to $113.57 a barrel.

With all domestic votes counted in Italy’s parliamentary election, the centre-left bloc won the lower house by a tiny margin, but did not secure a majority in the Senate.

Fears are that a split parliament will make it harder for one group to push through their plans to revive the economy, and that may stall Italy’s process of cutting its public debt levels.

Banks were the biggest fallers on the stock markets, with shares in major banks across Europe down more than 4%.

The yield on Italian 10-year government bonds rose to 4.77% from 4.48%, and the gap between the yield on Italian and German 10-year bonds widened.

European markets have opened lower, with the inconclusive election result in Italy raising fears that political deadlock will delay economic reforms
European markets have opened lower, with the inconclusive election result in Italy raising fears that political deadlock will delay economic reforms

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has conceded the lower house to Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left bloc, played down the significance of the spread, and said he was not worried about market reaction to the vote.

But Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said there was “extreme concern” over possible movements in bond spreads as a reaction to the results.

“This is a jump to nowhere that does not bode well either for Italy or for Europe,” he said.

Giuseppe Fontana, professor of monetary economics at Leeds University Business School, said Italian voters had sent a “chilling message” to the markets and policy makers.

Georg Grodzki, head of credit research at Legal & General Investment Management, said the Italian result would leave markets guessing for a while.

“Uncertainty is not good for confidence. It’s not bad enough for an immediate abrupt sell-off but it could well build over the next few months into some crisis,” he said.

With political instability likely to continue at least in the near term, Angus Campbell from Capital Spreads said: “The uncertainty that this causes is enough to make anyone nervous and we are likely to see an interim administration for a number of months before fresh elections, unless a working coalition can be formed.”

For more than a year Italy was led by technocrat Mario Monti, appointed after Silvio Berlusconi’s resignation in November 2011 amid an acute debt crisis.

He was tasked with reforming the economy, and introduced unpopular economic austerity measures, implementing spending cuts and tax rises.

Mario Monti resigned in December after Mr Berlusconi’s conservative party withdrew its support from his government. Although he ran in the latest election, his bloc won only 10% of the vote, with the majority of voters rejecting austerity.

Ishaq Siddiqi, market strategist at ETX Capital, warned of future turmoil in Italy.

“What is more worrying for investors is that the political deadlock in Italy would suggest that even if we do see a market-friendly scenario materialize with a reform-minded government taking control, the fact that Berlusconi managed to gain such an influence with his anti-austerity campaign means that we are likely to see a rise in civil unrest in Italy.”

Investors are now looking towards a testimony later on Tuesday from US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.

Global markets were shaken last week by an indication from the Fed that it might scale back its strong monetary stimulus sooner than expected.

Oscars 2013: Seth MacFarlane hosting performance boosts TV ratings

Sonia Pantiss
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Oscars 2013: Seth MacFarlane hosting performance boosts TV ratings

Oscars 2013, hosted by Seth MacFarlane, attracted a TV audience of 40.3 million, a million more than tuned in to 2012’s broadcast.

According to the ABC network, the show – hosted by Seth MacFarlane, creator of hit TV cartoon Family Guy – drew the largest Oscar audience for three years.

Last year’s show, hosted by comic Billy Crystal, was seen by 39.3 million, while 2011’s was seen by 37.6 million.

Argo won best picture at this year’s event, while Daniel Day-Lewis was named best actor for a record third time.

According to statistics company Nielsen, Seth MacFarlane’s involvement helped boost interest among young men and the 18- to 49-year-old age group.

Figures for the latter demographic, which is much coveted by TV advertisers, were up 11% on last year, while the 18- to 34-year-old male audience saw a 34% increase.

Reaction to Seth MacFarlane’s performance has been mixed, with Rolling Stone saying he resembled a “bumbling rookie” in his first stab at Oscar host.

The New Yorker was no less scathing, saying that watching the three-and-a-half hour ceremony “meant sitting through a series of crudely sexist antics”.

Oscars 2013, hosted by Seth MacFarlane, attracted a TV audience of 40.3 million, a million more than tuned in to 2012's broadcast
Oscars 2013, hosted by Seth MacFarlane, attracted a TV audience of 40.3 million, a million more than tuned in to 2012’s broadcast

Satirical website The Onion also found itself under fire on Sunday after calling Quvenzhane Wallis, the 9-year-old star of Beasts of the Southern Wild, a “crude and offensive” name on Twitter.

Steve Hannah, the website’s chief executive, apologized to the best actress nominee, saying that “no person should be subjected to such a senseless, humorless comment masquerading as satire”.

It has also emerged that an Oscar-winning producer was briefly ejected from Sunday’s star-studded ceremony for throwing paper airplanes around the auditorium.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, security staff at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre took issue with Kristina Reed for recreating the action of Paperman, this year’s best animated short.

Life of Pi took home the most awards on Sunday, winning four prizes including a best director accolade for Taiwan’s Ang Lee.

Argo and Les Miserables won three Oscars apiece, with Django Unchained, Lincoln and Bond movie Skyfall receiving two awards each.

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Organic eggs fraud investigated in Germany

Kathryn R. Bown
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Organic eggs fraud investigated in Germany

German authorities in the northern state of Lower Saxony are investigating allegations of fraud over the mislabeling of eggs as organic.

The authorities have launched an investigation into allegations that 150 farms had mislabelled their eggs.

It is claimed that the hens live in conditions that do not conform to organic regulations.

The farm minister said that if the accusations are proved to be true, it would be “fraud on a grand scale”.

Farm Minister Ilse Aigner said in a statement that the mislabelling of eggs would be “fraud against consumers but also fraud against the many organic farmers in Germany who work honestly”.

German authorities in the northern state of Lower Saxony are investigating allegations of fraud over the mislabelling of eggs as organic
German authorities in the northern state of Lower Saxony are investigating allegations of fraud over the mislabeling of eggs as organic

She urged regional governments to ensure the full implementation of tough German and EU laws on organic food production.

The investigations come as Europe’s food industry has been engulfed by a meat processing and labelling scandal after multiple processed meat products labelled as beef were revealed to contain quantities of horsemeat.

An additional 50 farms in two other German states are also under investigation for mislabelling eggs as organic.

Organic food is increasingly popular in Germany and consumers are willing to pay a premium for products they believe conform to strict standards.

Two years ago, a European Union-wide health alert was sparked when German officials said animal feed tainted with dioxin had been fed to hens and pigs, contaminating eggs, poultry meat and pork at affected farms.

Babies can hear syllables as early as three months before birth

Kathryn R. Bown
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Babies can hear syllables as early as three months before birth

A French research team has found that babies can decipher speech as early as three months before birth.

The evidence comes from detailed brain scans of 12 infants born prematurely.

At just 28 weeks’ gestation, the babies appeared to discriminate between different syllables like “ga” and “ba” as well as male and female voices.

Writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the French team said it was unlikely the babies’ experience outside the womb would have affected their findings.

The research lends support to the idea that babies develop language skills while still in the womb in response to their parents’ voices.

Experts already know that babies are able to hear noises in the womb – the ear and the auditory part of the brain that allow this are formed by around 23 weeks’ gestation.

But it is still debated whether humans are born with an innate ability to process speech or whether this is something acquired through learning after birth.

A French research team has found that babies can decipher speech as early as three months before birth
A French research team has found that babies can decipher speech as early as three months before birth

The authors of the study in PNAS say environmental factors are undoubtedly important, but based on their findings they believe linguistic processes are innate.

Dr. Fabrice Wallois and colleagues say: “Our results demonstrate that the human brain, at the very onset of the establishment of a cortical circuit for auditory perception, already discriminates subtle differences in speech syllables.”

But they add that this “does not challenge the fact that experience is also crucial for their fine tuning and for learning the specific properties of the native language”.

Their brain scan study was carried out in the first few days following birth, so it is possible that the noises and sounds the newborns encountered in their new environment outside of the womb may have triggered rapid development. However, the researchers doubt this.

Egypt hot air balloon crash kills 19 tourists in Luxor

Nancy Clayson
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Egypt hot air balloon crash kills 19 tourists in Luxor

French, British, Hong Kong and Japanese nationals are among 19 tourists reportedly killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor.

The balloon was flying at 1,000 ft (300 m) when it caught fire and exploded, plunging onto fields west of Luxor, officials said.

One witness said people were jumping out of the balloon, “from about the height of a seven-storey building”.

Two people, including the balloon’s pilot, reportedly survived the crash.

Luxor lies on the banks of the River Nile and is home to some of Egypt’s most famous pharaonic-era ruins.

The crash happened on one of the many dawn hot air balloon flights that give tourists an aerial view of Luxor’s famous sites, such as Karnak temple and the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

It was understood that a gas cylinder exploded on board the balloon, bringing it down in an agricultural area just outside Luxor.

Cherry Tohamy’s balloon was landing when she heard an explosion and saw flames from a balloon above.

“Our pilot told us that the balloon had hit a high pressure electrical cable and a cylinder on board exploded,” said Cherry Tohamy, an Egyptian living in Kuwait who was on holiday in Luxor.

“People were jumping out of the balloon from about the height of a seven-storey building.”

She said ambulances were at the scene within 15 minutes.

French, British, Hong Kong and Japanese nationals are among 19 tourists reportedly killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor
French, British, Hong Kong and Japanese nationals are among 19 tourists reportedly killed in a hot air balloon crash near the Egyptian city of Luxor

Another witness, US photographer Christopher Michel said his balloon was just about to land when he “heard an explosion and saw smoke”.

NBC News quoted a Luxor health official as saying that the victims include nine from Hong Kong, four from Japan, two from the United Kingdom and two from France, with two yet to be identified.

The British foreign office said it was making urgent inquiries with its colleagues in Egypt to confirm reports of British casualties.

A spokesman from the Hong Kong government confirmed that nine Hong Kong residents were in the crash balloon and a team of immigration officers was being sent to Egypt.

Hot air balloon crashes have happened in Luxor before. Two British women were among 16 injured when their balloon came down in April 2009.

Luxor, like many other parts of Egypt, has seen a sharp downturn in visitor numbers since the uprising in early 2011 that forced long-time President Hosni Mubarak to step down.

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Poor sleep has a dramatic effect on internal workings of human body

Kathryn R. Bown
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Poor sleep has a dramatic effect on internal workings of human body

British researchers have found that a run of poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on the internal workings of the human body.

The activity of hundreds of genes was altered when people’s sleep was cut to less than six hours a day for a week.

Writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers said the results helped explain how poor sleep damaged health.

Heart disease, diabetes, obesity and poor brain function have all been linked to substandard sleep.

What missing hours in bed actually does to alter health, however, is unknown.

So researchers at the University of Surrey analyzed the blood of 26 people after they had had plenty of sleep, up to 10 hours each night for a week, and compared the results with samples after a week of fewer than six hours a night.

More than 700 genes were altered by the shift. Each contains the instructions for building a protein, so those that became more active produced more proteins – changing the chemistry of the body.

Meanwhile the natural body clock was disturbed – some genes naturally wax and wane in activity through the day, but this effect was dulled by sleep deprivation.

Prof. Colin Smith, from the University of Surrey, said: “There was quite a dramatic change in activity in many different kinds of genes.”

Areas such as the immune system and how the body responds to damage and stress were affected.

British researchers have found that a run of poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on the internal workings of the human body
British researchers have found that a run of poor sleep can have a dramatic effect on the internal workings of the human body

Prof. Colin Smith added: “Clearly sleep is critical to rebuilding the body and maintaining a functional state, all kinds of damage appear to occur – hinting at what may lead to ill health.

“If we can’t actually replenish and replace new cells, then that’s going to lead to degenerative diseases.”

He said many people may be even more sleep deprived in their daily lives than those in the study – suggesting these changes may be common.

Dr Akhilesh Reddy, a specialist in the body clock at the University of Cambridge, said the study was “interesting”.

He said the key findings were the effects on inflammation and the immune system as it was possible to see a link between those effects and health problems such as diabetes.

The findings also tie into research attempting to do away with sleep, such as by finding a drug that could eliminate the effects of sleep deprivation.

Dr. Akhilesh Reddy said: “We don’t know what the switch is that causes all these changes, but theoretically if you could switch it on or off, you might be able to get away without sleep.

“But my feeling is that sleep is fundamentally important to regenerating all cells.”

Italy election results: Split vote leads to stalemate

Diane A. Wade
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Italy election results: Split vote leads to stalemate

Italy’s parliamentary elections have ended in stalemate and the possibility of a hung parliament.

With all domestic votes counted, Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left bloc has narrowly beaten ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi in the lower house but has failed to secure a majority in the Senate.

Control of both houses is needed to govern and a Berlusconi official said the election was “too close to call”.

A protest movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo won a quarter of the vote.

Meanwhile a bloc led by current Prime Minister Mario Monti came a poor fourth, with about 10%.

The outcome of the election, which comes amid a deep recession and tough austerity measures, was so close that the margin of victory given in interior ministry figures was less than 1% in both houses of parliament.

“It is clear to everyone that a very delicate situation is emerging for the country,” said centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani as the last of the votes were being counted.

Angelino Alfano, secretary of former PM Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party, said the result was “extraordinary”, and he urged the interior ministry to wait before declaring a final result.

The interior ministry figures were not official, he argued, and were “inevitably subject to a margin of error”.

With returns from all polling stations processed, the interior ministry figures gave Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left bloc 29.54% of the vote for the lower house (Chamber of Deputies), barely ahead of the 29.18% polled by Silvio Berlusconi’s bloc.

Angelino Alfano said the result was “too close to call” given the tight margin between the two blocs.

Votes cast outside Italy are still to be collected.

Pier Luigi Bersani also won the national vote for the Senate, but was unable to secure the 158 seats required for a majority.

As bonus seats are distributed in the upper house according to regional votes, Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right bloc was expected to emerge with a higher number of seats.

Italy's parliamentary elections have ended in stalemate and the possibility of a hung parliament
Italy’s parliamentary elections have ended in stalemate and the possibility of a hung parliament

Silvio Berlusconi was heading for victory in three of the four big regions – Lombardy in the north, Campania in the centre, and Sicily in the south.

Initial exit polls on Monday afternoon gave Pier Luigi Bersani’s bloc a clear victory, prompting the Milan stock market to soar by nearly 4%.

But as the close result became clear the markets fell back. In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.55% and Asian markets lost between 0.7% and 2.2%.

The apparent split between left and right in the eurozone’s third largest economy is likely to cause great anxiety among leaders in other EU member states.

A period of horse-trading will now follow, and the leading blocs will try in turn to form a coalition.

But, with the electorate apparently so divided, many believe a second election will have to follow in a few months.

Silvio Berlusconi, 76, left office in November 2011, facing claims of economic mismanagement as the eurozone struggled to contain Italy’s debt crisis.

Italians have had more than a year of technocratic government under Mario Monti. But his attempts to reduce spending caused widespread public resentment and his decision to head a centrist list in the parliamentary elections attracted little more than 10% of the vote.

“Some supposed we’d get a slightly better result but I am very satisfied, we are very satisfied,” he said.

In a surge in support, Beppe Grillo’s anti-austerity Five Star Movement attracted 25.54% of the vote.

Correspondents say this was an extraordinary success for the Genoese comic, whose tours around the country throughout the election campaign – hurling insults against a discredited political class – resulted in his party performing well in both chambers.

“We’ve started a war of generations,” Beppe Grillo said in an audio statement on his website which taunted the leaders of the mainstream parties.

“They are all losers, they’ve been there for 25 to 30 years and they’ve led this country to catastrophe.”

As the extent of his success became clear on Monday night, Beppe Grillo’s supporters in his home town of Genoa celebrated early into Tuesday morning.

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Alex Rawlings speaks 11 languages fluently

James J. Williams
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Alex Rawlings speaks 11 languages fluently

Alex Rawlings has won a national competition to find the UK’s most multi-lingual student.

The 22-year-old Oxford University undergraduate can currently speak 11 languages:

  1. English
  2. Greek
  3. German
  4. Spanish
  5. Russian
  6. Dutch
  7. Afrikaans
  8. French
  9. Hebrew
  10. Catalan
  11. Italian
Alex Rawlings, a 22-year-old Oxford University undergraduate, can currently speak 11 languages
Alex Rawlings, a 22-year-old Oxford University undergraduate, can currently speak 11 languages

Entrants in the competition run by the publishers Collins had to be aged between 16 and 22 and conversant in multiple languages.

Alex Rawlings drew on all his skills to tell BBC News about his passion for learning languages and how he came to speak so many.

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French family kidnapped in Cameroon shown in YouTube video

Roy Siemens
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French family kidnapped in Cameroon shown in YouTube video

A video published on YouTube appears to show seven members of a French family, including four children, abducted by Islamist group Boko Haram in Cameroon.

The footage shows an armed man reading a statement in front of two men, a woman and four children.

Claiming to be from the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, the alleged kidnappers demand the release of prisoners in Cameroon and Nigeria.

The family was snatched last Tuesday by gunmen on motorbikes.

Following the abduction, the French government said it believed the couple, their children aged five, eight, 10 and 12, and an uncle were taken across the border into Nigeria, probably by Boko Haram.

The family lives in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, where the father worked for the French gas group Suez. They had been returning from a visit to Waza National Park when they were kidnapped.

On Thursday, France confirmed it had “received information that the group Boko Haram is claiming to be holding the French family”.

“These images are terribly shocking and display cruelty without limits,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said in a statement.

A video published on YouTube appears to show seven members of a French family, including four children, abducted by Islamist group Boko Haram in Cameroon
A video published on YouTube appears to show seven members of a French family, including four children, abducted by Islamist group Boko Haram in Cameroon

In the video, one of the male hostages said they had been kidnapped by Jamaatu Ahlis Sunna Liddaawati wal-Jihad – the Arabic name for Boko Haram.

One of the alleged kidnappers warned that France had launched a war on Islam.

Behind him, the alleged family is shown flanked by two armed men in camouflage uniforms.

A source close to the family confirmed their identities to the AFP news agency.

Laurent Fabius said it was still trying to verify the authenticity of the video.

Last week, a French minister wrongly confirmed reports that the family had been found and released in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, French nationals have been urged to leave northern Cameroon “as quickly as possible”.

The French foreign ministry said on its website citizens were “officially advised not to go to the far north of Cameroon (the shores of Lake Chad in the South Maroua), and the border with Nigeria, until further notice”.

Boko Haram has staged many attacks across northern Nigeria in recent years, targeting churches, government buildings and the security forces.

Another Islamist group – Ansaru – is also active in the region.

Last Sunday, Ansaru claimed the abduction of seven foreign workers in Nigeria.

Italian, British, Greek and Lebanese workers are thought to be among those held after an attack on a construction project in Bauchi state.

Ansaru also says it is holding a French national, Francis Colump, who was seized in the northern state of Katsina.

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Michelle Obama ASOS red and white check dress becomes sellout

Lisa.Felice
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Michelle Obama ASOS red and white check dress becomes sellout

After First Lady Michelle Obama wore a red and white check dress by online fashion retailer ASOS.com last year it quickly became a sellout.

Now fashionistas who missed out stealing Michelle Obama’s style the first time round can get their hands on the dress again as it has gone back on sale today.

The cotton skater dress is back in stock and currently available to buy for the bargain price of £55 ($85).

Michelle Obama, who regularly tops lists of the world’s best dressed women, has worn the sleeveless dress herself on more than one occasion.

Then last August when Michelle Obama joined her husband on the campaign trail as he sought re-election, she opted for the ASOS number again, this time wearing it with a wider black belt and ballet flats.

As if endorsement from the First Lady wearing it wasn’t enough, ASOS got even further free advertising when an image of Michelle Obama while wearing the dress while hugging Barack became the most shared picture in history on social networks.

After First Lady Michelle Obama wore a red and white check dress by online fashion retailer ASOS.com last year it quickly became a sellout
After First Lady Michelle Obama wore a red and white check dress by online fashion retailer ASOS.com last year it quickly became a sellout

Barack Obama’s campaign team posted the image that was taken over the summer on his Twitter and Facebook accounts when it was announced he had won another term as President, along with the caption “another four years”.

The president’ss online campaign manager told Time Magazine the picture was chosen because it summed up the “elation, relief and joy” they were all feeling at that historic moment.

The picture was then retweeted 816,000 times on Twitter shared more than 4 million times on Facebook – breaking records for both social networks.

ASOS was launched in 2000 with the aim of helping twenty-somethings replicate the style of the stars at affordable prices. Now more than a decade on, its success means they’re now setting the trends as well as following them.

Honey Boo Boo’s reality show set to take over the world

Lisa.Felice
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0
Honey Boo Boo’s reality show set to take over the world

Honey Boo Boo’s reality show is set to take over the world as the beauty pageant queen and her colorful family have their show broadcast internationally, it was announced today.

Honey Boo Boo, aka Alana Thompson, has become famous in the US for her TLC series Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo features the antics of the charming 7-year-old and her mom June Shannon, dad Sugar Bear, three older sisters and gay Uncle Poodle at the family home in McIntyre, Georgia.

The family has already been popular with viewers in Eastern Europe, leading the TV network to broaden the show’s reach.

In the next few months, Honey Boo Boo will appear on screens in Australia, the Netherlands, Italy and Latin America.

Honey Boo Boo’s reality show is set to take over the world as the beauty pageant queen and her colorful family have their show broadcast internationally
Honey Boo Boo’s reality show is set to take over the world as the beauty pageant queen and her colorful family have their show broadcast internationally

Luis Silberwasser, executive VP at Discovery Networks International, told the New York Post: “In Poland, where it just started airing, it’s already No. 3 in terms of viewers.

“This is a slice of Americana – not typical America, but of a particular family in the South, and the international audience knows that there are many facets to American lives.”

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo follows beauty pageant enthusiast Alana Thompson taking part in contests but also the family’s life in general including one disastrous Thanksgiving dinner, quad bike rides and her sisters bobbing for pig’s feet at the Redneck Games.

However, Honey Boo Boo’s unique catchphrases – including “a dolla’ makes me holla” and “you’d better redneck-ognize” – might prove a challenge for foreign viewers.

Discovery said that it is working on ways to overcome the lingo that might be lost in translation – as the show already subtitles for English-speaking audiences. Other options include dubbing voiceovers and developing a more in-depth glossary of terms.

Seth MacFarlane criticized for his Oscars hosting style

Sonia Pantiss
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Seth MacFarlane criticized for his Oscars hosting style

Family Guy writer and creator Seth MacFarlane was a risky choice as the host of this year Academy Awards.

Seth MacFarlane, 39, incurred the wrath of viewers during his joke stuffed monologue after he made an indirect reference to Skyfall singer Adele’s weight.

He said: “Rex Reed will be out here to review Adele’s performance of Skyfall.”

The funnyman left no facet of Hollywood untouched by his barbs as he hosted the 85th annual Academy Awards, as he joked about women, domestic violence, ageism, weight and the “hairy” Kardashians.

Seth MacFarlane began the broadcast looking totally relaxed; alone on the stage, he delivered a series of one-liners, many of which drew fire from critics and the internet community.

Starting off with a reference to the Oscar-nominated film Lincoln, Seth MacFarlane pondered about Daniel Day Lewis’ devotion to character, saying: “I would argue the actor who really got inside Lincoln’s head was John Wilkes Booth.”

His tale took an uncomfortable turn when he brought up the issue of slavery: “Like, if you bumped into Don Cheadle on the studio lot, did you try to free him? How deep does your method go?”

Page Six scoffed at the aside, which got a cold audience reaction, by calling it “flat”.

While going through his list of perfunctory celebrity bashing jokes he also managed to make an inappropriate joke about 9-year-old nominee Quvenzhane Wallis and George Clooney.

“To give you an idea of how young she is, it’ll be 16 years until she’s too old for Clooney,” he said.

In his intro to presenters Jennifer Aniston and Channing Tatum, he accused the Friends star of having a dubious past.

“Of our next two presenters, at least one is honest about being a former exotic dancer. Please welcome Channing Tatum and Jennifer Aniston,” he quipped.

Twitter user Laura Hudson was among the thousands on the micro blogging site that found it hard to swallow his humour.

“I mean this Oscars ceremony also featured Jennifer Aniston getting called a stripper, a domestic violence joke,” she wrote.

Laura Hudson was referring to Seth MacFarlane’s most controversial barb. As he introduced Quentin Tarantino’s violent revenge western Django Unchained he described it as, “the story of a man fighting to get back his woman, who’s been subjected to unthinkable violence – or as Chris Brown and Rihanna call it, a date movie”.

The reference to Chris Brown’s 2009 assault of Rihanna drew gasps from the audience in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre.

Rihanna and Chris Brown have since been reunited, and recently attended the 2013 Grammy Awards together.

Huffington Post criticized the comedian for taking a dig at the sensitive topic: “Domestic violence is not like dating, Seth.”

Seth MacFarlane later targeted snubbed actor/director Ben Affleck saying: “The film’s director is unknown to the Academy.”

And again later in the program referring to Ben Affleck’s bearded appearance in the movie he quipped: “The first time I saw [Ben Affleck] with all that dark facial hair, I thought, <<My God, the Kardashians have made the jump to film>>; and even he had to admit afterward he wasn’t sure about the joke.

“The energy in the room cooled as the crowd laughed nervously, forcing him to reply with an assurance that the joke was ‘as bad as it gets, if it makes you feel better.”

“Oh no, that’s what we were afraid he would do,” he said, mimicking the audience’s response.

He followed it up with another Quentin Tarantino aimed jibe – the writer/director won the award for Best Screenplay on the night.

Talking about the film’s controversial overuse of the n-word, Seth MacFarlane drew silence from the crowd when he joked that the screenplay was “loosely based on Mel Gibson’s voicemails”.

Seth MacFarlane’s sock-puppet reenactment of Flight in which he wore a brown sock to represent Denzel Washington, also raised eyebrows from the conservative crowd.

“You’re a white guy in 2013,” said William Shatner to Seth MacFarlane.

“You can’t wear black hand.”

TODAY wrote: “White guys doing racial humor, no matter how gentle, still makes everyone uncomfortable.”

Website Gawker slammed the first time host as “unfunny, tired, self-centered and boring, but also incredibly homophobic and racist”.

But not everybody disliked seth MacFarlane’s presenting style.

“Loving that MacFarlane is attempting to preempt his #Oscars criticism,” Vanity Fair posted on their Twitter account Sunday.

The magazine was referring to William Shatner apparently predicting seth MacFarlane’s Oscar fail, telling him: “The show’s a disaster. Your jokes are tasteless and inappropriate and everyone ends up hating you.”

He then showed Seth MacFarlane a copy of a newspaper headline from the day after the awards that read “Seth MacFarlane Worst Oscar host ever”.

Playing innocent, Seth Macfarlane tried to defend himself and asked what he did wrong.

However, TV host Piers Morgan was quick to show his support for the comedian.

“This is unbelievably, unacceptably, gob-smackingly, hilariously inappropriate. Keep going. @SethMacFarlane.”

People Magazine also threw in some praise: “If you’re hating on Seth, just remember: He’s got Channing up there dancing.”

Russell Crowe tweeted: “Congratulations @SethMacFarlane , you did great mate, handled it all with grace, #topjob .”

And Steve Martin, who hosted the ceremony three times, in 2001, 2003, and 2010, tweeted: “Seth MacFarlane was wonderful and who knew? I did. But then, I wrote <<Cruel Shoes>>.”

The Office actor Rainn Wilson was also a fan of Seth Macfarlane’s presenting style, as were Kristin Chenoweth – who performed a musical number, Here’s to the Losers, to close the show.

Rainn Wilson wrote: “Truly, @SethMacFarlane did a great job. Funny, self-deprecating and surprisingly fresh.”

Kristin Chenoweth tweeted: “I had a blast tonight singing with @sethmacfarlane. He KILLED it! So good!”

In an effort to change the course of history, he used the remainder of his 15 minutes to redeem himself, starting with a sensual dance by Charlize Theron and Channing Tatum to his rendition of Frank Sinatra’s The Way You Look Tonight.

 

 

Billboard’s 2013 Top Money Makers: Madonna named highest-paid musician with $ 34.6 million earnings

Sonia Pantiss
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Billboard’s 2013 Top Money Makers: Madonna named highest-paid musician with $ 34.6 million earnings

Madonna has been named the highest-paid musician in 2012 by trade publication Billboard, beating Bruce Springsteen and Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters.

Madonna, 54, has topped the annual rundown of the top money-makers for the second time in five years.

The singer’s 88-date MDNA world tour, 2012’s most successful, helped her take home $34.6 million, Billboard said.

Concerts account for 68.9% of the total revenues for the 40 artists on the list, which estimates annual earnings.

According to the figures, compiled using Boxscore concert data and Nielsen SoundScan sales information, Bruce Springsteen came a close second.

Bruce Springsteen earned $33.4 million after touring to sold-out stadiums and arenas on the back of his number one album Wrecking Ball.

Strong merchandise sales helped with his earnings, with Bruce Springsteen’s live shows making up 92% of his overall revenue.

Roger Waters came third with earnings from his large scale The Wall Live tour estimated at $21 million.

Van Halen were in fourth position with $20 million after touring in support of their album A Different Kind of Truth.

Speaking about the list, Billboard editorial analyst Glenn Peoples said the most money “always comes from high-paying live performances”.

He said: “Ironically, the most popular touring artists are usually well past their peaks on the album sales charts.”

The rest of the top 10 included country music veteran Kenny Chesney in fifth, followed by the Dave Matthews Band, country’s Tim McGraw and Jason Aldean, and British band Coldplay.

Madonna has been named the highest-paid musician in 2012 by trade publication Billboard
Madonna has been named the highest-paid musician in 2012 by trade publication Billboard

Canadian teen star Justin Bieber completed the top 10, earning up to $16 million, of which $10 million came from his sold-out Believe tour.

“The entire top 10 averaged 84.2% of their income from concerts, and the number would have been higher, if not for Justin Bieber’s mere 60.1% share at number 10 dragging down the average,” said Glenn Peoples.

Madonna is the only woman in the top 10 after last year’s victor Taylor Swift fell to 15th place because she did not tour last year.

Taylor Swift still did well, earning $12.7 million from more than three million digital albums and 15.6 million digital songs.

Meanwhile, Adele, who had the biggest-selling album of the year in the US in 2011 and 2012, came in 11th place, earning $14 million.

Adele did not tour last year but took the year out to have a baby while her second album 21 continued to sell well in physical and digital formats.

2013 Top Money Makers

1 Madonna – $34.6 million

2 Bruce Springsteen – $33.4 million

3 Roger Waters – $21 million

4 Van Halen – $20 million

5 Kenny Chesney – $19.1 million

6 Dave Matthews Band – $18.9 million

7 Tim McGraw – $18.3 million

8 Jason Aldean – $17.6 million

9 Coldplay – $17.3 million

10 Justin Bieber – $15.9 million

Source: Billboard

Michelle Obama Oscar gown digitally altered by Iranian Fars News Agency

Sonia Pantiss
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Michelle Obama Oscar gown digitally altered by Iranian Fars News Agency

Iranian Fars News Agency has digitally altered an image of Michelle Obama announcing the Oscar for Best Picture last night, in order to make her dress appear more modest.

The State-controlled Fars News Agency added a high neckline and cap sleeves to the silver Naeem Khan gown worn by Michelle Obama, who from the Diplomatic Room of the White House, remotely presented the award to Ben Affleck for his film Argo.

Michelle Obama’s image was Photoshopped in order that the garment would be in keeping with the country’s Islamic dress codes that require women not to expose too much skin.

Pre-Photoshop, one can see that the dress actually has a low neckline that stops short of exposing any cleavage, though it does show décolletage.

Instead of sleeves are inch-thick straps, exposing those toned shoulders and arms for which Michelle Obama, 49, is so well-known.

Accepting the Best Picture award last night, Ben Affleck said: “I thank you everyone in the movie, on the movie, worked on the movie, did anything with this movie gets thanked.

“I want to thank Canada. I want to thank our friends in Iran living in terrible circumstances right now.”

Iranian Fars News Agency has digitally altered an image of Michelle Obama announcing the Oscar for Best Picture last night, in order to make her dress appear more modest
Iranian Fars News Agency has digitally altered an image of Michelle Obama announcing the Oscar for Best Picture last night, in order to make her dress appear more modest

Argo is a dramatization of the real-life experience of CIA operative Tony Mendez, who led the rescue of six US diplomats from Tehran, during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

The film relates how Tony Mendez used a fake sci-fi movie as a cover to help the diplomats escape the country.

Iranian State television, however, dismissed the star’s Oscar-winning film today as an “advertisement for the CIA”.

The semiofficial Mehr news agency called the Academy Award “politically motivated” because Michelle Obama had joined Jack Nicholson via video link to help present the best picture prize.

And Mohammed Hosseini, Iran’s Culture Minister, said that Argo “distorted history” for propaganda purposes.

Argo has been banned from Iranian cinemas, but on the streets of Tehran there is a healthy trade in bootlegged copies, with DVDs selling for less than a dollar each.

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