Danny DeVito has separated from Rhea Perlman, his wife of 30 years.
Danny DeVito, 67, married former Cheers actress Rhea Perlman, 64, in 1982 and they have three grown up children, Daniel, 25, Grace, 27, and Lucy, 29.
The pair worked together on the classic Seventies sitcom Taxi and later appeared in the 1996 comedy film Matilda.
Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman met when she went to see off-Broadway play, The Shrinking Bride, which he was appearing in.
The couple founded Jersey Films, a production company that produced films including Pulp Fiction and Garden State.
A representative for Danny DeVito confirmed the split to but had no other comment.
Danny DeVito was most recently seen on stage for a two-month run of The Sunshine Boys at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End this summer.
He earned positive reviews for his performance as Willie Clark, a sharp-tongued curmudgeon who has a bittersweet reunion with his former vaudeville partner.
Meanwhile Danny DeVito may soon be headed back to the big screen alongside former Twins co-star Arnold Schwarzenegger for a sequel to their Eighties hit.
He told fans on the Today show: “We have the desire to do it. What we need is the screenplay… We want to do something really good, so we’re waiting.”
Mitt Romney has called for a “change of course” in the Middle East, criticizing US President Barack Obama on foreign policy.
Speaking in Virginia, the Republican presidential candidate lambasted the White House over an attack in Libya that killed the US ambassador.
Mitt Romney said he would put Iran “on notice” over its nuclear plans, and called for arms to go to Syrian rebels.
With four weeks to go before the election, polls show Barack Obama retains a foreign policy lead over his rival.
Mitt Romney spoke at the Virginia Military Institute for his first major policy speech since the candidates met on Wednesday for their first face-to-face debate, on the US economy.
Barack Obama was widely seen as having “lost” the debate after a hesitant performance in Denver. Their vice-presidential running mates Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will debate on Thursday.
Mitt Romney has repeatedly criticized the president for a foreign policy that he believes has left the US less respected and less powerful in the world.
In his speech at the military institute he said he wanted to “offer a larger perspective on these tragic recent events” and share his vision for a “freer, more prosperous, and more peaceful world”.
Mitt Romney linked the deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya to the president’s foreign policy and criticized his administration’s response.
“The attacks on America last month should not be seen as random acts,” Mitt Romney said.
“They are expressions of a larger struggle that is playing out across the broader Middle East – a region that is now in the midst of the most profound upheaval in a century.”
“This latest assault cannot be blamed on a reprehensible video insulting Islam, despite the administration’s attempts to convince us of that for so long.”
Initial reports said the protests and attacks were sparked by an anti-Islam film made in the US. But since the attack, the Obama administration has said that the attack in Benghazi, which killed US ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three others, involved some people “linked to groups affiliated with, or sympathetic to al-Qaeda”.
Mitt Romney was criticized at the time after saying that the administration appeared to “sympathize with those who waged the attacks” before the situation in Libya and at another protest in Egypt became clear.
The White House has faced repeated questions over the security situation in Benghazi in the run-up to the attack.
On Monday, US media reported that Ambassador Stevens wanted a specialized security team to stay past their August deployment, but that the staff was told to make-do “with less”.
A state department official told ABC News that embassy’s security officer never made a specific request for the team to stay and that there was no net loss of security personnel.
Mitt Romney – whose foreign affairs team includes advisers from the “realist” and “neo-conservative” wings of the Republican establishment – repeatedly accused Barack Obama of being soft in foreign affairs.
He was particularly tough on the administration’s policy in the Middle East, asserting: “Hope is not a strategy”.
Mitt Romney said the US was missing “an historic opportunity to win new friends who share our values in the Middle East” and said there was “a longing for American leadership” in region.
On Iran, Mitt Romney said “will not hesitate to impose new sanctions”, describing Tehran as “never closer” to a nuclear weapons capability.
“For the sake of peace, we must make clear to Iran through actions – not just words – that their nuclear pursuit will not be tolerated.”
On Syria, Mitt Romney said Barack Obama had “failed to lead” and said that his administration would work “with our partners to identify and organize those members of the [Syrian] opposition who share our values and ensure they obtain the arms they need to defeat Assad’s tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets”.
During his remarks, Mitt Romney also gave strong words of support on Israel, arguing “the world must never see any daylight between our two nations”.
He also used the speech to argue against expected US defence cuts and for increased US Navy shipbuilding, as many as 15 a year, including three submarines.
Before Mitt Romney spoke, the Obama campaign released an ad highlighting his gaffe-laden international trip this summer as well as his response to the Libya attack.
“We’re not going to be lectured by someone who has been an unmitigated disaster on foreign policy,” Barack Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday.
The two candidates will debate foreign policy in their last meeting on 22 October.
The latest beauty buzzword for the Hollywood hotlist is BB or Blemish Balm creams.
Like the beauty equivalent of a brand new iPhone, BB creams are multi-functional products that harness smart new technology and ingredients so you can replace your serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation and sun block, all presented in one neat little all-in-one package.
This new hybrid product, which sits between skincare and make up, gives skin a natural luminous look – meaning BB creams are fast becoming the beauty secret of celebrities and their make-up artists worldwide.
BB creams originated in Germany where a dermatologist gave it to her clients who had undergone laser treatments, which left the skin sensitized and vulnerable to the sun.
BB creams then quickly become popular in Korea and across Asia in the mid-Noughties and most recently amongst A-listers and make-up artists for their amazing skin nourishing benefits, which also leave skin primed and with a healthy glow.
Lieve Declercq, Origins Global Spokesperson of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology explains: “BB Creams should provide broad-spectrum SPF protection from UVA and UVB rays to protect against sun damage but can also help conceal hyper-pigmentation, acne, scars and blemishes, hydrate, whitening as well as having anti-aging benefits.”
Rodial, the go-to beauty brand of celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Lady Gaga, have just launched their new Rodial BB Venom Skin Tint, which comes in three shades, rather fabulously named Capri, Hamptons and St. Barts.
Before and after BB cream treatment
For the eye area, there is a triple-action brightening concealer, Rodial BB Venom Eye, which comes in two shades: a cooler pink-toned shade called Aspen and a warmer yellow tone called Malibu, which sold out within a week of their launch this summer.
The success of these BB creams is based on SYN-AKE, a neuropeptide, which inhibits the contraction of innervated muscle cells, thus providing a mild, non-invasive temporary Botox-like effect on fine lines and crow’s feet.
The BB venom skin tint even made an appearance at the closing ceremony of the Olympics this summer when the Spice Girls’ make-up artists used it – the result being that the girls looked like they hadn’t aged a day since they taught the world how to Spice up their lives more than 10 years ago.
Jessie J is also a huge fan of BB creams and her new softer, more sophisticated look can be put down to James Read BB Tan Face Pen, which she is said to carry around with her everywhere.
Clever James Read, the celebrity tanner to the stars whose fans include supermodels Lara Stone and Rosie Huntington- Whiteley, has just launched a range of 11 at-home professional self tanning products and his BB cream pen with added gradual fake tan is the fastest selling product in the range.
If you’ve been suffering with dry, post-summer, back-to-school skin which is now taking a battering from the cold, wet and windy conditions outside, check out the Body Shop’s BB offering. Their All-in-One BB cream is highly rated, and has sold at the rate of one every 27 seconds since launching in August this year.
It contains skin protecting and soothing vitamin E and hydrating community fair trade Marula oil for 24 hour hydration that not only leaves you feeling good about your skin but also your conscience.
As well as tackling dehydration, fine lines and wrinkles, redness and radiance, at the very heart of a BB cream is a high SPF protection, which I love because there are now no more excuses not to protect skin from the damaging and aging effects of the sun all year round, as advised by skin experts and dermatologists.
Giorgio Armani’s new Luminessense Bright Revelator Greige BB Fluid SPF 50/PA++ might be an eye wateringly pricey option when it comes to a BB cream but it does help you get your glow on and leaves all skin tones including the very deepest ones looking even – as well as having one of the highest SPF protection on the market.
Some BB creams especially those created for the Asian market that can now be found in Europe can sometimes leave a white or chalky appearance on deeper skin tones but if you’re looking for light to medium coverage as well as anti- aging skin benefits grab yourself Origins A Perfect World BB SPF 15 Age-Defense Tinted Moisturizer with White Tea.
It smells heavenly with an essential oil blend of sweet orange, lemon and spearmint, which will put you in a good mood at the start of a hectic day and also comes in six shades with a blend of mineral pigments for super quick and easy airbrushed-looking skin.
BB CREAM: THE SCIENCE
• BB creams originated in Germany where a dermatologist gave it to her clients who had undergone laser treatments, which left the skin sensitized and vulnerable to the sun
• They brighten skin in the same way a primer does, evens out complexion like a lightweight foundation, covers blemishes like a concealer, has the hydrating properties of a moisturizer, soothes skin like an anti-inflammatory and contains UV protection
The World Bank has lowered its growth forecast for China citing weak demand for its exports and lower investment growth.
The bank said it expects China’s economy to grow by 7.7% this year, down from its projection of 8.2% in May.
China’s exports have been hurt by economic problems in the eurozone and the US, two of its biggest markets.
Meanwhile, policymakers have found it tough to boost domestic demand enough to offset the decline in foreign sales.
“China’s slowdown this year has been significant, and some fear it could still accelerate,” the bank said in its latest report.
After the global financial crisis in 2008 – 2009, China unveiled a slew of stimulus measures, including record lending by state-owned banks, to maintain a high rate of growth.
While the measures helped it sustain growth, they also resulted in a sharp increase in property prices in the country, raising fears about asset bubbles being formed.
Prompted by those fears, policymakers have been trying to curb lending in recent times.
While the moves have helped to keep property prices in check, there have been concerns that they may have hurt China’s growth.
However, the bank said that despite the recent slowdown in the economy, Beijing may be prompted to hold back on any big stimulus measures, not least because any such move may result in property prices rising again.
“Economic momentum is expected to be weak during the coming months with limited policy easing, a property market correction, and faltering external demands,” the bank said.
It added that the role of investment in China’s growth had also reduced over the past year, indicating that Beijing may be trying to rebalance its economy.
“In 2011, China’s consumption contributed more to gross domestic product [GDP] growth than investments, for the first time since records of GDP began in 1952,” it said.
“Some observers see this as the start of a trend in domestic rebalancing, and associate this with a more permanent growth slowdown in China.”
However, it said that the central government had accelerated approvals of its investment projects which could “support the recovery in investment and activity in the quarters to come”.
The bank also lowered its forecast for East Asia in the wake of a slowdown in exports from the region.
It said growth in East Asia, which includes countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Philippines, will decline a full percentage point to 7.2% this year.
However, it added that strong domestic consumption in the region was likely to boost its economic recovery next year.
“Weaker demand for East Asia’s exports is slowing the regional economy,” said Pamela Cox, World Bank East Asia and Pacific Regional Vice President.
“But compared to other parts of the world, it’s still growing strongly, and thriving domestic demand will enable the region’s economy to bounce back to 7.6% [growth] next year.”
Matthew McConaughey revealed he was going to lose a staggering 30 lbs to play real-life AIDS victim Ron Woodruff in upcoming movie The Dallas Buyer’s Club.
But it seems that it might be time for Matthew McConaughey to stop his weight loss quest.
Matthew McConaughey, 42, was seen on a family day out in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, and appeared to be severely emaciated.
The actor failed to conceal his frail frame beneath a baggy navy knitted cardigan and loose-fitting jeans, wearing a red scarf around his neck and topping off his outfit with a flat cap.
He even appeared to be struggling to walk along, putting his arm around his mother Mary for support as the group left church after the morning service.
However, while Matthew McConaughey looked terrifyingly gaunt, his wife Camila looked healthier than ever.
Matthew McConaughey was seen on a family day out in Austin and appeared to be severely emaciated
The Brazilian model is currently expecting her third child with Matthew McConaughey, and highlighted her blooming figure in a patterned maxi dress, which she finished off with a pair of brown cowboy boots.
Camila and Matthew McConaughey were joined by their two children Levi and Vida for the service, with Vida looking cute in a dress and orange scarf, while Levi opted for a dapper outfit in jeans and a mini pea coat.
It was revealed last year that Magic Mike star Matthew McConaughey would be playing Ron Woodroof in the upcoming movie, after beating strong competition from stars including Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling for the role.
Honey Boo Boo got stuck into the attractions at a local country fair in Atlanta, Georgia.
Alana Thompson, 7, especially enjoyed herself as she ran around in a giant inflatable ball positioned on water, laughing as she threw herself on the floor of the see-through orb.
The youngster sported a practical outfit of jeans and a red and white top as she hit the fair with her famous family.
Sisters Anna “Chickadee”, Jessica “Chubbs” and Lauryn “Pumpkin” strolled alongside mother June Shannon, although there was no sign of Alana’s father Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson.
Sugar Bear is currently recovering after undergoing an operation on his leg to treat an infection.
Honey Boo Boo ran around in a giant inflatable ball positioned on water
Earlier, Honey Boo Boo was spotted keeping herself entertained outside the family’s house, playing with a wheelchair which Sugar Bear has been using while his leg recovers.
The family home in rural McIntyre Georgia, has already been decorated for Halloween, with a plastic orange pumpkin set out on the outside stairs.
The family is having to get used to their new found fame, after their reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was a ratings hit for TLC.
TMZ have reported that TLC boosted the family’s salary from approximately $5,000 per episode, to a sky-high $20,000 after seeing the success of the series.
It added that TLC also offered to cover a number of additional expenses for the family, including a driver and bodyguard figure for Sugar Bear who was hospitalized recently after a “mud-boggin” crash.
The site also reports that the network wanted to help the clan relocate to a larger and more secure home, but June Shannon declined the offer as she likes to decorate the property over the holidays for the local community.
June Shannon has also refused to sign with an agent, despite numerous offers, TMZ says, for fear that a publicity schedule would keep her away from Sugar Bear and her girls.
TLC offered Alana Thompson, aka Honey Boo Boo, and her self-proclaimed redneck family their own spin-off series this year after she appeared on Toddlers & Tiaras.
The début season of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo enjoyed an average of 2.4 million viewers per episode.
In response to the show’s success, TLC has ordered three HOLLAday specials (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) and additional episodes of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo has become a pop culture phenomenon,” said Amy Winter, general manager of the U.S. network.
“What you see is what you get and we are excited to share even more of Alana and her family’s unbridled hilarity, sincerity and love with our viewers.”
Taken 2, Liam Neeson’s thriller sequel, has topped the US and Canadian box office, taking $50 million, despite a poor reception from critics.
That is double the opening weekend for the original film, which took $24.7 million in 2009.
Last week’s number one, Adam Sandler animation Hotel Transylvania, was at two with $26.3 million.
Glee-style musical Pitch Perfect was in third with $14.7 million, following a limited release last week.
The movie stars Anna Kendrick as a college student trying to liven up her a cappella singing group.
Sci-fi thriller Looper, starring Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, fell from second-place to fourth with $12.2 million.
Tim Burton’s stop motion monster tale Frankenweenie opened in fifth place, taking $11.5 million, after facing competition from rival spooky animation Hotel Transylvania.
Burton’s Disney tale, about a boy who brings his dead dog back to life, is shot in black and white in a homage to classic horror movies.
This week marks another improvement to cinema takings in the US and Canada with totals of $138 million, up 45.5% on the same weekend last year.
Taken 2’s distributors 20th Century Fox said they were surprised by the film’s opening numbers after experiencing a “sluggish market” since the summer.
Chris Aronson from the company said it had “exceeded our expectations”, adding: “The come in at $50 million is really remarkable, and a testament to this character that Liam has created.”
The sequel sees Liam Neeson as a retired CIA agent who gets kidnapped on holiday in Istanbul.
“Most people go to the movies for a certain dose of escapism,” continued Chris Aronson.
“It doesn’t have to be high art. It doesn’t have to be serious and contemplative. They go to the movies to be entertained, and my gosh, that’s what this movie does.”
Despite its relatively modest opening, 2009’s original went on to take more than $227 million around the world, and turned its Irish star into a Hollywood action hero with roles in Clash of the Titans, The A-Team and The Grey.
Starbucks is set to unveil a new line of baked goods that will include yoghurt muffins, loaf cakes and even spinach croissants.
The coffee giant is hoping to expand its range of food items, which are purchased by one in three customers and generates around $1.5 billion a year in revenue.
Nine stores in San Francisco will trial the products with a view to rolling them out nationally, although there is no time frame for this as yet.
Among the items being tested are a whole wheat spinach croissant, a tomato, cheese and herb croissant, a blueberry yoghurt muffin and a raspberry passion fruit loaf cake.
Many of them will be served warm, unlike its current line-up of baked goods.
The move comes after the Seattle-based company bought small San Francisco bakery chain La Boulange in a $100 million deal in the summer.
At the time, Starbucks said it hoped to use items produced by La Boulange to popularize the French bakery experience in the U.S. like it had done with the Italian espresso.
The deal could also strengthen the firm’s position in a fast-growing segment of the restaurant industry dominated by Panera Bread Co, which offers baked goods in a seated setting.
Its current range of bagels, breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal will not be affected by the changes, it was reported by The Huffington Post.
Lisa Passe, a spokeswoman for Starbucks, said they would be handling the expansion “week by week, figuring it out”.
Other items on trial from La Boulange, which has 19 locations in the Bay Area, include a chocolate chip cookie, an almond cookie and vanilla shortbread cookie.
Starbucks says it plans to expand La Boulange into a national presence in coming years.
Earlier this year, Starbucks announced plans to attract evening trade by offering beer and wine on its menus.
The company said it planned to bring the new items to a few Chicago-area cafes by the end of 2012 and is also testing wine and beer sales in Spain.
But it did not expect to sell alcohol in all of its nearly 11,000 U.S. cafes.
Spinach is a health powerhouse.
It offers twice as much fibre as other greens and is an excellent source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
It also contains lutein, which helps prevent age-related macular degeneration.
Serve raw, spinach is a good source of vitamin C, as well.
John Gurdon from the UK and Shinya Yamanaka from Japan, two pioneers of stem cell research, have shared the Nobel Prize for medicine or physiology.
John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka were awarded the prize for transforming specialized cells into stem cells, which can become any other type of cell in the body.
Prof. John Gurdon used a gut sample to clone frogs and Prof. Shinya Yamanaka altered genes to reprogramme cells.
The Nobel committee said they had “revolutionized” science.
Prof. John Gurdon used a gut sample to clone frogs and Prof. Shinya Yamanaka altered genes to reprogramme cells
In 1962, John Gurdon took the genetic information from a cell in the intestines of a frog and placed it inside a frog egg, which developed into a normal tadpole.
Shinya Yamanaka showed that specialized mouse cells could be reprogrammed to become stem cells by introducing four genes. The resulting stem cells could then be converted to other types of cell.
The Nobel committee said the discovery had “revolutionized our understanding of how cells and organisms develop”.
According to doctors in the US and Canada, it may be possible to use a drug to prevent some of the lasting and crippling damage caused by a stroke.
A safety trial, published in the Lancet Neurology medical journal, suggested the chemical NA-1 was safe to use.
The study on 185 people also hinted that patients given the drug developed fewer regions of damaged brain tissue.
The Stroke Association said that it was promising, but needed more research.
Tests in primates had suggested NA-1 prevented brain cells dying when a stroke starved them of oxygen.
A small trial was set up at 14 hospitals in the US and Canada.
Patients who took part were having an operation to repair a brain aneurysm, a weakened blood vessel which could rupture, are at increased risk of a stroke.
Ninety-two people had the drug injected into a vein, while another 93 were injected with salty water.
The doctors concluded that NA-1 was safe, with only two patients having mild side effects.
However, brain scans also showed that fewer brain lesions, damaged areas of tissue, formed in patients given the drug.
The doctors involved said the study provided evidence that “neuroprotection is achievable” but said that “a larger trial is necessary to investigate the robustness of the effect”.
Prof. Markku Kaste, from Helsinki University Central Hospital, said: “Age is the greatest risk factor for stroke. Because of the global population ageing, the number and burden of strokes will increase.”
He said previous trials to use drugs to protect the brain had resulted in failure. His said this drug still need to be assessed in much larger clinical trials before its effectiveness was known.
The trial was funded by the biopharmaceutical companies NoNO and Arbor Vita.
Of many celebrations that still mark the discovery of America, the biggest ones for consumers are the annual Columbus Day sales by major retailers coast to coast offering early fall bargains on furniture and winter apparel.
And, of course, there are the parades! The one in NYC is by far the largest, grandest and most popular, welcoming over 1 million spectators annually. This year, the annual Columbus Day Parade in NYC takes place on Monday, October 8, 2012 beginning at 11:45 AM – as huge lunchtime crowds come out to cheer along the parade route up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street north to 79th Street.
The vibrant glory of Italian American culture and heritage will take center stage on Fifth Avenue on Monday, October 8 celebrating Columbus Day with the 68th Annual Columbus Day Parade.
The parade will feature 35,000 marchers and over 100 contingents, including virtuoso performances of traditional and contemporary Italian and Italian-American music and dance, street performers, historical and contemporary floats, over a dozen marching bands, and national and international dignitaries.
The parade turns Fifth Avenue into a reverberating canyon of music, dance, and theatrical displays set amid a sea of red, white, and green – the colors of the Italian tri-color flag.
The Grand Marshal will be Mario Gabelli, philanthropist, namesake of the Fordham University Gabelli School of Business and founder, chairman and chief executive officer of GAMCO Investors.
Appearing on the Red Carpet in performances broadcast by WABC-TV will be Elise Testone, Season 11 American Idol contestant, members of the U.S. Marine Corps Band, tenor Christopher Temporelli, and cast members of Seti Mundo (The Seven Worlds).
Meanwhile, another big celebration happens on the West Coast as Columbus Day is observed during San Francisco Fleet Week – when the city’s Italian American population joins in to salute the US Navy while commemorating the famous Italian who brought his three famous ships to America in 1492.
What’s closed on Columbus Day?
Despite it being a normal workday for many Americans, Columbus Day is an official federal government holiday with the post office and banks closing in honor of the day (although Wall Street stock markets still stay open as usual.)
On Columbus Day, American Indians are also given equal time in many areas where Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated, usually with colorful native festivals and pow-wows to which the public are warmly welcomed.
Columbus Day, which is annually on the second Monday of October, remembers Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas on October 12, 1492.
In 2012, Columbus Day is celebrated on October 8th.
This holiday is controversial because the European settlement in the Americas led to the demise of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples.
What do people do?
Officially, the people of the USA are invited to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of their country with church services and other activities. In some towns and cities, special church services, parades and large events are held. Most celebrations are concentrated around the Italian-American community. The celebrations in New York and San Francisco are particularly noteworthy. In Hawaii Columbus Day is also known as Landing Day or Discoverer’s Day.
Not all parts of the United States celebrate Columbus Day. It is not a public holiday in California, Nevada and Hawaii. Moreover, Native Americans’ Day is celebrated in South Dakota, while Indigenous People’s Day is celebrated in Berkeley, California.
Public life
Columbus Day is a public holiday in many parts of the United States, but is not observed or is not a holiday in some states. Government offices and schools are generally closed, but businesses may be open. The flag of the United States is displayed on Government buildings.
Background
Christopher Columbus is often portrayed as the first European to sail to the Americas. He is sometimes portrayed as the discoverer of the New World. However, this is controversial on many counts. There is evidence that the first Europeans to sail across the Atlantic were Viking explorers from Scandinavia. In addition, the land was already populated by indigenous peoples, who had “discovered” the Americas thousands of years before.
Columbus Day originated as a celebration of Italian-American heritage and was first held in San Francisco in 1869. The first state-wide celebration was held in Colorado in 1907. In 1937, Columbus Day become a holiday across the United States. Since 1971, it has been celebrated on the second Monday in October. The date on which Columbus arrived in the Americas is also celebrated as the Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) in Latin America and some Latino communities in the USA. However, it is a controversial holiday in some countries and has been re-named in others.
Columbus Day celebrations are controversial because the settlement of Europeans in the Americas led to the deaths of a very large proportion of the native people. It has been argued that this was a direct result of Columbus’ actions. It is clear that the arrival of the European settlers led to the demise of a large proportion of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It has also been argued that Columbus should not be honored for discovering North America, as he only went as far as some islands in the Caribbean and never got as far as mainland America.
A new study suggests that eating apples each day could significantly improve the heart health of middle-aged adults in just one month.
Those who ate a daily apple over four weeks lowered “bad” cholesterol in the blood by 40% – a substance linked to hardening of the arteries.
Taking capsules containing polyphenols, a type of antioxidant found in apples, had a similar, but not as large, effect.
“Bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) can interact with free radicals to become oxidized, which can trigger inflammation and can cause tissue damage.
Research leader, Professor Robert DiSilvestro, from Ohio State University, said: “When LDL becomes oxidized, it takes on a form that begins atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
“We got a tremendous effect against LDL being oxidized with just one apple a day for four weeks.”
The difference was similar to that found between people with normal coronary arteries versus those with coronary artery disease, he said.
The study, funded by an apple industry group, is published online in the Journal of Functional Foods and will appear in a future print edition.
Prof. Robert DiSilvestro described daily apple consumption as significantly more effective at lowering oxidized LDL than other antioxidants he has studied, including the spice-based compound curcumin, green tea and tomato extract.
“Not all antioxidants are created equal when it comes to this particular effect,” he said.
Robert DiSilvestro first became interested in studying the health effects of eating an apple a day after reading a Turkish study that found such a regimen increased the amount of a specific antioxidant enzyme in the body.
In the end, his team didn’t find the same effect on the enzyme, but was surprised at the considerable influence the apples had on oxidized LDL.
For the study, the researchers recruited non-smoking healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 60 who had a history of eating apples less than twice a month and who didn’t take supplements containing polyphenols or other plant-based concentrates.
In all, 16 participants ate a large Red or Golden Delicious apple for four weeks; 17 took capsules containing 194 milligrams of polyphenols a day for four weeks; and 18 took a placebo containing no polyphenols. The researchers found no effect on oxidized LDLs in those taking the placebo.
“We think the polyphenols account for a lot of the effect from apples, but we did try to isolate just the polyphenols, using about what you’d get from an apple a day,” Prof. Robert DiSilvestro said.
“We found the polyphenol extract did register a measurable effect, but not as strong as the straight apple. That could either be because there are other things in the apple that could contribute to the effect, or, in some cases, these bioactive compounds seem to get absorbed better when they’re consumed in foods.”
Still, Prof. Robert DiSilvestro said polyphenol extracts could be useful in some situations, “perhaps in higher doses than we used in the study, or for people who just never eat apples”.
The study also found eating apples had some effects on antioxidants in saliva, which has implications for dental health, Prof. Robert DiSilvestro said. He hopes to follow up on that finding in a future study.
A Finnish couple has won the North American Wife Carrying Championship at Maine’s Sunday River ski resort, just months after winning the world title.
Travelling from Helsinki where they won the World Wife Carrying Championship in July, Taisto Miettinen and Kristina Haapanen powered through the 260-yard course in 52.58 seconds’ time on Saturday.
Powering past hurdles, sand traps and a water hole – along with at least 50 other registered contestants – the couple carried home the woman’s weight in beer and five times her weight in cash
For Taisto Miettinen and Kristina Haapanen, that meant a check for $530. Their beer winnings of presumably 106 lbs, according to that sum, they shared with the second and third place finishers.
Out of 51 competing pairs, Jesse Wall and Christine Arsenault of South Paris took second place this year with a time of 53.22 seconds.
After winning the World Wife Carrying Championship in July, Taisto Miettinen and Kristina Haapanen powered through the 260-yard course in 52.58 seconds
David and Lacey Castro of Lewiston, who won the event two years ago and took second in 2011, finished in 53.66 seconds.
“You train all year long for 50 seconds but that’s the way it goes,” David Castro, a former assistant football coach at Lewiston High School told the Sun Journal.
The most popular method of carrying the women, used by all winners to date according to the contest, is called the “Estonian” method.
Wrapping the women’s legs around the man’s head and hanging upside-down behind them, as Lacey Castro told ABC, it was inspired by how Eastern Europeans use to carry their women, at least according to folklore.
“Estonians use to come over to the Finish villages and literally steal wives and run as fast as they could back to Estonia to keep as their own wives,” Lacey Castro said.
She said it’s not the most appealing position for the woman – her facing “his butt” the whole time – but she laughs it off saying: “We’re married so I don’t mind. It’s one of the perks of the job.”
She adds it having been her suggestion of them entering the competition a few years ago.
Chinese telecom companies Huawei and ZTE pose a security threat to the US, a congressional panel has warned after an investigation into the two firms.
The two firms should be barred from any mergers and acquisitions in the US, the panel has recommended in its report set to be released later on Monday.
It said the firms had failed to allay fears about their association with the Chinese government and military.
The two are among the world’s biggest makers of telecom networking equipment.
“China has the means, opportunity and motive to use telecommunications companies for malicious purposes,” the committee said in its report.
“Based on available classified and unclassified information, Huawei and ZTE cannot be trusted to be free of foreign state influence and thus pose a security threat to the United States and to our systems.”
Both Huawei and ZTE have previously denied the allegations.
Huawei was started by Ren Zhengfei, a former member of the People’s Liberation Army, in 1987.
As the firm has grown to become one of the largest global players in the sector, fears about its ties with the Chinese military have frequently surfaced.
There have been concerns and allegations that it was helping China gather information on foreign states and companies, charges that the firm has denied.
Last year, its purchase of American computer company 3Leaf systems, was rejected by a US security panel.
Earlier this year, it along with ZTE, faced allegations that some of their equipment had been installed with codes to relay sensitive information back to China.
Senior executives from the two companies denied those allegations when they appeared before US lawmakers in September.
This latest report comes in the midst of a US presidential campaign in which China has become a political hot topic.
Both President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney have pledged to increase the pressure on Beijing on issues ranging from China’s currency policy to state subsidies for Chinese firms.
Earlier this month, Barack Obama signed an order blocking a deal by a Chinese firm, Ralls Corp, to acquire four wind farm projects near a US naval facility in Oregon.
It was the first foreign investment to be blocked in the US for 22 years.
The Chinese firm has since sued Barack Obama, alleging the US government overstepped its authority.
William Plummer, Huawei’s vice-president, said the latest accusations against the telecom firm were politically motivated.
“The integrity and independence of Huawei’s organization and business practices are trusted and respected across almost 150 markets,” he was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
“Purporting that Huawei is somehow uniquely vulnerable to cyber mischief ignores technical and commercial realities, recklessly threatens American jobs and innovation, does nothing to protect national security, and should be exposed as dangerous political distractions.”
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez has won a fourth term in office, after opposition leader Henrique Capriles admitted defeat.
Hugo Chavez won 54% of the vote, the country’s electoral council announced, with turnout at about 81%.
Noisy celebrations among Hugo Chavez supporters erupted across the capital, Caracas, following the result.
Hugo Chavez said Venezuela would continue its march towards socialism but also vowed he would be a “better president”.
Electoral council president Tibisay Lucena announced that with 90% of votes counted Hugo Chavez had taken 54.42% of the vote with Henrique Capriles on 44.97%.
“The revolution has triumphed,” President Hugo Chavez told a cheering crowd from the balcony of the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.
“Viva Venezuela! Viva the fatherland! The battle was perfect and the victory was perfect,” he said.
However, Hugo Chavez also sounded a conciliatory note, saying he wanted to “include everybody”, adding: “I commit to being a better president than I’ve been these past few years.”
A subdued Henrique Capriles congratulated Hugo Chavez but told opposition supporters not to feel defeated.
“I want to congratulate the candidate, the president of the republic,” he said at his campaign headquarters.
He added: “We have planted many seeds across Venezuela and I know that these seeds are going to produce many trees.”
Jubilant Hugo Chavez supporters held impromptu street parties in central Caracas, blaring horns and waving flags.
“I’m celebrating with a big heart – Chavez is the hope of the people and of Latin America,” said Chavez supporter Mary Reina.
Construction worker Edgar Gonzalez said: “I can’t describe the relief and happiness I feel right now.
“The revolution will continue, thanks to God and the people of this great country.”
At the Capriles’ campaign headquarters, some opposition supporters were in tears at the news.
Henrique Capriles said he hoped Hugo Chavez would recognize that almost half the country disagreed with his policies.
Henrique Capriles said: “There’s a country that is divided and to be a good president means to work for all Venezuelans, to work for the solution of all Venezuelans’ problems.”
Hugo Chavez, 58, was diagnosed with cancer last year but says he is now fully recovered.
He has been in power since 1999 and said he needed another six-year term to continue his “Bolivarian revolution” towards socialism.
During his time in office Hugo Chavez has nationalized key sectors of the country’s economy.
Venezuela is a major oil producer and high oil prices have allowed his government to fund healthcare, education programmes and social housing.
In his campaign, Henrique Capriles, who headed a coalition of 30 opposition parties, said the president’s policies had led to bureaucracy, inefficiency and shortages.
Earlier, Defence Minister Henry Rangel Silva said the armed forces had identified some groups planning to cause public disturbances but said violence was “unlikely”.
A week before the election, three opposition activists were killed during a campaign rally, while four people were injured in a shooting during a voting rehearsal in September.
From Saturday evening to Monday evening, the sale of alcohol has been banned and only the security forces are allowed to carry arms.
Analysts say Hugo Chavez’s victory will also be welcomed by several countries in the region – including Cuba and Nicaragua – that benefit from his Petrocaribe scheme which provides Venezuelan oil at preferential rates.
He also has strong ties to Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, backing Argentina’s sovereignty dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands.
After the election result was announced, she tweeted: “Your victory is our victory! And the victory of South America and the Caribbean!”
President Hugo Chavez’s new six-year term will begin on 10 January.
Hugo Chavez
• Born 28 July 1954 in Sabaneta, Barinas state, the son of schoolteachers
June Shannon came under fire for giving her daughter Go-Go-Juice, a mixture of Mountain Dew and Red Bull, before little Honey Boo Boo took to the stage in pageants.
Yet the mother-of-four thought it wise to take seven-year-old Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson to the Coca-Cola factory in Atlanta, Georgia, for a family day out instead of somewhere educational.
The whole gang – including Honey Boo Boo’s half-sisters Lauryn, Anna and Jessica, and her father Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson – were spotted as they took photographs with Coca-Cola’s iconic polar bear.
They also took the factory tour, watched a 3D movie on the secret ingredient, posed by the famous American Idol chair, and tasted different varieties of the carbonated drink from across the globe.
Honey Boo Boo and her family visit Coca-Cola factory
Honey Boo Boo initially found fame on Toddlers & Tiaras before landing her own self-titled spin-off show on TLC, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.
She was seen confidently playing around the tourist spot, dressed appropriately in black leggings and a white blouse with stars speckled on it – instead of garish pageant clothes.
Even Honey Boo Boo’s newborn niece Kaitlyn went along for the ride, strapped to her mother Anna.
The last episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which aired at the end of September, saw the 17-year-old single mother give birth during the season finale.
Meanwhile, Honey Boo Boo played the devoted daughter, pushing her father around in his wheelchair.
Sugar Bear recently spent 12 days in hospital following emergency surgery to fix a leg infection.
In other news on the loveable rogues, TMZ have reported that TLC boosted the family’s salary from approximately $5,000 per episode, to a sky-high $20,000 after seeing the success of the series.
The first commercially contracted re-supply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has begun.
A Falcon rocket carrying a Dragon cargo capsule lifted clear of Cape Canaveral in Florida at 20:35 (00:35 GMT).
The robotic Dragon ship will deliver 400 kg of food, clothing, experiments and spares to the orbiting platform’s six astronauts.
It is the maiden flight in a sequence of 12 missions that California’s SpaceX company is performing for NASA.
NASA is looking to the private sector to assume routine transport duties to and from low-Earth orbit.
It has given SpaceX a $1.6 billion contract to keep the ISS stocked up with essentials, restoring a re-supply capability that the US lost when it retired the shuttles last year.
The terms of the contract kicked in following a successful test of Dragon’s systems in May.
That demonstration saw the capsule berth with the ISS – the first commercially designed and built vehicle to do so – and then return safely to Earth.
NASA has a second company it hopes also can soon begin operational cargo deliveries to the station.
The Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) will shortly test its new Antares rocket before undertaking its own ISS demonstration with a robotic vessel called Cygnus.
If that mission – tipped to take place next year – goes well then it will trigger a $1.9 billion contract for Orbital.
NASA wants eventually to put astronaut transport in the hands of the private sector, too.
SpaceX is eyeing this business as well, and is developing the critical life-support and safety systems that would turn Dragon into a human-rated vehicle. The company says it is just a few years away from being able to provide an astronaut “taxi” service.
NASA’s policy of outsourcing its cargo and crew transport needs is intended to find savings that can be ploughed back into building a rocket and capsule system capable of taking humans beyond low-Earth to more challenging destinations.
“We’re handing off to the private sector our transportation to the International Space Station so that NASA can focus on what we do best – exploring even deeper into our Solar System, with missions to an asteroid and Mars on the horizon,” explained agency administrator Charles Bolden.
Sunday’s nine-minute, 14-second ascent to orbit appeared flawless.
The Falcon dropped the Dragon off in an elliptical path running from 197 km above the Earth out to 328 km.
“Dragon was inserted into a picture-perfect orbit,” said SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell.
“Its solar arrays deployed and it’s driving its way to station. So, that’s just awesome.”
Dragon must raise itself to the ISS’s altitude, which is presently at more than 400 km.
It is scheduled to arrive at the station on Wednesday. It will follow the routine established in May of parking itself just below the platform so that it can be grabbed by a robotic arm and pulled into a berthing port.
The attachment should take place at about 05:40 GMT.
Dragon is expected to return to Earth at the end of the month.
Its cargo then will include broken machinery and science materials that need to be handed back to researchers.
Lady Gaga surprised fans when she vomited four times live on stage during a concert last week in Barcelona, Spain.
Lady Gaga, 26, had just begun to strut down a set of stairs on to the main stage area when her sickness kicked in.
The pop performer, who was dressed in a typically revealing outfit, halted at the top of the steps and was seen leaning over the edge with her back to the audience.
After following the recent example of Justin Bieber, by throwing up, she attempted bravely to continue with her dance routine as she began to perform of Edge Of Glory.
However, Lady Gaga was unable to carry with the routine without stopping again to vomit over the barrier behind her.
Lady Gaga had just begun to strut down a set of stairs on to the main stage area when her sickness kicked in
Ever the professional Lady Gaga valiantly did more dance moves in between throwing up even more while her male dancer tried his best to obscure the view by staying in front of her.
Lady Gaga held up her own hair as she avoided getting any mess on herself before standing erect and bouncing across the stage to entertain the audience.
It is not the first time Lady Gaga has fallen ill on stage as she was forced to halt a concert in Romania back in August to vomit off camera.
When she returned to the stage she said: “I went backstage and vomited, and I did not want you to see this… It happens to me sometimes.”
Things only got worse for the singer as some of the 25,000 strong crowd poked fun at her over her recent 25 lbs weight gain.
Lady Gaga was showered with sausages but took the jibe in her stride as she tweeted after: “SPAIN, you took the p*** outta me. Thats some hard bodied pop stuff. I’ll never forget tonight Barcelona. FOREVER.”
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/ gas 4, and line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Cream the butter in a large bowl or electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Whisk the eggs with the rose water for a few seconds, then gradually add to the butter mixture, beating all the time. Next beat in the buttermilk, then sift in the flour and fold in gently to combine. Divide the mixture between the cases, filling each three-quarters full, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
Leave for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and cooling on a wire rack. To make the icing, mix the icing sugar and rose water with 1 tablespoon of water until thick, adding a tiny extra splash of rose water or water if too thick to spread. Spread the icing using the back of a teaspoon or with a palette knife dipped into hot water and sprinkle with the chopped pistachios.
Transfer to a serving plate and scatter with crystallized rose petals to finish.
HOW TO MAKE CRYSTALLISED ROSE PETALS
Use a small paintbrush to brush the petals with just enough lightly whisked egg white to cover the surface.
Sprinkle with caster sugar, then gently shake off any excess sugar and leave to dry overnight on a baking tray lined with parchment.
Cissy Houston is terrified granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown will suffer the same fate as Whitney Houston – and die young from drugs.
Last week, it was reported that the Houston family were going to court in a bid to keep Bobbi Kristina Brown’s inheritance money protected from bad influences.
And now TMZ claim that sources close to Cissy Houston say the 79-year-old fears Bobbi Kristina Brown’s own boyfriend Nick Gordon and father Bobby Brown are capable of “draining Bobbi’s fortune given half the chance”.
Insiders claim Cissy Houston wants the 19-year-old to “mature” before getting her hands on an estate of $20 million.
Bobbi Kristina Brown hit the headlines after she started dating her foster brother Nick Gordon and decided to star in her own reality show.
And it seems her behavior has come back to haunt her, as the family of try to stop her getting her hands on her inheritance.
The trustees of the estate, which includes Cissy Houston, have filed legal documents requesting that the payment schedule to Bobbi Kristina Brown be changed.
According to Radar, they fear Bobbi Kristina Brown is under the “undue influence” of objectionable people.
In court documents filed in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta, Cissy Houston is claiming her granddaughter “is a highly visible target for those who would exert undue influence over her inheritance and/or seek to benefit from respondent’s resources and celebrity”.
The trustees claim in the schedule of distribution conflicts with her “intent to provide long-term financial security and protection for her child”.
“Compliance with the provisions of the trust would defeat or substantially impair the accomplishment of the purposes of the trust, which were to provide for the proper maintenance and comfort of the respondent, and to prevent the wasting of trust assets, as evidenced by the trust’s spend thrift provision.”
Bobbi Kristina Brown is the sole beneficiary of Whitney Houston’s estate, which holds all of the superstar’s remaining earnings and assets.
Whitney Houston was found dead in the bathtub of her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in February, with the coroner ruling she died of an accidental drowning.
A Halloween mask of alleged Colorado shooter James Holmes was put on eBay for $500 by an anonymous seller.
The creepy, rubber face with bright orange, curly hair led to widespread outrage and disgust, including from victims who were personally affected by the Aurora tragedy.
James Holmes, 24, is believed to have opened fire at the Aurora movie theater on July 20, killing 12 people and wounding 58 others.
The seller hid behind the tag “realface13” and advertised the gruesome disguise with the words: “SHOCK EVERYONE YOU KNOW!. There is nothing more scary than crawling into James Holmes mind and wearing his face.
“His <<soul penetrating eyes>> and <<The Joker>> orange hair makes this mask the most disturbing object you will ever own. Imagine owning the mask of supposedly the most dangerous mass murderer in US history.”
Halloween mask of alleged Colorado shooter James Holmes was put on eBay for $500 by an anonymous seller
The mask was said to have been designed for a private collector. The item was taken off the site by eBay on Friday after being viewed 1,133 times – however no one had placed a bid on it.
Josh Nolan, a father-of-two who was shot at the midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises, told ABC: “Are you kidding me? That just took the cake right there. I’m too upset to think about it.”
It is the policy of eBay to remove products considered offensive which includes those that attempt to profit from disaster or human tragedy. Other banned items are those related to the KKK, Nazis or violent felons.
According to regulator GS1 UK, there are now more than five million individual barcodes in use around the world.
Sunday, 7 October is the 60th anniversary of the barcode patent, filed in the US in 1952.
However, the distinctive black-and-white stripes did not make their first appearance in an American shop until 1974 – because the laser technology used to read them did not exist.
GS1 said the QR code was not a threat to the traditional linear barcode.
A QR (Quick Response) code is an image made up of dots, which can contain more data than a barcode.
“They have different purposes – the barcode on the side of a tin of beans is for point-of-sale scanning. It ensures the consumer is charged the right amount and updates stock records,” said Gary Lynch, chief executive of GS1 UK.
“The QR code’s main purpose is to take the person that scans it to an extended multimedia environment. Technically you can combine the two but nobody’s asking for that right now.”
The first item to be scanned by a barcode was a packet of chewing gum in an Ohio supermarket in 1974.
But the black-and-white stripes did not get a universal welcome, with some wine manufacturers refusing to incorporate barcodes onto their labels for aesthetic reasons.
Now it occasionally doubles as body art, with pos star Pink among those who sport a barcode tattoo.
“Barcodes are an icon and rightly so – we’re quite pleased about it,” said Gary Lynch.
“But if one of my daughters had one in homage to her father I’d be rather upset.”
Eating cruciferous vegetables such as sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower at least once a week can cut the risk of developing a variety of cancers.
Those who ate them at least weekly cut the risk of mouth cancer and breast cancer by almost a fifth and oesophageal cancer by more than a quarter, a study has found.
The research linked poor diet with the fatal disease with around a third of all cases of oral cancer is thought to be linked to an unhealthy diet.
Previous studies have found that a particular nutrient in cruciferous vegetables, which also include cabbage, watercress and radish, can kill cancer cells and gives potential for the production of new drugs.
The results, published in the Annals of Oncology, found that the risk of kidney cancer was cut by almost a third and colorectal cancer by almost a fifth.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr. Nigel Carter wanted to highlight the link between poor diet and mouth cancer.
He said: “Around a third of all cases of oral cancer are thought to be linked to an unhealthy diet.
“The number of people being diagnosed with mouth, throat and food pipe cancer is continually rising.
“The Foundation recommends that people ensure they eat a healthy, balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables.”
Researchers believe that unhealthy habits and diet may be reasons behind the rise in oral cancer.
Dr. Nigel Carter said: “Researchers believe this is due to excessive smoking, drinking and an unhealthy diet among the young, while new research shows a dramatic rise in oral cancer as a result of the human papilloma virus and oral sex.
“We must not forget tobacco is still the most likely cause of mouth cancer, linked to around three-quarters of all cases of a disease which kills one person every five hours in the UK.
“With new cases occurring all the time, too many people still remain unaware of the risk smoking poses. Encouraging people to quit smoking and pursue a healthy lifestyle would reduce the risk of developing oral cancer.”
Oral cancer is a group of cancers including cancer of the lip, tongue, mouth, oropharynx, piriform sinus, hypopharynx and other and ill-defined sites of the lip, oral cavity and pharynx.
Elisabetta Canalis almost gave onlookers in Milan more than they bargained for after her ample assets almost spilled out of her top.
Elisabetta Canalis was enjoying a night out in the Italian city wearing a stylish black outfit.
But the TV presenter almost caused a stir after stepping out of the car with her cleavage in full show.
Luckily, Elisabetta Canalis managed to compose herself and seemed relaxed during her evening stroll.
She even managed to find some time for shopping, and was spotted with a shopping bag carrying a no doubt pricey purchase.
Elisabetta Canalis almost gave onlookers in Milan more than they bargained for after her ample assets almost spilled out of her top
After Elisabetta Canalis took off her jacket, she almost suffered a second wardrobe malfunction.
Cheekily blowing a kiss to photographers, the tight backless dress seemed to offer no support as her bosom threatened to spill out once more.
However, George Clooney’s ex once again composed herself and continued cutting a stylish figure during her walk.
Elisabetta Canalis split from George Clooney in 2011, and also ended her relationship to Jackass star Steve O earlier this year.
In a recent interview with Italian Max magazine, Elisabetta Canalis said of her time with Steve O: “I thought he was crazy, but he’s much more sensible to me.”
She told Max magazine she is now based in California to further her acting career.
Elisabetta Canalis added: “I live in LA because I want to make it as an actress in America. I am based there, but if they call me in Italy, I take a plane and come.”
