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Macaulay Culkin looks healthier as he steps out in NYC

Lisa.Felice
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Macaulay Culkin looks healthier as he steps out in NYC

Few months ago, Macaulay Culkin shocked the world with his pale and skeletal appearance, but he seems to have turned a major corner, and is now sporting a fuller frame and healthier complexion.

Macaulay Culkin, 31, who currently works as a DJ, stepped out yesterday in New York City looking the best he has in a long time.

Wearing a stripped shirt, black shades and faded gray jeans, Macaulay Culkin could be seen shopping at a Duane Reade convenience store and walking around the city’s Soho neighborhood.

In February, shocking photos of Macaulay Culkin emerged showing just how badly his life had seemingly unravelled.

Then last month, the 31-year-old’s tragic tale took a dramatic turn when it was claimed by the National Enquirer that he was “close to death”, because of an addiction to prescription drugs and heroin.

Macaulay Culkin stepped out yesterday in New York City looking the best he has in a long time
Macaulay Culkin stepped out yesterday in New York City looking the best he has in a long time

The allegations said he regularly shoots up heroin and the addictive painkiller oxycodone (dubbed hillbilly heroin).

The report went on to claim Macaulay Culkin had turned his Manhattan apartment into a drug den.

Although the reports were immediately denied by the star’s spokesperson, Michelle Bega, his estranged father, Kit Culkin, pleaded with his son to seek help before it’s too late.

The 67-year-old pensioner – who hasn’t spoken to Macaulay Culkin in 15 years following a row over his $17 million fortune – told The Sun: “I hope that he has the right people looking after him.”

Too distraught to talk any more, Kit Culkin’s wife, Jeanette, 68, explained the pair fear the former Home Alone actor is “dying of some disease or heavily into drugs” after seeing disturbing photographs of the star.

Responding to the drug addiction allegations, Macaulay Culkin’s publicist Michelle Bega said: “The report in the National Enquirer that Macaulay Culkin is addicted to heroin and assorted hallucinogenics is not only categorically without merit, but it is also impossibly and ridiculously fictitious.”

The Enquirer claimed Macaulay Culkin’s alleged drug use intensified 18 months ago – around the time he split from long-term girlfriend Mila Kunis, who is now dating Ashton Kutcher.

Two weeks ago, Macaulay Culkin was spotted out at Hollywood hot spot Chateau Marmont.

Although he wasn’t as skinny as before, his appearance didn’t entirely help to end the addiction rumors as he was seen clutching his stomach and appeared to be sick.

 

Patrick Ricard, head of global spirits company Pernod Ricard, dies at 67

Diane A. Wade
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Patrick Ricard, head of global spirits company Pernod Ricard, dies at 67

Patrick Ricard, head of the global spirits company Pernod Ricard, whose father founded the Ricard firm, has died at the age of 67.

The firm said Patrick Ricard had passed away on Friday. French media reports suggested he had heart problems.

Paul Ricard founded the company, which began selling the anise-flavoured liqueur pastis, in Marseille in 1932.

His son transformed the firm into the second largest wine and spirits company in the world.

Patrick Ricard, head of the global spirits company Pernod Ricard, whose father founded the Ricard firm, has died at the age of 67
Patrick Ricard, head of the global spirits company Pernod Ricard, whose father founded the Ricard firm, has died at the age of 67

Patrick Ricard spent his entire career within the family firm and took over leadership as chairman and CEO in 1978, at the age of 33, just a few years after it had merged with its arch-rival, Pernod.

He made a series of acquisitions beginning with bourbon maker Wild Turkey, in 1981, followed by Irish Distillers, then brands including whiskey-maker Chivas and cognac producer Martell.

Patrick Ricard led a buyout of UK-based competitor Allied Domecq in 2008.

The expansion into foreign markets transformed the firm into a major global player generating sales of 7.6 billion Euros ($9.35 billion) in 2011, with some 18,000 staff worldwide.

Patrick Ricard, who was named European businessman of the year by the US magazine Fortune in 2006, was married with three children.

 

Limbless Phillipe Croizon completes swim to link five continents

Diane A. Wade
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Limbless Phillipe Croizon completes swim to link five continents

French Phillipe Croizon, who lost all his limbs in an electrocution accident, has completed a swim to link five continents.

Using tailor-made flippers, Philippe Croizon, 44, finished his quest by crossing between the US island of Little Diomede and Great Diomede in Russia, joining Asia and the Americas.

He has swum three other straits since May.

Reaching shore, Phillipe Croizon said the icy waters had been a challenge.

Phillipe Croizon, who lost all his limbs in an electrocution accident, has completed a swim to link five continents
Phillipe Croizon, who lost all his limbs in an electrocution accident, has completed a swim to link five continents

“This was the hardest swim of my life, with a water temperature of four degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) and strong currents,” he told AFP news agency.

“We made it.”

He swam the 4.3 km (2.7 miles) stretch in the Bering Strait in one hour and 20 minutes, accompanied by friend and long-distance swimmer Arnaud Chassery.

Phillipe Croizon said he hoped to be an encouragement to other disabled people.

“I tell them: <<Everything is possible, everything can be done when you have the will to go beyond yourself>>. We’re all equal, disabled and non-disabled people on all continents,” he said, according to AFP.

In past months Phillipe Croizon has swum between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia to link Oceania with Asia, across the shark-infested Red Sea to link Africa to Asia, and across the Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa.

Phllipe Croizon had the amputations after an accident on a roof in 1994, when a high-voltage power cable discharged through a metal ladder he was standing on.

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Two years on Mediterranean diet in mid-life could protect your bones in old age

Kathryn R. Bown
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Two years on Mediterranean diet in mid-life could protect your bones in old age

Researchers claim that swapping to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil could help protect your bones in later life.

Just two years of eating like the Spanish and Italians who use olive oil rather than less healthy fats may preserve or even build bone in older people, says a new study.

The Mediterranean diet is regarded as the classic eating habits of populations from countries in southern Europe, even though fewer inhabitants follow it today.

It has been thought to improve heart health and stave off cancer because it is high in fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and “healthy” fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy products.

But a new study shows further benefits to bones as people eating more olive oil had higher levels of the hormone osteocalcin in their blood – a marker linked to better bone strength.

Researchers claim that swapping to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil could help protect your bones in later life
Researchers claim that swapping to a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil could help protect your bones in later life

Previous studies have shown that Mediterranean countries have lower rates of osteoporosis compared with northern European nations, which could be due to different dietary factors.

Osteoporosis is often termed the “silent disease” as there are no symptoms prior to a fracture. However, once a person has broken a bone, their risk of breaking another bone – a fragility fracture – increases dramatically.

In the study, 127 people aged 55 to 80 regarded as high risk heart patients took part in the Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea (PREDIMED) study.

They had type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or other cardiovascular risk factors, says a report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

They were randomly assigned to three different diets: Mediterranean diet with mixed nuts, Mediterranean diet with at least 50 ml of virgin olive oil a day, and a low-fat diet.

People on the olive oil diet were told to use it for cooking and dressing salads, eat more fruit and vegetables, eat less red meat, avoid butter, cream, fast food, cakes, and, if they were alcohol drinkers, to consume moderate amounts of red wine.

The results after two years showed those on the Mediterranean diet with olive oil had a significant increase in concentrations of osteocalcin and other bone formation markers, and no other diet had the same effect.

Dr. Jose Manuel Fernandez-Real, of Hospital Dr. Josep Trueta in Girona, Spain, said the consumption of olive oil has been already been linked to prevention of osteoporosis in experimental research, but the new study looked at direct effects in people.

He said: “This is the first randomized study which demonstrates that olive oil preserves bone, at least as inferred by circulating bone markers, in humans.

“It’s important to note that circulating osteocalcin was associated with preserved insulin secretion in subjects taking olive oil.

“Osteocalcin has also been described to increase insulin secretion in experimental models.”

Olive oil contains omega-6 fats, a form of “healthy” polyunsaturates which blocks the body’s response to inflammation in chronic conditions such as heart disease and arthritis.

It also reduces blood pressure and improves the ratio of good to bad blood fats.

Dieticians say the Mediterranean diet also appears to improve vascular function, the flexibility of cells lining the walls of blood vessels, particularly in the heart and circulatory system.

The diet is known to fight inflammation and repair oxygen-related cell damage.

Previous research has found strict adherence to a Mediterranean diet could help stave off memory loss and Alzheimer’s.

 

Pan-fried meat increases risk of prostate cancer

Kathryn R. Bown
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Pan-fried meat increases risk of prostate cancer

A couple of hamburgers a week could increase the chances of getting prostate cancer by 40%, according to new a research.

Scientists say cooking meat at a high temperatures creates cancer causing chemicals that damage DNA.

A study of almost 2,000 men found prostate cancer cases rose dramatically in those who often ate meat cooked in a pan, with red meat being particularly dangerous.

Professor Mariana Stern, of the University of Southern California, said: “We found men who ate more than 1.5 servings of pan-fried red meat per week increased their risk of advanced prostate cancer by 30%.

“In addition, men who ate more than 2.5 servings of red meat cooked at high temperatures were 40% more likely to have advanced prostate cancer.”

A study of almost 2,000 men found prostate cancer cases rose dramatically in those who often ate meat cooked in a pan, with red meat being particularly dangerous
A study of almost 2,000 men found prostate cancer cases rose dramatically in those who often ate meat cooked in a pan, with red meat being particularly dangerous

The carcinogens at the centre of the scare are known as HCAs (heterocyclic amines) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).

HCAs form when protein is cooked at high temperatures for a long time, while PAHs occur when fat from the meat drips onto an open flame creating smoke that deposits the chemicals on the meat.

There is strong experimental evidence that HCAs and PAHs contribute to certain cancers, including prostate cancer.

When considering specific types of red meats hamburgers, but not steak, were linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer, especially among Hispanic men.

Prof. Mariana Stern, whose research was published in the online journal Carcinogenisis, said: “We speculate these findings are a result of different levels of carcinogen accumulation found in hamburgers, given that they can attain higher internal and external temperatures faster than steak.”

The participants, more than 1,000 of whom had advanced prostate cancer, answered questionnaires about their red meat and poultry consumption. They were also asked to photograph their cooking methods and how charred their meat was.

The researchers said the study, published online in the journal Carcinogenesis, provides important new evidence on how red meat and its cooking practices may increase the risk for prostate cancer.

Previous studies have emphasized an association between diets high in red meat and risk of prostate cancer, but proof is limited.

But attention to cooking methods shows the disease may be a result of potent chemical carcinogens formed when meat is cooked at a high temperature.

The researchers also found the men who ate baked poultry had a lower risk of prostate cancer, but those who pan fried it had a higher risk.

Prof. Mariana Stern said pan-frying, regardless of meat type, consistently led to an increased risk of prostate cancer. The same pattern was evident in her previous research which found fish cooked at high temperatures, particularly pan-fried, increased the risk of prostate cancer.

The researchers do not know why pan-frying poses a higher risk for prostate cancer, but they suspect it is due to the formation of the DNA-damaging HCAs during the cooking of red meat and poultry.

She added: “The observations from this study alone are not enough to make any health recommendations but given the few modifiable risk factors known for prostate cancer, the understanding of dietary factors and cooking methods are of high public health relevance.”

 

Picasso’s Child With A Dove in export bar

Sonia Pantiss
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Picasso’s Child With A Dove in export bar

British Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has placed a temporary export bar on Picasso’s Child With A Dove, in the hope that money can be raised to buy back the painting.

The export bar – which will remain in place until December – offers a last chance to keep the painting in the UK.

The work, which has been on public display in Britain since the 1970s, was sold privately earlier this year to an unknown foreign buyer.

It was believed to have been valued at around £50 million ($79 million).

The picture was sold by Christies auction house on behalf of the Aberconway family in Wales, who have owned the painting since 1947.

British Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has placed a temporary export bar on Picasso's Child With A Dove, in the hope that money can be raised to buy back the painting
British Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has placed a temporary export bar on Picasso's Child With A Dove, in the hope that money can be raised to buy back the painting

One of Picasso’s early works – painted when he was around 19 – it is currently on loan to the National Galleries of Scotland.

Ed Vaizey’s ruling follows a recommendation by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, administered by Arts Council England.

The Committee recommended that the export decision be deferred on the grounds that the painting was closely tied to the UK’s history and national life.

It is also considered to be of outstanding aesthetic importance and highly pertinent to the study of Picasso’s early works and his artistic development.

The Committee ruled that it fulfils all three of the Waverley Criteria required to justify an export bar.

“Child with a Dove is a much-loved painting whose iconic status; together with its long history in British collections… make it of outstanding importance to our national heritage,” said committee member, Aidan Weston-Lewis.

It is hoped British cultural institutions may collectively be able to raise the funds to prevent its sale and export elsewhere, and keep it within the public domain.

Picasso painted the portrait of a young child clutching a dove and standing next to a multi-colored ball in Paris in 1901.

The painting, acquired in 1924 by RA Workman, is one of the earliest and most important works by Picasso to enter a British collection.

It marks a transition into the artist’s celebrated Blue Period, when Picasso moved away from a broadly Impressionistic style to a more sparing aesthetic, creating sombre works painted almost solely in shades of blue and blue-green.

RA Workman later passed it on to the prominent art collector Samuel Courtauld, who bequeathed it to Lady Aberconway in 1947.

In the 1970s, the painting was loaned out to the National Gallery in London and last year it went on display at the Courtauld Gallery.

Any decision on the export licence application will be deferred until 16 December 2012, with scope for a further deferral to 16 June 2013 should a serious intention to purchase the painting, at the recommended price of £50 million, be put forward.

 

Michael Phelps may be stripped of his London Olympics medals

Clyde K. Valle
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Michael Phelps may be stripped of his London Olympics medals

By posing for the Louis Vuitton campaign, U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps may be stripped of his medals, four gold and two silver, from the London 2012 Games.

The latest Louis Vuitton campaign images, which included Michael Phelps, surfaced on Twitter on August 13, 2012.

According to Rule 40, a regulation introduced by the International Olympic Committee earlier this year, no athlete was able to participate in non-Olympic marketing campaigns from July 18 to August 15, 2012.

If the photographs were in fact due for release on August 16 and a rogue individual had simply leaked them, Michael Phelps will be in the clear. But if the photos were in fact leaked intentionally by the brand, the sporting hero will face punishment.

The French fashion house said after the two photos, snapped by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, had leaked that they were in fact unofficial images and were stolen from the company.

Michael Phelps’ management team have also denied releasing the images.

The official IOC rule states: “A competitor or a team may lose the benefit of any ranking obtained in relation to other events at the Olympic Games at which he or it was disqualified or excluded; in such case the medals and diplomas won by him or it shall be returned to the IOC.”

By posing for the Louis Vuitton campaign, Michael Phelps may be stripped of his London Olympics medals
By posing for the Louis Vuitton campaign, Michael Phelps may be stripped of his London Olympics medals

Two photographs of the athlete were posted on various websites on August 13.

One showed Michael Phelps posing in a bathtub as the brand’s signature bag sat slumped on the floor beside him while another showed him on a couch, sharing a laugh with former Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina, 77.

As a less severe punishment, Michael Phelps may also simply be fined if he is found to have breached Rule 40.

According to Sekou Campbell, an intellectual property attorney at Fox Rothschild who has written about Rule 40, if the photos were leaked intentionally, it is likely a violation of the IOC regulation designed to combat ambush marketing.

“That’s the point of ambush marketing,” he told CNBC.

“There’s no formal ad, but they somehow generate coverage.”

Michael Phelps’ long-time agent, Peter Carlisle, dismissed any suggestion Friday that the retired swimmer may have violated Rule 40.

Peter Carlisle told The Associated Press there’s no issue with the IOC because Michael Phelps did not authorize use of the pictures, which were leaked by a source that still isn’t known and appeared on several websites. In fact, the agent added, there are dozens of similar, unapproved uses of most top athletes’ names and images during any Olympics.

“He didn’t violate Rule 40; it’s as simple as that,” Peter Carlisle said in a telephone interview.

“All that matters is whether the athlete permitted that use. That’s all he can control. In this case, Michael did not authorize that use.

“The images hadn’t even been reviewed, much less approved. It’s as simple as that. An athlete can’t control unauthorized uses any more than you can guarantee someone isn’t going to break into your house.”

“I can’t count on every hand in this office the number of unauthorized uses that happen during the Games period,” Peter Carlisle added.

“We uncover them by the dozens. Some are by companies we don’t even know. It happens constantly.”

No matter the outcome, the star has followed in the footsteps of Sean Connery and Catherine Deneuve, posing with the French label’s famous monogrammed bags in the couch image.

The caption beneath, which is written in Italian, bears the words: “Due percorsi straordinari. Uno stesso destino”, which translates as: “Two extraordinary paths. The same fate.”

The new Core Values campaign image was released at the same time as the bath image, in which Michael Phelps is seen wearing trunks and goggles in a bath, with an LV-monogrammed bag beside the tub.

Though it is designed to look like it too is for Louis Vuitton, the luxury label said: “It is not an official Louis Vuitton image.”

The official new advertisement is the latest in an ongoing series titled Core Values.

The campaign has also featured images of Francis Ford Coppola with his daughter Sofia, Rolling Stones rocker Keith Richards and even Mikhail Gorbachev.

 

Robin Gibb ignored his fatal tumours to go on world tour, says Dwina Gibb

Sonia Pantiss
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Robin Gibb ignored his fatal tumours to go on world tour, says Dwina Gibb

Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb refused to have scans that could have detected his fatal tumours before they developed – so he could go on a world tour.

Robin Gibb died in May, aged 62, after a long battle with colon and liver cancer.

His heartbroken widow, Dwina Gibb, 59, has told how he initially ignored doctors’ advice and her pleas to have the cancerous cells properly checked.

The cancer was spotted after the star had an operation to remove an intestinal blockage in October 2010.

Robin Gibb refused to have scans that could have detected his fatal tumours before they developed, so he could go on a world tour
Robin Gibb refused to have scans that could have detected his fatal tumours before they developed, so he could go on a world tour

But Dwina Gibb said she and son Robin John, 29, were unable to stop Robin continuing with his musical commitments.

She said: “He didn’t want to stop and I said, <<Please just have the scan>>. Despite all his wonderful ways, Robin could be very stubborn and he never liked bad news – he just didn’t want to know.

“He went to do a show in New Zealand as they’d just experienced an earthquake.

“Maybe it was very important for him to do that show, but it was still important for him to have his scans.”

Robin Gibb toured for more than two weeks during November 2010 and his wife said the cancer had developed to a secondary stage – when the tumor starts to spread to nearby blood vessels – by the time he had a check-up.

Before he died from pneumonia, Robin Gibb astonished doctors by pulling out of his coma for several weeks after Dwina Gibb played a symphony he had composed with his son to mark the centenary of Titanic’s sinking.

She said: “We ended up having a wonderful few weeks with him.”

 

 

Barack Obama makes tax offer to Mitt Romney

Diane A. Wade
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Barack Obama makes tax offer to Mitt Romney

Barack Obama campaign has said if Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney releases five years of tax returns, they will drop the issue.

Mitt Romney, who has made public his 2010 taxes and plans to do the same with his 2011 returns, rejected the offer.

The former private equity chief said on Thursday he had never paid under 13% in taxes over the past 10 years, a much smaller rate than most US wage-earners.

Mitt Romney will challenge President Barack Obama in November’s election.

Obama campaign manager Jim Messina made the tax-returns offer to his counterpart, Matt Rhoades, in a letter on Friday.

Barack Obama campaign has said if Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney releases five years of tax returns, they will drop the issue
Barack Obama campaign has said if Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney releases five years of tax returns, they will drop the issue

“Governor Romney apparently fears that the more he offers, the more our campaign will demand that he provide,” Jim Messina wrote.

“So I am prepared to provide assurances on just that point. If the Governor will release five years of returns, I commit in turn that we will not criticize him for not releasing more – neither in ads nor in other public communications or commentary for the rest of the campaign.”

Releasing several years of tax returns has become a standard move in recent presidential elections.

And Jim Messina noted that the Republican candidate’s father, former Michigan Governor George Romney, had released 12 years of his tax returns during his own unsuccessful run for the presidency in 1968.

Matt Rhoades rejected the offer in an email that began: “Hey Jim, thanks for the note.

“It is clear that President Obama wants nothing more than to talk about Governor Romney’s tax returns instead of the issues that matter to voters, like putting Americans back to work, fixing the economy and reining in spending.

“If Governor Romney’s tax returns are the core message of your campaign, there will be ample time for President Obama to discuss them over the next 81 days.”

The candidate’s wife, Ann Romney, reiterated that they were “hiding nothing” in an interview with NBC News on Thursday.

“We have been very transparent to what’s legally required of us,” Ann Romney said.

“There’s going to be no more tax releases given.”

She added that releasing more information would only give their Democratic opponents more “ammunition”.

Mitt Romney has said he is following the example of Republican Senator John McCain, who released two years of returns in 2008 when running against Barack Obama.

He has said his critics would only distort his tax information if he divulged more.

Democrats have repeatedly questioned whether the former Massachusetts governor has something to hide about his estimated net worth of about $250 million.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has accused Mitt Romney of not paying taxes in some years – a claim denied by the Republican.

The top tax rate for wages in America is 35%, but taxes on capital gains are lower.

Some 44% of Americans believe that raising taxes on the wealthiest would help the economy, according to a Pew Research Center Poll last month. Just 22% said they believed the opposite.

The same poll suggested that Americans believed two to one that Barack Obama’s tax proposals would make the tax system more fair.

 

Lakhdar Brahimi confirmed as new UN Syria envoy

Roy Siemens
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Lakhdar Brahimi confirmed as new UN Syria envoy

Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has been appointed as the new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, officials have confirmed.

Lakhdar Brahimi, 78, will succeed Kofi Annan, who resigned earlier this month after his six-point peace plan failed to achieve a meaningful ceasefire.

China was the first nation to give its reaction, promising to “co-operate positively” with Lakhdar Brahimi.

However, fighting has continued unabated in the northern city of Aleppo and the capital, Damascus.

Explosions were heard in a number parts of the Syrian capital overnight.

In Aleppo, government troops repulsed attacks by rebel forces near the airport on Friday, Syria’s state-run media said.

Rebel commanders also said they were fighting near the airport, telling the New York Times that their fighters had advanced to within metres of the airport fence.

The claims have not been verified independently.

Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has been appointed as the new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria
Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi has been appointed as the new UN-Arab League envoy for Syria

Lakhdar Brahimi, whose appointment came a day after the UN called an end to its military observer mission, has held a long series of high-profile diplomatic posts.

As a senior Arab League official between 1984-91, Lakhdar Brahimi brokered an end to the Lebanese civil war, going on to serve as Algerian foreign minister between 1991-3.

Later, he was twice appointed as the UN’s top envoy for Afghanistan, from 1996-8 and from 2001-4. He has held similar roles for Haiti and South Africa.

A spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the UN welcomed Lakhdar Brahimi’s willingness to help stop “the violence and suffering in Syria”.

Announcing his resignation earlier this month, Kofi Annan had said he was unable to fulfill his role because of the growing militarization of the conflict, as well as the deadlock over the issue in the UN Security Council.

Russia and China have vetoed resolutions on the crisis three times, citing their opposition to any action which might be seen as regime change imposed from outside.

Co-operation was essential in order to find a peaceful resolution, said Lakhdar Brahimi.

“There is no doubt that I will be able to do strictly nothing if I do not have the support and if I do not have the co-operation of the Syrians,” he said.

But Lakhdar Brahimi also insisted diplomatic efforts should not be abandoned: “These missions have to be undertaken. We have got to try. We have got to see that the Syrian people are not abandoned.

“I might very well fail but we sometimes are lucky and we can get a breakthrough.”

At least 60 bodies were found earlier this week in the Damascus suburb of Qatana, activists said, following what the opposition described as a “massacre” by government forces.

A poor-quality video posted online showed what appeared to be the charred remains of dozens of people, many with their hands tied behind their backs.

Activists estimate about 20,000 people have died since anti-government protests erupted against the Assad regime in March last year. Tens of thousands of people have also fled the country.

 

Curiosity rover ready to zap Martian rocks

James J. Williams
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Curiosity rover ready to zap Martian rocks

Curiosity rover is getting ready to zap its first Martian rock.

A small stone lying just to the side of the vehicle at its landing site on the floor of Gale Crater has been selected as a test target for the ChemCam laser.

The brief but powerful burst of light from this instrument will vaporize the surface of the rock, revealing details of its basic chemistry.

Dubbed N165, the object is not expected to have any science value, but should show ChemCam is ready for serious work.

“I’d probably guess this is a typical Mars basalt – basaltic rocks making up a large fraction of all the igneous rocks on Mars,” said Roger Wiens, the instrument’s principal investigator.

“A basalt, which is also common under the ocean on Earth, typically has 48% silicon dioxide and percent amounts of iron, calcium and magnesium, and sodium and potassium oxides as well. We’re not expecting any surprises,” said the Los Alamos National Laboratory researcher.

Curiosity rover is getting ready to zap its first Martian rock
Curiosity rover is getting ready to zap its first Martian rock

Curiosity touched down in its equatorial crater two weeks ago.

Its mission is to investigate the rocks at its landing site for evidence that past environments could have supported life.

The rover carries a suite of instruments for the purpose, but its Chemistry and Camera (ChemCam) experiment has probably garnered most attention because nothing like it has ever been flown to Mars before.

ChemCam sits high up on the rover’s mast from where it directs a laser beam on to rocks up to 7 m (23 ft) away.

The spot hit by the infrared laser gets more than a million watts of power focused on it for five one-billionths of a second.

This produces a spark that the instrument observes with a telescope. The colors tell scientists which atomic elements are present in the rock.

ChemCam is going to be a key part of the process of selecting science targets during Curiosity’s two-year mission.

If the laser shows up an interesting rock, the vehicle will move closer and deploy its other instruments for a more detailed investigation.

Assuming the test with the 7 cm-wide N165 object goes well, ChemCam will move on to its first science target.

This will be rock exposed on the ground next to the rover by the rocket-powered crane used to lower the vehicle to the crater floor.

Exhaust from this descent stage scattered surface grit and pebbles to reveal a harder, compact material underneath.

The crane made four scour marks in the ground – two either side of Curiosity. These have been dubbed Burnside, Goulburn, Hepburn and Sleepy Dragon.

The names, all related to fire, are taken from ancient rock formations in Canadian North America.

Goulburn Scour will be zapped by ChemCam.

“There’s bedrock exposed beneath the soil with interesting patterns of color,” said John Grotzinger, Curiosity’s project scientist.

“There’re lighter parts; there’re darker parts, and the team is busy deliberating over how this rock unit may have formed and what it’s composed of. We’ll aim the ChemCam [at Goulburn Scour], as well as taking even higher resolution images.”

Curiosity has not moved since landing on 6 August (GMT). That is about to change.

The rover is going to roll forward briefly to test its locomotion system in the next few days. A reverse manoeuvre is planned, also.

Researchers want eventually to drive several kilometres to the base of the big mountain at the centre of Gale Crater to study sediments that look from satellite pictures to have been laid down in the presence of abundant water.

This journey to the foothills of Mount Sharp is going to have to wait a few months, however, because the science team intends first to go in the opposite direction.

Several hundred metres to the east of Curiosity’s present position is an intersection of three geological terrains.

Again, this location has been given a name – Glenelg. And, again, it is taken from the geology of North America.

The intersection is intriguing and a good place to compare and contrast with the bedrock exposed in Goulburn Scour.

In addition, it may provide access to older, harder rocks. These could make for a first opportunity for Curiosity to use its drill.

“Even though it is in the opposite direction from the path to Mount Sharp, it’s the one place we can go to capture a lot of the information that’s persevered in our landing [location],” said Prof. John Grotzinger.

 

 

Arctic Ramadan fasting dilemma when sun never sets

James J. Williams
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Arctic Ramadan fasting dilemma when sun never sets

Practicing Muslims across the world are observing Ramadan. For one month, they are fasting between sunrise and sunset.

But what do Muslims do in a town where the sun never really goes down?

The town of Rovaniemi in Finland lies in a land of extremes.

At 66 degrees north it straddles the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland. During midwinter it is cloaked in total darkness. But in the summer it is bathed in daylight.

The long days pose a particular problem for fasting Muslims like Shah Jalal Miah Masud.

Shah Jalal Miah Masud, 28, moved to Rovaniemi – 830 km (515 mile) north of the capital, Helsinki – from Bangladesh five years ago to study IT. He has not had any food or water for 21 hours. And he laughs.

“It doesn’t get dark. It always looks like the same, the sun is always on the horizon and it’s quite difficult to get what the time is actually right now,” he says.

Practicing Muslims across the world are observing Ramadan
Practicing Muslims across the world are observing Ramadan

It is 11:00 p.m. in the evening and the sun has only just dipped below the horizon. The sky has turned a beautiful deep, rich blue. This is as dark as it will get, then the sun will rise again in five hours.

Shah Jalal Miah Masud says it is difficult to fast according to Finnish time and admits he is tired. But despite the hunger and fatigue, he says it is a pleasure to observe Ramadan during the long Finnish days.

There is another option which reduces the number of fasting hours – mark its duration by the rising and setting of the sun in countries far to the south of Finland. Dr. Abdul Mannan – a local Imam and president of the Islam Society of Northern Finland – says there are two schools of thought.

“The Egyptian scholars say that if the days are long – more than 18 hours – then you can follow the Mecca time or Medina time, or the nearest Muslim country time,” says Dr. Abdul Mannan.

“The other (point of view) from the Saudi scholars says whatever the day is – long or short – you have to follow the local time.”

Dr. Abdul Mannan says the majority of Muslims in northern Finland observe either Mecca’s fasting hours or Turkish time because it is the nearest Muslim country to Finland.

For Nafisa Yeasmin, a researcher at the University of Lapland, choosing when to fast has not been an easy decision. She moved from Dhaka in Bangladesh six years ago with her husband and two children.

Her spacious Scandinavian-style kitchen – full of white cupboards and wooden work surfaces – smells of frying onions, turmeric, chilli and cumin.

As she prepares her traditional iftar meal, she recalls her first Ramadan in Rovaniemi when she decided to fast according to Finnish daylight hours, going without food for up to 20 hours a day.

“It was very difficult to follow because in Bangladesh we are used to 12 hours’ daytime and 12 hours’ night-time,” she says.

“Then I thought, not any more. I have to follow Mecca’s timetable. But I’m a little bit worried whether Allah will accept it or not.”

Many Muslims come to Finland as refugees from all over the world, particularly Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Since 2001, Finland has accepted 750 refugees a year. New arrivals are often sent to live in towns like Rovaniemi in the far north in a government resettlement programmes.

In Rovaniemi the long days are not the only obstacle that fasting Muslims face.

No shop in this town of 60,000 sells halal food, which is prepared according to Islamic law. The nearest town, Oulu, that does is 300 km away. Another option is Lulea, across the border in Sweden.

Nafisa Yeasmin opts for Lulea, which is a six-hour round trip journey by car, with a shopping list full of items, including black chickpeas, dates, rice crackers and lots of halal meat.

Understandably, she has stocked up for the whole month of Ramadan. To make her point, she opens her huge white fridge – covered in her children’s school photos – to reveal all seven trays crammed full of frozen halal meat.

Yeasmin and Masud both enjoy life on the Arctic Circle and say local people are very welcoming and respectful of their religion.

But they say it is hard to be thousands of kilometres from home, family and friends during a major religious festival.

“We used to break the fast and share the iftar meal together. Now I do it on my own,” says Miah Masud.

“It’s like normal life here, no feeling of a festival. I feel like I’m missing something.”

60,000 Muslims live in Finland

• 1% of population is Muslim

• Tatar Muslims from Russia and Turkey brought Islam in the 1870s

• They worked as merchants in the Helsinki area, trading furs and textiles

 

German army’s crisis role widened to using weapons on the streets

Diane A. Wade
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German army’s crisis role widened to using weapons on the streets

Germany’s army will in future be able to use its weapons on the country’ streets in an extreme situation, the Federal Constitutional Court says.

The ruling says the armed forces can be deployed only if Germany faces an assault of “catastrophic proportions”, but not to control demonstrations.

The decision to deploy forces must be approved by the federal government.

Germany’s army will in future be able to use its weapons on the country’ streets in an extreme situation
Germany’s army will in future be able to use its weapons on the country’ streets in an extreme situation

Severe restrictions on military deployments were set down in the German constitution after Nazi-era abuses.

The court says the military still cannot shoot down a hijacked passenger plane – fighter jets would have to intercept the plane and fire warning shots to force it to land.

After World War II the new constitution ruled that soldiers could not be deployed with guns at the ready on German soil.

The court has now changed that, saying troops could be used to tackle an assault that threatens scores of casualties.

The judges had in mind a terrorist incident involving armed attackers in public places.

German troops have been deployed abroad since the war, but it has been a gradual process.

German warplanes have been used in the Balkans and troops are on the ground in Afghanistan, protecting construction workers, but able to return fire if attacked.

 

The Pirate Bay and Isohunt say Google’s anti-piracy move brings them more direct traffic

Nancy Clayson
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1
The Pirate Bay and Isohunt say Google’s anti-piracy move brings them more direct traffic

File-sharing websites The Pirate Bay and Isohunt claim the new way in which Google is organizing its search results will drive more direct traffic to their home pages.

Websites that have been flagged for aiding access to pirated content now automatically appear lower down on Google search lists.

The Pirate Bay and Isohunt both say that Google is not their main source of traffic in any case.

YouTube videos are also subject to the new rules, says the US search giant.

Isohunt’s owner had suggested that the Google-owned video clip site would be given preferential treatment because it was excluded from the firm’s Transparency Report list of sites that had provoked copyright removal requests.

A spokeswoman for Google said: “This update applies to all websites including our own – YouTube, Blogger, etc.”

Isohunt's owner had suggested that Google-owned video clip site YouTube would be given preferential treatment because it was excluded from its Transparency Report list of sites that had provoked copyright removal requests
Isohunt's owner had suggested that Google-owned video clip site YouTube would be given preferential treatment because it was excluded from its Transparency Report list of sites that had provoked copyright removal requests

However, since copyright flagging is just one of many factors which influence Google’s rankings, it is unlikely that it will have much impact on platforms dominated by user-generated content, such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

Google added that material on YouTube which infringed copyright would be removed from the website completely “in accordance with the law” if it became aware of it.

The new search results are organized according to the number of factors, including the amount of “valid copyright removal notices” Google has received about individual sites.

Those with more notices are likely to appear lower down.

“That Google is putting our links lower is in a way a good thing for us. We’ll get more direct traffic when people don’t get the expected search result when using Google,” said The Pirate Bay in a blog post.

“The thing we don’t like with this is… they’re dictating terms.”

Gary Fung, owner of BitTorrent Isohunt, said that only 21% of its traffic came from Google.

“We have plenty of torrent links to non-copyright infringing content, and we’ll be adding 1.4 million more from the Internet Archive soon,” he wrote on an Isohunt forum.

Gary Fung also queried the validity of the removal notices which he claimed could be spammed.

Those wishing to protect their copyright on YouTube are encouraged to use a free tool called Content ID which digitally fingerprints their work and notifies them if it appears on the site, Google said.

The copyright holder can then decide whether to leave it, have the content taken down or make money from it by adding adverts.

 

Rio Olympics 2016 Theme Song Released: The Gods of Olympus Visit Rio de Janeiro

Clyde K. Valle
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London Olympics 2012 has hardly even had time to enjoy its success and already Rio is attempting to steal its shine, earlier this week releasing the official theme song for the 2016 Olympics.

As can be expected, the new song and video showcase the typical laid-back, tropical style associated with the South American gem.

The Gods of Olympus Visit Rio de Janeiro, as the song is called, was written by Brazilian composers Arlindo Cruz, Roge and Arlindo Neto, and was performed by well-known Rio de Janeiro natives.

London Olympics 2012 has hardly even had time to enjoy its success and already Rio is attempting to steal its shine, earlier this week releasing the official theme song for the 2016 Olympics
London Olympics 2012 has hardly even had time to enjoy its success and already Rio is attempting to steal its shine, earlier this week releasing the official theme song for the 2016 Olympics

The clip follows several Greek gods as they visit the host city of the next Olympic Games, enjoying its inherent pleasures. As the lyrics reveal, “the gods fell in love with the city and didn’t want to leave.”

The song was released at the beginning of this week after Mayor Eduardo Paes, Governor Sergio Cabral, President of the Brazilian Olympic Committee Carlos Arthur Nuzma and several Brazilian athletes returned to the city with the Olympic flag.

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Ukraine chocolate museum opened in Akmescit

Sonia Pantiss
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Ukraine chocolate museum opened in Akmescit

History of chocolate is being re-told in Akmescit, capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine, where a chocolate museum was opened.

Opened in 2008, the museum used 1,5 tons of Belgian chocolate to tell the story of chocolate.

It took 6 months to make chocolate paintings and statues in a bid to tell the story of chocolate from Mayas to up to date. Every piece in the exhibition is unique and handmade. The most interesting item of the exhibition was the chocolate waitress serving chocolate on a tray. The statue was inspired by Swiss painter Jean-Etienne Liotard’s painting. More than 200 kg white chocolate was used to make it.

History of chocolate is being re-told in Akmescit, capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine, where a chocolate museum was opened
History of chocolate is being re-told in Akmescit, capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine, where a chocolate museum was opened

The exhibition has Emperor Crowns, Faberge eggs, and portraits of Christopher Columbus and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The museum is most proud of the chocolate model of Akmescit train station.

Chocolate masters prepare special chocolates for visitors. After touring the museum, visitors can enjoy handmade sweets and chocolates.

 

Lady Gaga wearing a meat corset while performing in Bucharest

Lisa.Felice
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0
Lady Gaga wearing a meat corset while performing in Bucharest

Lady Gaga first caused a stir when she wore a dress made entirely of meat to the MTV Video Music Awards in 2010.

Lady Gaga, 26, has raised the steaks once again by stepping out in a carnivorous creation as she performed in Bucharest, Romania, last night.

Taking to the stage in Piata Constitutiei Square, the singer showed off her voluptuous figure in a skimpy thong style corset, which appeared to be fashioned out of meat.

With matching ankle boots and fishnet tights completing the look, the Born This Way hitmaker showcased a more curvaceous figure than usual as she performed in front of 35,000 fans.

But the food-based fashion item wasn’t the only unusual look the star went for, with Lady Gaga also opting for a bizarre white ram’s head hat and matching futuristic dress at one stage during the gig, before changing into a black gothic-inspired creation.

Lady Gaga has raised the steaks once again by stepping out in a carnivorous creation as she performed in Bucharest, Romania, last night
Lady Gaga has raised the steaks once again by stepping out in a carnivorous creation as she performed in Bucharest, Romania, last night

However, it might have been that her choice of outfit made the New Yorker feel somewhat nauseous

According to onlookers, halfway through the performance, Lady Gaga had to leave the stage to vomit.

Lady Gaga told the crowd: “I went backstage and vomited, and I did not want you to see this… It happens to me sometimes.”

Despite her health ailment, Lady Gaga continued with the show, and at one stage even dragged a delighted young fan and his mother up on to the stage.

The star first wore a meat dress to the MTV Video Music Awards in 2010, before going on to pose in a beefy bikini on the cover of Vogue Hommes Japan.

And despite coming under fire from vegetarian campaigners for her controversial choice of clothing, the star explained her ensemble was aimed to make a statement about human rights.

Lady Gaga told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview: “Well, it is certainly no disrespect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian.

“As you know, I am the most judgment-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpretations but for me this evening.

“If we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And, I am not a piece of meat.”

[youtube PIGdmbcapHA]

[youtube 2vfcGP2ECF0]

Jacob Zuma announces inquiry into Lonmin Marikana platinum mine killings

Diane A. Wade
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Jacob Zuma announces inquiry into Lonmin Marikana platinum mine killings

South African President Jacob Zuma has announced an inquiry into violence at Lonmin Marikana platinum mine, calling the deaths there “tragic”.

Thirty-four people were killed when police opened fire on striking platinum miners on Thursday.

At least 78 people were injured in the confrontation.

President Jacob Zuma said he was “saddened and dismayed” at the “shocking” events and offered sincere condolences to all families who had lost loved ones.

He said: “We have to uncover the truth about what happened here. I have decided to institute a commission of inquiry. It will enable us to get to the real cause of the incident and derive the necessary lessons.”

The president said his thoughts were with the families of those who had lost their lives but also with the police “who have to intervene in difficult situations”.

President Jacob Zuma has announced an inquiry into violence at Lonmin Marikana platinum mine, calling the deaths there "tragic"
President Jacob Zuma has announced an inquiry into violence at Lonmin Marikana platinum mine, calling the deaths there "tragic"

Jacob Zuma added: “Today is not an occasion for blame, finger-pointing or recrimination. Today challenges us to restore calm and to share the pain of the affected families and communities. Today is about reminding ourselves of our responsibility as citizens.”

The president said it was a “cornerstone of hard-won democracy” to allow for peaceful protests, but added that today was “a day for us to mourn together as a nation – a day to start rebuilding and healing”.

Jacob Zuma had cut short his attendance at a regional summit in Mozambique to deal with the crisis.

He will later visit some of injured being treated in hospital.

Some of the strikers’ wives gathered near the mine on Friday, chanting anti-police songs and demanding to know what had happened to their husbands.

“Police, stop shooting our husbands and sons,” read a banner carried by the women, according to the Associated Press news agency.

A strike at the mine began a week ago and had claimed the lives of 10 people, including two police officers, before the incident on Thursday.

Police were then sent to break up 3,000 miners – some armed with clubs and machetes – who had gathered on a hillside overlooking Marikana to call for a pay rise of about $1,000  a month.

The circumstances that led police to open fire remain unclear, but reports from eyewitnesses suggest the shooting took place after a group of demonstrators rushed at a line of police officers.

Police, armed with automatic rifles and pistols, fired dozens of shots, witnesses said.

Police chief Riah Phiyega said officers “were forced to use maximum force to defend themselves”.

She said 259 people had been arrested on various charges.

The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) accused the police of carrying out a massacre.

“There was no need whatsoever for these people to be killed like that,” General Secretary Jeffrey Mphahlele told Reuters news agency.

The miners, who are currently earning between 4,000 and 5,000 rand ($484-$605), say they want their salary increased to 12,500 rand ($1,512).

South Africa is the largest platinum producer in the world and the dispute has already affected production.

Lonmin, the world’s third-largest platinum producer, has encountered similar labor disputes at the Marikana mine. In May 2011, the company sacked some 9,000 employees after a strike.

 

Gu Kailai trial: court will announce the verdict and sentence on Monday

Diane A. Wade
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0
Gu Kailai trial: court will announce the verdict and sentence on Monday

The verdict in the murder trial of Gu Kailai, wife of former politician Bo Xilai, will be delivered on Monday, Chinese officials say.

Gu Kailai was tried for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in Hefei city, Anhui province, on 9 August.

A court official told reporters Gu Kailai had not contested allegations that she killed Neil Heywood by poisoning.

Neil Heywood was found dead at a hotel in Chongqing in November 2011.

“On Monday the court will reconvene and announce the verdict and sentence,” Zhang Mingwu, deputy director of the information office of Anhui province, told AFP news.

Gu Kailai was tried for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in Hefei city, Anhui province, on 9 August
Gu Kailai was tried for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood in Hefei city, Anhui province, on 9 August

A court spokeswoman said the verdict was scheduled for 09:00 local time, Reuters news agency reported.

Gu Kailai was tried along with her aide, Zhang Xiaojun, who was described by the court as an accomplice.

The two defendants face a possible death penalty if found guilty.

Analysts say given the reports a guilty verdict appears almost certain, but point to suggestions in state media that Gu Kailai may have been trying to protect her son as signs her case could be treated with a degree of leniency.

The scandal surrounding Ms Gu, herself a prominent lawyer, appears to have ended Bo Xilai’s political career.

Bo Xilai was the Communist party chief in the city of Chongqing but was sacked in March and is currently under investigation for unspecified “disciplinary violations”. He has not been mentioned in Gu Kailai’s case.

The trial and verdict come as China prepares to install a new generation of leaders at a once-in-a-decade congress to be held in the next two or three months.

Seven members of the nine-strong politburo Standing Committee are due to retire.

Bo Xilai was once thought to be a key candidate for promotion to the top leadership, but has not been seen in public since the investigation into his wife was announced.

 [youtube JdISXu-aJNk]

Pussy Riot jailed for two years for hooliganism

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Pussy Riot jailed for two years for hooliganism

The three members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot accused of hooliganism have been jailed for two years after staging an anti-Vladimir Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral.

Judge Marina Syrova convicted the women of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred, saying they had “crudely undermined social order”.

The women say the protest, in February, was directed at the Russian Orthodox Church leader’s support for Vladimir Putin.

The US, UK and EU all criticized the sentences as “disproportionate”.

Prosecutors had been seeking a three-year jail sentence for the women.

Judge Marina Syrova said Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, and Yekaterina Samutsevich, 29, had offended the feelings of Orthodox believers and shown a “complete lack of respect”.

“Tolokonnikova, Alyokhina and Samutsevich committed hooliganism – in other words, a grave violation of public order,” Judge Marina Syrova said.

Along with other members of their band, the women staged a flashmob-style performance of their song close to the altar in the cathedral on 21 February.

Judge Marina Syrova convicted Pussy Riot members of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred
Judge Marina Syrova convicted Pussy Riot members of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred

Their brief, obscenity-laced performance, which implored the Virgin Mary to “throw Putin out”, enraged the Orthodox Church – its leader Patriarch Kirill said it amounted to blasphemy.

Vladimir Putin was elected for a third term as president two weeks later.

Maria Alyokhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich, watching Friday’s proceedings from inside a glass-walled cage in the courtroom, smiled as the widely predicted conviction was announced.

The judge then took three hours to read the verdict, before handing down “two years deprivation of liberty in a penal colony” for each defendant.

“Considering the nature and degree of the danger posed by what was done, the defendants’ correction is possible only through an actual punishment,” Judge Marina Surova said.

One man in the courtroom shouted “shame” at the sentencing, and there were chants and whistles from the band’s supporters outside.

Nadezdha Tolokonnikova’s husband, Pyotr Verzilov, said: “Russia’s image was quite scary even before [this]. What happened now is a clear sign that Russia is moving towards becoming more like China or North Korea.”

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny added: “They are in jail because it is Putin’s personal revenge. This verdict was written by Vladimir Putin.”

The defendants’ lawyer, Nikolai Polozov, said they would not appeal to President Vladimir Putin for a pardon. However, there will be a legal appeal against the verdict.

Amnesty International said the ruling was a “bitter blow” for freedom of expression in Russia.

EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton and the UK’s Foreign Office criticized the severity of the sentences.

US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: “We urge Russian authorities to review this case and ensure that the right to freedom of expression is upheld.”

On Thursday, Nadezdha Tolokonnikova had said she was “not bitter about being in jail”. But, speaking through her lawyer on Twitter, she said: “Politically, I am furious.”

“Our imprisonment serves as a clear and unambiguous sign that freedom is being taken away from the entire country,” she said.

The women have been detained for the past five months.

Associated Press news agency said a number of protesters had been arrested outside the court before the sentencing was announced, including ex-world chess champion Garry Kasparov and opposition politician Sergei Udaltsov.

There were also pro-Pussy Riot protests in Paris, where demonstrators in Igor Stravinsky square chanted “Freedom”, and in Kiev, where women protesters sawed down a wooden cross in a central square.

Other shows of support took place in Belgrade, Berlin, Sofia, London, Dublin and Barcelona.

The band has also had vocal support from artists including Paul McCartney and Madonna, and from politicians.

Critics of the band have also been demonstrating, saying the stunt was an insult to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Igor Kim from Moscow said: “Shouting and screaming and spreading hate in Church is unacceptable and is contrary with Christian ethics.”

Valentina Ivanova, a retired doctor, told Reuters: “What they did showed disrespect towards everything, and towards believers first of all.”

One protester outside court in Moscow simply shouted: “Let Pussy Riot and all their supporters burn in hell.”

 [youtube 4OZS1U6zM_o]

Bikini waxing creates open wounds that are vulnerable to serious infection

Kathryn R. Bown
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Bikini waxing creates open wounds that are vulnerable to serious infection

Medical expert Emily Gibson has spoken out about the various health risks that come with hair removal.

Family physician Emily Gibson, who also serves as a medical director at Western Washington University in Bellingham, said that removing the hair is like creating “open wounds” that are prone to infection and even sexually-transmitted disease, such as herpes, if in contact with another person.

She added that men are at risk of infection just as much as women.

In an article she wrote for KevinMD.com, she explained “that irritation is combined with the warm moist environment” and therefore becomes a breeding ground for infection.

Dr. Emily Gibson pinpointed A streptococcus, which, in extreme cases, can lead to organ failure, and staphylococcus aureus, which can cause pimples and boils as well as far more serious side effects, in particular.

She added that “freshly-shaved areas are also more vulnerable to herpes infections due to the microscopic wounds being exposed to virus”.

Emily Gibson said that she has seen cellulitis, a soft tissue bacterial infection.

“No matter what expensive and complex weapons are used – razor blades, electric shavers, tweezers, waxing, depilatories, electrolysis – hair, like crab grass, always grows back and eventually wins,” Dr. Emily Gibson wrote in the report.

“In the mean time, the skin suffers the effects of the scorched battlefield,” she continued.

The Independent reported that hair removal cost Americans $2.1 billion in 2011.

Despite the health risks, Dr. Emily Gibson noted the practice’s popularity: “The amount of time, energy, money and emotion both genders spend on abolishing hair some areas is astronomical.

“The hair removal industry, including medical professionals who advertise their specialty services to those seeking the <<clean and bare>> look, is exponentially growing.”

 

 

Gerard Depardieu accused of assaulting a motorist following collision in Paris

Lisa.Felice
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Gerard Depardieu accused of assaulting a motorist following collision in Paris

Gerard Depardieu has been accused of assaulting a motorist following a collision in Paris.

Gerard Depardieu, 63, who hit the headlines last year for peeing on a plane, allegedly punched a driver in the face.

The motorist filed a complaint with the local prosecutor’s office on Wednesday accusing Gerard Depardieu of assault and battery following the alleged incident in the capital’s Sixth Arrondissement, near the Saint Sulpice Church.

After Gerard Depardieu’s scooter allegedly collided with the unnamed driver, an argument ensued.

The motorist claims the actor punched him in the face, leaving him injured.

Gerard Depardieu has been accused of assaulting a motorist following a collision in Paris
Gerard Depardieu has been accused of assaulting a motorist following a collision in Paris

An official from the prosecutor’s officer said: “There was a confrontation and the driver filed a complaint.”

Last August, Gerard Depardieu was in the headlines again after he was banned from an Air France flight for urinating in the aisle.

The actor was desperate for the toilet as the plane prepared to take off after he was told he would have to wait to use the bathroom.

Gerard Depardieu tried to urinate in a bottle, but it overflowed on to the floor. The flight ended up being delayed two hours while it was cleaned, and the actor was told he could not fly.

Explaining the scenario on CNN last year, he said: “I’m not a monster. I’m just a man who wants to pee.”

The bottle overflowed because, as he explained: “I am an elephant . . . I have a lot of pee.

“I don’t understand why she blocked the door.”

Asked if he was drunk at the time and if there was “any wine involved”, Gerard Depardieu, who co-owns a vineyard, replied: “No.”

A statement released by his companion on the flight, actor Edouard Baer said the actor “offered to clean up the mess”.

Edouard Baer also claimed: “Gerard is very sorry for what happened. He wanted to go to the toilet but he was forbidden because we were about to take off, so he was forced to do it on the plane in front of everybody.

“He has prostate problems and it was very worrying and humiliating for him. He was also stone-cold sober at the time. This is not the way he usually behaves.”

 

Connor Cruise tweets a snap of him and his sister Isabella

Lisa.Felice
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0
Connor Cruise tweets a snap of him and his sister Isabella

Connor Cruise, Tom Cruise’ son, proudly posted a snap of him and his sister Isabella on his Twitter page last night.

Connor Cruise, who has just followed in his father’s footsteps with his first action film role, captioned the snap simply: “Me and my sister.”

The picture showed Connor Cruise, 17, posing with her arm around Isabella, 19, both teens grinning for the camera.

Isabella Cruise was casually dressed, wearing a slick of lipstick to brighten her look.

Connor Cruise proudly posted a snap of him and his sister Isabella on his Twitter page last night
Connor Cruise proudly posted a snap of him and his sister Isabella on his Twitter page last night

The aspiring artist has been spotted spending lots of time with boyfriend Eddie Frencher, a fellow Scientologist, recently.

The pair shares a modest apartment in the notorious Skid row district in Downtown Los Angeles and enjoys living a less famous life than her surname demands.

Meanwhile Connor Cruise has embraced the celebrity side of life, DJ-ing at Hollywood parties and now starring in a remake of Eighties teen action film Red Dawn.

He plays Daryl Bates in the movie, a member of armed resistance forces the Wolverines.

Tom Cruise and his ex-wife Nicole Kidman adopted Isabella in 1992, nine years before their separation, and added Connor to their family in 1995.

Since their parent’s divorce Connor and Isabella have remained with their father, being home schooled at his Los Angeles home, and are rarely seen with their mother.

Isabella and Connor are siblings to Suri Cruise, the daughter of recently divorced Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

 

Apple vs. Samsung patent trial judge says lawyer William Lee must be on drugs

Nancy Clayson
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0
Apple vs. Samsung patent trial judge says lawyer William Lee must be on drugs

The judge in a patent trial involving Apple and Samsung has said iPhone maker’s lawyer William Lee must be on drugs if he thought she would accept his list of potential witnesses.

William Lee had named 22 people he wanted to rebut testimony given by Samsung’s choice of experts.

“Unless you’re smoking crack you know these witnesses aren’t going to be called” said Judge Lucy Koh.

William Lee replied: “Your honor, I’m not smoking crack. I can promise you that.”

The clash, reported by the Verge news site, took place close to the end of the trial after William Lee presented a 75-page document detailing the witnesses.

The judge in a patent trial involving Apple and Samsung has said iPhone maker's lawyer William Lee must be on drugs if he thought she would accept his list of potential witnesses
The judge in a patent trial involving Apple and Samsung has said iPhone maker's lawyer William Lee must be on drugs if he thought she would accept his list of potential witnesses

The judge had previously made it clear she wanted closing arguments to be presented next week. She has given each side a maximum of 25 hours to make its case.

Of that time Apple has less than four hours of witness testimony remaining on its clock, and William Lee said he honestly believed he could cover all the people he had named within that period.

The move could potentially have made it harder for Samsung’s legal team to prepare.

Samsung called on damages expert Michael Wagner shortly before the exchange, who said Apple had overestimated Samsung’s profit margins.

His evidence was intended to undermine the US firm’s claim that it was owed $2.5 billion in damages.

Under cross examination Michael Wagner acknowledged that his analysis had been based on data provided by Samsung as part of its response to Apple’s patent infringement accusations.

In addition to denying the allegations the South Korean firm is also pursuing its rival for royalty payments.

Judge Lucy Koh’s outburst is not the first time she has expressed anger at the two sides’ behavior in the case.

Earlier the judge chided Samsung’s lawyer John Quinn for approving a press release which publicized evidence she had ruled inadmissible in court.

She had also demanded each legal team write out their legal arguments after they wrangled over whether a witness should be allowed to present certain evidence, saying: “I don’t trust what any lawyer tells me in this courtroom. I want to see actual papers.”

Despite the potential large payouts involved in the case the firms’ share prices do not appear to have suffered.

Apple’s stock has closed at a record high of $636.34 after rising 6.9% since the start of the trial.

Samsung’s shares have gained 5.5% over the same period.

 

Paul Ryan admits he did ask for Obama stimulus cash

Diane A. Wade
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Paul Ryan admits he did ask for Obama stimulus cash

Republican VP candidate Paul Ryan acknowledged lobbying the government for millions of dollars in economic stimulus money after twice denying he had done so.

Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan said he had forgotten that his office sent letters – with his signature – to the Energy and Labor departments asking for money from the stimulus program on behalf of two companies in his home state.

“They should have been handled differently, and I take responsibility for that,” Paul Ryan said in a written statement released only after he again denied requesting stimulus funds in an Ohio TV interview on Thursday.

Paul Ryan’s denial in an interview with Cincinnati’s WCPO-TV contradicted letters he wrote in 2009 to Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis seeking stimulus grant money for two Wisconsin energy conservation companies.

One of them, the nonprofit Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp., later received $20.3 million from the Energy Department to help homes and businesses improve energy efficiency, according to federal records.

Republican VP candidate Paul Ryan acknowledged lobbying the government for millions of dollars in economic stimulus money after twice denying he had done so
Republican VP candidate Paul Ryan acknowledged lobbying the government for millions of dollars in economic stimulus money after twice denying he had done so

“After having these letters called to my attention I checked into them, and they were treated as constituent service requests in the same way matters involving Social Security or Veterans Affairs are handled,” Paul Ryan said in a statement late Thursday.

“This is why I didn’t recall the letters earlier.”

Paul Ryan’s denial came as new audio surfaced of Ryan telling Boston’s WBZ Radio two years ago that he “did not ask for stimulus money” in response to a caller’s question about the recovery program.

He said: “I’m not one who votes for something and then writes to the government to ask them to send us money.”

The exchange was first reported Thursday by The Boston Globe.

But a year earlier in his request to Steven Chu for funds for the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp. Paul Ryan said the stimulus cash would help his state create thousands of new jobs, save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The apparent contradiction underscores Paul Ryan’s conflicts with his larger federal budget proposal as the House Budget Committee chairman.

That plan would slash Energy Department programs aimed at creating green jobs and calls for “getting Washington out of the business of picking winners and losers in the economy – and that includes our energy sector”.

Paul Ryan’s actions in Congress have been drawing fresh scrutiny since he was named last weekend as Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running mate.

The vice presidential contender is not alone among Republicans who criticized the stimulus plan only to seek money later.

Georgia’s Republican senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, for example, blasted the bill as a bloated government giveaway yet asked then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates to steer $50 million in stimulus money to a constituent’s bio-energy project.

Paul Ryan’s views are also consistent with Romney’s long-held position that the stimulus was a flawed idea that did not create private sector jobs.

“That stimulus didn’t work,” Mitt Romney said at an Ohio speech in June.

“That stimulus didn’t put more private-sector people to work.”

Yet in Ryan’s letter to the Labor Department in October 2009, he backed the Energy Center of Wisconsin’s grant application for stimulus money “to develop an industry-driven training and placement agenda that intends to place 1,000 workers in green jobs”.

The company did not win the Labor Department grant, federal records show.

Despite the letter, Paul Ryan echoed Mitt Romney’s position on Thursday.

“Regardless, it’s clear that the Obama stimulus did nothing to stimulate the economy, and now the president is asking to do it all over again,” he said.

 

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