At least 42 people died and more than 20 others have been injured when a bus plunged into a ravine in southern Morocco, officials say.
The bus, which had been travelling between the cities of Marrakesh and Zagora, crashed near the town of Zerkten in Haouz province, local officials said.
Most of the passengers are believed to be Moroccan. It is not clear if any foreigners are among the casualties.
At least 42 people died and more than 20 others have been injured when a bus plunged into a ravine in southern Morocco
The accident happened in the early hours of Tuesday, the official news agency Map reported. The cause is not yet known.
At least 24 people were said to be injured, 21 of whom were taken to a hospital in Marrakesh and the other three to a hospital in the nearby city of Ouarzazate.
In July, two separate bus crashes in Morocco killed 26 people.
More than 4,000 people died in road accidents in Morocco last year, according to the transport ministry – an increase of 11.6% on the previous year.
Fang Daguo, a Chinese official accused of beating a flight attendant, has been suspended from his post pending an investigation, Chinese state media say.
Fang Daguo was described by Xinhua as a senior official from Yuexiu District in Guangdong province.
He was accused of attacking the stewardess in a row over luggage on a flight from Hefei to Guangzhou last week.
Fang Daguo was initially exonerated of blame in a local probe, creating an angry buzz among netizens and then state media.
The incident on Wednesday came to light after the attendant, employed by China Southern Airlines, reported it on her microblog.
Her account was retweeted more than 30,000 times, Shanghai Daily reported. Pictures of bruises, scratches and a rip in her uniform received during the alleged assault were also posted online.
Pictures of bruises, scratches and a rip in flight attendant’s uniform received during the alleged assault were posted online
On Friday a statement from the local government blamed Fang Daguo’s wife for the incident, but exonerated the official himself and said both parties had reached an agreement.
But netizens and then Xinhua news agency questioned the official account.
Fang Daguo was described by Xinhua as a senior official from Yuexiu District in Guangdong province
Xinhua ran a report on Saturday which largely confirmed the attendant’s account, quoting an eyewitness who was on the flight.
It said the altercation was triggered by an argument over where to place carry-on baggage, because the overhead luggage compartments were full.
In a report posted late on Monday, it said the couple “both smelt strongly of alcohol”, citing the eyewitness.
An editorial from the Global Times described conflicts between officials and the public as “increasingly problematic”.
“Public opinion is taking an unprecedentedly stern line on the restraining of power,” it said.
“This is why any official’s improper actions, whatever the circumstances, can boil over into a public event drawing nationwide attention.”
China’s internet users are increasingly vocal in their online criticism of officials perceived to have done wrong.
Last week, an investigation was launched into a safety official.
Images showed him grinning at the scene of a fatal road crash and outraged netizens then turned up several photos of him wearing a series of expensive watches.
According to a new research, men and women see colors differently.
Research has shown that male and female brains process colors in slightly different ways.
This means that if both sexes look at an orange, it will appear redder to the man than to the woman. Similarly, grass looks yellower to a man and greener to a woman. The differences don’t end there.
The experiments from the City University of New York also showed that men struggle to distinguish subtle differences in shades of yellow, green and blue.
The effect is very small but it might mean that choosing a shade of paint from the dozens on a color chart is a job best suited to a woman.
The intriguing findings come from experiments in which men and women were shown flashes of light and asked to name the colors they saw.
All had normal vision and none were color blind, a trait that is known to be much more common in men than in women.
Research has shown that male and female brains process colors in slightly different ways
Researcher Prof. Israel Abramov said that differences between the sexes’ color vision cannot be explained by differences in the structure of the eye.
Therefore, the answer must lie in the way the brain, with the male sex hormone testosterone likely affecting how it processes and makes sense of the information taken in by the eye.
Prof. Israel Abramov, who described the sex differences as “small but very real” said: “We hypothesize that testosterone plays a major role, somehow leading to different connectivities for males and females.”
He is unsure, however, how big an impact the differences have outside the lab and in the real world.
Vision is far from the only sense to differ between the sexes.
The journal Biology of Sex Differences says that research has shown women to have a better hearing and more acute senses of taste and smell.
Men, however, do come out top in one regard.
Experiments show them to be particularly good at detecting fine detail in moving images – a trait that might have made our male ancestors good hunters.
In the modern world, it might be particularly useful when watching football on TV.
Indian police are carrying out raids across 10 cities as part of an investigation into alleged corruption in the allocation of coalfields.
Police say they are searching the premises of five companies, which allegedly misrepresented facts prior to being allocated the coalfields.
Indian government officials and company employees are also under investigation.
Government auditors recently said India lost $33 billion selling coalfields cheaply between 2006 and 2009.
The raids come as the government rejected opposition demands to cancel the sale of the coalfields.
Parliament has been deadlocked over demands by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that the government should cancel the sale and order an independent probe into the matter.
Although the report by government auditors does not mention Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, BJP leaders say he must step down as he was heading the coal ministry at the time of the sale.
Indian police are carrying out raids across 10 cities as part of an investigation into alleged corruption in the allocation of coalfields
Manmohan Singh denies any wrongdoing and has refused to quit.
On Tuesday morning, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered five cases for alleged cheating against five companies, various individuals and officials and began conducting raids at 30 locations.
Raids were being carried out in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Patna, Hyderabad and several other cities, a CBI spokesperson said.
Officials say the CBI inquiry began before the government auditors report came out last month.
At the heart of the CBI’s investigation is the allegation that some of the companies were set up only to obtain the coalfields being allocated by the government and then sell them off at profit. Media reports allege that the companies involved misrepresented their ability to mine the coal.
The auditors report said that of the 86 coal blocks, which were to produce coal by 2010-11, “only 28 blocks (including 15 allocated to the private sector) started production as of 31 March 2011”.
But correspondents say the timing of the raids suggests the beleaguered government is eager to be seen to be doing something about an increasingly controversial sale.
Over the weekend the BJP – which has dubbed the controversy “coalgate” – said it would only allow parliament to function if the government cancelled the sales of 142 coal blocks and ordered a probe.
But the government has not relented to those demands and has said that it is looking into the matter.
“The demand for cancellation of all 142 coal blocks… is not founded on sound logic… It [cancellation] cannot be done through diktat or arbitrary orders,” Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Monday.
“There is a procedure for it and that procedure is under way,” he said.
India is one of the largest producers of coal in the world.
The auditors’ report on the sale of coal is the latest in a series of financial scandals to hit the Congress-led government, and the revelations have caused public anger.
India’s coal industry:
• With about 246 billion tons of coal reserves, India is one of the largest coal producers in the world
• 55% of India’s commercial energy needs are met by coal
• The biggest reserves are in the states of Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh
• The government took over coal mining in 1973
• A new law to auction coalfields was introduced in 2010
• But auditors say the loss from misselling coalfields is $33 billion
Julia Roberts glows and looks youthful in the latest Lancôme fragrance advert for La Vie Est Belle.
Directed by Mirror Mirror director Tarsem Singh, Julia Roberts, 44, glides through a crowded party as a bottle of Lancôme’s latest fragrance, La Vie Est Belle, glimmers under the chandelier lights.
Julia Roberts has been an ambassador for Lancôme since 2010 but this is her first fragrance campaign with the French beauty company.
A campaign Julia Roberts did for the brand last year was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), who deemed L’Oreal, parent company of Lancôme, had used digitally retouched images that could “mislead” the viewer.
Julia Roberts glows and looks youthful in the latest Lancôme fragrance advert for La Vie Est Belle
L’Oreal said at the time that image had been digitally re-touched to “lighten the skin, clean up make-up, reduce dark shadows and shading around the eyes, smooth the lips and darken the eyebrows”. However, again, it insisted that the image was an accurate reflection of the benefits of the product.
The ASA was not convinced, ruling the images could not be used again in their current form.
Here though, it cannot be denied that Julia Roberts is in possession of a striking natural beauty.
Dressed in a floor length white dress that reveals her ample cleavage, the star shines in her role.
“The only person that could embody this kind of joyful femininity, this woman that could be all women at the same time – in their honesty, truth and diversity – is Julia Roberts,” Youcef Nabi, president of Lancôme International, told WWD.
The perfume itself is made of just 63 subtle ingredients and was the creation of three French masters of perfumery; Olivier Polge, Dominique Ropion and Anne Flipo, who aimed to create “the first ever feminine iris”.
The perfume has fruity flavor notes of blackcurrant and pear, with tones of tonka bean, praline, patchouli and vanilla.
Julia Roberts told Hello! magazine that it’s important for her to wear a nice scent as it makes her feel more confident with herself.
“I like to smell nice. And I think it is best when perfume is kind of there, but still draws people in. You have to get close to figure out what you’re dealing with.”
“The bottle is beautiful. And in this day and age when everything’s about the brand and everything’s got the name of the company and the person and the place stamped all over it, what I think is amazing is that there’s nothing written on the bottle,” she said.
British experts have found that vitamin D could help the body fight infections of deadly tuberculosis.
Nearly 1.5 million people are killed by the infection every year and there are concerns some cases are becoming untreatable.
A study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed patients recovered more quickly when given both the vitamin and antibiotics.
More tests would be needed before it could be given to patients routinely.
British experts have found that vitamin D could help the body fight infections of deadly tuberculosis
The idea of using vitamin D, also known as sunshine vitamin, to treat tuberculosis (TB) harks back to some of the earliest treatments for the lung infection.
Before antibiotics were discovered, TB patients were prescribed “forced sunbathing”, known as heliotherapy, which increased vitamin D production.
However, the treatment disappeared when antibiotics proved successful at treating the disease.
This study on 95 patients, conducted at hospitals across London, combined antibiotics with vitamin D pills.
It showed that recovery was almost two weeks faster when vitamin D was added. Patients who stuck to the regimen cleared the infection in 23 days on average, while it took patients 36 days if they were given antibiotics and a dummy sugar pill.
Dr. Adrian Martineau, from Queen Mary University of London, said: “This isn’t going to replace antibiotics, but it may be a useful extra weapon.
“It looks promising, but we need slightly stronger evidence.”
Trials in more patients, as well as studies looking at the best dose and if different forms of vitamin D are better, will be needed before the vitamin could be used by doctors.
Vitamin D appears to work by calming inflammation during the infection. An inflammatory response is an important part of the body’s response to infection.
During TB infection, it breaks down some of the scaffolding in the lungs letting more infection-fighting white blood cells in. However, this also creates tiny cavities in the lungs in which TB bacteria can camp out.
“If we can help these cavities to heal more quickly, then patients should be infectious for a shorter period of time, and they may also suffer less lung damage,” Dr. Adrian Martineau said.
The doctors suggested this might also help in other lung diseases such as pneumonia and sepsis.
One in three people have low levels of tuberculosis bacteria in their lungs and have no symptoms, known as latent tuberculosis. However, this would turn to full blown TB in about 10% of people.
According to researchers at Stanford University, eating organic food will not make you healthier, although it could cut your exposure to pesticides.
They looked at more than 200 studies of the content and associated health gains of organic and non-organic foods.
Overall, there was no discernible difference between the nutritional content, although the organic food was 30% less likely to contain pesticides.
Critics say the work is inconclusive and call for more studies.
According to researchers at Stanford University, eating organic food will not make you healthier, although it could cut your exposure to pesticides
The research, published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at 17 studies comparing people who ate organic with those who did not and 223 studies that compared the levels of nutrients, bacteria, fungus or pesticides in various foods – including fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, milk and eggs.
None of the human studies ran for longer than two years, making conclusions about long-term outcomes impossible. And all of the available evidence was relatively weak and highly variable – which the authors say is unsurprising because of all the different variables, like weather and soil type, involved.
Fruit and vegetables contained similar amounts of vitamins, and milk the same amount of protein and fat – although a few studies suggested organic milk contained more omega-3.
Organic foods did contain more nitrogen, but the researchers say this is probably due to differences in fertilizer use and ripeness at harvest and is unlikely to provide any health benefit.
Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler, the lead author of the latest review, said there were many reasons why people chose to eat organic, including animal welfare or environmental concerns.
“Some believe that organic food is always healthier and more nutritious. We were a little surprised that we didn’t find that.
“There isn’t much difference between organic and conventional foods, if you’re an adult and making a decision based solely on your health.”
Organic:
• Organic food is produced to standards designed to keep the production more “natural”, using environmentally and animal-friendly farming methods
• Fewer, if any, chemicals are used and most pesticides are banned or very carefully controlled
• Food certified as organic is not allowed to contain genetically modified ingredients
Ratings agency Moody’s has lowered its outlook for the European Union’s AAA credit rating to “negative” and warned that the bloc’s rating could be downgraded.
Moody’s said the move reflected the negative outlook for the ratings of the EU’s key budget contributors.
Earlier this year, Moody’s put ratings of Germany, France, Netherlands and the UK on a negative outlook.
It said that these nations were all exposed to the region’s debt crisis, hurting their creditworthiness.
Ratings agency Moody's has lowered its outlook for the European Union's AAA credit rating to "negative" and warned that the bloc's rating could be downgraded
The ratings agency said that in case of “extreme stress”, the AAA-rated member states were more likely to service their own debt obligations rather than “prioritize their commitment to backstop the EU debt obligations”.
It added that if the AAA-rated member states were to default on their debt obligations, there were likely to be defaults on the loans that back the EU’s debt and the bloc’s cash reserve was also likely be stressed.
“Hence, it is reasonable to assume that the EU’s creditworthiness should move in line with the creditworthiness of its strongest key member states,” the agency said.
Germany, France, Netherlands and the UK together account for about 45% of the EU’s budget revenue.
Moody’s warned that if the credit ratings of these member states were downgraded, it could have a knock-on effect on the EU’s rating.
“Additionally, a weakening of the commitment of the member states to the EU and changes to the EU’s fiscal framework that led to less conservative budget management would be credit-negative,” it added.
This year MDA Telethon featured pop singers Carrie Underwood and Paula Abdul among other Hollywood celebrities at the September 2 TV event.
Former American Idol judge Paula Abdul and Idol winner Carrie Underwood had a special reunion. With their star power, much awareness was raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Carrie Underwood performed Nobody Ever Told You from the chart-topping Blown Away album.
Before she took the stage, Carrie Underwood was introduced by Paula Abdul: “Well, I’m not surprised our next guest’s tour is called <<Blown Away>>. I think back to where our journey first began on <<American Idol>> and I’m literally blown away by this beautiful talent. What a blessing it has been for me to be an up close and personal eyewitness to your youth, your talent, your passion and your amazing success.”
This year MDA Telethon featured pop singers Carrie Underwood and Paula Abdul among other Hollywood celebrities at the September 2 TV event
The telethon renamed as MDA Show of Strength played three hours of performances that were pre-taped. Viewers were encouraged to donate to support the continuous search for treatments and cures for the disease.
Muscular dystrophy affects over 1 million Americans. It is a disorder that weakens the muscles to the point of disability. Up until 2011, Jerry Lewis was the main spokesperson and chairman of MDA. He had dedicated his life to find a cure for the disease and have raised more than $2.5 billion dollars.
For many, this Labor Day is just not the same without Jerry Lewis. However, Carrie Underwood and many other performances were warmly welcomed as the potential for raising greater awareness of the disease is great.
Griselda Blanco, a ruthless drug smuggler known as the “Godmother of Cocaine” who was jailed in the U.S. for three chilling murders, has been shot dead by a motorcycle-riding hitman.
Griselda Blanco, 69, was believed to have ordered dozens of executions during the notorious “cocaine cowboys” era of the 1970s and 80s in Miami.
In a grim irony, the mode of her killing was eerily similar to the brutal drive-by killings she herself introduced to slaughter her enemies.
Although she was suspected of murdering many more, the Colombian was eventually convicted of three killings in 1985, including that of a two-year-old boy, for which she served nearly 20 years behind bars.
In 2004, Griselda Blanco was deported to her native country and maintained a low profile in her hometown of Medellin.
According to Columbian press reports, Griselda Blanco was walking out of a butcher’s shop yesterday when two gunmen on motorbikes pulled up before one pumped two bullets into her head.
Griselda Blanco was believed to have ordered dozens of executions during the notorious “cocaine cowboys” era of the 1970s and 80s in Miami
For a woman who had been credited with inventing the notion of a “motorcycle assassin”, the manner of her death came as no surprise to many, it was reported in The Miami Herald.
Nelson Andreu, a former Miami homicide detective who had investigated her, said: “It’s surprising to all of us that she had not been killed sooner because she made a lot of enemies.
“When you kill so many and hurt so many people like she did, it’s only a matter of time before they find you and try to even the score.”
Brought up in the slums of Medellin, Griselda Blanco went from a simple pickpocket to command an empire that shipped an estimated 3,400 lbs of cocaine a month.
Griselda Blanco also symbolized the blood-soaked era of the 1970s and 80s when gangs would ambush their rivals in public, leading to her cartel being dubbed the “Cocaine Cowboys”.
She ran the empire with three of her sons, two of whom were later assassinated in Columbia, while three of her husbands have also been killed in drug-related violence.
Known for her flamboyant lifestyle, Griselda Blanco named one of her sons Michael Corleone in tribute to The Godfather movies.
Griselda Blanco’s exploits were also popularized in the 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys, which explored the rise of the drug in Miami during the 1970s and 80s which inspired the films Scarface and Miami Vice.
Interviewees argue that Griselda Blanco played a major role in the history of the drug trade in the city and other areas across America.
Detectives believe Griselda Blanco was behind at least 40 murders and maybe even as many as 240, but could only link her to three.
Two of them, drug dealers Alfredo and Grizel Lorenzo, were shot at their South Miami house after failing to pay $250,000 for 5 kg of cocaine.
Griselda Blanco was also convicted of ordering a shooting that led to the death of two-year-old Johnny Castro, who was shot twice in the head as he drove in the car with his father, Jesus “Chucho” Castro.
She was fully expected to end up on Florida’s Death Row.
But she was able to cut a plea deal after the prosecution’s case suffered a major setback when a chief witness was caught engaging in phone sex with secretaries from the attorney’s office.
Griselda Blanco later entered into a bargain with new prosecutors and was given three 20-year sentences in 1985. She only served a third of that time.
Oscar-nominated star of The Green Mile Michael Clarke Duncan has died after nearly two months of treatment following a heart attack in July.
Publicist Joy Fehily released a statement from Michael Clarke Duncan’s partner, the Rev. Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth, saying the 54-year-old actor died on Monday morning in a Los Angeles hospital.
As the sad news was delivered, it also referred to Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth for the first time as his fiancée, saying: “The Oscar-nominated actor suffered a myocardial infarction on July 13 and never fully recovered.”
Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth confirmed the news herself to Radar, saying: “I am devastated. He was the love of my life.”
RadarOnline has reported that “both public and private memorials are being planned”.
Oscar-nominated star of The Green Mile Michael Clarke Duncan has died after nearly two months of treatment following a heart attack in July
Michael Clarke Duncan’s death came “very suddenly”, with TMZ reporting that Omarosa Manigault-Satllworth was present in the hospital room before momentarily leaving for a short period of time and when she returned he had died.
Her mother is believed to have been present when he passed.
Meanwhile, Michael Clarke Duncan’s Green Mile co-star Tom Hanks also released a heartfelt message, referring to the actor as “Big Mike”.
Tom Hanks said: “I am terribly saddened at the loss of Big Mike. He was the treasure we all discovered on the set of The Green Mile. He was magic.
“He was a big love of man and his passing leaves us stunned.”
And the director of the movie, Frank Darabont, was “devastated”, saying: “[He was] one of the finest people I’ve ever had the privilege to work with or know. Michael was the gentlest of souls – an exemplar of decency, integrity and kindness. The sadness I feel is inexpressible.”
The 6ft 5in, 300 pound star appeared in dozens of films, including box office hits Armageddon, Planet Of The Apes and Kung Fu Panda.
Duncan had a handful of minor roles before The Green Mile brought him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in 1999, but unfortunately he lost out to Michael Caine after the British legend won his second Oscar to The Cider House Rules.
The Green Mile, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer at a penitentiary in the 1930s. Michael Clarke Duncan played John Coffey, a convicted murderer.
The role saw him become a global star, with Michael Clarke Duncan winning the best supporting actor category for the Black Reel Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and Saturn Award ceremonies.
He was also nominated a further nine times, along with his Oscar nod, receiving recognition at the Golden Globes, MTV Movie Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN: 10.12.1957 – 03.09.2012
• Born in Chicago, Illinois on December 10, 1957
• Lived in a single-parent household with sister Judy
• Moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, and found work as a bodyguard to the stars
• In 1995, landed an uncredited role in 1995 comedy hit Friday
• Quit bodyguard work in 1997 following the death of client Notorious B.I.G
• The following year, landed his big break as Bear in Armagedon
• Became a household name in 1999 for his Oscar-nominated role in The Green Mile
• Won Best Supporting Actor for the Black Reel Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and Saturn Award, following his efforts in the Tom Hanks blockbuster
• Nominated for a further nine times for his role as John Coffey
• Starred in blockbusters Planet Of The Apes, The Scoprion King and The Green Lantern
• Suffered a heart attack on July 13, 2012 – given CPR by fiancée Omarosa Manigault
• Despite treatment, Michael Clarke Duncan sadly died on September 3, aged 54
Prince Harry has made his first public appearance since the Las Vegas scandal broke.
Prince Harry, 27, attended the WellChild Awards in London this afternoon in his role as Patron of the charity, which supports terminally and critically ill children in the UK.
At the event he wagged his finger and light-heartedly admonished a little boy who wanted to ask him about his escapade in Las Vegas.
Alex Logan went on television earlier and vowed to tell the Prince: “I’m glad you’ve got your clothes on” but when the pair met at an awards ceremony in London last night, the third-in-line to the throne oversaw, perhaps belatedly, a royal cover-up.
Prince Harry headed off discussion of the touchy subject after catching a glimpse of 6-year-old Alex Logan from Lincoln on ITV’s lunchtime news.
“You keep looking up at your Mum. It looks like you’re dying to say something but you’re worried she’ll tell you off,” Prince Harry said, wagging his finger to admonish him.
“I heard you were on ITV earlier and you said something cheeky but let’s not talk about that here.”
Alex Logan, who was diagnosed with acute leukaemia when he was just three years old, played ball but compensated by wiping his favorite toy penguin, Hookie, all over the Prince’s head.
Sources said the prince was concerned about appearing in public after the media onslaught of the past few weeks but was more worried that the continuing rumpus over his “wild weekend” in Sin City would overshadow such a worthy occasion.
After that embarrassment, there was another encounter with a female that had him blushing last night – his face noticeably reddened when five-year-old Hope Hillis gave him two sloppy licks across his face.
“But we’ve only just met,” said Prince Harry, laughing after the first lick.
When Hope Hillis, who was born prematurely weighing just 1lb 9oz and has undergone more than 50 operations for a host of health problems including a bleed on the brain, licked and hugged him a second time, the Prince giggled and exclaimed: “Oh no.”
Hope’s mother Sarah Hillis, 32, from Lisburn, Northern Ireland, said: “That’s a great compliment from Hope. A lick on the side of the face – that’s better than a kiss.”
Sarah Hillis said Hope had planned to give the Prince what she called a cow lick.
The prince has been patron of the charity since 2007 and is a committed supporter of its work.
Each year the charity hands out awards to children and young people considered to be the bravest in Britain, as well as recognize the work of the doctors and nurses that care for them.
Prince Harry will meet all the winners privately at the hotel beforehand before joining them for tea and presenting the award to the Most Inspirational Child Age 3-6.
He will also deliver a speech at the end of the glittering ceremony.
Today a source close to the prince said: “Prince Harry is keen that what has happened does not overshadow what is going on today. He knows and understands there will be a lot of press interest because of recent events but just wants to focus on the children. That’s why he is there.”
The Royal Family was left reeling last month after photographs of the prince frolicking with an unnamed blonde in his Las Vegas hotel were published on the Internet and in one British newspaper.
St James’s Palace has appealed to British newspapers not to run the pictures, arguing that Prince Harry has a reasonable expectation of privacy since he was on a private holiday.
Only The Sun chose to run them arguing that the photographs – which were taken by fellow revellers with the knowledge of his police protection officers and then sold to a US celebrity gossip website – were an issue of press freedom and in the public interest.
Their decision has prompted 3,600 complaints to the Press Complaints Commission but the palace has not made a decision over whether to take legal action yet.
Violence is continuing in Syria, with opposition activists saying that a warplane may have killed as many as 25 people in a strike in Aleppo province.
In Damascus, a bomb left at least five people dead and many more wounded in the Jaramana area of the city.
Meanwhile, the new international envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, said he viewed his new mission as near-impossible.
He is expected to visit Syria and meet President Bashar al-Assad.
Violence is continuing in Syria, with opposition activists saying that a warplane may have killed as many as 25 people in a strike in Aleppo province
Separately, the head of the Red Cross was travelling to Damascus on Monday in an attempt to improve aid access to civilians.
Peter Maurer said in a statement that “an adequate humanitarian response is required to keep pace” with the worsening violence.
In Aleppo, human rights groups said several women and children were among the 25 victims when a building was hit in the town of al-Bab.
Al-Bab, just to the north-east of Aleppo, appears to be largely in rebel hands, and has been heavily pounded by government forces in recent weeks.
Increasingly, as the conflict deepens, the regime has made fuller use of its air power – attack helicopters and fixed-wing jets – to support its ground forces as they try to root out the lightly-armed rebels from towns, cities and villages all over the country, our correspondent says.
In the car bombing in the Damascus suburb, one building was badly damaged and Syrian state news agency Sana reported that women and children were among the victims. Sana blamed “an armed terrorist group” for the attack.
The explosion is the second deadly bombing within a week targeting the predominantly Druze and Christian area of Jaramana.
At least 12 people were killed when a car bomb blew up at a funeral for two people said by opposition activists to have been supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.
Supermodel Heidi Klum has hit back at Seal’s suggestion she cheated on him with her bodyguard Martin Kristen during their marriage.
Heidi Klum, 39, who looked strained as she jetted out of Los Angeles this morning, issued a statement today insisting there was no third party involved in their split.
“Our separation was based on issues between the two of us,” she told People magazine.
Heidi Klum also reminded the public that Seal has had his own romantic liaisons since their break-up, adding: “Seal has moved on and so have I.”
Despite the ugly and unexpected twist in their seemingly amicable divorce, Heidi Klum tried to remain positive about their time together.
Heidi Klum has hit back at Seal's suggestion she cheated on him with her bodyguard Martin Kristen during their marriage
“I cherish all of the great memories Seal and I created together over the years,” she said.
She concluded: “My priority has and continues to be protecting and providing for our children.”
Seal shocked fans – and Heidi Klum – on Friday when he was asked by TMZ about pictures of his estranged wife cosying up to her bodyguard Martin Kristen on a family vacation in Sardinia. Martin Kristen worked for the family while Heidi Klum was married to Seal.
Seal replied: “Whilst I didn’t expect anything better from him, I would have thought that Heidi would have shown a little more class and at least waited until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help.”
He continued: “I guess you now all have the answer that you’ve been looking for the past seven months.”
But however unambiguous his words sounded, a representative for the singer yesterday backtracked, claiming he had not meant to accuse Heidi Klum of cheating.
The representative told Us Weekly: “Seal would like to clarify that he was not implying his wife was cheating while they were together, but he was merely pointing out that their separation and divorce were not final and they are still legally married.”
Although they were believed to have one of the most rock-solid marriages in showbiz, Seal, 49, and Heidi Klum, 39, announced the end of their seven-year union in January.
Heidi Klum and Seal have four children together who they continue to co-parent – Leni, eight, Henry, six, Johan, five, and Lou, two.
Former US President Bill Clinton made an insensitive racial remark about Barack Obama while his wife battled him for the Democratic nomination vote, it was claimed today.
Bill Clinton, whose wife Hillary battled Barack Obama in the 2008 primary campaign, is said to have remarked of the current president: “A few years ago, this guy would have been carrying our bags.”
He allegedly made the insensitive remark to Senator Ted Kennedy in 2008, while trying to convince him to endorse Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, according to the New Yorker.
Writer Ryan Lizza said he heard about the comment from NBC newsman Tim Russert, who died in 2008.
Four years ago Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had clashed following Hillary’s failed bid for Presidency, which she lost to Obama.
Although Bill Clinton is said to have since given his backing to the current U.S. President, his remark is the latest in a series of apparent outbursts against Barack Obama.
Bill Clinton made an insensitive racial remark about Barack Obama while his wife battled him for the Democratic nomination vote
The ill-advised comment follows claims of another remark attributed to Bill Clinton in 2010, where he is said to have commented: “A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.”
The ex-President is quoted as having made the other remark in the book Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.
The latest revelation comes just days before Bill Clinton is due to give a speech to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC on Wednesday night.
Further book claims last year said that Bill Clinton had previously branded Barack Obama “incompetent” and an “amateur”.
Bill Clinton is said to have torn into Barack Obama and branded him “incompetent” and that he “did not know how to be President”.
Bill Clinton added that Barack Obama “does not know how the world works”, according to an article in the Sunday Post by Edward Klein, author of The Amateur: Barack Obama in the White House.
He even urged Hillary Clinton to quit her job as U.S. Secretary of State and challenge him for the Democratic ticket as she knew how to do a better job of it. Bill Clinton’s team denied the remarks, branding Edward Klein as a well known liar.
Bill Clinton is yet to issue comment in response to the latest reported remarks.
The rocky relationship between the 42nd President and the current President has been closely scrutinized since the aggressive primaries in 2008, where Hillary Clinton was running for President.
During that contest, Bill Clinton made headlines for calling the premise of Barack Obama’s campaign, his opposition to the Iraq War, “the biggest fair tail I’ve ever seen”.
But despite their often tense relationship, the President buried the hatchet with charismatic Bill Clinton earlier this year by asking him to be a leading star of his re-election campaign.
Barack Obama’s team will likely be keeping a close eye on Bill Clinton as he takes to the North Carolina stage this week, praying that he causes no further cracks in the party for the Republicans to seize on.
Bill Clinton, 66, said in July that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s business career was “sterling” and criticized the Obama campaign’s attacks on Romney’s background at the private equity firm Bain Capital.
He caused headaches for the Obama administration again when he said he favored the extension of all of George W. Bush’s tax cuts. Barack Obama has campaigned on repealing the cuts for the richest Americans.
The West Indian American Day Parade & Carnival celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2012.
The party starts on the Thursday before Labor Day, August 30th, and doesn’t end till around 6 p.m. on the following Monday, September 3rd.
1. Monday September 3, 2012: WEST INDIAN CARIBBEAN AMERICAN LABOR DAY PARADE
The parade starts at 11 a.m. and winds its way down Eastern Parkway, in a glorious display of cultural pride. Get there early to grab a good spot! See the costumes, mas bands, masqueraders, floats, moko jumbies and more. Route: Eastern Parkway and Schenectady Ave. to Flatbush Ave.
2. HOW TO GET THERE: Directions to the Parade
Directions to the Labor Day Parade, provided by WIADCA, the organizers:
• From Manhattan: Take the Manhattan Bridge. The Manhattan Bridge becomes Flatbush Ave. Stay straight to go onto Flatbush Ave. Turn Slight Right onto Grand Army PLZ. Go Straight for about 0.1 miles. Turn Slight Right onto Eastern Parkway go approx. 2.0 miles End at Utica Ave & Eastern Parkway Brooklyn NY.
• From Westchester, the Bronx, Queens, or Connecticut: Triborough Bridge to Brooklyn Queens Express (BQE)/Manhattan Bridge exit to Tillary Street, follow directions from Manhattan.
• From Staten Island and Southern or Central New Jersey: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Gowanus Expressway (Route 278 towards Manhattan); exit to 38th Street; left on Fourth Avenue for approximately 2 miles; right on Union Street; 5 blocks to Grand Army Plaza; go 1/2 around Plaza; turn right on Eastern Parkway. Go approx. 2.0 miles End at Utica Ave & Eastern Parkway.
• From Long Island: Grand Central Parkway to Jackie Robinson Parkway; exit at Bushwick Avenue; left at third traffic light to Eastern Parkway; approximately 1.5 miles to Utica Avenue.
The West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2012
3. WHAT TO EAT? Labor Day Caribbean Food Fest
Next to the music and costumes, half the fun at the Labor Day parade is the food. Take your pick of vendors: you can find pork, ribs, vegetarian, halal. And there’s everything you might want to eat from the West Indies: fish cakes, sorrel and ginger drinks, tons of deserts. The stalls line Eastern Parkway and start cooking well before the parade begins, so get there early to sample the fare while it’s hot off the stove. Some vendors come from Brooklyn, others from Jersey, and a handful make the trek all the way from the south, for instance Virginia.
4. WHAT TO BUY: Afro-Carib Gear: T-Shirts, Flags, Books, Clothes, Hats
Don’t come without some spare change! The streets are lined with a great collection of affordable gear, including original t-shirts, hats, and flags from every country in the Caribbean.
5. WHAT’S THE MESSAGE?
The festival and parade celebrate Caribbean heritage, music, and culture. But there’s more than that. The roots of this event go back to the history of blacks in America.
6. PRACTICAL INFO: Special Tickets & Parade Map (Parade is FREE)
Come and see the costumes, hear fabulous Caribbean music, grab some ethnic food from the street vendors, and join flag waving crowds celebrating West Indian culture. Among the nations represented are Trinidad, Barbados and Grenada.
• There are indoors and outdoors events. Everything happens rain or shine.
• Some events are especially for kids.
• The Labor Day parade is free. Some events, however, are ticketed.
• Get tickets online at WIADCA.com, email [email protected], or call (718) 467 1797.
7. PAST EVENT 2012: Let the Music Begin! Official Welcome
Thursday, August 30: Mas Mas & More Event.
September 1st 2012 is the “official welcome” ceremony to all mas bands and participants. Music by international DJs. Dr. J, Back to Basics, Trinibago Massive Rhythm Section, Mas competition and more. The event’s open to the public.
When & Where & How Much
• Brooklyn Museum
• 200 Eastern Parkway
• Tickets online or at the door.
8. PAST EVENT Friday August 31st: Brass Band Competition
Running from Saturday evening till 3 a.m. the next day, this steel band competition is about as memorable as any musical event you’ll ever attend.
When & Where & How Much
• Brooklyn Museum
• 200 Eastern Parkway
• Friday doors open 7 p.m. Show at 8 until 3 a.m.
• Tickets online $40. Get tickets online at WIADCA.com, email [email protected], or call (718) 467 1797.
9. PAST EVENT: Sunday, September 2nd, Dimanche Gras or Fat Sunday: All-Star Steel Bands
Come watch and hear the best West Indian steel bands compete in this fabulous carnival event.
When & Where
• Brooklyn Museum
• 200 Eastern Parkway
• Doors open at 6 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m.
The line up includes: Calypso Rose, Shadow, King Ajamu, Black Stalin and many others, along with winners of all competitions; Something Positive Dance Troupe and (direct from Trinidad & Tobago) traditional characters including “pan-around-the-neck” steelband musicians.
10. PAST EVENT Friday August 31, 2012: Official Brass Fest 2012 (Brooklyn Museum)
Let the festivities begin! The Official Brass Band festival features last year’s best bands, the Kings of the 2010 Festival.
When & Where & How Much
• Brooklyn Museum
• 200 Eastern Parkway
• Friday doors open 7 p.m. Show at 8 until 3 a.m.
• Tickets online $45. Get tickets online at WIADCA.com, email [email protected], or call (718) 467 1797.
11. PAST EVENT Saturday September 1st, 2012: Junior Carnival & Parade
Bring the family to a special Kiddie Carnival. There’s a parade and carnival!
• Junior Carnival events include hip hop, steel band, dance, fashion show and spoken word.
• Junior parade kicks off at Kingston Avenue and St. James, and marches to the Brooklyn Museum.
• Start time: 9 a.m.
• End time: 3 p.m.
12. PAST EVENT: Monday September 3rd, 2012: J’Ouvert (the opening of the parade, at 3 AM)
J’Ouvert is the starting festivities of the Carnival. Every year, early Monday morning, if you want to avoid the huge crowds, join the J’Ouvert parade, a celebration of steel pan drums that you can attend to get a good sense of the festivities. From the organizers of the events in 2011:
“Ouvert or Jouvay is the pre-dawn parade / party / roving band that begins after the Dimache Gras show ends at the Brooklyn Museum sometime after 2AM (but a lot of people take a break and then J’Ouvert starts to really cook around 4AM — and J’Ouvert will still be going at dawn, if you want to <<sleep in>> until 6AM!). By tradition, no amplified music is allowed, only steel drums.
“Steel bands (25 of them this year!) will begin gathering at the intersection of Empire Blvd, Flatbush Avenue, and Ocean Avenue at about 2AM, and a procession will start at 4AM: East on Empire, then South on Nostrand to Lefferts Blvd, the end of the procession.”
Iranian athlete Mehrdad Karam Zadeh refused to shake the Duchess of Cambridge’s hand after she presented him with his discus silver medal on Sunday.
The Royal was warmly received on the podium by Paralympic GB’s gold medal winner Aled Davies and Chinese bronze medallist Lezheng Wang – but when it was Mehrdad Karam Zadeh’s turn to step up, the 40-year-old failed to offer a hand to the Duchess, clutching them close to his chest.
His decision not to shake hands with the Duchess was likely to have been a result of Iranian cultural convention which bans such contact between unrelated men and women. The Duchess appeared to have been briefed on the situation, because she did not offer her hand either.
His decision not to shake her hand threatened to overshadow a glittering night for Paralympics GB, which enjoyed its most successful day of the Games so far with seven gold medals.
Iranian athlete Mehrdad Karam Zadeh refused to shake the Duchess of Cambridge's hand after she presented him with his discus silver medal on Sunday
The Iranian delegation in London have not been available to comment on the incident, but according to the Daily Telegraph, they have told Games organizers Mehrdad Karam Zadeh was not making a political statement.
It’s believed the athlete was merely conforming to Iranian cultural convention, forbidding men from shaking hands with unrelated women.
A spokesman for St. James’s Palace has revealed the Duchess was briefed beforehand and warned not to offer her hand to Mehrdad Karam Zadeh.
“Many male athletes from Islamic countries do not shake hands in public with women they are not related to for cultural and religious reasons,” the palace representative said.
The palace added Kate Middleton was “honored” to get the chance to present the medals, particularly to a British champion in Davies.
It’s not the first time the Iranian custom has caused controversy.
Last year the Iranian volleyball team had to apologize after several team members shook hands with a female referee after a game against Afghanistan.
The gesture provoked outrage and Iran’s state-owned media described the players’ behavior as “stunning and inappropriate”.
New reports have claimed that late singer Robin Gibb was investigated by the FBI after allegedly making death threats against his first wife’s divorce lawyer.
Robin Gibb separated from Molly Hullis in 1980 after 12 years of marriage and newly-released documents show just how ugly the split turned.
Staff at Haymon & Walters, the law firm representing Molly Hullis, reported Robin Gibb to authorities after receiving “numerous threatening telegrams from Gibb which threatened their lives”, the records show.
He told them he had hired a hitman to kill them, sparking a probe by investigators that could have led to jail.
Robin Gibb, who died from colon cancer in May, sent telegrams from his home in Miami, Florida to the law firm of Haymon & Walters.
In one, Robin Gibb wrote: “What you have done is just about the limit. I warned and warned you. The situation is now very serious. Know one (sic) walks all over me… I have had enough.”
He added: “I have taken out a contract on (name deleted by FBI). It is now a question of time.”
Robin Gibb was investigated by FBI after making death threats to ex-wife Molly Hullis' lawyer
The New York Post acquired the legal papers from the FBI after a Freedom of Information request following Robin Gibb’s death in May after a battle with liver and colon cancer.
They show that investigators considered taking further action and asking Western Union, who sent the telegrams, for further information.
Agents also discussed how to look into the allegations without tipping off Robin Gibb who was at the height of his fame with brothers Maurice and Robin after the success of the album Saturday Night Fever.
The matter was eventually dropped after Robin Gibb’s lawyers wrote to the FBI and said the singer “would not be foolish enough to carry out any threat, especially in view of his singing career”.
According to the New York Post, Robin Gibb’s accused his wife of tipping off the FBI in an attempt to embarrass the star as a negotiating tactic in their divorce.
Documents reveal that the FBI closed the file on Robin Gibb in March 1981 because Molly Hullis and her lawyers declined to press charges.
A spokesman for Gibb family said they had no comment to make.
Robin Gibb and Molly Hullis, who met when he was just 18, had two children by the time he was in his early 20s. But the marriage had began to fall apart when he became dependent on amphetamines to stay up recording.
In interviews before his death, he revealed he did not spend as much time with her as she wanted.
“She wanted more of a home and roots. Because of my nature and work, I needed to keep changing my environment,” he said.
As she raised their children in Surrey, England, he went on a one-night-stand rampage across the U.S., estimating he slept with more than 100 women.
“They were mostly a distraction, almost like notches on a belt,” he recalled.
After their bitter divorce and custody battle – where he was banned from seeing his children, Molly Hullis remained in the UK after their divorce while the Gibb brothers settled in Florida.
Robin Gibb married his second wife, artist and author Dwina Murphy, in 1985 and they went on to have a son. In 2008, his housekeeper Claire Yang gave birth to their love child.
Robin Gibb once revealed he and Dwina, who were married until his death, had an “open marriage” and she confirmed: “We have an open relationship. Robin has had flings with friends of mine and he talks to me about them.”
Jennie Garth recently split from her husband Peter Facinelli after 11 years of marriage.
And since the couple announced their break-up, Jennie Garth, 40, has lost a significant amount of weight, with many conceding that she may well be another victim of the “heartbreak diet”.
And the extent of her weight loss was all too evident over the weekend, when the actress slipped into a yellow bikini to party at the Palazzo Resort & Casino Labor Day Celebration in Las Vegas.
Jennie Garth revealed a slightly protruding ribcage as she bared her torso in her two-piece attire.
With hardly an inch to pinch on the star, the blonde beauty appears to be at her slimmest.
Jennie Garth has lost a significant amount of weight after the split, with many conceding that she may well be another victim of the heartbreak diet
The newly single star had a ball at the event, lapping up the attention she was getting from numerous muscle-bound hunks.
Jennie Garth appeared particularly enamored by one man who she was seen sitting next to on the ledge of the pool.
Flashing her wide smile, the pair chatted away as they enjoyed some refreshing drinks in the sun.
Jennie Garth stayed in the water for most of the day, dancing to tunes played by a DJ poolside and enjoying some girly time with friends.
At one point she took a break from the sun and hopped inside the DJ booth with fellow actor Danny Masterson, who had been spinning records throughout the day.
Earlier in the afternoon, Jennie Garth posed on the red-carpet wearing a sexy black crochet cover all over her yellow bikini.
Jennie Garth’s daughters – 15-year-old Luca, nine-year-old Lola and five-year-old Fiona – are in Hawaii with their father, Peter Facinelli, so the former 90210 star is enjoying some grown up time.
The newly single mother-of-three just began dating photographer Noah Abrams, who’s shot for Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Sports Illustrated, and GQ.
According to People Magazine, Noah Abrams, 33, hunk is currently directing a documentary about the Black Keys and compared the project to “a buddy comedy with the greatest soundtrack of all time” in Spin Magazine.
The flirty pair was spotted leaving a movie at Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood while holding hands and laughing last week.
Freddie Mercury, the iconic Queen frontman, becomes an “honorary member of the Angry Birds family” on September 3.
Freddie For A Day and Rovio Entertainment have made a partnership to start the week in which the legendary singer’s memory is celebrated with Freddie For A Day on his birthday, September 5.
“Freddie for a Day is such a great way to honor Freddie’s fun and flamboyant spirit while delivering an important message, and we’re delighted to be supporting them in our own Angry Birds style. Queen’s music has endured for a reason, because its creativity and contagious fun appeals to fans of all ages, and we’re happy to help keep Freddie’s memory and music alive for new generations of fans,” said Peter Vesterbacka, Rovio CMO.
Angry Birds join Freddie For A Day by releasing an animation of Freddie the Angry Bird.
The Finnish creators of Angry Birds release a video that presents an all-new animation of Freddie the Angry Bird, riding his bicycle to the track “Bicycle Race,” 1978 Queen hit.
The partnership includes also a limited-edition Freddie Mercury Angry Bird T-shirts, available at Angry Birds and Bravado web stores.
Tonight Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor are hosting a special Freddie For A Day fundraising evening in London at the Savoy.
This is the second year when friends, artists, celebrities are gathering to honor Freddie Mercury and raise funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust – Fighting AIDS Worldwide.
Now into its third year, Freddie For A Day, is an annual event, created by Liz Swanton, the web editor of the Mercury Phoenix Trust. She raised over £1,200 by spending a working day dressed as Freddie. Note that she is a City of London Banker in real life.
Everyone who loves Freddie or who wants to help raising funds can be Freddie for a day. All they have to do is to decide what to wear: the famous moustache, aviator sunglasses, or a full sparkly body leotard. And the options do not end here.
Born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946, Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991, from AIDS complications.
His popularity has grown even more after his death and he is still honored around the world. Two of his songs, “We Are the Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody“, have been voted as the greatest song of all time in major polls by Sony Ericsson and Guinness World Records. At the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Queen‘s “We Will Rock You” with solo artist Jessie J was opened with a video of Freddie Mercury from 1986’s Wembley Stadium performance. The audience was full of enthusiasm.
Freddie Mercury, the legendary Queen frontman. Two of his songs, We Are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody have been voted the greatest songs of all time.
The Mercury Phoenix Trust was founded in 1992 by Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor and Queen manager Jim Beach to distribute money raised from the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS awareness. According to their website, since then, the Trust has raised over $15 million to help in the fight against AIDS worldwide. www.mercuryphoenixtrust.com
Angry Birds join Freddie For A Day by releasing an animation of Freddie the Angry Bird. (video)
Ireland Baldwin, the teenage daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, had some stylish shots of her on a snowboard.
Despite the impossibly hot temperatures soaring to 32°C, the showbiz offspring worked herself up into a sweat doing stunts on her snowboard.
Ireland Baldwin, 16, sensibly opted for a bikini top to keep cool and wriggling into a pair of teeny weeny white shorts that were barely visible as she hopped around on her board.
The frayed denim cutoffs were paired with a patriotic stars and stripes cap.
Ireland Baldwin, the teenage daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, had some stylish shots of her on a snowboard
And Ireland Baldwin wasn’t afraid to get mucky in her little ensemble.
She obviously got a few bumps as later she tweeted: “Best remedy to heal scrapes and cuts fast? Best remedy to make bruises fade? #help.”
Ireland Baldwin has been reflecting of late, tweeting a series of positive mottos.
She wrote: “Never let ANYONE use you. Your <<good friend>> should be looking out for you just as much as you look out for and support them. #realtalk.
“Im (sic) turning over a new leaf… Fresh slate. No anger nor hate towards anyone. Just sending happy and healthy vibes.”
Perhaps Ireland Baldwin is referencing new addition to the family, stepmother and Alec’s new wife Hilaria.
Hilaria and Alec Baldwin tied the knot in a New York ceremony in June.
However, the girls seem to have bonded, gushing to one another via the social networking site.
Hilaria wrote: “I miss @IrelandBBaldwin”, to which Ireland replied, “@HilariaBaldwin don’t forget to text me every day… And pack my lunches and tuck me in.”
Experts have warned that gym supplements are often doing more harm than good.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) says high levels of additional protein can cause side effects.
These can included nausea as well as kidney and liver damage.
They want clearer warnings about what is in the powders and tablets.
Manufacturers say consumers are well protected with only 11 reported reactions in 11 years.
“The more protein in your diet the more you have to get rid of.”
Experts have warned that gym supplements are often doing more harm than good
Jane Griffin is a former British Olympic dietician and speaks for the BDA.
“People who have these high protein diets are now running into problems with their kidneys because of the amount of protein they must get rid of.”
The body needs protein for muscle growth and many gym goers use it to try to get bigger quickly.
Gym supplements come under food law so although they have to be labelled properly what is in them can vary.
They are different to medicines which legally have to ensure contents are more specific.
Euromonitor, who research the market size of products, estimate that the sports supplement industry grew 15% last year.
They think one in five people who go to the gym more than twice a week use supplements that can come in the form of powders and bars.
British Department of Health advises adults to avoid consuming more than twice the recommended daily intake of protein (55.5 g for men and 45 g for women).
Most adults will take this in during their normal daily meals.
There have been warnings before, most recently from the food standards agency, who advise people not to take gym supplements containing DMAA.
The stimulant was being sold in some pre-workout and “fat-burning” shakes.
The BDA argue there is now evidence to show excess levels of additional protein taken over a long time can cause health problems.
They believe people can get enough protein naturally from things like chicken and milk.
Richard Cook is 22 and a student from Chesterfield. He has been taking supplements for four years but says he had a bad reaction to one of them.
“It felt like I was on drugs. I was shaking and I got angry. It also had an effect on my girlfriend who didn’t want to be around me when a had taken it.”
Although he still takes protein and creatine gym supplements he says he has cut down from seven to four shakes a day.
“I started thinking to myself, with this one product, why am I taking it when I feel terrible?”
The Health Food Manufacturers’ Association, who represent the supplement industry, says compared to other foods or medicines, gym supplements have an enviable record.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the new UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, has given a deeply pessimistic view of the task ahead of him, as he takes up his new post.
In a recent interview with BBC, the veteran Algerian diplomat described his mission as “nearly impossible”.
Lakhdar Brahimi was appointed after his predecessor, Kofi Annan, resigned, saying he no longer saw a way to fulfill his mission after his peace plan failed to achieve a meaningful ceasefire.
Fighting in Syria has been escalating.
In the latest – still unconfirmed – incident, opposition activists say a warplane killed as many as 18 people in a single strike in Aleppo province.
Activists say 20,000 people have died since the uprising against the Syrian government began last March.
On Sunday, the pro-rebel Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 5,000 people were killed in August alone.
The conflict has increasingly come to resemble a full-scale civil war, forcing an estimated one million Syrians from their homes.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the new UN-Arab League envoy on Syria, has given a deeply pessimistic view of the task ahead of him, as he takes up his new post
Last month, the United Nations wound up the observer mission that had been tasked with monitoring the ceasefire in Syria under the six-point peace plan negotiated by Mr Annan.
“I’m coming into this job with my eyes open, and no illusions,” said Lakhdar Brahimi.
“I know how difficult it is – how nearly impossible. I can’t say impossible – [it is] nearly impossible.”
With few people believing that Lakhdar Brahimi can do much, it seems he sees his job as keeping expectations low.
Lakhdar Brahimi is expected to visit Syria and meet President Bashar al-Assad on 8 September.
The spokesman for the Syrian foreign ministry, Jihad Makdissi, said Syria would “give Brahimi all that he needs to make his mission a success for the interest of the country”.
A former Algerian foreign minister, Lakhdar Brahimi has also held a series of key UN appointments, including that of UN envoy to Afghanistan and mediator of the peace deal that ended the Lebanese civil war.
Analysts say he has a formidable reputation at the UN and his appointment has been widely welcomed.
But Lakhdar Brahimi admitted to some trepidation about his new mission, saying he could understand those frustrated with the lack of international action in Syria.
“I’m scared of the weight of responsibility. People are already saying: <<People are dying and what are you doing?>>
“And we are not doing much. That in itself is a terrible weight.”
Lakhdar Brahimi said he had so far failed to see “any cracks” in the “brick wall” that had defeated Mr Annan – an “intransigent” Syrian government, escalating rebel violence and a paralyzed UN Security Council, where China and Russia have vetoed several resolutions aimed at putting pressure on Damascus.
He said he would keep Kofi Annan’s six-point peace plan – now seen by many as irrelevant – in his “tool box” for possible adaptation, but admitted he “had ideas, but no plan yet”, apart from talking to as many people as possible.
Addressing the Syrian government, he said the need for political change in Syria was “fundamental and urgent”, but – as he has previously – refused to be drawn on whether President Bashar al-Assad should step down, as the opposition and several Western leaders are demanding.
“Change cannot be cosmetic,” he said.
“There will be a new order, but I do not know who will be the people in the order. That’s for Syrians to decide.”
He also sought to keep a distance between himself and the rebels, who have criticized him for his cautious stance.
“Please remember I am not joining your movement,” he said.
“I am working for two international organizations, the United Nations and the Arab League, and I do not speak the same language as you.”
Lakhdar Brahimi’s comments came after another day of violence inside Syria on Sunday.
In Damascus, an explosion hit a district where major military and security compounds are located, reports say.
State TV described the blast – involving two bombs – as “terrorism” and said four people had been lightly injured.
Activists said more than 100 people were killed on Sunday, at least 25 of them in the village of al-Fan near Hama, when it was stormed by government forces.
Many of the 25, all men, were killed by army shelling, activist groups said, but they named at least nine who they said had been summarily executed in their homes by government forces or militia.
State television said security forces had attacked what it called an armed terrorist group in the area, killing all of them.
Rebels and government forces have been involved in a fierce battle for Damascus since July.
The building affected was a base for officers guarding the joint chiefs of staff offices nearby but was empty at the time, officials said.
Bomb attacks in Damascus and the largest city, Aleppo, have become increasingly frequent in recent months, with the authorities often blaming them on “armed terrorist gangs”.
Ethiopia has decided to build a mausoleum to commemorate the life of former leader Meles Zenawi, who was buried on Sunday.
Acting Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said the building would include a library and an exhibition of Meles Zenawi’s life and achievements.
Thousands of people, including dozens of foreign leaders and dignitaries, attended Sunday’s funeral.
The ex-prime minister died last month in Brussels after 21 years in power.
The cause of the 57-year-old’s death has not been announced.
Meles Zenawi was praised for bringing development to Ethiopia, which has long been associated with hunger and famine.
Ethiopia has decided to build a mausoleum to commemorate the life of former leader Meles Zenawi, who was buried on Sunday
However, he was criticized for cracking down on opposition parties, the media and civil society groups.
The government has also set up a website in his honor.
Meles Zenawi’s flag-draped coffin was carried from his palace in the capital Addis Ababa to the city’s Meskel Square for a ceremony, then buried at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Leaders including South Africa’s Jacob Zuma, Benin Boni Yayi representing the African Union and US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice praised Meles Zenawi.
“He wasn’t just brilliant, he wasn’t just a relentless negotiator and a formidable debater, he wasn’t just a thirsty consumer of knowledge – he was uncommonly wise, able to see the big picture and the long game, even when others would allow immediate pressures to overwhelm sound judgement,” said Susan Rice.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates also attended the funeral, as did Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir – who has been indicted by the International Criminal Court on several counts of war crimes.
Meles Zenawi was a close Western ally and twice sent troops into neighboring Somalia to tackle Islamist militants.
Hailemariam Desalegn is to remain prime minister until the next elections, due in 2015.
Meles Zenawi:
• Emerged from Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which carried out armed struggle against communist military regime in 1970s and 1980s
• Became president in a transitional government in 1991 and then prime minister in 1995
• Married another TPLF veteran, Azeb Mesfin, and had three children
• Under his leadership, a closed and secretive country gradually opened to the outside world
• But reputation tarnished in 2000s amid increasing repression in Ethiopia
Internal emails sent by the promoters of Michael Jackson’s planned 2009 comeback concerts saw them voice concerns over his stability and health.
In one email, sent the day Michael Jackson appeared in London to announce his This Is It shows, he was described as “an emotionally paralyzed mess”.
“[Jackson] is locked in his room drunk and despondent,” AEG’s Randy Phillips told company president Tim Leiweke.
The message was in 250 pages of emails obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
Internal emails sent by the promoters of Michael Jackson's planned 2009 comeback concerts saw them voice concerns over his stability and health
Randy Phillips told his boss he would try to “sober him [Jackson] up” ahead of a press conference at the 02 arena on 5 March, 2009.
Michael Jackson eventually made a five-minute appearance that day in front of hundreds of screaming fans, 90 minutes later than scheduled.
Lawyers for AEG said most of the correspondence was produced as discovery in ongoing litigation and did not give a complete picture of events.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the emails are likely to feature in two legal actions set to come to trial next year.
Lloyd’s of London, the shows’ insurers, are seeking to nullify a $17.5 million policy, claiming AEG made false claims about Jackson’s health and readiness to perform.
In a separate action, Michael Jackson’s heirs have accused the Anschutz Entertainment Group of pressuring the singer to carry on with the comeback despite indications he was too weak.
Numerous emails show Lloyd’s of London unsuccessfully seeking access to five years of Michael Jackson’s medical records.
A Lloyd’s underwriter wrote that repeated requests for written records were “always” met “with no response”.
Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Last November his personal physician, Conrad Murray, was convicted of his involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in jail.
