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Arctic sea ice reaches record low, NASA satellite shows

James J. Williams
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Arctic sea ice reaches record low, NASA satellite shows

NASA has discovered the Arctic has lost more sea ice this year than at any time since satellite records began in 1979.

Scientists involved in the calculations say it is part of a fundamental change.

What is more, sea ice normally reaches its low point in September so it is thought likely that this year’s melt will continue to grow.

NASA says the extent of sea ice was 1.58 m sq miles (4.1 m sq km) compared with a previous low of 1.61 m sq miles (4.17 m sq km) on 18 September 2007.

The sea ice cap grows during the cold Arctic winters and shrinks when temperatures climb again, but over the last three decades, satellites have observed a 13% decline per decade in the summertime minimum.

The thickness of the sea ice is also declining, so overall the ice volume has fallen far – although estimates vary about the actual figure.

Joey Comiso, senior research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said this year’s ice retreat was caused by previous warm years reducing the amount of perennial ice – which is more resistant to melting. It’s created a self-reinforcing trend.

“Unlike 2007, temperatures were not unusually warm in the Arctic this summer. [But] we are losing the thick component of the ice cover,” he said.

“And if you lose [that], the ice in the summer becomes very vulnerable.”

Walt Meier, from the National Snow and Ice Data Center that collaborates in the measurements, said: “In the context of what’s happened in the last several years and throughout the satellite record, it’s an indication that the Arctic sea ice cover is fundamentally changing.”

Professor Peter Wadhams, from Cambridge University, said: “A number of scientists who have actually been working with sea ice measurement had predicted some years ago that the retreat would accelerate and that the summer Arctic would become ice-free by 2015 or 2016.

“I was one of those scientists – and of course bore my share of ridicule for daring to make such an alarmist prediction.”

But Prof. Peter Wadhams said the prediction was now coming true, and the ice had become so thin that it would inevitably disappear.

“Measurements from submarines have shown that it has lost at least 40% of its thickness since the 1980s, and if you consider the shrinkage as well it means that the summer ice volume is now only 30% of what it was in the 1980s,” he added.

“This means an inevitable death for the ice cover, because the summer retreat is now accelerated by the fact that the huge areas of open water already generated allow storms to generate big waves which break up the remaining ice and accelerate its melt.

“Implications are serious: the increased open water lowers the average albedo [reflectivity] of the planet, accelerating global warming; and we are also finding the open water causing seabed permafrost to melt, releasing large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, to the atmosphere.”

Opinions vary on the date of the demise of summer sea ice, but the latest announcement will give support to those who err on the pessimistic side.

A recent paper from Reading University used statistical techniques and computers to estimate that between 5-30% of the recent ice loss was due to Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation – a natural climate cycle repeating every 65-80 years. It’s been in warm phase since the mid 1970s.

But the rest of the warming, the paper estimates, is caused by human activity – pollution and clearing of forests.

If the ice continues to disappear in summer there will be opportunities as well as threats.

Some ships are already saving time by sailing a previously impassable route north of Russia.

Oil, gas and mining firms are jostling to exploit the Arctic – although they’re being strongly opposed by environmentalists. Greenpeace has been protesting at drilling by the Russian giant Gazprom.

Among the many threats, the warming is bad for Arctic wildlife. Thanks to the influence of sea ice on the jet stream the changes could affect weather in the UK.

The changes – if they happen – could unlock frozen deposits of methane which would further overheat the planet.

Warmer seas could lead to more melting of Greenland’s ice cap which would contribute to raising sea levels and changing the salinity of the sea, which in turn could alter ocean currents that help govern our climate.

 

Ten tips to maximize your job interview impact

Kathryn R. Bown
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Ten tips to maximize your job interview impact

A job interview is the first real opportunity you’ll have to start to build a relationship with people who may be pivotal to your career success for many years to come.

They’re not the only ones making decisions – you’ll also be sizing up whether you want to work with them.

 

1. Create a “to be” list

Entry is everything so think about how you want to “show up” at the interview. What qualities do you want to demonstrate? Decide in advance how you intend to come across – for example as confident, reliable, dynamic.

Write a “to be” list and identify ways you can transmit the qualities you want to broadcast. For example, to show confidence, make sure you can talk fluidly about your strengths and successes without bragging.

2. Make it more of a conversation

The more you can make the interview a two-way exchange, the more likely you are to relax. Make the most of this opportunity to gather information, get to know your prospective colleagues and catch a glimpse of the way they do things.

Come to the interview with some insightful questions prepared. Don’t trot out the same old questions that every candidate is likely to ask (such as what the opportunities for promotion are). Read the company’s website and research their performance, whether on the stock market or the league tables, so that your lines of inquiry are on point.

3. Be comfortable talking about money

Even if the job comes with an advertised salary, you may be asked what your salary expectations are. Anticipate this question and, off-line, practice saying your answer out loud. If you want to be paid more than the ad suggests, be prepared to give your reasons as you’ll need to justify your request.

Do some market research and find out what the going rates are. Check out how much equivalent jobs at other organizations pay by looking at job adverts or online salary surveys. Having this data at your fingertips will increase your confidence at striking a deal that feels good to you. It will also help you to come up with an original response to that interview classic – “Why do you want to work for us?”

A job interview is the first real opportunity you’ll have to start to build a relationship with people who may be pivotal to your career success for many years to come
A job interview is the first real opportunity you’ll have to start to build a relationship with people who may be pivotal to your career success for many years to come

4. Know your strengths

Be prepared to articulate your “unique selling points”. Give this question serious consideration. Think about your own combination of strengths – for example, are you that rare individual who is creative, proactive and reliable.

Before you go to the interview, complete this sentence, “I am someone who…” Write down your answer and reflect on your response. Think about feedback you’ve had from friends, family and other people who have affirmed your sense of who you are.

5. Be prepared to talk about your weaknesses

Anticipate being asked about your shortcomings. This is a sensitive subject that needs a careful response. Don’t be insincere, such as saying you’re a perfectionist if you’re not.

Be honest about your areas of development. If attention to detail is not your strong suit, say so and then indicate how you plan to address this. For example, you could say that at times you might ask a colleague to check over a critical document to make sure that you’ve attended to all the detail.

6. Value the non-verbals

When you talk face-to-face, it’s not just about the words you use. We’re social animals so body language, eye gaze and gestures all play their part. If you find it hard to look someone in the eye, you risk being judged as untrustworthy or as having something to hide.

Sit in an upright posture without leaning forward – you don’t want to come across as a people pleaser. Do your best to sit still without fidgeting as this will make you look nervous. Hold the other person’s eye gaze until just before they look away to send the message that you can hold your own without being aggressive.

7. Tailor how much you talk

It’s easy to fall into the trap of talking too much during an interview. Sometimes a question needs only a short response. Develop the ability to be concise.

If a longer response is needed, you could structure your answer by indicating, for example, that there are three points to consider. Help the other person to follow what you say by using some signposting such as “firstly..”, “secondly…” and “finally…”.

Varying the length of your input will help to make the interview more of a conversation. Listen carefully to what the interviewer has to say and, if needs be, check your understanding before answering.

8. Have a get-out line

Think through how you’ll respond to a question you don’t know the answer to. Instead of fudging it, have something prepared. You could say, for example, “Please can we come back to that question as I’d like a little more time to gather my thoughts?”

Do your best to stay composed. If you suddenly freeze, take a couple of deep breaths and ask them to repeat the question.

9. Ask for feedback

Towards the end of the interview, say that you’re keen to get some feedback on how you did (if this hasn’t been offered). Find out how who to follow up with and get their contact details. Do this in a respectful way so that you come across as keen to learn without being pushy.

10. Cultivate an attitude of “You win some, you lose some”

Have the intention to get the job without having the expectation that you will. Go into the interview with some degree of humility – arrogance is a big turn off for any employer.

Decide ahead of time that you’ll accept the outcome, whether you‘re successful or not. If you get turned down, be philosophical and resolve to reap the benefits of the experience next time you’re faced with an interview. If you do get offered the job – congratulations! – time to go out and celebrate!

 

Cut 300 calories from your daily food intake to keep pounds away permanently

Kathryn R. Bown
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Cut 300 calories from your daily food intake to keep pounds away permanently

Dieters frequently report reaching their goal weight, only to find that the pounds creep back on.

Scientists say the trick to keeping weight off permanently is to cut 300 calories from your daily food intake.

In a study presented at the European Congress on Obesity earlier this year, Professor Michael Rosenbaum described how dieters need to consume 22% fewer calories a day than someone who hasn’t dieted simply to maintain their weight (so a non-dieter could consume 1,600 calories a day and not gain weight, while a dieter of the same weight must stick to around 1,300).

Scientists say the trick to keeping weight off permanently is to cut 300 calories from your daily food intake
Scientists say the trick to keeping weight off permanently is to cut 300 calories from your daily food intake

Dietitian Linia Patel, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, says: “It’s believed this phenomenon can be explained by the effect dieting has on muscles. Dieters’ muscles need fewer calories to do the same work than those of people who haven’t been on the diet in the first place.”

As we age the picture becomes even bleaker.

“Lean muscle helps the body burn a greater number of calories, but as we age our muscle mass drops along with our metabolism.”

The result is that our bodies need fewer calories to maintain our weight.

But extra calories can be burnt off through exercise – resistance training and lifting weights are among the most effective ways to build lean muscle mass.

 

Lonmin Marikana platinum mine closed by intimidation

Clyde K. Valle
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Lonmin Marikana platinum mine closed by intimidation

Miners are being intimidated into staying away from work at the South African Lonmin platinum mine where 34 people were recently shot dead by police, the owners say.

Lonmin says just 13% of workers have reported for duty on Monday and says miners have been threatened.

Hundreds of miners have reportedly gathered outside the mine, amid a heavy police presence.

Leaders of the ruling ANC are expected to discuss the deaths.

The ANC has been criticized for the way the matter was handled, and President Jacob Zuma is expected to face tough questions at the closed-door meeting.

Lonmin says just 13 percent of workers have reported for duty on Monday and says miners have been threatened
Lonmin says just 13 percent of workers have reported for duty on Monday and says miners have been threatened

Lonmin, the world’s third largest platinum producer, had hoped that the strike at the Marikana platinum mine would end and production would resume.

“Employees are waiting for the environment to be safe. Groups of people are walking around intimidating people who come onto the property,” said Lonmin spokeswoman Sue Vey.

Alfonso Mofokeng, a miner from Lesotho, told the AFP news agency: “We are aware that some people have gone back to work, we have noted that behavior, and we need to come up with a plan to deal with them.”

The 13% turnout is a sharp drop from the 30% who turned up for work last week and 57% at the weekend.

Operations at Lonmin’s mines have virtually ground to a halt since the strike over pay and conditions began earlier this month, causing international platinum prices to jump.

Meanwhile, an investigation has opened into allegations that miners were assaulted in police custody, a spokesman for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate has confirmed.

Moses Dlamini said that some people said they were beaten with batons and fists in order to implicate their colleagues in the killing of two police officers days before the miners were shot dead.

He said that others were allegedly assaulted because they gave statements to those investigating the shooting.

He added that the IPID was treating the killing of the 34 miners as murder.

President Jacob Zuma is expected to face an uneasy time when he meets the ANC’s National Executive Committee.

Many members are said to be livid at the way the matter is being handled.

The “Marikana Massacre” – as it has dubbed by the media – has prompted serious questions about the ANC’s ability under Jacob Zuma to improve the lives of poor black South Africans.

Jacob Zuma faces a leadership contest this year, and the fact that so many of the killed miners were from the politically significant Eastern Cape Province could play into the hands of his rivals in an increasingly fragmented party, our correspondent adds.

In a blow to the president, the party’s largest section in Eastern Cape has just voted for an anti-Zuma candidate as its leader.

Jacob Zuma earlier expressed sympathy with some of the grievances expressed by the Marikana miners.

He argued the mining sector could afford to increase wages and threatened companies that fail to raise workers’ housing standards with the cancellation of their mining licences.

During a recent visit to the mine, Jacob Zuma told workers he “felt their pain” and promised a speedy and thorough investigation of the shootings.

The president has also set up a commission to investigate the violence.

Police say they opened fire after being threatened by large groups of miners armed with machetes.

Ten people, including two police officers and security guards, were killed during the protests – before the police shooting.

 

 

German government criticizes call for Greek eurozone exit

Clyde K. Valle
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German government criticizes call for Greek eurozone exit

German government has criticized leading conservative politician Alexander Dobrindt for suggesting that Greece will have to leave the eurozone.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said “bullying” of Greece must stop.

And in a TV interview Chancellor Angela Merkel said: “Everyone should weigh their words very carefully.”

Earlier, Christian Social Union leader Alexander Dobrindt, an ally of Angela Merkel, said he expected Greece to leave the eurozone in 2013.

He said he saw “no way round” a Greek exit. He also called the European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi “Europe’s currency forger”.

His party, a junior coalition partner of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), is preparing for an election in Bavaria and Germany’s general elections next year.

German government has criticized leading conservative politician Alexander Dobrindt for suggesting that Greece will have to leave the eurozone
German government has criticized leading conservative politician Alexander Dobrindt for suggesting that Greece will have to leave the eurozone

Last week Angela Merkel reiterated that she wanted Greece to stay in the eurozone. And on Sunday she told German ARD television that “we are in a very decisive phase in combating the euro debt crisis”.

Greece is under pressure to speed up far-reaching reforms, including privatization and civil service job cuts, in order to continue receiving installments of its 130 billion-euro ($163 billion) international bailout.

It is the second massive bailout agreed for Greece since the 2008 debt crisis shook the global economy and German politicians have made it clear they will not stomach a third.

Guido Westerwelle warned that remarks like Alexander Dobrindt’s could harm Germany’s reputation as the eurozone tackles the debt crisis.

Comments by the head of Germany’s Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann, also signaled divisions at the top over the ECB’s handling of the crisis.

In early August Mario Draghi announced plans for the ECB to buy the bonds of countries like Italy and Spain, whose borrowing costs have reached levels widely regarded as unsustainable.

He is expected to give details after a 6 September meeting of the ECB’s governing council.

But Jens Weidmann, one of 17 eurozone central bank chiefs involved in ECB policy, said the plans risked making central bank financing “addictive like a drug” for struggling eurozone governments.

He warned that it was “close to state financing via the printing press” and could be a violation of EU rules preventing government-to-government subsidies.

Traditionally the ECB has been reluctant to undertake large-scale bond-buying because it is seen as inflationary, and the ECB’s priority is to keep inflation under control.

But during the eurozone crisis the ECB has been buying up sovereign debt to help ease the market pressure on struggling, debt-laden eurozone countries.

At the weekend the German and French governments indicated that Greece’s plea for a two-year “breathing space” in meeting its bailout obligations was unacceptable.

Eurozone leaders are waiting for a crucial report on Greece’s finances, due in late September. It will be delivered by the troika supervising Greece’s fulfillment of the bailout conditions – the ECB, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and European Commission.

Greece’s continued access to the bailout lifeline depends on a favorable report from the troika.

Athens is trying to finalize a package of 11.5 billion euros of spending cuts over the next two years.

 

Togo women in sex strike to force President Faure Gnassingbe’s resignation

Diane A. Wade
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Togo women in sex strike to force President Faure Gnassingbe’s resignation

Women in Togo have been urged to abstain from sex for a week from Monday to push their demand for reform and President Faure Gnassingbe’s resignation.

The ban has been called by opposition coalition Let’s Save Togo, made up of nine civil society groups and seven opposition parties and movements.

Opposition leader Isabelle Ameganvi said that sex could be a “weapon of the battle” to achieve political change.

The coalition wants President Faure Gnassingbe, whose family has held power for decades, to stand down.

“We have many means to oblige men to understand what women want in Togo,” said Isabelle Ameganvi, leader of the women’s wing of the coalition.

She said she had been inspired by a similar strike by Liberian women in 2003, who used a sex strike to campaign for peace.

“If men refuse to hear our cries we will hold another demonstration that will be more powerful than a sex strike,” she added.

 

Women in Togo have been urged to abstain from sex for a week from Monday to push their demand for reform and President Faure Gnassingbe's resignation.
Women in Togo have been urged to abstain from sex for a week from Monday to push their demand for reform and President Faure Gnassingbe's resignation.

Togo has been run by the same family for more than four decades.

President Faure Gnassingbe took power in 2005 following the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for 38 years. The president was re-elected in 2010.

The strike was announced at a rally on Saturday in Lome, attended by thousands of people.

The rally was held to protest against recent electoral reforms, which demonstrators say will make it easier for Faure Gnassingbe’s party to win re-election in the parliamentary polls set for October.

Activists say that the strike will motivate men who are not involved in the political movement to pursue its goals, which include an end to the system allowing unlimited presidential terms.

Earlier this month, two anti-Gnassingbe protests were dispersed by police using tear gas and more than 100 people were arrested.

The sex strike was welcomed as a political tool by some women in Lome.

“It’s a good thing for us women to observe this sex strike as long as our children are in jail now. I believe that by observing this, we will get them released,” Abla Tamekloe told the Associated Press.

“For me, it’s like fasting, and unless you fast, you will not get what you want from God.”

 [youtube dBnC-YYIhaw]

Underwater wheelchair prototype created by artist Sue Austin

James J. Williams
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Underwater wheelchair prototype created by artist Sue Austin

British artist Sue Austin is preparing to show off a prototype self-propelled underwater wheelchair to the public.

Sue Austin, who has been a wheelchair user since 1996, developed the chair with help from dive experts and academics.

The model is powered by two dive propulsion vehicles and steered with a bespoke fin and foot-operated acrylic strip.

She is staging a performance with it in a swimming pool in Weymouth, UK, this week.

Creating the Spectacle forms part of the Cultural Olympiad celebrations.

Sue Austin, from north Devon, says she first had the idea after learning to scuba dive in 2005.

“When we started talking to people about it, engineers were saying it wouldn’t work, the wheelchair would go into a spin, it was not designed to go through water – but I was sure it would,” she said.

It was built with funding from the Arts Council’s Impact Scheme.

British artist Sue Austin is preparing to show off a prototype self-propelled underwater wheelchair to the public
British artist Sue Austin is preparing to show off a prototype self-propelled underwater wheelchair to the public

Finding a suitable dive propulsion vehicle to propel the chair was initially difficult because most propeller models were designed to be hand-held and Sue Austin lacked the strength to hold on to them.

Eventually she trialed a model that was designed for divers with disabilities – and then added two to the wheelchair.

Sue Austin bought an NHS wheelchair for the project and spent months with her team perfecting its buoyancy. She initially designed flotation aids, but in the end found that simple swimming floats worked better.

“If you just put a thruster under the chair all the thrust is below the centre of gravity so you rotate,” she said.

“It was certainly more more acrobatic than I anticipated.”

She modified the heel plates so that they formed fins at the backs of her heels and re-drilled the rubber straps to attach her legs to the acrylic “wings” she needed to steer the vehicle.

The addition of the second thruster and fin meant that the wings were no longer practical but she kept them for aesthetic reasons.

The wheelchair also required a more robust seat to handle the pressure placed upon it during a performance.

“I would love to create a version with hand controls – but I need my arms to be free for the performance,” said Sue Austin.

The wheelchair, which had patents pending and was as yet unnamed, was already in demand, she said.

“We’ve had PADI [Professional Association of Diving Instructors] course directors and very experienced divers saying they would pay to hire it,” she said.

“The Oceanography department at the University of Plymouth, where I did a BA [bachelor of arts degree] in performing art, said it would make their courses accessible to students with disabilities.”

There is one problem with the wheelchair however – the frame is beginning to rust. Sue Austin says that ideally the next model should be made of titanium.

 [youtube IPh533ht5AU]

Expendables 2 tops box office for a second consecutive week

Sonia Pantiss
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Expendables 2 tops box office for a second consecutive week

Expendables 2 movie has continued its grip on the North American box office chart, holding onto the number one spot for a second consecutive week.

The movie, which sees action stars including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis reunite, took $13.5 million.

The Bourne Legacy remained at two in its third week of release, with $9.3m.

Stop-motion comedy ParaNorman, about a boy who helps save his town from a zombie invasion, was at three.

Typical of late summer openings, other new releases performed weakly in the chart.

Expendables 2 movie has continued its grip on the North American box office chart, holding onto the number one spot for a second consecutive week
Expendables 2 movie has continued its grip on the North American box office chart, holding onto the number one spot for a second consecutive week

Thriller Premium Rush, starring Joseph Gordon Levitt as a bike messenger chased through New York by a policeman who wants an envelope he’s carrying, opened at seven with $6.3 million.

And low-budget road-chase comedy Hit & Run, starring real-life couple Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell, entered at 10 with $4.7 million.

With less competition from big Hollywood films, it allowed anti-President Barack Obama documentary, 2016: Obama’s America, to land at number eight.

After opening in limited release in July, it expanded nationwide ahead of the Republican National Convention to formally nominate Mitt Romney as Barack Obama’s challenger in the presidential race.

The film is a conservative critique envisioning what the US would look like four years from now if Barack Obama was re-elected.

“It’s extremely rare for a documentary to break into the top 10, but August can be a land of opportunity for smaller films,” Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com said.

“Also, there’s the fact that this is a very conservative film. Normally, it’s Michael Moore-branded documentaries, the liberal documentaries, that make all the money.”

The film has so far taken $9.1 million domestically, but the figure is still far away from other political documentaries – Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 opened at number one with $23.9 million in June 2004, and went on to become the US’s top-grossing documentary taking $119.1 million.

 [youtube cZEWSelOmA8]

Google reacts to Apple patent win

Nancy Clayson
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Google reacts to Apple patent win

Google has announced that it does not want the ruling in the Apple-Samsung patent lawsuit to “limit” consumers’ access to Android devices.

A US jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple over $1 billion on Friday after ruling it had infringed several of the iPhone maker’s software and design innovations.

Samsung said it intended to appeal.

There has been speculation that the news could encourage handset makers to install the rival Windows Phone system.

Google released its statement late on Sunday in the US.

“The court of appeals will review both infringement and the validity of the patent claims,” it said.

“Most of these don’t relate to the core Android operating system, and several are being re-examined by the US Patent Office.

“The mobile industry is moving fast and all players – including newcomers – are building upon ideas that have been around for decades. We work with our partners to give consumers innovative and affordable products, and we don’t want anything to limit that.”

Google has announced that it does not want the ruling in the Apple-Samsung patent lawsuit to "limit" consumers' access to Android devices
Google has announced that it does not want the ruling in the Apple-Samsung patent lawsuit to "limit" consumers' access to Android devices

Apple has indicated it will seek sales bans on the 17 phones at the heart of the lawsuit at a hearing on 20 September.

The list does not include Samsung’s current flagship handset, the Galaxy S3, but does include earlier versions of the model.

However, Apple could also use the verdict to try to halt sales of other models that infringe its pinch-to-zoom patent.

During the court case Apple revealed it had licensed some of its technologies to Microsoft. Its lawyers also showed pictures of Nokia’s Lumia – which runs Windows Phone 7 – as an example of a handset that looked distinctive from its own.

In contrast, Apple continues to be involved in lawsuits against two other Android-handset makers: Motorola – which is owned by Google – and HTC.

Following the Samsung verdict, Bill Cox, marketing director for Microsoft’s Windows Phone Division tweeted: “Windows Phone is looking gooooood right now.”

Dell, HTC, Samsung, LG and ZTE have already created Windows Phone 7 devices, but only Nokia has concentrated its efforts on the system.

One analyst said that the US ruling presented Microsoft with an opportunity to convince others to put their weight behind the next version of its mobile system.

“I think this will force a reset on Android products as they are re-engineered to get around Apple’s patents,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the tech consultancy Enderle Group.

“[It should also] provide a stronger opportunity for both of Microsoft’s new platforms – Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 – because they come with indemnification against Apple, suddenly making them far safer.”

However, manufacturers will have to weigh up Android’s popularity before making a move.

According to recent data from analysts at IDC, Android had a 68.1% of the global smartphone market between April and June. Apple’s iOS had 16.9% and Windows Phone/Windows Mobile had 5.4%. The data was based on shipments rather than sales.

If Apple’s patents hold up under appeal Google could recode Android to ensure there was no potential infringement, or handset makers could seek to pay their rival a licence fee.

And there is another alternative: Apple could ultimately seek a patent cross-licensing deal with Google despite its late chief executive Steve Jobs’ vow to “destroy Android”.

Part-way through the Samsung case Google filed its first lawsuit versus Apple since taking over Motorola. It alleged seven patent infringements, one of which involves the technology used in the iPhone’s Siri voice-activated search tool.

Were Google to succeed it could call for a import ban on Apple’s iOS products, potentially forcing its rival into a deal.

The case is driving share prices in a number of technology stocks.

Samsung’s shares fell 7.5% in Seoul on Monday – their biggest drop since October 2008, wiping about $12 billion off the companies value.

Nokia’s shares rose about 10% on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

In New York, Apple’s stock was about 2% higher in pre-market trade, Microsoft’s about 1% up and Google’s about 1% down.

 

Johnny Hallyday rushed to hospital for abnormally fast heartbeat

Sonia Pantiss
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Johnny Hallyday rushed to hospital for abnormally fast heartbeat

Rock star Johnny Hallyday has been rushed to hospital on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe suffering from an abnormally fast heartbeat, French media report.

The singer, hugely successful in France, was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Pointe-a-Pitre from the nearby island of Saint-Barthelemy.

Johnny Hallyday, 69, fell ill with tachycardia on Saturday while on holiday.

Johnny Hallyday has been rushed to hospital on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe suffering from an abnormally fast heartbeat
Johnny Hallyday has been rushed to hospital on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe suffering from an abnormally fast heartbeat

The French news channel TF1 says he is in intensive care and is conscious.

RTL radio reports that his wife Laeticia and other family members are with him and want to transfer him to the French island of Martinique.

Johnny Hallyday has been recording a new album, expected to be released in November.

 

Syrian Army helicopter crashes in Damascus

Roy Siemens
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Syrian Army helicopter crashes in Damascus

Syrian opposition activists say they have shot down a military helicopter over the capital, Damascus.

The Free Syrian Army said the aircraft had been firing at people in the north-eastern district of Jobar, and that it had crashed in neighboring Qabun.

State television confirmed that a helicopter had come down in Qabun.

On Sunday, opposition activists said government forces had massacred more than 300 people during their assault on the south-western suburb of Darayya.

Video footage and photographs have emerged, showing scores of bodies, including those of women and children.

 

Syrian opposition activists say they have shot down a military helicopter over Damascus
Syrian opposition activists say they have shot down a military helicopter over Damascus

 

State media blamed the opposition for the killings and said Darayya had been “cleansed of terrorist remnants”.

The chairman of the UN Human Rights Council’s Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Paulo Pinheiro, said the killings might constitute a war crime.

According to opposition activists, the military helicopter was shot down as it was bombarding Jobar, as heavy fighting broke out between rebels and government forces.

Witnesses told the Reuters news agency the helicopter burst into flames after being hit by a projectile during an exchange of fire and crashed in a narrow residential street in Qabun.

“It was flying overhead the eastern part of the city and firing all morning. The rebels had been trying to hit it for about an hour, and finally they did,” said Abu Bakr, a local activist.

Activists posted video footage online which appears to show a burning helicopter crashing to the ground. Rebels can be heard shouting: “Allahu Akbar (God is greatest).”

State TV confirmed that a helicopter had crashed near the al-Ghufran mosque in Qabun, though it did not say if it had been shot down.

A spokesman for the FSA’s Badr Battalion in Damascus, Omar al-Qabuni, told the AFP news agency that the body of the pilot had been found.

“It was in revenge for the Darayya massacre,” he added.

The FSA also claimed to have shot down a Mig-23 fighter jet on 13 August in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.

The helicopter appears to have been taking part in an increasingly fierce attempt by government forces to regain control of the capital’s suburbs, and heavy clashes are said to have erupted after it came down.

On Sunday, military helicopters were firing rockets at Jobar and the neighboring districts of Zamalka and Irbin, activists said.

Meanwhile, President Bashar al-Assad has reiterated his claim that a “foreign” conspiracy is behind the uprising in Syria and promised that he would not allow it to succeed “whatever the price might be”.

“What is happening right now is not just a plot directed against Syria but the region as a whole, of which Syria is a foundational stone,” he was quoted as saying by the state news agency, Sana.

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Kim Kardashian donates nearly 100 pairs of designer shoes to charity

Diane A. Wade
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Kim Kardashian donates nearly 100 pairs of designer shoes to charity

Kim Kardashian donated nearly 100 pairs of designer shoes to charity after Kanye West dismissed her huge closet as “ghetto”.

Kanye West went through Kim Kardashian’s huge collection of shoes, and clothes, with a stylist in scenes broadcast on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

The bed was soon heaped with piles of unwanted designer clothes, many unworn, while pair after pair of shoes were stacked outside Kim Kardashian’s room. Many looked to be brand new, perhaps worn once or twice.

The rails were bare, with the items that remained having tags attached if they were deemed unworthy. Nearly every item was tagged.

Despite Kim Kardashian herself previously describing herself as a “stylist” she allowed her new lover to decide which items stayed, and which were rejected.

Kim Kardashian donated nearly 100 pairs of designer shoes to charity after Kanye West dismissed her huge closet as “ghetto”
Kim Kardashian donated nearly 100 pairs of designer shoes to charity after Kanye West dismissed her huge closet as “ghetto”

Even a fur lined Louis Vuitton bag, which Kim Kardashian admitted sheepishly that she was keeping for any future daughter to inherit, was consigned to the reject pile.

“Shouldn’t I just keep this for, like, my daughter one day?” she asked Kanye West.

Cringingly he failed to appreciate her hints that they might one day have a family, instead remaining pointedly silent.

“Kanye is coming over today with his stylist, and he is giving me a makeover,” Kim Kardashian had happily announced earlier.

And despite her boyfriend taking over her closet, Kim Kardashian claimed that he had “inspired me to be a little bit more of an individual”.

One person who wasn’t impressed was Kim Kardashian’s sister, Khloe.

She was furious, pointing out that she and Kim shared the same taste.

“I feel like half that stuff I have, so are you like saying that I need to get a stylist?” she asked Kim.

And she picked up one shoes saying: “You know I love this!”

When Kim Kardashian replied that the shoes had been labelled “ghetto” by Kanye West, Khloe was outraged.

“You gotta have a little ghetto in your life!” she squealed.

But Kim Kardashian didn’t care, in thrall to Kanye West.

And he seemed equally impressed, at least with his girlfriend’s “magazine worthy” curves.

“You look amazing,” he whispered, as he nuzzled her in front of the cameras.

Kanye West didn’t leave his girlfriend with nothing to wear, however, bringing with him a whole rail of replacement threads.

“Look how dope this s**t is,” he said, as he perused through Kim Kardashian’s new stack of clothes.

Kim Kardashian, 31, then tried on a cleavage-baring green dress, with Kanye West being very pleased with the results.

“[You’re] getting on best dressed lists now,” he raves.

“You’re stepping into this territory. You look amazing – it’s a new Kim!”

At least the clothes won’t be going to waste. Kim Kardashian tweeted: “The clothes I got rid of will be up on EBay next month for a charity auction! Going to Life Change Community Church.”

 

Tropical Storm Isaac: more than 53,000 people ordered to evacuate Louisiana

Diane A. Wade
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Tropical Storm Isaac: more than 53,000 people ordered to evacuate Louisiana

Tens of thousands of Louisiana residents have been ordered to evacuate as Tropical Storm Isaac picks up strength in the Gulf of Mexico.

Isaac may strike seven years to the day after Hurricane Katrina devastated the same area.

More than 50,000 residents of the St. Charles Parish in southeast Louisiana have been told to leave ahead of Isaac, which is currently churning in the Gulf.

Earlier in the day, Gov. Bobby Jindal had also suggested that anyone in low-lying parts of the state’s coastal parishes evacuate.

A hurricane warning has been issued for parts of the state east of Morgan City, which includes the New Orleans area.

Isaac is expected to be a strong Category 2 hurricane when it comes ashore late Tuesday or early Wednesday. Wednesday is the seventh anniversary of Katrina.

There were fears that Isaac could strike New Orleans with the same deadly force as the monster storm, which wiped out homes and led to the death of nearly 2,000 people.

Tens of thousands of Louisiana residents have been ordered to evacuate as Tropical Storm Isaac picks up strength in the Gulf of Mexico
Tens of thousands of Louisiana residents have been ordered to evacuate as Tropical Storm Isaac picks up strength in the Gulf of Mexico

Meanwhile, Isaac shifted West into the Gulf of Mexico after lashing the Florida Keys with strong winds and heavy rain.

Also on Sunday, Alabama joined Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana in declaring a state of emergency as Isaac looms.

The National Hurricane Center said Isaac was due to be at or near category-two hurricane strength soon after its center crosses the Florida Keys late on Sunday.

The latest forecast takes Isaac into the Mississippi coast with maximum sustained winds from 96 to 110 mph over the next few days.

At least 1,836 people died and cost of the damage was estimated at $110 billion. Forbes reported that Isaac has the possibility to rival Katrina in its destructive power.

A storm becomes a hurricane when sustained winds reach a minimum of 74 miles per hour (119 kph).

The NHC said Isaac was expected to intensify to a Category 2 hurricane, with “extremely dangerous” sustained winds of 105 miles per hour (169 kph), as it swept up the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for the northern Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle on Sunday.

At 2:00 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday, Isaac was about 50 miles (85 km) south-southeast of Key West and packing top sustained winds of 60 miles (100 km) per hour.

Tropical force winds from the massive storm stretched across 400 miles (644 km), with rain bands extending even further, said NHC meteorologist David Zelinsky.

It meant Isaac could cause significant damage even in places where it does not pass directly overhead.

“It certainly is a large storm,” he said, noting that wind gusts of 60 mph (100 kph) had been detected as far apart as Key West and Palm Beach.

The storm will likely pick up strength from the warm, open waters of the Gulf of Mexico and strike as a dangerous Category 2 hurricane somewhere between New Orleans and the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday.

Airlines cancelled hundreds of flights as the storm lashed southeastern Florida today. Airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale were hit the hardest, cancelling 573 flights – the vast majority of the 654 U.S. flights grounded overall because of the storm as of Sunday morning.

There were scattered power outages from Key West to Fort Lauderdale affecting more than 6,000 customers, and flooding occurred in low-lying areas.

Isaac has brought havoc to the Caribbean already, killing seven people in Haiti and downing trees and power lines in Cuba.

It had officials worried enough in Tampa that they shuffled around some plans for the Republican National Convention.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will officially be nominated as the Republican Party’s presidential candidate on Tuesday, one day later than originally planned.

His nationally-televised acceptance speech will be on Thursday night as originally planned.

Tuesday evening’s program includes remarks by Ann Romney, the candidate’s wife, as well as by New Jersey Gov Chris Christie, previously announced as the keynote speaker.

Paul Ryan will deliver his acceptance speech Wednesday evening in prime time in the eastern part of the United States, and Mitt Romney’s speech dominates the final night.

 

 

Kris Jenner’s face tattooed on her son Rob Kardashian’s right forearm

Lisa.Felice
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Kris Jenner’s face tattooed on her son Rob Kardashian’s right forearm

Rob Kardashian has his mother’s face permanently tattooed on his body, covering his right forearm.

Kris Jenner’s smiling visage matches the tattoo on Rob Kardashian’s right arm – of his late father Robert Kardashian.

The only boy in the female-heavy Kardashian family, Rob revealed the tattoo tributes on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Family-focused Rob Kardashian, 25, was seen organizing a party for his mother and her friends at a winery in Malibu to celebrate her life.

Rob Kardashian has his mother’s face permanently tattooed on his body, covering his right forearm
Rob Kardashian has his mother’s face permanently tattooed on his body, covering his right forearm

While Kris Jenner trilled with pleasure he unveiled a new tattoo.

She didn’t seem very pleased, although she admitted she appreciated the gesture.

“Are you ready to start enjoying life and stop focusing on your funeral now?” he asked, after Kris Jenner earlier attempted to get the family to buy their funeral plots.

“I’m definitely going to live in the moment,” she said.

It seems that Rob Kardashian takes inspiration from both his parents.

He recently revealed plans to return to university, where he hopes to study law.

Rob Kardashian took to his Twitter page to make his revelation, posting: “Going to Law School very soon and so excited and can’t wait!”

Since graduating from University of Southern California, Rob Kardashian has failed to find a solid career path, leading to criticism from his family on their reality show.

He has dabbled in business commercials, working for website Rival Spot and his sisters Kim, Kourtney and Khloe’s skincare line PerfectSkin.

The reality star then tried his hand in the world of music and co-managed girl band BG5.

Rob Kardashian also finished in second place on the thirteenth season of Dancing With The Stars alongside partner Cheryl Burke.

 

How good bacteria keeps your skin looking youthful

Diane A. Wade
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How good bacteria keeps your skin looking youthful

New studies suggest that upping the “good” bacteria in our skin is essential for our immune system and can also combat wrinkles, sagging and pigmentation.

Just as good bacteria in your gut can calm your stomach, boosting levels of it on your skin can restore your complexion’s youthful plumpness and glow.

The beneficial bugs work on the surface to maintain moisture and radiance and fight the bad bacteria that cause redness, sensitivity, spots and other infections.

The bacteria also penetrate the deeper levels to repair skin DNA and build wrinkle-preventing collagen. So it’s not surprising that skincare companies are getting on the bug bandwagon, with a host of ranges containing ingredients to increase “beauty bacteria”.

Just as good bacteria in your gut can calm your stomach, boosting levels of it on your skin can restore your complexion’s youthful plumpness and glow
Just as good bacteria in your gut can calm your stomach, boosting levels of it on your skin can restore your complexion’s youthful plumpness and glow

First off the blocks are Aromatherapy Associates, which has just launched a new line of soothing skincare that is rich in prebiotics, which encourage the growth of good bacteria.

Next week, skincare brand NUDE, whose fans include supermodel Helena Christensen, will re-launch its skincare with an anti-ageing ingredient called n-probiotic, a live micro-organism derived from yeast.

These smart bacteria stimulate the skin to produce its own anti-ageing collagen and hyaluronic acids. It is claimed that in lab tests this probiotic reduced cellular damage by up to 50%, reduced irritation by up to 35% and activated cellular renewal by up to 70%.

Next month will also see the arrival of Idealia from French brand Vichy. Idealia serum and creams contain a probiotic derived from fermented tea. The company claims it can create “ideal skin” by reducing dark spots and wrinkles, improving texture and boosting radiance.

These are big boasts, yet there is serious science to back up the buzz about bugs. The 2011 Nobel Prize went to a team who showed how skin bacteria act as an important immune system for the body. Further studies have shown that probiotics can improve eczema and fight off acne-causing bacteria.

Professor Richard Tester, a research scientist at Glasgow Caledonian University, is conducting studies with the prebiotic GMH (glucomannan hydrolysate), which is derived from a type of yam. His soon-to-be published studies show GMH can promote skin healing and treat acne.

“Because this prebiotic can penetrate the skin surface, it also helps regenerate skin from within, rebuilding collagen, reducing wrinkles and bringing back its natural glow,” he says.

However, this is not an excuse to stop cleansing – if we did, we’d be left with several hundred types of “bad” bacteria on our faces, living off our sweat, sebum and dead skin cells. When this happens, our skin becomes irritated so in response the body creates free radicals and a collagen-digesting enzyme. The result? Wrinkles and sagging.

Unlike traditional treatments for wrinkles and acne – such as retinols and benzoyl peroxide, which irritate the skin – bacteria beauty boosters are very gentle.

 

Mitt Romney accuses Barack Obama’s campaign of seeking to divide America

Diane A. Wade
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Mitt Romney accuses Barack Obama’s campaign of seeking to divide America

Mitt Romney has accused his rival President Barack Obama of running a campaign built on “anger and divisiveness”.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said the Democratic campaign had hit a “new low” by trying to link him to controversial views on rape recently voiced by another Republican, Todd Akin.

The Obama camp has accused Mitt Romney of extreme positions on social issues.

The Republicans are due this week to nominate Mitt Romney as their candidate in November’s presidential elections.

Mitt Romney has accused his rival President Barack Obama of running a campaign built on "anger and divisiveness"
Mitt Romney has accused his rival President Barack Obama of running a campaign built on "anger and divisiveness"

The party has been forced to delay by a day – until Tuesday – the start of its national convention in the Florida city of Tampa because of the approaching Tropical Storm Isaac.

“I would suggest that that’s a campaign of anger and divisiveness,” Mitt Romney said, referring to Barack Obama’s campaign in Sunday’s interview with US TV channel Fox News.

“That’s the kind of divisiveness that I think Americans recognize and I think it’s one of the reasons why his campaign, despite spending massively more than our campaign, that his campaign hasn’t gained the traction that he would have expected.”

Mitt Romney said the Democrats were now seeking to tie him to the remarks by embattled congressman Todd Akin, who sparked uproar by claiming women’s bodies could prevent pregnancy in cases of “legitimate rape”.

He described the remarks as “offensive and wrong”, urging the Missouri congressman to withdraw his candidacy for the Senate.

However, he admitted in Sunday’s interview that the controversy over the remarks “hurts our party and I think is damaging to women”.

Many voters do not yet feel they know Mitt Romney, and he will seek to boost his image at the Republican national convention in Tampa.

 

Total Recall revamp: Colin Farrell takes the lead as Doug Quaid

Sonia Pantiss
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Total Recall revamp: Colin Farrell takes the lead as Doug Quaid

Colin Farrell talks about how a remake of Total Recall got him back in the action saddle and the challenge of living up to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1990 original.

It was a mixture of fun and fear that convinced Colin Farrell to take on his first big-budget action movie in years, in a role made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

This year’s version of Total Recall casts the Irish actor as Douglas Quaid, an everyman living in the future after a chemical war has destroyed most of the earth.

Unsatisfied with life he pays a visit to “Rekall”, a company that specializes in implanting exciting false memories into people’s brains.

But as those who have seen the original will know – and those who haven’t may be able to guess – nothing is straightforward.

“I was a little bit skeptical, as one tends to get reading about remakes of films that people are very passionate about,” admits Colin Farrell.

“Total Recall is like Life of Brian for some people.”

Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel make a break from the bad guys who inhabit Rekall, the agency tasked with reinventing memories in Total Recall
Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel make a break from the bad guys who inhabit Rekall, the agency tasked with reinventing memories in Total Recall

But after finding the script “loads of fun” and falling in love with the “really beautiful world” director Len Wiseman had created, he jumped on board.

“It wasn’t like, <<I’m a serious actor, tell me why I need to be in this film>>,” he explains.

“I got the whole package and presentation.

“It’s a really big canvas, made for a much bigger audience, as opposed to the smaller films I’ve done in the last few years.

“I had an element of fear as well, because it had been so long since I’d done a big action film. So that kind of drew me towards it as well.”

Len Wiseman relocates the action from Mars back to Earth, with Kate Beckinsale taking the role of Quaid’s wife Lori that Sharon Stone took in the original.

So does Colin Farrell think they have pulled it off?

“Oh, I don’t know,” he sighs.

“It’s not a $125 million exercise in nostalgia, so I think there’s some people that made up their minds before a frame was shot.

“It wasn’t made for the purpose of trying to get away as far as possible. It just happened to tonally feel like a very different film, so I felt that it wasn’t repeating.”

Colin Farrell is full of Irish charm and light-hearted banter. But it seems he might still bear a few scars from his previous remake effort, horror movie Fright Night.

“You can’t do right for doing wrong with remakes,” he explains.

“I learned that the first time.

“You either rip something off too closely or you don’t put something in and people are like, <<I can’t believe they left that out!>>”

The actor says he can understand why movie-goers sometimes get frustrated with remakes.

“Film is a very nostalgic thing,” he said.

“If I heard one of the Indiana Jones or even The Goonies was being remade, I’d feel like someone was poking a finger of criticism at my youth in a way.

“It’s a strange one; it goes deep. I mean, it must go deep for the reaction sometimes.”

There are not many bigger action shoes to fill than those of Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Colin Farrell was in the frame from day one as far as Len Wiseman was concerned.

“I can’t help but picture somebody when I’m reading a screenplay. I have to put a face and a person to that voice and Colin was that person,” he explains.

“It was probably some of Colin’s bad-boy persona, mixed with the vulnerable side of him,” the director continues.

“There’s not that many people that have those together.”

These days Colin Farrell’s “bad-boy persona” seems to have been put to bed, with the actor now concentrating on being a father to his two sons and living a yoga-fuelled life in Los Angeles.

Co-star Jessica Biel, too, found solace in the discipline.

“We were so bruised up all the time,” says the actress, currently planning her wedding to singer Justin Timberlake.

“You really needed that kind of release after days of being strapped in a harness and hung from the ceiling and jumping across chasms.”

It was the “darker, more emotional” take on the story that persuaded Biel to play resistance fighter Melina, the woman Douglas Quaid sees in his dreams.

“The female characters are equally as strong, as intelligent and as capable as our main male character,” she says.

“Which is just kind of rare, honestly.”

“But unusual’s good, isn’t it?” comments Colin Farrell on the prominence of his female co-stars, while admitting it is “less nerve-wracking” to be fighting men.

“If I’m gonna miss my cue and connect with somebody’s face, I’d prefer it to be a dude than a woman,” he shrugs.

 

 

Samsung shares plunge after US jury orders $1BN in damages

Clyde K. Valle
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Samsung shares plunge after US jury orders $1BN in damages

Samsung Electronics shares have suffered their biggest fall in a single day in almost four years, after a US jury found the technology giant copied designs from Apple.

The South Korean company’s shares fell 7% in Seoul trading, the most since October 2008.

The company was ordered to pay $1.05 billion in damages to Apple, in one of the most significant rulings in a global intellectual property battle.

Samsung will appeal over the verdict.

Analysts said investors were worried that the ruling could affect revenues.

Samsung Electronics shares have suffered their biggest fall in a single day in almost four years, after a US jury found the technology giant copied designs from Apple
Samsung Electronics shares have suffered their biggest fall in a single day in almost four years, after a US jury found the technology giant copied designs from Apple

“An adjustment in the next few days is unavoidable as the damage amount was much bigger than market expectations, and there are further uncertainties, such as the possibility of a sales ban,” said John Park, from Daishin Securities.

Apple has said it will seek an injunction to block sales of Samsung products in the United States, a key market, at a court hearing on 20 September.

One of the biggest concerns for Samsung is whether Apple will now target the Galaxy S3, which was not included in the recent trial, as it focussed on older products.

The flagship product is Samsung’s best selling smartphone and if it is included in a US ban on sales that would give Apple a major advantage in the market, analysts said.

A nine-member jury in San Jose, California ruled on 24 August that Samsung had infringed Apple patents for mobile devices.

It was the most closely-watched of many similar patent disputes being contested in courts around the world between electronics manufacturers.

In recent weeks, a court in South Korea ruled that both Apple and Samsung had copied each other, while a British court dismissed claims by the American company that Samsung had infringed its copyrights.

 

Maria Pantazopoulos drowned during Trash the Dress photoshoot in a Quebec park

Diane A. Wade
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Maria Pantazopoulos drowned during Trash the Dress photoshoot in a Quebec park

Canadian bride Maria Pantazopoulos has drowned during a photoshoot as she posed in her wedding dress in water at a Quebec park.

Real estate agent Maria Pantazopoulos, 30, drowned after her dress got wet and she was dragged into the river near a “violently” rushing waterfall in Canada.

Friends said she had been taking part in an increasingly popular ritual called “Trash the Dress”, in which brides pose for pictures while playfully destroying their wedding gowns.

Maria Pantazopoulos slipped and fell into the Ouareau River near Dorwin Falls, north of Montreal, on Friday afternoon. Her body was found about two and a half hours later.

The newly-wed yelled: “I’m slipping, I’m slipping, I’m slipping,” before falling off the rock she was perched on for her wedding pictures, according to CBC.

Canadian bride Maria Pantazopoulos has drowned during a photoshoot as she posed in her wedding dress in water at a Quebec park
Canadian bride Maria Pantazopoulos has drowned during a photoshoot as she posed in her wedding dress in water at a Quebec park

Maria Pantazopoulos had commissioned the shoot following her June 9 wedding.

Family friend Leeza Pousoulidis said: “She’s a really fun girl, and she just didn’t want her wedding dress sitting in a box in the closet.

“She said: <<I want to have fun with my wedding dress. I want to have great pictures and memories of me in my wedding dress>>.”

Leeza Pousoulidis said her friend was “a strong, tough girl”.

“She was very petite, but she was strong in character and in physical strength as well,” Leeza Pousoulidis told the Montreal Gazette.

“She was very happy and caring. She had a big heart.”

Maria Pantazopoulos slipped while she was being photographed by Louis Pagakis, who told CTV Montreal that he did everything he could to save her.

“She had her wedding dress on and she said, <<take some pictures of me while I swim a little bit in the lake>>,” he said.

“She went in and her dress got heavy, I tried everything I could to save her.”

Quebec provincial police spokesman Sgt. Ronald McInnis described the site as being elevated and rocky, with water “violently” rushing below.

“She was doing the photo shoot in about six inches or one foot of water when part of her wedding dress got soaked and became extremely heavy,” Ronald McInnis said.

“She started slipping and falling down when the photographer grabbed her but she was too heavy that he couldn’t pull her from the edge.

“Another person tried to grab her but also was unable to save her from falling into the river.”

Ronald McInnis said Maria Pantazopoulos, from Laval, a small Island north of Montreal, was found 100 feet from where she fell by a private diver who knows the river and volunteered to help with the search.

The diver pulled the young woman’s body from an area of the river which was 20 feet deep.

“She had sunk to the bottom,” Ronald McInnis said.

Two witnesses, believed to be the photographer and an assistant, were hospitalized for extreme shock.

Ronald McInnis said the bride’s husband was not present for the photo-shoot and neither were any family members.

However, her cousins and her brother went to the site when they heard that she had fallen.

“It’s horrible,” Ronald McInnis said.

“This is the first time I’ve heard of a story like that. I told my partner, this is a story that is going to go all around the world.”

Maria Pantazopoulos wanted the fun photos taken at the falls, perched on the rocks in her gown, Marco Michaud, a colleague of the photographer taking the pictures told CBC.

She chose the beautiful site, located near the small city of Rawdon, as the backdrop.

Maria Pantazopoulos’s family has declined to speak to the media.

 

Clot nets may be the future of stroke care

Kathryn R. Bown
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Clot nets may be the future of stroke care

According to two studies, using small nets to extract blood clots from patients’ brains may be the future of stroke care.

Clots block blood vessels, starving parts of the brain of oxygen, which leads to symptoms such as paralysis and loss of speech.

Two studies, presented in the Lancet medical journal, suggest extracting clots with nets could improve recovery.

The Stroke Association said it was very excited by the treatment’s potential.

There are already techniques for reopening blocked blood vessels in people’s brains.

Some patients will be given “clot-busting” drugs, but this needs to be in the hours just after the stroke and is not suitable for everyone.

Other techniques have been developed to extract the clot. Some procedures pass a tube up through the groin to the brain. There the wire passes through the clot, forming a coil on the far side and then pulling the clot out. However, this is far from routine practice.

Clots block blood vessels, starving parts of the brain of oxygen, which leads to symptoms such as paralysis and loss of speech
Clots block blood vessels, starving parts of the brain of oxygen, which leads to symptoms such as paralysis and loss of speech

The latest methods involve a tiny wire cage instead of a coil. This pushes the clot up against the walls of the artery and enmeshes the clot in the wires, allowing doctors to pull the clot back out of the groin.

Two similar devices were compared with the current coil methods. One trial of 113 patients showed 58% had good brain function after three months, compared with 33% of those treated with the coil method, as well as a lower death rate.

Another study in 178 patients showed almost double the chance of living independently after treatment.

One of the researchers involved, Prof. Jeffrey Saver from the University of California, Los Angeles, said these techniques would become more common, as they are more likely to clear clots than drugs.

“Clot-busting drugs only partially reopen 40% of large blocked arteries. These devices partially reopen 70-90% of large blocked arteries.

“Second, these devices can be used in patients in whom it is not safe to give ‘clot busting’ drugs, such as patients taking anticoagulant medications, patients who had recent surgery, and patients who are between 4.5 to eight hours after stroke onset.”

In the long term he can see drugs being used as a first option and then clot removal if the drugs fail or cannot be used.

Responding to the research, the Stoke Association’s Dr. Clare Walton said clot-busters did not work for all patients so new techniques could help many patients.

She added: “Clot retrieval devices have the potential to be used with more stroke patients and are better at removing blood clots than clot-busting drugs.

“We are very excited about this potential new treatment and look forward to further developments.”

Dr. Philip Gorelick, from Michigan State University, said the studies were “major steps forward in the successful treatment of acute ischaemic stroke, and pave the way for new treatment options”.

The research was published to coincide with a European Society of Cardiology meeting in Munich.

 

Tropical Storm Isaac: Florida makes final preparations for the storm

Diane A. Wade
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Tropical Storm Isaac: Florida makes final preparations for the storm

People in southern Florida have been making final preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac, as it barrels to the US.

Hundreds of flights and sailings have been cancelled, high winds have already caused power cuts and oil rigs are facing possible closures.

Other US states are also on alert as forecasters warn that Isaac could strengthen further.

The storm has already caused havoc in the Caribbean, killing at least six in Haiti and bringing floods to Cuba.

The National Hurricane Center said the storm was moving at about 20 mph (30km/h) towards Florida’s southern tip, and was expected to begin battering the coastline during the day on Sunday.

It was packing sustained winds of 65 mph.

People in southern Florida have been making final preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac, as it barrels to the US
People in southern Florida have been making final preparations for Tropical Storm Isaac, as it barrels to the US

Residents of the Florida Keys, a thin island chain connected to the mainland by a single road, have been driving north all weekend.

They are well-used to the ritual of storm preparation, and many have boarded up their homes and businesses in preparation.

A few bars and restaurants stayed open late on Saturday to serve small groups of tourists and locals willing to risk the storm.

“We’ll just catch every place that’s open,” holidaymaker Ted Lamarche told the AP news agency.

Hurricane watches were put in place along the coastlines of western Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and south-eastern Louisiana.

Florida Governor Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to make sure emergency services would be ready when the storm hit.

The Republican Party has been forced to delay the start of its national convention in the western Florida city of Tampa because of the storm.

The eye of the storm is forecast to hit the US coastline further north, but with its effects felt up to 230 miles away, Tampa is expecting a soaking and powerful winds.

The Republican party, which is due to formally nominate Mitt Romney as its presidential candidate during the meeting, said the convention would begin on Tuesday, a day later than planned.

 

Jerry Nelson, voice of Sesame Street’s Count von Count, dies aged 78

Sonia Pantiss
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Jerry Nelson, voice of Sesame Street’s Count von Count, dies aged 78

Jerry Nelson, the puppeteer and voice of Sesame Street’s Count von Count, has died aged 78.

Jerry Nelson worked for more than 40 years on numerous projects featuring Jim Henson’s Muppets, including the TV series Fraggle Rock.

He suffered from emphysema and died on Thursday in Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

A Sesame Workshop statement said he would be remembered for “the laughter he brought to children worldwide”.

Jerry Nelson, the puppeteer and voice of Sesame Street's Count von Count, has died aged 78
Jerry Nelson, the puppeteer and voice of Sesame Street's Count von Count, has died aged 78

Jerry Nelson was born in Oklahoma, in the US, and raised in Washington DC.

He began puppeteering for Bil Baird, who produced and performed the puppetry sequence for The Lonely Goatherd in the film version of The Sound of Music.

Jerry Nelson’s first job with the Muppets was The Jimmy Dean Show in 1965 – replacing Frank Oz as Rowlf the Dog’s right hand.

He went on to work again with Jim Henson on Sesame Street, going on to animate some of the long-running show’s best-loved characters including Mr. Snuffleupaguss.

But it was his mathematics-obsessed Count von Count, modelled on Bela Lugosi’s interpretation of Count Dracula, with which he became most closely associated.

He continued to voice the character from 1972 until his death, though he ceased operating the puppet in 2004.

Jerry Nelson also performed many other characters on The Muppet Show, including Pigs in Space star Dr. Julius Strangepork, the boomerang fish-throwing Lew Zealand, and Kermit the Frog’s nephew Robin the Frog.

The Sesame Workshop said: “He will forever be in our hearts and remembered for the artistry in his puppetry, his music, and the laughter he brought to children worldwide through his portrayal of Count von Count, Herry Monster, Fat Blue, Sherlock Hemlock, the Amazing Mumford and many other beloved characters.

“We will miss his extraordinary spirit and the joy he brought to our Street.”

Paying tribute on its Facebook page, Lisa Henson, CEO of the Jim Henson Company, added: “Jerry Nelson imbued all his characters with the same gentle, sweet whimsy and kindness that were a part of his own personality.

“He joined The Jim Henson Company in the earliest years, and his unique contributions to the worlds of Fraggles, Muppets, Sesame Street and so many others are, and will continue to be, unforgettable.”

 

 

Beige Illusion Jeans: Asda trousers that will make you look a size smaller

Lisa.Felice
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Beige Illusion Jeans: Asda trousers that will make you look a size smaller

Celebrities including Miranda Kerr and actress Melanie Griffith have been spotted creating the illusion of a skinnier size thanks to a dark panel down the side of the trousers.

Now all British women will get a chance to try out the effect, thanks to a £16 ($25) version on sale at Asda.

The beige Illusion Jeans are designed to slim and elongate legs by drawing the eye down the length of the body.

Asda created the jeans, available in sizes 8 to 24, for its George range after a quarter of women aged 16 to 70 said their legs were their main body hang-up.

Designer Kausar Mitha said: “The panel is slightly wider at the top, around the hip and thigh area, and then tapers down the leg.

“This is because women’s widest point is at the top of thigh. The panel draws the eye in and then follows the contour of the body, which creates an illusion of slimmer legs and hips.

“We tried five different-sized panels and this was the one that made the wearer look most svelte. The jeans are also made from stretch cotton, which gives a more toned look. The vertical panel adds an illusion of extra length.”

Miranda Kerr has been spotted creating the illusion of a skinnier size thanks to a dark panel down the side of the trousers
Miranda Kerr has been spotted creating the illusion of a skinnier size thanks to a dark panel down the side of the trousers

The trousers are Asda’s latest addition to a line that began with the Illusion dress in April.

The frock, which sold out within a week, was followed by the Illusion swimsuit in May. Next month, the retailer will launch a pair of Illusion jeans in blue with a black stripe on the inside thigh, for those who feel this is their problem area.

Victoria’s Secret model Miranda Kerr was spotted last month in a pair of beige-and-black trousers similar to the Asda jeans, while actress Melanie Griffith was recently pictured in a black-and-white version.

Kate Winslet kicked off the trend for optical-illusion clothing when she wore a white-and-nude dress with black panelling to the premiere of Mildred Pierce at the Venice Film Festival last September. Since then, a host of celebrities – from Kate Moss to actress Liv Tyler – have donned the flattering dresses.

Kausar Mitha said: “We have had lots of customer demands for slimming clothes. Legs are always a focus point that people are not happy with so we wanted to give them a product that made them appear a dress size smaller and gave a smoother silhouette.

“Lots of celebrities have been wearing illusion clothes recently. We wanted to give our customers something similar but affordable.”

George brand director Fiona Lambert said: “Shopping for jeans that look and feel great can be hard for women. George has come to the rescue, using clever design to create something flattering in a staple wardrobe item for every woman.”

However, critics last night labelled the burgeoning market in slimming clothing “dangerous”.

Image consultant Angela Marshall, owner of Appearance Management, said: “There is a lot of pressure to be thin. Even very slim celebrities are wearing clothes designed to make them look even smaller. This sends out a dangerous message.

“The trend for slimming clothes has gone too far. A lot of designers don’t even know how to make clothes for a curvy shape.

“I wish the fashion industry would let people be what they are born with. We need to start celebrating healthy bodies.”

 

Two businessmen spend $16,000 on two bottles of ’82 Petrus at 21 Club in New York

Diane A. Wade
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Two businessmen spend $16,000 on two bottles of ’82 Petrus at 21 Club in New York

Two business associates visiting New York City spent $16,640 on two bottles of Petrus ’82 wine alone at 21 Club.

The pair’s waiter said he had to do everything he could to keep his jaw from crashing to the ground when they ordered the second bottle.

“He said: <<Bring us another one>>”, the 21 Club’s wine director Phil Pratt told the New York Post.

“At that point, you smile, and you try not to jump up and down and wave your arms too much.”

“It’s one of the most famous wines in the world,” he said.

Two business associates visiting New York City spent $16,640 on two bottles of Petrus '82 wine alone at 21 Club
Two business associates visiting New York City spent $16,640 on two bottles of Petrus '82 wine alone at 21 Club

The landmark speakeasy restaurant says it has sold only five similar bottles in the last three decades.

With the two bottles’ sale to the first-time diners this past May, “21” reports having only three left in their cellar after ordering 12 when the bottles first came out.

“It’s not a wine we normally sell,” said Phil Pratt who was especially stunned when the diners ordered the bottles on what felt like a pure whim.

However, he added: “The gentleman knew what he was ordering.”

They accompanied the first bottle with appetizers of a house caesar salad and peekytoe crab salad.

Once their appetizers were finished, Phil Pratt said he was summoned over again, with the couple’s request to bask on a second bottle over plates of dover sole and steelhead salmon.

“It was a little strange, especially when one of the guys was drinking coffee throughout the meal, too. But I don’t judge. It’s their money; they can do what they want with it. If he wants Coca-Cola in his wine, I’m OK with that,” Phil Pratt told the Post.

Despite an obvious world-wide desire for the wine, and the restaurant’s remaining few bottles possibly rising in price, Phil Pratt told the Post that he doesn’t expect them to stock up on more.

He said counterfeit wine is largely to blame.

“There’s an old saying that more bottles of ’82 Petrus have been sold in Las Vegas than ever existed,” he said.

It’s a risk he said they’d rather not take with their continuing purchase.

The men’s check closed at $18,736.18, with a $400 gratuity and two complimentary cookies thrown in on the side.

 

Snooki gives birth to a baby boy named Lorenzo Dominic LaValle

Lisa.Felice
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Snooki gives birth to a baby boy named Lorenzo Dominic LaValle

Snooki has given birth this morning to a baby boy at a New Jersey hospital.

Jersey Shore star and her fiancé, Jionni LaValle have called their first child Lorenzo Dominic LaValle, and he weighs a healthy 6 lbs, 5oz.

The reality TV star tweeted after the birth: “I am SO IN LOVE with my son Lorenzo Dominic ! I had my little man last night, healthy at 6lbs! HE’S MY WORLD!”

Snooki later gushed: “Being a mom is an amazing feeling!!! I love my little man to death! Jionni is such a cute dad.”

A representative for Snooki told MTV: “The world just got another Guido!!!”

The musicchannel congratulated their biggest star and said: “We couldn’t be happier for Nicole and Jionni on the healthy delivery of their baby boy!

“We look forward to Lorenzo’s first trip to the Jersey Shore and can’t wait to see his first animal print onesie.”

Snooki and her fiancé, Jionni LaValle have called their first child Lorenzo Dominic LaValle
Snooki and her fiancé, Jionni LaValle have called their first child Lorenzo Dominic LaValle

Snooki went into labor this morning and simultaneously tweeted a picture with the caption “fierce”.

Luckily it wasn’t of her, but rather of a trio of big cats – a lion, tiger and cheetah.

The news of her labor emerged after Snooki was seen checking into the maternity unit at her local hospital.

TMZ confirmed the reports: “We’re told she is at a hospital in New Jersey now and is expected to deliver her little meatball to the world some time in the near future.”

Earlier in the day Snooki had written: “I’m a balloon waiting to pop” as she prepared for the birth of her first child.

Snooki,and fiancé Jionni LaValle announced that they were to be parents in May.

They revealed that they were expecting a boy, which they planned to name Lorenzo.

Earlier this week, Snooki admitted she was feeling apprehensive about becoming a parent for the first time.

She told In Touch Weekly magazine: “I’m nervous that I’m not going to be a good mom. I just really hope I know what I’m doing!”

Snooki even said that while she had become famous for her partying and drinking on Jersey Shore, her pregnancy is crazier than anything she experienced throughout her time on the MTV show.

She said: “At the Shore you’re going to hook up, get into a fight or go to jail. You only have three options. But being pregnant you have no idea what’s going on!”

After the birth she also has plenty of work planned, with her MTV spin-off series alongside castmate Jennifer J-WOWW Farley recently picked up for a second season.

However, next time around, the show will now relocate to a large house on Johnson Avenue, in Manchester, New Jersey.

 

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