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iBrain, the NeuroVigil device that may be able to read thoughts, tested on Prof. Stephen Hawking

James J. Williams
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iBrain, the NeuroVigil device that may be able to read thoughts, tested on Prof. Stephen Hawking

iBrain, a new device invented by Dr. Philip Low, CEO of California-based NeuroVigil, which was designed for sleep monitoring, may also be able to help people to convey messages merely by thinking them.

The gizmo “reads” brain wave patterns – and has been tested by renowned British physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, who is paralyzed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Prof. Stephen Hawking is testing the tiny device that could, just possibly, allow him to “speak again” – reading his thoughts directly from his brain.

“We’d like to find a way to bypass his body, pretty much hack his brain,” NeuroVigil’s founder, Philip Low, told KGTV San Diego.

Dr. Philip Low told The New York Times: “The iBrain can collect data in real time in a person’s own bed, or when they’re watching TV, or doing just about anything.

“The idea is to see if Stephen can use his mind to create a consistent and repeatable pattern that a computer can translate into, say, a word or letter or a command for a computer.”

iBrain, which was designed for sleep monitoring, may also be able to help people to convey messages merely by thinking them
iBrain, which was designed for sleep monitoring, may also be able to help people to convey messages merely by thinking them

The paper explained that the algorithm used by iBrain, which Dr. Philip Low calls “Spears”, was indeed able to translate Prof. Stephen Hawking’s thoughts into individual signals.

Dr. Philip Low plans on making further investigations into this aspect of the iBrain’s capabilities, but in the meantime, it’s being used as one of the most effective diagnostic tools for sleep researchers money can buy.

The science for such a development looks promising.

Last summer Dr. Philip Low flew to Cambridge, UK, and personally tested the device on Prof. Stephen Hawking.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, has left the astrophysicist almost entirely unable to control his body. Stephen Hawking moves and communicates in painfully slow fashion, using an infrared scanner that picks up tiny twitches in his cheek muscles and translates them into words with complex computer programs.

Stephen Hawking, 70, is losing his ability to use even those muscles as his disorder advances.

Fitted with the iBrain device, which is a black headband with a series of neurotransmitters that sit against the cranium, Stephen Hawking was told to concentrate hard on several simple actions, such as forming his hand into a fist.

Dr. Philip Low recorded the brain waves that the iBrain picked up from the actions and fed the results into his extensive mind-reading algorithm, called Spears.

With enough research, Philip Low believes he can develop software that will convert these brain waves into thoughts, and allow them to be translated into letters words and sentences.

Eventually, it might be possible to carry on entire conversations using only the iBrain and computer translation software hooked up to speakers, Dr. Philip Low told the New York Times.

But for now, the machine has plenty of practical applications.

Swiss drugmaker Hoffmann La Roche is working with NeuroVigil to develop software that will allow the device to monitor how drugs on working in the brain.

Dr. Philip Low says it’s a key step toward creating highly-effective personalized medication.

It can also be used to simply and quickly diagnose autism, sleep apnea, depression and other disorders that affect the brain.

 

Mirlande Wilson claims that the winning Mega Millions ticket is hidden in the McDonald’s restaurant

Diane A. Wade
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Mirlande Wilson claims that the winning Mega Millions ticket is hidden in the McDonald’s restaurant

Mirlande Wilson, the woman who claims to be one of the three lucky winners of Friday’s Mega Millions, had previously refused to say where she had hidden her “winning ticket”, and would only reveal it was “some place safe”.

Mirlande Wilson, 37, from Baltimore, Maryland, has now told the New York Post the winning ticket is hidden somewhere in the McDonald’s restaurant where she works.

Despite the fact her coworkers, who claim the ticket was among a pool they organized to split the jackpot, are out for her blood and are more than likely searching the Milford Mill branch from top to bottom for the golden ticket, Mirlande Wilson assures they will not find it.

“I left my ticket there and it’s somewhere safe that only I know about,” Mirlande wilson told the Post, though revealed it was not in the company safe along with those bought for the workplace pool.

“I’m waiting for things to calm down so I can go back to McDonald’s and get it. The people there are too excited. I want their heads to cool down before I go back.”

But her coworkers aren’t so sure Mirlande Wilson is telling the truth.

The manager at the McDonald’s branch said: “That’s impossible. She didn’t come back here.”

Another colleague told the Post: “I don’t believe her. I didn’t believe her from the beginning, she’s always been strange.

“She’s an attention seeker. She likes to have all the attention on herself.”

Mirlande Wilson claims that the winning ticket is hidden somewhere in the McDonald's restaurant where she works
Mirlande Wilson claims that the winning ticket is hidden somewhere in the McDonald's restaurant where she works

On her Facebook page, Mirlande Wilson has pledged to donate all of the winnings to rebuild her earthquake-ravaged native Haiti.

Mirlande Wilson wrote: “All my true friend know im not greedy a person [sic] i don’t want da money it made my life a living hell already im gonna give it all to rebuild haiti yall [sic] can chase all want my life and, my children it more important for money [sic].”

Mirlande Wilson held her own news conference last night where a lawyer pleaded that his client “be allowed to return to a normal life”, according to Wsbt.com.

Lawyer Edward Smith Jr. asked the media to leave his client alone. Mirlande Wilson said little, only confirming that she is originally from Haiti.

The attorney said the attention had caused his client’s blood pressure to spike. He said he was hired to protect her in case she was sued.

When asked if Mirlande Wilson had hidden her ticket inside the McDonald’s where she worked, the attorney said he did not know where the ticket was.

Mirlande Wilson told NBC she gave all of her coworkers the copies of the tickets for the pool and the winning ticket was not among them.

Instead she claims to have sent a friend to buy more tickets later that day and the winning one was among them.

“McDonald’s don’t have nothing to do with this,” she insisted.

“They don’t have nothing to do with – they don’t even know about it and they don’t even have nothing to do with this. It’s only us by ourself [sic].”

Lottery executives said they cannot confirm who the lucky three ticket holders are in Maryland, Kansas and Illinois until they come forward.

Mirlande Wilson has yet to produce a ticket, leaving Mega Millions officials skeptical.

Stephen Martino, Maryland lottery director, told ABC: “We don’t know any more than the public or media does and it’s all speculation and we’re not going to get involved in that.”

Another official added: “It’s probably not this person.”

 

Drinking beer is not the main cause of a “beer belly”, but is associated with overall fatness

Kathryn R. Bown
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Drinking beer is not the main cause of a “beer belly”, but is associated with overall fatness

A German study has revealed that drinking beer is not the main cause of a “beer belly”, although it can contribute to overall fatness.

The research team from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbrücke, Fulda University of Applied Sciences and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden analyzed the weight as well as the hip and waist measurements of nearly 20,000 people over four years.

Participants were asked to detail how much beer they drank and what else they consumed each day.

Their beer consumption was placed into a number of categories, from “very light” to “heavy”.

The researchers concluded that their study “does not support the common belief of a site-specific effect of beer on the abdomen, the beer belly”.

“Beer consumption seems to be rather associated with an increase in overall body fatness,” the research team wrote in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

A German study has revealed that drinking beer is not the main cause of a “beer belly”, although it can contribute to overall fatness
A German study has revealed that drinking beer is not the main cause of a “beer belly”, although it can contribute to overall fatness

Women were placed in four categories from “no beer” to “moderate drinkers”. Men were put in five categories from “no beer” to “heavy drinkers”.

For women, “moderate” meant consuming at least 250 ml of beer a day. For men, “moderate” meant 500 to 1000ml a day.

Their estimates were based on the size of a typical bottle of beer in Germany.

A beer belly was defined as one that bulges distinctly as the waist and was proportionally large in comparison to hip measurement and body size.

The scientists concluded that beer consumption did lead to a rise in waist size, but that this was closely related to overall weight gain in both men and women.

A study in the Czech Republic, published in 2003 in the same medical journal, went as far as to say that drinking beer by itself does not cause much change in weight.

However, the scientists involved in the German study believe that the Czech research was flawed.

 

Athens clashes between protesters and riot police after pensioner suicide beside parliament

Diane A. Wade
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Athens clashes between protesters and riot police after pensioner suicide beside parliament

New clashes between Greek protesters and riot police took place in Athens, hours after a pensioner shot himself dead outside parliament.

The 77-year-old man killed himself in the city’s busy Syntagma Square on Wednesday morning.

Greek media reported he had left a suicide note accusing the government of cutting his pension to nothing.

Flowers have been laid at the spot where he died and tributes have been paid online.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the square outside parliament on Wednesday evening, the scene of many large protests in recent months.

Violence erupted, with petrol bombs hurled at police, who fired tear gas in response.

New clashes between Greek protesters and riot police took place in Athens, hours after a pensioner shot himself dead outside parliament
New clashes between Greek protesters and riot police took place in Athens, hours after a pensioner shot himself dead outside parliament

Depression and suicides are reported to have increased in Greece as the country introduces tough austerity measures to deal with huge debts.

The man has not been officially identified but was named in Greek media as Dimitris Christoulas. He was said to be a retired chemist, with a wife and a daughter, who had sold his pharmacy in 1994.

The man shot himself in the central square just before 09:00, Athens News reports.

In the alleged suicide note, found by police and reported by Athens News, he said: “The government has annihilated all traces for my survival, which was based on a very dignified pension that I alone paid for 35 years with no help from the state.

“And since my advanced age does not allow me a way of dynamically reacting… I see no other solution than this dignified end to my life, so I don’t find myself fishing through garbage cans for my sustenance.”

Dozens of people left handwritten messages and flowers at the spot where Dimitris Christoulas killed himself.

One of the notes, pinned to the tree, read “Enough is enough”, while another said “Who will be the next victim?”

Later, as night fell, the demonstrations degenerated into clashes as activists threw rocks and petrol bombs at police, who responded with tear gas and flash grenades.

Prime Minister Lucas Papademos issued a statement calling the death “tragic”.

“In these difficult hours for our society we must all – the state and the citizens – support the people among us who are desperate.”

Government spokesman Pantelis Kapsis called the suicide a “human tragedy” but said “the exact circumstances” were unknown.

Evangelos Venizelos, head of the socialist Pasok party that holds a majority in the coalition government, called on colleagues to refrain from “political commentary” and “show solidarity and togetherness”.

Antonis Samaras, head of the conservative New Democracy party, said politicians must do more to “help Greeks escape from despair”.

Drastic austerity measures have been imposed on Greece to meet the terms of a huge eurozone financial bailout needed to save the country from bankruptcy.

Thousands of civil service jobs have been cut, taxes raised and there have been reductions in pay, benefits and pensions.

Suicides increased by 18% in 2010 from the previous year, according to Reuters news agency. The number of suicides in Athens alone rose over 25% last year.

 [youtube 1_E4f1kcqjk]

Cissy Houston “devastated” over Whitney Houston final autopsy report’s findings

Lisa.Felice
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Cissy Houston “devastated” over Whitney Houston final autopsy report’s findings

Cissy Houston has been left “devastated” and “inconsolable” over the L.A. County Coroner’s Autopsy Report that makes it clear Whitney Houston was deep into cocaine when she died.

Cissy Houston, 78, was telling close friends she cried hysterically when she first heard about the Coroner’s findings – that white powder (which was tested positive for cocaine), a drug spoon and other trappings of drug use were found in Whitney’s hotel room.

Whitney Houston’s mother says her biggest fear is that people will now remember her daughter as a druggie, and not a talented singer and family woman.

Cissy Houston says her biggest fear is that people will now remember Whitney Houston as a druggie, and not a talented singer and family woman
Cissy Houston says her biggest fear is that people will now remember Whitney Houston as a druggie, and not a talented singer and family woman

Cissy Houston singled out Whitney’s performance of the National Anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, saying: “This is the type of thing people should remember Whitney for.“

Cissy Houston added: “No one’s perfect. Only the Lord can judge.”

 

 

Whitney Houston autopsy report revealed the sordid end of the superstar

Lisa.Felice
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Whitney Houston autopsy report revealed the sordid end of the superstar

Whitney Houston’s detailed autopsy report has finally been released.

According to the autopsy report, Whitney Houston’s body was discovered face down in the bath tub and “her eyes were congested and there was a bloody purge coming from her nose”.

The document reads that there was “superficial abrasions to the left side of her forehead and the bridge of her nose”. The singer also had cuts on her left arm, hand and shoulder.

It was a sordid end for Whitney Houston, and officials insist there were absolutely no signs of foul play.

Whitney Houston's detailed autopsy report has finally been released
Whitney Houston's detailed autopsy report has finally been released

The officials do note that the water in the bath where Whitney Houston was found, with some evidence of trauma including a cut lip, was “extremely hot”.

Not surprisingly, Whitney Houston, who was due to attend her mentor Clive Davis’ Grammy Party at the same hotel that night, had scald marks on her back.

The report also confirms details of the drug paraphernalia found amidst the minutiae of the diva’s final hours.

There was a “spoon with a white crystal-like substance on it” and a “white powdery substance” which was later tested and determined to be cocaine in the late singer’s hotel room.

The report, which gives a detailed description of the state of the Beverly Hilton hotel room when officials arrived reads: “Located on the south portion of the counter was a small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper, along with other miscellaneous items.

“Located in the top drawer, in the north side of the counter were remnants of a white powdery substance, and a portable mirror on a base.”

Officials found more white powder on the base of the mirror.

It also reveals the probable cause of death: “[Whitney Houston] possibly overdosed on a narcotic substance, prescription medications, over the counter medications and alcohol.”

Whitney Houston autopsy report Page1
Whitney Houston autopsy report Page1
Whitney Houston autopsy report Page2
Whitney Houston autopsy report Page2
Whitney Houston autopsy report Page3
Whitney Houston autopsy report Page3

Singer Whitney Elisebeth Houston was pronounced dead at 15:55 but almost six hours later at twenty-five to ten at night, the temperature in the bathtub was still 93.5 F.

The level of Whitney Houston’s drug abuse was evident due to a “perforation of posterior nasal septum”.

The report also notes that when officials discovered the body, Whitney Houston was wearing a brown wig “tightly attached to the hair”.

The wig was removed revealing a full head of wavy black hair with “no balding”.

Whitney Houston also had traces of marijuana in her system as well as Xanax (anxiety medication), Flexeril (muscle relaxer) and Benadryl (allergy medication).

The report also describes a plastic bag ripped open with pills spilling out, medication bottles and an ashtray with cigarette butts all over the place.

When Whitney Houston’s official cause of death was released in March her heart disease was mentioned, but the new detailed report also cites that she had a hole in her septum and that she was suffering from mild emphysema.

Kristy McCracken of the Beverly Hills Police Department also noticed an old needle puncture wound on Whitney Houston’s inner left elbow.

On the day she died, Whitney Houston complained of a sore throat, so she decided to take a bath in at her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton before getting ready for Clive Davis’ party.

The singer’s assistant left Whitney Houston to run an errand at department store Neiman Marcus.

When the assistant returned to Whitney Houston’s room around 3:35 p.m. on Saturday February 11, the singer was lying face down in the bathtub in approximately 13-inches of water.

Whitney Houston case report
Whitney Houston case report

She was pulled out of the tub by her assistant and bodyguard so resuscitation attempts could be made.

Whitney Houston was found to be well-nourished, with a thick head of hair and scars from breast implant surgery.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Whitney Houston’s 19-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, is facing intervention from her family and friends.

Bobbi Kristina Brown has allegedly turned to pills and marijuana to help her cope with the trauma of her mother’s death.

According to the Star magazine, Bobbi Kristina Brown’s aunt Pat Houston recently arranged for several close family members and friends of the youngster to speak to her about her substance use, but their words fell on deaf ears.

A source said: “Everyone is worried sick about Krissy … her aunt Pat got a number of her friends and family to come to Atlanta and have a serious talk with her about her sobriety. There were lots of tears, but Bobbi Kristina didn’t listen.”

Patricia Houston has even asked Whitney’s long-term mentor Clive Davis to speak to Bobbi Kristina- whose father is the late singer’s ex-husband Bobby Brown – about her problems.

The source added: “Clive keeps telling Bobbi she needs to go to rehab, and that if she does, he’ll help launch her music career. He’s doing everything he can.”

Whitney Houston investigator's report Page 1
Whitney Houston investigator's report Page 1

 

Whitney Houston investigator's report Page 2
Whitney Houston investigator's report Page 2

Five New Orleans policemen sentenced in Katrina Danziger Bridge shootings case

Diane A. Wade
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Five New Orleans policemen sentenced in Katrina Danziger Bridge shootings case

Five former New Orleans police officers, who shot dead two unarmed civilians and wounded another four on a bridge in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, have been jailed.

The prison terms range from six to 65 years for the shootings on the Danziger Bridge in September 2005.

Four of the officers were found guilty of firearms offences and the fifth was jailed for helping the cover-up.

The officers planted a gun and fabricated witnesses and false reports to make the shootings appear justified.

Robert Faulcon, 48, received the longest sentence of 65 years; Kenneth Bowen, 38, and Robert Gisevius, 39, received 40 years each; and Anthony Villavaso, 35, was sentenced to 38 years in prison.

Retired Sgt Arthur Kaufman, 55, the officer who was assigned to investigate the shootings, received a six-year prison sentence for helping to co-ordinate the cover-up.

Robert Faulcon received the longest sentence of 65 years, Robert Gisevius and Kenneth Bowen received 40 years each and Anthony Villavaso was sentenced to 38 years in prison
Robert Faulcon received the longest sentence of 65 years, Robert Gisevius and Kenneth Bowen received 40 years each and Anthony Villavaso was sentenced to 38 years in prison

On 4 September 2005, the police responded to a distress call from officers at Danziger Bridge, reporting gunfire.

The officers opened fire with assault rifles and a shotgun at an unarmed family walking on the bridge and at a man fleeing the scene.

A New Orleans couple, their daughter, and their nephew, were wounded and a family friend, 17-year-old James Brissette, was killed.

Ronald Madison, 40, who had mental and physical disabilities, also died on the bridge. He was shot in the back with a shotgun as he ran away.

It took five years to establish the details of what happened on the bridge.

Arthur Kaufman is the only officer who was not already imprisoned when the sentences were handed down. He is due to report to prison on 23 May, the Times Picayune newspaper reports.

The courtroom was packed with relatives and friends of the victims and policemen.

The case was part of a wider effort from the Department of Justice to clean up the New Orleans Police Department.

Hurricane Katrina battered through the city’s poorly maintained levees on 29 August 2005, flooding most of the city and stranding thousands of people on rooftops.

 

Project Glass: the augmented reality glasses from Google

Nancy Clayson
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Project Glass: the augmented reality glasses from Google

Google has revealed details of Project Glass, the augmented reality glasses.

It posted a brief introduction to Project Glass, photos and a concept video at its Google+ social network.

The images show a minimalist design with a microphone and partly-transparent video screen that places information over the view from the users’ right eye.

The product’s developers said they wanted feedback on the idea.

They did not give any indication about when the device might go on sale or what it would cost.

“A group of us… started Project Glass to build this kind of technology, one that helps you explore and share your world, putting you back in the moment,” said a statement from Google X – the firm’s experimental lab.

“We’re sharing this information now because we want to start a conversation and learn from your valuable input.”

Google has revealed details of Project Glass, the augmented reality glasses
Google has revealed details of Project Glass, the augmented reality glasses

The video suggests icons offering 14 different services will be offered to the user when the glasses are first put on, including information about the weather, their location and diary appointments.

It appears that several of these services are either triggered by an action taken by the user or the situation they are in.

The film shows one user being reminded he has a date that evening when he looks up at a blank wall, and then warns him that there is a 10% chance it will rain when he looks out of the window.

An alert pops up when a friend sends a text asking if he wants to meet up later in the day. When the user dictates a reply a microphone symbol is superimposed over much of his view.

Other functions include Google Maps showing a route to the wearer’s destination with small arrows keeping him on track, the ability to take a photo of what he is looking at with an option to share it with friends, and a video conference service.

The glasses are also shown to allow music and other audio to be heard, although they do not appear to include earphones.

There had been lots of speculation about the project with some reports describing it as an “open secret”, but this is the first time Google has confirmed details of what it was working on.

The New York Times had previously suggested that the first set of glasses would go on sale before the end of the year for somewhere between $250-$600 – but experts say that the technology shown in the video may still be some way off being ready for market.

Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group Europe, said other tech firms such as Brother had attempted to pioneer the concept – but became unstuck because their versions had required users to carry separate processing and battery equipment that plugged into their glasses.

“There are huge opportunities for tailored advertising with augmented reality systems – especially if they have in-built GPS location tracking,” he said.

“The monetization opportunities would be enormous – but there are still big issues involved with shrinking the technology and making the computer that receives and processes the data truly portable.”

Google may have competition if it works out how to shrink the electronics involved.

In 2008, Apple patented a laser-based “head mounted display system” that it suggested could stream video from its iPod among other features.

More recently, Patent Bolt revealed that Sony and Microsoft have patented ideas to create miniture displays to go over users’ eyes.

They were described as being suitable for “gaming and beyond”.

Google has previously revealed details of futuristic concepts years before they are ready for market.

The firm announced in 2010 that it had tested a self-driving car on the streets of California – but has not said when it might start selling such vehicles.

 [youtube 9c6W4CCU9M4]

 

Five suspected 9/11 attacks planners set for Guantanamo Bay trial

Diane A. Wade
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Five suspected 9/11 attacks planners set for Guantanamo Bay trial

Five suspected al-Qaeda militants believed to have planned the 9/11 terror attacks have been formally sent to trial by the United States.

The five Guantanamo Bay inmates, including alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will be tried by a military commission.

The suspects will face charges including terrorism, hijacking, conspiracy, murder and destruction of property.

They could face the death penalty if found guilty, the Pentagon confirmed.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the four others – Waleed bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali and Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi – are expected to be tried together, the Pentagon added.

They are accused of planning and executing the terror attacks of 11 September 2001, which saw hijacked planes strike New York, Washington and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

A total of 2,976 people died in the attacks.

The five suspects are to hear their charges read out before a military court within 30 days, and are expected to be asked to enter a plea.

The decision to refer the charges to a military commission comes after a lengthy legal wrangle over where the five men would face justice.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in March 2003 and has been detained at Guantanamo Bay since 2006
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in March 2003 and has been detained at Guantanamo Bay since 2006

In 2009 the Obama administration tried to move their trial into US civilian courts, but reversed its decision in April 2011 after widespread opposition.

The five were eventually charged in June 2011 with offences similar to those they were accused of by the Bush administration.

President Barack Obama came into office in 2009 pledging to close Guantanamo Bay and try high-value terror suspects in US civilian courts.

But he was forced to abandon the closure plans as it became apparent that the issue of where to imprison and try al-Qaeda suspects had no easy resolution.

The Pentagon has previously said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed admitted he was responsible “from A to Z” for the 9/11 attacks.

In a previous court hearing he has said that he intended to plead guilty and would welcome martyrdom.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured in Pakistan in March 2003 and has been detained at Guantanamo Bay since 2006.

US prosecutors allege that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was involved with a host of other terrorist activities.

These include the 2002 nightclub bombing in Bali, Indonesia, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl and a failed 2001 attempt to blow up an airliner using a shoe bomb.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has alleged that he was repeatedly tortured during his detention in Cuba. CIA documents confirm that he was subjected to simulated drowning, known as waterboarding, 183 times.

Also facing trial are: Waleed bin Attash, a Yemeni; Ramzi Binalshibh, a Yemeni who allegedly helped find flight schools for the hijackers; Ali Abd al-Aziz Ali, accused of helping nine of the hijackers travel to the US; and Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, a Saudi, accused of helping set up the hijackers with money, clothes and credit cards.

 

Mumbai’s Aquaria Grande skyscrapers will have swimming pools instead of balconies

Diane A. Wade
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Mumbai’s Aquaria Grande skyscrapers will have swimming pools instead of balconies

Aquaria Grande, the new towers in Mumbai, India, will feature swimming pools enclosed in glass instead of balconies.

Aquaria Grande, the 37-storey skyscrapers were the result of a collaboration between Hong Kong-based architect James Law and Indian real estate company Wadhwa Group.

The complex would have 200 apartments, three levels of car parking, a gym and sauna.

But not everybody feels inspired by the ambitious vision, with technology blog Gizmodo describing it as an “architectural nightmare”.

Mumbai's Aquaria Grande skyscrapers will have swimming pools instead of balconies
Mumbai's Aquaria Grande skyscrapers will have swimming pools instead of balconies

Writer Jesus Diaz claims on the site that the design is a “deadly accident waiting to happen”.

Jesus Diaz adds: “No matter what you want to call this, I would call it crazy.”

Another blogger for the mymodernmet site, however, appeared to find the idea of swimming pool balconies more appealing.

Contributor Pinar said the design represented an “unbelievable skyscraping residential complex”.

She said the pools were among its “most outstanding and eye-popping features”.

 

Sainsbury’s launched Miracle Jeans, the latest innovation in shapewear

Lisa.Felice
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Sainsbury’s launched Miracle Jeans, the latest innovation in shapewear

Sainsbury’s has launched Miracle Jeans, which are the “latest innovation in shapewear” thanks to the fact the denim of the jeans has been specially woven to give a shaping and uplifting effect.

The in-built secret support is said to instantly flatten the tummy, lift and shape the bottom and smooth out curves.

“Every woman wants to feel confident, stylish and positive about her body, without breaking the bank,” Sainsbury’s said of the new line of jeans, adding that the styles were “flying off the rails around the country”.

The jeans came about thanks to research by TU that revealed one in three women rate their bottom as the least favorite part of their body, while 55% say they feel most insecure about their tummies.

TU found that a growing number of women were using shapewear on a regular basis, with 53,000 saying they wear shapewear at least once a week, and almost half UK’s size 10 women admitting they wear shapewear on a daily basis to create a smoother silhouette under their clothes.

Sainsbury's has launched Miracle Jeans, the “latest innovation in shapewear”
Sainsbury's has launched Miracle Jeans, the “latest innovation in shapewear”

A third of all those questioned in a survey of 2,000 women carried out by the store admitted they would rather use shapewear than diet ahead of a big event.

A third of women wear shapewear on a date, while 58% pull on their slimming pants when they’re preparing for a party.

But the combination of restrictive shapewear and jeans can make for an uncomfortable, hot experience.

They say their Secret Support Jeans combat both issues of body insecurity and comfort, providing everyday shapewear solutions combined with a pair of jeans.

Miracle Jeans are on sale at selected Sainsbury’s stores now, priced £25 ($40).

 

Clint Hill, Jackie Kennedy’ secret agent, recalls the terrifying moments after JFK’s assassination

James J. Williams
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Clint Hill, Jackie Kennedy’ secret agent, recalls the terrifying moments after JFK’s assassination

Clint Hill, the secret service agent employed to protect Jackie Kennedy has recounted the terrifying moments after JFK’s assassination in 1963, and how the First Lady scrambled to reach his limp body.

In a memoir, Mrs Kennedy and Me, Clint Hill, now 80, reveals his sheer determination to throw himself between the Kennedys and the bullets as parts of JFK’s brain and skull splattered over his shirt.

As the secret service agent moved towards Jackie Kennedy, he watched her reaction: “Her eyes were filled with terror. She was reaching for something. She was reaching for a piece of the President’s head.”

Clint Hill was alongside the presidential vehicle when John F. Kennedy was shot in the neck and head before he slumped into his wife’s arms while driving through Dallas, Texas in November 1963.

The secret service agent is the figure in the famous Zapruder film of the shooting which shows him climbing onto the back of the president’s limousine.

In his book Mrs Kennedy and Me, Clint Hill recalled the crowds cheering for the motorcade and the moment he heard an explosion. He looked around and saw the president grab his throat.

“Somebody had fired a shot at the President, and I had to get myself between the shooter and the President and Mrs. Kennedy,” Clint Hill wrote.

“Nothing else mattered.”

Before he could reach them, two more bullets were shot – the final one hitting the president in the head, just above his right ear.

“The impact was like the sound of a melon shattering onto cement,” Clint Hill remembered, adding that John F. Kennedy’s blood and parts of his skull splattered over his clothes, face and hair.

In his memoir, Mrs Kennedy and Me, Clint Hill reveals his sheer determination to throw himself between the Kennedys and the bullets as parts of JFK's brain and skull splattered over his shirt
In his memoir, Mrs Kennedy and Me, Clint Hill reveals his sheer determination to throw himself between the Kennedys and the bullets as parts of JFK's brain and skull splattered over his shirt

Pulling Jackie Kennedy into her seat, the president’s body fell into her arms with his eyes open. “Jack, Jack, what have they done to you?” she wailed.

Clint Hill, who has previously said he could have taken the third bullet had he moved a second sooner, then had the thought: “How did I let this happen to her?”

Speaking to People magazine, which published excerpts of the book, Clint Hill added: “Because of the angles, the weather, where we were – everything – I did all I could. But I still feel guilt.”

He then goes on to describe the scene at Parkland Hospital, where he waited outside the trauma room with Jackie Kennedy. He describes how “the light was gone” from her eyes.

While there, Clint Hill took a call from the president’s brother, Robert Kennedy, who was demanding to know how bad the situation was.

Haunted by the image of JFK’s head being hit by the final bullet, but uncertain how to tell Robert Kennedy that his brother had been killed, Clint Hill said simply: “It’s as bad as it gets.”

As a doctor approached the group, they knew it was terrible news and Jackie Kennedy ran to be at her husband’s side. An agent approached Clint Hill and told him the president had died.

Later, the book recounts, Clint Hill accompanied Jackie Kennedy and Robert Kennedy to see the body.

Clint Hill remembers how, once there, Jackie Kennedy lovingly cut her husband’s hair with scissors that her secret service agent had brought, leaving chestnut locks on the blades when she gave them back.

He continued to work as Jackie Kennedy’s agent for a further year after the death. During his time working with the family, Clint Hill had grown close to the former first lady, which he admits was unusual.

Clint Hill recalled stories of sneaking cigarettes together in the back of the car during drives, and offering her advice ahead of the trip to Dallas after she expressed fears about their safety.

But despite what has been claimed in the past, Clint Hill did not love Jackie Kennedy.

“I admired her,” Clint Hill told People magazine.

“We grew closer and closer [but] I don’t think you can say I was in love with her.”

A year after the assassination, Clint Hill went to work for Lyndon Johnson. But he quit in 1975 after guilt he felt from the shooting made him turn towards alcohol.

Although Clint Hill kept in touch with Jackie Kennedy for a few years after he stopped working for her, when he heard about her struggle with cancer in 1994, he could not bring himself to lift the phone.

“I knew that the mere sound of my voice would take her back to that day that changed everything,” Clint Hill wrote.

“And the sound of her voice would do the same to me.”

Harvey Lee Oswald was accused of firing the three shots that killed John F. Kennedy. As he was being transferred to jail, he was shot in the stomach by a man, Jack Ruby, in the crowd.

Harvey Lee Oswald died in the hospital where John F. Kennedy had passed away 48 hours earlier.

 

Khloe Kardashian confided that her mom-ager Kris Jenner sometimes calls her “fat”

Lisa.Felice
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Khloe Kardashian confided that her mom-ager Kris Jenner sometimes calls her “fat”

In the latest issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, Khloe Kardashian confided that her mom-ager Kris Jenner sometimes calls her “fat”.

Khloe Kardashian, 27, admits that she was angry, but she dealt with the hurtful words because she had to.

The reality star rationalized to the glossy woman’s magazine: “Listen, my mom believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. But she is also our manager and trying to protect our brand.

“She’ll say, <<Oh, you’re a little too fat right now>>. If she were just my manager, I’d have fired her right then.

“You can’t talk to me like that.”

Khloe Kardashian confided that her mom-ager Kris Jenner sometimes calls her “fat”
Khloe Kardashian confided that her mom-ager Kris Jenner sometimes calls her “fat”

During a 2011 episode of her E! reality show, Khloe and Lamar, Khloe Kardashian was on the receiving end of some harsh words from the family’s matriarch.

Kris Jenner, 56, accused her child: “You don’t care and it’s very, very upsetting to me because I’ve worked so hard at creating what I think is a great deal for you girls and you’re not pulling your end of the weight.”

Though she’s singing a different tune now, Khloe Kardashian snapped on the show.

“To tell me I’m ruining a whole brand because of my weight gain makes me feel like s–t. Get over yourself. You’re such a f–king raging lunatic and you’re so evil.

“I’m too f–king fat, too f–king fat. Do you want me to get pregnant? Do you want me to lose weight?

“You tell me you want me to have a baby every second, but I can’t be on some crazy diet. I just don’t get what you want out of me!”

Khloe Kardashian just as frankly talks about her sexual relationship with NBA star husband Lamar Odom.

The reality star shows off an ample cleavage in the top despite not appearing to wearing a bra underneath the top which boasts sheer paneling.

Khloe Kardashian told the magazine how she spices up her relationship with her husband Lamar Odom.

She was asked if she would cook or do a striptease to do something nice for the basketball player.

Khloe Kardashian said: “Both- together! I cook for him naked.”

She also spoke out about the scrutiny and gossip about her and her husband having children.

Khloe Kardashian explained: “People make me feel like I have a problem because I haven’t had a kid yet.”

“We were thinking we had to know when I was ovulating. But seriously? That took the fun out of everything.”

But while she hasn’t fallen pregnant yet Khloe Kardashian is confident it will happen and added: “Lamar and I definitely want kids, and when it happens for us, it will happen.”

Last week Khloe Kardashian also shared snaps of herself and her husband to her Celebuzz page.

She posted: “Hi my loves! Just wanted to post a few pics that I’ve tweeted of me and my hubby recently. It’s been over two years and I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world every single day! There’s no greater feeling than being in love :)”

On Wednesday Khloe Kardashian took Twitter to slam reports that she and Lamar Odom were breaking up after a magazine reported their marriage was over.

 

Taller women have a higher risk of ovarian cancer

Kathryn R. Bown
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Taller women have a higher risk of ovarian cancer

A new research has found that height is linked to ovarian cancer, as taller women have a slightly higher risk of the disease.

Obesity is also a risk factor among women who have never taken HRT, say international researchers.

Previous studies have suggested a link, but there has been conflicting evidence.

The latest research, published in the journal PLoS Medicine, analyzed all worldwide data on the topic.

It looked at 47 epidemiological studies in 14 countries, including about 25,000 women with ovarian cancer and more than 80,000 women without ovarian cancer.

A new research has found that height is linked to ovarian cancer, as taller women have a slightly higher risk of the disease
A new research has found that height is linked to ovarian cancer, as taller women have a slightly higher risk of the disease

Lead researcher Prof. Valerie Beral of the Oxford University Epidemiology Unit said: “By bringing together the worldwide evidence, it became clear that height is a risk factor.”

She said there was also a clear relationship between obesity and ovarian cancer in women who had never taken HRT.

“Ovarian cancer can clearly be added to the list [of cancers linked to obesity],” Prof. Valerie Beral added.

 

Penny Marshall: “Whitney Houston was a great girl”

Lisa.Felice
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Penny Marshall: “Whitney Houston was a great girl”

Penny Marshall, the director of the 1996 musical drama The Preacher’s Wife, deemed the recent death of Whitney Houston a “very sad” loss.

“She was a great girl, and we got along fine,” the television star turned movie director said about guiding Whitney Houston through the 1996 musical drama The Preacher’s Wife opposite Denzel Washington.

“She sang beautifully, but like a baseball player doesn’t pitch every day, you had to schedule certain things at certain times. You have to take the actors into consideration.”

Penny Marshall also took the use of Whitney Houston’s vocal talents seriously: “I went to her mom’s church in Newark [N.J.] and I went to Denzel’s church out here [in Los Angeles], and we auditioned choirs. I had never done anything with music of the current time, because most of the movies I did were period pictures. Awakenings was, certainly A League of Their Own was, and so was Riding in Cars With Boys.”

 

Penny Marshall deemed the recent death of Whitney Houston a "very sad" loss
Penny Marshall deemed the recent death of Whitney Houston a "very sad" loss

 

With Big and Jumpin’ Jack Flash also on her resume, Penny Marshall cut her directing teeth on several episodes of the classic ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley, now seen on The Hub. Along with Cindy Williams and their co-stars, she’ll be honored for the show with the Fan Favorite Award as the 10th-anniversary TV Land Awards are televised by that network Sunday, April 29.

Laverne & Shirley was run by Penny Marshall’s brother Garry, who would become a noted movie director himself (Pretty Woman, Beaches), and she says pretty much anyone who worked on the show had the opportunity to direct. “It’s hard to do a series,” she reflects.

“You do a show a week, and sometimes, we didn’t love the dialogue so much … so we found physical ways around it. It became about behavior.”

Lately, Penny Marshall has been directing television again, with Showtime’s United States of Tara and ABC’s According to Jim among those credits.

“All they do is watch monitors now,” Penny Marshall says.

“They don’t know everything that’s in front of an audience. We didn’t have video feeds back then. It was, <<A camera, you got it? B camera, you got it? C camera, you got it? Fine.>> And they’d tell you the truth.”

Calling the shots on more TV shows isn’t out of the question for Penny Marshall.

“I don’t do vampires, I don’t do car crashes, and I don’t do people in big metal outfits,” she reasons.

“That’s what they spend the money on now in features, and with any movie you want to do, you have to shoot them fast and they don’t pay enough. I’d rather direct television.”

 

Jennifer Aniston InStyle magazine interview: “I don’t feel my age”

Lisa.Felice
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Jennifer Aniston InStyle magazine interview: “I don’t feel my age”

In a recent interview with InStyle magazine, Jennifer Aniston says 2012 for her will be about enjoying life with her new man Justin Theroux.

“We’re trying to live between both coasts,” Jennifer Aniston says.

“I want to see friends more and travel more. I say that every year, but this year, I’m going to do it!”

Jennifer Aniston, 43, and Justin Theroux, 40, met during filming of Wanderlust, which was released in cinemas last month.

“It was one of the most idyllic film experiences I’ve ever had,” she says.

“We spent three months together out on a lake, laughing the whole time. We became a family.”

They have been inseparable ever since.

“Having experienced everything you don’t want in a partner over time, it starts to narrow down to what you actually do want. As I get older, I realize what qualities are important in love, what suits me and what I won’t settle for.”

In a recent interview with InStyle magazine, Jennifer Aniston says 2012 for her will be about enjoying life with her new man Justin Theroux
In a recent interview with InStyle magazine, Jennifer Aniston says 2012 for her will be about enjoying life with her new man Justin Theroux

Jennifer Aniston says she has long since moved on from some of those “lessons”, and insists that tabloid headlines about her long-running feud with love rival Angelina Jolie is far from the truth.

Asked what is the biggest misconception about her, Jennifer Aniston told the magazine: “There are so many. I would say the triangle with my ex-husband – and that there’s a feud. It’s a headline that won’t go away – a story that has nothing to do with reality.”

The actress rivals any twenty-something on the red carpet and on film, but Jennifer Aniston admits the “new crop” are starting to make her aware of her post-40 age.

“You know what makes me feel old? When I see girls who are twenty-something, or the new crop of actresses and think, <<Aren’t we kind of the same age?>> You lose perspective.

“Or being offered the part of a woman with a 17-year-old child. It’s like, <<I’m not old enough to have a 17-year-old!>> Then you realize, well, yeah, you are.

But the actress adds: “I don’t feel my age. I feel young every day.

“I feel sexy in my jeans and wearing my boyfriend’s T-shirt.”

However, she doesn’t say that she has copied Justin Theroux’s “biker” look.

“He has great style – it’s very specific and it has been his style forever,” Jennifer Aniston says.

“But has it influenced mine? No. I know people say it has – <<Oh look, you’re dressing alike>>. And I think, <<No I’m not. I’ve had this jacket for three years!>>

“On the red carpet, it’s time for me to start doing something different. I play it very safe, because I just want to be comfortable. If I could wear a jersey tank that went down to the floor, I would.”

Her style staples? “Boots, a great blazer, a scarf and jeans. I like Rag & Bone, Vince and Generra jeans, which they don’t make any more. And a black leather jacket for winter.

“I love Christopher Bailey for Burberry. And Tom Ford. I have his skirts, jackets and shoes, but I don’t know how to walk in them. I’ve tried! I need to lop off a little of the heel. They require serious strength.

“I’m a bit of a clothes hoarder, admittedly. I try to weed out stuff. My girlfriends come over for cheese and wine and go shopping in my wardrobe. They especially love it when they get stuff with a tag still on.”

Jennifer Aniston’s toned figure as impressive as ever, but the actress says she wants to shift the extra weight she’s gained since giving up cigarettes.

“I don’t make resolutions, but I quit smoking recently and it put a couple of pounds on me that are hard to lose,” Jennifer Aniston says.

“Everybody says it’s normal, but I’d like to get rid of them!”

 

Somalia’s Olympic committee officials among 7 people killed in an explosion at Mogadishu’s national theater

Roy Siemens
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Somalia’s Olympic committee officials among 7 people killed in an explosion at Mogadishu’s national theater

Members of Somalia’s Olympic committee and Football Federation heads are among seven people killed in a suicide blast at Mogadishu’s national theater re-opening ceremony.

Somali PM Abdiweli Mohamed Ali was also present when the attacker struck the newly re-opened national theatre, but he said he was unhurt.

Al-Shabab militants say they carried out the bombing.

The theatre closed in the early 1990s as Somalia descended into civil war and was only reopened last month, amid a new period of relative optimism.

Seven people have been killed in a suicide blast at Mogadishu’s national theater re-opening ceremony
Seven people have been killed in a suicide blast at Mogadishu’s national theater re-opening ceremony

The President of the Somali Olympic Committee, Aden Yabarow Wiish, and the Somali Football Federation chief, Said Mohamed Nur, were among a group of dignitaries who had gathered to mark the first anniversary of the launch of Somalia’s national television station.

According to Somali Service, three Somali television journalists were also wounded in the blast.

Eyewitnesses said the attacker was a woman.

Al-Shabab militants who had controlled large parts of the country, including Mogadishu, were pushed out of the city by troops from the African Union last year.

Since then, there has been a period of relative quiet, with sporting activity resuming, restaurants opening, and the re-opening of the National Theatre.

But al-Shabab has continued to attack the capital with bombs and mortars.

 

Serbia’s President Boris Tadic has resigned

Diane A. Wade
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Serbia’s President Boris Tadic has resigned

Serbia’s President Boris Tadic has announced his resignation.

Boris Tadic still has 10 months of his current term of office to serve, but the move will allow him to stand for re-election on 6 May.

Parliamentary elections are already scheduled to take place on that date, and the move is seen as a tactic to help his Democratic Party’s campaign.

Serbia’s President Boris Tadic has announced his resignation
Serbia’s President Boris Tadic has announced his resignation

Boris Tadic says he will formally submit his resignation to the speaker of the Serbian parliament on Thursday.

President Boris Tadic, who’s keen to build closer links with the European Union, will face a strong challenge from the nationalist candidate Tomislav Nikolic.

 

Richard Descoings, head of Paris Institute of Political Studies, found dead in a New York hotel room

Diane A. Wade
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Richard Descoings, head of Paris Institute of Political Studies, found dead in a New York hotel room

Richard Descoings, the head of the Paris Institute of Political Studies, one of France’s most prestigious academic institutions, has been found dead in a New York hotel room, police say.

The body of Richard Descoings, 53, was discovered naked at the Michelangelo hotel in Manhattan.

A police spokesman said investigators were awaiting a medical report to determine the likely cause of death.

He said police had so far found no evidence that a crime was committed.

Richard Descoings, director of the Paris Institute of Political Studies, has been found dead in a Michelangelo hotel room in Manhattan
Richard Descoings, director of the Paris Institute of Political Studies, has been found dead in a Michelangelo hotel room in Manhattan

Richard Descoings had been the director of the Sciences Po institute, one of France’s elite “grandes ecoles”, since 1996.

Colleagues raised the alarm on Tuesday morning when he failed to appear at an UN-sponsored conference of university heads he had travelled to New York to attend.

The spokesman, Paul Browne, told the AFP news agency that there was “no sign of trauma”.

He said the disorderly state of Richard Descoings’ room at the time of the discovery was the result of attempts by medical staff to resuscitate him.

Richard Descoings was known for carrying out a programme of far-reaching reform at Sciences Po, which educates much of the French political, media and administrative elite.

He also improved access for students from less privileged backgrounds.

In a statement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy paid tribute to Richard Descoings’ career, saying he had devoted his life to education.

 

Texas tornadoes: thousands of homes reduced to rubble and more than a dozen people injured

Diane A. Wade
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Texas tornadoes: thousands of homes reduced to rubble and more than a dozen people injured

An unprecedented cluster of tornadoes ripped through major towns and cities in Texas yesterday leaving thousands of homes reduced to rubble and more than a dozen people injured.

The powerful storm swept trucks across the skies and base-ball sized hail stones punched holes in the roofs of cars and homes.

Meteorologists said it was the first time two “extremely dangerous” tornadoes hit two large metropolitan areas at the same time. Arlington and Lancaster were worst hit with both areas being declared “disaster zones”, while damage was reported in at least nine cities in five counties.

“I have never seen two tornadoes hit two large metropolitan areas at the same time before,” AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity said, reports Newsroom America.

Weather service advisories issued yesterday said storm spotters and radar revealed separate tornadoes south of Dallas and Fort Worth.

Brandy Kemps filmed one of the tornadoes from work in north Texas, she told ABC News: “Debris was flying right in front of me in the air – shingles, dirt, tree limbs. The tornado funnel was coming right at us, then went directly behind the apartment building I was in and then made a right toward 45 North.”

One tornado tore through the Flying J Truck Plaza in Dallas, grabbing two trailer trucks and tossing them, said truck driver Michael Glennon, who caught the destruction on his video camera as debris swirled through the air.

In Sunnyvale, Heather Montoya said the dark funnel shook her entire home and left uprooted trees inside and her furniture scattered all over her property.

“It was insane. We have a lot of windows in our house. The whole house started shaking and in five seconds it was completely done,” she told ABC’s Dallas affiliate WFAA.

An unprecedented cluster of tornadoes ripped through major towns and cities in Texas yesterday
An unprecedented cluster of tornadoes ripped through major towns and cities in Texas yesterday

A grandmother in Diamond Creeks, Forney, where 20 to 30 homes were severely damaged, sought refuge in a bath-tub with her grandchildren as the walls of her home collapsed. The woman was forced to hold on to her 18-month-old grandson’s legs as the powerful winds almost swept him away, the toddler suffered minor injuries.

Most of Dallas was spared the full wrath of the storm. Yet in Lancaster, where around 300 homes were destroyed, television helicopters panned over exposed homes without roofs and flattened buildings. Broken sheets of plywood blanketed lawns and covered rooftops.

A pastor at one Lancaster church saw debris swirling in the wind, then herded more than 30 children, some as young as newborns, into a windowless room to ride out the storm. Nearby at the church’s school, about 60 more children hid in another windowless room near the women’s bathroom.

An entire wall of Cedar Valley Christian Academy wound up being taken out in the storm. Pastor Glenn Young said he didn’t know when the school might re-open.

“I’m a little concerned,” Glenn Young said.

“This is our livelihood.”

Residents could be seen walking down the street with firefighters and peering into homes, looking at the damage after the storm passed.

Devlin Norwood said he was at his Lancaster home when he heard the storm sirens. He said he made a quick trip to a nearby store when he saw the funnel-shaped tornado lower, kick up debris and head toward his neighborhood.

Officer Paul Beck said 10 people were injured in the suburb. He says two of those injuries are severe but did not have further details.

Assistant Arlington fire chief Jim Self says three people suffered minor injuries there, including two residents of a nursing home who were taken to a hospital after swirling winds clipped the building. Around 50 homes were damaged in the area.

“Of course the windows were flying out, and my sister is paralyzed, so I had to get someone to help me get her in a wheelchair to get her out of the room,” said Joy Johnston, who was visiting her 79-year-old sister at the Green Oaks Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

“It was terribly loud.”

At the nearby Omni Mandalay Las Colinas hotel, tornado sirens sounded, alerting guests to get to safety.

“The hotel has not been evacuated but we do have guests under cover,” said a telephone receptionist at 421-room hotel. The storm is believed to have leveled several homes, and tens of thousands of others are without power.

National Weather Service meteorologist Amber Elliott confirmed two separate tornadoes had touched down, one in Arlington, Texas and another in Dallas. Nine separate tornado warnings have been issued by the weather service for the Dallas area so far on Tuesday, she said.

Hail ranging from pea-sized to as large as baseballs pounded Dallas and Fort Worth, the nation’s fourth-most-populous metropolitan area with 6.3 million people.

Multiple news outlets reported homes with their roofs violently torn off.

In Arlington, NBC DFW reporter Mola Lenghi told the network: “There’s lots of 18-wheelers. I’ve never seen this before.”

 [youtube N92dHn_hbRQ]

Giuliana Rancic broke down in tears recalling the moment she discovered she had cancer

Lisa.Felice
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Giuliana Rancic broke down in tears recalling the moment she discovered she had cancer

Giuliana Rancic’s world was shattered in September 2011, when she discovered she had breast cancer while trying to fall pregnant with IVF treatment.

And last night on the season premiere of her reality TV show Giuliana and Bill, the E! TV presenter recalled the harrowing moment she was diagnosed with the disease.

Giuliana Rancic, 37, gave an extremely emotional account what happened in the months after she learned the news and spoke of her hope for the future.

Remember what happened on September 7, 2011, Giuliana Rancic said: “It happened very quickly and the doctor said: <<You have breast cancer.>>”

At this point Giuliana Rancic broke down in tears as she remembered the gut-wrenching moment and said: “It’s not easy talking about it because it’s like the worst second of your life it’s like awful – it’s like everything you expect that conversation to be like – it’s 100 times worse – it’s a million times worse.”

Giuliana Rancic gave an extremely emotional account what happened in the months after she learned she had cancer
Giuliana Rancic gave an extremely emotional account what happened in the months after she learned she had cancer

After saying the disease Giuliana Rancic felt a sense that she was dropping through the floor and tuned out as the Doctor explained her treatment options.

The TV presenter remembered: “When I heard radiation I just started hysterically crying again.”

That day Giuliana Rancic had to face the worst news of her life alone, as her husband and best friend Bill was on a charity mission.

Bill Rancic also shared his memories of learning the news and recalled: “Cancer is something that hit home with me because I lost my dad.”

“It’s a helpless feeling.”

After speaking to her husband and telling him the news Giuliana Rancic also described how difficult the phone call to her mother was, and described it as “heartbreaking”.

She added: “I just started falling apart, she was so sad, I felt so bad.”

Giuliana Rancic was diagnosed with breast cancer while she was trying to fall pregnant, when a routine mammogram showed that not all was right in her breast.

She was in the middle of IVF treatment and was due to get her eggs retrieved when she discovered she had the disease.

Giuliana and Bill Rancic decided to keep the news private and the TV presenter went back to work like nothing had happened.

She said: “It was hard putting a smile on my face,” adding, “but it was a great distraction but the second I would walk away, boom, miserable again.”

And it appeared that after a hectic week in New York for Fashion Week her emotional stresses became too much when an ill-fitting dress at the Emmys led to her hating her breasts.

Giuliana Rancic said: “It went from oh my gosh I think I’m showing a little too much cleavage to cover these up.”

“I hated them.”

Giuliana Rancic also spoke of being “mad” at her body for having the cancer.

 [youtube 7IRUoNw1tuo]

Rachel Veicht, 93, is selling her 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente after driving 576,000 miles

Diane A. Wade
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Rachel Veicht, 93, is selling her 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente after driving 576,000 miles

Rachel Veicht, a 93-year-old grandmother from Florida, has parked her car for good after driving 576,000 miles (927,000 km) over 48 years at the wheel of one trusty vehicle.

Rachel Veitch bought her Mercury Comet Caliente for $3,289 in February 1964. It has outlasted three marriages and 18 battery changes, she says.

On March 9, Rachel Veicht had to give up driving as she has become legally blind.

Reicht Veitch plans to sell the car instead of giving it to her family amid concerns they might not look after it.

“They’re not going to get it. They couldn’t take care of it like I did,” Rachel Veitch told Fox News. Rachel Veicht has four children, nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

She said the care and attention she paid to her car was one of the main reasons it had lasted so long.

Rachel Veitch bought her Mercury Comet Caliente for $3,289 in February 1964
Rachel Veitch bought her Mercury Comet Caliente for $3,289 in February 1964

In 2009 Rachel Veicht told Fox News: “When I buy gas, I write down the mileage, the date and how many miles per gallon I got. I’ve never been a destructive person and I’ve just taken care of everything, except my husbands.”

The car is said to be worth about $12,000 today and has been through three sets of shock absorbers and eight exhaust mufflers as well as surviving a rear-end collision in 1980.

It is due to appear in an antique car show in the state of Wisconsin in July, though Rachel Veitch says she is not sure what will happen to it after that.

Rachel Veitch has said she would consider selling the car to Jay Leno, a classic car enthusiast and host of the US late night chat show The Tonight Show.

“I haven’t talked to Jay Leno yet, but I’m wondering if he’s interested. But I don’t think I should start talking about it now,” Rachel Veitch told Fox News when news of her decision to stop driving emerged.

The former nurse has said, however, that she is adjusting well to life without her chariot.

“I know I’m not safe enough to drive, but I have taken it in stride,” she said.

While Rachel Veitch has clocked more miles than a trip to the moon and back, her car does not hold the record for the most miles travelled.

Irv Gordon entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 1998 with 1.69 million miles on his 1966 Volvo P1800. It is reported that he has now accumulated close to three million miles on the same car.

 [youtube NUaunI-Ve5U]

Helen Collins, 80, landed plane after her pilot-husband collapsed and died

Diane A. Wade
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Helen Collins, 80, landed plane after her pilot-husband collapsed and died

Helen Collins, an 80-year-old US woman with little flying experience has staged an emergency landing in Wisconsin after her pilot husband collapsed and died.

Helen Collins remained calm as she brought the small Cessna plane in to land at Cherryland Airport, even though she said she knew her husband was dead.

The woman had taken basic lessons in taking off and landing 30 years ago, her son James Collins told the Associated Press news agency.

James Collins, also a trained pilot, helped guide his mother down via radio.

Helen Collins remained calm as she brought the small Cessna plane in to land at Cherryland Airport, even though she said she knew her husband John was dead
Helen Collins remained calm as she brought the small Cessna plane in to land at Cherryland Airport, even though she said she knew her husband John was dead

Helen Collins and her husband John, 81, were coming back from their holiday home in Florida when he suffered a fatal heart attack in the cockpit.

She called the police and local pilot Robert Vuksanovic went up in another small plane to try to help guide the Cessna down.

The plane had almost completely run out of fuel by the time she landed at the small airport in Sturgeon Bay and had only one functioning engine.

It skidded down the runway for about 1,000 ft (305 m) before coming to a halt.

“She was calmer than everybody on the ground. She had it totally under control,” James Collins told AP.

“The amazing thing is she landed that plane on one engine – I don’t know if there are a lot of trained pilots that could do that.

“I already knew I lost my dad; I didn’t want to lose my mom. It could have been both of them at once.”

Local resident Torry Lautenbach watched the Cessna land and estimated that Helen Collins circled the airport about 10 times.

“She did a really good job. It was amazing. It took one bad hop and then it came back down and skidded.”

Helen Collins was taken to hospital with injuries to her back and ribs but is expected to be released within the next few days.

 [youtube m_wlSVHUrCs]

Cissy Houston My9 interview, her first public appearance since Whitney Houston’s death

Lisa.Felice
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Cissy Houston My9 interview, her first public appearance since Whitney Houston’s death

Cissy Houston has still not come to terms with her daughter Whitney Houston’s death, as she revealed during her first interview since the tragic event.

Cissy Houston insists Whitney’s tragic passing last month in the age of 48 hasn’t made her question her religious faith but she has still not fully accepted the tragedy.

Whitney Houston’s mother said: “I have my moments … I’m not there yet. I am a true believer in God. If I could bring her back I would, but that’s not possible.”

Cissy Houston, 78, praised her “wonderful” daughter – who died of accidental drowning due to the effects of heart disease and cocaine use – and spoke of her pride in Whitney’s career achievements.

In an interview with Brenda Blackmon for My9’s The 10 0’Clock News which aired on Monday (04-02-12), Cissy Houston said: “She accomplished a whole lot in the short time that she had here.

“She was a wonderful person. She was very special to me. She was my only daughter, and a good one.”

Cissy Houston’s interview with Brenda Blackmon for My9's The 10 O'Clock News is her first public appearance since Whitney’s death
Cissy Houston’s interview with Brenda Blackmon for My9's The 10 O'Clock News is her first public appearance since Whitney’s death

Cissy Houston believes she did her best to raise Whitney – who had struggled with drug addiction in the past – the right way and doesn’t have any regrets.

The gospel singer said: “I know I did the best I could. I don’t blame myself. I know I did the best I could for everything.”

And Cissy Houston also condemned reports that her daughter – who had a 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina with ex-husband Bobby Brown – had little of her fortune left when she died.

Cissy Houston said: “Whitney did not die broke. She’s not broke. She’s not anything. None of that c**p.”

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Aizhai Bridge has become the highest and longest suspension bridge in the world

Diane A. Wade
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Aizhai Bridge has become the highest and longest suspension bridge in the world

Workers put the finishing touches to the Aizhai Long-span Suspension Bridge in Jishou, Hunan, China, this week, just in time for its opening.

At 1,102 ft up and 3,858 ft across the ambitious Aizhai suspension bridge has become the highest and longest in the world.

Work started on the engineering feat in October 2007 and the bulk of the work finished at the end of last year.

It is designed to ease traffic in the Jishou area of Hunan province and officially opened to motorists today.

At 1,102 ft up and 3,858 ft across the ambitious Aizhai suspension bridge has become the highest and longest in the world
At 1,102 ft up and 3,858 ft across the ambitious Aizhai suspension bridge has become the highest and longest in the world

Drivers can take in the views of the Dehang Canyon as they steer their way across all 3,858 ft of the new sky-high road which links two tunnels.

The bridge, which is lit up at night with 1,888 lights, is the fourth suspension bridge to cross a valley so wide it seems to be connecting two mountain ranges.

Once on the bridge cars and lorries can motor along a two-way, four-lane motorway at about 50 mph. Pedestrians can also walk along it on a special walkway under the road.

Aizhai suspension bridge is a key part of the Jishou-Chadong Expressway, a 64-kilometre road which has 18 different tunnels which cover about half of its length.

It is hoped Aizhai bridge will help ease traffic jams which are common in the mountainous area which has narrow, steep and winding roads.

The structure is supported by a base 78 ft wide.

China has the longest bridge in the world, the Danyang Kunshan Grand Bridge which is just over 100 miles long and was built two years ago to carry the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway.

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