Nassim Mimoune, a French Muslim man who punched a nurse for trying to remove his wife’s burqa during childbirth, has been jailed in southern France.
Nassim Mimoune, 24, had already been expelled from the delivery room for branding the nurse a “rapist” as she carried out an intimate examination of his wife.
Then through a window Nassim Mimoune spotted the midwife taking off his wife’s burqa as she prepared to give birth.
The man smashed opens the locked door and hit the woman in the face, demanding she replace the full Islamic face veil.
As his wife delivered a baby boy, Nassim Mimoune was ejected from the building by security men from the hospital in Marseille and arrested for assault.
A judge in the southern French port jailed Nassim Mimoune for six months on Wednesday, telling him: “Your religious values are not superior to the laws of the republic.”
Aisha Khan, a student who disappeared from the Edwards campus of the University of Kansas last week has been found alive and well, but where she was for the last five days remains a mystery.
Aisha Khan, 19, was believed to have been kidnapped when she vanished from her university campus after claiming in a frantic voice-mail on Friday that she had been attacked by a man.
Police said today Aisha Khan was NOT abducted, sparking anger among people who had supported the massive search for her.
Many took to the Help Find Aisha Khan Facebook page to raise questions about why she did not contact police earlier.
Aisha Khan has been found alive and well, but where she was for the last five days remains a mystery
FBI agents had joined 10 police detectives, 50 police officers, and University of Kansas security guards in the massive search for Aisha Khan, which received nationwide media coverage.
Officers on horseback searched nearby woodland and volunteers handed out flyers.
Aisha Khan husband of five-months, Waseem Khan, appeared on “Good Morning America” yesterday where he begged kidnappers to let her go and her family offered a $10,000 reward for clues on her whereabouts.
However, police said they were able to locate Aisha Khan and she was not abducted or held against her will, according to KMBC, and despite the strange disappearance no criminal act occurred.
The police investigation has been closed, but no other details on Aisha Khan’s whereabouts for the last five days or what happened have been released.
A statement posted on the Help Find Aisha Khan Facebook page said: “On behalf of the Khan family, we are ecstatic to announce that Aisha has been found.”
However, the family are keeping quiet about the details of the disappearance.
As it became clear Aisha Khan had not been abducted, hundreds of supporters of the group took to the page to demand answers to where she had been.
Some commented that the young bride had run away and or even faked her own kidnapping.
Aamer Trambu, a family friend, told The Kansas City Star: “We believe our prayers have been answered. We do not have enough information yet, and we cannot tell you anymore.”
Aisha Khan, who is studying for her finals, disappeared on Friday morning after she was allegedly assaulted on a secluded picnic table at the campus in Overland Park.
After running away from a “intoxicated man” Aisha Khan called her older sister Faiza and left a voicemail saying she had been attacked and that she was “freaked out”.
When Aisha Khan’ sister arrived at the scene shortly after, all she found were her books and mobile phone on her favorite bench.
The message said: “My heart is pounding. I’ve never got this scared in my life. Pick up your phones. I am freaking out right now!”
The student made it clear she had slapped the man and run away, but it was unclear whether she thought he smelt of alcohol or marijuana.
Authorities said workmen believe they saw someone matching Aisha Khan’s description walking away from the campus alone.
Concerns have been raised that her five-month marriage had been arranged against her will, but they have been denied by friends.
Emily Cheatham told ABCNews: “She would not run away. She was happy with her life, with her new marriage.
“There wouldn’t be any reason that she’d want to run away.”
The gadgets that we’re used to seeing in science fiction films could soon become a thing of reality as researchers develop new technology to make lives more like a Hollywood epic.
Wall climbing adhesive, self-destructing gadgets and cars that charge themselves are all things that could become reality.
Unveiling their work early next year at the Big Bang Fair, a celebration of all things science and engineering, inventors have come up with all of the above and a host of other gadgets.
David Kirby from the University of Manchester said that “real life is not only catching up with filmmakers but also inspiring their work – so the two are inextricably linked”.
While filming the latest installment of the Mission Impossible series, Tom Cruise – who plays Ethan Hunt – was pictured scaling Dubai’s Burj Kalifa using high-tech magnetic gloves.
Determined not to be outdone by such a fantasy world, inventors at Cornell University in New York have come up with a palm-sized device that uses the adhesive power of water to create a reversible adhesive bond.
That “glue” can stick to glass, wood and even brick. They hope to be able to create gloves and shoes that will allow us to scale even the blankest of walls.
Developers came up with the idea by looking at a beetle native to Florida which can stick and unstick itself to a leaf with a force 100 times its own body weight.
Some of the creations that have been thought of are already partially available including self-destructing gadgets.
While the iPhone may not actually explode when it falls into the hands of the wrong person, data stored on the device can be destroyed remotely.
Technologists in the US have come up with self-destructing text messages that could mean an end to embarrassing late-night, drunken messages. Tiger Text allows users to set a time period for them to be deleted.
People with office gossip on their mobile phone those with government secrets they want to hide should look out for the Tamatebako flash drive.
Fujitsu is behind this particular piece of kit, already available in Japan, which erases unwanted data without the distracting nature of a mini-fireball.
That information can be stored and deleted within a time frame of 10 minutes to a week. It will also be erased if the user inputs the wrong password or if it is plugged into an unauthorized computer.#
Another creation would surely be welcome news for motorists and green campaigners everywhere – although not that great for the tax man.
BMW created an i8 hybrid concept car for Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol that does away with the need to go to petrol stations.
Turbines generate enough energy from the wheels to power the car and could well be a glimpse of how we will drive in the future.
After getting out of your super-efficient car and arriving at your office, the new technology will just keep on coming.
“Surface computing” is being devised by Microsoft and it’s not just a version of the burglar light in the back garden that switches on every time a leaf blows past it.
The gadgetry will allow users to manipulate digital content through different motions and hand gestures.
Dr. David Kirby said: “Ethan Hunt’s adventures will no doubt capture the imaginations of millions, but the real excitement comes in knowing that film fiction is already being brought to life by scientists and engineers.”
The big Bang Fair will take place at Birmingham NEC from March 15 to 17.
Dr. David Kirby’s top science fiction hits that inspired reality:
iPad: 2001: A Space Odyssey – An astronaut is seen using a gadget similar to the iPad
Mobile phones: Star Trek – Dr Martin Cooper credits fictional devices as inspiration for his 1973 creation
Test tube babies: Brave New World (1931) – Aldous Huxley wrote about artificial reproduction… 46 years later the first test tube baby was born
CCTV: 1984 (1949): George Orwell’s all-seeing Big Brother nightmare has become a reality in the UK with more cameras per person than any other country
Robotic limbs: Six Million Dollar Man (1974) and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – Scientists at University College London are creating limbs that can be connected to the human skeleton
Large Hadron Collider’s detector Atlas captured a particle that physicists had suspected to exist for years, but had never seen “in the wild”.
The Chi b (3P) particle was detected among data from the trillions of collisions at the LHC.
The CERN discovery was hailed as testimony to how effectively physicists were now scanning the collision data – and essential background to the LHC’s ongoing quest for the Higgs, a theoretical particle which is thought to “explain” why the universe has mass.
Physicists scan the data from the LHC’s detectors for “unusual” signals from the debris of high-energy collisions. This new particle is an important milestone for the collider – and a crucial step in its mission to fill in the gaps in our understanding of physics.
Professor Stefan Soldner-Rembold, a particle physicist at the University of Manchester said the Higgs “will always be the Nobel Prize”, but that this discovery is still very exciting.
What’s been discovered, Prof. Stefan Soldner-Rembold explained, is a particle comprised of a bottom quark and a bottom anti-quark – an entirely new kid on the sub-atomic block that until now was merely a theory.
He said: “It’s exciting confirmation of the theory of strong interactions that keeps these particles together, the same theory that describes how a nucleus sticks together.
“What they’ve found is a b-quark and an anti b-quark.
“Quarks cannot be seen by themselves, they’re contained in a particle and held together with the strong force. If you understand how the force works, you can predict which particles should exist.
“With all these different quarks you can play Lego and put them together in different ways and form new particles, similar to protons, that can be combined to form elements.”
Large Hadron Collider’s detector Atlas captured a particle that physicists had suspected to exist for years, but had never seen “in the wild”
The results were put online on the scientific publication site ArXiv.
The find is an important step for the LHC – which is more than a machine built solely to hunt for the Higgs boson.
Finding particles such as Chi b (3P) is crucial to filling in the gaps in the Standard Model – the way we understand physics.
The LHC was designed to fill in these gaps – and help physicists “move on” to the Higgs and “new physics”.
Researchers from Queensland University of Technology found that while fame – and unhealthy lifestyles – did increase the risk of premature death for musicians, there is no “spike” aged 27.
When Amy Winehouse died earlier this year at the age of 27, she joined a group of high-profile rockers who shared her taste for hard living, all of whom died at the same age – the “27 club”.
Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison of The Doors and Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones all died aged 27.
It’s led some to speculate that there is some reason that the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle tends to take its toll on musicians when they hit 27.
Kurt Cobain also commited suicide at the same age.
When Amy Winehouse died earlier this year at the age of 27, she joined a group of high-profile rockers who shared her taste for hard living, all of whom died at the same age – the “27 club”
Musicians in their 20’s and 30’s are two to three times more likely to die than the general population – but the deaths of so many famous musicians at that exact age is just a coincidence.
Lead researcher on the project, Associate Professor Adrian Barnett from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said: “In order to test the <<27 club>> hypothesis, we compared the deaths of famous musicians to the general UK population.”
“We included 1,046 musicians (solo artists and band members) who had a number one album in the UK charts between 1956 and 2007.
“During this period 71 (7%) of the musicians died.
“Our sample included crooners, heavy metal stars, rock ‘n’ rollers and even Muppets (the actors, not the puppets) and this all added up to 21,750 musician years.”
Prof. Adrian Barnett said the research team used mathematical analysis to determine the significance of age 27.
“We found no peak in the risk of death at this age, however, musicians in their 20s and 30s were two to three times more likely to die prematurely than the general UK population,” he said.
“Our research also found some evidence of a cluster of deaths in those aged 20 to 40 in the 1970s and early 1980s.
“Interestingly, there were no deaths in this age group in the late 1980s and we speculate that this could be due to better treatments for heroin overdose, or the change in the music scene from the hard rock 1970s to the pop dominated 1980s.”
“The <<27 club>> is based on myth, but warn that musicians have a generally increased risk of dying throughout their 20s and 30s.”
A Bucharest court has ordered the arrest of two self-described celebrities witches, Vanessa and Melissa, on blackmail and extortion charges in a high-profile case involving a TV star and, reportedly, other public figures.
The Bucharest Appeals Court ruled Wednesday that Rada Minca (Melissa) and Roxana Lider (Vanessa) should be arrested for 29 days pending trial.
Judges decided they should be investigated while under arrest in order not to influence the witnesses.
The witches, of gypsy origin, are accused of deceit and blackmail as tens of victims filed complaints.
According to Bucharest Police spokesman Christian Ciocan, the two women approached public figures promising to help them overcome work or love difficulties and break curses. He says they initially charged very little, but as their victims became hooked on their services, increased their prices.
Last week, Romanian prosecutors have searched 13 houses in Bucharest and Ilfov County and arrested several women who had allegedly scammed people through fortune telling. The two fortune tellers, Melissa and Vanessa from Bucharest and one from Satu Mare and four of their accomplices have been arrested on allegedly taking EUR 450,000 from Romanian TV star Oana Zavoranu. Three others have submitted complaints against them so far. People who have asked for their supernatural services claim they have paid in cash and in kind: cars and jewelry.
Celebrities’ witches Vanessa (left) and Melissa (right) have been arrested on blackmail and extortion charges
Witches Vanessa and Melissa said they cast spells to dispel black magic and curses allegedly cast by other witches upon those asking for their services.
The alleged scam chain also included four loan sharks who lent money to victims to cover the increasing amounts the fortune tellers demanded. People even pawned their houses and cars to get the loans. According to the Romanian Police, several public notaries were also involved in the shenanigans. Those who wanted out of the scam- some of them Romanian VIPs- were then blackmailed and threatened with more curses if they did so.
According to media reports, a well-known politician, a soccer player, TV stars and others are among the alleged victims.
NASA space telescope has detected Kepler-20f, a rocky planet the same size as the Earth orbiting a star like our sun.
This is the first time a planet of this size has been detected in another solar system. Scientists have hailed the technical achievement of detecting Earth sized “exoplanets” – the technical term for planets outside the solar system – as it increases the chances of finding life-bearing worlds.
Although Kepler-20f could have a thick water-vapor atmosphere, its surface is believed to be too hot for life.
A second planet in the same system, Kepler-20e, is only slightly smaller than Earth and even hotter.
Both worlds circle their parent star closely with “years” that last just nine and sixteen days respectively.
Dr. Francois Fressin, one of the astronomers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics in Cambridge, US, said: “It is the first time humanity has been able to discover an object similar to the Earth around a star, so maybe we will be able to find others.
“This could be an important milestone. I think 10 years or maybe even 100 years from now people will look back and ask when was the first Earth-sized planet found. It is very exciting.”
The parent star, Kepler-20, is not exactly a close neighbor, being 945 light years away.
Neither lies within the “habitable zone” where temperatures are just warm enough to allow liquid surface water, increasing the prospects for life.
A number of extra solar planets have already been identified with radiuses of 1.5 to twice that of the Earth.
But Dr. Francois Fressin pointed out that even these have far more volume than the Earth and it would be wrong to consider them truly “Earth-like”.
Earlier this month the telescope discovered Kepler-22b, a planet 2.4 times the size of the Earth situated in the middle of its habitable zone. But scientists say that Kepler 22-b may not be suitable for life.
“You could fit 13 Earths inside Kepler-22b,” said Dr. Francois Fressin.
“The most likely thing is that it’s simply a mini-Neptune, not suitable for life. Just because a planet lies within the habitable zone that doesn’t mean it is habitable.”
Like Kepler-22b, the two new planets were found by the American space agency NASA’s Kepler space telescope – which scans distant stars for the signs of “transits”, planets passing in front of them.
The findings are reported Wednesday in an early online edition of the journal Nature.
Both planets are part of a solar system family already known to contain three larger worlds.
Kepler-20f has a radius just 1.03 times larger than Earth’s, while Kepler-20e is 0.87 the size of the Earth.
The astronomers spent years making sure the signals they detected really were from planets.
“We simulated all possible alternative configurations and tried to quantify the probability that a false signal could occur,” said Dr. Francois Fressin.
“We confirmed that the signals were coming from an Earth-size planet. It couldn’t be due to anything else.”
Both planets are believed to be rocky, with a composition of iron and silicate, and very hot.
Kepler-20f is a baking 426 C and Kepler-20e a scorching 726 C.
The solar system is not hugely like our own, though. In our solar system small, rocky worlds orbit close to the Sun and large, gas giant worlds orbit farther out. In contrast, the planets of Kepler-20 are organized in alternating size: big, little, big, little, big.
“We were surprised to find this system of flip-flopping planets,” said co-author David Charbonneau of the CfA.
The planets of Kepler-20 could not have formed in their current locations. Instead, they must have formed farther from their star and then migrated inward, probably through interactions with the disk of material from which all the planets orbiting the star formed from.
Kepler identifies “objects of interest” by looking for stars that dim slightly, which can occur when a planet crosses the star’s face.
To confirm a transiting planet, astronomers look for the star to wobble as it is gravitationally tugged by its orbiting companion.
At least 63 people have been killed and around 185 injured in a wave of apparently co-ordinated bomb attacks in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, according to officials.
The interior ministry told the BBC 14 blasts hit various locations, including al-Amil in the south and Halawi and Karrada closer to the centre.
The bombings are the worst in months – and follow the withdrawal of US troops.
They come amid fears of rising sectarian tensions as the unity government faces internal divisions.
It was not immediately clear who was behind the attacks.
However, analysts say the level of co-ordination suggests a planning capability only available to al-Qaeda in Iraq, which is a mainly Sunni insurgent group.
The bombs exploded as many people were travelling to work during the morning rush-hour.
Four car-bombs and 10 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were detonated, officials told the BBC.
A security spokesman in Baghdad, Maj-Gen Qassim Atta, said the attackers had not aimed at security targets.
“They targeted children’s schools, day workers and the anti-corruption agency,” he told the AFP news agency.
Raghad Khalid, a teacher at a kindergarten in Karrada, said “the children were scared and crying”.
“Some parts of the car bomb are inside our building.”
Smoke was seen rising over Karrada district, with ambulances rushing to the scene.
Another woman said her baby had been covered in glass.
“She is now scared in the next room. All countries are stable. Why don’t we have security and stability?” said Um Hanin.
Iraq’s year-old power-sharing government is in turmoil after an arrest warrant was issued for Sunni Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi on terror charges.
The entire al-Iraqiyya group, the main Sunni bloc in parliament, is boycotting the assembly in protest. It accuses Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, of monopolizing power.
Tariq al-Hashemi denies the charges. He is currently in Irbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, under the protection of the regional government, but PM Nouri Maliki has demanded that they give him up.
The last American troops departed from Iraq on Sunday, nearly nine years after the war that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003.
President Barack Obama acknowledged that the situation was not perfect, but said the US forces were leaving behind “a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government elected by its people”.
Health experts believe Christmas is the perfect time to tell the loved ones they are overweight.
The UK National Obesity Forum and International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk said it was important to be upfront because of the health risks.
Being overweight – particularly around the waist – increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
But a poll by the groups suggests too many people shy away from the issue.
The survey of more than 2,000 people found 42% of 18 to 24-year-olds would not tell a loved one they should lose weight because of a fear they would hurt the other person’s feelings.
For those aged 25 to 44 it was just over a third, while for older people it was about one in four.
Men find it hardest to tell their partners, while women were more worried about bringing up the issue with a friend.
But with families and friends getting together up and down the country over the festive period, the experts believe there is an opportunity that should not be missed.
Prof. David Haslam, chair of the National Obesity Forum, said: “Suggesting to someone that they should consider losing a few pounds may not be a comfortable conversation to have.
“But if someone close to you has a large waistline then as long as you do it sensitively, discussing it with them now could help them avoid critical health risks later down the line and could even save their life.”
Dr. Jean Pierre Despres, scientific director of the International Chair on Cardiometabolic Risk, agreed.
“Start by encouraging someone close to you to make simple lifestyle changes such as becoming more active, making small alterations to their eating habits and replacing sugary drinks with water.”
Waist fat
• In recent years, health experts have begun talking much more about what is known as abdominal obesity – basically fat round the stomach
• It is recommended that men are no larger than 94cm (37in) and women 80cm (31.5in)
• Fat around the waist is related to the release of proteins and hormones which affect how the body breaks down sugars and fats
Warren Beatty was trying to solidify his relationship with Stephen, his teenage daughter who became a man and was previously called Kathlyn, at a special family dinner in Hollywood on Saturday, according to the National Enquirer.
A source told the National Enquirer the special family meal at Italian restaurant il Covo was a way for Warren Beatty to publicly give his support to the 19-year-old, who decided she wanted to switch genders last year, but had been living as a man for at least two years previously.
The source said: “The dinner was an unofficial public display that he’s proud of his family, especially Stephen, for having the courage to be who he truly is.
“It wasn’t easy for Warren. But he learned a lot about the transgender community over the past year.”
As a result Warren Beatty, 74, is now bragging to friends about his “intelligent and courageous son Stephen”.
The source added: “Warren even made an emotional toast to Stephen during the dinner and said he was proud to have such a brave son.”
The person who was most pleased by the Bugsy actor’s new found understanding was his 54-year-old wife Annette Bening.
The source added: “Annette was simply glowing. She said the evening was the best Christmas present she’s ever received.”
Warren Beatty was trying to solidify his relationship with Stephen, his transgender son, at a special family dinner in Hollywood on Saturday
Despite the fact it has taken some time for the Shampoo favorite to come to terms with his former daughter, who was named after his beloved mother, his feelings for him were never in doubt.
The source said: “Warren never stopped loving their child, but he had plenty of issues and fears to overcome.
“The bottom line is he missed his little girl. But he’s finally resigned himself to the fact that one day Stephen will probably have gender reassignment surgery and legally become a boy.
“Warren still slips up and calls Stephen <<her>> or by his birth name Kathlyn, but the bottom line is he’s totally onboard with his child’s new lifestyle.”
Stephen Beatty is one of four children the Oscar winning sex symbol has with Annette Bening.
Warren Beatty and Annette Bening have another two daughters, Isabel and Ella, and a son Ben.
A mother-of-three from Texas came home Tuesday night and found two of her children tied up, her husband, Russell Lopez, murdered and his SUV missing.
The horrific discovery was made in Harris County around 9:45 p.m. when Russell Lopez’s wife arrived home to the apparent home invasion after a number of suspects broke in.
Their 6 and 7-year-old children were tied up but not hurt and her husband Russell Lopez, 31, had been slain, leaving a brutal murder scene behind.
Their seven-month-old baby was unharmed and in a crib.
Russell Lopez’s mother Cheri Duszynski told ABC13: “My grandson had said that his dad wouldn’t wake up.
“Some animal came there with a plan and they executed it. We have to stop them, we have to get them before they do it to someone else.”
Family members said there was blood everywhere.
Russell Lopez, 31, was found slain by his wife in an apparent home invasion
A neighbor’s daughter was out walking her dog when she said she saw two men kick the door down before driving off in the truck a couple of minutes later, according to ABC.
Cheri Duszynski said that while her son was lying dying on the floor, her grandchildren were bound in the bedroom.
Russell Lopez’s wife called 911 but when deputies arrived he was pronounced dead. The cause of death has not been released.
Detectives said Russell Lopez had multiple lacerations on his body which may have come from a blunt object.
They were interviewing the children to try to find out what they heard or may have seen.
Russell Lopez’s 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe was missing and it is believed the suspects escaped in that. The SUV has Texas license plate number 03SHS6.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident in the 19300 block of Plantain Drive near Deermoss Drive.
The statement said: “Deputies located a 31-year-old male deceased inside the residence from unknown trauma.
“No motive or suspect information has been developed at this time.”
The Three Magi are one of the most recognized symbols of the festive season, emulated in nativity plays all over the world and whose imagery adorns the front of millions of Christmas cards.
However, the three wise men who presented the newborn baby Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh could have been larger in numbers if a new interpretation of an ancient document is correct.
An eighth-century script has been translated into English for the first time and throws an incredible new light on the Christmas story.
The translation of the mysterious “Revelation of the Magi” describes how the three wise men actually numbered over a dozen and came from a faraway land, possibly China.
The Magi was the term, used from at least the fourth century BC, for ancient stargazers who were able to read and manipulate the fate foretold in the skies.
The script also reveals how it was Jesus himself who was the famous star followed by the Magi.
Brent Landau, a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Oklahoma, spent two years translating the eighth-century text from its original Syriac.
The document has been held in the Vatican for 250 years and the story is thought to have been first told in the late second, or early third, century.
This takes it back to possibly just 100 years after Matthew wrote his Gospel – the only one to include the story of the Magi.
Matthew never mentions how many the Magi numbered; they are described as three wise men simply because there were three gifts.
There could have been several scores of them, according to the new translation.
The translation of the mysterious “Revelation of the Magi” describes how the three wise men actually numbered over a dozen and came from a faraway land, possibly China
The authors of the document claim it was penned by the Magi. However experts do not believe this to be the case and say it could have been written by their descendents, as it carries detailed accounts of their prayers and rituals.
Professor Brent Landau thinks the sect that wrote it identified with the mystics.
The story tells how the Magi were descended from Adam’s third and righteous son, Seth.
It says they came from a semi-mythical place called Shir, which is on the eastern edge of the world – where modern-day China is.
Prof. Brent Landau said: “The story says that Seth passed down a prophecy that at some point a star would appear that would signal the birth of God in human form.
“The Magi waited thousands of years, passing down the prophecy and then the star appeared where the Magi were.
“It transformed into a small luminous human being who was Christ himself in a pre-existent, celestial form.
“It is saying that Jesus Christ and the Star of Bethlehem are the same thing and Jesus Christ can transform himself into anything.
“The star guides them to Bethlehem and into a cave where it transforms into a human infant who tells them to go back and be preachers of the Gospel.
“Later the Apostle Thomas turns up and baptizes the Magi and tells them to go into the world.
“The story does say that the Magi brought gifts to Jesus, but interestingly the text never tells us if they are the familiar gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”
Prof. Brent Landau said it is unknown who wrote the text but added: “Somebody was really fascinated by the wise men to have created this big, long story and tell it from their perspective.
“The Revelation of the Magi is part of the Christian Apocrypha and was written in the Syriac language that was spoken by Christians from Syria through Iran and Iraq.
“There might have been a community who were using the Magi or its persona to get its religious perspective across.
“There are many details of strange rituals, praying and silence. There is a description of a sacred mountain and purification at a sacred spring.
“The detail is so great I wondered if it was the community’s actual practices that were being described.
“There is much in the Revelation of the Magi which is not self evident why it is there.
“Nobody knows where Matthew got the story from so along with Matthew’s Gospel this is as close as you can get to the Magi.”
In terms of the text itself, very little is known about its origins.
It is unclear who wrote it or when, though academics think it is an 8th century manuscript written from a story from the second or third century.
After, it is unsure where the text was for a millennium until a collector stumbled across it in a Turkish monastery in the eighteenth century.
The collector then transferred the document, written on Vellum, a type of parchment made from animal skin, to the Vatican Library.
It was then lost, archived away in Syriac until a Harvard student, Brent Landau, spent almost a decade translating the text.
Kris Jenner, the Kardashian matriarch proves she is the driving force behind Kourtney, Kim and Khloe’s love of the limelight, as she sings from behind the wheel of her convertible while cruising through Los Angeles in 1985.
For her 30th birthday in 1985, Kris Jenner decided that she needed to show all of her friends just how much she loved them, and made a music video, aptly titled: I Love My Friends, set to the tune of Randy Newman’s I Love LA.
The video, produced by her late ex-husband Robert Kardashian, opens with a collage of classic LA images, then cuts to Kris Jenner walking on her treadmill apparently wearing only a polo shirt and knickers and her hair in bunches.
“November 5th and now I’m 30, rolling down the freeway with my friends at my side,” Kris Jenner sings.
“I love my friends, my life wouldn’t be complete, they are my joy and pride.”
For her 30th birthday in 1985, Kris Jenner decided that she needed to show all of her friends just how much she loved them, and made a music video
The video then depicts the now 56-year-old mother of six Kris Jenner, wearing a glam, red eighties power suit and driving a convertible through Beverly Hills.
“I’ve learned a lot from all my good friends about turning 30,” Kris Jenner continues.
“We’re gonna party ’till we just can’t party no more.”
Kris Jenner then goes on to catalogue all the things her and her clearly privileged set of friends enjoy, crooning: “We’re big on car pools and Judith Lieber, bible studies and the Cheesecake factory.
“….Joyce’s parties, lots of tennis, baby showers, birthday parties, Valentino and church on Sundays.”
The video is interspersed with snapshots of Kris Jenner with her friends including Michael Jackson and Nicole and O.J. Simpson.
The Kardashian family was also very close to O.J. Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson.
The Simpson trial caused conflict between Kris Jenner and Robert as Kardashian, Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and Rob’s father was on O.J.’s defense team, while Nicole had been Kris’ best friend.
Kim Kardashian had her 14th birthday party at Neverland Ranch as the family was friendly with him.
Kris Jenner carries on singing in a variety of settings including the kitchen and in a bubble bath, sipping champagne.
“Everybody’s very happy ’cause the sun is shining all the time. Looks like another fun-filled day! I love my friends.”
Groups of friends, O.J Simpson, a man who appears to be her hairstylist, sales people at her favourite boutiques and Robert Kardashian are also shown singing in reply: “She loves you!” to the camera.
As the credits role she lists herself as Kristen Kardashian and Kourtney, Kimberly and Khloe as being responsible for the lyrics.
Posted on Kim Kardashian’s website, her daughter said of the video: “For my mom’s 30th birthday she decided to record a funny song called I Love My Friends, which she dedicated to all of her best friends. She showed this video at her big 30th birthday party!
“She and my dad made the video and got a bunch of family and friends to participate!
“Everyone from my grandparents their best friends at the time–like OJ and Nicole–even we are in it at the end and even the people who worked at her favorite restaurants and stores my mom and her friends would shop at!
“Everyone chimes in to say <<She loves you!>>
“I love this video and think it is so clever and so cute! I hope you guys enjoy it!”
Santa Claus was spotted five days before Christmas at the scene of an accident in Dallas County, Texas, when two cars collided and one of them set on fire.
Santa quickly sprang into action and pulled one of the drivers from his burning truck before directing the traffic around the crash site.
Eye witness Margie Culberson, who took a photo of the Good Samaritan Santa, said: “It must have just happened. It was a fireball and a lot of black smoke.”
Coppell Police said they have no record of any Santa Claus being at the scene of the crash.
But WFAA-TV managed to locate him.
Santa Claus was spotted five days before Christmas at the scene of an accident in Dallas County, Texas, when two cars collided and one of them set on fire
Turns out Santa Claus is former volunteer fire fighter Brad Luddeke, from Arlington, who was coming home from delivering toys to families in need in full Santa gear as he does every year.
Brad Luddeke told the news channel: “As soon as I grabbed (the driver’s) jacket and pulled him away, I said, <<Your car’s on fire>>.
“We turned to leave, and I guess the battery exploded. And that’s when everything went up.”
Brad Luddeke won’t admit that he probably saved someone’s life but said he was just glad to help as he lost his son, 17, in a traffic accident seven years ago.
The brave man assured all the good little boys and girls that Santa won’t be late this year after his moment of heroism.
Maria de Nazare from Brazil has given birth to a baby with two heads, as she had initially expected twins.
Maria de Nazare, 25, gave birth by caesarean at a hospital in Anajas, in Brazil’s northern Para state, with her newborn weighing 9.9 lbs.
In a tribute to the religious celebrations at Christmas, Maria de Nazare has decided to call the pair Emanoel and Jesus.
Following the birth of her baby, Maria de Nazare admitted that she had been told she was set to welcome twins.
In a tribute to the religious celebrations at Christmas, Maria de Nazare has decided to call her two-heads baby Emanoel and Jesus
But following a number of tests, doctors have revealed that the baby has two brains and two spines but shares one heart, lungs, liver and pelvis.
The hospital’s director, Claudionor Assis de Vasconcelos, told Brazil’s O Povo newspaper that the woman decided to travel to the hospital because she was feeling strong abdominal pains.
The mother, who lives in a rural area of the state, had no ultra-sound scans during her pregnancy and only found out about the abnormality minutes before the baby was born at 1:00 a.m. on Monday morning.
Claudionor Assis de Vasconcelos said: “When doctors scanned her they realized that the baby had two heads and that a normal birth would be a great risk both for mother and baby. The caesarean took an hour because the baby was sitting down.
“Despite all the problems we have as a small interior hospital we managed to save both mother and baby, which was our aim. And for us it was a great surprise to find out that the child was in really good health.”
Neila Dahas, director of the Santa Casa hospital said: “If both their brains are functioning, how are we going to choose which head to remove?
“We are not considering the possibility of surgery. What we’ve got to think about at this moment is to maintain the children in good condition and see how they will develop.”
Claudionor Assis de Vasconcelos added that at no point did the mother, who has three other children, appear distraught that her son has two heads.
He said: “On the contrary, the baby was received with much happiness by the family.
“The mother fed both mouths and the baby stayed with her in her room the whole time. Her desire was to take her baby straight home.”
The mother and baby were taken by air ambulance yesterday afternoon to a specialist hospital in the state capital, Belem, to carry out further tests. They are expected to be allowed home later this week.
Remarkably, this is the second time a two-headed baby has been born in Brazil this year. Sueli Ferreira, 27, gave birth to a two-headed baby in Paraiba State, but it died a few hours later because of lack of oxygen to one of the child’s heads.
The video of a FedEx employee lobbing a computer monitor into a garden has been viewed 200,000 times on YouTube and seemed to be hilarious, but, sadly, this isn’t the only box not being handled with care.
Other delivery men have been caught in the act of throwing, dragging and dumping special deliveries in the U.S.
A whole range of techniques are employed by the busy delivery guys. One man throws packages from his van without even looking where they are going to land. Another has perfected a horseshoe throw while one uses as much care as you would to toss out the garbage.
In another incredible clip, a FedEx truck on the highway was caught on video camera with what appears to be a kitchen appliance stuck to the front grille – with sparks flying up from the road.
Many delivery men have been caught in the act of throwing, dragging and dumping special deliveries in the US
FedEx had now identified their rogue employee but had not released his name and said he would be dealt with internally. Company spokeswoman Shea Leordeanu added: “This won’t be his best day.”
Shea Leordeanu said company executives were “shocked” when they saw the video yesterday and called the handling of the package “unacceptable”.
The 21-second clip, uploaded to YouTube by user goobie55 on Monday night, shows the delivery man taking the package from the back of a FedEx-branded van parked outside of the home’s front lawn.
Taking the package out, he walks alongside an iron gate and past what appears to be a security keypad that might buzz him in.
Without missing a beat, its fragile contents are tossed onto a driveway on the other side of the gate.
Peering over his shoulder, the unidentified male continues his march back to the van – and, presumably, his next delivery.
“All of us here at FedEx have seen the video and quite frankly we were shocked,” said Shea Leordeanu.
The customer who posted the video has not contacted the company yet, Shea Leordeanu said. However, FedEx officials asked the person to come forward so they could properly apologize.
Weight loss is not easy as part of a busy life. Healthy eating isn’t always possible if you are on the move constantly. Neither is fitting 2 hours in the gym everyday however if you can make sure to get some whey protein at www.hollandandbarrett. So, every bit of assistance in weight loss helps. That’s where acai berry supplements come into play.
This is an all natural supplement to your daily diet that assists in weight loss. This herbal remedy is a safe way of aiding weight loss. It is high in anti-oxidants, so it also cleanses the digestive system. The berry comes from the Amazon and has a long history with the tribes, who used it for its numerous benefits. The anti-oxidants boost vitality which is very beneficial to weight loss, as you’re more likely to be active in today’s world. The berry has essential fatty acids, amino acids and phytosterols that can improve your metabolism.
The acai berry supplement is often used in conjunction with colonic therapies to enhance the digestive system. This aids weight loss by removing any build ups within the intestines and allowing quicker, more efficient absorption of all the necessary nutrients. The acai berry is also renowned to reduce the appetite making it less likely that a chocolate binge will occur.
The acai berry can be purchased in many forms, from fresh or juice to supplement form. However, it can be expensive, so shop around before you buy. The acai berry needs to be taken, eaten or even drunk as part of a balanced diet. The acai berry alone won’t aid in weight loss, it has to be teamed with a calorie controlled diet and daily exercise.
The acai berry can also have benefits for mental health as it increases energy and vitality, which can help ward off stress and help to keep a psychologically healthy mind.
The Kardashians already have 4 reality series under their belt, but Kim Kardashian says her family could be on TV for years to come.
“These shows could really go on for years,” Kim Kardashian, 31, told The Hollywood Reporter.
“There are so many of us, but I think we’ll see more of my younger siblings [Kendall and Kylie].”
Kim Kardashian and her mother Kris Jenner appear in the latest issue of the entertainment bible that named the family one of its “rule breakers” of 2011.
The Kardashians are rumored to have made a total of $65 million last year through their TV series and a host of endorsement deals.
Kim Kardashian appears on one of four special covers of Hollywood Reporter's year-end double-issue
Their fame began with Keeping Up With the Kardashians, but they have starred in other offshoots including Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Kourtney and Kim Take New York and Khloe and Lamar.
As one of six children, Kim Kardashian says the family could keep on doing reality TV for a long time to come.
“The show could go on for years, but when the fun stops so will we.”
The past year has been one of incredible highs and lows for the Kardashians following Kim’s whirlwind romance and wedding to basketball player Kris Humphries.
At the end of October Kim Kardashian filed for divorce after just 72 days of marriage.
Kris Jenner, 56, – the family’s matriarch and manager – is philosophical.
“I’m really proud at how hard we’ve all worked this year and what we’ve accomplished,” she says.
“We roll as one big unit, so whether something’s sad, happy or tragic, we come together as a family and everything falls into place.”
Kim Kardashian appears on one of four special covers of Hollywood Reporter’s year-end double-issue.
DeAngelo Rashard Mitchell, a young man from South Carolina, who persuaded his brother to eat an ounce of cocaine after they were arrested is to be charged with causing his death.
Wayne Joshua Mitchell, 20, collapsed and died an hour after ingesting the drug as he sat in the back of a police car.
DeAngelo Rashard Mitchell, 23, who was captured on a police video cameras urging his brother to eat the drug, has been charged with his death.
The man is heard on the police film telling his younger brother that if he is caught with the drug he will spend the rest of his life in prison.
At his urging his younger brother swallows the drug.
“I love you, bro,” Wayne Joshua Mitchell says.
An hour later he was dead.
A toxicology test revealed the cause of death was from ingesting cocaine.
The brothers were pulled over while driving in North Charleston, South Carolina, after a patrol car noticed one of their headlights wasn’t working.
Officers put the brothers in the back of a police cruiser while they searched the car.
A video camera recorded what happened next as DeAngelo Mitchell told his brother he couldn't afford another strike against him and that he needed his brother to eat the cocaine he had in his possession
A video camera recorded what happened next as DeAngelo Mitchell told his brother he couldn’t afford another strike against him and that he needed his brother to eat the cocaine he had in his possession.
“You gonna eat it, you gonna chew it,” DeAngelo Mitchell tells his brother.
“You ain’t got no strike… I can get you out… I can’t afford another strike.”
DeAngelo Mitchell then appears to hand off the cocaine, which was stuffed in his buttocks, to his brother.
“One of us gotta do it,” he said.
“You the only one that don’t have no strikes… You my lil’ brother… I’m gonna get life… You gonna unwrap it? Want me to hand you it?”
According to police, Wayne Mitchell then ate the cocaine.
Minutes later the younger brother began having trouble breathing and holding his head up. DeAngelo Mitchell told police his 20-year-old brother had swallowed cocaine, but did not mention where it came from.
Despite being rushed to hospital doctors were unable to save Wayne Mitchell.
“It’s sickening,” said North Charleston police chief Jon Zumwalt.
“I got upset when I saw the thing, I’m pretty shocked about it.
“For me, an older brother is supposed to love his little brother, have his back and take good care of him. That’s not what was happening in this car.”
DeAngelo Mitchell has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Police records show he has numerous convictions for drug arrests.
The incident happened on November 30th but police waited for the toxicology results before charging DeAngelo Mitchell with involuntary manslaughter.
Kevin Trudeau, the veteran US infomercial, has been fined with almost $38 million after allegedly scamming customers for decades.
Kevin Trudeau, 48, has made millions flogging what he claims are natural cures for serious and potentially fatal illnesses.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision that Kevin Trudeau must pay the huge fine.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been after Kevin Trudeau, originally from Massachusetts, for several years.
The FTC said that he has made millions of dollars by telling followers that coral calcium can cure cancer among other claims.
FTC put the value at $37.6million as to how much consumers were defrauded by “deceptive infomercials” that Kevin Trudeau filmed in order to plug his book – “The Weight Loss Cure <<They Don’t Want You to Know About>>”.
On one episode of his radio show The Kevin Trudeau Show, he said: “Coral calcium is the best form of calcium.”
Kevin Trudeau then tells his listeners: “Every single one of you are deficient in vitamin D3 and calcium.
“If you take those two things, it’s virtually impossible to get cancer and it’s impossible to get sick.”
Kevin Trudeau, who claims to be “America’s number one freedom fighter and consumer advocate”, has also sold thousands of weight loss books, baldness remedies, addiction treatments and investment plans.
Kevin Trudeau, the veteran US infomercial, has been fined with almost $38 million after allegedly scamming customers for decades
In 2004, Kevin Trudeau became to first ever person banned from selling a product on TV by the FTC but flouted the ruling.
He had argued that the courts decision violated his First Amendment rights but the appeals court upheld the decision and even suggested the amount he was being fined was not enough.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago said Kevin Trudeau’s infomercials played 32,000 times after being told to stop by the FTC.
Judge John Tinder said: “The figure is conservative – it only considers sales from the 800-number, not sales in bookstores carrying his <<As Seen on TV>. titles.”
Kevin Trudeau, in an interview with ABC News, says he intends to fight on to defend his First Amendment right to speak and write freely, taking his appeal, if necessary, to the Supreme Court.
He said his only “crime” is telling truths that challenge big pharmaceutical companies.
The presenter has been making late-night infomercials for more than 20 years.
Doctors have expressed concern in the past about his book Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About which has sold more than 5 million copies and appeared at the top of non-fiction bestseller lists.
His claims include: “The sun does not cause cancer. Sun block has been shown to cause cancer.”
Another one of his statements is that AIDS is “one of the greatest hoaxes and deceptions ever perpetrated on the American public”.
The FTC first came after Kevin Trudeau in 1998 for making false claims on TV. He claimed his alternative medicines could cause dramatic weight loss and cure addictions to alcohol, cigarettes and heroin. He even said the herbal remedies could give users a photographic memory.
More than 25 million Americans have purchased products from Kevin Trudeau.
Donna Kelly from UK, who suffered two miscarriages in the past, spent ten weeks, 24 hours a day, laid “upside down” in a hospital bed until she gave birth to a healthy daughter.
When doctors told five months pregnant Donna Kelly, 29, that she was at high risk of losing another baby, she readily agreed to their radical solution.
Ultrasound scans had shown that damage to the neck of Donna Kelly womb, or cervix, meant the baby had dropped too far down.
To alter the force of gravity on her cervix, Donna Kelly lay in a bed tilted at a 45 degree angle with her feet pointing upwards.
Donna Kelly had to eat, read and watch television in the bed at University Hospital in Coventry, only getting out of it to go to the toilet.
Donna Kelly, who gave up work as a gynaecology nurse following the birth of her son Joshua four years ago, said: “I was surprised when she told me to lie in bed at a tilt but I was ready to give anything a try.
“It made me feel sick at first but after a couple of days my body adjusted and I soon got used to it.
“I propped myself up with pillows and the barrier round the bed kept me from falling out.
“I’d even have to stay in the bed to eat by rolling on to my side, but I’d always have a dead arm by the end. It could be boring at times but I knew it wouldn’t be as painful as losing my baby.”
Doctors told Donna Kelly and husband Mark, 32, a Sky television installation engineer, that Joshua’s natural birth may have permanently weakened her cervix. They think this caused her to miscarry in January 2009 at 23 weeks and again in May 2010 at 19 weeks.
This time Donna Kelly was given cream containing the hormone progesterone to help strengthen the cervix and prevent infection.
She also underwent a cervical stitch at 14 weeks to strengthen the neck of the womb but by 23 weeks the cervix had re-opened.
Professor Siobhan Quenby, an expert in recurrent miscarriages, told the couple the only chance of preventing another miscarriage was to reduce the pressure on her cervix by making her lie at a tilt.
While his mother was in hospital, Joshua went to nursery but visited her each evening with his father. Donna Kelly gave birth to 4lb 15oz Amelia by emergency caesarean in August after her waters broke six weeks early.
Baby Amelia spent two weeks in an incubator in intensive care before the couple was allowed to take her to their Coventry home, where she is now thriving.
Donna Kelly added: “The other day Joshua said to me, <<Mummy, I love being a big brother>. For me that makes it all worthwhile.”
Prof. Siobhan Quenby said there were several causes of cervical weakness, including damage from previous births and miscarriages, smear tests and treatment for pre-cancerous cells.
“Donna’s cervical weakness was bad as you can get,” she added.
“It’s the weakest I’ve ever dealt with.
“The concept of keeping a woman at a tilt is relatively simple – it’s basic physics – and while it may sound strange, it is very effective.”
Prof. Sionhan Quenby said it costs around £300 ($450) per day to keep a patient in hospital, but the cost of caring for a premature baby in hospital is around £2,000 ($3,000) per day.
Linda Gipson, a mother-of-five from Ypsilanti, Michigan, who mistakenly loaded her children’s Christmas presents into the trunk of the wrong car, is counting on the kindness of its owner to return the missing items this season.
Linda Gipson was overloaded with $700 worth of merchandise during her shopping trip to Twelve Oaks Mall in nearby Novi, so she put her bags in what she thought was her daughter’s car before returning inside.
When Linda Gipson finished shopping an hour later, she returned to the parking lot to find the car she had filled up with gifts was gone.
Linda Gipson told Detroit Free Press: “The first thing I thought was, <<Please, don’t tell me I put my things in the wrong car>>.”
But when she realized what had happened that Thursday afternoon, she broke down.
“I just started crying,” Linda Gipson said.
Linda Gipson, who described herself as an in-home health aide who currently has no clients, estimated the value of the missing items at $700
Linda Gipson said a similar silver 2003 Focus parked nearby opened with the same key as her car.
She told ABC News she and her husband reported the incident to mall security, who in turn called police.
But until the stranger behind the wheel of the other car comes forward, several items will be missing from under the family tree, including a pair of boots, perfume, sweaters, a hat and a scarf – and two gifts her husband had bought for Linda Gipson.
Linda Gipson, who described herself as an in-home health aide who currently has no clients, estimated the value of the missing items at $700.
Assistant Police Chief Tom Lindberg of the Novi, Michigan Police Department, told ABC surveillance cameras did not capture Linda Gipson leaving the mall with the packages.
A Ford spokesman was unaware of any other instance where someone was able to unlock a vehicle using the key to a different car.
The company is said to be investigating the incident.
But Linda Gipson is meanwhile pleading for anyone who may have parked at the shopping mall driving a similar car on the same day to check their trunk and come forward if her purchases are found.
“I’m hoping that whoever has the gifts.. is going to have a heart and return everything back,” Linda Gipson said.
Melissa and Vanessa, two self-professed witches were detained in Romania on blackmail and extortion charges last week in a high-profile case involving a TV star and reportedly other public figures.
According to police spokesman Christian Ciocan the two witches approached public figures promising to help them overcome work or love difficulties, and help them break curses.
Christian Ciocan said witches Melissa and Vanessa initially charged very little, but then, as their victims became hooked on their services, increased their prices.
Police spokesman cited one case where the victim – who later publicly identified herself as TV star Oana Zavoranu – handed over 450,000 Euros ($630,000) in cash and property in exchange for spells.
Christian Ciocan said the witches practiced voodoo, and sacrificed animals in graveyards and near rivers, claiming this would protect Oana Zavoranu from her mother and in-laws who had put a curse on her.
The witches, however, claim Oana Zavoranu is being vengeful because she asked them to cast a spell on her mother that would kill her, but the mother is still alive.
It was also reported that the ex-wife of businessman Cristi Borcea, one of two owners of Romanian football team Dinamo Bucharest, was cited as a victim, but she has neither confirmed nor denied the case.
Vanessa (left) and Melissa (right) were released last Wednesday, following a court ruling that they should not be detained awaiting trial
Christian Ciocan said if the victims tried to cease payment, the two women would threaten to put a spell on them, or disclose details of their personal lives.
Melissa and Vanessa were released last Wednesday, following a court ruling that they should not be detained awaiting trial.
The decision has been appealed today.
Romania has recently been trying to introduce legislation to limit witchcraft, as Member of Parliament Nicolae Paun, who represents the Roma, or Gypsies, said legislation must be enacted to stop what he called “backward practices”.
Generally, the self-professed witches in Romania are gypsies.
A group of Italian scientists say that the Shroud of Turin could actually be Christ’s burial robe despite years of tests proving the contrary.
Using a series of advanced experiments, Italian researchers say that the technology available when it was created was simply not available to likely “fakers”- and that marks on the shroud were created by a blinding flash of light at short wavelengths.
Carbon dating tests carried out in 1988 in Oxford, Zurich and Arizona suggested that the shroud was created some time between 1260 and 1390.
That research was disputed, however, because there was a possibility of contamination from patches of cloth that had been sewn on following a fire in Chambery, France, in 1532.
Burn marks sustained during the fire are visible along the edges of the shroud where molten silver dripped onto the cloth and in a series of triangular patches on both sides of the piece.
Theologians have suggested that the shroud, which is stored in the royal chapel at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Turin, was created when Jesus was resurrected.
Scientists from the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Development tried to recreate the piece, but found that they could only do so with advanced machinery, according to the Daily Telegraph.
According to Italian scientists, the kind of technology needed to create the Shroud of Turin simply wasn't around at the time that it was created
Intense beams of UV light were fired at a piece of cloth but when they were unable to recreate the marks on the shroud they concluded that “some form of electromagnetic energy (such as a flash of light at short wavelength)” must have created the image.
Professor Paolo Di Lazzaro said: “When one talks about a flash of light being able to colour a piece of linen in the same way as the shroud, discussion inevitably touches on things like miracles and resurrection.”
Professor’s report states that: “The double image (front and back) of a scourged and crucified man, barely visible on the linen cloth of the Shroud of Turin, has many physical and chemical characteristics that are so particular that the staining… is impossible to obtain in a laboratory.”
Rather than offering a non-scientific explanation, however, Prof. Paolo Di Lazzaro continued: “We hope our results can open up a philosophical and theological debate but we will leave the conclusions to the experts, and ultimately to the conscience of individuals.”
In 2009 it was claimed that Leonardo da Vinci had created the image and it could even have been a self-portrait.
Lillian Schwartz, a graphic consultant at the School of Visual Arts in New York, claims that the image is a self-portrait, which was made using a crude photographic technique.
Using computer scans she found that the face on the Turin Shroud and a self portrait of Leonardo da Vinci share the same dimensions.
Earlier this year an Italin art expert Luciano Buso suggested that the 14 ft length of fabric was made by medieval artist Giotto.
What is the Turin Shroud?
The Vatican owns the Turin Shroud, and hails the relic as an exploration of the “darkest mystery of faith”.
But the church has shied away from any definitive statement over whether the shroud – which is supposed to have formed Christ’s burial robe – is real.
The Shroud is thought to have travelled widely before it was brought to France in the 14th century by a Crusader.
The Shroud was kept in a French convent for years – by nuns who patched it, and where it was damaged by fire.
It was given to the Turin Archbishop in 1578 by the Duke of Savoy and has been kept in the Cathedral ever since.
Carbon dating tests in 1988 dated it from between 1260 and 1390 – implying it was a fake.
Scientists have since claimed that contamination over the ages from patches, water damage and fire, was not taken sufficiently into account.
In 1999, two Israeli scientists said plant pollen found on the Shroud supported the view that it comes from the Holy Land.
There have been numerous calls for further testing but the Vatican has always refused.
Greenhill & Co investment banker Jeffrey Buckalew, his wife and his children are believed to be among five people killed after a small aircraft crashed on to a New Jersey motorway.
The small plane went down on Interstate 287 by the town of Harding in the north of the state, said aviation officials.
The single-engine plane spiraled out of the sky and exploded upon impact, said witnesses.
TV news helicopter footage showed wreckage strewn across the motorway, which was closed in both directions.
Investment bank Greenhill & Co said in a statement that the dead were believed to include its managing directors Rakesh Chawla, 36, and Jeffrey Buckalew, 45.
Jeffrey Buckalew’s wife, Corrine, and their children, Jackson and Meriwether, are also thought to have died, the bank added.
Greenhill said the plane had belonged to Jeffrey Buckalew, describing him as “an experienced pilot, whose passion was flying”.
Robert Greenhill, chairman of the bank, said: “The firm is in deep mourning over the tragic and untimely death of two of its esteemed colleagues and members of Jeff’s family. Jeff was one of the first employees of Greenhill.
“He and Rakesh were extraordinary professionals who were highly respected by colleagues and clients alike. They will be sorely missed and our sympathies go out to their families and friends.”
A dog, also aboard the plane, is said to have been killed, authorities said.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters said the aircraft was a turboprop Socata TBM-700.
It took off from New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport before disappearing from radar, he added.
The aircraft was bound for DeKalb-Peachtree Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
Witnesses said a wing came off the plane in mid-air, and debris was scattered across almost a quarter of a mile.
A section of the aircraft landed in a tree near a home before it crashed in the middle of the motorway.
Interstate 287 is a busy motorway that wraps around the New York City area.
