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Pancreatic cancer: new clinical trials have started

Kathryn R. Bown
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Pancreatic cancer: new clinical trials have started

BioCancell has begun enrollment of phase IIb BC-819 pancreatic cancer clinical trial, while Halozyme has started randomized, controlled clinical trial with PEGPH20 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

 

Tikcro Technologies Ltd. announced on October 6 that BioCancell, a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted cancer therapies for solid cancer tumors, has commenced enrollment of its Phase IIb pancreatic cancer clinical trial with a first treatment of the first patient.

The FDA granted BioCancell a Fast Track designation for BC-819, as a treatment for locally-advanced pancreatic cancer. Fast Track designation is expected to expedite FDA review of BC-819 and the process of clinical trials.

The trial will examine the effect of BioCancell‘s BC-819 in sequence with Gemzar (gemcitabine), the current standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer, in patients with advanced, unresectable (inoperable) pancreatic cancer.

The clinical trial is expected to include approximately 100 participants in multiple medical centers in Europe, Israel and the U.S. Half of the participants will be treated with the combination of BioCancell‘s BC-819 and gemcitabine, and the other half will be treated with gemcitabine alone.

The primary endpoint of the trial is progression-free survival. Secondary objectives include overall survival, response rate and resectability of the target tumor lesion.

An interim analysis is planned for after the recruitment of the first 18 patients in order to determine the appropriate dose of BC-819 to utilize for the remainder of the trial.

Tikcro (Tel Aviv, Israel) has holdings in BioCancell Therapeutics, Inc. (Jerusalem, Israel), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company operating in the area of cancer treatment.

 

BC-819, used to treat pancreatic cancer, is a double stranded DNA plasmid construct that incorporates the gene for diphtheria toxin (DTA) under the regulation of the promoter sequence for H19 gene.
BC-819, used to treat pancreatic cancer, is a double stranded DNA plasmid construct that incorporates the gene for diphtheria toxin (DTA) under the regulation of the promoter sequence for H19 gene.

 

BC-819  is a double stranded DNA plasmid construct that incorporates the gene for diphtheria toxin (DTA) under the regulation of the promoter sequence for H19 gene.

BC-819 uses the H19 gene to target susceptible tumor cells. A vehicle is constructed to gain access to the targeted cell, and the host cell’s internal machinery is directed to produce Diptheria Toxin (DTA). BC-819 enters all dividing cells, but while it will destroy the cancerous cells that express H19 it will be just a strand of non-functional DNA in non-cancerous cells.

DTA is one of the most lethal toxins known to mankind, and has proved to be the most efficient agent for the targeted destruction of cancerous growths. Because of this, it has been a frequently-used component of targeted approaches to cancer therapy, including immunotoxins and gene therapies, and has been approved by the FDA for a number of cancer treatments. There are two strong safety factors protecting the patient receiving DTA. The first is that Western societies are fully immunized against Diphtheria Toxin. The second is that the technology only utilizes the A fragment of the toxin, not the B fragment that would allow the toxin to replicate itself.

BioCancell is conducting a phase IIb clinical trial for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, phase IIb clinical trial for the treatment of superficial bladder carcinoma cancer and a Phase I/IIa clinical trial for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

 

Halozyme has begun randomized, controlled phase 2 clinical trial to assess safety, tolerability and efficacy of gemcitabine combined with PEGPH20 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

 

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products targeting the extracellular matrix for the diabetes, cancer, dermatology and drug delivery markets, announced on October 5 the commencement of patient dosing in a Phase 2 clinical trial with pegylated rHuPH20 (PEGPH20) in patients with stage IV previously untreated pancreatic cancer. This multi-center, international, randomized, placebo-controlled trial will study the safety, tolerability and efficacy of gemcitabine plus PEGPH20 compared to gemcitabine plus placebo.

“Pancreatic cancer continues to be an extremely challenging disease for both patients and physicians alike and, unfortunately, most patients with pancreas cancer live less than one year from the time of diagnosis. However, a number of recent observations from both preclinical and early Phase 1 clinical studies suggest that PEGPH20 may render pancreatic cancers more susceptible to conventional chemotherapy by depleting the tumor stroma of hyaluronan, improving vascular perfusion and preferentially increasing drug delivery to the tumor bed,”  said Sunil R. Hingorani of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a pancreatic cancer biologist and principal investigator for the trial.

The trial, which includes a single arm run-in stage, will evaluate gemcitabine plus PEGPH20 compared to gemcitabine plus placebo in patients with previously untreated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In the Phase 2 portion, patients will be randomized to receive either PEGPH20 plus gemcitabine or placebo plus gemcitabine. Over 140 patients are expected to be enrolled globally.

The primary endpoint of the Phase 2 portion of the trial is overall survival (OS). The trial will also evaluate secondary endpoints such as CA19-9, objective response rate and duration of response. CA19-9 is a tumor marker tested from blood samples in patients with pancreatic cancer.

 

Certain solid tumor types (colon, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers) have been shown to accumulate high levels of hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) which creates a protective network surrounding the tumor cell.
Certain solid tumor types (colon, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers) have been shown to accumulate high levels of hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan) which creates a protective network surrounding the tumor cell.

 

PEGPH20 is a PEGylated form of rHuPH20 modified to allow it to survive in the blood stream. PEGPH20 degrades hyaluronan (HA) which is a gel-like component found in tissues throughout the body. Certain solid tumor types (colon, breast, prostate, pancreatic cancer) have been shown to accumulate high levels of HA which creates a protective network surrounding the tumor cell. By degrading the HA, PEGPH20 may increase the accessibility of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents and improve the effectiveness of the treatment.

Halozyme Therapeutics (San Diego, California) is a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing products targeting the extracellular matrix for the insulin, cancer, dermatology and drug delivery markets. The company’s product portfolio is based primarily on intellectual property covering the family of human enzymes known as hyaluronidases and additional enzymes that affect the extracellular matrix. Halozyme‘s Enhanze(TM) technology is a novel drug delivery platform designed to increase the absorption and dispersion of biologics. The company has key partnerships with Roche, Baxter, ViroPharma and Intrexon to apply Enhanze technology to therapeutic biologics including Herceptin®, MabThera®, immunoglobulin, Cinryze® and recombinant human alpha 1-antitrypsin. Halozyme‘s Ultrafast Insulin program combines its rHuPH20 enzyme with mealtime insulins, which may produce more rapid absorption, faster action, and improved glycemic control. The product candidates in Halozyme‘s pipeline target multiple areas of significant unmet medical need.

 

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world.

 

The U.S. National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2011 there will be more than 44,030 new cases of pancreatic cancer and 37,660 deaths from the disease.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which develops within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a neuroendocrine tumor.

Sometimes called a silent killer (because early pancreatic cancer often does not cause symptoms), pancreatic cancer’s symptoms may include: upper abdominal pain, appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, rapid weight loss, jaundice, itching, diabetes mellitus (or high blood sugar levels), Trousseau sign, depression.

Lots of patients with pancreatic cancer develop diabetes months to years before they are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, suggesting new onset diabetes in a senior may be an early sign of pancreatic cancer.

 Pancreatic cancer first metastasizes to regional lymph nodes, generally, and later to the liver and, less commonly, to the lungs; occasionally to bone or brain.

Risk factors for pancreatic cancer may include: heredity (family history of pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis), age, smoking, diets low in vegetables and fruit, high in red meat and high in sugar-sweetened drinks (fructose has been linked to growth of pancreatic cancer cells), obesity, diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, Helicobacter pylori infection, gingivitis or periodontal disease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abraxane for advanced pancreatic cancer

Kathryn R. Bown
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Abraxane for advanced pancreatic cancer

Abraxane plus gemcitabine achieved a median overall survival of 12.2 months in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, study reports. Patients with high-SPARC biomarker achieved significantly higher overall survival.

 

Celgene International Sàrl announced on October 6 that results from a clinical study of Abraxane (paclitaxel albumin-bound particles for injectable suspension) in combination with gemcitabine in 67 patients with previously untreated advanced pancreatic cancer were published in an online article by the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

 

Abraxane, approved by FDA for breast cancer, could be a life-prolonging drug for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
Abraxane, approved by FDA for breast cancer, could be a life-prolonging drug for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

 

After the first phase of the study, the recommended Phase II dose was 125 mg/m2 of Abraxane followed by 1000 mg/m2 of gemcitabine on days 1, 8 and 15 of every 28-day cycle.

In Phase II, almost half of the patients responded (overall response rate was 48% (21/44)) and two-thirds experienced disease control (disease control rate was 68% (30/44)). The median progression-free survival was 7.9 months (95% CI: 5.8, 11.0) and the median overall survival (OS) was 12.2 months (95% CI: 8.9, 17.9). The one-year survival rate for patients was 48%.

Levels of secreted protein acidic and rich in crysteine (SPARC) were evaluated in 36 patients. These patients were classified as either high-SPARC (average z-score greater-than or equal to 0, n=19) or low-SPARC (average z-score <0, n=17). According to the study, a significant increase in OS was observed for patients in the high-SPARC group versus the low-SPARC group (median 17.8 vs. 8.1 months, p=0.0431). SPARC level remained a significant predictor of OS in a multivariate Cox regression model after adjusting for multiple clinical covariates including gender, race, age, treatment and baseline CA19-9 level (p=0.041). Of note, SPARC in the stroma correlated highly with OS (p=0.013), while SPARC in the tumor cells did not (p=0.15). This is particularly intriguing as SPARC expression in the stroma, but not in the tumor, has been associated with poor survival, suggesting that a unique mechanism of action of Abraxane may play a role in this reverse outcome.

Secreted protein acidic, rich in cysteine (SPARC) is an acidic, secreted extracellular matrix glycoprotein that plays a vital role in bone mineralization, cell-matrix interactions, and collagen binding. SPARC also increases the production and activity of matrix metalloproteinases, a function important to invading cancer cells within bone. Additional functions of SPARC beneficial to tumor cells include angiogenesis, proliferation and migration. Overexpression of SPARC is reported in many human cancers such as breast, prostate and colon.

The most common DLTs in the first phase of the study were sepsis and neutropenia. During the second phase, the most common grade 3 or higher Abraxane-related non-hematologic adverse events were fatigue (21%) and sensory neuropathy (15%). The most common grade 3 or higher treatment-related hematologic adverse events were neutropenia (67%), leukopenia (44%) and thrombocytopenia (23%).

These data are being confirmed in an ongoing, international, randomized phase III trial of Abraxane + gemcitabine vs. gemcitabine for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Additional information about the trial can be found at: http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00844649?term=abraxane&cond=pancreatic%2Bcancer&phase=2&rank=2&show_locs=Y#locn.

These data are reported from an investigational study. Abraxane is not approved as a treatment for previously untreated advanced pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. In typical usage, the term pancreatic cancer refers specifically to the significantly most common type of cancer, adenocarcinoma (and some variants thereof), that arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas, although the term can also reasonably be used to encompass less common types of cancer that also originate within the pancreas, and is quite frequently inclusive of the other exocrine cancers. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer death both in the United States and internationally.

Celgene International Sàrl, located in Boudry, in the Canton of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, is a wholly owned subsidiary and international headquarters of Celgene Corporation. Celgene Corporation, headquartered in Summit, New Jersey, is an integrated global pharmaceutical company engaged primarily in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases through gene and protein regulation. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at http://www.celgene.com.

 

Abraxane is a solvent-free chemotherapy treatment option for metastatic breast cancer which was developed using Celgene’s proprietary nab® technology platform.

 

This protein-bound chemotherapy agent combines paclitaxel with albumin, a naturally-occurring human protein. Abraxane is currently in various stages of investigation for the treatment of the following cancers: expanded applications for metastatic breast, non-small cell lung, malignant melanoma, pancreatic and gastric.

In 1967 Monroe E. Wall and Mansukh C. Wani isolated a mitotic inhibitor from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia and named it taxol. Later named paclitaxel, the natural product has antitumor activity and is the active agent in Abraxane.
In 1967 Monroe E. Wall and Mansukh C. Wani isolated a mitotic inhibitor from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, Taxus brevifolia and named it taxol. Later named paclitaxel, the natural product has antitumor activity and is the active agent in Abraxane.

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Abraxane for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) in January 2005 for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within six months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated. For the full prescribing information for Abraxane please visit http://www.abraxane.com.

Abraxane® for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) is indicated for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within 6 months of adjuvant chemotherapy. Prior therapy should have included an anthracycline unless clinically contraindicated.

ADVERSE EVENTS

Severe cardiovascular events possibly related to single-agent ABRAXANE occurred in approximately 3% of patients in the randomized trial. These events included chest pain, cardiac arrest, supraventricular tachycardia, edema, thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary emboli, and hypertension. Cases of cerebrovascular attacks (strokes) and transient ischemic attacks have been reported rarely. During postmarketing surveillance, rare reports of congestive heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction were observed, primarily among individuals with underlying cardiac history or prior exposure to cardiotoxic drugs.

In the randomized metastatic breast cancer study, the most important adverse events included alopecia (90%), neutropenia (all cases 80%; severe 9%), sensory neuropathy (any symptoms 71%; severe 10%), asthenia (any 47%; severe 8%), myalgia/arthralgia (any 44%; severe 8%), anemia (all 33%; severe 1%), nausea (any 30%; severe 3%), diarrhea (any 27%; severe <1%) infections (24%), vomiting (any 18%; severe 4%), and mucositis (any 7%; severe <1%).

Other adverse reactions have included ocular/visual disturbances (any 13%; severe 1%), renal dysfunction (any 11%; severe 1%), fluid retention (any 10%; severe 0%), hepatic dysfunction (elevations in bilirubin 7%, alkaline phosphatase 36%, AST [SGOT] 39%), hypersensitivity reactions (any 4%; severe 0%), cardiovascular reactions (severe 3%), thrombocytopenia (any 2%; severe <1%), and injection site reactions (<1%). In clinical trials and during postmarketing surveillance, dehydration was common and pyrexia was very common. Rare occurrences of severe hypersensitivity reactions have also been reported during postmarketing surveillance.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS, and ADVERSE REACTIONS.

Important Safety Information

Abraxane for Injectable Suspension (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension) should be administered under the supervision of a physician experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Appropriate management of complications is possible only when adequate diagnostic and treatment facilities are readily available.

Abraxane therapy should not be administered to patients with metastatic breast cancer who have baseline neutrophil counts of less than 1,500 cells/mm3. In order to monitor the occurrence of bone marrow suppression, primarily neutropenia, which may be severe and result in infection, it is recommended that frequent peripheral blood cell counts be performed on all patients receiving Abraxane.

Note: An albumin form of paclitaxel may substantially affect a drug’s functional properties relative to those of drug in solution. DO NOT SUBSTITUTE FOR OR WITH OTHER PACLITAXEL FORMULATIONS.

ADDITIONAL WARNINGS

The use of Abraxane has not been studied in patients with renal dysfunction. In the randomized controlled trial, patients were excluded for baseline serum bilirubin >1.5 mg/dL or baseline serum creatinine >2 mg/dL.

Pregnancy-Teratogenic Effects: Pregnancy Category D Abraxane can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while receiving this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving treatment with Abraxane. Men should be advised to not father a child while receiving treatment with Abraxane.

Abraxane contains albumin (human), a derivative of human blood.

PRECAUTIONS

No drug interaction studies have been conducted with Abraxane. Caution should be exercised when administering Abraxane concomitantly with medicines known to inhibit or induce either CYP2C8 or CYP3A4.

Abraxane therapy should not be administered to patients with baseline neutrophil counts of less than 1,500 cells/mm3. It is recommended that frequent peripheral blood cell counts be performed on all patients receiving Abraxane. Patients should not be retreated with subsequent cycles of Abraxane until neutrophils recover to a level >1,500 cells/mm3 and platelets recover to >100,000 cells/mm3. In the case of severe neutropenia (<500 cells/mm3 for 7 days or more), during a course of Abraxane therapy, a dose reduction for subsequent courses of therapy is recommended.

Sensory neuropathy occurs frequently with Abraxane. The occurrence of grade 1 or 2 sensory neuropathy does not generally require dose modification. If grade 3 sensory neuropathy develops, treatment should be withheld until resolution to grade 1 or 2 followed by a dose reduction for all subsequent courses of Abraxane.

Because the exposure and toxicity of paclitaxel can be increased with hepatic impairment, administration of Abraxane in patients with hepatic impairment should be performed with caution. The starting dose should be reduced for patients with moderate and severe hepatic impairment.

Injection site reactions occur infrequently with Abraxane and were mild in the randomized clinical trial. Given the possibility of extravasation, it is advisable to closely monitor the infusion site for possible infiltration during drug administration.

It is not known whether paclitaxel is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk and because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, it is recommended that nursing be discontinued when receiving Abraxane therapy.

Adverse events such as fatigue, lethargy, and malaise may affect the ability to drive and use machines.

 

Source: Celgene International Sàrl

 

 

Courtney Love: the Vanity Fair interview.

Lisa.Felice
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Courtney Love: the Vanity Fair interview.

Courtney Love talked about the tragic death of her husband Kurt Cobain in an interview for the November issue of Vanity Fair.

Courtney Love, 47, says she still carries anger that her husband, the Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain killed himself in 1994 by shooting himself in the head.

Speaking to Vanity Fair, Courtney Love said that she would “kill” Kurt Cobain if “he came back right now”.

Courtney Love said: “Mad? Ya think?! If he came back right now I’d have to kill him, for what he did to us. I’d f***ing kill him. I’d f**k him, and then I’d kill him,’ she tells the magazine.

Courtney Love talked about the tragic death of her husband Kurt Cobain in an interview for November issue of Vanity Fair
Courtney Love talked about the tragic death of her husband Kurt Cobain in an interview for the November issue of Vanity Fair

“He OD’d at least five times. I was the f*cking E.M.S. (Emergency Medical Services). I was always sticking pins in his balls. I carried around Narcan!”

Courtney Love, a renowned drug addict, also talked about her parenting regrets and money troubles.

In 2008, Courtney Love claimed that fraudsters used Kurt Cobain’s details to buy a $3 million mansion and steal up to $72 million.

Courtney Love is still obsessed to this day with what she calls “the fraud” and admits at times it has overtaken her relationship with her daughter Frances Bean, who was just two years old when Kurt Cobain took his own life.

“It was my fault! I never read to her,” Courtney Love admitted, addressing her daughter’s inability to read until the age of seven.

Courtney Love continued to lament her mistakes, saying:

“Why didn’t I ever take her to a Broadway show? She f***ing loved those Broadway musicals!”

The November issue of Vanity Fair
The November issue of Vanity Fair

Courtney Love’s relationship with her daughter Frances has been a turbulent one.

After overdosing in 2003, Courtney Love temporarily lost custody of her daughter when Frances was just 13 years old.

Frances went to live with her grandmother, Kurt Cobain’s mother Wendy O’Connor.

When Frances was 15 year-old, Courtney Love regained custody of her daughter.

After two years, Frances went to live with her grandmother again and Courtney Love took to Twitter to beg her daughter to return.

At the time her spokesman insisted Courtney Love had been “clean for years” and that “strong-willed” Frances had taken the decision on her own to live with her grandmother.

Jani Lane: official cause of death is alcohol poisoning.

Diane A. Wade
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Jani Lane: official cause of death is alcohol poisoning.

 Warrant singer Jani Lane died from alcohol poisoning, as officials have determined.

According to TMZ, the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office has finished its investigation and has concluded Jani Lane had suffered from “acute ethanol poisoning” when he died in an L.A. motel room on August 11, 2011.

At the moment of Jani Lane’s death, investigators found a half-empty bottle of vodka and prescription medication in the motel room where he died.

Jani Lane had battled substance abuse issues for many years.

Jani Lane’s official cause of death is alcohol poisoning
Jani Lane’s official cause of death is alcohol poisoning

On August 11, 2011, Lane was found dead at a Comfort Inn hotel in Woodland Hills, California. Jani Lane was 47 years old.

Jani Lane is survived by his wife, Kimberly; a brother, Eric; three sisters, Marcine Williams, Michelle Robinson and Victoria Oswald-Ley; a daughter from his first marriage, Taylar Lane; a daughter from his second marriage, Madison Lane; and two stepdaughters, Ryan and Brittany.

 

Male Squirrel Was the Star of Great British Bake Off

Diane A. Wade
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The Great British Bake Off winner Joanne Wheatley’s moment of glory had to play second fiddle to a male squirrel.

The male squirrel, loitering in the grounds of the mansion where the BBC2 show, Great British Bake Off was filmed, was the subject of a lingering camera shot.

Viewers could not help noticing squirrel’s unmistakably masculine appearance.

Video clips were posted on YouTube, while hundreds took to social networks and TV forums to discuss it.

One joked: “This evening’s Great British Bake Off contains full-frontal squirrel nudity which some viewers may find startling.”

Another said: “A squirrel is flashing everyone on the Great British Bake Off.”

Others were more disturbed by the image, complaining it was an unnecessary and unwelcome distraction on a show about baking. Since Great British Bake Off show was recorded some time ago, it could easily have been edited out.

One viewer commented: “Why did the cameraman focus on the squirrel at all? I just didn’t need to see that.”

A record five million viewers saw grandmother Joanne Wheatley crowned Queen of the Bake Off on Tuesday night

Joanne Wheatley beat thousands of other amateur bakers, including favourite Holly Bell, to win after wowing judges Mary Berry and John Hollywood with her “pretty” and “girly” array of cakes and pastries.

Joanne Wheatley is now tipped to be a star in her own right and is expected to be offered a cookery book deal.

Joanne Wheatley, 41, mother of three sons, who was married at 17, honed her culinary skills making cakes for her boys, who regularly scored her out of ten for her efforts.

Joanne Wheatley taught herself to cook with a combination of recipe books and experimentation, as well as “tough feedback” from her children.

The housewife from Essex battled crippling nerves throughout the eight-week competition but impressed judges with her creativity and skill.

The second series of Great British Bake Off, presented by Sue Perkins and Melanie Giedroyc, has been the surprise television hit of the year and superseded Masterchef as the must-watch show for cookery fans

Filming took place at Valentines Mansion and Gardens in Essex, where all the contestants had a baking station and presented their efforts in the lush gardens surrounded by bunting.

Great British Bake Off has sent demand for baking products soaring.

Marks & Spencer reports sales increases of up to 20% in ingredients, while John Lewis has seen a 46% rise in sales of three-tier cake stands and cake tins and muffin trays.

Sarah Palin announces she will not run for President in 2012, as her “family comes first”.

Roy Siemens
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Sarah Palin announces she will not run for President in 2012, as her “family comes first”.

Sarah Palin has announced yesterday, October 5, she will not run for presidential race in 2012.

There has been much speculation about whether Sarah Palin, who famously became John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 election, would enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination.

And after months of side-stepping questions Sarah Palin has finally announced that she will not run for the White House – because her “family comes first”.

In a letter sent to her supporters, Sarah Palin wrote:

“After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for president of the United States.”

Sarah Palin has announced she will not run for President in 2012
Sarah Palin has announced she will not run for President in 2012

It has been suggested that Sarah Palin now will lend her weight to Texas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry.

The announcement comes after Sarah Palin was stung by suggestions in a new book that she once snorted cocaine off a 55 gallon oil drum while snowmobiling with friends and had illicit affairs with a top NBA star and one of her husband’s business partners.

The revelations, which will inevitably now be seen to have struck a devastating blow to her political ambitions, suggest Sarah Palin took the class A drug with her husband, while smoking marijuana at college in secret liaisons with one of her professors.

Joe McGinniss’ book “The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin” also alleged that Sarah Palin is far from the traditional family woman she claims to be.

Sarah Palin, 47, had a one-night stand with Miami Heat basketball star Glen Rice less than a year before she eloped with her husband, Joe McGinniss’ book claimed.

Sarah Palin was said to have met the 6ft 8ins player in 1987 when he was playing in a college basketball tournament in Alaska and she worked as a sports reporter for KTUU television.

It was also claimed that Sarah Palin had a six-month affair with Brad Hanson, who ran a snowmobile dealership with her husband Todd – a betrayal which led to Todd dissolving their business.

In a bid to expose Sarah Palin’s skeletons, Joe McGinness studied the former vice presidential candidate for three years and last year even moved in to a home next door in Wasilla, Alaska, to dig some more.

Recent polls had, however, suggested Sarah Palin was gaining ground on President Barack Obama.

According to a new survey, Sarah Palin was as little as five points behind him.

After trailing Barack Obama by more than 20% in polls all year, the McClatchy-Marist survey, taken on September 13 and 14, had the President leading Sarah Palin by only 49 points to 44.

A key reason is that Sarah Palin started to lead Barack Obama among independents – a sharp turnaround.

The poll found that Barack Obama looks increasingly vulnerable in next year’s election, with a majority of voters believing he will lose to any Republican, a solid number saying they will definitely vote against him and most potential Republican challengers gaining on him.

Barack Obama still leads all the announced candidates, however.

Governor Rick Perry of Texas continues to lead the field of announced candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, supported by 30% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.

Rick Perry is followed by former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts with 22% and Representative Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota with 12%.

Others trail in single digits.

A separate survey for Fox News – where Sarah Palin is a highly-paid commentator – found that an astonishing 66% of Tea Party supporters – and 71% of Republicans – would prefer, however, if she did not run for President.

Sarah Palin’ statement in full:

“October 5, 2011

Wasilla, Alaska

After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order.

My decision is based upon a review of what common sense Conservatives and Independents have accomplished, especially over the last year. I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office – from the nation’s governors to Congressional seats and the Presidency. We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the “fundamental transformation” of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law.

From the bottom of my heart I thank those who have supported me and defended my record throughout the years, and encouraged me to run for President. Know that by working together we can bring this country back – and as I’ve always said, one doesn’t need a title to help do it.

I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for President where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables. We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen the economy and allow the private sector to create jobs.

Those will be our priorities so Americans can be confident that a smaller, smarter government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people can better serve this most exceptional nation.

In the coming weeks I will help coordinate strategies to assist in replacing the President, re-taking the Senate, and maintaining the House.

Thank you again for all your support. Let’s unite to restore this country!

God bless America.

Sarah Palin”

Steve Jobs dies at 56, few weeks after quitting Apple.

Diane A. Wade
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Steve Jobs dies at 56, few weeks after quitting Apple.

Steve Jobs, Apple founder died today after a heavy and lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.

Tributes, led by President Barack Obama, began pouring in within minutes of the company confirming the death of Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind the iPhone, iPad and the iPod at the age of 56.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today,” read a statement by Apple’s board of directors.

“Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.

“His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts.”

The Apple Home page has revealed that Steve Jobs had died
The Apple Home page has revealed that Steve Jobs had died

The homepage of Apple’s website this evening switched to a full-page image of Jobs with the text, “Steve Jobs 1955-2011”.

Clicking on the image revealed the additional text:

“Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being.

“Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor.

“Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

Apple announced the death of its founder, Steve Jobs on the website
Apple announced the death of its founder, Steve Jobs on the website

Steve Jobs leaves a wife, a son and two daughters.

Steve Jobs’ relatives also released a statement, which said he “died peacefully today, surrounded by his family”.

“In his public life, Steve was known as a visionary; in his private life, he cherished his family. We are thankful to the many people who have shared their wishes and prayers during the last year of Steve’s illness.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the news of Steve Jobs’s death to Apple employees via e-mail:

“I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.

“We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon.

“No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honour his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.”

In April 2011, Steve Jobs seemed frail sparking speculation he would have to resign
In April 2011, Steve Jobs seemed frail sparking speculation he would have to resign

Within minutes of his death being confirmed, tributes to Steve Jobs began flooding the web, led by President Barack Obama, who tweeted:

“Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. From all of us at #Obama2012, thank you for the work you make possible every day – including ours.”

Barack Obama later gave a fuller statement, in which he praised Steve Jobs as a “visionary” who was “bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it”.

“The world has lost a visionary,” Obama said.

“And there may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.

“Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve’s wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.

“Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.”

From its earliest beginnings as a personal computer also-ran in a scrappy garage in northern California to its all-conquering development of life-changing gadgets the rise of Apple has been intrinsically linked to Steve Jobs.

Steve Jobs holds the Apple II computer in 1977
Steve Jobs holds the Apple II computer in 1977

When Steve Jobs left for eleven years after a row over the company’s direction, Apple’s fortunes dipped.

His return, after a successful stint as head of animation innovators Pixar, marked the start of the company’s relentless drive to become one of America’s biggest and most successful companies.

Steve Jobs’ death comes just six weeks after his poor health led him to stand down as the company’s CEO and his successor, Tim Cook, presented the new generation iPhone yesterday.

The fact that Apple stayed cool as it grew is credited to Steve Jobs’ innovative marketing techniques almost as much as his visionary wizardry.

Even when he announced that he was taking two years off on medical leave, Steve Jobs still kept hold of his CEO title, just as he did on two previous occasions in the past seven years when he needed to take leave from the day-to-day running of the company for health reasons.

At the time, Steve Jobs could barely walk and photographs of him looking gaunt and frail led to reports that he just had weeks to live.

But Steve Jobs fought back and appeared to be relishing proving the doubters wrong by introducing the second-generation iPad and meeting up with President Obama to discuss the future of the tech industry.

Other than his well-rehearsed stage appearances to launch the latest Apple innovation, Steve Jobs always treasured his privacy.

Steve Jobs survived surgery to remove a cancerous pancreatic tumor in 2004 and a liver transplant in 2009.

As CEO, Steve Jobs earned only $1 a year, but he held 5,426 million Apple shares as well as 138 million shares in Disney.

Steve Jobs’ wealth is estimated at more than $5billion.

With his trademark jeans and casual jumper, Steve Jobs became synonymous with the company’s every innovation in recent years, from the iPod through to the iPhone and iPad.

Born in San Francisco, Steve Jobs, who was adopted, dropped out of university after one term and only took his first computer job to raise money to go on a spiritual retreat to India.

Steve Jobs returned a Buddhist with his head shaved and admitted experimenting with LSD, calling his drug-induced experiences ‘one of the two or three most important things’ he had done in his life.

Back in northern California, Steve Jobs started working for computer firm Atari before founding Apple in his garage in 1976 with friends Steve Wozniak, Ronald Wayne and Mike Makkula.

After a power struggle in 1985, Steve Jobs left the company, only to return eleven years later to launch the company’s extraordinary growth over the past fourteen years.

Steve Jobs introduces the Apple Nano in San Francisco
Steve Jobs introduces the Apple Nano in San Francisco

One of the world’s most famous CEOs, Steve Jobs remained stubbornly private about his personal life, refusing interviews and shielding his wife and their children from public view.

Even when he resigned six weeks ago, he divulged very little, not directly mentioning his cancer as the reason he quit.

“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Steve Jobs wrote in his letter of resignation.

“Unfortunately, that day has come.”

But that personal life – he was given up at birth for adoption, had an illegitimate child, was romantically linked with movie stars – was full of intrigue for his fan base and Apple consumers.

Steve Jobs and his wife Laurene Powell during Pixar Exhibit Launch at The Museum of Modern Art in New York
Steve Jobs and his wife Laurene Powell during Pixar Exhibit Launch at The Museum of Modern Art in New York

Steve Jobs and his wife, Laurene Powell, were married in a small ceremony in Yosemite National Park in 1991, lived in Woodside, California, and had three children: Reed Paul, Erin Sienna and Eve.

Steve Jobs admitted that when he was 23, he had a child out of wedlock with his high school girlfriend, Chris Ann Brennan. Their daughter, Lisa Brennan Jobs, was born in 1978.

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Copywriting Mistakes You Should Never Make

Ricky Robinson
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Even though most people say they hate sales material, it’s funny because everything on the net is sold using sales copy and material. There are so many ways to produce ineffective copy, and that’s why it’s important to have some awareness of the different kinds of copywriting mistakes.

Every well-trained copywriter knows that good copy talks about benefits rather than features. It depends on the product because sometimes you have to present features, such as with software, but they need to be immediately turned into the benefits the end-user will experience. Benefits are more effective because people are selfish, and they want to know what is specifically in it for them. So if you’re not clear about what your product has to offer, you won’t see a very strong response from your target audience. It takes some practice, but one thing you can do is list out every conceivable feature you can think of, and then translate them into the benefits. If you can get good at that, then your benefits will be clear and strong, and then your copy will be a bit better for it. A lot of times good benefit bullets can tip the scales in your favor.

Reading a long sales letter can take a toll on your prospect, so don’t make the mistake of writing in large paragraphs that are hard to read.

 

You need to use a lot of white space in your sales copy so that it’s scannable. Your prospects will feel suffocated and simply leave if they feel that the copy isn’t that readable. So just like in English class, each paragraph supports a single idea and no more. You need to maintain the flow and keep all the content relevant, because sometimes you tend to stray away. A good idea is to write the sales copy like you’re telling a story. A great story can do tremendous things for your copy, so just make it relevant and weave it into your copy as smoothly as possible. The format for the paragraphs holds true for the entire length of you sales letter.

The location, or introduction, of the price of your product or service matters a lot. Never put your product price too early in your sales copy.

 

But what’s wrong in that? It just tends to bring down the interest level of the reader. The most optimum location to reveal your price is near the bottom after the product and benefits are introduced. After your research is performed, then relax and write – you can always edit later, so don’t worry about how the first draft comes out. When you do spell out the price, don’t be shy about it because it needs to be clearl and visible. Don’t unconsciously attempt to ‘slip it in’ with all the other text because there should be no reason to feel like you need to hide it.

All in all, copywriting is an art that takes time to learn and cultivate. It’s always smart to learn about common mistakes because if you just avoid them then you’ll be writing better copy. That’s why we presented this article, so you can learn from others and improve.

Duchess of Alba, 85, marries toyboy Alfonso Diez, 60.

Lisa.Felice
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Duchess of Alba, 85, marries toyboy Alfonso Diez, 60.

The 85-year-old Duchess of Alba’s latest romance with Alfonso Diez was crowned yesterday as she married for the third time.

Duchess of Alba said few months ago she believed that “every great love story should end in marriage”.

One of Spain’s richest and best-loved public figures, Duchess of Alba walked down the aisle with a toyboy 25 years her junior.

Duchess of Alba, 85, with her new husband Alfonso Diez, 60, at their wedding in Seville
Duchess of Alba, 85, with her new husband Alfonso Diez, 60, at their wedding in Seville

 

A crowd of several hundred clapped and roared its approval as the Duchess of Alba waved and danced on a red carpet following her wedding to Alfonso Diez at Palacio de las Duenas, at her opulent 15th-century residence in the cobble-stoned old quarter of Seville.

Duchess of Alba, who is a distant relative of Winston Churchill and Princess Diana, went ahead with the marriage to 60-year-old civil servant Alfonso Diez despite her children’s qualms.

Duchess of Alba delighted her guests when she took to the dance floor with celebrated Spanish Matador Curro Romero
Duchess of Alba delighted her guests when she took to the dance floor with celebrated Spanish Matador Curro Romero

It emerged in August that Duchess of Alba has divided her fortune between her six children to convince them that her suitor is besotted with her rather than her money.

And the duchess certainly seemed like a young girl in love, celebrating after the ceremony by kicking off her shoes and dancing a bit of flamenco.

Known now for her frizzy white hair, squeaky voice and wildly colorful clothes, Duchess of Alba is among Spain’s most famous people.

Duchess of Alba in 1956
Duchess of Alba in 1956

And scandal threatened to overshadow the day when earlier this week the Spanish magazine Interviu published a 30-year-old photograph of Duchess of Alba sunbathing topless in Ibiza.

Duchess of Alba’s lawyer Javier Saavedra said:

“We are considering suing for interfering with her rights to privacy.”

While hundreds of well-wishers and press gathered outside the gates only a few dozen family members and close friends were invited to the Duchess of Alba’s wedding ceremony.

The twice-widowed duchess wore a pale pink knee-length dress by Spanish designers Victorio y Lucchino on Tuesday.

Duchess of Alba full name is Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva.

The duchess goes by simply Cayetana, and is a distant relative of Queen Elizabeth and Winston Churchill.

Duchess of Alba and Alfonso Diez, a social security administration employee, are old acquaintances through her second husband, who was a former priest, and Diez’s brother.

Duchess of Alba dancing with her new husband, Alfonso Diez
Duchess of Alba dancing with her new husband, Alfonso Diez

They bumped into each other about three years ago outside a movie theater in Madrid and eventually started dating.

Duchess of Alba’ six children, all from her first marriage, reportedly balked when the idea of marriage emerged.

In July of this year Duchess of Alba assigned them and her grandchildren juicy chunks of her vast estate, including mansions and palaces, in an effort to appease them.

Estimates of duchess wealth range from 600million and 3.5billion euros.

Duchess of Alba’s fortune includes palaces and mansions throughout Spain, paintings by the likes of Velazquez, Goya and Rubens and huge stretches of land.

 

A 30-year-old photograph of Duchess of Alba sunbathing topless was splashed on the cover of a Spanish magazine this week
A 30-year-old photograph of Duchess of Alba sunbathing topless was splashed on the cover of a Spanish magazine this week

 

Two of the children did not attend the wedding.

Her only daughter, Eugenia, was reported to hospitalized in Madrid with chicken pox, while one of her sons, named Jacobo and reportedly unhappy with his slice of the family fortune – was said to be traveling outside Spain.

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Raccoon dogs skinned alive to make fake Ugg in Australia.

Diane A. Wade
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Raccoon dogs skinned alive to make fake Ugg in Australia.

Thousands of people may be buying imitation Ugg boots made from the pelts of animals skinned alive.

The fur comes from raccoon dogs, a species related to domestic dogs, farmed in China.

A shocking video of the skins being collected has led activists to demand a ban on the trade and call for clearer labeling.

Genuine Ugg boots cost up to $300 and use sheepskin, which is produced in a humane way.

Workers in China skinning an alive raccoon dog
Workers in China skinning an alive raccoon dog

 

Campaigners from Humane Society International have found that other companies in Australia, where the popular Ugg boots are made, are using raccoon dog fur farmed in China and labeling it “Australian sheepskin”.

HSI campaigners warned that the footwear could have found its way into the UK.

While the UK law says that no products using dog or cat fur may be imported or sold in the country, there is no ban on fur from raccoon dogs, an Asian species with links to foxes, dogs and jackals. They are not related to raccoons.

The raccoon dog is indigenous to Asia and related to dogs and foxes
The raccoon dog is indigenous to Asia and related to dogs and foxes

Wendy Higgins from HSI UK said: “I have been working in animal rights for more than a decade and have never seen a video that has shocked me so much.

“It is not just the killing of the animals that is horrific, but the fact that they must endure such slow, painful deaths.

“These animals are not dogs, so there is no legislative reason why boots containing the fur cannot be imported into the UK. There are also many problems with the labelling of fur products, so many consumers will not be aware of where the fur in their boots comes from.”

Websites found by HSI show other companies are selling the fur on gilets, coats and ear-muffs for delivery to the UK.

Ugg Australia denied they were using the fur in their own boots and pointed the finger at cheap copies.

Lena McDonald from Ugg Australia said the use of raccoon dog fur by other companies was tarnishing the entire industry as many people were unable to tell the different brands apart.

Genuine Ugg boots are made from Australian sheepskin and cost up to $300
Genuine Ugg boots are made from Australian sheepskin and cost up to $300

Lena McDonald said her company used its own tannery to ensure the standards of its boots, but added that up to 40 products using fur from overseas contained the word “ugg”.

“As far as I can see many of these boots are not made in Australia at all yet they have the words Australia and ugg on them. We have seen companies cutting off tags saying “made in China” and putting on a <<made in Australia>> tag.”

The UK Government announced its ban on importing cat and dog pelts from China in 2001 after it emerged that a fur collar, obtained from a leading store in the West End, contained dog fur.

A total ban on the trade in dog and cat fur came into force across Europe in December 2008.

World Cup 1966: three German players had used banned stimulant ephedrine.

Ricky Robinson
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World Cup 1966: three German players had used banned stimulant ephedrine.

Last night it emerged that three German football players were using drugs in the 1966 World Cup final.

A newly-unearthed letter obtained from historians at Berlin’s Humboldt University revealed that three unnamed German football players had been tested positive for a banned stimulant at World Cup 1966 final.

The letter is dated November 29, 1966 and was written by the Yugoslav chairman of Fifa’s medical committee, Mihailo Andrejevic.

The West German team lines up before World Cup 1966 final
The West German team lines up before World Cup 1966 final

 

In that letter, Mihailo Andrejevic informed fellow doctor Max Danz – president of the West German Athletics Federation – that doping tests at the World Cup 1966 had uncovered the illegal use of ephedrine.

England famously beat West Germany 4-2 in the Wembley Stadium world Cup 1966 final.

The news that three German team members were under the influence of a banned stimulant has shocked the surviving England winners.

Defender George Cohen told The Sun: “I am astounded. I always wondered where they got their energy from in extra-time.

“Thank goodness the result was not affected by whatever it was the Germans were taking. What would Fifa have done if Germany had won?

“It’s extraordinary that this has been covered up for so long.”

Bobby Charlton raises the World Cup trophy after England beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley Stadium in 1966
Bobby Charlton raises the World Cup trophy after England beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley Stadium in 1966

Mihailo Andrejevic’s letter noted that the tests revealed very slight traces of an ephedrine-based medicine against cold symptoms in three players from the West German football team.

Ephedrine is used as a decongestant but also as a stimulant and was on a list of banned substances during the competition.

The 1966 World Cup was the first time drug-testing was carried out in a World Cup competition.

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Nobel Prize Physics:three U.S. physicists share the prize for work on how universe is expanding at ever-faster rate.

James J. Williams
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Nobel Prize Physics:three U.S. physicists share the prize for work on how universe is expanding at ever-faster rate.

Three U.S. scientists have discovered that the expansion of the universe is actually accelerating, not slowing down as previously thought.

The discovery, found by measuring the light from distant supernova explosions, turned the world of physics upside down – as well as the lives of the three American scientists who have been awarded a Nobel Prize for their findings.

The Nobel Prize for Physics winners studied dozens of exploding stars and realized that the expansion of the universe wasn't slowing down, as expected - it was accelerating
The Nobel Prize for Physics winners studied dozens of exploding stars and realized that the expansion of the universe wasn't slowing down, as expected - it was accelerating

 

Half of the 10 million Swedish crown – $1.5million – Nobel Prize money went to Saul Perlmutter and the rest to two members of a second team which conducted similar work – American-born Brian Schmidt, who is based in Australia, and Adam Riess.

Nobel Prize winner Saul Perlmutter
Nobel Prize winner Saul Perlmutter

Nobel Committee for Physics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in its statement that the discovery was made by looking at distant supernovae – which should have been becoming “brighter” as their acceleration away from our planet slowed down.

But instead of their light becoming brighter, it was fading.

“The surprising conclusion was that the expansion of the universe is not slowing down. Quite to the contrary, it is accelerating,” the Nobel committee said.

Nobel Prize winner Brian Schmidt
Nobel Prize winner Brian Schmidt

At Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Adam Riess, who was still in his 20s when the research was published, joked to a colleague that he had been quick to react to a pre-dawn call from Stockholm:

“When I picked up the phone early this morning and I heard Swedish voices, I knew it wasn’t IKEA.”

Nobel Prize winner Adam Riess
Nobel Prize winner Adam Riess

Among the most exciting possible developments from study of dark energy would be a way to reconcile anomalies between physical laws observed at the subatomic level – quantum physics – with the laws Albert Einstein described.

William Ernst, QC Mart owner offered his employees $10 to guess next worker to be fired.

Diane A. Wade
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William Ernst, QC Mart owner offered his employees $10 to guess next worker to be fired.

William Ernst, a grocery chain store owner has been slammed by a judge after offering his staff a $10 prize for correctly guessing which of them he was going to fire next.

William Ernst, 57, was branded the “the boss from hell” after sending a memo offering the cash prize to workers at his QC Mart convenience stores in Iowa and Illinois.

William Ernst’s memo warned employees that “secret shoppers” were being dispatched to QC Mart stores checking that cashiers weren’t breaking the rules.

The “secret shoppers” would be looking out for workers wearing a hat, talking on a cellphone, not wearing a QC Mart shirt, having someone hanging around the counter or having their car parked by the pumps after 7:00 p.m.

William Ernst, QC Mart owner offered his employees $10 to guess next worker to be fired.
William Ernst, QC Mart owner offered his employees $10 to guess next worker to be fired.

Misty Shelsky, who worked as a cashier at a QC store in Bettendorf, Iowa, was one of several employees to quit in disgust after receiving William Ernst‘s memo.

But when Misty Shelsky applied for unemployment benefits William Ernst challenged the claim arguing she had resigned voluntarily and the dispute ended up at a hearing.

Misty Shelsky explained to the Des Moines Register newspaper how she and fellow workers had reacted after receiving the memo saying:

“It was very degrading.

“We looked at that, then looked at each other, and said, <<OK, we’re done>>.”

QC Mart Area Supervisor Anna DeFrieze said William Ernst had created the contest because employees were routinely breaking company rules.

Anna DeFrieze said: “None of them were doing their job.

“They’ve repeatedly been told not to use their phone while they’re working, that bad language is totally unacceptable and, you know, playing video games while you’re working is not acceptable.

“They just broke all those rules.”

However, administrative Law Judge Susan Ackerman described the contest as “egregious and deplorable”.

The judge said: “The employer’s actions have clearly created a hostile work environment by suggesting its employees turn on each other for a minimal monetary prize.

The claimant has established this was an intolerable and detrimental work environment.”

Misty Shelsky was awarded full unemployment benefits.

Helicopter crashes into New York’s East River. One British tourist dies.

Diane A. Wade
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Helicopter crashes into New York’s East River. One British tourist dies.

Sonia Marra, a British tourist has died in a horrific helicopter crash when the aircraft she was flying in plummeted into New York’s East River seconds after take-off.

Three other British persons were fighting for their lives after the chopper spun out of control and plunged into the river.

The injured British passengers were Paul Nicholson, believed to be her stepfather, and his wife Harriet and Sonia Marra’s partner Helen Tamaki.

Sonia Marra had organized the doomed flight over Manhattan’s skyline to celebrate her 40th birthday with her parents, who now live in Portugal.

The Foreign Office said: “We can confirm that three British nationals were involved in the helicopter crash in New York City.

“One of them has died in the crash and the next of kin have been informed. We are providing consular assistance.”

The fourth passenger is thought to be Helen Tamaki, Sonia Marra’s partner, thought to be from New Zealand.

According to the New York Daily News website, Harriet Nicholson and Helen Tamaki are both in a critical condition at the city’s Bellevue Hospital, while Paul Nicholson is being treated at New York University Medical Center.

Five people were on board the Bell 206 Jet Ranger tourist helicopter – and two survivors could be seen clinging onto the craft as they were rescued.

Scuba divers, police and fire units have all been deployed in the area, where the water temperature is around 66F
Scuba divers, police and fire units have all been deployed in the area, where the water temperature is around 66F

Sonia Marra was celebrating her 40th birthday with her parents, reported ABC News.

The pilot of the helicopter is also believed to be a family friend.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg called Prime Minister David Cameron to tell him about the tragedy.

“We have a family who’ve come here to see the best of our city and to end up in a tragic accident like this just breaks our heart. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said last night.

“From what we know so far, the pilot reported having trouble keeping aloft, tried to turn back, but crashed in the water just north of the landing pad,” he added.

Joe Galluzzo, who runs a fruit market in Glebe, Sydney, said Sonia Marra had worked there for the last three months.

He told the Sydney Morning Herald Sonia Marra’s friend had surprised her with plans to go to New York.

“That was her 40th birthday present from Helen. How said that is.

“She just had that kind of a personality… people just gravitated towards her. She was a really lovely person.”

“Four of them were outside the helicopter when rescuers got to them, one was trapped inside. We did get the body out.”

Sonia Marra was killed after the helicopter she had hired to celebrate her 40th birthday crashed into the East River in New York
Sonia Marra was killed after the helicopter she had hired to celebrate her 40th birthday crashed into the East River in New York

One of the five people rescued was the veteran pilot, called Paul Dudley.

The pilot was treated at the scene. His helicopter was not equipped with floats and was upside down in the water as rescuers arrived.

Joy Garnett and her husband were on the dock waiting to take the East River ferry to Brooklyn when they heard the blades of a helicopter and saw it start to take off from the nearby helipad. She said she saw it do “a funny curlicue”.

Joy Garnett said: “I thought, <<Is that some daredevil move?>>. But it was obviously out of control. The body spun around at least two or three times, and then it went down.”

Joy Garnett said also the chopper had lifted about 25 feet off the ground before it dropped into the water without much of a splash.

The helicopter flipped over, and the blades were sticking up out of the river. She said people on the dock started throwing in life jackets and buoys. Two people came up out of the waves.

Joy Garnett added: “It didn’t make much noise. It was just a splash and sunk.”

Scuba divers, police and fire units were all deployed in the area, where local media reported the water temperature as around 66F.

At least seven boats were involved in the East River rescue effort and ladders were used to pull survivors out of the cold water.

Later Tuesday, crews were able to hoist the helicopter out of the river.

The Bell 206 tourist helicopter, which was not equipped with floats, was pulled from the East River hours after the crash
The Bell 206 tourist helicopter, which was not equipped with floats, was pulled from the East River hours after the crash

It had reportedly just taken off from the East 34th Street heliport in Manhattan when it hit the water.

“The water is not too cold, but even 60 degrees can be dangerous,” coast guard spokesman Erik Swanson told the New York Post.

The helicopter was registered N63Q, and was reportedly owned by Paul Dudley, 56, who is also the director of Linden Airport in New Jersey.

The helicopter was built in 1976 and formerly operated as a “news chopper”.

Paul Dudley, a married father-of-three and an experienced pilot who has flown helicopters for more than 20 years, remained at the scene while the other passengers were rescued.

Paul Dudley, who has been quoted on helicopter security in the past, had to land a Cessna 172 in a park in Brooklyn, New York, five years ago.

The chopper, a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, is one of the world’s most popular helicopter models and was first flown in January 1966.

In August 2009, a small plane collided with a helicopter over the Hudson River, west of Manhattan, killing nine people, including five Italian tourists.

A government safety panel found that an air traffic controller who was on a personal phone call had contributed to the accident.

The Federal Aviation Administration changed its rules for aircraft flying over New York City’s rivers after that collision.

Pilots must call out their positions on the radio and obey a 161mph speed limit. Before the changes, such radio calls were optional.

Earlier that year, an Airbus 320 airliner landed in the Hudson after hitting birds and losing both engines after taking off from LaGuardia Airport.

The flight, U.S. Airways Flight 1549, became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson” plane.

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Amanda Knox arrives in her home city of Seattle as a free woman. Her plans for the future.

Diane A. Wade
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Amanda Knox arrives in her home city of Seattle as a free woman. Her plans for the future.

Amanda Knox arrived in Seattle, her home city, as a free woman after serving four years in an Italian jail for the murder of English student Meredith Kercher.

After dramatically being cleared of the murder in court on Monday, Amanda Knox touched down at Seattle-Tacoma airport to rapturous applause at just after 5:00 p.m. local time.

Amanda Knox made an emotional thank you speech from the airport, addressing all those who stood by her since her murder conviction and saying: “Thank you for being there for me”.

“I’m really overwhelmed right now. I was looking down from the aeroplane, I felt like it wasn’t real.

“Thank you for everyone who has believed in me, who has defended me, who has supported my family.

“I just want – my family’s the most important thing to me… Thank you for being there for me.”

Amanda Knox and her family during a brief news conference shortly after her arrival at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Amanda Knox and her family during a brief news conference shortly after her arrival at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

 

Amanda Knox and her family headed home for an intimate celebration, with a party believed to have been organized because she never properly got to celebrate her 21st birthday.

Amanda Knox has been planning her home-coming celebration in detail since the early days of her incarceration, drawing up an exhaustive list of things she wants to do now she is finally free.

Notes from the diary that detectives encouraged Amanda Knox to keep reveal the extensive plans she had made, and even the list of 42 guests.

Taking pride of place will have been Amanda Knox’s maths teacher, mother and stepfather, Chris Mellas, her father Curt, a financial executive, and his wife Cassandra, plus her sister Deanna, 22, and stepsisters Ashley, 16, and Delaney, 13, all of whom were at court on Monday and led the cheering.

Amanda Knox supporters at Seattle-Tacoma Airport
Amanda Knox supporters at Seattle-Tacoma Airport

Amanda Knox now also hopes to be reunited with David Johnsrud, the boyfriend with whom she broke up when they left the University of Washington to travel on exchange programmes, he to China, she to Perugia.

Amanda Knox’s father, that he initially thought his daughter had again been found guilty of murder, arrived home at around 6:00 p.m. yesterday evening in a taxi with family members, not including Amanda or her mother.

Speaking outside his home in Seattle, Curt Knox revealed Amanda wants to enjoy simple pleasures, such as lying on a grassy field, before completing the degree she never got to finish while incarcerated in Italy.

“She’s overwhelmed,” he said.

“She’s been in prison for almost four years and to be able to get out and just try to get back home and get back here where she grew up and everything was just very overwhelming to her.

“The first things [Amanda will do] I think will be some of the simplest things like you know laying down in some grass. She’s been in a concrete steal prison for four years and the simplest things you take for granted she hasn’t had. So probably something as simple as that and then she’ll try to just start re-adjusting, reconnecting with all of her friends and family and stuff like that.”

Asked about their plans for the evening, Curt Knox said:

“It’s mainly really just be with her family and that’s what she’s wanted to be doing for four years now. She’s not at her mum’s house. She needs some space and that’s the way it’s going to be.”

Amanda Knox is now hoping to finish her degree at the University of Washington which was interrupted by her Italian ordeal.

“That’s going to be one of her goals, getting her diploma for the university hopefully. That’s probably where she’ll start. I think this experience is going to possibly change what she wants to do with her life and that’s still to be determined from her,” Amanda Knox’s father said.

“I’m not going to say she’s enrolling tomorrow by any means but I suspect that’s where she is going to finish her degree, yes.”

When asked what Amanda Knox first said to him after being freed, he said: “That she loved us. She pretty much squished the air out of us when we were hugging her and stuff like that. It was really nice.”

Amanda Knox’s ex-boyfriend David Johnsrud, who she affectionately called “DJ”, exchanged daily letters with her during some of the time she was in prison and has always maintained her innocence, leaving open the possibility of a reconciliation.

Amanda Knox will not, however, be reunited with her beloved pet Labrador Ralphie, her grandmother, Elisabeth Huff, revealed because he died while she was in prison.

Amanda Knox's family home in Seattle, where a giant “Welcome Home” banner hangs by the front door
Amanda Knox's family home in Seattle, where a giant “Welcome Home” banner hangs by the front door

Amanda Knox, who is set to make millions in TV, magazine, newspaper and book deals now that she is home, is said to have been anxious as she was taken to the airport police station yesterday morning to sign various forms – even calling her lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova to check everything was fine for her to go through immigration and board the British Airways flight.

Shortly after Amanda Knox’s plane took off, Italian public prosecutor Giuliano Mignini announced his intention to take her case to a third and final appeal and described the decision to free her as a “massive mistake”.

Appeals judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman will write a report within the next 90 days on why he and the jury came to their decision. This will be poured over by prosecutors to see on what grounds they can launch their appeal – which is unlikely to be heard until next year.

The panel of judges in Rome will then look at paperwork from the case and decide if there were any mistakes in the application of the law and if the case should be reopened.

Even though Italy could in theory ask for Amanda Knox extradition it is thought unlikely that the U.S. would hand her over.

Meanwhile Raffaele Sollecito, Amanda Knox’s former boyfriend who was jailed with her and also freed yesterday, arrived back home, near the southern Italian city of Bari.

Raffaelle Sollecito was quoted by Italian news agencies saying he was looking forward to seeing the sea, but he declined to make any appearances after reaching home.

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New iPhone 4S: the voice-controlled gadget unveiled today looks just like iPhone 4.

Nancy Clayson
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New iPhone 4S: the voice-controlled gadget unveiled today looks just like iPhone 4.

Apple CEO, Tim Cook took to the stage at corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California to launch the company’s new iPhone range – iPhone 4S.

“This is my first product launch since being made CEO. I’m sure you didn’t know that,” Tim Cook joked.

iPhone 4S launch is Tim Cook’s first launch since he took over as CEO from Apple founder Steve Jobs – and seen as a significant test of his leadership.

The new iPhone is actually iPhone 4S, not iPhone 5 – looking very similar to the current model, iPhone 4, but voice-controlled and with other hi-tech features.

The new iPhone 4S launches on October 14.

Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils the iPhone 4S - but apart from the voice-control functions, the phone does not offer a huge amount that's new
Apple CEO Tim Cook unveils the iPhone 4S - but apart from the voice-control functions, the phone does not offer a huge amount that's new

Apple’s share price plunged 3% after it was revealed that the new phone would be the iPhone 4S, not an all-new iPhone 5.

iPhone 4S is a significant upgrade from the old phone, though, even if the casing and the Retina screen remain the same.

The new handset will have a dual core A5 processor like the one in iPad 2, and an eight-megapixel camera – all of which puts it back in competition with rivals such as Samsung.

The new camera will also shoot in full 1080p HD.

The most talked-about iPhone 4S feature, though, was the phone’s new “artificially intelligent” assistant.

The feature, called Siri, will allow you to “talk” to your iPhone like you talk to other people – for instance, you can ask the phone “What is the forecast today?” while holding down the Home button, and it will bring up a weather forecast.

You can also simply say, “Wake me up tomorrow at 8 am”, and the device will set an alarm for you. You can even dictate your messages to the phone. The idea is that you will speak to Siri as if to a human being. At launch, Siri will work in English, German and French.

Apple’s “Siri” voice control

Apple’s new “intelligent” assistant uses spoken English more akin to the language we use day to day – so you can simply ask it, “Find me an Italian restaurant”, and it will launch the maps application, and find you one nearby, complete with phone number, reviews and a link to their website.

Android phones have similar “voice control” functions, but you “talk” to them as if typing into a Google search box, rather than talking to another human being.

Apple’s virtual personal assistant has been described as a “world-changing event” – a machine that we can talk to in ‘natural’ language for the first time.

Voice control will be a huge part of the new iPhone 4S
Voice control will be a huge part of the new iPhone 4S

Apple is certain to have tested the software with its engineers – a process often called “dogfooding” after the myth that workers at dog food factories eat the product to ensure high quality – but whether it can digest the various accents, dialects and intonations of the whole world remains to be seen.

The battery life has been significantly improved – offering a reported 8 hours talk time. Tech insiders, however, seemed disappointed. There was no redesign, no 4G version, nothing to put Apple as far ahead of its competitors as iPhone 4 was.

iPhone 4S will be compatible with fast HSPA+ networks (not 4G, but offering faster data speeds than current networks). Only around 20 phone networks offer this service worldwide, however.

Tim Cook revealed new touch-friendly functions for iPod Nano – quashing rumours that the smallest of the iPod family would be killed off.

It will now be cheaper, and include watch-like faces to wear on your wrist. New white versions of iPod Touch and iPod Shuffle were also announced. Even the bulky iPod classic survived.

A new version of Apple’s iOS operating system, iOS 5, will release on October 12, Tim Cook recapped some of the features of the new operating system.

Apps such as iMessage – a messaging system that also lets you send picture and video – were confirmed for the new iOS 5 version of Apple’s iPhone software, as well as Notifications – an app which pulls system messages such as emails and texts into one message centre.

New “location aware” reminders will remind you of tasks when you’re near the place you have to do them.

Twitter users will also be able to “Tweet” pictures direct from their photo album on iPhone, and take pictures with one tap from the home screen.

A new music sharing service, iCloud, will allow users to “share” music between all their Apple devices, free – any music purchased from Apple Store will always be available, anywhere.

To use the new iTunes Match service, which also lets users share music they have bought elsewhere, will be a subscription-based service costing $24.99 in the US.

No launch date is confirmed for this service anywhere else in the world.

Tim Cook revealed that iPhone now accounted for 5% of the total world phone market, and a quarter of a billion iOS devices had sold.

Apple’s previous launches have often been at conference centres in San Francisco, rather than its HQ, which led to a heightened sense of anticipation around this launch – headlined, “Let’s Talk iPhone”, and showing four of the company’s phone icons.

Apple was also desperate to brand Tim Cook as a proper successor to Steve Jobs.

But some insiders such as uSwitch’s Ernest Doku described Cook’s performance as an “understudy” performance – and said:

“Others will be bitterly disappointed that what was announced was an upgraded iPhone 4 rather than a messianic new model.

“This was the stage once reigned over by Steve Jobs, the totemic former leader whose obsessive drive for perfection turned Apple products into global icons.”

It has been 15 months since the last iPhone launch, and expectations of the world’s largest technology company were at fever pitch.

Apple’s annual launch of new iPhones generates so much excitement it has the air of a technology Oscars – except it’s only one company that walks off with the prizes.

This year, however, the surrounding technology landscape is not as certain.

HTC, Samsung and Google are all to launch new flagship phones within the next week – boasting high-speed processors and touchscreens similar to the ones in Apple’s handsets. The days when Apple had the smartphone market to itself are very much over.

The iPhone’s U.S. market share in August was 28%, making it No. 2. Android was No. 1 with 43% of the U.S. market, Nielsen data show.

Every day, 550,000 new Android devices are activated.

The days when Apple had the smartphone market to itself are very much over
The days when Apple had the smartphone market to itself are very much over

Yet longer-term, investors are more focused on Apple’s international push, particularly in Asia – a push that could take Apple far beyond its “comfort zone” of selling relatively low volumes of extremely expensive products to a “captive market”.

The cheaper prices of some of the new models – the 3GS in particular – could be seen as an aggressive move into new markets.

Tim Cook has said China is a key market. The world’s most valuable technology company has mostly catered to the higher end of a booming market in those countries, but may now attempt to capture a larger market in emerging economies such as China and India.

iPhone 4

Processor: Apple A4

Camera: 5 megapixel

Screen: 3.5in

Storage: 8GB-32GB

Operating system: iOS

3G talk time: 7 hours

iPhone 4S

Processor: Apple A5

Camera: 8 megapixel

Screen: 3.5in

Storage: 16GB-64GB

Operating system: iOS

3G talk time: 8 hours

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iPhone 5 could be iPhone 4S. Latest rumors ahead iPhone 5 launch today.

Nancy Clayson
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iPhone 5 could be iPhone 4S. Latest rumors ahead iPhone 5 launch today.

Bloggers at German sites such as iPhone fan site iFun caught a snapshot of Vodafone Germany’s site offering a menu of new “iPhone 4S” models today – but there was no sign of iPhone 5.

Likewise, Apple Insider and 9 to 5 Mac reported several references to iPhone 4S – and images show the new phone looks exactly like the old iPhone 4.

The 9 to 5 Mac went blog further with an – as yet unconfirmed – “leaked” release date of October 14.

iFun captured this tantalizing glimpse of iPhone 4S on Vodafone Germany's website
iFun captured this tantalizing glimpse of iPhone 4S on Vodafone Germany's website

 

Nothing is certain, but it looks increasingly likely that iPhone 4S might launch today – and iPhone 5 might not appear until 2012.

Analysts predict Apple will “shatter” its one-day sales record of 1.7 million due to “pent up demand”, and it will sell more than 100 million next year.

Opinion is split over whether there will be one or two models launched today – and whether or not it’s called “iPhone 5”, the phone will offer a serious upgrade from last year’s iPhone 4.

Many insiders think the new gadget unveiled will be “iPhone 4S” - a faster model with a better camera and antenna, but still similar to iPhone 4 in shape
Many insiders think the new gadget unveiled will be “iPhone 4S” - a faster model with a better camera and antenna, but still similar to iPhone 4 in shape

What seems certain is that Apple is going to launch a phone with its fast A5 processor and upgraded camera tomorrow. Upgraded speech functions – including a talk-to-text function also seem highly likely, whatever the casing looks like.

“This launch won’t be underwhelming,” said Will Findlater, editor of Stuff magazine.

“We’ve waited 15 months for a new iPhone and the old model now looks old-fashioned – it’s not dual core, and the camera isn’t competitive.

“Apple’s rivals have made huge gains over the past year. Apple needs to upgrade.”

Something big is launching, that is for certain. Huge areas of Apple’s forums are closed “for maintenance” – which hints at big changes to come.

Such moves are near-necessary to allow iPhone to keep pace with rivals such as Samsung and HTC.

What’s dividing analysts and insiders is whether the screen size and casing will change – with some predicting a similar case to iPhone 4 with an upgraded antenna, and others predicting a redesigned, even “curvy” case.

“The competition has really ramped up this year,” said Will Findlater.

“The Taiwanese phone company HTC and Samsung both have very hi-tech handsets. Apple needs to reinvigorate.”

Both HTC and Samsung are launching flagship models within days of Apple’s handset. Whether they will even be noticed in the wave of excitement surrounding iPhone remains to be seen.

“Both companies are still wary,” said Will Findlater.

“They’ve got to be at the top of their game to even compete, otherwise Apple will blow them out of the water. The onus is now on Apple to raise the stakes.”

Some users have predicted a bigger screen – as “apps” such as Facebook’s seem to be behaving oddly, and re-formatting themselves as if in anticipation of a larger screen.

Leaks from Apple’s own inventory seem to have confirmed that the new phone will ship with the fast A5 processor found in iPad 2. Voice-control functions also seem highly likely.

The new iPhone is expected to smash iPhone 4's sales record of 1.7 million handsets in one day
The new iPhone is expected to smash iPhone 4's sales record of 1.7 million handsets in one day

E-mail about iPhone 5GS.

Security software company Sophos is warning that a slick-looking email, seemingly from Apple, offering details of the iPhone “5GS” will infect your PC (not Mac) with malicious software if you open it.

“Apple’s iPhone 5 is due to be revealed to the world tomorrow, which makes today the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage of the excitement and exploit it for their own ends,” wrote Sophos’s Graham Cluley on the company blog.

The latest rumors on iPhone 5 launch.

Analysts Ticonderoga Securities said:

“We expect the iPhone 5 to get a makeover with a sleek, aluminum unibody enclosure that more closely resembles the MacBook Air than the iPhone 4.”

A leaked picture on Weibo – China’s Twitter, was reported by sites such as 9 to 5 Mac, appeared to show an all-new chip.

“It is not an iPad 2 chip, since it looks rather different. It bears some resemblance to the current chipset layout in the iPhone 4.”

It won’t be 4G, predicts analysts Wedbush Morgan:

“Expect a new iPhone in early October with store training to begin soon, an iPhone targeting emerging markets, and a 4G iPhone in 2012, with an improved interface.”

Apple will sell 107 million iPhones in 2012, predicts Janney Capital.

“Apple is well positioned to capture an enormous profit pool as mobility and content worlds converge.”

Sara Leal: first pictures since Ashton Kutcher scandal broke.

Lisa.Felice
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Sara Leal: first pictures since Ashton Kutcher scandal broke.

Sara Leal is said to have been in hiding since news broke of her alleged sexual liaison with actor Ashton Kutcher on the weekend of the actor’s sixth wedding anniversary.

Yesterday, Sara Leal was pictured stepping out for the first time since the scandal broke.

Sara Leal, 23, looked in a sombre, serious mood as she ran errands in Newport Beach.

Sara Leal was pictured in Newport Beach, California, for the first time since news of her alleged “liaison” with Ashton Kutcher broke
Sara Leal was pictured in Newport Beach, California, for the first time since news of her alleged “liaison” with Ashton Kutcher broke

 

With her long blonde hair loose around her shoulders, Sara Leal sported tight blue jeans and a black cropped sweater and gold chain as she strolled through the California town.

She wore a pair of sunglasses, but still seemed eager to hide, at one point trying to conceal her face with her hand.

Sara Leal has yet to speak publicly about the alleged incident but is reported to have already retained a high powered attorney.

Her lawyer has so far declined to respond to any media calls about his client.

Sara Leal is reported to have spent the night with Ashton Kutcher in San Diego last month
Sara Leal is reported to have spent the night with Ashton Kutcher in San Diego last month

Sara Leal is allegedly letting it be known that she won’t “spill the beans” on Ashton Kutcher for less than $250,000, but is hoping she will receive a similar offer from Kutcher to fade away.

Sara Leal met Ashton Kutcher while partying at the Fluxx nightclub in San Diego on his wedding anniversary weekend.

Ashton Kutcher’s wife, Demi Moore was thousands of miles away in New York promoting a film, while he was reported to be picking out girls who were “hot tub worthy or not”.

Sara Leal, who is said to be “heavily involved” in the club scene, then joined Ashton Kutcher in his hotel hot tub before the alleged sexual encounter took place.

According to her now deleted Facebook page, Sara Leal, who went to school in Texas, is a model and aspiring director and has been shopping a movie called Runaway, without much success.

Meanwhile, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore put on a show of unity last week when they both attended the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles wearing their wedding rings.

Amanda Knox is flying back to Seattle.

Diane A. Wade
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Amanda Knox is flying back to Seattle.

Amanda Knox is prepared to fly back to the U.S. today after being dramatically cleared of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Amanda Knox, 24, was taken to the airport police station to sign various forms – even anxiously calling her lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova to check everything was fine for her to go through immigration and board the British Airways flight to Seattle via London Heathrow.

Amanda Knox tried her best to stay out of view as she arrived at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport and tried to avoid journalists waiting for her outside since dawn.

Amanda Knox smiles at other passengers at Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Fiumicino this morning before boarding a flight to Seattle via London
Amanda Knox smiles at other passengers at Leonardo Da Vinci airport in Fiumicino this morning before boarding a flight to Seattle via London

Carlo Dalla Vedova said:

“I spoke with her briefly. She was a bit worried about going through immigration and although her passport was valid she was still a little anxious as she was held in the airport police station for paperwork procedures.

“She was calm, serene and looking forward to going home and just spending time with her friends and family. She wants to get on with her life.

‘She is a clever and intelligent girl who has been through a lot – one day in prison is bad enough but four years is even worse.”

While waiting for their flight Amanda Knox’s parents were in the VIP lounge at Fiumicino Airport and they were then joined by her who onlookers described was “looking tired and drawn”.

The family had been driven to Rome from Perugia late last night in two black Mercedes one a people carrier which had been provided by the Italo-American Foundation whose president MP Rocco Girlanda had written a book about Amanda Knox in prison and campaigned for her innocence.

Corrado Maria Daclon, a spokesman for the foundation, said:

“Amanda is really very exhausted after spending four years in prison. We hugged each other warmly as she was let out.

“She also asked me to thank the Italian public who have supported her publicly throughout her ordeal.

“She said she could not have coped with being unjustly jailed for four years if it had not been for their support – they gave her strength and always said they believed in her innocence.

“I have remained silent throughout this affair but now someone needs to shoulder the responsibility for what happened.

“This has been one of the most serious errors of justice that we have had in our country and we have had many.”

Amanda Knox talks to British Airways staff as she prepares to put baggage on to the flight
Amanda Knox talks to British Airways staff as she prepares to put baggage on to the flight

Amanda Knox’s lawyer also spoke of this and said:

“This case should never have come to court. Will there be an investigation? I doubt it.

“Amanda will now have some time in Seattle and then get on with her life and her family will also want to get back to theirs.”

Before she left Italy, Amanda Knox said she felt “no bitterness” towards the country that had kept her in jail for four years.

Amanda Knox is looking at a lucrative future with million-dollar TV and book deal offers.

But the family of the victim Meredith Kercher, 21, remained stunned by the verdict and searching for answers.

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Waxahachie: schools evacuated as Magnablend Chemical Plant is on fire.

Diane A. Wade
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Waxahachie: schools evacuated as Magnablend Chemical Plant is on fire.

A raging fire at Magnablend Chemical Plant in Waxahachie, south of Dallas, sent black smoke billowing into the sky and prompted area schools to evacuate students.

Officials at the scene told WFAA-TV there are contaminates in the air that are dangerous to breathe in as a result of the fire.

Huge orange flames and plumes of smoke were seen at the Magnablend Chemical Plant facility in Waxahachie, about 30 miles south of Dallas.

Several large explosions were also reported from the facility.

Giant plumes of noxious smoke, which could be seen for miles, rise from the Magnablend Chemical Plant, not far from houses and apartments on Highway 287 Bypass in Texas
Giant plumes of noxious smoke, which could be seen for miles, rise from the Magnablend Chemical Plant, not far from houses and apartments on Highway 287 Bypass in Texas

 

Ellis County emergency management authorities issued an evacuation order for an apartment complex, an elementary school and a junior college.

Waxahachie Independent School District spokeswoman Nicole Mansell said Wedgeworth Elementary School students had been safely bussed to another school’s gymnasium by 12:25pm.

Navarro College cancelled all classes for its 2,500 or so students, school president Dr. Richard Sanchez told the Star-Telegram.

Sheriff’s officials urged residents not to drive toward the area of the fire.

In addition, area residents are being told to stay inside their homes – and to keep doors and windows shut.

Jessenia Colin, an assistant general manager at a nearby Hampton Inn and Suites, said hotel staff members were turning off air vents so smoke and chemicals didn’t enter the rooms.

As they waited for news and watched the smoke billow, staff covered their mouths to protect against the heavy chemical smell that hung in the air, she said.

Jessenia Colin said: “It smells like a whole bunch of chemicals, like wrappers burning. It’s making everyone’s heads hurt.”

Stephanie Otto said she was preparing her new restaurant for a Tuesday opening about a quarter-mile from the plant when she heard sirens and walked outside to see a “huge plume.” She said she could hear what sounded like gun shots for about 15 minutes, and there was a strong smell of ammonia.

Stephanie Otto said: “It was huge. It looked like an atomic bomb went off.”

Lisa Wheeler, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokeswoman said that the plant deals with ammonia, as well as sulfuric, hydrochloric, nitric and phosphoric acids.

It mixes the chemicals for fertilizer and agricultural products.

From Interstate 35E just south of Interstate 20, close to Dallas, a giant plume of smoke can be seen rising from the Magnablend chemical processing plant in Waxahachie, Texas
From Interstate 35E just south of Interstate 20, close to Dallas, a giant plume of smoke can be seen rising from the Magnablend chemical processing plant in Waxahachie, Texas

 

Waxahachie Police Lt. Joe Wiser tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram no injuries have been reported since the fire was reported at 10:40 a.m.

Images from WFAA-TV show the fast-moving fire engulfing a fire truck at the scene as firefighters nearby battle the blaze.

Magnablend Chemical Plant official Donald Golden told the station:

“My main concern when I got here was ensuring that everyone got out of the plant and were accounted for, which they are, everyone is safe at this time.

“That was the best news I got so far. Now, were just waiting to hear from the fire department as they respond to the fire.”

Magnablend’s website says it’s a chemical manufacturing company that makes custom chemicals for industries ranging from oil fields to industrial cleaning.

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Tesla Model S: electric car first official drive

Ricky Robinson
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Tesla Model S: electric car first official drive

The electric car fans saw and rode a prototype of Tesla Model S at the Tesla Motors factory in Fremont, California, on October 1.

 

The persons who pre-ordered Tesla Model S electric car tried Tesla Motors’ first full-size electric sedan and had the tour of the factory.

 

Faster Tesla Model S goes from a standstill to 60 miles (96.56 km) in 4.5 seconds.
Faster Tesla Model S goes from a standstill to 60 miles (96.56 km) in 4.5 seconds.

 

The 2012 production run of the Model S is sold out and the company intends to start delivering to customers next year.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a co-founder of PayPal, made a plea for support, he said lots of people had viewed the electric cars as fantastic unicorns.

“The oil companies said electric cars can’t work, but the truth is, they don’t want them to work. But here it is. They would say this car is the equivalent of a unicorn. Well, tonight you had the opportunity to ride a unicorn,” he said.

Musk announced Tesla was working on a faster Model S. It goes from zero to 60 miles (96.56 km) per hour in 4.5 seconds. This is two-tenths of a second quicker than the 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera with a manual transmission. However, with Porsche’s quick-shifting PDK automatic the car matches the Tesla at 4.5 seconds.

Versions of the 911 (Carrera S, GT3, Turbo) could easily outrun the Tesla Model S. Yet the big sedan will be able to run with the Porsche, Chevrolet Corvette, Audi R8 and other sports cars. It would also establish electric power as a performance feature, not just a gasoline-saving one, even the basic Model S is quick at 5.6 seconds from zero to 60.

Tesla Model S will come with three battery offerings, 160 miles (257.5 km), 230 miles (370.15 km) or 300 miles (482.8 km) on a full charge.

 

Base Tesla Model S will cost around $57,400, before a $7,500 federal tax credit and other rebates.

 

The large touchscreen of Tesla Model S hosts most of the infotainment controls.
The large touchscreen of Tesla Model S hosts most of the infotainment controls.

 

Tesla wants to be more than a niche brand that sells only the expensive Roadster sports car. Roadster sports car has a base price of $109,000, and most of them are sold at $140,000.

Tesla Model X sports utility prototype will be unveiled in December and is due out in late 2013.

Tesla, based in Palo Alto, California, has around 1,400 workers. It held an initial public offering of stock in June 2010. Among its private backers are Draper Fisher Jurvetson, VantagePoint Capital Partners, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google founders. Tesla won a $465 million loan guarantee in 2009 from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Other carmakers were inspired by Tesla Model S. Detroit works on its own electric vehicles. General Motors started selling its hybrid Chevrolet Volt last year. Anaheim, California-based Fisker Automotive, recently started delivery of its luxury hybrid Karma.

The company will phase out the Tesla Roadster in January 2012, to focus on the Tesla Model S.

 

 Elon Musk introduces Tesla Model S (video)

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Tesla Model S drive: interior view (video)

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Amanda Knox is free, as murder conviction was overturned. Latest news.

Diane A. Wade
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Amanda Knox is free, as murder conviction was overturned. Latest news.

Amanda Knox was released from prison this evening after an appeal court overturned her murder conviction.

Amanda Knox, 24, burst into tears and hugged her parents Curt Knox and Edda Mellas – as just feet away the family of Meredith Kercher could only look on in amazement.

Amanda Knox has served four years of a 26-year prison sentence after being found guilty in 2009 of the brutal sex murder of Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found semi naked with her throat cut in her bedroom of the house she shared in Perugia, Italy.

Amanda Knox bursts into tears after she was sensationally cleared of the murder of Meredith Kercher
Amanda Knox bursts into tears after she was sensationally cleared of the murder of Meredith Kercher

 

Computer studies graduate Raffaele Sollecito, 27, Amanda Knox ex-lover, who had also been accused of carrying out the murder, was also freed by the eight member jury after 11-hours of deliberations.

Amanda Knox was actually found guilty of slandering bar owner Diya “Patrick” Lumumba who she accused of carrying out the killing. She was sentenced to three years in jail – but as she had already served four years she was freed immediately.

Amanda Knox who had arrived to the hearing looking breathless and pale seemed to struggle to her feet as she was quickly led from the court room by Italian officials.

Amanda is now looking at the possibility of a swift return to America – possibly on a private jet provided by a television network.

Speaking outside the court following the verdict, Amanda Knox’s sister Deanna said:

“We are thankful that the nightmare is over. She suffered for four years for a crime she did not commit.”

Raffaele Sollecito, Amanda Knox ex-lover, who had also been accused of carrying out the murder, was also freed
Raffaele Sollecito, Amanda Knox ex-lover, who had also been accused of carrying out the murder, was also freed

Deanna Knox also thanked the Italian lawyers who had conducted the case and who “loved her”.

“We are thankful for the support from all over the world, people who took the time and trouble to research the case and knew that she was innocent.

“We are thankful to the court for having courage to look for the truth.

“We now ask for privacy and a chance to recover from our ordeal.”

“We’ve been waiting for this for four years,” said one of Raffaele Sollecito’s lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno

However, the verdict was not universally welcomed.

Outside the court there were screams of “shame on you” which appeared to be directed at lawyer Giulia Bongiorno.

One bystander shouted: “Run off back to America on your private jet,” while another said: “They just let the black man pay.”

Sky News reported rumors that American TV network had laid on a private plane as part of a potential a $1million deal with a guarantee of an interview.

Prosecutors now have to decide if they will appeal the acquittal to Italy’s highest court. There was no word late this evening if they planned to do so.

The Knox family’s delight contrasts sharply with the emotions of Meredith Kercher loved ones.

Meredith’ sister, Stephanie Kercher, who was in Perugia with her mother and brother for the verdict, lamented that her sister ‘has been nearly forgotten”.

“We want to keep her memory alive,” Stephanie said after the verdict which means that four years on from the brutal murder of the 21-year-old her family still have no clear picture of what happened.

At the first trial in 2009, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito had been convicted after the court heard they had carried out the crime with the aid of a third man Ivory Coast drifter Rudy Guede, 24.

The appeal however overturned this and ruled that he carried out on his own but key to the verdict was an independent court ordered report into hotly disputed DNA evidence.

Two forensic professors from Rome’s La Sapienza University Carla Vecchiotti and Stefano Conti had poured scorn on the original police forensic investigation of the crime scene producing a damning conclusion of techniques and methods used.

Key to the case was a 12 inches kitchen knife retrieved in Raffaele Sollecito’s flat and on which the original trial heard was found DNA from Meredith on the blade and that of Amanda Knox on the handle.

Prosecutors confusingly said it was “not incompatible” with the murder weapon – which has never been found – while defense teams argued it was too big to have caused the wounds on Meredith Kercher’s throat.

In addition the report also said that no blood was found on it and the DNA of Meredith Kercher was so low is should be ruled inadmissible – in fact there was such a small amount it could not even be retested.

They were also critical of results reached from tests on a clasp from Meredith’ s bloodied bra which was not collected from the murder scene and analyzed until 46 days after Meredith Kercher was killed.

Meredith Kercher was found semi-naked with her throat slashed in a bedroom in the house she shared with Amanda Knox and two other women
Meredith Kercher was found semi-naked with her throat slashed in a bedroom in the house she shared with Amanda Knox and two other women

To highlight the farcical way police carried out the investigation the experts showed footage of the way the forensic officers collected the evidence and there was gasps of amazement as more than 50 errors were pointed out.

The team was seen picking up the clasp with dirty gloves – instead of tweezers – and then placing it in a plastic bag when the recognized international procedure is a paper one.

They were then seen handing it to each other from glove to glove, placing it back on the floor in a different place from where it was found and then picking it up again.

Professors Conti and Vecchiotti said that this also made it highly likely that it had been contaminated and then they also revealed how they had been unable to retest the clasp because it had rotted away after being wrongly kept in the forensic lab in Rome.

Prosecutors lame arguments that the experts had no professional experience and that their findings were unqualified and unreliable, were ignored by the judge and jury.

Today prosecutors said they would appeal the decision and take the case to the Supreme Court in Rome but in the meantime Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito will be free and they do not even have to show up for the case.

 

Meredith Kercher crime scene photo
Meredith Kercher crime scene photo

 

The Supreme Court judges will simply examine all the documentary evidence and see if there is a valid point of law which can be used to overturn the appeal court’s ruling.

If they do not find any cause then the decision to release Amanda Knox will be confirmed while if they do find a justifiable reason then the case will be sent for a fresh trial leaving open the possibility of an extradition request from Italy for Knox.

November 2, 2007: Body of Meredith Kercher is found in Perugia apartment. Investigators say she was killed the night before.

November 6, 2007: Amanda Knox is arrested with then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, and Diya “Patrick” Lumumba, Congolese owner of pub where Knox occasionally worked.

November 20, 2007: Lumumba, implicated by Amanda Knox statements to police, is released from jail for lack of evidence.

December 6, 2007: Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is extradited from Germany, where he was arrested, and jailed upon arrival in Italy.

December 14, 2007: Meredith Kercher is laid to rest after funeral in London.

October 28, 2008: Judge indicts Amanda Knox and Raffaelle Sollecito on murder and sexual assault charges. Rudy Guede, who was granted a fast-track trial, is convicted of murder and sexual assault and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

January 16, 2009: Trial of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito opens in Perugia.

June 12, 2009: Amanda Knox takes stand; tells court she was shocked by Meredith’s death, offers alibi and says police beat her into making false statements.

December 4, 2009: Court finds Amanda Knox guilty of murder and sexual assault; sentences her to 26 years in prison. Raffaele Sollecito is convicted of same charges and sentenced to 25 years.

December 22, 2009: Appeals court upholds Rudy Guede conviction and cuts sentence to 16 years.

November 8, 2010: Judge orders Amanda Knox to stand trial on slander charges for claiming police beating.

November 24, 2010: Appeals trial for Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito opens in Perugia.

December 16, 2010: Italy’s highest criminal court upholds Guede’s conviction and 16-year prison sentence.

June 29, 2011: Independent forensic report ordered by appeals court finds much of the DNA evidence used to convict Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito is unreliable.

October 3, 2011: Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are freed after appeals court overturns conviction for murder.

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Vision loss risk in seniors, related to aspirin

Kathryn R. Bown
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Vision loss risk in seniors, related to aspirin

A person over 65, who takes aspirin daily, has twice the risk to develop an age-related vision loss (late stage macular degeneration) than a peer who almost never takes it, a recent study has shown.

 

Aspirin used daily could aggravate late stage macular degeneration and lead to vision loss.
Aspirin used daily could aggravate late stage macular degeneration and lead to vision loss.

 

No directly association between aspirin and vision loss could be proved by the study, but the scientists are worried the aspirin could aggravate the eye disease, as long as lots of seniors take this medicine.

The European study has been published in the journal Ophthalmology and included 4691 people over 65. The subjects were from Norway, Estonia, Britain, France, Greece, Italy and Spain.

Medical scientists, led by Dr. Paulus de Jong at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and Academic Medical Center, gathered health and lifestyle information.

Of the 839 daily aspirin users, around 36 (4%) had an advanced form of the disease, wet macular degeneration. Only 2% of persons who took aspirin less frequently had the same type of macular degeneration (aging macula disorder).

“For people who have age-related macular degeneration, it probably isn’t wise to recommend taking aspirin,” William Christen of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston told Reuters Health. He was not involved in this study.

 

Wet macular degeneration leads to vision loss in the center of the eye’s field of vision.

 

The wet form (neovascular or exudative macular degeneration) causes vision loss due to abnormal blood vessel growth. Scarring, bleeding, leaking from these blood vessels eventually cause rapid vision loss if left untreated

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) use has already been known for causing or aggravating gastrointestinal bleeding, but in the same time it has appeared to protect against cataract and in 2004 a study has shown aspirin is associated with decreased rates of abnormal blood vessel growth in patients with macular degeneration. Thus, aspirin could decrease the risk of vision loss.

The dry form is less severe. Its cause is an atrophy of the retinal pigment, which causes visual impairment, vision loss in the central part of the eye.

Aspirin use was not linked to the dry form, nor to earlier stages of the disease, scientists said.

 

In other studies aspirin appeared to protect against cataract or neovascularization in macular degenaration, thus protecting against vision loss.
In other studies aspirin appeared to protect against cataract or neovascularization in macular degenaration, thus protecting against vision loss.

 

 

Wet and dry macular degeneration are the leading causes of vision loss in persons over age 60. These conditions affect millions of Americans.

 

The seniors often take aspirin to prevent or to slow the progression of cardiovascular diseases. It could be the cardiovascular diseases that are linked with macular degeneration, some medical scientists said. According to Dr. Paulus de Jong, the researchers found that aspirin users, regardless of their heart condition, are at a greater risk of vision loss.

Yet, the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks of vision loss for people with cardiovascular illnesses who take aspirin to prevent the condition from worsening.

People should be aware that aspirin might aggravate macular degeneration, but on the other hand “a healthy eye with full visual capacities is of no use in a dead body,” said Paulus de Jong.

Further larger studies that follow people over time and document their aspirin use and vision are required to established the association between aspirin and vision loss.

 

Ralph Steinman died of cancer three days before he received the Nobel Prize for medicine.

James J. Williams
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Ralph Steinman died of cancer three days before he received the Nobel Prize for medicine.

Ralph Steinman, a New York scientist working on a cure for cancer today won the Nobel Prize for medicine, but he had tragically died of the disease just three days ago.

Ralph Steinman, 68, had been treating himself with a groundbreaking therapy based on his own research into the body’s immune system but died on September 30 after a four-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

The Nobel committee at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute said it was aware of Ralph Steinman‘s death – but it appeared that it had not known before making its announcement.

Ralph Steinman’s colleagues from Rockefeller University in New York called it a “bittersweet” honor.

It is likely that Ralph Steinman died without being aware he had won the Nobel Prize for medicine, along with American Bruce Beutler and French Jules Hoffmann.

The Nobel committee does not give its awards posthumously, but has decided to make an exception because of what Secretary General Goran Hansson called a “unique situation”.

“The Nobel Foundation has recognized Ralph Steinman for his seminal discoveries concerning the body’s immune responses,” said Rockefeller University president Marc Tessier-Lavigne.

“But the news is bittersweet, as we also learned this morning from Ralph’s family that he passed a few days ago after a long battle with cancer,” Marc Tessier-Lavigne added.

Ralph Steinman, who won the Nobel Prize for medicine for work on fighting cancer, died of the disease himself just three days before he could be told of his award
Ralph Steinman, who won the Nobel Prize for medicine for work on fighting cancer, died of the disease himself just three days before he could be told of his award

Rockefeller University said in a statement: “Ralph Steinman passed away on September 30. He was 68.

“He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago, and his life was extended using a dendritic-cell based immunotherapy of his own design.”

Alexis Steinman, Ralph Steinman’s daughter, indicating that her father had not known on his deathbed of the impending decision in Stockholm, said:

“We are all so touched that our father’s many years of hard work are being recognized with a Nobel Prize.

“He devoted his life to his work and his family and he would be truly honored.”

Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffmann, who studied the first stages of the body’s immune responses to attack in the 1990s, shared the $1.5million award with Ralph Steinman, originally from Montreal, Canada, whose discovery of dendritic cells in the 1970s is key to understanding the body’s next line of defense against disease.

The Nobel award panel said in a statement in Stockholm: “This year’s Nobel laureates have revolutionized our understanding of the immune system by discovering key principles for its activation.”

American Bruce Beutler (left) and Jules Hoffmann (right) of France won the Nobel Prize for medicine
American Bruce Beutler (left) and Jules Hoffmann (right) of France won the Nobel Prize for medicine

Before hearing the news of Ralph Steinman’s death, Lars Klareskog, who chairs the prize-giving panel, said:

“I am very excited about what these discoveries mean.

“I think that we will have new, better vaccines against microbes and that is very much needed now with the increased resistance against antibiotics.”

Bruce Beutler, 53, is based at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

Luxembourg-born, Jules Hoffmann, 70, conducted much of his work in Strasbourg.

They were supposed to share half the 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.46million) of prize-money.

The rest should have gone to Ralph Steinman, though the unusual circumstances leave its fate now in some doubt.

Bruce Beutler said he had learned of his prize by e-mail and had to search online to make sure it was true:

“I finally found it on Google News. My name was all over the place.”

Of his work, Bruce Beutler said, it “might lead to new treatments for inflammatory and auto-immune disease and possibly new treatments for other kinds of diseases as well”.

The work of all three scientists has been pivotal to the development of improved types of vaccines against infectious diseases and novel approaches to fighting cancer.

The research has helped lay the foundations for a new wave of “therapeutic vaccines” that stimulate the immune system to attack tumors.

Better understanding of the complexities of the immune system has also given clues for treating inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, where the components of the self-defense system end up attacking the body’s own tissues.

UK: PC passport application replaced mother and father with parent 1 and parent 2.

Diane A. Wade
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UK: PC passport application replaced mother and father with parent 1 and parent 2.

For many years, British passport applicants have been required to provide details of their mother and father; now, after pressure from the gay rights group lobby, the new PC passports will be given the option of naming “parent 1” and “parent 2”.

The change, which is due to take place by December 2011, has been made following claims the original form was “discriminatory” and failed to include same-sex couples looking after a child.

It has led to claims the official travel document is being turned into a “PC passport”.

Campaigners for family values said the move “denigrated” the roles of parents bringing up children in traditional families.

Norman Wells, director of the Family Education Trust, said:

“Fathers and mothers are not interchangeable but have quite distinct roles to play in the care and nurture of their children.

“To speak of <<parent 1>> and <<parent 2>> denigrates the place of both fathers and mothers.

“Much as the equality and diversity social engineers might wish it were otherwise, it still takes a father and a mother to produce a child.”

The decision follows the revelation last month that details of the holder’s sex could be erased from all passports to spare transgender people from embarrassment.

The new PC passport changes follow lobby activity from gay groups
The new PC passport changes follow lobby activity from gay groups

 

The latest shift follows lobbying from gay rights groups, who argue that the current passport application form fails to recognize same-sex couples who are both officially registered as a child’s parents.

The Home Office “Diversity Strategy” states: “IPS [the Identity and Passport Service] is working with Stonewall [the gay rights group] in response to an issue about having to name a “mother” and “father” on the passport application form.”

Gay couples are registered as the official parents of any child they adopt. Those who use surrogate mothers must apply to the courts for a “parental order” in order to be recognized as a child’s official parents.

Similar changes have been made in recent months to passport application forms in the U.S., outraging traditional family groups and religious conservatives.

British officials accepted that the move was made following lobbying from gay rights groups who claimed it was discriminatory.

A spokesman for the UK Identity and Passport Service insisted it was necessary to incorporate same-sex parents on the form so that accurate information is collected.

“IPS is planning to amend the application form and associated guidance to deal with same-sex parents applying for a passport on behalf of a child.

“Currently, the application form provides the relevant boxes of <<mother>> and <<father>> to be completed.

“The new form to be introduced by December 2011 will in addition provide for <<parent 1>> and <<parent 2>>.

“It is essential that any parent provides the necessary information on their status as parents or guardians when applying for a passport on behalf of their child.

“This protects the interests of the child and ensures that IPS is able to issue passports securely and safely to the right person.

“The passport application form is therefore being updated to incorporate same-sex parents.”

Gay lobbyists and politicians have long claimed that 10% of the population is homosexual, but figures from the Office for National Statistics in UK suggest that this is a wild exaggeration.

According to the Integrated Household Survey, homosexuals and bisexuals make up only 1.5% of the population.

1% said they were gay or lesbian, while 0.5% said they were bisexual.

More men than women declared themselves homosexual, with 1.3% of men saying they were gay compared with 0.6% of women who described themselves as lesbian.

94% said they were heterosexual, 4.3% declined to answer the question or said they did not know, and 0.4% said their sexuality was “other”.

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