This year’s Perseid meteor shower will peak over the weekend, giving stargazers the opportunity to spot scores of shooting stars in the sky.
According to astronomers, hundreds of meteors will streak across the sky in a display that may be visible around the world.
The Perseid meteor shower occurs every July and August as the Earth passes debris from the Swift-Tuttle comet.
Typical rates are about 80 meteors an hour, but in outburst years (such as in 2016) the rate can be between 150-200 meteors an hour.
Image source Flickr
The meteor shower’s actual peak is around 1PM EDT August 12, which means that the night before and the night after will both have good rates. The show would be slightly better in the predawn hours of August 12, but that there’d be a decent show both nights.
However, experts say the Perseids could be harder to see this year as the Moon will be three-quarters full.
Earth will pass through the path of Comet Swift-Tuttle from July 17 to August 24, with the shower’s peak — when Earth passes through the densest, dustiest area — occurring on August 12. That means you’ll see the most meteors in the shortest amount of time near that peak, but you can still catch some action from the famed meteor shower before or after that point.
The moon will be three-quarters full during the peak. Since the moon will rise late in the evening (around roughly 11 p.m.), there will be some interference from its light that will make it more difficult to see meteors.
You can see the Perseid meteor shower best in the Northern Hemisphere and down to the mid-southern latitudes, and all you need to catch the show is darkness, somewhere comfortable to sit and a bit of patience.
What makes us monitor actions and behavior of our relatives, significant ones, and children? Most people track someone’s location to protect this person and not to worry about him or her. However, there are cases when we just can’t trust a person for some reasons and need a way to learn the concealed truth. There are many situations that induce people to spy on someone, and the majority of parents and spouses monitor their children or significant ones without any remorse. To track phone location is a habitual thing today, as we have a great number of different applications and programs for mobiles and laptops allowing to monitor whereabouts of a gadget’s owner.
In the epoch when “Big Brother is watching you,” we turned into followers and spies. Sometimes we can infringe someone’s rights and invade privacy without even noticing it. In this case, some problems with the law will be inevitable. Speaking about this danger, we would like to explain when monitoring a person is normal and when we may turn into criminals without even knowing it.
How to Track Phone Location Legally
As for the legitimacy of monitoring actions, we can say that it is generally illegal. However, if you have access to a phone or laptop or possess one of them, tracking won’t break any rules. During investigations, the police may hack your devices if it is necessary, but they usually have an official permission of the court or a warrant to do this. So, if you don’t own a cell phone that you want to track and do not work in the police, you may have problems with the law. Installation of a special spy app or tracking services on a gadget may lead to serious problems, so make sure you do everything right.
Let’s imagine that you have access to a targeted mobile. Then, you may use three ways to monitor every movement of its owner. They are as follows:
Major phone carriers
Specific options on the targeted phone
Tracking software
So, if you have a gadget that you want to monitor, you should consider these methods more closely. Learn how to spy on your relatives and friends legally and choose the way you like the most to do this.
Tracking with Phone Carriers
Many US carriers can provide you with necessary information about the whereabouts of your children, spouses, and friends. If their phones and numbers are connected to one account, it is great. Thus, you have full rights to monitor the location of these devices. When using special applications provided by phone carriers, you may easily find out where your child plays at the moment, or where your wife is. For example, Verizon Family Locator enables you to be aware of your relatives’ location. Besides, this app is automatically upgraded and has the function of “hotspots”, which sends notifications in case a person visits or leaves a certain place.
Cell Phone Special Functions
Android and iPhone operating systems have some specific options to monitor the location of a targeted device from another gadget like a smartphone, tablet, and so on.
Android has an option to locate a device remotely. When you turn it on and log in to the Google Account, you will see the location of this mobile on the map.
Select the option iCloud and make sure your Find My iPhone setting is on. After entering the Apple ID, you will track a targeted phone immediately.
Monitoring Software
It is the most effective method to track someone’s location, as there is a great number of spy apps both at the App Store and Google Play Store. All you need to do is to choose a reliable and good one to start spying on your kids or employees. You can buy one of such programs at https://www.mspy.com/current-gps-location.html and find out how useful and easy these applications may be. However, don’t forget about access permission to a targeted phone if you don’t want to break the law.
Some Extra Features of Tracking Apps
We can say that applying any spy software is much more useful than it may seem at first sight, as you can find more than just the location of a phone. In fact, using tracking apps is one of the most widespread and popular methods allowing to set up an efficient parental control over children and teenagers who went out of control. Such apps may provide access to chats and call history of your kids, for instance.
Some concerned parents can even restore deleted messages to know the truth or prevent troubles. Besides, we can learn what sites our relatives and kids visited lately and what interest they have. Moreover, there is also a very useful function of recording conversations. A little bit creepy, isn’t it? However, people rarely use these features every day, as they are designed for some extraordinary or very serious cases when no other legal means of learning the truth can be applied. If you are simply curious, try speaking to a person first before invading his or her privacy.
President Donald Trump has announced that the US military is “locked and loaded” to deal with North Korea, ramping up the rhetorical brinkmanship.
He tweeted: “Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong-un will find another path!”
President Trump spoke as North Korea accused him of “driving” the Korean peninsula to the “brink of a nuclear war”.
Pyongyang has announced plans to fire missiles near the US territory of Guam.
On August 11, Guam’s homeland security agency issued a fact sheet with tips for residents to prepare for any missile threat.
The sheet states: “Do not look at the flash or fireball – it can blind you.”
“Lie flat on the ground and cover your head. If the explosion is some distance away, it could take 30 seconds or more for the blast wave to hit.”
Russia said the exchange of threats between the US and North Korea “worry us very much”.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rated the risk of military conflict as “very high” as he put forward a joint Russian-Chinese plan to defuse the crisis.
President Trump’s tweet follows his threat earlier this week to rain “fire and fury” on Pyongyang.
His latest post came hours after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis attempted to cool tensions by emphasizing a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
Speaking in California late on August 10, the Pentagon chief said it was his job to be ready for conflict.
However, he said the effort by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley “has diplomatic traction, it is gaining diplomatic results”.
Jim Mattis added: “The tragedy of war is well enough known. It doesn’t need another characterization beyond the fact that it would be catastrophic.”
When asked about US military plans for a potential conflict, Jim Mattis said the country was ready, but he would not “tell the enemy in advance what I’m going to do”.
Also on August 11, North Korea’s official KCNA news agency accused the US of a “criminal attempt to impose nuclear disaster upon the Korean nation”.
North Korea’s media outlet said America was making “desperate efforts” to test weapons in the Korean peninsula.
Washington is “the mastermind of nuclear threat, the heinous nuclear war fanatic”, the report said.
Tensions have escalated since North Korea tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July.
The regime was further angered by last week’s UN decision to increase economic sanctions against it.
North Korea has said it will within days finalize a plan to fire medium-to-long-range rockets towards Guam, where US strategic bombers are based, along with more than 160,000 US citizens.
There has been no indication that any actual attack on the Pacific island is imminent.
On August 10, President Trump suggested that his own statements on North Korea had not been tough enough, warning the regime to be “very, very nervous”.
However, the president added that the US would always consider negotiations.
Donald Trump also chided North Korea’s closest ally, China, saying it could do “a lot more”.
China’s state-run Global Times newspaper wrote that Beijing should stay neutral if North Korea launches an attack that threatens the US.
However, it also said that if the US and South Korea attacked North Korea to force regime change, then China must intervene to prevent it.
Jeffrey Lord has regularly sparred with Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters for America.
Things came to a head on August 10 when Jeffrey Lord tweeted at Angelo Carusone, linking to a column he had written describing the group as “Media Matters Fascists, the anti-free speech bigots”.
Angelo Carusone, whose name had been misspelt as “Corusone” in the headline, responded: “Your headline has a mistake in it. Why do you expect anyone to take you seriously when you don’t take yourself seriously.”
Jeffrey Lord responded with: “Sieg Heil!”
The pundit later defended his actions, saying he was mocking Nazis and fascists, and criticized CNN’s decision to sever ties with him.
Jeffrey Lord said in a telephone interview: “I feel they are caving to bullies here.”
At least one of Canada’s diplomats stationed in Cuba was treated for hearing loss and headaches, the country’s foreign ministry says.
The announcement comes a day after the US said its diplomats in Havana were experiencing strange physical symptoms.
Reports suggest the diplomats could have been targeted by a covert sonic device that causes hearing loss.
Cuba denies the allegation, but the US has removed two Cuban diplomats from Washington DC in retaliation.
Cuba’s foreign ministry responded: “Cuba has never, nor would ever, allow the Cuban territory to be used for any kind of action against accredited diplomats or their families.”
Global Affairs Canada, the country’s foreign ministry, says the government is working with US and Cuban officials to find out what happened.
The Associated Press reported that a US investigation determined that the US diplomats’ hearing loss could have been linked to sonic devices which emit inaudible sound waves that can cause deafness.
US officials, speaking to the agency anonymously, said investigations had determined devices had been deployed either inside or outside diplomats’ homes.
Investigators are also considering the possibility that a third country, such as Russia, was behind the incidents, officials familiar with the inquiry told AP.
According to US officials, about five diplomats, including some spouses, had been affected, but no children were involved.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauer said staff began complaining of the strange symptoms late last year.
While they were not life-threatening, she revealed that a number of people had been brought home to the US as a result.
The US and Cuba only re-established ties in 2015, following 50 years of hostilities between the two countries.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio said the alleged incidents were just the latest examples of harassment toward US diplomats in Cuba.
“Personal harm to US officials shows the extent the Castro regime will go and clearly violates international norms,” the senator said.
If true, the use of sonic devices to cause harm to diplomats would be unprecedented.
At least 20 tonnes of insecticide-tainted eggs have been sold in Denmark, the country’s food safety authority says.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration said in a statement, the boiled and peeled eggs were mainly sold to cafeterias, cafes and catering companies.
Denmark is the latest European country to discover eggs contaminated fipronil in its food chain.
According to specialists, the insecticide can damage people’s kidneys, liver and thyroid glands if eaten in large quantities.
However, the Danish food administration urged calm, saying the eggs bought by Danæg Products posed no risk to human consumption.
“Samples analyzed in the Netherlands show traces of fipronil in the eggs, but not as a health hazard,” the agency said.
“Because the content is illegal, Danæg Products must withdraw the eggs from their customers.”
Denmark is believed to be the tenth country to be affected, with Romania and Luxembourg among the latest to report finding contaminated products.
On August 10, Romanian authorities said that one tonne of liquid egg yolk contaminated with fipronil had been found in a warehouse in the west of the country.
The product was imported from Germany but had not been sold to consumers, food safety officials said.
Two company managers have been arrested during joint raids by the authorities in Belgium and the Netherlands, as the scandal involving insecticide-tainted eggs widens.
The company- named as Chickfriend by local media – allegedly used fipronil at poultry farms, prosecutors said.
Fipronil is banned from use in the food industry under EU rules.
North Korea claims that a plan that could see it fire four missiles near the US territory of Guam will be ready in a matter of days.
According to state media, Hwasong-12 rockets would pass over Japan and land in the sea about 17 miles from Guam, if the plan was approved by Kim Jong-un.
North Korea denounced President Donald Trump’s warnings of “fire and fury” and said the US leader was “bereft of reason”.
The US has warned North Korea its actions could mean the “end of its regime”.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Pyongyang would be “grossly overmatched” in any war against the US and its allies.
North Korea first announced on August 9 that it had been drawing up plans for a missile strike against Guam, a Pacific island which is home to US military bases, strategic bombers and about 163,000 people.
A later statement carried by state media said the North Korean military would “finally complete the plan” by mid-August and send it to leader Kim Jong-un for his approval.
“The Hwasong-12 rockets to be launched by the KPA [Korean People’s Army] will cross the sky above Shimane, Hiroshima and Koichi [Kochi] Prefectures of Japan,” state news agency KCNA said, quoting army chief General Kim Rak Gyom.
“They will fly 3,356.7km for 1,065 seconds and hit the waters 30-40km away from Guam.”
The Hwasong missiles are North Korea’s domestically produced medium and long-range weapons.
The governor of Guam addressed North Korea’s new statement on August 10, telling Reuters that Pyongyang usually likes to be unpredictable and has fired surprise missiles in the past.
“They’re now telegraphing their punch, which means they don’t want to have any misunderstandings. I think that’s a position of fear,” said Governor Eddie Calvo.
President Trump boasted about America’s atomic arsenal earlier on August 9.
Tweeting from New Jersey where he is on holiday, President Trump said the US nuclear stockpile was “more powerful than ever before”.
Video has been available on Facebook for some time, but until now, it has mostly been dominated by amateur clips or short segments from news organizations.
Facebook added a video tab in 2016, and has hinted for some time that it might make the move to producing original content.
Watch could open up new revenue potential for both Facebook and program makers, while users can expect to see targeted advertising before and during the shows.
Facebook is entering an increasingly complex and crowded market, and will face competition from traditional TV networks as well as other online services like YouTube and Netflix.
On August 9, Disney announced that from 2019, it will scrap its existing deal with Netflix and create its own direct-to-consumer streaming-video services.
Disney will also set up a sports-themed ESPN streaming service in 2018.
Facebook already has content lined up, including Major League Baseball, Women’s basketball, parenting shows and a safari show from National Geographic.
According to Reuters, Facebook has also inked deals with millennial-oriented media groups Vox Media, BuzzFeed, ATTN, Group Nine Media and others to produce shows.
Watch will have a limited release in the US before it is rolled out more broadly.
Lego CEO Bali Padda has been replaced after just eight months in the job.
The toymaker said Bali Padda, 61, was never expected to remain in the post long-term because of his age.
When he took over last December, Lego said the search would begin immediately for a successor.
The search “went faster than expected”, the Danish company said.
Image source Flickr
Lego’s new chief executive will be 51-year-old Niels Christiansen, former boss of Danfoss.
A Lego spokesman said Niels Christiansen, who left engineering company Danfoss at the end of June, was the “perfect match” for the chief executive job at Lego.
Niels Christiansen will take up his new post in October.
Bali Padda, who had been with Lego for 15 years and was the company’s first British chief executive, will remain with Lego as a special adviser.
Two Cuban diplomats have been expelled by Washington after US embassy staff in Havana suffered mysterious physical symptoms, the US state department announced.
It was not immediately clear what had happened, but spokeswoman Heather Nauert said there were no “definitive answers about the source or cause”.
One government official quoted by Reuters said that some staff had suffered hearing loss.
Cuba’s foreign ministry announced it was investigating the allegations.
Cuba called the expulsion of its staff unjustified but said it was willing to co-operate with Washington to clarify what had happened.
The ministry said: “Cuba has never, nor would ever, allow the Cuban territory to be used for any kind of action against accredited diplomats or their families.”
It was suggested the hearing loss could have been caused by some kind of sonic device placed outside the diplomats’ homes, emitting inaudible sound waves that can cause deafness.
Heather Nauert said staff began complaining of the strange symptoms late last year.
While they were not life-threatening, she revealed that a number of people had been brought home to the US as a result.
Heather Nauert said the government was taking it “very seriously, and there is an investigation currently under way”.
It is understood that the two expelled Cuban diplomats left Washington DC in May..
The US and Cuba only re-established ties in 2015, following 50 years of hostilities between the two countries.
They say that “Diamonds are forever” or something like “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” Indeed, gemstones and jewelry will forever become synonymous with wealth, status, and power. These small but valuable items can skyrocket a person’s image from a literal “Rags to Riches” perspective. These treasures have been the reason why conquest and wars between ancient empires happen.
Nowadays, jewelry is a standard for beauty. However, for some, beauty is just part of the reason why people have such precious treasures. Family heirlooms for example, often consist of jewelry handed down from generation to generation. Finding one in an old house can mean an instant turnaround when it comes to the state of living.
For those who understand the value of jewels and precious stones, investments are the intent. The price of gold and precious gems will only go higher as time passes. A rare spider brooch made by a famous jewelry company, Fabergé, was priced $15,000 which later became a staggering $80,000. This pricing only goes to show that the actual value of jewelry and gemstones only become higher as time passes.
Here are some tips to look out for when planning to buy jewelry as an investment:
New isn’t Always a Good Choice
When it comes to jewelry and investment, a lot of people think that buying high-end, brand new, and designer pieces are the ones that fetch the most money in time. They later get disappointed, only to find out that this isn’t always the case. Take for example this situation: A woman buys an earring at a high street retailer for $100. When you sell it back the next day, you’d only get $30 for that earring.
A lot of people fall for this trick and end up buying jewelry that’ll take 30 years to bring in the original cost of buying the piece.
No Assurance for Vintage and Antiques
Good investments lie within an antique and vintage jewelry. Most of these pieces are from a source that has a lot of low asking prices. Most of these pieces are family heirlooms hidden just about anywhere. The spider brooch from Fabergé mentioned above was found in a family attic. However, antiques aren’t usually a guarantee that they’re going to sell big.
Most experts say that Art Deco jewelry made in the late 1920’s are the most valuable. Their values increase even more when Cartier or Arpels sign these pieces. Precious stones like diamonds also grow in value with time, especially if they are more than five karats in size. For example, old pieces of jewelry who sport such diamonds are often removed and replaced with smaller ones. This switch is the reason why it’s so difficult finding old diamond rings and other types of statement jewelry.
Going for the Good Ones
For a person without knowledge, any piece of jewelry is excellent as long as it’s authentic and has a name. Style plays a significant role in determining the value of a piece. For example, Victorian Jewelry is no doubt, authentic and has high value but has a notoriously small market. Most sellers will have a hard time selling Victorian pieces because of their association with grief, mourning, and sentimentality.
Georgian Jewelry which also has a small market is such a rare commodity because of its style and appeal to most buyers. Compared to pieces like the Victorian, Georgian jewelry are more likely to get purchased by collectors and buyers. Another part that appeals to most collectors is the Art Nouveau designs which utilize glass, enamel, and precious gemstones which go with most trends today.
Learning to Wait
As mentioned earlier, the price of these valuable possessions goes up with time. Learn to watch out for trends as to determine when to sell your pieces. An investment doesn’t have to consist of gold entirely. It can be made up of valuable silver pieces, pearls, and rare gems. A diamond crusted ring bought for $1000 today might end up in an auction and sell for $5000 in 3-5 years time.
Takeaway
Investing in jewelry certainly isn’t a bad thing. However, as with investments, there are always risks involved. There are also several factors that a buyer should know if he intends on purchasing pieces for investments. Factors such as knowing the styles of jewelry and the impact that time has on certain jewelry all determine the real value.
We are all at risk of falling, but the possibility is heightened for the elderly. Thousands of older people fall every year, and statistics say 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 will fall. Older adults fear falling, even if they haven’t yet done so. They will avoid activities, such as walking, shopping, and visiting friends. Should this be you, try and overcome the fear. Staying active is one way you can ensure your body remains at optimum health, reducing the chances of falling. In this article, we will help you get some perspective, and consider the causes and preventions of falling. Causes of falling The following are some of the causes of falling.
The effects of aging. Your eyesight and hearing will begin to diminish, and your reflexes won’t be as sharp as they used to be. 2. Certain medical problems can affect your balance. These include thyroid problems, heart disease, and diabetes. 3. Certain medications have side effects, such as dizziness, nausea, and tiredness, all of which can affect your balance. 4. Safety hazards in the home, including loose floorboards, items on the floor, and slippery surfaces. 5. Drop in blood pressure when you stand after sitting for awhile or getting out of a hot bath. 6. Muscle weakness in the legs and feet.
Preventative measures In most cases, falls can be prevented by understanding the causes above. These are some of the steps you need to follow to avoid the risk of falling. 1. Exercise as much as you are able. Regular exercise can strengthen your muscles and make you more stable on your feet. 2. Eat a healthy diet to improve your energy levels and your build your bone mass. 3. Get your eyes and ears tested. Slight changes in your sight and hearing can cause you to fall, so go for regular check-ups. 4. Read the side effects on medication packages and speak to your pharmacist or doctor if they make you dizzy and unwell. 5. Purchase mobility equipment from a specialist source, such as the Select Aged Care Store. Especially when you are walking on uneven ground, a cane or a walking frame can help. 6. Get plenty of sleep. The more tired you are, the more likely you are to have an accident. 7. Take it easy. As you get older your mobility will suffer, so pace yourself when you are on your feet and try not to rush around as if you were 20 years younger. After a fall Should you fall, you need to stay as calm as possible. The use of a response system can help if you are unable to get to your feet and you need emergency assistance. Alternatively, have a mobile phone on you at all times to enable you to call for help. Then seek the advice of a doctor. There may have been underlying reasons for the fall, and an X-ray will determine any damage to your bones.
Final word
We hope our advice helped, but we aren’t medical professionals. Always get a qualified opinion from a doctor. Take care.
Jeffrey Lichtman confirmed in an email on August 8 that El Chapo Guzman had hired him along with Marc Fernich, William Purpura and Eduardo Balarezo.
The lawyer said it was too early to speculate on a defense strategy.
“We simply hope to have the chance to give Mr. Guzman a zealous defense and the chance to challenge the numerous co-operating criminals who will all be seeking to use him as their Get Out of Jail Free cards,” Jeffrey Lichtman said.
The new lawyers are reported to be seeking assurances that prosecutors would not try to seize their legal fees as part of a $14 billion forfeiture they are seeking from El Chapo Guzman’s alleged profits from the drugs trade.
El Chapo Guzman is due to go on trial next April accused of running the notorious Sinaloa cartel.
Jeffrey Lichtman and Marc Fernich successfully defended John Gotti Jr. – son of the so-called “Dapper Don”.
Over the course of five years, juries in four trials failed to reach a verdict against John Gotti Junior on charges of murder and racketeering. Prosecutors gave up their case against him in 2010.
When you hear about state and private pension reform in the UK, it is fair to say that the majority of changes are met with negativity. In recent times, we have seen the value of the typical state pension fall while the age at which citizens can comfortably retire in Britain is also set to increase incrementally over the next 20 years.
This trend has changed recently, however, with the announcement that gay applicants will now be able to secure equal pension benefits in the workplace.
Image source Public Domain Pictures
So how has this change come about, and what does it mean for citizens?
The Rule Change: A Seminal Moment for UK Pensions
The issue of equal pension rights has been a source of some controversy in recent times, thanks primarily to an exemption in the Equality Act that has historically enabled employers to exclude same sex civil partners and spouses from access to pension funds. More specifically, it prevented these applicants from receiving funds that were paid in prior to the Civil Partnership Act being passed into law back in 2005, with businesses thought to be leveraging this loophole to reduce pension payouts.
The legislation was finally challenged by retired businessman John Walker, 66, who brought a case to the Supreme Court in an attempt to secure the equal pension rights upon his death for his husband. He argued that his partner should receive the same benefits and payout as any same sex couple, and after a prolonged legal battle the court finally ruled unanimously in his favour last week. As a result, the exemption has been immediately discontinued and any companies that continue to discriminate on this basis will be found to be breaking the law.
The Last Word: What Does This Mean for the Industry and Same Sex Applicants
The ruling will have a far-reaching impact on the industry, as same sex applicants will now be eligible to receive 50% of the value of a pension (for the remainder of their life) in the event of their partners’ death. According to the government’s figures, the full equalisation of pension rights will cost an estimated £3.3 billion to UK firms, with the public sector likely to be the most adversely affected.
From the perspective of same sex applicants, the ruling is exceptionally good news and eases much of the concern and worry that has blighted homosexual couples as they approach retirement. It also means that they can make more certain plans for their future, with service providers such as Tilney available to help applicants optimise their pension funds.
Above all else, it is another victory for equality in the UK and one that will have a seismic and instant impact on the pension sector.
In a video posted on her Facebook account, Sinead O’Connor has said she feels “suicidal”.
Sinead O’Connor is seen crying in the 12-minute video, which she said she was uploading in an effort to help people understand mental illness.
“I am now living in a motel in New Jersey. I’m all by myself,” the singer said.
“Mental illness, it’s like drugs, it doesn’t [care] who you are, and equally what’s worse, the stigma doesn’t care who you are.”
“There’s absolutely nobody in my life except my doctor, my psychiatrist – the sweetest man on earth, who says I’m his hero – and that’s about the only thing keeping me alive at the moment… and that’s kind of pathetic.
“I want everyone to know what it’s like, that’s why I’m making this video.”
Sinead O’Connor criticized her family for not taking better care of her over the last two years.
“I am one of millions… people who suffer from mental illness are the most vulnerable people on earth, we can’t take care of ourselves, you’ve got to take care of us,” she said.
“My entire life is revolving around not dying, and that’s not living. And I’m not going to die, but still, this is no way for people to be living.”
Sinead O’Connor was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003, but she later said she had been misdiagnosed and actually suffered from depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Venezuela’s government websites have been hacked in an operation targeting the “dictatorship” of President Nicolás Maduro.
Calling itself “The Binary Guardians”, the hacking group posted messages appearing to support the actions of a group of armed civilians who attacked a military base in the central city of Valencia on August 6.
Meanwhile, President Maduro’s supporters marched in the capital Caracas.
They called for an end to months of opposition protests and unrest.
The hacked sites included the Venezuelan government, the National Electoral Council and the Venezuelan navy.
A message on the main government site made reference to “Operation David”, which Venezuelan media had reported was the codename of the attack in Valencia.
“This dictatorship has its days numbered,” the message added.
The government said it had repelled the attack in Valencia, which was carried out by a group of armed civilians led by a military deserter.
A search was under way for 10 men who escaped with weapons after the attack, President Maduro said.
The assault in the north-western city of Valencia was carried out by 20 people, he said. Two were killed, one was injured and seven were arrested.
Earlier, a video posted on social media showed uniformed men saying they were rising against a “murderous tyranny”.
On state TV, Niclas Maduro congratulated the army for its “immediate reaction” in putting down the attack on August 6, saying they had earned his “admiration.”
The president called the incident a “terrorist attack” carried out by “mercenaries”, and said the security forces were actively searching for those who had escaped.
“We’ll get them,” Nicolas Maduro vowed.
The government said that those arrested included a first lieutenant who had deserted. It said the others were civilians wearing uniforms.
President Maduro said the group had been backed by anti-government leaders based in the US and Colombia.
In August 6 video, a rebel leader who identified himself as Juan Caguaripano, said that his group – which he called the 41st Brigade – was taking a stand against the “murderous tyranny of President Nicolás Maduro”.
“This is not a coup but a civic and military action to re-establish constitutional order.”
Violent demonstrations began in April and have spread across Venezuela which, despite being oil-rich, is experiencing severe shortages of food and medicines, as well as inflation in excess of 700%.
The incident in Valencia came the day after the first session of the newly inaugurated Constituent Assembly, seen by the opposition as a way for the left-wing president to cling to power.
Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly said that the new body will bring peace to Venezuela.
The Constituent Assembly has the ability to rewrite the constitution and could override the opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly.
The last time a victim was identified was March 2015.
The man’s identity was determined by New York City’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which had been retesting DNA recovered in 2001.
A total of 1,112 people who died (40%) remain unidentified nearly 16 years after the 9/11 attack.
On September 11, 2001, two planes crashed in New York City plus one at the Pentagon in Virginia and another in Pennsylvania, claiming nearly 3,000 lives and injuring thousands more.
North Korea has reacted after the US drafted the UN sanctions over its banned nuclear weapons program.
Pyongyang vowed to retaliate and make “the US pay a price”.
The sanctions, which were unanimously passed by the UN on August 5, were a “violent violation of our sovereignty,” the official KCNA news agency said.
Separately, South Korea says North Korea has rejected an offer to restart talks, dismissing it as insincere.
The sanctions will aim to reduce North Korea’s export revenues by a third.
The UN Security Council decision followed repeated missile tests by North Korea which have escalated tensions on the peninsula.
In its first major response on August 7, North Korea insisted that it would continue to develop its controversial nuclear weapons program.
The state-run KCNA news agency said North Korea would “not put our self-defensive nuclear deterrent on the negotiating table” while it faces threats from the US.
Pyongyang threatened to make the US “pay the price for its crime… thousands of times,” referring to America’s role in drafting the UN sanctions resolution.
Speaking to reporters at a regional forum in the Philippine capital, Manila, North Korean spokesman Bang Kwang Hyuk said: “The worsening situation on the Korean peninsula, as well as the nuclear issues, were caused by the United States.
“We affirm that we’ll never place our nuclear and ballistic missiles program on the negotiating table, and won’t budge an inch on strengthening nuclear armament.”
The remarks come after reports emerged that the North and South Korean foreign ministers had met briefly on August 6 on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila.
South Korean media reported that its Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha shook hands with her North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, in a brief and unarranged meeting at an official dinner event.
South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Kang Kyung-wha as saying that Ri Yong Ho’s rejection of the talks proposal appeared to be connected to the new sanctions.
“I told him that [the two offers for talks] are an urgent matter that should be carried out immediately with any political agenda put aside and asked him to proactively react,” she was quoted as saying.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told journalists on August 7: “My feeling is that the North did not entirely reject the positive proposals raised by the South.”
Wang Yi added that China also supported South Korea’s initiatives, and was “100%” committed to enforcing the latest round of UN sanctions.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also at the ASEAN forum, where he spoke about North Korea.
Noting Russia and China’s participation in the unanimous vote, Rex Tillerson told journalists it was clear there was now “no daylight among the international community” on their desire for North Korea to stop its tests.
“The best signal that North Korea can give us [is] that they are prepared to talk would be to stop these missile launches,” he added.
Russia and China have previously differed with others on how to handle Pyongyang, but in recent months have joined calls for North Korea to stop its missile tests – while also urging the US and South Korea to halt military drills, and withdraw an anti-missile system from the South.
All suspected coup plotters and “terrorists” will have to wear an almond-brown uniform when they appear in court, said Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
President Erdogan said jumpsuits would be worn by those accused of involvement in the July 2016 coup plot.
Other “terrorists” would wear jackets and trousers. That term is used for followers of US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen and for Kurdish rebels.
Last month a defendant wearing a “Hero” T-shirt appeared before a judge.
Turkish police later detained nearly 30 people for wearing T-shirts with the word “hero” on them, the CNNTurk news channel reported.
In a speech in the eastern town of Malatya, President Erdogan said: “There will be no more coming into court wearing whatever they want.”
On the July 15th anniversary of the coup attempt, the Turkish president demanded a prisoner uniform “like in Guantanamo”. The US prison for alleged jihadists makes inmates wear bright orange jumpsuits.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey must root out all the “Gulenists” blamed for the coup plot in which at least 260 people died. Rogue officers tried to topple him and bombed parliament in a night of bloodshed.
The president said defendants were “lying all the time” in court.
More than 50,000 people have been detained and 150,000 public servants suspended from work in a post-coup purge.
There has been strong international criticism of the sweeping crackdown, enacted under a state of emergency.
Turkey Suspected Coup Plotters to Wear Brown Uniforms, Says President Erdogan
Chris Pratt and Anna Faris have announced that they are divorcing after eight years of marriage in joint statements shared on Facebook.
The actors, who met in 2007 while filming the romantic comedy Take Me Home Tonight, said attempts to save their relationship had failed.
Chris Pratt wrote in a post on Facebook on August 6: “We tried hard for a long time, and we’re really disappointed.”
Anna Faris, 40, and Chris Pratt, 38, got married in 2009. They have a son named Jack.
Their statement added: “Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward.”
It also added that the two had “cherished” their time together and “continue to have the deepest respect for one another”.
Chris Pratt, who played Andy Dwyer in the comedy series Parks and Recreation, has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men thanks to roles in Jurassic World and Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
In April, the actor paid a lengthy tribute to Anna Faris after receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“Without you, none of this would mean anything,” he said.
Anna Faris had earlier praised Chris Pratt at the ceremony, introducing him to the stage with an emotional speech.
“I know that if our circumstances were different, and we weren’t as fortunate to be standing here and leading our Hollywood life, we would be happy in the woods together,” she said.
Anna Faris found fame in 2000 with Scary Movie, the spoof horror movie series in which she played Cindy Campbell in the first four installments.
She later co-starred alongside Sacha Baron Cohen in the controversial 2012 movie The Dictator.
Anna Faris went on to play the role of Christy Plunkett, a single mother who has battled with alcoholism and drug abuse in Chuck Lorre’s sitcom Mom.
Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu is accusing Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera of incitement.
The Israeli government is seeking to close Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel and revoke its journalists’ media credentials.
Communications Minister Ayoub Kara alleged that Al Jazeera supported terrorism, and said both its Arabic and English-language channels would be taken off air.
The channel has condemned the decision.
The government said it was basing its decision on a similar ban by several Sunni Arab states, amid their diplomatic rift with Qatar, which hosts and funds Al Jazeera.
Ayoub Kara said cable TV providers had agreed to take the network off the air, but that closing its Jerusalem bureau would need further legislation.
“Al Jazeera has become the main tool of Daesh [ISIS], Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran,” he told a news conference.
PM Netanyahu tweeted his congratulations to Ayoub Kara, “who on my instructions took concrete steps to end Al Jazeera’s incitement”.
An Al Jazeera official in the Qatari capital Doha told AFP that the channel “deplores this action from a state that is called the only democratic state in the Middle East, and considers what it has done is dangerous”.
Benjamin Netanyahu had accused the pan-Arab TV channel of fuelling a recent crisis around a holy site in Jerusalem known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif and to Jews as the Temple Mount.
New security measures imposed by Israel after two policemen were killed nearby sparked protests by Palestinians, and the Israeli government eventually removed the security apparatus, which included metal detectors.
The prime minister vowed in late July to “expel Al Jazeera” for its reporting of the issue, which he said had incited violence.
The Al Jazeera official defended its coverage, saying it was “professional and objective”.
The network’s editor in Jerusalem has accused PM Netanyahu of collusion with his autocratic Arab neighbors in an attack on free and independent media.
Al Jazeera has come under attack from several governments in the region in recent months to the concern of free press campaigners.
Saudi Arabia and Jordan both shut Al Jazeera offices as a measure against Qatar.
Others, including the UAE and Bahrain, have blocked its channel and websites.
Israel’s communications ministry said on August 6 that “nearly all countries in the region… have concluded that Al Jazeera incites terrorism and religious extremism”.
The ministry added that it had become “ridiculous that the channel continued to broadcast from Israel”.
Shutting Al Jazeera was on a list of 13 demands by the four Arab nations leading a boycott of Qatar that were tabled in June.
The Arabic-language news channel first launched in 1996, and shook up the media landscape in the Middle East by airing criticisms of governments and rulers in the region.
Al Jazeera says it was the first Arabic channel to feature Israeli politicians and commentators on the air.
However, Israel has frequently accused it of being biased in reporting the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
The UN Security Council has agreed on fresh sanctions against North Korea over its missile program.
A resolution banning North Korean exports and limiting investments in the country was passed unanimously.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said it was “the most stringent set of sanctions on any country in a generation”.
North Korea tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, claiming it now had the ability to hit the US.
However, experts doubt the capability of the missiles to hit their targets.
The tests were condemned by South Korea, Japan and the US, and prompted the drafting of the new UN sanctions.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is attending a regional forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila, in the Philippines, with North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho also present.
According to US officials, North Korea’s nuclear program is expected to be a major issue but there are no plans for a bilateral meeting.
Speaking as he sat down for talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Rex Tillerson said the sanctions were a “good outcome”.
President Donald Trump tweeted to say the sanctions would cost North Korea more than $1 billion.
The export of coal, ore and other raw materials to China is one of North Korea’s few sources of cash. Estimates say that North Korea exports about $3 billion worth of goods each year – and the sanctions could eliminate $1 billion of that trade.
Earlier this year, China suspended imports of coal to increase pressure on North Korea.
However, repeated sanctions have so far failed to deter Pyongyang from continuing with its missile development.
Ambassador Nikki Haley said the Security Council had increased the penalty for North Korea’s ballistic missile activity “to a whole new level”.
“Today the Security Council has come together to put the North Korean dictator on notice,” she told the council after the vote on August 5.
“North Korea’s irresponsible and careless acts have just proved to be costly for the regime.”
Meanwhile, North Korea’s ruling-party newspaper Rodong Sinmun said nuclear action or sanctions taken by Washington would lead to an “unimaginable sea of fire” engulfing the US.
The article, printed before the new UN sanctions were approved, added that if the US did not move away from its “hostile policy towards Pyongyang, the only choice for the US is self-destruction”.
China, North Korea’s only international ally and a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council, voted in favor of the resolution this time. China has often protected North Korea from harmful resolutions in the past.
In Manila, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the sanctions were “necessary” but were “not the ultimate purpose”.
“Our purpose is to bring all parties involved in the nuclear issues back to negotiation table, finding the resolutions through talks to realize the denuclearization of Korean peninsula,” he told journalists.
North Korea’s repeated missile and nuclear weapon tests have been condemned by neighbors in the region.
However, South Korea says it may hold direct talks with the North during the ASEAN summit.
South Korea’s foreign minister said she was willing to talk to her counterpart from Pyongyang, if the chance “naturally occurs”.
Altogether, 27 nations are sending representatives to the ASEAN forum.
ASEAN’s 10 member states issued a joint statement saying they had “grave concerns” over North Korea’s actions, which “seriously threaten peace”.
Venezuela’s chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz says she was dismissed by the new constituent assembly because the government wanted to stop her investigations into alleged corruption and human rights abuses.
Luisa Ortega, a supporter turned critic of President Nicolás Maduro, has rejected her dismissal.
She will face trial for “serious misconduct”, the Supreme Court says.
Meanwhile, one of the opposition leaders, Leopoldo Lopez, has been returned from jail to house arrest.
Leopoldo López was taken from his home on August 1 and spent four days in a military jail.
South American regional bloc Mercosur has suspended Venezuela “indefinitely”, having previously placed it under a temporary ban. It says the country will not be re-admitted until the constituent assembly is scrapped and all political prisoners are released.
Another opponent of the government, Antonio Ledezma, is also back under house arrest after three days in jail last week.
Antinio Ledezma and Leopoldo Lopez had encouraged protests against the constituent assembly, which is dominated by government supporters.
In its first session on August 5, the assembly unanimously voted to remove Luisa Ortega from her post.
She was prevented from entering her office in Caracas by dozens of National Guard officers in riot gear, and left on a motorbike amid chaotic scenes.
In a statement released by the public prosecutor’s office, Luisa Ortega said President Maduro’s government was leading a “coup against the constitution”.
“I do not recognize the decision,” she said of her dismissal.
“[This is] just a tiny example of what’s coming for everyone that dares to oppose this totalitarian form of ruling.”
Venezuela’s Supreme Court, loyal to Nicolas Maduro, did not give details of the accusations against Luisa Ortega.
Luisa Ortega, who broke ranks with the government in March, had opposed the assembly’s inauguration on August 4, citing allegations of voting fraud.
Tarek William Saab, a supporter of President Nicolas Maduro, has been sworn in as her replacement.
Luisa Ortega’s removal was widely expected but the fact that it was decided on the first working day of the assembly suggested that the new body could take aggressive measures against President Maduro’s critics, correspondents say.
Mexico, Peru and Colombia have condemned Luisa Ortega’s dismissal.
President Maduro says the constituent assembly is needed to bring peace after months of protests sparked by severe economic hardship.
However, the opposition says it is a way for the president to cling to power.
The constituent assembly has the ability to rewrite the constitution, and could override the opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly.
Julio Borges, speaker of the National Assembly, said Luisa Ortega’s removal was illegal and showed that the country’s institutions had been “taken hostage by only one hand, only one political party” through “an undemocratic mechanism that is utterly dictatorial.”
Despite being oil-rich, Venezuela is experiencing severe shortages of food and medicines, as well as inflation in excess of 700%. Violent demonstrations since April have left more than 100 people dead.
Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli has been found guilty of three counts of securities fraud.
A New York City jury cleared Martin Shkreli on five other counts after five days of deliberations.
Martin Shkreli, 34, was on trial in relation to a drug company he previously headed, Retrophin, and a hedge fund he managed.
He was branded “the most hated man in America” in 2015 when his company hiked the price of a medication used by AIDS patients.
Despite facing prison after being convicted of two counts of securities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud, Martin Shkreli professed himself pleased with the outcome.
Standing outside the court in Brooklyn, he said: “This was a witch hunt of epic proportions.
“And maybe they found one or two broomsticks but at the end of the day we’ve been acquitted of the most important charges in this case and I’m delighted to report that.”
Martin Shkreli, who attracted the nickname “Pharma Bro” and accusations of price gouging, is on trial in the US this week.
However, his case has little to do with the actions that won him notoriety.
Prosecutors allege Martin Shkreli committed fraud. They say he lied to investors and misused money to cover losses at different companies.
However, the much-hated drug price rise Martin Shkreli enacted as chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals was legal – and looks likely to remain that way, despite a push in the US for sweeping healthcare changes.
Martin Shkreli became a symbol of pharmaceutical greed in 2015 when his company raised the price of Daraprim, a treatment for parasite infection that had been around for more than 60 years, from $13.50 a tablet to $750.
The move drew widespread criticism, including from President Donald Trump, who called Martin Shkreli “a spoiled brat” and said the industry was “getting away with murder”.
President Trump later told Congress that a goal guiding healthcare reform should be changes to bring down the “artificially high” cost of drugs.
Alarmed at the mounting pressure, several major drug companies earlier this year pledged to limit price increases to less than 10%.
However, healthcare shares rallied last week, as Senate and White House proposals for healthcare and prescription drugs came into focus without signs of a crackdown.
Those watching the political debates unfolding in Washington say they do not expect changes to address prescription drug costs this year.
“I don’t expect any dramatic action in the near term,” said John Rother, chief executive of the National Coalition on Health Care, which started a campaign against rising prescription drug prices two and a half years ago.
Turing’s pricing moves were extreme – but they were not isolated.
While overall generic drug prices declined between 2010 and 2015, according to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of prices paid through the US’s Medicare government program – the cost of over 300 established generic drugs saw prices rises of 100% or more.
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), net spending on prescription drugs increased nearly 20% in the US between 2013 and 2015.
Elsewhere, in Britain, Australia, France and Germany, the government regulates prices.
However, in the US, where pharmaceutical companies are a powerful political force, companies set the cost, which subsequently gets renegotiated with insurers, suppliers and hospitals.
The US has averaged growth of 184,000 jobs per month this year, roughly on pace with last year and well above the level needed to match increases in the working age population.
Many economists believe the gains have put the labor market at or near so-called full employment, and predicted that wages would rise as employers compete for workers.
But wage growth, while steady in July, has not accelerated.
The average hourly wage in the US was $26.36 in July, up 2.5% year-on-year. That was same pace as in June and slower than some prior months.
One reason for the lackluster wage growth may be that many of the job gains this year have been in lower-paid industries such as leisure and hospitality, where the average hourly wage was less than $15.50 in July.
That sector is responsible for almost a quarter of the more than 1m job gains since January.
There could also be more slack in the labor market than anticipated.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 5.3 million people working part-time in July who would have preferred full-time work, little changed since June.
The number of discouraged workers – who are not looking for work because they do not believe there are jobs available – has also changed little since July 2016.
