LAPD is conducting an internal investigation over accusations officers violated Daniele Watts’ rights by handcuffing and detaining her.
The Django Unchained actress refused to show identification and walked away from officers responding to a report of lewd conduct.
Daniele Watts posted a photo showing her in tears with her hands behind her back.
Her boyfriend, chef Brian James Lucas, was not placed in handcuffs.
In a statement released over the weekend, LAPD said its officers had responded to a report from a passer-by that a couple was indecently exposed inside a silver Mercedes.
LAPD is conducting an internal investigation over accusations officers violated Daniele Watts’ rights by handcuffing and detaining her (photo Facebook)
In an interview with CNN on September 15, Daniele Watts said she and Brian James Lucas had been “making out” in the car, were fully clothed and that nothing improper had been taking place.
In audio footage of the encounter obtained by the TMZ, Daniele Watts appears to allege the police were called because she was black and her boyfriend was white.
The officer is then heard questioning why she had played “the race card” and insisting he had the authority to request she provide identification.
An LAPD spokesman said US citizens are required to identify themselves if requested to do so by an officer who has reasonable suspicion to believe an offence may have been committed.
Daniele Watts played a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 Django Unchained and had a recurring role in the TV series Weeds.
“I can understand how people would say that I’m being a drama queen,” Daniele Watts was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.
“[But] I don’t believe I committed any crime where I deserved to be in handcuffs.”
Rob Ford told the Toronto Sun that he is feeling “pretty sick” in hospital as he undergoes testing for tumors in his abdomen and lungs.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who withdrew from his re-election campaign last week, told the Toronto Sun doctors went “into my lungs” to take “another biopsy”.
Rob Ford has been diagnosed with an abdominal tumor.
His brother, Councilor Doug Ford, has replaced him on the October 27 ballot.
Doug Ford has not yet held an official campaign event, saying he wants to spend time with family while his brother is in hospital.
At the same time as he withdrew from the mayoral election, Rob Ford’s name was added to the ballot papers to run for councilor in his old constituency of Ward 2 in Toronto’s Etobicoke North area, signaling his desire to remain a political force in the city.
Rob Ford’s sudden announcement of his illness and subsequent withdrawal from the race presented a remarkable turn in a tumultuous tenure in the city hall of Canada’s largest city.
Toronto Councilor Doug Ford has replaced brother Rob Ford on the October 27 ballot
Over the past year, Rob Ford admitted to smoking crack cocaine while in office, then did a month-long stint in rehab. He resisted pressure to resign even as the city council stripped him of most of his budget and authority.
Rob Ford continued to run for re-election until last week, when he was brought to hospital after complaining of pain in his abdomen.
He has been in hospital since and is reportedly waiting on results from a biopsy test.
“I’m feeling pretty sick,” Rob Ford told the Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington, who reported the mayor sounded “horrible” and was “coughing and hacking and talking with a heavy breath”.
The mayor said he was trying to get some work done, ringing constituents.
“It’s pretty tricky right now,” Rob Ford said regarding his health, saying he hoped to recover and go back to “helping people” as councilor.
It remains to be seen whether Doug Ford can pick up his brother’s support.
Other top contenders in the race are former NDP MP Olivia Chow and businessman and former leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party John Tory.
George Clooney is to receive Cecil B. DeMille honorary award at Golden Globes 2015.
Organizers said the actor, director and producer would be given its Cecil B. DeMille award for “his outstanding contributions both in front of and behind the camera”.
George Clooney, 53, was being recognized “as much for his global humanitarian efforts as he is for his accomplishments in the entertainment industry,” the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) said.
George Clooney will receive Cecil B. DeMille honorary award at Golden Globes 2015
The Golden Globes awards ceremony take place on January 11, 2015.
Recent recipients of the DeMille award, named after the famed producer of The Ten Commandments, include Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Jodie Foster and late actor Robin Williams.
Woody Allen was honored at this year’s event, though the actor and director did not travel to Los Angeles to collect his accolade.
George Clooney is no stranger to the Golden Globes, having been previously honored by the HFPA for his performances in The Descendants, O Brother Where Art Thou and Syriana.
George Clooney is expected to tie the knot shortly with human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.
Katy Perry is leading the nominations for this year’s MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) with seven nods, including Best Female, Best Pop Act, Best Video and Best Live act.
Katy Perry will be going head to head in most categories with Ariana Grande, who has six nominations for the awards being held in Glasgow in November.
5 Seconds of Summer and Pharrell Williams have five each, one more than One Direction.
Nicki Minaj, Iggy Azalea, Eminem, Sam Smith and Kiesza have all received four nominations each.
Katy Perry is leading the nominations for this year’s MTV EMAs with seven nods (photo Twitter)
The biggest battleground may well be between 5Seconds of Summer and One Direction as they go head-to-head in the Biggest Fans category.
Cheryl Cole won the wildcard vote to be in the running for Best UK & Ireland Act, the winner of which will enter the Best Worldwide category.
Voting has begun now on the official MTV EMA site, and will remain open until November 8.
The MTV EMAs ceremony will take place at Glasgow’s Hydro venue on Sunday, November 9.
Beyonce and Jay-Z star in three short films made by photographer and filmmaker Dikayl Rimmasch, who revealed the rapper’s vision for these artsy-looking pieces.
Dikayl Rimmasch said: “In my first conversation on the telephone with Jay-Z he explained his concept of On the Run. He said: <<We’re not trying to do this literally, it’s not that we’re Bonnie and Clyde. We’re on the run from everything. On the run from becoming a cliché. On the run from doing the same thing again>>.”
The description for first film, titled Bang Bang: Part 1, reads: “Two American outlaws speed through the Californian desert in a dusty 1960s Pontiac GTO with a manifest poise and stylish swagger that could only be embodied by the world’s foremost musical couple: Beyonce and Jay-Z.”
Dikayl Rimmasch recalled of Jay-Z’s vision: “Everything he mentioned was a level of consciousness he has for staying alive as an entertainer and as a human being.”
“He wanted to keep it more abstract because for him it was very abstract. How do you stay new, not just to your audience but also yourself?”
Beyonce and Jay-Z star in three short films made by photographer and filmmaker Dikayl Rimmasch
Dikayl Rimmasch said of the duo: “Beyonce and Jay Z are two very intelligent, insightful and thoughtful people, in an almost low-key way.”
“Which is how they got to where they are. They are very aware of people’s attitudes and what energy they are bringing. Once you fully realize that, then the pressure comes off and you just have to do what you’re good at.”
Bang Bang: Part 2 will be released on September 16 ahead of Beyonce and Jay-Z’s HBO special airing on September 20.
Beyonce and Jay-Z wrapped up their On the Run tour in Paris with an emotional performance. During the show, the power couple professed their love for one another and silenced any divorce rumors.
Beyonce told Jay-Z: “I’m your biggest fan. I love you.”
Jay-Z replied: “Greatest entertainer in the world. I love her. She’s my wife.”
UN’s Ebola co-ordinator David Nabarro has said that more than $1 billion is needed to fight the West Africa Ebola outbreak – a tenfold increase in the past month.
David Nabarro made the announcement as the World Health Organization (WHO) described the health crisis as “unparalleled in modern times”.
The Ebola virus has killed 2,461 people this year, half of the 4,985 infected, the global health body said.
There has been criticism of the slow international response to the epidemic.
Later, President Barack Obama is to announce plans to send 3,000 troops to Liberia, one of countries worst-affected by the outbreak, to help fight the virus.
It is understood the US military will oversee building new treatment centers and help train medical staff.
Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) called on other countries to follow the US lead as the response to outbreak continued to fall “dangerously behind”.
The outbreak began in Guinea before spreading to its neighbors Sierra Leone and Liberia.
More than $1 billion is needed to fight the West Africa Ebola outbreak (photo AFP)
Nigeria and Senegal have reported some cases, but seem to have contained the transmission of the virus.
“We requested about $100 million a month ago and now it is $1 billion, so our ask has gone up 10 times in a month,” David Nabarro told a briefing in Geneva.
“Because of the way the outbreak is advancing, the level of surge we need to do is unprecedented, it is massive.”
At the briefing WHO deputy head Bruce Aylward announced the new Ebola case figures.
“Quite frankly, ladies and gentlemen, this health crisis we’re facing is unparalleled in modern times. We don’t know where the numbers are going on this,” he said.
When the WHO had said it needed the capacity to manage 20,000 cases two weeks ago “that seemed like a lot”, Dr. Bruce Aylward said.
“That does not seem like a lot today,” he added.
At the same briefing, MSF president Joanne Liu said there needed to be “co-ordinated response, organized and executed under clear chain of command”.
Sick people in the Liberian capital were banging on the doors of MSF Ebola care centers desperate for a safe place in which to be isolated, Dr. Joanne Liu said.
“Tragically, our teams must turn them away; we simply do not have enough capacity for them,” Dr. Joanne Liu said.
“Highly infectious people are forced to return home, only to infect others and continue the spread of this deadly virus. All for a lack of international response.”
On September 16, the WHO welcomed China’s pledge to send a mobile laboratory team to Sierra Leone, which will include epidemiologists, clinicians and nurses.
“The most urgent immediate need in the Ebola response is for more medical staff,” WHO head Margaret Chan said in the statement.
A gunman opened fire on September 16 at a court building in Copenhagen, killing one man and seriously wounding another, Danish police said.
One witness told Danish media that five or six shots were fired.
Police said a man had been arrested and a sawn-off shotgun recovered at the scene.
A press release from the police later revealed that two men had been shot near the bailiff’s court on Hestemøllerstræde near Town Hall Square.
Streets surrounding the court have been cordoned off. The motive for the shooting was unclear, police said.
A preliminary hearing was taking place in the court when the firing broke out.
One person has been shot dead and another wounded in a court building in Copenhagen (photo AP)
The police announced that the suspected gunman was in custody and that a sawn-off shotgun had been found.
Jyllands-Posten reports that the police are asking people to stay away from the area and are patrolling in large numbers with machine guns.
A family row may have sparked the attack which took place at about 10:00, Danish media reported.
The head of Copenhagen city court, Soeren Axelsen, said he thought that was the most likely reason for the shooting as the court dealt with family-related cases as well as debts and bankruptcy.
The first victim died at the scene and the second was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, Danish TV said.
A witness told reporters that the gunman fled the court and was later arrested in a street beside Copenhagen town hall.
Soeren Axelsen said counselors had been brought to the court to help staff deal with the attack.
Eastern Ukraine’s regions, which are controlled by pro-Russian rebels, have been granted self-ruled, as well as an amnesty for the fighters themselves.
The measures voted by Ukraine’s parliament are in line with the September 5 cease-fire agreement signed by President Petro Poroshenko.
The European and Ukrainian parliaments have also voted to ratify a major EU-Ukraine association agreement.
The rebels have been battling Ukrainian government forces since their seizure of eastern regions bordering Russia.
Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of backing the rebels with soldiers and heavy weapons. Russia denies doing so.
According to the UN, at least 3,000 people have been killed in the five-month conflict and more than 310,000 internally displaced in Ukraine.
The amnesty affects rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but does not cover the shooting down of the MH17 passenger plane in July.
Western leaders believe rebels shot down the Malaysia Airlines jet with a Russian missile – a charge the rebels and Russia deny.
Rebels accused of other “grave” crimes will not be covered by the new amnesty either.
Eastern Ukraine’s regions, which are controlled by pro-Russian rebels, have been granted self-ruled, as well as an amnesty for the fighters themselves
The rebels have controlled most of Donetsk and Luhansk regions since April. They launched their uprising soon after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula.
On September 16, there was heavy shelling around the government-held airport in Donetsk, despite a fragile cease-fire.
Meanwhile Russia is preparing to send extra troops to Crimea, Russian media reported.
They quoted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying that deploying “proper and self-sufficient forces” there was a top priority in light of the “presence of foreign military in the immediate vicinity of our borders”.
The EU-Ukraine agreement ratified on Tuesday lies at the root of Ukraine’s crisis.
It was President Viktor Yanukovych’s refusal to sign the deal in November last year that triggered mass protests and his eventual fall from power.
The votes ratifying the agreement took place simultaneously, with a live video link-up between the parliaments in Brussels and Kiev.
Both President Petro Poroshenko and the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, called it a historic day.
However, negotiations with Russia last week led to the free-trade part of the agreement being postponed until 2016.
There are fears in Ukraine that Russia will still try to scupper the deal.
The amnesty law passed by the Ukrainian parliament means pro-Russian separatists taken prisoner in the fighting should now be released.
Rebels holding government buildings in the east are now supposed to leave them, hand over captured Ukrainian soldiers and other prisoners and surrender their weapons.
However, many of the rebels are demanding full independence, and speak of creating a new state called “Novorossiya”, something Russian President Vladimir Putin has also mentioned in speeches.
Andre Purgin, a rebel leader in the eastern city of Donetsk, told AFP news agency that the eastern region “no longer has anything to do with Ukraine”.
“Ukraine is free to adopt any law it wants,” he is quoted as saying.
“But we are not planning any federalism with Ukraine.”
Andre Purgin nonetheless said the legislation was a “positive signal because it marks Kiev’s return to reality”.
President Petro Poroshenko said the proposals would guarantee the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence” of Ukraine, while paving the way for decentralization.
Ukraine association agreement (officially called the AA/DCFTA) would make Ukraine compliant with EU standards in the areas of human rights, security and arms control, and would remove trade barriers.
The pact has been signed, but Russia opposes the free-trade provisions, saying its market could be flooded with cheap EU goods shipped via Ukraine.
Until 2016 Ukraine will maintain its existing restrictions on imports from the EU, while enjoying full access to the EU market for its own exports.
In return, Russia has pledged to maintain favorable trade rules in place for Ukraine as an ex-Soviet republic.
Yet the crisis has severely hit Russia-Ukraine trade ties, with the two neighbors imposing economic sanctions on each other.
Hair loss among men is an alarming concern that men frown upon. Other than self-esteem going down the drain, men lose two more crucial things when they go bald – the hair, and their confidence. Thick, curly hairstyles were key elements at play that reflected a man’s youth and masculinity.
To smack with a blowing fact a Ph.D. researcher from the University of Pennsylvania stated “Hair loss signals aging” says Albert Mannes.
Hair loss in men is more psychological than physical which pertain to the fact of losing a credible feature of the image of your handsomeness. Most men are hit with hair loss predicament as early at the age of 35. In some cases, men begin to shed hair due to hereditary ‘alopecia areata’ contouring the blame onto genetics.
Moreover, there’s another condition of losing hair is because of DHT which is by product of testosterone; DHT is responsible for shirking hair follicles which subsequently is to blame for a receding hairline and thinning crown.
Male Pattern Baldness
Risk of losing hair, but the risk of losing personality
1536 men from different walks of lives showed classic signs of anxiety, depression, and hopelessness when they were given questionnaires for a survey conducted in the EU zone that lead to startling fact finding. At the thought of realization of losing hair, 43% said they lost personal attractiveness, 37% took in the fact they were slowly aging.
Male-pattern baldness is a phenomenon which is more common in men than women leaves with least of the options to recover the hair lost. The psychological and emotional factors play downward for the patient in this case men suffering from hair loss develop the fear of being social with others due to ‘in acceptance’; they lose the advantage of dating, and the lost confidence rebounds only when patients had successful hair transplants or ‘grafting’.
6.5 million Men in the U.K alone suffer from male-pattern baldness.
Men or women identify either the latest ‘direct extraction technique’ FUE (follicular unit extraction) or choose FUT (follicular unit transplantation) to get the best hair loss treatment for their lost hair.
FUE Technique Specialist: Dr. Alvi Armani International
Dr. Alvi Armani takes great pride in having decades of field experience in hair transplant and medical research conducted during his years of practice in Ontario, Canada. FUE – a minimally invasive procedure – is the most chosen treatment around the world because of the following reasons:
* it is minimally invasive meaning patients can retrieve to their daily routine just after a few days of surgery.
* It is less painful; chances of rapid recovery and healing are always high.
* FUE is precise means it does not leave scars because of its ‘direct extraction’ of follicles from the donor site to recipient area.
*there’s no chance of lesions or big scars over donor area or on the scalp
AlviArmani FUE Steps
Dr. Alvi Armani is an award winning hair transplant specialist whose graduating years with honors from the University of Toronto lead him to invent his rare AlviArmani Vitruvian FUE method which has earned top ratings for the best hair loss recovery method worldwide.
Dr. Armani has chain of most advanced surgical restoration clinics in Beverly Hills (U.S), New Delhi (India), and Buenos Aires (Argentine) are successfully operating in your area; highly trained staffs of surgeons including Dr. Baubac Hayatdavoudi, Dr. Juan Manuel Rodriguez and Dr. Arihant Surhana, are renowned for their art of hair grafting have many success stories to share.
A recent study conducted in Europe states that consumers are changing their focus and now demand better value for money when it comes to skincare.
The report suggests that value for money is one of the “emerging trends” and consumers now want quality healthcare and skincare products by spending less as the industry looks at a near 2.5% growth by the end of 2018.
The research firm noted that the key driver is multi-functionality. As the functionality increases, consumers derive more value by spending less.
But despite the recent trend, the niche is reported to have been underperforming with the chief case believed to be recent crisis in Europe. Analysts spot that rising debts, bailouts, slow growth and downsizing naturally resulted in sluggish demand of skincare products.
According to a research firm, Ceano Cosmetics and other skincare product companies will have to offer more skincare for less monetary value if they are to attract the European masses towards skincare once again.
Reflecting on the trend once more; they say it is not long before the ‘value’ trend spreads like wildfire and engulfs the world of skincare and beauty. They have labelled it as ‘Mixolgiste’ and forecast that the trend in question will change everything. According to them the trend spans across all skincare categories and is increasing at an accelerating pace.
According to an analyst of the firm, the changing trends are influencing the manufacturers to take notes from other niches so they can come up with better products and newer marketing strategies even though they have already been working to create multi-functionality for years.
This trend of multi-functionality has progressed to other areas of skincare. Based on figures of another firm, more than 20% of Spain and United Kingdom residents use natural beauty products like sun screen on daily basis. These numbers according to the figures will continue to rise as new cosmetic and skincare products enter the market.
The wave of multi-functionality has hit Europe’s skincare market. Thanks to recent economical problems, citizens are focusing more on value for money. Big European brands now face an uphill challenge of offering best products without demanding too much from their customers.
According to Tropical Medicine Research Institute’s endocrinologist Dr. Michael Boyne, diabetic amputation is a marker for death. Dr. Boyne of the University of West Indies, during the inaugural of Jamaica Advanced Laparoscopic Seminar, put forward fear-provoking numbers as he mentioned how diabetes can destine a person to death within next five years.
Dr. Boyne said that the number of patients is increasing at an exponential rate and mentioned that 25% of people having a toe amputated do not survive the next 5 years. He also mentioned that the percentage increases from 25 to 50 when the amputated area was increased to “below knee”. The most frightening part of his statement was that only 20% of diabetics survive when they undergo an “above knee” amputation. In the words of the doctor himself, “you are marked for death.”
Elaborating on his statement, Dr. Boyne said that the diabetics are highly prone to Wet Gangrene or Cellulitis in which the infection can spread in a matter of days and the only way of stabilization is amputation. He also mentioned that a diabetic person “can lose the leg” because of poor blood circulation.
Dr. Boyne explained how the problem in one part of the system cannot be so specific after all. He stated that there may be problems culminating in internal organs like kidney, heart and liver as well.
Another horrendous fact he shared was that sometimes tiny needle, glass, stone or even a harmless thing such as a “dog-biscuit” can lead to an amputation because the patients can’t feel them. Such patients must check the feet regularly and if they suspect something’s fishy, “they need to go straight to the doctor.”
Dr. Boyne boils the problem to “ABC” by which he means A1C, the marker of blood sugar control; blood pressure and cholesterol. He says these three things must be balanced to reduce the risk of an amputation. But how can the patient do that? “With the DEFs” according to Dr. Boyne. He expresses that the patient will require significantly less medication and aggressive treatment if he takes care of his diet, do regular exercise, and pay attention to foot care using foot care products.
He told that the patients can experience dry heels faster than regular person and so, the feet must be washed, dried, moisturised and monitored regularly to keep amputation at bay. He stressed that patients dry their toes and the area between them after bathing. The most emphasized preventive measure mentioned by the doctor was to quit smoking altogether.
Radisson is suspending its sponsorship of Minnesota Vikings after Adrian Peterson was charged with child abuse in Texas.
Adrian Peterson hit his 4-year-old son last May with part of a branch.
The Vikings have reinstated the player after dropping him.
“Radisson is suspending its limited sponsorship of the Minnesota Vikings while we evaluate the facts and circumstances,” the company said.
It added it “takes this matter very seriously, particularly in light of our long-standing commitment to the protection of children”.
Radisson’s sponsorship includes a banner visible to viewers watching Vikings’ news conferences.
The Minnesota Vikings said it had “respectfully honored Radisson’s request”, a team spokesman said.
Adrian Peterson was charged with child abuse after hitting his 4-year-old son with part of a branch
Adrian Peterson stands accused of using part of a tree branch to spank his four-year-old son. The player says he was using a form of discipline his father used on him as a boy.
“I am not a perfect son. I am not a perfect husband. I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser,” Adrian Peterson said in a statement.
“I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury.”
The Vikings dropped Adrian Peterson for Sunday’s game but then reinstated him on Monday.
The team’s general manager, Rick Spielman, said: “I understand that this is a very difficult thing to handle. But we also feel strongly as an organization that this is disciplining a child.
“Whether it’s an abusive situation or not, or whether he went too far disciplining, we feel very strongly that that is the court’s decision to make, but we also understand the seriousness of abusing children as well.”
The charges against Adrian Peterson come just days after another NFL star, Ray Rice, had his contract terminated after a video emerged in which he appeared to punch his wife.
There’s often some misunderstanding around the subject of online conferences. It could just be that many people still think the concept is too good to be true. That wouldn’t be surprising since those who’ve been in the workforce for some time are accustomed to stuffy company meetings where the room is filled to capacity and no one has the elbow room to write a sentence clearly. Or, it’s possible that some workers are still used to the awkward face-to-face discussions with their bosses where it feels like a beam is lighting on their every move.
Fortunately, online meetings aren’t just in your fantasies. These collaboration tools are the real thing and can help you diversify your options in the business sector. They help boost productivity and entertain the idea of all-inclusive interactions without having to be physically present.
Host or Attend Online Meetings Anywhere, Anytime
Whether you’re a professional in the corporate realm, a distance learning instructor, or just someone who enjoys conversing with others via informal Internet-based chat, you’ll find online meeting to be extremely rewarding in several ways. There’s no doubt that these innovative tools are the new way of life, as they currently dominate several industries in the business world because of the easy usage, cost effectiveness, and timeliness.
Still, it’s important to remember that many people enjoy participating in virtual group interactions that have been effectively put together and led by others but haven’t yet dared to venture out on their own by setting it up themselves. If you’re one of these people, it’s time’s to start exploring the benefits of utilizing Blue Jeans Mobile Video Conferencing for business reasons or at your own leisure. Don’t let the multiple platform features and accessories of these complex systems scare you. Curating your own session can become a simple task that you’ll eventually learn how to manage from any location once you’ve gotten accustomed to the navigation techniques. As long as you have some technical skills and know how to follow directions thoroughly, chances are that you’ll make out pretty well with this application.
Take a chance and elevate your Internet skillset by trying your hand at initiating an online meeting from any area. Launching your own virtual interaction could eventually take your business or work ethic to new heights. If things continue to move along at a successful pace, your colleagues could be inspired to follow suit soon.
Key Facts to Remember
Time isn’t a Factor
Forget having to rush in order to meet the demands of someone else’s schedule. Online meetings are no respecter of time zones. This means that if the best time everyone in your group can chat happens to be after business hours, you don’t have to worry about being kicked out of an office by a security guard who needs to lock the doors for the night.
Similarly, if you need to meet without much notice beforehand, Blue Jeans Mobile Video Conferencing has you and your colleagues covered. Some discussions are emergencies that can’t wait until the start of the next business day. When matters must be resolved immediately, you can rest assured that online meetings can get the job done promptly and efficiently. All it takes is a little time to set everything up, invite your participants, and navigate accordingly.
Cross-Regional Fun
Online meetings are great for meeting with colleagues that live on the other side of the world. Instead of making travel arrangements, booking hotels, and renting vehicles, you can by-pass all of the steps that make meeting your teammate in other locations stressful with the simple and comfortable click of a button that tunes everyone in to same platform.
Your Hiring Process isn’t Limited
When business leaders normally look for new talent, they tend to stay within the parameters of their organization. Regardless of someone’s level of expertise or their overall competency, people find it difficult, if nearly impossible, to recruit potential new hires that are out-of-state or those that live a fair distance away. They have to take into account commuter expenses and travel time which can all prove to be a pain to even the most enthusiastic traveler.
With Blue Jeans Mobile Video Conferencing, you don’t have to worry about turning down someone who’s obviously a great fit for a position just because they don’t live within proximity of the site. In fact, online meetings enable you to hire talent that resides anywhere in the world because you can easily get in touch with them by inviting them to tune into a conversation over the computer or a mobile device.
More Interesting
You’ll also find that online meetings help you make genuine connections with a wider range of people because they’re not as apt to zoning out from boredom as they would be in a traditional meeting within the confines of four walls. As long as you have engaging material, you have higher chances of reaching and keeping the attention of your listeners.
President Barack Obama will announce today his plans to send 3,000 troops to Liberia to help fight the Ebola virus, US officials say.
It is understood the US military will oversee building new treatment centers and help train medical staff.
There has been criticism of the slow international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.
Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea are the worst-hit countries.
The Ebola outbreak has killed more than 2,400 people.
More than half of those killed by the virus have been in Liberia. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned recently that the country could see thousands of more cases.
UN officials will discuss the international response to the outbreak at a meeting in Geneva.
Barack Obama is planning to send 3,000 troops to Liberia to help fight the Ebola virus
US officials said the aim of the country’s anti-Ebola initiative is to:
Train up to 500 healthcare workers a week
Construct 17 healthcare facilities, each with about 100 beds
Establish a joint command based in Monrovia, Liberia, to co-ordinate between US and international relief efforts
Distribute home healthcare kits to thousands of households
Conduct a home and community-based campaign to train local people in how to handle patients
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has appealed directly to Barack Obama for help in tackling the outbreak.
Several disease experts have welcomed the US plan, though some also question its focus on Liberia.
“We should see all of West Africa now as one big outbreak,” says Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, quoted in The New York Times.
“It’s very clear we have to deal with all the areas with Ebola.”
Ebola spreads between humans by direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids or organs, or indirectly through contact with contaminated environments.
Cat Stevens is to perform a series of dates in the US for the first time since 1976.
The musician, also known as Yusuf Islam, converted to Islam in 1977 and put his career on hold.
Cat Stevens, 66, will play six concerts in December.
The singer, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year, is now known by his original stage name and Yusuf.
Cat Stevens is best known for his 1971 recording of Christian hymn Morning Has Broken, a top 10 hit in US.
The British-born singer had a number of other hits during the 1960s and 70s, including Wild World and Peace Train.
Cat Stevens is to perform a series of dates in the US for the first time since 1976 (photo AP)
Cat Stevens, who now lives in Dubai, is due to release a new album on October 27 – his first in five years.
He says he has been gradually reconnecting with this music career in the US.
“I’ve been a bit slow in coming around to the United States, but there were so many people asking me to do that, that I just felt an obligation,” Cat Stevens said in an interview with the Associated Press.
The six dates announced so far will take in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago and the Canadian city of Toronto.
A further six concerts around Europe are also scheduled.
The tour is entitled Peace Train… Late Again in a nod to Cat Stevens’ long musical break and gradual moves to resume his recording career.
Cat Stevens says he is not concerned about his faith becoming an issue when he resumes touring in the US.
“I’m afraid that a lot of things that people believe about Islam are totally different from the religion that most of us recognize.
“I was really fortunate that I got to know Islam before it became a headline,” the singer said.
Duck Dynasty’s Sadie Robertson hit the dance floor with Mark Ballas on Dancing with the Stars as the new season premiered last night.
When Sadie Robertson, 17, jetted out to Los Angeles to star in the show she didn’t forget to pack her daily devotional, a gift from her mom Korie Robertson.
Sadie Robertson hit the dance floor with Mark Ballas on Dancing with the Stars
“Packing for La thank you @bosshogswife for my devotional book to take with me. God comes with me no matter where I go,” Sadie Robertson shared on her Instagram page alongside a picture of the frontcover.
Mark Ballas promised something special from Team Quack Attack on his Twitter, saying: “Y’all ain’t even ready for these moves.”
Sadie Robertson’s aunt, Missy, praised her last night performance on Facebook: “I think every Robertson got a little misty-eyed tonight after watching our sweet Sadie Howard Robertson shine on the dance floor tonight! (Well, maybe except Papaw Phil, but he was proud too.
Kanye West made the headlines over the weekend after stopping his Sydney show in order to ask a disabled person in a wheelchair to “stand up”.
Kanye West, 37, stopped his concert at the Qantas Credit Union Arena in Sydney, Australia, and repeatedly asked a wheelchair-user to stand up, and caught on YouTube.
“I decided I can’t do this song, I can’t do the rest of the show until everybody stands up,” Kanye West told the crowd.
“Unless you got a handicap pass and you get special parking,” he added.
It turned out that some of his fans did qualify for a “handicap pass” and, rather than being passed over, they were brought to the attention of the entire arena who urged the disabled fans to “stand up, stand up” as prompted by Kanye West.
Another fan who remained sitting was then pinpointed by Kanye West who complained: “This is the longest I’ve had to wait to do a song, it’s unbelievable.”
With the crowd booing, some closer to the fan tried to signal to Kanye West that the boy was in a wheelchair.
After apparently seeking further verification from a bouncer, Kanye West realized he had made a mistake.
“If he’s in a wheelchair, then it’s fine,” the rapper said before launching into his next song.
Kanye West stopped his concert at the Qantas Credit Union Arena in Sydney and repeatedly asked a wheelchair-user to stand up
Despite encountering much negative attention in the media over the weekend, according to the Courier Mail, Kanye West has once again decided to ask for proof of disability from the fans in the crowd at his latest show in Brisbane.
“If you cannot prove to me that you are in a wheelchair you need to be standing, if you can it is OK to sit down,” Kanye West is reported as saying.
According to those in attendance, Kanye West defended himself against the media furore in a five-minute rant saying: “I’m a married, Christian man with a family, pick another target.”
Kanye West has been criticized about the incident in Sydney by local disability campaigners.
“To call out people for not standing up, when they are disabled and cannot stand up, in front of thousands of people, is humiliating,” says Craig Wallace of People With Disability Australia, in the Herald Sun.
“What if it was a young person who’s coming to terms with their disability?” he adds, saying Kanye West should apologize and would also benefit from disability awareness training.
For Suzanne Bull, the CEO of a charity that improves deaf and disabled people’s access to live music venues, it is important to teach others that not all disabled people are in wheelchairs.
“There are a range of facilities that disabled people need from a music venue,” she says.
“For example, non-wheelchair users find the viewing platform safer to be on in large crowds, visually impaired people need front row-seating, and provision needs to be made for assistance dogs.”
Though widely reported as another of Kanye West’s now famous gaffes, some fans at the gig have defended him saying he exempted disabled people from his game from the start. They say he made it clear that if they were in a wheelchair they need not stand.
Jessica Kearney was in the arena at the time and says West’s comments have been unfairly attacked.
“There was no malice, if anything the audience (myself included) “booed” the person as no-one knew that person was in a wheelchair,” she says.
“Kanye asked and no-one replied, even though he repeatedly said, ‘If you’re in a wheelchair that’s ok.'”
In the past, Kanye West has shown support for disabled fans. In June 2014, he asked his security team to give a wheelchair-user his microphone as a gift after spotting he had been blocked in and was unable to see the show properly.
Though stars often urge their audiences to get up and dance, disabled fans aren’t often forced into proving their disability to those they admire.
Bangladesh’s government has proposed measures to lower the marriageable age for men and women, while significantly toughening the penalty for violating the limits.
The proposals are in a bill likely to be approved by parliament.
It is suggested that the marriageable age for men be reduced from 21 to 18 and for women from 18 to 16.
The maximum penalty for breaking the law will be increased from two months in jail to two years.
The fine, currently $130 will go up five-fold.
Bangladesh’s government has proposed measures to lower the marriageable age for men and women, while significantly toughening the penalty for violating the limits
Observers say the measures are aimed at combating child marriage, which is widespread in rural Bangladesh.
“Those who marry [underage], conduct such marriages, and the parents will be liable for punishment,” Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan was quoted by local media as saying.
“But women will not be sentenced to a prison term.”
Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, with 20% of girls becoming wives before 15 years old.
Aid agencies have described the practice as a “new kind of slavery”, made worse by the fact that some in the country see girls as a burden who do not earn an income.
The girls are totally dependent on their families to support, protect them and pay their dowries.
A life-threatening tumor was removed from a goldfish’s brain in a “high-risk” operation in Australia.
George, whose owner lives in Melbourne, was put under general anaesthetic for the $200 procedure.
Dr. Tristan Rich, who carried out the operation, told Melbourne’s 3AW radio station that the fish was now “up and about and swimming around”.
Vets say the 10-year-old fish is now expected to live for another 20 years.
George was put under general anaesthetic for brain tumor removal procedure
“George had a quite large tumor on the top of his head that was growing slowly, and it was beginning to affect his quality of life,” Dr. Tristan Rich from the Lort Smith Animal Hospital said.
George’s owner was given the choice between an operation or having the fish put to sleep.
He added that the fish was kept alive by pumping oxygenated pond water through its gills.
Dr. Tristan Rich described the 45-minute operation as “fiddly”.
Prince Harry had two celebrations on September 15 – his 30th birthday, and the success of the Invictus Games for disabled servicemen and women, which have ended in London.
Prince Harry had two celebrations on September 15, his 30th birthday and the success of the Invictus Games
The prince saw the curtain come down on the Invictus Games at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with a sell-out concert before a 26,000-strong crowd.
Prince Harry of Wales then reportedly planned to mark his birthday with a beer.
Thirty countries taking part in a major conference in Paris talks have pledged to help Iraq fight Islamic State (ISIS) militants “by all means necessary”.
A joint statement by the foreign ministers said support would include “appropriate military assistance”.
The talks had been called to agree a strategy to combat the group, which controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.
The conference followed a whirlwind tour of the Middle East by US Secretary of State John Kerry.
John Kerry, who attended the summit, has been drumming up support for a plan of action unveiled by President Barack Obama last week.
The murder of British aid worker David Haines by ISIS militants, shown in a video released by the group on September 13, has added momentum to the plans.
Opening the summit, French President Francois Hollande said the threat posed by ISIS militants needed a global response.
The CIA estimates that Islamic State – formerly known as ISIS – has between 20,000 and 31,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria.
Iraqi President Fuad Masum, who co-hosted the conference with Francois Hollande, said the international community must pursue the jihadists “quickly”.
Thirty countries taking part in a major conference in Paris talks have pledged to help Iraq fight ISIS militants by all means necessary (photo AP)
“If this intervention and support to Iraq is late, that means that Islamic State could occupy more territory and the threat it poses will be even bigger,” he said.
The summit closed a few hours later with a joint statement saying the participants were “committed to supporting the new Iraqi government in its fight… by any means necessary, including appropriate military assistance”.
Earlier, France said it had begun surveillance flights over Iraq. Britain revealed in August that its aircraft had been gathering intelligence over Iraq.
Several Arab countries have offered to take part in air strikes on IS fighters in Iraq, US officials say.
Turkey, however, will only allow humanitarian and logistical operations from the NATO air base on its soil.
John Kerry said he was “extremely encouraged” by promises of military assistance to tackle the militant group.
The US strategy to weaken the group centers on military support for Iraq but also includes plans to stop foreign fighters from joining the group, cutting its funding streams and trying to counter its ideology.
The Paris conference was aimed at defining the role each member state will play.
About 40 countries have so far signed up to a coalition including 10 Arab states – Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia – and the United Arab Emirates.
Neither Iran nor Syria are being allowed to take part.
Last week John Kerry ruled out co-operation with Iran citing its “engagement in Syria and elsewhere”.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed on September 15 that the US had requested Iran’s co-operation via the US Ambassador to Iraq.
“I said no, because they have dirty hands,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei added the US was seeking seeking a “pretext to do in Iraq and Syria what it already does in Pakistan – bomb anywhere without authorization”.
Keith Urban broke his silence following the death of Nicole Kidman’s father, Dr. Antony Kidman, via Facebook on September 12.
“I’m so very sorry that I cannot perform this weekend. We are in a deep state of grief at the passing of Nic’s Father and are heading to Australia to be with family,” Keith Urban, 46, wrote.
“We want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for their love, prayers and support through this devastating loss,” he added.
Nicole Kidman’s father passed away at 75 after falling in a hotel during a visit to Singapore
Keith Urban canceled his upcoming shows and flew to be by Nicole Kidman’s side in Nashville when he learned of the sudden death Friday.
Nicole Kidman’s father passed away at 75 after falling in a hotel during a visit to Singapore with his youngest daughter Antonia.
Legendary songwriter Bob Crewe, who co-wrote the Four Seasons’ hits Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Walk Like a Man, has died at the age of 83.
Bob Crewe’s brother and former business partner, Dan Crewe, said the musician died on September 11 at a nursing home in Maine.
“He had a wonderful career and I’m sorry he has passed but I’m glad he’s out of his discomfort,” said Dan Crewe.
Bob Crewe suffered complications after a fall four years ago.
“He was not able to function, and for a guy who was so creative, it was not an easy life,” his brother added.
Bob Crewe grew up in New Jersey and began his music writing career in the 1950s after leaving an architecture course at the Parsons School of Design in New York.
Bob Crewe died on September 11 at a nursing home in Maine
By the time he met the Four Seasons Bob Crewe was established as a songwriter and produced their first number one hit Sherry.
The Four Seasons became renowned for lead singer Frankie Valli’s falsetto voice and Bob Crewe collaborated with their keyboardist and backing vocalist Bob Gaudio.
Together they wrote 1967’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, which went on to be covered by numerous artists and also featured in the films The Deer Hunter and Bridget Jones’s Diary.
The duo also wrote The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine for The Walker Brothers and Silence Is Golden for The Tremeloes.
Although Bob Crewe did much of his songwriting from the 50s to the 70s, he made a comeback with the Jersey Boys Broadway musical that depicted the story behind the Four Seasons.
There was also a film of the same name directed by Clint Eastwood and released earlier this year.
Both the film and the play featured a character called Bob Crewe, based on the songwriter.
During the 80s Bob Crewe took up painting and sculpture and is also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
