If you are ready to buy your very first car, or if you are in search of a vehicle for your teen to call their own for the first time, your head may be spinning with all of the things you will need to consider in order to make the ideal purchase. To put things in perspective and make things a little bit easier for yourself, check out this infographic, which details how to search for a new or used car like a pro so that you can save the most money and get the best value.
First Time Car Buyer? is an infographic that was produced by Gumtree
What to consider when buying a car for the first time
Oscar Pistorius verdict: Judge rules out premeditated murder
Judge Thokozile Masipa has ruled out a verdict of premeditated murder in the Oscar Pistorius trial, saying the prosecution failed to prove he killed his girlfriend deliberately after an argument.
However, Judge Thokozile Masipa also rejected the defense’s argument that the athlete lacked criminal capacity.
The judge said she was satisfied the accused “could distinguish between right and wrong”.
She said he was an evasive witness but this did not mean he was guilty.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day of 2013, saying he thought there was an intruder.
The judge could also find him guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he would face a long jail term.
Oscar Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he faces, including two counts of shooting a firearm in public and the illegal possession of ammunition.
Judge Thokozile Masipa began by detailing the charges against the athlete and repeating extracts of his testimony, reading in a slow, measured way. She then moved on to a summary of the trial.
[youtube tzrTQlATVIc 650]
Ferguson protests: Demonstrators try to block Interstate 70 highway
Ferguson police have stopped protesters angry over the shooting of Michael Brown last month from trying to block a nearby highway.
Police said 35 people were arrested as they tried to reach the Interstate 70 highway, but added that the protest was largely peaceful.
Many in Ferguson, Missouri, have demanded the arrest of white police officer Darren Wilson who shot 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 9.
Officer Darren Wilson has been on administrative leave since last month.
Police said 32 people were arrested on charges of unlawful assembly, with four people arrested on assault charges.
Organizers said the protest was specifically held in the same location as a similar demonstration in 1999.
On September 9, city leaders, mostly white, were heckled by the largely black crowd of residents at Ferguson’s first city council meeting since the shooting.
“You’ve lost your authority to govern this community,” said St Louis activist John Chasnoff.
“You’re going to have to step aside peacefully if this community is going to heal.”
Many of the audience held up their hands in a gesture that has been used to protest at Michael Brown’s killing.
Michael Brown’s supporters say the teenager was trying to surrender when he was shot by Officer Darren Wilson after being stopped for walking in the middle of the street.
Ferguson, which has a population of 21,000, is a majority black city. Many residents questioned why the mayor, James Knowles, and five of the six city council members were white.
“I heard the mayor say Ferguson doesn’t have a race problem,” said resident Taurean Russell.
“There must be two Fergusons.”
Before the meeting, council officials announced proposals to reduce the revenue collected from court fines.
Critics have said this discriminates against low-income defendants who cannot afford private attorneys and who are often jailed for not paying the fines quickly enough.
However, the proposals were drowned out by anger from the audience who said nothing had changed since Michael Brown’s shooting.
There were demands for the arrest of Darren Wilson who is currently on administrative leave from the Ferguson Police Department while a grand jury determines whether charges should be filed against him.
Last week, the US Justice Department announced it was launching a broad investigation into whether there was racial discrimination in the department.
This is separate from a federal inquiry and the grand jury investigation into Michael Brown’s killing.
[youtube OHoKw9C6bVA 650]
9/11 2104: Solemn readings of names and moments of silence to mark 13th commemoration
The 13th anniversary commemoration of the 9/11 terror attack will be marked with a solemn reading of the names and moments of silence at the precise times of tragedy.
As the nation pauses to mark the commemoration of the September 11, 2001, terror attack, little about the annual ceremony at ground zero has changed.
However, for the first time, the National September 11 Museum — which includes gut-wrenching artifacts and graphic photos of the attacks — will be open on the anniversary. Fences around the memorial plaza have come down, integrating the sacred site more fully with the streets of Manhattan while completely opening it up to the public and camera-wielding tourists.
A nearly completed One World Trade Center has risen 1,776 feet above ground zero and will be filled with office workers by this date in 2015, another sign that a page in the city’s history may be turning.
For some who lost loved ones in the attacks, the increasing feel of a return to normalcy in the area threatens to obscure the tragedy that took place there and interfere with their grief.
As happens annually, family members of those killed in the attacks will gather Thursday morning to read the names of the deceased, pausing the sad roll call only four times: to mark the times when the first plane struck the World Trade Center, when the second plane struck, when the first tower fell and when the second tower fell.
The memorial plaza will be closed to the public for most of the day and available only to family members. It will reopen at 6 p.m., at which point thousands of New Yorkers are expected to mark the anniversary at the twin reflecting pools where the towers once stood.
In May, when the museum opened in a ceremony attended by President Barack Obama, the fences that had surrounded the plaza for years disappeared, as did the need for visitors to obtain a timed ticket. Now, thousands of people freely visit every day, from cellphone-toting travelers to workers on a lunch break, and those crowds will only swell further this year when One World Trade Center finally opens.
The first ceremony at the site was held six months after the Twin Towers fell and was organized by then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his aides. Michael Bloomberg, who took office just three months after the attacks, remained in charge, acting as the master of ceremonies for the next decade.
After other elected officials attempted to gain a larger role at the solemn event, in 2012, all politicians — including Michael Bloomberg — were prohibited from speaking at the event. That remains the case now, as new mayor Bill de Blasio, who took office in January, agreed to let the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center Foundation organize the commemoration ceremony. Michael Bloomberg is the foundation’s chairman.
[youtube lf4elpVewYU 650]
John Kerry arrives in Saudi Arabia to build coalition against ISIS
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Saudi Arabia to meet key Arab leaders, as he tries to build a coalition against Islamic State (ISIS) militants.
A US official was quoted as saying John Kerry would discuss co-operation in Jeddah to facilitate US air strikes.
Earlier, President Barack Obama said he would not hesitate to take action against ISIS in Syria as well as Iraq.
Barack Obama also announced that 475 US military personnel would be sent to Iraq but said they would not have a combat role.
ISIS group controls large parts of Syria and Iraq after a rapid military advance.
Its fighters have become notorious for their brutality, beheading enemy soldiers and Western journalists on video.
The US has launched over 150 air strikes against the group in Iraq and has provided arms to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting against IS.
John Kerry, who arrived in the Red Sea port of Jeddah on September 11, will hold talks with representatives of Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Gulf states as well as Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and NATO member Turkey.
“Many of the countries are already taking action against ISIL [Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – the previous name for ISIS] ,” a State Department official was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.
“But the trip by the secretary [John Kerry] is going to broaden the coalition and bring it into more focus and intensify the lines of effort.”
Among the issues to be discussed would be training for Syrian rebels on Saudi soil and a wider over flight permission from regional states to increase the capacity of US aircraft, reports say.
In a 15-minute speech shown at peak time in the US on September 10, President Barack Obama vowed that America would lead “a broad coalition to roll back” ISIS.
AB blood type linked to memory loss in later life
According to a recent research, there may be a link between rare blood type AB and memory loss in later life.
People with AB blood, found in 4% of the population, appear more likely to develop thinking and memory problems than those with other blood groups.
The study, published in Neurology, builds on previous research showing blood type may influence heart risk.
A charity said the best way to keep the brain healthy was a balanced diet, regular exercise and not smoking.
The research team led by Dr. Mary Cushman, of the University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, analyzed data from about 30,000 US citizens aged 45 and above.
It identified 495 participants who had developed thinking and memory problems, or cognitive impairment, during the three-year study.
They were compared to 587 people with no cognitive problems.
People with AB blood type made up 6% of the group who developed cognitive impairment, which is higher than the 4% found in the general population.
The study supported the idea that having a certain blood group, such as O, may give a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, which in turn protected the brain, the researchers said.
“Our study looks at blood type and risk of cognitive impairment, but several studies have shown that factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes increase the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia,” said Dr. Mary Cushman.
“Blood type is also related to other vascular conditions like stroke, so the findings highlight the connections between vascular issues and brain health. More research is needed to confirm these results.”
Richard Kiel dies in Fresno hospital aged 74
Bond villain Richard Kiel has died in hospital in Fresno, California, on September 10 at the age of 74.
Richard Kiel played steel-toothed villain Jaws in two James Bond films, The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977 and Moonraker in 1979.
A spokeswoman for Saint Agnes Medical Center confirmed Richard Kiel’s death, but did not reveal the cause.
The 7ft 2in actor also appeared in the sports comedy Happy Gilmore, starring Adam Sandler, in 1996.
Richard Kiel made his name as cable-chomping henchman Jaws opposite Roger Moore as 007.
Roger Moore said he was “totally distraught” at the death of his co-star.
“We were on a radio program together just a week ago,” said Roger Moore.
The former Bond star added: “[I] can’t take it in.”
The character of Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me was originally intended to die at the end of the movie, but he was so popular with fans that Richard Kiel was brought back to reprise the role in Moonraker.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Richard Kiel had the hormonal condition acromegaly, which was said to have contributed to his height.
His first break came in 1959 when he played the alien Kanamit in Twilight Zone.
Richard Kiel published an autobiography in 2002, called Making It Big In The Movies.
His many other acting roles included deadly assistant Voltaire in the 1960s TV series The Wild, Wild West; playing opposite William Shatner in the 1970s TV sitcom Barbary Coast; taking on the lead character of Eli Weaver in the movie The Giant of Thunder Mountain; and spoofing his most famous role as “Famous big guy with silver teeth” in the movie version of Inspector Gadget.
In recent years, Richard Kiel also spent much of his time touring the world and appearing at conventions to meet Bond fans.
[youtube wSosam5WjS8 650]
Oscar Pistorius verdict: Judge questiones reliability of several witnesses in court
Judge Thokosile Masipa in the Oscar Pistorius trial has questioned the reliability of several witnesses in court, as she delivers her verdict on the athlete.
Judge Thokosile Masipa said humans were fallible, and may not have heard gunshots or screaming as they thought.
Correspondents say this could make a premeditated murder verdict unlikely.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day of 2013, saying he thought there was an intruder.
The judge could also find him guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he would face a long jail term.
Oscar Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he faces, including two counts of shooting a firearm in public and the illegal possession of ammunition.
Judge Thokosile Masipa began by detailing the charges against the athlete and repeating extracts of his testimony, reading in a slow, measured way.
She then moved on to a summary of the trial.
A tense-looking Oscar Pistorius looked on from the dock, and then began to weep.
Judge Thokosile Masipa said that defense claims that police contaminated evidence and removed items from the crime scene “paled into insignificance”.
She questioned the reliability of several witnesses who apparently heard screams and gunshots at the time of the incident, saying most of those who said they had heard the incident had “got facts wrong”.
The judge also said that the court would not make inferences about the state of the relationship between Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp. The prosecution has suggested that it was “on the rocks”.
Correspondents say the judge appeared to be moving much more quickly than expected through the evidence, in a process which had been expected take hours or even days.
During his closing remarks last month, Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux conceded that the athlete should be found guilty of negligence for discharging a firearm in a restaurant – which carries a maximum penalty of five years.
Most of the trial, which began on March 3, 2014, has been televised and attracted worldwide attention.
Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Oscar Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria, in the early hours of February 14, 2013.
[youtube UrHim77N9Ak 650]
Mike Tyson rant at Canadian news anchor Nathan Downer on CP24
Mike Tyson has launched a swearing tirade on Canadian TV CP24 in Toronto.
The former boxing champion was appearing on CP24 TV to promote his one-man stage show Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth.
The interview turned nasty when news anchor Nathan Downer turned his questioning to Mike Tyson’s earlier visit to the city where the former boxer met mayor Rob Ford and labelled him “the best in Toronto’s history”.
Mike Tyson was challenged on his suitability as a public endorser of the controversial mayor’s re-election bid. Rob Ford became embroiled in a substance abuse scandal in 2013 and admitted to smoking crack cocaine.
“Do you prefer him to be a guy that’s clean-cut, and behind the door you never know what he’s doing? Human beings have a problem with being real with themselves … we all make mistakes,” Mike Tyson said of Rob Ford.
“He’s a human being. He’s no different than anybody else.”
Nathan Downer raised the point in his questioning of Mike Tyson: “Some of your critics would say, <<There’s a race for mayor. We know you’re a convicted rapist. This could hurt his campaign>>. How would you respond to that?”
“Hey, I don’t know who said that. You’re the only one I’ve heard say that,” Mike Tyson replied.
“I don’t have no comment to that, because it’s negative. You’re being negative.”
When Mike Tyson’s handler, seated next to him, tried to get the subject switched, it was obvious that Tyson was stewing at being blindsided by the unexpected questions over his links to Rob Ford.
That’s when he fired off at Nathan Downer.
“It’s so interesting, you come off like a nice guy, but that was really a piece of s***, that comment. F*** you. That was a piece of s***.”
Nathan Downer reminded Mike Tyson they were appearing on live TV – to no avail.
“I don’t care. What are you going to do about it?”
When he was questioned about the pressures of appearing in a one-man show, Mike Tyson didn’t give up: “It’s more nerve-racking for me to sit here talking to a rat piece of s*** like you.”
Nathan Downer then called time on the interview, politely thanking Mike Tyson for the opportunity.
“F*** you,” Mike Tyson said in the background as the show took a break.
Nathan Downer later tweeted: “I’m okay everybody. Unfortunately my question hurt Mike Tyson’s feelings. That was not my intentions. My apologies for the language.”
[youtube FDdSVYmp714 650]
Liv Tyler pregnant with second baby
Liv Tyler is pregnant with her second child, Us Weekly reported.
Liv Tyler, 37, is already a proud mom to 9-year-old son Milo William Langdon, whom she shares with ex-husband Royston Langdon. She married Spacehog musician in March 2003 and they divorced after 5 years.
The actress, who is currently dating David Beckham’s BFF Dave Gardner, was snapped sporting a tiny bump in a bikini while on vacation in Formentera, Spain last month with her beau.
According to Us Weekly, good friend Kate Moss was the one who introduced Liv Tyler and Dave Gardner.
“Dave’s perfect for her,” an insider told the publication.
On September 9, Liv Tyler dined with co-star Justin Theroux and David Beckham at Il Buco in New York City.
Wearing a long cream coat, Liv Tyler concealed her baby bump while leaving the restaurant.
[youtube Q9OHpX8ReCU 650]
Joan Rivers’ death: Yorkville Endoscopy denies performing biopsy
The Yorkville Endoscopy, the New York clinic where Joan Rivers stopped breathing a week before her death, denied ever administering general anesthesia or conducting a vocal cords biopsy that has been alleged in media reports as contributing to her demise.
It was the first time the Yorkville Endoscopy clinic issued a statement since August 28, when Joan Rivers was rushed to a nearby hospital from the center with cardiac arrest. She died at age 81 on September 4.
On September 10, New York’s Daily News reported that an unplanned vocal cord biopsy at the clinic had left Joan Rivers unable to breathe.
Joan Rivers’ doctor, who said he was an ear, nose and throat specialist, asked if he could use the clinic’s instruments when another doctor said he had noticed something on Rivers’ vocal cords, and Rivers’ physician was given the go-ahead, a medical source told the newspaper.
“A biopsy like that should only be done in hospital,” the newspaper quoted the unnamed medical source as saying.
“If she had been in a hospital when it happened, she might have been OK.”
In its statement, the Yorkville Endoscopy clinic did not mention Joan Rivers by name.
“A biopsy of the vocal cords has never been performed at Yorkville Endoscopy,” said the statement.
“General anesthesia has never been administered.”
The cause of Joan Rivers’ death is still unknown pending further tests, according to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
The State Health Department is investigating the Yorkville Endoscopy. It is reviewing documents and medical records and interviewing staff and physicians at the clinic in Manhattan’s Yorkville neighborhood, which opened in February 2013.
The clinic said its board-certified anesthesiologists use light to moderate sedation and monitor the patient continuously using state-of-the-art equipment.
“Yorkville Endoscopy has strict policies in place for the criteria of who gets treated in this center versus in a hospital,” it said, adding it also has all the airway equipment needed for emergency intubation.
The Yorkville Endoscopy said it has performed more than 18,000 procedures.
[youtube Qku75ovA6zo 650]
Rob Ford diagnosed with abdominal tumor
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has been hospitalized with a tentative diagnosis of a tumor after suffering months of abdominal pain.
Rob Ford told doctors at Humber River Hospital the pain had persisted for at least three months and had worsened in the past 24 hours, the hospital said.
The embattled mayor is standing for re-election on October 27 despite repeated calls for him to step down.
Last year, Rob Ford admitted to using crack cocaine in a “drunken stupor”.
Rob Ford returned to work earlier this year after about two months of treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, which he described as life-saving.
In a statement, Humber River Hospital said “examination and investigation has resulted in a working diagnosis of a tumor” for Rob Ford.
“The mayor has been admitted to allow for further investigation to obtain a definitive diagnosis.”
In a press conference on September 10, Dr. Rueben Devlin said Rob Ford came in when the pain “became unbearable for him”.
Dr. Rueben Devlin said doctors would need to determine the type of tumor by doing a biopsy. He did not say how long Rob Ford would be in hospital.
Councilor Doug Ford, the mayor’s brother and campaign manager, said his brother was in good spirits and they would not be making any comments about the status of his election campaign at the moment.
“I just wanted to thank the well-wishers for all of the calls,” Doug Ford said, asking the reporters assembled at the press conference to “leave us alone for a couple of days”.
Rob Ford was hospitalized in 2009 for a tumor on his appendix, the Toronto Sun reported.
[youtube VnA3eV-ohZA 650]
Kardashian Khaos: Las Vegas store closing on October 30
The Kardashian family is closing Kardashian Khaos store at the Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas after just three years from its opening.
Kardashian Khaos was fashioned as a “celebrity lifestyle boutique”.
On September 10, MGM Resorts International spokesman Shant Apelian has announced that Kardashian Khaos will close on October 30.
The store opened in November 2011, featuring souvenirs, T-shirts declaring family members as fan favorites, key chains, novelties, water bottles and other products endorsed by the Kardashian sisters – Kim, Kourtney and Khloe – and their mother Kris Jenner.
Kardashian Khaos also hosted periodic appearances by the Kardashians.
[youtube 4O-HDlm_eG0 650]
Obama: US to launch first airstrikes against ISIS in Syria
President Barack Obama has announced that the US will not hesitate to take action against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Syria as well as Iraq.
In a nationally televised speech outlining his strategy against ISIS, Barack Obama said that any group that threatened America would “find no safe haven”.
The president also announced that 475 US military personnel would be sent to Iraq but said they would not have a combat role.
ISIS controls large parts of Syria and Iraq after a rapid military advance.
Its fighters have become notorious for their brutality, beheading enemy soldiers and Western journalists on video.
The US has launched over 150 air strikes against the group in Iraq and provided arms to Iraqi and Kurdish forces fighting against IS.
In a 15-minute speech shown at peak time in the US, Barack Obama vowed that America would lead “a broad coalition to roll back” ISIS.
“Working with the Iraqi government, we will expand our efforts beyond protecting our own people and humanitarian missions, so that we’re hitting ISIL [Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant – the previous name for ISIS] targets as Iraqi forces go on the offense” he said.
He said he would welcome congressional approval for the fight against ISIS but said that he had the authority to act without it.
Barack Obama was elected in part because of fervent opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and presided over the US troop pullout from the country.
In 2013, the president abandoned plans to launch airstrikes in Syria against government forces after congressional opposition.
In his speech, Barack Obama ruled out working with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, despite the fact that his forces are also engaged in fighting ISIS.
“In the fight against ISIL, we cannot rely on an Assad regime that terrorizes its people: a regime that will never regain the legitimacy it has lost” he said.
Instead, Barack Obama said, the US would seek to strengthen the non-ISIS Syrian opposition, which fights against both ISIS and President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria’s Western-backed National Coalition welcomed Barack Obama’s plan, and urged Congress to approve it.
“The Syrian Coalition… stands ready and willing to partner with the international community not only to defeat [ISIS] but also rid the Syrian people of the tyranny of the Assad regime,” its president Hadi al-Bahra said in a statement, quoted by Reuters news agency.
Secretary of State John Kerry is already in the Middle East trying to build a coalition against IS.
John Kerry was in Iraq on Wednesday, where he praised the new government’s plans to involve more Sunnis in government and heal ties with the Kurds.
He said the president’s strategy “will succeed because doing it with allies and partners isn’t just smart, it’s strong”.
Barack Obama has already authorized $25 million in aid for the Iraqi military.
[youtube 7130A1kva7I 650]
Oscar Pistorius: Verdict due in Reeva Steenkamp murder trial
Judge Thokosile Masipa is due to give her verdict at the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius in Pretoria, South Africa.
The 27-year-old Paralympic champion faces 25 years in jail if found guilty of premeditated murder.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day of 2013, saying he thought there was an intruder.
Judge Thokosile Masipa could also find Oscar Pistorius guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he would face a long jail term.
Oscar Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he faces, including two counts of shooting a firearm in public and the illegal possession of ammunition.
During his closing remarks last month, Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux conceded that the athlete should be found guilty of negligence for discharging a firearm in a restaurant – which carries a maximum penalty of five years.
Most of the trial, which began on March 3, 2014, has been televised and attracted worldwide attention.
Before the fatal shooting, Oscar Pistorius was feted in South Africa and known as the “blade runner”.
He had won gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and also competed at the Olympics.
The judgement at his trial is likely to be well over 100 pages. The judge will go through each charge, summing up the prosecution and defense cases and analyzing the evidence.
Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Oscar Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria, in the early hours of February 14, 2013.
Oscar Pistorius denies the prosecution’s allegation that the couple – who had been dating for three months – had rowed.
The athlete said he thought Reeva Steenkamp was still in the bedroom when he heard a noise in the bathroom, which he believed to be an intruder.
The prosecution have tried to characterize Oscar Pistorius as a “hothead”, while his defense team have portrayed him as having a heightened response to perceived danger because of his disability and background.
In July, a psychiatric report requested by the judge said Oscar Pistorius had post-traumatic stress disorder but no mental illness that could prevent him being held criminally responsible for his actions.
[youtube tzrTQlATVIc650]
Shia LaBeouf pleads guilty to disorderly conduct during Cabaret performance
Shia LaBeouf has pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct over his disruption of a Broadway performance of Cabaret.
Under the terms of the plea, Shia LaBeouf, 28, will avoid jail or probation.
However, he must complete a treatment program, attend all court appearances and avoid arrest for six months.
Shia LaBeouf was arrested in June after smoking, shouting at actors and using abusive language as he was removed from the audience at a Cabaret performance.
According to court documents, he yelled, “do you know who I am?” at security guards at New York’s Studio 54 theatre. Shia LaBeouf later spat at an officer’s feet at a nearby police station.
Shortly after the arrest, a publicist for Shia LaBeouf said the actor had begun receiving treatment for alcoholism.
In New York on Wednesday, Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Diana Boyar asked: “Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?”
“Yes, your honor,” Shia LaBeouf said.
The judge ordered him to complete a three-month course of treatment. The actor made no comment as he left court.
Shia LaBeouf’s arrest at the Broadway revival of Cabaret, starring Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams, followed a series of instances where he had behaved erratically in public.
He walked out of a news conference for Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
Shia LaBeouf later appeared on the red carpet with a paper bag on his head, on which was written: “I am not famous anymore.”
[youtube k_CI1ZH8PuA 650]
Phil Robertson goes on another rant on Tony Perkins’ radio show
Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson went on another rant.
Phil Robertson was previously suspended from the A&E series after bashing gays in a GQ magazine interview.
While phoning into Tony Perkins’ Christian-themed radio show on September 9, Phil Robertson blamed STDs like HIV, AIDS on “immoral conduct”.
Phil Robertson said: “God says, <<One woman, one man>>, and everyone says, <<Oh, that’s old hat, that’s that old Bible stuff>>.”
“But I’m thinking, well let’s see now. A clean guy – a disease-free guy and a disease-free woman – they marry and they keep their s** between the two of them. They’re not going to get chlamydia, and gonorrhea, and syphilis, and AIDS. It’s safe.”
“To me, either it’s the wildest coincidence ever that horrible diseases follow immoral conduct, or, it’s God saying, <<There’s a penalty for that kind of conduct>>,” he added.
“I’m leaning towards there’s a penalty toward it.”
Phil Robertson’s latest rant came after Tony Perkins praised him for not conforming to “political correctness” that “is destroying the country” when under fire in 2013.
[youtube i5d_ya0V28c 650]
Francois Hollande hurt by Valerie Trierweiler poor claim
President Francois Hollande has condemned an accusation by his former partner Valerie Trierweiler that he hates the poor as a “lie that hurts me”.
Francois Hollande said he did not want anyone to think he made fun of social hardship.
France’s former First Lady Valerie Trierweiler wrote in a book about the couple’s break-up that he saw the poor as “toothless ones”.
Valerie Trierweiler was the president’s partner for nine years until a magazine revealed his affair with actress Julie Gayet.
In her memoir, Thank You For This Moment, which was published last week and has already become a best-seller in France, Valerie Trierweiler paints the Socialist president as a callous man who dislikes the poor.
Despite his image as a “man of the left” who disliked the rich, Valerie Trierweiler said Francois Hollande secretly despised the poor and talked about “the toothless ones” in private.
The very public row with Valerie Trierweiler comes after several difficult weeks for Francois Hollande, who has seen his popularity fall to the lowest for a French president in more than 50 years.
Francois Hollande’s Socialist government, which is struggling with high unemployment levels and stagnant economic growth, faces a vote of confidence next week.
Finance Minister Michel Sapin cut France’s growth forecast this year to 0.4% and announced on Wednesday that the government would be unable to bring its finances in line with EU rules until 2017.
Last month, PM Manuel Valls replaced his cabinet after left-wing ministers objected publicly to the government’s austerity measures.
Francois Hollande said he had never been on the side of the powerful and “felt this attack on the poor, the dispossessed, as if it were a blow delivered against my entire life”.
“I [have] met people suffering the worst kinds of hardships,” Francois Hollande told the magazine.
“They had trouble caring for their teeth. That’s the sign of the worst kind of misery.”
A partial transcript of the interview went online on September 10 but the full version will be published in the magazine on September 11.
Francois Hollande spoke of his modest background and of his two grandfathers, one of whom was a tailor, the other a teacher.
The president acknowledged that things were uncomfortable for him at the moment but the French people wanted results from him and were not interested in his emotional state.
Microsoft to by Minecraft’s developer Mojang for $2 billion
Minecraft’s developer, Mojang, is in talks to be taken over by Microsoft, according to reports.
It has been suggested that Mojang might sell for more than $2 billion.
In June, the Swedish studio said it had sold about 54 million copies of its hit world-building game. Since then it has also been released for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, further boosting sales.
Mojang’s founder, Markus “Notch” Persson has previously publicly criticized Microsoft.
Ahead of the release of the Windows 8 operating system, Notch Persson had claimed that the company was “trying to ruin the PC as an open platform” because it had wanted to certify third-party titles before their release.
Notch Persson had also been a vocal supporter of independent studios, saying in 2012 that: “The more studios that can remove themselves from the publisher system, the more games that will be made out of love rather than for profit.”
According to Bloomberg, it was Markus Persson who “reached out” to Microsoft a few months ago.
It said that a source suggested that if the deal went through, Notch Persson would help with the transition, but was unlikely to stay on afterwards.
The New York Times reported that a person briefed on the talks had said that Markus Persson was expected to leave within six months, but added that Mojang was keen to hold on to its younger developers.
A spokesman for Microsoft said: “We don’t comment on rumor and speculation.”
Mojang also declined to comment.
Minecraft was first released in 2011, and has since become the third bestselling game of all time and something of a cultural phenomenon.
Mojang has worked on other titles, but they have either fallen short of Minecraft’s success – such as the role-playing game (RPG) Scrolls.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report negotiations between Mojang and Microsoft, saying that the deal could be finalized this week.
It noted that this would be the first multibillion acquisition by Microsoft’s chief executive, Satya Nadella, since he took charge of the company.
Khloe Kardashian and French Montana are on a break after eight months of dating
Khloe Kardashian and French Montana are on a break, eight months after the reality star started dating the rapper, Us Weekly reported.
A source told the publication: “The relationship got too heavy and Khloe needed to take a step back.”
Another insider says French Montana, 29, was too “needy” for Khloe Kardashian, 30.
Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner “did not approve and told Khloe all the time”, an insider said. Previous reports also claimed that sister Kim Kardashian and stepdad Bruce Jenner were “very skeptical” of French Montana and worried he was using Khloe for fame.
Khloe Kardashian herself didn’t seem too concerned about French Montana’s motives, though, even after he admitted he wanted to “capitalize” on the attention. French Montana later said his words had been taken out of context and gushed that he’d do anything for his lady love.
“She supports me with everything I do,” French Montana told Access Hollywood Live in August.
“When it comes to her career, I don’t think about it. If she needs me to do something, I do it.”
Ashley Tisdale marries Christopher French in Santa Barbara secret ceremony
Ashley Tisdale married her musician beau, lead singer of Annie Automatic, Christopher French, in secret ceremony on September 9.
The 29-year-old High School Musical star shared this picture on Instagram saying: “Best Day of My Life! Introducing Mr. and Mrs. French.”
Ashley Tisdale also shared a wedding photo for her followers, followed by one with her bridesmaids including Vanessa Hudgens.
She wore a long, white wedding gown with capped sleeves and a cinched waist. Christopher French looked dapper in a black suit and tie.
Ashley Tisdale had her blonde locks down and slightly curled with a crown of flowers around her head. In her hand was a bouquet of pink and white roses.
According to RadarOnline, the two wed at a private residence in Santa Barbara.
Ashley Tisdale and Christopher French officially stepped out as a couple in December of 2012, and they got engaged in August of 2013
Sara Gilbert announces pregnancy on The Talk
Sara Gilbert has announced her pregnancy on her CBS show The Talk.
During the show Sara Gilbert declined to do a dare consisting of lying down on a bed of nails, with another bed of nails on top of her, while a cinder block is placed on top of her stomach while being smashed by a sledgehammer.
“I really do believe in facing your fears and doing things that make you uncomfortable, but I actually can’t do the dare because I’m pregnant,” a clearly emotional Sara Gilbert said, fighting back tears.
Immediately following Sara Gilbert’s big news, her fellow hosts Aisha Tyler, Sharon Osbourne, Julie Chen and Sheryl Underwood couldn’t contain their excitement, jumping out of the their chairs and hugging her.
The Talk later confirmed the big news via their Twitter.
Sara Gilbert married her longtime love, singer-songwriter Linda Perry in March 2014.
In addition to Sara Gilbert’s mother being in the audience, Linda Perry was actually at the taping while Gilbert announced the news.
[youtube lwDY0Oo8KV8 650]
Shakira reveals second baby’s gender
Shakira, who first confirmed the news of her second pregnancy to Spanish Cosmopolitan in late August, said in the same interview that she and boyfriend Gerard Pique are expecting a boy.
According to September issue of the publication, Shakira “admits Milan will have a little brother soon”.
Shakira’s parents Nidia Ripoll and William Mebarak Chadid also shared the baby’s gender with Hola! magazine on September 9.
“We’re very happy,” the grandparents said.
“She’s having another baby boy a playmate for Milan.”
After her pregnancy reveal, Shakira, 37, took to Twitter to graciously thank fans for their well-wishes.
Shakira wrote on August 28: “The Pique-Mebarak family is still growing!
“Yes, we are expecting our second baby!! Thank you all for your well wishes!
“¡Sigue creciendo la familia Piqué Mebarak! ¡Gracias a todos por sus mensajes de cariño!”
Shakira and soccer stud Gerard Pique are already parents to 19-month-old Milan. Since baby Milan’s birth last January, the tot has already made a cameo in his mom’s soccer-theme music video for her World Cup single, La La La (Brazil 2014).
[youtube bWi9E45pjEA 650]
John Kerry starts anti-ISIS tour in Iraq
Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Iraq at the start of a Middle East tour to build support for action against Islamic State (ISIS).
John Kerry is due to meet new Iraqi PM Haidar al-Abadi less than 48 hours after a unity government was agreed.
An inclusive government was a condition for greater US and NATO support in the fight against ISIS militants who have taken over large parts of the country.
President Barack Obama is due to outline his plans to combat ISIS later.
Barack Obama said on September 9 that he had authority to widen military action against ISIS without the approval of Congress, but said he would still ask lawmakers to endorse the arming of Syrian opposition forces.
ISIS militants have taken over large parts of Syria and Iraq in recent months and have declared a “caliphate”.
In the past month, ISIS militants have beheaded two US journalists in protest against American airstrikes on its forces in Iraq.
John Kerry’s tour is due to continue in Saudi Arabia and other regional capitals, where he is hoping to boost military, political and financial support for the fight against ISIS.
John Kerry is expected to ask Iraq’s Sunni neighbors to show solidarity with Baghdad.
Stonehenge most detailed map ever produced unveiled at British Science Festival 2014
The most detailed map ever produced of the earth beneath Stonehenge and its surrounds has been unveiled at this year’s British Science Festival.
Archaeologists combined different instruments to scan the area to a depth of 10ft, with unprecedented resolution.
Early results suggest that Stonehenge did not stand alone, but was accompanied by 17 neighboring shrines.
Future, detailed analysis of this vast collection of data will produce a brand new account of how Stonehenge’s landscape evolved over time.
Among the surprises yielded by the research are traces of up to 60 huge stones or pillars which formed part of the 1 mile-wide “super henge” previously identified at nearby Durrington Walls.
“For the past four years we have been looking at this amazing monument to try and see what was around it,” Prof. Vincent Gaffney, from the University of Birmingham, said at the British Science Festival.
Most of the land surrounding Stonehenge had not been surveyed in this manner before and Prof. Vincent Gaffney, the project’s lead researcher, said one key question always remained: “Was it really an excluded place, where only special people would come?”
The team’s new three-dimensional map, which covers an area of 1,250 football fields, shows that this was not the case.
Researchers used six different techniques to scan the whole site at different depths below the surface.
Amongst their instruments was a magnetometer, a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and a 3D laser scanner.
Nishad Karim, a researcher at the University of Leicester, has used similar instrumentation to reconstruct 16th century Tudor tombs.
Under one of the numerous mounds, they identified a 33m-long timber building about 6,000 years old, probably used for ritual burials and related practices, possibly including excarnation (stripping flesh from bones).
“[The building] has three rows of roof-bearing posts. It is around 300 square metres and slightly trapezoidal, which is interesting because in the same period on the continent, about 100 to 200 years earlier, we also find this type of trapezoidal building related to megaliths [giant stones],” said Prof. Wolfgang Neubauer, director of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute, which was also involved in the research.
Another 17 mounds revealed previously unseen ritual monuments about the same age as Stonehenge itself.
The dating was done based on their shape.
“We know what some of these things look like, so we can classify them,” Prof. Vincent Gaffney explained.
A first inspection of the Cursus and the Durrington Walls, located north and north-east of Stonehenge, also revealed new insights.
The work unveiled two additional pits inside the prehistoric Cursus, an enormous, elongated circular trench originally named because of it reminded its discoverers of a Roman racing track.
The Cursus is aligned in the East-West direction, and the pits were found one in each end, pointing to Dusk and Dawn.
This particular alignment is closely related to the position and orientation of Stonehenge, which was built as we know it some 300 to 500 years later.
The large separation in time indicates that both monuments were not conceived or planned as a whole.
“The structures guide the builders. Once you have some things in place, other things happen because those already exist,” explained Prof. Vincent Gaffney.
He and his team also found evidence of huge stones or timber posts lying three metres below the mounds that form the Durrington Walls.
All of these preliminary findings reflect the complexity of the landscape’s history and evolution, which will be slowly uncovered once the researchers start the in-depth analysis of the data.
That analysis will reveal more precisely how the site evolved through the ages.
“We are starting to see the growth of fields encroaching on it. That’s important because it tells us about changing relationships to Stonehenge,” Prof. Vincent Gaffney said.
“Eventually, we start to see the living returning, bringing agriculture. It becomes more the archaeology of the mundane, rather than the arcane.”
Dr Nick Snashall, National Trust Archaeologist for the Avebury and Stonehenge World Heritage Site, said: “Using 21st-century techniques, the Stonehenge Hidden Landscapes team has transformed our knowledge of this ancient, precious and very special landscape.
“Their work has revealed a clutch of previously unsuspected sites and monuments showing how much of the story of this world-famous archaeological treasure house remains to be told.”