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Ukraine: Pro-Russian rebels abandon Sloviansk and Kramatorsk

Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine rebels have pulled back to the main city of Donetsk, abandoning several strongholds in the Donetsk region to government forces.

Separatists abandoned the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, as well as some smaller towns, in the north of Donetsk region.

However, they have vowed to continue the fight from Donetsk city, describing the withdrawal as a tactical retreat.

Ukrainian forces launched an offensive this week after a truce broke down.

Ukrainian rebels abandoned several strongholds in the Donetsk region to government forces
Ukrainian rebels abandoned several strongholds in the Donetsk region to government forces

The government said in a statement that the rebels had fled after mortar shelling from government forces.

Ukraine’s newly-elected President Petro Poroshenko said the breakthrough was “the beginning of the turning point in the fight against militants”.

“This is not complete victory. But the cleansing of Sloviansk from gangs who are armed to the teeth is of huge symbolic importance,” he said in a statement.

Some rebels were initially quoted as saying they were heading to the nearby city of Kramatorsk.

It later emerged that the pro-Russian fighters had also abandoned their posts there, and were apparently heading south to the regional capital.

Alexander Borodai, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said the rebels had abandoned the entire “northern sector”.

The pro-Russian authorities in Donetsk city said rebel fighters had begun to arrive from the north, and urged residents to stay in their homes.

Rebel leaders were quoted as saying the decision to abandon Sloviansk was taken by Igor Strelkov, the military commander of the DPR.

Igor Strelkov, whose real name is Igor Girkin, had pleaded for Russian intervention on Friday saying his men had lost the will to fight.

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What is a caliphate?

A caliphate is an Islamic state ruled by a single political and religious leader, or Caliph.

Caliphs are regarded by their followers as successors to the Prophet Muhammad and the leader of all Muslims.

The word “caliph” comes from the Arabic khalifa, meaning “successor”. Its use means the IS claims Baghdadi as the only legitimate successor to the Prophet.

Abdulmecid II was the last Sunni Caliph of Islam from the Ottoman Dynasty
Abdulmecid II was the last Sunni Caliph of Islam from the Ottoman Dynasty (photo flickr.com)

First caliphate came into being after Prophet Muhammad’s death in 632. In the centuries which followed, caliphates had dominion in the Middle East and North Africa.

Historically, caliphates involved governance under Islamic law, with the leadership elected according to Sunni practice and selected from a group of Imams under Shia traditions.

Laws under a caliphate are traditionally defined in accordance with Islamic ethics. In the past the role of caliph has largely been symbolic, leaving the day-to-day running of government down to the devolved powers of local rulers.

The last widely accepted caliphate was abolished in 1924 by Turkish leader Kemal Ataturk after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Abdulmecid II was the last ruler of a caliphate.

In 2014, Islamist militant group ISIS has declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, appointing its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as Caliph.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: ISIS leader appears in his first video sermon

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called on Muslims to obey him, in his first video sermon.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been appointed caliph by the jihadist group, which has seized large swathes of Iraq and Syria.

The video appears to have been filmed on Friday during a sermon at the al-Nouri Mosque in Mosul, northern Iraq.

The footage surfaced on Saturday amid reports that he had been killed or wounded in an Iraqi air raid.

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called on Muslims to obey him, in his first video sermon
ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has called on Muslims to obey him, in his first video sermon (photo AFP)

It was not clear when the attack was supposed to have taken place.

In the sermon, at Mosul’s most famous landmark, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi praised the establishment of the “Islamic state”, which was declared by ISIS last Sunday.

Experts say the reclusive militant leader has never appeared on video before, although there are photographs of him.

“Appointing a leader is an obligation on Muslims, and one that has been neglected for decades,” he said.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi also said that he did not seek out the position of being the caliph, or leader, calling it a “burden”.

“I am your leader, though I am not the best of you, so if you see that I am right, support me, and if you see that I am wrong, advise me,” he told worshippers.

Captions in the video referred to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as “Caliph Ibrahim”, a name he has used since the group unilaterally declared him leader of an “Islamic state” last Sunday.

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Wimbledon 2014: Petra Kvitova wins her second major title after defeating Eugenie Bouchard

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Czech tennis player Petra Kvitova has won her second Wimbledon title after defeating Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard in this year’s final.

The Czech sixth seed reclaimed the title she first won in 2011 with a 6-3 6-0 victory in 55 minutes against Eugenie Bouchard.

Petra Kvitova has won her second Wimbledon title after defeating Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in this year's final
Petra Kvitova has won her second Wimbledon title after defeating Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard in this year’s final

Petra Kvitova, 24, has won her second major title which will see her move up to fourth in the world rankings.

Eugenie Bouchard, 20, had made history by becoming the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final.

The 20-year-old had won junior Wimbledon just two years ago and was one win from taking the senior title in only her sixth Grand Slam tournament, but came up against a player in remarkable form.

The only thing that might have troubled a rampant Petra Kvitova was the weather, but early rain cleared and the roof was opened long enough for the final before being brought across for the trophy presentation.

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Is Prince Charles divorcing from Camilla Parker-Bowels after nine years of marriage?

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowels will divorce after nine years of marriage, GLOBE Magazine claims.

Meanwhile, Celebdirty Laundry reported that Queen Elizabeth allegedly called Camilla Parker-Bowles a disgrace after trying to force the royal family into a $350 million divorce pay out to buy her silence.

“Camilla isn’t likely to go without a fight though,” GLOBE Magazine claims.

“This chick has always been in it either for the crown or for a nice payday and so expect her to dig in her heels on this one. She has also been at Charles’ side for over 3 decades so she certainly does have a lot of dirt on him.”

New reports claim Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowels will divorce after nine years of marriage
New reports claim Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowels will divorce after nine years of marriage (photo Getty Images)

The divorce claims intensified after Prince Charles and Camilla went on their Canadian tour after Prince William and Kate Middleton won rave reviews on their three-week tour in New Zealand and Australia. Although the couple fought against going, the Queen insisted they needed to do this to earn the public trust and after spending three and a half days on a 41 engagement with his wife, Charles packed up his bags as soon they got home.

“Upon landing in Nova Scotia on May 18th Camilla exclaimed that it would take a lot of booze to survive,” according to GLOBE‘s June 9th print edition.

“It caused constant fighting and Charles was raging every time his drunken wife threw back another gin martini.”

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were photographed recently as they paid tribute to Wales’ coal miners on the fourth day of their tour in the region. During their visit to Senghenydd, near Caerphilly, Prince Charles was spotted placing a wreath at the foot of the Welsh National Mining Memorial. Charles and Camilla also opened the Aber Valley Heritage Centre that features the history of the south Wales valleys.

“My wife and I have so enjoyed this opportunity to meet you all and if I may say so to have a chance to pay our respects at the memorial,” Prince Charles said as he paid tribute to the courage of the miners, and to those who lost their lives for digging the precious coal that helped Britain’s economy.

Mohammad Abu Khdair autopsy results reveal he was burned alive

Mohammad Abu Khdair, the Palestinian teenager found dead in Jerusalem this week, was burned alive, first post mortem examination findings quoted by the Palestinian attorney-general say.

“The direct cause of death was burns as a result of fire,” Mohammed al-A’wewy was quoted as saying.

Israeli authorities say the circumstances surrounding the death of Mohammad Abu Khdair, 16, are unclear.

The teen’s death followed the abduction and murder of three young Israelis, with violent clashes spreading overnight.

The post mortem examination on Mohammad Abu Khdair was carried out by Israeli doctors, with Saber al-Aloul, the director of the Palestinian forensic institute, in attendance.

The Palestinian official news agency Wafa quoted the attorney-general as saying that Saber al-Aloul had reported fire dust in the respiratory canal, meaning the victim had “inhaled this material while he was burnt alive”.

Mohammad Abu Khdair’s death in Jerusalem followed the abduction and murder of three young Israelis
Mohammad Abu Khdair’s death in Jerusalem followed the abduction and murder of three young Israelis

Mohammad Abu Khdair, who had also suffered a head injury, had burns to 90% of the body, it was reported.

The findings have not been officially released.

Mohammad Abu Khdair’s family believes he was killed in revenge for the murders of the three Israeli teenagers.

The bodies of Naftali Frenkel and Gilad Shaar, both aged 16, and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrach were found on June 30. Their funerals were held on Wednesday.

Thousands attended Mohammad Abu Khdair’s funeral on Friday near the family’s home in the Shufat district of East Jerusalem.

Hundreds of Palestinian youths clashed with Israeli police in East Jerusalem before and after the funeral.

The clashes continued overnight in the West Bank and spread to Israeli-Arab towns in northern Israel.

Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said protesters burned tyres and hurled rocks. Disturbances were reported in Taibe and Tira.

Police responded with tear gas and stun grenades and more than 20 people were arrested.

Clashes were also reported in the central town of Qalansawe overnight, with Jewish drivers attacked and some cars torched.

Haaretz reported that some 50 Palestinians and 13 policemen were hurt in clashes, which it said had spread to all of East Jerusalem’s districts.

Israeli officials handed the body of Mohammad Abu Khdair to his family on Friday morning.

Germany summons US ambassador in Berlin over spying scandal

Germany has summoned the US ambassador in Berlin after a man was arrested on suspicion of spying for the NSA.

The US diplomat “was asked to help in the swift clarification” of the case, the foreign ministry said.

German officials confirmed the arrest but released no other details.

US-German ties were strained after allegations last year that the NSA bugged Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone as part of a huge surveillance program.

The NSA bugged Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone as part of a huge surveillance program
The NSA bugged Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone as part of a huge surveillance program

The scale of the agency’s global spy program was revealed in documents leaked by Edward Snowden.

The revelations also raised feeling in Germany against American surveillance.

German media say the man arrested this week is a 31-year-old employee of the federal intelligence service, the BND or Bundesnachrichtendienst.

A spokesman for Angela Merkel said she had been informed of the arrest, as had the members of the nine-strong parliamentary committee investigating the activities of foreign intelligence agencies in Germany.

Der Spiegel news magazine said the man was believed to have passed secret documents to a US contact in exchange for money.

However, one unnamed politician told Reuters news agency the suspect had offered his services to the US voluntarily.

“This was a man who had no direct contact with the investigative committee… He was not a top agent,” the source said.

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Katy Perry sued for ripping off Joyful Noise for her mega-hit Dark Horse

Katy Perry has been sued by Christian hip-hop stars, who claim her hit Dark Horse ripped off their track Joyful Noise.

They accused Katy Perry of using the 2008 track without permission, tarnishing its “devoutly religious message” with images of “witchcraft” and “black magic.”

Joyful Noise comes from Flame’s Grammy-nominated album Our World: Redeemed.

Dark Horse topped the US Billboard chart for several weeks in January.

The group of rappers – Flame aka Marcus Gray, Lecrae Moore, Emanuel Lambert and Chike Ojukwu – are seeking damages from Katy Perry, guest artist Juicy J, Capitol Records and songwriters Dr Luke and Max Martin for copyright infringement.

Katy Parry has been sued for ripping off Joyful Noise for her mega-hit Dark Horse
Katy Parry has been sued for ripping off Joyful Noise for her mega-hit Dark Horse

Court papers in St Louis, Missouri, show they also want an injunction and profits gained from the unauthorized use of their track, stating Katy Perry had performed Dark Horse at sold-out concerts throughout the US and sold millions of copies.

“The devoutly religious message of Joyful Noise has been irreparably tarnished by its association with the witchcraft, paganism, black magic, and Illuminati imagery evoked by the same music in Dark Horse,” said the rappers’ complaint.

They continued: “Indeed, the music video of Dark Horse generated widespread accusations of blasphemy and an online petition signed by more than 60,000 demanding removal of an offensive religious image from the video.”

The video for Dark Horse was edited in February this year following the complaints, with a pendant featuring the Arabic word for God being digitally “scrubbed” out of the scene.

More than 440 million people have watched the video on YouTube since February this year.

Flame said the track’s similarities to Joyful Noise were brought to his attention by his DJ, Cho’zyn Boy. The DJ compiled an audio comparison of the two songs, published by Rapzilla, after noticing comments about them on Twitter.

They claim Katy Perry and her collaborators “never sought or obtained permission” to use Joyful Noise for “creating, reproducing, recording, distributing, selling, or publicly performing” Dark Horse.

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Senegal elections 2014: PM Aminata Toure sacked after ruling party’s poor results

Senegal’s PM Aminata Toure has been sacked after her ruling party’s poor results in local elections last Sunday.

Local officials said President Macky Sall had asked Aminata Toure to stand down, after less than a year in office.

Aminata Toure’s Alliance for the Republic (APR) was defeated in key cities, according to preliminary results.

Senegal’s President Macky Sall has asked Aminata Toure to stand down, after less than a year in office
Senegal’s President Macky Sall has asked Aminata Toure to stand down, after less than a year in office

Discontent over economic policies contributed to the party’s poor results, correspondents say.

“She was sacked. She is no longer the prime minister,” a source close to the presidency told Reuters news agency.

The Senegalese Press Agency reported that Aminata Toure had left the government.

Her departure opens the way for President Macky Sall to try to speed up his reform process, aimed at creating more jobs.

In March 2012 election, Macky Sall defeated Abdoulaye Wade – who had been president for 12 years – promising to tackle poverty and corruption.

Senegal is seen as a beacon of democracy in West Africa and remains the region’s only country never to have had a military coup.

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Russia: State Duma passes law requiring internet companies to store citizens’ personal data inside country

Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament) has passed a law requiring internet companies to store Russian citizens’ personal data inside the country.

The Kremlin says the move is for data protection but critics fear it is aimed at muzzling social networks like Twitter and Facebook.

The Russian government is thought to be seeking greater access to user data.

Russia's State Duma has passed a law requiring internet companies to store Russian citizens' personal data inside the country
Russia’s State Duma has passed a law requiring internet companies to store Russian citizens’ personal data inside the country

Social networks were widely used by protesters opposing President Vladimir Putin’s return to the Kremlin in 2012.

Analysts say there are fears that Russia may be seeking to create a closed and censored version of the internet within its borders.

The new bill, passed by the lower house of parliament, must still be approved by the upper chamber (Federation Council) and President Vladimir Putin before it becomes law.

If passed, the new rules will not take effect until September 2016 but will give the government grounds to block sites that do not comply.

“The aim of this law is to create… (another) quasi-legal pretext to close Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and all other services,” internet expert and blogger Anton Nossik told Reuters news agency.

“The ultimate goal is to shut mouths, enforce censorship in the country and shape a situation where internet business would not be able to exist and function properly.”

Introducing the bill to parliament, lawmaker Vadim Dengin said “most Russians don’t want their data to leave Russia for the United States, where it can be hacked and given to criminals”.

German agent arrested for spying for US

Germany’s intelligence service has arrested one of its employees on suspicion of spying for the US, reports say.

The man is said to have been trying to gather details about a German parliamentary committee that is investigating claims of US espionage.

German authorities have asked the US ambassador for “swift clarification”.

The NSA was last year accused of bugging the phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel as part of a huge surveillance program.

The NSA was last year accused of bugging the phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel as part of a huge surveillance program
The NSA was last year accused of bugging the phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel as part of a huge surveillance program

The scale of the NSA’s global spy program was revealed in documents leaked last year by Edward Snowden.

The revelations about the NSA put a strain on ties between Germany and the US and raised feeling in Germany against American surveillance.

According to the German media, the man arrested this week is a 31-year-old employee of the federal service, the BND or Bundesnachrichtendienst.

The German federal prosecutor’s office confirmed the man’s arrest, but gave no other details.

A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said she had been informed of the arrest, as had the members of the nine-strong parliamentary committee investigating the activities of foreign intelligence agencies in Germany.

Der Spiegel news magazine said the man was believed to have passed secret documents to a US contact in exchange for money.

However, one unnamed politician told Reuters the suspect had offered his services to the US voluntarily.

“This was a man who had no direct contact with the investigative committee… He was not a top agent,” the source said.

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Iraq frees 46 Indian nurses trapped in Tikrit

Forty six Indian nurses, who were trapped in fighting engulfing parts of Iraq, have been freed, Indian authorities say.

The nurses have been handed over to Indian officials in the Kurdish city of Irbil and are due to be flown home on Saturday.

Forty six Indian nurses were trapped in fighting engulfing parts of Iraq
Forty six Indian nurses were trapped in fighting engulfing parts of Iraq

The nurses were working at a hospital in the northern city of Tikrit and had been stranded there for more than week.

Tikrit is among a number of towns and cities seized by jihadist-led Sunni rebels in recent weeks.

“All the 46 nurses in Iraq are safe,” chief minister of the southern Indian state of Kerala Oommen Chandy told a news conference on Friday, adding that they were to be transferred to Irbil airport.

The nurses, all from Kerala, are due to arrive in the southern city of Kochi on Saturday morning.

On Thursday, Indian officials said the nurses were “unharmed”, but had been moved out of Tikrit.

Indian media reports said they had been pressured into boarding buses and leaving the hospital by jihadist fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).

There are few details about the exact circumstances of their release.

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Fourth of July: Little Known Facts

In 1776, the Second Continental Congress declared the United States of America an independent nation not on July 4, as more than two centuries of Independence Day celebrations would suggest, but on July 2.

John Adams, a congressional delegate from Massachusetts and a future president of the new nation, wrote about the vote for independence in a letter to his wife, Abigail: “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

So why do Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4th? Because that was the date on the Declaration of Independence, a document that was widely publicized and reprinted from one end of the fledgling nation to the other. As a result, the Fourth of July quickly became associated with personal liberty and national independence in the minds of all Americans.

The Second Continental Congress declared the United States of America an independent nation not on July 4, but on July 2
The Second Continental Congress declared the United States of America an independent nation not on July 4, but on July 2 (photo Wikipedia)

The Fourth of July was not a federal holiday until 1941. Although July 4 had long been celebrated as the Independence Day holiday by tradition, and even by congressional decree, it was not officially a federal holiday until Congress agreed to give federal employees the day off with pay – and that didn’t happen until 1941.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who had been leaders in the American Revolution and US presidents as well as personal friends and political adversaries throughout much of their long lives, died on the same day, July 4, 1826. Their deaths came exactly 50 years after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, which Thomas Jefferson had drafted and both men signed.

As John Adams was near death on the evening of July 4, 1826, his last words were reported to be: “Thomas Jefferson still survives.”

John Adams was mistaken. Jefferson had died approximately five hours earlier.

In July 1776, there were approximately 2.5 million people living in the newly independent United States of America, roughly the same number of people who currently live in Brooklyn, New York.

After much debate among the Founding Fathers, the bald eagle was chosen as the new American symbol and appeared as the centerpiece of the national seal. Benjamin Franklin never really embraced the choice.

The first public recognition of American independence was in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, just a few days after Congress declared the nation’s independence from Great Britain. The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall, summoning people to the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. Even though Congress had adopted the Declaration on July 4, it was not publicly announced until July 8, after the document came back from the printer.

The first annual commemoration of American independence occurred on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia while Americans were still at war with the British, fighting to hold onto the liberty they had declared for themselves a year earlier.

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Richard Mellon Scaife dies from cancer at 82

Billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife has died aged 82.

Richard Mellon Scaife’s death comes less than two months after he had announced he had an untreatable form of cancer.

Billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife helped finance the election campaigns of Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan
Billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife helped finance the election campaigns of Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan

The heir to the Mellon banking and oil fortune, he helped finance the election campaigns of Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

Richard Mellon Scaife also backed inquiries in the 1990s to discredit the then Democratic President, Bill Clinton.

He died early on Friday at his home, his newspaper – the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review – reported.

It said his death came just one day after his 82nd birthday, without providing further details.

Richard Mellon Scaife was an ardent supporter of right-wing causes, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars to think-tanks, lobbyists and conservative newspapers and magazines.

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Queen Elizabeth christens UK’s largest warship at Rosyth Dockyard

The UK’s largest warship was officially named in Queen Elizabeth II’s honor at a ceremony at Fife’s Rosyth Dockyard.

The vessel marks “a new phase in our naval history”, the Queen has said.

A bottle of whisky was smashed on the hull of the 65,000-tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth – the first of two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers being built.

The Red Arrows flew over the dockyard before the ship was officially named.

First Sea Lord Admiral George Zambellas said the ship was “fit for a Queen”.

Addressing the audience, Queen Elizabeth said the “innovative and first class” warship, the largest ever to be built in the UK, ushered in an “exciting new era”.

“In sponsoring this new aircraft carrier, I believe the Queen Elizabeth will be a source of inspiration and pride for us all,” she said.

HMS Queen Elizabeth has been named with a bottle of whisky smashed on the hull of the 65,000-tonne vessel
HMS Queen Elizabeth has been named with a bottle of whisky smashed on the hull of the 65,000-tonne vessel

“May God bless her and all who sail in her.”

About 3,500 people involved in the design and construction of the carrier watched the celebrations, alongside dignitaries and politicians including PM David Cameron, First Minister Alex Salmond and former PM Gordon Brown.

David Cameron said it was a “very proud day” for Scotland and the UK, while Alex Salmond said it was a “huge day” for the workers and their families.

Ian Booth, of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance which is overseeing the ship’s construction, said it was a “historic occasion”.

The Red Arrows fly-past was followed by a procession of three generations of Royal Navy aircraft, including a historic 1950s de Havilland Sea Vixen fighter – the last and only flying aircraft of its kind in the world.

The Queen oversaw the ceremony by pressing a button to release a bottle of Islay malt whisky – suspended at the front of the ship – to smash on to the hull.

The naming ceremony, a naval tradition dating back thousands of years, marked the first time in more than 15 years that the Queen has christened a Royal Navy warship.

Six shipyards in the UK including Tyne, Rosyth and Appledore have been involved in building parts of the carrier.

More than 10,000 people at more than 100 companies have worked on HMS Queen Elizabeth, which has been beset by construction and design delays.

The estimated cost of the vessel and its sister ship is £6.2 billion ($10 billion), well over the initial projected cost of £3.65 billion ($6 billion).

The warship is as long as 25 buses and can carry 40 jets and helicopters at a time. It will have a permanent crew of almost 1,600 when it enters service in 2020.

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Beyonce and Jay-Z divorce 2014: Mya slams Jay-Z cheating allegations

Mya has slammed rumors suggesting she and Jay-Z have been secretly dating behind Beyonce’s back.

The singer blamed gossip-hungry bloggers for spreading the false speculation.

Mya found herself at the center of cheating allegations this week after a blind item posted on MediaTakeOut.com hinted that she has been Jay-Z’s mistress for 11 years.

Mya collaborated with Jay-Z on her 2000 song Best of Me
Mya collaborated with Jay-Z on her 2000 song Best of Me

The online report didn’t refer to Mya by name, but described the woman as a “very short-named R&B singer who hasn’t had a hit in awhile”, and went on to state: “She basically lives off the generosity of Jay-Z and a couple of other guys.”

One fan asked Mya about the accusations directly via Instagram on Thursday and the singer, who collaborated with Jay-Z on her 2000 song Best of Me (Part 2), responded: “Never did, never was, never will [have an affair with Jay-Z].”

“Illegitimate, thirsty sources with no facts and that’s the <<media>> for you-especially today. I play second to no one, pay my own bills, have my own label, own management company, rely on God only and respect myself & marriage too much for nonsense.

“False rumors are crafted for ratings & numbers. And miserable, unhappy people need someone to judge to deter the attention away from their own misery and feel better about their miserable lives. If they did it to Jesus, they’ll do it to anyone. God bless.”

Speculation about the status of Jay-Z and Beyonce’s marriage began surfacing in May after surveillance footage of Solange Knowles attacking the rapper in a New York elevator emerged online.

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Hurricane Arthur downgraded to Category 1

By 9 a.m. Friday, Hurricane Arthur had weakened to Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds around 90 mph and additional weakening expected, the US National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Arthur has weakened to Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds around 90 mph and additional weakening expected
Hurricane Arthur has weakened to Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds around 90 mph and additional weakening expected (photo NBC News)

The storm was moving northeast Friday morning after turning slightly west late Thursday, which increased the threat to mainland communities from flooding, tornadoes and intense winds.

However, officials in some coastal areas in North Carolina reported few problems Friday morning.

Emerald Isle along the Bogue Banks posted on its website that the July 4th fireworks were still scheduled for Friday evening. The curfew also was lifted. Dare County officials said the northern end of the county, where Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk, are located had reopened.

Hatteras Island on the southern end remained closed because of flooding on North Carolina Highway 12.

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Hungary: Anthrax discovered in samples of beef

Five people have been hospitalized in Hungary after the discovery of the deadly anthrax disease in samples of beef, reports say.

The five were admitted to hospital over concerns that they may have been infected by the disease.

Anthrax disease is caused by a bacterium that occurs naturally in soil
Anthrax disease is caused by a bacterium that occurs naturally in soil

Anthrax was discovered in frozen meat from two animals that had been slaughtered illegally, the Hungarian health agency says.

The disease is caused by a bacterium that occurs naturally in soil.

Symptoms of anthrax exposure include skin ulcers, nausea, vomiting and fever. Left untreated, it can lead to death.

The animals in the latest outbreak were reportedly slaughtered at a farm in Tiszafured, a town 99 miles east of Hungarian capital, Budapest.

Rolf Harris sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in jail

Rolf Harris has been sentenced to five years and 9 months in jail for 12 assaults against four girls.

Rolf Harris, 84, who was found guilty of offences that took place between 1968 and 1986, was told by the judge he had “no-one to blame but himself”.

The judge said Rolf Harris had taken advantage of his celebrity status and had shown “no remorse”.

One victim said the abuse had taken away her “childhood innocence”.

Rolf Harris’s sentence of five years and nine months has already been referred to the Attorney General’s Office under the “unduly lenient sentence scheme”.

Rolf Harris has been sentenced to five years and 9 months in jail for 12 assaults against four girls
Rolf Harris has been sentenced to five years and 9 months in jail for 12 assaults against four girls (photo AP)

A spokesman for the office said it “only takes one person to trigger the process”, and the sentence must be considered within 28 days for possible referral to the Court of Appeal.

The judge said Rolf Harris had “clearly got a thrill from committing some of these offences” against the four girls, one of whom who was just seven or eight.

The other victims were two young teenagers and a childhood friend of Rolf Harris’s daughter Bindi, whom he abused between the ages of 13 and 19.

The judge said the assaults resulted in her suffering panic attacks, anxiety and led to her becoming an alcoholic, saying she had “suffered severe psychological harm”.

Speaking after sentencing, she said the jail term was “immaterial”.

“I feel fine, I think the guilty verdict was actually what I wanted, what I went to court for,” she said.

She added: “I do hope that women will come forward now, celebrity or not.”

Rolf Harris is likely to serve half the sentence in prison and was told he would not have to pay compensation to his victims. However, the judge said he could have to pay the costs of the prosecution.

Two of Rolf Harris’s victims were in court for the sentencing, which saw members of the press and public fill the public gallery and watch from an overspill court via a video feed.

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Is Mitt Romney considering another try for presidency 2016?

According to a recent Quinnipiac University survey, 44% of Americans think the US “would be better off than it is today” if Mitt Romney were president today, versus 38% who say the nation would be in worse shape.

Mitt Romney has denied any interest in another campaign
Mitt Romney has denied any interest in another campaign

These numbers have stoked speculation on whether Mitt Romney could be considering another try for the presidency in 2016.

It would be an unusual move, as most defeated candidates in the general election tend to disappear from the national political scene – or at least give up on their presidential aspirations.

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Companies that have grown thanks to Apple

The exact number of people who now own an iPhone or iPad is unknown but you would expect it to be a pretty hefty proportion of the population. The truth of the matter is that people quite simply love Apple products.

 

Going hand in hand with the rise of iPhones and iPads has been the rise of new, unique, app based companies and the rise in other traditional businesses changing their business plan. Here are some existing and new businesses that, in economic terms, have been the genuine free riders of the Apple revolution.

 

 

The betting industry

 

Going hand in hand with the advancement of smart phones has been the rise of mobile gambling. Ten years ago the idea of betting from your phone would have seemed utopian. The idea of being able to bet on your phone, in-play, has become ever more prevalent in recent years with numerous companies allowing for instantaneous gambling from anywhere with a signal. While that is impressive, the fact that some apps, such as the Unibet iPhone app, allow one to watch upwards of 10,000 sporting events is simply incredible. Credit the gambling industry: they modernised fast and they modernised well whilst other sectors of the economy missed the boat.

 

Twitter

 

Twitter has grown into a $24billion company since being founded in 2006. The first iPhone was released in 2007. In direct correlation to the iPhone sales were the active Twitter users. They currently have 255 million active users, of which, 78% use Twitter via the medium of mobile. Simply without iPhone and then Android, Twitter would have been dead in the water. Have you tried Twitter solely on your laptop? You won’t find it overly impressive. It’s not just Twitter though; Instagram was bought by Facebook for $1billion, whilst the founder of Snapchat turned down a $3billion offer from Facebook and a $4billion offer from Google. It is startling that the advent of one phone can create so much wealth.

 

The Game Industry

 

The beauty of the game industry and the rise of the iPhone, and more so the iPad, is that the manufacturers who had hegemony of the video game market had no foothold whatsoever in the App store. This meant that for a long time the market was near perfect in terms of wide-ranging competition. Small games flourished: Angry Birds has sold over two billion copies which is stupefying, 2013 game Flappy Birds caused a pandemic when the developer pulled it from the App store (phones with the game preinstalled were attracting bids of $90,000 on EBay). Has the iPhone and iPad saved the gaming industry? No, but they have certainly bolstered it.

 
When you sit back and think of all the companies that have grown rich through Apple, Android and the internet you start to see that this is the technological revolution, and it is only going to get better.

Lindsay Lohan sues over Grand Theft Auto 5 character

Lindsay Lohan has decided to sue the makers of Grand Theft Auto as the latest installment of the game, GTA 5, used her image to create a character based on her without her permission.

Lindsay Lohan’s lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in a court in New York.

Game makers Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. and Rockstar Games have released the game in September.

The GTA 5 became the fastest-selling entertainment product ever, taking three days to generate $1 billion in revenue.

Lindsay Lohan's case claims GTA 5’s Lacey Jonas character is an unequivocal reference to her
Lindsay Lohan’s case claims GTA 5’s Lacey Jonas character is an unequivocal reference to her

Lindsay Lohan’s case claims a character named Lacey Jonas is an “unequivocal” reference to the Mean Girls star.

The actress claims image, voice and styles from her clothing line are depicted in the game.

The suit also claims that the game features West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont hotel, where Lindsay Lohan, 28, used to live.

In addition, the character asks for help to avoid paparazzi photographers during the story mode of the game.

GTA V, which is set in “a satirical reimagining of modern Southern California”, is the first game in the series that allows players to jump in and out of the lives of three simultaneously playable lead characters.

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Colostomy bikini picture goes viral

The picture of Bethany Townsend, who suffers from Crohn’s disease and posed in a bikini, revealing her colostomy bags, went viral being seen by more than nine million people on Facebook.

Bethany Townsend suffers from Crohn's disease
Bethany Townsend suffers from Crohn’s disease

Bethany Townsend, 23, from Worcester, England, posted the picture of herself on holiday in Mexico in December. She had decided to wear a bikini and not cover up her bags.

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Study: More than 99% of drug trials for Alzheimer’s disease failed

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According to a US study, more than 99% of drug trials for Alzheimer’s disease during the past decade have failed.

There is an urgent need to increase the number of potential therapies being investigated, say US scientists.

More than 99 percent of drug trials for Alzheimer's disease during the past decade have failed
More than 99 percent of drug trials for Alzheimer’s disease during the past decade have failed

Only one new medicine has been approved since 2004, they report in the journal Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy.

Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, in Las Vegas, and colleagues, examined a public website that records clinical trials.

Between 2002 and 2012, they found 99.6% of trials of drugs aimed at preventing, curing or improving the symptoms of Alzheimer’s had failed or been discontinued.

This compares with a failure rate of 81% for cancer drugs.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.

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Rolf Harris due to be sentenced

Entertainer Rolf Harris is due to be sentenced for assaulting four girls in the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

Rolf Harris, 84, was found guilty of all the 12 charges he faced after an eight-week trial at London’s Southwark Crown Court.

One of the girls was a childhood friend of his daughter, whom he repeatedly assaulted from when she was 13.

The judge had previously warned Rolf Harris that he was facing jail.

Rolf Harris is due to be sentenced for assaulting four girls in the 1960s, 70s and 80s
Rolf Harris is due to be sentenced for assaulting four girls in the 1960s, 70s and 80s

The trial, which ended on Monday, had heard how Rolf Harris used his “status and position” to abuse his victims and that the former television presenter had a dark side to his personality.

The central allegation concerned Rolf Harris’s daughter’s friend, whom the court heard he had molested from the age of 13 until she was 19.

An Australian woman Tonya Lee – who has waived her legal right to anonymity – said he had abused her three times on one day while she was on a theatre group trip to the UK at the age of 15.

Six women also told the court about assaults Rolf Harris had carried out against them in Australia, New Zealand and Malta. He could not be prosecuted over these incidents in a British court but the evidence was introduced as an added illustration of his behavior.

Rolf Harris, from Bray, Berkshire, was first questioned in November 2012 in Scotland Yard’s Operation Yewtree investigation set up in the wake of revelations about abuse committed by BBC presenter Jimmy Savile.

Lawyers for Rolf Harris wrote to media organizations at the time warning them against naming the entertainer and threatening libel action.

When Rolf Harris was arrested again in March 2013 the police did not name him and the entertainer was not identified in the mainstream media until a few weeks later.

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