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Mariam Ibrahim freed again from Sudan jail

Diane A. Wade
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Mariam Ibrahim freed again from Sudan jail

Mariam Ibrahim, whose death sentence for renouncing Islam was overturned in Sudan, has been released from jail again, after she was detained at Khartoum airport on Tuesday.

Mariam Ibrahim’s lawyer, Muhannad Mustafa, said that she was currently in the US embassy with her family.

She had been detained on charges of falsifying ID documents.

Mariam Ibrahim was first released on June 23 when an appeals court lifted her death sentence for renouncing Islam.

Her sentencing in May to hang for apostasy sparked an outcry at home and around the world.

Mariam Ibrahim has been charged with forgery relating to the South Sudanese travel document she was carrying
Mariam Ibrahim has been charged with forgery relating to the South Sudanese travel document she was carrying

Mariam Ibrahim, 27, had been held at a police station in the capital, since Tuesday, when she was prevented from leaving the country along with her husband, Daniel Wani, and their two children.

Daniel Wani is a Christian from South Sudan and is a US citizen.

She had reportedly planned to travel to the US with her family.

According to Reuters news agency, quoting her lawyer, Mariam Ibrahim was released on the condition that she remains in Sudan.

“Mariam was released after a guarantor was found, but, of course, she would not be able to leave the country,” Muhannad Mustafa said.

Asked about her plans following her release, she said: “I will leave it to God. I didn’t even have a chance to see my family after I got out of prison.”

Mariam Ibrahim has been charged with forgery relating to the South Sudanese travel document she was carrying, and accused of providing false information.

South Sudan’s embassy in Khartoum says the emergency travel documents were issued by the South Sudan authorities and are genuine.

However, Sudanese officials say she should have used a Sudanese passport and on Wednesday Sudan’s foreign ministry summoned the US and South Sudan charges d’affaires over the issue.

The ministry criticized South Sudan for issuing travel documents “despite their knowledge that she is a Sudanese national” and condemned the US for trying to help the woman leave Sudan using an “illegal [false] travel document”, the Suna news agency reports.

Sudan’s National Security and Intelligence Authority are reported to have lodged the complaint against Mariam Ibrahim.

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Barack Obama asks Congress for $500 million to fund Syrian rebels

Roy Siemens
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Barack Obama asks Congress for $500 million to fund Syrian rebels

President Barack Obama has asked the Congress to approve $500 million to fund training and equipment for what he described as “moderate” Syrian opposition forces.

The funds would help Syrians defend against forces aligned with President Bashar al-Assad, the White House said.

The aid would also counter Islamist militants such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), it added.

ISIS’s advance in neighboring Iraq has led some in Congress to press Barack Obama to take action.

Barack Obama has asked the Congress to approve $500 million to fund training and equipment for Syrian opposition forces
Barack Obama has asked the Congress to approve $500 million to fund training and equipment for Syrian opposition forces

Tens of thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced in three years of civil war in Syria, as rebels fight troops loyal to Bashar al-Assad.

“This funding request would build on the administration’s longstanding efforts to empower the moderate Syrian opposition, both civilian and armed,” the White House said.

It will also “enable the Department of Defense to increase our support to vetted elements of the armed opposition”.

The money will help stabilize areas under opposition control and counter terrorist threats, the White House said.

The rebels that would receive the funds would be vetted beforehand in order to alleviate concerns of equipment falling into the hands of militants hostile to the US and its allies, the White House said.

President Barack Obama has been under strong pressure from some members of Congress to increase assistance in the area, although it is unclear whether and when Congress would act on his request.

Last month Barack Obama hinted at increased help for the Syrian opposition in a speech at the military academy at West Point.

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Serena Williams falls into spectator’s lap at Wimbledon 2014

Clyde K. Valle
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Serena Williams falls into spectator’s lap at Wimbledon 2014

Serena Williams went out of space during her Wimbledon double match on June 25 and fell into the lap of a spectator.

Serena Williams ran out of space during her Wimbledon double match and fell into the lap of a spectator
Serena Williams ran out of space during her Wimbledon double match and fell into the lap of a spectator

The world number one was playing with her sister Venus in their first round match against Olga Kalashnikova and Oksana Savchuk on court three.

Serena Williams laughed off her fall and got back up to carry on with the game, which they won 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.

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Si and Willie Robertson face off in wood chipper competition

Sonia Pantiss
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Si and Willie Robertson face off in wood chipper competition

Duck Dynasty’s Uncle Si and his nephew Willie Robertson faced off in the ultimate competition to win a wood chipper.

The June 25 episode of Duck Dynasty proved who was the manliest of men when Si and Willie Robertson faced off in a competition to win the ultimate prize: a wood chipper.

Uncle Si and his nephew Willie Robertson faced off in the ultimate competition to win a wood chipper
Uncle Si and his nephew Willie Robertson faced off in the ultimate competition to win a wood chipper (photo A&E TV)

For some reason, Mountain Man came up with the genius idea to host his own contest – “Hands on a Hardbody” – on his radio show. However, he didn’t think his plan through all the way because there was only one problem: he did not have the money to purchase a truck for the competition.

Mountain Man stopped by Willie Robertson’s office to ask for a donation, which Willie was apprehensive about at first until his wife, Korie, convinced him to hand over $1,000 to help out a friend.

The next day, Si and Willie Robertson head over to Mountain Man’s house, which unbeknownst to them was the site of the competition. To their surprise, Mountain Man decided to swap the truck in for a wood chipper as the grand prize.

When no one else showed up for the competition, Si and Willie Robertson ended up facing off with each other.

The competition came to an all time high when Uncle Si tried to psych Willie out.

Jase Robertson joined in the fun when he began to provide a running commentary about something “magical” – Willie’s tinkle dance.

In the end, Si Robertson won the wood chipper.

Jep Robertson’s daughter Lily goes on her first date

Sonia Pantiss
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Jep Robertson’s daughter Lily goes on her first date

Duck Dynasty’s Jep Robertson assumed the role of bad cop when his daughter, Lily, went on her first date with a boy from her class.

The June 25 episode of Duck Dynasty showed how Jep Robertson went into over-protective dad mode after his wife broke the news that their daughter, Lily, 11, had plans to go on her very first date.

Jep Robertson’s daughter, Lily, went on her first date with a boy from her class
Jep Robertson’s daughter, Lily, went on her first date with a boy from her class (photo A&E TV)

Jep Robertson’s wife, Jessica, told him that their daughter, Lily, had her first official boyfriend and they planned to go out on their first date, at mini golf. Jep insisted that he chaperone the date, and he quickly turned the situation into a good cop/bad cop scenario.

He joked that Lily would have to be 5′ 8″ tall before she was allowed to go on a date with any boy.

When the day of the date came, Jep Robertson complained when Lily’s date, John Daniel, arrived late. However, he made up for it later on when he bought Lily flowers, gave her his jacket when she was cold, and said that he enjoyed hunting.

By the end of the date, Jep Robertson and John Daniel seemed to have hit it off pretty well despite Jep’s premature opinions.

Ebola outbreak out of control in West Africa

Kathryn R. Bown
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Ebola outbreak out of control in West Africa

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “drastic action” is needed to contain the spread of deadly Ebola in West Africa.

Nearly 400 people have died in the Ebola outbreak which started in Guinea and has spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia.

It is the largest outbreak in terms of cases, deaths and geographical spread.

The WHO said it was “gravely concerned” and there was potential for “further international spread”.

Nearly 400 people have died in the Ebola outbreak which started in Guinea and has spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia
Nearly 400 people have died in the Ebola outbreak which started in Guinea and has spread to neighboring Sierra Leone and Liberia

The Ebola outbreak started four months ago and is continuing to spread.

So far there have been more than 600 cases and around 60% of those infected with the virus have died.

Ebola, a hemorrhagic fever, has no cure and is spread by contact with the fluids of infected people or animals, such as urine, sweat and blood.

Most of the deaths have been centered in the southern Guekedou region of Guinea.

The WHO has sent 150 experts to the region to help prevent the spread of the virus but admits “there has been significant increase in the number of daily reported cases and deaths”.

Dr. Luis Sambo, the WHO’s regional director for Africa, said: “This is no longer a country-specific outbreak, but a sub-regional crisis that requires firm action.

“WHO is gravely concerned of the on-going cross-border transmission into neighboring countries as well as the potential for further international spread.

“There is an urgent need to intensify response efforts…this is the only way that the outbreak will be effectively addressed.”

The charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has already warned that the Ebola outbreak is out of control.

Ebola virus disease (EVD):

  • Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
  • Fatality rate can reach 90%
  • Incubation period is two to 21 days
  • There is no vaccine or cure
  • Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhea and vomiting can help recovery
  • Fruit bats are considered to be the natural host of the virus [youtube 2l9ung-07qU 650]

Lindsay Lohan to make stage debut in West End

Sonia Pantiss
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Lindsay Lohan to make stage debut in West End

Lindsay Lohan will make her stage debut in the West End later this year in a revival of David Mamet’s Speed-The-Plow.

Lindsay Lohan told the New York Times last week she had been in London preparing for a potential role and was “nervous but excited”.

Lindsay Lohan will make her stage debut in the West End later this year
Lindsay Lohan will make her stage debut in the West End later this year (photo Getty Images)

David Mamet’s play, which first opened on Broadway in 1988 starring Madonna, satirizes the Hollywood film industry.

It will run at the Playhouse Theatre from September 24 to November 29.

Lindsay Lohan will play the role of Karen, a temporary secretary who puts the relationship of two Hollywood producers under strain.

It will be directed by Lindsay Posner, who previously directed other David Mamet plays including Oleanna and A Life in the Theatre.

The West End production is being brought to the stage by Theatre Royal Bath, which was also behind recent West End productions Relative Values, Relatively Speaking and Fences.

Further casting will be announced later.

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Oscars 2015: New rules for music categories announced

Sonia Pantiss
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Oscars 2015: New rules for music categories announced

Academy Awards organizers have put new rules in place to ensure fair campaigning in Oscar’s music categories.

Academy members are no longer allowed to contact voters via any means to promote their song for nomination.

Members will also not be allowed to attend a live performance of eligible songs unless attached to a screening.

It comes following the disqualification in the original song category this year after it emerged a songwriter had emailed voters to consider his song.

Oscar organizers have outlined new regulations for music categories
Oscar organizers have outlined new regulations for music categories

Alone Yet Not Alone, the title track from an independent Christian-faith film, beat other high-profile contenders to secure a surprise place on the shortlist.

It was later discovered Bruce Broughton – a former Academy governor and current executive committee member – emailed at least 70 of the 240-member music branch during the nomination period to bring his song to their attention.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said at the time Broughton had undermined “the integrity of the voting process”, adding he “took advantage of information that few other potential nominees are privy to”.

Bruce Broughton denied any wrongdoing and said he was “devastated” at the disqualification of his song, which he co-wrote with Dennis Spiegel.

Four compositions were left competing for the award, which was eventually won by Let It Go – written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez – from Disney animation Frozen.

The second rule change involving the attendance of live performances is understood to address the number of concert events which were held this year to highlight songs and scores.

Such events featured Idina Menzel singing Let It Go, Pharrell Williams performing Happy and the music from Inside Llewyn Davis.

Although the events will still be permitted to take place, music branch members will not be allowed to attend.

The next Oscars will be held on February, 22 2015 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

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US GDP in surprise slump in Q1 2014

Clyde K. Valle
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US GDP in surprise slump in Q1 2014

According to latest figures, the US economy suffered its worst performance for five years in Q1 2014.

The US economy shrank at an annualized rate of 2.9% in Q1 2014, the third estimate from the US Commerce Department showed.

This was worse than the previous estimate of a 1% contraction, and also worse than economists’ expectations.

However, the US economy is expected to have recorded a sharp recovery during the second quarter of the year.

The White House said the figures showed the economic recovery was still in progress, but added other indicators for April and May suggest a rebound in the second quarter.

The US economy shrank at an annualized rate of 2.9 percent in Q1 2014
The US economy shrank at an annualized rate of 2.9 percent in Q1 2014

The unusually cold weather in the first quarter of 2014 has been blamed for the poor performance of the economy.

However, the gap between the second and third estimates of US growth for the quarter was the largest on record.

The latest revision came as a result of a weaker pace of healthcare spending than previously assumed, which caused a downgrading of the consumer spending estimate.

Consumer spending – which is responsible for more than two-thirds of US economic growth – increased by 1% in the quarter, rather than the 3.1% rate as first estimated.

Trade was also a bigger drag on the economy than previously thought, with exports falling by 8.9% rather than a previously estimated 6%.

Q1 2014 figures are all the more startling as the economy grew by 2.6% in Q4 2013.

However, economists said more recent unemployment, manufacturing and service sector data all pointed to a sharp turnaround in the second quarter.

Analysts have forecast the economy could bounce back by as much as 4% in the second quarter.

Last week, the Federal Reserve cut its growth forecast for 2014 because of the harsh winter weather.

The Fed is now predicting growth of between 2.1% and 2.3% for this year, down from its March forecast of 2.8% to 3%.

However, in its accompanying statement, the central bank noted that economic activity had “rebounded in recent months”.

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Costa Rica: Luis Guillermo Solis bans cult of personality

Diane A. Wade
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Costa Rica: Luis Guillermo Solis bans cult of personality

Costa Rica’s newly elected President Luis Guillermo Solis has passed a decree banning his name being put on plaques at public works.

Luis Guillermo Solis, who was sworn in last month, also said he did not want his portrait hung in public offices, which was until now a common practice.

“The worship of the image of the president is over, at least under my government,” Luis Guillermo Solis said.

His victory made him the first third-party candidate to govern Costa Rica in more than 50 years.

Costa Rica's newly elected President Luis Guillermo Solis has passed a decree banning his name being put on plaques at public works
Costa Rica’s newly elected President Luis Guillermo Solis has passed a decree banning his name being put on plaques at public works

Luis Guillermo Solis told reporters he thought having his name on plaques marking the inauguration of construction projects such as bridges and roads gave people the wrong idea.

“The works are from the country and not from a government or a particular official,” he told reporters after signing the decree.

In future, commemorative plaques will only bear the year the project was inaugurated rather than the name of the administration, as was usual until now.

Luis Guillermo Solis – of the centre-left Citizen Action Party (PAC) – surprised everyone by taking 31% of the vote in the first round of the presidential election in February.

In the opinion polls which followed, Luis Guillermo Solis got so much support, his main rival decided to stop campaigning and effectively drop out of the race.

Nevertheless, Luis Guillermo Solis continued to campaign until the last minute on a promise to bring transparency to the presidency and eliminate unnecessary spending.

Luis Guillermo Solis won with almost 78% of the vote.

World Cup 2014: Ghana kicks out Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng for indiscipline

Clyde K. Valle
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World Cup 2014: Ghana kicks out Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng for indiscipline

Ghana’s World Cup squad has expelled players Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng for alleged indiscipline.

A statement on the Ghana Football Association website said both players had “been suspended indefinitely”.

The statement added Kevin-Prince Boateng had used “insults targeted at coach Kwesi Appiah” and said Sulley Muntari was guilty of an “unprovoked physical attack on an executive committee member”.

The news comes just hours before Ghana take on Portugal on Thursday.

Ghana's World Cup squad has expelled Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng for alleged indiscipline
Ghana’s World Cup squad has expelled Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng for alleged indiscipline

Ghana still has an outside chance of qualifying for the knockout phase of the tournament.

The Ghana FA statement said the incident involving AC Milan’s Sulley Muntari took place on Tuesday and named Moses Armah, a member of the team management, as the man said to have been assaulted by the 29-year-old.

And Schalke 04 player Kevin-Prince Boateng, 27, was said by the Ghana FA to have shown “no remorse for his actions”, which took place during the team’s training session in Maceio on Tuesday.

Ghana’s World Cup campaign has already been blighted by a dispute over players’ appearance fees.

On Wednesday, the national government sent in excess of $3 million in a chartered plane to Brazil to pay the squad following their threat to boycott their final group match against Portugal if they did not receive their money.

To reach the last 16, Ghana need to beat Portugal and hope there is a winner of the match between Germany and US – although Ghana would also need to overtake their rivals’ superior goal difference.

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Luis Suarez biting: Four months worldwide ban and $111,000 fine

Clyde K. Valle
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Luis Suarez biting: Four months worldwide ban and $111,000 fine

FIFA has banned Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for nine matches after being found guilty of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini.

FIFA has banned Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for nine matches after being found guilty of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini
FIFA has banned Uruguay striker Luis Suarez for nine matches after being found guilty of biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini

Luis Suarez was also suspended from any football-related activity for four months and fined 100,000 Swiss francs ($111,000).

The ban means Luis Suarez will not play in Uruguay’s game on Saturday.

FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer made the announcement at a news briefing in Rio de Janeiro.

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Iraq: Syria carried out air strikes on ISIS militants

Roy Siemens
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Iraq: Syria carried out air strikes on ISIS militants

Iraq’s PM Nouri al-Maliki has confirmed that Syria carried out air strikes on ISIS militants inside Iraqi territory this week.

Nouri al-Maliki said Syrian fighter jets had bombed militant positions around the border town of Qaim on Tuesday.

Syria carried out air strikes on ISIS militants inside Iraqi territory
Syria carried out air strikes on ISIS militants inside Iraqi territory

While Iraq did not ask for the raid, the prime minister added, it “welcomed” any such strike against the Islamist group ISIS.

ISIS and its Sunni Muslim allies have seized large parts of Iraq this month including the second city, Mosul.

The Iraqi government has struggled to hold back the militants’ advance from the north and west and has also been receiving support from Iran, with whom its Shia Muslim majority has close links.

The US, which also backs the government, has stressed that the militants can only be defeated by Iraq’s own forces.

Nouri al-Maliki will seek to form a new government in an effort to maintain national unity when parliament assembles again next week in Baghdad.

In another development, reports say that a unit of al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, the Nusra Front, pledged allegiance to Isis in the Syrian town of Albu Kamal, near the Iraqi border.

Until recently, the Nusra Front had been fighting in Syria against Isis, which it sees as harming its cause with its brutality and extremism.

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Narendra Modi overtakes White House on Twitter

Nancy Clayson
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Narendra Modi overtakes White House on Twitter

India’s new PM Narendra Modi has overtaken the White House on Twitter, a study of political use of the social network has found.

Narendra Modi’s account @NarendraModi has 4.99 million followers, ahead of the @WhiteHouse account which has 4.98 million followers.

His huge victory in the recent general election was partly credited to a well-organized social media campaign.

Narendra Modi has overtaken the White House on Twitter
Narendra Modi has overtaken the White House on Twitter

Narendra Modi, leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is also the most followed Indian leader on Twitter.

“Mr. Modi’s seen a stratospheric rise,” said Matthias Luefkens, who heads the annual Twiplomacy, a study conducted by global public relations and communications firm Burson-Marsteller.

Although Narendra Modi speaks mostly in Hindi, his tweets are always in English, preferred for business in a nation with 22 official languages.

Narendra Modi, who was elected in May, scored 24,000 re-tweets for his own “India has won!” victory message.

“I am a firm believer in the power of technology and social media to communicate with people across the world,” Narendra Modi has said in a message on his new website.

The five most followed world leaders were President Barack Obama (@BarackObama) with 43 million followers of his campaign account, Pope Francis (@Pontifex) with 14 million followers on his nine different language accounts, Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (@SBYudhoyono) with 5 million followers, with @WhiteHouse and @NarendraModi in fourth and fifth places.

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US Commerce Department lifts four-decade ban on oil exports

Clyde K. Valle
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US Commerce Department lifts four-decade ban on oil exports

Two companies have received US Commerce Department permission to export oil, after it has been lightly processed – a move that could see oil exports from the US increase.

Exports of unrefined crude oil produced in the US have been mostly banned for nearly four decades.

But there have been calls to ease that ban, not least due to rising oil production and a shale oil boom.

However, the White House said the move by the Commerce Department did not indicate a change in policy.

Two companies have received US Commerce Department permission to export oil
Two companies have received US Commerce Department permission to export oil

“As the Commerce Department has said, oil that goes through a process to become a petroleum product is no longer considered crude oil,” spokesman Josh Earnest said.

The US Commerce Department, which controls oil exports, has given permission to Pioneer Natural Resources Co and Enterprise Products Partners to ship a type of ultra-light oil to foreign buyers.

The US has restricted most crude exports since mid-1970s, in response to the Arab oil embargo.

While there have been calls for the restrictions to be eased, some have cited concerns that any such move may see fuel prices in the US rise and hurt domestic businesses and consumers.

However, some analysts said that the latest decision was unlikely to have an impact on domestic fuel prices.

Meanwhile, analysts also suggested that the ruling could see other firms take a similar route of processing oil in order to make it eligible for exports.

Such moves, they said, could see US oil exports increase in the short term.

Analysts say that some 200,000 to 300,000 barrels per day of US condensate could be exported by the end of this year and the volume could double in 2015.

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MH370: New search area for missing Malaysia Airlines plane announced

Nancy Clayson
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MH370: New search area for missing Malaysia Airlines plane announced

Australian government has announced a new search area for the missing Malaysian plane after further analysis of satellite data.

The search will now shift south to focus on an area 1,100 miles off the west coast of Australia, Deputy PM Warren Truss confirmed.

Flight MH370 vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 with 239 passengers on board.

Officials said they believed the plane had been on autopilot when it crashed.

The search for missing MH370 flight will now shift south to focus on an area 1,100 miles off the west coast of Australia
The search for missing MH370 flight will now shift south to focus on an area 1,100 miles off the west coast of Australia

A 64-page report released by the Australian government concluded that the underwater search for the plane should resume in the new area.

An extensive search of the ocean floor was conducted in April after several acoustic pings, initially thought to be from the plane’s flight data recorders, were heard. However, officials now believe the pings were not caused by the plane.

“It is highly, highly likely that the aircraft was on autopilot otherwise it could not have followed the orderly path that has been identified through the satellite sightings,” Warren Truss said.

The underwater search for the plane was put on hold to allow more time for survey vessels to map the ocean floor.

The new search is expected to commence in August and is expected to be completed within a year, Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) chief Martin Dolan confirmed.

Submarines will scour the ocean floor to look for signs of the missing Boeing 777.

The search for the missing plane is already among most expensive in aviation history.

After more than 100 days since the disappearance of the airliner, many of the relatives of the missing passengers have continued to express frustration at the lack of progress in the search.

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GM stops selling some Chevrolet Cruze models over airbag problem

Clyde K. Valle
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GM stops selling some Chevrolet Cruze models over airbag problem

GM has told dealers in the US and Canada to stop selling some Chevrolet Cruze cars due to a potential problem with the airbag.

It said the driver’s side airbag in the affected cars may not deploy properly, due to a wrong part being used.

The part was supplied by Japan’s Takata Corp. A defective part from Takata is already the subject of a major global recall by various car manufacturers.

But General Motors said its issue was not related to a defective part.

GM has told dealers in the US and Canada to stop selling some Chevrolet Cruze cars due to a potential problem with the airbag
GM has told dealers in the US and Canada to stop selling some Chevrolet Cruze cars due to a potential problem with the airbag

Jim Cain, spokesman for GM, was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying that the affected Cruze cars “may have been assembled with an incorrect part”.

The recent moves by various car makers to recall million of cars globally were triggered by the use of a defective part rather than a wrong one.

On Monday, Japanese carmakers Honda and Nissan added two million and 755,000 vehicles respectively to the recall they issued last year to replace the defective part.

Toyota, the world’s biggest car maker, recalled an additional 650,000 cars earlier this month to address the issue, taking its total recall tally due to the problem to nearly 2.8 million vehicles.

For GM, the latest move has added to the issues it has faced this year.

The company has recalled more than 17 million cars in the US this year – more than it sold in 2013.

The recalls have been issued due to various problems including faulty ignition switches, possible faulty seat belts, transmissions and air bags, as well as potential fire issues.

In May, GM was fined $35 million for failing to address defects with the ignition switches which have been linked to 13 deaths.

According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Board (NHTSA), it was the single highest civil penalty ever levied as a result of a recall investigation.

GM has also raised its expected second-quarter charge for recall expenses to $700 million, up from $400 million.

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Poland leaked tapes: PM Donald Tusk wins parliamentary vote of confidence

Diane A. Wade
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Poland leaked tapes: PM Donald Tusk wins parliamentary vote of confidence

Donald Tusk’s government has won a parliamentary vote of confidence sparked by a scandal over leaked tapes of Polish senior officials.

PM Donald Tusk had told parliament that without a pledge of majority support he would not be able to effectively represent Poland in the EU.

The apparently secret recordings have been released by Wprost magazine.

In one, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski allegedly says that Poland’s alliance with the US is worthless.

Donald Tusk’s government has won a parliamentary vote of confidence sparked by a scandal over leaked tapes of Polish senior officials
Donald Tusk’s government has won a parliamentary vote of confidence sparked by a scandal over leaked tapes of Polish senior officials

In another, Central Bank head Marek Belka and Interior Minister Bartlomiej Sienkiewicz are apparently heard discussing how the bank could help the governing party win re-election in 2015; such action would be in violation of the bank’s independence.

All have said their words were taken out of context and they deny any wrongdoing.

Wprost said it obtained the recordings from a businessman.

In Wednesday’s vote, Donald Tusk’s centre-right two-party coalition received backing from 237 lawmakers, with 203 against in the 460-member parliament. The prime minister needed a simple majority of 231 for the vote of confidence to pass.

Donald Tusk had called for the vote before heading to the EU summit in Brussels later this week.

The secret recordings were made over several months at locations including high-end Warsaw restaurants.

In a speech to parliament earlier on Wednesday, Donald Tusk said he believed a criminal group was behind the recordings.

Polish prosecutors say they have charged two people with illegally recording conversations and were questioning two more.

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5 Tips for Surviving Summer College Courses

James J. Williams
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5 Tips for Surviving Summer College Courses

The summer is here, the weather is gorgeous, and everybody is making plans to spend the season having a great time with leisurely, outdoor activities. Well, not everybody.

Some people will have to spend at least a few hours each week in a classroom going through the undesirable but sometimes necessary ritual of summer college courses. If you are among the lucky few spending inordinate amounts of time both in class and studying this summer for a college course, these are a few tips to help make the experience as pain free and productive, as possible.

Take Advantage of the Quiet

Most campuses are not nearly as crowded for summer classes as they are in the spring and fall. While this may seem unfair at first if it seems like everybody is elsewhere having fun, try thinking about it in this way: you may just be able to have the library and other nice air-conditioned study spots pretty much all to yourself.

Students have to spend at least a few hours each week for the undesirable but sometimes necessary ritual of summer college courses
Students have to spend at least a few hours each week for the undesirable but sometimes necessary ritual of summer college courses

Of course, your classes will ultimately be easier with more out-of-class studying, but if the idea of studying for endless hours does not seem appealing during the summer, less crowded facilities give you more expansive schedule options. If you like, you can divide your studying up amongst a few days of the week instead of just one or two — this way you also have some time for summer activities while the material remains fresh in your mind.

Avoid the Urge to Skip

This is a tough one when the weather’s nice and your friends have something planned, but you are earning credits and adding to your education. Skipping class unnecessarily will only make passing the course more difficult and ultimately add to the stress and work you need to do, and may make the added work of taking summer courses to begin with all for naught. Simply going to class will be worth both in the short term as well as the long run.

Eat Well

Diet has a much larger effect on productivity and mood than many people realize. While students often have the choice of gulping down nothing but sugary cereal and fast food, and these foods may be temporarily satisfying, there is nothing wrong with enjoying some vegetables and fruit as well, not to mention generous amounts of plain old water, especially while the weather is hot. Your body will thank you, and you will be much better equipped mentally and physically for the rigors of academia.

Caffeine Can Be Your Friend

While gulping down pots of coffee everyday may not be the best approach, a good deal of recent research is showing that reasonable amounts of caffeine not only improves mood and concentration, which is obvious to anybody who enjoys coffee, but can also help prevent diseases such as diabetes and certain types of cancer. Beyond that, when you are taking summer classes coffee can simply help you get through a morning class and/or an afternoon study session. Whether you have a personal coffee maker at home or like to study at your favorite coffee shop, having a cup or two might help keep you focused.

Practice Thoughtful Time Management

While divvying up your study sessions between shorter, more manageable segments is part of this, another part of good time management during the summer to make sure to set aside some time for activities that you enjoy. Whether it is setting aside a day for hitting the beach with friends or just a few hours playing Xbox, knowing that you have some enjoyable leisure time coming up can help get you through what your classes require. If you try dedicating all of your time to being a super-dedicated student without any balance, this can lead to burnout and skipped classes.

Even if you start out enthusiastic about your summer courses, the practice of taking one or more classes during the summer often presents some unique challenges. These tips will help get you through your summer studies with ease.

Banex Plaza bomb attack: At least 21 people killed in Abuja blast

Roy Siemens
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Banex Plaza bomb attack: At least 21 people killed in Abuja blast

At least 21 people have been killed and other 52 injured in a bomb attack on Banex Plaza shopping center in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

The explosion, near the popular Banex plaza shopping complex in Wuse district, could be heard from miles away and sent plumes of smoke into the air.

At least 21 people have been killed and other 52 injured in a bomb attack on Banex Plaza shopping center in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja
At least 21 people have been killed and other 52 injured in a bomb attack on Banex Plaza shopping center in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja

Government spokesman Mike Omeri confirmed the blast was the result of a bomb.

No claims of responsibility have been reported.

Islamist militant group Boko Haram has bombed targets across northern Nigeria in recent years.

Boko Haram has staged previous attacks in Abuja, but most of its targets have been in the north-east of the country.

In April, more than 70 people were killed in a bomb blast at a bus stop on the outskirts of the capital in an attack claimed by Boko Haram.

Boko Haram also said it was behind a car bomb attack near a bus station in the suburbs in May, which killed at least 19 people and injured 60 others.

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Sensor capable of measuring goose bumps in real time developed in South Korea

James J. Williams
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Sensor capable of measuring goose bumps in real time developed in South Korea

A South Korean research team has developed a sensor capable of measuring goose bumps on the human body in real time.

The sensor uses a stick-on transparent conductive polymer to quantify how big the bumps are and how long they last.

It works by recording a drop in the sensor’s capacitance – its ability to store an electrical charge – caused by it being deformed by the buckling of the skin’s surface.

The sensor uses a stick-on transparent conductive polymer to quantify how big the goose bumps are and how long they last
The sensor uses a stick-on transparent conductive polymer to quantify how big the goose bumps are and how long they last (photo Wikipedia)

The engineers say it could be used to study changes in people’s emotions.

The work was carried out at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and details have been published in the Applied Physics Letters journal.

The article explains that the thin, flexible, square sensor, whose sides are about 0.8in long, was tested on the arm of a subject who was asked to grab ice cubes to induce the reaction.

Although, by its nature, this involved a response to physical stimuli, the researchers noted that other scientists had previously shown that goose bumps could be used to deduce changes in a subject’s emotional state brought on by music, movies and other causes.

“In the future, human emotions will be regarded like any typical biometric information, including body temperature or blood pressure,” Prof. Young Ho-cho told the journal.

Although more work needs to be done to correlate the measurements with specific emotional states, and only certain strong reactions might result in goose bumps, the journal still suggested the technology could ultimately be used to create kit to personalize adverts, music and other services based on the user’s reactions.

John Boehner sues Barack Obama over executive actions

Diane A. Wade
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John Boehner sues Barack Obama over executive actions

House Speaker John Boehner has confirmed he will file a lawsuit against the Obama administration for its use of executive actions to change laws.

John Boehner said: “I believe the President is not faithfully executing the laws of our country, and on behalf of the institution and our constitution standing up and fighting for this is in the best long term interest of the Congress.”

He would not say which executive action the lawsuit would target specifically.

The specifics and mechanics of the suit have yet to be worked out, but John Boehner could enlist an organization called the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) to carry it out.

John Boehner has confirmed he will file a lawsuit against the Obama administration for its use of executive actions to change laws
John Boehner has confirmed he will file a lawsuit against the Obama administration for its use of executive actions to change laws

Because that body is controlled by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, the Majority Whip, the Minority Leader and the Minority Whip, Republicans could order the lawsuit to go ahead even if Democrats objected.

John Boehner insisted Wednesday that the lawsuit does not amount to an effort to impeach the president.

“This is not about impeachment, this is about his faithfully executing the laws of our country,” he said.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said he is confident President Barack Obama has operated well within the confines of the law and that Republicans have brought the suit simply because they disagree with Obama’s policies.

The GOP’s unwillingness to compromise has forced the president to take more executive actions, Earnest said.

“The fact that they are considering a taxpayer-funded lawsuit against the president of the United States for doing his job, I think, is the kind of step that most Americans wouldn’t support,” Josh Earnest said.

“This lawsuit is not going to consume the attention of the White House,” he added.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, on Wednesday called the lawsuit “subterfuge”.

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Justin Bieber involved in car accident in Beverly Hills

Lisa.Felice
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Justin Bieber involved in car accident in Beverly Hills

Justin Bieber was involved in a car accident in Beverly Hills on June 24, ET Online reported.

The singer was not driving at the time of the collision, the Beverly Hills Police Department said. The non-injury traffic accident involved two cars in front of The Montage, according to police.

Justin Bieber was involved in a car accident in Beverly Hills
Justin Bieber was involved in a car accident in Beverly Hills

The accident happened after a car driven by a paparazzo was chasing the Escalade in which Justin Bieber was a passenger. The Escalade was going down Canon Drive at a fast clip, trying to lose the photographer, when a BMW was pulling out of a parking structure near Bouchon restaurant. The BMW misjudged the speed of the Escalade and smashed into it. Justin Bieber almost immediately got out of the SUV and into another car and sped off.

Justin Bieber was not present when the police arrived on the scene.

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The Cost of Water for World Cup

Clyde K. Valle
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The Cost of Water for World Cup

While nothing related to the World Cup is as serious as the 48 people who were killed in Kenya while watching the tournament, there have been other costs that are also serious. The games have brought about tremendous cost for those who attended them, and also for the countries who hosted them. These countries have ended up having to spend tremendous amounts of money on security, and also on the property being utilized. The cleanup costs in some of these areas are estimated to be greater than the revenue that was generated, and this has called the sustainability of the tournament into question.

The World Cup soccer tournament is the most popular sporting event on Earth
The World Cup soccer tournament is the most popular sporting event on Earth

The World Cup soccer tournament is the most popular sporting event on Earth, because soccer is played all over the world. This type of fanfare is going to continue to drive the sport to the forefront of the sports world, but there needs to be more of an effort to make it sustainable. Those in charge of the event need to begin looking at not only the financial cost, but also the costs that are not tallied which hosting areas must endure. While no one wants the World Cup to go anywhere, there is a whole lot of room for improvement.

The amount of water being used in the World Cup is not the only problem though, waste water is very hazardous, and a sample use case of a plumbing disaster in Anaheim, where the Ducks play hockey and large concerts are played, is a catastrophe just waiting to happen. The type of plumbing used both in California and at the World Cup could be modified in order to accommodate the high demand and low supply of water. Without the right infrastructural accommodations being made, there is a chance that a water shortage could end up causing a lot of trouble for everyone concerned.

The infrastructural adaptations that a large scale sporting event requires, is always going to test the tolerance of any city center, but there are preparations that can be made. When it comes to water, having an ample supply of bottled water for visitors to the city can help to cut back on the impact with regard to the local water supply. Utilizing portable toilets in crowded areas as opposed to traditional toilets will cut back on the impact to the local sewer system. While these techniques were utilized at the World Cup this year, they should have been used a whole lot more than they were.

Kazakhstan removes selfie statue

Sonia Pantiss
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Kazakhstan removes selfie statue

Authorities in Kazakhstan have removed a monument after locals likened the figures on it to hobbits taking a “selfie”, reports say.

The statue in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk was built to honor two 19th Century figures – Abay Kunanbayev, a local writer and thinker, and Yevgeny Mikhaelis, a Russian scientist and pro-democracy activist who was exiled to eastern Kazakhstan.

The statue in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk was built to honor two 19th Century figures
The statue in the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk was built to honor two 19th Century figures (photo YK.kz)

The monument immediately attracted the scorn of locals who – according to Tengri News website – took to social media to point out that the figures looked like they were taking a selfie. Other people pointed out their similarity to hobbits, said the news website Nur.kz.

Even one of the co-authors of the monument, Vladimir Samoylov, admitted that there was something wrong with it. The sculptors were given too little time to finish the monument, he told YK.kz, a website based in Ust-Kamenogorsk.

“We were in a huge rush, and look what happened.”

Following the criticism, the monument was removed on June 24, just one day after it was erected at the intersection of Abay Avenue and Mikhaelis Street.

The statue “deviated from the agreed design”, and the sculptors were told to correct the deviations as soon as possible, the local government told Tengri News.

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