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Elephant takes selfie at West Midlands Safari Park

Nancy Clayson
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Elephant takes selfie at West Midlands Safari Park

An elephant at UK’s West Midlands Safari Park took a selfie on a visitor’s phone when he dropped it, it has been claimed.

The 23-year-old visitor, named Scott Brierley, said he found a photo of African elephant Latabe on his phone after it was returned to him by keepers at West Midlands Safari Park, near Bewdley in Worcestershire.

Scott Brierley said he found a photo of African elephant Latabe on his phone after it was returned to him by keepers at West Midlands Safari Park
Scott Brierley said he found a photo of African elephant Latabe on his phone after it was returned to him by keepers at West Midlands Safari Park (photo Scott Brierley)

Head keeper Andy Plumb said the picture was a first for the park.

Scott Brierley said he believed it was the world’s first “elfie” – or elephant selfie.

He said he was ordered to stay inside his car after his phone fell to the ground while he was taking pictures of the park’s elephant enclosure.

Scott Brierley said he saw the 22-year-old elephant walk towards his phone but thought she had mistaken it for food.

“I really couldn’t believe when the phone came back, I pressed the centre button to check it was still working and there it was – me and my friend were in shock,” he said.

Andy Plumb said the staff at the park were “very proud” of Latabe’s apparent photography skills.

“Lots of people have dropped their phones at our park but I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said.

Princess Charlene pregnant: Monaco’s royal couple expecting their first child

Lisa.Felice
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Princess Charlene pregnant: Monaco’s royal couple expecting their first child

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco have announced they are expecting their first child.

In a short statement, Prince Albert II and his South African wife – who married in July 2011 – expressed their “immense joy” at the news.

The statement said the birth was expected before the end of the year, but gave no further details.

The new baby will replace Princess Caroline – Prince Albert’s older sister – as heir to the throne.

Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco have announced they are expecting their first child
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco have announced they are expecting their first child

Prince Albert already has two children from previous relationships – 22-year-old daughter Jazmin and 10-year-old son Alexandre.

The tiny principality of Monaco, which covers less than one square mile, is the world’s smallest independent state after the Vatican City.

Prince Albert is the son of the late Prince Rainier III and actress Grace Kelly.

Princess Grace died after a car crash in 1982, and Prince Rainier died in 2005.

Prince Albert II has been Monaco’s ruler since the death of his father.

He met Charlene Wittstock when he was presiding over a swimming race in 2000. She then went on represent South Africa in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Prince Albert and Charlene Wittstock officially made their debut as a couple at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.

Since their marriage, Charlene’s official title is Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco.

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Thai coup 2014: Elections will not be held for more than a year

Diane A. Wade
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Thai coup 2014: Elections will not be held for more than a year

Thailand’s military coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha has said elections will not be held for more than a year, to allow time for political reconciliation and reform.

In a televised address, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha called on all sides to co-operate and stop protesting.

He repeated warnings against any resistance to the military.

Thailand's military coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha has said elections will not be held for more than a year, to allow time for political reconciliation and reform
Thailand’s military coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha has said elections will not be held for more than a year, to allow time for political reconciliation and reform (photo Reuters)

The Thai army seized power on May 22, and detained senior politicians for several days saying stability had to be restored after months of unrest.

In his first public address since the coup, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha said: “The ruling military regime have a timeframe of one year and three months to move towards elections.

“Enough time has been wasted on conflict.”

He said a first phase of about three months would focus on “reconciliation” with a cabinet and new draft constitution put in place.

Reforms would then be introduced over a second, year-long, period and only after this could elections be held.

“Give us time to solve the problems for you. Then the soldiers will step back to look at Thailand from afar,” he added.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has previously warned that if protests continued he would have no choice but to use force.

In his address he repeated the warnings, saying resistance would only slow the process of bringing “happiness” back to the Thai people.

Also on Friday, hundreds of troops sealed off a major Bangkok intersection during the evening rush hour to prevent a possible protest.

Thailand’s military stepped in after six months of political deadlock as protesters tried to oust the government of PM Yingluck Shinawatra.

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Sleeping in light bedrooms increases risk of obesity

Kathryn R. Bown
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Sleeping in light bedrooms increases risk of obesity

A new study has found that sleeping in a room with too much light has been linked to an increased risk of obesity.

A team at the Institute of Cancer Research in London found women had larger waistlines if their bedroom was “light enough to see across” at night.

However, they caution there is not enough evidence to advise people to buy thicker curtains or turn off lights.

The study of 113,000 women was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The women were asked to rate the amount of light in their bedrooms at night as:

Sleeping in a room with too much light has been linked to an increased risk of obesity
Sleeping in a room with too much light has been linked to an increased risk of obesity (photo iStockphoto)
  • Light enough to read
  • Light enough to see across the room, but not read
  • Light enough to see your hand in front of you, but not across the room
  • Too dark to see your hand or you wear a mask

Their answers were compared to several measures of obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio and waist circumference were all higher in women with lighter rooms.

One possible explanation is that the light is disrupting the body clock, which stems from our evolutionary past when we were active when it was light in the day and resting when it was dark at night.

Light alters mood, physical strength and even the way we process food in a 24-hour cycle.

Artificial light is known to disrupt the body clock by delaying the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

The study was funded by Breakthrough Breast Cancer and the findings emerged from a long-term study to understand the risk factors for breast cancer. Obesity is known to increase the odds of the disease.

VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigns following hospitals scandal

Roy Siemens
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VA Secretary Eric Shinseki resigns following hospitals scandal

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has resigned amid a scandal over delayed care and falsified records at the agency’s hospitals.

President Barack Obama said Eric Shinseki told him he did not want to be a distraction as the agency tried to fix Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals.

Barack Obama said he accepted the resignation “with considerable regret”.

A recent report found veterans at an Arizona hospital waited an average of 115 days for an initial appointment.

On Friday morning after an Oval Office meeting with Eric Shinseki, a retired four-star general wounded in Vietnam, Barack Obama told reporters Shinseki had “worked hard to investigate and identify the problems with access to care”.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has resigned amid a scandal over delayed care and falsified records at the agency's hospitals
Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki has resigned amid a scandal over delayed care and falsified records at the agency’s hospitals

“But as he told me this morning, the VA needs new leadership to address them,” Barack Obama said.

“We don’t have time for distractions. We need to fix the problem.”

Eric Shinseki’s decision to step down came as his support among Barack Obama’s own Democratic Party steadily eroded. Republicans in Congress and at least one major veterans group had called for him to step down earlier this month.

The president said he had named Deputy VA Secretary Sloan Gibson to be acting head of the agency.

Eric Shinseki’s resignation is the culmination of months of tumult at the agency over reports that administrators at a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, had falsified records to hide a lengthy backlog of veterans awaiting care.

On Wednesday, an internal VA inquiry revealed veterans in Phoenix waited an average of 115 days for a first appointment, but the hospital reported to the agency an average wait time of only 24 days.

The VA inspector general’s report also said at least 1,700 veterans were not even on official waiting lists because they had not been properly registered.

Barack Obama acknowledged the misconduct was not limited to Phoenix but had occurred in VA facilities across the country.

“It’s totally unacceptable,” he said on Friday.

“Our veterans deserve the best. They’ve earned it.”

Eric Shinseki had begun sacking senior officials at the Phoenix hospital, and has also cancelled bonuses for top VA executives and ordered the agency to contact any veteran in Phoenix waiting for care.

The US veterans health system serves about nine million former US military service members.

Its resources have been strained by the ageing population of Korean and Vietnam War veterans as well as the large influx of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

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Indian police officers sacked over hanged girls

Diane A. Wade
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Indian police officers sacked over hanged girls

Two Indian police officers have been sacked for refusing to help search for two missing girls who were later found gang-raped and hanged, officials say.

They were also charged with criminal conspiracy, police said, adding that three people had been arrested so far.

The government has pledged to set up a fast-track court to prosecute the crime, which took place earlier this week in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Alleged police inaction sparked outrage in the teenagers’ village.

The father of one victim said he was ridiculed by police when he sought help in finding his missing daughter.

Two Indian police officers have been sacked for refusing to help search for two missing girls who were later found hanged
Two Indian police officers have been sacked for refusing to help search for two missing girls who were later found hanged

He said that when policemen found out he was from a lower caste, they “refused to look for my girl”.

Authorities said on Friday that they were still looking for two other suspects.

Senior police official Atul Saxena earlier announced there would be a “thorough investigation” into the allegations of caste discrimination by police.

Divisions between India’s castes run deep, and violence is often used by upper castes to instill fear in lower castes, correspondents say.

Although both the victim and the accused belonged to a caste grouping known as “Other Backward Classes”, the victims were lower in that hierarchy.

The girls, two cousins aged 14 and 16, went missing in Badaun district on Tuesday night. They had apparently gone out to relieve themselves as they had no toilet at home.

Their bodies were discovered the following day. A post-mortem examination confirmed multiple assaults and death due to hanging.

Campaigners have highlighted the lack of sanitation in rural areas as being a risk to women’s security as well as their health, as they are often attacked when having to go out to use the toilet, particularly at night.

Some women’s groups argue that the low conviction rate for rape should be challenged with more effective policing rather than stiffer sentences.

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Steve Ballmer to buy LA Clippers for $2 billion

Clyde K. Valle
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Steve Ballmer to buy LA Clippers for $2 billion

According to new reports, Microsoft ex-CEO Steve Ballmer has reached a deal to buy the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for $2 billion, reports say.

Clippers owner Donald Sterling was banned from the sport for life after he was recorded making racist remarks.

Microsoft ex-CEO Steve Ballmer has reached a deal to buy the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for $2 billion
Microsoft ex-CEO Steve Ballmer has reached a deal to buy the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for $2 billion (photo Getty Images)

The NBA later agreed to begin the process of selling the team.

The bid was reportedly accepted by Donald Sterling’s wife, Shelly.

Steve Ballmer is believed to have outbid two rival groups for the team, one of which was led by media mogul David Geffen and included talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

He retired from Microsoft in February, but he still owns shares in the company.

A forced sale of the LA Clippers would require the approval of three-quarters of the 30 team owners in the NBA.

But Donald Sterling could still oppose the sale in the courts, according to sports lawyers.

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France: Thousands of students protest against National Front

Diane A. Wade
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France: Thousands of students protest against National Front

About 4,000 students have rallied in Paris against the far-right National Front (FN) party, following its success in the European elections.

Smaller marches took place in Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes and outside the European parliament in Strasbourg.

Marie Le Pen’s National Front came first in last week’s European parliament elections, winning 25% of the French vote and 24 seats.

About 4,000 students have rallied in Paris against the far-right National Front party, following its success in the European elections
About 4,000 students have rallied in Paris against the far-right National Front party, following its success in the European elections (photo AFP)

The party is opposed to mass immigration, free trade and the euro.

In Paris, students shouted anti-right wing slogans and waved banners reading “No to the National Front”.

However, correspondents say the turnout is small compared with previous protests against the FN.

Following her party’s victory, leader Marine Le Pen said voters had demanded “only one type of politics – a politics of the French, for the French and with the French”.

She added that her party would put pressure on French President Francois Hollande and fight “crazy measures like votes for immigrants”.

Marie Le Pen is credited with detoxifying the image of the FN, which was previously seen as the pariah of French politics.

Willis Tower’s Skydeck The Ledge cracks under tourists

Nancy Clayson
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Willis Tower’s Skydeck The Ledge cracks under tourists

All four boxes of The Ledge, the 103rd floor tourist attraction atop Chicago’s Willis Tower, were closed Thursday morning for a routine inspection hours after cracks appeared cracked while people were inside.

Alejandro Garibay, inside and 1,353ft above the ground at the time, told the local NBC it was a “crazy feeling and experience”.

A part of Chicago's Willis Tower's glass observation ledge cracked while people were inside
A part of Chicago’s Willis Tower’s glass observation ledge cracked while people were inside

A building spokesman said the damage was to the protective coating, possibly from a sharp item dropped on it, and there were no structural concerns.

“These are extremely sturdy and solid,” said spokesman Bill Utter.

The “Ledge” is a series of four glass boxes that jut out from the 103rd floor of the building, formerly the Sears Tower.

There are three layers of glass forming the floor of the box, which is designed to hold a weight of five tonnes.

The protective coating completely covers all glass surfaces to protect against scratches, said Bill Utter.

“This coating does not affect the structural integrity of the Ledge in any way. Occasionally, the coating will crack, as it is designed to in order to protect the surface of the glass.”

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Measles outbreak 2014: US cases reach 20-year high

Kathryn R. Bown
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Measles outbreak 2014: US cases reach 20-year high

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is urging people to get vaccinated after a spike in measles cases in the US this year.

The CDC reported 288 cases of measles in the first five months of 2014 – the largest number for 20 years.

The outbreak is thought to be linked to US citizens travelling to the Philippines.

The CDC says timely vaccination is the best way to prevent measles.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Centre for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases, said many US healthcare providers had never seen or treated a patient with measles because of the country’s robust vaccination efforts and rapid response to outbreaks.

The CDC reported 288 cases of measles in the first five months of 2014, the largest number for 20 years
The CDC reported 288 cases of measles in the first five months of 2014, the largest number for 20 years

Measles was eliminated from the US in 2000, meaning that for more than 12 months there was no longer any continuous measles transmission.

She said: “The current increase in measles cases is being driven by unvaccinated people, primarily US residents, who got measles in other countries, brought the virus back to the United States and spread to others in communities where many people are not vaccinated.”

“Many of the clusters in the US began following travel to the Philippines where a large outbreak has been occurring since October 2013.”

Of the 288 cases, 280 were thought to have been imported from at least 18 countries.

Ninety per cent of all measles cases in the US occurred in people who were not vaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.

More than one in seven cases has led to stays in hospital.

In the US, the CDC recommends two doses of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for everyone starting at age 12 months.

For those travelling abroad, the CDC recommends that babies older than six months receive the MMR vaccine.

Measles is a serious viral illness that is highly contagious.

The initial symptoms of measles develop around 10 days after infection. These can include cold-like symptoms, red eyes and sensitivity to light, a high temperature or fever and greyish white spots in the mouth and throat.

After a few days, a red-brown spotty rash will appear. This usually starts behind the ears and then spreads around the head and neck before spreading to the rest of the body.

Measles is still common in many parts of the world, including countries in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa.

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Graham Elliot weight loss: MasterChef judge competes in 10K race after losing 150 pounds

Lisa.Felice
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Graham Elliot weight loss: MasterChef judge competes in 10K race after losing 150 pounds

MasterChef judge Graham Elliot run his first 10K this week.

Graham Elliot, 37, competed in the race following his recent 150-pound weight loss. He slipped on running shorts and a white tank top for the sprint, which took place in Chicago on May 26.

Graham Elliot competed in 10K race following his recent 150-pound weight loss
Graham Elliot competed in 10K race following his recent 150-pound weight loss

The restaurateur posted a photo of himself from the event to his Instagram account on Monday, captioning the shot: “Celebrating the premier of #MasterChef by running my first #10K.”

The new season of the FOX show kicked off on the same day.

Graham Elliot went on to recognize his MasterChef co-hosts, Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich, writing: “Thx @gordanramsay @jbastianich for the support and encourage!”

The slimmed-down star, who completed his 10K in a reported time of 1 hour and 16 minutes, peaked at close to 400 pounds, before undergoing weight loss surgery.

In 2013, Graham Elliot chose to receive a sleeve gastrectomy, which aided in his weight loss.

YouTube access to be restored in Turkey

Nancy Clayson
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YouTube access to be restored in Turkey

Turkey will restore access to YouTube after a ruling by the country’s constitutional court.

A block was imposed in late March, soon after recordings alleging official corruption were aired on the site.

Now Turkey’s constitutional court has said the block violated laws governing freedom of expression.

The court is now informing telecom authorities of its decision and is telling them to lift the block.

Turkey will restore access to YouTube after a ruling by the country's constitutional court
Turkey will restore access to YouTube after a ruling by the country’s constitutional court

The decision is widely seen as a snub to the government of PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has been a sharp critic of social media sites such as Twitter and YouTube.

Both sites were blocked earlier this year after recordings of official meetings were leaked and widely circulated. One recording involved senior army officers discussing intervention in Syria and others supposedly revealed corruption among people close to Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The block on Twitter was lifted last month but the limits on YouTube have stayed despite decisions from lower courts calling on the government for them to be lifted.

It is not clear whether the order to lift the ban will be effective since the authorities said those earlier calls were ignored because offending material was still available on the site.

The constitutional court was looking into the validity of the block after complaints from Turkish citizens about it.

Many people have used special software to get round the ban and ensure they can still see videos on the site.

The block was imposed as a “precautionary administrative measure”, Turkey’s telecommunications regulator said at the time.

Turkey passed a controversial law early this year that let the regulator cut off any site without needing to get a court order.

YouTube was blocked previously in Turkey in 2007 but that ban was lifted in 2010.

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Is Your Car Insurance Policy Valid?

Ricky Robinson
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Is Your Car Insurance Policy Valid?

Every year numerous minor changes are made to the rules of the road, and the legal obligations of car owners, which then mean the driving theory test and the practical test need to be updated. If you’re learning to drive, stay clued up on the rules by revising online – click here for a useful website.

This year the alterations include the SORN notification becoming valid until the car is sold, taxed or scrapped, and the tax disc being replaced by an electronic system, meaning you no longer need to display it on your windscreen.

The SORN notification is an interesting one – it used to be valid for only 12 months after which you would have to renew it, or the car would be considered in-use and you would need to have it insured. The reason why it’s important to register your vehicle as off-road when it’s not being used for a substantial length of time is that the government wants to clamp down on the problem of uninsured drivers, which are thought to cost the car industry around £500 million a year, and add £30 onto the cost of each standard insurance policy to boot.

In an effort to reduce this problem, the net is swung wide so that any car without insurance can be subject to a fine of up to £1,000, or potentially be destroyed. And even if you haven’t used your car in months, if it’s not registered as SORN, you could be caught up in that net.

Why you need insurance

The vast majority of cars in the UK are in use on a regular basis, usually daily for the commute or school-run. There are various legal obligations you need to comply with at all times, one of which is having at least 3rd party insurance to cover damage to any vehicle or property you may have a collision with. If you are caught driving without a valid insurance policy to drive that specific car then you can receive an automatic fine of up to £300 and 6 penalty points on your license, or even go to court over the matter.

That’s your first danger. Secondly of course, any damage to you or your vehicle is not covered either, and if you use your car for work, if you have a crash and you’re not covered, that could leave you in a very sticky situation.

Lies, lies and statistics

 

It’s thought that over 2 million British car insurance policies may actually be invalid because the holder has been less than truthful, or made a mistake, when applying. Apparently 60% of people do it because they want to save money on their premiums – an understandable motivation, especially if you’ve driven well for years, never made a big claim, but still see your premiums creeping ever higher, but it’s a false economy.

Because insurance companies are naturally going to check the details of a policy thoroughly in the event of a large claim, and if you said your car is parked off-road at night and it’s not, or you say you have an immobilizer fitted but you don’t, and it gets stolen or broken into, then you’re liable to get no pay out.

It’s common for people to invalidate their insurance completely unintentionally, and one of the easiest ways to make this slip is by not notifying your provider when you change address. Insurance policies are calculated using data from various sources, one of which is the area in which you live. So if you move from a quiet suburban area where car crime is minimal to somewhere much livelier, with busy roads, badly-lit parking areas and lots of incidents of theft, then of course the risks get much higher. Your policy and premiums must reflect this, and if the insurer is not aware of your move then it can consider any claim invalid and reject it.

Is your policy valid?

One of the easiest ways to check your car is insured is to enter your registration number into the Motor Insurance Database website at www.askMID.com, but you still need to check the details of your policy and ensure you’re compliant. Is your car taxed? Does it have a valid MOT? Are all the drivers on the policy and are all their personal details, including address and number of points on their licenses, correct? All of these things can play a role in whether your claim is accepted or rejected, so be sure to check your policy regularly.

Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood split up less than a year after having a baby

Lisa.Felice
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Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood split up less than a year after having a baby

Jamie Bell has split up with Evan Rachel Wood less than a year after having a baby, according to Us Weekly.

Jamie Bell and Evan Rachel Wood got married in October 2012 and had a son in July 2013.

A couple’s representative told the magazine: “This is a mutual decision and the two remain close friends.

Jamie Bell has split up with Evan Rachel Wood less than a year after having a baby
Jamie Bell has split up with Evan Rachel Wood less than a year after having a baby (photo Getty Images)

“They both love and respect one another and will of course remain committed to co-parenting their son.”

Evan Rachel Wood also recently wrote: “Twitter break for a while…to be continued. Don’t punish people for things they can’t control.”

Earlier this month, she tweeted to her husband: “I love you too. Always have. Always will @1jamiebell.”

Jamie Bell, 28, has since deleted his account.

Last year the actor tweeted praising his “warrior” wife for giving birth to their son so “naturally and peacefully”.

They have kept him out of the spotlight and have never told journalists his name.

Jamie Bell became famous for his role in Billy Elliot and is set to film The Fantastic Four.

The couple first got together in 2005 after meeting on the set of the music video for Green Day’s Wake Me Up When September Ends.

They split up after a year and Evan Rachel Wood went on to have a relationship with Marilyn Manson.

Evan Rachel Wood got engaged to Marilyn Manson, but when they broke up, she got back together with Jamie Bell.

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Nia Vardalos announces My Big Fat Greek Wedding sequel

Sonia Pantiss
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Nia Vardalos announces My Big Fat Greek Wedding sequel

My Big Fat Greek Wedding star and writer Nia Vardalos has told her Twitter followers she is writing a sequel to the hit 2002 romantic comedy.

Nia Vardalos wrote: “Now that I’m experiencing motherhood I feel ready to write this next chapter.”

The Oscar-nominated screenwriter and actress also confirmed the “entire big fat family” has been invited to take part in the project.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding star and writer Nia Vardalos has revealed she is writing a sequel to the hit 2002 romantic comedy
My Big Fat Greek Wedding star and writer Nia Vardalos has revealed she is writing a sequel to the hit 2002 romantic comedy

It’s believed the original film grossed $369 million at the box office.

Made on a budget of around $5 million, the surprise hit became one of the most profitable films of all time.

The plot followed the loud Portokalos family, whose daughter Fatoula marries a non-Greek, played by John Corbett.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nia Vardalos has already written the script and John Corbett, 53, has agreed to return in the sequel.

Nia Vardalos thanked her followers for “the love” she’d received on Twitter following the announcement.

She said: “A few jaded press corps will claim I ran out of money or just want to kiss John Corbett again. One of these things is true.”

The movie sparked a spin-off TV sitcom called My Big Fat Greek Life in 2003 which ran for one series.

The second movie will again be co-produced by Tom Hanks’ production company Playtone.

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US economy shifts into reverse in 2014 Q1

Clyde K. Valle
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US economy shifts into reverse in 2014 Q1

The US economy contracted in 2014 Q1 to an annualized rate of 1%, official estimates have shown.

It is the worst economic performance since 2011 Q1.

It is also a big fall on the 2.6% rise in economic output in 2013 Q4.

The US Commerce Department’s first reading of gross domestic product (GDP) showed the economy grew at an annualized rate of just 0.1%.

The US economy contracted in 2014 Q1 to an annualized rate of 1 percent
The US economy contracted in 2014 Q1 to an annualized rate of 1 percent

The fall in output was blamed on an unusually cold and disruptive winter – one of the coldest in the US for 20 years – and a plunge in business investment.

Economists estimate the weather could have cost up to 1.5 percentage points of GDP.

However, the Commerce’s Department’s report did not estimate the effect of the winter weather.

The fall was also twice as big as economists expected.

Most Wall Street analysts had forecast the economy to contract by around 0.5%.

But the Commerce Department said there was already evidence that the economy was rebounding, with data ranging from employment to manufacturing activity already pointing to a sharp acceleration in economic activity in the second quarter.

Tumbling exports, while not as severe as initially thought, combined with stronger imports in the first quarter resulted in a larger than expected trade deficit which shaved 0.95 percentage points off US economic output.

Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of US economic activity, increased by 3.1%, which was revised up slightly from 3% in the first estimate.

Business spending on non-residential structures, such as gas drilling, fell by 7.5%. It had previously been reported to have increased by 0.2%.

The report showed corporate pre-tax profits also plunged 13.7% in 2014Q1, the biggest drop since the fourth quarter of 2008.

The White House said the GDP revision was subject to a number of notable influences, including the severe winter weather, which temporarily lowered growth.

It added: “The President will do everything he can either by acting through executive action or by working with Congress to push for steps that would raise growth and accelerate job creation, including fully paid-for investments in infrastructure, education and research, a reinstatement of extended unemployment insurance benefits, and an increase in the minimum wage.”

North Korea to reopen investigation into Japanese abductions

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea to reopen investigation into Japanese abductions

North Korea has agreed to reopen an investigation into the fate of Japanese nationals it abducted decades ago, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has said.

Shinzo Abe announced the move after days of talks between officials in Sweden.

Japan says North Korea abducted several of its citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies – including learning the Japanese language and behavior.

Tokyo said it would relax some sanctions against Pyongyang once the probe had been reopened.

North Korea has agreed to reopen an investigation into the fate of Japanese nationals it abducted decades ago
North Korea has agreed to reopen an investigation into the fate of Japanese nationals it abducted decades ago

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Japan would also consider providing humanitarian aid to North Korea, depending on how the investigation progressed.

He said that once it had recommenced, Tokyo would lift restrictions on travel, allow remittances to North Korea and lift an embargo on the entry to Japanese ports of North Korea-flagged ships with humanitarian missions.

Yoshihide Suga said that such a move would not be a contravention of UN sanctions against North Korea.

Shinzo Abe told a news conference that Japan’s “mission will never end until the day comes when families of all abduction victims are able to embrace their children with their own arms”.

“We have tackled the problem with this determination and we hope that this will be the first step toward an overall solution.”

North Korea has returned five of the abductees and says the rest are dead – but Japan does not believe this.

Shinzo Abe said that as a result of his talks, the North Korean side promised to make a “comprehensive and overall investigation” into Japanese abduction victims and missing people where the “possibility of being abducted cannot be ruled out”.

“In keeping with the promise, it will set up a special commission for the investigation,” he said.

North Korea has admitted kidnapping 13 Japanese nationals. It allowed five to return to Japan in 2002 and later released their children, but says the other eight died.

Japan says that eight men and nine women are officially recognized to have been abducted, but correspondents say there could be many more victims.

The most high profile of the eight who died is Megumi Yokota, who was kidnapped by North Korean agents on her way home from school in 1977, when she was 13.

North Korea says she married a South Korean abductee and had a daughter before killing herself in 1994.

North Korea returned what it said were her remains in 2004 but DNA tests subsequently disputed that claim.

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Ukraine military helicopter shot down by rebels in Sloviansk

Roy Siemens
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Ukraine military helicopter shot down by rebels in Sloviansk

A military helicopter has been shot down by pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine, near Sloviansk, killing 14 people, outgoing President Oleksandr Turchynov says.

Oleksandr Turchynov said the rebels used a Russian-made anti-aircraft system, and a senior general was among the dead.

The town of Sloviansk has seen fierce fighting between separatists and government forces in recent weeks.

President-elect Petro Poroshenko has vowed to tackle “bandits” in the east.

The military helicopter has been shot down by pro-Russian rebels near Sloviansk, killing 14 people
The military helicopter has been shot down by pro-Russian rebels near Sloviansk, killing 14 people (photo AFP)

The helicopter was hit during heavy fighting between Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, reportedly after it had dropped off troops at a military base.

Oleksandr Turchynov said the 14 dead included Gen. Serhiy Kulchytskiy, head of combat and special training for Ukraine’s National Guard.

It is one of the worst losses of life for government forces in the conflict so far. Last week at least 14 soldiers died in a rebel attack on an army checkpoint near Donetsk, some 80 miles from Sloviansk.

Earlier this month the separatists shot down two army helicopters, also near Sloviansk, killing a pilot and another serviceman.

Petro Poroshenko, a confectionery magnate, won 54.7% of the vote in last Sunday’s presidential election, according to final results announced on Thursday.

After the poll, he called the separatists “terrorists” intent on maintaining a “bandit state”. He vowed to tackle them “in hours”, not months.

The conflict has intensified in recent days. The rebels say they lost up to 100 fighters when they tried to seize Donetsk airport on Monday.

Sloviansk has long been the centre of heavy fighting. Pro-Russia militiamen seized four international monitors there on Monday.

The four – a Dane, an Estonian, a Turk and a Swiss national – are members of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The self-proclaimed mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, told Russia’s Interfax news agency they were safe and well and could be released soon.

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Egypt elections 2014: Abdul Fattah al-Sisi wins presidential poll with 93% of votes

Diane A. Wade
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Egypt elections 2014: Abdul Fattah al-Sisi wins presidential poll with 93% of votes

Egypt’s former military chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has won an overwhelming victory in the country’s presidential election, according to partial results.

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi gained over 93% of the vote with ballots from most polling stations counted, state media say.

Turnout is expected to be about 46% despite a massive push to get more people to polling stations. Many groups boycotted the vote.

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi deposed President Mohamed Morsi last July after mass protests.

Egypt’s former military chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi gained over 93 percent of the vote with ballots from most polling stations counted
Egypt’s former military chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi gained over 93 percent of the vote with ballots from most polling stations counted

He has overseen a bloody crackdown on Mohamed Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement in which more than 1,400 people have been killed and 16,000 detained.

The Brotherhood said it would boycott the vote, as did many liberal and secular activist groups.

The Islamist movement rejected the vote on Thursday with Tariq al-Zumar, a senior member of the Brotherhood, calling the process a “theatrical play, which did not convince anybody”.

Hamdeen Sabahi, the only other candidate in the election, said earlier his team had recorded “violations” in the voting process.

However, he rejected calls from his supporters to withdraw from the elections, saying it was not in the interest of Egyptians.

Hamdeen Sabahi secured fewer than 760,000 of the 24.7 million votes counted, and lost out in many regions to a high number of spoiled ballots, the state-run al-Ahram newspaper reports.

Hundreds of Abdul Fattah al-Sisi supporters took to the streets of Cairo in the early hours of Thursday as results emerged, waving Egyptian flags, setting off fireworks and honking their car horns.

The military-backed authorities had extended voting to a third day in the hope of boosting turnout.

But reports suggested many polling stations were almost deserted on Wednesday.

Egypt’s new president will inherit a crippled economy, a low level insurgency, and a bitterly divided nation.

He had aimed to win 40 million of 54 million registered votes, to show that he had the support of the majority of Egypt. In the event, it appears about 25 million voted.

In comparison, turnout for the previous presidential election between Mohamed Morsi and former PM Ahmed Shafiq was around 52%.

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John Kerry urges Edward Snowden to return to US

Diane A. Wade
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John Kerry urges Edward Snowden to return to US

Secretary of State John Kerry has labeled Edward Snowden a fugitive from justice who should “man up” and return home.

John Kerry added that if Edward Snowden, 30, “believes in America, he should trust the American system of justice”.

Secretary of State John Kerry has labeled Edward Snowden a fugitive from justice who should man up and return home
Secretary of State John Kerry has labeled Edward Snowden a fugitive from justice who should man up and return home

His comments come in the wake of an interview with NBC in which Edward Snowden said he sought asylum in Russia because the US revoked his passport.

Edward Snowden also described himself as a trained spy, not a low-level analyst.

“A patriot would not run away,” John Kerry said on Wednesday.

“If Mr. Snowden wants to come back to the United States… we’ll have him on a flight today.”

John Kerry also called the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor “confused”, adding “this is a man who has done great damage to his country”.

“He should man up and come back to the US,” John Kerry said.

In the NBC interview, Edward Snowden claims he was trained as a spy who worked undercover overseas for the CIA and NSA.

But he described himself as a technical expert who did not recruit agents.

“What I do is I put systems to work for the US,” he said.

“And I’ve done that at all levels from the bottom on the ground all the way to the top. Now, the government might deny these things, they might frame it in certain ways and say, <<Oh well, you know, he’s – he’s a low-level analyst>>.”

When Edward Snowden fled the US in May 2013, he had been working as a technician for Booz Allen, a giant government contractor for the NSA.

Last year, Edward Snowden fed a trove of secret NSA documents to news outlets including the Washington Post and the Guardian.

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Brad Pitt punched in face by Vitalii Sediuk at Maleficent premiere in Los Angeles

Lisa.Felice
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Brad Pitt punched in face by Vitalii Sediuk at Maleficent premiere in Los Angeles

Brad Pitt has been punched in the face at the premiere of Maleficent in Los Angeles.

Ukrainian reporter Vitalii Sediuk – who is known for pranking celebrities – has been arrested on suspicion of battery.

Vitalii Sediuk was reportedly seen jumping over a barrier, hugging and then striking Brad Pitt.

Brad Pitt has been punched in the face at the premiere of Maleficent in Los Angeles
Brad Pitt has been punched in the face at the premiere of Maleficent in Los Angeles

The 25-year-old was wrestled to the floor by bodyguards before being led away in handcuffs by police.

Brad Pitt, who had been signing autographs at the time, was not seriously hurt.

Maleficent is Disney’s modern retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale, starring Angelina Jolie as its villain.

A spokesperson for the movie company said: “This was an unfortunate and inappropriate incident that is being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.”

A police spokesman said Vitalii Sediuk was held in custody on Wednesday night pending $20,000 bail.

“The officers who were handling him said it looked like [the attack] was intentional, but at this point, it remains to be determined,” Sgt. Leonard Calderon told Reuters.

Vitalii Sediuk has a history of red carpet stunts and pranking celebrities.

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MH370 search: Missing plane not in ping zone

Diane A. Wade
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MH370 search: Missing plane not in ping zone

According to the Australian officials, the area where acoustic signals thought linked to the missing Malaysian plane were detected can now be ruled out as the final resting place of flight MH370.

The Bluefin-21 submersible robot had finished its search of the area and found nothing, they said.

Efforts would now focus on reviewing search data, surveying the sea floor and bringing in specialist equipment.

Flight MH370 went missing on March 8 as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Using satellite data, officials have concluded that the airliner, which had 239 people on board, ended its journey in the Indian Ocean, north-west of the Australian city of Perth.

No trace of the plane has been found and there is no explanation for its disappearance.

Four pings that officials believed could be from the missing plane’s “black box” flight recorders were heard by search teams using a towed pinger locator device.

The area where acoustic signals thought linked to the missing Malaysian plane were detected can now be ruled out as the final resting place of flight MH37
The area where acoustic signals thought linked to the missing Malaysian plane were detected can now be ruled out as the final resting place of flight MH37

These pings were used to define the area for the sea-floor search, conducted by the Bluefin-21. It had scoured over 850 sq km of the ocean floor, JACC said.

“Yesterday afternoon, Bluefin-21 completed its last mission searching the remaining areas in the vicinity of the acoustic signals detected in early April by the towed pinger locator,” a statement from the Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC) said.

“The data collected on yesterday’s mission has been analyzed. As a result, the JACC can advise that no signs of aircraft debris have been found by the autonomous underwater vehicle since it joined the search effort.

“The Australian Transport Safety Bureau [ATSB] has advised that the search in the vicinity of the acoustic detections can now be considered complete and in its professional judgement, the area can now be discounted as the final resting place of MH370.”

The statement came hours after a US Navy official told CNN that the acoustic signals probably came from some other man-made source.

“Our best theory at this point is that [the pings were] likely some sound produced by the ship… or within the electronics of the towed pinger locator,” Michael Dean, the US Navy’s deputy director of ocean engineering, told CNN.

“Always your fear any time you put electronic equipment in the water is that if any water gets in and grounds or shorts something out, that you could start producing sound,” Michael Dean said.

A US Navy spokesmen subsequently described his comments as “speculative and premature”.

In its statement, JACC said an expert working group would continue to review and refine existing data to better define a search area for the missing plane.

A Chinese ship had already begun mapping an area of ocean floor in a survey process that was expected to take three months.

Meanwhile, the ATSB would soon seek bids from commercial contractors for the specialist equipment needed for the underwater search – a process expected to begin in August, JACC said.

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Paul Walker’s daughter guardianship case dismissed by LA Superior Court

Lisa.Felice
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Paul Walker’s daughter guardianship case dismissed by LA Superior Court

The guardianship proceeding over Paul Walker’s daughter, Meadow Rain, has been dismissed after hearing about a plan that calls for the teenager to live with her mother and a nanny.

Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner David J. Cowan dismissed a guardianship case over Meadow Rain Walker after hearing from Amy Nieman, an attorney appointed to represent the 15-year-old.

The guardianship proceeding over Paul Walker's daughter, Meadow Rain, has been dismissed after hearing about a plan that calls for the teenager to live with her mother and a nanny
The guardianship proceeding over Paul Walker’s daughter, Meadow Rain, has been dismissed after hearing about a plan that calls for the teenager to live with her mother and a nanny

Amy Nieman said Meadow Rain Walker’s mother, Rebecca Soteros, has been spending time with her daughter while receiving treatment for alcoholism and is currently sober.

She says the teenager is being cared for by a nanny who has helped raise Meadow Walker for roughly two years.

Paul Walker’s mother petitioned for a guardianship over her granddaughter but asked to dismiss it, citing Meadow Walker’s wishes.

Paul Walker died in November in a car crash.

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Jaden Smith donned white Batman suit for Kim Kardashian’s wedding

Lisa.Felice
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Jaden Smith donned white Batman suit for Kim Kardashian’s wedding

Jaden Smith, the son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, donned an outrageous white Batman suit for the May 24 wedding of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West in Florence, Italy.

Jaden Smith donned an outrageous white Batman suit for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding in Florence
Jaden Smith donned an outrageous white Batman suit for Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding in Florence (photo Instagram)

Jaden Smith, 15, and his costume showed up in Instagram photo booth pics over the weekend on the accounts of Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis and Kardashian hairstylist Clyde Haygood.

Joe Francis posted this photo with the caption: “LOL!! Photo bombed by white Batman AKA @OfficialJaden @kourtneykardash.”

Jaden Smith has pulled a costume stunt before,dressing up as Iron Man during an outing in New York last year.

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Kim Kardashian’s new name revealed

Lisa.Felice
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0
Kim Kardashian’s new name revealed

Kim Kardashian has changed her name to Kim Kardashian West on her social media accounts.

Kim Kardashian has changed her name to Kim Kardashian West after marrying Kanye West in Florence
Kim Kardashian has changed her name to Kim Kardashian West after marrying Kanye West in Florence (photo E! News)

Kim Kardashian, 33, and Kanye West, 36, tied the knot on May 24 in Florence, Italy.

Following their engagement back in October 2013, Kim Kardashian revealed to E! News she planned on taking her husband’s last name.

“It’ll be Kim Kardashian West,” she revealed.

“Not hyphened. Maybe make [Kardashian], like, the middle.”

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