Pink Star, a flawless 59.6-carat pink diamond will be auctioned in the Swiss city of Geneva at a record asking price of $60 million, Sotheby’s auction house says.
Sotheby’s says the oval-cut stone will become the most valuable diamond ever to be offered at auction.
Sotheby’s David Bennett says the diamond belongs in “the ranks of the earth’s greatest natural treasures”.
Pink Star is over twice the size of the 24.78-carat “Graff Pink” diamond that set the world auction record for $46.2 million.
Pink Star diamond will be auctioned in Geneva at a record asking price of $60 million
The diamond, which was mined by De Beers in Africa in 1999, has received the highest possible color and clarity rating from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA).
Pink Star weighed 132.5 carats in the rough, and was cut and polished over a period of two years by Steinmetz Diamonds, the New York-based auction house said in a statement on Wednesday.
“I have had the privilege of examining some of the greatest gemstones in the world over the past 35 years, and I can say, without hesitation, that the Pink Star diamond is of immense importance,” said David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby’s jewellery division in Europe and the Middle East.
He said it was very rare to have vivid pink diamonds weighing only five carats, “so this 59.6-carat stone is simply off any scale”.
Pink Star, which was previously known as the “Steinmetz Pink”, was sold privately in 2007 but neither the price nor the owner was disclosed.
The auction is scheduled to take place on November 13.
Sotheby’s will also auction a white diamond and a blue diamond, valued at more than $28 million and $19 million respectively, in Hong Kong in October.
TLC has ordered twelve new episodes of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, along with three specials for a third season, Variety has reported.
The new episodes of the reality series, which are being tacked on to Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Season 2, will premiere on January 1st, 2014.
TLC has ordered twelve new episodes of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, along with three specials for a third season
“The world continues to be fascinated by the Boo Boo gang and their crazy hijinks,” TLC’s Howard Lee told the website.
“As Alana gets older, the dynamic between her parents and sisters is changing. Viewers can look forward to seeing a different side of the family as they embark on this exciting new chapter of their lives.”
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo recently drew its biggest audience yet on September 11, when 3.2 million viewers tuned in to watch June Shannon and Sugar Bear hold a commitment ceremony.
Kenya has declared three days of national mourning following the end of the four-day siege by Islamist militants on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping centre.
President Uhuru Kenyatta said 67 people died, including six security personnel.
Five militants were killed and 11 suspects arrested, he said.
Islamist group al-Shabab, which claimed responsibility for the attack, said 137 hostages had died. But the statement cannot be verified.
As the clearing of the mall continues, the death toll is expected to rise.
Several bodies, including those of some attackers, are thought to be trapped under rubble after three floors of the building collapsed following a blaze.
Kenya’s Standard newspaper reported that tens of bodies were removed from the building on Tuesday evening.
Correspondents say the shopping centre lay largely silent overnight and light smoke was still drifting from the building.
Journalists and onlookers were kept behind a security cordon but police let some people retrieve cars from the scene.
In his address, President Uhuru Kenyatta praised the response of ordinary Kenyans, calling it exemplary and overwhelming.
Kenya has declared three days of national mourning following the end of the four-day siege on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping centre
“We have ashamed and defeated our attackers,” he said.
“Kenya has stared down evil and triumphed.”
He did not confirm earlier reports that several of the attackers were American and British.
“Intelligence reports had suggested that a British woman and two or three American citizens may have been involved in the attack,” said Uhuru Kenyatta.
“We cannot confirm the details at present. Forensic experts are working to ascertain the nationalities of the terrorists.”
He added: “These cowards will meet justice, as will their accomplices and patrons, wherever they are.”
According to the UK Foreign Office, one British national had been arrested in Nairobi, without giving further details.
One of the people arrested is understood to have been in the shopping centre, though it is not clear whether they were armed, or among the 10-15 attackers that Kenyan authorities have spoken of.
At least 18 foreigners are among the dead. About 175 people were wounded, including 62 who remain in hospital.
Somali Islamist group al-Shabab said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia.
The militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing indiscriminately on shoppers and staff.
Twitter posts from al-Shabab on Wednesday said it had held 137 people hostage, and claiming they died at the hands of the security forces at the end of stand-off.
Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia.
There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of Somalia as part of an African Union force supporting Somali government forces.
Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.
Duck Dynasty’s Willie Robertson and his wife Korie are the proud parents of five children, both biological and adopted.
In a touching video footage, Willie Robertson talked about the adoption of their biracial son Lil Will.
Korie and Willie Robertson’s adopted son, Lil Will, has appeared in some episodes of Duck Dynasty. The couple, who have known each other since they were young children, are also raising daughter Rebecca as a foster child, after having hosted her initially as an exchange student. Willie and Korie Robertson’s biological children are John Luke, Sadie, and Bella.
Korie and Willie Robertson’s adopted son, Lil Will, has appeared in some episodes of Duck Dynasty
In Korie Robertson’s Twitter bio she calls herself the “proud wife” of Willie, and touches on their unique family situation: “Mom to four awesome kids plus a sweet exchange student who became ours. Love my big family. Thankful. God is good.”
Though not originally from a hunting family, Korie fit in with the Robertsons right away.
As Willie Robertson’s wife and business partner, she helped him grow the company into an ever-expanding enterprise. She serves as the Duck Commander office manager and has to make her presence known in order to keep the workshop from turning into a funhouse.
Korie met Willie Robertson in third grade when he asked her to go on a moonlit hike at summer camp.
Duck Dynasty’s Sadie Robertson is producing weekly video devotionals on Monday nights called I Am Different.
Sadie Robertson, 16, is also designing a clothing line in an effort to encourage modesty in a culture where fashion trends are often contrary to the ways of the Lord.
Willie Robertson’s daughter does not have a typical teenage lifestyle. The high school student from Monroe, Louisiana loves the Lord, is close with her family, and excels in sports – and she also happens to be a reality television star.
Sadie Robertson told TC Magazine that she realizes that God has given her fame in order for her to make a difference for Christ.
“When we were little and said our prayers at night, I would always say, <<God, please give me an opportunity to make a difference in this world>>. I mean, you always want to, but you never know how to do it. Now that God’s blessed us with this TV show, here’s that opportunity,” she said.
Even though the producers of A & E’s hit show Duck Dynasty edit out much of the Robertson’s faith-based lives, Sadie says that people have been positively impacted by even so much as the short prayer that patriarch Phil Robertson prays over the family meal at the end of each episode.
Sadie Robertson knows that her status as a television star will give her an opportunity to be a good example for other young women.
Sadie Robertson and her best friend, Kolby Koloff, have created I Am Different, a weekly devotional video series on YouTube
“I think it’s awesome that people see something in me that’s different, but it’s really a challenge to me and my spiritual way and everything. If little girls are looking up to me, I’ve got to be the example they need. If I’m going to claim that I’m different from everybody else on TV, I’ve got to be different than everybody else. It’s encouraging to me and really helping me to be a better person,” she said.
Sadie Robertson and her best friend, Kolby Koloff, have created I Am Different, a weekly devotional video series on YouTube.
“People think they need to be a part of the world to have fun. To see that we can have fun and still be Christian-based, that’s cool, that’s different,” she said.
Kolby Koloff and Sadie Robertson are hoping and praying that the devotions will expand peoples’ way of thinking.
“The world’s view is completely opposite from God’s view,” said Sadie Robertson in the introduction video.
The girls plan to release a YouTube video via their Twitter account, @_i_am_different, each Monday.
Sadie Robertson is also creating her own line of conservative prom dresses. The collection will be available in the spring of 2014.
Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have joined forces to promote Obama’s healthcare initiative, known as Obamacare, just days before one of its major provisions takes effect.
In New York, they discussed the law’s progress and denounced Republican efforts to stymie its implementation.
Beginning on October 1st, Americans who lack health insurance will be able to buy policies in online market places.
Barack Obama said opponents were trying to “scare” people from signing up.
Even as conservative groups have undertaken a broad effort to undermine the law by persuading people to ignore it, Barack Obama said he was confident Americans would come to see its advantages.
“When people look and see that they can get high-quality, affordable healthcare for less than their cell phone bill, they’re going to sign up,” Barack Obama said.
The discussion, billed as an interview by Bill Clinton of Barack Obama took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
It was part of the Clinton Global Initiative, a conference featuring Bill Clinton that he has held regularly since leaving the White House in 2001.
Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have joined forces to promote Obamacare
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which Barack Obama’s Democratic Party passed in 2010 in the face of unified Republican opposition, has been the centrepiece of Obama’s domestic policy agenda.
Its provisions include a requirement, which takes effect in January, that individuals who do not have health insurance provided by their employers purchase it on the open market.
On October 1st, online health insurance marketplaces run by the US federal government or by the states will begin accepting customers.
Opposition to the law, which is known to both sides of the debate as Obamacare, has become one of the central tenets of Republican and conservative politics, analysts say.
The House of Representatives, which is controlled by the Republican Party, has held dozens of votes on bills to repeal the law or strip it of funding. The bills have gone nowhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
The law has become a central point in the ongoing budget battle, with some Republicans pushing to shut down the operation of the US government by not passing a new budget if the Democrats refuse to defund the law.
On Friday, the House passed a bill that would prevent a government shutdown – but would strip the healthcare law of its funding. And on Tuesday, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas undertook a marathon speech on the floor of the Senate to denounce the law and demand the government block its implementation.
“Those who have opposed the idea of universal healthcare in the first place and have fought this thing tooth and nail through Congress and through the courts and so forth have been trying to scare and discourage people from getting a good deal,” Barack Obama said.
On Monday, Bill Clinton asked Barack Obama why he had decided to tackle healthcare reform early in his first term, even as the economy was mired in one of the worst downturns since the Great Depression.
Barack Obama said healthcare was a “massive” part of the American economy, and noted the US was the only advanced industrialized nation that permitted “large numbers of its people to languish without health insurance”.
President Barack Obama also accused congressional Republicans of using the “pretty straightforward” issue as political capital as the government hurdles toward a shutdown on October 1st, when the law funding its operation expires.
ABC’s Last Man Standing Season 3 premiered last week-end by welcoming Duck Dynasty’s Willie and Si Robertson in the first episode, Back to School.
Willie and Si Robertson are visiting the sporting goods store in preparation for a man-versus-nature challenge.
“We don’t want nature to have a chance,” as Uncle Si Robertson puts it.
Last Man Standing Season 3 premiered last week-end by welcoming Duck Dynasty’s Willie and Si Robertson in the first episode, Back to School
There are also oddly juxtaposed jokes about wearing camouflage to church and studying philosophy.
Max Baxter (Tim Allen) and his family welcomed the Robertsons who were quipping about deer hunting and whatnot.
Willie and Si Robertson are also a little concerned about “Lady-beard”, aka Kyle (Christoph Sanders). It seems that Mandy broke his brain with all of her intellectual college talk.
Willie Robertson knows what to do though. Si Robertson, however, seems to be advocating murder as a more permanent solution to the problem. Last Man Standing Season 3 premiered on Friday, September 20 at 8 p.m. on ABC.
According to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, US house prices rose 12.4% over the 12 months to the end of July, the biggest annual increase since February 2006.
The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index measures single-family home prices across 20 cities, with 13 cities showing a rising annual growth rate.
Last week, the US Federal Reserve decided to maintain its effort to boost the economy, which involves buying $85 billion worth of assets every month.
That scheme, known as quantitative easing (QE), is credited with boosting the housing market last year by driving down mortgage rates to record lows.
However, David Blitzer from S&P Dow Jones Indices said that effect had worn off.
US house prices rose 12.4 percent over the 12 months to the end of July 2013
“Following the increase in mortgage rates beginning last May, applications for mortgages have dropped, suggesting that rising interest rates are affecting housing.
“The Fed’s announcement last week that QE3 bond buying will continue for the time being may have only a limited, though favorable, impact on housing,” he said.
Prices rose 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis in July compared with the month before, which was lower than analysts’ forecasts and down from June’s increase of 0.9%.
Las Vegas saw the biggest annual gain of 27.5%, while San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego all saw rises of more than 20%.
But the survey points out that house prices in those cities are still well below the peaks hit before the 2008 financial crisis.
Of the 20 cities surveyed, New York saw the lowest annual increase of 3.5%.
Detroit, which filed for bankruptcy in July, saw an annual growth rate of 16.9%. However, the report says that Detroit is the only city where house prices are still below the levels reached in January 2000.
Thirty Greenpeace activists have been detained by Russian coastguards in the port of Murmansk.
Greenpeace says so far five of them have been questioned.
The activists, who were protesting against oil drilling in the Arctic, were towed for four days in their ship, the Arctic Sunrise.
Russia prosecutors have accused them of piracy after two activists climbed onto the side of an offshore oil platform.
The charge of piracy carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years in Russia, depending on the gravity of the offence, and a fine of up to 500,000 roubles ($15,000).
The activists were initially taken to the Murmansk headquarters of Russia’s Investigative Committee, modeled on the FBI.
On Wednesday morning, Greenpeace Russia tweeted that the activists were being detained for 48 hours and had been transferred to “different prisons in Murmansk and around”.
Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said on Tuesday that “all those who assaulted the platform, regardless of nationality, will be prosecuted”.
Thirty Greenpeace activists have been detained by Russian coastguards in the port of Murmansk.
The campaigners were seized on September 19 along with their ship after two Greenpeace activists tried to climb onto a Gazprom offshore platform.
The ship was raided by armed Russian men in balaclavas who abseiled down from helicopters. The ship was seized in the Pechora Sea, near the rig.
Greenpeace said in a statement on Tuesday that its protest against “dangerous Arctic oil drilling” was peaceful and in line with its “strong principles”.
“Our activists did nothing to warrant the reaction we’ve seen from the Russian authorities,” it said.
The campaigners on the ship are from 18 countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, New Zealand, Russia, the UK and the US, Greenpeace said.
Vladimir Markin described the protest as “an attempt to seize a drilling platform by storm” and said it raised “legitimate doubts about their intentions”. The ship “was loaded with electronics whose purpose was not clear”, he said.
“It’s hard to believe that the so-called activists did not know that the platform is an installation with a high hazard level, and any unauthorized actions on it can lead to an accident, which would not only endanger the people aboard it but also the ecology, which is being protected zealously,” he said.
At least 238 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake hit Pakistan’s remote south-west province of Balochistan.
The 7.7-magnitude quake struck on Tuesday afternoon at a depth of 13 miles north-east of Awaran, the US Geological Survey said.
Many houses were flattened and thousands of people have spent the night in the open.
After the quake, a small island appeared off the coast near the port of Gwadar, witnesses reported.
People gathered on the beach to see the new island, which is about 30ft high and 300ft long, Gwadar Police Chief Pervez Umrani said.
Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but least populated province.
The region is prone to earthquakes, with at least 35 people killed in a 7.8-magnitude tremor that was centred in south-eastern Iran in April.
The latest quake was so powerful it was felt as far away as Karachi, Hyderabad, and India’s capital, Delhi.
At least 238 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake hit Pakistan’s remote south-west province of Balochistan
Entire villages are reported to have been flattened in the impoverished and sparsely-populated district of Awaran.
Balochistan government spokesman Jan Buledi put the death toll at 238, more than 200 of the fatalities in Awaran town and the surrounding villages. He has warned that it could rise. At least 340 people have been injured.
“We are seriously lacking medical facilities and there is no space to treat injured people in the local hospitals,” Jan Buledi said.
He said helicopters were airlifting the most seriously injured to Karachi while others were being cared for in neighboring districts.
Pakistan’s military was among the first to respond to the crisis, having a heavy presence in the area already because it is fighting a long-running separatist Baloch insurgency.
The army said it had sent more than 200 soldiers, medical teams and tents from the regional capital Quetta, but the mountainous terrain is said to be hampering the rescue operation.
Awaran local government official Abdul Rasheed Baluch said around 90% of houses in the district had been destroyed.
“Almost all the mud houses have collapsed. We have been busy in rescue efforts for the whole night and fear we will recover more dead bodies from under the rubble during daylight,” he said.
Many of the casualties are said to be from Labach, on the northern outskirts of Awaran town.
Houses are also reported to have caved in the district of Khuzdar.
An emergency has been declared in Awaran and another earthquake-affected district, Chagai.
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has criticized the US over allegations it carried out electronic espionage.
Speaking at the opening of this year’s UN General Assembly, Dilma Rousseff said Brazil would adopt legislation and technology to protect itself from illegal intercepts.
She called Washington’s argument that spying on Brazil was to protect nations from terrorists “untenable”.
Earlier this month, the Brazilian president cancelled a planned visit to Washington.
Dilma Rousseff told the assembled leaders that Brazil had been a target of intrusions and intercepts carried out by a “global network of electronic espionage”.
She said that “corporate information – often of high economic and even strategic value – was at the centre of espionage activities”.
Dilma Rousseff said such tampering with another country’s affairs was an “affront to the principles that must guide the relations among friendly nations”.
Her speech came a week after she called off a high-profile visit to the United States after a string of allegations about the extent of the US spying programme emerged.
Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff has criticized the US over allegations it carried out electronic espionage
Dilma Rousseff rejected arguments put forward by the US that the illegal interception of information was aimed at protecting nations against terrorism.
“Brazil, Mr. President, knows how to protect itself,” she said.
“We face, Mr. President, a situation of a grave violation of human rights and civil liberties; of invasion and capture of confidential information concerning corporate activities, and especially of disrespect to national sovereignty,” Dioma Rousseff added.
The allegations of widespread espionage against Brazilian citizens were first published in July by Rio de Janeiro-based journalist Glenn Greenwald, a reporter for the British Guardian newspaper.
Glenn Greenwald alleged that the NSA accessed all internet content that Dilma Rousseff had visited online.
Earlier this month, another report by Glenn Greenwald alleged that the NSA had also illegally accessed data from Brazil’s state oil company, Petrobras.
Petrobras is due next month to carry out an important auction for exploration rights of an oil field off the Rio de Janeiro state coast.
Dilma Rousseff said that her government would “do everything within its reach to defend the human rights of all Brazilians and to protect the fruits borne from the ingenuity of our workers and our companies”.
Brazil’s leader asked the UN to play a leading role in regulating electronic technology and said Brazil would present proposals for a “civilian multilateral framework” for the governance and use of the internet and to protect web-based data.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has denied any role in covering up child abuse by priests, in his first public comments since retirement.
The former Pope addressed the issue in a detailed letter to a prominent atheist, which also covered many other matters.
It is thought to be the first time that Benedict has publicly rejected personal responsibility for covering up abuse.
Some critics say he must have known of efforts to protect abusive priests.
Benedict’s letter, to the professor of mathematics Piergiorgio Odifreddi, was published in La Repubblica newspaper after the professor sought the former Pope’s permission.
His comments are the first to be released publicly since he left office, saying he would retreat to a life of prayer. He was apparently concerned not to have a public role that might impinge on his successor, Pope Francis.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has denied any role in covering up child abuse by priests, in his first public comments since retirement
Regarding the repeated allegations of abuse which arose during his pontificate, Benedict denied he had suppressed investigation of paedophile priests.
He wrote: “I never tried to cover up these things. That the power of evil penetrates to such a point in the interior world of the faith is, for us, a source of suffering.
“On the one hand we must accept that suffering, and on the other, at the same time, we must do everything possible so that such cases aren’t repeated.
“It’s also not a motive for comfort to know that, according to sociological research, the percentage of priests guilty of these crimes is no higher than in other comparable professional categories.
“In any event, one must not stubbornly present this deviance as if it were a nastiness specific to Catholicism.”
Benedict’s comments were a direct response to points made in Prof. Piergiorgio Odifreddi’s 2011 book Dear Pope, I’m Writing to You, which in turn was a response to Benedict’s Introduction to Christianity.
Benedict also responds to several other criticisms made by the Italian, including whether theology can be considered a science, and what can be known about Jesus as an historical figure.
Prof. Piergiorgio Odifreddi said he appreciated the tone of his dialogue with Benedict, and that, while they might disagree on almost everything, they at least had one aim in common: “The search for the truth, with a capital <<T>>.”
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the four-day siege involving suspected Islamist militants at Nairobi’s Westgate shopping centre is over.
Five attackers were shot dead by troops and 11 suspects were in custody, he said in a TV address to the nation.
Kenya has “shamed and defeated our attackers” but the “losses are immense”, Uhuru Kenyatta said, confirming that 61 civilians and six soldiers had died.
Three days of national mourning have been declared, starting on Wednesday.
Uhuru Kenyatta said that several bodies – including those of “terrorists” – were thought to be trapped under rubble after three floors of the building collapsed following a blaze on Monday.
Some 175 people were injured in the attack; 62 people remain in hospital and many others are being treated for shock and are undergoing counseling.
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the four-day siege involving suspected Islamist militants at Nairobi’s Westgate shopping centre is over
“I promise that we shall have a full accountability for the mindless destruction, deaths, pain, loss and suffering we have all undergone as a national family.
“These cowards will meet justice, as will their accomplices and patrons, wherever they are,” he said.
At least 18 foreigners are among the dead, citizens from France, UK, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China.
The militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing on shoppers and staff.
Somali Islamist group al-Shabab said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan army operations in Somalia.
Uhuru Kenyatta said he could not confirm reports that a British national and two or three US citizens were involved in the attacks, but he said forensic experts were carrying out tests to ascertain their nationalities.
In an interview with the US TV programme PBS Newshour, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Amina Mohamed said the Americans were 18 or 19 years old, of Somali or Arab origin.
Her remarks have fuelled media speculation about the possible involvement of Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the men who carried out attacks on London’s transport system on July 7th, 2005.
However, a Twitter post from al-Shabab on Tuesday evening dismissed claims that women were involved in the attack. The group said it “categorically” denied involvement of any woman”.
Apple has decided to refund fans of TV show Breaking Bad after a mix-up over the number of episodes in its final season.
The confusion meant many people effectively paid twice for the final 16 episodes of the hugely popular show.
This was because Apple charged people who bought a “season pass” twice – once for each eight-show chunk as they were billed as separate seasons.
Apple has decided to refund fans of TV show Breaking Bad after a mix-up over the number of episodes in its final season
Apple has sent out emails giving people an iTunes voucher for the extra cash they spent.
Breaking Bad Season 5 was split into two halves by cable channel AMC with each eight-episode section being shown a year apart. The second half of this season, which sees the show reach a conclusion, was first broadcast and made available online on August 11.
The split caused problems on iTunes where many people had paid to see the closing series expecting that this would include all 16 episodes.
When Apple charged people again for the second eight episodes, called The Final Season, many complained and one outraged fan took legal action over the extra charge.
Apple has refunded the extra $22.99 levied on those people who were charged extra to watch The Final Season. Those who bought a season pass for Season 5 will now be able to watch all 16 episodes.
Grace Of Monaco release date has been delayed until 2014, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The movie was due for release in November 2013, making it eligible for next year’s Oscars.
In the film, Nicole Kidman plays Princess Grace of Monaco, formerly known as movie star Grace Kelly, during a crisis in her marriage to Prince Rainier III.
Grace Of Monaco release date has been delayed until 2014
Director Olivier Dahan previously coaxed an Oscar-winning performance out of Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. The new film co-stars Tim Roth, Frank Langella and Derek Jacobi.
The movie has already been screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where Nicole Kidman was serving on the festival jury.
But it has been met with some resistance by Prince Albert II of Monaco, who criticized the film for being historically inaccurate.
In a statement released earlier this year, Prince Albert and his sisters said Grace Of Monaco contained “major historical untruths and a series of purely fictional scenes”.
“The Princely family wishes to emphasize that this film is by no means a biopic,” the statement said.
President Barack Obama has said recent moves by Iran should offer the basis for a “meaningful agreement” on its nuclear programme.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting, Barack Obama said words now had to be “matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable”.
The US leader recently exchanged letters with his newly-elected counterpart over the nuclear issue.
Barack Obama also called for a strong UN resolution on Syria’s chemical arms.
He said the purpose of such a resolution should be “to verify that the [Bashar al-Assad’s] regime is keeping its commitments” to remove or destroy its chemical weapons.
The deal for Syria to hand over its chemical weapons by mid-2014 was agreed earlier this month between the US and Russia, averting a possible Western military strike.
Differences have since emerged over whether the deal should be enforced by a UN Security Council resolution under Chapter VII of the organization’s charter, which would authorize sanctions and the use of force if Syria did not comply with its obligations.
Opening the UN summit on Tuesday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Syrian government must “fully and quickly honor” its obligations under the deal.
“The international community must bring to justice the perpetrators of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, confirmed unequivocally by the UN investigation mission,” he said.
On Iran, Barack Obama said the US wanted to resolve the nuclear issue peacefully, but was determined to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly’s annual meeting, Barack Obama urged for diplomatic push on Iran nuclear programme
“The roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested” he said, adding that he had urged his Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue a deal.
“Iran’s genuine commitment to go down a different path will be good for the region and the world,” Barack Obama said.
Iran insists it is a peaceful programme, but Western countries suspect it of seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.
Iran’s new President, Hassan Rouhani, has said he wants to present his country’s “true face”.
A meeting between Barack Obama and Hassan Rouhani – the first such encounter since the 1979 revolution – has not been ruled out.
There is also speculation that he and Barack Obama may shake hands on the sidelines of the General Assembly.
On Thursday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will discuss its nuclear programme with John Kerry and other diplomats.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman in Tehran said the meeting represented the “beginning for nuclear talks in the new era”.
The meeting will be attended by foreign ministers from the other four permanent UN Security Council members – the UK, China, France and Russia – and also Germany, which make up the so-called P5+1.
Hassan Rouhani has said he is ready to restart stalled nuclear talks without preconditions.
Western ministers will want to see an Iranian willingness to make concessions on its nuclear programme if there is to be any lifting or lightening of UN and Western sanctions.
Iran for its part will want a clear indication that the US is willing to treat Iran with the respect it believes it deserves as a significant regional player.
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton, met Javad Zarif on Monday and described their discussion as “good and constructive.” She said her team would hold talks with Javad Zarif again in October in Geneva to assess progress.
Last week, Hassan Rouhani said that his country would never “seek weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons”, and that his goal was “constructive engagement” with the international community.
Usain Bolt has renewed his sponsorship deal with kit-maker Puma until after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Jamaican Usain Bolt, 27, has been with Puma since 2003, and last renewed what is considered to be the biggest sponsorship deal in athletics in 2010.
The Olympic champion said he was proud to continue with Puma “for the years ahead”.
Usain Bolt has renewed his sponsorship deal with kit-maker Puma until after the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro
Usain Bolt had earlier indicated he may retire after the 2016 Games, but recently said he may compete for a year after that.
There was no mention in the Puma announcement about any retirement plans.
Usain Bolt has won six Olympic gold and eight World Championship gold medals to date. In addition, his time of 9.58 seconds in the 100 metres is the fastest run to date.
Puma chief executive Bjoern Gulden said the firm had supported Usain Bolt since he was 16.
“He will play a crucial role in our future product concepts, as well as brand communications leading towards the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 and beyond,” Bjoern Gulden added.
In addition to its contract with Usain Bolt, Puma has a longstanding commitment to Jamaican Track & Field.
The deal is a boost for Puma as it continues to take on bigger sportswear rivals Adidas and Nike.
Duck Dynasty guys Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were invited at a sold-out show at Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel to share stories, their faith, duck call demonstrations, and hunting tips on September 22.
“People are thinking, what in the world are these guys going to do on stage?” Jase Robertson told The Daily Tribune.
Duck Dynasty guys Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were invited at a sold-out show at Detroit’s MotorCity Casino Hotel
“We share stories of our lives. We share our faith. We banter back and forth. A lot of that is off the top of our heads. When we get together, that’s the way we are.”
The Robertsons’ patriarch Phil Robertson created the Duck Commander duck call in 1972 and founded Duck Commander Co. in 1973.
All the family members were raised to hunt and cook duck, dove, squirrel, deer, geese and turkey.
The Kenyan stand-off at Westgate shopping centre enters fourth day with security forces combing the Nairobi mall attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants.
An explosion and gunfire were heard at the Westgate complex on Tuesday morning, but later a senior police source said the operation was “over”.
At least 65 people have been killed, including three soldiers.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s foreign minister said “two or three” Americans and a British woman were among the attackers.
In an interview with the US TV programme PBS Newshour, Amina Mohamed said the Americans were 18 or 19 years old, of Somali or Arab origin, and lived “in Minnesota and one other place”.
Amina Mohamed said the Briton was a woman who had “done this many times before”.
She appeared to contradict earlier comments from Kenya’s interior minister, who suggested that all the attackers were men – though some may have been dressed as women.
Amina Mohamed’s remarks have fuelled media speculation about the possible involvement of Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of one of the men who carried out attacks on London’s transport system on July 7th, 2005.
The Somali Islamist al-Shabab movement said it had carried out the attack in retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia.
Earlier, a Kenyan officer at the scene said he believed there could be two or three attackers left inside the building.
The Kenyan stand-off at Westgate shopping centre enters fourth day with security forces combing the Nairobi mall attacked by suspected al-Shabab militants
The interior ministry said security officials were in “mop-up operations” and that “we’re very near the end”, while the police said they were cleaning up explosives that had been planted in the area.
The ministry said it believed all hostages had been released – though messages on an al-Shabab Twitter feed said hostages were still being held and militants were “holding their ground”.
Official sources said that six of the attackers have been killed – three on Monday and three since midnight.
Officials said earlier that 10 people had been arrested in connection with the attack.
Between 12 and 15 militants stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday, throwing grenades and firing on shoppers and staff.
At least 18 foreigners are among the dead, including six Britons, as well as citizens from France, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Peru, India, Ghana, South Africa and China.
The interior ministry said on Tuesday that three soldiers had succumbed to their injuries, and eight were still being treated.
“We’ve lost three heroes,” the ministry said on its Twitter account.
Nearly 200 people were wounded, including five Americans.
The Kenyan Red Cross said 51 people remained unaccounted for.
President Barack Obama called the attack a “terrible outrage” and said the US was providing all the co-operation it could to Kenya.
Thousands of Kenyans have been responding to appeals for blood donations.
Al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of Somalia.
There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of Somalia as part of an African Union force supporting Somali government forces.
Al-Shabab is fighting to create an Islamic state in Somalia.
Despite being pushed out of key cities in the past two years, it remains in control of smaller towns and large swathes of the countryside.
UN special representative for Somalia Nicholas Kay called on Tuesday for a fresh surge in African troops to Somalia to counter an estimated 5,000 al-Shabab fighters, Reuters news agency reported.
Duck Dynasty’s Jase Robertson revealed how he convinced wife Missy to eat frog.
“I’m not a trophy type hunter in any way. We were raised on the river bank, and we were extremely poor. We commercial-fished the river for money. We lived off the land. Ninety percent of the meals we had growing up were from the woods and the water,” Jase Robertson said.
“I only deer hunt for food. The big bucks that everybody’s after, they don’t taste near as good as some of the others.”
Jase Robertson has had fun with his wife Missy, who was not raised killing her own food. One time he brought home frog and convinced her to eat it by telling her it was chicken.
Jase Robertson revealed how he convinced wife Missy to eat frog
After eating the meal, Missy Robertson told Jase: “That was the greatest chicken I ever ate. What did you do to it?”
“Well, you just ate frog,” Jase Robertson replied.
Jase Robertson said that their newfound fame hasn’t changed how the family interacts with each other or their values.
“We’re not into things. What can you buy? What can you do? If you’re happy with the people you’re with, to me, that’s what matters,” he said.
“We’re enjoying the ride. It’s a good thing. We use [our fame] as a platform to share our faith. We go around and try to make a positive impact on our world and use our notoriety to do that.”
Duck Dynasty, a half-hour reality TV show, debuted in 2012 and follows the Robertson’s family’s lives in Louisiana.
Duck Dynasty’s Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were in Detroit on Sunday for a sold-out performance at MotorCity Casino, and the Tigers wisely took advantage of the opportunity.
Uncle Si, Willie and Jase Robertson were invited to Comerica Park to throw out the first pitch at Chicago White Sox vs. Detroit Tigers.
Willie, Jase and Si Robertson were invited to Comerica Park to throw out the first pitch
Fox Sports Detroit’s Steve Kornacki wrote about the event: “The sellout crowd at Comerica recognized them as they walked onto the field because their long beards quickly catch your attention. They also were wearing Tigers home uniform tops and baseball caps. Willie, of course, wore his standard stars-and-stripes bandana. Many of the fans gave them a standing ovation as they strode to the mound.”
“That was some great welcome we got,” said Jase Robertson.
China has banned the export to North Korea of several weapon-related technologies which could be used in the development of nuclear weapons.
China’s Commerce Ministry published the list, which includes components for nuclear explosive devices and rocket systems, on Monday.
The ministry said the move would help implement UN resolutions on North Korea, and would be effective immediately.
Analysts say the ban shows China taking a firmer line against its ally.
China has banned the export to North Korea of several weapon-related technologies which could be used in the development of nuclear weapons
The list includes technology in nuclear, missile, chemical and biological fields.
It says the restrictions are developed in accordance with several UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea.
China is North Korea’s only ally and its major trading partner.
Western powers have previously criticized China for not rigorously enforcing UN sanctions imposed on North Korea because of its nuclear programme.
However, relations between Beijing and Pyongyang have been seriously strained in recent months.
In March, China supported a UN Security Council resolution tightening sanctions against North Korea, in response to Pyongyang’s third nuclear test in February.
Kim Kardashian launched a new perfume and her latest campaign was shot before the birth of her daughter North West.
Interestingly the name of her new perfume is Pure Honey, the current shade Kim Kardashian’s new dye job.
Kim Kardashian, 32, tweeted a picture of her fragrance campaign on Monday.
Kim Kardashian’s new perfume Pure Honey
“So excited to share that my fifth perfume, Pure Honey is here!” Kim Kardashian wrote alongside the picture, that features an extreme close-up shot of the star.
Throughout Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy, the star was seen continuously on the go rarely taking a break, and it seems that having a baby certainly hasn’t slowed down the wheels of her many business ventures.
Kim Kardashian took to her blog to say: “I wanted Pure Honey to be both light and sweet but also powerfully seductive. As women we all have these dual natures.”
“We can be girly and playful but also tempting and captivating at the same time. Combining the two elements was the perfect way to capture our full femininity.”
“I created it to be delectable and crave-able, like all beautiful women are.”
And like all celebrities who put their names to household products, Kim Kardashian claims she did more than just give her signature to the final design.
“I am super involved from start to finish,” she claims.
“On bottle design to ad campaign. I had this really great honey idea, so we moved away from just florals. I wanted to make sure that it had the little bee on it.”
Pure Honey is Kim Kardashian’s fifth fragrance, which also include True Reflection, Glam, Gold and Signature.
President Barack Obama conquered a long-term smoking habit because he was afraid of his wife, he has joked with a UN official.
The jesting admission, which Barack Obama made apparently unaware he was on camera, came at the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday.
Barack Obama privately told a human rights campaigner that he had not had a cigarette in roughly six years.
“That’s because I’m scared of my wife,” the president said with a smile.
Barack Obama revealed he conquered a long-term smoking habit because he was afraid of his wife
The conversation between Barack Obama and Maina Kiai, the UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, occurred near an open microphone and was later broadcast by CNN.
“I hope you’ve quit smoking,” Barack Obama said to Maina Kiai, a Kenyan.
“Sometimes,” Maina Kiai responded, as the two smiled and shook hands.
Both Barack Obama and Maina Kiai attended Harvard University Law School.
Barack Obama has publicly acknowledged his struggles to quit smoking in the past. In 2011, Michelle Obama said her husband had finally overcome the habit.
According to a UN report, the number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths has fallen dramatically last year.
Death rates fell from 2.3 million during its peak in 2005 to 1.6 million last year, says UNAIDS.
The number of new HIV infections fell by a third since 2001 to 2.3 million.
Among children, the drop was even steeper. In 2001 there were more than half a million new infections. By 2012 the figure had halved to just over a quarter of a million.
The authors put the fall in deaths and infection rates in children down to better access to antiretroviral drugs which help suppress the virus.
Without treatment, people with HIV can go on to develop AIDS which makes simple infections deadly.
By the end of 2012 almost 10 million people in low and middle income countries, including South Africa, Uganda and India, were accessing antiretroviral therapy, according to the report.
The number of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths has fallen dramatically last year
The improved access is being attributed to drugs being more affordable and available in communities, as well as more people coming forward for help.
According to UNAIDS, the world is “closing in” on its Millennium Development Goals to stop and reverse the AIDS epidemic by 2015.
But it says the world can go beyond its target of getting 15 million people on HIV treatment by 2015. The World Health Organization has now revised its guidelines making even more people eligible for treatment.
The report also found that progress has been slow in providing HIV services to people who are most at risk of infection, like those who inject drugs.
And it highlights the need to do more to deal with violence against women and girls. They make up a key group of people vulnerable to infection.
Bev Collins, Health Policy Advisor at Doctors without Borders said: “Huge leaps forward have been made to make sure that millions of people – especially in the developing world – can access lifesaving HIV treatment at an affordable price.
“But this is no time for complacency. We need to keep on rolling out access to better treatment strategies, expanding access to accurate, cost-effective testing, and to care”
