German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged her party to celebrate “a super result” after exit polls suggested CDU was set to win a third term.
Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats took about 42% of the vote, according to exit polls.
But Angela Merkel’s preferred coalition is at risk, as her Free Democrat partners appear not have secured the 5% needed to enter parliament.
She may, therefore, be forced to seek a grand coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) – estimated to have won 26%.
Exit polls for ARD public television put the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) on 4.7%, which if confirmed would be a disaster for the junior coalition partner, leaving it with no national representation in parliament.
Senior party member Christian Lindner called it “the bitterest hour”.
Angela Merkel has urged her party to celebrate “a super result” after exit polls suggested CDU was set to win a third term
The FDP was beaten by the Green Party (8%) and the former communist Left Party (8.5%), and even, according to exit polls, the new Alternative fuer Deutschland, which advocates withdrawal from the euro currency and took 4.9%, just short of the parliamentary threshold.
There was some speculation on German television that the Christian Democrats (CDU) might even win enough seats for an absolute majority – the first in half a century – if both the FDP and AfD fail to make it into parliament.
Angela Merkel addressed jubilant supporters at CDU headquarters, telling them: “This is a super result.”
“We can celebrate tonight because we have done something fantastic.”
In a reference to coalition building, Angela Merkel said it was “too early to say exactly what we’ll do”.
“We have a clear mandate from voters to form a government,” said Volker Kauder, leader of the CDU’s parliamentary group. The outcome showed that “voters want Angela Merkel to remain chancellor” for a third term, he said.
Angela Merkel has made clear she would be prepared to work with the SPD in a grand coalition, as she did in 2005-2009.
The SPD has been more reluctant to consider linking up with the CDU again. The party leader, Peer Steinbrueck, was finance minister in the previous grand coalition, but has said he would not serve in such a government again.
After the exit polls were released, but before official results were confirmed, Peer Steinbrueck conceded that it would be up to Angela Merkel to decide how to proceed saying: “The ball is in Mrs. Merkel’s court. She has to get herself a majority.”
The SPD would have preferred to enter a coalition with the Green Party, but does not appear to have the votes to do so, and has ruled out a three-way alliance including the Left Party (Die Linke).
Analysts think the SPD will probably agree to a coalition with the CDU.
Turnout appeared to be higher than at the last federal election. At 14:00 it measured 41.4% of eligible voters, compared to 36.1% at the same point in 2009.
Hong Kong is preparing for the arrival of typhoon Usagi, which is expected to be the strongest storm to hit the city in more than 30 years.
Officials have suspended activity at the port – one of the world’s busiest – and cancelled most flights.
In mainland China thousands of boats in the Pearl River Delta have been taken inland due to fears of high tides.
At least two people were killed by the storm as it crossed the Luzon Strait between Taiwan and the Philippines.
Typhoo Usagi – which means rabbit in Japanese – packed winds of 103 mph as it closed in on China’s densely populated Pearl River Delta.
China’s National Meteorological Centre has issued its highest alert, warning that Typhoon Usagi would bring gales and downpours to parts of the southern coast, according to Xinhua news agency.
More than 80,000 people have moved to safer ground in Fujian province, Xinhua said, and the authorities in Guangdong have asked more than 44,000 fishing boats to return to port.
Hong Kong is preparing for the arrival of typhoon Usagi, which is expected to be the strongest storm to hit the city in more than 30 years
Technicians at the Guangdong nuclear plant have been trying to ensure the installation is secure ahead of the typhoon.
Many airlines have cancelled flights to cities in Guangdong and Fujian, and shipping has been suspended between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, Xinhua reported.
In Hong Kong, meteorologists are warning of severe floods due to powerful winds and exceptionally high tides.
The Hong Kong Observatory warned of “severe” disruption to the city.
If the situation does not improve soon, many businesses including the stock exchange will be shut on Monday.
En route to Hong Kong and southern China, Typhoon Usagi forced the evacuation of more than 3,000 people in southern Taiwan.
It also hit the northernmost islands of the Philippines, where it cut communication and power lines and triggered landslides.
Typhoons are common during the summer in parts of East Asia, where the warm moist air and low pressure conditions enable tropical cyclones to form.
Line a 12-hole mini-muffin tin with pretty paper or foil cases, then start by preparing the peanut butter filling. Tip the white chocolate pieces into a small heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Remove from the heat, stir the chocolate until smooth and add the peanut butter and vanilla extract. Mix to combine and set aside.
Meanwhile, place the milk and the dark chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until it is silky smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Spoon one teaspoon of the melted chocolate into each of the paper cases, followed by one level teaspoon of the peanut butter and white chocolate mixture, flattening the mixture slightly with the back of the spoon.
Now cover the peanut butter with another teaspoon of the melted chocolate and tap the tin gently on the work surface, so that the chocolate covers the peanut butter in a smooth layer. Finally, scatter the finely chopped peanuts over the top of each chocolate cup and leave to cool until they are completely firm before serving. The crunchy peanut butter cups will keep for about a week in an airtight container in a cool place
Tamil party has won Sri Lanka’s first elections for a semi-autonomous council in the island’s north after decades of ethnic war, official results show.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) won 30 seats in the 38-member council following Saturday’s Northern Provincial Council elections.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s coalition won seven of the other seats.
The vote took place four years after the army defeated Tamil Tiger rebels.
The TNA will now form the first functioning provincial government in the northern Tamil heartland.
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress won one seat.
Tamil party has won Sri Lanka’s first elections for a semi-autonomous council in the island’s north after decades of ethnic war
The result is a sign that the mainly Tamil population of the north is looking for a high degree of self-government – but there will now have to be intense bargaining with the central government on what that will entail.
The Tamil-majority Northern Province, which was first promised such a body decades ago, is the only region that has never had its own council.
The run-up to the election was marred by allegations of army intimidation that were firmly denied by the authorities.
Vast swathes of the region were once strongholds of Tamil Tiger rebels, who fought against the mainly Sinhalese army for a separate homeland as Sri Lanka was plunged into a bitter and bloody civil war for 26 years.
The rebels were defeated in May 2009 but the final phase of that war remains dogged by war crimes allegations, and the government’s rights record since then has come in for trenchant criticism.
The elections have been seen by the UN and the world community as an important gauge as to the level of reconciliation between the Tamils and the majority ethnic Sinhalese, who mostly control Sri Lanka’s government and military.
The vote went to the heart of how the country should accommodate its ethnic minority who complain of being second class citizens without a say in their own affairs.
Rihanna has been enjoying a stay in Thailand as a break from her Diamonds World Tour.
Wearing swimming suit, Rihanna, 25, is seen in a variety of poses and scenarios where she is clearly at home in the Asian country.
In one she can be seen posing on a boat with an impressive skyline behind her. In another, she is seen looking backwards, over her shoulder, as a breeze makes her hair momentarily defy gravity.
Rihanna can then be seen receiving a hand-made flower bracelet from a local vendor, who then kisses her.
Rihanna has been enjoying a stay in Thailand as a break from her Diamonds World Tour
In typical Rihanna style, she also uploaded a more suggestive picture of her wearing a leather-effect wetsuit.
The chart-topping singer is obviously happy to share her experiences. She has been uploading a number of photographs of her travels in recent days.
Yesterday Rihanna published a number of fun pictures from a night out in Phuket, where she was greeted by several species of native animals – including tame elephants.
She also posted a funny shot with her alongside a scantily-clad woman and a leotard-wearing man – both of whom appear to be yelling at the singer.
“She was either tryna get married to me, or asking for the rest of my crop over costume! #Thailand #$treetLife,” Rihanna explained of the scene.
Rihanna flew into Thailand from Manila on Thursday, following her first gig in the Philippines for five years.
Her tour has so far played in more than 60 countries, with another 19 stops to go before it wraps on November 15.
Rihanna’s next gig is scheduled for Singapore this Sunday.
Prince Felix of Luxembourg has married his long-time love Claire Lademacher in south eastern France.
Grand dukes and duchesses, princes and princesses and a smattering of arch dukes lined up at the Basilique Sainte Marie-Madeleine in Saint-Maximin-La-Sainte-Baume to greet the couple.
On Wednesday, Prince Felix, 29, and Claire Lademacher, 28, wed in a civil ceremony in her hometown of Frankfurt, Germany. The bride opted for an understated look – choosing a simple white peplum sheath dress, aquamarine drop earrings, and Ferragamo bow heels.
The ceremony was an intimate affair which included Prince Felix’s parents – the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg – as well as his four siblings and their respective families.
The bride wore a traditional wedding dress as she married the second-in-line to the Luxembourg throne in front of 350 guests.
The groom’s proud parents Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Theresa beamed as Prince Felix arrived for the ceremony.
His mother posed with her son wearing a matching fuchsia coat, hat and shoes as she arrived to see the third of her five children marry.
Prince Felix of Luxembourg has married his long-time love Claire Lademacher in south eastern France
Both of them waved to the crowds who had gathered in the Provencal town of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume.
Prince Guilaume, Princess Stephanie, Prince Louis, Princess Tessy, sister Princess Alexandra and Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg made up the large party of Félix’s family on his big day.
Hello magazine reported that Princess Alexandra took her style inspiration from fellow European Kate Middleton.
She wore a sky blue version of the teal Jenny Packham dress that the Duchess of Cambridge sported at an Olympics gala ball in 2012.
Felix’s brother Prince Guillaume arrived with his wife Prince Stephanie, 11 months after their own lavish wedding at the Cathederal of Our Lady of Luxembourg.
Leading the other European royal guests was Prince Albert of Monaco’s nephew Pierre Casiraghi and his girlfriend Beatrice Borromeo. They were joined by Archduke Christoph and Archduchess Adelaide and Princess Margaretha and Prince Nikolaus Of Liechtenstein.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds were expected to set off on honeymoon reportedly still a secret from Claire Lademacher.
“The day after our wedding we will depart on our honeymoon, and I will personally take care of the organization,” Prince Felix told a local newspaper according to Hello magazine.
“It is tradition in our family that the destination of the honeymoon is a surprise for the bride, that is only revealed at the last minute before departure…”
Claire and Prince Felix reportedly met while studying at the Collège Alpin International Beau Soleil in Switzerland. The couple announced their engagement in December.
The Kremlin was forced to deny claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin has married former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva.
Rumors that the recently divorced Vladimir Putin was marrying in the town of Valdai swept the internet.
Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin’s most charismatic political rival, tweeted: “I’m told that Putin and Kabaeva are marrying today at the Iver Monastery. All of Valdai sealed off.”
However, Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, later dismissed the claims as “an internet exercise to relieve boredom”.
Valdai is in the Novgorod region, where Vladimir Putin, 60, was based last week for an international conference involving politicians and journalists.
The president’s aides have repeatedly denied he is involved in a relationship with gold medal-winning gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 30.
The Kremlin was forced to deny claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin has married former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva
Claims that Vladimir Putin and Alina Kabaeva have children together have also been dismissed.
This week Vladimir Putin indicated he may stand for office again in 2018.
Vladimir Putin was first elected in 2000 and served two four year terms until he handed control of the country to puppet president Dmitry Medvedev who served until 2012 when Putin was reelected, this time for a six-year term.
If reelected, Vladimir Putin will have been in power for nearly a quarter of a century which will make him the nation’s longest-serving leader since Joseph Stalin.
Vladimir Putin, who served two consecutive four-year terms starting in 2000, stepped out of the presidential limelight and became prime minister in 2008 to observe a limit of two consecutive terms.
However, Vladimir Putin maintained his grip on power from the shadows with his longtime ally, Dmitry Medvedev, serving as a placeholder.
Amanda Knox says she will not travel to Italy for the appeals trial over the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
“I was already imprisoned as innocent person in Italy,” Amanda Knox said told NBC.
“I just can’t relive that.”
Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were found guilty in 2009, but acquitted on appeal in 2011.
In March, Italy’s highest court overturned both acquittals, ordering a fresh appeals process.
Amanda Knox spent four years in prison before her acquittal.
Amanda Knox says she will not travel to Italy for the appeals trial over the 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher
She said she expected to win another acquittal, but that “common sense” told her not to return to Italy.
“I thought about what it would be like to live my entire life in prison and to lose everything, to lose what I’ve been able to come back to and rebuild,” she said.
“I think about it all the time. It’s so scary. Everything is at stake.”
Amanda Knox is not required to be present in Italy for the new appeal, due to start in Florence on September 30.
However, if her previous conviction is confirmed, Italy would be expected to request her extradition.
Meredith Kercher, from Coulsdon, south London, was found dead in a flat she shared in Perugia with Amanda Knox, a fellow exchange student.
Both Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito maintain their innocence.
Amanda Knox insists that on the night of Meredith Kercher’s death she was at Raffaele Sollecito’s flat, smoking marijuana and watching a film.
Another man – Rudy Guede from Ivory Coast – was convicted in a separate trial and sentenced to 16 years for the killing.
An unknown number of hostages are still inside Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya, after a deadly assault by al-Shabab militants, officials say.
At least 39 people died when members of the Somali Islamist group stormed the Westgate centre on Saturday.
Officials say the gunmen have been cornered but that people are trapped in a number of locations.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta earlier vowed to “hunt down the perpetrators wherever they run to”.
Al-Shabab said it carried out the attack on the upmarket mall in response to Kenyan military operations in Somalia.
There are about 4,000 Kenyan troops in the south of Somalia, where they have been fighting the militants since 2011.
On its Twitter feed, al-Shabab – which has links to al-Qaeda – said it was behind what it called the “Westgate spectacle”.
Kenyan officials said “major operations” were under way with police and soldiers preparing an apparent bid to bring an end to the stand-off.
They said the security forces had finally “pinned down” the surviving gunmen.
“The work is continuing, but you cannot rush these things,” an army officer posted on the perimeter cordon set up around the mall told the AFP news agency.
“Our teams are there, we are watching and monitoring, we will finish this as soon as we can.”
The authorities have asked journalists to exercise caution when reporting military developments because the gunmen might be monitoring the media.
“Hostiles suspected to have access to the internet,” the Disaster Operation Centre in Nairobi posted on Twitter.
“Reports on personnel movement and progress will not be posted for fear of compromising strategy.”
An unknown number of hostages are still inside Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi
The officials said the number of hostages was “still unknown, but they are in several locations”.
“The gunmen have been contained in one location, but there are hostages elsewhere in the vicinity who cannot access the exit.”
Upper levels of the mall had been secured, it said.
The attack began at about 12:00 local time, when the attackers entered the Westgate centre throwing grenades and firing automatic weapons. A children’s day event was being held at the time – children are among those reported killed.
Some witnesses said the militants told Muslims to leave and said non-Muslims would be targeted.
“They came and said: <<If you are Muslim, stand up. We’ve come to rescue you>>,” said Elijah Lamau.
He said the Muslims left with their hands up, and then the gunmen shot two people.
Scores of people fled or were evacuated while police and armed security guards fought running gun battles with the militants throughout the mall for hours.
As night fell in Nairobi, two contingents of army special forces troops were reported to have moved inside the mall.
Reports say at least one of the attackers was a woman who appeared to have some kind of leadership role.
One gunman was arrested and died of his wounds, Kenyan officials said. Four other gunmen were arrested.
In a televised address on Saturday evening, President Uhuru Kenyatta said security forces were “in the process of neutralizing the attackers and securing the mall”.
He went on: “We shall hunt down the perpetrators wherever they run to. We shall get to them and we shall punish them for this heinous crime.”
He said he had “personally lost family members in the Westgate attack”.
Security experts are reported to have long warned that the complex, which is part Israeli-owned, was in danger of being subjected to a terror attack.
Al-Shabab says the African Union forces are invaders stopping their legitimate vision of creating an Islamic state and respond by mounting hit-and-run attacks.
The US State Department said it had reports that American citizens were injured in what it called “a senseless act of violence”.
Two French citizens and two Canadians, including a diplomat, are also among the dead.
Nairobi’s mortuary superintendent, Sammy Nyongesa Jacob, told Reuters that Africans, Asians and Caucasians were among the bodies brought to the mortuary.
This is one of the worst incidents in Kenya since the attack on the US embassy in August 1998.
Polls have opened in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel vying for a third term in charge of Europe’s most powerful economy.
Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats may take the largest number of seats in parliament, or Bundestag, according to latest polls.
But Angela Merkel’s coalition partners, the Free Democrats, may not gain the 5% vote share required to win any seats.
If so, Angela Merkel may have to consider a coalition with her main rival Peer Steinbrueck’s Social Democrats.
A coalition of Centre-Left, Left and Green parties is also a possibility.
Voting opened at 08:00 local time and is due to close at 16:00.
Elections in Germany are often followed by a period of several weeks of coalition talks before the final shape of the government emerges.
On Saturday, the main parties concluded their campaigns with large rallies.
Polls have opened in Germany with Chancellor Angela Merkel vying for a third term in charge of Europe’s most powerful economy
In Berlin, Angela Merkel asked for votes to continue with her government’s policies into 2017.
“I ask the people in Germany to give me a strong mandate so that I can continue to serve Germany for another four years, for a stronger Germany, a country which is well respected in Europe, which defends its interests but is also a friend of a lot of countries.”
In Frankfurt, Peer Steinbrueck – who leads the opposition SDP, told his supporters to believe in the possibility of victory.
“The voters decide, not commentary beforehand,” he said.
“It’s not a game. Don’t believe it’s decided yet – it isn’t. I would ask for the voters’ decision to be respected, because it’s them, not political polls or certain observers, who decide an election.”
The Green Party – who may play some part in an eventual governing coalition – has criticized Angela Merkel’s government for raising taxes.
The Free Democrats (FDP), whose best-known member is Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, has seen its fortunes decline sharply since the last election in 2009, when it won nearly 15% of the vote.
Analysts say the party, traditionally more liberal than the CDU/CSU, has struggled to stand out from its more powerful coalition partner on economic policy.
If the FDP do badly, as expected, the CDU/CSU may find themselves looking to other small parties to form a broader, more fragile coalition.
The election is one of the most important in years because of Germany’s dominant role in the eurozone.
With the biggest population of any EU state, Germany enjoys a GDP that far outstrips the economies of its partners and is crucial to decisions on tackling the eurozone’s debt crisis.
Chinese politician Bo Xilai has been found guilty of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power and sentenced to life imprisonment having the right to appeal.
Bo Xilai had denied all the charges against him in a fiery defense at his trial.
The former party chief of Chongqing was removed from office last year amid a scandal which saw his wife Gu Kailai convicted for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.
The verdict was handed down by the Intermediate People’s Court in Jinan, Shandong province.
Passing sentence the judge told Bo Xilai that he had damaged China’s national interests and the interests of its people, wrongfully using his position in power to receive bribes totalling 20 million Chinese Yuan ($3.2 million).
The judge rejected Bo Xilai’s claims that his confession to the crimes was acquired through illegal means such as torture and interrogation, and said it therefore stood.
During Bo Xilai’s trial last month the court took the unprecedented step of releasing details about proceedings on its Weibo microblog.
Bo Xilai was sentenced to life in prison on the bribery charges, 15 years for embezzlement and seven years for abuse of power. In addition all his personal wealth has been confiscated.
He has 10 days to appeal against his sentence and conviction, but correspondents say that any such move is highly unlikely to be successful.
Bo Xilai has been found guilty of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power and sentenced to life imprisonment
Although his trial was conducted under an unprecedented degree of openness for China, many analysts say that the guilty verdict was always a foregone conclusion – and many see the process against him as having a very strong political dimension.
Prosecutors had said that Bo Xilai accepted the bribes and embezzled public funds from Dalian, where he used to be mayor.
Bo Xilai was also accused of abusing his office by using his position to cover up for his wife Gu Kailai, convicted last year of murdering Neil Heywood in 2011.
In lengthy comments in court, he said he did not illegally obtain millions of dollars or cover up Neil Heywood’s killing.
He also dismissed the testimony of two key witnesses, describing his wife’s statement as “ridiculous” and his former police chief Wang Lijun’s testimony as “full of lies and fraud”.
Bo Xilai’s fall from power was triggered when Wang sought refuge in the US consulate in Chengdu in February 2012.
The incident prompted an investigation into the death of Neil Heywood. Wang Lijun has since been jailed for 15 years for helping Gu Kailai cover up the murder.
The Bo Xilai scandal triggered a crisis in the Communist Party, which was about to hold its once-in-a-decade leadership handover, and revealed divisions at the top of the party over how Bo should be handled.
Two years ago Bo Xilai was seen as a candidate for promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s top decision-making body.
His downfall was seen as the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades.
Bo Xilai’s trial also offered the public a rare glimpse into the life of China’s rich and powerful, with lurid details emerging of lavish vacations and luxury villas.
Earlier this week, an overseas-based dissident Chinese news website published a letter allegedly written by Bo Xilai in prison on September 12.
Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post said that unidentified insiders with close ties to Bo Xilai had confirmed that the letter, addressed to Bo’s family, was genuine.
“I am an innocent victim and I feel wronged,” the letter read.
“But I believe one day truth will prevail…I will wait quietly in jail for that day to come.”
Britain’s used car market is more than four times larger than the new car market – almost 9 million people every year purchase a second-hand car. What Car? with the assistance of other used car industry experts, has picked the best used cars for sale in 2013.Vauxhall received several individual car awards and the brand also won the title of Best Used Car Manufacturer of the Year, thanks to its long-running Network Q used car scheme. Steve Huntingford, What Car?’s road test editor and head judge, said:
“Although Network Q is one of the oldest approved used schemes, there are more than 350 outlets and it has a good online offering, a great choice of stock, all cars come with a comprehensive Network Q check, and an unbeatable insurance package. Network Q makes buying a used car very easy.”
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI SE 5dr was named Used Car of the Year 2013. You can find this car at a dealer price of approx £8,700 and a private price of around £8,300. What Car? praised the Golf’s impressive cabin quality and refinement, comfort, running costs and impressive safety credentials. The Golf’s win corresponds with data taken from the AA’s website, which shows that twice as many people viewed a Volkswagen Golf than any other used car in the last 12 months and one in 26 views of cars on their website were of a Golf model.
“The Golf is the true ‘car of the people’ as it is practical, economical, sporty, safe, desirable, reliable and fun. Twice as many people viewed VW Golfs on AA Cars in the last year than any other car.”, Edmund King, AA president for The Telegraph
“What clearly sets the Golf apart from other small family cars is its cabin.”
Other awards won were:
Best used small car 2013: Vauxhall Corsa 1.2 Design AC 5dr
Age/reg: 07/07
Dealer price/private price: £4,100/£3,600
Best used family car 2013: Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI SE 5dr
Age/reg: 10/10
Dealer price/private price: £8,700/£8,300
Best used estate car 2013: Mazda 6 Estate 2.2D 163 TS2
Age/reg: 09/09
Dealer price/private price: £11,400/£10,700
Best used MPV 2013: Ford S-Max 2.0 TDCi Zetec
Age/reg: 09/09
Dealer price/private price: £10,900/£10,000
Best used SUV 2013: Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi Acenta
Age/reg: 07/07
Dealer price/private price: £7,800/£7,200
Best used executive and luxury car 2013: BMW 320d SE
Age/reg: 07/57
Dealer price/private price: £9,000/£8,600
Best used fun car 2013: Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup
Age/reg: 09/09
Dealer price/private price: £7,500/£7,200
Best nearly new car 2013: Vauxhall Astra 1.6 Exclusiv
Age/reg: 12/12
Dealer price/private price: £9,100/£8,700
A History of Car Manufacturers
Car manufacturers jumped into car production in the late 1800’s with the pioneers of the industry being Benz, Peugeot and Daimler followed by Fiat, Opel and Renault. MoneySuperMarket created a a visually appealing and easy to follow info graphic called A History of Car Manufacturers that shows the way the car manufacturing industry evolved and changed over time. It’s interesting to know how the auto industry got from one manufacturer in 1886 to 42 parents and 90 brands over a period of 125 years. Be sure to let us know if you’re one of the 99% of Britons that saved on the cost of their car insurance when they used MoneySuperMarket.
Kris Jenner posted a brief video of Kardashian family meeting with a number of topics on Keek.
The footage featured children Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie, Rob and stepson Brody Jenner sitting around on her couch.
Unfortunately for the Kris Jenner, her offspring didn’t seem quite as concerned to talk as she was, and ignored her pleas to pay attention in the footage posted on Friday night entitled, “Family meeting”.
“This is what a family meeting looks like at my house, ladies and gentlemen,” said Kris Jenner, as she panned the camera around the room, revealing Kim, Khloe, Kylie, Kendall, Kourtney, Rob and stepson, Brody Jenner.
“And there we go, family meeting. Nobody is paying attention to me, nothing ever changes. Thank you, I have no control,” said the momager in her voice-over.
To prove her point, someone in the entourage shouted: “Turn it off!”
Kris Jenner posted a brief video of Kardashian family meeting
It is unclear what the famous family were discussing or if indeed troubled Lamar Odom even came up in conversation.
They seemed more keen to chat between themselves, as new-mum Kim Kardashian laughed with step-brother Brody Jenner.
Youngest daughters Kylie and Kendall Jenner talked with Rob Kardashian, and Kourtney seemed more interested in touching up their lipstick than listening to her mother’s lecture which was seemingly being filmed for the family reality show.
After devastated by cheating allegations and drug abuse regarding Lamar Odom, Khloe Kardashian, 29, is reportedly still reluctant to pull the trigger and admit that their relationship is over.
But Kris Jenner allegedly has other ideas, and recently took Khloe Kardashian to see a divorce lawyer.
“At Kris’ insistence, Khloe did meet with a divorce lawyer… it was something she was forced into doing by her mom,” a source toldRadarOnline.com.
“Kris was very heavy-handed and said Khloe had a responsibility to her sisters, Kim and Kourtney, and the Kardashian brand to distance herself from Lamar,” the website reported.
Later on Friday night, Kris Jenner put her family troubles behind her and attended the William Morris Endeavor pre-Emmy party in Los Angeles.
“WME party with the Fabulous @MarkBurnettTV #brainstorming,” Kris Jenner tweeted.
Posing with Survivor and Amazing Race creator Mark Burnett, Kris Jenner sparked rumors that she may soon be venturing into reality TV.
Details about Ariel Castro’s suicide have revealed that he hanged himself in his prison cell and left notes with Bible verses and the names of his children and grandchildren written beside him.
A Bible open to the book of John was also found when prison guards discovered the Cleveland kidnapper’s lifeless body hanging from a hinge from his cell window using a bedsheet.
Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak said she’s awaiting toxicology results before issuing a final report on Ariel Castro’s September 3 suicide. The preliminary notes indicate he suffered from hardening of the arteries.
Ariel Castro, 53, was found at 9.20 p.m. the night of the suicide, about 30 minutes after he was last seen alive, according to the notes. He was pronounced dead at a hospital an hour and a half later.
The significance of why Ariel Castro had the Book of John open at the time of his death is unknown, but some of the more prominent stories told in that section of the Bible include descriptions of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Ariel Castro hanged himself in his prison cell and left notes with Bible verses and the names of his children and grandchildren written beside him
Ariel Castro pleaded guilty last month to nearly 1,000 counts related to his imprisonment of three women in his Cleveland home for a decade, including aggravated murder – for forcing one of the victims to miscarry – kidnapping, rape and other crimes.
He kidnapped Michelle Knight, Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry between 2002 and 2004 when they were 20, 14, and 16 years old.
Ariel Castro housed them in brutal conditions, restricting access to food and toilet facilities, chaining them and beating them repeatedly. He fathered a girl with Amanda Berry.
He was four weeks into a sentence of life without parole plus 1,000 years when he killed himself. His body was released to his son in Columbus.
Ariel Castro’s suicide is the subject of three prison reviews. Two, looking at the circumstances of his death and at mental and medical health treatment he received beforehand, are due at month’s end.
The study, due November 15, will also examine prison suicides over the past two years and make recommendations for any changes to the state’s policies and procedures for stopping inmates from killing themselves.
A time capsule buried by Steve Jobs twenty years ago has been discovered after its location was long forgotten.
In 1983, Steve Jobs was attending a conference in Aspen when he and the group decided to bury as a stunt during a design convention.
The tube that was filled with an eclectic collection of goods- ranging from the then-new apple mouse to a six-pack of beer for the people who discovered the time capsule- was meant to be dug up twenty years later.
There was a problem with that plan, however, as everyone involved forgot where it was buried.
The time capsule buried by Steve Jobs 20 years ago has been discovered after its location was long forgotten
The final discovery happened at the hands of the crew from the National Geographic Channel’s reality show called Diggers.
The discovery was well documented and is surely going to be featured on an upcoming episode, and even the experts had problems finding this particular treasure.
CNET reports that in spite of their preparations and clear idea of where the 13-foot-long tube was, it still took them two hours to dig it up using heavy machinery.
To anyone removed from the tech industry, the accomplishment in finding the tube appears to be the biggest accomplishment.
To others, the most interesting object would likely be the “Lisa” mouse placed in the tube by the hands of a then-28-year-old Steve Jobs.
The Lisa Mouse, which Steve Jobs named after his daughter, was one of the first commercial computer mice soled publicly, making it a rarity at the time.
Though stylistically it has changed over the past three decades, the internal components of the mouse have remained largely the same.
The Aspen Historical Society is going to help the show creators catalogue the tube’s contents- but no word yet whether or not the Diggers cracked open one of the six bottles of Boddington’s Ale that was left inside for the people who found the tube.
George Soros is set to marry for the third time to Tamiko Bolton, a 42-year-old health care consultant, on Saturday at his estate near New York City.
It comes as little surprise that the occasion will be marked with a bit of fanfare as the three-day celebration began on Friday with a dinner followed by a reception at the Museum of Modern Art with a special preview of the new Rene Magritte exhibit.
The formal exchange of vows will come on Saturday at George Soros’ estate in Bedford, less than an hour away from the city.
The estate itself has its own grandiose history as George Soros, 83, bought it a decade ago from Michael Crichton, the author of Jurassic Park.
The non-denominational ceremony will be attended only by family members, including billionaire George Soros’ five children from his two previous marriages.
The wedding ceremony will be followed by a reception on Saturday evening with more than 500 guests at an arts center in nearby Katonah.
Chef Bo Bech of the Geist Restaurant in Copenhagen will prepare the food. George Soros and Tamiko Bolton first dined at Geist when visiting Copenhagen in 2009.
The reception on Saturday night will feature Hungarian composer and conductor Iván Fischer, a family friend, who created a new arrangement for the occasion, which will be presented with the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Cape Verdean singer Mayra Andrade will perform with the Harris Lane Orchestra. Andrade and Roma ensemble Via Romen will perform at a Sunday brunch.
Guests at the various events include World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and some foreign leaders, including Hendrik Toomas Ilves, president of Estonia; Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia; and Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania.
George Soros is set to marry for the third time to Tamiko Bolton
Also expected to attend are fellow titans of the hedge fund world, Paul Tudor Jones and Julian Robertson. From the political realm those invited include Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi of California and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, both Democrats.
George Soros, who established one of the first hedge funds in 1969 and is probably best known for his big bet against the British pound in 1992, met Tamiko Bolton at a dinner party in 2008.
Their engagement was announced in August 2012.
Tamiko Bolton, who was raised in California, is the daughter of a nurse and a retired naval officer. She graduated from the University of Utah and holds an MBA from the University of Miami. Bolton has been a consultant and entrepreneur working in the fields of health and education.
The bride’s dress has been designed by U.S.-based, Lebanon-born designer Reem Acra, whose gowns have shown up on the red carpet on many stars, including Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez.
For George Soros, who has a net worth of $20 billion according to Forbes, this will be his third marriage. It will be the second for Tamiko Bolton.
When asked if there is a prenuptial agreement, the source familiar with the wedding arrangements said that George Soros’s lawyer, William D. Zabel, reiterated his comments from last year that “Soros will leave the bulk of his estate to charity but he intends to provide generously for his wife”.
In 2011, George Soros, who is an active contributor to politically liberal causes and frequently speaks on world economic events, converted his hedge fund into a family office and stopped managing money for outside investors.
In the past three decades, Hungarian-born George Soros has given away more than $7 billion to promote democracy, foster free speech, improve education and fight poverty around the world, according to his foundation’s website on www.opensocietyfoundations.org.
George Soros was divorced from Annaliese Witschak in 1983 and Susan Weber Soros in 2005.
In lieu of gifts, the couple asked that donations be made to charities including Global Witness, Harlem’s Children Zone, National Dance Institute, Planned Parenthood and the Roma Education Fund.
At least 22 people are reported to be dead and more than 50 injured as a gun battle continues between police and armed men at Westgate shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
Dozens of shoppers fled; many are still feared trapped inside.
A senior police officer originally said it was an attempted robbery but later called it a possible terrorist attack.
The Somali militant group al-Shabab had threatened to strike the centre.
It is opposed to Kenya sending troops to fight in Somalia. No group has said it carried out Saturday’s attack.
Officers have now surrounded the building in an attempt to evacuate remaining shoppers. A military helicopter has landed nearby.
Police told AFP news agency that gunmen had taken at least seven people hostage. Eyewitnesses have also said there are hostages, but there is no official confirmation.
Dozens of people are reported to have been injured.
Eyewitnesses say masked attackers threw grenades into the building at about midday local time.
Nairobi police chief Benson Kibue initially said the gunmen had been trying to rob a shop, but later called it “a terrorist attack”.
At least 22 people are reported to be dead and more than 50 injured as a gun battle continues between police and armed men at Westgate shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi
At about 18:30, more than six hours after the attack began, the Kenyan Secretary for the Interior Joseph ole Lenku said the security situation was “under control”.
He urged the public “not to speculate” about the nature of the attack, and said most people had been evacuated.
There are reports one of the gunmen has been shot dead.
Some of the attackers were reportedly dressed in hijabs, and it is unclear whether they were men or women, our correspondent says.
One man who escaped had been hiding in a supermarket but told our correspondent his friends were still trapped inside the building.
Witnesses told news agencies the gunmen ordered Muslims to leave and that non-Muslims would be targeted.
The Kenyan authorities have asked media outlets to stop broadcasting from the scene, as the information may be aiding the attackers.
Security guards used shopping trolleys to wheel out several wounded children and at least one man, AP reports.
“The gunmen tried to fire at my head but missed. There are definitely many casualties,” Sudjar Singh, who works at the shopping centre, told AFP.
“I saw three of the attackers dressed in black and with covered faces and they were carrying heavy rifles,” said another witness.
AFP quoted witnesses as saying the gunmen were speaking Arabic or Somali and executed shoppers.
Armed police took cover behind vehicles outside.
“We have officers at the scene trying to get out the group shooting inside,” a police official told AFP news agency.
“Officers are approaching the situation with caution because there are innocent civilians inside,” he said.
The Westgate centre is often frequented by wealthy Kenyans and expatriates.
Police have urged residents to stay away from the area and told media outlets to stop live transmissions from the scene.
Miss Kay Robertson’s tea is a smash hit on A&E’s hit show Duck Dynasty.
It seems every scene in the show someone is enjoying a tall fresh glass of this famous sweet tea.
Here is a traditional sweet tea recipe from the South, where the Duck Dynasty clan lives
Miss Kay Robertson’s tea is a smash hit on A&E’s hit show Duck Dynasty
How to make sweet tea like on Duck Dynasty
Simply boil the tea bags in water over the stove to extract the tea’s flavors. Once boiled and still warm you add granulated sugar and cold water to taste. This explains how Miss Kay Robertson can have an abundance of this enticing sweet tea at all times.
This recipe is extremely popular in the Southern states, brewed up for generations to cool off during a hot summer’s day.
Miss Kay’s tea recipe is no doubt a classic, a little piece of history passed through the ages, making it such a huge hit in the Robertson family. While this iced tea recipe may be a classic, it can be healthy.
A healthy alternative to granulated sugar is some organic honey or xylitol. Remember to slice some citrus fruits to add to the pitcher of sweet tea as well, this will enhance the effect of tea’s natural antioxidant properties.
So you may not be able to have Miss Kay’s exact secret tea recipe, but you can make your own iced tea with the same down home feel.
You can also infuse your iced tea with mint, fruit, your favorite herbs or even spike your pitcher with gin or vodka for that summer party drink.
Beatles collaborator Jackie Lomax has died at the age of 69.
A statement on the singer-songwriter’s website said he died after a short illness on September 15, in the Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
Signed to The Beatles record label Apple, Jackie Lomax recorded with George Harrison and Eric Clapton.
“For Jackie it was always about the music and he had only recently put the finishing touches to his next album, Against All Odds,” his website said.
“Jackie deeply appreciated the fans who followed him throughout his 50-year career and his family and friends would like to thank each and every one of you for your support and loyalty,” it said.
JackieLomax started his music career in Liverpool as part of the Merseybeat scene and played in a number of bands
JackieLomax started his music career in Liverpool as part of the Merseybeat scene and played in a number of bands including The Undertakers.
He knew The Beatles from performing at the Cavern Club and was the first act to sign to the Apple label.
Tony Bramwell, the former publicist for Apple Records, said John Lennon persuaded Jackie Lomax to sign with them.
“He was a great rocker, a solid out-and-out rock and roller,” he said.
George Harrison took responsibility for his recording career and wrote and produced his debut single.
Jackie Lomax recorded with Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton but his solo career did not bring the hoped-for hits.
He also sang on The Beatles’ songs Dear Prudence and Hey Jude.
His 50-year music career included touring with The Drifters and Tom Petty.
Jackie Lomax’s funeral will be followed by a remembrance ceremony gig in Liverpool at a later date.
BlackBerry has decided to cut 4,500 jobs, or 40% of its worldwide workforce, in an attempt to staunch huge losses.
The smartphone maker said it anticipated a loss of as much as $995 million when it reports its second-quarter earnings next week.
BlackBerry shares closed down 17% after briefly being halted following the announcement.
In August, the Canadian company said it was evaluating a possible sale.
In a statement on Friday, BlackBerry’s chief executive Thorstein Heins said: “We are implementing the difficult, but necessary operational changes announced today to address our position in a maturing and more competitive industry, and to drive the company toward profitability.”
“Going forward, we plan to refocus our offering on our end-to-end solution of hardware, software and services for enterprises and the productive, professional end user.”
BlackBerry has decided to cut 4,500 jobs in an attempt to staunch huge losses
BlackBerry said the losses were primarily attributable to disappointing sales of its new Z10 model smartphone.
Released in January to much fanfare after many delays, the phone has failed to enthuse consumers.
In June, Thorstein Heins said that the company had shipped only 2.7 million Z10 phones out of 6.8 million total. Many BlackBerry users had instead opted to stick with earlier models.
Over the summer, word trickled out the company had hired a series of advisors to help it explore options.
In August, board member Timothy Dattels was appointed to a committee that would consider different business models, including a potential sale.
“We believe that now is the right time to explore strategic alternatives,” said Timothy Dattels at the time.
Analysts have long indicated that BlackBerry’s trove of patents could be attractive to potential buyers, but none of the large technology companies have publicly indicated interest.
This week, BlackBerry released a new version of its handset, the Z30, which was praised by observers but was nonetheless overshadowed by Apple’s launch of its new smartphone products.
Germany’s rival parties, CDU and SDP, are in their final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
Polls suggest Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will win the biggest share of the vote.
But her current coalition partners, the Free Democrats, may not pass the 5% threshold for winning seats in parliament.
If so, Angela Merkel may have to consider a coalition with her main rival Peer Steinbrueck’s Social Democrats (SDP).
Angela Merkel is holding a large rally in Stralsund and Peer Steinbrueck is due to appear at an event in Frankfurt.
Addressing a CDU rally in Hanover on Friday, Angela Merkel asked for votes to continue with her government’s policies into 2017.
“Please vote for the CDU on Sunday, so that we can continue our solid policy for you, for your children, for your families and friends,” she said.
“So that in four years we are able to say that people in 2017 are doing better than they did in 2013; more people have jobs; the euro is more stable, Europe is more stable and we have less debt. This is my goal, ladies and gentlemen, and therefore I ask you for your support.”
Peer Steinbrueck – whose opposition SDP party is trying to deny Angela Merkel a third term – rallied his supporters in the town of Kassel. Peer Steinbrueck has sharpened his attacks on his rival, accusing her of skirting the country’s big challenges.
He touched on the crisis in Syria, saying he did not want German involvement in any military action. But he said peacekeeping could not be ruled out.
“Germany will have to, within its alliances and under the conditions of a mandate, take part in peacekeeping and peace securing measures,” Peer Steinbrueck said.
The Green Party – who may play some part in an eventual governing coalition – held a rally in Berlin. The party’s parliamentary co-chair, Juergen Trittin, criticized Angela Merkel’s government.
“Two parties went into the election campaign saying: <<We will not increase taxes>>. Then they started their term with a 3% VAT increase. Then they ended it with the car trade-in rebate scheme that was environmental, industrial and transport policy madness,” he said.
Germany’s rival parties, CDU and SDP, are in their final day of campaigning ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary elections
Angela Merkel’s current coalition partners, the Free Democrats, rallied for votes in Stuttgart.
The Free Democrats (FDP), whose best-known member is Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, has seen its fortunes decline sharply since the last election in 2009, when it won nearly 15% of the vote.
Analysts say the party, traditionally more liberal than the CDU/CSU, has struggled to stand out from its more powerful coalition partner on economic policy.
If the Free Democrats (FDP) do badly, as expected, the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) may find themselves looking to other small parties to form a broader, more fragile coalition.
According to an average of opinion polls tweeted by the London-based @electionista monitoring site, the CDU/CSU will get 38.6% of the vote to 25.8% for the SPD and 6.4% for the FDP.
Some analysts also see the possibility of a government led by Angela Merkel which includes the Social Democrats, whose leader served as finance minister under Merkel in a previous grand coalition.
Under another scenario, a new party largely formed from disaffected CDU members could get enough votes to be regarded as a different coalition partner. Alternative fuer Deutschland (AfD), as it is known, is avowedly anti-euro and could prove a difficult partner.
In a letter sent to five million households, Angela Merkel, in power since 2005, promised voters they would be in safe hands if she stayed on as chancellor.
“We have achieved a lot together,” she wrote.
“I also want the next four years to be good.”
On Berlin’s famous Alexanderplatz Square on Thursday evening, Peer Steinbrueck likened Angela Merkel to a timid driver steering the country around in circles.
“She likes to drive around roundabouts,” he said.
“That way you don’t hit anything… You drive without accidents.
“But the moment you set a direction, the moment you don’t just administer this country but also decide its political direction, you also cause offence, you provoke. At least with me you know what you get, in contrast to the last four years.”
Dismissing opinion polls, Peer Steinbrueck said: “It’s not the pollsters, nor the wishful thinking of politicians… but you voters who decide.”
The election is one of the most important in years because of Germany’s dominant role in the eurozone.
With the biggest population of any EU state, Germany enjoys a GDP that far outstrips the economies of its partners and is crucial to decisions on tackling the eurozone’s debt crisis.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is an unusually private and reticent politician – there is no exhibitionism and grandstanding.
Even for Germans, Angela Merkel is a hard woman to know.
Angela Dorothea Kasner was born on July 17, 1954, in Hamburg, West Germany. Her father Horst Kasner, a Lutheran pastor, moved the family to Templin, East Germany, in 1954 when Angela was just a few weeks old.
As a politician, Angela Merkel has never been overbearing when it comes to her religious views, but it’s clear that her father’s position in the church had a deep influence on her – creating a powerful moral compass.
Her childhood was also shaped by the Cold War – Angela Merkel’s Socialist father held politically charged gatherings at his seminary and as she grew up, vigorous debates rang around the dinner table. The young Angela had to learn to keep her cards close to her chest for fear of drawing the attention of the Stasi, the secret police.
Being unable to openly express your opinion in East Germany affected people in different ways.
An old school friend of Angela Merkel’s, Hartmut Hohensee, compared it to lapsing into “a sort of paralysis, just hoping winter will pass and the flowers will begin to grow eventually”.
Angela Merkel’s political flowers would begin to grow – but not until 1989, after the Berlin Wall was toppled.
The fall of the Wall produced a maelstrom in German politics. Cafe conversations became street protests; movements became political parties; individuals tried to take control of their country for the first time. It was this world that Angela Merkel decided to enter, aged 35.
Angela Merkel, who has a doctorate in quantum chemistry, stood out from the rest in that political world.
“She didn’t seem to care about her outward appearance at all,” says Lothar de Maiziere, who went on to be East Germany’s last prime minister.
“She looked like a typical GDR scientist, wearing a baggy skirt and Jesus sandals and a cropped haircut.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is an unusually private and reticent politician
To the surprise of many, the East German woman brought up under Communism joined the overwhelmingly male and patriarchal Christian Democrats. In late 1990 Angela Merkel became a member of the Bundestag for the CDU, the largest party in West Germany, and began her rise to the top.
Germany’s Chancellor Helmut Kohl wanted someone female, quiet and a former East German for his first post-reunification cabinet. Lothar de Maiziere recommended Angela Merkel. Beginning as minister for women, she moved slowly up the ranks, becoming minister of the environment.
But in 1999 the quiet girl from Templin stunned everyone. It emerged that Helmut Kohl, who used to call her his “Maedchen” or little girl, had been putting donations into a secret slush fund which he’d used to reward his friends.
Nobody seemed prepared to confront Helmut Kohl but Angela Merkel refused to follow the pack. In a front-page piece in a leading conservative newspaper, she denounced her former mentor and called upon him to resign. It was a stunning act of political patricide and set Angela Merkel on a trajectory towards the top of German politics.
“One of the things people doesn’t always understand about her is she’s… actually a ruthless political operator,” says Jonathan Powell, who got to know her when he was chief of staff to the UK prime minister.
“The way she dealt with all of her rivals in the CDU was extraordinarily Machiavellian from that point of view. She would get rid of them in a switch of an eyebrow.”
Angela Merkel became chair of the CDU in 2000 and Germany’s first woman chancellor five years later.
The defining moment of Angela Merkel’s eight years as leader so far came with the eurozone financial crisis. Greece revealed an enormous – and unmanageable – public debt. And it soon emerged that other countries were in similar dire straits. But as Europe waited to see if Germany would agree to bail out the struggling members of the eurozone or force them to sort out their own problems, Angela Merkel was criticized for reacting too slowly.
Caution and consensus, however, have always been hallmarks of the Merkel machine.
“You can only manage such a crisis if you take a lot of people along the way,” says Ursula von der Leyen, who has worked in every one of Angela Merkel’s cabinets since 2005.
“Angela Merkel always knew where she wanted to end up, but she took time to find a way which everybody could go along with.”
Quite a lot about her story seems to echo Margaret Thatcher’s. Angela Merkel comes from the edges – East Germany, rather than Lincolnshire – and was brought up by an abnormally self-certain and pious father. Something of a loner, she became quite a serious scientist before choosing politics.
Inside her party, Angela Merkel was picked up as a useful female talent by a somewhat patronizing mentor – Kohl, rather than Edward Heath – and surprised everybody by her ruthlessness in ousting him, and eventually taking power herself. Like Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel is a ferociously hard worker, excellent on the detail and a wily political operator.
Yet the differences matter much more than the similarities. Coming from her East German background Angela Merkel believes in social solidarity and working with trade unions; in a coalition-based political system, she is a mistress of consensus and, when it suits her, delay.
Angela Merkel has mattered much more to us and the full European story than perhaps we’ve realized.
The results from the imminent German elections can’t be guaranteed but if Angela Merkel is successful, as many have predicted, she’ll have another chance to secure her legacy.
According to a new report from RadarOnline, Kim Kardashian is so obsessed with the fashion praise Sarah Jessica Parker gets that she’s hired the star’s publicist.
If that goes well, Kim Kardashian may even look into adding more members of Sarah Jessica Parker’s esteemed team such as her stylist, hairdresser and makeup artist.
“Kim wants to be seen as sophisticated, as high-end and fashion, not the girl who made a s** tape and is famous for being famous,” a publicist told NaughtyButNiceRob.com.
“Kim is trying to buy her reinvention by employing SJP’s team,” the source explained.
Kim Kardashian, 32, has been working hard to get onto the cover of Vogue, according to several sources, and looking like Sarah Jessica Parker may be her ticket.
The reality star has recently been using Jennifer Lopez’s styling team Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn.
Kim Kardashian is so obsessed with the fashion praise Sarah Jessica Parker gets that she’s hired the star’s publicist
“Sarah thinks the whole thing is flattering but a little creepy,” an insider tells Radar.
“If Kim wants to be Sarah, her advice would be to go to acting classes. Learn a craft and become admired for the work you do, not just the way you look.”
In 2011 Kim Kardashian said she works so hard to stay on top of her career because nothing was handed to her.
“I would absolutely characterize myself as ambitious,” Kim Kardashian said.
Her lawyer father, Robert Kardashian, gave her a work ethic.
“I put myself on a budget. My parents raised us saying that at 18, we’d be cut off. We had tennis lessons twice a week and we would complain about it.
“If we wanted this lifestyle, we had to work extra hard to get it. All of our friends had credit cards and cell phones, but that wasn’t even a possibility.”
For the past few months Kim Kardashian has been busy taking care of her baby girl North who she had with rapper Kanye West.
Kim Kardashian’s public appearances have been few and when she’s gone out, she has been dressed down in very casual clothes that hide her figure.
Drake was in a candid, if slightly embarrassed, mood on Friday’s episode ofThe Ellen DeGeneres Show as the comedienne asked him a series of questions about his love life.
Ellen DeGeneres, 55, appeared to surprise Drake, 26, as she explained to him her method of questioning: “I’m going to show you some pictures and you can say, dated her, dating her now, I’ve kissed her once… you just held her hand.”
The host then pulled onto the screen an image of Rihanna: “The first one is..That’s Rihanna.”
Drake was clearly taken by surprise as he blurted out: “Oh, it’s my turn now to talk…Yeah great girl. We had our moment. [I will] always support and have love for her and yeah.”
Ellen DeGeneres resumed the interrogation pulling up a picture of high velocity rapper Nicki Minaj.
Drake responded, a little more at ease: “Me and Nicki are like family. I just love Nicki with all my heart. We’ve haven’t really shared like intimate moments.”
Ellen DeGeneres quickly moved on: “Not an intimate moment. Okay, here is the next one: Tyra Banks.”
Drake curtly responded: “I went on a date.”
Drake was in a candid mood on Ellen DeGeneres Show as the comedienne asked him a series of questions about his love life
Ellen’s interest clearly piqued dug further: “Did you date her?”
Drake reticently explained: “I went on a date with her one time, yeah.
“Just one date. We went to Disney Land in disguise actually, which was fun. I don’t know if it was a date. It was a get together. We’re close as well.”
The rapper then added with obvious chagrin: “This is really bad. How did you not tell me about this!”
Ellen DeGeneres moved the conversation forward: “Kim Kardashian, did you ever date her?”
At this point Drake could not disguise his true feelings as he exclaimed: “Oh no, no. Come on! What’s going on here?”
Drake’s visceral and animated response to the question got the studio audience roaring with laughter as he clearly did not welcome the idea of dating the reality star.
But Ellen had one more girl from the past to interrogate him on: “All right, let’s do one more. Kat Dennings. Did you date Kat.”
Drake, having cooled after Kim Kardashian scare, replied: “I just always had a huge crush on Kat Dennings and she was kind enough one night to oblige me and we went out for dinner. They don’t call me back after one date according to this.”
When asked if he were dating anyone at the moment, Drake said: “I’m not. I’m single. I’m ready to mingle. The album’s done. I got free time. But not really, I’m going on tour, but I have a couple months after that.”
Meanwhile, Drake recently split a $20,000 donation to Anna Angel, a 30-year-old Ohio woman who lost her five children and boyfriend in a tragic mobile home fire, for her funeral expenses.
Drake’s latest album Nothing Was the Same is set to be released on September 24.
