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Julie Harris dies from congestive heart failure aged 87

Sonia Pantiss
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Julie Harris dies from congestive heart failure aged 87

Actress Julie Harris died Saturday at her West Chatham, Massachusetts home at the age of 87.

The cause of Julie Harris’ death was congestive heart failure, according to the Associated Press.

Julie Harris was renowned first and foremost for her work on Broadway, and the actress garnered an unprecedented five Tony Awards for best actress in a play.

Her accolades came for a wide array of roles, including First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, Hamlet’s Ophelia and Joan of Arc.

Julie Harris debuted on Broadway in 1945 in It’s A Gift, and though the play didn’t last long, it was an auspicious beginning for the young actress.

Julie Harris was renowned first and foremost for her work on Broadway, and the actress garnered an unprecedented five Tony Awards for best actress in a play
Julie Harris was renowned first and foremost for her work on Broadway, and the actress garnered an unprecedented five Tony Awards for best actress in a play

At the age of 24, Julie Harris thrilled critics as the lonely teenager Frankie in 1950’s The Member Of The Wedding, inspiring The New York Times to declare that she was “extraordinary – vibrant, full of anguish and elation”, according to the AP.

Just five years later, Julie Harris won her first Tony for portraying Sally Bowles in I Am A Camera.

It didn’t take long for her to win a second Tony, this time for her performance as Joan of Arc in 1955 Broadway production of The Lark.

More Tonys came for her work on French comedy Forty Carats, period piece The Last Of Mrs. Lincoln and The Belle Of Amherst; the audio recording on Amherst led to a Grammy Award, as well.

Julie Harris also was a brilliant film actress, and her 1952 screen debut – reprising her role in an adaptation of The Member Of The Wedding – resulted in an Oscar nomination for best actress.

Fitting considering her sheer talent, Julie Harris starred opposite other film legends of the era, including James Dean on Elia Kazan’s East Of Eden and Paul Newman on Harper.

And she impacted the small screen as well, most memorably starring as a Southern belle in the 1980s soap opera Knots Landing.

She also won three Emmys for other roles, including as Queen Victoria on the Hallmark Hall Of Fame production of Victoria Regina.

Julie Harris was born on December 2, 1925 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where she was raised by a father who was an investment banker and a mother who worked as a nurse.

Her stage debut came at age 14, when she performed in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame at the Grosse Point County Day School, according to the AP.

That start inspired her to pursue acting for the rest of her life: She continued to study the craft at Yale University and, later, the Actor’s Studio.

Julie Harris’ last accolades came in the form of a life-achievement Tony in 2002 and Kennedy Center Honors in 2005.

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Amanda Knox Refuses to Return to Italy for Retrial

Nancy Clayson
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New reports claim that Amanda Knox will not return to Italy for a retrial in the murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher.

Meanwhile, David Marriott, a spokesman for the Knox family, told CNN that Amanda Knox, 26, had never agreed to attend the re-trial and that there is “no requirement she be there”.

However, Amanda Knox could still be forced to return to Italy if the country requires her extradition from the United States, the network reported.

In an interview in May, Amanda Knox expressed her fear and uncertainty about returning to the country where she was held in prison for several years for the murder of her roommate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.

“I’m afraid to go back there,” she told CNN.

“I don’t want to go back to prison.”

Amanda Knox was convicted of the November 2007 murder of the British exchange student, whose body was found in the villa they shared in Perugia, in central Italy.

Her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was also found guilty of the killing. He received 25 years behind bars, while she was given 26 years.

But the convictions were turned over in 2011 due to “lack of evidence”. The appellate court noted that the murder weapon was never found, said that DNA tests were faulty and that prosecutors provided no murder motive.

Their convictions had come despite a drifter from the Ivory Coast, Rudy Guede, being found guilty of the assault and murder. He is currently serving a 30-year sentence.

After she was acquitted, Amanda Knox returned home to Seattle, Washington, where she remains.

But last year, Italy’s Supreme Court said the ruling was full of “deficiencies, contradictions and illogical” conclusions and ordered the new appeals court to look at all the evidence.

The new court must conduct a full examination of evidence to resolve the ambiguities, the high court judges said.

They said the new appeal process would serve to “not only demonstrate the presence of the two suspects in the place of the crime, but to possibly outline the subjective position of Guede’s accomplices”.

It said hypotheses ran from a simple case of forced intimate relationship involving Meredith Kercher “to a group e**tic game that blew up and got out of control”.

Amanda Knox has said that such claims were “a bombardment of falsehood and fantasy”.

No date for the new trial has been set. Florence’s appeals court was chosen since Perugia only has one appellate court.

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have both denied wrongdoing and said they weren’t even in the apartment that night, although they acknowledged they had smoked marijuana and their memories were clouded.

Earlier this year, Amanda Knox said the future was very unsure for her financially and that she is almost broke because of her huge legal bills – despite a $1.5 million book advance.

She will be paid a reported $ 4million in total for her memoir Waiting To Be Heard but claimed that her retrial and a potential libel lawsuits will leave her penniless.

Amanda Knox also revealed that to make money in the future she will be writing more books and will be taking a creative writing course at the University of Washington, near her home in Seattle.

Donald Trump sued by New York’s attorney general for phony Trump University

Clyde K. Valle
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Donald Trump sued by New York’s attorney general for phony Trump University

Donald Trump has been sued by New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman for $40 million, claiming the real estate mogul helped run a phony “Trump University” that falsely promised to make students rich.

Instead, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said that the university steered them into expensive and mostly useless seminars, and even failed to deliver promised apprenticeships.

After the lawsuit was filed on Saturday, Doald Trump shot back that it is false and politically motivated.

Eric Schneiderman says many of the 5,000 students who paid up to $35,000 thought they would at least meet Trump but instead all they got was their picture taken in front of a life-size picture of him.

“Trump University engaged in deception at every stage of consumers’ advancement through costly programs and caused real financial harm,” Eric Schneiderman said.

“Trump University, with Donald Trump’s knowledge and participation, relied on Trump’s name recognition and celebrity status to take advantage of consumers who believed in the Trump brand.”

State Education Department officials told Donald Trump to change the name of his enterprise years ago, saying it lacked a license and didn’t meet the legal definitions of a university.

In 2011 it was renamed the “Trump Entrepreneur Institute”, but it has since been dogged by complaints from consumers and a few civil lawsuits claiming it didn’t fulfill its advertised claims.

New York's Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claims Donald Trump helped run a phony Trump University that falsely promised to make students rich
New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman claims Donald Trump helped run a phony Trump University that falsely promised to make students rich

Eric Schneiderman’s lawsuit covers complaints dating to 2005 through 2011 and it claims that students paid between $1,495 and $35,000 to learn from the mogul.

He said the three-day seminars failed to teach consumers everything they needed to know about real estate, as the “university” had promised. The Trump University manual tells instructors not to let consumers “think three days will be enough to make them successful”, Eric Schneiderman said.

At the seminars, consumers were told about “Trump Elite” mentorships that cost $10,000 to $35,000 in which students were promised individual instruction until they made their first deal.

Eric Schneiderman said participants were urged to extend the limit on their credit cards for real estate deals, but then used the credit to pay for the Trump Elite programs.

The attorney general said the program also failed to promptly cancel memberships as promised.

The lawsuit added that many of students were unable to land even one real estate deal and were left far worse off than before the lessons, facing thousands of dollars in debt.

But Donld Trump’s attorney accused Eric Schneiderman of trying to extort campaign contributions from the real estate mogul through his investigation.

Attorney Michael D. Cohen told The Associated Press on Saturday that Eric Schneiderman’s lawsuit was filled with falsehoods. He insisted that Donald Trump and his university never defrauded anyone.

“The attorney general has been angry because he felt that Mr. Trump and his various companies should have done much more for him in terms of fundraising,” Michael D. Cohen said.

“This entire investigation is politically motivated and it is a tremendous waste of taxpayers’ money.”

State Board of Elections records show Donald Trump has spent more than $136,000 on New York campaigns since 2010.

He contributed $12,500 to Schneiderman in October 2010, when Eric Schneiderman was running for attorney general, records show.

An outspoken conservative, Donald Trump himself flirted with a presidential run last year.

“Donald Trump will not sit back and be extorted by anyone, including the attorney general,” Michael D. Cohen said.

Eric Schneiderman is suing the program, Donald Trump as the university chairman, and the former president of the university in a case to be handled in state Supreme Court in Manhattan.

He accuses them of engaging in persistent fraud, illegal and deceptive conduct and violating federal consumer protection law. The $40 million he seeks is mostly to pay restitution to consumers.

He dismissed Donald Trump’s claim of a political motive.

“The fact that he’s still brave enough to follow the investigation wherever it may lead speaks to Mr. Schneiderman’s character,” Eric Schneiderman spokesman Andrew Friedman told AP.

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Unclaimed Powerball ticket expires soon

Nancy Clayson
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Unclaimed Powerball ticket expires soon

A mystery Powerball player who is due $1 million in winnings has only hours left to collect their prize.

The ticket was bought in Westchester, New York, last year but it still remains unclaimed. If the owner of the lucky numbers doesn’t come forward by Sunday, the money will return into the system.

Lottery officials are now encouraging all players to check their tickets for the combination 1-6-7-20-49 and Powerball 23.

“We’re hopeful the lucky winner has already signed the ticket and is making plans to claim it before it’s too late,” Gardner Gurney, acting director of the Division of the Lottery told CNN.

The ticket was bought at the Playland Market in Rye on August 25, 2012. Ralph Alfalahi, who works at the store, told USA Today: “I have no idea who it is. I wish I knew.”

Ralph Alfalahi has even put a sign outside the deli reminding customers and passersby of the winning numbers from nearly a year ago.

The ticket was bought in Westchester, New York, last year but it still remains unclaimed
The ticket was bought in Westchester, New York, last year but it still remains unclaimed

Meanwhile, lottery officials are also trying to find the winner – before it’s too late. The $1 million will go into a shared pool for future winners if it is not picked up by Sunday.

“We use the news media, social media and any other means possible to publicize the fact that it hasn’t been claimed yet and encourage players to check their tickets,” New York Lottery spokeswoman Christy Calicchia said.

The winner has to hand the lucky ticket in at a lottery service center or can post it in. As long as the mail is postmarked August 25 it will be valid for the prize.

Christy Calicchia said that the commission will be monitoring the post for last-minute claims. After federal and state taxes, this prize would amount to an estimated take-home $662,000.

Unclaimed prizes are more common than you might think. Last year there was $65 million in expired winnings in New York State alone.

In 2002, a single prize of $68 million went unclaimed in Brooklyn, the largest missed winnings in the state.

Christy Calicchia explained that lottery prizes are not picked up for a number of reasons, including tickets lost or destroyed in the wash.

The spokeswoman told CNN that players sometimes simply don’t realize that they have won.

“Most people don’t realize that there is more than one prize in the lottery drawing,” she said.

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Medecins Sans Frontieres reports Syria chemical deaths

Roy Siemens
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Medecins Sans Frontieres reports Syria chemical deaths

Medecins Sans Frontieres reports hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with “neurotoxic symptoms”, of whom 355 have died.

MSF said the patients had arrived in three hospitals in the Damascus governorate on August 21 – when opposition activists say chemical attacks were launched against rebels.

But MSF says it cannot “scientifically confirm” the use of chemical weapons.

Both sides in the conflict accuse each other of using them.

MSF says staff at the hospitals described a large number of patients arriving in the space of less than three hours with symptoms including convulsions, extreme salivation, contracted pupils and sight and respiratory problems.

The charity said many were treated with atropine, a drug administered to those with “neurotoxic symptoms”.

Medecins Sans Frontieres reports hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms
Medecins Sans Frontieres reports hospitals it supports in Syria treated about 3,600 patients with neurotoxic symptoms

“MSF can neither scientifically confirm the cause of these symptoms nor establish who is responsible for the attack,” said MSF Director of Operations Bart Janssens.

“However, the reported symptoms of the patients, in addition to the epidemiological pattern of the events, characterized by the massive influx of patients in a short period of time, the origin of the patients, and the contamination of medical and first aid workers, strongly indicate mass exposure to a neurotoxic agent.

“This would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, which absolutely prohibits the use of chemical and biological weapons.”

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has given its latest assessment of the number of casualties from the alleged attacks.

The British-based group said it estimated that 322 had died, 54 of them children.

In the immediate aftermath, casualty figures varied widely with opposition activists saying between several hundred and more than 1,000 had been killed.

MSF’s disclosure adds to mounting allegations that chemical weapons were used in suburbs to the east of Damascus and in an area to the south-west on August 21.

Unverified video footage posted soon afterwards shows civilians, many of them children, dead or suffering from what appear to be horrific symptoms consistent with a chemical attack.

Rebels and opposition activists accuse forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of carrying out such attacks.

But state TV accuses the rebels, saying barrels of chemical weapons were found as troops entered previously rebel-held districts.

Soldiers had “suffocated” as they tried to enter Jobar, one of the towns in the Ghouta district around Damascus.

Khloe Kardashian kicks Lamar Odom out of house on alleged drug abuse

Lisa.Felice
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Khloe Kardashian kicks Lamar Odom out of house on alleged drug abuse

Khloe Kardashian has reportedly kicked Lamar Odom out of the house due to his alleged drug abuse.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian have been subject to persistent rumors that their marriage is in trouble after Lamar allegedly cheated on his wife with two different women.

However, several sources have told TMZ the real reason behind their marriage crisis is that Khloe Kardashian reportedly believes Lamar Odom has a drug problem.

Earlier this week the Kardashian family allegedly staged an intervention to convince Lamar Odom, 33, to return to rehab, but he refused, reports the gossip website.

Khloe Kardashian, 29, urged Lamar Odom in August 2012 to go to rehab and after he entered a San Diego facility she hired private investigators to make sure he didn’t leave.

Lamar Odom reportedly constantly threatened to leave the rehab clinic and Khloe Kardashian visited several times to convince him to stay, but he left after three weeks, sources said.

Khloe Kardashian has kicked Lamar Odom out of the house due to his alleged drug abuse
Khloe Kardashian has kicked Lamar Odom out of the house due to his alleged drug abuse

The NBA player, who won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, stayed clean and played well last season for the Los Angeles Clippers, but sources said he resumed using drugs after the season.

Khloe Kardashian was convinced of recent reports of Lamar Odom’s infidelity, but feels his drug abuse has been the main problem, the website reported.

Neither Khloe Kardashian nor Lamar Odom has contacted a divorce lawyer.

“Khloe is more concerned about saving Lamar than ending her marriage,” a source told TMZ.

Khloe Kardashian allegedly tossed Lamar Odom out of the house after the failed intervention, and he was pictured Wednesday as an associated loaded a number of large suitcases into his car in Calabasas, California.

The couple got married in 2009 about a month after meeting each other.

Khloe Kardashian has recently endured reports that Lamar Odom had an affair with Jennifer Richardson for a year until March 2013 and a six-week fling with lawyer Polina Polonsky at the start of the summer.

Si Robertson on his iced tea habit and why his wife Christine is not part of Duck Dynasty

Sonia Pantiss
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Si Robertson on his iced tea habit and why his wife Christine is not part of Duck Dynasty

In a recent interview with Parade magazine, Duck Dynasty’s Si Robertson revealed why his wife isn’t part of the show and gave details about his famous iced tea habit.

Si Robertson revealed his famous blue cup, which he carries around with him everywhere he goes, was given to him by his mother while he was in Vietnam.

“My mama sent me that to me when I was in Vietnam – she put it in a boot and then put two jars of jalapeno peppers in each boot. I love my jalapeno peppers,” the Duck Dynasty star told Parade magazine.

Si Robertson’s blue cup was given to him by his mother while he was in Vietnam
Si Robertson’s blue cup was given to him by his mother while he was in Vietnam

He also said he drinks two gallons of tea a day and his wife Christine is worried about the quantity. But it is Christine who makes his everyday tea.

“We do it the old-fashioned way. Put three bags in a pot of water, turn the heat on the water and let it boil, put a saucer over it and let it seep. Then pour it into a gallon jug and then I drink it,” said Si Robertson.

Si Robertson also revealed he never drinks sweet tea.

Uncle Si said his wife Christine doesn’t want to be part of the show just because: “She’s got better sense than all the rest of us!”

Duck Dynasty Season 4 airs Wednesday, at 9/8c on A&E.

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Nelson Mandela still critical but stable in Pretoria hospital

Diane A. Wade
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Nelson Mandela still critical but stable in Pretoria hospital

Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times.

The 95-year-old South African former leader is “still critical but stable”, according to a statement from President Jacob Zuma’s office.

Nelson Mandela remains in hospital in Pretoria two-and-a-half months after being admitted with a recurring lung infection.

Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times
Nelson Mandela is said to be showing great resilience in hospital though his condition becomes unstable at times

The statement largely squares with comments from members of his family.

However, Saturday’s statement does provide some fresh insight into the precariousness of the health of the global icon and the reserves he still appears able to call upon.

The statement said doctors were still working hard to bring about a turnaround in his health and, as a result of medical interventions, Nelson Mandela’s condition tended to stabilize.

President Jacob Zuma, who is travelling to Malaysia on an official visit, urged the country to continue praying for Nelson Mandela and to keep him in their thoughts at all times.

Nelson Mandela, who stepped down as the country’s first black president in 1999, entered hospital on June 8.

The anti-apartheid activist’s lung infection is believed to date back to the period of nearly three decades he spent in prison, for his activities in the African National Congress.

People from South Africa and around the world have sent Nelson Mandela their best wishes, and flowers and other tributes have collected outside Pretoria’s Medi Clinic Heart Hospital.

Hilaria Baldwin gives birth to baby daughter Carmen Gabriela

Lisa.Felice
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Hilaria Baldwin gives birth to baby daughter Carmen Gabriela

Hilaria and Alec Baldwin welcomed their first child together, a baby daughter, on Friday.

Hilaria Baldwin, 29, gave birth to Carmen Gabriela at Mount Sinai hospital in New York.

The yoga instructor proudly shared their baby news on Twitter, writing: “We are overjoyed to announce the birth of our daughter Carmen Gabriela. She is absolutely perfect.”

Alec Baldwin, 55, was early spotted arriving the hospital carrying several heavy bags ahead of the birth.

His daughter Ireland, from his marriage to Kim Basinger, also took to Twitter to share her joy.

Hilaria Baldwin gave birth to Carmen Gabriela at Mount Sinai hospital in New York
Hilaria Baldwin gave birth to Carmen Gabriela at Mount Sinai hospital in New York

Ireland Baldwin, 17, wrote: “Welcome to the world, Carmen! I’m a f***ing sister!The best big sister!! Love you so much”

Then she added: “I was born October 23. Carmen was born Friday, August 23.”

Hilaria Baldwin previously revealed plans for a natural childbirth, although she admitted she could choose an epidural if the pain got too bad.

She said: “Right now, I want to do it naturally. That’s not to say there’s something wrong with the epidural, but that’s the way I was raised  –  I’m a pretty natural person. But if it does get to the point where I am screaming for the epidural, I have no problems with that. We’ll see where it goes.”

Hilaria and Alec Baldwin revealed they were expecting a girl several months ago. She recently showing off the baby’s pastel designed nursery complete with yoga mats.

Before settling on Carmen, Hilaria Baldwin said she wanted a name that reflected the child’s American and Spanish heritage.

Hilaria Baldwin told the New York Post: “We’re kicking it around. We want a name reflecting America as well as my family from Spain.”

Linda Ronstadt reveals Parkinson’s disease ended her career

Sonia Pantiss
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Linda Ronstadt reveals Parkinson’s disease ended her career

Folk-rock singer Linda Ronstadt revealed she is facing an uphill battle as she loses her voice to Parkinson’s disease.

Struck down with Parkinson’s eight months ago, 11-time Grammy-winner Linda Ronstadt has opened up about the life-changing diagnosis that has ended her career.

Speaking to the AARP in an interview which will be published next week, Linda Ronstadt, who has released more than 30 studio albums over four decades, revealed she first noticed symptoms as early as eight years ago.

Linda Ronstadt, now 67, initially put her shaking hands down to the result of shoulder surgery and believed her inability to sing was due to a tick bite that ravished her system.

“My health has never recovered since then,” she says.

The singer sadly revealed during her candid chat that the disease means she “can’t sing a note” anymore.

Realizing there was a serious problem when her singing voice failed her, the Parkinson’s diagnosis came out of the blue and was hard to comprehend.

“I couldn’t sing and I couldn’t figure out why. I knew it was mechanical. I knew it had to do with the muscles, but I thought it might have also had something to do with the tick disease that I had,” she tells the publication.

Linda Ronstadt revealed she is facing an uphill battle as she loses her voice to Parkinson’s disease
Linda Ronstadt revealed she is facing an uphill battle as she loses her voice to Parkinson’s disease

“It didn’t occur to me to go to a neurologist.”

“Parkinson’s is very hard to diagnose, so when I finally went to a neurologist and he said, <<Oh, you have Parkinson’s disease>>, I was completely shocked. I wouldn’t have suspected that in a million, billion years.”

Adding that “No-one can sing with Parkinson’s disease, no matter how hard you try,” it soon became apparent that the star’s illustrious career was over.

No longer fully in control of her faculties, Linda Ronstadt is forced to walk with the assistance of poles at times and is wheelchair-bound when she travels.

Most well known for hit songs You’re No Good and When Will I Be Loved, Linda Ronstadt was also notably engaged to Star Wars creator George Lucas in the 1980s.

While she never married, Linda Ronstadt adopted daughter Mary in 1990 and son Carlos in 1994 as infants.

Linda Ronstadt’s new autobiography, Simple Dreams, will be released on September 17, however, it doesn’t deal with her Parkinson’s diagnosis and subsequent loss of voice.

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Eli Lilly faces China bribery claims

Clyde K. Valle
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Eli Lilly faces China bribery claims

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has said it is “deeply concerned” by claims that it bribed Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs.

Chinese paper 21st Century Business Herald cited a former staff, identified by a pseudonym, as saying Eli Lilly paid out 30 million yuan ($4.9 million).

The claims come at a time when China is investigating some drugs firms over similar bribery allegations.

Eli Lilly said it had launched an internal probe last year after a former manager made similar allegations against it.

“At the time of the allegations, we did an exhaustive investigation to search for any evidence of kickbacks,” the company said in a statement.

“Although we have not been able to verify these allegations, we take them seriously and we are continuing our investigation.”

The drugmaker said it interviewed employees, monitored emails and audited expense reports as part of its internal probe.

Eli Lilly has said it is "deeply concerned" by claims that it bribed Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs
Eli Lilly has said it is “deeply concerned” by claims that it bribed Chinese doctors to prescribe its drugs

However, it said it had not employed any sales managers by the name of Wang Wei, who was mentioned in the 21st Century Business Herald report.

Eli Lilly is the latest foreign drugmaker to be engulfed by such claims in China.

Earlier this week, a British risk consultant, Peter Humphrey, was formally arrested by Chinese authorities amid a continuing probe into pharmaceutical companies.

One of the companies being probed, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), is reportedly a former client of Peter Humphrey’s firm, ChinaWhys.

Chinese authorities have accused GSK of directing up to $500 million through travel agencies to facilitate bribes to doctors and officials.

GSK has said that some senior executives in its China office appeared to have broken the law and several GSK employees have also been detained over the last few weeks.

In July, Chinese police had visited the Shanghai office of AstraZeneca and took an employee in for questioning.

Bob Filner: San Diego mayor quits denying harassment

Diane A. Wade
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Bob Filner: San Diego mayor quits denying harassment

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who has been battling harassment allegations by 18 women and a related lawsuit, has finally bowed to calls for him to quit.

Democrat Bob Filner stood aside with an apology to the women concerned, but denied harassing anyone.

Bob Filner’s departure follows a deal with the Californian city’s council over legal fees for the lawsuit he faces.

City Council President Todd Gloria will now become acting mayor and a special election will be held in 90 days.

“The city should not have to go through this, and my own personal failures were responsible and I apologize to the city,” the 70-year-old Bob Filner told a special meeting of the San Diego city council on Friday.

“To all the women that I’ve offended, I had no intention to be offensive, to violate any physical or emotional space,” he added.

“I was trying to establish personal relationships, but the combination of awkwardness and hubris led to behavior that I think many found offensive.”

But he struck a defiant tone as he added: “Not one of the allegations has ever been independently verified or proven in court.

“I’ve never s***ally harassed anyone.”

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who has been battling harassment allegations by 18 women and a related lawsuit, has finally bowed to calls for him to quit
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who has been battling harassment allegations by 18 women and a related lawsuit, has finally bowed to calls for him to quit

He said he had been the victim of “the hysteria of a lynch mob”.

Under Bob Filner’s resignation deal, the city will pay his legal fees in a joint defense of a lawsuit filed by the mayor’s former communications director, said City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.

It will also pay for any settlement costs against the mayor except for punitive damages. The city would also pay up to $98,000 if Bob Filner wants to appoint his own lawyer.

He also faces a criminal investigation, the California attorney general’s office said on Friday.

Bob Filner’s former spokeswoman, Irene McCormack Jackson, was the first to accuse him publicly of inappropriate behavior. She launched a lawsuit last month against him and the city.

Irene McCormack Jackson alleged that the mayor had asked her to work without underwear, demanded kisses and told her he wanted to see her without clothes.

Her lawyer, Gloria Allred, told reporters: “It is not appropriate for the city of San Diego to provide a gift of public funds to a s***al harasser to help him fight the victim of the lawsuit we filed.”

She also said she strongly supported the mayor’s resignation.

Since the lawsuit, a series of women, including high-profile city residents and a great-grandmother, have come forward with accusations against Bob Filner.

Veronica Froman, a retired rear admiral, said Bob Filner once blocked her from leaving a room, ran his finger up her cheek and asked if she had a man in her life.

The president of the city port tenants’ association, Sharon Bernie-Cloward, said Bob Filner had groped her on her bottom at an event last year.

“I was left there startled and fearful,” she was quoted as saying by US media.

“I actually had someone walk me to my car that night.”

Other alleged victims included several businesswomen, a college dean and two military veterans who said he harassed them as they attended a meeting for women who had been raped while serving in the armed forces.

Bob Filner initially resisted pressure to quit, submitting himself instead to undergo two weeks of behavioral therapy.

But as allegations continued to stack up, pressure for Bob Filner to go mounted, including from both US senators for California and the national head of the Democratic National Committee.

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Pentagon moving forces closer to Syria

Roy Siemens
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Pentagon moving forces closer to Syria

The Pentagon has decided to move its forces closer to Syria as the US weighs its options in the conflict there, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has suggested.

Chuck Hagel gave no details, but media reports say the US Navy is strengthening its presence in the eastern Mediterranean.

On Friday, President Barack Obama said fresh allegations of chemical weapons use by the Syrian government this week was of “grave concern”.

Syria’s main ally Russia said there was evidence rebels were behind the attack.

Chuck Hagel has suggested that the Pentagon is moving its forces closer to Syria as the US weighs its options in the conflict there
Chuck Hagel has suggested that the Pentagon is moving its forces closer to Syria as the US weighs its options in the conflict there

The Syrian opposition, however, has said hundreds died in a government assault on the outskirts of Damascus on Wednesday.

Despite calls from many different countries, there is no sign yet that the Syrian authorities will allow a UN inspection team to visit to investigate the claims.

The UN’s disarmament chief, Angela Kane, is due to arrive in Damascus on Saturday to push for access to the site. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he is determined to “conduct a thorough, impartial and prompt investigation” into the events.

Unverified footage shows civilians – many of them children – dead or suffering from what appear to be horrific symptoms as a result of the attack.

Chuck Hagel said President Barack Obama had asked the Pentagon for options on Syria, amid rising pressure on the US to intervene.

“The defense department has responsibility to provide the president with options for all contingencies,” he said.

“That requires positioning our forces, positioning our assets, to be able to carry out different options – whatever options the president might choose.”

Chuck Hagel was speaking to reporters travelling with him to Malaysia.

Earlier, US defense officials said a fourth US warship – armed with cruise missiles – had been moved into the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The officials stressed that the US Navy had received no orders to prepare for military action.

Bo Xilai trial: Chinese politician admits some responsibility

Diane A. Wade
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Bo Xilai trial: Chinese politician admits some responsibility

Bo Xilai has admitted “some responsibility” for the government funds he is accused of embezzling.

The disgraced Chinese politician told a Jinan court that his wife Gu Kailai had taken the money, and he knew nothing about it at the time.

However, Bo Xilai admitted he did not do enough to stop it.

“I feel ashamed. I was too careless,” he said.

Bo Xilai also mocked a former colleague who had accused him of being actively involved in the embezzlement.

He said Wang Zhenggang’s testimony was “illogical”, and that only a fool would discuss bribery in front of witnesses.

The scandals involving Bo Xilai’s family, which used to be one of the most elite in China, have captivated the country.

Bo Xilai, who rose to become the Communist Party chief in Chongqing, denies bribery and corruption – and also the charge of abuse of office, which the court has not yet examined.

He is accused of using his position to cover up for his wife Gu Kailai, who has been convicted of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood.

Bo Xilai’s ex-police chief Wang Lijun, his close colleague in Chongqing, is also testifying against him.

Many analysts assume the outcome of the trial, now in its third day, has been predetermined – with a guilty verdict.

But Bo Xilai has given what, for China, is an unusually vigorous defense, observers say.

They say the court hearing is as much about getting rid of a popular politician as it is about criminal wrongdoing.

Bo Xilai has admitted "some responsibility" for the government funds he is accused of embezzling
Bo Xilai has admitted “some responsibility” for the government funds he is accused of embezzling

Foreign media are not allowed into the trial, but the court in the eastern city of Jinan has been posting regular updates on China’s micro-blogging site Weibo (in Mandarin).

“I feel I should take some responsibility for the money ending up in Gu Kailai’s account. I feel ashamed,” Bo Xilai told the court.

“I failed to retrieve the money later, and that’s a factual statement, but can you say I had the intention to embezzle the money? No.”

Bo Xilai was referring to a 5 million yuan ($800,000) sum of money in his wife’s account, which had alleged been earmarked for a Dalian city construction project.

Earlier in Saturday’s proceedings, Wang Zhenggang, former urban planning director of Dalian, gave testimony against Bo Xilai, who used to be Dalian’s mayor and therefore Wang Lijun’s boss.

Wang said he saw Bo Xilai make a call to his wife and explicitly said he was going to funnel money to the family.

Bo Xilai refuted the testimony, saying he had no need for the money as his wife was a successful lawyer and his son’s study in the UK was funded through a full scholarship.

He also mocked Wang Lijun’s testimony, saying: “Is this in line with the way an embezzler would think?… Would I say something this sensitive on the phone?”

“It is not even what the most stupid corruption offender would do,” he said.

On Friday, Bo Xilai described his wife, Gu Kailai, as “insane” because of her testimony implicating him in corruption.

She had said that wealthy Chinese entrepreneur Xu Ming bought gifts for the family in order to gain favors.

Gu Kailai also said she felt that Neil Heywood – whom she has been found guilty of killing – had posed a threat to her son, Bo Guagua.

But Bo Xilai dismissed her testimony, reportedly saying: “In her unstable mental state, prosecutors put pressure on her so she would turn on me.”

Bo Xilai’s downfall was seen as the biggest political shake-up to hit China’s ruling elite in decades.

In February 2012 his police chief, Wang Lijun, fled to the US consulate in Chengdu amid an apparent fall-out with Bo Xilai.

Shortly afterwards, Chinese authorities announced that they were reinvestigating the death of Neil Heywood, who died in a Chongqing hotel in November 2011.

The release of trial proceedings during Bo Xilai’s hearing are in sharp contrast with Gu Kailai’s trial in August 2012. That hearing took just one day and few details were released.

The Chinese authorities are on high alert for any unrest that might be triggered by Bo Xilai’s trial – with police closely guarding a security perimeter that spans several miles around the court.

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North West’s picture: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby is an amazing combination of the two

Lisa.Felice
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North West’s picture: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby is an amazing combination of the two

The first photo of North West, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby daughter, was finally revealed on Friday during an interview with the rapper on Kris Jenner’s chat show.

And it appears the tiny girl possesses both her mother and father’s looks.

With her almond-shaped eyes, full head of hair and full pout, little North West looks very similar to Kim Kardashian when she was a baby.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s baby girl also has predominant cheeks, similar to her father.

In his highly-publicized sit down with Kris Jenner, Kanye West said: “I pray that she looks like her mother when she’s older.”

However, Kris Jenner told the rapper that she thought North West was the perfect combination of both Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

It appears baby North possesses both her mother Kim Kardashian and father Kanye West's looks
It appears baby North possesses both her mother Kim Kardashian and father Kanye West’s looks

“I think she is an amazing combination of the two of you. She is so adorable. She has Kim’s eyes, I think she has your cheeks and both of your lips. Some days she has your lips and some days she has Kim’s lips,” Kris Jenner gushed.

“They dissect her,” the chat host and North West’s grandmother explained to the audience.

“Kim would go <<Look at her ears mom, look at her ears!>>. It is so cute how obsessed you guys are.”

Whether or not she looks more like her mother or her father, there is no doubt that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s little cherub shares the same strong genes as the rest of the Kardashian clan.

Dark hair and almond-shaped eyes is a feature that is predominant in many members of the famous family.

Sisters Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian all have flowing brunette tresses, brown eyes and long eye lashes.

Kourtney Kardashian’s three-year-old son Mason whom she shares with partner Scott Disick, also possesses strong Kardashian genes, however her one-year-old daughter Penelope looks a little more like her father with her fairer hair and facial features.

Meanwhile, a flashback to baby pictures of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West show the now famous identities looking just as cute as their daughter North.

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Rim Fire: California emergency as Yosemite Park wildfire rages

Nancy Clayson
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Rim Fire: California emergency as Yosemite Park wildfire rages

A huge wildfire has burned into California’s Yosemite National Park, park officials say.

The week-old Rim Fire grew to 164 sq miles by Friday morning, and had burned 17 sq miles at the edge of the park by the afternoon.

The blaze has forced scores of tourists to flee during peak season and is threatening thousands of homes.

More than 2,000 firefighters have been tackling the flames in difficult terrain. It is just 2% contained.

California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency.

The blaze has reached Yosemite’s backcountry at Lake Eleanor, which is accessible by hiking trails, park spokeswoman Kari Cobb told the Associated Press.

“It’s not a very visited part of the park, even though it is very beautiful,” she said, adding the fire was some 20 miles away from Yosemite’s main tourist area.

Kari Cobb said the park service was “not anywhere near” to closing the attraction.

Yosemite Park blaze has forced scores of tourists to flee during peak season and is threatening thousands of homes
Yosemite Park blaze has forced scores of tourists to flee during peak season and is threatening thousands of homes

The blaze has shut a stretch of motorway that is one of three entrances to the west side of the park, which receives up to 15,000 visitors a day in the summer.

The Rim Fire is one of 50 major wildfires burning in the western US.

The blaze is centred on Stanislaus National Forest, west of Yosemite, and has so far destroyed two homes and seven outbuildings.

A spokeswoman for the US Forest Service said 4,500 homes, hotels, businesses and several campsites are under threat as of Friday, up from 2,500 the day before.

Officials have gone door to door in the summer community of Pine Mountain Lake urging people to leave.

Local residents said the area, normally teeming with tourists, is now empty.

“This fire, it’s killing our financial picture,” restaurant owner Corinna Loh told the Associated Press.

“This is our high season and it has gone to nothing. We’re really hurting.”

Lee Bentley of the US Forest Service told CBS News: “We’ve got a monster on our hands. This fire is making its own weather.

“It’s going every which direction. This is one of the worst I’ve ever been on. I’ve been doing it for quite a few years.”

The area’s steep hills and rugged terrain are hampering firefighters’ efforts, officials say.

Despite the blaze’s proximity to Yosemite, spokesman Scott Gediman says the park is clear of smoke, and all accommodation and attractions are open.

Meanwhile, five wildfires in Yellowstone National Park have scorched about 18 square miles of mostly remote areas.

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Recipe: Watermelon & Lime Granita

Kathryn R. Bown
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Recipe: Watermelon & Lime Granita

Watermelon & Lime Granita

Ingredients (Serves 6-8):

2lb 4oz watermelon flesh, chopped
A generous pinch of salt
2 tbsp finely grated lime zest
Juice of 2 limes
3½ oz caster sugar

Watermelon & Lime Granita
Watermelon & Lime Granita

Direction:

Process the watermelon flesh in a blender with the salt, lime zest and juice, then pass it through a fine sieve into a freezer-proof stainless steel container or plastic tub.

Use the back of a ladle to push through and strain out any remnants of watermelon pips. Stir in the sugar, and continue stirring until it is dissolved.

Place the container in the freezer to chill, stirring with a fork every hour or so, paying special attention to the sides of the container where the mix will freeze solidly if unattended.

To serve, fork through the mixture to get crystals and spoon into chilled bowls or glasses.

Barbara Cartland’s top beauty tips

Lisa.Felice
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Barbara Cartland’s top beauty tips

Barbara Cartland wrote 728 books during her career, including a guide to beauty.

The late novelist even passed on the tip to fans.

The newly discovered beauty tips were part of a cache of letters collected from Barbara Cartland’s fan Sue Barker’s Cheshire home by her second cousin, Nada McArdle.

 

On beauty:

“If you give the other person your complete attention when they are speaking to you, they will invariably remember you as beautiful.”

“Keep your face above all, even before your body.”

Barbara Cartland wrote 728 books during her career, including a guide to beauty
Barbara Cartland wrote 728 books during her career, including a guide to beauty

On skincare:

“Citrus fruit juices and coffee are death to the complexion.”

“Put honey on your spots and by morning you will find that they have disappeared.”

Use the yoke of an egg mixed with almond oil as a facemask. Allow to dry and wash off with rose water.

Wash your face with cold water first thing in the morning.

On keeping trim:

“The two best exercises in the world are making love and dancing. If find yourself unable to practice these two options, try walking on tip toes around the house and kicking your legs like a can-can girl.”

“Do all you can to keep a waist. It is natural for many women to put on weight as they age, but if you can keep a small waist it gives one an appearance of being slim and elegant.”

“Keep your feet in good order; this makes all the difference to the way you walk – your walk can often give away your age.”

On alcohol:

“If you drink at a party, take four Brewers Yeast tablets before going to bed as alcohol destroys Vitamin B in the body.”

“The safest alcohol choices are good brandy and white wine.”

Source: Leopards and Lillies

Sgt. Robert Bales sentenced to life in prison without parole over Afghan massacre

Diane A. Wade
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Sgt. Robert Bales sentenced to life in prison without parole over Afghan massacre

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, the US soldier who murdered 16 Afghan villagers last year, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Robert Bales, 39, opened fire on men, children and women during the attack in Kandahar province last March.

He pleaded guilty to the massacre in June to avoid the death penalty.

Robert Bales apologized for the massacre during his sentencing hearing at a Washington state military base on Thursday, calling it an “act of cowardice”.

He had been making a case for why he should one day be eligible for parole, which would have meant he could potentially have been released in 20 years.

But on Friday the military jury of six at Joint Base Lewis-McChord ruled against him.

Robert Bales showed no emotion as the sentence was announced. His mother bowed her head, rocked in her seat and wept.

Afterwards Afghan villagers who were flown out by the US Army to attend the trial spoke to reporters.

Staff Sgt. Robert Bales has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole
Staff Sgt. Robert Bales has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole

“We wanted this murderer to be executed,” one man said through an interpreter, according to local media.

“We came all the way to the US to get justice. We didn’t get that.”

Sgt. Robert Bales was serving his fourth combat deployment when he attacked two villages in the middle of the night, spraying bullets into mostly women and children.

His lawyers argued that post-traumatic stress disorder and a brain injury were factors in the killings.

Nine Afghan villagers testified at the court martial.

Among them was Haji Mohammad Wazir, who lost 11 family members, including his mother, wife and six children.

The jury returned the sentence just hours after the prosecution and defense made closing arguments.

Prosecutor Lt Colonel Jay Morse showed jurors photos of a young girl who was killed as she screamed and cried.

In his closing arguments, he showed surveillance video of Sgt. Robert Bales returning to his base with what he said was “the methodical, confident gait of a man who’s accomplished his mission”.

“In just a few short hours, Sgt Bales wiped out generations,” Jay Morse said.

“Sgt. Bales dares to ask you for mercy when he has shown none.”

Defense lawyer Emma Scanlan read a letter the soldier sent to his children 10 weeks before the killing: “The children here are a lot like you. They like to eat candy and play soccer. They all know me because I juggle rocks for them.”

She told the court: “These aren’t the words of a cold-blooded murderer.”

While Emma Scanlan said she would not try to minimize what Sgt. Robert Bales did, she asked jurors to consider his earlier military service and give him a “sliver of light” – the possibility of parole.

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Nidal Hasan: Fort Hood gunman found guilty on all counts

Diane A. Wade
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Nidal Hasan: Fort Hood gunman found guilty on all counts

Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan, who shot dead 13 comrades at a Texas Army base in 2009, has been convicted of all charges.

Nidal Hasan, 42, faces the death penalty after being found guilty of 13 counts of pre-meditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.

He said he opened fire on the unarmed US soldiers to protect Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan.

The jury, which reached a unanimous verdict in seven hours, begins the penalty phase of the trial on Monday.

The 13-member panel must come to a unanimous agreement in order to recommend the judge sentence Major Nidal Hasan to death. If they do not agree, he will face a life prison sentence.

The US military has not executed a service member since 1961. There are five inmates on the US military’s death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, all at various stages of the appeals process.

Among the last barriers to military execution is authorization from the president.

Nidal Hasan, a US-born Muslim of Palestinian descent, had no visible reaction as the verdict was read.

Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan, who shot dead 13 comrades at a Texas Army base in 2009, has been convicted of all charges
Army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan, who shot dead 13 comrades at a Texas Army base in 2009, has been convicted of all charges

He admitted to being the gunman at the start of his court martial this month. Acting as his own lawyer, he questioned only three of 90 prosecution witnesses and declined to call witnesses of his own or make closing arguments.

His court-appointed legal advisers, who were little involved in his defense, have told the judge they believed he sought execution.

Nidal Hasan has said he carried out the attack on unarmed soldiers at a medical building at Fort Hood in order to protect Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, but the judge, Colonel Tara Osborn, barred him from presenting that argument in court.

The Army psychiatrist opened fire on 5 November 2009 at a medical facility on the base where soldiers were being evaluated before deploying overseas.

Prosecutors said he had prepared carefully for the attack for weeks, visiting a target practice range, buying a gun, and stuffing paper towels into his trouser pockets to muffle noise from the extra ammunition before he opened fire.

Soldiers and civilians testified they heard a man scream an Islamic benediction, then saw a man in Army camouflage open fire with two handguns.

Witnesses also said Nidal Hasan’s rapid reloading prevented the unarmed soldiers from halting the attack. Three separate people who attempted to charge him were stopped by gunfire.

Nidal Hasan fired 146 bullets, prosecutors said. The attack ended when he was shot by a civilian police officer. He was paralyzed from the waist down from the wound.

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Kanye West and Kim Kardashian baby: North West’s picture revealed on Kris Jenner’s show

Lisa.Felice
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Kanye West and Kim Kardashian baby: North West’s picture revealed on Kris Jenner’s show

Kanye West has finally revealed the first picture of his and Kim Kardashian’s baby daughter North West on matriarch Kris Jenner’s show.

During an interview with the excited grandmother, proud new father Kanye West, 36, shared baby North’s photo with the audience and millions of viewers across America.

A snap of baby North flashed up on the screen after Kanye West and Kris Jenner sat down to discuss the new addition to the family.

“How cute is that gorgeous baby!! Who do you think she looks like?” Kris Jenner gushed over the snap, to which Kanye West responded with a laugh: “I pray that she looks like her mother when she’s older.”

Kris Jenner told the rapper that she thought her granddaughter was an “amazing combination” of both Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

“I think she is an amazing combination of the two of you. She is so adorable. She has Kim’s eyes, I think she has your cheeks and both of your lips. Some days she has your lips and some days she has Kim’s lips,” Kris Jenner said.

“They dissect her,” she explained to the audience.

“Kim would go, <<Look at her ears mom, look at her ears!>> It is so cute how obsessed you guys are.”

Before revealing the snap to the world, Kanye West categorically denied that he and Kim Kardashian had tried to shop first images of their daughter to the media.

“It’s all this talk about baby pictures and <<can you get paid for the baby picture or do you want to put it on a magazine>>,” he explained.

“And for me and your daughter we have not attempted to get paid for anything, we have not attempted to put it on a magazine.”

Kanye West said he decided to share the cute image of his baby on Kris Jenner’s show because he wanted to please little North’s grandmother.

“You just stop all of the noise and I thought it would be really cool on her grandmother’s season finale to bring a picture of North,” he said.

Kanye West has finally revealed the first picture of his and Kim Kardashian’s baby daughter North West on matriarch Kris Jenner’s show
Kanye West has finally revealed the first picture of his and Kim Kardashian’s baby daughter North West on matriarch Kris Jenner’s show

It was then when Kanye West shared the snap, much to the delight of a cheering audience.

During the interview, Kris Jenner asked Kanye West whether he hopes baby North will follow in her father’s footsteps and become a “rapper”.

Kanye West told her that he and Kim Kardashian would be encouraging their daughter to make her own decisions.

“I am going to give her the opportunity to develop her different skill sets and then decide what she is the best at,” he explained.

“…and we will give her the support and let her follow what she loves the most.”

Kanye West had previously hinted that he didn’t want his child to be in the spotlight, declaring: “This isn’t America’s baby.”

It seems the rapper had a change of heart and decided to share the image of baby North in a bid to boost Kris Jenner’s TV ratings.

Kim Kardashian, 32, didn’t make an appearance on the show but Kanye West shared several romantic pictures from their private album.

Before he showed off the new addition to the family, Kanye opened up about his precious daughter.

He told Kris Jenner that that she will give him a lot of stability in his life.

“To me it is such a blessing. I feel it is going to give me the stability that I need to really create and do god’s work,” Kanye West explained.

“She [North] is someone to be accountable for and responsible for.”

It had been widely reported that Kanye West had struggled with the loss of his mother Donda when she died of complications from cosmetic surgery in 2007.

He also revealed to Kris Jenner the depths of despair he went through, telling her that he “felt like he had nothing to live for”.

But he said his saving grace came in the form of Kim Kardashian and the couple’s new baby girl.

Kanye West explained that before Kim Kardashian came along he was constantly “putting his life at risk”.

“After I lost my mother, there were times… well I put myself at risk,” he said.

“I felt like sometimes I didn’t have something to live for.”

Kanye West explained that everything changed when Kim Kardashian came into his life.

Not long after the pair confirmed they were dating, they also found out they were expecting a child.

Little North West arrived into the world on June 15 and Kanye West said that his new family has  transformed him.

“Now I have two really special people to live for. A whole family to live for. A whole world to live for,” Kanye West said during the emotional interview.

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Russia backs UN probe of Syria chemical attacks

Roy Siemens
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Russia backs UN probe of Syria chemical attacks

President Barack Obama has said the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria in an attack on Wednesday is a “big event of grave concern”.

Barack Obama said the US was still seeking confirmation such weapons were used, but if proved true the situation would “require America’s attention”.

Meanwhile, Syria’s main ally Russia has said there is growing evidence that rebels were behind the attack.

The opposition says hundreds died in a government assault outside Damascus.

But despite calls from many different countries, there is no sign yet that the Syrian authorities will allow a UN inspection team to visit to investigate the claims.

Unverified footage shows civilians – many of them children – dead or suffering from what appear to be horrific symptoms as a result of Wednesday’s attack.

Also on Friday, UN agencies said the number of children forced to flee Syria had reached one million.

The UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, and children’s fund, Unicef, described the figure as “a shameful milestone”, and said a further two million children were displaced within the country.

Last year, President Barack Obama said the use of chemical weapons in Syria would cross a “red line” and force a tough US response.

Meanwhile, Russia joined calls for an “objective investigation” by UN chemical weapons experts.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said Moscow had urged President Bashar al-Assad to co-operate with a probe, but also that questions remained about the willingness of the opposition to provide “secure, safe access of the [UN] mission to the location of the incident”.

“More new evidence is starting to emerge that this criminal act was clearly provocative,” the ministry added.

President Barack Obama said the US was seeking confirmation if chemical weapons were used in Damascus attacks
President Barack Obama said the US was seeking confirmation if chemical weapons were used in Damascus attacks

“On the internet, in particular, reports are circulating that news of the incident carrying accusations against government troops was published several hours before the so-called attack. So, this was a pre-planned action.”

The ministry also described as “unacceptable” calls from various European capitals for the UN Security Council to authorize the use of force in Syria.

Other leaders have also pushed for an urgent UN inquiry.

A spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said he was “giving his utmost attention to the tragic situation” and intended to conduct a “thorough, impartial and prompt investigation”.

The UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, will travel to Damascus on Saturday to push for access for the UN inspectors.

“It is of paramount importance that all those who share the concern and urgency of investigating these allegations, equally share the responsibility of co-operating in generating a safe environment for the [UN] mission to do its job,” Ban Ki-Moon’s spokesman added.

Damascus has described the allegations that it sanctioned the use of chemical weapons as “illogical and fabricated”.

The main opposition alliance, the National Coalition, has meanwhile said that it will do everything to assist the UN inspectors and ensure their safety.

“It is critical that those inspectors get there within 48 hours. The clock is ticking and we want to see those inspectors and we believe that the evidence will show who used those chemical weapons against innocent civilians,” spokesman Khaled Saleh told the Reuters news agency.

Opposition activists are also reportedly trying to smuggle tissue samples from victims’ bodies to the UN inspectors to prove their claims.

“The UN team spoke with us and since then we prepared samples of hair, skin and blood and smuggled them back into Damascus with trusted couriers,” activist Abu Nidal told Reuters.

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Lebanon: Tripoli explosions kill at least 42 people

Roy Siemens
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Lebanon: Tripoli explosions kill at least 42 people

Two huge explosions killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 400 others in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli, health officials say.

The explosions are thought to represent the deadliest attack in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.

As Friday prayers ended, a blast hit the al-Taqwa mosque, which is usually attended by prominent Sunni cleric Sheikh Salem Rafii. He was unharmed.

A second blast five minutes later hit the al-Salam mosque in the Mina area.

War in neighboring Syria has raised sectarian tensions between the city’s Sunni Muslim and Alawite communities.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attacks and called for calm and restraint.

Sheikh Salem Rafii is one of the most prominent Sunni leaders in Lebanon and is believed to have been a possible target.

He is opposed to Lebanon’s militant Shia Hezbollah group and has previously urged young Lebanese men to join opposition fighters in Syria.

Two huge explosions killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 400 others in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli
Two huge explosions killed at least 42 people and wounded more than 400 others in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli

It is not clear whether he was at the al-Taqwa mosque at the time of the attack, although some reports say he was giving a sermon.

Ambulances rushed to the aftermath of the blasts and heavy black smoke covered the sky.

“It was as if there was an earthquake, the whole city seemed to be shaking,” a local resident told Lebanon’s Daily Star newspaper.

Television pictures showed damaged cars on fire, with their windows smashed, and people running through the streets trying to carry wounded people to safety.

Bodies could be seen on the ground and windows were broken on surrounding apartment blocks.

The preacher at the al-Salam mosque – the site of the second explosion – is also an opponent of the Syrian government and its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah, Associated Press reports.

No group has taken responsibility for the latest attacks.

In a statement reported by Lebanon’s National News Agency, Hezbollah strongly condemned the blasts.

The group said the attacks aimed to “sow seeds of strife among the Lebanese and drag them into bickering under a sectarian guise”.

Outgoing Lebanese PM Najib Mikati and President Michel Suleiman have also condemned the attacks, calling on citizens to unite against violence.

A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “The secretary-general calls on all Lebanese to exercise restraint, to remain united, and to support their state institutions… in maintaining calm and order in Tripoli and throughout the country, and in preventing the recurrence of such destructive actions.”

Tripoli, a city of nearly 200,000 people and Lebanon’s second largest, is one of the country’s most volatile sectarian fault lines, with a small Alawite population living in the midst of a Sunni majority.

The Alawite community tends to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with Sunnis mostly backing the rebels fighting him.

The bombs come a week after a massive car bomb rocked a Shia district of Beirut, leaving 27 people dead. The area hit contained Hezbollah strongholds.

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Laurel Coppock is the actress playing Jan in Toyota commercials

Sonia Pantiss
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Laurel Coppock is the actress playing Jan in Toyota commercials

Jan is a cute, perky brunette seen in the Toyota commercials who always has the right vehicle suggestion for whomever happens to step up to her desk.

In real life, Jan is actress Laurel Coppock, who, according to her IMDB profile, is a member of the famed Groundlings comedy troupe in Los Angeles.

Laurel Coppock is playing Jan in Toyota commercials
Laurel Coppock is playing Jan in Toyota commercials

Laurel Coppock’s resume reads with mostly bit parts and one-time appearances on shows like ABC’s Modern Family, Two Broke Girls on CBS, The Office on NBC, and Workaholics on Comedy Central.

She does have one movie role to her credit.

Laurel Coppock played “Sophia” in the Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling romantic comedy, Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011.

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Marty Mongiello: White House chef secretly snuck soy and tofu into junk-food loving Bill Clinton’s food

Nancy Clayson
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0
Marty Mongiello: White House chef secretly snuck soy and tofu into junk-food loving Bill Clinton’s food

Former US President Bill Clinton’s journey to the White House was said to have been fuelled by a diet consisting of meat, french fries, sugar and little else.

One insider recalls how Bill Clinton could wolf down six pork chops a day and was known to gobble half a strawberry cake in a single sitting.

Another story tells of an aide having to step in after he bought a dozen doughnuts during a campaign stop in New Hampshire to prevent him polishing off the lot.

Now one cunning former White House chef has revealed how he was able to fool President Clinton by secretly slipping low-fat ingredients into his favorite dishes.

Marty Mongiello was so concerned he might be contributing to the early death of a president that he began experimenting “like a mad scientist” with healthy alternatives.

He began using pureed rice mixed with milk as a substitute for cream, soy paste instead of beef stock, tofu instead of cheese and splenda instead of sugar.

In 1993, First Lady Hillary Clinton became so concerned about her husband’s penchant for junk food, that she brought in diet guru Dr. Dean Ornish to work with the White House chefs who were used to preparing calorie-laden French cuisine.

Together they created a healthy menu with dishes like stir fry vegetables with tofu, and salmon with vegetables.

Bill Clinton’s voracious appetite and love of all things lardy became the stuff of legend
Bill Clinton’s voracious appetite and love of all things lardy became the stuff of legend

Once after preparing a naughty-looking fettuccine Alfredo starter for the Clintons at Camp David, Marty Mongiello was summoned to the table by concerned Hilary Clinton.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Marty Mongiello recalls a waiter telling him: “She wants to see you out there. Dude, you’re gonna get fired.”

“She said, <<Look, there’s cream, there’s cheese – these things are illegal>>. And I just explained how I made it.”

“Her reaction was: <<Wow, I can’t believe it. We thought those were a thing of the past>>.

“She wasn’t mad or anything, she was just really concerned about her husband’s health.”

Another dish that fooled Bill Clinton was a tofu cheesecake which used egg-whites and low-calorie cream cheese.

Despite the low fat regime Bill Clinton still struggled with his weight during his two terms as president.

At his annual physical in 1999, his physician noted the president had gained 18 lbs in two years.

When Bill Clinton left office his eating habits went downhill and in 2004 he had a quadruple heart bypass and was forced to adjust his diet once again.

Then in 2010 after doctors implanted two stents to open one of the veins from that surgery Bill Clinton adopted a vegan diet and has since lost a reported 24 lbs.

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