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Turkey protests: No Turkish Spring, says PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Diane A. Wade
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Turkey protests: No Turkish Spring, says PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the continuing anti-government protests in Istanbul and across the country do not constitute a “Turkish Spring”.

At a news conference before a trip to Morocco, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the protests were organised by extremists and accused the opposition of provoking “his citizens”.

For a fourth night, there have been confrontations between police and protesters with tear gas being used.

A protester has died after being hit by a taxi on Sunday, doctors say – the first fatality since the unrest began.

The demonstrator, 20-year-old Mehmet Ayvalitas, was hit when the car ignored warnings to stop and ploughed into a crowd of protestors in the Mayis district of Istanbul, said the Turkish Doctors’ Union.

On Monday evening, thousands of demonstrators again gathered in Taksim Square, the focus of the recent protests.

A helicopter, its searchlight shining onto the crowd, hovered overhead and tear gas wafted into the square.

Many protesters shouted “Tayyip, resign!” while waving red flags and banners and blowing whistles, according to the AFP news agency.

Police also fired tear gas again to disperse protesters near Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office in the Besiktas district of Istanbul.

Earlier on Monday, protesters clashed with police in the capital, Ankara. Tear gas and water cannon were fired at hundreds of demonstrators in the city as around 1,000 protesters converged on central Kizilay Square.

In another development, a public sector trade union confederation, Kesk, says it will begin a two-day strike starting on Tuesday in support.

The left-wing confederation accused the government of being anti-democratic and carrying out “state terror”.

Shares in Turkey fell sharply as fears that the protests could continue took hold, with the main share index falling by 10.47%. The cost of insuring Turkish debt rose to a two-month high.

In a sign of continuing concern in Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry spoke of “excessive use of force” by the police.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the continuing anti-government protests in Turkey do not constitute a Turkish Spring
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the continuing anti-government protests in Turkey do not constitute a Turkish Spring

“We obviously hope that there will be a full investigation of those incidents and full restraint from the police force,” he said.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a televised news conference: “There are those attending these events organized by extremists. This is not about Gezi Park anymore. These are organized events with affiliations both within Turkey and abroad.

“The main opposition party CHP has provoked my innocent citizens. Those who make news [and] call these events the Turkish Spring do not know Turkey.”

Meanwhile, Turkish President Abdullah Gul urged calm and defended protesters’ rights to hold peaceful demonstrations.

“If there are different opinions, different situations, different points of view and dissent, there is nothing more natural that being able to voice those differences,” he was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency.

“The messages delivered with good intentions have been received.”

Protesters say the Turkish government is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

They fear Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) is trying to impose conservative Islamic values on the officially secular country and infringe on their personal freedoms, correspondents say.

Officials say more than 1,700 people have been arrested in demonstrations in 67 towns and cities, though many have since been released.

On Sunday night, protesters in Besiktas tore up paving stones to build barricades, and Istanbul police responded with tear gas and water cannon.

Mosques, shops and a university in Besiktas were turned into makeshift hospitals for those injured in the demonstration.

Several thousand people took part in the protest outside the recently decommissioned Besiktas football stadium.

Unrest was also reported on Sunday in the western coastal city of Izmir, Adana in the south and Gaziantep in the south-east.

Last week, the government passed legislation curbing the sale and advertising of alcoholic drinks.

The protests began on a small scale last week in opposition to plans to redevelop Gezi Park in Istanbul but have since taken on wider political demands.

The demonstrators say the park is one of the few green spaces in Istanbul, and object to the loss of public space for commercial purposes.

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French winemaking has Italian origin

James J. Williams
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French winemaking has Italian origin

A new research has found evidence of the earliest winemaking in France, which indicates it has an Italian origin.

Shaped vessels called amphoras, known to have been imported from the Etruscan people of Italy around 500 BC, have shown chemical evidence of wine.

A wine press identified in the same region shows that the beverage quickly gained favor and launched a local industry that would conquer the world.

The study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

There is also evidence that the wines contained herbal and pine resins, which may have helped preserve them for shipping.

The history of wine development is a patchy one, principally because wine leaves behind few chemical markers that archaeologists today can ascribe definitively to wine, rather than other agricultural products.

The earliest known examples of wine-making as we know it are in the regions of modern-day Iran, Georgia, and Armenia – and that modern winemaking slowly spread westward to Europe.

In 2004, Patrick McGovern of the University of Pennsylvania Museum led a team whose findings suggested that wine based on rice may have been developed in China at the same time or even before efforts in the Middle East.

But details for many parts of the spread from the Middle East, including into France, remained unclear.

A new research has found evidence of the earliest winemaking in France, which indicates it has an Italian origin
A new research has found evidence of the earliest winemaking in France, which indicates it has an Italian origin

Dr. Patrick McGovern and colleagues have now pinned down another part of the story in the new study.

“You could argue that it comes [into France from] farther north on the continent,” he said.

“You could have it spreading across Germany, say, from Romania – but this really provides a definite set of evidence that it came from Italy.”

The team was examining what are called amphoras, vessels designed for carrying both liquids and solids and for neat packing into a boat’s hull.

The Etruscans, a pre-Roman civilization in Italy, are thought to have gained wine culture from the Phoenicians – who spread throughout the Mediterranean from the early Iron Age onward – because they used similarly shaped amphoras.

Further, it is known that the Etruscans shipped goods to southern France in these amphoras – but until now it remained unclear if they held wine or other goods.

Dr. Patrick McGovern’s team focused on the coastal site of Lattara, near the town of Lattes south of Montpellier, where the importation of amphoras continued up until the period 525-475 BC.

They used a high-precision analytical tool called gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, which provides a list of the molecules absorbed into the pottery of the amphoras. The results showed that they did once contain wine – as well as pine resin and herbal components.

But more surprising was the find of a wine-pressing platform, where grapes were ground and liquid drained off.

“In a walled town like this, it is unusual to find a wine press from an early period,” Dr. Patrick McGovern said.

“Finding the chemical evidence for the press, that was a surprise.”

The find is consistent with a pattern seen elsewhere – that wine is introduced from abroad, but a local culture eventually seeks to transplant the grapes and grow their own, local wine industry.

“From there, [winemaking] spread up the Rhone River, the domesticated vine gets transplanted, it crosses with the wild grapes and all sorts of interesting cultivars develop – those are the ones that spread around the world.

“Most of the wine we have today is from French cultivars, which ultimately derive from the Near-East cultivar via the Etruscans,” he explained.

“There’s still a lot of blanks to fill in, but I find it very exciting.”

Global consensus on death diagnosis urged at European meeting of anaesthetists

Lisa.Felice
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Global consensus on death diagnosis urged at European meeting of anaesthetists

Two leading doctors at an European meeting of anaesthetists urged for an international agreement on when and how death is diagnosed.

They said improvements in technology mean the line between life and death is less clear.

They also called for precise guidelines and more research to prevent the rare occasions when people are pronounced dead but are later found to be alive.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has begun work to develop a global consensus.

In the majority of cases in hospitals, people are pronounced dead only after doctors have examined their heart, lungs and responsiveness, determining there are no longer any heart and breath sounds and no obvious reaction to the outside world.

But Dr. Alex Manara, a consultant anaesthetist at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, said more than 30 reports in medical literature, describing people who had been determined dead but later found to be alive, had driven scientists to question whether the diagnosis of death can be improved.

At a meeting of the European Society for Anaesthesiology he said that on some occasions doctors do not observe the body for long enough before someone is declared dead.

Two leading doctors at an European meeting of anaesthetists urged for an international agreement on when and how death is diagnosed
Two leading doctors at an European meeting of anaesthetists urged for an international agreement on when and how death is diagnosed

Dr. Alex Manara called for internationally agreed guidelines to ensure doctors observe the body for five minutes, in order not to miss anyone whose heart and lungs spontaneously recover.

Many institutions in the US and Australia have adopted two minutes as the minimum observation period, while the UK and Canada recommend five minutes. Germany currently has no guidelines and Italy proposes that physicians wait 20 minutes before declaring death, particularly when organ donation is being considered.

At the conference, Ricard Valero, professor of anaesthesia at the University of Barcelona, considered the rarer scenario of patients in intensive care units whose hearts and lungs are kept functioning by machines.

In such scenarios, doctors use the concept of brain death – often conducting neurological tests to monitor any brain activity in the patient.

But the criteria used to establish brain death have slight variations across the globe.

In Canada, for example, one doctor is needed to diagnose brain death; in the UK, two doctors are recommended; and in Spain three doctors are required. The number of neurological tests that have to be performed vary too, as does the time the body is observed before death is declared.

“These variations in practice just do not seem logical,” Prof. Ricard Valero said.

He proposed further research to support a global consensus on the most appropriate criteria to diagnose brain death.

Prince Fahd al-Saud spends $20 million in three days at Disneyland Paris

Nancy Clayson
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Prince Fahd al-Saud spends $20 million in three days at Disneyland Paris

Saudi Prince Fahd al-Saud has spent some 15 million euros ($20 million) during a private visit to the Disneyland resort near Paris.

Prince Fahd al-Saud is said to have booked entire areas of the park over the 22-24 May period to celebrate getting his degree.

Euro Disney, which runs the theme park, confirmed that a prince had spent three days there with some 60 guests.

Disneyland says it regularly organizes private events for firms or people.

Saudi Prince Fahd al-Saud has spent some $20 million during a private visit to the Disneyland resort near Paris
Saudi Prince Fahd al-Saud has spent some $20 million during a private visit to the Disneyland resort near Paris

The festivities included tailor-made events involving “rare Disney characters”, Euro Disney told the AFP news agency.

Special security was put in place for the prince, one of the park’s top customers, added Euro Disney.

The theme park attracted 16 million visitors last year, but Euro Disney says it has not made any profits since it was set up in 1992.

Last year, it lost 120.9 million euros in the first half of its financial year compared with a net loss of 99.5 million euros in the same period a year earlier.

Kim Kardashian is having a baby girl. Keeping Up With The Kardashians Season Premiere.

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian is having a baby girl. Keeping Up With The Kardashians Season Premiere.

Sunday night’s episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians revealed that Kim Kardashian is having a baby girl.

The latest episode showed Kim Kardashian discovering the news during an sonogram.

Dr. Paul Crane, the family’s doctor, laughed as he found Kim Kardashian and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe, and their mother Kris Jenner all in the office excitedly waiting together.

“I don’t see any pee-pees,” Dr. Paul Crane said as he tried to determine the gender, adding: “I’m thinking it’s a girl.”

“Oh my gosh! What’s the percentage?” a nervous Kim Kardashian was heard asking the doctor.

After being told that she was 99% having a baby girl, Kim Kardashian gushed: “I am so excited to be having a girl, who doesn’t want a girl.”

She then added that it was what her boyfriend Kanye West, who is not in attendance, “always wanted” noting that he would be thrilled at the revelation of their baby’s sex.

Kim Kardashian said: “I know that’s really what Kanye has always wanted. He wanted a little girl.”

She also hinted that her unborn child might be musical, as she shopped for baby clothes with Kourtney.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians season premiere revealed that Kim Kardashian is having a baby girl
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians season premiere revealed that Kim Kardashian is having a baby girl

“I feel like my kid is going to need musical things,” said Kim Kardashian as she suggested all the family babies should start a band.

“What kind of child will I have? A very tutu-y, like, princess?” the reality star wondered as she gushed over the baby items.

“I just can’t wait to see what she’s going to talk like and look like. I am so excited about the joy she is going to bring into our lives,” she said.

Earlier in the episode, Kim Kardashian told the doctor she hopes to eat the placenta after the birth.

“I really want to do it,” Kim Kardashian said, much to the horror of her mother Kris Jenner.

Despite the happy news however, drama wasn’t far behind as Kim Kardashian became emotional in an earlier scene.

Before Kim Kardashian discovered the gender of baby, she began crying on her mother Kris Jenner’s shoulder when talking about her divorce with Kris Humphries.

She said: “I’m probably going to have this baby married to someone else, that’s not the way I wanted it.”

Bringing down the tone of the episode considerably was Kim Kardashian’s sister Kourtney and her partner Scott Disick, who discussed intimate details of their bedroom antics on the show.

The episode was aired on the same day that Kim Kardashian was thrown a baby shower in Beverly Hills by her family.

Kim Kardashian was spotted being driven to the Beverly Hills property by sister Khloe and then mingling with guests once the party kicked off.

She wore a flowing white gown, kept her head down and had a small smile on her face as Khloe sat behind the wheel of her white Range Rover.

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Chelsea Clinton IQ score is 127. Biography.

Nancy Clayson
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Chelsea Clinton IQ score is 127. Biography.

Chelsea Victoria Clinton was born on February 27, 1980, in Little Rock, Arkansas, and she spent part of her youth as a public figure as the daughter of President Bill Clinton and future Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Chelsea Clinton attended Stanford University and went to Columbia for an M.P.H. before becoming an NBC News correspondent.

According to reports, the former First Daughter has an IQ score of 127. Not genius, but above average.

She is an advocate for women’s rights, AIDS research and global humanitarianism.

Her name was chosen based on the Joni Mitchell’s song, Chelsea Morning. At the time of her birth, father William Jefferson Clinton was serving his first term in office as the governor of Arkansas.

Chelsea’s mother, attorney Hillary Rodham Clinton, was a partner at the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock.

Despite their hectic schedules, the Clintons made their only child the center of their busy lives.

Chelsea Clinton’s father kept a small desk for his daughter in his office and had breakfast with her every morning. Hillary Clinton interrupted her schedule to talk to Chelsea when she came home from school, helped out on class field trips and frequently left loving messages at Forest Park Elementary School for Chelsea while she was away on business.

Determined to foster independence and intellectual curiosity, the Clintons often pushed Chelsea hard to succeed. The precocious girl began studying ballet at the age of 4, skipped the third grade, and learned how to invest in the stock market when she was barely 11. After reading an article in a life sciences class that discussed the detrimental effects red meat has on the body, Chelsea Clinton also became a strict vegetarian.

Living at the White House

Chelsea Clinton, who was used to being shielded from her parents’ very public jobs, experienced a huge life change in 1993, when her father was elected the 42nd President of the United States. As the pre-teen child of the new First Family, Chelsea Clinton experienced intense media scrutiny. Entering an awkward, adolescent phase of her life didn’t help matters, and the young Clinton often endured jokes about her appearance. As a result of the intense publicity, the Clintons developed an unspoken pact with the press that Chelsea was strictly off limits.

Outside of the White House, Chelsea Clinton’s parents encouraged her to live as normal a life as possible. She attended Sidwell Friends School, where she excelled in history and science, and began taking ballet courses at the Washington School of Ballet. During her teenage years, she was so active and involved – pursuing a role in the Model United Nations, practicing for theatre and ballet performances, and even attending math camp – that she reportedly earned the Secret Service code name “Energy.”

In April 1995, Chelsea Clinton made what some called a “debut” to the national media, when she joined her mother on a tour of India. The press gave her positive reviews, and made special note of her intelligence and compassion.

Chelsea Clinton IQ score is 127
Chelsea Clinton IQ score is 127

College years

In 1997, Chelsea Clinton made the decision to attend Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, with the intention of studying pre-med.

Now an adult, she became a frequent topic in the press, who made headlines out of her romantic relationships with fellow student Matthew Pierce, as well as former White House intern Jeremy Kane. In addition to this pressure, her sophomore year was fraught with complications from the news of her father’s affair with White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. It was during this time that she brought the family together, both publicly and privately.

According to her mother’s memoirs, Chelsea Clinton was present during the meeting in which her father and his advisers debated how to acknowledge his affair with the nation.

When her parents were first seen together again after the news, Chelsea Clinton was there as well, symbolically clasping the hands of both parents in public.

While navigating these tricky social matters, Chelsea Clinton also managed a rigorous school schedule.

In her junior year, Chelsea Clinton changed her major from medicine to history and began work on her thesis project: the Northern Ireland peace process (for which she interviewed, among other sources, her father). After delivering her 167-page thesis, Chelsea Clinton headed to Oxford University in England to pursue a master’s degree in International Relations.

Professional career

In 2003, after graduation, Chelsea Clinton joined the consulting firm McKinsey & Company in New York City, becoming the youngest person in her class to be hired. After three years with the firm, she joined the hedge fund Avenue Capital Group.

After a year of campaigning for her mother’s 2008 presidential bid, Chelsea Clinton decided to explore new avenues in her personal and professional life. In November 2009, she announced that she and investment banker Marc Mezvinsky were engaged to be married.

Marc Mezvinsky, who was a longtime friend, fellow Stanford alum and son of two former members of Congress, proposed over the Thanksgiving holiday. The next month, Chelsea Clinton returned to school, this time studying health policy and management at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. The couple was married July 31, 2010, in Rhinebeck, New York. The 400-person ceremony at the exclusive Astor Courts facility was shrouded in secrecy for months before the wedding – the couple even shut down the airspace above Rhinebeck for the 12 hours surrounding the ceremony to avoid an influx of paparazzi.

In addition to her studies, Chelsea Clinton serves on the board of the School of American Ballet and has also served as co-chairperson for her father’s Clinton Foundation.

What is human papilloma virus (HPV)?

Lisa.Felice
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What is human papilloma virus (HPV)?

Human papilloma virus (HPV) is spread through s**ual contact and is more usually associated with cervical cancer in women.

It is the most commonly s**ually transmitted infection in the U.S.

HPV can be passed between men and women by genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal s**.

It may also be passed on during oral s** and genital-to-genital contact. It can be passed on between straight and same-s** partners – even when the infected person has no signs or symptoms.

The cervical cancer jab given to 12 and 13-year-old schoolgirls aims to cut their odds of the cancer by protecting them against the virus.

Although most mouth and throat cancers are normally blamed on drinking and smoking an increasing number of cases that occur around the tonsils and back of the tongue are due to HPV.

HPV infection is more usually associated with cervical cancer in women
HPV infection is more usually associated with cervical cancer in women

Although the cancer is not contagious, the virus is.

In the US, HPV is blamed for up to 80% of these tumors of the tonsils and the back of the tongue, which experts say could be due to increasing popularity of oral s**.

The typical patient is described as an otherwise healthy man in his late 40s or early 50s who has never smoked or smoked very little.

Symptoms include persistent mouth ulcers, pain, discolored patches and difficulty chewing and swallowing.

Men are advised to check their neck for lumps when shaving and both men and women to look at the back of their throat while brushing their teeth.

Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are often more successful in mouth and throat cancers caused by the virus than those caused by tobacco and alcohol.

Sean Parker and Alexandra Lenas Game of Thrones wedding in Big Sur

Lisa.Felice
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Sean Parker and Alexandra Lenas Game of Thrones wedding in Big Sur

Facebook founding president Sean Parker married singer-songwriter Alexandra Lenas in a lavish ceremony in California.

Photographed in the story-book forest surroundings of Big Sur, California, the $10 million wedding took place in front of 300 friends and family members and the theme has been compared by many to the HBO show, Game of Thrones.

The Internet entrepreneur, who is estimated to be worth $2 billion, is now officially hitched to the mother of his young daughter after his wedding at the swanky Ventana Inn & Spa.

The ceremony and reception featured opulent decorations including a ruin, a waterfall and long feast style tables.

“Forget what you heard about Sean Parker’s wedding,” friend John Perry Barlow tweeted following the ceremony.

“It [was] elegant, tasteful, and magical.”

They “have just been enormously generous to their friends. We are all very grateful”, he wrote.

Alexandra Lenas, 24, wore a dress that appears similar to Daenerys Targaryen from the Game of Thrones.

Sean Parker, 33, is believed to have shelled out $10 million to turn a boutique hotel into what looks like a movie set, equipped with outfits for guests designed by the costume designer for the Lord of the Rings movies.

One source told the New York Post that guests “entered down a long trail and came to a big gate and entered this other world in a forest there … They made the forest come alive”.

The ceremony was officiated by Unitarian Universalist minister John A. Buehrens.

The extensive guest list included Sting and his wife Trudie, Allison Williams, Emma Watson, Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, Perry and Etty Farrell and Lucian Grainge.

Jacqueline Laurita, from the Real Housewives of New Jersey, also attended the event and shared photographs of the lavish hotel on Twitter.

“Words cannot even describe how beautiful the wedding I went to yesterday was,” she gushed.

“Nothing like I’ve ever seen. I felt like I was in a fairy [tale].”

Sean Parker married Alexandra Lenas in Game of Thrones wedding ceremony in Big Sur
Sean Parker married Alexandra Lenas in Game of Thrones wedding ceremony in Big Sur

The political world was represented by California Attorney General Kamela Harris, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Alexandra Lenas’ gown was by Elie Saab, while Sean Parker, the couple’s infant daughter Winter Victoria and the guests were dressed by Academy Award-winning costume designer Ngila Dickson.

Designer Ken Fulk, caterer Paula LeDuc and designer Preston Bailey, who designed the flowers, all helped coordinate the massive affair. Mark Seliger was the photographer.

Guests enjoyed cake from Perfect Endings as well as music by Loreena McKennitt and The Good The Bad and The Ginger.

Sean Parker had previously denied the Game of Thrones theme on his Twitter account, but admitted they would be instructing guests on what to wear.

“Just because we don’t trust our guests to dress themselves properly doesn’t mean we want them to look like #GoT characters,” he wrote in April.

“Academy award winning costume designer Ngila Dickson is creating gorgeous, inspiring, and unique designs that are both modern and whimsical.”

Sean Parker hired a landscaping company to build fake ruins, waterfalls, man made ponds, bridges and a gated cottage in the surrounding woods at the hotel, sources told TMZ in April.

The venue included two terraces that are used for weddings, that offer “privacy and an uninterrupted 50-mile view of the Big Sur coastline to the south”, according to its website.

The Inn boasts its design is mean to “complement nature and encourage guests to experience the essence of romance”.

Residents in the California community have been less than thrilled with the attention Parker’s spectacle has attracted.

The California Coastal Commission reportedly was called in to investigate whether the inn had procured the proper permits for the wedding-related construction, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

“We’re pretty used to celebrities being in Big Sur. But for this one, they’ve basically built a movie set to have their wedding,” Stan Russell, head of the city’s chamber of commerce, told the paper.

Stan Russell said the construction will go away after the Saturday bash and expects the attention the town receives could actually help the wedding industry in the city.

“The wedding planners in Big Sur are planning ahead for 2014 already, because they’re booked. People want to come and see what all of the excitement’s about,” Stan Russell said.

Guests were expected to enter through a $600,000 gate, dance on a $350,000 floor and walk past more than $1 million worth of plants and flowers, the gossip website site.

The New York Post reported that the save-the-date cards for the June 1 wedding look like wizard scrolls.

“There is a chance the wedding could end up looking like an episode of Game of Thrones,” an insider told the Post.

Game of Thrones is a popular Medieval fantasy TV show on HBO that features knights and dragons and sorcery.

Sean Parker is worth an estimated $2 billion after becoming the founder of Napster and other tech start-ups and working with Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg during the early days of the social network.

The internet guru is most famous for his portrayal in the movie Social Network, which details the role he played in the beginnings of Facebook. Justin Timberlake played him in the Oscar-winning movie.

Sean Parker proposed to Alexandra Lenas, a singer-songwriter, in February, after she gave birth to the couple’s daughter, Winter Victoria Parker.

Michael Douglas throat cancer caused by HPV

Lisa.Felice
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Michael Douglas throat cancer caused by HPV

Michael Douglas has claimed that his throat cancer was caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), a s**ually transmitted disease.

Michael Douglas, 68, who fought a six month battle with the disease from August 2010 until January 2011, had initially believed that it was his years of smoking and drinking that had lead to the illness.

The Hollywood star made the frank admission about how he developed the illness during an interview with The Guardian newspaper when he was asked if he had regretted smoking and drinking in the past.

Michael Douglas candidly replied: “No. Because, without wanting to get too specific, this particular cancer is caused by HPV, which actually comes about from cunni***gus.”

The actor, who is married to Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, was diagnosed with cancer in August 2010 after a walnut-sized tumor was found on his tongue.

Michael Douglas’ health troubles started just a few months after his eldest son Cameron – from his first marriage to Diandra Luker – was jailed for d**g possession and dealing.

The actor admitted he initially believed his disease had been triggered by the stress over his son’s legal troubles.

Michael Douglas has claimed that his throat cancer was caused by human papilloma virus
Michael Douglas has claimed that his throat cancer was caused by human papilloma virus

Michael Douglas explained: “I did worry if the stress caused by my son’s incarceration didn’t help trigger it. But yeah, it’s a s**ually transmitted disease that causes cancer. And if you have it, cunni**gus is also the best cure for it.”

He was diagnosed with stage four of the disease and underwent an intense course of chemotherapy and radiation.

Eventually, Michael Douglas was given the all-clear, although he still has to undergo check-ups with doctors every six months.

However, the actor is optimistic he has conquered the disease once and for all.

“With this kind of cancer, 95 per cent of the time it doesn’t come back,” he said.

More than 20 years ago, Michael Douglas was hospitalized for an addiction, which many reports at the time claimed was to s**.

However, he has since denied that he was a s** addict, insisting that he was being treated for alcohol abuse.

HPV is a sexually transmitted virus which is more widely known as a cause of cervical and anal cancer.

Last year, Cancer Research UK said the rising rates of HPV16-positive cases of oral cancer could be linked to oral s**.

China: At least 112 people killed in a fire at poultry processing plant in Dehui

Nancy Clayson
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China: At least 112 people killed in a fire at poultry processing plant in Dehui

At least 112 people have been killed in a fire at a poultry processing plant in China, according to officials.

The fire broke out at a slaughterhouse in Dehui in Jilin province early on Monday, according to state-run Xinhua news agency.

Rescue workers were at the scene and the fire had not yet been put out, the report said, citing local sources.

There are reports that the fire took hold following three explosions in an electrical system.

About 100 workers had managed to escape from the plant, Xinhua said, adding that the “complicated interior structure” of the building and narrow exits had made rescue work more difficult.

The number of workers trapped inside the plant had yet to be confirmed, the agency added. The cause of the fire was under investigation, it said.

At least 112 people have been killed in a fire at a poultry processing plant in China
At least 112 people have been killed in a fire at a poultry processing plant in China

Those injured were sent to hospital, Xinhua says. The severity of their injuries however remains unclear.

Workers interviewed by state broadcaster CCTV said the fire broke out during a shift change and may have started in a locker room.

The company that owns the farm, a big producer of processed chicken, employs more than 1,000 people, reports say.

Photographs posted on Chinese news websites showed thick smoke coming from the large cement and corrugated iron sheds, with fire trucks still at the scene.

Workplace safety standards can often be poor in China, with fatal accidents regularly reported at large factories and mines.

The plant is located around 500 miles north-east of Beijing.

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Mega Potato: McDonald’s launches its highest calorie item ever in Japan

Lisa.Felice
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Mega Potato: McDonald’s launches its highest calorie item ever in Japan

World’s largest fast food chain McDonald’s has just released its highest calorie item ever in Japan: the Mega Potato.

The Mega Potato is almost a pound of the brand’s famous fries, and contains 1,142 calories and costs $4.9, the Consumerist reported, citing Japan Today.

The Mega Potato is almost a pound of McDonald's famous fries, contains 1,142 calories and costs $4.9
The Mega Potato is almost a pound of McDonald’s famous fries, contains 1,142 calories and costs $4.9

“The Mega Potato will set you back 490 yen and also cost you a large chunk of your dignity and possibly a few years of your life,” Japan Today wrote.

McDonald’s latest exercise in caloric excess in Japan is in stark contrast to what it’s attempting in the U.S.

The company has recently added a slew of healthy offerings, including a chicken McWrap to compete with Subway and draw in calorie-conscious millennials.

McDonald’s also released the Egg White Delight and added more smoothie flavors with fresh fruit.

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Marjorie Margolies: Chelsea Clinton’s mother-in-law enters House race

Diane A. Wade
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Marjorie Margolies: Chelsea Clinton’s mother-in-law enters House race

Marjorie Margolies, Chelsea Clinton’s mother-in-law, made it official Thursday and filed her papers to run for her old House seat in Pennsylvania in 2014.

The newly minted congressional candidate is better known as Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, her former married name.

Marjorie Margolies cast a decisive vote for Bill Clinton’s 1993 budget. Republicans chanted “Bye, Bye, Marjorie,” when she did and she was defeated for re-election the following year.

Marjorie Margolies, Chelsea Clinton's mother-in-law, filed her papers to run for her old House seat in Pennsylvania in 2014
Marjorie Margolies, Chelsea Clinton’s mother-in-law, filed her papers to run for her old House seat in Pennsylvania in 2014

“My desire to serve today is rooted firmly in the very same belief I held when I first won this seat – a belief in the power of different voices in Congress to make a difference,” Marjorie Margolies in a statement, reported by the PoliticsPA blog.

Marjorie Margolies is running in Pennsylvania’s 13th District, which is based in suburban Philadelphia. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, a Democrat, is vacating the seat to run for governor.

She is the founder of Women’s Campaign International, a non-profit organization that works around the world to ensure women can participate in the development of public policy and provides advocacy training. She also teaches at the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government.

Marc Mezvinsky, the candidate’s son, married Chelsea Clinton in 2010.

Marjorie Margolies divorced her son’s father, former congressman Ed Mezvinsky, in 2007.

Yunupingu dead: Indigenous Australian singer of Yothu Yindi band dies aged 56

Sonia Pantiss
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Yunupingu dead: Indigenous Australian singer of Yothu Yindi band dies aged 56

Singer Yunupingu, one of Australia’s leading indigenous figures, has died aged 56 at his home in Yirrkala in Eastern Arnhem Land.

Mandawuy Yunupingu, lead singer of Yothu Yindi, died at his home in the Northern Territory after suffering from kidney disease.

He was a significant cultural figure whose music helped bridge the divide between white and black Australians.

Yunupingu is also widely credited with introducing indigenous music to the world with the 1990s hit Treaty.

The song, which blends indigenous music and rock, made him a household name.

Mandawuy Yunupingu, lead singer of Yothu Yindi, died at his home in the Northern Territory after suffering from kidney disease
Mandawuy Yunupingu, lead singer of Yothu Yindi, died at his home in the Northern Territory after suffering from kidney disease

It also helped win him the Australian of the Year award in 1992, for “building bridges of understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people”.

“We have lost a uniquely talented musician, a passionate advocate for Aboriginal people and a truly great friend,” Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said.

Before entering the music industry, Yunupingu was a teacher.

He was the first Aboriginal person from Arnhem Land to gain a university degree and also Australia’s first indigenous school principal, taking over as head of the Yirrkala Community School in 1990.

Yothu Yindi toured internationally and released a successful album in 1992, Tribal Voice.

Former Midnight Oil singer Peter Garret, who is now an Australian government minister, described him as a “path breaker and leader. A shining light for his people.”

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Sumandef Hakkinda Letter: What’s happening in Istanbul?

Diane A. Wade
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Sumandef Hakkinda Letter: What’s happening in Istanbul?

Sumandef Hakkinda describes what happens in Turkey these days and writes on what’s behind protests – and how Turkish media are refusing to report it.

 

To my friends who live outside of Turkey: I am writing to let you know what is going on in Istanbul for the last five days. I personally have to write this because most of the media sources are shut down by the government and word of mouth and the internet are the only ways left for us to explain ourselves and call for help and support.

Four days ago a group of people who did not belong to any specific organization or ideology got together in Istanbul’s Gezi Park. Among them there were many of my friends and students. Their reason was simple: To prevent and protest the upcoming demolishing of the park for the sake of building yet another shopping mall at very center of the city. There are numerous shopping malls in Istanbul, at least one in every neighborhood! The tearing down of the trees was supposed to begin early Thursday morning. People went to the park with their blankets, books and children. They put their tents down and spent the night under the trees. Early in the morning when the bulldozers started to pull the hundred-year-old trees out of the ground, they stood up against them to stop the operation.

They did nothing other than standing in front of the machines. No newspaper, no television channel was there to report the protest. It was a complete media blackout. But the police arrived with water cannon vehicles and pepper spray. They chased the crowds out of the park.

In the evening the number of protesters multiplied. So did the number of police forces around the park. Meanwhile the local government of Istanbul shut down all the ways leading up to Taksim Square, where Gezi Park is located. The metro was shut down, ferries were cancelled, roads were blocked. Yet more and more people made their way up to the center of the city by walking.

They came from all around Istanbul. They came from all different backgrounds, different ideologies, different religions. They all gathered to prevent the demolition of something bigger than the park: The right to live as honorable citizens of this country.

They gathered and marched. Police chased them with pepper spray and tear gas and drove their tanks over people who offered the police food in return. Two young people were run over by the tanks and were killed. Another young woman, a friend of mine, was hit in the head by one of the incoming tear gas canisters. The police were shooting them straight into the crowd. After a three hour operation she is still in the Intensive Care Unit and in a very critical condition. As I write this we don’t know if she is going to make it. This blog is dedicated to her.

Istanbul protests June 2013
Istanbul protests June 2013

These people are my friends. They are my students, my relatives. They have no ‘hidden agenda’, as the state likes to say. Their agenda is out there. It is very clear. The whole country is being sold to corporations by the government, for the construction of malls, luxury condominiums, freeways, dams and nuclear plants. The government is looking for (and creating when necessary) any excuse to attack Syria against its people’s will.

On top of all that, the government’s control over its people’s personal lives has become unbearable as of late. The state, under its conservative agenda, passed many laws and regulations concerning abortion, cesarean birth, sale and use of alcohol and even the colour of lipstick worn by the airline stewardesses.

People who are marching to the center of Istanbul are demanding their right to live freely and receive justice, protection and respect from the state. They demand to be involved in the decision-making processes about the city they live in. What they have received instead is excessive force and enormous amounts of tear gas shot straight into their faces. Three people lost their eyes.

Yet they still march. Hundred of thousands join them. A couple of thousand more passed the Bosporus Bridge on foot to support the people of Taksim.

No newspaper or TV channel was there to report the events. They were busy with broadcasting news about Miss Turkey and ‘the strangest cat in the world’.

Police kept chasing people and spraying them with pepper spray to an extent that stray dogs and cats were poisoned and died by it.

Schools, hospitals and even 5 star hotels around Taksim Square opened their doors to the injured. Doctors filled the classrooms and hotel rooms to provide first aid. Some police officers refused to spray innocent people with tear gas and quit their jobs. Around the square they placed jammers to prevent internet connection and 3G networks were blocked. Residents and businesses in the area provided free wireless networks for the people on the streets. Restaurants offered food and water for free.

People in Ankara and Izmir gathered on the streets to support the resistance in Istanbul. Mainstream media kept showing Miss Turkey and ‘the strangest cat in the world’.

I am writing this letter so that you know what is going on in Istanbul. Mass media will not tell you any of this. Not in my country at least. Please post as many articles as you see on the Internet and spread the word.

As I was posting articles that explained what is happening in Istanbul on my Facebook page last night someone asked me the following question: ‘What are you hoping to gain by complaining about our country to foreigners?’ This blog is my answer to her.

By so called ‘complaining’ about my country I am hoping to gain:

Freedom of expression and speech,

Respect for human rights,

Control over the decisions I make concerning my on my body,

The right to legally congregate in any part of the city without being considered a terrorist.

But most of all by spreading the word to you, my friends who live in other parts of the world, I am hoping to get your awareness, support and help!

Please spread the word and share this blog. Thank you!

 

This blog post is republished from defnesumanblogs.com.

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Turkey protests: Clashes break out near PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office

Diane A. Wade
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Turkey protests: Clashes break out near PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office

Tens of thousands of Turks have staged a third day of protests across the country with police again using tear gas and water cannon in some areas, including in Istanbul, where crowds had converged on the prime minister’s office.

The protests were sparked by plans to build on Istanbul Gezi Park but have broadened into anti-government unrest.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the protesters are undemocratic, and said the development will go ahead.

He has accused opposition parties of provoking the demonstrations, which represents the most sustained anti-government unrest for a number of years.

Interior Minister Muammer Guler told state media more than 1,700 people had been arrested during protests in 67 cities, though many had since been released.

Hundreds of people are reported to have been injured in the clashes.

Protests over the demolition of Gezi Park to make way for the rebuilding of an Ottoman era barracks, reportedly to house a shopping centre, began on a small scale earlier this week.

Protesters said the park was one of the few green spaces in Istanbul, and were angry at the loss of public space for commercial purposes.

But after police used tear gas and water cannon were used to break up the protests, triggering accusations of excessive force, the numbers in Taksim Square, next to the park, rocketed.

Clashes break out near PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office
Clashes break out near PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office

Ten of thousands of people took to the streets of towns and cities, many calling on the government to resign.

Police pulled out on Saturday afternoon, reportedly after President Abdullah Gul urged restraint, and by Sunday there was a carnival atmosphere.

But clashes continued, including in the Besiktas district, where police fired tear gas against protesters, some of whom built barricades or threw stones at Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Istanbul office.

In Ankara, police fired tear gas at thousands of protesters who were attempting to march on the prime minister’s office there.

There were further reports of tear gas in Izmir, on the Aegean coast, and in Adana in the south.

The protests reflect the public’s anger with the Turkish government, which they believe is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

They fear Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) is trying to impose conservative Islamic values on the officially secular country and infringe on their personal freedoms.

Last week the government quickly passed legislation curbing the sale and advertising of alcoholic drinks, which analysts say alarmed secularists.

Many felt insulted when he defended the legislation by calling people who drink “alcoholics”.

In a televised interview on Sunday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in power since 2002, denied accusations of being a dictator, saying he was “a servant of the people”.

He said the protests were being provoked by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and that those taking part were trying to undermine democracy, dismissing them as “a few looters”.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticized social media, through which the protests have been co-ordinated and discussed, calling Twitter a “curse” and an “extreme version of lying”.

The crackdown has been condemned by rights groups and by the US.

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Don Thompson: McDonald’s CEO claims he lost 20 lbs in a year despite eating from chain’s menu every day

Nancy Clayson
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Don Thompson: McDonald’s CEO claims he lost 20 lbs in a year despite eating from chain’s menu every day

McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson has claimed he lost 20 lbs in weight, despite eating from the chain’s menu every day.

Don Thompson said he regularly worked out at a gym to lose the pounds but did not stop wolfing down the fast food meals whenever he could.

But his claims were met with skepticism on Twitter with some branding it the “McDiet” and asking him to “prove it”.

Last week McDonald’s unveiled its most unhealthy item ever, the Mega Potato, which is a double size portion of fries. At 1,142 calories Mega Potato is more than half the recommended daily calorie intake for a woman.

Don Thompson said he shed the weight over the course of a year by getting up early in the mornings and going to the gym.

The fast food boss insisted he still ate at McDonald’s ‘every single day’, although he did not specify what he chose from the menu.

He admitted that despite McDonald’s trying to rebrand itself as healthier, its salads make up only 2-3% of sales.

But the McDonald’s CEO claimed the company was making efforts to include more vegetables in its meals.

Don Thompson, who has been on the job for less than a year, was responding to a question about how the company is adapting amid growing concerns about obesity when he pointed out his slimmer frame.

McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson has claimed he lost 20 lbs in weight, despite eating from the chain’s menu every day
McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson has claimed he lost 20 lbs in weight, despite eating from the chain’s menu every day

He said that he lost the weight by getting active again and noted that it’s rare to see Europeans that are “very, very heavy” because they walk a lot.

“And so I think that balance is really important to people,” he said.

“I don’t see salads as being a major growth driver in the near future,” Don Thompson told investors in New York this week, according to Bloomberg News.

It’s no wonder the salads have failed to lure health conscious diners when they are often as fat-laden as a Big Mac and boast names such as Bacon Ranch and Southwest Crispy Chicken.

In comparison to poor salad sales, the restaurant’s Dollar Menu generates 13-14% of U.S. business, he said.

However, Don Thompson claims the company isn’t giving up on selling fruit and vegetables. For instance, some of McDonald’s new McWraps have tomato, cucumber slices and shredded lettuce inside, he said.

McDonald’s first added tossed salads to its U.S. menu in 1987.

Bloomberg News reported earlier this month that it is considered ditching Caesar salads after it already got rid of Fruit & Walnut salads from its menu this year.

McDonald’s shares fell more than 2.2% to close at $98.28 on Wednesday, after the announcement. At one point they declined as much as 2.9% for the biggest intraday drop since October 19 and they continued to fall on Thursday.

The shares gained 15% this year through to Tuesday. In comparison, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 16%.

The chain announced it was axing its Fruit & Walnut salad in March after competitors Burger King Worldwide Inc and Wendy’s Co began closing the gap with McDonald’s.

McDonald’s, the world’s biggest hamburger chain for years, held a huge lead against most rivals, but some of those chains now are luring away diners with fast-changing menus featuring tempting new food.

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Dita Von Teese blonde: Burlesque queen shares high school yearbook photos

Lisa.Felice
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Dita Von Teese blonde: Burlesque queen shares high school yearbook photos

Dita Von Teese is the biggest name in the burlesque scene thanks in part to her stunning raven hair and porcelain complexion, but before her rise to fame, she was a tanned and bottle blonde all American girl.

Dita Von Teese, 40, tweeted a handful of pictures from her high school yearbook.

“Found a box of photos of me from my freshman and sophomore year in high school,” she tweeted her fans along with the snaps.

In the photos, Dita, born Heather Renee Sweet in Rochester, Michigan, has big Eighties bleach blonde hair and a penchant for the era’s fashion.

In one particular image of Dita in her younger years, she bares her midriff in a black bralet top which she pairs with voluminous parachute trousers and a matching jacket.

Her look is very reminiscent to that of Jennie Garth’s when she played Kelly Taylor in the hit TV series, Beverly Hills 90210.

Dita Von Teese as blonde girl before her transformation into burlesque brunette bombshell
Dita Von Teese as blonde girl before her transformation into burlesque brunette bombshell

Her skin tone is also very tanned, several hues darker than her current alabaster complexion.

These days Dita Von Teese stays away from the sun, recently explaining: “Alabaster skin is the perfect base for a vintage look. I’d never dream of getting a tan – I always wear sunscreen and put on a hat when I’m out in the sun.”

Back to her vintage snaps, and a very blonde Dita Von Teese is also photographed in two prom dresses.

Far from the stunning couture and vintage dresses she wears these days, her formal wear for her younger years is a poofy and frilly lavender creation which she pairs with a floral crown in her hair.

In another snap, Dita Von Teese then steers towards black velvet accessorized with pearls.

In all of the photographs it is clear that Dita Von Teese used to go for the more pared back appearance when it came to her make-up.

It is a far cry from her current look – her visage always completely made up with dark eyebrows, heavy black eyeliner and bright red lips.

Two years ago Dita Von Teese even told the New York Times Style magazine that she uses Just For Men hair dye to achieve raven eyebrows.

Dita Von Teese these days isn’t a fan of the all natural look, and the high maintenance star recently admitted that the number of beauty products that she uses regularly goes in to the hundreds.

The burlesque queen admitted she is such a beauty junkie that she couldn’t live without any of the multiple cosmetics and haircare products which she uses to achieve her glamorous retro look.

JOCKEY Bra Volumetric Fit System: New sizing system promises to end ill-fitting bra

Lisa.Felice
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JOCKEY Bra Volumetric Fit System: New sizing system promises to end ill-fitting bra

Jockey International has introduced JOCKEY Bra, which is based on a brand new sizing system focused on breast volume rather than the rigid cup and band measurement system currently used in the industry.

Instead of the typical A, B, C, D, etc, cup, Jockey’s Volumetric Fit System measures the volume and shape of a woman’s breast plus an under-bust measurement, with the volumetric sizes running from 1 through to 10. The new system has 55 size combinations, and promises to address the long-bemoaned problem of ill-fitting bras.

Cup sizes currently are based on two measurements – the breast at its fullest point, minus the rib cage measurement. If it’s a one-inch difference, it’s an A cup; a two-inch difference, a B cup, and so on. Jockey International says this equation doesn’t account for volume and different breast shapes.

Bra sizes also vary widely from one manufacturer to another, and from country to country, and women’s bodies and breasts often don’t conform to the arbitrary sizes offered by companies. These are the problems Jockey is seeking to solve.

“It took us eight years to develop the new Jockey bra and its revolutionary Volumetric Fit System,” said Sally Tomkins, Jockey’s senior vice president of design, research and development.

“Through our research, and countless hours of testing and talking with women, we are confident we are answering women’s desire for the perfect-fitting bra.”

The Volumetric Fit System can be ordered from Jockey.com for $19.95 which can be redeemed as a $19.95 discount off the price of a bra. It comes in a small mesh bag and contains 10 plastic molded cups in different sizes, a measuring tape and a booklet of instructions and bra styles.

Women using the system should select a cup that looks closest to their size and place it over their breast. The cup that fits is the one with the best coverage, with no gaps or “spillage”.

Next, use the color-coded measuring tape to take a direct measurement of the under-bust area. There are seven different band sizes (30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 or 42).

The new measuring system would result in sizes such as 1-30, 7-36 and 9-42.

Jockey's Volumetric Fit System measures the volume and shape of a woman's breast plus an under-bust measurement
Jockey’s Volumetric Fit System measures the volume and shape of a woman’s breast plus an under-bust measurement

Jockey says that in contrast with the 80-year-old alphanumeric measuring system which is a pure mathematical equation, the new system takes into account the volume of a woman’s breast rather than just her measurements.

Bra shopping is notoriously traumatic, with research showing 75% of women have trouble finding a bra that fits properly and a staggering 85% are wearing the wrong sized bra.

“Women also dislike the bra shopping experience due to the overwhelming number of bra choices, lack of attentive service, and complexity and variance of proper sizing,” says the Jockey website.

According to research on Jockey’s website, 53% of women have never been professionally fitted for a bra.

The JOCKEY Bras themselves come in five different styles so far: Classic Contour, Tailored Contour, Double-Lined Contour, Classic-Soft Cup and Double-Lined Soft Cup and they each come in black, white and nude colors. Jockey has also pledged not to discontinue any of its bra styles.

The JOCKEY Bras come with a patented “3-D Contour support” replacing the underwire, which “supports, cups and shapes the breast without any poking, giving women an exceptionally comfortable fit”.

Bra cup sizes as we know them were invented in 1932, and band sizes became popular in the 1940s. The sizes have barely changed since then, though the range has expanded along with the general population’s weight.

The originator of the bra was Parisienne Madaleine Gabeau, who received a U.S. patent on 21 November 1911 for a bra with soft cups and a metal band supporting and separating the breasts.

With a price tag of $60, it remains to be seen whether or not the JOCKEY Bra and sizing system will catch on, but new adopters can rest assured that the company has a money-back satisfaction guarantee on its new bras.

Check on Jockey.com for more information.

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Angelina Jolie on first red carpet appearance since revealing double mastectomy

Sonia Pantiss
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Angelina Jolie on first red carpet appearance since revealing double mastectomy

Angelina Jolie opted to miss her aunt’s funeral so she could jet to the UK to support Brad Pitt at the premiere of his new movie World War Z, making her first appearance on the red carpet since revealing double mastectomy.

Angelina Jolie, 37, kept to her promise and was one of the big names who walked the special black carpet at the event.

The actress opted to co-ordinate with her man as they both arrived to rapturous claps and screams, both wearing matching black.

Angelina Jolie wore a floorlength Yves St Laurent dress, while Brad Pitt looked dapper in a suit with a casual T-shirt underneath.

Just a few days ago it was revealed Angelina Jolie had chosen to miss her aunt’s funeral as it clashed with the premiere.

Angelina Jolie – who recently revealed she underwent a double mastectomy after she was identified as carrying the BRCA1 cancer gene – lost her aunt Debbie Martin, 61, last week following a battle with breast cancer. The actress said she cannot make the funeral in San Diego on Sunday June 2 because she will be in London.

Debbie Martin’s husband Ron told E! News ahead of the premiere: “We are making the final arrangements for the funeral as we speak. But we expect it to be this Sunday at noon at El Camino Memorial in Sorrento Valley near our home.

“Angelina will be in London on Sunday so she won’t be able to attend but she has been in touch with us and with various other members of the family, which has obviously been lovely and has meant a lot to us.”

And it seems Angelina Jolie is now fighting fit after making the difficult decision to undergo the operation.

Angelina Jolie makes her first appearance on the red carpet since revealing double mastectomy at Brad Pitt's London premiere of World War Z
Angelina Jolie makes her first appearance on the red carpet since revealing double mastectomy at Brad Pitt’s London premiere of World War Z

Angelina Jolie, who oozed confidence at the bash, said she was “feeling great” as she walked the black carpet with Brad Pitt.

“I’m here for Brad. I’m so proud of him,” she said.

The actress said she was “proud” of the response to her article about cancer preventative surgery.

“If it did some good then I’m pleased,” Angelina Jolie said as she walked into the Empire cinema wearing a floor length Yves. St Laurent black silk gown.

The actress spent twenty minutes signing autographs. She joked: “I’m a director,” as she took cameras from fans and took their photographs and video shots.

One fan handed her a fluffy teddy and later she gave it to Sophie Martinez, aged 4, who promptly burst into tears.

“It’s a nice teddy,” Angelina Jolie told her soothingly.

Sophie Martinez’s parents Douglas and Tatiana, Brazilian students living in Putney, said they were so touched by Angelina Jolie’s gesture towards their daughter.

Jessica Chastain, however, skipped the carpet to attend the film. She and Brad Pitt were in The Tree of Life together.

Brad Pitt told BBC News as he spoke ahead of the screening: “I think it’s pretty much the most intense film you’re going to see all summer.”

The night before, on Saturday, Brad Pitt made an impromptu visit to the first preview screening of World War Z in one of the Empire’s smaller screening auditoriums.

He told the audience: “This has been a long time coming.”

Brad Pitt was clearly referring to the film’s problematic production with costs rumored to be in the two hundred million dollar plus range.

He added: “I’m willing to bet that this is the most intense film you’ve seen all summer.”

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Hepatitis A outbreak linked to Costco’s Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend frozen berry mix

Lisa.Felice
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Hepatitis A outbreak linked to Costco’s Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend frozen berry mix

A Hepatitis A outbreak across five states traced to an organic frozen berry mix sold at Costco left thirty people have been infected, and nine of them hospitalized.

And health officials are bracing for more cases if cafes and restaurants that bought the frozen blend used it to make smoothies, frozen bar drinks and other desserts for customers.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have linked the reported illnesses to Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend, a mix of berries and pomegranate seeds produced by Townsend Farms in Oregon.

The first victim got sick on April 29 with the most recent case reported on May 17, although USA Today reports more are expected.

The victims, aged between 25 and 71 years old, live in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and California.

About 11 of 17 of those infected said they bought the berry mix at Costco, according to CNN.

A Costco spokesman said that the company has removed the product from stores and is attempting to contact members who purchased the product in recent months.

A Hepatitis A outbreak across five states traced to an organic frozen berry mix sold at Costco left thirty people have been infected, and nine of them hospitalized
A Hepatitis A outbreak across five states traced to an organic frozen berry mix sold at Costco left thirty people have been infected, and nine of them hospitalized

Townsend Farms lawyer Bill Gaar said the frozen organic blend bag included pomegranate seeds sourced from Turkey, and were only used in the product associated with the outbreak.

“We do have very good records, we know where the (pomegranate seeds) came from, we’re looking into who the broker is and we’re sourcing it back up the food chain to get to it,” Bill Gaar
said.

He said Townsend Farms believes Costco is the only customer who bought the product but are checking to see if any other retailers also sold it.

CNN reports state health departments, the FDA and the CDC are investigating, after notifying Townsend Farms on Thursday and sending investigators to the Fairview farm.

Hepatitis A is a highly infectious disease which inflames the liver, and is usually transmitted via contaminated food or water, or by someone who is infected.

The Mayo Clinic website states: “Mild cases of Hepatitis A don’t require treatment, and most people who are infected recover completely with no permanent liver damage.”

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) says severe infection can lead to liver failure and death, with about 1.4 million cases of Hepatitis A annually worldwide.

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High flood alert across Central Europe

Diane A. Wade
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High flood alert across Central Europe

Hundreds of homes have been evacuated across southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland as rivers reach dangerously high levels.

The Czech capital Prague is on high alert as a swell of floodwater moves in from the south.

Both Germany and Austria are deploying their armies to help emergency services.

A man was killed by a landslide near Salzburg in Austria and two people have died in the Czech Republic.

The Czech government has declared a nationwide state of emergency.

The Czech deaths came after floodwaters destroyed flimsy country cottages. Two more people are missing in the country after their raft overturned on a swollen river.

Firemen in Czech Republic capital have been putting up metal flood barriers and volunteers filling sandbags as the River Vltava is due to reach peak levels in Prague some time on Monday morning.

Czech PM Petr Necas has called a special cabinet session to co-ordinate the emergency response.

Hundreds of homes have been evacuated across southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland as rivers reach dangerously high levels
Hundreds of homes have been evacuated across southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland as rivers reach dangerously high levels

Authorities believe the river in Prague will not reach the levels it did in 2002, when parts of the city were devastated, but will still be high enough to cause severe damage.

Bavaria’s flood alert service warns that the forecast of continuing heavy rain is likely to worsen the flooding affecting the Danube and the Inn, among other rivers in the area.

The German cities of Passau and Rosenheim have declared a state of emergency.

Authorities in Passau, which lies at the confluence of three rivers in Bavaria, say they expect the Danube to reach 10.5m by Sunday evening and have requested help from the German army.

Bavaria is not the only German state to be affected; towns and cities in Saxony, Thuringia and Baden-Wuerttemberg are also inundated.

The Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung reports that the German army is to be deployed in Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia to support the flood-affected areas.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has discussed the floods in phone calls with the premiers of Bavaria and Saxony, the paper says.

Near the Austrian city of Salzburg a man was found dead after being swept away as he worked to clear a landslip.

Two further people are missing in the Salzburg area, according to Austrian media. A third is missing in Vorarlberg.

The Austrian army was called in to help civil authorities in the settlement of Taxenbach, south of Salzburg. Their main task was to clear landslides and make roads passable.

Parts of the Pinzgau region, which includes Taxenbach, have been declared a disaster zone.

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Turkey protests: Thousands of protesters return to Istanbul and Ankara streets after 1,700 arrests

Diane A. Wade
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Turkey protests: Thousands of protesters return to Istanbul and Ankara streets after 1,700 arrests

Turkish protesters have returned to the streets of Istanbul and capital Ankara after two days of unrest that have seen more than 1,700 arrests.

Largely peaceful protesters waved flags in Istanbul’s Taksim Square but there were reports police had fired tear gas in Kizilay Square in Ankara.

PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said protesters were trying to undermine democracy.

The protests began over redeveloping a park near Taksim Square but broadened into anti-government unrest.

The protests represent the most sustained anti-government unrest for a number of years.

Correspondents say many people are fed up with the government, which they believe is becoming increasingly authoritarian and trying to take away some of their personal freedoms.

Early on Sunday morning, there had been some isolated clashes around the streets of Istanbul.

But the atmosphere later in the day was calmer and largely peaceful, with demonstrators milling about between burnt-out cars and gathering around fires.

There were music concerts in Taksim Square throughout the day, and that the thousands of protesters still there were calling for the gathering to remain peaceful. There was no apparent police presence.

One protester, Akin, told Reuters: “We will stay until the end. We are not leaving. The only answer now is for this government to fall. We are tired of this oppressive government constantly putting pressure on us.”

Turkish protesters have returned to the streets of Istanbul and capital Ankara after two days of unrest
Turkish protesters have returned to the streets of Istanbul and capital Ankara after two days of unrest

More than 1,000 protesters also gathered in Kizilay Square in Ankara on Sunday, with reports police had fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse them.

The police reportedly responded after protesters moved towards the office of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In an interview on state television on Sunday, the Turkish prime minister said the protests were being provoked by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and that protesters were trying to undermine democracy.

“They have been removing pavestones and breaking the windows of local stores. Is this democracy?” he asked, dismissing the protesters as “a few looters”.

He rejected accusations that he was a “dictator”, saying he was a person who had “committed himself to serving his nation”.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan also criticized social media, through which the protests have been co-ordinated and discussed. He said Twitter was a “curse” and an “extreme version of lying”.

“I think social media as a whole is a pain in the side of society,” he said.

On Saturday, the prime minister had admitted there had been “some mistakes, extremism in police response”, but accused his opponents of using the anger over the Gezi Park issue to stoke up tensions.

Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas tried to ease the tension, telling a local television station that “we have learnt our lesson”.

He regretted “not informing the people enough” about the Gezi Park redevelopment.

Shop owners, city workers and protesters have begun cleaning up after Friday and Saturday’s unrest and removing graffiti from walls and windows.

Interior Minister Muammer Guler said 90 demonstrations had taken place in 48 cities after the protests spiraled.

He said more than 1,700 people had been arrested – many had since been released but others would be put on trial, he told the Anatolia news agency.

Muammer Guler said one of the injured civilians was being treated in an intensive care unit at an Istanbul hospital.

Amnesty International claimed two people had been killed and more than 1,000 injured, though there was no confirmation of those figures.

Amnesty’s Europe director John Dalhuisen said: “The excessively heavy-handed response to the entirely peaceful protests in Taksim has been truly disgraceful.”

The US also expressed concern over Turkey’s handling of the protests.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been in power since 2002, and is expected to run for the presidency in 2014.

Some in Turkey have complained that his government is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruling AK Party has its roots in political Islam, but he says he is committed to Turkey’s state secularism.

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Andorra to introduce income tax for first time to tackle evasion

Clyde K. Valle
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Andorra to introduce income tax for first time to tackle evasion

Andorra has decided to introduce a tax on personal income for the first time as the country faces pressure from its European neighbors to tackle tax evasion.

Antoni Marti, the head of the Andorran government, told French President Francois Hollande that he will introduce a bill before June 30, 2013.

The principality will “gradually meet international tax standards”, according to the office of the French president.

There is currently no income tax applied to individuals or corporations.

Antoni Marti, the head of the Andorran government, told French President Francois Hollande that he will introduce a bill for income tax before June 30, 2013
Antoni Marti, the head of the Andorran government, told French President Francois Hollande that he will introduce a bill for income tax before June 30, 2013

EU finance ministers have agreed to start talks with Andorra – along with Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino – on swapping bank account information.

Recently, the European Commission told the European Parliament it wants EU-wide exchange of all types of income data as part of the fight against tax evasion.

EU tax authorities already automatically exchanged information for income such as employment, pensions and insurance but not for income such as dividends and capital gains.

Tax evasion costs EU states 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) a year, more than was spent on healthcare in 2008, the Commission has said, and some MEPs are calling for a Europe-wide blacklist of tax havens.

President Francois Hollande was meeting with Antoni Marti in Paris in his role as one of the two co-monarchs of Andorra, which is situated in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain.

More recently, France’s Socialist government was hit by a scandal, as former minister Jerome Cahuzac was forced to resign over tax fraud allegations. He later admitted that he had hidden about 600,000 euros in a Swiss bank account.

Alexandra Kinova gives birth to quintuplets in Czech Republic

Lisa.Felice
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Alexandra Kinova gives birth to quintuplets in Czech Republic

Alexandra Kinova has given birth to quintuplets in the Czech Republic, officials say, a first for the country.

Alexandra Kinova, 23, had four boys and a girl by caesarean section on Sunday, they say.

The births took place “without any complications”, according to doctors at Prague’s Institute for the Care of Mother and Child.

The mother and babies were placed in an intensive care unit but are believed to be in a good condition.

Alexandra Kinova has given birth to quintuplets in the Czech Republic
Alexandra Kinova has given birth to quintuplets in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic’s first quintuplets, who were conceived naturally without IVF, have a 95% chance of growing up healthy, the Associated Press quoted Zbynek Stranak, chief doctor at the neonatal section of the institute, as saying.

The boys’ names are reportedly Deniel, Michael, Alex and Martin, while the girl is called Terezka.

Alexandra Kinova, who is from the town of Milovice, about 12 miles north-east of the capital, Prague, already had one son.

She originally believed she was pregnant with twins, but in March doctors upped it to four – and then five in April.

The father of the quintuplets was present at the delivery despite his train being delayed, according to the newspaper Ceske Noviny.

“I was crying all the way since I feared I would not manage it,” he said.

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Michael Dell’s buyout offer backed by Dell board

Clyde K. Valle
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0
Michael Dell’s buyout offer backed by Dell board

The board of Dell has recommended that shareholders should accept an offer led by the company’s founder Michael Dell to take the firm private.

It called on shareholders to approve his $24.4 billion buyout offer at a vote on July 18.

The board said it was the “best alternative available”.

Investor Carl Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management – who own a combined 12% of Dell – oppose the buyout and have made an alternative offer.

Michael Dell and private equity group Silver Lake have offered $13.65 per share in cash to shareholders in return for taking the company private, which would see the company delisted from the stock exchange.

The offer price values Dell 37% higher in terms of market capitalization than in January, before Michael Dell’s buyout plan emerged.

Michael Dell has pledged to shift the business away from PCs into mobile devices and business software.

“A sale to the Michael Dell/Silver Lake group… is the best alternative available,” the board wrote in an open letter to shareholders on Friday.

The board of Dell has recommended that shareholders should accept an offer led by the company’s founder Michael Dell to take the firm private
The board of Dell has recommended that shareholders should accept an offer led by the company’s founder Michael Dell to take the firm private

“In a challenging business environment it offers certainty and a very material premium over pre-announcement trading prices.

“Having conducted a thorough and probing review of Dell’s challenges and opportunities, we believe that the risks and uncertainty of a standalone public company are high and that the transaction we have negotiated offers superior value for Dell stockholders.”

Carl Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management have offered an alternative that would give Dell shareholders $12 per share in cash or additional shares. While this is a lower figure than Michael Dell’s offer, it would allow investors to retain their stake in the company.

A committee of Dell board members evaluating this offer has said it needs more information.

Dell has seen its profits fall amid declining sales of personal computers as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets.

The 18 of July shareholders’ meeting will take place at Dell’s headquarters in Texas.

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