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 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**.
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
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.
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 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.
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
“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.
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
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.”
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
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!
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
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.
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
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.
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
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 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 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.
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, 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.”
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 Todayreports 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 saidthat 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
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 Clinicwebsite 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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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 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
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.
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
“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.
According to recent figures, the US consumer spending fell in April, for the first time in nearly a year.
The Department of Commerce said consumer spending fell 0.2% in April.
Analysts had expected a rise of 0.1%, which was the change seen in March. Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of US economic activity.
Spending was held back by weaker demand for utilities and less money being spent on petrol, following a fall in the price of fuel. Tax increases may also have hit spending.
An increase in social security payments has reduced the take-home pay of workers. A person earning $50,000 a year has about $1,000 less to spend a year because of the increase in the social security taxes. A household with two highly paid workers has up to $4,500 less.
Also, because petrol prices declined sharply in March and April, the amount of money consumers were spending at fuel stations fell.
Figures showed that household income was unchanged last month, after a 0.3% rise in March and 1.2% gain in February.
The US economy has also been hit by government spending cuts, which took effect at the beginning of March.
The US consumer spending fell 0.2 percent in April 2013
Figures released on Thursday showed that the US economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.4% in the first three months of the year, down slightly from the original estimate of 2.5%.
The rate of growth is expected to slow in the current quarter, because of the impact of federal spending cuts and continuing weakness in the global economy.
However, there could be some relief later in the year.
House prices have risen 11% over the past 12 months, which could spur spending. Some economists contend that for every dollar rise in the value of house prices, consumer spending can rise by as much as 10 cents.
In addition, the slow, but steady, improvement in the employment figures in the US could also provide support to consumer spending. Figures due out next week are expected to show that 165,000 jobs were created in May.
Kelly Brook has finally retaliated at love rival Katie Price as the bitter war of words between the enemies intensifies.
Labelling Katie Price “desperate” and claiming the 35-year-old star has been “threatening” her via text message, Kelly Brook seemed to have got wind of the fact that the pregnant mother-of-three was planning on doing a “kiss and tell” on Danny Cipriani over the weekend.
Branding the move “hilarious”, Kelly Brook, 33, slammed Katie Price for being “one of many” when she briefly dated Danny Cipriani in October 2011.
Writing on her Twitter page in a series of posts, Kelly Brook said: “@MissKatiePrice Your doing a Kiss&Tell on Danny?? Haha that’s hilarious you dated for 5mins and was one of many at that time. Desperate.
“@MissKatiePrice I saw the texts you sent him threatening me. So yes I’ve seen the messages. Will happily call you. DM me.”
While Katie Price is yet to respond to the tweet, it would seem the feud between the warring pair is set to continue for a while longer.
Glamour model Katie Price upped the spat earlier this week by warning Kelly Brook that her boyfriend will never be faithful to her.
Katie Price, also known as Jordan, reignited her war of words with the TV presenter on Twitter on Tuesday night, claiming Danny Cipriani is always trying to contact her, just days after Kelly Brook mocked her recent marriage to Kieran Hayler on Celebrity Juice.
The 35-year-old mother-of-three lashed out at Kelly Brook, writing: “@IAMKELLYBROOK pick up the phone if you hav a prob instead of hiding behind a tv screen to bully me!
“@IAMKELLYBROOK ask danny about his emails & texes sent to me behind your back which will show you kieran agrees he will never be faithful.”
Katie Price’s comments come after Kelly Brook made fun of her third marriage on Celebrity Juice on Thursday, when host Keith Lemon asked the panel: “What did Katie Price do for her husband on their wedding day?”
Kelly Brook replied: “Did she burn my calendar hanging on his wall?”
When a fan tweeted Katie Price about the joke, she replied: “I’m sure kelly wouldn’t be laughing if I said the things Danny Cip said to me about her in the bedroom when I was with him hahaha (sic).”
Kelly Brook then hit back and implied that she was still in touch with Danny Cipriani, when he briefly dated Katie Price in October 2011, despite living with then-boyfriend Thom Evans at the time.
She wrote: “No but I did laugh when he turned up at my house driving your car the next day 😉 I don’t think you know anything.”
Kelly Brook and Danny Cipriani on holiday in Tobago
On Tuesday night, Katie Price thanked Kelly Brook for confirming that Danny Cipriani had driven her car “without a license and insurance”.
She then teased fans that she would reveal all about her brief fling with the rugby player in her upcoming autobiography.
But Kelly Brook had been ignoring Katie Price’s last comments, instead choosing to post pictures of her holiday with Danny Cipriani instead – until now.
The models have been embroiled in a bitter feud since Kelly Brook reunited with Danny Cipriani in February and Katie Price called her a “heffer”.
She added: “Rumor has it she’s been hanging out with our mutual ex Danny Cipriani. Knowing him, I guess she’s probably been doing a bit of comfort eating.”
Kelly Brook and Katie Price seemed to have reached a ceasefire recently after weeks of trading barbs. However, the rift between the pair is well and truly back on, and seems to have reached a new level after the latest bout of tweets started last weekend.
When someone tweeted Katie Price telling her she was being “mugged off hard” by Kelly Price’s comments, she responded: “I’m flattered she must be obsessed with me as has to keep mentioning me.”
When one Twitter user included Kelly Brook and Katie Price’s handles in her message, it ended up creating an online dialogue between the rivals.
On Friday night, Katie Price initially refrained from replying to Kelly Brook’s comment directly, she did retweet a comment from a follower suggesting Kelly should keep quiet.
The tweet, by @TysonPrice4 read: “@IAMKELLYBROOK Why don’t you leave @MissKatiePrice name out of you’re mouth u stupid b**ch !!!”
Katie Price briefly dated Danny Cipriani in October 2011, (during a break from ex-fiance Leandro Penna) who has since reunited with Kelly Brook in February this year.
Kelly Brook and Danny Cipriani originally dated from 2008 until 2010, before she went on to have a two year romance with his former Wasps teammate Thom Evans.
However, Kelly Brook returned to her ex just weeks after splitting from Thom in January 2013.
The row between Katie Price and Kelly Brook kicked off in February this year, when the former accused the brunette model of looking heavier after seeing photos of her shooting her New Look swimwear campaign in Miami.
She wrote her column in The Sun: “The pictures of Kelly modelling her latest New Look swimwear range in Miami don’t seem to be airbrushed and I’m FLABbergasted to see how big Kelly really is. You’re a heffer (sic), Kelly, but still a hot one.”
She even suggested Kelly Brook was “comfort eating” because she was seeing her ex-boyfriend Danny Cipriani again.
Soon after, Kelly Brook responded, accusing the mother-of-three of being “rude”.
Kelly Brook said: “I actually wish her all the best. It’s sad isn’t it? I think it’s a bit sad… I think girls can get away with having a bit of meat on our bones; I don’t mind a wobbly arm or a bit of cellulite.”
However, a few days later, Kelly Brook couldn’t resist making a pop of Katie Price on Celebrity Juice, when she compared her to the character Magda from the hit movie There’s Something About Mary.
When asked by host Keith Lemon what she would do if Katie Price was there, she replied: “What, Magda from There’s Something About Mary?”
Magda was the fiftysomething, sun-worshipping next door neighbor of Cameron Diaz’s character Mary in the hit 1998 comedy.
Played by actress Lin Shaye, she was known for her bleached blonde hair, permatan and caked on make-up… not unlike Katie Price.
That fired up Katie Price even more, who posted a zoomed-in photo of Kelly Brook’s na**d breasts, which had been taken on holiday in St Barts in 2008.
However, Kelly Brook responded with another dig a few weeks later on the ITV2 show, when she played a game where an image of Katie Price’s swimsuit-clad figure had been projected over her.
Unaware of Katie Price’s body being projected across the green screen she had stuck her head through, Kelly Brook eventually realized who she was supposed to be and asked: “Do I talk a lot of s**t?”
Madonna was campaigning for female empowerment across the globe at the 2013 Sound Of Change concert, but fans seemed more fixated on her “swollen” face as she took to the stage at London’s Twickenham Stadium on Saturday night.
Within moments of Madonna appearing in front of a crowd of thousands, audience members took to Twitter to slam her somewhat puffy-faced look as she presented a segment of the charity gig.
Madonna’s look was all the more obvious thanks to her conservative ensemble, which saw her cover up from head to toe in a black high-necked sweater and matching trousers.
Wearing her honey blonde locks pulled back from her face, Madonna’s facial features were clear to see.
One fan wrote on Twitter: “Madonna, please stop messing with your face. It used to be a lovely face and now it’s looking weird.”
While one viewer stated: “Madonna looks absolutely ridiculous these days. Why on earth would anyone want to do THAT to their face?”
And although fans seemed thrilled to see Madonna, 54, support such a worthwhile cause, some admitted they were a little distracted by her puffy-faced appearance.
One wrote: “Brava Madonna at #Chime for speaking out (I’m trying not to be distracted by how much work she’s had on her face).”
While one viewer implored: “Madonna leave your face alone.”
Madonna swollen face at Sound Of Change 2013 concert
But it didn’t seem as though the star cared too much about her appearance as she received a rapturous applause from the packed-out stadium as she called on her fans to start a “revolution of love”.
Madonna said: “I keep telling people I want to start a revolution, but my revolution doesn’t involve bloodshed and violence. My revolution starts with education. My revolution is about achieving a higher level of consciousness, but this cannot start without education.
“We cannot change this world, nor begin to treat each other with human dignity, without an education. Let tonight be the beginning of this revolution because education is not a luxury, it is a basic human right.
“I invite you all to join my revolution of love. Join me tonight. The revolution of love starts here. I believe my girls out there deserve the best education. They deserve the best in health. And I believe in justice for my girls everywhere.”
Madonna has previously insisted she hasn’t undergone any cosmetic procedures, but would not rule it out in the future.
The star said: “I am what I am. And I don’t like the idea of someone putting you to sleep then taking knives to you.
“I am not going to hold a press conference if I have plastic surgery. But I’ve said many times, I think about it and I sure don’t rule it out.”
The Sound Of Change concert was part of Gucci’s new global campaign for girls’ and women’s empowerment, and is being broadcast across six continents to over 150 countries, with more than one billion people expected to see it in total.
The charity has put on the concert in conjunction with the Chime For Change initiative, which aims to raise awareness of education, health and justice for women everywhere.
Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Rita Ora were among the stars taking to the stage to perform for at the star-studded event, while the likes of Blake Lively, Jessica Chastain and Ryan Reynolds presented segments of the gig.
Matt Smith is to leave his role in Doctor Who at the end of this year
Matt Smith is to leave his role in Doctor Who at the end of this year, the BBC has announced.
After four years as the Time Lord on Doctor Who, viewers will see Matt Smith’s Doctor regenerate in the 2013 Christmas special.
Matt Smith, 30, said working on the show had been “the most brilliant experience”.
Doctor Who marks its 50th anniversary in November with a special episode, which Matt Smith has already filmed.
Matt Smith’s “spectacular exit” was yet to be revealed and would be “kept tightly under wraps”.
He first stepped into the Tardis as the 11th Doctor in 2010. Taking over from David Tennant, he was the youngest actor to play the role of the Doctor.
Speaking after the announcement, Matt Smith said he was “incredibly proud” of what the show had achieved over the last four years under Steven Moffat, the show’s lead writer and executive producer.
Matt Smith also thanked fans around the world for their “truly remarkable” dedication to the show.
During his tenure, Matt Smith’s floppy-haired, bow tie-wearing Time Lord has fought enemies such as the Daleks, Cybermen, Weeping Angels and the Silence.
His Doctor has shared his adventures with Amy Pond (Karen Gillan), Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill) and most recently, Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman).
Referring to his time-travelling companions, Matt Smith said: “It’s been an honor to play this part, to follow the legacy of brilliant actors, and helm the Tardis for a spell with ‘the ginger, the nose and the impossible one’. But when ya gotta go, ya gotta go…”
Show runner Steven Moffat said: “Every day, on every episode, in every set of rushes, Matt Smith surprised me. The way he’d turn a line, or spin on his heels, or make something funny, or out of nowhere make me cry – I just never knew what was coming next.
“The Doctor can be clown and hero – often at the same time – and Matt rose to both challenges magnificently. And even better than that, given the pressures of this extraordinary show, he is one of the nicest and hardest-working people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Whatever we threw at him – sometimes literally – his behavior was always worthy of the Doctor.”
Steven Moffat added: “Great actors always know when it’s time for the curtain call, so this Christmas prepare for your hearts to break as we say goodbye to number 11. Thank you Matt – bow ties were never cooler.”
The announcement of Matt Smith’s exit is likely to spark months of fevered speculation about his replacement.
“Somewhere out there right now – all unknowing, just going about their business – is someone who’s about to become the Doctor,” Steven Moffat hinted.
“A life is going to change, and Doctor Who will be born all over again. After 50 years, that’s still so exciting.”
Matt Smith’s first adventure in April 2010, the Eleventh Hour, saw his newly-regenerated Doctor crash his Tardis into the garden of a young Scottish girl who was later to become his new companion – Amy Pond.
In his most recent adventure, the Name of the Doctor – which aired two weeks ago – Matt Smith’s Time Lord visited his own grave on the planet Trenzalore.
In 2011, Matt Smith became the first actor to be nominated for a BAFTA in the role.
And he won the most popular male drama performance award at the National Television Awards in 2012.
Born in Northampton in 1982, Matt Smith studied drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia.
He made his TV debut in the 2006 adaptation of Philip Pullman’s the Ruby in the Smoke, which starred former Doctor Who companion Billie Piper.
Matt Smith’s stage work has included stints with theatre companies such as the Royal Court and National Theatre. His West End debut was in Swimming With Sharks opposite Christian Slater.
During his time in Doctor Who, Matt Smith also appeared in TV films Christopherand His Kind, in which he played novelist Christopher Isherwood, and in Olympic rowing drama Bert and Dickie.
Michael Adebolajo has been charged with the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south-east London, on May 22.
Michael Adebolajo, 28, of Romford, Essex, was also charged with the attempted murder of two police officers and possession of a firearm.
He has been remanded in custody to appear in Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday.
Michael Adebowale, 22, has already been charged with the soldier’s murder and appeared in court on Thursday.
Michael Adebowale, of Greenwich, south-east London, was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Old Bailey, London, on Monday.
He was charged after spending six days in hospital, having been shot by police and arrested following the attack on May 22.
Michael Adebolajo, who was also shot and arrested at the scene, was charged after spending nine days in hospital and taken into custody at a south London police station.
Both Michael Adebowale and Michael Adebolajo were filmed and photographed by witnesses following the attack, which took place on a busy street during the afternoon.
Michael Adebolajo has been charged with the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich
On Wednesday, a post-mortem examination found Drummer Lee Rigby, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, died of “multiple incised wounds” after the attack.
Thousands of flowers have been laid at the scene of the killing by members of the public in honor of Drummer Lee Rigby.
The total number of arrests made in connection with the attack stands at 12. So far, eight of those arrested have been bailed and two released without charge.
Meanwhile, far-right and anti-fascist groups have held rival demonstrations in central London amid increased tensions following Drummer Lee Rigby’s murder.
Police said 58 members of Unite Against Fascism had been arrested at a counter-protest sparked by a British National Party demonstration in Westminster. All were arrested for breaches of the Public Order Act.
On Friday, Drummer Lee Rigby’s family appealed for calm after reports of a rise in anti-Muslim incidents following the killing.
In a statement, his family said Lee Rigby would not have wanted his death used to excuse reprisal attacks, and called for people to “show their respect in a peaceful manner”.
Complex magazine named Rihanna number one on its 100 Hottest Women Right Now list, released this week.
The publication, which Rihanna covered in January, credited her busy year as the main attribute to her hotness.
Deeming Rihanna’s seventh Grammy Award win for her We Found Love music video as her greatest accomplishment this year, Complex never once mentioned her oft-revealed killer body as one of the qualities that made her the hottest.
Complex magazine named Rihanna number one on its 100 Hottest Women Right Now list
Rihanna, 25, has been touring in Barcelona as of Saturday.
The singer tweeted a picture of herself with Brigitte Bardot-esque new blonde locks, saying: “It’s about that time #BARCELONA.”
In the image, Rihanna peered through her newly short fringe that she parted in the centre, and large barrel curls flowed around her face.
Rihanna launched her world tour back in March, taking overseas in May and continuing with dates in the UK, France, Netherlands and ending in Australia and New Zealand in October.
The tour, which is Rihanna’s fifth since releasing her first single Pon De Replay in 2005, features specially designed couture by Givenchy, Christian Dior, Manolo Blahnik and Christian Louboutin.
Bruce Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s stepfather, revealed he has only met Kanye West once.
Bruce Jenner, 63, admits that he doesn’t know Kanye West well because he has barely been around during Kim Kardashian’s pregnancy.
“[I’ve] only met him once,” Bruce Jenner told Extra.
“Yeah, he’s not around, he was in Paris the whole time writing, and he just hasn’t been around.”
Kim kardashian, 32, has also failed to introduce her boyfriend of more than one year to her step-brother Brody Jenner, who is joining their show Keeping Up With The Kardashians this season.
“I’ve never met [Kanye West],” Brody Jenner said.
“But everyone in the family says great things about him.”
But Kanye West, 35, is set to make a brief appearance at Kim Kardashian’s baby shower in Beverly Hills on Sunday alongside her younger sister Khloe’s husband Lamar Odom and her older sister Kourtney’s boyfriend Scott Disick.
“It’s girls, but Kanye will come at the end,” Khloe Kardashian revealed to Us Magazine.
Bruce Jenner revealed he has only met Kanye West once
“I said I want Rob [Kardashian] to be there the whole time because I feel bad he’s like left out of all this stuff. So I said come the whole time, but I don’t know if he is.”
Khloe Kardashian continued, adding that Kanye West hasn’t really assimilated himself with the family: “I think Scott and Lamar might bring Kanye at the end, because Kanye feels it’s a little weird if he’s the only guy.”
While men aren’t traditionally included in the pregnancy milestone, rumors were sparked last month that Kim Kardashian had to beg Kanye West to attend her upcoming baby shower because it will be highlighted for an E! special.
And while Kim Kardashian has been busy filming the eight season ahead of her July due date, Kanye West has yet to make an appearance as he is adamant about keeping his life details private.
It was previously revealed that Kanye West wants his girlfriend of more than a year to quit reality TV because he thinks it is a waste of time.
A source previously said: “Kanye doesn’t want to film the show anymore. And he doesn’t want Kim to do reality TV either. He’s pushing her to stop.
“Kanye wants to be in control of his image, not at the mercy of show producers. The Kardashian show hurts his cool image.”
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have also expressed resistance to raising their child-to-be in front of the cameras, but Kim seems to be pulling back at the restriction.
In a recent sit down with The Times magazine, she declined to give a straight answer as to whether she will be including her newborn in any upcoming episodes.
“I don’t think so. Not as of now,” she wavered.
Khloe Kardashian, 28, was quick to clarify, adding that the possibility of having the Kimye baby on the show could be a very real one.
Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj are leaving American Idol after one season as judges on the talent show.
The announcement comes in the same month as original judge Randy Jackson also left the panel.
Nicki Minaj told her 16 million Twitter followers: “Thank you American Idol for a life changing experience! Wouldn’t trade it for the world! Time to focus on the Music!!! Mmmuuuaahhh!”
Mariah Carey’s departure was also announced on Twitter.
Her spokesperson said the singer was now working on a world tour.
Mariah Carey, 43, and Nicki Minaj, 30, joined country singer Keith Urban and Randy Jackson for the show’s 12th season.
It is unclear whether Keith Urban will return for the show’s next series.
Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj are leaving American Idol after one season as judges on the talent show
Mariah Carey reportedly earned $18 million while Nicki Minaj’s salary was reported to have been $12 million.
American Idol‘s ratings fell to their lowest point in 12 years this series with 14.2 million watching the season finale, which was won by Candice Glover.
Fox, which broadcasts the show, said Mariah Carey was a “true global icon” and that they felt “extremely fortunate” that she was part of the show.
In a joint statement with American Idol‘s production company, FremantleMedia, the network added: “Nicki Minaj is a superstar who brought a level of honesty and passion to American Idol and who had a tremendous positive impact on so many contestants this season.
“Given her extremely busy career, we understand and respect her decision and wish her the best.”
