Thursday, February 26, 2026
Newsletter
Home Blog Page 860

Nicolas Maduro wins Venezuela presidential election after beating Henrique Capriles

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Nicolas Maduro wins Venezuela presidential election after beating Henrique Capriles

Socialist Nicolas Maduro has won a narrow victory in Venezuela’s presidential being officially elected as the successor of the late leader Hugo Chavez.

Nicolas Maduro won 50.7% of the vote against 49.1% for opposition candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski.

Henrique Capriles has demanded a recount, saying Nicolas Maduro was now “even more loaded with illegitimacy”.

The opposition candidate said there were more than 300,000 incidents from Sunday’s poll that would need to be examined.

The electoral commission said the results were “irreversible”.

Socialist Nicolas Maduro has won a narrow victory in Venezuela's presidential being officially elected as the successor of the late leader Hugo Chavez
Socialist Nicolas Maduro has won a narrow victory in Venezuela’s presidential being officially elected as the successor of the late leader Hugo Chavez

When the results were announced at 23:15 local time, celebrations erupted in the capital, Caracas, where Nicolas Maduro’s jubilant supporters set off fireworks and blasted car horns. Opposition voters banged pots and pans in protest.

In a victory speech outside the presidential palace, Nicolas Maduro, wearing the colors of the Venezuelan flag, told crowds that the result was “just, legal and constitutional”.

He said his election showed Hugo Chavez “continues to be invincible, that he continues to win battles”.

Nicolas Maduro said he had spoken to Henrique Capriles on the phone, and that he would allow an audit of the election result.

The former Venezuela’s vice president, who was hand-picked by Hugo Chavez as his successor, called for those who had not voted for him to “work together” for the country.

However, Nicolas Maduro’s margin of victory was far narrower than that achieved by Hugo Chavez at elections last October, when he beat Henrique Capriles by more than 10%.

At Henrique Capriles’ campaign headquarters the mood was sombre, as his supporters watched the results on television. Some cried, while others hung their heads in dismay.

Shortly afterwards, Henrique Capriles emerged, angry and defiant.

“It is the government that has been defeated,” he said.

Then, addressing Nicolas Maduro directly, Henrique Capriles said: “The biggest loser today is you. The people don’t love you.”

Nicolas Maduro had been serving as acting president since Hugo Chavez died of an unknown type of cancer on March 5.

He is due to be sworn in on April 19 and serve until January 2019 to complete the six-year term that Hugo Chavez would have begun in January.

Hugo Chavez was a divisive leader. To his supporters he was the reforming president whose idiosyncratic brand of socialism defeated the political elite and gave hope to the poorest Venezuelans.

He effectively used his country’s vast oil reserves to boost Venezuela’s international clout, and his strident criticism of the US won him many political allies in Latin America.

However, Hugo Chavez’s political opponents accused him of being an autocrat, intent on building a one-party state.

Hugo Chavez bequeaths a nation beset by crumbling infrastructure, unsustainable public spending and under-performing industry.

[youtube 8OegEI2JnGY]

China’s economy slows in first quarter of 2013

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
China’s economy slows in first quarter of 2013

The Chinese economy, world’s second-largest, has slowed and performed worse than many analysts expected in the first quarter of 2013.

Annual growth was 7.7% in Q1 2013, compared with 7.9% in Q4 2012. Analysts had forecast a figure closer to 8%.

China wants to spur growth after it hit a 13-year low in 2012.

Other key data on Monday also came in lower than market expectations, raising questions over the outlook for growth.

Industrial output rose 8.9% in March from a year earlier, much lower than analysts’ targets of 10%.

Meanwhile, fixed asset investment, a key driver of China’s growth, rose at an annual rate 20.9% in the first three months of year. Analysts had expected growth of more than 21%.

The Chinese economy, world's second-largest, has slowed and performed worse than many analysts expected in the first quarter of 2013
The Chinese economy, world’s second-largest, has slowed and performed worse than many analysts expected in the first quarter of 2013

“The Chinese economy is showing soft growth momentum in the first quarter,” said Wei Yao of Societe Generale.

“All these figures showed that the economy is in a weak recovery.”

Over the past few years, China has relied heavily on its exports and investment spending to maintain a strong pace of growth.

However, as economic growth in its key markets such as the US and Europe has slowed, and its exports have weakened, there have been calls for China to rebalance its economy.

Beijing has acknowledged this and has indicated that it wants to increase domestic demand to reduce its dependence on exports and achieve more sustainable growth.

At the same time, China has had to deal with a widening wealth gap, which has prompted fears of social unrest in the country.

There have been calls for the new leadership, which took charge in March, to work towards a more inclusive growth model.

Analysts said a slower rate of growth may actually help China, as it tries to achieve those goals.

“Given Beijing’s goal of restructuring the economy, a relatively moderate economic growth is not a bad thing in the longer term,” said Wei Yao of Societe Generale.

She added that this “could help policymakers focus more on the quality rather than speed of the economy”.

China has taken various steps over the past few months to spur growth.

China’s central bank has cut interest rates twice since June to reduce borrowing costs for businesses and consumers and increase lending.

Beijing has also approved infrastructure projects worth more than $150 billion.

Analysts said China was likely to continue to use easy monetary policies as a tool to sustain growth, and would not raise rates or look to limit access to capital.

“Certainly with this number, policy certainly would not tighten and would continue to be quite accommodative,” said Tao Wang, an economist with UBS.

However, some analysts warned against any further aggressive easing measures, adding that such measures may promote asset bubbles and overheat the economy.

“Another year of propped-up growth via state spending and a credit deluge would, we fear, push China dangerously close to proving Wen Jiabao correct – that the current economic model is <<unsustainable>>,” said Alistair Thronton, senior China economist at IHS Global Insight.

“If something is unsustainable, at some point, it won’t be sustained.”

[youtube gwVf-rtcZEc]

Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead: Anti-Margaret Thatcher song reaches No 2 in music charts

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead: Anti-Margaret Thatcher song reaches No 2 in music charts

Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead, which has been at the centre of an online campaign by opponents of former British PM Margaret Thatcher, has failed to reach No 1 spot in the music charts.

The Wizard of Oz song reached No 2 after selling 52,605 copies.

Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead was still more than 5,700 copies behind Duke Dumont feat. A*M*E with Need U (100%), which remained at the top for a second week.

Rival campaign song I’m In Love With Margaret Thatcher, which was featured in 2011 film The Iron Lady starring Meryl Streep, entered at 35.

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, which has been at the centre of an online campaign by opponents of Margaret Thatcher, has failed to reach No 1 spot in the music charts
Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead, which has been at the centre of an online campaign by opponents of Margaret Thatcher, has failed to reach No 1 spot in the music charts

The 1979 song by punk band Notsensibles sold 8,768 copies after a late push from Margaret Thatcher’s fans.

The Notsensibles track was played in full on the programme, although Jamil did not introduce the song. The band was later mentioned as a new entry in the chart recap for songs 40 to 31, however the title was not named.

The Official Charts Company said Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead was “one of the most controversial chart contenders of all time” following Margaret Thatcher’s death last week.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, who is overseeing Margaret Thatcher’s funeral arrangements, described the campaign to get Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead to the top of the charts as “extremely trivial”.

Aside from the controversy, Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead has become the first sub-60 second single to ever make the top 10.

The song charted at No 9 on the Big Top 40 chart, broadcast on commercial radio stations.

[youtube FQ6SjnPIomI]

Jenna Bush gives birth to baby girl Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Jenna Bush gives birth to baby girl Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush, has given birth to baby girl Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager, it was announced on Sunday.

Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager was born in New York City at 8.43 p.m. on Saturday to Jenna Bush Hager and Henry Hager.

George and Laura Bush are grandparents for the first time. Former President George W. Bush said in a statement: “Laura and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our grandchild. We met our beautiful granddaughter today. Jenna and Mila are healthy. And our family is elated.”

Baby girl Mila was named after her grandmothers, like Jenna herself and her twin sister Barbara.

Jenna Bush Hager has given birth to baby girl Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager in New York on Saturday night
Jenna Bush Hager has given birth to baby girl Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager in New York on Saturday night

The Bush family has frequently named babies after their predecessors. Other examples include George, Prescott, Walker, Ellis, Pierce and Dorothy.

The previous week Today show correspondent Jenna Bush, who announced her pregnancy with husband Henry Hager, 34, in December last year, held a baby shower with her NBC co-workers Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie.

According to People magazine, the gift table was piled with dozens of her co-worker’s favorite childhood books – each inscribed with a piece of parenting advice.

Jenna Bush Hager and her husband, who got married in 2008 on former President George W. Bush’s Texas ranch, will be celebrating their 5th wedding anniversary in June.

Jenna Bush is an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine as well as a contributing correspondent on the Today show.

Cyprus to relax citizenship rules for foreign investors who lost at least 3M euros in bailout deal

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Cyprus to relax citizenship rules for foreign investors who lost at least 3M euros in bailout deal

Cyprus is to ease its citizenship rules for foreign investors who lost at least 3 million euros under the European Union bailout deal.

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said new measures, mostly affecting the Russian business community, would be approved at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

Russians have billions of euros in Cyprus’ bank deposits.

Investors were angered when it emerged they would lose up to 60% of their savings under the terms of the bailout.

In order to secure the 10 billion euros bailout, agreed by the EU and IMF, Cyprus was forced to wind up one major bank and write-off of a large portion of secured debt and uninsured deposits in the largest bank, Bank of Cyprus.

Cyprus is to ease its citizenship rules for foreign investors who lost at least 3 million euros under the EU bailout deal
Cyprus is to ease its citizenship rules for foreign investors who lost at least 3 million euros under the EU bailout deal

Speaking at a Russian business conference in the coastal resort of Limassol, Nicos Anastasiades said the new measures would “mitigate to some extent the damage” Russian investors had endured.

Cyprus has been a member of the EU since 2004. The country sealed the EU bailout last month to save it from bankruptcy.

Nicos Anastasiades said foreign investors who held deposits prior to March 15, and who lost at least 3 million euros would be eligible to apply for Cypriot citizenship.

Cyprus’s existing “citizenship by investment” programme will also be revised to reduce the amount of investment required to be eligible from 10 million euros to 3 million.

Nicos Anastasiades said he would also drop requirements for citizenship applicants to keep 15 million euros in Cypriot banks for five years, saying they would be allowed immediate access to their money.

“These decisions will be deployed in a fast-track manner,” he said.

The Cypriot economy is worth about 18 billion euros, which accounts for less than 0.2% of the eurozone total.

Venezuela votes on Hugo Chavez successor

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Venezuela votes on Hugo Chavez successor

Venezuela is voting in new presidential election, called after the death of Hugo Chavez last month.

Venezuela’s Acting President Nicolas Maduro, chosen by Hugo Chavez as his successor, is running against Henrique Capriles Radonski, currently governor of Miranda state.

Henrique Capriles narrowly lost to Hugo Chavez in elections last October.

On the eve of polls opening, he accused Nicolas Maduro of breaking election laws by continuing its campaign on state television.

Electoral authorities say voting has been going smoothly. Security had been stepped up for the vote.

Nicolas Maduro, 50, whose campaign has focused on his close relationship to Hugo Chavez, was shown visiting the tomb of the late leader, a move Henrique Capriles, 40, said was “violating all the electoral norms”.

Both candidates have to some extent broken the media silence they are supposed to have maintained since campaigning officially ended on Thursday.

Almost 19 million Venezuelans have the right to vote in the poll.

Venezuela’s Acting President Nicolas Maduro, chosen by Hugo Chavez as his successor, is running against Henrique Capriles Radonski, currently governor of Miranda state
Venezuela’s Acting President Nicolas Maduro, chosen by Hugo Chavez as his successor, is running against Henrique Capriles Radonski, currently governor of Miranda state

Nicolas Maduro cast his vote in the Catia area of the capital Caracas, accompanied by Hugo Chavez’s two daughters. Henrique Capriles voted in the Las Mercedes district of the capital.

Hundreds of election monitors are present from different countries and international organizations to ensure the poll is free and fair.

The vote is electronic – one machine will identify voters’ fingerprints, and a second will recognize identity card numbers and register the vote anonymously.

Polls will stay open until all those queuing at closing time have voted.

Official results are expected about three hours after the polls close.

Both presidential candidates wrote on Twitter early in the morning.

Nicolas Maduro invited Venezuelans to vote to guarantee the future and the perpetual peace of their country.

Meanwhile opposition candidate Henrique Capriles said: “The big day is here!” and used a hashtag urging people to “vote without fear”.

Former President Hugo Chavez died on March 5, after a two-year battle against an undisclosed type of cancer, prompting a short electoral campaign period before Sunday’s elections.

The winner is due to be sworn in on April 19 and serve until January 2019, to complete the six-year term that Hugo Chavez was supposed to have begun in January.

Hugo Chavez was a divisive leader. To his supporters he was the reforming president whose idiosyncratic brand of socialism defeated the political elite and gave hope to the poorest Venezuelans.

He effectively used his country’s vast oil reserves to boost Venezuela’s international clout, and his strident criticism of the US won him many political allies in Latin America.

However, Hugo Chavez’s political opponents accuse him of being an autocrat, intent on building a one-party state.

Hugo Chavez bequeaths a nation beset by crumbling infrastructure, unsustainable public spending and under-performing industry.

His handpicked candidate Nicolas Maduro is seen as the front-runner, but recent polls suggested the gap between him and his rival was narrowing.

Nicolas Maduro:

  • Named by Hugo Chavez as preferred successor; currently Venezuela’s acting president
  • Served as vice-president and foreign minister under Hugo Chavez
  • Former bus driver, lifelong socialist and trade unionist

Henrique Capriles Radonski:

  • Trained as a lawyer, currently governor of state of Miranda
  • Gained 44% of vote against Hugo Chavez in 2012 elections
  • Describes policies as “centrist” and cites former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as inspiration

[youtube Fj_xbejad4U]

Kim Kardashian plans to give birth in Paris

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Kim Kardashian plans to give birth in Paris

Pregnant Kim Kardashian is due in July and she could give birth to her first child in Paris, France.

As Kim Kardashian, 32, enters her third trimester, her baby bump is really showing and according to a report she has been checking out locations to deliver her child.

The reality star was apparently in Paris last week with boyfriend Kanye West where she visited a hospital specifically to look at the maternity ward, according to TMZ.

Pregnant Kim Kardashian is due in July and she could give birth to her first child in Paris, France.
Pregnant Kim Kardashian is due in July and she could give birth to her first child in Paris, France.

TMZ reports that Kim Kardashian is “seriously considering” welcoming her baby in Paris because it has strict anti-paparazzi laws.

Halle Berry – who is engaged to French actor Olivier Martinez – cited it as a reason for her proposed move to France with her daughter Nahla.

However, after a battle with her 5-year-old daughter’s father, Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, the actress was denied by American courts.

Kanye West has a property in Paris and is often there on business trips so citizenship there for the child would be ideal.

Half of Justin Bieber’s Twitter followers are fake

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Half of Justin Bieber’s Twitter followers are fake

More than half of Justin Bieber’s followers on Twitter are fake, suggests a report which looked into social media profiles on the networking service.

Justin Bieber, 19, has the most followers in the world after overtaking Lady Gaga last year.

However, the research claims out of the singer’s 37.3 million followers, only 17.8 million are linked to real accounts.

The website Socialbakers found only 47% of Justin Bieber’s followers on Twitter were genuine fans.

More than half of Justin Bieber's followers on Twitter are fake
More than half of Justin Bieber’s followers on Twitter are fake

The company spots fake accounts by looking at the number of followers and seeing if genuine tweets have been posted, rather than spam.

The data also considers fake accounts to continuously tweet buzz phrases such as “diet”, “make money” and “work from home”.

The findings mean Justin Bieber should theoretically fall back into second place behind Lady Gaga in the race for the most followers.

After calculating Lady Gaga’s potential share of fake followers, the report suggests she still has 19 million real ones compared with Justin Bieber’s 17 million.

Adam Lanza beaten and taunted by classmates while a student at Sandy Hook Elementary School

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Adam Lanza beaten and taunted by classmates while a student at Sandy Hook Elementary School

A relative of Adam Lanza has revealed that the Newtown gunman had been beaten and taunted by his fellow classmates while he was a student at Sandy Hook Elementary, and his mother had considered filing a lawsuit against the school.

Speaking exclusively with the New York Daily News, Adam Lanza’s relative said that the 20-year-old who would grow up to murder his mother, Nancy, was viciously bullied by his classmates and would come home from class with bruises over his body.

Nancy Lanza was “irate” in her belief that the educators at Sandy Hook weren’t doing all in their power to protect her son, they said.

The relative told the Daily News that Adam Lanza wouldn’t confide in his mother when she asked him what was wrong.

“He would just sit there,” the relative said.

Adam Lanza shot dead 20 first graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14 in a matter of minutes, making it one of the worst school shootings in US history.

Last week, a never-before-seen photograph of Adam Lanza emerged, along with college records which include new information about the gunman including that he refused to identify his own gender when asked to do so in college documents.

Adam Lanza had been reportedly beaten and taunted by his fellow classmates while he was a student at Sandy Hook Elementary
Adam Lanza had been reportedly beaten and taunted by his fellow classmates while he was a student at Sandy Hook Elementary

Adam Lanza attended Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) for less than a year after his mother withdrew him from Newtown High School when he still only 16.

Students and teacher who remember Adam Lanza from his WCSU days recall that he was very quiet and struggled to mix with the other students although that was largely attributed at the time to him being younger than them.

Adam Lanza earned a 3.26 grade point average while there, but WCSU after less than a year in 2009, he then attended a community college, but also left that school after a year. Eventually, he worked at a part-time job for a while repairing computers, but that job ended when the business shut down.

He walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14th and opened fire killing 26 people, including 20 children, before killing himself.

He had killed his mother, Nancy Lanza, in her bed before heading to the school.

A bipartisan legislative task force in Connecticut has agreed on a major overhaul of the state’s gun laws in the aftermath of December’s deadly attack.

The draft legislation, announced on Monday, would add more than 100 types of guns to the state’s list of banned assault weapons; limit the capacity of ammunition magazines to 10 rounds; ban armor-piercing bullets; require background checks for all weapon sales, including at gun shows; establish safety standards for school buildings; allow mental health training for teachers; and expand mental health research in the state.

“Nobody will be able to say that this bill is absolutely perfect, but no one will also be able to say that this bill fails the test when it comes to being the strongest in the country and the most comprehensive bill in the country,” Connecticut Senate President Don Williams, a Democrat and a member of the task force, said Monday.

Last week, documents revealed how Adam Lanza sprayed 155 bullets at innocent children and educators during a five-minute rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Honey Boo Boo crowned Miss Trump Hotel New York 2013

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Honey Boo Boo crowned Miss Trump Hotel New York 2013

Honey Boo Boo was crowned Miss Trump Hotel New York 2013 last week during his visit to the Big Apple.

Though Honey Boo Boo, 7, was not dressed up in her usual pageantry garb, she smiled wide wearing her new, sparkly crown.

With her winning sash across her colorful butterfly shirt, Alana Thompson beamed and stood holding a stuffed piglet toy.

Honey Boo Boo was crowned Miss Trump Hotel New York 2013 during his visit to the Big Apple
Honey Boo Boo was crowned Miss Trump Hotel New York 2013 during his visit to the Big Apple

Honey Boo Boo has already garnered plenty of accolades, but with her new title she may have her sights set on something even bigger.

As Donald Trump is both the owner of the hotel and organizer of the Miss Universe pageant, it seems as though Honey Boo Boo would have a slight advantage should she ever want to enter the pageant down the line.

To celebrate her new title, Honey Boo Boo’s mother, June Shannon, took her to FAO Schwarz to shop for toys, which is where Angelina Jolie took her sons on the same day.

Mama June and Honey Boo Boo tested out the giant piano, laughing and jumping around together.

Michael Jackson’s kids biological father: AEG lawsuit could reveal he fathered only Blanket

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Michael Jackson’s kids biological father: AEG lawsuit could reveal he fathered only Blanket

Michael Jackson’s family lawsuit against his concert promoter AEG may soon reveal the biological father of the megastar’s three children after years of speculation.

The suit includes all three of Michael Jackson’s children as well as his mother Katherine and alleges AEG contributed to the star’s death by pushing him to work too hard ahead of This Is It tour and by hiring the doctor responsible for giving him the drugs that killed him.

As part of the trial’s potential award phase, AEG is prepared to present to the court evidence that, despite Michael Jackson’s claims, only one of the children is the King of Pop’s biological child.

According to a New York Post report, that child is the youngest of the bunch, 10-year-old Blanket.

A plea to the judge in the case from Michael Jackson’s family says it doesn’t matter, however.

Michael Jackson’s family lawsuit against AEG may reveal the biological father of his three children after years of speculation
Michael Jackson’s family lawsuit against AEG may reveal the biological father of his three children after years of speculation

They have begged the judge not to allow AEG to include biological evidence of the children’s parentage in the case, arguing it is irrelevant and only a means of damaging the family reputation.

However, AEG maintains that Michael Jackson’s claim that he fathered all the children himself is part of a bigger pattern.

Michael Jackson died in June 2009 after his personal doctor Conrad Murray administered a dose of the anaesthetic propofol that proved deadly for the singer.

In the lawsuit against AEG, the family claims the concert company failed to properly vet Dr. Conrad Murray, who they hired on behalf of Michael Jackson.

Though the biological origins of the Jackson children remain a mystery on the father’s side, many agree on who their mothers are.

Paris, 15, and Prince, 16, for instance, have a mother in former Michael Jackson’s nurse Debbie Rowe.

And many take as fact the assertion that Blanket’s mother is an unnamed San Diego-area Hispanic woman.

If AEG’s claims are true, though, Paris and Prince could have fathers among an assemblage of men.

Michael Jackson’s former dermatologist Arnold Klein, has said he is the biological father of both Paris and Prince.

Matt Fiddes, a former bodyguard of the megastar, asked for a DNA test to prove that he’s father to Paris shortly after Michael Jackson’s death and former child star Mark Lester has said he, too, may be Paris’s father.

As people take bets on who fathered the older children, no one seems to be refuting AEG’s supposed allegations about Blanket.

“Blanket looks just like him,” a Jackson family member told the New York Post.

“There is no doubt that he is Michael’s.”

Anne Frank House: Justin Bieber leaves tasteless comment in museum guestbook

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Anne Frank House: Justin Bieber leaves tasteless comment in museum guestbook

Justin Bieber’s latest action has caused online anger after he wrote a “tasteless” comment in the guestbook at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Justin Bieber – who is currently on tour in Europe – visited the famous home where Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank and her family hid from Nazi persecution for two years during the Holocaust.

After spending an hour touring the home on Saturday, which opened as a museum in 1960, Justin Bieber wrote a message in the guestbook, which read: “Truly inspiring to be able to come here.

“Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber.”

The Anne Frank House staff-run Facebook page shared Justin Bieber’s comments.

Justin Bieber has caused online outrage after writing a tasteless comment in the guestbook at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam
Justin Bieber has caused online outrage after writing a tasteless comment in the guestbook at the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

Since the museum updated its page with Justin Bieber’s words, the Facebook post has garnered hundreds of comments expressing dismay over the young pop sensation’s presumptuous remarks.

Many described it as “disrespectful”, “disgusting” and an “embarrassment to Canadians”.

Hundreds of people took to Twitter to express outrage, branding Justin Bieber a “moron” and “douche”, leaving several to question whether he actually wrote such a shocking message.

Buzzfeed reports that BBC reporter Anna Holligan received confirmation from the Anne Frank House press office, saying: “He was very interested in Anne Frank.”

The office said of Justin Bieber’s odd note: “He’s 19, it’s a strange life he’s living, it wasn’t very sensible but he didn’t mean bad.”

Anne Frank wrote her now-famous diary while residing in the house, with the teenager describing it as luxurious compared to other hiding places she had heard about.

The Frank family moved to Amsterdam from German in 1933 – the same year the Nazis gained control over Germany.

By 1940 the Nazi occupied the Netherlands, leaving the family trapped in Amsterdam.

In 1942 the family went into hiding in the hidden rooms of Otto Frank’s office building, as persecution of the Jewish population increased under the Nazi regime.

After two years the group were anonymously betrayed and were sent to their deaths at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, where Anne Franck died of typhus in 1945.

Otto Frank, Anne’s father, returned to Amsterdam after the war and discovered her diary had been saved. It was published in 1947, leading to her posthumous fame.

Iron Man 3 London premiere delayed due to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Iron Man 3 London premiere delayed due to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral

Iron Man 3 premiere in the UK has been delayed due to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral, according to reports.

A Disney spokesperson told Deadline the London gala, originally scheduled for Wednesday, would be moved to Thursday, April 18, to avoid the clash.

“London will basically be in traffic chaos and it would have been difficult logistically,” the spokesperson said.

Iron Man 3 premiere in the UK has been delayed due to Margaret Thatcher's funeral
Iron Man 3 premiere in the UK has been delayed due to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral

Iron Man 3 cast members including Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow are still expected to appear at the premiere on Thursday.

More than 2,000 guests have been invited to attend the funeral ceremony for former British PM Margaret Thatcher, who died on Monday. It will begin with a procession from Westminster to St Paul’s Cathedral.

Many roads in central London will be closed and large crowds are expected to line the procession route.

Iron Man 3, which also stars Rebecca Hall, Don Cheadle and Sir Ben Kingsley as villain, The Mandarin, will be released in UK cinemas on April 26.

[youtube Ke1Y3P9D0Bc]

Venice clears Grand Canal boat traffic for several hours to raise awareness of pollution

James J. Williams
-
0
Venice clears Grand Canal boat traffic for several hours to raise awareness of pollution

The city of Venice has imposed its first ever ban on motorboats, launches and barges on one of its main waterways, Grand Canal.

Almost all the usual traffic was cleared from the Grand Canal for several hours.

The aim was to draw attention to the city’s environmental problems, and help make the case for more ecologically-sound forms of water transport.

“This initiative is to raise awareness of the pollution and promote the use of electric or hybrid boats,” said a council spokesman.

Down through its history Venice has sometimes been called “La Serenissima”, meaning the “most serene” one.

The name conjures the perfect image of the place; beautiful old palaces standing in the calm of the city’s canals.

The city of Venice has imposed its first ever ban on motorboats, launches and barges on one of its main waterways, Grand Canal
The city of Venice has imposed its first ever ban on motorboats, launches and barges on one of its main waterways, Grand Canal

But the day-to-day reality of life in Venice can be a little less than serene. Around 7,000 small craft are registered to use its waterways.

They are an essential part of the private and commercial lives of many Venetians, but the sound of buzzing, growling, or throbbing engines often fills the air.

The boats and barges pollute the water and give off fumes. At the same time, they create waves that continually slap at the crumbling walls of the ancient buildings that line the canals.

The authorities would like to see a gradual switching to electric-powered craft, or boats with hybrid engines.

According to the council spokesperson, work is being done on studies and initiatives that might make this transition easier.

A parade of the kind of environmentally-friendly vessels that the city is trying to promote was to be held on the Grand Canal while it was cleared of other craft on Sunday.

And the idea of the brief ban on traffic on the waterway was welcomed by conservationists.

“It’ll be very nice to have peace and quiet in the centre of Venice, even if it’s just for a few hours,” said Paolo Lamappo, a spokesman for Italia Nostra, which works to preserve the city’s heritage.

He said that Sunday’s initiative should be a “first step”.

“We hope it’ll make Venetians more aware of how lovely the city could be if we insist on boats only with electric power.”

The conservationists say that a particular problem are the two-stroke marine engines that create fumes and smell.

“It comes into the houses along the canals and gets up our noses,” said Paolo Lamappo.

“The pollution is making the walls of our houses crumble.”

Tom Jones to perform at the Troubadour in West Hollywood

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Tom Jones to perform at the Troubadour in West Hollywood

Tom Jones is to perform at the legendary West Hollywood nightclub Troubadour as part of a small tour in the US.

The Troubadour is a venue famous for early gigs from fellow greats Sir Elton John, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.

Sir Tom Jones, 72, will also take to the stage at Philadelphia’s Theatre of the Living Arts and the Bowery Ballroom in New York during the tour in May.

It will follow Tom Jones’ latest stint as coach on British talent show The Voice.

The concerts were confirmed in a statement on Tom Jones’ official website.

Tom Jones is to perform at the legendary West Hollywood nightclub Troubadour as part of a small tour in the US
Tom Jones is to perform at the legendary West Hollywood nightclub Troubadour as part of a small tour in the US

The dates, which run from 11 to 18 May, are being held to mark the US launch of Tom Jones’ latest album Spirit In The Room, his second “back-to-basics” collection of blues numbers.

The short US tour will see Tom Jones perform intimate gigs at venues more often frequented by up-and-coming rock bands.

Founded in 1957, the Troubadour on Los Angeles’ Santa Monica Boulevard famously helped establish the careers of numerous bands and singers.

Artists including James Taylor, Carole King, the Eagles, The Byrds, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and Guns N’ Roses played gigs there in their early days.

Philadelphia’s Theatre of the Living Arts was originally a cinema, while New York’s Bowery Ballroom was built as a shop in the 1920s.

Most recently Tom Jones has performed in front of millions of viewers on the second series of The Voice in UK, in which he returned as a coach for aspiring vocalists alongside Jessie J, will.i.am and The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue.

John Kerry warns North Korea over further isolation risk

Roy Siemens
-
0
John Kerry warns North Korea over further isolation risk

John Kerry has called on North Korea’s leaders to “come to the table in a responsible way” to end regional tensions.

Speaking in Tokyo, the fourth and final stop on his Asian tour, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea it risked further isolation if its threats continued.

John Kerry also reaffirmed the US commitment to defend its allies, including Japan.

The countries the US official had visited were united in seeking the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

On Friday John Kerry visited South Korea, and on Saturday he was in China, whose leaders he has said are “very serious” in their pledge to help reduce tensions – and to help end the North Korean nuclear programme.

North Korea has recently threatened attacks against South Korea and the US, sparking alarm in the region.

Speaking in Tokyo, the fourth and final stop on his Asian tour, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea it risked further isolation if its threats continued
Speaking in Tokyo, the fourth and final stop on his Asian tour, US Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea it risked further isolation if its threats continued

Speculation has been building that the North is preparing a missile launch, following reports that it has moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast.

Japan is within range of these rockets and has been taking precautions, including setting up batteries of US-made Patriot anti-missile systems around the capital and sending two warships to the Sea of Japan, with orders to shoot down any missiles fired towards the Japanese islands.

At a joint news conference with Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, John Kerry said North Korea had to understand by now “that its threats and provocations are only going to isolate it further and impoverish its people even further”.

“The US will do what is necessary to defend our allies against these provocations, but our choice is to negotiate,” he said.

“We would hope that whatever considerations and fears the North has of the US or others in the region they would come to table in responsible way and negotiate that.”

John Kerry stressed that Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo and Washington had “committed to take action together” and to “making that goal of denuclearization a reality”.

Fumio Kishida said their role was to persuade North Korea that its aggressive behavior “will not benefit them in any way whatsoever” and that the international community had to send out this strong message.

Washington and Tokyo have a security alliance dating back to the 1950s, under which Washington is bound to protect Japan if it is attacked.

On Monday, April 15, North Korea will mark the birth of national founder Kim Il-sung. Such occasions are traditionally marked with shows of military strength and it is thought this year the date could be used for a missile launch.

John Kerry has stressed that it would be a “huge mistake” for North Korea to go ahead with a launch, saying it would further isolate the country and that its people are in need of food, not missiles.

[youtube jGGiXtGYVr8]

Thomas Vonn tweets about Tiger Woods after golfer’s two-stroke penalty at Masters 2013

Clyde K. Valle
-
0
Thomas Vonn tweets about Tiger Woods after golfer’s two-stroke penalty at Masters 2013

Thomas Vonn took to Twitter on Saturday, hours after Tiger Woods was assessed a two-stroke penalty that was first spotted by an alert golf fan watching on television, to joke about his ex-wife’s new beau.

Lindsey Vonn’s ex-husband wrote: “No problem Masters tournament happy to call in and help. You always have to keep an eye on those cheaters ;)”

Lindsey and Thomas Vonn married in 2007 and her husband served as her coach and advisor
Lindsey and Thomas Vonn married in 2007 and her husband served as her coach and advisor

Lindsey and Thomas Vonn were married in 2007. With her husband serving as her coach and advisor, Lindsey Vonn became an Olympic and World Cup champion before the partnership dissolved in 2011. A divorce was finalized earlier this year.

“I honestly can’t discuss anything,” Thomas Vonn said when news of the divorce became public.

“It’s just a sad, sad situation. Out of respect for each other, we’re not going to discuss it publicly.”

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne split: They are living at different addresses and are not spending any time together

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne split: They are living at different addresses and are not spending any time together

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne were one of the most solid couples in music history, after more than three decades of marriage, but things might not be quite as rosy as they seem for them as reports have emerged that the couple are “living apart”.

Sharon Osbourne, 60, and Ozzy Osbourne, 64, who have never hidden the fact that their relationship has been tempestuous, are rumored to have moved out of the mansion that they share and into separate houses.

A source has told The Sun: “They are living at different addresses and are not spending any time together. They row a lot.

“They aren’t acting like husband and wife. It is unusual to not even have dinner together when both of them are five minutes apart.”

According the reports, Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne haven’t seen each other for three weeks and have recently moved out of their mansion and into two separate abodes.

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne are rumored to have moved out of the mansion that they share and into separate houses
Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne are rumored to have moved out of the mansion that they share and into separate houses

Living just two miles apart, Sharon Osbourne is reportedly holed up at the Beverly Hills Hotel for the time being while her husband is staying at a rented property.

A friend of the couple reportedly told The Sun: “Sharon and Ozzy have had plenty of opportunities to meet up but haven’t spent any time together at all.”

They have been spotted on a number of recent occasions without their wedding rings, sparking yet more rumors that their marriage is in jeopardy.

A series of cryptic tweets have also lead to increased speculation, with the couple’s daughter Kelly Osbourne writing last week: “Why does every family in the world have that 1 member that will never get it and is completely ignorant to life in general?”

Sharon Osbourne also sent a tweet alluding to recent difficulties when she responded to one fan in a Twitter Q&A session, saying: “I’ve had a really tough yr & I ask myself the same question, how can I get up every day & smile.”

Sharon met Ozzy Osbourne when she was just 18-years-old and became his manager soon after, tying the knot with him in 1982.

Chi Cheng Dead: Deftones bassist dies at the age of 42

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Chi Cheng Dead: Deftones bassist dies at the age of 42

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng, who has been in a semi-conscious state since a 2008 car accident, died early Saturday morning at the age of 42, a family statement announced.

In a statement posted on the fan site Oneloveforchi.com, Chi Cheng’s family writes that the musician was taken to the emergency room where he died at 3 a.m.

“He left this world with me singing songs he liked in his ear,” wrote Jeanne Marie Cheng, or “Mom J” for short.

Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno confirmed Chi Cheng’s passing on his Facebook page.

Chi Cheng suffered major injuries and was left in a coma following a November 2008 car crash in Santa Clara, California. The bassist was driving with his sister when they collided with another car, sending his vehicle rolling. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. His sister was wearing hers, and only sustained minor injuries.

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng, who has been in a semi-conscious state since a 2008 car accident, died early Saturday morning at the age of 42
Deftones bassist Chi Cheng, who has been in a semi-conscious state since a 2008 car accident, died early Saturday morning at the age of 42

“Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I’m praying that his strength will get him through this,” Chino Moreno said at the time on the Deftones’ blog.

In the years since, Chi Cheng had been making slow but steady progress in his recovery. In 2009 it was reported that he was no longer in a coma but in a semi-conscious state. In 2010, doctors said the former bassist was “showing signs of improved neuro function”. Recently Chi Cheng regained limited ability to move his legs on command.

Most updates regarding Chi Cheng since his accident have come through the Oneloveforchi site, which was started by fan Gina Blackmore. The site, which is currently down likely due to increased traffic, has raised money for Chi Cheng’s medical expenses and the bassist’s family regularly posts messages there.

Chi Cheng co-founded Deftones in the late 1980s with fellow Sacramentoans Chino Moreno, Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham. He was an integral part of the nu-metal band’s success, performing on their first five albums, released between 1994 and 2006. Commercially the group peaked in 2000 with the platinum-selling White Pony, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and contained the hit Change (In the House of Flies). A self-titled follow-up in 2003 debuted at No. 2.

In late 2008, Deftones were putting the finishing touches on the next full-length album, titled Eros.

Following Chi Cheng’s accident, Deftones ultimately decided to shelve the project and later recruited Sergio Vega, formerly of Quicksand, to play bass. They have released two albums since.

[youtube nFKDgMWNAvk]

Kim Kardashian launches new perfume GLAM in Las Vegas

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Kim Kardashian launches new perfume GLAM in Las Vegas

Kim Kardashian headed to Vegas on Saturday to meet her fans at her new perfume GLAM launch.

The destination may seem a little surprising, with six months pregnant Kim Kardashian having previously revealed she has been advised to slow down by her doctors.

Instead the business-minded Kim Kardashian plans to meet her fans and sign a few autographs, and hopefully flog some bottles of her new perfume while she’s at it.

Kim Kardashian explained on her blog: “Hey dolls, I cannot believe I finally get to hang out with you guys tomorrow! I am beyond pumped to see your gorgeous faces.

“We have so much to catch up on and I am dying to share my new GLAM fragrance with you! It is so perf for Spring, it’s a must in my book! See you there!”

Kim Kardashian launches new perfume GLAM in Las Vegas
Kim Kardashian launches new perfume GLAM in Las Vegas

The 32-year-old reality star showed off her pregnant shape in not one but two great outfits, which flattered her new curves.

To meet her fans in Las Vegas Kim Kardashian wore a pretty red lace dress.

With a high neckline and delicate detailing the dress was conservative and yet suitably festive.

Teamed with matching red lipstick and an attractive plaited hairstyle, the outfit was attractive and feminine.

Earlier Kim Kardashian had dressed her pregnant shape in a lacy silk vest top that skimmed her bump while revealing her new curves.

Teamed with skinny jeans and a jacket to balance her shape, Kim Kardashian looked perfectly put together.

Venezuela Election: Henrique Capriles makes official complaint against Nicolas Maduro

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Venezuela Election: Henrique Capriles makes official complaint against Nicolas Maduro

Members of the Venezuelan opposition have made an official complaint against the government following allegations that it broke the law by continuing its electoral campaign on state television.

Venezuela’s acting President Nicolas Maduro appeared on TV visiting the tomb of Hugo Chavez on the eve of the election.

The opposition candidate Henrique Capriles said his opponent was “violating all the electoral norms”.

On Saturday, he launched an internet channel to broadcast his own campaign.

Despite this, Henrique Capriles said he had been “respecting the electoral rules, but those in power don’t know anything other than the abuse of power”.

Almost 19 million Venezuelans will have the right to vote on Sunday for a successor to Hugo Chavez.

Henrique Capriles has made an official complaint against Venezuela’s Acting President Nicolas Maduro for breaking the electoral law
Henrique Capriles has made an official complaint against Venezuela’s Acting President Nicolas Maduro for breaking the electoral law

Voting will be electronic – one machine will identify voters’ fingerprints, and a second will recognize identity card numbers and register the vote anonymously.

Polls will open at 06:30 local time and close 10 hours later, although they will stay open until all those queuing at closing time have voted.

Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez died on March 5, after a two-year long battle against an undisclosed type of cancer, prompting a short electoral campaign period before Sunday’s elections.

The winner is due to be sworn in on April 19 and serve until January 2019, to complete the six-year term that Hugo Chavez would have begun in January.

Hugo Chavez’s handpicked candidate Nicolas Maduro is seen as the front-runner, but recent polls said the gap between him and his rival, Henrique Capriles, was narrowing.

Both sides staged massive rallies to mark the official end of their campaigns on Thursday.

But since 2002, Hugo Chavez’ supporters have staged celebrations on April 13, the date when the late leader returned to power after a brief coup in 2002.

Venezuelan state television showed Nicolas Maduro visiting the tomb of the late leader, accompanied by the Argentine football star Diego Maradona, who also took part in Maduro’s final rally on Thursday.

“Let’s honor his [Hugo Chavez’s] memory, his legacy,” Nicolas Maduro told Venezuelans in a speech at the tomb.

An interview with the acting president about the short-lived 2002 coup was also broadcast.

On Friday, members of the opposition campaign said they had lodged an official complaint with the Electoral Commission.

Henrique Capriles also complained on Twitter, saying VTV was “shamelessly breaking the electoral rules”.

For his part, Nicolas Maduro said on the micro-blogging site that there was an alleged “dirty war” being plotted against him from Colombia’s capital, Bogota.

[youtube jk2fFI3QG_k]

Guantanamo Bay clashes between guards and prisoners amid hunger strike

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Guantanamo Bay clashes between guards and prisoners amid hunger strike

Clashes between prisoners and guards have erupted at Guantanamo Bay as authorities moved inmates, many of whom are on hunger strike, out of communal cellblocks.

The move came after detainees covered surveillance cameras and windows, a US Army spokesman said.

He said some prisoners used “improvised weapons” and in response “four less-than-lethal rounds” were fired.

The Pentagon says 43 prisoners are on hunger strike, but lawyers for the detainees say the number is higher.

Almost a dozen are being force-fed, according to military officials.

Clashes between prisoners and guards have erupted at Guantanamo Bay as authorities moved inmates, many of whom are on hunger strike, out of communal cellblocks
Clashes between prisoners and guards have erupted at Guantanamo Bay as authorities moved inmates, many of whom are on hunger strike, out of communal cellblocks

There were no “serious injuries to guards or detainees” in Saturday’s clashes, according to Capt Robert Durand of the US military’s Southern Command.

“I know for sure that one detainee was hit but the injuries were minor, just some bruises,” another spokesman, Col. Greg Julian, told the Associated Press.

Lawyers for some of the detainees condemned the camp authorities’ actions.

Carlos Warner, who represents several detainees, told AP that “the military is escalating the conflict”.

Hunger strikes have happened frequently at the US military prison, but this protest, which began in February, is reportedly one of the longest and most widespread.

However, Guantanamo officials deny claims that the strike began after copies of the Koran were mishandled during searches of prisoners’ cells.

Human rights groups and lawyers representing the prisoners say it reflects growing frustration at the US military’s failure to decide the detainees’ future.

Nearly 100 of the detainees have been reportedly cleared for release but remain at the facility because of Congressional restrictions and also concerns of possible mistreatment if they are sent back to their home countries.

The military detention centre opened in 2002 to hold suspects captured in counter-terrorism operations after the 11 September 2001 attacks in the US.

[youtube mUGaiYNjQ7s]

Margaret Thatcher Funeral: programme and details released by Downing Street

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Margaret Thatcher Funeral: programme and details released by Downing Street

Downing Street has announced that well-known hymns and poems will mark next week’s funeral of former British PM Margaret Thatcher.

Latest details of the funeral ceremony have been published including the hymns To Be A Pilgrim, I Vow to Thee My Country and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling.

The programme features lines from William Wordsworth’s Intimations of Immortality and TS Eliot’s Little Gidding.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people took part in a demonstration condemning Margaret Thatcher in Trafalgar Square, London.

The protesters danced and sang around a large effigy of the late prime minister and chanted slogans.

Scotland Yard says nine people were arrested during Saturday’s protest – five of them for being drunk and disorderly.

Fourteen Chelsea Pensioners – aged from 65 to 90 – will line the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday, April 17, as the cortege and military escort draw up to the sound of a half-muffled bell.

Margaret Thatcher, who died at the age of 87 on April 8, had strong connections to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, home of the Pensioners, over the last 10 years. The Margaret Thatcher Infirmary opened there in 2009.

Downing Street has announced that well-known hymns and poems will mark next week's funeral of former British PM Margaret Thatcher
Downing Street has announced that well-known hymns and poems will mark next week’s funeral of former British PM Margaret Thatcher

The coffin will be carried into and out of the cathedral by bearers from military units closely associated with the Falklands campaign.

The processional band will be a band of the Royal Marines and there will be a gun salute at the Tower of London.

Senior politicians and foreign heads of state will take their seats under the dome of St Paul’s before members of the Thatcher family followed by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh are escorted from the Great West Door.

In front of the coffin, the former prime minister’s grandchildren Michael and Amanda Thatcher will carry cushions bearing the insignia of two orders she was appointed to – the Order of the Garter and the Order of Merit – and lay them on the Dome Altar.

At the foot of the lectern there will be arrangements of white lilies and greenery.

Amanda Thatcher and PM David Cameron will deliver the two readings from the King James Bible.

Downing Street said Margaret Thatcher wanted the service to be “framed” by British music.

It will include compositions by Henry Purcell, Gustav Holst, John Ireland, Herbert Howells, Edward Elgar, Frank Bridge, Charles Stanford, Hubert Parry and Ralph Vaughan Williams – as well as Johannes Brahms, Gabriel Faure and Johann Sebastian Bach.

The Bishop of London Richard Chartres will preach, and the blessing will be given by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The ticket-only funeral will be followed by a private cremation. Margaret Thatcher’s family have asked well-wishers to consider making a donation to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, rather than giving flowers.

Downing Street says Margaret Thatcher’s estate has offered to will make a contribution to the costs of the funeral.

The former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott has criticized plans for taxpayers’ money to be used for funeral costs.

In his Sunday Mirror column, Lord Prescott writes: “Thatcher split this country…. This country paid enough thanks to that woman. So why the hell should we continue to pay now she’s dead?”

A ComRes online poll of 2,012 people on April 10-11 found that 60% of those asked opposed state funding for the funeral, while 25% supported it.

The poll was carried out for the Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror.

Margaret Thatcher has been awarded a ceremonial funeral with military honors – one step down from a state funeral.

However, it has been reported that Lady Thatcher herself insisted she did not want her body to lie in state or money to be spent on a fly-past. But it was also her wish that the armed forces play a key part in the ceremony.

Downing Street said Margaret Thatcher had requested her body rest overnight in Parliament’s Chapel of St Mary Undercroft, and the Queen had given her consent.

About 100 people will be invited to a short service on Tuesday evening led by the Dean of Westminster, which will be attended by her family, MPs and peers.

On Wednesday, Margaret Thatcher’s coffin will travel by hearse to the Church of St Clement Danes – the Central Church of the Royal Air Force – on the Strand.

The coffin will then be transferred to a gun carriage drawn by the King’s Troop Royal Artillery and taken in procession from St Clement Danes to St Paul’s Cathedral. The route will be lined by military personnel from all three services.

The Metropolitan Police acknowledges the “potential for protest” but says it will want to ensure the wishes of those paying their respects will be upheld.

Meanwhile, a memorial service will be held later at Finkin Street Methodist Church in Margaret Thatcher’s home town of Grantham, Lincolnshire.

Margaret Thatcher’s father Alfred Roberts was a lay preacher at the church and she went to Sunday school there.

Later in the day the UK singles chart position of Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead, a song at the centre of an anti-Margaret Thatcher campaign, will also become known.

Sales of the song, from the 1939 musical film the Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland, have soared since Margaret Thatcher’s death.

[youtube F4HVIgG1ou0]

Sandy Hook mother Francine Wheeler replaces Barack Obama for presidential weekly address

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Sandy Hook mother Francine Wheeler replaces Barack Obama for presidential weekly address

Francine Wheeler, the mother of a victim of last year’s Sandy Hook shootings, has replaced President Barack Obama to deliver the weekly US presidential radio address.

Francine Wheeler, whose 6-year-old son Ben was killed in Sandy Hook shooting last year, used the nationally-broadcast statement to call for tighter gun controls.

Asking a citizen to deliver the weekly address is a highly unusual move.

The move comes as Barack Obama attempts to ratchet up pressure on the US Congress, which is due to debate new gun laws.

In an often emotional statement, Francine Wheeler recalled waiting for her son to return home following the shootings, and said the “tidal wave of anguish” resulting from that day had yet to recede.

She said new gun laws were needed to prevent more deaths.

Francine Wheeler, the mother of a victim of last year's Sandy Hook shootings, has replaced President Barack Obama to deliver the weekly US presidential radio address
Francine Wheeler, the mother of a victim of last year’s Sandy Hook shootings, has replaced President Barack Obama to deliver the weekly US presidential radio address

“We have to convince the Senate to come together and pass commonsense gun responsibility reforms that will make our communities safer and prevent more tragedies like the one we never thought would happen to us,” she said.

Francine Wheeler’s son Ben was killed along with 19 other children and six staff when 20-year-old Adam Lanza opened fire at his elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

The address was broadcast on radio and released as a video online.

This week senators are due to debate new laws that will extend background checks to gun sales made at gun shows and over the internet.

The measures are the result of a bipartisan deal struck between Republican and Democrat senators last week.

Senators later voted to debate the legislation, but no new laws have yet been passed.

A White House call for a ban on assault weapons and a limit to the capacity of ammunition magazines that can be sold has not gained traction among lawmakers.

In a statement President Barack Obama said Francine Wheeler’s message was one that “every American should hear”.

“This shouldn’t be about politics,” the president said.

“This is about doing the right thing for families that have been torn apart by gun violence, and for all our families going forward.”

The influence of America’s gun lobby in Washington remains strong, and means the measures being discussed are by no means certain to become law.

[youtube p6Mlqsp5BF8]

US and China committed to Korean peninsula denuclearization

Roy Siemens
-
0
US and China committed to Korean peninsula denuclearization

US Secretary of State John Kerry has hailed China for being “very serious” about a pledge to help resolve tensions over North Korea’s nuclear programme.

The US and China earlier said they were committed to the “denuclearization” of the Korean peninsula.

John Kerry said the two sides would hold further meetings “to bear down very quickly” on how to achieve that goal.

North Korea has recently threatened attacks against South Korea and the US, amid a flurry of bellicose statements.

Speculation has also built that the North was preparing a missile launch, following reports that it had moved at least two Musudan ballistic missiles to its east coast.

John Kerry has said any such launch would be a “huge mistake”.

After a day of meetings in Beijing with President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese officials on Saturday, he said both governments called on North Korea “to refrain from any provocative steps and that obviously refers to any future missile shoot”.

State John Kerry has hailed China for being "very serious" about a pledge to help resolve tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme
State John Kerry has hailed China for being “very serious” about a pledge to help resolve tensions over North Korea’s nuclear programme

John Kerry, who is on a four-day tour of Asia, continues to Japan on Sunday.

Following John Kerry’s meetings, China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi said his country’s position was “clear cut”.

“China is firmly committed to upholding peace and stability and advancing the denuclearization process on the Korean peninsula,” he said, adding that the issue should be resolved “peacefully through dialogue”.

No specifics were given, though John Kerry said the two sides would hold “further discussions to bear down very quickly with great specificity on exactly how we will accomplish this goal”.

He later told reporters that the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey, would visit Beijing later this month accompanied by intelligence officials.

He said he wanted to ensure that the pledges made on Saturday were “not just rhetoric”, adding: “There is no question in my mind that China is very serious – very serious – about denuclearizing.”

China is North Korea’s only ally and major trading partner, but has grown increasingly frustrated with its growing belligerence.

However, persuading China to increase the pressure on North Korea will not be easy.

China is still North Korea’s lifeline, and Beijing is unlikely to cut vital supplies of food and fuel since it feels that may make the North even more desperate and unpredictable.

On Saturday John Kerry raised the prospect that if North Korea stopped its nuclear programme – “if the threat disappears” – then the US would no longer have “the same imperative… to have that kind of robust, forward-leaning posture”.

Since the UN imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea in February in response to its third nuclear test, Pyongyang has promised to restart a mothballed nuclear reactor and threatened a nuclear strike against the US mainland.

It has also shut an emergency military hotline to South Korea, and urged diplomatic staff to leave, saying it cannot guarantee their safety.

North Korea says it has also been angered by joint US-South Korean military exercises.

On Saturday, a commentary piece on Chinese state news agency Xinhua said Washington had itself “been fanning the flames” by sending military reinforcements to the region.

But during his trip, John Kerry has stressed that the US has tried to tone down its own statements, and cancelled some military exercises in an effort to defuse tension.

Though North Korea’s rhetoric has been more bellicose than usual, analysts say it fits a long-standing pattern, and may be intended to boost the popularity of Kim Jong-un, who came to power last year.

[youtube lF1kplg1Yn4]

1...859860861...1,244Page 860 of 1,244