Japanese technology giant Fujitsu has developed Next Generation Cane, a walking stick with built-in sat-nav.
Fujitsu Next Generation Cane is designed to help elderly people find their way, as well as monitor things such as heart rate and temperature.
Its location can also be followed online – and can be set up to send email alerts if it thinks the user may have fallen over.
Technology for the elderly is a key concern for Japan’s ageing population.
Fujitsu, like several companies in the region, is looking at ways to help us remain mobile and connected later into our lives – potentially extending our ability to keep on working.
Next Generatin Cane prototype device, shown off at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, is equipped with various connection technologies such as GPS, 3G and Wi-Fi – and has an LED display on top of the handle.
If a change of direction is needed, the walking stick vibrates, and an arrow appears.
Fujitsu Next Generation Cane is designed to help elderly people find their way, as well as monitor things such as heart rate and temperature
Although designed for the elderly, Fujitsu envisions it being used by any vulnerable person.
The stick sends data back to a host computer, so a carer or relative can see the location of the user, with additional data, such as heart rate, being streamed.
If the stick detects an irregular heartbeat, it can automatically contact emergency services.
Also on show at MWC was Fujitsu’s smartphone designed for the elderly – or the “mature customer”, in their words.
The Stylistic runs Google’s Android operating system, but is modified to aid people who have perhaps not used a smartphone before.
The interface includes question marks at various locations to explain what each function is.
The phone is also able to change the frequency of audio to make it easier for older ears to hear.
There is as yet no planned release date for the Next Generation Cane, but the phone will launch in Europe in June, beginning with France.
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez is “battling for his life”, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro has announced today.
“Our commander is sick because he gave his life for those who don’t have anything,” Nicolas Maduro told Venezuelan TV.
Hugo Chavez first announced he was being treated for cancer in June 2011. The type of cancer and precise location have not been revealed.
He has not been seen in public since travelling to Cuba in December for his latest surgery.
Hugo Chavez – who has been in power 14 years – is believed to be suffering from cancer in his pelvic area.
He was reported to be suffering a severe respiratory infection following the latest surgery.
Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez is “battling for his life”, Vice-President Nicolas Maduro has announced today
Hugo Chavez was re-elected as Venezuela’s president for another six-year term in October 2012, but his swearing-in was delayed because of his illness.
Speaking in Caracas, Vice-President Maduro – who widely regarded as his chosen successor – said President Chavez “didn’t take care of his health because he gave his body and soul” to the people.
“He’s battling for his life, for his health, and we are there with him,” he said.
Hugo Chavez returned from Cuba in mid-February, sending a series of celebratory tweets thanking his Cuban hosts for their help and his fellow Venezuelans for their support.
The week before, images were released of Hugo Chavez smiling in his hospital bed during a visit from his daughters.
Mariah Carey was the ultimate star to join the wardrobe malfunction club as her breasts were bulging in a strapless dress.
Mariah Carey was presenting the So So Def 20th Anniversary Concert in Atlanta over the weekend in a strapless dress, helping celebrate with pal Jermaine Dupree.
To finish the evening, Mariah Carey presented a (pretty lame by celebrity standards) cake to the label’s founder, Jermaine Dupree.
Mariah Carey tweeted some backstage photos, along with her best wishes to “JD.”
Onstage, at the Saturday night event, Mariah Carey raised her hands up a little bit, and her strapless dress slipped down just enough. And now the photo is making the rounds.
Mariah Carey was presenting the So So Def 20th Anniversary Concert in Atlanta over the weekend in a strapless dress, helping celebrate with pal Jermaine Dupree
Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation today is forcing the Vatican to consider some unusual questions.
Here are 10 answers:
1. Name and title. He will be known as Pope emeritus, or Roman pontiff emeritus, the Vatican announced on Tuesday. He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger, and he will continue to be addressed as “Your Holiness” Benedict XVI – in the same way, for example, as US presidents continue to be referred to as “president” after leaving office. “Emeritus” is a Latin word meaning “retired”, from the verb “emereri” – to earn one’s discharge by service.
2. New home. Benedict XVI will leave the Vatican by helicopter before he resigns at 20:00 on Thursday, but he will return in about three months to a new residence – a former convent known as Mater Ecclesiae – in the south-west corner of Vatican City. Reports suggest Vatican gardeners will continue to cultivate a 500 sq m organic fruit and vegetable garden there – the Pope is said to enjoy marmalade made from its oranges. Meanwhile – as Mater Ecclesiae is refurbished – he will stay in the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome.
3. His clothing. The Pope emeritus will continue to wear papal white – rather than the black of an ordinary priest, or the red of a cardinal. However it will be a simple cassock, with none of the flamboyant hats and vestments he revived during his papacy (prompting the Wall Street Journal to ask “Does the Pope Wear Prada?”) He will be giving up his trademark red shoes, wearing instead brown shoes handmade for him by Mexican craftsmen during a visit to the country last year.
4. His ring The papal gold ring, known as the fisherman’s ring, will be smashed with a specially designed silver hammer when the Pope leaves office. No change here from normal practice. “Objects strictly tied to the ministry of St Peter must be destroyed,” the Vatican says. His personal seal will also be defaced.
Pope Benedict XVI’s resigned starting with February 28
5. His duties. Benedict XVI will have no further administrative or official duties. He will not participate in the conclave to elect his successor (nor will any cardinal over the age of 80), though, since he appointed 67 of the 115 men who will take part in the conclave, his influence will be felt. Senior Catholics have also been re-reading speeches made by Benedict XVI before of his retirement for any hints about the qualities he believes his successor will require.
6. Life in retirement. Announcing his resignation, the Pope said he would spend his time praying for the Church. His elder brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, has also said Benedict would be happy to advise his successor, if required. Writing and studying also seems likely to be on the agenda – Benedict had a library of 20,000 books installed in the papal apartments when he was elected in 2005. He also enjoys playing the piano and watching old black-and-white comedies – and he loves cats. At least one, Contessina, is known to live at Mater Ecclesiae.
7. Social media. The Pope’s Twitter accounts (@Pontifex and its eight different language versions) will go into hibernation when Benedict XVI steps down. He is expected to utter his final tweets along with his final general audience on Wednesday and before he departs the Vatican on Thursday – saying goodbye to the 2.5 million followers he has gained since opening his account late last year. Whether he will take the papal iPad on the helicopter is an open question. During the “interregnum” – the period between two popes – Vatican updates will be distributed from the Secretariat of State’s account @TerzaLoggia.
8. Golden parachute. Modest as Benedict XVI’s retirement plans may be, as a bishop he will retain the Vatican’s generous private healthcare policy and is likely to have recourse to the doctors who currently manage his medical treatment. It’s possible he will continue to be cared for by the small group of German nuns who have looked after him during his papacy. As a pope has not retired for 600 years, there’s no precedent for a papal pension plan, but Canon law requires each diocese to look after the welfare of retiring clerics. Rome will doubtless take good care of its Pope emeritus.
9. Georg Ganswein. Benedict XVI’s personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Ganswein – the photogenic face seen in the background of a million photographs – will stay in this post. However, he will also keep up his role as head of the papal household for Benedict’s successor. He will be the servant of two masters.
10. Infallibility. It’s a widely held misconception the Pope is infallible in everything he says and does. In fact, the First Vatican Council of 1870 ruled a Pope’s rulings are infallible only when they are made “ex-cathedra” – as part of a doctrinal statement about the Church. Benedict XVI never invoked this privilege (and in fact only one infallible statement has been made since 1870). When he resigns as Pope he will no longer be able to make ex-cathedra statements.
Pope Benedict XVI has officially resigned today, saying that he now “will simply be a pilgrim” starting his last journey on earth.
The pontiff, aged 86, was earlier flown by helicopter from the Vatican to his retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome.
His deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, is now in charge of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics until a new pope is elected next month.
Benedict vowed “unconditional obedience and reverence” to his successor.
He stepped down after nearly eight years in office – the first pontiff to do so in 600 years.
Benedict officially ceased to be the Pope at 20:00 local time.
The resignation was marked by the papal Swiss Guards stepping down from their posts at Castel Gandolfo to return to the Vatican. The protection of Benedict was taken over by Italian police.
In his retirement, Benedict will wear a simple white cassock rather than his papal clothes, and swap his famous red shoes – the color is symbolic of the blood of the early Christian martyrs – for brown.
His “Fisherman’s Ring”, the special signet ring which contains the Pope’s name and is impressed to validate certain official documents, is expected to be destroyed along with the lead seal of the pontificate.
The German pontiff, who was born Joseph Ratzinger, will continue to be known as Benedict XVI, with the new title of “pope emeritus”.
The long-time theologian is expected eventually to retire to a monastery on a hill inside Vatican City, with officials saying he will not be able intervene publicly in the papacy of his
successor, though he may offer advice.
Pope Benedict XVI has officially resigned today, saying that he now “will simply be a pilgrim” starting his last journey on earth
The conclave of 115 cardinals is expected to meet at the Vatican on Monday morning to start planning the election of the next pope.
Earlier on Thursday, bells of St Peter’s rang across the Vatican as Benedict boarded the helicopter for a short flight to Castel Gandolfo.
Before that, the pontiff was greeted for the last time by top officials in the Curia – the administrative body that runs the Holy See.
Benedict then appeared at a window overlooking the public square in Castel Gandolfo to bless a cheering crowd.
“Thank you very much for your friendship,” Benedict said.
“I will simply be a pilgrim who is starting the last phase of his pilgrimage on this earth.
“Let’s go forward with God for the good of the Church and the world.”
Some in the crowd were in tears listening to what could be Benedict’s final public words as pope.
In his final tweet, Benedict wrote: “Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the centre of your lives.”
The Vatican now enters the Sede Vacante – or period of transition between two pontificates.
Benedict’s successor must focus on reforming the Vatican bureaucracy which has often been overly hesitant to react to the various crises which have arisen during Benedict’s papacy.
On Thursday morning, the Pope received the cardinals at the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, warmly embracing Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who passed on best wishes on behalf of those gathered.
“Among you there is also the future pope to whom I promise my unconditional obedience and reverence,” the pontiff said.
“The Church is a living being,” he added, but it “also remains always the same”.
In his public farewell speech on Wednesday, Benedict hinted at Vatican infighting.
His decision to resign has been openly criticized by Australia’s top Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, who questioned his leadership skills.
The Church has been beset by scandals over sexual abuse by priests and leaked confidential documents revealing internal corruption and feuding.
An estimated 150,000 people packed into St Peter’s Square on Wednesday to hear Benedict speak in his last address there.
Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, Haiti’s former ruler, has appeared in court for a hearing to determine if he can be charged with crimes against humanity.
It was the first time Baby Doc Duvalier, who failed to appear at previous hearings, had faced some of his alleged victims.
Jean-Claude Duvalier returned to Haiti in 2011 after spending 25 years in exile in France.
Human rights groups say hundreds of political prisoners were tortured or killed under Baby Doc Duvalier’s rule from 1971 to 1986.
Opponents and supporters of Baby Doc Duvalier turned out for the hearing, with some of his alleged victims just metres away from him in the packed courtroom.
Supporters dressed in the black and red colors symbolic of Baby Doc Duvalier’s rule chanted “Long live Duvalier” as he entered the courthouse.
Jean-Claude Duvalier’s lawyers had asked for the session to be held in private, arguing he was unwell.
The hearing was requested by his alleged victims, who want to see him stand trial for crimes against humanity.
Last year, a judge ruled that Baby Doc Duvalier should be tried for embezzling public funds but that the statute of limitations had run out on charges of murder, arbitrary arrest, torture and disappearances.
That ruling is contested by human rights organizations, which argue that under international law there is no time limit on prosecuting crimes against humanity.
Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, Haiti’s former ruler, has appeared in court for a hearing to determine if he can be charged with crimes against humanity
Baby Doc Duvalier is himself appealing against the decision to try him on any charges.
Now a three-judge panel must decide whether the former leader should face trial.
Three previous attempts to hold the hearing had to be postponed when Baby Doc Duvalier failed to turn up.
Baby Doc Duvalier was just 19 when he inherited the title of president-for-life from his father, Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier, who had ruled Haiti since 1957.
Like his father, he relied on a brutal militia known as the Tontons Macoutes to control the country.
In 1986 Baby Doc Duvalier was forced from power by a popular uprising and US diplomatic pressure, and went into exile in France.
The mummified heart of King Richard I, nicknamed Richard the Lionheart, has been analyzed by forensic experts.
When the Richard the Lionheart died in 1199 his heart was embalmed and buried separately from the rest of his body.
Its condition was too poor to reveal the cause of death, but the team was able to rule out a theory that he had been killed by a poisoned arrow.
The researchers were also able to find out more about the methods used to preserve his organ.
The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The medieval king became known as Richard the Lionheart because of his reputation as a courageous military leader.
Richard the Lionheart was central to the Third Crusade, fighting against the Muslim leader Saladin.
Although he ruled England, Richard the Lionheart spent much of his time in France, and was killed there after being hit by a crossbow during a siege on a castle.
After his death, his body was divided up – a common practice for aristocracy during the Middle Ages.
Richard’s entrails were buried in Chalus, which is close to Limoges in central France. The rest of his body was entombed further north, in Fontevraud Abbey, but his heart was embalmed and buried in the cathedral of Notre Dame in Rouen.
The remains of his heart – now a grey-brown powder – were locked away in a small lead box, and discovered in the 19th Century during an excavation.
But until now, they had not been studied in detail.
To find out more, a team of forensic specialists and historians performed a biological analysis.
Dr. Philippe Charlier, a forensic scientist from Raymond Poincare University Hospital, in France, said: “We carried out exactly the same kind of analysis that we would perform on an exhumed body for forensic purposes.
“We did a microscopic examination, toxicological analysis and also a pollen analysis.”
The mummified heart of King Richard I, nicknamed Richard the Lionheart, has been analyzed by forensic experts
The heart was too badly decomposed to confirm exactly how the king died – most historians believe gangrene or septicaemia from his wound would have been the cause.
However, another, less widespread theory put forward in a medieval chronicle is that Richard I may have been killed by an arrow coated in poison.
But Dr. Philippe Charlier said his tests revealed that this probably was not the case.
“Our toxicological analysis showed no presence of any arsenic or any other metals, so we haven’t found any proof of any contamination during the end of Richard the Lionheart’s life,” he explained.
“We have no confirmation that he would have been poisoned: there is no argument for this.”
The team found pollen in the sample, including grains from poplar and bellflower. This suggests that Richard I died at the end of April, May or the beginning of June, as these plants are in flower then. In the history books, his date of death is given as 6 April 1199.
The analysis also revealed much more about the techniques that were used to preserve his heart – providing an insight into medieval religious rituals.
Dr. Philippe Charlier said: “The spices and vegetables used for the embalming process were directly inspired by the ones used for the embalming of Christ.
“For example, we found frankincense. This is the only case known of using frankincense – we have never found any use of this before. This product is really devoted to very, very important persons in history.”
The heart, which was wrapped in linen, also had traces of myrtle, daisy, mint and possibly lime.
The scientists think these would have been used for their smell, to give the King an “odour of sanctity”, which would be “similar to Christ”.
They also found mercury, which would have been used stop the heart from decomposing.
Dr. Philippe Charlier said that during the post-mortem, they used up as little material as possible.
He explained: “We wanted to conserve it for the future generations.
“These are not only samples, they are also human remains and we have to respect them.”
Mark Ormrod, professor in history from the University of York, said the research was extremely interesting.
“That consciousness of using very high-quality herbs and spices and other materials that are much sought after and rare does add to that sense of it being Christ-like in its quality,” he said.
“Medieval kings were thought to represent the divine on Earth – they were set apart form other lay people and regarded as special and different. So that treatment of the heart strikes me as being absolutely credible.”
He added that it was rare to get a forensic insight into the remains of medieval kings – and that this study and the work done on the remains of Richard III, who was recently found buried under a car park in Leicester, were unusual.
He said: “Generally speaking, when human remains are found on consecrated ground, the church, the state and the law all prevent one from undertaking any scientific analysis of them, so the opportunities to do these kinds of things are very rare.”
Anastacia has been forced to cancel her European tour as she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time.
Anastacia, 44, who previously beat the disease back in 2003, has been forced to cancel her European tour after receiving the tragic news.
Explaining her disappointment over the cancellation in a statement, Anastacia said: “I feel so awful to be letting down all my amazing fans who were looking forward to It’s A Man’s World Tour.
“It just breaks my heart to disappoint them.”
Anastacia’s tour had been scheduled to kick off in London on April 6th, but the singer has been instructed by her doctors to cancel all performances and not travel from now until further notice.
The singer will, however, continue with the recording and writing of her new album, and is hoping to at some point in the near future schedule in another tour.
The statement continued: “Now more then ever, she is determined to live by her motto “Don’t ever let cancer get the <<Best of You!>>.
“A born survivor, Anastacia has one goal and that is to make a full recovery with the support of her family, friends and everyone around her.”
Speaking previously about her successful battle against breast cancer, Anastacia blamed the stress of being a world-famous singer for her contracting the disease, as there was no history of breast cancer in her family.
Anastacia has been forced to cancel her European tour as she was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time
In an interview in 2008, Anastacia said: “More and more women today are getting cancer which is not gene related. I’m sure it was stress which caused mine.
“The not-so-great relationship I was in and my career – it all became too much for me. I’m not really made for this business. I don’t really know how to be the star my record company always wanted me to be.
“None of it feels natural to me. I can relate to girls in this industry who have gone off the rails like Amy Winehouse and Britney Spears – I think I could only cope with it at all because I was a lot older than them.
“After the surprising success of the first album, I went straight into the second and it became a blur as I was working so hard. I had a herniated vocal chord and I got what I thought were panic attacks. The cancer came soon after.”
In addition to battling cancer, Anastacia also suffers from a heart condition called supraventricular tachycardia – in which the heart can have episodes of beating more than three times as fast as average – and has to take a daily pill to regulate it.
Anastacia also has Crohn’s Disease – an inflammatory bowel condition that causes a range of distressing symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, fevers and severe cramps.
But speaking recently about her health struggles, Anastacia said that her illnesses have helped shape her into the woman she is today.
She said: “My illness has changed me in so many ways. It affects everything from my health to my job to my relationships. What is seen as a curse for some is a gift for me because it has helped me to discover who I really am.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning doctors to be on the lookout for an untreatable multidrug-resistant “superbug” emerging in the U.S.
The “superbug” springs from a bacteria called Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriacea (CRE), 15 types of which have been seen in the U.S. in the last year. The unique bacteria can cause pneumonia, intestinal and urinary tract infections, and bloodstream infections.
In one outbreak at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, seven deaths were attributed to the “superbug” after a New York Woman who came to the hospital for a lung transplant while infected.
The victims included one 16-year-old boy.
The infections are associated with mortality rates of 40 to 50%.
The rise means health care providers must “act aggressively to prevent the emergence and spread of these unusual CRE organisms”, the CDC said.
“From the perspective of drug-resistant organisms, (CRE) is the most serious threat, the most serious challenge we face to patient safety,” Arjun Srinivasan, associate director for prevention of health care-associated infections at the CDC, told USA Today.
It can take over a year to be rid of CRE bacteria, with one study determining the average patient requiring 387 days for it to be out of their system.
“We’re working with state health departments to try to figure out how big a problem this is,” Arjun Srinivasan said, noting that his agency can pool whatever incidence data states collect.
“We’re still at a point where we can stop this thing. You can never eradicate CRE, but we can prevent the spread. … It’s a matter of summoning the will.”
Enterobacteriaceae flourish in the soil, water, and the human gut.
A “superbug”, CRE has a high level of resistance to antibiotics.
CDC is warning doctors to be on the lookout for untreatable multidrug-resistant CRE superbug emerging in the US
Disturbingly, the patients are not symptomatic, as the bug waits in the body until the immune system is compromised and an infection sets in.
The first known U.S. case was detected at a North Carolina hospital in 2001, and since then CRE’s have been detected in at least 41 other states.
Many cases still go unrecognized until is too late for the patient.
Since the first known case, at a North Carolina hospital, was reported in 2001, CREs have spread to at least 41 other states, according to the CDC. And many cases still go unrecognized, because it can be tough to do the proper laboratory analysis, particularly at smaller hospitals or nursing homes.
People diagnosed with a CRE infection usually get it after taking antibiotics and undergoing significant medical treatment for other conditions.
Also in the news last summer was an outbreak of CRE in eight patients – the largest outbreak in the U.S. so far.
None of the patients in the initial outbreak died.
The hospital was able to detect the outbreak early largely due to stringent surveillance protocols.
The CDC said most CRE cases were “isolated from patients who received overnight medical treatment outside of the United States”.
There are CDC guidelines to deal with the infection in the center’s 2012 CRE toolkit.
If you share a room with a person with a CRE infection you should be screened immediately.
Health care providers who treat infected patients should also be examined. They should not treat non-infected patients after treating infected ones.
Health care facilities must also be made aware of any CRE infected patients being transferred to their care. Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, are bacteria that are unique in that they are resistant to most antibiotics. They typically live in the soil or water. Patients infected with the bacteria are typically not symptomatic, but can develop pneumonia, kidney and bladder infections, and bloodstream infectioins. They began appearing in the U.S. roughly ten years ago, and have since spread to at least 41 states. There is no effective treatment yet available for the bacteria, which can linger in the body more than a year, and mortality rates hover at 40 to 50%.
Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence has been seen on holiday in Hawaii enjoying a suspicious rolled up cigarette.
In revealing pictures Jennifer Lawrence, 22, is seen clasping a fat roll up in her fingers and a bottle of wine.
And in other pictures that have emerged Jennifer Lawrence can clearly be seen taking a draw on the roll up.
It may come as some surprise just days after the actress was seen lapping up the applause of her peers at the Academy Awards where she took home the Best Actress award for her stunning turn in Silver Linings Playbook.
Jennifer Lawrence star looked happy and relaxed, which may well have been in part thanks to a glass of wine and her cheeky smoke.
It’s not clear if she was indeed smoking marijuana – but Jennifer Lawrence is not known to be a smoker – and if the young starlet does have a penchant for the weed, it may explain her propensity for stumbling.
Jennifer Lawrence has been seen on holiday in Hawaii enjoying a suspicious rolled up cigarette
Suzanne Nassie from Massachusetts says that an iPad she bought at Walmart turned out to be only a piece of plastic painted to look like a real tablet.
Suzanne Nassie said she knew there was a problem the second she opened the shrink wrapped package.
The fake so confusing the store even refused her a refund at first before finally relenting.
“This isn’t even a real device,” Suzanne Nassie said upon discovering the trick.
“Somebody put a phony device in that box.”
There was no cord, and no way to turn the device on.
Suzanne Nassie brought it back to the store, but wasn’t allowed to speak to a manager and was refused a refund even though she brought the $499 receipt printed out just 20 minutes prior.
Instead Walmart employees told her to contact Apple.
By then she’d found even more problems.
Suzanne Nassie from Massachusetts says that an iPad she bought at Walmart turned out to be only a piece of plastic painted to look like a real tablet
“There’s a speaker that’s suppose to be on the back, it’s just little painted dots,” Suzanne Nassie told CBS Boston.
“When I peered inside at the port on the back where you’re suppose to charge it, it’s just plastic. No metal prongs or anything of that nature.”
Suzanne Nassie isn’t the first Walmart customer to get burned on an iPad.
People have reported buying fake devices at stores in New Jersey, Florida, and Texas.
This November, Florida man Emilio Pereda told reporters he purchased a fake iPad from the retail giant for $500.
“There were no red flags,” Emilio Pereda said.
“It was completely wrapped with this wrapper from Walmart with your sku number that matches the receipt.”
Suzanne Nassie has since been contacted by the store manager who apologized then offered a full refund.
“It’s frustrating that someone would try to take advantage of others for their own gain. We have apologized to our customer and offered her a full refund,” a Walmart spokesperson said.
“We’re still working to understand how this could have happened and are actively reviewing our transactional records and surveillance video to determine how this product ended up on our shelves. If a customer is purchasing an iPad at this store, they are welcome to open the product to confirm the right product is in the box after making the purchase.”
Veteran comedian Joan Rivers has been blasted by a Jewish pressure group for a joke she made about German supermodel Heidi Klum’s daring Oscars outfit.
“The last time a German looked this hot was when they were pushing Jews into the ovens,” said Joan Rivers – herself Jewish – before doubling over with laughter.
Joan Rivers, 79, made the comment about the Holocaust on Monday’s Fashion Police show on E! when reviewing the low-cut shimmering gold dress worn by Heidi Klum to attend Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party in West Hollywood.
The joke has attracted the wrath of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an organization that combats anti-Semitism, and says Joan Rivers has trivialized an horrific event.
ADL leader Abraham Foxman said: “Of all people, Joan Rivers should know better. This remark is so vulgar and offensive to Jews and Holocaust survivors, and indeed to all Americans, that we cannot believe it made it to the airwaves.
“Making it worse, not one of her co-hosts made any effort to respond or to condemn this hideous statement, leaving it hanging out there and giving it added legitimacy through their silence.
“Almost as bad as her original comment is the fact that she sat there doubled over with laughter after saying it.”
Abraham Foxman continued: “There are certain things about the Holocaust that should be taboo. This is especially true for Jews, for whom the Holocaust is still a deeply painful memory.
“It is vulgar and offensive for anybody to use the death of six million Jews and millions of others in the Holocaust to make a joke, but this is especially true for someone who is Jewish and who proudly and publicly wears her Jewishness on her sleeve.”
Joan Rivers has been blasted by a Jewish pressure group for a joke she made about German supermodel Heidi Klum’s daring Oscars outfit
Joan Rivers has refused to apologize, claiming her humor help to keeps the Holocaust in the public consciousness.
The comedian said: “My husband lost the majority of his family at Auschwitz, and I can assure you that I have always made it a point to remind people of the Holocaust through humor.”
Joan Rivers’ husband, Edgar Rosenberg, was born in Germany but his family emigrated to Denmark and then South Africa in order to escape the Nazis.
Joan Rivers and Edgar Rosenberg married in 1965 after he hired her to work with him on a screenplay. Edgar Rosenberg committed suicide by overdosing on prescription drugs in 1987.
Richard Street, a member of the Temptations for 25 years, has died aged 70.
Richard Street’s wife says he died on February 27 at a hospital in Las Vegas after a short illness.
He sang with Temptations members Otis Williams and Melvin Franklin in the 1950s but didn’t join the group until 1971.
As part of the group, Richard Street had number of hits including the Grammy award-winning song, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Richard Street was the first member of the band to be born in the city with which they became synonymous.
His death comes only 10 days after his band mate, Otis “Damon” Harris, who died on February 18 at the age of 62, after a 14 year battle with prostate cancer.
Richard Street, a member of the Temptations for 25 years, has died aged 70
Cindy Street, told CNN: “They’re dancing up there in heaven, him and Damon.”
Richard Street performed with the band until 1993 when he left due to alleged personal tensions with Williams.
He went to hospital five days before he died, suffering from back pain and breathing difficulties. Doctors found he had a clot in a lung.
Richard Street is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.
Spain’s troubled Bankia – formed of the merger of seven floundering savings banks – has reported a record loss of 19.2 billion euros ($25.2 billion) for 2012.
Bankia, which received aid of 18 billion euros, made a loss of 19.2 billion euros for 2012 and put aside provisions of 26.8 billion euros.
Last year, Bankia and its parent firm, BFA, asked for EU funds to help rebuild its capital.
Spain’s bank rescue fund said Bankia itself had a negative value, although its parent had some worth.
Bankia was born out of the merger of seven savings banks that were highly exposed to Spain’s property sector, which crashed five years ago.
The Bankia-BFA group as a whole made losses after tax of 21.2 billion euros in 2012.
Bankia’s seven component banks were severely damaged by their loans to property developers and home buyers during the country’s property bubble that ended in the late 2000s.
The bank’s shares were suspended at the start of the year.
Spain’s troubled Bankia has reported a record loss of 19.2 billion euros for 2012
Many are only just getting their heads around the idea of 3D printing but scientists at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) are already working on an upgrade: 4D printing.
At the TED conference in Los Angeles, architect and computer scientist Skylar Tibbits showed how the process allows objects to self-assemble.
It could be used to install objects in hard-to-reach places such as underground water pipes, he suggested.
It might also herald an age of self-assembling furniture, said experts.
TED fellow Skylar Tibbits, from the MIT’s self-assembly lab, explained what the extra dimension involved.
“We’re proposing that the fourth dimension is time and that over time static objects will transform and adapt,” he said.
The process uses a specialized 3D printer that can create multi-layered materials.
It combines a strand of standard plastic with a layer made from a “smart” material that can absorb water.
The water acts as an energy source for the material to expand once it is printed.
“The rigid material becomes a structure and the other layer is the force that can start bending and twisting it,” said Skylar Tibbits.
“Essentially the printing is nothing new, it is about what happens after,” he added.
At the TED conference in Los Angeles, architect and computer scientist Skylar Tibbits showed how 4D printing allows objects to self-assemble
Such a process could in future be used to build furniture, bikes, cars and even buildings, he thinks.
For the time being he is seeking a manufacturing partner to explore the innovation.
“We are looking for applications and products that wouldn’t be possible without these materials,” he added.
“Imagine water pipes that can expand to cope with different capacities or flows and save digging up the street.”
Engineering software developer Autodesk, which collaborated on the project, is looking even further into the future.
“Imagine a scenario where you go to Ikea and buy a chair, put it in your room and it self-assembles,” said Carlo Olguin, principal research scientist at the software firm.
The 4D printing concept draws inspiration from nature which already has the ability to self-replicate.
“We already have 3D printers that can be injected with stem cells, printing micro slices of liver,” Carlo Olguin added.
“The idea behind 4D printing is to use the sheer power of biology and modify it. But it is still an elusive goal.”
The next stage for the research is to move from printing single strands to sheets and eventually whole structures. And water need not be the process’s only energy source.
“We could also have heat, vibration and sound,” said Skylar Tibbits.
Pope Benedict XVI has vowed “unconditional obedience and reverence” to his successor.
The pontiff was speaking on his final day in office at the Vatican to his cardinals, one of whom will be elected next month to replace him.
Pope Benedict, 85, will leave for the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, later on Thursday.
His deputy, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will have temporary charge of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.
In his public farewell speech on Wednesday, Pope Benedict hinted at Vatican infighting.
His decision to resign has been openly criticized by Australia’s top Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, who questioned his leadership skills.
The Church has been beset by scandals over sexual abuse by priests and leaked confidential documents revealing internal corruption and feuding.
An estimated 150,000 people packed into St Peter’s Square on Wednesday to hear Pope Benedict, resigning at 85 after seven years in office.
The long-time theologian is expected eventually to retire to a monastery on a hill inside Vatican City, with officials saying he will not be able intervene publicly in the papacy of his successor, though he may offer advice.
His successor must focus on reforming the Vatican bureaucracy, which has often been overly hesitant to react to the various crises which have arisen during Benedict’s papacy.
Pope Benedict received cardinals for a farewell ceremony on Thursday morning, warmly embracing Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who passed on best wishes on behalf of those gathered.
“Among you there is also the future pope to whom I promise my unconditional obedience and reverence,” the pontiff told those assembled.
“The Church is a living being,” he added, but it “also remains always the same”.
He is later due to say goodbye to his staff before being taken to a helipad for the 15-minute flight to Castel Gandolfo.
The residence, 15 miles (24 km) south-east of the Italian capital, is the traditional summer home of the popes.
Pope Benedict XVI has vowed “unconditional obedience and reverence” to his successor
At 20:00 local time, Benedict will cease to be pope, a moment which will be marked symbolically when the Swiss Guards at the gate of Castel Gandolfo march off for their return to the Vatican.
The German pontiff, who was born Joseph Ratzinger, will continue to be known as Benedict XVI, with the new title of “pope emeritus”.
In his retirement, he will wear a simple white cassock rather than his papal clothes and swap his famous red shoes – the color is symbolic of the blood of the early Christian martyrs – for brown.
His “Fisherman’s Ring”, the special signet ring which contains the Pope’s name and is impressed to validate certain official documents, is expected to be destroyed along with the lead seal of the pontificate.
Addressing the crowd in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday, Pope Benedict thanked believers for respecting his decision to retire and said he was standing down for the good of the Church.
“There were moments of joy and light but also moments that were not easy,” he told the crowd.
“There were moments, as there were throughout the history of the Church, when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the Lord was sleeping.”
Speaking from Rome, Cardinal George Pell told a TV channel that while Benedict was a “brilliant teacher”, “government wasn’t his strong point”.
“I think I prefer somebody who can lead the Church and pull it together a bit,” he told the Seven Network.
The first resignation of a pope since the Middle Ages, he suggested, had set a worrying precedent for the Church: “People who, for example, might disagree with a future pope will mount a campaign to get him to resign.”
Cardinal George Pell, 71, is among the 115 cardinal-electors (those younger than 80 years old) eligible to vote for the new pope, and theoretically could be chosen himself, though he has played down the possibility.
From March 4, the cardinals will meet for talks at which they will set a date for the start of the secret election, or conclave.
A two-thirds-plus-one vote majority is required. Sixty-seven of the electors were appointed by Benedict XVI, and the remainder by his predecessor John Paul II.
About half the cardinal-electors (60) are European – 21 of them Italian – and many have worked for the administrative body of the Church, the Curia, in Rome.
Events on Thursday:
About 16:15: Benedict is driven to a helipad within the Vatican
About 17:00: Papal helicopter flies to Castel Gandolfo near Rome
About 18:00: Pope appears at a window overlooking the public square in Castel Gandolfo to bless a crowd
About 20:00: Benedict ceases to be pope; Swiss guards at the entrance to Castel Gandolfo leave their posts
British researchers have explained the way cancers make a chaotic mess of their genetic code in order to thrive.
Cancer cells can differ hugely within a tumor – it helps them develop ways to resist drugs and spread round the body.
A study in the journal Nature showed cells that used up their raw materials became “stressed” and made mistakes copying their genetic code.
Scientists said supplying the cancer with more fuel to grow may actually make it less dangerous.
Most normal cells in the human body contain 46 chromosomes, or bundles of genetic code. However, some cancerous cells can have more than 100 chromosomes.
And the pattern is inconsistent – pick a bunch of neighboring cells and they could each have different chromosome counts.
This diversity helps tumors adapt to become untreatable and colonize new parts of the body. Devising ways of preventing a cancer from becoming diverse is a growing field of research.
Scientists at the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute and the University College London Cancer Institute have been trying to crack how cancers become so diverse in the first place.
It had been thought that when a cancer cell split to create two new cells, the chromosomes were not split evenly between the two.
However, lead researcher Prof. Charles Swanton’s tests on bowel cancer showed “very little evidence” that was the case.
Instead the study showed the problem came from making copies of the cancer’s genetic code.
British researchers have explained the way cancers make a chaotic mess of their genetic code in order to thrive
Cancers are driven to make copies of themselves, however, if cancerous cells run out of the building blocks of their DNA they develop “DNA replication stress”.
The study showed the stress led to errors and tumor diversity.
Prof. Charles Swanton said: “It is like constructing a building without enough bricks or cement for the foundations.
“However, if you can provide the building blocks of DNA you can reduce the replication stress to limit the diversity in tumors, which could be therapeutic.”
He admitted that it “just seems wrong” that providing the fuel for a cancer to grow could be therapeutic.
However, he said this proved that replication stress was the problem and that new tools could be developed to tackle it.
Future studies will investigate whether the same stress causes diversity in other types of tumor.
The research team identified three genes often lost in diverse bowel cancer cells, which were critical for the cancer suffering from DNA replication stress. All were located on one region of chromosome 18.
Homeland star David Harewood tied the knot with long-term partner Kirsty Handy in a Barbados wedding on Tuesday.
The happy couple married in an intimate afternoon ceremony which took place at Stanford House, Polo Ridge in St James, with their two children by their side.
British-born actor David Harewood, 47, and his new wife looked happy and relaxed on the eve of their big day.
They spent their last day before becoming man and wife at the beach with their two girls, enjoying the sunshine and piling on the PDA.
The happy couple then took a trip on the ocean on a glass-bottomed boat, and even squeezed in a spot of snorkelling to get a closer look at the tropical sea life.
David Harewood showed off his impressive pecs as he stripped to a pair of black swimming trunks, while Kirsty Handy wore a coral bikini.
It may have been the day before their wedding but the pair already appeared to be in the honeymoon phase as they shared some cuddles and laughs together while on deck.
David Harewood tied the knot with long-term partner Kirsty Handy in a Barbados wedding on Tuesday
Liam Hemsworth allegedly cheated on Miley Cyrus with 35-year-old January Jones, according to Star magazine.
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have been engaged for eight months.
The 23-year-old Australian actor was pictured arriving to the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood without Miley Cyrus.
January Jones was also at the event, and apparently the actors were seen getting cosy when they thought others weren’t looking.
“It looked like they had some hot chemistry. They were all over each other – and they even kissed!” a source said.
Liam Hemsworth and January Jones were also pictured in the back of the same car after partying Saturday evening.
Miley Cyrus meanwhile turned up solo to Elson John’s AIDS Foundation gala on Sunday night.
The 20-year-old singer and actress recently gushed about her relationship with Liam in the new issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. Asked what she values most in her life, she said she is most proud of her connection with her fiancé.
January Jones has previously been linked to Ashton Kutcher, Josh Groban and Jason Sudekis, and has a 17-month-old son, Xander, from a previous relationship.
The identity of Xander’s father remains unknown to the public after January Jones chose to leave his name off of the birth certificate.
Liam Hemsworth allegedly cheated on Miley Cyrus with 35-year-old January Jones
Haruhiko Kuroda has been nominated by Japan’s government to be the next governor of the country’s central bank.
Haruhiko Kuroda is currently the head of the Asian Development Bank and is seen as a supporter of aggressive monetary easing to help revive Japan’s economy.
The government, which recently won a general election, wants the Bank of Japan to do more to boost growth.
Both the upper and lower houses of Japan’s parliament will now need to vote and approve the nomination.
Kikuo Iwata and Bank of Japan official Hiroshi Nakaso were also nominated to serve as the central bank’s deputy governors.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won the general election on a platform of promises to help revive Japan’s economy, which has seen years of stagnating growth.
A more aggressive monetary policy stance by the central bank has been something that Shinzo Abe has been advocating for, citing it as key to spurring a fresh wave of economic growth.
During his election campaign Shinzo Abe had even hinted that the government may look at altering the law that ensures the central bank’s independence if it does not take adequate steps.
Although Shinzo Abe toned down his rhetoric later on, it did indicate how crucial the appointment of a new governor would be, not just to the relations between the government and the central bank, but also the BOJ’s independence going forward.
Analysts said that if Haruhiko Kuroda’s nomination is approved by the parliament, it would be a win-win situation.
“This clearly indicates that the government and the central bank will be working towards the same target and there will be an agreement on what direction the Japanese economy should take from here,” said Junko Nishioka of RBS Securities.
Junko Nishioka added that with Haruhiko Kuroda being a supporter of aggressive policies, it was unlikely that the government take the extreme step of altering the BOJ law.
“It does necessarily mean that the BOJ is not going to give up its independence,” she added.
Haruhiko Kuroda has been nominated by Japan’s government to be the next governor of the country’s central bank
Among the policies suggested by Shinzo Abe has been a call for stoking inflation as a means to boosting domestic demand.
Japan, unlike many other Asian nations, has been fighting deflation or falling consumer prices for best part of the past decade.
It has been a big hurdle in its attempts to boost domestic consumption as consumers tend to put off purchases in the hope of getting a cheaper and better deal later on.
Shinzo Abe has hinted that the central bank should print “unlimited yen” to help fight deflation and encourage price growth.
The idea being that with more money floating around, consumers will have more cash to spend and that will help drive up demand and consumer prices.
Under pressure from the government, the central bank doubled its inflation target to 2% last month, a move seen as key by many analysts to help revive domestic demand.
Haruhiko Kuroda, who is seen as a advocate of inflation target, has suggested that the central bank should try and achieve a 2% inflation rate within two years.
“Under Kuroda-san the BOJ will take a proactive approach towards achieving the inflation target,” said Junko Nishioka.
The government’s aggressive stance has resulted in a sharp decline in the yen.
The Japanese currency has dipped nearly 15% against the US dollar since November last year.
The yen fell further on Thursday, down by nearly 1% against the US dollar, after the government announced Haruhiko Kuroda as its nominee to head the central bank.
European Union officials have struck a provisional deal on new financial rules, including capping bank bonuses.
Under the agreement, bank bonuses will be capped at a year’s salary, but can rise to two year’s pay if there is explicit approval from shareholders.
The deal was reached late on Wednesday. EU ministers must approve it, although this is considered a formality.
The UK, which hosts Europe’s biggest financial services centre, was opposed to any of caps on bank bonuses.
London argues the rules would drive away talent and restrict growth in the financial sector.
Top bankers and financial traders can earn bonuses multiple times their base salaries. But there has been public outrage over bonuses following the huge bail-outs of banks.
The agreement was reached during eight hours of intense talks in Brussels between members of the European parliament, the European Commission and representatives of the bloc’s 27 governments.
Othmar Karas, the European Parliament’s chief negotiator, said: “For the first time in the history of EU financial market regulation, we will cap bankers’ bonuses.
“The essence is that from 2014, European banks will have to set aside more money to be more stable and concentrate on their core business, namely financing the real economy, that of small and medium-sized enterprises and jobs.”
European Union officials have struck a provisional deal on new financial rules, including capping bank bonuses
The deal paves the way for Basel III, an overhaul of banking rules.
The G20 group of rich nations had originally planned to bring in Basel III last month, but that has been delayed to January 2014.
Basel III focuses on a ratio of high-quality capital – called tier 1 – which is needed to cushion it against any future shocks. It will rise to 9% after the rules come into effect.
Once the proposals are formally agreed it will start the biggest shake-up of the banking system since the global financial crisis.
The lack of solid financial cushions meant that many banks were vulnerable, and eventually required taxpayer-funded bailouts to avoid bankruptcy.
Ucheck, a smartphone app that uses a phone’s camera to analyze urine and check for a range of medical conditions, has been unveiled at the TED (Technology, Education and Design) conference in Los Angeles.
Uchek tests for 25 different health issues and could help diagnose and treat diseases in the developing world.
Increasingly mobile health is being talked up as a lifesaver in such areas.
Ucheck app is the brainchild of TED fellow Myshkin Ingawale.
“I wanted to get medical health checks into users’ hands,” he said.
Urine can be tested for the presence of 10 elements – including glucose, proteins and nitrites.
These can be used to pinpoint a range of conditions including diabetes, urinary tract infects, cancers, liver problems as well as being used to keep track of general health.
Users need to collect their urine and dip a standard test strip into it.
The strip is placed on a mat – supplied with the app and intended to normalize the colors on the stick regardless of lighting conditions where the photo is taken.
Once the photo is taken the app will analyze which, if any, condition, the color applies to.
Ucheck will be available from Apple’s app store from the end of March for $20, which includes the cost of the mat and five dipsticks.
Ucheck is a smartphone app that uses a phone’s camera to analyze urine and check for a range of medical conditions
As well as being used by individuals, Ucheck will be put through its paces in the King Edward Memorial hospital in Mumbai, India.
There, its accuracy will be tested against the laboratory machines more normally used to test urine.
“If it does well we can make it available to mobile clinics. Instead of buying a $10,000 machine they can use their existing smartphones,” he said.
Currently Uchek is only available for iPhones but versions for Android will be coming soon, Myshkin Ingawale announced.
While such smartphones may be beyond the budget of many in the developing world, he is hopeful that will not remain the case for ever.
“I’m calling you from a $100 Android phone which I bought from a street market in India. In future smartphones will be even cheaper and all phones will be smart,” he said.
According to the GSMA, the organization which represents the mobile industry, mobile health service could help save one million lives in Africa over the next five years.
“Mobile health has immense potential to improve people’s lives since it increases patient access to quality healthcare whilst reducing costs,” said Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer at the GSMA.
“These positive impacts will only grow as the mobile and health industries collaborate on new connected innovations,” he added.
Health apps that allow users to test their heartbeat, monitor sleep patterns and keep a check on a variety of conditions are growing in popularity.
“There is huge potential to get the world of bio-chemistry out to users via apps,” said Myshkin Ingawale.
Last year at TED, Myshkin Ingawale showed off a blood test that could be taken without drawing blood.
The test was designed to prevent women dying from anaemia and was designed to be easy for healthcare workers – often untrained – to use in the field.
Myshkin Ingawale is a campaigner for more grassroots medicine, allowing users to play more of a role in their own healthcare.
“There needs to be a rethink in the way healthcare is delivered to people,” he said.
“It needs to be far more decentralized. It can become a consumerist movement in the same way that Wikipedia has been for information.”
Giuliana Rancic has revealed the secret to her happy and healthy marriage.
Giuliana Rancic, 37, claims that she and husband Bill put their relationship above their son Duke, who is almost five months old.
“We’re husband and wife, but we’re also best friends, and it’s funny because a lot of people, when they have kids, they put the baby first, and the marriage second,” she told Us Weekly.
“That works for some people. For us, I find, we put our marriage first and our child second, because the best thing we can do for him is have a strong marriage.”
Giuliana Rancic added: “So we’re even stronger than we ever were before and even imagined we could be.”
Giuliana Rancic claims that she and husband Bill put their relationship above their son Duke, who is almost five months old
She also revealed how she and Bill Rancic happily divide parenting duties, and how her doting husband ensured she was well-rested before covering the Oscars red carpet.
“Oscar morning, Duke wakes up, like, twice during the night because he’s so hungry and wants to eat every four hours,” Giuliana Rancic divulged.
“So Bill, like, no question was like <<I got it. Tonight you get a good night’s sleep>>.
“And when Bill has shoots the next day or meetings the next day, I do it.
“It’s kind of amazing. I always say to Bill, <<You were my first baby>>, because he was! He was my first love and my first baby and Duke is my second baby.”
Duke was born via gestational surrogate in August, and Giuliana and Bill Rancic hope to have another child.
Italian comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo, whose Five-Star Movement (M5S) defied expectations to come third in last weekend’s elections, has ruled out a coalition with Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left bloc.
Pier Luigi Bersani’s Democratic Party (PD) won a majority in the Chamber of Deputies but fell short in the Senate.
Beppe Grillo said he expected Pier Luigi Bersani to agree a deal with Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PdL).
The inconclusive polls have pushed up borrowing costs for the government.
On Wednesday, the Italian treasury sold 4 billion euros of new 10-year government bonds on the financial markets at a yield of 4.83%, up from 4.17% at its last sale in January, and 2.5 billion euros of new five-year bonds at a yield of 3.59%, up from 2.94%.
The latest rates are seen as bearable, but that the rises signal that investors want to see a strong Italian government, committed to economic reforms.
It is certainly possible that borrowing costs will rise further if the political uncertainty drags on for a long period.
Beppe Grillo said he would not support any new government and he expected fresh elections to be held within a year.
“Today in Italy, what will happen is what happened before. The right and the left will get together and will govern a country of rubble that they are responsible for,” he said.
“It will last a year. One. Maximum. Then there will be elections again. And once again, in the elections, the Five-Star movement will change the world,” he added.
Beppe Grillo, whose M5S defied expectations to come third in last weekend’s elections, has ruled out a coalition with Pier Luigi Bersani’s centre-left bloc
Beppe Grillo, 64, said the M5S would decide whether to support specific legislation on a case-by-case basis.
Any attempts to persuade the movement to take part in a government were fake, he asserted.
Beppe Grillo also rejected the suggestion that he was inciting popular anger, saying he should be thanked for giving angry people hope.
“There was no hope. It was an anger without hope. It is anger without hope that creates violence,” he explained.
“But anger with hope is a different kind of anger, an optimistic anger, it is not negative. We are containing this rage, so they should thank me. It is a democratic rage that is needed to go forward.”
On his blog, Beppe Grillo also published a mocked-up film poster depicting Pier Luigi Bersani as a Dead Man Talking, based on the 1950 Italian comedy, 47 Morto Che Parla.
“Bersani is a political stalker,” Beppe Grillo wrote.
“It’s been days that he has been bothering the M5S with indecent proposals rather than resigning [the leadership of the PD], as anyone else would have done in his place.”
The Democratic Party and its centre-left allies won a narrow victory in the Chamber of Deputies, but the Senate appears split with no party in control.
Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right coalition is the second biggest bloc in the upper house. The seats under Beppe Grillo’s control in both houses could therefore prove crucial in making any coalition government viable.
On Tuesday, Pier Luigi Bersani outlined a series of policies for a PD-led government which appeared to mostly be in line with M5S’s manifesto.
He said any groups backing the government would have to vote for it in the confidence motion required when a new administration takes office, and urged Beppe Grillo to “assume his responsibilities”.
Meanwhile, a German opposition leader has made waves by describing Beppe Grillo and Silvio Berlusconi as “clowns”.
The Social Democratic Party’s candidate for chancellor, Peer Steinbrueck, told a rally in Potsdam that he was “shocked to a certain degree that two clowns have won” the Italian elections and made it clear he was referring to the two party leaders, calling the former prime minister “definitely a clown with a special testosterone boost”. Silvio Berlusconi has been embroiled in a series of sex scandals.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano cancelled a dinner with Peer Steinbrueck after learning of his remarks, a spokesman for the SPD candidate said.
Giorgio Napolitano is still due to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Thursday.
Both Beppe Grillo and Silvio Berlusconi campaigned against the austerity measures imposed by Italy’s technocratic Prime Minister, Mario Monti, which were supported by Angela Merkel.
Renowned American classical pianist Van Cliburn has died aged 78.
Van Cliburn died at his home in Fort Worth, Texas on 27 February, after suffering from bone cancer said his publicist and long time friend Mary Lou Falcone.
In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded him the National Medal of Arts.
Van Cliburn was diagnosed with advanced cancer two years later in August 2012.
Born Harvey Lavan Cliburn, Jr. in 1934 in Shreveport, Louisiana, he began taking piano lessons at the age of three from his mother.
Van Cliburn entered the Juilliard School in New York at the age of seventeen.
After winning the Tchaikovsky Prize in Moscow aged 23, Cliburn received international recognition.
He returned to New York to a ticker-tape parade – the first time for a classical musician.
Van Cliburn performed for every US president since Harry Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, who was in office from 1945 – 1953.
Renowned American classical pianist Van Cliburn has died aged 78
President George W. Bush presented Van Cliburn with the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the nation’s highest civilian honour – in 2003.
In 2004, Van Cliburn received the Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded him with the National Medal of Arts for his contribution as “one of the greatest pianists in the history of music”.
“Mr. Cliburn has reached across political frontiers with the universal message of beautiful music,” said Barack Obama at the ceremony.
He set up the Van Cliburn International Music Competition in 1962 which showcases the world’s top pianists every four years.
The 13th Cliburn competition, held in 2009, made history when a blind pianist from Japan, Nobuyuki Tsujii, and a teenager from China, Haochen Zhang, both won gold medals.
They were the first winners from any Asian country, and Tsujii was the first blind pianist to win.
Van Cliburn made what would be his last public appearance in September last year at the 50th anniversary of the prestigious piano competition named for him.
“Never forget: I love you all from the bottom of my heart, forever,” he said to a standing ovation.
