Andrew Mason, founder and chief executive of Groupon, has been ousted after the online voucher firm posted another quarterly loss, prompting a 24% slide in its share price on Thursday.
Groupon’s shares have lost 77% of their value since the firm was floated on the Nasdaq in November 2011, as investors fear its business model offering bulk discount deals may be unsustainable.
Andrew Mason, who set the firm up in 2008, told staff: “I will miss you terribly.”
In a note to employees, Andrew Mason said: “After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I’ve decided that I’d like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding – I was fired today. If you’re wondering why… you haven’t been paying attention.”
Groupon’s board said that executive chairman Eric Lefkofsky and vice chairman Ted Leonsis would step in as temporary joint chief executives until a replacement for Andrew Mason could be found.
Speculation has been rife since last year that Andrew Mason’s days were numbered, prompting him to state in November that: “If I ever thought I wasn’t the right guy for the job, I’d be the first person to fire myself.”
However, the timing of the move did catch some investors by surprise, who thought the boss would be given until the summer to try to turn things around.
“Groupon is a very large, very complex, multi-faceted global business,” said Tom White, of Macquarie Research.
“They are either going to have to find somebody who is a proven executer in handling complex businesses, or maybe this is a signal they are going to simplify.”
Andrew Mason, founder and chief executive of Groupon, has been ousted after the online voucher firm posted another quarterly loss
Sameet Sinha, of B Riley & Co, said: “Andrew Mason was a young guy. He had never run a company before, and all of a sudden he was running a company which was in almost 50 countries worldwide. It was definitely something that he couldn’t manage. So they had to make that change.”
Late on Thursday, the company revealed that it had made a bigger-than-expected loss for the last three months, and said that revenues during the current quarter would also undershoot expectations.
Many investors have been concerned for some time that Groupon’s customers are tiring of the deals it offers, and that it is facing more competition from other start-ups and from big firms such as Amazon and Google, who have been copying its strategy.
Cen Yingyuan from China hasn’t cut her hair for the past 11 years and her locks now hang at 6 ft 7 in long.
In comparison to her long hair, 44-year-old Cen Yingyuan only stands 5 ft feet in height, meaning that unless she ties up her tresses her hair trails on the floor as she walks.
Cen Yingyuan, who lives in Guigang, in the Guangxi Province, says: “I have saved the hair for 11 years, and I am quite addicted to it.”
Unsurprising every time Cen Yingyuan goes out she and her hair attract a lot of attention from passers by, but she is proud of her unusual “do”.
Cen Yingyuan treasures her hair so much she even collects any strands that drop out.
“Starting from 2005 I started to collect the dropped ones when combing. Usually I can collect around 50 g a year.”
Cen Yingyuan said many people have offered to buy her hair, and the highest amount she has ever been offered was 20,000 Yuan ($32,000).
She takes good care of her hair and is proud that there is no grey.
“If the hair started to turn grey, I’ll dye it all white, making myself have another look.”
Cen Yingyuan from China hasn’t cut her hair for the past 11 years and her locks now hang at 6 ft 7 in long
However, Cen Yingyuan’s long hair does come with disadvantages as it takes her over an hour to wash and then half a day to dry.
She is unable to wash it in a shower or bath due to its extreme length and is forced to bend over a bucket.
Cen Yingyuan washes her hair every four days and her secret to keeping it shiny is to use a bottle of beer.
And Cen Yingyuan is not alone in being obsessed with growing her hair.
The Red Yao women, a minority ethnic group from Huangluo Yao Village in China, have an average hair length of 5.5 feet with the longest locks measure more than 6.8 feet.
Incredibly, the women cut their hair only once in their lives, at 16 years old, before they start their search for a husband, as they believe a woman long hair brings longevity, wealth and good fortune
Eurozone unemployment rate rose to a new record high in January, official figures show.
The jobless rate in the 17 countries that use the euro rose to 11.9% in January from 11.8% in December, the statistics agency Eurostat said.
The highest rate was 27% in Greece, although the most recent figure there was from November, while the lowest rate was 4.9% in Austria.
Eurostat also said eurozone inflation had fallen to 1.8% in February.
The inflation figure was the lowest for two years, putting it in line with the European Central Bank’s (ECB) inflation target of below, but close to 2%.
The jobless rate in the 17 countries that use the euro rose to 11.9 percent in January 2013 from 11.8 percent in December 2012
Analysts said that the high unemployment and low figure for inflation would make it more likely that the ECB would cut its interest rates later in the year from the current rate of 0.75%.
“All the data is supporting a rate cut, which we see in the second quarter,” said Sarah Hewin from Standard Chartered.
“They could move as early as next week, but there’s an element of the ECB wanting to keep its powder dry as we enter an uncertain political situation with Italy and the Cypriot debt question has to be resolved.”
The highest unemployment rates among countries that have reported their January figures were 26.2% in Spain and 17.6% in Portugal.
Unemployment in the 27 countries that make up the European Union rose to 10.8% in January from 10.7% the previous month.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been heavily criticized by the US, Israel and the UN for branding Zionism a “crime against humanity”.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a UN forum this week: “As with Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity.”
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called the comments “dark and mendacious”.
New US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to raise the issue when he meets Turkey’s leaders on Friday.
John Kerry is in Ankara for talks on the crisis in Syria.
But his visit has been overshadowed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comments, comparing Zionism with fascism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, at a meeting of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum in Vienna earlier this week.
His words drew strong condemnation from Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, which called them “a dark and mendacious statement the likes of which we thought had passed from the world”.
Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been heavily criticized by the US, Israel and the UN for branding Zionism a crime against humanity
In the US, National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said “the characterization of Zionism as a crime against humanity… is offensive and wrong”.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s office said he heard Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech through an interpreter, and called it “unfortunate that such hurtful and divisive comments were uttered at a meeting being held under the theme of responsible leadership”.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated since May 2010 when nine Turkish activists aboard a flotilla of aid ships trying to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.
China has executed four foreign men for the murder of 13 Chinese fishermen on the Mekong river in 2011, after being paraded on state TV.
The men were put to death by lethal injection in Kunming, Yunnan province.
CCTV News broadcast live footage of the men being taken from their cells to the execution site, though it did not show the moment of death.
Many social media users in China have reacted angrily, condemning the broadcast as insensitive.
It is believed to be the first time in China’s recent history that live footage of condemned criminals being taken to their execution has been broadcast.
Chinese internet users spoke out against the special programme, in what some are saying was a throw-back to the execution rallies of China’s past.
Among the prisoners was Naw Kham, a Burmese man thought to have been one of the most powerful warlords in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Laos and Burma.
China’s state television channel CCTV aired an interview with Naw Kham on Thursday.
“I couldn’t sleep properly over last two days. I miss my mother. It is really painful that I can’t be with my children,” Naw Kham told the channel.
“My mum didn’t know when I was arrested, and I am worrying that she won’t be able to take it when she finds out,” he went on.
Announcing the execution on Twitter, state news agency Xinhua tweeted a photograph of Naw Kham with his hands clasped in front of his forehead. It is unclear when this picture was taken.
Xinhua has said the men had had their “legal rights fully respected” while on death row.
China’s foreign ministry said the case highlighted its determination to tackle cross-border crime.
“I think an important message that this case sends is that it shows the determination of China and the governments of relevant countries to work hard together to combat cross-border crime,” Hua Chunying spokesman for China’s foreign ministry said.
Among the prisoners was Naw Kham, a Burmese man thought to have been one of the most powerful warlords in the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Laos and Burma
The 13 fishermen were found dead inside two Chinese cargo ships in October 2011 on the Thai side of the river.
State media said Naw Kham and his subordinates had collaborated with Thai soldiers in launching an attack on the ships, the Hua Ping and Yu Xing.
The other men were Hsang Kham from Thailand, Yi Lai, who is stateless, and Zha Xika from Laos, said the Xinhua news agency.
The group were arrested in Laos and brought to China in May last year, after Beijing said the attack had happened on board Chinese-flagged ships.
Beijing argued that the men should be extradited for trial – a move which some observers saw as an indication of the considerable political and economic clout China now exercises over its smaller neighbors.
In November, the men were found guilty of intentional homicide, drug trafficking, kidnapping and hijacking.
Two other members of the gang were also convicted – one received a death sentence with reprieve and the other eight years in prison.
Thailand launched an investigation into the allegations against nine of its soldiers in connection with the incident.
The attack came amid a wave of hijacking of vessels sailing on the Mekong which were blamed on gangs operating in the notorious drug-trafficking region.
China, Burma, Laos and Thailand launched joint security patrols on the Mekong in response.
Li Zhuqun, a senior international co-operation official at China’s Ministry of Public Security said the gang had now been broken up, but that “efforts to ensure the safety of the Mekong River will continue”.
“We will continue patrols and law enforcement co-operation with the other three countries to safeguard shipping on the river,” he told China Daily.
Justin Bieber ended his birthday like most other 19-year-olds – with a trip to the kebab shop.
It was an eventful night for Justin Bieber, with him only kicking off the celebrations at 3 a.m. when he arrived back at his London hotel after performing his gig in Birmingham on Thursday night – before partying up a storm with rumored girlfriend Ella-Paige Roberts-Clarke and a bevy of beauties.
In spite of the freezing winter weather gripping London, Justin Bieber somewhat bizarrely chose to go shirtless as he arrived at his hotel, with a pair of low-slung trousers barely even covering his bottom as he prepared to get ready for his night on the town.
Bracing himself against the London chill, Justin Bieber was clearly keen to show ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez exactly what she’s missing as he was ushered into the hotel with his entire torso on show.
Although Justin Bieber no doubt assumed he looked cool as a cucumber in his hip-hop style trousers, the youngster looked mildly ridiculous with his bright white boxer shorts on display for all to see.
But it was a quick turnaround for Justin Bieber, who seemed keen to get out and celebrate his birthday in style with his newly-acquired posse of female friends.
Writing on his Twitter page before his Birmingham gig, Justin Beber said: “gonna chill and get ready for this show. last show as an 18 year old.”
Before later adding: “Great show!!! Now gonna go celebrate 19!! Thanks.”
The teen hunk managed to locate some clothes for his night of partying in the form of a cream knitted cardigan, a simple black vest and yet again, his favorite low-slung trousers as he headed out supported by an army of minders.
Despite it being the middle of the night, Justin Bieber shielded his eyes with a pair of dark shades and wore a baseball cap as he was ushered into members-only after-hours club, BLC, by his minders.
Justin Bieber’s new leading lady, Ella-Paige Roberts-Clarke, was of course on hand to help him toast his 19th birthday, and was spotted arriving at the nightclub in a pair of form-fitting skinny jeans, a leather biker jacket and a simple white vest, while a coy smile spread across her face.
But the aspiring British singer was by no means the only girl helping Justin Bieber celebrate his special day, with a harem of other ladies also seen joining the group for their night of fun.
In spite of the freezing winter weather gripping London, Justin Bieber somewhat bizarrely chose to go shirtless as he arrived at his hotel, with a pair of low-slung trousers barely even covering his bottom
After a couple of hours of partying, hunger pangs evidently called, and the gang departed BLC at 5 a.m. before heading to London’s Edgware Road, where they munched on kebabs in a Lebanese restaurant until 6 a.m.
Justin Bieber seemed to come across a little camera shy after his big night out, covering up his face with his top as he left the late-night eatery alongside Ella-Paige Roberts-Clarke and his chums.
Keen to make the most of his special day, Justin Bieber arrived back at his central London hotel at 6.30am for a couple of hours of shut-eye.
On Friday night, the teen idol plans to continue the celebrations with a circus-themed party.
Justin Bieber has arranged a big bash in London, which will feature clowns and a ringmaster.
The star and 20 friends have a £10,000 ($15,000) budget for the night and had been scoping out the perfect venue over the past few weeks.
A source told Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper: “Justin wants to celebrate in style and he loves clubbing in London. It’s no accident that there’s a break in his UK tour which coincides with his birthday.
“He’s been looking for the perfect venue and finally settled on Cirque Du Soir as he loves the kitsch theme. The venue is all ready for him, with clowns, goblins, aerial acts and some fire-eaters.”
Last year, Justin Bieber celebrated his 18th birthday by being given a $100,000 Fisker Karma car by his manager Scooter Braun.
This year, Justin Bieber kicked off the celebrations a day early when he was seen arriving at his hotel in the early hours of Wednesday morning accompanied by Ella-Paige Roberts-Clarke and two other girls.
Justin Bieber certainly seems to be making the most of his current stint in the UK, and has been partying up a storm at a number of London hotspots since he arrived in the city last week.
Kim Kardashian dug through the archives of her photo collection to find pictures taken during her time on Dancing With The Stars in 2008.
Kim Kardashian, now 32, participated in the seventh season of the hit TV competition with professional dancer Mark Ballas.
She was the third contestant to be voted off.
Kim Kardashian posted an old snap of herself in a sparkly costume which showcased her toned and trim waistline, along the caption: “In my dressing room at Dancing With The Stars.”
She added another shot of her heading to rehearsals in a black, adding: “Another dancing throwback! Me leaving dance rehearsals #IwasSoooooSkinny”
Kim Kardashian dug through the archives of her photo collection to find pictures taken during her time on Dancing With The Stars in 2008
Kim Kardashian’s weight is clearly top of mind for the star, who is expecting her first child with Kanye West, and she this week predicted she’d pile on the pounds during her pregnancy.
“I’ll definitely be up there,” Kim Kardashian told the April issue of Cosmopolitan magazine.
Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are said to have turned down a $10.5 million offer on their Bel Air Masion.
The couple purchased the property for $9 million just last month.
TMZ report that they’ve received three offers on the home – all of which have been turned down despite the prospect of a healthy profit.
The pair are currently renovating the 14,000 square foot home and are expected to move in later this year.
New reports surfaced alleging Kim Kardashian “exaggerated her fertility for the sake of her career”.
The news could cause “problems” for Kim Kardashian in her forthcoming divorce trial from Kris Humphries, claims Radar Online.
Kim Kardashian, 32, claimed on a recent episode of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami that medical tests showed her hormone levels were “really suppressed” due to having been on birth control for several years.
“My egg levels came back as a woman that’s in her 50s,” she declared to the cameras.
“I’m concerned just hearing all this information of how every woman is born with a certain amount of eggs, and that number can never be increased.
“Maybe this just isn’t in the cards for me, and I’m freaking out a little bit.”
However, Radar Online is now reporting Kim Kardashian was “grossly exaggerating her fertility worries”, according to a source.
Kim Kardashian and her rapper boyfriend Kanye West announced back in December that they were expecting their first baby together.
“Kim’s supposed fertility problems were nowhere near as dire as she made them out to be,” a source told Radar.
“Yes, her estrogen levels were low, but she had been on the pill for a very, very long time.
“She was in a healthy normal range though, given she had been on birth control.”
The insider added that Kim Kardashian “absolutely does not have fertility issues like Khloe”.
Kim Kardashian’s younger sister has had trouble conceiving with husband Lamar Odom since they wed in 2009.
“Kim’s doctor assured her that once she had been off the pill for a few months she shouldn’t have any issues conceiving,” the source said.
The website reports that the news may have implications for Kim Kardashian’s upcoming deposition in the couple’s ongoing divorce dispute.
“Kim is going to be grilled over the claims she made by Kris’ attorney at her upcoming deposition, because they believe this goes to the core of their case against her – that’s she’s willing to lie and manipulate the truth for the sake of her career,” the insider added.
“This could seriously damage Kim’s credibility and bolster Kris’s case that he was duped into marrying her.”
The divorce trial between Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian is set to start on May 6.
Pictures of Kim Jong-un meeting retired basketball player Dennis Rodman have been released in North Korea.
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, who is known to be a basketball fan, was seen attending a game with Dennis Rodman, who is in the country filming a documentary with a US media company.
The game involved the three members of the Harlem Globetrotters, who had joined Dennis Rodman on the tour, and members of North Korea’s “Dream Team”.
Dennis Rodman told Kim Jong-un he had “a friend for life”, the Associated Press reports.
Dennis Rodman and the Globetrotters arrived in North Korea earlier this week, accompanied by the Vice television company which said they hoped to engage in some “basketball diplomacy”.
Vice correspondent Ryan Duffy told AP the crowd at the Pyongyang game was “really engaged, laughed at all of the Globetrotters antics, and actually got super loud toward the end as the score got close”.
“Most fun I’ve had in a while,” said Ryan Duffy, who was one of the players.
The game ended in a 110-110 tie.
Kim Jong-un was seen wearing his trademark blue Mao suit, while Dennis Rodman – known for his flamboyant appearance and occasional cross-dressing – wore a dark suit and glasses, but with many of his facial piercings in place.
“They bonded during the game,” Vice’s founder, Shane Smith, told AP.
“They were both enjoying the crazy shots, and the Harlem Globetrotters were putting on quite a show.”
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un, who is known to be a basketball fan, was seen attending a game with Dennis Rodman, who is in the country filming a documentary with a US media company
In a speech at the gymnasium, Dennis Rodman told Kim Jong-un he had “a friend for life”.
The meeting was also reported in North Korea’s KCNA state media, which said Kim Jong-un had “warmly welcomed” Dennis Rodman and “let him sit next to him,”.
KCNA said the US and North Koreans had exchanged match tactics and techniques.
The players later joined Kim Jong-un and his wife at a banquet which Ryan Duffy described as an “epic feast”.
The meeting makes Dennis Rodman the most high-profile American to meet Kim Jong-un since he took over from his father last year. The US said it had no comment to make on the meeting.
Dennis Rodman’s visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between the US and North Korea over the test and Pyongyang’s launch of a three-stage rocket, a move condemned by the UN as a banned test of missile technology.
Both were seen as a breach of UN resolutions and condemned as a threat to stability in the region.
The Pentagon has decided to resume flights on its F-35 fighter jets, after the whole fleet was grounded last week.
A cracked turbine blade found on a plane prompted the suspension. But tests showed that this was a “unique” problem and not a design flaw, engine maker Pratt and Whitney said.
Thousands of F-35s are due to be made for the US and its foreign partners.
The F-35 is the Pentagon’s most expensive weapons programme, with a cost of nearly $400 billion.
The fault was detected during a routine inspection of an air force version of the jet (F-35A) at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
But on Thursday a spokesman for Pratt and Whitney, Matthew Bates, told Reuters news agency: “The team has determined that root cause is sufficiently understood for the F-35 to safely resume flights.”
Extensive tests on the plane’s engine revealed the crack was a result of the “unique operating environment” of the test flight, and was not a widespread issue, he added.
The engine had been running at high temperatures for four times longer than a normal F-35 flight, causing a separation of the “grain boundary” on one blade, Matthew Bates explained.
The Pentagon later confirmed that all its 51 planes had been cleared to resume flights.
The Pentagon has decided to resume flights on its F-35 fighter jets, after the whole fleet was grounded last week
Last week’s order to ground the planes – in the US air force, army and Marine Corps – marked the second time in two months planes from the F-35 range have been grounded.
The Marine Corps variant (F-35B), a short take-off and vertical landing variant (STOVL), was grounded for nearly a month after a manufacturing defect caused a fuel line to detach just before a training flight in January.
The F-35 programme includes partners from nine countries.
The construction of the plane has been plagued by problems – it is seven years behind schedule and has required numerous re-designs because of delays in software delivery and bulkhead cracks.
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.
