A new North Korean propaganda video posted on YouTube has portrayed President Barack Obama and American troops in flames and says the country conducted its recent nuclear test because of U.S. hostility.
The video, posted on Sunday, follows a string of critical rhetoric against the United States.
Another video posted earlier this month showed an American city, with similarities to New York, being attacked by missiles.
The most recent video was posted by a YouTube account affiliated with a pro-reunification government agency, shows a blazing fire superimposed over footage of Barack Obama.
The video ends with a generic simulation of a nuclear device exploding underground, appearing to refer to North Korea’s recent nuclear test.
The U.S. currently is negotiating in the Security Council for stronger U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang following a February 12 nuclear test in the far northeast, the country’s third since 2006.
Pyongyang released the clip on Uriminzokkiri – Korean for “Our Nation” – which distributes new and propaganda.
A new North Korean propaganda video posted on YouTube has portrayed President Barack Obama and American troops in flames and says the country conducted its recent nuclear test because of U.S. hostility
According to the Global Post, the backing track to the clip comes from a video gamed, Elder Scrolls Oblivion.
North Korea has said the aim of the nuclear test was to bolster its defenses in the wake the hostility of the U.S., which is pushing for sanctions on North Korea.
The country has already told key ally China that it is prepared to stage one or two more tests this year to force the United States into diplomatic talks, a source said.
North Korea also warned its neighbor South Korea on Tuesday that it faces “final destruction” as it took part in a UN conference on disarmament.
U.S. Ambassador Laura Kennedy said she found North Korea’s threat profoundly disturbing and later tweeted that it was “offensive”.
The National Enquirer claims Angelina Jolie recently “told an astonished Brad that her former flame, Irish actor Colin Farrell, put him to shame between the sheets.”
“In a dig designed to push Brad Pitt’s buttons, Angelina Jolie insulted his manhood, and the devastated actor has gone on a drunken rampage!” declares the National Enquirer, an outlet whose reporting on the couple tends to alternate between despicable and nonsensical.
Her “sex confession” allegedly sent Brad Pitt into a “boozy tailspin,” allege sources for the Enquirer.
“Brad caught Angie red-handed, admitting that she thinks he’s a so-so lover,” says one insider for the facts-challenged tabloid.
The NationalEnquirer “source” continues: “Ever since then, he’s been on a drunken rampage – consuming copious amounts of his favorite beer and red wine.”
According to the magazine, Brad Pitt was “even spotted staggering up to a Taco Bell drive-thru window” at 1 a.m. last month, with an alleged “eyewitness” claiming the actor “looked drunk, and after he realized the fast-food joint was closed, he stumbled off into the early morning darkness.”
The National Enquirer claims Angelina Jolie told an astonished Brad Pitt that her former flame, Colin Farrell, put him to shame between the sheets
In any case, the tabloid insists that a booze-addled Brad Pitt has been on an extended bender ever since he allegedly first heard Angelina Jolie complaining about her sex life during a phone call with ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton.
“Angie told Billy Bob that her love life with Brad had gone cold, and she missed the wild, passionate sex she’d had with Colin,” says the Enquirer source.
The Enquirer goes on to explain how an enraged, eavesdropping Brad Pitt confronted Angelina Jolie and forced her to admit details of her supposed sex life with Colin Farrell, and that she still “lusts” for him, resulting in Pitt’s extended “drunken rage.”
The tabloid also claims that Brad Pitt is allegedly outraged over everything from Angelina Jolie’s eighth-grade “hookup” to her non-existent “plans to reunite” with Billy Bob Thornton.
South African prosecutors have said that a witness heard “non-stop shouting” coming from Oscar Pistorius’ mansion before shots were fired early on February 14.
Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is facing a charge of premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
On Tuesday Oscar Pistorius told the court he shot Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door after mistaking her for an intruder.
It is the second day of his bail hearing in Pretoria.
A full trial of Oscar Pistorius, 26, is not expected for months.
Oscar Pistorius arrived at the court building on Wednesday morning in a police car with a blue blanket covering his head.
Courtroom proceedings were delayed as journalists and onlookers tried to get into the court. One journalist fainted in the scrum.
The magistrate has deemed this a schedule six case – meaning Oscar Pistorius is accused of premeditated murder.
Chief investigating officer Hilton Botha is set respond to Oscar Pistorius’s testimony.
On Tuesday Oscar Pistorius told the bail hearing that he loved Reeva Steenkamp and had never intended to kill her.
In a statement read to the court, Oscar Pistorius – who is a double amputee – said he woke in the middle of the night and thought he heard an intruder in his bathroom.
In pitch darkness, he said he took a pistol from beneath his bed. After screaming for the intruder to leave, he said he fired four shots through the door.
South African prosecutors have said that a witness heard “non-stop shouting” coming from Oscar Pistorius’ mansion before shots were fired early on February 14
Oscar Pistorius claimed he was not wearing his prosthetic legs during this time, and that this made him feel “extremely vulnerable”. He says he is able to move on his stumps.
Only after shooting did he realize Reeva Steenkamp was not still in his bed, the statement said. He broke down the bathroom door and discovered her body.
“She died in my arms,” the statement said.
“I am absolutely mortified at the death of my beloved Reeva.”
Oscar Pistorius wept as his affidavit was read out in court.
But his account was disputed by the prosecution, who said the couple may have argued before the shooting.
“There is no possible explanation to support his report that he thought it was a burglar,” prosecutors said.
“It was all part of the pre-planning. Why would a burglar lock himself inside the bathroom?” prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court.
The prosecution claims that in fact Oscar Pistorius put on his prosthetic legs and walked seven metres before shooting Reeva Steenkamp through the closed bathroom door – details that showed the murder was premeditated.
The first day of the bail hearing coincided with Reeva Steenkamp’s funeral.
The 29-year-old model and law graduate was cremated in her home town of Port Elizabeth.
Her father, Barry Steenkamp, told reporters: “We have to keep Reeva in our hearts forever.”
The case has aroused huge interest both in South Africa, where Oscar Pistorius is regarded as a national hero, and around the world.
Oscar Pistorius is a multiple Paralympic champion, winning gold medals at the 2004 Games in Athens, at Beijing 2008 and at London 2012.
In London Oscar Pistorius made history by becoming the first double amputee to run in the Olympics, progressing to the semi-finals of the 400 m.
Japan’s monthly trade deficit hit a record in January after its recent aggressive monetary policy stance weakened the yen sharply.
Exports rose in January, the first jump in eight months, as its goods became more affordable to foreign buyers.
However, a weak currency also pushed up its import bill resulting in a monthly trade deficit of 1.6 trillion yen ($17.1 billion), a 10% jump from a year ago.
Japan’s deficit has also been impacted by an increase in fuel imports.
The world’s third-largest economy has seen a rise in fuel imports, as most of Japan’s nuclear reactors continue to remain closed.
Japan’s imports rose 7.3% in January, from a year earlier. One of the biggest jumps was in the import of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which surged more than 28%.
Meanwhile, exports rose 6.4%, driven up mainly by shipments of manufactured goods, the customs and tariff bureau said.
Japan’s exports, one of the key drivers of its economic growth, have been hurt by a variety of factors.
Demand from the eurozone, of Japan’s biggest markets, has been hurt by the region’s ongoing debt crisis.
Japan’s monthly trade deficit hit a record in January after its recent aggressive monetary policy stance weakened the yen sharply
A territorial dispute with China has hit sales of Japanese goods to the country, Japan’s biggest trading partner, over the past few months.
However, the latest data indicated that things may be starting to change.
Japan’s shipments to China raised by 3% in January from a year earlier, the first rise since May.
At the same time, exports to the US, the world’s biggest economy, also jumped 10.9%, further adding to hopes of a recovery in the sector.
Meanwhile, the pace of decline in exports to the European Union also slowed during the month.
There are hopes that as shipments to key markets recover and the yen continues to remain weak, Japan’s export sector may see a sustained recovery.
The yen has dipped nearly 15% against the US dollar since November.
A weak currency helps boost profits of exporters when they repatriate their foreign earnings back home, giving them a much bigger pile of cash to invest at the end of the financial year.
At least 15 people have been injured after a suspected gas explosion triggered a huge blaze in Country Club Plaza shopping district in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas City official Troy Schulte said the authorities did not know if anyone was killed in the fire, which destroyed a restaurant and other businesses.
Local TV showed flames shooting out of the Country Club Plaza retail area.
Troy Schulte said officials believed the explosion may have stemmed from a utility contractor accident.
A doctor with St Luke’s Hospital told reporters two of the injured being treated there were in critical condition, one with “pretty severe burns”.
Six others walked into the hospital with minor injuries.
The Kansas City Star reported a total of 15 patients across three area hospitals, including St Luke’s Hospital.
A manager of the restaurant destroyed in the blaze, JJ’s, told police three people were unaccounted for but it was unclear if they had left earlier.
Sniffer dogs were being used to search the smoldering wreckage for bodies, city officials said.
At least 15 people have been injured after a suspected gas explosion triggered a huge blaze in Country Club Plaza shopping district in Kansas City, Missouri
First images from the scene showed firefighters and other emergency teams battling a massive blaze that appeared to have engulfed an entire block.
Jill Chadwick, spokeswoman for the University of Kansas Hospital, said one patient had told her that the restaurant was being evacuated when the blast happened and the roof fell in.
“This patient told me there had been the smell of gas and that they had evacuated any patrons and that employees of the restaurant were in the process of shutting off gas valves and trying to get out of the restaurant when there was the explosion,” she said.
“He said the last thing he remembered was the roof collapsing. I asked him how he got out and he said the front of the restaurant was blown away and he just walked through the rubble.”
The initial blast was felt beyond the shopping area.
The shopping area, established in 1922, is based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, and includes retail, restaurants, apartments and offices.
There were signs saying that utility work was being done in area ahead of the blast, and one man told the Star he saw Missouri Gas Energy workers inside JJs with gas detectors.
Madonna and Kate Hudson share the same cellulite-busting secret, the $14 Dr.Organic’s Organic Royal Jelly Cellulite Cream.
Since Cleopatra’s reign, Royal Jelly, the exclusive food of the queen honey bee, has been prized for its power to offer “eternal youth”, and it is certainly working its magic on the stars, both of whom boast toned and smooth skin.
The rich massage cream aims to improve the texture and tone of the skin.
Made from a heady blend of ingredients including certified 100% organic Royal Jelly, aloe vera, shea, cocoa butter and honey, Organic Royal Jelly Cellulite Cream claims to boost circulation and increase nutrition and oxygen supply to connective tissue.
Organic Royal Jelly Cellulite Creamis supposed to help fight the dreaded “orange peel” effect, and reduce bottom and thigh volume.
Royal Jelly is prized for its combination of essential amino and fatty acids, trace minerals, skin boosting B vitamins and natural antibacterial quality nourishes and judging by the results, it’s easy to see why both Madonna and Kate Hudson are fans.
Organic Royal Jelly Cellulite Cream claims to boost circulation and increase nutrition and oxygen supply to connective tissue
HTC has unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the revamped HTC One, as it attempts to regain lost market share.
HTC uses Google’s latest operating system, Android Jelly Bean, features a 4.7 in (12 cm) 1080p high display and includes a so-called ultrapixel camera.
The body is made fully of aluminium and has front-facing stereo speakers.
HTC launched the device in New York, a week before the start of Mobile World Congress, in what analysts say is a bid to secure attention for the phone.
The smartphone market is currently dominated by products from Apple and Samsung – HTC has lost much of its market share over the past two years.
It hopes that new software features will help to make its new handset stand out.
One of them is BlinkFeed, a personalized content feed on the home screen, that – according to HTC – “aggregates the freshest content from the most relevant sources as identified by you, providing instant access to news and social feeds without the need to jump between multiple applications and web sites”.
Another feature, called HTC Zoe, captures short high definition videos instead of still images before and after the camera shutter is pressed, so that users can chose the best picture to capture the moment. The software can also turn a gallery of still images into a collection of mini-videos.
HTC also boasts that its “ultrapixel” camera and software produce the best low-light shots available on any smartphone camera – a direct challenge to Nokia.
The HTC One’s rear camera’s sensor is bigger than those traditionally fitted to smartphones, and its pixels are also larger than normal.
The result, the firm says, is that it can produce clear shots in poorly lit situations.
HTC has unveiled its new flagship smartphone, the revamped HTC One, as it attempts to regain lost market share
However, the trade-off is that it only has a four megapixel resolution. It may outclass much of the competition, but the firm faces a challenge convincing consumers that the camera is as good as rivals’ featuring 13 megapixels or more.
The Taiwanese company hopes that both its hardware and software innovations can help it to regain ground lost to Apple and a bevy of rivals using the Android operating system, in particular Samsung.
Despite positive reviews, last year’s flagship phone, the HTC One X, struggled to sell, and the company’s net profit during the last three months of 2012 plummeted by more than 90% compared to the same period the previous year.
It was the fourth quarter in a row that HTC profits had fallen sharply.
Apple and Samsung, on the other hand, cornered the market with their new models, the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3.
More worryingly for the Taipei-based firm, HTC even dropped out of the ranks of the top five smartphone manufacturers by global market share, according to research firm IDC.
The consultancy says the firm now trails behind Chinese low-end mobile phone companies Huawei and ZTE, who took the number three and number five spots respectively. Japan’s Sony snatched the number four place.
HTC hopes that the HTC One with its aluminium unibody can help turn things around.
“We’ve created the best smartphone on the market; we just need to let the world know about it,” said HTC chairman Peter Chou.
A Gartner analyst agreed that marketing would be key if the company was to recover.
“Last year, the Butterfly and the One X were actually very good devices, but the sales were not as good as [the firm] expected,” said Lu Chun-kuan.
“The challenge remains that Samsung and Apple still have very a strong portfolio of premium devices.
“As far as the challenges at the low-end, that’s getting difficult as well. The market is getting more and more competitive, so… they have to make sure that consumers are aware about the new technology HTC can bring to them.”
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali has resigned after failing to reach agreement on forming a new government.
Hamadi Jebali had been trying to form a new coalition in response to the political crisis sparked by the killing of opposition leader Chokri Belaid.
He had said he would quit if his Islamist Ennahda party did not back his plan for a cabinet of technocrats.
Chokri Belaid’s assassination on 6 February provoked mass protests and resignations from Tunisia’s coalition government.
“I vowed that if my initiative did not succeed, I would resign and I have done so,” Hamadi Jebali told a news conference after meeting President Moncef Marzouki.
Describing his step as “a big disappointment”, he said he was standing down to “fulfill a promise made to the people.”
“Our people are disillusioned by the political class. We must restore confidence,” he stressed.
And he added: “The failure of my initiative does not mean the failure of Tunisia or the failure of the revolution,” in a reference to the popular unrest two years ago that ousted autocratic leader Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali.
Tunisia’s Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali has resigned after failing to reach agreement on forming a new government
Hamadi Jebali’s resignation comes despite comments by Ennahda’s leader Rached Ghannouchi on Monday that all parties involved in the coalition building talks had wanted the prime minister to remain in office.
Opposition supporters have blamed Ennahda for Mr Belaid’s assassination – an accusation the party denies.
Chokri Belaid’s killing was the first political assassination in Tunisia since the Arab Spring uprising in 2011.
Seven French tourists, including four children, have been kidnapped by gunmen in Cameroon, near the border with Nigeria, French President Francois Hollande has said.
Francois Hollande says they belong to the same family and were seized by a “known terrorist group based in Nigeria”.
The president added that the seven were probably taken to northern Nigeria.
He indicated that the Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram may have been responsible.
“I see the hand of Boko Haram in that part of Cameroon, and that is worrying enough for us to mobilize,” Francois Hollande said.
He said everything possible was being done to rescue the family and warned other French nationals in northern Cameroon to avoid “exposing themselves”.
The family had been returning from a visit to Waza National Park when they were attacked by men on motorcycles, Cameroonian officials said.
The incidents come amid a French-led intervention against Islamist militants in Mali.
Seven French tourists, including four children, have been kidnapped by gunmen in Cameroon, near the border with Nigeria
At least eight French nationals were already being held by Islamist groups in Africa.
Boko Haram has staged many attacks across northern Nigeria in recent years, targeting churches, government buildings and the security forces.
Another Islamist group- Ansaru – is also active in the region.
On Sunday, Ansaru claimed the abduction of seven foreign workers in Nigeria.
Italian, British, Greek and Lebanese workers are thought to be among those held after an attack on a construction project in Bauchi state.
Ansaru also says it is holding a French national, Francis Colump, who was seized in the northern state of Katsina.
Scientists say they may be able to determine the eventual fate of the cosmos as they probe the properties of the Higgs boson.
A concept known as vacuum instability could result, billions of years from now, in a new universe opening up in the present one and replacing it.
It all depends on some precise numbers related to the Higgs that researchers are currently trying to pin down.
A “Higgs-like” particle was first seen at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) last year.
Associated with an energy field that pervades all space, the boson helps explain the existence of mass in the cosmos. In other words, it underpins the workings of all the matter we see around us.
Since detecting the particle in their accelerator experiments, researchers at the Geneva lab and at related institutions around the world have begun to theorize on the Higgs’ implications for physics.
One idea that it throws up is the possibility of a cyclical universe, in which every so often all of space is renewed.
“It turns out there’s a calculation you can do in our Standard Model of particle physics, once you know the mass of the Higgs boson,” explained Dr. Joseph Lykken.
“If you use all the physics we know now, and you do this straightforward calculation – it’s bad news.
“What happens is you get just a quantum fluctuation that makes a tiny bubble of the vacuum the Universe really wants to be in. And because it’s a lower-energy state, this bubble will then expand, basically at the speed of light, and sweep everything before it,” said the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory theoretician.
It was not something we need worry about, he said. The Sun and the Earth will be long gone by this time.
Scientists say they may be able to determine the eventual fate of the cosmos as they probe the properties of the Higgs boson
Dr. Joseph Lykken was speaking here in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
He was participating in a session that had been organized to provide an update on the Higgs investigation.
The boson was spotted in the wreckage resulting from proton particle collisions in the LHC’s giant accelerator ring.
Data gathered by two independent detectors observing this subatomic debris determined the mass of the Higgs to be about 126 gigaelectronvolts (GeV).
That was fascinating, said Prof. Chris Hill of Ohio State University, because the number was right in the region where the instability problem became relevant.
“Before we knew, the Higgs could have been any mass over a very wide range. And what’s amazing to me is that out of all those possible masses from 114 to several hundred GeV, it’s landed at 126-ish where it’s right on the critical line, and now we have to measure it more precisely to find the fate of the Universe,” he said.
Prof. Chris Hill himself is part of the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) Collaboration at the LHC. This is one of the Higgs-hunting detectors, the other being Atlas.
Scientists have still to review about a third of the collision data in their possession. But they will likely need much more information to close the uncertainties that remain in the measurement of the Higgs’ mass and its other properties.
Indeed, until they do so, they are reluctant to definitively crown the boson, preferring often to say just that they have found a “Higgs-like” particle.
Frustratingly, the LHC has now been shut down to allow for a major programme of repairs and upgrades.
“To be absolutely definitive, I think it’s going to take a few years after the LHC starts running again, which is in 2015,” conceded Dr. Howard Gordon, from the Brookhaven National Laboratory and an Atlas Collaboration member.
“The LHC will be down for two years to do certain repairs, fix the splices between the magnets, and to do maintenance and stuff. So, when we start running in 2015, we will be at a higher energy, which will mean we’ll get more data on the Higgs and other particles to open up a larger window of opportunity for discovery. But to dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s, it will take a few more years.”
If the calculation on vacuum instability stands up, it will revive an old idea that the Big Bang Universe we observe today is just the latest version in a permanent cycle of events.
“I think that idea is getting more and more traction,” said Dr. Joseph Lykken.
“It’s much easier to explain a lot of things if what we see is a cycle. If I were to bet my own money on it, I’d bet the cyclic idea is right,” he said.
Former model Marion Finlayson, an 80 year-old Scottish grandmother, has been snapped up by top Glasgow modelling agency Colours, after catching the eye of scouts when she graced the catwalk after a 60-year break.
Marion Finlayson made her modelling debut back in the 1940s, and decided to tread the runway once again at a charity event in her hometown Aberdeen as a way of distracting herself from her husband Bruce’s death.
Marion Finlayson, who is grandmother to Antonia, 13, and Andrew, 11, said: “It’s all go at the moment. I’ve never been busier since appearing on the catwalk last year.
‘I actually got offers from two modelling agencies hundreds of miles away in Glasgow.
“It’s great fun and I’m just happy to still do something I enjoy. I’m turning 81 next month so I think I’m doing alright.”
Marion Finlayson made her catwalk comeback at Aberdeen City Council’s 50 Plus Festival in August, a staggering 60 years after her fashion debut.
Back in the 1940s she gave up her modelling commitments to become a teacher, but decided to take part in the fashion show in Aberdeen as a distraction from the death of husband Bruce Finlayson, to whom she was married for 54 years.
Marion Finlayson, who worked at the Albyn School in Aberdeen for years and went on to work with special needs children, said: “My husband, Bruce, died a year and a half ago after 54 years of marriage, a very good marriage, and I found it very difficult to overcome it.”
“But doing this catwalk has really helped. I’ve got to meet lots of new, younger people, which I think is good for me.
“I even had a muscle personal trainer in tartan to walk me down the catwalk.”
Marion Finlayson made her modelling debut back in the 1940s, and decided to tread the runway once again at a charity event in her hometown Aberdeen as a way of distracting herself from her husband Bruce’s death
Marion Finlayson says she likes to keep active, and regularly attends yoga and Pilates classes.
“I do yoga, Pilates and tums and bums classes every week,” she says.
“My grandchildren are a handful as well, they’re always running about.
“The modelling was something different and I would definitely do it again. If anyone asks me I will have a go – it’s better than doing the ironing.
“I’ve been interested in fashion all my life and I’d be the first to admit that I’m a bit of a shopaholic.”
Marion Finlayson recently wowed millions of viewers as she appeared on ITV’s This Morning show with Eamonn Holmes.
She said: “I couldn’t believe it. They phoned up and just said <<we’d love you to come on the programme, would you like to do it?>>.”
Marion Finlayson joked about other people her age: “They’re often talking about their pills and their blood pressure, but I don’t have any of that yet, I’m as well as I’ve ever been.
“I’m really happy with what I’m doing and I hope to carry on for a long time.”
Rosalynd Ramage, who runs Colours Modelling Agency, said: “The world is Marion’s oyster.
“Women don’t stop being interested in fashion or beauty when they reach a certain age, so it’s only fitting that older models are being used to promote products to them.”
Khloe Kardashian has been fired as a host on the X Factor after just one season, following a disappointing reception.
“They are asking Mario [Lopez] to come back, but not Khloe,” an insider confirmed to theNew York Post.
A spokesperson for the X Factor refused to confirm the report, instead stating simply: “The producers have not yet made the talent decisions for this year.”
Despite her wide popularity as a star on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Khloe Kardashian came to the X Factor with no hosting experience.
Her lack of training showed as she occasionally appeared nervous and unsure of how to act in front of the cameras.
The live show format was challenging for an inexperienced host, meaning links could not be re-recorded and Khloe Kardashian’s comments were out unedited.
Even Khloe Kardashian admitted it wasn’t easy.
“Just learning how there’s a screaming audience and you don’t yell because the mic is right there,” she explained.
“I will have an earpiece in my ear, and while I’m trying to read the teleprompter then I have someone counting down and they’re like, <<Okay, ask Simon this or that>>.
“There were so just so many pieces I never knew were involved in live TV.
“I do feel like through every show I got better and better, but my first week I literally was like, <<I am going to die. I want to fake a heart attack>>.”
The decision by X Factor bosses to not renew Khloe Kardashian’s contract will be a blow to the Kardashian family, who had turned out in force to support her.
Khloe Kardashian has been fired as a host on the X Factor after just one season, following a disappointing reception
The extended family, including sisters Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, had been regulars in the audience, with Kim’s superstar boyfriend Kanye West even making an appearance.
Despite her warm personality the 28-year-old was criticized for being overly loud, and her well-meaning but occasionally ill judged comments left viewers cringing.
Khloe Kardashian previously revealed she was asked not to take any hosting lessons before she started, leaving her unprepared for what to expect.
She added: “I’ve never done live TV before, and I was asked to not do any hosting lessons because they wanted me to be just myself. I found the day before because the stage was just built, that I couldn’t read the teleprompter without glasses, so I had to get contacts the day before.”
But Khloe Kardashian’s lack of experience could not be overcome, with even her fashion choices raising eyebrows.
On her very first show Khloe Kardashian caused a Twitter storm in a sheer blouse that exposed her nipples under the harsh studio lighting.
Even Simon Cowell remarked on the error, tweeting: “I think the air conditioning is on high tonight looking at khloe.”
On another occasion Khloe Kardashian perched herself on Simon Cowell’s lap and asked if he felt “excited”, missing the mark on the family show.
Khloe Kardashian’s vastly more experienced co-host Mario Lopez was also forced to defend Khloe against her critics, telling reporters “she’s sweet”.
She is not alone in leaving the show this season. Judges Britney Spears and LA Reid are also moving on, creating two openings on the panel.
There was no reaction to the bad news on Khloe Kardashian’s blog or Twitter feed. But despite the high-profile nature of the role Khloe Kardashian is sure to not be too upset.
She remains part of the most popular reality show on TV with her role on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
And her husband Lamar Odom is finding success with his new basketball team, the LA Clippers.
South African Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius today gave a horrifying account of the night he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp claiming he mistook her for a burglar when he woke up in the middle of the night.
In a statement read out to Pretoria magistrates court, Oscar Pistorius said he had been on the balcony of his house when he heard noises from the bathroom.
Believing Reeva Steenkamp was asleep in bed, he grabbed his gun and shouted a warning before firing four shots through the door, a judge was told.
It was only then, Oscar Pistorius claims that he realized Reeva Steenkamp was not in bed.
“I kicked the door open,” he said.
“I tried to help her but she died in my arms.”
Oscar Pistorius was sent back to his cells to spend a sixth night in jail until the bail hearing begins again tomorrow morning.
He is now facing the possibility of months in jail after a magistrate ruled that he faces a charge of premeditated murder, making bail unlikely.
Magistrate Desmond Nairmade the ruling after saying he could not exclude the possibility of planning in the death.
The court appearance comes on the same day as Reeva Steenkamp’s funeral, a private service, after her body was returned to her home town of Port Elizabeth.
Today Oscar Pistorius sobbed uncontrollably and at one point the magistrate stopped the proceedings to allow him to regain his composure and have an energy drink.
The sportsman told the court he was “deeply in love” with Reeva Steenkamp and that she had bought him a Valentine’s Day present, but told him not to open it until the following day.
Oscar Pistorius, 26, made the following statement in an affidavit read out by his lawyer.
“I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated murder because I had no intention to kill. I had no intention to kill my girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
“I have been informed I have been accused of murder – I deny the accusation. Nothing can be further from the truth that I planned the murder of my girlfriend.
“On February 13 Reeva would have gone out with her friends, me with mine. She wanted to stay at home.
“I was watching TV. My legs were off. She was doing yoga. At the end of the evening we got into bed.
“I’m acutely aware of people gaining entries to homes to commit crime, I’ve received death threats. I sleep with my 9mm under my bed. I woke up to close the sliding door and heard a noise in the bathroom.
“I was scared and didn’t switch on the light. I got my gun and moved towards the bathroom. I screamed at the intruder because I did not have my legs on I felt vulnerable. I fired shots through the bathroom door and told Reeva to call police.
“I walked back to the bed and realized Reeva was not in bed. Its then it dawned on me it could be her in there.
“I kicked the door open. Called paramedics and complex security. I tried to carry her downstairs for help. I tried to help her but she died in my arms.
“With the benefit of hindsight I realize that Reeva went to the bathroom when I went to close the balcony door.”
Oscar Pistorius was sent back to his cells to spend a sixth night in jail until the bail hearing begins again tomorrow morning
When asked by the Magistrate if he agrees with the affidavit as it was read out a trembling Oscar Pistorius answered: “Yes, sir – yes your worship.”
Today the state prosecution admitted they needed to do more work after the defence statement.
Friends of Oscar Pistorius gave compelling testimony to help his case during which his family hugged for strength.
His friend Alex Pilakoutas painted a picture of a loving relationship between the couple saying “they never even argued” and his cousin said the pair were planning to go house-hunting together.
Reeva Steenkamp’s best friend Samantha described Oscar Pistorius as “humble” and the “epitome of a true gentleman”.
She said: “Reeva said if Oscar asked her to marry him, she would probably say yes.”
As this line was read out to the court, Oscar Pistorius bowed his head.
Earlier in the hearing Oscar Pistorius slumped forward with his head in his hands as the prosecutor accused him of murdering an “unarmed and innocent woman”.
Both sides gave graphic descriptions of the events of the evening.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court that Oscar Pistorius shot the 29-year-old model four times through the bathroom door of his home.
Gerrie Nel painted a picture of premeditated killing – a crime that carries a life sentence in South Africa.
He told the court that Reeva Steenkamp went into the bathroom after the couple had been arguing.
“The applicant armed himself, attached his prosthesis, walked seven metres to the bathroom and shot the deceased while she was in the toilet. He shot four times…There’s no possible explanation to support his report that he thought it was a burglar,” the prosecutor said.
“If I arm myself, walk a distance and murder a person, that is premeditated,” he said.
“The door is closed. There is no doubt. I walk seven metres and I kill.”
“The motive is <<I want to kill>>. That’s it,” he added.
“This deceased was in a 1.4 by 1.14 metre little room. She could go nowhere.”
Gerrie Nel said the killing was premeditated because Oscar Pistorius had planned to say that he thought he was shooting an intruder.
“It was all part of the preplanning. Why would a burglar lock himself inside the bathroom?” Gerrie Nel said.
“She locked that door for a purpose. We’ll get to that purpose,” he said.
“That is where she was when those shots were fired. She couldn’t go anywhere. It must have been horrific.”
Tony Sheridan, an early supporter of The Beatles, has died aged 72.
During their early days as the Silver Beatles in Hamburg in the 1960s, they performed as Tony Sheridan’s backing band.
Ringo Starr has paid tribute to Tony Sheridan writting on his Twitter: “Goodbye to Tony Sheridan… I had a great month 1960-61, playing with him was great.”
Described as a catalyst in the Beatles’ rise to fame, they played on Tony Sheridan’s recording of My Bonnie.
After being spotted by producer Bert Kaempfert, it was their first studio session for Polydor as The Beat Brothers in June 1961.
Later that year, teenage fan Raymond Jones requested the song in Brian Epstein’s record store. Brian Epstein promised to order it and later became the Beatles’ manager, whom many still regard as the “fifth Beatle”.
Returning to Germany in 1961, the young Beatles and Tony Sheridan continued their collaboration and – at Bert Kaempfert’s instigation – recorded seven tracks.
Tony Sheridan, an early supporter of The Beatles, has died aged 72
A 1962 show at the Star Club in Hamburg, where the Liverpool band played many of their early shows, was a watershed performance – featuring Ringo Starr on drums – and helped catapult the Beatles to fame.
According to reports in the German media, Tony Sheridan died on Saturday February 16 following a long illness.
Sir Paul McCartney has issued a statement on his website saying: “Tony was a good guy who we knew and worked with from the early days in Hamburg. We regularly watched his late night performances and admired his style. He will be missed.”
In the early 1960s, the singer-songwriter toured with rock ‘n roll pioneers Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran.
Tony Sheridan had German Top 10 singles Let’s Slop and Skinny Minnie and with the Fab Four’s early commercial success, My Bonnie charted in both Britain and the US.
During his later years, Tony Sheridan lived with his third wife, Anna Sievers, in a farm house in the north of Germany. She died of cancer in 2011.
First Lady Michelle Obama jokingly says a mid-life crisis is what inspired her new haircut with bangs.
Michelle Obama revealed the new hairstyle last month on her 49th birthday, which came a few days before the festivities for President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
She was asked about the new haircut during an interview with talk-show host Rachael Ray.
“This is my mid-life crisis,” Michelle Obama said.
She added that she cut her bangs because she can’t get a sports car and won’t be allowed to bungee jump.
Reasons aside, the new hairstyle has widely praised by the style set, with many commenting that it makes her look younger.
Linda Wells, editor-in-chief of Allure magazine, told the Associated Press: “It’s definitely a more youthful style than what she had before. It just has a flirty, young quality to it.”
And New York hairstylist Robert Stuart added: “It’s much softer and younger, and it makes her look more approachable. It also works well for her sense of fashion. And it brings out her eyes.”
Michelle Obama jokingly says a mid-life crisis is what inspired her new haircut with bangs
Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld failed to echo their sentiments though, likening Michelle Obama’s new look to that of a news anchor – apparently a bad thing in his book.
In an interview that aired on French television network Canal Plus, he said: “I do not understand the change in hairstyle.”
Though Karl Lagerfeld said – twice – that he loves “Madame Obama”, he went on to add that a “speakerine do LCI” typically has this hairstyle, referring to a popular television news network.
“The fringe was not a good idea,” Karl Lagerfeld concluded.
President Barack Obama himself made several references to his wife’s new bangs during the inaugural festivities – all of them positive.
Heralding the cut as “the most significant event of this weekend”, Barack Obama said: “I love my wife’s new bangs – she always looks good!”
British author Hilary Mantel, a double Booker Prize winner, whose latest books are set in the Tudor court, dismissed Kate Middleton as a “machine-made” princess, “designed by committee”.
Hilary Mantel, 60, compared Kate Middleton unfavorably to both Anne Boleyn – one of her historical heroines – and to Princess Diana, insisting both had more personality.
The author said Kate Middleton had gone from being a “jointed doll on which certain rags are hung” to a woman whose “only point and purpose” was to give birth.
Hilary Mantel said the Duchess of Cambridge “appeared to have been designed by a committee and built by craftsmen, with a perfect plastic smile and the spindles of her limbs hand-turned and gloss-varnished”.
Now British PM David Cameron, while on a trip to India, has reportedly waded into the row to support Kate Middleton.
David Cameron said that Hilary Martel is “a great writer” but described her comments on the Duchess as “a hurtful thing to say”, according to reports.
He described the comments about Kate Middleton as “completely misguided and completely wrong”.
The head of a charity supported by the Duchess of Cambridge has hit back at Hilary Mantel’s extraordinary attack on her, saying she is an “intelligent” woman who is proving to be a huge asset to the causes she backs.
Nick Barton, chief executive of Action on Addiction, said the Booker prize-winning author was entirely wrong to characterize Kate Middleton as a clothes horse whose only purpose was to give birth.
Kate Middleton, who is almost halfway through her pregnancy, carried out her first official engagement of the year this morning when she visited Hope House, a 22-bed residential facility for women from all over the country to get over addictions to drugs and alcohol.
Hilary Mantel attacks Kate Middleton branding her a plastic princess
Action on Addiction is one of five charities of which the Duchess is patron, and she spent her time there speaking to women who are in recovery and congratulating those who are on the road back to sobriety.
Her visit came after the lecture, where Hilary Mantel said Kate Middleton was quite unlike Anne Boleyn, who was “a power player, a clever and determined woman”.
Hilary Mantel contrasted the Duchess’ appearance to Prince William’s mother, Diana, “whose human awkwardness and emotional incontinence showed in her every gesture”.
Hilary Mantel, the author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, the acclaimed novels which detail the failure of Henry VIII’s wives to produce an heir, used a lecture to examine the prospects for the future queen consort.
The author said that when she first saw Kate Middleton, she struck her as “a shop-window mannequin, with no personality of her own, entirely defined by what she wore”.
Prince William’s wife-to-be was as “painfully thin as anyone could wish, without quirks, without oddities, without the risk of the emergence of character”.
Hilary Mantel added: “Presumably Kate was designed to breed in some manners.
“She looks like a nicely brought up young lady, with <<please>> and <<thank you>> part of her vocabulary.”
Hilary Mantel also spoke of Kate Middleton’s appearance in her first official portrait since marrying Prince William, painted by Paul Emsley, which was unveiled last month.
She said: “Her eyes are dead and she wears the strained smile of a woman who really wants to tell the painter to bugger off.”
Hilary Mantel went on to say that female Royals were “at the most basic… breeding stock, collections of organs”.
St James’s Palace last week criticized a magazine for printing pictures of Kate Middleton’s baby bump taken during a break on the Caribbean island of Mustique.
And they were furious last year when pictures of her topless on holiday were printed in Italy – saying “a red line had been crossed”.
But Hilary Mantel suggested Kate Middleton could have few complaints about private pictures of her being taken on holiday – observing: “The royal body exists to be looked at.”
“Some people find them endearing; some pity them for their precarious situation; everybody stares at them, and however airy the enclosure they inhabit, it’s still a cage.”
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said Mantel’s comments were unfair.
Hilary Mantel studied law at LSE and Sheffield University, before becoming a novelist.
She is author of more than a dozen books, including Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, the first two parts of a trilogy about King Henry VIII’s adviser Thomas Cromwell, both of which won the Man Booker Prize.
Armed robbers have made off with a “gigantic” haul of diamonds after a rapid raid at Brussels Airport.
They broke through a fence on Monday evening and stole gems which could be worth 50 million euros ($67 million), as they were being loaded from a Brinks security van onto a Swiss-bound plane.
They escaped back through the same hole. Police later found a burned-out vehicle close to the airport.
Police are looking for eight men, a prosecutors’ spokeswoman said.
Caroline De Wolf, of the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, estimated the haul at 50 million euros, saying: “What we are talking about is obviously a gigantic sum.”
AFP quoted an unnamed spokeswoman at the same Antwerp centre calling the robbery “one of the biggest” ever.
She said that the diamonds were “rough stones” being transported from Antwerp to Zurich.
Armed robbers have made off with a “gigantic” haul of diamonds after a rapid raid at Brussels Airport
Antwerp is the hub of the world diamond trade – about 150 million euros’ worth of stones move in and out of the city every day, the spokeswoman added.
Brussels prosecutor’s spokeswoman Anja Bijnens said the thieves were masked and well armed, but no shots were fired and no-one was hurt in the raid.
They used two vehicles, the raid was over in a matter of minutes, and they made off into the night.
An airport spokesman, Jan Van Der Crujsse, said the robbers made a hole in the perimeter fence and drove up next to the Swiss passenger plane that was preparing to leave.
French food and drink company Danone has announced it will cut 900 jobs after weakness in southern European economies hit sales.
The owner of Activia yogurt and Evian bottled water reported sales of 20.1 billion euros ($26.8 billion) in 2012, up 5.4% from a year earlier.
But sales in Europe fell 3% following a “severe deterioration” in consumer demand.
As a result, Danone has announced a cost-cutting plan.
The firm plans to cut about 900 management and administrative positions across 26 European countries.
“2013 will be a year of transition, with vigorous development in business in our growth markets and a drive to strengthen operations in Europe,” said chairman and chief executive Franck Riboud in a statement.
Danone has announced it will cut 900 jobs after weakness in southern European economies hit sales
The world’s biggest maker of yogurts predicted its profit margins would fall again this year, with a negative trend for demand in Europe and prices of raw materials staying high.
Its sales growth in 2012 was at the lower end of its own expectations and behind the 5.9% achieved by its Swiss rival Nestle.
Danone is heavily exposed to European economies, with about 38% of its sales coming from Western Europe.
Sales at its Spanish dairy division were particularly weak.
Danone announced in December that it was preparing a two-year cost-cutting programme to save about 200 million euros.
Oscar Pistorius has broken down in tears at court this morning as he begged for bail on the same day Reeva Steenkamp will be buried by her family.
Oscar Pistorius, 26, was hidden under a blanket in the back of a police car as he was swept into the Pretoria courthouse where he was accused of gunning down model Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day.
The Paralympic champion began to sob in the dock before he slumped forwards with his head in his hands as the prosecutor accused him of murdering an “unarmed and innocent woman”.
The court was also told that Reeva Steenkamp had arrived at his home at around 6 p.m., with an overnight bag, before being “shot three times while on the toilet” in the middle of the night.
600 miles away in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth Reeva Steenkamp’s family, friends and loved-ones will be attending her private funeral.
They have demanded to know why their “beautiful angel” was blasted to death with his 9mm gun and have begged the sprinter to “tell the truth” about the shooting when he appears in court today.
Meanwhile olice focus their investigations on Reeva Steenkamp’s iPad amid concerns she received an early-hours message that may have sparked a row.
Oscar Pistorius has broken down in tears at court this morning as he begged for bail on the same day Reeva Steenkamp will be buried by her family
Reeva Steenkamp’s tablet computer was found on the bedroom floor – and this is now being checked by investigators along with both her and Oscar Pistorius’ phone for any clues about her death.
June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother said: “All we want are answers … answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this?”
But the mystery of her final moments deepened after the tragedy was recreated in a controversial “cartoon” strip in South Africa.
The bizarre images suggest Reeva Steenkamp was shot in the hip in Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom before being attacked and seeking refuge in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet seat.
Today it also emerged that sportswear brand Nike, one of the athlete’s main sponsors, has no plans to use Oscar Pistorius in future ad campaigns.
This came as Reeva Steenkamp’s brother Adam called for the truth, telling reporters that the only person left alive who can say what happened is Oscar Pistorius.
Asked what could possibly be the motive behind his niece’s murder, Reeva’s uncle Mike Steenkamp said: “The only person who can answer that is Reeva”
But her brother Adam said: “Oscar.”
Adam Steenkamp, a 36-year-old father of two who works at the University of Cambridge, has flown back to his parent’s home in South Africa to help deal with the crisis. Though he is Reeva Steenkamp’s half brother, as they have different mothers, he said that they considered each other direct siblings.
Lil Wayne claims he slept with the wife of NBA player Chris Bosh.
Rapper Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter Jr., told a packed audience that he bedded Adrienne Williams Bosh, the spouse of Chris Bosh.
The outspoken music star made the claim on stage as he hosted LIV on Sunday All Star Weekend edition at Stereo Live in Houston, Texas.
Lil Wayne, 30, explained: “If you’re wondering why you didn’t see me at the All Star Game it’s because I was banned from attending all NBA events. The Miami Heat got me banned.”
He then led the crowd in chanting: “F**k NBA! F**k Lebron! F**k SheWade! F**k Chris Bosh! And I f**ked Chris Bosh wife!”
It comes after Lil Wayne was escorted out of a Miami Heat game at the American Airlines Arena last week for apparently cheering on the Los Angeles Lakers.
In a Twitter rant Lil Wayne said he had been banned from future games too.
“So I’m @ da Heat game right, rootin 4 da Lakers kuz dats my team & would u believe they got police 2 make me leave?! Wow! F**k da Heat.”
Lil Wayne told a packed audience that he bedded Adrienne Williams Bosh, the spouse of Chris Bosh
The rapper continued to explain to fans at the gig attended by stars including Drake, J Cole and the Young Money collective: “The NBA banned me from all NBA events … because the Miami Heat told them to ban me.”
However, a spokesperson from the Florida team told USA Today that the performer was not kicked out but he chose to leave.
Also, according to multiple reports, a fan named Danny Vega said that Lil Wayne was kicked out for making gun gestures at another attendee.
Despite his apparent rage towards the organization Lil Wayne paid his respects upon hearing that the owner of his favorite team had passed away aged 80 on Monday morning after a long illness.
Lil Wayne said about LA Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss via Twitter: “Rest peacefully Dr. Buss and may God bless your family. Purple-Gold.”
Country star Mindy McCready is the fifth former contestant on Celebrity Rehab reality show who died within three years of appearing on the television show.
Since Mindy McCready, 37, was found after an apparent suicide at her cabin in Arkansas, Celebrity Rehab has come under increased scrutiny.
However, Mindy McCready herself was possibly under scrutiny at the time of her death. Police were reportedly planning question her about the death last month of her boyfriend David Wilson, who was shot at the same Heber Spring, Arkansas, home where Mindy McCready killed herself.
Celebrity Rehab, which is currently in its fifth season on VH1, is lead by Dr. Drew Pinsky and features a changing cast of celebrities. Camera chronicle their journey through a 21-day rehabilitation clinic where they are treated for various drug addictions.
In addition to Mindy McCready, four other castmates have died because of different incidents relating to their addictions.
The most fatal of the show’s seasons was the third season, since Mindy McCready’s death brings the fatality count up to three out of the nine featured cast members.
It was revealed on Monday that Mindy McCready had been working on a suicide awareness video right before her death, it was revealed today.
Private investigator Danno Hanks told E! News Mindy McCready had asked him to work on a cover of I’ll See You Yesterday which was written by Courtney Dashe, a fan of McCready’s who wanted her to sing the song.
Then on Saturday, the day before she was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at her Arkansas home, Mindy McCready sent him a frame for a video with a suicide hotline number.
He said: “She said she wanted to put together this video to help people deal when someone had suffered a suicide in their life and God, she was literally having me write her suicide note.
“If I had known, I would have made sure someone was there with her all the time. I thought she was talking about sending a message about suicide for David’s death but this is unbelievable.
“She was sending me a message. I wish I had been more alert to what it was. I just didn’t think she would do this. She had two kids to live for. I still can’t fathom the whole thing.”
Mindy McCready was also facing public scrutiny over the death of David Wilson on January 13.
Sheriff’s deputies investigating the case had said the death was suspicious. They were planning to re-interview before she died, People magazine reports.
Mindy McCready denied having anything to do with his death – calling David Wilson her “soulmate” – but police said unanswered questions remain.
“At first, she said she hadn’t heard the gunshot because the TV was too loud. Then she said she had heard the gunshot,” a source told People.
“So obviously there were a lot of questions, and the Sheriff was asking for clarification.”
Mindy McCready is the fifth former contestant on Celebrity Rehab reality show who died within three years of appearing on the television show
Former Real World contestant Joey Kovar died in August of last year, just three years after the third season of Celebrity Rehab aired.
Though his family said that he had maintained his sobriety following the show, an autopsy revealed that his cause of death was opiate intoxication.
That is believed to be a result of the painkiller that Joey Kovar was taking at the time, which was called Norco and classified as an opiate though it was never confirmed that the drug caused his death.
Their fellow cast mate Mike Starr, a bass player from the grunge rock band Alice in Chains, was arrested in February 2011 for possessing two different types of prescription medication that were deemed controlled substances.
Mike Starr was found dead less than a month later as a result of what Dr. Drew deemed a prescription drug overdose.
The two other stars who died after their series aired were actor Jeff Conaway of Grease fame and Rodney King, the man whose beating sparked the Los Angeles police brutality riots.
Jeff Conaway, who made a name for himself as Kenickie in the musical film, was featured on both the show’s first and second seasons because his addiction to prescription medication returned following back surgeries.
At first it was thought that he died in May 2011 due to a drug overdose, but Dr. Drew later made a public statement saying that he was placed in a medically induced coma following a combination of pneumonia and sepsis caused by years of drug abuse.
Rodney King, who shot to fame after he was seen being beaten by police in Los Angeles which went on to prompt the infamous riots of the early 1990s, was found dead after having drowned in his swimming pool.
The drowning was ruled an accident but an autopsy proved that he had a mix of cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol in his system at the time of his death in June of last year.
Now much of the criticism is falling on the shoulders of Dr. Drew Pinsky who serves as a host, executive producer and doctor on the show.
“Although I have not treated her for a few years, I had reached out to her recently upon hearing about the apparent suicide of her boyfriend and father of her younger children. She was devastated,” Dr. Drew Pinsky said in a statement Monday.
“Although she was fearful of stigma and ridicule she agreed with me that she needed to make her health and safety a priority. Unfortunately it seems that Mindy did not sustain her treatment.”
Mindy McCready had been in the news over the past month because her live-in boyfriend David Wilson also died in an apparent suicide at the same cabin in Heber Springs.
Mindy McCready was allegedly in the house at the time of his death but she allegedly did not hear the gun shot because the television was too loud.
Following David Wilson’s death, she attended court-ordered rehab and her two sons were put into foster care, and they remained in the custody of the state at the time of her death.
On her bio page from Celebrity Rehab’s website, VH1 made references to her personal problems and even pegged the root of her troubles on her relationships.
Mindy McCready’s biography on the show’s page says: “Although she was arrested and jailed for trying to buy OxyContin with a false prescription and attempted suicide with an overdose of drugs and alcohol, Mindy believes her only true addiction is to violent relationships.”
Oscar Pistorius is due back in court in Pretoria today for a bail hearing that may reveal further details of the murder case against him.
Prosecutors plan to pursue a charge of premeditated murder against Oscar Pistorius, a charge he is expected to deny.
His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was shot dead at his home on Thursday. Police later recovered a hand gun.
Reeva Steenkamp is due to be cremated at a private ceremony in Port Elizabeth later.
Oscar Pistorius’s appearance in court will be the first since he broke down and wept at an initial hearing on Friday.
Prosecutors are expected to outline their evidence against Oscar Pistorius to support their argument that he should be denied bail before his trial begins.
The athlete is also likely to enter a plea for the first time.
Oscar Pistorius is due back in court in Pretoria today for a bail hearing that may reveal further details of the murder case against him
Oscar Pistorius, who has both legs amputated below the knee, was held at a local police station over the weekend, and has not spoken publicly about Reeva Steenkamp’s death.
But a statement released by Oscar Pistorius’s family suggests he will deny the charges being prepared against him.
“The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms,” it said.
Meanwhile the family of Reeva Steenkamp has spoken of its grief in a newspaper interview published on Monday.
Speaking to the Times of South Africa, her mother June Steenkamp said: “All we want are answers… answers as to why this had to happen, why our beautiful daughter had to die like this.”
The bail hearing is not expected to be televised after lawyers agreed there should be “no live recording” of proceedings.
The case has aroused huge interest both in South Africa, where Oscar Pistorius is regarded as a national hero, and around the world.
Oscar Pistorius rose to fame as one of the most recognizable faces of Paralympic sport, and the first double-amputee track athlete to race in the Olympics.
Swiss-based firm Nestle has removed beef pasta meals from shelves in Italy and Spain after tests revealed traces of horse DNA.
Nestle, the world’s biggest food company, halted deliveries of products containing meat from a German supplier.
The company is the latest in a string of major food producers to find traces of horsemeat in beef meals.
A spokesman for Nestle said levels of horse DNA were very low but above 1%.
Last week the firm said its products did not contain horsemeat.
Nestle withdrew two chilled pasta products, Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini, in Italy and Spain.
Lasagnes a la Bolognaise Gourmandes, a frozen product for catering businesses produced in France, will also be withdrawn.
A spokesman for the company said Nestle had identified a problem with a supplier from Germany.
A statement on the Nestle website identified the supplier as HJ Schypke, a sub-contractor of JBS Toledo, a major meat processing company based in Belgium.
“There is no food safety issue, but the mislabelling of products means they fail to meet the very high standards consumers expect from us,” the statement said.
Nestle has removed beef pasta meals from shelves in Italy and Spain after tests revealed traces of horse DNA
In addition to removing the three affected products from sale, Nestle would be “enhancing our existing comprehensive quality assurance programme by adding new tests on beef for horse DNA prior to production in Europe”, it added.
The news that Nestle is now having to withdraw some foods, shows the problem is far wider than previously thought and, critics say, how dangerously unregulated the food industry has become.
The widening scandal over mislabelled horsemeat has affected at least 12 European countries, including Switzerland, where the retailer Co-op – famous for its broad range of organic, locally-sourced food – was on Monday forced to remove nine different products from its shelves.
Last Wednesday, Co-op said it had found horsemeat in its own-brand frozen lasagne produced by the Comigel food processing company in France.
Co-op now faces possible charges of negligence from the Swiss authorities.
France meanwhile partially lifted a production ban for another meat processing firm, Spanghero.
The French government revoked its licence last week over suspicions that Spanghero knowingly sold horsemeat labelled as beef, an allegation the company rejects.
The French authorities said that unwitting workers should not be penalized.
As a result Spanghero will be allowed to produce minced meat, sausages and ready-to-eat meals, but not to stock frozen meat.
Meanwhile the UK and Germany have also both pledged to step up testing of frozen food products.
Fuel prices have skyrocketed across the US, with a gallon of gas reaching past $5.00 in some parts of the country.
The price of petrol has been continually climbing for the past 32 days, causing many Americans to spend as much as 10% of their income on gas.
Experts are puzzled why prices keep ascending, as many drivers tend to shy away from long trips in the winter months due to slick road conditions.
According to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge report, the national average for a gallon of regular gas is $3.73, up two cents from yesterday.
A year ago, the median price was $3.56 per gallon.
The escalating cost of fuel comes as many Americans are facing an end to Bush-era tax cuts and are already coping with smaller paychecks and less disposable income.
KTLA reports that regular fuel costs $5.09 a gallon, while premium can run up to an eye-watering $5.39 a gallon.
With most non-hybrid vehicles getting between 20-30 miles per gallon and most drivers averaging 29 miles a day, the price spike is worrisome, especially since fuel prices tend to rise during the spring and summer months.
Fuel prices have skyrocketed across the US, with a gallon of gas reaching past $5.00 in some parts of the country
The cause of the price hikes is complex – CNN Money reports that it is a “confluence of factors, from rising crude oil prices, to production cuts and refinery closings”.
In addition, consumer reports show that the job and housing markets are slowly but surely creeping back to where they were before the recession, meaning the cost of oil has been rising with it.
North Dakotans have paid the most for fuel, based on their income. According to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report, the average gas price is $3.67 a gallon.
While it’s not the priciest in the nation, it is a whopping 10.3% of their income.
Prices typically rise in March and April, when car owners begin to travel longer distances.
