King Edward VII hospital, which is treating Kate Middleton, has released private details about her condition to two prank callers from Australian radio station 2Day FM.
The King Edward VII Hospital in central London has launched an investigation into the extraordinary stunt by Mel Greig and Michael Christian – and St James’s Palace is understood to be furious at what happened.
Mel Greig and Michael Christian pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles to obtain intimate medical information about pregnant Kate Middleton, who is suffering from acute morning sickness. The transcript in full:
Receptionist: Hello, good morning, King Edward VII Hospital
Female presenter (Mel Greig, impersonating the Queen): Oh, hello there. Could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter?
Receptionist: Oh yes, just hold on ma’am
Male presenter (Michael Christian, impersonating Prince Charles): Are they putting us through?
Greig: Yes
Christian: If this has worked it is the easiest prank call we have ever made. Your accent sucked by the way, I just want you to know
[Both laughing]
Greig: I’m not used to playing old an 80-year-old
[Phone picked up]
Greig: Kate, my darling. Are you there?
Nurse: Good morning ma’am, this is the nurse speaking, how may I help you?
Greig: I’m just after my granddaughter Kate. I want to see how her little tummy bug is going?
Nurse: She’s sleeping at the moment and she has had an uneventful night. And sleep is good for her. She’s been given some fluids [part removed due to patient confidentiality]. She’s stable at the moment.
[Part removed due to patient confidentiality]
Mel Greig and Michael Christian pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles to obtain intimate medical information about pregnant Kate Middleton
Greig: I’ll just feed my little corgis then. When is a good time to come and visit her, because I’m the Queen and I need a lift down there?
[In background: Mummy, mummy]
Charles! When can you take me to the hospital, Charles?
Christian: When will it be alright to come down and see her? Maybe in the morning or something if that’s OK?
Nurse: I would suggest that any time after nine o’clock would be suitable because the doctor will be in the morning and will just be getting her freshened up. I would think any time after nine.
Christian: Is Wills still there or has he gone home? I haven’t spoken to him yet.
Nurse: He went home probably at about nine o’clock last night, to be fair.
Christian: Lovely, but are they all ok? Everything is alright?
Nurse: [Removed due to confidentiality]
Christian: Of course, it’s hardly the palace is it?
Greig: It’s nothing like the palace, is it Charles? When are you going to walk those bloody corgis?
Christian: Mummy, I’ll go and take the dogs outside.
Greig: I need to go visit Kate in the morning. My dear, thank you so much!
Nurse: You are very welcome
Greig: Goodbye!
Nurse: Goodbye!
[Both presenters burst into laughter]
Greig: She was giving real information.
Christian: Mummy I think they just believed everything we just said.
Joe Mullins, the forensic expert who has scientifically forecasted how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s little boy or girl could look, said it is sure to be “adorable”.
Washington based Joe Mullins has taken all the best features of the Royal couple and morphed them together.
And with their piercing blue eyes, clear complexion and Kate Middleton’s thick dark locks, the child could be a Royal beauty.
But, boy or girl, it is unlikely to have the blonde hair of its paternal grandmother, Diana Princess of Wales, he said.
Joe Mullins studied recent photographs of the couple and used the latest computer technology to predict how the child may look during their formative years.
If the couple have a son, the boy is expected to inherit many of William’s features.
Joe Mullins has included the famous Windsor ears and William’s slightly receding hairline.
A daughter is predicted to closer resemble Kate Middleton, with a high forehead, heart shaped face and long brown hair.
In the past he has taken the faces of other well known couples and imagined how their children may look, and has carried out magazine work where he “ages” celebrities such Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
But it seems some people are not so hopeful for the couple’s offspring.
Popular website Morph Thing creator Charanjeet Kondal has taken William and Kate’s more “unique” features and morphed them into what they would look like combined.
And less flattering images are a far departure from the glossy American images released by Joe Mullins – showing a child with thinner hair and slightly protruding ears.
While they are not as polished as those produced by the US artist, they do still bear a striking resemblance to the couple as children.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had been hoping to keep the news they were expecting a baby to themselves until Christmas Day.
But after Kate was admitted to hospital with extreme morning sickness, sparked by a rare condition called Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), they had little choice but to make the announcement.
Kate Middleton, 30, who is thought to be between six and eight weeks pregnant, was taken to the hospital just after lunch on Sunday by her husband and put on a drip to stop her becoming dehydrated.
But the news delighted millions around the world – including their own families.
Sources say she appeared to be responding well to treatment and there was “no cause for alarm”.
However, doctors at the King Edward VII Hospital in central London have taken the precautionary step of keeping her in for the next few days.
Joe Mullins is a highly respected forensic artist based in Washington.
He trained as a graphic designer before joining police doing both age progressions of missing children and facial reconstruction from the skull.
His work has helped trace countless missing children over the 11 years he has worked in forensics.
But when he is not hard at work in the serious day job, he enjoys creating “fun but scientific forecasts” forecasting how celebrities will look when they are older and how their children might look.
Joe Mullins said he took recent pictures of the Duke and Duchess, and took account of their coloring, and predominant genes and outstanding features, such as Kate’s olive skin, William’s ears, and their clear complexions.
While he tries to make then as “cute as possible” he says it is all highly scientific.
He said the future king or queen of England was bound to be “adorable” and added: “For Kate and William’s baby – I think there is a lot of good genes in the mix there.
“There is a science behind the process. The darker features are more dominant with Kate’s olive skin and dark hair. I would say you are not going to get a fair skinned baby with blonde hair and blue eyes – like Diana.”
He added: “Over the years I have done lots of different celebrities.
“I did Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt when they were married and I have done a few of Angelina Jolie.
“When I did Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise I did the child as a boy, but the image actually does look a lot like Suri.
“My day job means I have acquired a skill which means it is always in the ball park.
“I was inspired after seeing some other versions of celebrities children that were done. I remember thinking ‘those things look scary. I could do something more accurate.
“My interpretation of Kate Hudson’s son Ryder Robinson (son from her first marriage to Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson) was pretty much spot on.
“It’s all forensic art based on family hereditary going backward to make these fun baby images or forward to depict what children will look like now and get them back home to where they belong.”
A South Korean court has jailed a North Korean spy reportedly ordered to attack the eldest son of late leader Kim Jong-il, officials say.
The unidentified man, charged with falsely defecting so as to gather information, was jailed for four years.
The man had spent a decade in China tracking down North Korean defectors before coming to the South, the court said.
South Korean media also said he had admitted trying to organise a hit-and-run accident targeting Kim Jong-nam.
The South Korean court said that the 50-year-old man – who has a son who still lives in the North – became a spy after he was threatened by North Korea’s spy agency.
He defected to South Korea this year, citing poverty, but later told investigators that he was a spy.
Local media reports citing prosecutors say the man also admitted he had been told by North Korean authorities to attack Kim Jong-nam.
He reportedly went as far as hiring a taxi driver to run Kim Jong-nam over in 2010, but the plot went no further.
Kim Jong-nam is thought to have fallen out of favor with Kim Jong-il in 2001 after he was caught trying to sneak into Japan using a false passport
Kim Jong-nam is thought to have fallen out of favor with Kim Jong-il in 2001 after he was caught trying to sneak into Japan using a false passport. He told officials that he was planning to visit Tokyo Disneyland.
Bypassed in favor of his youngest half-brother for succession, the eldest son of Kim Jong-il has maintained a low profile overseas. He was quoted by Japanese media in 2011 as saying he opposed ”dynastic succession”.
He was thought to have been living in Macau but media reports indicate he may have moved to Singapore.
The court said that it had taken the spy’s co-operation into consideration. But it said “stern punishment” was required given the extent to which he could have “greatly compromised the country”.
The court added that he “seriously violated human rights of North Korean defectors”, as he was trying to get them to return to their country.
A hoax call from Australian radio station 2Day FM presenters, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, pretending to be the Queen and Prince Charles, has been made to King Edward VII hospital where Kate Middleton is being treated for morning sickness.
King Edward VII hospital in London said a nurse had discussed the Duchess of Cambridge’s condition with an Australian radio station and deplored the “foolish prank”.
Hospital’s chief executive said confidentiality was taken seriously and telephone protocols are under review.
Two radio presenters, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, last night tricked staff at the Duchess of Cambridge’s hospital into giving a full update on her condition.
In an extraordinary stunt that provoked fury, the Australian 2Day FM presenters impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles and found themselves talking to pregnant Kate’s private nurse.
A nurse tells Mel Greig and Michael Christian that the Duchess is about to be “freshened up”, saying: “She’s sleeping at the moment and she has had an uneventful night.
“She’s been given some fluids, she’s stable at the moment.”
Australian 2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles and found themselves talking to pregnant Kate Middleton’s private nurse
King Edward VII Hospital in central London today verified that the call was genuine but criticized it as “a foolish prank call that we all deplore”. The stunt triggered global outrage.
The presenters started the show by claiming they have the phone number of the King Edward VII Hospital and call it, claiming they want to “speak to Kate”.
It came as Prince William left his wife’s beside last night after a six-hour vigil and for the first time in more than 24 hours finally felt able to offer a smile.
Kate Middleton was said to be feeling better, but will continue to receive treatment for the next few days.
The Duchess has been on a drip in hospital after being admitted on Monday with an acute – and potentially dangerous – form of morning sickness.
St James’s Palace said yesterday: “The Duchess of Cambridge is continuing to feel better. She and the duke are immensely grateful for the good wishes they have received.
“She will remain in hospital at present and will continue to be treated for hyperemesis gravidarum.”
In spite of William’s obvious concern, the couple may be forced to spend the first months of Kate’s pregnancy apart if her medical condition does not improve.
The condition that the duchess, who is believed to be only eight weeks pregnant, has been diagnosed with can last for the first five months of pregnancy – sometimes even for the entire duration.
It may require regular hospital treatment because it can lead to severe dehydration, putting mother and baby at risk.
A spokesman for Prince William and Kate Middleton said he would be making no comment on the prank.
The death toll from powerful Typhoon Bopha battering the southern Philippines has risen to about 200, as rescue teams arrive in affected areas.
At least 156 people are known to have died in Compostela Valley province alone when Typhoon Bopha struck eastern Mindanao, local officials said.
Rescuers have reached most areas, but have had difficulty getting to some isolated communities.
Many were evacuated ahead of the storm, now over the western island of Palawan.
Typhoon Bopha is expected to move out into the South China Sea on Thursday.
Compostela Valley province was said to be the hardest-hit area. Neighboring Davao Oriental province was also badly affected, with reports of about 50 people killed.
In Andap village, in Compostela Valley, water and mud rushed down mountainous slopes to engulf a school and a village hall serving as evacuation centres.
At least 43 people were killed there, with more reported missing and injured – including soldiers sent to help with evacuations.
The death toll from powerful Typhoon Bopha battering the southern Philippines has risen to about 200, as rescue teams arrive in affected areas
“The waters came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and the winds were so fierce – that compounded the loss of lives and livelihood,” Compostela Valley Provincial Governor Arturo Uy told Reuters news agency.
He said water catchment basins for farms on top of the mountains had given way because of the torrential rains, sending down large volumes of water.
He added that the cost of damage to agriculture and infrastructure in Compostela Valley province could reach at least 4 billion pesos ($98 million), with the typhoon destroying 70-80% of plantations – mostly bananas for export.
Julius Rebucas, whose mother and brother were caught in flash floods in Compostela Valley, said: “The last thing my mother said was <<I love you>>. It’s sad because I no longer have a family.”
Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon said roads to dozens of towns were impassable because of fallen trees and collapsed bridges, and getting into them was like “running an obstacle course”.
She said initial reports indicated that in one town, Cateel, 95% of the buildings had been damaged. Twenty-three people had drowned or were buried under fallen trees or buildings there, she said.
Across the affected provinces, rescuers have also pulled out dozens of people from the mud, many of whom are now being treated in evacuation centres and hospitals. Most suffered facial wounds or limb injuries.
Dozens of domestic flights and ferry services in the central and south of the country were suspended, and schools and businesses were closed while the storm passed.
Bopha comes a year after Typhoon Washi killed more than 1,300 people in the southern Philippines.
The storm devastated the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan on the island’s north coast.
Many of those who died were sleeping as Typhoon Washi caused rivers to burst their banks, leading to landslides. Entire villages were washed away.
Kate Middleton’s pregnancy will be the most scrutinized, most photographed and most copied pregnancy the world has ever seen.
In this celebrity-obsessed, internet age, it is certain that every decision mother-to-be Kate Middleton makes until her baby’s birth will prove to be a trend-setting one – analyzed and imitated across the globe.
Kate Middleton’s bump itself will become the focus of attention for a gawping world as people look for scintillas of cheer among stories of economic austerity and international sabre-rattling.
Indeed, the little prince or princess will have considerable influence even before they take their first breath in the land over which they’ll one day reign.
Long gone are the days when well-heeled women chose to hide during their so-called “confinement”.
When Kate Middleton married into the Royal Family, she accepted that her every move would be forensically watched.
As such, she will doubtless be cast in the leading role as Queen of the Yummy Mummies.
The Duchess can therefore hardly resort to the occasional slummy day like most mothers-to-be – wearing a “tent-dress” to cover a growing tummy, or pulling on a size 14 jumper over maternity jeans.
In any case, the figure of the naturally svelte Kate Middleton will for some months be considerably slimmer than the average woman’s, so she won’t have to wear maternity clothes for a good while.
When she does want to adapt her wardrobe, she can conveniently turn to Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen – her wedding dress designer who is due to have a baby in February. If anyone can make fashionable coats and dresses with a tactfully high waistline, it is her.
But more thorny issues will eventually arise – for no one’s decisions are more contentious than a pregnant mother’s. Natural birth (probably) or Caesarean? Home (highly unlikely) or hospital?
William and Harry were born in the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s in Paddington, West London. Kate Middleton is expected to follow suit by using the private wing of an NHS hospital, and the Lindo has just been refurbished.
The private Portland Hospital in central London is the celebrity favorite but doesn’t have the adult intensive-care facilities of a large teaching hospital. No risks, however tiny, are going to be taken here.
Once the birthing suite has been chosen and Kate Middleton has a few months on her hands, there will be plenty of other choices to make concerning the care of the newest heir to the throne.
The royal nursery at Apartment 1A, Kensington Palace, is probably being refurbished at this moment – overseen by Kate.
Among the apartment’s 20 rooms, which once saw late-night louche parties hosted by Princess Margaret, there is plenty of room for live-in maternity nurses and nannies.
These might play a less central role than they once did in royal circles, as hands-on parenting will be Kate Middleton’s goal, but they will still be on call.
They will perhaps be vetted by the upmarket firm Kensington Nannies, which charges a finder’s fee of £2,500 ($3,800), but ideally will come with word-of-mouth recommendations.
Kate Middleton’s pregnancy will be the most scrutinized, most photographed and most copied pregnancy the world has ever seen
William and Kate could talk to soon-to-be near neighbors Hugh and Rose van Cutsem. He is a financial consultant, and their daughter Grace was a bridesmaid at William and Kate’s wedding.
Rose van Cutsem had a third child in January. Or they could consult the Duchess of Cornwall’s children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, who both have children and live in West London.
Then there is the question of a Christian name, and several middle names, for the future monarch. If it’s a girl, will Diana be in there somewhere? Or Carole? The chosen moniker will spawn endless imitators, while the Christening will be a national event.
Prince William was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, and we can expect something similar this time. Two tiers of Fiona Cairns’s wedding cake from 2011 are waiting.
The role of godparent will be hotly contested.
The couple will probably choose five or six from three groups: royal relations, trustworthy Sloane friends and media-savvy celeb types.
The obvious choices are, of course, that glamorous pair Pippa Middleton – no one can plan the infant’s parties better, and don’t forget the Baby Shower range from her parents’ firm Party Pieces – and Prince Harry, the racy uncle incarnate.
Farther removed but still in the royal running could be a Spencer relation, such as Diana’s brother Charles’s blonde daughter Lady Kitty, or Princess Beatrice or Eugenie.
From the second group, there’s Hugh van Cutsem or his three brothers – long-time pals of Wills and Harry – who are all tall, handsome and reliable. There are the Waley-Cohens – Gold Cup-winning jockey and dental entrepreneur Sam and his wife Bels – and Thomas van Straubenzee, William’s lively surveyor friend from Ludgrove prep school who is engaged to aristocratic tennis coach Lady Melissa Percy.
This tweedy lot can lay down fine wine and polish up the guns for the royal youngster’s first shoot.
But if the Cambridges want a “fun” choice, they might ask nightclub owner Guy Pelly or Richard Branson’s daughter Holly, who would ensure a lifetime of discreet holidays at her father’s retreats in Verbier and on Necker Island.
In the meantime, there will be no more desirable product placement than on this celebrity royal baby.
By Royal Appointment or not, firms will be queuing up to send their cashmere outfits, sheepskin-lined papooses and eco-friendly baby bottles to Kensington Palace, in the hope they may be photographed with the royal tot – sparking a sell-out in the process.
So what will catch Kate Middleton’s eye as she flicks through the catalogues?
A West London baby can’t show its face without a Bugaboo pram, starting at more than £700 ($1,000). And if any baby should have a top-of-the-range version, with alloy wheels and “sports-car fabric” designed by Viktor & Rolf, surely it’s this one.
That said, it would be a shame if the infant did not also have a traditional Silver Cross “Balmoral” pram – the type Prince Charles was wheeled around in by his nanny – for strolls in Kensington Gardens.
Here, Kate Middleton could participate in organized buggy walks (to keep you fit), or she could go to South Kensington for Gymboree – music and play.
The vast U.S. retailer Whole Foods Market in Kensington High Street sells all manner of organic baby food, chlorine-free baby wipes and socially acceptable snacks, such as organic rice cakes. Minutes from Kensington Palace, this is the mothership of organic health-food shops – where else for baby’s first mango mash?
One of the defining issues for the Duke and Duchess will be where to send Junior to school. West London mothers will be talking of little else for years to come – local applications will spike on the merest rumor.
Nurseries and schools will be deciding whether to gently suggest a visit or to wait for the Palace to call.
Nurseries within walking distance of Kensington Palace are The Minors in Pembridge Square – William went to the original establishment in Chepstow Villas, then called The Mynors – and Ladbroke Square, a long-established safe haunt of the British upper classes.
There is the celebrity-friendly Acorn in Lansdowne Crescent but it is a bit further away and may be a little glitzy for the Cambridges.
Then, after two years in a gingham smock, infant Wales will have a choice of prep schools to scoot to.
For single-sex, there is William’s old school, Wetherby in Notting Hill (much more academic now than it ever was in William’s day) and its sister school for girls, Pembridge Hall.
Both are familiar paparazzi territory: the school runs have featured Elle Macpherson, Elizabeth Hurley and Claudia Schiffer.
Their children have now moved on but the Beckhams went on a tour last week.
After drop-off, the mothers who don’t work pile into the coffee shops on Notting Hill Gate, where they discuss each other. The gilded educational establishments their children attend require application at birth, but William and Kate could shock us all and go for a state school such as St Mary Abbot’s, a C of E primary that is probably the closest school to Kensington Palace and attended by the children of David Cameron and Michael Gove.
Depending on your viewpoint, sending a Wales there would be admirably unsnobby or the taking up of a place by someone whose family could easily afford to opt out of the state system.
Forget George Osborne’s Autumn Statement and manufacturing-output figures. Buggy makers, private schools, and bootee peddlers are all hoping that Little HRH might give the British economy the boost it so badly needs.
Ashton Kutcher was spotted earlier this year filming scenes in character as late Apple founder Steve Jobs, revealing snippets of just how alike he is to the tech wizard.
Now Ashton Kutcher’s transformation has been shown off in its entirety thanks to the first official photo for the upcoming biopic being released.
And his appearance will startle most fans thanks to his similarity to Jobs, who passed away last October.
Ashton Kutcher can be seen posing with his dated hair style and beard to complete his look as Steve Jobs.
The actor casually sits on a desk carrying his old fashioned reading glasses while close attention has been paid to detail, including old computers sitting in the background.
Ashton Kutcher, 34, is taking on the icon in jOBS, which tells the story of Steve Jobs’ pioneering life.
Ashton Kutcher’s transformation into Steve Jobs has been shown off in its entirety thanks to the first official photo for the upcoming biopic being released
Earlier this year Ashton Kutcher was spotted filming the biopic about the technology genius at Loyola Marymount University in LA.
Ashton Kutcher looked a million miles away from his normal appearance as he recreated the movements and image of the late Steve Jobs.
Everything from the side parting hairstyle to the tight lipped mouth mirrored the way the founder of Apple looked.
Ashton Kutcher was seen on set clasping his hands together just like Steve Jobs always did, and he appeared to have even copied the way he walked with his shoulders slightly slouched.
He was dressed in Steve Jobs’ trademark running trainers with jeans, a white shirt and a black sleeveless cardigan.
And even his co-star Josh Gad, who plays Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in the project, has been astounded by his transformation.
Josh Gad told UsWeekly: “Ashton is going to blow a lot of people away. His performance was absolutely transformational.
“If he looked any more like Steve Jobs, I think it would just confuse a lot of people . . . It’s that uncanny.”
The new promotional shot comes as it has been revealed he could soon encounter an awkward run in with his ex-wife Demi Moore.
It has been announced that he is expected at the Sundance festival in Utah in January alongside Demi Moore.
Ashton Kutcher will be there with jOBS standing as the closing night film of the festival, while Demi Moore’s movie Very Good Girls will also premiere during the festivities.
CBS boss Len Moonves has spoken out about the extraordinary rant unleashed by actor Angus T. Jones on the set of Two and a Half Men and admitted that they now have “other plans” for the show.
Angus T. Jones, 19, who branded the show “filth” in a now viral religious video, is thought to want to show up for the rest of his schedule after January there have been murmurs show bosses are not keen to have him back for a new season as a main character.
And now Len Moonves has confirmed that they’re resolving the issue of Angus T. Jones’ status.
“I don’t know what our status is with him,” Len Moonves told the Wall Street Journal.
“We took this boy who started with us when he was eight years old, and it seemed to be what happens with child stars over the course of time.
“He’s now making $300,000 per week, which is not a bad salary for a 19-year-old kid, and he went on a religious channel and urged people not to watch the show because it was filth. By the way, he’s still collecting his $300,000 a week,” Len Moonves laughed.
And when asked if they were looking for another “half man”, Len Moonves replied: “We have other plans. I don’t think it’s quite been resolved, but after going through what we went through with Charlie Sheen, this is a piece of cake.”
And it might not be too hard for the show to “resolve” Angus T. Jones the way of Charlie Sheen as EWare reporting that if he had the typical non-disparagement clause in his contract, he’s obviously in violation.
Angus T Jones, who branded Two And A Half Men filth in a now viral religious video, is thought to want to show up for the rest of his schedule after January
A source close to the star told People: “Angus expects to report to work after the holiday break in January.
“He intends to honor his contract through the end of the season.”
Angus T. Jones’ character Jake joined the army at the end of season 9 and has only appeared in a few episodes of the current season.
“He won’t be in every episode,” the source added says of the remaining season 10 episodes.
“How much they use him will be up to [creator] Chuck Lorre. The intention wasn’t ever for him to be in every ep this year anyway. Now it might be less.”
Network CBS has yet to pick up the show for season 11.
But sources told E!: “Should Two and a Half Men be renewed, it’s unlikely that Jones will return as a series regular. You might see him for a few guest spots.”
Those closest to Angus T. Jones, who is a Seventh Day Adventist, say the teenager doesn’t want to risk turning into troubled Charlie Sheen so became involved in the church.
“Part of the reason Angus is so wary of the [TV] industry and so involved with the church is that he’s seen what’s happened to Charlie [Sheen] front and center.
“He doesn’t want to end up like that. Who would?” the family friend told E!.
Angus T. Jones issued a statement apologizing, in the most tenuous sense, for making a video branding Two and a Half Men “filth” then entreating viewers to switch off from the show that made him both rich and famous.
In his statement, Angus T. Jones, 19, speaks up for his bosses on the CBS show, by saying: “Chuck Lorre, Peter Roth and many others at Warner Bros. and CBS are responsible for what has been one of the most significant experiences in my life to date.”
The document obtained by TMZ continues: “I thank them for the opportunity they have given and continue to give me and the help and guidance I have and expect to continue to receive from them.”
Without actually taking back anything he said, the teenager attempted to appease his cast: “I apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which I have been blessed. I never intended that.”
Meanwhile, Christopher Hudson – the Seventh Day Adventist guiding Angus T. Jones – denied that he was exploiting the actor, as the young star’s mother Carey fears.
Christopher Hudson, who is believed to be in his 40s, confirmed that he recorded the video in the actor’s trailer on the set of Two and A Half Men last week.
Angus T. Jones – who makes $350,000 per episode playing Jake Harper – was seen urging fans to “turn off” the show, saying it would damage their brains.
Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry played a key role when Kate and William walked down the aisle and now they are favorite to become godparents to royal couple’s child.
It is no secret the siblings are two of the most important people in the young couple’s life and if the royal tradition of appointing the best man and maid of honor from their wedding is observed they will definitely be offered the roles.
Joe Little, Managing Editor of the Majesty royal magazine, said his money would be on the siblings: “I think Harry and Pippa are very likely.
“As you know most people have just one or two godparents. But in royal circles you have a lot more, certainly William had quite a team.
“I rather think they won’t have quite so many – perhaps four. Harry would take care of the royal connection and Pippa would take care of the Middleton side.
“There are few options amongst their close friends. The van Cutsems and the van Straubenzees certainly.”
Thomas van Straubenzee has been one of the Prince’s closest friends since they first met at Ludgrove Prep School.
Tom, also known as “Van”, accompanied the Prince on his first official tour to New Zealand and William and Prince Harry are patrons of a memorial fund dedicated to his brother Henry, who was killed in a car crash in 2002.
Edward, Hugh, Nicholas and William van Cutsem are close family friends from Norfolk who have known the Prince since childhood.
Three-year-old Grace van Cutsem – who almost stole the show at the Royal Wedding when she was pictured clapping her hands over her ears during a noisy RAF fly past – is William’s god-daughter and the son of Rose Astor and Hugh Van Cutsem, a friend of William and Harry.
Joe Little added: “William is a godfather of several children, one of whom was Grace van Custem, the little bridesmaid covering her ears on the balcony on their wedding day.
“Quite possibly the favor will be returned to them.
“I would say Harry and Pippa, a Van Cutsem, and maybe one of Kate’s close chums from school and that might be it.
“In the past there have been a shed load more godparents, both royal and non royal, but I don’t think they will want do things on such a grand scale. That was then and this is now.
“Whoever it is it would have been given careful consideration. It would be a huge honor to be the godparent of a future King or Queen.”
Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry played a key role when Kate and William walked down the aisle and now they are favorite to become godparents to royal couple’s child
Bookmakers are already offering odds on who will take on the important role with Pippa Middleton and Prince Harry being odds on favorites.
The couple’s first child will push Prince Harry into fourth place in the line of succession to the throne – even if they have a girl.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s child would move into third place, become more important than Harry and not be subject to the centuries-old law of primogeniture, which puts male heirs ahead of women.
He or she will leapfrog Harry by being be the first born of first-in-line Prince Charles’s first son.
The baby will be third in line to the throne regardless of gender after Prime Minister David Cameron agreed a deal with other Commonwealth countries to change the rules on the royal line of succession which means male heirs will no longer be given priority.
This means that in the 15 other countries where the Queen is head of state the rules must be changed.
It had been feared there could be a constitutional crisis if the Royal couple had a baby girl before the law was changed.
But the announcement that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting the couple’s first child – third in line to the throne – has come after the deal was agreed.
In October 2011, David Cameron announced that the 16 Commonwealth countries where the Queen is head of state had agreed to give female royals the same rights of succession as their brothers.
“Put simply, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a little girl, that girl would one day be our queen,” David Cameron said.
The changes mean that, for all descendants of the Prince of Wales, younger sons will no longer take precedence over an elder daughter in the line of succession.
Members of the Royal Family who marry a Roman Catholic will also in future be able to succeed to the Crown.
And an ancient and unused rule saying descendants of George II are supposed to gain the consent of the monarch to marry will only apply to the first six people in the line of succession.
The law was brought in following the Glorious Revolution – when a Dutch invasion helped overthrow a Papist king – so that a Catholic could never sit on our throne again.
It also means that the Princess Royal, the Queen’s second born, is just tenth in line to the throne behind her younger brothers Andrew (fourth) and Edward (seventh).
The 15 other countries where Elizabeth II is queen are Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Soloman Islands, Tuvalu, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and St Kitts and Nevis.
The Commonwealth leaders also agreed to overturn the 1701 Act of Settlement, which means that only the Protestant heirs of the Electress Sophia of Hanover, granddaughter of James I, can become king or queen.
The Queen hailed the deal on changing the rules as the 53 Commonwealth countries met last year, saying she wanted the theme of allowing women to play a full part to last for years.
She said: “The theme this year is Women As Agents of Change.
“It reminds us of the potential in our societies that is yet to be fully unlocked and it encourages us to find ways to allow all girls and women to play their full part.
“We must continue to strive in our own countries and across the Commonwealth together to promote that theme in a lasting way beyond this year.”
Her comments were taken as a sign that the Queen approves of the reform.
Some experts are predicting that Kate Middleton and Prince William will end up with twins – and if they do, there could be more than just the usual parenting headaches ahead for the royal couple.
No mother of a future monarch has given birth to twins in Britain since the 15th century – so nobody is quite sure what will happen if Kate Middleton makes history and produces a brace of infants next summer.
And if she does, the intriguing question is: which of the children will end up on the throne?
Normally, of course, this would be little cause for discussion during a royal pregnancy. But the debilitating symptoms currently suffered by Kate Middleton in the King Edward VII Hospital in central London point to hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition experienced slightly more often by women expecting twins.
If it did prove to be the case that Kate Middleton was carrying two children, and she gave birth to them naturally, the rule of primogeniture that has dictated the royal succession for centuries would mean that if the twins are boys, the first-born would ascend the throne.
And until recently, if the twins were boy and girl, it would be the boy who got to wear the crown. But under new legislation, if Kate Middleton gives birth to a mixed pair, it will be the first-born who succeeds – no matter their gender.
All that seems straightforward. But if Kate Middleton were to require either an emergency or an elective caesarean, then things get very much more complicated.
Some experts are predicting that Kate Middleton and Prince William will end up with twins
Last year, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark – that country’s next monarch – gave birth to twins.
There was some anxiety beforehand that her babies might have to be delivered by caesarean section, leading to speculation that it would be the obstetrician who chose which child to deliver first and thus which would eventually rise to the throne.
Happily, she didn’t have to go through with a caesarean section birth, and gave birth to Prince Vincent, the nation’s future monarch, 25 minutes ahead of his sister, Princess Josephine.
Were those circumstances to arise here and a caesarean be required, the task of picking who would be the future king or queen would fall, in theory, to Alan Farthing – the royal gynaecologist still better known as the former fiancé of murdered BBC presenter Jill Dando.
Alan Farthing, 47, now a distinguished figure in the world of obstetrics, has held the royal post since 2008, and experienced himself the joy of fatherhood for the first time early last year when his wife Janet, 33, gave birth to a boy.
But while he will be more than prepared for the challenges ahead, it’s unlikely Alan Farthing would want to shoulder the responsibility of choosing whom he brought into the world first. Which begs the question – who would?
Would it be Prince William, who’s expected, like most modern fathers, to be present at the birth? Would the royal family have to revert to the odd practices of yesteryear, where a government minister had to be present at the accouchement to act as an observer and ensure everything was above board?
Last time that happened to a future monarch was in 1926, when the present Queen was born and home secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks was required to be present, albeit in an adjoining room. Should that be the case again next year the job will fall to Theresa May, the present home secretary.
Faced with the prospect of choosing which twin became the heir, the Cambridges would be able to consider various precedents set when similar situations have arisen.
Their friend the Marquess of Cholmondeley faced such a situation three years ago when his twin sons were born by caesarean. In the end, his ancient title went to his first-born, Alexander, who now bears his father’s courtesy title Earl of Rocksavage; his twin is more simply known as Lord Oliver Cholmondeley.
What Kate and Wills can’t do is draw on any recent experience in either family tree, for there’s almost no history of twins in William’s extended family, and a trawl back through Kate’s rich and varied ancestry comes up with very few examples – and none in recent times.
Should Kate actually prove to be carrying twins, though, she will hope they find better fortune than the last pair of royal infants. In 1430, King James I of Scotland’s wife Queen Joan gave birth to two boys. The first, Alexander, was named as the heir to the throne and given the title Duke of Rothesay – a title still carried today by William’s father as Prince of Wales.
The second twin, James, would have expected an easy life – except that within a year his elder brother had died and he assumed the Rothesay title. By the time he was six, his father had been assassinated and he rose unsteadily to the Scottish throne as King James II of Scotland.
We no longer live in such unsettled times, but for William and Kate, there will still be an element of uncertainty – until they know for certain whether they have twins on the way or not.
A new video on YouTube shows how what appears to be a fully formed Rubik’s cube is in fact a two dimensional color drawing that tricks the brain into believing it has three dimensions.
The optical illusion is called anamorphosis, which plays on how our brains make sense of the world and causes us to see something from one angle only that might not necessarily be there.
Presented from the appropriate angle, or sweet spot, the viewer looks at the right angle and suddenly what was once a straight forward drawing becomes a three dimensional object – even though your brain knows it isn’t.
Offered contradictory information, the brain simple reassembles the painting into what it expects it to be, but all the viewer has to do to re-set reality is to step an inch off your position.
A new video on YouTube shows how what appears to be a fully formed Rubik’s cube is in fact a two dimensional color drawing that tricks the brain into believing it has three dimensions
Created by YouTube illusionist extraordinaire Brusspup, the Rubiks cube, shoe and question mark are all positioned on the table alongside regular objects.
However, when the video begins, the photo-realistic images are rotated allowing the viewer to experience the anamorphosis.
Recognized since the Renaissance, anamorphosis demonstrates how the brain can be fooled into seeing things that aren’t really there.
NATO has approved the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries along Turkey’s border with Syria.
The long-expected move emerged from a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, and amid growing fears that Syria could use chemical weapons.
NATO’s Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the ministers had “unanimously expressed grave concerns” about the use of chemical weapons.
Syria has said it would never use such weapons against its own people.
The meeting of the 28-member Western military alliance’s foreign ministers in Brussels follows a request from Turkey to boost its defences along the border.
NATO has approved the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries along Turkey’s border with Syria
In a statement, NATO said it had “agreed to augment Turkey’s air defence capabilities in order to defend the population and territory of Turkey and to contribute to the de-escalation of the crisis along the alliance’s border”.
Recent intelligence assessments have indicated Damascus is contemplating using ballistic missiles, potentially armed with chemical warheads.
Speaking after the meeting, Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters that the foreign ministers had “unanimously expressed grave concerns” about the reports, saying: “Any such action would be completely unacceptable and a clear breach of international law.”
He would not give further details on the deployment, but said it would ensure effective protection of Turkey against any missile attack, whether carrying chemical weapons or not.
NATO officials have previously made clear such a move would be purely defensive.
India has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of elections in which officials accused of corruption were set to be appointed.
The IOC has declared the Indian Olympic Association election, which was set to take place on Wednesday, void.
“The election process has been tarnished since the start,” said IOC official Pere Miro.
The ban prevents athletes competing for India, which won six medals at London 2012, at future Olympics.
Two officials expected to be elected to senior IOA positions are closely linked to corruption allegations relating to Delhi’s hosting of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Lalit Bhanot, who spent 11 months in custody last year on corruption charges linked to the event, was set to be elected unopposed to the post of secretary general.
Abhay Singh Chautala was expected to be the IOA’s new president and he has close links to former incumbent Suresh Kalmadi, who is on bail over similar charges.
The IOA’s ban also means its funding from the IOC will be effectively ended, while no Indian officials can attend Olympic meetings.
India has been suspended by the IOC ahead of elections in which officials accused of corruption were set to be appointed
“They are not entitled to have elections and, if for some reason they go ahead, this will not be recognized,” added Pere Miro, who is in charge of IOC relations with national Olympic committees.
“This is because this is part of a full problem: many different interferences, many governmental rules and their own bad interpretation of IOA statutes.”
The IOA has been directed by a Delhi court to hold the elections adhering to the Indian government’s sports code, while the IOC wants the governing body to abide by the Olympic charter.
But Chautala insists the ban is “wrong and completely unilateral”.
“We’d go to the IOC again and explain to them the actual situation and the details of the election. This ban was completely thrust on us,” he said.
India’s only individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra believes the IOA deserves to be suspended.
“Bye bye IOA, hope to see you again soon, hopefully cleaner!” shooter Bindra, who won Beijing 2008 gold in the men’s 10m air rifle, said on Twitter.
After shooting his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins dead, Jovan Belcher leaned over her body in their bathroom, said he was sorry and kissed her on the forehead, it has emerged.
Jovan Belcher’s apologetic goodbye was witnessed by his mother, who had heard gunfire and ran to her son’s bedroom at his rented Independence, Missouri home, police told the Kansas City Star.
The 25-year-old NFL player, who later went on to kill himself outside his team’s stadium, then said sorry to his mother, kissed his three-month-old daughter and jumped into his Bentley to flee the scene.
The descriptions of Jovan Belcher’s last hours alive, revealed by police sources, provide more details surrounding the death of his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, 22, and his suicide on Saturday morning.
Sources have claimed that the pair was struggling with parenthood just ahead of the football season, and the stress at home caused him to snap.
His team had even provided counseling to help the couple with their problems, the Star reported.
Jovan Belcher leaned over Kasandra Perkins’ dead body, said he was sorry and kissed her on the forehead
Jovan Belcher’s mother, who will now take care of the couple’s orphaned daughter, had moved from New York to Missouri to help the pair during the stressful time.
She told police that, just before 8 a.m. on Saturday, she heard her son say: “You can’t talk to me like that!” before she heard gunfire, the Star reported.
Jovan Belcher shot Kasandra Perkins in the chest, neck and abdomen.
He then drove to Arrowhead Stadium, where he came across Chiefs General Manager Scott Pioli and got out of his car with his gun pointed at his own head.
“I did it,” Jovan Belcher said, according to police.
“I killed her.”
He added that, despite the team’s counseling, “it was too late”.
Scott Piolo tried to persuade Jovan Belcher to put down the gun but Belcher simply thanked him for everything he had done for him, and asked him to take care of his daughter.
As Chiefs Head Coach Romeo Crennel and linebackers coach Gary Gibbs arrived, Jovan Belcher reportedly said: “Guys, I have to do this.”
With the sounds of police sirens getting closer, Jovan Belcher ignored the pleas of his bosses and walked away, saying: “I got to go, I can’t be here.”
Jovan Belcher then knelt behind a car, made the sign of the cross across his chest and fired a single shot into his head, the Star reported.
“He cared about her,” Police Sgt. Richard Sharp said.
Rita Ora has been hitting the headlines this week thanks to a very public Twitter row with her now ex-boyfriend Rob Kardashian.
But as she posed for a stunning new shoot in Glamour magazine, Rita Ora has opened up about the real reasons for their relationship breakdown.
Insisting that she and Rob Kardashian are still “friends”, Rita Ora, 22, blamed their hectic work schedules for the split.
Rita Ora explained: “I’m not going out with Rob. We were close for a while, but it didn’t work because I was never there.
“I was like a ghost. I used to get so frustrated with myself and then wonder why I was angry, so I decided it was best to keep it friendly – especially at the moment, when there’s so much going on.”
Rita Ora posed for a stunning new shoot in Glamour magazine and she has opened up about the real reasons she split from Rob Kardashian
Rita Ora also admitted that despite being linked to various male celebrities, she has yet to experience the feeling of being in love.
She said: “In 22 years, there’s been nothing. I have had young fascinations but never love.
“I think it’s my only weakness.
“I’m scared of letting my guard down, and if I feel in love with someone now, he’d have to try ten times harder to break it down.”
And asked what she looks for in a man, Rita Ora replied: “I only need three things from a guy – for him to make me laugh, tell me I’m beautiful once in a while, and be there for me.”
Randy Blythe, the frontman of metal band Lamb of God, has been charged over the death of a fan at a concert in Prague in 2010.
Randy Blythe, 41, is accused of pushing the fan off stage during the show in the Czech Republic, who later died of a head injury.
The singer was charged with causing bodily harm resulting in death on Friday.
Lamb of God’s manager Larry Mazer said Randy Blythe will “fight vigorously” against the charges.
The court in Prague has three months to set a trial date or return the case to prosecutors for further investigation.
The singer faces five to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Randy Blythe has previously said that he intends to go to Prague to defend himself at a trial.
Randy Blythe, the frontman of metal band Lamb of God, has been charged over the death of a fan at a concert in Prague in 2010
In the statement reported by metal website The PRP, manager Larry Mazer said: “While it is a tragedy that a Lamb of God fan died following a performance by the group, in no way do I feel that Randy did anything improper that led to the young man’s injuries and subsequent death.”
He continued: “The price of a ticket to a show does not entitle audience members access to a band’s stage.”
Larry Mazer said he felt Randy Blythe had “responded professionally” to numerous fans rushing the stage.
“We have testimony from the venue operator that acknowledges lax security and an improper barricade being used that evening,” he added.
The fan hit his head when he fell to the concrete floor and died of his injuries 14 days later.
Randy Blythe spent five weeks in the custody of Czech authorities before being released on bail in August. He has been in the US since then.
He was arrested when the band flew into Prague to play a gig, apparently unaware that there was an outstanding warrant for the singer’s arrest.
Virginia-based Lamb of God, who received Grammy nominations in 2007 and 2011, played at the Download festival at Donington Park in the UK in June.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General, has underlined President Barack Obama’s warning to the Syrian government not to use chemical weapons against its own people.
At a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said their use would be “completely unacceptable”.
The foreign ministers are expected to approve the deployment of Patriot anti-missile batteries to Turkey.
The move is designed to defend Turkey’s border with Syria.
Activists say more than 40,000 people have been killed since the Syrian uprising against President Assad began in March 2011. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country and another 2.5 million are displaced within its borders.
On Tuesday, a teacher and at least 28 students were killed in a rocket attack on their school inside the Wafideen refugee camp, 20 km (15 miles) north-east of Damascus.
The origin of the firing was not clear – state media said it had been a rebel mortar attack.
Speaking ahead of the NATO meeting, Anders Fogh Rasmussen told reporters: “The possible use of chemical weapons would be completely unacceptable for the whole international community.
“If anybody resorts to these terrible weapons, then I would expect an immediate reaction from the international community.”
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General, has underlined President Barack Obama’s warning to the Syrian government not to use chemical weapons against its own people
The meeting of the 28-member Western military alliance’s foreign ministers in Brussels follows a request from Turkey to boost its defences along the border. NATO officials have made clear such a move would be purely defensive.
Barack Obama has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he would face “consequences” if he used chemical weapons against his people.
“The world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable,” said Barack Obama in a speech at the National Defense University in Washington.
“If you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be consequences and you will be held accountable.”
A Syrian official has insisted the country would “never, under any circumstances” use such weapons, “if such weapons exist”.
A NATO team has already visited a number of sites in Turkey in preparation for the deployment of Patriot batteries, which could be used to shoot down any Syrian missiles or warplanes that stray over the border.
The missile deployment is likely to be approved despite opposition from Russia, whose foreign minister is also attending Tuesday’s meeting in Brussels.
But analysts say any deployment – possibly supplied by the US, Germany or the Netherlands – could take weeks.
Syrian opposition fighters have reportedly made dramatic gains recently, and several government mortar shells – aimed at rebel targets close to the border – have landed across its 900-km (560-mile) border with Turkey.
Ankara’s request for NATO to deploy the anti-missile batteries came after intelligence assessments that Damascus was contemplating using ballistic missiles, potentially armed with chemical warheads, reports say.
Syria is believed to hold chemical weapons – including mustard gas and sarin, a highly toxic nerve agent – at dozens of sites around the country.
The CIA has said those weapons “can be delivered by aircraft, ballistic missile and artillery rockets”.
One unnamed US official told the New York Times on Monday that the level of concern in Washington was such that contingency plans were being prepared.
On Monday the United Nations said it was pulling “all non-essential international staff” out of Syria, with as many as 25 out of 100 international staff expected to leave this week.
The European Union has withdrawn its mission altogether. The ambassador and head of delegation to Syria, Vassilis Bontosoglou, left Damascus with his six remaining international staff members on Tuesday morning.
Although the head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi told AFP on Monday that the Syrian government could fall “any time”, it still holds the capital, parts of the second city Aleppo, and other centres.
Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi is said to have fled the country, amid reports he has been dismissed, ostensibly for making statements out of line with government policy.
A rescue operation is under way after Volgo Balt 199 cargo ship sank in the Black Sea near the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Twelve crew members were on board the Volgo Balt 199 – reportedly 11 Ukrainian nationals, and one Russian.
Turkish media report that three people have been rescued and one person has died but this has not been confirmed.
The Volgo Balt 199 sank off the town of Sile, in Istanbul province to the east of the city. A second ship is said to be in difficulty amid stormy weather.
Fourteen crew members are said to be on board the second boat, which television footage showed listing heavily in swollen seas.
The Volgo Balt 199, which was sailing under the flag of St Kitts and Nevis, was transporting coal.
A rescue operation is under way after Volgo Balt 199 cargo ship sank in the Black Sea near the Turkish city of Istanbul
“We confirmed that the ship sank. Work continues to rescue 12 people on board,” Salih Orakci, head of the Directorate General of Coastal Safety, told Turkish TV, according to the Reuters news agency.
He said rescue boats and helicopters were involved in the search for Volgo Balt 199’s missing crew, and tug boats had been dispatched to try to help the second ship.
“The sea conditions are very rough which is making the rescue operation very difficult,” he said of the second ship.
Iranian state television has showed images of what it says is a US ScanEagle unmanned drone captured in its airspace.
The Revolutionary Guards said they had brought down a ScanEagle – one of the smaller, less sophisticated drones employed by the Americans.
Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi told the Fars news agency that the drone had conducted several reconnaissance flights over the Gulf in recent days.
But the US Navy said none of its drones was missing in the Middle East.
Other nations in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, also operate ScanEagles – low-cost, long-endurance aircraft with a 10 ft (3 m) wingspan, Associated Press says.
Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said that “such drones are usually launched from large warships”.
Fars said the drone was captured “in the last few days” without giving further details.
Iranian state television has showed images of what it says is a US ScanEagle unmanned drone captured in its airspace
A spokesman for US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain said: “The US Navy has fully accounted for all unmanned air vehicles operating in the Middle East region.
“Our operations in the Gulf are confined to internationally recognized water and air space.
“We have no record that we have lost any ScanEagles recently.”
Last month, the US said Iranian warplanes had shot at a US surveillance drone flying in international airspace. Iran said the aircraft had entered its airspace.
November also saw Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Mohammad Khazaee, writting to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to complain about what he said were repeated US violations of Iranian airspace near the Bushehr power station, describing them as “illegal and provocative acts”.
A year ago, Iranian TV broadcast pictures of an American RQ-170 Sentinel surveillance drone that Iran said had been brought down using electronic warfare. The US said it had malfunctioned.
Iran rejected a US call for the return of the drone. It subsequently claimed to have developed its own unmanned drone.
Washington and Tehran are engaged in a dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
The Revolutionary Guards are an elite unit of the Iranian military which operate their own naval forces.
More than 40,000 people have been moved into shelter as powerful Typhoon Bopha hits Mindanao island, southern Philippines.
Typhoon Bopha made landfall on Mindanao early on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain and wind gusts of 210 km/h (130 mph).
At least four people died in the storm, which caused power cuts, travel disruption and flooding in areas at risk of landslides.
Bopha comes a year after Typhoon Washi killed more than 1,500 people in the southern Philippines.
On Monday, President Benigno Aquino urged people in the typhoon’s path to take Typhoon Bopha seriously.
“It could be the strongest to hit the country this year,” he said.
“But we can minimize the damage and loss of lives if we help each other.”
More than 40,000 people have been moved into shelter as powerful Typhoon Bopha hits Mindanao island, southern Philippines
In the gold-mining province of Compostela Valley, the extreme weather forced a wall of mud to fall on to a house, killing some of those inside, the Associated Press reports.
Benito Ramos, of the national disaster agency, said the death toll was expected to rise once soldiers and police gained access to the far-flung villages isolated by floods, fallen trees and damaged communications.
According to one report, quoting a military spokesman, about 20 people including six soldiers were missing after fast-moving water swept through an army base.
The eye of the 600-km wide storm was moving west at 26 km/h and was expected to sweep over southern and central provinces before reaching the South China Sea on Thursday, forecasters said.
The Philippines is struck by several typhoons and tropical storms every year.
Jovan Belcher is reported to have had drinks and dinner with another woman before he went home, killed his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins after a blazing row, and then ended his own life.
The Kansas City Chiefs linebacker took the woman, Brittni Glass, to her home, but spent the next few hours asleep in his Bentley outside, according to TheNew York Post‘s sources.
At around 2:30 a.m police officers woke him up and Jovan Belcher went inside Brittni Glass’ building, leaving about four hours later.
The New York Daily News reported that two of her neighbors let the intoxicated Jovan Belcher sleep in their apartment and woke him for a team meeting Saturday morning, as he asked them to.
He then returned home to argue with Kasandra Perkins, 22, before shooting her and himself.
“I was with him that night, that’s it,” Brittni Glass told The New York Post yesterday.
Brittni Glass said she told police they had been together that night but were not in a relationship and would not say where he slept.
It has also emerged that during college, Belcher was cited after a University of Maine police officer responded to a call at a hall on campus and found him with cuts on his hand and arm, according to a 2006 police report obtained by USA Today.
The officer was told the star was hurt after punching a window because he was upset over a girl.
There was also a report about a complaint of disorderly conduct at a dorm after someone called police after hearing Jovan Belcher and a girlfriend row outside his room.
Cops confirmed that several people came forward to tell them about Jovan Belcher’s visit. One neighbor said his car was outside and he went up to see Brittni Glass.
“His Bentley was parked outside,” a neighbor said.
“He went upstairs. He was drunk. He went up to see the girl.”
Jovan Belcher is reported to have had drinks and dinner with another woman before he went home, killed his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins
Initial reports said Jovan Belcher flew into a rage after Kasandra Perkins returned late from a Trey Songz concert at about 1 a.m.
But according to Brittni Glass and her neighbors, Jovan Belcher wasn’t even home then.
Yesterday, Kasandra Perkins’ family released a statement.
It said: “Our wish is for Kasi to be remembered for the love she shared with us all. Kasi will be truly missed.”
Police yesterday released the chilling audio between first responders investigating the murder-suicide committed by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher.
The audio details how law enforcement reacted when they were informed that one of their city’s NFL players may be involved in a horrific crime.
“I believe our suspect is a Chiefs player,” says one unidentified first responder.
“So whoever goes over there (should go) as soon as possible.”
Arriving to find victim Kasandra Perkins, one man describes the scene.
“Early 20s female,” it continues.
“She’s been shot about three or four times. One to the chest, one to the neck, one to the abdomen. All went through.”
While Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher may have been struggling with booze, pills and head injuries, it was his controlling ways and stress at home that caused him to snap and kill his girlfriend before turning the gun on himself.
According to friends and family of Kasandra Perkins, the environment at home had grown tense and explosive since the birth of their baby girl three months ago.
“It wasn’t a healthy thing that was going on,” Angela Perkins, 32, of Round Rock, Texas, said of the relationship between Jovan Belcher and her cousin.
Kasandra Perkins had gone out Friday night with girlfriends to the concert “to take a break”, Kasandra Perkins’ friend Lynell Diggs told Newsday.
“[Jovan Belcher] didn’t want her going out with the baby at home,” said Lynell Diggs, who was at the concert with a group of friends.
Cousin Angela Perkins told the newspaper the stress of having a baby just before the season and Jovan Belcher’s time away at practice and on the road “really put a strain” on the relationship.
“There was just a lot going on. She was stressed. He was stressed,” Angela Perkins said. ‘It just started to go bad, but they had the child, and they were trying to make it work.’
Newsday also reported that it wasn’t booze, pills or head injuries that contributed to the murder-suicide.
Jovan Belcher’s cousin Eric Oakes said Belcher didn’t experience any recent head trauma and wasn’t on any medication.
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt backed up that claim on Sunday, saying that Jovan Belcher had no unusual physical issues before Saturday, including concussions.
Earlier, however, Jovan Belcher’s friends said his mental state may have been deteriorated due to a history of head injuries, pain killers, and alcohol abuse.
Jovan Belcher would also have taken part in the White Ribbon campaign – those taking part vow to “never to commit, condone nor remain silent about violence against women”.
Princess of Monaco Charlotte Casiraghi has become the latest public figure to spark anger for wearing a Native American costume.
Charlotte Casiraghi, 26, who chose the ensemble to participate in the Gucci-sponsored Paris Masters International Jumping Competition this weekend, was branded “ignorant” and “racist” by Tumblr users, many of whom appeared to be royal fans, judging by their usernames.
Royalwatcher wrote on the site: “I don’t know who told her it was cute to dress in traditonal [sic] clothing of Native American but gurlll, I’m judging you and not in the good way.”
Another, named Prin-ses-ka-ro-leen, added: “Dear Charlotte Casiraghi, American Indians still endure racism, ignorance and abuse on a regular basis simply because they are Native. You displayed terribly poor judgment in your choice of <<outfit>>.”
And Icaughtafallingdream wrote: “It’s not cute and it’s not funny. It’s just insulting and dumb.”
Given that the controversy follows a series of similar missteps from Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters and Gwen Stefani, the fashion websiteStyleite questioned whether there was some poor judgement on the part of Gucci, the sponsor of the tournament and the brand Charlotte Casiraghi represents.
“Other riders dressed up as Roman warriors, donkeys, angels, and Flintstones – you know, costumes – while Casiraghi opted for an outfit that has been publicly denounced as racist time and time again,” reporter Hilary George-Parkin wrote.
“As the royal is the face of an international luxury brand (however reluctantly), one would think there would be more oversight [sic] on Gucci’s part.”
Princess of Monaco Charlotte Casiraghi has become the latest public figure to spark anger for wearing a Native American costume
The costume certainly adds fuel to an already heated debate about representation of Native Americans in popular culture.
Sasha Houston Brown, a member of the Santee Sioux tribe of Nebraska and a vocal champion of Native American culture, wrote last month on the Racialicious blog: “Despite what dominant society and mainstream media say, Native culture is a vibrant and living culture.
“We are not a relic of the past, a theme or a trend; we are not a style or costume; we are not mascots, noble savages or romantic fictional entities. We are human beings and, despite all odds, we have survived.
“As sovereign Nations, Indigenous peoples have the right to speak for ourselves and not have dominant Euro-American society project and profit off of an artificial and socially constructed image of <<Indian>> identity.”
The commentary on Charlotte Casiraghi’s costume was not all negative, however. Several Tumblr users spoke out in her defence.
Josephg wrote on the thread: “i think she look gorgeous :)”
Intomyfoyer went further, pointing out that it was Gucci’s choice of costume, and blame should not be cast on Charlotte Casiraghi.
“It doesn’t mean she has no idea about America’s past, she’s not dumb…” they wrote.
“This whole thing will be offensive only if YOU make it offensive, no one had the intentions of offending anyone in any way.”
Honey Boo Boo’s cousin Tony Lindsey was arrested for jumping in the path of traffic on a freeway possibly in a gorilla suit.
TMZ are reporting that Tony Lindsey was part of a group wreaking havoc on a Georgia highway (because one of them was in an ape suit) when he got arrested earlier this month.
He is the cousin of the seven-year-old TV star, real name Alana Thompson.
According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, Deputy Joe Rozier says he was driving along Highway 20 around 11 p.m. when he noticed someone carrying out a potentially fatal jape.
“I observed a white male dressed in a gorilla suit acting as if he was going to jump into my lane of travel. I swerved into the left lane to avoid an accident with the person.”
Honey Boo Boo’s cousin Tony Lindsey was arrested for jumping in the path of traffic on a freeway possibly in a gorilla suit
Joe Rozier reports he immediately stopped the car, whipped out his flashlight and went searching for answers and “observed several white males run up the embankment and into the woods”.
He says he shouted at the group that he was going to release his dog after the pranksters when someone yelled back: “You don’t have to do that, we’re coming back.”
The officer says he eventually made contact with five adults and two children without a suit.
Eventually, Joe Rozier says they “fessed up to stashing the suit in the woods”.
After recovering the suit, Deputy Joe Rozier says he arrested all of the adults for reckless conduct and booked them all into the local jail.
The US presidential election became the most-searched item and Kim Kardashian was the most-searched person on Yahoo in 2012, a year when online searches were dominated by big news stories and pop culture obsessions, the search engine company said on Monday.
The search term “election” topped the list of searches, led not only by extensive media coverage but also widening conversation on online social media platforms.
The term “political polls” was No. 8 of the top 10 searches of the year.
“The 2012 elections dominated the online searches, which is amazing because if something is in the news, it’s already accessible … people were really saturated by it, but even so, that was a key word that people typed throughout the year,” Vera Chan, Yahoo’s web trend analyst, said in a conference call.
Vera Chan said only two other news stories have topped the list in the past decade, those being the death of Michael Jackson in 2009 and the BP oil spill in 2010.
“iPhone 5” came in at No. 2, which Vera Chan said was interesting “in a post-Steve Jobs era” because while Apple Inc’s iPhone has featured regularly in the top searches since the first generation emerged in 2007, this was the first time a specific model had appeared high on the list.
Kim Kardashian was the most-searched person on the website, coming in at No. 3 and leading six famous women in the top 10.
Vera Chan said Kim Kardashian’s “notoriety has kept her at the top”, citing her ongoing divorce saga with ex-husband Kris Humphries, her high-profile relationship with rapper Kanye West and her E! channel reality shows.
Sports Illustrated cover model Kate Upton, British royal Kate Middleton, late singer Whitney Houston, troubled former child star Lindsay Lohan and pop star and former American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez all featured in the top 10 after being in the news prominently throughout the year.
The US presidential election became the most-searched item on Yahoo in 2012
Kate Middleton, who was followed eagerly by fans and critics in her first year as a royal married to Britain’s Prince William and being a staple at the London Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, also garnered the most-searched scandal of the year when a French magazine published photos of her topless.
“Olympics” came in at No. 7 on the list, as many turned to online media to watch and keep tabs on the global sporting event held in London during the summer.
On Yahoo’s separate list of top-searched obsessions, pop culture dominated this year, with The Hunger Games, reality star Honey Boo Boo, erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey, British boy band One Direction, Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit song Call Me Maybe and Korean rapper Psy’s Gangnam Style featuring in the top 10.
Yahoo compiles its annual search lists based on aggregated visitor activity on the network and billions of consumer searches.
Richard Nieuwenhuizen, a Dutch football linesman, died after being beaten and kicked by youth players in Holland while he had been officiating a match in which his son was playing.
Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41, was rushed to hospital after being punched and kicked by players from the Nieuw-Sloten club.
His club, Buitenboys, announced last night on Twitter: “With great sadness we announce the death of our @Buitenboys linesman Richard Nieuwenhuizen. Our thoughts are with his family.
“Our linesman Richard died at 17:30 in front of his family. This violence must stop on the pitch! £stopsenselessviolence.”
Marcel Oost, the chairman of Buitenboys club, told national broadcaster NOS: “You can’t believe this could happen. That kids of 15 or 16 are playing football, you come to watch and see something like that.
“He was glad to be a part of this club and proud of his son. This not just a tragedy for Almere and our club, but for Dutch football in general. This can’t happen on the football field.”
According to reports in Holland, three Nieuw-Sloten players aged 15-16 were arrested and taken into police custody.
The Amsterdam club has responded by banning the players involved in the incident, withdrawing from the league in which the game took place and temporarily suspending all their operations as a club.
Richard Nieuwenhuizen, Dutch linesman, dies after being beaten by youth players in front of his son
A statement on the club’s website read: “The board of sv Nieuw-Sloten learned with horror of the death of the linesman of Buitenboys. We are deeply shocked by the fact that the match on Sunday degenerated so badly, with this result.
“We express here our sympathy, firstly to the family of the deceased person. Words fail us. In addition, we also express our sympathy to the Buitenboys club and all its members.
“We distance ourselves strongly from the behavior of the players who are responsible. As an association, when we were aware of wrongdoing, we apologized to Buitenboys.
“For our club, this is a huge shock, an event that touches all of our members. Violence should not be on the football fields, and certainly not against referees, linesmen and all those others who volunteer each year to enable over a million amateur footballers to play. We must do everything possible to eliminate these excesses.
“Nieuw-Sloten is an association with many youth members. Fair play standards and values are of paramount importance to us and we support the campaign by the KNVB against violence on the field.
“We will of course fully co-operate with the police investigation. We believe that those who are responsible for this act should be punished.
“We decided yesterday to take the team concerned out of the KNVB competition. Also, the persons to our knowledge responsible for this beating were immediately removed and can never become a member of our association.
“Obviously, the police are investigating the incident. We will report these persons to the KNVB once their involvement is officially determined to ensure a lifetime expulsion.
“For now we have suspended all our activities as a club. The training of all our teams for this week has been cancelled. After consultation with the KNVB, we have decided out of respect for the family of the victim that our teams will play no matches this weekend.”
