Here Comes Honey Boo Boo reality show has been branded by Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine as the “worst thing that’s ever happened” to civilization.
Adam Levine has slammed the reality series – which follows 7-year-old beauty pageant contestant Alana Thompson (aka Honey Boo Boo) and her family – for causing “decay” to society and insists its high viewing figures do not mean it has anything important to offer.
He told GQ magazine: “Seriously, Honey Boo Boo is the decay of Western civilization.
“Just because so many people watch the show doesn’t mean it’s good.
“So many people witness atrocities and can’t take their eyes away from them, but that doesn’t mean they’re good. That show is literally The. Worst. Thing. That’s. Ever. Happened!”
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo has been branded by Adam Levine as the worst thing that’s ever happened to civilization
Adam Levine also slammed Honey Boo Boo’s parents, June Shannon and Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson.
He blasted the “despicable” parenting shown in the programme during his expletive-filled rant.
Adam Levine said: “It’s complete f***ing ignorance and the most despicable way to treat your kids. F**k those people.
“You can put that in the magazine: F**k those idiots. They’re just the worst. Sorry, I’m so sensitive to that – like, I don’t know, man, it’s upsetting. Just to clarify, I said, <<F**K THOSE PEOPLE>>.”
Former pilot Doug Gotterba sued John Travolta – in response to threats by the actor’s camp to sue him.
The suit comes after Douglas Gotterba previously claimed to have had a gay affair with John Travolta during his six years as the star’s private pilot.
John Travolta’s camp allegedly responded to the claims by threatening to sue Doug Gotterba, claiming he had signed a confidentiality agreement that prevented him from talking to the media about his former employer.
But Douglas Gotterba countered with a legal case of his own, in which he claimed he never signed any such agreement. He argued he was within his rights to talk about John Travolta without fearing a lawsuit.
According to TMZ, in Doug Gotterba’s suit he claims he received a threatening letter from John Travolta’s attorney Marty Singer. But Doug Gotterba argues the termination agreement did not include a confidentiality clause.
In his explosive National Enquirer interview, Doug Gotterba, 62, claimed John Travolta admitted he “preferred men” shortly after his 1991 marriage to Kelly Preston.
Former pilot Doug Gotterba sued John Travolta in response to threats by the actor’s camp to sue him
The former pilot told the tabloid the pair began a sexual relationship in 1981 shortly after he started working for John Travolta.
He claims the last time the pair saw each other was in 1992, a year after John Travolta married Kelly Preston.
Douglas Gotterba recalled: “They’d just gotten back from the Church of Scientology’s Celebrity Center in Hollywood when I arrived and John asked me to go with him for a walk on the beach.
“We were making small talk when suddenly, I blurted out, <<So, John, tell me. Now that you’re married, do you still prefer men – or women?>>.
“He looked me straight in the eye and said, <<Well, Doug, I still prefer men!>> I said, <<okay>>. And that’s the last time we saw each other.”
John Travolta’s sex scandal saga began in May, when the A-lister was hit with two lawsuits from male masseurs claiming the actor made sexual advances towards them during massages – though one claim was later withdrawn.
The actor’s one-time secretary Joan Edwards – who worked for the star from 1978 to 1994 – followed in June with allegations of an affair between John Travolta and Doug Gotterba.
Marty Singer told TMZ: “Mr. Gotterba obviously filed this lawsuit to get his 15 minutes of fame. We plan to get this meritless case promptly dismissed.”
Nick Gordon, Bobbi Kristina Brown’s ex-boyfriend, was listening to Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You when he was arrested for reckless driving last week.
The “adopted” son of late Whitney Houston, who recently called off his engagement to Bobbi Kristina Brown, was taken into custody in Alpharetta, Georgia last Wednesday after being caught speeding through the town.
According to gossip website TMZ, Nick Gordon had Whitney Houston’s classic tune blaring on his car radio.
Nick Gordon was listening to Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You when he was arrested for reckless driving
Nick Gordon, 22, was cited for reckless driving and speeding and is due in court in February with a law enforcement official saying: “We are fortunate because that’s such a busy corridor with high end retail shopping restaurants and pedestrians at crosswalks.”
His arrest came hours after Bobbi Kristina Borwn lost control of her Chevy Camaro when leaving her apartment complex and drove down an embankment before coming to a stop on a local park trail.
Bobbi Kristina Brown was cited by police for “failure to maintain lane”.
Rob Kardashian has split from Rita Ora amid outrageous claims she cheated on him with “more than 20 dudes”.
The unsubstantiated allegations were contained in a series of bitter tweets from Rob Kardashian, which were quickly deleted.
Rob Kardashian said he was “disgusted” with Rita Ora.
“She cheated on me with nearly 20 dudes while we were together… But I mean 20?!!!!” he tweeted in the early hours of Monday morning.
Minutes later Rob Kardashian continued with his tirade against the star, writing: “How can a woman who is so busy trying to start her own career have time to be with so many dudes while in a relationship?!”
And he added: “I am actually disgusted.”
The tweets were live for around 30 minutes before Rob Kardashian had second thoughts and deleted them – but not before they went viral.
Having removed the tweets Rob Kardashian went silent on the matter for several hours, instead promoting his designer sock range.
He then returned with renewed vigor, tweeting a series of vitriolic remarks criticizing Rita Ora’s “loyalty” and self-respect and calling her “sloppy”.
“Respect thyself” he wrote, referring to himself as “a Faithful man”.
“When a woman cheats on you with one man I can live with that,” he claimed. “People make mistakes, trust me. I have forgiven numerous times…”
Rob Kardashian has split from Rita Ora amid outrageous claims she cheated on him with more than 20 dudes
It appeared Rob Kardashian’s sister Khloe was not happy with her little brother, tweeting: “Rob be nice kiddddd.”
And she later reflected: “Social media is so much drama. Hehehe thank goodness there was no social media when I was younger. Too much drama in the LBC.”
Rob Kardashian, 25, was due to celebrate Rita Ora’s 22nd birthday at DSTRKT nightclub in London last week, but never appeared.
Rita Ora had reportedly called things off with the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star due to her hectic work schedule and their incompatible jet-setting lifestyles.
A source told The Sun: “It’s really sad – they really liked each other but with him living in LA and her over in London, it was becoming impossible to maintain a relationship.
“They’d only decided to go public with the romance a couple of months ago so as not to put any pressure on themselves but they’ve already split.
“Rob has now deleted everything on Twitter that reminds him of Rita.”
After first being spotted together back in May the couple denied they were dating for months, until going public at the end of October.
Rob Kardashian appeared to confirm the news by tweeting a picture of them kissing and writing: “Me and my baby.”
While the reality star’s family had welcomed Kim Kardashian’s new boyfriend Kanye West into their clan, she never appeared to warm to Rob’s girlfriend and caused controversy in August when she declared he needed to find an Armenian girlfriend instead.
Kim Kardashian tweeted: “When out to dinner w my brother @RobKardashian every gorgeous person Persian/Armenian girl stares at Rob! I think that’s what he needs in his life!”
Rob Kardashian has failed to emulate the huge success of his three Kardashian sisters despite appearing on Dancing With The Stars.
He has been seen on the family reality show complaining about his lack of success or money.
Rob Kardashian currently has his own designer sock line.
Lindsay Lohan’s bank accounts have been seized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) so the US government can recover some of the huge outstanding tax debt she owes.
The government previously filed liens against Lindsay Lohan for 2009 and 2010, claiming she owes $233,904 in unpaid federal taxes.
Lindsay Lohan, 26, has already been helped out by her friend Charlie Sheen, who gave her $100,000 to help her get back on track with her finances, but sources tell website TMZ she’s still falling dramatically short, as she also owes money for 2011.
She has spent most of this year trying to get her career back on track, and after filming roles in TV movie Liz and Dick and The Canyons as well as stripping off naked for a Playboy photo shoot, she is set to earn more than $2 million by the end of this year.
After a lengthy bout of legal troubles and spells in jail and rehab came to an end earlier this year, last week she was involved in an altercation at a New York nightclub, leading to charges of third degree misdemeanor assault, which she denies.
Lindsay Lohan’s bank accounts have been seized by the IRS so the government can recover some of the huge outstanding tax debt she owes
Lindsay Lohan had also been charged with lying to police about being behind the wheel of a car accident in June, and could have her probation revoked.
She is also reportedly refusing to enter rehab, telling friends who are trying to get her to seek help she doesn’t need to go to a treatment facility for the sixth time.
Sources have said she has been drinking up to two liters of vodka a day.
Meanwhile it has emerged Lindsay Lohan is “freaked out” about the possibility of spending Christmas behind bars.
Barack Obama has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he will face “consequences” if he uses chemical weapons against his people.
“The world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be totally unacceptable,” said President Barack Obama.
A Syrian official has insisted it would “never, under any circumstances” use such weapons, “if such weapons exist”.
Meanwhile, the United Nations says it is pulling “all non-essential international staff” out of Syria.
As many as 25 out of 100 international staff could leave this week, the UN news agency Irin reported, while all humanitarian missions outside Damascus will be halted for the time being.
In a speech on nuclear non-proliferation at the National Defense University in Fort McNair, Barack Obama said: “We’ve worked to keep weapons from spreading, whether it was nuclear material in Libya or nor chemical weapons in Syria.
“We simply cannot allow the 21st century to be darkened by the worse weapons of the 20th century.”
“And today I want to make it absolute clear to Assad and anyone who is under his command… If you make the tragic mistake of using these weapons there will be consequences and you will be held accountable.”
But Damascus rejected allegations it was preparing to use such weapons.
A foreign ministry spokesman was quoted by state television as saying: “Syria confirms repeatedly it will never, under any circumstances, use chemical weapons against its own people, if such weapons exist.”
Barack Obama has warned Syrian President Bashar al-Assad he will face consequences if he uses chemical weapons against his people
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 spoke to the New York Times of “potential chemical weapon preparation”.
The White House says the level of concern was such that Washington is preparing contingency plans.
The crisis in Syria had increased the risk of humanitarian workers in the country due to the increased risk of indiscriminate shooting by fighting forces., said Sabir Mughal, the UN’s chief security adviser in Syria.
The European Union, which has a diplomatic office in the Syrian capital, has confirmed it too is “to reduce activities in Damascus to a minimum level due to the current security conditions”.
Earlier, Egypt Air ordered the return of a flight on its way to Damascus amid reports of a “bad security situation” around the airport – only a day after ending its suspension of flights following violence around the airport and in the capital’s suburbs last week.
Syrian Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi is reported to have already left the country, even before reports that he had been dismissed, ostensibly for making statements out of line with government policy.
Rebels have been making gains on the ground, and the head of the Arab League has said the Syrian government could fall at any moment.
But it still holds the capital, parts of the second city Aleppo, and other centres and one diplomat said it still has a lot of fight left in it.
Intelligence that the Syrian government was contemplating the use of the missiles is what led neighboring Turkey to request NATO Patriot missile defences along its borders, Turkish officials were quoted as saying on Sunday.
Several Syrian mortar shells – aimed at rebel targets close to the border – have landed in Turkish territory in recent weeks, leading Ankara to ask NATO for the deployment of the sophisticated anti-missile batteries.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin, after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Monday, warned against such a move, fearing it would “exacerbate” rather than “defuse” tensions on the border.
Moscow has remained a key ally of Syria during the 22-month conflict, while Ankara now backs the rebels trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
There was no breakthrough on how to “regulate the situation” in Syria, said Vladimir Putin, while emphasizing that the Turkish and Russian “assessment of the situation completely coincides”.
“We are not advocates of the incumbent Syrian leadership,” he said.
Kate Middleton is being treated in hospital for a very severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum.
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a rare condition believed to affect up to 2% of women in pregnancy and is a severe form of morning sickness.
It tends to be more common in young mothers, women who are in their first pregnancy, and those with multiple pregnancies.
Women with HG often lose weight – usually over 10% of their body weight – and feel tired and dizzy.
They may also find they are passing water less often than usual, and the main risk is dehydration which can lead to headache, palpitations and confusion.
There is also a risk of nutritional deficiencies.
Then symptoms are severe, admission to hospital may be needed for observation and to treat dehydration with intravenous fluids.
This usually only means a few days in hospital.
Kate Middleton is being treated in hospital for a very severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum
Unlike most morning sickness, HG usually persists past the first trimester of pregnancy, and typically subsides by week 21 of pregnancy – although it can last much longer.
However, leading doctors say that along with more ordinary morning sickness, it is a sign the pregnancy is progressing.
Dr. Peter Bowen-Simpkins, consultant obstetrician and medical director of the London Women’s Clinic, says: “It is almost always a positive sign that the pregnancy is progressing well.
“The sickness is thought to be due to a rise in hormone levels. It normally occurs during weeks six and eight of pregnancy, when the placenta takes over production of hormones from the ovaries.
“It generally continues until around 12 or 14 weeks, but if it stops before, it can – although not always – be a sign that all is not well.”
Kate Middleton was on a drip at King Edward VII Hospital in central London this evening after falling ill with acute morning sickness as she is pregnant with the royal couple’s first child.
Prince William drove Kate, 30, to hospital today and spent hours at her bedside. He left tonight looking tense but sources said the duchess had been admitted as a precautionary measure. She is expected to be kept in for several days.
Sources said the royal couple are “incredibly happy but nervous” after being rushed into announcing the happy news because of Kate’s illness.
In a statement on their website, the couple said they are “delighted with the news”.
Members of the Royal Family – including the Queen – were only told about the pregnancy this afternoon after the decision was made to take Kate to hospital.
However, the Middletons were already aware their eldest daughter was expecting because she was taken ill while staying at their family home in Berkshire this weekend.
“The pregnancy is in its very early stages – the couple only found out very recently that they were expecting. But because she has been admitted to hospital and will have to stay in for a few days, they made the difficult decision to make things public,” said one.
Kate Middleton was on a drip at King Edward VII Hospital in central London this evening after falling ill with acute morning sickness
It is understood that the Duchess began to feel ill at her parents’ home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, where the couple were spending the weekend. She was unable to keep any food or water down.
Concerned Prince William finally took the decision, after consulting his doctor, to get her to hospital this afternoon. William left his wife’s bedside at about 8:15 p.m. after ensuring she was comfortable.
William drove his wife into London from Berkshire with their personal protection officers, declining the offer of an ambulance in favor of using their own, more low-key car.
Sources suggested that the Duchess was hooked up to an intravenous drip to increase her fluid and nutrient levels.
Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) is a rare condition believed to affect up to two per cent of women in pregnancy and is a severe form of morning sickness.
It tends to be more common in young mothers, women who are in their first pregnancy, and those with multiple pregnancies.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child will accede to the throne – even if she is a girl.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s child will not be subject to the centuries-old law of primogeniture, which puts male heirs ahead of women, after a groundbreaking deal by David Cameron.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has 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 Queen Elizabeth II is head of state the rules must be changed.
It had been feared there could be a constitutional crisis if Prince William and Kate Middleton had a baby girl before the law was changed.
But today’s 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.
Under the ancient rules of male primogeniture, first born royal daughters in direct line to the throne were leapfrogged by their younger male siblings.
The principle was criticized and widely viewed as outdated and discriminatory.
The current law of male primogeniture only allows Elizabeth II to be queen because she did not have any brothers.
Moves towards constitutional change gathered pace in the wake of the Duke and Duchess’s wedding in April 2011 in anticipation they would produce an offspring.
David Cameron had previously warned it would take time due to on-going negotiations with the Commonwealth countries where the Queen is also head of state, but at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2011 he confirmed the changes would go ahead.
Downing Street said any attempt to alter the law would be a “difficult and complex matter”, with parallel legislation needed in all such Commonwealth nations.
It will also involve amendments to some of Britain’s key constitutional documents, such as the Bill of Rights and Coronation Oath Act of 1688, the 1701 Act of Settlement and the 1706 Act of Union with Scotland.
Proposed legislation will refer to the descendants of the current Prince of Wales, meaning that William’s first child would follow him in the line of succession, whether a girl or a boy.
However, the current generation of royals will not be affected. It will not be retrospective – meaning the Princess Royal will not jump ahead of her younger brothers the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.
Ministers have made clear the changes will apply from October 28, 2011 – the date of the Commonwealth summit where the countries agreed the plans.
The change needs to be legislated for in the Commonwealth nations of the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Belize, St Christopher and Nevis, St Lucia, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Papua New Guinea. But this is regarded as assured.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child will accede to the throne, even if she is a girl
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told the Commons in May: “If the birds and bees were to deliver that blessing to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and indeed the nation, then that little girl would be covered by the provisions of these changes of the rules of succession because they operate from the time of the declaration of the Commonwealth summit last October.
“It is very important to remember that the rules are de facto in place, even though they have yet to be implemented through legislation in the way that I have described.”
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.
The Commonwealth is a looser group of 53 countries, of which the Queen is the head.
David Cameron had criticized the existing rules as “out-dated” and in need of change.
It was also agreed that the barrier to the heir to the throne marrying a Catholic will also be removed, but that it would not affect the position of the Anglican Church as the established Church.
The Queen and future monarchs will be Anglicans and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
An ancient rule meaning that all descendants of George II are supposed to require the consent of the monarch before they can marry will also be abolished.
The UK government must now introduce legislation to change the 1701 Act of Settlement, the Bill of Rights 1688, the Coronation Oath Act 1688 and the Royal Marriages Act 1772.
But because the rule will be backdated and it will be many years before a female heir will be close to the throne, the government says the change isn’t urgent.
Government sources have stressed that the new rule will apply only to heirs born after October 2011.
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, would still be placed below her two younger brothers, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex.
Had the rule been in force before, British history would have been very different.
Constitutional experts say that in 1509 Margaret Tudor would have taken the throne instead of Henry VIII, and as a result Elizabeth I would never have been Queen.
It would also have meant Queen Victoria would have been succeeded by her daughter, Princess Victoria, the Princess Royal, in 1901, and not King Edward VII.
When she died just a few months later, her son Kaiser Wilhelm II would have ascended the throne – something which could have prevented the First World War.
It is said the Queen of England now would have been the completely unknown Princess Marie Cecile of Prussia.
Most European monarchies have already established an equal law of succession – it is in force in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Now only Spain, Liechtenstein and Monaco are left with the old system.
Prince William spent hours at Kate Middleton’s bedside this evening after driving her to hospital with acute morning sickness.
Duchess of Cambridge, 30, is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum – a rare and debilitating condition that hits women in the earliest stages of pregnancy, causing severe vomiting.
Prince William drove Kate Middleton to hospital as she began to feel very unwell over the weekend at her parents’ home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
He was later seen leaving the hospital at around 8:25 p.m. before getting into a waiting Land Rover Discovery.
Kate wife has been given a drip to restore her nutrient levels and fluids and will be kept in for a few days as a precautionary measure, royal sources said.
The Royal couple are said to be “delighted” about the pregnancy, but appear to have been forced to announce it early because she was rushed to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.
“The condition – although unpleasant -poses no harm to mother and baby as long as it is treated, as your baby will take the nutrients it needs from your body – it’s the mum that suffers more,” Jules Robertson, a midwife for the baby charity Tommy’s said.
Senior Royal sources say there was no way they would have announced the pregnancy at this stage had she not fallen ill.
They are happy but are very nervous because it is so early in the pregnancy, the source added.
Kate Middleton’s slim figure is not a reason why she has become poorly.
But it can be a hereditary condition, meaning it is fairly likely that a close relative like her mother or grandmother could have suffered from the illness and she may get it again in future.
Professor Tim Draycott, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “It definitely does seem to run in families, and in consecutive pregnancies. It is possible someone in her family has suffered with it in the past.
“We know it’s not a psychological illness – it is not a sign of mental weakness.
“It does seem to be slightly more common in women expecting twins.
“It affects one per cent of women. That rises to two to three per of women expecting twins.
“She’s clearly very slim, but it affects women bigger than her and smaller than her.
“It is a bit like feeling permanently hungover every single day and never getting better.
“The symptoms would suggest she is less than 12 weeks pregnant.”
Kate Middleton is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, a rare and debilitating condition that hits women in the earliest stages of pregnancy, causing severe vomiting
The condition, which could mean that Kate Middleton cannot eat or drink anything without being ill, usually occurs in the first 6 to 8 weeks of pregnancy and can last for up to two months.
In the most serious cases symptoms can persist for the length of the pregnancy and can be life-threatening for mother and baby if not treated early as the woman may vomit up to 30 times a day.
Symptoms also include severe nausea, low blood pressure and fast heart rate, headaches, lethargy or confusion.
Kate Middleton’s involvement in Royal engagements may now be limited as a result.
“If it is not treated properly it can lead to severe side effects and problems for mother and baby,” Dr. Lucy MacKillop, obstetric physician at the Oxford University Hospitals trust.
“The danger for mother is greater if not treated. There have been reported cases of liver failure, ruptured tissue and cells from so much vomiting and neurological problems.
“It is to do with the pregnancy hormone, and there is more pregnancy hormone in mothers expecting twins.”
Spelling out the treatment Kate Middleton is likely to be getting Dr. Lucy MacKillop added: “We would give the mother medication which will be safe for both her and baby, and which will allow her to stop vomiting.
“Initially she will be on a drip so we can replace fluids and nutrients and then we can start to give her tablets, which she can take home with her and continue there.
“There is no special diet, but she needs to ensure she is eating little and often.
“We would not expect her to be putting on weight, but the important thing is that she maintains her weight.
“Women with this condition can lose five per cent of their body weight, so she will need to have weekly weight measurements.
“The most important thing is to get mother to stop being sick and get home.”
The condition is thought to be caused by elevated levels of the “pregnancy hormone” hCG. The body begins to produce human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) after conception.
Mothers who have also suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum said that Kate Middleton will be having a tough time.
Caitlin Dean suffered from the condition and said: “Imagine having a stomach bug that lasts for days and days, months and months – it is just relentless.
“Any movement, any sound, any smell just makes you vomit.
“I vomited 20 to 30 times a day for the first few months, in the latter part it was just once or twice a day but it’s still unpleasant.
“One of the big issues with it is isolation because is causes many women to be bed-bound. There is a real lack of understanding about the condition.”
But despite being a debilitating illness, it is not usually dangerous, and is often a sign that the pregnancy is going to plan, experts say.
Dr. Peter Bowen-Simpkins, consultant obstetrician and medical director of the London Women’s Clinic, has said: “It is almost always a positive sign that the pregnancy is progressing well.
“The sickness is thought to be due to a rise in hormone levels. It normally occurs during weeks six and eight of pregnancy, when the placenta takes over production of hormones from the ovaries.
“It generally continues until around 12 or 14 weeks, but if it stops before, it can – although not always – be a sign that all is not well.”
Jules Robertson, a midwife for the baby charity Tommy’s, said: “If pregnant women are vomiting several times during the day and unable to keep food or drink down, then they will need to be treated to help them cope with the symptoms, and stay nourished and hydrated.
“We advise that anyone experiencing this should see their GP or midwife to be checked. It is more common in early pregnancy, and by around 14-16 weeks, the sickness should have gone – most of the time it is resolved by 20 weeks, and very occasionally it can continue throughout pregnancy.”
Kate Middleton and Prince William’s baby will be born third in line to the throne. The Queen, Prince Philip and other members of the royal family are also “delighted”.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Twitter: “I’m delighted by the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting a baby.”
In a statement on the couple’s website, they said: “Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.
“The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
“As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
Dieters are often advised to fill their plates up with fruit and vegetables at meal times to avoid gobbling down calorie laden fare later in the day. But it is not an effective long-term diet solution, a new study has claimed.
Eating fresh and dried fruit before a meal was found to help people feel fuller and eat slightly less during the main course.
But being on a fruit- and vegetable-heavy diet for months made no long-term difference in the volunteers assessments of their own hunger and fullness, American researchers found.
Furthermore, drinking fruit juice before a meal actually boosted hunger and weight gain for some participants in research carried out by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
When they started with fruit juice instead, the volunteers ended up consuming up to 100 additional calories over a meal.
This researchers say, is because people will often mistake feelings of thirst for hunger and do the juice does not actually go toward making them full
The findings go against the theory that people should “fill up” on lots of fruit and veg to help them feel full for longer and prevent overeating on sugary and fat filled snacks.
The findings follow results from the same trial showing 34 participants – some overweight or obese, some a healthy weight – gained between 3.5 and 5 pounds when they were given eight weeks of fruit juice to incorporate into their diet.
Heavier participants, in particular, also gained weight when they received extra fresh fruit and vegetables.
Filling up with fruit and vegetables at meal times won’t trick you into eating less
Richard Mattes from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and his colleagues found that when they fed volunteers a regular lunch of all-you-can-eat macaroni and cheese, they ate an average of 785 or 821 calories of it, depending on the day.
When the same participants started a meal with fresh and dried fruit, then went on to the main course, they ended up eating 678 calories of lunch, the fruit course included.
When they started with fruit juice instead, the volunteers took in a total of 891 calories.
People ate about 400 more calories, on average, during the test day when they started lunch with juice, compared to when they started with solid fruit, according to the findings published in the International Journal of Obesity.
But those results in favor of fresh and dried fruit did not hold up over the longer-term, Richard Mattes and his team found.
When the researchers provided the volunteers with 400 to 550 calories of either fruits and vegetables or fruit juice each day for eight weeks, there was no change in how they rated their hunger or fullness at regular intervals during each test period.
That means simply adding fruits and veggies to meet nutritional guidelines may not be enough to help people stay full and lose weight – and may actually make it harder for them to shed extra pounds, researchers said.
Richard Mattes and his colleagues advised “careful implementation of recommendations” through counseling or other nutrition programs to make sure people taking steps to improve their diet do not end up accidentally putting on more weight.
“If you tell people to add anything to their diet, you’re going to potentially have no weight loss, or weight gain, even with fruits and vegetables,” said Barbara Rolls, chair of nutritional sciences at The Pennsylvania State University in University Park.
The theory was especially true for beverages since the body regulates hunger and thirst differently – and people often don’t think to eat less to make up for juice or other calorie-filled beverages.
These days, with all the gels, creams and cleansing wipes on the market, it seems incredibly old-fashioned to use soap bar and water to wash your face.
However, soap bar could be on the verge of a renaissance with a number of high-end products popping up in beauty emporiums. The Nephria Beauty Bar, rich in apricot, olive and jojoba oils as well as vitamin E, has just launched in Harvey Nichols. At House of Fraser, they are stocking Gamila Secret, an olive oil-based bar that includes 15 hand-picked herbs.
Bars tend to cost less than other forms of cleanser.
The formulations have changed, too. According to Harley Street dermatologist Dr. Sam Bunting, soaps fell out of favor because many were simply too harsh.
“Soaps contain surfactants [the ingredients that remove dirt and oil], which are irritating, particularly to those with dry or sensitive skin,” she says.
“That nice clean feeling you got after lathering up with soap? That’s due to the stripping of natural oils from the skin.”
Soap bar is back in vogue
However, today’s facial soaps are unrecognizable from their predecessors.
In fact, the companies behind those long-standing favorites insist that this new generation of soaps is simply catching up with what they knew all along.
Clinique dermatologist Dr. David Orentreich is the son of Norman Orentreich, the man who founded Clinique more than 40 years ago.
“To this day, we still find soap is one of the best cleansers,” he says.
“There are three Clinique soaps and all have a very low lather for easy rinsing and leave no residue.”
Beauty’s best-kept secret really is as simple as soap and water.
The DASH diet (DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) was developed by the nutritionist Marla Heller, and was recently voted the healthiest diet in the U.S. by a panel of doctors.
The plan, which is endorsed by The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute and The American Heart Association, was devised to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and help ward off diabetes. However, its amazing ability to help people lose weight has quickly turned it into a bestseller.
Now, just in time for Christmas, Marla Heller has turbo-charged the original regime to create an even more powerful weight-loss plan.
In this exclusive extract from her new book, The DASH Weight Loss Solution, Heller explains how her simple diet can transform your figure in time for your Christmas party – without counting a single calorie or following a punishing fitness regime.
But unlike other crash diets, which can have an adverse effect on your health, this one is scientifically proven to boost health.
Over the next two weeks, you can not only drop a dress size and flatten your tummy, but fire up your metabolism and train your appetite to resist all those calorific treats you’ll be tempted by over the festive season.
If you’re worrying whether you’ll be able to squeeze into that unforgiving party dress this season, the DASH plan is a godsend.
So how does it work? Instead of counting calories and fussing over fat, Marla Heller says the best way to lose weight is to focus on the type of foods you are eating. The key is to choose lean proteins and healthy fats that will help to fill you up and control your appetite, rather than spend time worrying about the things you need to avoid.
Divided into two phases, the diet promises not only to help you lose weight – in particular around your stomach area – but has been proven to lower blood pressure and cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and developing diabetes.
Phase One of the DASH diet (the initial two weeks of the programme that we will be outlining here) is a low-carbohydrate transition period designed to reset your metabolism.
This protein-rich eating plan – which cuts out fruit and wholegrains for 14 days – will keep you feeling satisfied for longer and, because it’s low in carbs and sugars, also helps trigger fast, immediately visible weight loss.
Phase Two then reintroduces wholegrains, fruit and starchy vegetables in order to maintain and continue your weight loss, as well as improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Marla Heller says that although the DASH diet is not designed to be an aggressive weight-loss regime, and results will vary from person to person, people tend to lose around 5 lb in the first two weeks – and between 10 lb and 35 lb over a period of two months.
So what are the key things you need to change about your eating habits to see results before Christmas? First, you will learn to consume lots of vegetables. You can eat as much non-starchy veg as you want to – there are no limits. You should also include protein-rich foods, such as lean meat, fish, low-fat cheese and nuts, that increase satiety, helping to reduce snacking by keeping your blood sugar levels more stable.
By cutting out starchy and sugary foods, your metabolism will operate more efficiently, since you will have a reduced demand for insulin (the hormone that keeps blood sugar levels in kilter). You will also notice you are eating lighter, healthier foods, which will make you feel more energized.
Within the first few days, you will notice your waist shrinking as you lose belly fat, which tends to build up when we eat large amounts of carbohydrates.
PHASE 1: Lose that bulge in 14 days
For the next 14 days, include moderate-sized servings of these three food groups in every main meal (i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner). As a guide, a portion of meat, fish and poultry should be the size of your palm. A handful of beans, nuts, lentils and soy foods is about right. A portion of cheese should be the size of a small matchbox.
EAT…
1. Foods that are protein-rich and low in saturated fat. These include:
Lean meats
Fish and poultry
Beans and lentils
Soy foods
Low-fat cheeses
Eggs
Unsweetened or artificially sweetened yogurt (one small pot per day)
2. Heart-healthy fats. These are foods that contain omega-3 and polyunsaturated fats, which have been shown, if eaten regularly, to have beneficial effects on circulation and reduce the risk of heart disease. Good sources include:
Avocados
Vegetable oils, especially olive, rapeseed and nut oils
Note that coconut oil and palm oil are excluded, since they are high in saturated fat, along with salad dressings, especially those based on these two oils.
3. Foods that are protein-rich and contain healthy fats. These include:
Nuts (preferably non-roasted and unsalted) and seeds
Fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel.
PLUS…
As much sugar-free, fruit-flavored jelly as you want – this will become your fruit and dessert substitute. All vegetables, with the exception of starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn, are also unlimited.
AVOID…
Starchy foods (other than beans). This means no: bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, all foods fried in batter, sugary foods (which includes fruit, fresh, frozen, dried or tinned), alcohol, caffeinated beverages, milk.
The DASH diet was developed by the nutritionist Marla Heller and was recently voted the healthiest diet in the US by a panel of doctors
SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS
Eat three meals a day, plus a morning, afternoon and optional pre-dinner snack. Do not skip any of the main meals or snacks. This will keep your blood sugar steady, and help you avoid hunger.
Challenging fitness activities such as jogging, Zumba, aerobics, cycling and weight training should be avoided. Instead, try to do no more than 30 minutes of light or moderate activity per day. Moderate activity such as walking or gentle yoga will keep blood sugar stable and burn belly fat.
Go to bed earlier. You may initially feel less energetic on this two-week “jump start” programme. Don’t worry – your energy levels will go back to normal once you move on to Phase Two of the programme.
Drink plenty of fluids. Avoid caffeine and instead aim for at least eight glasses of water, vegetable juice and herbal tea a day.
Don’t cut out salt altogether. This 14-day programme can be dehydrating. Without starchy and sugary foods, your body will flush out excess fluid more quickly than usual. Allowing yourself to have plenty of drinks and a moderate amount of salty foods will help prevent too much fluid loss.
Relax. You may get frustrated in the middle of the jump-start period. Your body is going through lots of changes, all for the better. Keep going – it will get easier. Focus on your weight-loss results. Your success will keep you motivated and make it easier to stay on track. It is absolutely ok to weigh yourself daily; it will build an aura of success. Although weight loss will vary widely from person to person, you can expect to lose at least 5 lb over the fortnight.
PHASE 2: KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF FOREVER
After this initial reset phase, if you want to continue losing weight and feeling well you are ready to move on to Phase Two.
Working your way through Phase One, you will have already learnt to make your meals more satisfying with proteins, non-starchy vegetables and heart-healthy fats.
In Phase Two, you should continue to eat some protein and plenty of vegetables at every meal – but you can start to add wholegrains (no more than three portions) and fruit (two portions) to your daily diet. You can also ramp up your exercise regime with more aerobic activity and toning exercises.
One portion of wholegrain = 1 slice wholemeal bread; half a wholemeal muffin; half a wholemeal bread roll; half a cup cooked wholemeal pasta or brown rice; half a jacket potato or three new potatoes with skins on, or one tbsp wholegrain cereal.
One portion of fruit = 1 small piece of fresh fruit; half a glass of fruit juice; 1 dessertspoon of dried fruit; 2 tbsp of canned fruit in juice.
You will continue to lose weight, although slightly more slowly after the initial reset phase, but it’s a plan you can enjoy for life.
THE MENUS
You should have a breakfast, lunch, dinner, mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack every day. If you feel you need it, you can also have a pre-dinner snack:
Breakfasts (Choose one)
One sliced boiled egg served with one or two slices of grilled lean bacon and a small glass of tomato juice
Two scrambled eggs plus a small slice of roast beef and sliced tomatoes
One turkey and cheese roll-up (place a large slice of turkey on top of a slice of reduced-fat cheese, such as Leerdammer Lightlife, and roll up) plus a glass of vegetable juice
Egg-white omelette (made using two egg whites and a squirt of cooking spray) with lean ham and mushrooms
A handful of mixed nuts with vegetable crudités (celery, radishes, carrots, cucumber and peppers are all suitable)
Snacks (Choose one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon)
One Babybel Light cheese plus a handful of carrot batons
One small no-fat yoghurt plus ten walnuts or cashews
One dessert spoon of peanut butter with celery sticks
One stick of low-fat cheese served with celery sticks
Two tablespoons of low-fat cottage cheese with crudités
Lunches (Choose one, plus a pot of sugar-free jelly for dessert)
One grilled chicken breast served with large green salad dressed with oil and vinegar
Two or three ham and cheese roll-ups (place a slice of low-fat/light cheese on top of a slice of lean ham). Served with a tablespoon of raw coleslaw topped with an oil and vinegar dressing and cucumber
One can of flaked tuna in spring water mixed with light mayonnaise and finely chopped pepper and onion, served with a large salad dressed with an oil and vinegar dressing
Large tomato stuffed with low-fat cottage cheese with chives and black pepper, served with a side salad
One grilled Portobello mushroom topped with one thin slice of ham and sprinkle of low-fat cheese
Pre-dinner snacks (Optional)
Red pepper strips with a tablespoon of guacamole
Handful of unsalted, roasted peanuts or pistachios (approx 20)
Tablespoon of low-fat hummus with crudités
Dinners (Choose one, plus a pot of sugar-free jelly for dessert)
One lean grilled beef burger served with steamed vegetables
Portion of rotisserie chicken served with a vegetable salad, sprinkled with pine nuts and oil and vinegar dressing
Stir-fried salmon portion with Chinese vegetables (use a Chinese or Thai spice paste for flavoring)
Grilled pork chop with mashed cauliflower and green beans with balsamic dressing
Katt Williams has been arrested after allegedly threatened a bar employee with a pool cue in a brawl.
The comic was booked into King County Jail in Seattle around 6:30 p.m. on Sunday for investigation of harassment, assault and obstructing police, TMZ reports. He was released early Monday morning.
Katt Williams “brandished a pool cue at a bar manager and refused to leave the business”, police sources tell the website.
He later followed a family outside of the bar and allegedly threw a cigarette at a woman as she got into her car, hitting her in the eye.
Katt Williams also allegedly threw a rock at the vehicle.
It follows a series of bizarre antics by Katt Williams in recent weeks.
Katt Williams has been arrested after allegedly threatened a bar employee with a pool cue in a brawl
Last week was caught on video in Sacramento slapping a Target employee in the face.
Katt Williams was arrested on charges of attacking an aspiring rapper on his tour bus outside a downtown Oakland hotel last month. He was later released with no charges filed.
He is also being sued over an onstage meltdown and aborted performance in Oakland.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports it’s the second Alameda County lawsuit filed over Williams’ bizarre 10 minutes on stage last month at Oakland’s Oracle Arena.
The suit filed by 35-year-old Brian Herline, of Modesto, says he and hundreds of fans were disappointed when Katt Williams took off his clothes and challenged people to fight.
Brian Herline is seeking class-action certification in an effort to get ticket money back for all audience members.
Former boxer Mike Tyson has revealed how he found his wife Robin Givens in bed with Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt – and how he “was mad as hell” at the discovery.
Mike Tyson, 46, said although he was divorcing actress Robin Givens he used to go round her home daily for sex before visiting his lawyer and denouncing her “as a pig” who stole his money.
Mike Tyson described as a “love triangle with Pitt” the Hangover star told show In Depth With Graham Bensinger he was “mad as hell”, before adding: “You should have saw his face when he saw me.”
Robin Givens and Mike Tyson had a famously short-lived marriage in the 1980s that was marked by violence.
When the pair married in 1988 Mike Tyson was estimated to be worth $50 million.
Robin Givens filed for divorce three months later alleging spousal abuse and was reported to have received a divorce settlement of over $10 million.
A Harvard graduate, many believed Robin Givens had set out to take Mike Tyson’s money. She had previously dated Eddie Murphy and Brad Pitt.
The former boxer told Graham Bensinger: “I was doing a divorce but every day, before I would go to my lawyer’s office to say, <<She’s a pig and stealing>>, I would go to her house to have sex with her.”
Mike Tyson has revealed how he found his wife Robin Givens in bed Brad Pitt
Mike Tyson, who admitted in 2010 he agreed to play a caricature of himself in The Hangover to fund his drug habit, recently revealed that he was high on cocaine while shooting the cameo in the hit film, which became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy in the United States.
The heavyweight champion, who was a fan of director Todd Phillips’ Old School, told Yahoo! Sports: “I was a mess. I was overweight. I was a pig, high on cocaine.”
Speaking on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, Mike Tyson reiterated he only signed on to the project to “supply his drug habit”, according to producers.
In the 2009 movie, the notorious boxer threatens to harm the Wolfpack unless they return his stolen tiger, but in real life the cast inspired him to change his lifestyle.
“They had to know I was messed up. I couldn’t talk. I had the cocaine talk,” Mike Tyson said of Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha.
“So those guys are just beautiful people. They had my back, and I appreciate that and stuff, then they asked me to come back [in The Hangover 2].”
Back in 2007, the boxer was convicted of possession of cocaine and a DUI and the year prior, Mike Tyson checked into rehab after a similar arrest.
Mike Tyson, who’s now happily married to third wife Lakiha Spencer, then stumbled upon the Head of the Class star returning home with Brad Pitt.
“I was mad as hell. I was going to…you should have saw his face when he saw me,” Mike Tyson told the interviewer.
The former boxer has since moved on from the scandal.
He took to his Twitter account on Saturday to remind fans about his one-man show, Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth, will soon hit the road for a 10-week, 36-city national tour.
“My #OneManShow is hitting the road on a NATIONAL TOUR starting February 2013,” Mike Tyson wrote to his 2.9 million followers.
The two-hour, tell-all show was directed by Spike Lee and originally ran for 11 days in August on Broadway at the Longacre Theater.
It tackles his marriages, divorces, eight children, rape conviction, anger issues, and the piece of ear he bit off of Evander Holyfield.
Mike Tyson will not, however, reprise his outlandish character a third time in the final installment of the booze-soaked franchise The Hangover.
The Hangover Part III, due in theaters on May 24, 2013, is rumored to focus on Phil and Stu (Cooper and Helms) breaking Alan (Galifianakis) out of a mental institution.
But the boxer told TMZthis week: “I have no idea what’s going on, I’m not in this one.”
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby, St James’s Palace announced today.
Kate Middleton, 30, was taken to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with acute morning sickness this afternoon.
In a statement on the couple’s website, Prince William and Kate Middleton said they were “delighted with the news”.
Kate Middleton was taken to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with acute morning sickness this afternoon
“Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting a baby.
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry and members of both families are delighted with the news.
“The Duchess was admitted this afternoon to King Edward VII Hospital in Central London with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. As the pregnancy is in its very early stages, Her Royal Highness is expected to stay in hospital for several days and will require a period of rest thereafter.”
Kansas City Chief Jovan Belcher was a member of a group which campaigns against violence towards women.
Jovan Belcher – who was raised by his own mother – was part of Male Athletes Against Violence and had pledged to develop deep-held beliefs against attacking females.
Among the promises he would have made is one to “look honestly at my actions in regard to violence and make changes if necessary”.
Jovan Belcher, 25, 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”.
The linebacker was a member of MAAV whilst studying at the University of Maine where he played football for three years until he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009.
On Saturday his past as an anti-violence campaigner apparently meant little when he shot Kasandra Perkins dead in a row when she came home from an R&B concert the night before.
His mother discovered the body as she was living in the house too and called 911.
Jovan Belcher was part of Male Athletes Against Violence and had pledged to develop deep-held beliefs against attacking females
Jovan Belcher then drove to his team’s stadium and shot himself dead in front of his coach and general manager.
He and Kasandra Perkins lived together and three months ago had a baby girl but are said to have rowed frequently.
The horrific murder suicide came one day before a Kansas home game against the Carolina Panthers which went ahead as scheduled.
Just a day after the deaths, the Chiefs would take the field against the Carolina Panthers eventually winning their second game of the season 27-21.
As friends and family try to work out what drove Jovan Belcher over the edge, it now seems that in recent years he was a champion of women’s rights.
Whilst at UMaine he was part of MAAV which describes itself as an “effort to involve men so that we can begin to understand that violence is very much a man’s issue”.
It supports the White Ribbon campaign in which male athletes wear a white ribbon as a public display of their stand against violent men.
Among the promotional posters are some with football players which have slogans like: “Join the huddle. Work together to end violence” and “Stand tough against violence”.
Jovan Belcher himself has even spoken about his respect for women which he developed because his father was never around.
In a 2008 interview he said: “My mother is a hardworking woman.
“To see her overcome some things and succeed, it makes me look at things and say, <<this isn’t even hard>>.
“I didn’t really have a father figure, so they provided nice guidance for me.”
Judging from pictures posted on Kasandra Perkins’ Facebook page, Jovan Belcher and his girlfriend had appeared to be happy and in love following the birth of their first child.
Jovan Belcher had argued with his girlfriend after she came home late from an R&B concert the night before he shot her dead then drove to his team’s stadium and committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager, it has emerged.
The 25-year-old Kansas City Chiefs linebacker fatally shot 22-year-old Kasandra Perkins early on Saturday morning, then killed himself in the presence of Chiefs staff after first thanking them for everything they had done for him, police said.
The couple lived together and three months ago had a baby together on September 11 – but a friend said they quarreled frequently, and added that they fought when Kasandra Perkins arrived home at 1 a.m. after attending a performance by Trey Songz.
Authorities did not confirm a possible motive for the murder-suicide, which stunned the team and came one day before a home game against the Carolina Panthers. The NFL said the game would go on as scheduled.
Communications Market Report 2012 has found that texting is now the most popular way to stay in contact.
Its study found that 90% of 16 to 24-year-olds text daily to communicate with friends and family, compared to only 63% who talk face-to-face.
The Communications Market Report 2012 said that talking on the phone was also less popular than texting among this younger age group, with only 67% saying they make daily phone calls.
The findings come as the SMS celebrates its 20th birthday today.
The first ever SMS was sent on December 3rd, 1992, when Neil Papworth, a 22-year-old British engineer used his computer to send the message “Merry Christmas” to an Orbitel 901 mobile phone.
But the origins of the idea date back further to Matti Makkonen. Over a pizza at a telecoms conference in 1984, the former Finnish civil servant put forward the idea of a mobile phone messaging service. This was to become the SMS (short message service) standard.
According to research by Ofcom, the media regulator, the average UK consumer now sends around 50 text messages every week.
In 2011, more than 150 billion text messages were sent in the UK, which was almost triple the amount sent five years previously in 2006 – when 51 billion texts were sent, according to an Ofcom report.
It also found that texting was now most prolific among 12-15 year olds, who send an average of 193 texts every week, almost four times the UK average. This has more than doubled from 12 months ago, when just 91 were sent each week by the same age group.
The first ever SMS was sent on December 3rd, 1992
Girls aged between 12 and 15 are texting significantly more than boys, sending an average of 221 messages a week – 35 per cent more than boys of the same age, who send 164 a week.
The average 8-11-year-old sends 41 texts each week, almost double the number (23) sent in 2011
The first half of 2012 saw two quarterly declines in the volume of SMS messages sent in the UK (Q1 2012: 39.1 billion; Q2 2012: 38.5 billion), falling slightly from their peak of 39.7 billion in Q4 in 2011.
This decline could be attributed to people using alternative forms of text-based communications, such as instant messaging and social networking sites.
The recent increase in ownership of internet-connected devices, such as tablets and smartphones, could also be behind this trend. Four in 10 (39%) adults now own a smartphone, making it easier to gain access to web-based communications.
James Thickett, Ofcom’s director of research, said: “When texting was first conceived many saw it as nothing more than a niche service.
“But texts have now surpassed traditional phone calls and meeting face to face as the most frequent way of keeping in touch for UK adults, revolutionizing the way we socialize, work and network.
“For the first time in the history of mobile phones, SMS volumes are showing signs of decline. However the availability of a wider range of communications tools like instant messaging and social networking sites, mean that people might be sending fewer SMS messages, but they are <<texting>> more than ever before.”
Pope Benedict XVI is to begin sending Twitter messages using the handle @pontifex as his personal account, the Vatican has announced.
A spokesman said Pope Benedict XVI wanted to “reach out to everyone” with tweets translated into eight languages.
The first tweet from his account, whose name means both pontiff and builder of bridges, is expected on December 12th.
Last year, Pope Benedict XVI sent his first tweet last year from a Vatican account to launch the Holy See’s news information portal.
“We are going to get a spiritual message. The Pope is not going to be walking around with a Blackberry or an iPad and no-one is going to be putting words into the Pope’s mouth,” Greg Burke, senior media advisor to the Vatican said.
“He will tweet what he wants to tweet,” he added, though the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion or so Roman Catholics is expected to sign off, rather than write, each individual tweet himself.
Pope Benedict XVI wanted to reach out to everyone with tweets translated into eight languages
The Vatican said the Pope will be using a question-and-answer format for his first Twitter session, focusing on answering questions about faith in 140 characters.
The Vatican has invited people to start sending in questions ahead of time for the Pope to answer.
The tweets are expected to highlight messages from his weekly general audience, Sunday blessings and homilies on key Church holidays as well as papal reaction to world events.
The Vatican has long shown interest in using the latest communications technologies to spread the faith with the inventor of radio, Guglielmo Marconi, setting up Vatican Radio in 1931.
The Catholic Church also already uses several social media platforms, including text messages and YouTube, to communicate with young people.
The Vatican’s own Twitter account has almost 110,000 followers, though it follows no-one.
Papal aides say the pontiff himself still prefers to communicate in longhand rather than using a computer keyboard.
Pope Benedict’s six-year papacy has been bedeviled by poor communications.
Embarrassing clarifications had to be issued over such thorny issues as his 2005 speech about Islam and violence, and his stance on condoms and HIV.
Egypt’s Judges’ Club has refused to oversee a referendum on the country’s new draft constitution, to be held in two weeks.
The Judges’ Club’s decision follows a confrontation between Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court and Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi.
The court said it was suspending its work after its members were prevented from ruling on the legitimacy of the body that drew up the constitution.
Opposition groups called for protests against the referendum on Tuesday.
They said Mohammed Morsi had broken a promise not to call a referendum without gaining a wide national consensus.
“The National Salvation Front condemns the irresponsible act by the president of the republic in calling a referendum on an illegitimate constitution that is rejected by a large section of his people,” an alliance of opposition groups said in a statement.
The opposition believes that the draft constitution undermines basic freedoms.
The latest developments heighten the tensions between President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood supporters on one side, and his mainly secular political opponents and the judiciary on the other.
Hours after the Supreme Constitutional Court suspended its work, the Judges’ Club, the union which represents the profession nationwide, said it had turned down the judges’ traditional role of electoral oversight for the referendum.
“We have decided to boycott the supervision of the referendum on the constitution scheduled for December 15, 2012,” the club’s head Ahmed al-Zind announced.
“This protest is in response to what is being called the ‘constitutional decree’ and until this decree is rescinded.”
Correspondents say the club’s decisions are not binding on members, and Vice-President Mahmoud Mekky said he was confident judges would do their job.
The Supreme Constitutional Court had earlier described Sunday as “the blackest day in the history of Egyptian judiciary” after its judges were prevented from attending a meeting by Islamist protesters.
The court had been scheduled to rule on whether to dissolve both the constituent assembly that passed the draft constitution and the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament, the Shura Council.
Supporters of President Mohammed Morsi wanted to block any ruling that would question the document’s legality.
Mohammed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree on November 22nd that stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions, so it is unclear what effect any Supreme Constitutional Court ruling would have had.
However, analysts say any ruling opposing his decisions would be a direct challenge and would bolster the opposition campaign to have his decree annulled.
The president’s supporters are wary of the court, as it dissolved an Islamist-dominated lower house of parliament in an earlier confrontation in June.
The draft constitution was rushed through the constituent assembly on Thursday night.
After receiving a copy of the document on Saturday, Mohammed Morsi called on “all Egyptians” to take part in the referendum, whether or not they agreed with the draft.
The draft constitution and the recent decree have prompted widespread protests by opponents.
Many anti-government activists remain camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
If approved, the new text will overwrite all constitutional declarations – including Mohammed Morsi’s decree – and a new parliament should be elected within 60 days.
Among the historic changes to Egypt’s system of government, the draft limits a president to two four-year terms. It also introduces some civilian oversight of the military.
The draft keeps in place an article defining “principles of Sharia”, or Islamic law, as the main source of legislation.
Mohammed Morsi’s supporters point to the fact that he is Egypt’s first freely elected president and argue that liberals and secularists do not represent the vast majority of Egyptians.
But the extent of Mohammed Morsi’s new powers has raised fears that he might become a new dictator.
The Judges’ Club’s decision follows a confrontation between Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court and Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi.
The court said it was suspending its work after its members were prevented from ruling on the legitimacy of the body that drew up the constitution.
Opposition groups called for protests against the referendum on Tuesday.
They said Mohammed Morsi had broken a promise not to call a referendum without gaining a wide national consensus.
“The National Salvation Front condemns the irresponsible act by the president of the republic in calling a referendum on an illegitimate constitution that is rejected by a large section of his people,” an alliance of opposition groups said in a statement.
The opposition believes that the draft constitution undermines basic freedoms.
The latest developments heighten the tensions between President Mohammed Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood supporters on one side, and his mainly secular political opponents and the judiciary on the other.
Hours after the Supreme Constitutional Court suspended its work, the Judges’ Club, the union which represents the profession nationwide, said it had turned down the judges’ traditional role of electoral oversight for the referendum.
“We have decided to boycott the supervision of the referendum on the constitution scheduled for December 15, 2012,” the club’s head Ahmed al-Zind announced.
“This protest is in response to what is being called the ‘constitutional decree’ and until this decree is rescinded.”
Correspondents say the club’s decisions are not binding on members, and Vice-President Mahmoud Mekky said he was confident judges would do their job.
The Supreme Constitutional Court had earlier described Sunday as “the blackest day in the history of Egyptian judiciary” after its judges were prevented from attending a meeting by Islamist protesters.
The court had been scheduled to rule on whether to dissolve both the constituent assembly that passed the draft constitution and the Islamist-dominated upper house of parliament, the Shura Council.
Supporters of President Mohammed Morsi wanted to block any ruling that would question the document’s legality.
Mohammed Morsi adopted sweeping new powers in a decree on November 22nd that stripped the judiciary of any power to challenge his decisions, so it is unclear what effect any Supreme Constitutional Court ruling would have had.
However, analysts say any ruling opposing his decisions would be a direct challenge and would bolster the opposition campaign to have his decree annulled.
The president’s supporters are wary of the court, as it dissolved an Islamist-dominated lower house of parliament in an earlier confrontation in June.
The draft constitution was rushed through the constituent assembly on Thursday night.
After receiving a copy of the document on Saturday, Mohammed Morsi called on “all Egyptians” to take part in the referendum, whether or not they agreed with the draft.
The draft constitution and the recent decree have prompted widespread protests by opponents.
Many anti-government activists remain camped out in Cairo’s Tahrir Square.
If approved, the new text will overwrite all constitutional declarations – including Mohammed Morsi’s decree – and a new parliament should be elected within 60 days.
Among the historic changes to Egypt’s system of government, the draft limits a president to two four-year terms. It also introduces some civilian oversight of the military.
The draft keeps in place an article defining “principles of Sharia”, or Islamic law, as the main source of legislation.
Mohammed Morsi’s supporters point to the fact that he is Egypt’s first freely elected president and argue that liberals and secularists do not represent the vast majority of Egyptians.
But the extent of Mohammed Morsi’s new powers has raised fears that he might become a new dictator.
Former Republican candidate Mitt Romney has retreated into “seclusion” after his failed presidential run and has so little to do he is offering to change bedpans for sick friends to ease his boredom.
In a huge step down from the campaign trail, Mitt Romney is said to have reached out to a friend going through a liver transplant and offered to care for him.
Gone are Mitt Romney’s daily briefings with top aides and Secret Service entourage – now he spends his days alone on his iPad as he grapples with crushing disappointment.
An article in theWashington Post paints a picture of a man going through the awful low that presidential candidates have to deal with after they lose – in his case after six years of campaigning.
Exacerbating Mitt Romney’s plight is that unlike other failed contenders like John McCain and John Kerry, he does not have a job in the Senate to go back to.
Mitt Romney has also had to endure seeing wife Ann, who publicly admitted the campaign was very hard on her, cry in private as she takes it even worse than him.
According to the Washington Post, Ann and Mitt Romney thought it was their destiny to end up in the White House but are instead dealing with the wreckage of what went wrong.
Mitt Romney, 65, is holed up in his mansion on the seafront in La Jolla, an exclusive area of San Diego in California, taking visits from business colleagues and friends.
He has been going on bike rides to stay fit and recently welcomed his family to the home for Thanksgiving but ordered dinner from Boston Market as there were too many relatives to cook for them all.
Plans to renovate the home have been put on hold and the only construction going ahead is at Mitt Romney’s neighbor’s mansion.
Mitt Romney has retreated into seclusion after his failed presidential run and has so little to do he is offering to change bedpans for sick friends to ease his boredom
Mitt Romney also spends a lot of time emailing friends and wrote to the one going through the liver transplant: “I’ll change your bedpan, take you back and forth to treatment.”
His adviser, Ron Kaufman said: “Is he disappointed? Of course he’s disappointed. He’s like 41.”
The reference is to President George H.W. Bush, who lost his reelection bid in 1992 to Bill Clinton.
“Forty-one would hate to lose a game of horseshoes to the gardener in the White House, and Mitt hates to lose. He’s a born competitor.”
Mitt Romney has ruled out taking up another position within the Republican party because of the way it treated him after the election.
When he claimed that President Barack Obama won a second term because of “gifts” he bestowed on the minorities, the Republican leadership effectively exiled him.
Now Mitt Romney is said to be considering a Clinton Global Initiative style organization which would allow him to do some good.
Robert Shrum, a senior strategist on Democratic presidential campaigns, said: “Nothing so unbecame his [Mitt Romney’s] campaign as his manner of leaving it.
“I don’t think he’ll ever be a significant figure in public life again.”
Recent pictures of Mitt Romney looking haggard do not tell the truth, friends say, and Romney is not letting himself go or holding a grudge.
Bitterness is “not in the Romney genetic code”, the Washington Post claims, and the worst thing he is going through right now is seeing Ann Romney so upset she can barely ride her beloved horses.
During the campaign Ann Romney, 63, who suffers from MS, attacked those who were criticizing the Romney camp and in one outburst said: “Stop it. This is hard. You want to try it? Get in the ring.”
John Miller, a meatpacking magnate who co-chaired Mitt Romney’s finance committee and owns the beach house next door, said Romney was not a poor loser, but confirmed he was struggling.
He said: “He’s not crying on anybody’s shoulders.
“He’s not blaming anybody…He’s doing a lot of personal introspection about the whole process – and I’m not even sure that’s healthy.
Friends of Kansas City Chief Jovan Belcher say his mental state may have been deteriorated due to a history of head injuries, pain killers, and alcohol abuse.
A person claiming to be close to Jovan Belcher has revealed in a series of e-mails that these issues as well as long-term domestic problems between himself and his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins may have led Belcher to the murder-suicide he committed Saturday morning.
Jovan Belcher killed 22-year-old girlfriend and mother of his child Kasandra Perkins before driving to Arrowhead stadium and turning the gun on himself.
In a series of e-mails to Deadspin, the friend describes: “They have been arguing for quite sometime and had separated 2 weeks ago,” the anonymous friend wrote.
“He had brought her and the baby back home however, they were both arguing on a regular basis. Both of them are/were very young and immature and that combined with other factors led to this tragedy.”
Jovan Belcher’s friend adds that many of their recent arguments focused on Kasandra Perkins failing college classes Belcher paid for and quitting her retail job, as well as telling Belcher that she was leaving him and would find a lawyer to “get as much money as possible” from the football player.
Jovan Belcher may have reacted to all this differently if he wasn’t messed up from booze, meds, and taking shots to the head on the field.
“When it comes to prescription medication it is unclear from my perspective whether it was diagnosed and authorized by the team or not,” the friend wrote.
“However, I know he was under the influence of narcotics for pain and I’m sure the toxicology report will reflect this. However, Jovan drank ALOT. On a nightly basis. This is not a mystery as he did so in public and private.
“When it comes to his concussions; if you review the footage of the Cincinnati game he took a few hits to the head directly […] he was dazed and was suffering from short term memory loss. He could not remember the events that had taken place prior to that game or what he had said to get Kasi to return home.”
Friends of Kansas City Chief Jovan Belcher say his mental state may have been deteriorated due to a history of head injuries, pain killers, and alcohol abuse
Jovan Belcher, 25, was also a member of a group which campaigns against violence towards women.
Jovan Belcher – who was raised by his own mother – was part of Male Athletes Against Violence and had pledged to develop deep-held beliefs against attacking females.
Among the promises he would have made is one to “look honestly at my actions in regard to violence and make changes if necessary”.
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”.
The 25-year-old linebacker was a member of MAAV whilst studying at the University of Maine where he played football for three years until he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009.
On Saturday his past as an anti-violence campaigner apparently meant little when he shot Kasandra Perkins dead in a row when she came home from an R&B concert the night before.
His mother discovered the body as she was living in the house too and called 911.
Jovan Belcher then drove to his team’s stadium and shot himself dead in front of his coach and general manager.
He and Kasandra Perkins lived together and three months ago had a baby girl but are said to have rowed frequently.
The horrific murder suicide came one day before a Kansas home game against the Carolina Panthers which went ahead as scheduled.
Just a day after the deaths, the Chiefs would take the field against the Carolina Panthers eventually winning their second game of the season 27-21.
Rio might be low on snowmen, reindeer and fireplaces, but it can’t be beat on one Christmas tradition: the famous Lagoa Christmas tree, a 28-storey glittering behemoth of seasonal kitsch, which was officially opened on Saturday, December 1st.
The theme for 2012 tree, which floats atop the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon in Rio’s Zona Sul (South Zone), is All the Christmases of the World, and celebrates the four seasons of the year.
The much-anticipated inauguration kicked off the festive season with an event at Parque do Cantagalo (on the Ipanema/Copacabana side of the Lagoa) including fireworks and performance of The Wizard of Oz starring Malu Rodrigues, as Dorothy, and actor and presenter Luiz Carlos Miele as the Wizard of Oz.
The famous Lagoa Christmas tree in Rio de Janeiro is a 28-storey glittering behemoth of 2012 seasonal kitsch
Other cultural attractions included a suite from standby The Nutcracker, performed by The Dalal Achcar School of Ballet, and Christmas classics from Simone, Emilio Santiago, the Barra Mansa Symphony Orchestra and the Fundação Bradesco Choirs.
At 279 ft (85 m) and weighing some 542 tonnes – about the same as 66 full-grown African elephants – the structure is the largest floating model in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Sponsored by by Bradesco Seguros, it is illuminated by some 3.1 million microlamps, 120 kilometers of tube lights, and 100 LED spotlights, all mounted atop a base made entirely of lace-work.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West relationship is going from strength to strength, with Kim apparently planning her wedding to the rapper – although he has yet to propose.
According to reports, Kim Kardashian wants a wedding to rival that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Although Kim Kardashian is still legally married to Kris Humphries she is reportedly already planning her nuptials and wants a huge English event.
A source said: “Kim would love to wed at Westminster Abbey like William and Catherine, but that won’t be possible.
“Instead she’s been looking at castles near London. She wants the most spectacular wedding and she’s talking about having guests like Jay-Z and Beyonce, Eva Longoria, Lindsay Lohan, Rihanna and Katy Perry arrive in horse drawn carriages – just like the royal wedding.”
Kim Kardashian wants a wedding to rapper Kanye West to rival that of Prince William and Kate Middleton
Kim Kardashian reportedly also wants children with Kanye West and has her heart set on twins and is even planning a nursery even though she isn’t pregnant.
The source added to America’s OK! magazine: “It’s going to be huge – at least 2,000 square feet. And luxury is top priority from the carpet to the light fixtures. Kim and Kanye love Old Hollywood so that’s going to be a theme with lots of white and cream with splashes of butter yellow and black and some leopard print.”
Tired looking Kim Kardashian revealed a painful-looking large sore on her upper lip, along with blemishes on her chin as she flew into Miami on Sunday.
Dressed down Kim Kardashian had tied her hair back in a simple bun for her flight, while she wore a simple and conservative outfit of black trousers and white blazer.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Kim Kardashian were feeling a little under the weather.
The reality star had just stepped off an 18 hour flight – which even in first class is bound to be a strain. She jokingly tweeted: “18 hour flight…fun!”
Adding to the stress on her body the reality star was returning from a three-day whirlwind tour of the Gulf, in which she opened milkshake shops in Kuwait and Bahrain.
It was just the latest long haul flight for permanently jet lagged Kim Kardashian. In recent weeks she has visited Italy, London and Los Angeles.
But there isn’t likely to be much of a break for Kim Kardashian, who is in the midst of filming her new reality show, Kourtney And Kim Take Miami.
Kim Kardashian revealed a painful-looking large sore on her upper lip, along with blemishes on her chin as she flew into Miami on Sunday
Kim Kardashian suffers from the skin condition psoriasis, and on her reality show has previously talked about how she uses makeup to disguise the effects.
The hereditary disease was passed down from her mother Kris Jenner.
And while the condition is incurable, the best way to manage it is to lead a “slower-paced life”.
However, busy Kim kardashian has conceded that this is impossible, adding: “People don’t understand the pressure on me to look perfect.”
But while she may be exhausted, at least Kim Kardashian will get a warm welcome in Miami, with sisters Khloe and Kourtney both in town this weekend.
She will also be looking forward to catching up with her boyfriend Kanye West, having tweeted: “I miss you so much,” to her lover while she was away.
