A Christian Man was sentenced by having his lips burnt with a cigarette for eating during Ramadan in Iran

An Iranian judge sentenced a Christian man to have his lips burnt with a cigarette for eating during the day in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The barbaric punishment was carried out in public in a square in the city of Kermanshah.

Five other Muslim men were also flogged in public with 70 lashes for not fasting during Ramadan, the city's deputy governor Ali Ashraf Karami said.

A spokesperson from The National Council of Resistance of Iran, a political coalition which opposes the government, denounced the treatment as 'savage' and called on western countries to take action.

They said: 'The silence of the world community, especially of western countries, vis-à-vis these medieval punishments under the excuse of having nuclear talks with Iran has intensified the brutal and systematic violation of human rights in Iran.

'This will ultimately embolden the Iranian regime to continue its nuclear projects more than before.'

But earlier this year the UN blasted Iran for the persecution of Christians in a damning report laid bare to the world in March.

The detailed report found that Iran has continued to imprison Christians for their faith and designated house churches and evangelical Christians as 'threats to national security.'

At least 49 Christians were among 307 religious minorities being held in Iranian jails as of January 2014, noted the UN, which also criticised the regime for its hostility to Jews, Baha’is, Zoroastrians and Dervish Muslims.

In its annual report on people imprisoned for their faith around the world, the Brussels-based organization Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) named Iran as one of five countries with the largest number of 'freedom of religion or belief prisoners.'

There are an estimated 250,000 Christians in Iran's 76 million strong population.

They all face torture, imprisonment or the death sentence under Sharia law for not observing Islamic religious festivals and dress codes.

Thousands of persecuted Christians have fled the country, which saw Hossein Soodmand hanged in 2008 for following the faith.
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How much sleep do you really need? Why Seven Hours of Sleep Might Be Better Than Eight

Experts generally recommend seven to nine hours a night for healthy adults. Sleep scientists say new guidelines are needed to take into account an abundance of recent research in the field and to reflect that Americans are on average sleeping less than they did in the past.

Several sleep studies have found that seven hours is the optimal amount of sleep—not eight, as was long believed—when it comes to certain cognitive and health markers, although many doctors question that conclusion.

Other recent research has shown that skimping on a full night's sleep, even by 20 minutes, impairs performance and memory the next day. And getting too much sleep—not just too little of it—is associated with health problems including diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease and with higher rates of death, studies show.

"The lowest mortality and morbidity is with seven hours," said Shawn Youngstedt, a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University Phoenix. "Eight hours or more has consistently been shown to be hazardous," says Dr. Youngstedt, who researches the effects of oversleeping.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is helping to fund a panel of medical specialists and researchers to review the scientific literature on sleep and develop new recommendations, probably by 2015.

Daniel F. Kripke, an emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego, tracked over a six-year period data on 1.1 million people who participated in a large cancer study. People who reported they slept 6.5 to 7.4 hours had a lower mortality rate than those with shorter or longer sleep. The study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 2002, controlled for 32 health factors, including medications.

In another study, published in the journal Sleep Medicine in 2011, Dr. Kripke found further evidence that the optimal amount of sleep might be less than the traditional eight hours. The researchers recorded the sleep activity of about 450 elderly women using devices on their wrist for a week. Some 10 years later the researchers found that those who slept fewer than five hours or more than 6.5 hours had a higher mortality.

Other experts caution against studies showing ill effects from too much sleep. Illness may cause someone to sleep or spend more time in bed, these experts say. And studies based on people reporting their own sleep patterns may be inaccurate.

"The problem with these studies is that they give you good information about association but not causation," said Timothy Morgenthaler, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which represents sleep doctors and researchers, and a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic Center for Sleep Medicine.

Dr. Morgenthaler advises patients to aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night and to evaluate how they feel. Sleep needs also vary between individuals, largely due to cultural and genetic differences, he said.

Getting the right amount of sleep is important in being alert the next day, and several recent studies have found an association between getting seven hours of sleep and optimal cognitive performance.

A study in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience last year used data from users of the cognitive-training website Lumosity. Researchers looked at the self-reported sleeping habits of about 160,000 users who took spatial-memory and matching tests and about 127,000 users who took an arithmetic test. They found that cognitive performance increased as people got more sleep, reaching a peak at seven hours before starting to decline.

After seven hours, "increasing sleep was not any more beneficial," said Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., who co-authored the study with scientists from Lumos Labs Inc., which owns Lumosity. He said the study replicated earlier research, including a look at memory loss. "If you think about all the causes of memory loss, sleep is probably one of the most easily modifiable factors," he said.

Most research has focused on the effects of getting too little sleep, including cognitive and health declines and weight gain. David Dinges, a sleep scientist at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine who has studied sleep deprivation, said repeatedly getting just 20 or 30 minutes less than the minimum recommendation of seven hours can slow cognitive speed and increase attention lapses.

Experts say people should be able to figure out their optimal amount of sleep in a trial of three days to a week, ideally while on vacation. Don't use an alarm clock. Go to sleep when you get tired. Avoid too much caffeine or alcohol. And stay off electronic devices a couple of hours before going to bed. During the trial, track your sleep with a diary or a device that records your actual sleep time. If you feel refreshed and awake during the day, you've probably discovered your optimal sleep time.

The new sleep guidelines will be drawn up by a panel of experts being assembled by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Sleep Research Society, an organization for sleep researchers, and the CDC. The recommendations are meant to reflect evidence that has emerged from scientific studies and are expected to take into account issues such as gender and age, says Dr. Morgenthaler, the academy president.

Another group, the National Sleep Foundation, a nonprofit research and advocacy group, also has assembled an expert panel that expects to release updated recommendations for sleep times in January.

These groups currently recommend seven to nine hours of nightly sleep for healthy adults. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute recommends seven to eight hours, including the elderly. Most current guidelines say school-age children should get at least 10 hours of sleep a night, and teenagers, nine to 10.

"I don't think you can overdose on healthy sleep. When you get enough sleep your body will wake you up," said Safwan Badr, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

A study in the current issue of Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine seemed to confirm that. Five healthy adults were placed in what the researchers called Stone Age-like conditions in Germany for more than two months—without electricity, clocks or running water. Participants fell asleep about two hours earlier and got on average 1.5 hours more sleep than was estimated in their normal lives, the study said.

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Manchester City deny any speculation of Didier Drogba signing

Manchester City have no interest in signing former Chelsea star Didier Drogba, according to Press Association Sport.
The Premier League champions have been linked with a surprise move for the veteran Ivory Coast striker after losing Alvaro Negredo to injury for the start of the season.
Negredo is expected to be out for a few months with a broken metatarsal, leaving manager Manuel Pellegrini short of attacking options, but a move for Drogba is not being considered.
Drogba, 36, is available after leaving Galatasaray at the end of last season.
There have also been suggestions Drogba, who left Chelsea after winning the Champions League in 2012, could return to Stamford Bridge on a short-term deal.
Spanish striker Negredo was injured playing in City's preseason friendly against Hearts last Friday, and City are yet to indicate whether they will look for attacking reinforcements.
Earlier in the week Negredo, 28, had attempted to quell speculation over his future by announcing that he was happy at City, following reports linking him with a return to Spain.
Negredo made an immediate impact following his 20 million-pound arrival at the Etihad Stadium last summer, but the last of his 23 goals in the 2013-14 campaign came in January.
He was unable to rediscover his best form in the second half of the season after recovering from a shoulder injury, and that slump cost him a place in Spain's World Cup squad.
"I will be back stronger than ever," Negredo wrote on Instagram of his latest setback. "I will return with a vengeance."
The make-up of City's forward line could be a cause for concern for Pellegrini, with Sergio Aguero having been hampered by muscle injuries throughout 2014 and Stevan Jovetic also suffering an injury-hit first season at the club.

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Method to Prevent Spread of HIV- Scientists discovery

Fighting HIV in real life, of course, is nowhere near that easy. But new research from scientists at Temple University just took a step in that direction.

The research team found a way to essentially "edit" HIV out of DNA. By using RNA that rewrites genetic code, the researchers were able to cut out the HIV from infected cells.

The background: HIV works by attaching itself to specific cells — T-cells or CD4 cells — that allow it to replicate itself and spread throughout the body. The virus integrates itself into those cells, writing itself into an infected person's genome.

While antiretroviral drugs can hold off the process, HIV is still integrated into those cells. The virus is there for good, which is part of the reason that finding a cure seems almost impossible.

That's where this research comes in. By seeking out and rewriting the actual code — and removing only what the virus changed — we could theoretically cure and kill the infection for good.

The challenges: Application in theory is many steps away from application in practice. The question remains as to whether the process will work in a real live human being, as opposed to a laboratory environment.

Another challenge is making sure the RNA can identify only infected cells. You don't want your non-infected DNA being edited (unless you're gunning for a very unlikely superhero origin story), and you don't want any infected cells getting passed over.

There have been other attempts at this kind of genome editing, and it seems potentially like our best shot at taking out HIV. There are obstacles ahead, but you don't get massive breakthroughs without this kind of groundwork.

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Lady GaGa Performs With an Inflatable Giant Penis Onstage in LA

Lady GaGa brought along a giant inflatable penis onstage and danced with it when she made a tour stop at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Monday night, July 21. The moment was caught in a photo that's shared by the singer on Instagram on the next day.

"And then this happened tonight 'oh lord for the LARR can I get an amen #Venus had a #Penis," GaGa captioned the pic. "LARR", which is also written on the inflatable, appears to refer to the L.A. Rivington Rebels - the group that uploaded an Instagram video of GaGa dancing with the baloon while performing her song "Venus".

GaGa is currently in the North American leg of her "ArtRave: The Artpop Ball" which was launched to support her 2013 album "ARTPOP". She's hardly the first artist to have brought out a giant inflatable penis during her concerts. Earlier this year, Miley Cyrus made headlines for dancing and simulating sex act with similar inflatable.

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There are two words Steve Jobs Hated Most- Allison Johnson

It's not often that we get to hear new first-hand accounts of what it was like to work at Steve Jobs' Apple.
When we do get a new chance, there's always some new reveal about how he shaped the company's culture.
Take, for instance, this new interview with former Apple VP of Worldwide Marketing Communication Allison Johnson.
From 2005 to 2011, Johnson was one of the few people at Apple to have a direct line of communication with Jobs himself.

According to Johnson, the two most "dreaded, hated" words at Apple under Steve Jobs were "branding" and "marketing."

"In Steve's mind," she recalls, "people associated brands with television advertising and commercials and artificial things. The most important thing was people's relationship to the product. So any time we said 'brand' it was a dirty word."
On the subject of marketing, Johnson says that "marketing is when you have to sell to somebody. If you aren't providing value, if you're not educating them about the product, if you're not helping them get the most out of the product, you're selling. And you shouldn't be in that mode."
Wait a second. Isn't marketing what Apple does best? How can the head of worldwide marketing at Apple claim that marketing was dirty word in the company?
Responding to a similar question from her interviewer, Behance CEO Scott Belskey, Johnson explains that Apple treated its launch campaigns as massive efforts to educate the public about the company's new products by effectively communicating what made the experience using them so great:
What was important about that is the marketing team was right next to the product development and engineering teams. So we understood deeply what was important about the product, what the team’s motivations were in the product, what they hoped that product would achieve, what role they wanted it to have in people’s lives. And because we were that close, we were able to translate that very clearly in all of our marketing and communications.

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Manchester United plan to spend big if the Manager 'Van Gaal' so wish

Manchester United are ready and willing to break the British transfer record if new manager Louis van Gaal decides they need to do so, says executive vice chairman Ed Woodward.
Woodward endured a frustrating first summer in his position last year as mooted transfers for Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Gareth Bale and even Cristiano Ronaldo failed to materialise.
United have paid upwards of 50 million pounds for Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera, but as has been the case for the last few years, the biggest transfers have taken place away from Old Trafford this summer.
Real Madrid signed James Rodriguez for 63 million pounds on Tuesday and Barcelona paid 75 million for Luis Suarez earlier this month.
When asked whether United would be willing to pay a similar amount for a player, Woodward said: "It is in our capabilities. The club are not afraid of doing that -- spending significant amounts of money in the transfer market."
Such a move would cause United to break the 50 million-pound British record transfer fee paid by Chelsea for Fernando Torres in 2011. Woodward insists neither he nor the club would be fazed about being responsible for such a big deal.
"Whether it's a record or not doesn't really resonate with us," Woodward said. "What resonates is a top, top elite player that the manager wants that is going to be a star for Manchester United. We are in a very strong financial position. We can make big signings.
"I get pointed in the direction of a target that the manager wants and there is an assessment of what that might cost and I'll negotiate hard to do the best I can on the trade."
United are interested in signing Mats Hummels from Borussia Dortmund, sources told PA Sport, though the club expect the Germans to fight hard for the centre-back, given that they have already lost Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich this summer.
Van Gaal is also interested in signing compatriots Daley Blind, Stefan de Vrij and Kevin Strootman, although a move for the latter may have to wait until January as he is struggling with the knee injury that kept him out of the World Cup.
United have been told that Angel Di Maria is for sale, which could prompt Van Gaal to make an enquiry for the Real Madrid winger.
Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen is also on Van Gaal's wish list, although United have not, contrary to reports, agreed a swap deal for the defender that would see either Nani or Chris Smalling heading the other way.
It is understood that Juventus' Arturo Vidal is not being considered as a potential signing.
If Woodward landed two or three of those targets, he would go some way to enhancing his reputation, which took a hammering last summer when his only capture was 27.5 million-pound man Marouane Fellaini, who went on to endure a torrid season.
The former investment banker, who joined United in 2005, admits he still has some work to do to persuade fans he is the right man to be responsible for the club's transfer and contract negotiations.
"You gain credibility through experience and through time," he said. "You can't expect credibility from day one and I wouldn't ask that of the fans. You keep learning on the job and I'll continue to learn for a long period of time.
"I don't mind reading (criticism) because it's extremely important for me to listen to the fans. Criticism can change into positive comments over a period of time."
As well as experiencing troubles in the transfer market, Woodward also took the difficult decision to sack David Moyes, who was just 10 months into a six-year contract. Woodward said it was the toughest call of his career.
"I can't think of any bigger," he said. "It is certainly the most important role in the club by some distance and we didn't take the decision lightly. It was a difficult decision."
One thing that Woodward took away from the challenging season under Moyes was a picture of the scoreboard at the Karaiskakis, which read: Olympiacos 2, Manchester United 0.
Woodward and the United board decided to dispense with Moyes after that lacklustre performance.
"It was a challenging year," he said. "In an ideal situation, I would have worked with (Sir) Alex (Ferguson) for a year. But now there is a lot more positivity."
That positivity has come with the arrival of Louis van Gaal, who has restored an "aura" about the club, Woodward said.
Woodward maintains Van Gaal has not been set a target this year, although one would suspect anything other than a top-four finish would be termed as a failure in the new manager's eyes.
Van Gaal spoke at his unveiling about the hefty commercial demands of being Manchester United manager. Woodward is sure any sponsor commitments will not impact on the new manager and his players though.
"It doesn't disrupt the football club," he said. "We plan very carefully about who does what and when. The average time (for media and charity commitments for the staff) over the last couple of years has been about 0.7 hours per week."

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Bryan Robson: Rooney can take Gerrard's place

Former England and Manchester United captain Bryan Robson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Wayne Rooney would be a good choice to succeed Steven Gerrard - who retired from international duty on Monday.
"He has been a captain for United and England. He knows what it is all about," said Robson, who played 90 times for England.
"Wayne has proved he is our best player. He leads by example. He works really hard for the team.
"No matter what position the coach wants him to play, Wayne wants you to do the job. That is a good sign for a captain. If it was Wayne I would have no doubts about him being captain."
With 95 caps to his name, Wayne Rooney is the obvious candidate to replace Gerrard, although Robson also mentioned Joe Hart and Gary Cahill as possible skippers.
The England and Manchester United striker has captained the Three Lions on two occasions and has said he would jump at the chance to do the job on a full-time basis.

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99.9 Per Cent Save: As the First condom designed to kill HIV would soon be available

A new condom designed to kill the HIV virus could be available to buy within months, after key regulatory approval.
Tests have shown the VivaGel condom is effective in deactivating 99.9 per cent of HIV, herpes and human papilloma virus cases.
Australian bio-tech firm Starpharma has developed the antiviral Viva Gel, the active ingredient designed to tackle sexually transmitted infections, in the condom's lubricant.

The product has now received a receipt of Conformity of Assessment Certification by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration - a similar certificate to the CE mark in Europe - paving the way for mass production.
It means the condom, the first of its kind, should be available to buy in the coming months.
The condoms are lubricated with VivaGel, which contains 0.5 per cent astodrimer sodium - a non-antibiotic, antimicrobial drug designed specifically as a compound against HIV.
It is hoped the gel will help reduce the transmission of HIV and other STIs, while also reducing the risk of pregnancy.

It is being produced by Australian bio-tech firm Starpharma in partnership with another firm called Ansell, which is responsible for around 70 per cent of Australia's condom market.
The recent TGA approval came after the condom was assessed in line with a set of requirements relating to safety and performance.
In Australia the prevalence of STIs continues to rise.
Genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus, is estimated to affect one in eight Australians aged 25 years and over, although many are unaware they are carrying the infection and pass it on without knowing.

The rate of newly diagnosed HIV infections rose 10 per cent in the 12 months to the end of 2012 - the largest increase in Australia in the last 20 years.
And figures reveal the number of infections diagnosed in 2013 remains at a 20-year high, representing a 70 per cent increase on the number detected in 1999, when cases were at their lowest level.
Ansell president and general manager of the sexual wellness global business unit, Peter Carroll, said consumers could expect to see the 'ground-breaking new sexual health' product on the shelves soon.
'Ansell looks forward to rolling out its marketing and sales campaign to support the launch of LifeStyles Dual Protect over the coming months with the first product expected to be available on shelves soon,' he said.
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Twice Lucky: Meet the Man who Narrowly missed the Two ILL-Fated Malaysian Plane 'MH370' & 'MH17'

Maarten de Jonge a 29-year-old Dutch cyclist was scheduled to be on both Flight MH370, which was lost over the Indian Ocean in March, as well as flight MH17, which was likely shot down over eastern Ukraine last week. In March, de Jonge was supposed to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Taiwan to compete in a race in Taiwan. Last week, de Jonge was scheduled to return to Asia from a race in the Netherlands. Both times, he changed his reservation for matters of convenience, whether that was price or flight length. The two flights were totally lost and suffered full fatalities of passengers and crew members.
As de Jonge is quick to point out, this isn't a feel-good story. Between the two flights, approximately 537 people who had the misfortune to board the flights are dead.
"What has happened is terrible, so many victims, that's a horrible thing," he wrote on his website. "I have my story done and I would like to leave it ... my story is ultimately nothing compared to the misery in which so many people are paid." narrowily 

"Attention should be paid to the victims and survivors. Wishing everyone affected by this disaster a lot of strength," he added.
"I could have taken that one just as easily," de Jonge told RTV Oost. "It's inconceivable. I am very sorry for the passengers and their families, yet I am very pleased I'm unharmed."
At least 189 Dutch citizens perished on Flight MH17.
De Jonge is a member of Malaysia's Terengganu Cycling Team and came in 35th place at the Netherlands' National Championship Road Race in June. He told Dutch television that he plans on flying to Malaysia later this year and will not adjust his plans with respect to the two disasters: "You should try not to worry too much because then you won't get anywhere."

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Steven Gerrard retires from International Football

Steven Gerrard has retired from England duty after 14 years of international football, the Football Association announced.
Liverpool captain Gerrard made 114 appearances for England, and he skippered the country at the recent 2014 World Cup.
However, the Three Lions finished at the bottom of Group D, failing to win a game, and the 34-year-old struggled for form, adding to questions about his future representing his nation.
Gerrard said he needed time before deciding, confirming that Liverpool's involvement in next season's Champions League, on top of their domestic schedule, was a factor.
On Monday, Gerrard told the FA's official website: "This has been a very difficult decision, one of the toughest I've had to make in my career. I have agonised over this since coming back from Brazil and have spoken to family, friends and people close to me in the game before coming to this point.
"Most importantly, Brendan [Rodgers] has been fantastic and obviously I have to look after my body as much as possible to ensure I can give everything when I take to the field.
"To ensure I can keep playing to a high level and giving everything to Liverpool Football Club I believe this is the right decision, and having Champions League football back at Anfield is another big factor in my decision."
England boss Roy Hodgson said: "While I'm disappointed in the decision, I can entirely understand Steven's situation and can have no complaints given the incredible service he has given to his country.
"I must respect his wishes due to the discussions we have had and the amount of thought and consideration he himself has given it."
Gerrard made his debut in 2000 in a 2-0 win over Ukraine at Wembley and went on to play in six major tournaments, scoring 21 times in his entire career.
He captained the side 38 times and is the third-most capped England player of all time behind Peter Shilton (125) and David Beckham (115).

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Forbes' Top Earning Hollywood Actors: As Robert Downey Jr. top the list

Robert Downey Jr. tops this year's list of Forbes' Top Earning Actors in Hollywood. According to Forbes, the "Iron Man" actor earned around $75 million from June 2013 until June 2014. That was the same income which made Robert top Forbes' list last year.

Robert amazingly can earn the same amount of money although this year he didn't star in any movies. Last year, Robert starred in "Iron Man 3", while this year he only made a cameo appearance in Jon Favreau's movie, "Chef (2014)". The comedy movie has earned $25 million at global box office, which is not bad for a tiny movie.

It is not surprising if the "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" actor can earn the most income for an actor in Hollywood, because without him Marvel would not be able to continue making "Iron Man" and "Avengers" movies. Marvel's movies starring Robert have earned nearly $4 billion at the global box office. It did not include the income from home videos and all merchandises related to the movies. From the upcoming movie "Avengers: Age of Ultron", Robert is estimated to earn more as the movie is sure going to be a hit.

Other actors who also make it to the top 5 of Forbes' Top Earning Actors list are Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson with $52 million, Bradley Cooper with $46 million, and Leonardo DiCaprio with $39 million. Meanwhile, Robert's fellow actor in "The Avengers", Chris Hemsworth, ranks fifth with $37 million.

Top 10 List of Forbes' Top Earning Actors 2014:

1. Robert Downey Jr. - $75 million
2. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson - $52 million
3. Bradley Cooper - $46 million
4. Leonardo DiCaprio - $39 million
5. Chris Hemsworth - $37 million
6. Liam Neeson - $36 million
7. Ben Affleck - $35 million
8. Christian Bale - $35 million
9. Will Smith - $32 million
10. Mark Wahlberg - $32 million

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Move of the Old Guard: As Patrice Evra finally leave Old Trafford to Juventus

Patrice Evra has ended his eight-and-a-half-year stay at Manchester United by joining Juventus for 1.2 million pounds.
The 33-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Italian club after asking to leave Old Trafford for personal reasons. Although United took up a one-year contract extension in May, they agreed to allow him to go.
The Serie A champions said on their official website that the transfer fee, which is to be paid in two instalments, will increase by 300,000 pounds if Juve qualify for the 2015-16 Champions League.
The deal had been expected to go through some time ago, but the departure of Juve coach Antonio Conte created doubts over the transfer until his replacement, Massimiliano Allegri, opted to proceed.
Evra issued a statement to United fans on his former club's official website, saying: "After a great deal of thought I have decided the time is right for me to leave Manchester United. It is the biggest decision of my career as this club is, and will always remain, in my heart."
The sale of the France international means United have now lost their three senior defenders this summer, with Nemanja Vidic joining Inter Milan and Rio Ferdinand being released before eventually signing for QPR.
United prepared for life after Evra by signing Luke Shaw from Southampton for an initial 27 million pounds but, after also selling Alexander Buttner, may need to sign a second left-back in the space of a few weeks.
Evra, who joined from Monaco for 5.5 million pounds in January 2006, endured a difficult debut but went on to become a major success at Old Trafford, scoring 10 goals in 379 games, serving as vice-captain and winning five Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.

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Patrice Evra may leave United to Juventus

Juventus are closing in on the signing of Manchester United left-back Patrice Evra, with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward saying a others might be going soon as well.
Evra signed a one-year contract extension with United eight weeks ago, but the defender has since been allowed to leave Old Trafford.
The 33-year-old's move to Turin had been put in doubt following the resignation of manager Antonio Conte, but his replacement Massimiliano Allegri was keen to continue the club's pursuit of the player.
Evra, who has been at United for eight years, is on holiday at the moment, but Press Association Sport understands he could be announced as a Juve player on Monday. Evra will not be the last player to leave Old Trafford this summer.
When asked whether there would be any other player departures, Woodward told MUTV on Sunday: "Yes, I think so.
"The manager makes that decision and a few players have already gone and there may well be a few others that go.
"It's also worth commenting that we're not in Europe this year (so) there's less games, maybe the manager takes the view that he wants a tighter squad.
"If you do the analysis over last year, Liverpool performed extremely well with a smaller number of players but that's a decision for the manager."
Woodward has become tired of seeing targets slip through his fingers.
"I want to stop seeing the best players going to other clubs in Spain, I want us to stand out as the best club in the world," he said. "We'll do absolutely everything we can to achieve that."

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Malaysia Airlines: Crash site neglected as bodies decompose

Debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 lay splayed for miles across silent rural fields in eastern Ukraine on Saturday. Two days after the jet crashed, some bodies remained strapped in seat belts -- wearing inflight headphones.

Conspicuously missing at the crash site near Torez were international forensic workers needed to secure and sort the wreckage, and a recovery crew to identify and remove with dignity the bodies of the 298 people who were on board MH17.

A few things have been moved. Luggage was stacked in piles; mementos, children's toys were handled. Most everything is unguarded, there for the curious -- or for the taking.

But the debris field hasn't changed much overall since it slammed into place from about 30,000 feet in the air. Not like it would change, if investigators had a chance to cordon it off and catalog it.

A round piece of wreckage the size of a small garage -- part of the cabin perhaps -- stood tilted over personal effects of people heading for vacation. Fields were bestrewn with novels, beach sandals, guide books and colorful carry-on bags.

And all around them were the bodies of their owners, some dressed in shorts and other vacation wear.

 

 

With leaders around the world calling for a swift, thorough and professional investigation, in eastern Ukraine, a small group of local government workers camping near the wreckage emerge from their tents in the mornings.

They split up the crash site territory in an orderly manner to look for bodies, said journalist Noah Sneider, who visited the site. The emergency workers mark spots where they find human remains with stakes and tie white rags around them.

There are so many of them. Bodies lie by the roadside, some in fields, some intertwined with parts of the aircraft. And they are spread out so far.

"Half of them are so mangled, you couldn't identify them," Sneider said.

-CNN

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Khloe Kardashian in Bathtube With Scott Disick

Khloe Kardashian shared a picture of her and Kourtney Kardashian's longtime boyfriend, Scott Disick, taking a bubble bath together. She captioned the picture posted on July 18, "Lifeguard on duty! #SurfBoardSurfBoard #PrivatePartySwim #TheLord #TheLady."

In the picture, Khloe and Scott were sitting in a bathtub filled with bubble, while a microphone was placed in front of Khloe. Khloe smiled while Scott made a funny face and jokingly pointed at the camera. Khloe appeared to be sporting a red lifeguard swimsuit, giving a peace sign with her hand. Meanwhile, Scott wore an orange life jacket on his neck.

Nobody knew where Kourtney was at that time. The picture was seemingly taken during the filming of "Kourtney & Khloe Take the Hamptons" because Khloe and Kourtney are currently filming the show.

Scott and Khloe's older sister are currently expecting their third child together. Scott and Kourtney already have two kids together, 4-year-old Mason and 2-year-old Penelope.

Meanwhile, Khloe is currently having a relationship with French Montana. Previously for her 30th birthday, French gave Khloe a new Jeep and jewels worth of $30,000.

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Transfer Talk: Drogba could return to blues, Di Maria to PSG

Drogba

We're not sure if it would be of the sentimental variety or if this is just a second go round that's tantamount to a marriage of convenience. But one thing's for sure, the rumours surrounding a second bro-mance between Jose Mourinho and Didier Drogba aren't going away.
On the surface, Drogba's return makes sense. Chelsea is the side that the Ivory Coast national had his best success under the guidance of Mourinho the first time around. Plus, the lack of pop in the attack was a well-documented complaint from Mou all last Premier League season, though the arrival of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge should help plenty on that front.
Drogba, for his part, looked somewhat of his old self in Brazil -- physically dominant in the air and his touch seemed magic as an appearance off the bench versus Japan coincided with his team's two decisive goals. Drogba's contract with Galatasaray is expired, so needless to say we'll keep close tabs on this one.

Di Maria

Paris Saint-Germain might feel like they're holding damaged goods after high-priced transfer David Luiz looked shaky both on and off the pitch during the 2014 World Cup. But the possible arrival of Angel di Maria, rumoured to be moving to Paris on a five-year deal worth roughly 8 million euros per season. The Argentine national shone in Brazil before getting injured and missing the team's final two games -- the semis and the final versus Germany. The transfer cost to Real Madrid for Di Maria is reported to be 50 million euros.

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Chris Brown Hosts Celebrity Charity Kickball Game

Chris Brown and Quincy Combs, stepson of P. Diddy, competed against each other for their Kick'n It For Charity Celebrity Kick Ball Game on July 19 at Los Angeles' Glendale Sports Complex, California. Breezy and Quincy each created a celebrity squad to go head-to-head and donated the benefits from the game to Best Buddies and Brown's Symphonic Love.

Chris' all-star team consisted of Kendall Jenner, Christina Milian, Lil Wayne, Paris Hilton, DJ Khaled and Jamie Foxx, who brought his daughter Annalise Bishop. Omarion, who was arrested on Friday after running a stop sign, was also in team Breezy. Quincy led his own celebrity squad which included Kylie Jenner, The Game, Amber Rose, Keke Palmer, and Ne-Yo.

Kendall and Kylie, who competed on opposite teams that day, opted for some fashionable footwear for the game. Kendall wore buckle strap ankle boots and Kylie wore thigh-high heeled boots.

Chris' team claimed victory in the match. Amber jokingly wrote on Instagram, "FYI Chris' team soooo cheated!!! ( I'm just mad cuz we lost) anyway it was for a good cause and we had a blast!"

Chris also took to Twitter afterward. He wrote, "Thx to all the beautiful fans who came out and supported me and @Quincy today! An amazing day and great kickball game. #givingback." Paris also tweeted, "Had a great time playing in @ChrisBrown & @Quincy's Charity #KickBall game tonight. Happy that our team won! #Killedit #TeamBreezy."

After the game, Chris treated fans to a performance of his new single "Loyal". The singer said, "We want to thank everybody for coming out here. We love y'all so much."

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Brazil 2014 World Cup Trophy: As Germany damage the famous soccer prize

Germany's players damaged the World Cup trophy in the aftermath of their 1-0 win over Argentina at the Maracana last week, according to DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach.
Niersbach admitted that a piece of the famous prize "was chipped off" amid wild celebrations in Berlin as the team claimed their fourth World Cup success following wins in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
Die Nationalmannschaft were welcomed home to jubilant scenes in the capital, but the celebrations got a little out of control.
"At one point, a small piece of our World Cup trophy was chipped off," Niersbach told Die Welt. "But do not worry! We have specialists on the case who can fix it. We have investigated persistently who it was that damaged the trophy, but the investigation was concluded without a result."
The trophy is estimated to be worth over 10 million euros, but the one that was damaged was just a replica given to the team by FIFA.

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Selena Gomez: Am Not Picking Any Sides After her 'Pray for Gaza' Message

Selena Gomez apparently got mixed responses for her message to "It's About Humanity. Pray for Gaza." . Hours after posting a "Pray for Gaza" note, the ex-Disney star posted a picture of a person mediating on the water with caption, "And of course to be clear, I am not picking any sides. I am praying for peace and humanity for all!"

The young actress said in her previous post, "Please pray for those families and babies today. Please always remember what's important in life. It's not any of this. We are here to help, inspire and love. Be that change. #wearethenextgeneration." She summed up her message, "It's About Humanity. Pray for Gaza."

Rihanna was also criticized for calling to end war in Gaza. She initially tweeted "#FreePalestine" but deleted it later. She then shared a photo of an Israeli and a Palestinian boy with their arm on other's shoulder. She wrote, "Let's pray for peace and a swift end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict! Is there any hope?"

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