As an art dealer and co-presenter of a returning BBC One programme that attempts to differentiate the real from the fake, I can bring you news from the front line. With heavy heart, I have to report that art fakery is thriving more than ever.

As we begin to sift through offerings for the fifth series of Fake or Fortune?, I am noticing in my inbox a rat’s nest of deceptions. And compared with four years ago, when we began, the pestilence is growing.

Goya: the enigma behind the easel

There is hope, however. I can also report the emergence of individuals who have decided to devote themselves to artistic counter-espionage, with the result that fake-busting looks as if it is becoming as ingenious as some of the fraudulent works that these individuals are seeking to root out and prevent.

Rather like lies, there are two types of fake – the big and the little. For the latter category you need go no further than the major art world internet sites – no names mentioned – where for the last decade fakes have been proliferating like larvae in a stagnant pond.

According to an in-depth survey recently carried out by the American art fraud specialist and analyst Colette Loll – one of those leading the fight back – an astonishing one third of all art offered on online auction sites is intentionally deceptive.

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The big fakes (which are rarer, but potentially more deadly) are often peddled privately or at public auction and the faker’s favourite hall of mirrors – and this applies to internet fraud as well – is 20th-century and Impressionist art rather than Old Masters.

This is because the market for that period has been booming, there is less need to create the illusion of age, and the artistic techniques are often simpler to replicate. It’s a damn sight easier to knock off a Matisse cut-out than a Leonardo Madonna.

Fakers are also much better informed than they were. As more data on artists’ quirks and habits is harvested and analysed – a product of modern art history – so fakers are becoming more sophisticated, going so far as to use the right paints, canvases or paper for the artist in question, as well as forging the all-important provenance (the history of the painting’s ownership).

The German forger Wolfgang Beltracchi, who in 2011 was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud, got his wife to dress up as his grandmother and then fabricated a photo of her with some of his forgeries on the wall to give the illusion his works had been around in the 1930s. He even persuaded his wife to assume one of those bolt upright pre-war postures – a wickedly imaginative forger’s touch.

Frank Auerbach, Tate Britain, review: 'astonishing'

There has been a continuous news flow of big-time criminal acts in recent years, involving names such as Giacometti, Modigliani and Frida Kahlo as well as luminaries from the Russian avant-garde (perhaps the most afflicted category). Even Van Gogh is not immune.

In August this year, Dutch police arrested a 56-year-old man they believe was attempting to sell a forgery of a preparatory work for Van Gogh’s The Harvest (1888) for €15 million (£11 million). Diligent in his sales pitch, he was offering faked documents of authentication from the Van Gogh Museum to go with it.

But all is not lost; it seems our allies the Americans are beginning to lead a counter-attack. Fighting fire with fire, as they describe it, the State University of New York at Albany has developed a “standards-based technology” for codifying all important works of art in the future.

The particularly interesting part is it has incubated the development of a synthetic DNA that can be invisibly embedded into many types of art. Using a scan, this DNA can then reveal the true authorship of pieces for future generations. Only time will tell if this hi-tech method will work, but prestigious technical and scientific establishments have been involved with the project as well as major art institutions, and big-name artists such as Chuck Close and Eric Fischl have signed up.

Emma Paolozzi remembers working alongside her artist father, Eduardo

“This is a fundamentally new approach for permanently and safely marking and identifying artworks,” says Lawrence M Shindell, a spokesman for the project and chairman of ARIS Title Insurance Corporation, which has supported the initiative. “It combines a unique form of DNA-embedding and other standards-based technologies to enable everyone in the art industry – from dealer to investor, artist to curator – to have certainty about the authentic nature of artworks and provenance information.”

There is also an interesting approach from Art Fraud Insights, a troubleshooting company for potential fakes, run by Colette Loll. It is working on an algorithm to spot the listing of present-day fakes on what Loll calls a “major online auction site”.

When unmarried mothers were blamed for everything

Loll is an expert in the authentic sense. A victim of deception herself (she will not be drawn on details), five years ago, with the support of an FBI agent brother, she morphed from a corporate investigator into an artistic one. She describes a “passion for truth” as her primary motivation, and art world jiggery-pokery has become her forte.

Given the undercover nature of her work she cannot give her client’s name, but I have my suspicions. Loll has created a model for automating fake-busting.

One of the areas she has been addressing is the cottage industry in bogus expertise – unrecognised individuals who “authenticate” a fake picture, but whose word is worth less than the often tacky frame the picture comes in. This worthless reassurance, upon which the algorithm will swoop, often takes the form of pseudo-official bunkum: Certificate of Registration, Certificate of Autograph or, best of all, Certificate of Realness.

Abraham Cruzvillegas: Empty Lot, Tate Modern, Turbine Hall, review: 'mega-art in a mega-space'

Wholesome words such as “original”, “genuine”, “vintage” and “authentic” have also been requisitioned and mangled by fake sellers, who want to avoid actionable claims by potential purchasers. Loll showed me a weasel-worded auction description for a crayon on paper drawing that was being vaunted as either a work by Matisse or one of his models. It was headlined, “Original Crayon on Paper Drawing Henri Matisse Vintage” and listed at $999.99. I would give Ray-Bans from a Covent Garden street seller a higher chance of being authentic.

The idea is that repeat offenders will be banned from the auction site, but Loll admits that is not the complete solution. “Unfortunately, they resurface on an alternative site or under another name. It’s a bit like that game Whack a Mole: we hit them, but they just pop up in another place.”

Edmund de Waal on his first studio: 'it was terrible, but I was so happy'

At least the art world is not taking this unholy onslaught lying down. The arms race systematically to beat the faker has begun, and – provided it matches the evolving sophistication of the perpetrators – it is better than outraged inertia. I am biding my time until the introduction of a new response from the artistically uncommitted: “I don’t know much about art, but I like the DNA.”

Fake or Fortune? will return to BBC One in the new year. Philip Mould and Co is at 18-19 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5LU.

Summary: As new research suggests that up to a third of artworks sold online may be forgeries, the art world is turning to increasingly ingenious methods to combat the crime


The 49ers signed center Brian Folkerts to their practice squad today after parting with center Nick Easton in a trade with the Vikings last week.

Easton had been the 49ers only backup center with extensive experience at the position. Marcus Martin is the starting center while Daniel Kilgore (ankle) is on the physically unable to perform list. Kilgore is eligible to return in Week 7.

Folkerts, 25, played 55 offensive snaps while appearing in 26 games for the Panthers from 2013-14. He was among Carolina’s final roster cuts in September. Folkerts (6-4, 310), who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2012, was a teammate of 49ers inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite at Washburn University.

Meanwhile, the 49ers also signed wide receiver Andrew Turzilli to their practice squad. Turzilli (6-4, 195) is an undrafted rookie who was among the Titans’ final roster cuts after he had one catch for 12 yards in the preseason. Last year, Turzilli had 10 catches for 347 yards and two touchdowns at Rutgers.

One of the openings was created today when the Eagles signed offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson to their 53-man roster from the 49ers’ practice squad. Last week, another opening was created when the 49ers promoted guard Andrew Tiller from the practice squad.

Summary: Backup plan: 49ers sign center to practice squad  The 49ers signed center Brian Folkerts to their practice squad today after parting with center Nick Easton in a trade with the Vikings last week.  Folkerts (6-4, 310), who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2012, was a teammate of 49ers inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite at Washburn University.  Turzilli (6-4, 195) is an undrafted rookie who was among the Titans’ final roster cuts after he had one catch for 12 yards in the preseason.


Ben Carson (left) and Donald Trump

's front-runner mantle in a new national poll and two recent Iowa surveys, the apparently humbled billionaire businessman concedes, "It's certainly a possibility that I won't make it."

"I'll still be proud of my effort because I think I've done very well. I'm not a politician; I've run so far a great race," Trump

in a phone interview Tuesday with MSNBC's

after a new national poll by

put Carson, a former neurosurgeon, in the top spot in the race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Two polls of Iowa voters last week – one by

– showed Carson surging past Trump into first place by significant margins, especially among women. Trump disputed those results, telling

that Quinnipiac and Bloomberg "do not like" him.

Another sign of Iowa winds not blowing Trump's way turned up Tuesday on the front page of

, with a story headlined, "Iowans: Trump's attack on Carson's faith will fail."

Without naming Carson, who is a member of the

, a Protestant Christian denomination, Trump told a campaign rally in Florida on Saturday: "I love Iowa. And, look, I don't have to say it, I'm Presbyterian ... Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about."

The next day, Trump told

he wasn't casting aspersions on Carson's faith.

"I'd never say bad about any religion," he added. "I said exactly, 'I don't know about it.' That's not an insult."

, some Iowans saw it as a sneak attack.

Mike Demastus, a pastor at Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, told the local paper: "It will fail miserably. For Donald Trump, as a name-only Presbyterian, to be criticizing somebody else for their faith statements is laughable. This is a guy who can't even quote a Bible scripture to someone."

surveys, comes with downsides, though – starting with heightened scrutiny.

And so Carson's chuckling comments on NBC's

Sunday – about once trying to stab someone when he was a teenager – were revived on Tuesday in a

video under the slogan "Ben Carson: Heal. Inspire. Stab."

Ben Carson: Heal â¢ Inspire â¢ Stab (Vine by @actualGOP) https://t.co/ATYgcqkYxr

The clip was pulled from Carson's

appearance, in which the doctor-candidate tried to explain why his quiet style should not be mistaken for a lack of energy.

"I have plenty of energy," he said. "But, you know, I am soft-spoken. I do have a tendency to be relaxed. I wasn't always like that. There was a time when I was, you know, very volatile. But, you know, I changed."

"As a teenager, I would go after people with rocks, and bricks, and baseball bats, and hammers. And, of course, many people know the story when I was 14 and I tried to stab someone. And, you know, fortunately, you know, my life has been changed. And I'm a very different person now."

Haven't heard that story before? In his memoir,

about his temper and one argument he had with a friend – over a radio station – when they were in the ninth grade:

"In that instant, blind anger – pathological anger – took possession of me. Grabbing the camping knife I carried in my back pocket, I snapped it open and lunged for the boy who had been my friend. With all the power of my young muscles, I thrust the knife toward his belly. The knife hit his big, heavy ROTC belt buckle with such force that the blade snapped and dropped to the ground."

Summary: "I'll still be proud of my effort because I think I've done very well," Donald Trump says


Cash kingsIt's a vicious cycle, and many economists don't believe job growth driven by low-paid sectors of the economy will lead to an increase in consumer confidence and spending, which leads to more jobs and lower unemployment.

Koropeckyj said the number of people who could only find part-time work doubled between early 2008 and 2010 and has been gradually increasing. Even the number of people employed part-time involuntarily who've had their hours cut has declined only gradually, to about 5 million people. "That's interesting because it's indicative of still an economy where there is not sufficient aggregate demand to get back to conditions that prevailed prior to the recession," she said.

What will continue to increase, Shierholz said, is corporate profits: "One of the reasons corporate profits are doing so well is because wages are so low."

(Read more: 4 ways to make money off Washington next year)

Companies are sitting on mounds of cash heading into 2014. Companies around the globe have roughly $6.8 trillion of cash and equivalents on their balance sheets currently, according to Thomson Reuters. That's more than double the amount of a decade ago, and more than a trillion of that cash horde is in the U.S.

Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst for S&P Dow Jones Indices, said unlocking this capital will be crucial for job growth. "Companies are not spending the money at this time. They are holding back.… They're not expanding," he said.

Silverblatt said corporations will need to see an increase in sales to become more liberal with cash on the balance sheet for expansion. It's another catch: Corporations aren't going to start spending and investing more capital unless they see an increase in demand, but the demand won't necessarily increase unless more higher-quality, better-paying jobs are created.

Even so, many economists remain optimistic that underemployment will decrease in the near future. It's just not clear if that future is as near as 2014.

"The quality jobs typically come more in the permanent jobs where companies are going to have to start manufacturing more and making more," Silverblatt said. And even if companies do gain the confidence they need to spend more of their cash, Silverblatt said the better jobs would take at least several quarters to produce.

Summary: The problem of U.S. underemployment may lessen in 2014, with better quality, higher-paying jobs on the market.


* Peru's Minsur to cut tin output by 33 pct over 9-12 mths

* Shanghai copper hits highest in two months; premiums at 1 yr top

(Adds comment, detail; updates prices)

MELBOURNE, Sept 9 (Reuters) - London copper rose on Wednesday to a fresh six-week high, as traders bet China would beef up measures to strengthen its economy after August trade data showed flagging growth.

China's imports tumbled last month, raising concerns about the health of the world's second-largest economy and its contribution to global growth.

But this fueled bets for more measures that may increase metals demand, such as faster approvals for infrastructure projects, which pushed up prices.

Sentiment towards copper is also turning cautiously optimistic after commodities giant Glencore this week followed Freeport in cutting production as prices near six-year lows make some projects uneconomic.

"Copper's market signals highlight price support (with)upside risk," Morgan Stanley said in a note.

Of the seven indicators it follows, six have turned bullish, including impending draws from global inventories and firm premia - the price paid to take delivery of metal.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.8 percent to trade at $5,385.50 a tonne by 0235 GMT, after earlier touching a six-week high at 5,390. The metal jumped 3.8 percent in the previous session.

Shanghai Futures Exchange copper jumped 4.2 percent at 41,050 yuan ($6,448) a tonne, hitting a two-month peak at 41,140 yuan a tonne. Prices are approaching the 100- and 200-day moving averages, a break of which would send a buy signal to momentum-tracking funds.

Across other ShFe metals, nickel climbed 3 percent, ShFE zinc rose 2 percent, with aluminum, lead and tin up 1 percent or more.

China's top economic planner on Tuesday approved two railway projects with a total value of nearly 70 billion yuan ($11 billion), the latest move to hasten infrastructure projects to boost growth in the world's second largest economy.

In upbeat news for tin, Peruvian miner Minsur said emergency repairs at its Pitinga tin mine in Brazil would lower that unit's capacity by 33 percent over the next nine to 12 months.

Peru's tin year-on-year production slumped in June and July, by around 20 percent, following a 14 percent fall in May.

Tin prices have showed supply distress since July, when cash prices flipped into a premium against the three-month price. <CMSN0-3>

($1 = 6.3663 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Melanie Burton; Editing by Joseph Radford and Richard Pullin)

Summary: MELBOURNE, Sept 9- London copper rose on Wednesday to a fresh six-week high, as traders bet China would beef up measures to strengthen its economy after August trade data showed flagging growth.  "Copper's market signals highlight price support upside risk," Morgan Stanley said in a note. Shanghai Futures Exchange copper jumped 4.2 percent at 41,050 yuan a tonne,...


Despite a better-than-expected jobs report last week, the Federal Reserve would mostly wait until March to begin to scale back its $85-billion-a-month bond-purchasing program, Jan Hatzius, the chief economist of Goldman Sachs, told CNBC on Monday.

Hatzius said Fed officials want to wait for the possible transition of Janet Yellen to the chair position from Ben Bernanke. Yellen's nomination faces its first confirmation hearing Thursday. Yellen is expected to succeed Bernanke when he steps down this January.

Hatzius also said Fed officials would evaluate the expected budget showdown between President Barack Obama and House Republicans this January before deciding when to taper, and that lawmakers would most likely reach a "small fiscal deal" that averts the next stage of the sequester.

"It's going to be a tough transition," Hatzius told CNBC on "Squawk on the Street" on Monday. "It probably always is a tough transition but particularly in an environment where policy is somewhat in flux, where there is a sense that they do want to scale back the QE program at some point, but of course there has been many twists and turns in this saga, and it's going to be hard for her."

Summary: Jan Hatzius, the chief economist of Goldman Sachs, told CNBC on Monday that he expects the Federal Reserve to begin tapering in March.


Malcolm Turnbull and John Key after touching down in Paris. (AAP)

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull won't sign an international agreement to phase out fossil fuel subsidies amid concerns it could jeopardise Australia's diesel fuel rebates.

Mr Turnbull has opted out of signing the key fossil fuel subsidy reform communique at major United Nations climate talks in Paris, a government spokeswoman confirmed.

The call to phase out the subsidies is being labelled the "missing piece of the climate change puzzle" and is led by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

More than 30 countries and hundreds of businesses have signed the communique calling for the ultimate elimination of fossil fuel subsidies, saying the cost should reflect both environmental costs and supply costs.

"The majority of fossil-fuel subsidies are also socially regressive, with benefits disproportionately skewed toward middle-and upper-middle income households," the communique states.

A partial phase out could generate 12 percent of the emissions reduction needed by 2020 to be on the path towards limiting global warming to two degrees, it says.

However, Mr Turnbull won't bow to international pressure and join the call with MPs back home concerned the agreement could harm diesel subsidies claimed by farmers and miners.

National's MP George Christensen took to Twitter to vent his anger, saying the end of the rebate would cost jobs.

"To sign this is madness. It will cost jobs & give greens ammo to attack coal further," he tweeted.

The Australian Conservation Foundation labelled the communique an early test for Australia at the UN climate change conference.

"The diesel rebate is notorious because it means while Australian motorists pay 38 cents in tax on every litre of fuel they buy, some of the world's biggest mining companies pay not a single cent in tax for the diesel they use in their mining operations," foundation economist Matthew Rose said.

But National's MP Barnaby Joyce maintains the diesel fuel rebate is not a subsidy.

"Farmers and miners don't use public roads, so why should they pay a public road tax?" he told the Australian newspaper.

The G20 and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group agreed to phase out inefficient fuel subsidies in 2009.

Earlier this month, the OECD signed an agreement to restrict export credits for inefficient coal power plants overseas to encourage the use of cleaner technology.

Mr Turnbull is in Paris for the climate talks, where it's hoped 196 parties will sign a historic agreement to curb emissions and limit global warming to at least two degrees.

Australia will commit to doubling investment in renewable energy as part of Mission Innovation, an initiative involving 20 countries including the United States.

The 20 countries represent 80 percent of global clean energy research and development budgets.

As part of the plan, Australian government investment in clean energy research and development will double to about $200 million by 2020.

Summary: The federal government has confirmed Australia won't sign a New-Zealand led communique to phase out fossil fuel subsidies at major climate talks in Paris.


The Florida home of Joshua Goldberg. (AAP)

A mental competency hearing will be held in a Florida court for a 20-year-old accused of being an internet troll who attempted to organise terror attacks in Australia and the US.

Joshua Ryne Goldberg, while living at his parents' Florida home, allegedly had multiple fake online personalities, including an Islamic State Perth-based jihadist who went by the name "Australi Witness".

A prison psychologist who examined Goldberg has concluded he is not competent to stand trial.

In July, Goldberg allegedly told an FBI source, "I'm trying to get a mujahid in Melbourne to carry out jihad, but he keeps delaying it".

"He has a gun already, but he insists on making a video message to the kuffar with a black shahada flag," Goldberg allegedly told the source.

Goldberg is also accused of encouraging a man he thought was a terrorist to make a pressure cooker bomb and detonate it in a crowd filled with firefighters at a Kansas City 9/11 ceremony.

Goldberg also allegedly took responsibility for encouraging two armed men to attack a Muhammad drawing contest in Texas in May.

US District Court judge James Klindt will decide at a Florida hearing on December 14 whether Goldberg is mentally competent to stand trial.

Summary: A Florida 20-year-old pretended online to be an Islamic State jihadist in Perth, but he was living at his parents' home in Florida, prosecutors say.


Cory Lovelace with, from left, mom Marty and dad John Didriksen

Cory Didriksen was a go-getter. Upbeat and hard-working, "she always had a smile on her face," recalls her mom, Marty.

She easily recounts her daughter's many accomplishments growing up in Quincy, Illinois, and at the University of Iowa, where Cory was an Academic All-American named to the Honors Program.

When Cory announced to her mom one day, "I've met the man I'm going to marry," the name came as a surprise:

, a former high school classmate of Cory's and hometown football hero, who by then had taken his talents and the town's well-wishes with him to the University of Illinois, where Curtis would become caption of the team.

Although the two never dated before going their separate ways to college, Marty Didriksen could see her daughter's happiness. "If you love him, that's all that matters," she told Cory. "And she did."

When the pair married in January 1991 followed by a reception at the Quincy Country Club, "people were excited about the promise of this couple," Didriksen says.

Adams County Sheriff's Department / AP

On the morning of Valentine's Day 2006, Curtis said he returned home from taking the oldest of the couple's four kids to school and found Cory, who'd been briefly ill with flu-like symptoms, dead in bed. Eight years later came another jolt: Curtis – who'd gone on to serve as president of the local school board, an Adams County assistant state's attorney, and a teacher at Quincy University – was

As he heads to trial Jan. 25 – Curtis has pleaded not guilty – Cory's mom tells PEOPLE she never held any suspicions and doesn't know where the truth lies.

"If I ever thought he hurt her, I would not have waited eight years," she says. "I just never believed that this was something somebody was capable of."

The Fuller House legacy cast on the cover of PEOPLE

Police and the prosecutor have not revealed a motive. Although the death was investigated and the facts reviewed during a coroner's inquest, the manner of death still was listed as "undetermined" when a newly named Quincy Police detective, Adam Gibson, looked anew at the case file in 2013.

A grand jury voted to indict Curtis in August 2014.

Cory's mom recalls that her daughter, a stay-at-home mom after the couple returned to Quincy to raise their kids, struggled with painful knee problems aggravated by a cheerleading accident as a high school freshman. Four surgeries followed. As the pain eventually returned, Cory took over-the-counter pain pills for comfort.

And Cory was dealt a blow when her beloved father, John, was diagnosed in 2002 with stage 4 lung cancer. In the last year of his life, says Cory's mom, Cory would visit and sit with her father almost every night. John Didriksen died three weeks after losing his daughter.

From left, Lyndsay, Curtis, Larson, Lincoln, Logan and Cory Lovelace, around 2003-2004

Somewhat earlier Cory's and Curtis' once-storybook marriage had developed fissures apparent to Cory's mom. But during her father's decline, Cory kept matters to herself. "She did not talk about things that troubled her," says her mom. "I knew what was going on. But we didn't talk much about it."

It's those struggles – rather than any blame for the current criminal allegations – that led Didriksen to forgive her former son-in-law for whatever role he might have played in Cory's unhappiness. She refuses to prejudge the court case while awaiting its outcome as Curtis – who remarried, divorced, and remarried again – sits in jail on a $5 million bond.

"Innocent until proven guilty is No. 1," Didriksen says. "And No. 2, there's some peace in the fact that I have forgiven, because I have to. I've forgiven because otherwise it eats you alive. The rest of this you just live with."

"If he's guilty, he pays the time," she says. "We still don't have Cory."

Summary: Curtis Lovelace, who has pleaded not guilty, was charged eight years after the fact with suffocating wife on Valentine's Day


01/13/2016 AT 09:05 PM EST

Veteran actress Barbara Allyne Bennet has died, her rep confirms to PEOPLE. She was 76. The actress died Saturday at City of Hope hospital in Duarte, California. Bennet spent her career in film and television, appearing in the 1988 movie Mac and Me and moving on to have roles on The West Wing, The Office and NYPD Blue. The industry veteran also did voice work in commercials for brands such as Hyundai, Ford and Tide. The actress also worked as a production assistant, production coordinator and a casting coordinator. In addition to her acting, the Cleveland, Ohio native was actively involved in the Television Academy as a member throughout her career. Plans for a memorial service will be announced in the near future.

Summary: The star appeared on shows such as The Office and NYPD Blue


FORTUNE — Daring Fireball‘s John Gruber, a blogger with unusually good sources at Apple AAPL , has combined his own assumptions with what he’s heard from his “little birdies” to draw the most complete picture yet of the purported iPad Mini.

“Mini” is what most Apple watchers — including Wall Street analysts — have been calling to the next iteration of Apple’s tablet computer.

But given what he believes will be the device’s most salient features — markedly thinner and lighter than any competing device — Gruber suggests it might better be marketed as the iPad Air.

It’s a long thoughtful post and worth reading in the original here.

I’ll just add two things:

iPod touch: 101 grams iPhone 4S: 140 grams Kindle (WiFi): 170 grams iPad Air (Gruber’s estimate): 265 grams Nexus 7: 340 grams Kindle Fire: 413 grams New iPad (WiFi): 652 grams

Click here for the rest of Siegler’s list.

Summary: Rethinking the key selling points of what we've been calling the iPad Mini


Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner

02/17/2016 AT 05:25 PM EST

are steadfast in remaining a united front for their children.

, Affleck and Garner, both 43, have continued to spend time together for the sake of their three kids: Violet 10, Seraphina 7, and Samuel, 3.

"They have a cohesive friendship," a source close to both tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story. "They are a unit for their kids and they have a mutual respect."

With Affleck finishing his next film,

, and Garner starting promotion for her upcoming film,

, the former couple take as many opportunities as their schedules will allow for them to come together as a family.

They are often seen making frequent stops at their local farmers market, attending church services and going out to dinner together.

At Forma Restaurant and Cheese Bar in Santa Monica, where the family often dines, "you can tell that they are not together," says an observer. "The kids usually tell him long stories about what happened in school or upcoming activities."

And the holidays were no exception for the amicable exes.

Affleck, Garner and the kids flew to Montana to spend

together after having a successful

in Los Angeles. They even

to the Big Sky state just last week for a family Valentine's Day weekend.

"They're not [best] friends but they share in the joy of their children," adds an industry insider.

Summary: The amicable exes continue to spend time together for their children


Traffic jams the streets, cars and motorbikes honk impatiently amidst the heat and dust, smoke rising from temples mixes with that from uncollected rubbish burning on street corners, while bright purple flowers blossom on the trees.

But underneath, political change is simmering. The peoples' demonstrations were only the first phase and difficult challenges lie ahead on the road to full democracy, say observers.

The new government, headed by the frail, 84-year-old Girija Prasad Koirala, and the seven-party alliance he leads, is nevertheless pushing ahead with sweeping changes.

On 1 May the parliament voted for a constituent assembly which will write a new democratic constitution and decide whether Nepal will become a republic â the central demand of the people's movement.

On 2 May, a seven-member cabinet was formed (with much inter-party squabbling), and the government lifted the terrorist tag on the Maoists.

More importantly, the new cabinet announced a reciprocal ceasefire with the Maoists and agreed to start a dialogue.

Local elections held under the king were also annulled, and last Friday a commission was announced to investigate abuses by the security forces during the April demonstrations, when 19 people were killed and around 5000 were injured. The government is due to holdtalks with Maoist rebels shortly

The government is due to holdtalks with Maoist rebels shortly

The cabinet also loosened restrictions on the media put into effect when King Gyanendra dismissed the government and assumed absolute power last year.

Despite these changes, democracy activists are determined to keep up the pressure â worried that the seven-party alliance could backslide into infighting and corruption, while the king is still in his palace and the loyalty of the army to civilian government is not yet assured.

"We have to keep things simmering," Devendra Raj Panday, who was imprisoned for three months till the end of the uprising, says.

Many worry that, despite his stunning defeat, the king will bide his time and attempt to strike back. Panday thinks "as long as he (the king) is only down and not out we cannot be reassured [of] the future".

Kanak Mani Dixit, editor of Himal, a South Asian political magazine, agrees.

"The king is not finished and there will be constant vigilance until the beast is tied down". But he goes on "if we are not confident at this stage having shown the world what a people's movement is, when can we be confident?"

On the political front, the government and Maoists have yet to agree to a code of conduct for their talks, which could start within two weeks, and will likely focus on the constituent assembly and its composition.

The talks are also expected to address how to move to free and fair elections and ensuring that women, Dalits (formerly known as untouchables) and indigenous people are fairly represented.

Before elections, the ceasefire will have to endure and the Maoists will have to give up arms. An overall process of demobilisation and restructuring of the armed forces will also need to begin.

Both international and Nepali commentators suggest that the Maoist forces and the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) will have to be confined to barracks with arms locked up and supervised by international monitors for the elections to be free and fair.

Implementing a ceasefire, demobilisation and giving up arms will not be easy. As Kieran Dwyer, spokesman for the UN human rights office in Nepal, puts it: "These things can wobble and fall apart so there is a need for very solid, legitimate, independent monitoring."

The general-secretary of the Nepalese Communist Party (CPN-UML), Madhav Kumar Nepal, has gone a step further and demanded the removal of the term "royal" from the army's name.

Furthermore, the UML is about to table a bill to bring the army under parliament's control. There is talk of merging Maoistfighters with the army

There is talk of merging Maoistfighters with the army

Such a bill is vital, says Dixit: "We became a militarised state â we must take away the commander-in-chief title from the king, and colonel-in-chief from the crown prince. And we have to penalise the army for going along with the king".

In the end a new national army may be formed by merging Maoist and RNA forces.

Whether the army will go along with all such changes is an open question, its loyalty seen as being essentially with the king.

The government-Maoist talks are expected to last around two months, after which it is expected that an interim government will be formed including Maoist representatives.

An interim constitution may also be hammered out, though there is debate over amending the old 1990 constitution, or asserting that the new parliament is sovereign on the strength of the people's movement.

Managing the process of so-called transitional justice during this time will also be vital, according to Kundan Aryal, general secretary of INSEC, a human rights NGO.

This is not only about investigating abuses and killings during the April demonstrations, but also about tackling the problem of the many "disappeared".

He says there will be a need to determine whether a truth and reconciliation commission is required to address human-rights abuses during the past 10 years since the Maoist insurgency began.

If all goes well with the Maoist-government talks, an interim government and constitution could be in place in three months.

While the Maoists and other pro-reform pundits hope elections for the constituent assembly are held this autumn, many suggest April 2007 as a likely venue.

Koirala, the new prime minister,is pushing ahead with changesThen the assembly will have to meet, agree to the constitution, put it to a referendum and only after that proceed to general elections for a new parliament and government. The whole process could take two years or more from now, so the challenges for the interim government in the meanwhile will be considerable.

Koirala, the new prime minister,is pushing ahead with changes

Some hope that as the changes start to look irreversible, the king will finally leave the country. Others fear that he could still strike back.

Shambhu Thapa, president of the Nepal Bar Association, warns that should the king repress the pro-reform movements, protests and demonstrations will quickly be renewed.

"If the king crosses the line again, he will go, he will not be here," he said. "If our rights are infringed, even by this government, the people will come on the streets".

Summary: Almost two weeks after Nepal's King Gyanendra capitulated to the 19-day people's uprising and reinstated Nepal's parliament, life in the capital Kathmandu appears to have returned to normal.


As published in the TIMES of yesterday, the packet ship Victoria, Capt. CHAMPION, from London in thirty-eight days, arrived at Quarantine about 9:30 o'clock on Wednesday evening, having on board FRANZ MULLER, the young German, who is charged with having, about two months since, murdered Mr. BRIGGS, a London bank clerk, a few miles out of that metropolis, while the two were riding together in a railway carriage.

It is unnecessary here to repeat the circumstances attending this diabolical assasination, the motives that led to the commission of the crime, the zealous efforts that were made by the police of London, Liverpool, Manchester, and other cities in England, to ferret out and apprehend the criminal, or the means by which, at last, MULLER was traced to the ship Victoria, just as she was on the point of sailing for New-York. All these facts have been fully published, both in the English and New-York papers. Inspector TANNER, Inspector KERRESY and Sergeant CLARK, all connected with the Metropolitan Police of London, arrived here per steamer, two or three weeks since, they having been sent on for the express purpose of boarding the Victoria immediately upon her arrival in our harbor, and taking the murderer into custody. For the last fortnight, one or more of these officers, together with Mr. DEATH, the London jeweler, and JONATHAN MATHEWS, the cab man, have been stationed at Quarantine, Staten Island, momentarily expecting news of the Victoria's appearance off Sandy Hook, and ready to board that ship at the first opportunity. Late on Wednesday afternoon a telegram from Sandy Hook was received at the telegraph station at Quarantine Landing, that the Victoria was in eight. Immediate steps were consequently taken to board her, and at 9:30 o'clock in the evening, when the packet, entered the waters of the upper Quarantine, the London Officers, accompanied by Officer TIEMAN, of the New-York Detective force, and Messrs. DEATH and MATHEWS, who went for the purpose of identifying MULLER, entered the Health Officer's boat, and, with the latter official, they all proceeded toward the Victoria. Upon boarding her, the detectives were very cordially met by Capt. CHAMPION, who informed them that he was aware of their business and for what purpose they had come on his ship. The Captain said that when he took a pilot, several miles outside of Sandy Hook, he was first made acquainted with the fact that he had on board the notorious railway murderer.

It seems that the London Detectives, immediately upon their arrival here, visited the office of the Sandy Hook pilots, and had directions issued to the effect that the pilot, wherever he might be, who boarded the Victoria on her inbound voyage, should say to the Captain that if MULLER was on board of his ship, he, Capt. CHAMPION, would be held personally responsible for his safe delivery in the City of New-York. Capt. CHAMPION states that from that moment he felt as though a very heavy responsibility was resting upon him. It would not do to let MULLER know that he was watched, or even suspected, and yet the Captain saw the necessity of keeping a strict watch over him, both by night and day. During the voyage MULLER appeared quite cheerful, and at times very sociable. He does not seem to have had the most remote idea that he could be tracked and followed across the Atlantic, and it was not until some time after the pilot boarded the ship that his suspicions were aroused, and he was suddenly started from his fancied security and led seriously to reflect upon the appalling condition in which he was placed. The illusion under which he had slept during his passage of the Atlantic was broken in this wise: When the Victoria was in the vicinity of Sandy Hook she met a small steamer containing a party of excursionists. The publicity given to the fact that MULLER, the English railway murderer, was expected to arrive by the Victoria, induced many on board the excursion boat to shout aloud, as soon as they saw the name of the ship, "How are you MULLER, the murderer?"

Upon hearing this cry, repeated several times, the Captain and others who were in the secret on the Victoria, noticed that MULLER gave a sudden start, as though an electric shock had passed through him. He walked nervously around the deck, all the time looking, first in one direction and then in another, as if calculating his chances of leaping overboard and swimming to the nearest hills, some of which were then in view. Capt. CHAMPION thereupon became still more anxious in regard to his charge, and the responsibility resting upon him, respecting the safe delivery of the fugitive in New-York. As the ship proceeded up the bay, MULLER was observed to grow more and more nervous and uneasy. Several times he asked questions of some of the officers and crew of the vessel, relative to the land which could be seen on either side -- what kind of a country it was back of the hills? how far they were from New-York? if there were any large towns where there were telegraph offices before they got to the City, &c., &c. As might naturally be supposed, Capt. CHAMPION began to feel his responsibility getting a little too heavy to bear with comfort to himself. True, two trusty men were supposed to have their eves constantly upon MULLER, but upon coming through the Narrows the offender might suddenly throw himself into the water, in the hope of swimming to the nearest land, or, if perchance he was sufficiently driven to desperation and despair, drown himself in the bay. The Captain therefore concluded to iron him, and place him in his own cabin, until he could deliver him to the proper officials in New-York. For this purpose he and some of his officers, all armed with revolvers, and having the irons secreted about them, were about to proceed to confine him, when a rowboat filled with men, and having the flag of the Health Officer flying in the stern, was seen approaching. When the detectives went on board, the Captain said he was never so glad to see officials on his deck before, and that he now felt relieved of a heavy weight of responsibility.


More than 30 lions live in Mr Richardson's South African wildlife sanctuary. (Getty)

South African conservationist Kevin Richardson has dedicated his life to revealing the softer side of one the world’s most feared animal species – lions.

The 41-year-old has been captured on camera in jaw-dropping images of him play-wrestling and comfortably walking alongside the creatures.

His primary concern is to raise awareness about canned hunts of African lions. (Getty)

Mr Richardson uses his relationship with the lions to raise awareness about canned hunts and the plight of Africa’s lion population.

He has previously made documentaries and television specials highlighting his connection to the animals.

Mr Richardson and his lions are now stars of an advertising campaign for Mercedes Benz. (Getty)

Mr Richardson and his lions have even landed an advertising campaign with Mercedes Benz, putting the loving bond between ‘Lion Whisperer’ Mr Richardson and his pride of lions on display.

The campaign advertises an off-road SUV and was shot in Mr Richardson’s wildlife sanctuary in Pretoria, which is home to more than 30 lions.


03/09/2016 AT 12:20 AM EST

Michigan is feeling the "Bern!"

In a surprising upset, Vermont Senator

won the Michigan primary over opponent

on Tuesday, according to reports.

Although the contest was close, Sanders' win comes as a shock as Clinton was expected to pull out a victory in the Rust Belt state, as she was ahead by double digits in polls taken prior to voting, the

, Sanders, who spoke form Miami on Tuesday night, coined the victory an "enormously successful night," as he thanked volunteers.

"I want to thank the many thousands of volunteers that we had in the state of Michigan for knocking on doors and for making the phone calls that created this kind of enormously successful night for us," he said during a press conference.

Sanders continued: "What we have seen is in poll after poll, state after state, what we have done is created the kind of momentum that we need to win. So one again, this has been a fantastic night in Michigan. We're very grateful for all of the support that we have gotten from the state, and we look forward to going to Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, and the other states that we will be competing in next week."

While setting his sights on the upcoming primaries, the democratic candidate also reportedly said that Tuesday's results prove that his ideology "is strong in every part of the country," adding that he hasn't even reached some of his best states.

"We're going to do very, very well on the West Coast and other parts of this country," he said, before adding that citizens are jaded of "a corrupt campaign finance system, a rigged economy," and a "broken criminal justice system."

Sanders beat Clinton 57 to 42 percent among white voters in the state, while she took most of the black voters with a 65-30 split. However, Sanders was immensely popular among independents, with 70 percent voting in his favor.

Summary: The Vermont Senator beat out Hillary Clinton in Rust Belt state


Meanwhile proponents of HFT argue that it provides more liquidity and generally more efficient markets. Research has also shown that it has tightened spreads and also reduced transaction costs for investors.

Across the globe, governments and regulators have responded to HFT with a wide variety of measures.

Europe like the U.S., has embraced this new technology into its stock markets. HFT peaked in 2009 in the U.S., accounting for 62 percent of equity trades that year. In Europe, the peak was a year later, seeing 38 percent of all equity trades in 2010 and has since slipped lower.

Steve Previs, a longtime equity-sales trader at Mint Partners, a leading London agency brokerage, told CNBC that he believes HFT is not as prevalent in Europe as it is in the U.S., as the infrastructure and cash involved is a lot smaller, but it still leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

"After having executed hundreds of thousands of trades worth hundreds of billions of dollars, we can, with great confidence, acknowledge the fact those mudcat bottom-feeders have used technology to steal tens of billions of dollars from unsuspecting market participants," he said in a research note published last week.

Read MoreDark markets more costly than high-frequency trading?

However, events in France and Italy have done little to increase these volumes. Last year, a group of 11 European Union countries announced their intention to impose a financial transaction tax as a way to make the banking sector take responsibility for its role in the economic crisis. Part of the tax includes a levy on HFT – a costly move for high-speed traders especially when a large amount of trades are placed in a small amount of time. Reuters data shows that the tax as a whole has coincided with a decrease in trading volumes, with French and Italian turnover down 10 percent by August last year.

The London Stock Exchange might seem unaffected by this move due to the U.K.'s strong stance against the financial transaction tax but the LSE's parent company does operate a bourse in Italy. In its 2013 annual report, it suggests a variety of reasons for a slump in volumes and revenues last year but mentions the transaction tax.

Read MoreSwiss exchange CEO: Dark pools the real problem

A spokesperson for the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) told CNBC that current "guidelines" on HFT are in the process of being replaced by a new directive that shall set mandatory registration and tougher record keeping requirements.

Summary: The uproar over high-speed trading has highlighted the issue once again, but regulators around the world have already responded to the practice -- with a wide variety of measures.


The Harvard Kennedy Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston has organized a panel discussion with representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the MBTA. The panel will assess the T’s progress following last winter’s operational problems. Monday, 8 to 9:30 a.m., Allison Dining Room, Taubman Building fifth floor, 15 Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free.

MassTLC is having a springtime networking and career fair. Representatives from 20 Massachusetts technology companies, including Care.com, Rapid7, and Kronos, will be attending. Monday, 5:30 to 8 p.m., Microsoft NERD, 1 Memorial Drive, Number 1, Cambridge. Free.

Boston Seed Capital, along with Morse, Barnes-Brown, & Pendleton will host an event for startups and entrepreneurs on the emerging sports tech industry. The event will focus on how to fund-raise, scale up, and avoid disaster when launching a sports-tech startup. Tuesday, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Barnes-Brown & Pendleton Waltham Office, 230 Third Ave., fourth floor, Waltham. Free.

John Hawthorn, the founder and chief executive of MassChallenge, will be speaking at an event organized by Startup Grind Boston. MassChallenge was recently named one of the top 20 startup accelerators in the United States at South By Southwest. Tuesday, 6 to 9 p.m., Pivotal, 145 Broadway, third floor, Cambridge. $10 to $20.

Attorney General Maura Healey is teaming up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University to host a forum on data privacy. The event will focus on the risks to consumer privacy. Healey said the forum will also discuss the role of states and attorneys general in addressing risks without restricting innovation. Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon, Building 10, underneath MIT’s Great Dome.

Summary: State of the MBTA, MassChallenge, and more notable things to know.


Almost any discussion of how and when we feed our babies sets off a national debate. So to mark World Breastfeeding Week 2014 (yes, that exists), here’s a look at 16 nursing controversies, from the fracas over an Angelina Jolie breastfeeding statue to the suckling husbands phenomenon, and of course, TIME’s 2012 cover about mothers who nurse their kids into late toddlerhood:

In a sign of how supercharged the emotions have become about public nursing, a Canadian midwife’s tale of nursing her baby at a local Starbucks in Ottawa went a little viral in early July 2014, getting picked up by news outlets around the globe. The story was, to many, a heartwarming one: after a woman complained to a young, male barista that another woman was breastfeeding without a modesty shield, the barista said he’d take care of it. However, instead of telling the nursing mom to cover up, he just brought her an extra coffee for having to deal with the unpleasantness.

This is not actually Starbucks’ official policy. In fact, Starbucks doesn’t have an official policy on breastfeeding, according to spokeswoman Laurel Harper. The cappu-chain does have an official policy about making customers feel welcome, Harper noted (several times). “We empower our local partners to reach a decision about how best to make a customer’s experience a positive one,” she says. It was up to the employee to decide which customer in this case was going to have a less-positive experience.

When Karlesha Thurman posted a photo of herself breastfeeding during her college graduation ceremony in June 2014, she never expected to stir up a national controversy about breastfeeding and race. She was met with a flurry of negative comments about her decision to nurse her daughter in public.

“I honestly thought that as a society, people were more understanding of breast-feeding,” Thurman, 25, told the Today Show. “It’s not disgusting, it’s not a bad thing, it’s not a negative thing.”

The photo put a spotlight on the African American community’s complicated relationship with breastfeeding. After some of the more negative comments were tweeted, the photo was picked up by Black Women Do Breastfeed, a page devoted to celebrating black women who nurse.

Mexico City’s May 2014 health campaign to encourage new mothers to nurse has left a sour taste in health advocates’ mouths due to campaign posters that feature topless celebrities.

The posters show famous women without shirts or bras on, with a banner reading, “No les des la espalda, dale pecho,”or “Don’t turn you back on them, give them your breast,” strategically placed across their chests. Health advocates are peeved that the campaign both sexualizes women and faults those who choose not to breast-feed, rather than simply emphasizing the benefits of doing so.

It’s the suckle that dare not speak its name. In worldwide Google searches, “my husband wants me to breastfeed him” is a more popular search term than “my husband wants to separate” and “my husband wants a baby”combined.

Um, what? In May 2014, Seth Stephens-Davidowitz originally reported these numbers in the New York Times, and most of that breastfeeding search traffic is coming from India. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that breastmilk is becoming a delicacy in India, it does suggest a lot of interest. And it begs the question: is this really a thing?

Absolutely, says Dr. Wendy Walsh, a relationship expert and self-described “dairy queen” who nursed each of her children until they were 3. “Every breastfeeding mother I ever knew said their husband asked to drink it,” she says adding that the father of her child also asked to nurse once in a while.

A March 2014 ad campaign showed photos of fathers in solidarity with breastfeeding mothers. The campaign was spearheaded by Project Breastfeeding and featured shirtless men with their children a caption of, “If I Could, I Would.”

TIME stirred up its own breastfeeding controversy when the magazine featured a photo of 26-year-old Jamie Grumet breastfeeding her 3-year-old son on a May 2012 cover. Critics questioned both the decision to breastfeed a child that old and the choice to put the photo on TIME‘s cover.

In the onslaught of reaction that followed, including death threats sent to Grumet, the mother restated her support of both her breastfeeding choice and the magazine’s cover photo decision. “The statement that I wanted to make was this is a normal option for your child and it should not be stigmatized,” Grumet said. “I’m never saying this is for everybody, but it should be something that’s accepted.”

Michelle Obama probably didn’t expect her February 2011 campaign to promote breastfeeding to cause such a fuss. Then Sarah Palin weighed in: “It’s no wonder Michelle Obama is telling everybody you betterbreast-feed your baby. Yeah, you better — because the price of milk is so high right now!” After that, mom blogs on both the right and the left piled on, saying that Obama was putting too much pressure on mothers to nurse. Meanwhile, a number of newspapers dug up information showing that as governor of Alaska, Palin herself promoted breast feeding.

The Breast Milk Baby — boringly renamed from the unfortunately titled “Bebé Glotón” (Glutton Baby) — is nothing if not good at grabbing headlines. The Spanish doll that simulates breastfeeding caught the attention of American morning shows in 2010 before it had made it across the ocean. The $69 doll made news again in 2011 after its manufacturer, Berjuan Toys, announced that the product was being released in the U.S. market.

The doll, which is sold with a brassiere-like harness for a child, suckles when pressed against strategically placed magnetic daisies positioned precisely where any real baby goes to nurse. Plenty of people, including women, have recoiled and squealed “gross!”, but why the toy nursling is so controversial goes to the roots of Americans’ squeamishness with breast-feeding in general.

The star of ABC’s smash hit Modern Family, Julie Bowen, made waves in May 2010 when she released a photo of herself topless and breast-feeding her twin sons in what’s called the “football hold” — a position that allows twins to nurse simultaneously. The image, taken from above, shows Bowen’s bare chest with the two babies latched on. When Bowen told George Lopez on TBS’ Lopez Tonight that she wasn’t allowed to show the photo on ABC’s The View, he promptly displayed it for so long that Bowen got a little embarrassed. And that was before Lopez put up Photoshopped images of the babies suctioning up various other things like the Gulf oil spill. And while Bowen may regret ever releasing the image, at least she didn’t pass judgment on women who don’t breast-feed.

There’s lots of debate over how long to breast-feed, yet most Americans would agree that by the time a child reaches kindergarten, it’s time to stop. But not Amanda Hurst. The 29-year-old mother made headlines in 2010 by defending her decision to breastfeed both her 6-year-old and her 5-month-old. And she’s not the most extreme case. A 2006 British documentary, Extraordinary Breastfeeding, featured a mother who breast-fed her 8-year-old; viewers on YouTube have likened the practice to child abuse. And while nursing past the age of 1 is considered “extended breast feeding” in the U.S. and most Western countries, in India and parts of Africa, children are more commonly weaned later, usually between the ages of 3 and 4.

In 2009, Facebook endured the wrath of women who noticed that photos of them breast feeding were being deleted from their profiles — even when the photos were designated as viewable by friends and family only. Facebook countered by saying that photos with nipples showing are a violation of their policies (which permit the removal of photos deemed obscene or pornographic). The company added that almost all the images they removed were flagged by other users.

The controversy hasn’t seemed to hurt Facebook much. In fact, instead of quitting the social network in protest, some of the mothers started a Facebook page to organize their cause. The“Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding Is Not Obscene” page now has more than 250,000 members and nearly 7,000 photos of babies nursing. The page has become somewhat of a hub for news about breast-feeding rights and other mothering issues.

Facebook has since updated its policy to allow for photos of mothers nursing on the social media site. “We agree that breastfeeding is natural and beautiful and we’re glad to know that it’s important for mothers to share their experiences with others on Facebook,” their policy now reads.

Actress Salma Hayek opened up a whole new kind of breastfeeding debate in 2009 when a video of her nursing a hungry baby boy in Sierra Leone surfaced on YouTube. Hayek told ABC’s Nightline that she fed the newborn in an effort to promote breastfeeding in a region that has one of the highest infant-mortality rates in the world, mainly due to malnutrition.

And while HIV transmission via breast feeding is a concern throughout Africa, and international health guidelines advise HIV-positive mothers to avoid breast feeding when an alternative source of nourishment is “acceptable, feasible, affordable, sustainable and safe,” those conditions aren’t often met in places like Sierra Leone where starvation is an immediate threat.

Hayek won praise for her mission, and the video prompted a wave of discussion over whether Western countries should be donating breast milk to nations in need instead of, or in addition to, infant formula.

A simple $5 Old Navy T-shirt for babies set off a firestorm in 2009, thanks to what the company thought was a clever illustration of a baby bottle and the words “Formula Powered.” Breast-feeding advocates called for a boycott of the chain for encouraging baby formula over breast milk. “It was not meant to be anti–breastfeeding,” said Louise Callagy, spokeswoman of Gap Inc., Old Navy’s parent company, who also pointed out that Old Navy also manufactures nursing bras and tops. The onesie was part of a fall clothing collection with a racing theme. Cate Nelson, a blogger at the green-parenting site Eco Child’s Play wasn’t convinced. In a statement sure to inflame bottle-feeding parents, she said, “Formula simply isn’t the healthy option. So, why doesn’t Old Navy know it?”

In 2009, sculptor Daniel Edwards took it upon himself to depict actress Angelina Jolie seated while feeding twin infants simultaneously for an odd-looking work entitled Landmark for Breastfeeding. The New York–based artist favors celebrity subjects, including a much publicized sculpture of Britney Spears giving birth nude, which he described as “pro-life.”

Edwards says the sculpture was originally inspired by W magazine’s 2008 cover of Jolie nursing one of her newborn twins, Vivienne and Knox. And while that image of Jolie was widely welcomed by breastfeeding advocates, it’s not entirely clear whether the grim-looking Jolie statue would inspire an increase in nursing.

A legal dispute over public breastfeeding began in 2006 when Emily Gillette said that a Delta Connection flight attendant told her to get off the plane when she refused to cover up while nursing her 22-month-old daughter. Gillette filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission, claiming that she was sitting discreetly by the window with her husband in the aisle seat when a flight attendant gave her a blanket. After Gillette declined the blanket, she was escorted off the plane.

The incident sparked “nurse-ins” at Delta counters across the country. And while both Delta and its partner Freedom Airlines, which operated Gillette’s flight on behalf of Delta, have apologized and reaffirmed the right of women to breastfeed on their planes, Gillette filed a civil suit against Delta in the U.S. District Court in the fall of 2009.

Gillette settled with the airlines for an undisclosed amount in March 2012.

In 1997, Redbook magazine came out with what was then a fairly revolutionary cover featuring actor Pierce Brosnan gazing adoringly at his girlfriend Keely Shaye Smith as she breastfeeds their infant son. The image didn’t reveal more of Smith’s bosom than your average Oscar gown, but nonetheless, that cover only appeared on newsstands while a more traditional image of the family was on the version that went to subscribers. Editor in chief Kate White explained that the magazine produced two covers for the first time in its history because the editors didn’t want “to force the image on anyone.” Meanwhile, some convenience-store-chain owners said that if customers complained, they reserved the right to move the controversial breast-feeding cover behind the counter along with risqué men’s magazines like Playboy.

Summary: Almost any discussion of how and when we feed our babies sets off a national debate. So to mark World Breastfeeding Week 2014 (yes, that…


Google is expanding the number of websites it will censor under Europe’s controversial “right to be forgotten” law, which lets EU citizens demand the search engine remove results if they are outdated or irrelevant.

As the company explained in a blog post Friday, Google will close a loophole that currently allows people in a European country to view search results that had otherwise been deleted under the “right to be forgotten” (Google prefers the term “right to be delinked”).

The existing loophole, which will be closed this week, allows EU citizens to see the censored search results when they search on the main Google site (google.com) instead of a national version of the site (such as google.fr).

Under the new policy, Google will use geo-location to ensure residents located in a given EU country can’t see the search results on any version of the site, even as those outside the country can see them.

To give an example, if someone named Pierre Pepin in Paris ordered Google to remove search results about him, no one in France could get those results—even if they used Google.com. Meanwhile, people outside France could use Google.com to find those search links about Pierre. (Search Engine Land has a few more specifics about just how it works.)

The new policy, which Google hinted at last month, is unlikely to have many practical effects. The reason is that the vast majority of Google searches outside the United States take place on a national version of the site, not on Google.com.

But the case still has symbolic importance as Google tangles with national governments over how far local censorship orders should extend. In Canada, for instance, the country’s Supreme Court is taking up a case in which a provincial judge ordered Google to delete listings on a worldwide basis—if such a ruling holds, it could embolden judges in other countries to make similar extraterritorial demands.

The bottom line is that the sort of geo-fencing that Google will use in Europe could provide a model for national censorship in other countries.

Summary: 'Right to be Forgotten' is now a worldwide thing


If you don’t think that George R. R. Martin will be able to finish the “Game of Thrones” series, he has a message for you.

During a recent interview with Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, the 65-year-old author was asked about some people’s concerns that he won’t be able to complete the fantasy saga.

“I find that question pretty offensive, frankly, when people start speculating about my death and my health,” he said.

“So f--- you to those people,” he laughed, along with giving the middle finger.

With Martin’s books being used as a blueprint for the acclaimed HBO series of the same name, some fans have criticized him for not writing the novels fast enough to keep pace with the show. He brushed off those concerns, but did acknowledge that “lately, I have been slowing down.”

“I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m getting older — I think it’s partly that,” Martin said. “ But I also think it’s partly that the series is so much more successful that there’s demands that come with success,” he pointed out, citing the TV show and various spin-offs.

Martin is currently working on the sixth book, “The Winds of Winter,” which does not yet have a publication date.

Martin was in Switzerland Monday to speak at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, during which he shared his thoughts on a “Game of Thrones” movie, according to Screen Daily.

“I would love that,” he said when asked about the possibility.

“If we go seven or eight seasons and then the show is still big enough that we can get the $200 million to finance a huge epic movie to end it … sure!” he added.

The author revealed that discussions have already been held about concluding the TV series with a movie, but noted “that doesn’t mean it has been approved,” and that “other people don’t like the idea.”

Martin said he would like to see his fantasy saga on the big screen, especially since the series has “the biggest cast in television” as well as the “biggest budget.” The show reportedly averages $6 million an episode.

“But that’s still nothing to what Peter Jackson spends on a ‘Lord Of The Rings’ movie or what any of these big, epic science fiction or fantasy movies have to spend,” Martin said. “To go out with something big like that would be amazing.”

But there is one thing that the author doesn’t want in a big screen version of “Game of Thrones.”

“I don’t care about 3-D,” Martin said. “It gives me a headache.”


TMZ has confirmed the owner of the

MMA clothing line died this morning when his ultra-rare $300,000 Ferrari crashed into a light pole, ripping the car in half.

-- aka "Mask" -- was driving his Ferrari Modena in Orange County, Calif. around 1:00 AM this morning when cops say it "left the roadway, hit the curb, took out a light pole."

"Mask" was declared dead at the scene. A female passenger -- who was ejected from the crash -- was taken to a local hospital, but we're told she's in bad shape.

Cops believe "Mask" was racing a guy in a Porsche at the time of the crash, and authorities have since arrested the guy they believe was driving the other car. That man -- Jeffrey David Kirby -- is being held on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter.

: A rep for TapouT released this statement: "It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we must regretfully confirm the passing of our beloved friend, brother and co-founder Charles "Mask" Lewis following a car accident that occurred last night. We are currently in the process of setting up a memorial service in his honor and will release more details as they become available. Many thanks to all for the outpouring of blessings and well-wishes during this incredibly difficult time."

Summary: TMZ has confirmed the owner of the TapouT MMA clothing line died this morning when his ultra-rare $300,000 Ferrari crashed into a light pole, ripping the…


Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced on Thursday he would not stand again as leader of the ruling AK Party, bowing out as President Tayyip Erdogan accelerates his drive for a stronger presidency set to reshape the political landscape.

In a speech defending his record as prime minister but also vowing loyalty to Erdogan, Davutoglu said he had kept his party and the government intact during a tumultuous period in Turkey and pledged that “strong” AKP government would continue.

After a meeting of the party’s executive committee, Davutoglu told a news conference that under the current circumstances he would not run for the leadership of the AKP at an extraordinary party congress on May 22.

“I am telling our members, up until today I was leading you. From now on, I am among you,” he said, vowing to continue his political struggle as an AKP lawmaker.

Davutoglu’s departure plunges Turkey into political uncertainty just as Europe depends on it for help in curbing a migration crisis and as Washington draws on the NATO member’s support in fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

Turkey could now face an early general election this year as Erdogan pushes ahead with plans to strengthen the presidency.

Davutoglu had offered only lukewarm support for Erdogan’s vision and his departure follows weeks of tensions. His successor is likely to be more willing to back Erdogan’s aim of changing the constitution to create a presidential system, a move that opponents say will bring growing authoritarianism.

“From now on, Turkey’s sole agenda is the presidential system and an early election,” said Mehmet Ali Kulat, head of the pollster Mak Danismanlik, which is seen as close to Erdogan. He forecast an election in October or November.

Erdogan wants Turkey to be ruled by the head of state, a system he sees as a guarantee against the fractious coalition politics that hampered the government in the 1990s. His opponents say this is merely a vehicle for his own ambition.

Summary: Prime Minister to step away, consolidating power for Erdogan.


JASON S. WARNER limits himself to one cup of coffee a day  admirable self-control, considering where he works and the rigors of his job. Mr. Warner, director of North American recruiting for the Starbucks Corporation, is contending with a hiring boom spurred by one of the most ambitious growth stories in retailing.

Starbucks, with more than 11,000 stores and roughly 120,000 employees worldwide, plans to open 1,800 stores this year, after opening 1,700 last year. The long-term goal is 30,000 around the world, including 15,000 in the United States alone.

By definition, opening thousands of stores means adding tens of thousands of employees. (Right now, the company is adding people at the rate of 200 a day.) Mr. Warner and his colleagues in the recruiting department are determined that these head-spinning numbers not lead to the creation of a paint-by-numbers hiring bureaucracy or to a weaker frontline staff. There is a direct connection, he argues, between the identity of Starbucks in the marketplace and the distinctive character of its workplace.

So the company has devised all sorts of ways to add personal touches to the way it hires. Whenever possible, job interviews include coffee-tasting sessions, in which Starbucks veterans discuss the virtues of various blends with applicants. A "candidate bill of rights" emphasizes that recruiters use phone calls and handwritten notes over form response letters, sets goals for how quickly applicants should hear back and encourages recruiters to send out Starbucks gift cards in nominal amounts as goodwill gestures, whether or not an applicant gets a job offer.

"Our aim is to treat our candidates as well as we treat our customers, to do something memorable for them," Mr. Warner said. "You can't treat people shabbily, especially in a world where there are far more open jobs than there is available talent to fill them. We strive to put the humanity back into the recruiting experience."

Few companies seem to share that goal. To be sure, "people are our most important asset" is the most ubiquitous platitude in corporate life. But organizations that have spent years reinventing their supply chains and turbocharging their computer systems seem oddly content to keep hiring the old-fashioned way: by posting open positions in newspapers or on Internet job boards, hoping that enough candidates see them, and sorting through the résumés  what Mr. Warner calls the "post and pray" school of recruiting.

"There's a new war for talent, but most companies aren't bothering to fight," argues John J. Sullivan, a management professor at San Francisco State University and critic of traditional hiring practices. "Whether it's a store manager or a software developer, there's a huge gap between the business results that average employees deliver and what stars deliver. If you want to win the battle in the product market, first you have to win the battle in the talent market."

This is not, Dr. Sullivan is quick to add, a plea to return to the bad old days of the 90's dot-com boom  when the last "war for talent" became an excuse to lavish big signing bonuses on any self-absorbed M.B.A. or self-impressed Internet marketer. It is, instead, a call for companies to become as creative and aggressive about stocking up on talented rank-and-file employees as they are about designing sleek products or producing flashy television commercials.

"The first rule of recruiting is that the best people already have jobs they like," Dr. Sullivan said. "So you have to find them; they're not going to find you. It's amazing that so many companies still use job fairs to recruit talent. Who goes to job fairs? People without jobs! All you get are worthless résumés and lots of germs. Recruiting has to be a clever, fast-moving business discipline, not a passive, paper-pushing bureaucracy."

As an alternative to the passive approach, consider the hiring strategy pioneered by Quicken Loans, the mortgage company based in Livonia, Mich. This fast-growing company, with 3,400 employees, closed $16 billion worth of home loans in 2005, compared with $4.6 billion in 2001, and has emerged as the country's largest Internet lender.

According to Michael G. Homula, Quicken's director of talent acquisition, the company's most pressing business challenge is to add employees quickly enough to keep pace with such meteoric growth without diluting its highly charged culture. (It is a regular on Fortune magazine's list of 100 best places to work.)

William C. Taylor, a founding editor of Fast Company magazine, is a co-author of "Mavericks at Work," to be published in September by William Morrow.

Summary: Resourceful recruiters are looking beyond help-wanted ads and job fairs.


Cabinet secretary Arthur Sinodinos has justified not appearing before a Senate committee into political donations on the grounds that former Labor minister Mark Arbib refused to front a Senate inquiry into the home insulation program.

Sinodinos, who informed the committee last night that he would not appear, told ABC radio that the request for a minister to appear before an estimates committee was “unprecedented”.

He then said Arbib did not appear before an inquiry into the Rudd government’s home insulation program.

Related: Arthur Sinodinos under attack over NSW Liberals' donations scandal

Sinodinos said the inquiry’s terms of reference on associated entities and disclosure obligations were too broad as it was a four-hour inquiry which had to report within two days.

“As a minister, I am questioned in the Senate, there is questions with notice, there is questions without notice, I turn up to estimates committees, I’ve been through two inquiries,” he said.

“I’ve answered all these questions on all of these subjects that Labor potentially want to raise. It is essentially just a political stunt. It is unprecedented to ask a minister to appear before an estimates committee.

“Mark Arbib did not do it when he was requested to do so by the environment references committee. I don’t see why I should follow a different practice to the practice of the Labor party in government.”

As revealed by Guardian Australia, Labor used the special sittings of parliament this month to set up the snap Senate committee to investigate the oversight of associated entities, such as the federal Liberal party’s Free Enterprise Foundation, which the New South Wales electoral commission says was used to “wash” property developer donations which had been outlawed in that state.

Sinodinos was the NSW party’s finance director at the time.

He told the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) that he accepted no responsibility for the events. Earlier this year Icac reportedly advised Sinodinos that no corruption findings have been made against him. Icac has yet to bring down its final report.

But Labor was also targeting the minister for his time as deputy chairman at Australian Water Holdings, which donated $74,000 to the NSW Liberal party when he was treasurer. In Icac, Sinodinos denied knowing the company donated to the party.

After refusing to appear at the Senate committee hearing set down for Thursday morning, Sinodinos appeared on a regular pre-election appearance on Radio National with Labor’s Chris Bowen.

“The situation was that Arthur was chairman of a company and treasurer of a political organisation,” said Bowen.

“The company he was chairman of was making donations to the political organisation he was treasurer of and he says ‘I know nothing’.

“He said last week in the Senate he was not given enough time to answer Labor’s questions. The Senate then resolved to give him enough time by requiring his appearance.

“If he’s got nothing to hide here it appears that Arthur – with due respect – is putting much more energy into avoiding appearing than would be required by appearing, and that means the Australian people are entitled to draw their own conclusions.”

Summary: Cabinet secretary says ‘it is essentially a political stunt’ and points to former Labor minister Mark Arbib’s refusal to front home insulation inquiry


With the holiday season in the rear-view mirror, many of us are facing down the new year toting a few extra pounds that need shedding. But how to begin? The plethora of diets to choose from can be dizzying. So CBS News asked top nutrition experts to weigh in (pun intended) on which popular diets and weight-loss trends are most effective and which ones should be shunned.

There's no Holy Grail diet that works best for everyone, the experts agreed. Instead, people need to choose and then personalize a weight-loss plan that suits their lifestyle, tastes, culture, and health needs such as allergies, intolerances and chronic conditions.

"I don't think there's one diet or one way to lose weight," said Dr. Holly Wyatt, medical director of The Wellness Clinic at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Health and Wellness Center.

"We're always searching for the best diet, but randomized controlled trials show there isn't one," Wyatt said. "You are really trying to find a diet that matches what you can adhere to."

Read on to learn which diet trends may suit you best and which ones you're better off avoiding. And be sure to check in with your health care provider before embarking on any weight-loss plan.

"I'm not a big fan of long term detox or juicing diets," said Pamela Nisevich Bede, co-author of the book "Run to Lose: A Complete Guide to Weight Loss for Runners."

Detox diets typically involve fasting followed by a strict diet of raw vegetables, fruit, juices, and water.

Nisevich Bede said there can sometimes be a place for cleansing-type regimens for a day or two if you've overdone it, but people need to be wary of them in general.

"When we do that day in and day out for weeks, we start to get some nutritional deficiencies," she said, mentioning one recently popular detox trend involving a drink of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. Stay on a diet like that and you'll miss out on important nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and iron, she said.

She also recommends avoiding detox diet schemes online that involve buying supplements that promise to "cleanse" your system.

There's no "crazy magic" product that will get you to a healthy place, Nisevich Bede said. "I'm always wary of any fad diet where you have to buy a certain supplement and have to invest in a pyramid type scheme."

She said she prefers to recommend a good, old-fashioned diet rich in fruits and vegetables, plus exercise, for people who want to reach a healthy weight.

One top trend with staying power is swapping out some of the carbohydrates on your plate for protein, said Pamela Nisevich Bede, a registered dietitian and sports nutrition expert.

"Not anything too extreme, like Atkins, but just bumping up the protein to two times the RDA," or Recommended Dietary Allowance, she said. "When you keep fat and carbs within reason, you get better success with weight loss."

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, according to Harvard Medical School experts. To calculate your RDA for protein, multiply your weight in pounds by 0.36. A person's needs may vary depending on their health and activity level, too.

Try shifting from carb-heavy sandwiches to lettuce wraps, adding more legumes to meals, and bumping up your portion of chicken or other lean protein at dinner to increase protein and cut carbs, Nisevich Bede suggested.

And while protein supplements can help boost protein intake, the experts say veer away from any supplement that isn't pure protein. For example, whey, a milk protein, is OK, but protein supplements that also claim to contain "fat burners" or vitamins are not beneficial, said University of Colorado nutrition expert Dr. Holly Wyatt.

The Paleo diet is based on emulating the way cavemen must have eaten: no dairy, no refined sugar, no processed foods. Instead, meat, fish, and lots of fresh vegetables and fruit -- the fare of hunter/gatherers -- defines this diet trend.

While you may see pounds drop once you cut out all the bread, cookies, and ice cream, it may be a tough diet to follow over the long haul, said Lenox Hill Hospital nutritionist Sharon Zarabi.

"It's still popular, especially with cross-fitters and fitness enthusiasts who do high-intensity training," said Zarabi. But it limits anything processed or out of a box, making it challenging for busy people. "I think diets are more about how realistic they are for a person," she said.

The Paleo diet doesn't include legumes and dairy, a restriction that doesn't make sense to Keri Glassman, a diet and nutrition contributing editor for Women's Health magazine. "There's no reason not to eat legumes. Yogurt has a place in the diet, too," said Glassman, who calls her modified version of it "Paleo plus."

Vegetables and olive oil are part of a healthy Mediterranean diet, but will we stay heart healthy if we eat junk food, too? Close

Rich in vegetables, fruits, fish, legumes, olive oil, even some red wine, the Mediterranean diet comes out on top in study after study for its health-related benefits. It banishes simple sugars and processed foods.

"There is more and more research showing the Mediterranean diet has staying power," said Pamela Nisevich Bede, co-author of "Run to Lose: A Complete Guide to Weight Loss for Runners.

An analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer, as well as a lower incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, according to Mayo Clinic experts.

A study out this fall by Columbia University researchers suggested it may also help delay brain shrinkage as we age.

Sauerkraut and other fermented foods help promote a healthy balance of gut bacteria. Close

"Gut health has become very popular this year," nutrition expert Keri Glassman told CBS News. "We're going to see a lot of diets coming out focused on gut health."

"There is so much research going on here," including the gut/brain connection and gut/weight connections, she said. Increasingly, research suggests that a healthy balance of good bacteria in the body may help regulate weight and ward off a range of health issues.

Glassman said probiotic foods that promote a healthy bacterial balance in the belly are gaining popularity, including yogurt and fermented foods such as kimchee and sauerkraut.

The buzzword "clean eating" is making its way around the diet and nutrition world, said Lenox Hill Hospital nutrition and fitness expert Sharon Zarabi.

"It is a way to describe eating foods that come in the purest form, unprocessed and light," said Zarabi.

People into "clean" foods avoid rich sauces, processed foods and additives, sugar, artificial sweeteners, or anything fried in oil, in favor of a diet of whole grains, protein, and fruits and vegetables, preferably organic.

While "clean eating" implies something good, Zarabi said she does not recommend this approach to clients because it encourages extreme dieting behavior.

"Extreme dieters may take it literally and avoid any healthy fats. Although we are trying to get you to eat healthy, everything falls into a balanced diet. If you try to avoid eating cooked foods and adding healthy fats to your diet in an effort to eat 'clean,' you may be missing out on essential nutrients and fats to help with many metabolic processes within the body," Zarabi said.

Lots of people are turning to healthy, pre-prepped meal services to help with weight control, said Sharon Zarabi, a nutritionist at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York. A number of companies offer well-balanced, nutritious meals that can be ordered online and then boxes of pre-portioned fresh produce and frozen meat, poultry or fish arrive at your door. You cook up the meals yourself according to instructions provided.

"They're a great idea," Zarabi said. Companies such as Blue Apron, Plated and HelloFresh offer local, farm-sourced, seasonal ingredients at prices around $10 per serving.

They also help people limit portions, said Zarabi. "There are no leftovers or buying ingredients. Everything is basically in a box for you to prepare your meal," she said.

Many healthy meal-delivery services are expanding to offer vegetarian and gluten-free options, too, she said.

Another plus: meals tend to be seasoned with herbs and spices versus salt, Zarabi said.

Salad bowls, rice bowls, burrito bowls, smoothie bowls. You name it, 2015 saw it in a bowl. Instagram and Pinterest especially loved the photogenic trend as rainbow layers of yogurt and fruit, and bowlfuls of greens dressed with everything from garbanzos to goji berries graced the social sites.

While this trend is a keeper because it generally revolves around nutrient-rich whole foods -- vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruit -- Dr. Holly Wyatt, medical director of The Wellness Clinic at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Health and Wellness Center, said eating bowl meals won't help with weight loss.

"You can get a salad that has just as many calories and fat as a cheeseburger if you're not careful about what you're putting in it," said Wyatt, who is also an associate professor in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes at CU School of Medicine.

People aiming to drop pounds in the new year need to watch portions and content, she said.

In a salad or burrito bowl, for instance, pile on the greens, chickpeas, and fresh peppers, but go easy on items like cheese, avocados, nuts, dressings and other higher calorie and fat choices. "Try skipping the avocado if you choose an olive oil dressing. Or go with salsa as your dressing and have a quarter of an avocado or almonds," Wyatt recommended.

Summary: Paleo? Probiotics? Clean eating? What you need to know before you launch your New Year's diet


If you’re worried about the prospect of a Trump Presidency but still want to find a significant other, a new dating site has just the right recipe.

Maple Match was unveiled recently as an alternative dating site for Americans who want to flee the country if Donald Trump becomes President of the United States. The site, which has yet to launch, says that it will pair Americans with Canadians, making it easy for those in the U.S. to cross the border and live happily ever after.

“Maple Match makes it easy for Americans to find the ideal Canadian partner to save them from the unfathomable horror of a Trump presidency,” the site reads. Its tagline follows: “Make dating great again”—a play on Trump’s campaign tagline of “Make America Great Again.”

For now, it’s unclear whether Maple Match is the real thing or just a joke for people who are scared about the prospect of Donald Trump becoming President. Indeed, the site only allows users to get on a waitlist and has yet to actually launch a service that connects Americans and Canadians.

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That said, Maple Match’s CEO Joe Goldman said in an interview with Canada’s CBC that “absolutely this is serious,” referring to the site and its intentions. Goldman, who lives in Texas, added that as of Tuesday morning, the site had already signed on more than 10,000 singles. What’s more, Maple Match was able to attract 2,500 Canadians to the site.

The sudden uptick in interest in Maple Match comes as Donald Trump has become the presumptive Republican nominee for President. Trump is likely to face off with Democrat Hillary Clinton in a Presidential race, though conventions in July will ultimately determine the tickets.

Trump has become a polarizing figure across the U.S. While he is well on his way to capturing the Republican nomination and has earned millions of votes across the U.S., he is among the most disliked presumptive candidates in history. Many of his detractors, including writer, producer, and actress Lena Dunham, have gone so far as to say that they would move to Canada if he were to become President.

In March, after Trump had a resounding victory on so-called “Super Tuesday,” Google searches across the U.S. relating to moving to Canada surged 350%. An analysis of Google Trends shows that the search is still one that’s on some Americans’ minds.

For more about Donald Trump, watch:

In his interview with the CBC, Goldman alluded to that, saying that “a lot of Americans are quite uneasy” about the prospect of a Trump presidency. So, he apparently felt no other option but to offer a way for them to find someone on the other side when they cross the border.

Maple Match did not say when it might launch, but with the general election six months away, the company better hurry if it wants to catch Americans scared of a possible Trump presidency.

In a statement to Fortune, Goldman said that he hopes to launch the site “as soon as possible.”

Summary: It's just trying to "make dating great again."


had her records "improperly accessed" by employees of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center who were subsequently fired for doing so ... TMZ has learned.

today said that six people were fired for privacy breaches involving the medical records of 14 patients from June 18-24. KK delivered her daughter on June 15 and checked out about a week later.

TMZ has learned that Kim was contacted by the hospital to let her know she was one of the patients who had her records accessed.

Our sources say the family suspected that information was leaking from the hospital after various media reports surfaced with certain information about the birth of her daughter North that she hadn't told anyone.

We're told Kim was glad the hospital contacted her and is happy that action was taken against the workers.

Summary: Kim Kardashian had her records "improperly accessed" by employees of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center who were subsequently fired for doing so ... TMZ has…