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Heartbleed bug: Canada Revenue Agency and Mumsnet hit by internet vulnerability

Nancy Clayson
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Heartbleed bug: Canada Revenue Agency and Mumsnet hit by internet vulnerability

The Canadian tax authority and leading UK website for parents Mumsnet have both announced they have had data stolen by hackers exploiting the Heartbleed bug.

Mumsnet – which says it has 1.5 million registered members – said that it believed that the cyber thieves may have obtained passwords and personal messages before it patched its site.

The Canada Revenue Agency said that 900 people’s social insurance numbers had been stolen.

These are the first confirmed losses.

The Mumsnet said that user data was at risk when her own username and password were used to post a message online.

The site added that it was forcing its members to reset any password created on or before Saturday.

The Canada Revenue Agency said that 900 people's social insurance numbers had been stolen
The Canada Revenue Agency said that 900 people’s social insurance numbers had been stolen

Canada’s tax agency was one of the first major organizations to cut services as a result of the flaw in OpenSSL – a cryptographic software library used by services to keep data transmissions private.

However, its action last Tuesday appears to have come too late.

“Regrettably, the CRA has been notified by the Government of Canada’s lead security agencies of a malicious breach of taxpayer data that occurred over a six-hour period,” the agency said on a message posted to its homepage.

“Based on our analysis to date, social insurance numbers (SIN) of approximately 900 taxpayers were removed from CRA systems by someone exploiting the Heartbleed vulnerability.”

“We are currently going through the painstaking process of analyzing other fragments of data, some that may relate to businesses, that were also removed.”

The Heartbleed bug was made public a week ago by Google and Codenomicon, a small Finnish security firm, which independently identified the problem.

OpenSSL is used to digitally scramble data as it passes between a user’s device and an online service in order to prevent others eavesdropping on the information.

It is used by many, but not all, sites that show a little padlock and use a web address beginning “https”.

The researchers discovered that because of a coding mishap hackers could theoretically access 64 kilobytes of unencrypted data from the working memory of systems using vulnerable versions of OpenSSL.

Although that is a relatively small amount, the attackers can repeat the process to increase their haul.

Mumsnet has been criticized for one aspect of its handling of the breach – its email to members contains an inline link that it suggests they click to reset their passwords.

By contrast Canada’s tax agency said it would not call or email the individuals it believed to be affected by its breach in order to avoid giving criminals a chance to exploit the situation.

Instead it said it would send out registered letters.

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First glow in the dark highway unveiled in The Netherlands

James J. Williams
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First glow in the dark highway unveiled in The Netherlands

Interactive artist Daan Roosegaarde has unveiled glow in the dark road markings on a 500 m stretch of highway in the Netherlands.

The paint contains a “photo-luminising” powder that charges up in the daytime and slowly releases a green glow at night, doing away with the need for streetlights.

Daan Roosegaarde teamed up with Dutch civil engineering company Heijmans to work on the idea.

The technology is being tested with an official launch due later this month.

It is the first time “glowing lines” technology has been piloted on the road and can be seen on the N329 in Oss, approximately 100km south east of Amsterdam.

Once the paint has absorbed daylight it can glow for up to eight hours in the dark.

Daan Roosegaarde has unveiled glow in the dark road markings on a 500 m stretch of highway in the Netherlands
Daan Roosegaarde has unveiled glow in the dark road markings on a 500 m stretch of highway in the Netherlands (photo Studio Roosegaarde)

Daan Roosegaarde’s projects aim to help people and technology to interact. His past projects have included a dance floor with built-in disco lights powered by dancers’ foot movements, and a dress that becomes see-through when the wearer is aroused.

Heijmans was already working on projects involving energy-neutral streetlights when Daan Roosegaarde teamed up with the company.

The company says that the glow in the dark technology is also “a sustainable alternative to places where no conventional lighting is present”.

Initially the team also had plans to develop weather symbols that appeared on the road once the temperature reached a certain level. A temperature-sensitive paint mixture would be used to create giant snow flake-shaped symbols on the tarmac to warn users that the road may be icy.

The current stretch of glow in the dark road in Oss does not include this temperature sensitive technology.

It is a pilot project at this stage and is expected to expand internationally later this year. Dutch media report that Heijmans is keen to use the paint on other roads but has not yet negotiated any contracts.

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Oscar Pistorius trial: Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accuses athlete of using his emotions as an escape

Clyde K. Valle
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Oscar Pistorius trial: Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accuses athlete of using his emotions as an escape

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel at the Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria has suggested the South African athlete is using his emotions “as an escape”.

Oscar Pistorius, 27, broke down in tears four times on Monday and has also vomited in court.

“Now you trying to be emotional and it’s not working,” said prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

Oscar Pistorius admits killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year, but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder.

Gerrie Nel said Oscar Pistorius had deliberately shot Reeva Steenkamp after the couple had had an argument.

As the prosecutor resumed his cross-examination on Monday, he accused Oscar Pistorius of “tailoring his evidence” as he went along to suit the defense case, which had been “concocted”.

“Your version of events is untrue,” Gerrie Nel said.

Oscar Pistorius admits killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year, but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder
Oscar Pistorius admits killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year, but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder

Shortly before the case adjourned for the day, Gerrie Nel said: “You’re getting emotional now because you’re getting frustrated because your version [of events] is improbable.”

The prosecutor, known as “bull terrier” for his fierce style of questioning, then asked: “You’re not using your emotional state as an escape are you?”

Gerrie Nel spent much of the day trying to highlight apparent inconsistencies between Oscar Pistorius’ bail application and his evidence in court.

On one occasion, when Oscar Pistorius corrected Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor said this showed the athelte was a “stickler for detail” and yet on many aspects of the case, the athlete was being vague.

Earlier, Gerrie Nel again pressed Oscar Pistorius on the moment he shot Reeva Steenkamp.

The athlete said he had not intended to kill anyone.

“I fired out of fear,” he said.

This prompted Gerrie Nel to say Oscar Pistorius was changing his story from self-defense to saying he shot by accident.

The prosecutor said this was because the truth was: “You fired at Reeva.”

“It’s not true,” Oscar Pistorius replied, breaking into tears and prompting the court to briefly adjourn.

After the break, Gerrie Nel said that, as Oscar Pistorius was trained to use firearms, the court could not accept he had fired by “mistake”.

The prosecutor said the fact that a pair of Reeva Steenkamp’s jeans was lying on the bed showed that she was in the middle of getting dressed in order to leave Oscar Pistorius’ house when she was shot after the couple had argued in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.

This was denied by Oscar Pistorius.

The Paralympic champion also started sobbing as he recalled shouting at the burglars he thought were in his house.

When asked why he broke down, Oscar Pistorius said: “I am traumatized” by the events of that night.

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Ukraine: Pro-Russian activists take control of Horlivka police station

Roy Siemens
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Ukraine: Pro-Russian activists take control of Horlivka police station

A crowd of pro-Russian activists stormed a police station in the town of Horlivka, near Donetsk, taking control of the building and ignoring a deadline to leave or face eviction by Ukrainian forces.

Ukraine’s interim President Oleksandr Turchynov hit out at “aggression” from Russia, but signaled support for a national referendum.

Oleksandr Turchynov said Kiev was “not against” a vote on the future of the country, a key demand from protesters.

He also said Ukraine was preparing an “anti-terrorist operation” against gunmen occupying government buildings in Sloviansk and a number of other towns and cities.

Correspondents say people in eastern Ukraine are anxiously waiting to see if Oleksandr Turchynov carries through on his threat to use the army against the pro-Russian groups.

In a televised address to parliament, President Oleksandr Turchynov suggested Kiev would be open to moving from a republic into a federation and giving broader rights to Ukraine’s Russian speakers.

The pro-Russian groups who have seized government buildings in eastern regions are demanding local referendums on either increased local rights or an option to join the Russian Federation.

But Oleksandr Turchynov stopped well short of giving in to these demands by showing support for a national referendum, of which the outcome is uncertain because most people in Kiev and the Ukrainian-speaking west reject the idea of federalization.

“We are not against holding a national referendum,” he said.

“I am certain that a majority of Ukrainians will support an indivisible, independent, democratic and united Ukraine.”

He also used the speech to accuse Moscow of open aggression in the east of the country.

“It’s not a confrontation between Ukrainians, but covert and now no longer covert aggression by the Russian Federation against our country,” Oleksandr Turchynov added.

Russian Foreign Ministry Sergei Lavrov said it was not in Russia’s interests for Ukraine to break up but added that Moscow wanted all citizens of the country to be given equal treatment by Kiev.

He also denied allegations that Russian agents had been fomenting unrest in eastern Ukraine and said he was seeking explanation from US of reports that CIA director John Brennan had visited Kiev.

At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday, Russia urged Kiev not to use force against protesters in eastern Ukraine.

The Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vitaliy Churkin, called on the government in Kiev to “start a genuine dialogue”.

Vitaliy Churkin warned UN diplomats that there were neo-Nazis and anti-Semites within the ranks of “the self-proclaimed government in Kiev”.

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Pro-Russian activists threw rocks at the police HQ in Horlivka before storming it
Pro-Russian activists threw rocks at the police HQ in Horlivka before storming it

MTV Movie Awards 2014: The Hunger Games takes three top prizes

Sonia Pantiss
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MTV Movie Awards 2014: The Hunger Games takes three top prizes

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire took top three prizes at this year’s MTV Movie Awards – best film, as well as best male and female performance for actors Josh Hutcherson and Jennifer Lawrence.

Johnny Depp gave the popcorn-shaped award to two of the film’s stars, Josh Hutcherson and Sam Claflin.

Jonah Hill won best comedic performance for The Wolf of Wall Street.

Jared Leto presented Mila Kunis with the best villain prize, while Channing Tatum won the trailblazer award.

Josh Hutcherson remembered his late fellow cast member Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died earlier this year of a drug overdose, and said: “I know that if Philip were here, he would think this is really cool.”

Hunger Games: Catching Fire – a young adult film about an oppressed society fighting back – has earned more than $850 million globally and was the second-biggest US opening of last year, behind Iron Man 3.

The final part of the story, Mockingjay, has been split into two films that will be released in 2014 and 2015 respectively. The movies are based on Suzanne Collins’ hugely successful dystopian fantasy novels.

Mila Kunis won for her performance in Oz the Great and Powerful, Sam Raimi’s fantasy film which pays homage to The Wizard of Oz while Channing Tatum, star of 22 Jump Street and Jupiter Ascending, was the first male winner of the trailblazer prize, after Emma Stone and Emma Watson.

Favorite character of the year was a surprise win for Shailene Woodley, who played Tris in Divergent, beating Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss in The Hunger Games. They each received more than 9 million votes.

The Hunger Games Catching Fire took top three prizes at this year’s MTV Movie Awards
The Hunger Games Catching Fire took top three prizes at this year’s MTV Movie Awards

The Fast and the Furious actress Jordana Brewster introduced a special tribute to the film’s late star Paul Walker, who died in a car crash last November. He won the MTV movie award for breakthrough male performance in 2002.

Co-star Vin Diesel added in a video clip: “I’m always going to be here for you even when you tell me to go. That’s who Paul Walker was.”

Mark Wahlberg, star of The Fighter and the upcoming Transformers film, collected the generation award.

“Many people have gotten this award before. Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston… and you know what they all have in common? They’re all old. This is the too old to come back award,” said Mark Wahlberg.

Rihanna won the prize for best cameo performance in the comedy This is the End and she later performed The Monster with Eminem.

Ellie Goulding sang Beating Heart, from the soundtrack of young adult thriller Divergent.

The MTV ceremony also recognizes some non-traditional categories: Zac Efron won best shirtless performance, while best kiss went to Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Will Poulter for a scene in their road-trip comedy We’re the Millers.

The awards are also an opportunity for the film industry to showcase upcoming summer films and their stars.

Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 introduced a clip of their new film, featuring Garfield’s Spider-Man encountering the blue villain Electro (Foxx) in New York’s Times Square.

Ellen Page, one of the stars of X-Men: Days of Future Past, presented a clip from the forthcoming blockbuster, in which the X-Men join forces with their younger selves.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who is starring in Godzilla, gave Orlando Bloom the award for best fight, for a sequence in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, where Bloom and co-star Evangeline Lilly took on the brutal Orcs.

MTV Movie Awards 2014 were hosted by TV presenter, comedian and writer Conan O’Brien.

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MTV Movie Awards 2014: Winners list in full

Sonia Pantiss
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MTV Movie Awards 2014: Winners list in full

Movie of the Year

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Best Female Performance

Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Best Male Performance

Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Breakthrough Performance

Will Poulter – We’re the Millers

The Hunger Games took three top prizes at MTV Movie Awards
The Hunger Games took three top prizes at MTV Movie Awards

Best Kiss

Emma Roberts, Jennifer Aniston and Will Poulter – We’re the Millers

Best Fight

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly vs. Orcs

Best Comedic Performance

Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Scared-as-S*** Performance

Brad Pitt – World War Z

Best On-screen Duo

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker – Fast & Furious 6

Best Shirtless Performance

Zac Efron – That Awkward Moment

#WTF moment

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Villain

Mila Kunis – Oz The Great and Powerful

Best on-screen Transformation

Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club

Best Musical Moment

Backstreet Boys, Jay Baruchel, Seth Rogen and Craig Robinson – This is the End

Best Cameo Performance

Rihanna – This is the End

Best Hero

Henry Cavill as Clark Kent – Man of Steel

MTV Trailblazer

Channing Tatum

MTV Generation Award

Mark Wahlberg

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier tops US box office for second week

Sonia Pantiss
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Captain America: The Winter Soldier tops US box office for second week

Captain America: The Winter Soldier remained at the top of the US box office for a second week, holding off competition from new release, Rio 2.

The Marvel sequel, which set a new US record for an April release last week, took $41.4 million, adding to the previous week’s haul of $96 million.

Animated adventure Rio 2 was close behind, raking in $39 million on its debut, according to early estimates.

Low budget horror Oculus and football drama Draft Day were third and fourth.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier remained at the top of the US box office for a second week
Captain America: The Winter Soldier remained at the top of the US box office for a second week

Oculus took $12 million – more than double its $5 million budget – while Draft Day, starring Kevin Costner and directed by Ivan Reitman, took $9.8 million.

Globally, The Winter Soldier also continued to fly, taking $60.6 million over the weekend.

Captain America sequel has made nearly $477 million globally since its release internationally three weeks ago. That figure has already surpassed the $370 million total for 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger.

Teen Sci-Fi movie, Divergent, took fifth position, adding $7.5 million in its fourth week to bring its cumulative total to $124.9 million.

Lionsgate announced last week that the third installment in the series will be split into two releases, one to open in March 2016 and one in March 2017. The second film will be released in 2015.

North American box office Top 5:

  1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – $41.4 million
  2. Rio 2 – $39 million
  3. Oculus – $12 million
  4. Draft Day – $9.8 million
  5. Divergent – $7.5 million [youtube 7SlILk2WMTI 650]

MH370: Robotic submarine Bluefin-21 to begin search

Diane A. Wade
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MH370: Robotic submarine Bluefin-21 to begin search

Robotic submarine Bluefin-21 will be deployed for the first time to search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston said the Bluefin-21 drone would be sent down as soon as possible to search for wreckage on the sea floor.

Teams have been using a towed pinger locator to listen for signals from the plane’s “black box” flight recorders.

But no new signals have been heard since April 8, amid concerns the flight recorders’ batteries have expired.

Flight MH370 went missing on March 8 with 239 people on board. It was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers over the South China Sea.

Malaysian officials believe, based on satellite data, that it ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean, thousands of kilometres off course.

Teams searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane are to deploy robotic submarine Bluefin-21 for the first time
Teams searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane are to deploy robotic submarine Bluefin-21 for the first time

An international search has focused on waters west of the Australian city of Perth, with teams racing against time to detect signals before the flight recorder batteries – which last about one month – run out.

ACM Angus Houston, who heads the joint agency coordinating the search effort, said that given no signals had been detected in six days, it was time to go underwater.

The Bluefin-21 – an almost 5m-long underwater autonomous vehicle that can create a sonar map of the sea floor – will search for wreckage in an area defined by four signals heard last week.

Officials believe those signals – picked up by the pinger locator towed by an Australian vessel – are consistent with flight recorders.

“Analysis of the four signals has allowed the provisional definition of a reduced and manageable search area on the ocean floor,” ACM Angus Houston said.

“The experts have therefore determined that the Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield will cease searching with the towed pinger locator later today and deploy the… Bluefin-21 as soon as possible.”

Angus Houston warned that the submersible search would be a long, “painstaking” process that might, in the end, yield no results.

Each Bluefin-21 mission will last 24 hours, with 16 hours spent on the ocean floor, four hours’ diving and resurfacing time, and four hours to download data.

Australian vessel Ocean Shield had also spotted an oil slick in the same area where the signals had been heard, ACM Angus Houston said, and a sample was being sent for testing.

“I stress the source of the oil is yet to be determined but the oil slick is approximately 5,500m downwind… from the vicinity of the detections picked up by the towed pinger locator,” he said.

Australian officials have said previously that they are confident they are searching in the right area for the missing plane.

Officials have no idea yet why the plane diverted so far from its intended flight path. Investigators are looking at options including hijacking, mechanical failure, sabotage and pilot action.

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Venezuela admits military excesses during deadly protests

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela admits military excesses during deadly protests

Venezuela’s military has admitted it committed “some excesses” during weeks of political unrest that have left 41 people dead.

The military’s strategic command chief, General Vladimir Padrino Lopez, said they were investigating 97 officers and police staff for “cruelty and torture”.

However, Vladimir Padrino Lopez stressed these were less than 1% of all officers.

Security forces have been accused of human rights abuse during the almost daily anti-government protests.

“We are able to say that 97 [officers] are being investigated by prosecutors for cruelty, for torture,” Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez said.

General Vladimir Padrino Lopez insists the security forces of President Nicolas Maduro respect the rule of law
General Vladimir Padrino Lopez insists the security forces of President Nicolas Maduro respect the rule of law

“That represents only 0.4% of the force,” he told Venevision television.

The protests have left at least 41 people killed and hundreds more injured on both sides.

The Venezuelan opposition and human rights activists accuse the security forces of repression and using heavy-handed tactics.

However, Vladimir Padrino Lopez insisted the security forces were acting “in accordance with the rule of law”.

“No soldiers have received orders to hurt anyone, harass or end the life of a Venezuelan,” he said.

On Thursday, President Nicolas Maduro met opposition leaders in crisis talks aimed at quelling more than two months of protests.

The demonstrations began over high levels of crime, rising inflation and shortages of basic foods, but have since grown into a wide opposition movement.

Venezuela remains sharply divided between supporters and opponents of Nicolas Maduro, who narrowly beat his bitter rival, opposition leader Henrique Capriles to the presidency last year.

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Frazier Glenn Cross: Former KKK leader in custody over Kansas Jewish center attacks

Nancy Clayson
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Frazier Glenn Cross: Former KKK leader in custody over Kansas Jewish center attacks

Frazier Glenn Cross, Jr., a former Ku Klux Klan leader with a history of anti-Semitism and racism, has been identified as person of interest for the killing of three people at two Jewish centers in Kansas City, law enforcement officials said.

Frazier Glenn Cross, Jr., 73, from Missouri, is suspected of fatally shooting a 14-year-old Eagle Scout and his grandfather in the parking lot at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City campus in Overland Park then gunning down a woman at Village Shalom, a retirement community that is several blocks away from the center, law enforcement officials said.

A civil rights organization that tracks hate groups said it has long known about Cross.

Frazier Glenn Cross has been identified as person of interest for the killing of three people at two Jewish centers in Kansas City
Frazier Glenn Cross has been identified as person of interest for the killing of three people at two Jewish centers in Kansas City (photo KCTV-5)

The Southern Poverty Law Center says Frazier Glenn Cross is known to them using aliases – Glenn Miller or Frazier Glenn Miller – and is the former Grand Dragon of the Carolina Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.

The center sued Frazier Glenn Cross in the 1980’s for intimidating African Americans, and he has had several run-ins with the law since then, including being accused of violating the terms of a court order that settled the lawsuit.

A profile assembled by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) includes several anti-Semitic statements attributed to Frazier Glenn Cross.

Police only described the suspect as an elderly man with a beard in a Sunday afternoon news conference.

According to the SPLC, Frazier Glenn Cross quit high school as a senior to join the Army. In a 20-year Army career he had two tours in Vietnam and 13 years as a member of the elite Green Berets before he was forced to retire because of his Klan affiliation in 1979.

Later he went on to be active in a neo-Nazi group called “The Order” that advocated violence against Blacks and Jews among others, the SPLC said.

Frazier Glenn Cross even unsuccessfully ran in the Democratic primary for North Carolina governor in 1984 and as a Republican for a state Senate seat in 1987, the SPLC said.

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Utah: Seven babies found dead at Pleasant Grove home

Nancy Clayson
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Utah: Seven babies found dead at Pleasant Grove home

Megan Huntsman, from Pleasant Grove, Utah, has been accused of killing six of her own babies after their bodies were discovered in cardboard boxes at her former house.

Megan Huntsman, 39, gave birth to the babies between 1996 and 2006.

Seven bodies were found by police at the house in Pleasant Grove; it is unclear why the woman has only been charged on six counts.

Megan Huntsman’s estranged husband, Darren West, who has not been charged, discovered the first body in the garage before alerting authorities.

The woman was charged with six counts of murder at Utah Country Jail on Sunday.

Megan Huntsman has been accused of killing six of her own babies
Megan Huntsman has been accused of killing six of her own babies (photo Utah County Jail)

Darren West, who has himself been in prison recently on drug-related charges, is believed to have been her partner when the children were born.

“We don’t believe he had any knowledge of the situation,” police spokesman Michael Roberts said.

When asked how the husband could not have known his wife had given birth to seven children, Michael Roberts replied: “That’s the million-dollar question. Amazing.”

Police officers “got more and more shocked with each box they opened”, he added.

The babies’ bodies have been sent to a medical examiner for testing.

DNA samples taken from Megan Huntsman and her husband will be used to confirm the identity of the parents.

On Sunday, Darren West’s family said they were in a “state of shock and confusion.”

Megan Huntsman had moved out of the house around three years ago.

She had three daughters, a teenager and two adults, who had continued to live there.

The daughters seemed “normal”, neighbor Vickie Nelson told the Associated Press.

They did not seem to know their mother was pregnant or notice anything suspicious, neighbors said.

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GSK faces criminal investigation in Poland for allegedly bribing doctors

Clyde K. Valle
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GSK faces criminal investigation in Poland for allegedly bribing doctors

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline is facing a criminal investigation in Poland for allegedly bribing doctors.

Eleven doctors and a GSK regional manager have been charged over alleged corruption between 2010 and 2012, BBC reported.

A former sales rep said doctors were paid to promote GSK’s asthma drug Seretide.

GSK said one employee had been disciplined and it was co-operating with investigations.

If the allegations are proved, GSK may have violated both the UK Bribery Act and the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It is illegal for companies based in either country to bribe government employees abroad.

A former sales rep for GSK in the Polish region of Lodz, Jarek Wisniewski, said: “There is a simple equation.”  

“We pay doctors, they give us prescriptions. We don’t pay doctors, we don’t see prescriptions for our drugs.

“We cannot go to doctors and say to them, <<I need 20 more prescriptions>>. So we prepare an agreement for them to give a talk to patients, we pay £100 [$150], but we expect more than 100 prescriptions for this drug,” he told BBC program, Panorama.

GlaxoSmithKline is facing a criminal investigation in Poland for allegedly bribing doctors
GlaxoSmithKline is facing a criminal investigation in Poland for allegedly bribing doctors (photo Reuters)

“It’s a bribe,” Jarek Wisniewski said, confirming that although on paper the payments were for educational services, the doctors understood very clearly that they must produce a certain number of prescriptions in return.

The Lodz public prosecutor found evidence in documents given to doctors by GSK to support claims of corrupt payments in more than a dozen different health centers where there was no evidence “patient education” had taken place.

Spokesman Krzysztof Kopania said: “We have evidence that in more than a dozen cases it was a camouflaged form of a bribe.

“In return for the financial gains the doctors would favor the product proposed by the pharmaceutical company and they prescribed that medicine.”

One doctor has already admitted guilt, been fined and given a suspended sentence. He said he accepted £100 for a single lecture he never gave, but only under pressure from a GSK drugs rep.

The company said a GSK training program to help improve diagnostic standards and medical training in respiratory disease was run by doctors in Poland from 2010 to 2012.

A statement said: “These sessions were delivered by specialist healthcare professionals who, based on contracts signed with GSK, received payments appropriate to the scope of work as well as their level of knowledge and experience. The provision of sessions under this programme was agreed with the Polish healthcare centers.

“Following receipt of allegations regarding the conduct of the program in the Lodz region, GSK has investigated the matter, using resources from both inside and outside the company. The investigation found evidence of inappropriate communication in contravention of GSK policy by a single employee. The employee concerned was reprimanded and disciplined as a result.

“We continue to investigate these matters and are co-operating fully with the CBA [Poland’s Central Anticorruption Office].”

In 2012, GSK paid $3 billion in the largest healthcare fraud settlement in US history after pleading guilty to promoting two drugs for unapproved uses and failing to report safety data about a diabetes drug to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Last December, GSK announced it was making major changes to its incentive schemes after a damaging corruption scandal in China.

Kansas shootings: Three people shot dead at Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom

Nancy Clayson
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Kansas shootings: Three people shot dead at Jewish Community Campus and Village Shalom

Three people have been shot dead at a Jewish community site and a retirement home in Kansas City, Kansas.

The shootings occurred at the Jewish Community Campus at Overland Park and a nearby assisted living centre, Village Shalom, local media said.

Police said a suspect, a bearded white man in his 70s, was in custody.

A local hospital said it was treating a teenage boy for a gunshot wound and that he was in a critical condition.

Two victims were named by relatives as Dr. William Lewis Corporan and his 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood.

Dr. William Lewis Corporan and his 14-year-old grandson were shot dead at the Jewish Community Campus at Overland Park
Dr. William Lewis Corporan and his 14-year-old grandson were shot dead at the Jewish Community Campus at Overland Park (photo AP)

They were killed in the car park of the Jewish Community Campus. They were both Christian.

A third person, female victim was shot dead at Village Shalom, a retirement home several streets away from the community centre.

President Barack Obama called the shootings “heartbreaking” and pledged the full support of the federal government.

Local TV stations broadcast footage of police arresting a suspect at the scene.

The man appeared to shout “Heil Hitler” from the back of a police car.

Police said the suspect was not from the area, and that he used a shotgun in the attacks.

They are trying to establish whether he used other weapons in addition.

The attack took place just before the Jewish festival of Passover, but police have declined to say whether the incident is linked to anti-Semitism.

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Easter Recipe: Cake Balls

Kathryn R. Bown
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Easter Recipe: Cake Balls

Easter Cake Balls

 

Ingredients (3 dozens servings):

1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix

1 (16 ounce) container prepared chocolate frosting

1 (3 ounce) bar chocolate flavored confectioners coating

Easter Cake Balls
Easter Cake Balls

Directions:

  1. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions using any of the recommended pan sizes. When cake is done, crumble while warm into a large bowl, and stir in the frosting until well blended.
  2. Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave, or in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
  3. Use a melon baller or small scoop to form balls of the chocolate cake mixture. Dip the balls in chocolate using a toothpick or fork to hold them. Place on waxed paper to set.
  4. Decorate balls for Easter.
  5. Keep to refrigerator.

Chile: Six victims of Augusto Pinochet’s military government reburied in Santiago after 40 years

Diane A. Wade
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Chile: Six victims of Augusto Pinochet’s military government reburied in Santiago after 40 years

Six victims of Augusto Pinochet’s military government have been reburied in Chile more than 40 years after they were killed.

The remains of the six men were discovered in an unmarked grave in 1992.

The men were among dozens of people killed by a military unit in late 1973, just weeks after General Augusto Pinochet came to power in a coup.

His officials flew around the country in helicopters, and executed political prisoners by firing squad.

Carlos Berger, Carlos Escobedo, Luis Moreno, Hernan Moreno, Mario Arguelles and Jeronimo Carpanchay were killed in the northern Chilean city of Calama.

Journalist Carlos Berger was murdered on October 19, 1973, by the infamous Caravan of Death during General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship
Journalist Carlos Berger was murdered on October 19, 1973, by the infamous Caravan of Death during General Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship (photo MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images)

Carlos Berger, a lawyer and journalist, had been arrested on September 11, 1973, after refusing to broadcast a government message at the radio station where he worked.

His and the other men’s remains were identified after extensive forensic tests in Europe, and finally buried in a ceremony at the main cemetery in the Chilean capital, Santiago.

The six men were murdered by what became known as the Caravan of Death, in one of the most notorious episodes of the Pinochet government.

General Augusto Pinocher sent the “delegation” of military men to Chile’s provincial towns because he was reportedly annoyed that some commanders there had been “soft” on political opponents.

The Caravan of Death is thought to have killed 97 opponents of the military coup.

According to official figures, 40,018 people were victims of human rights abuses during the 1973-1990 Pinochet government and 3,065 were killed or disappeared

Pope Francis marks Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square

Diane A. Wade
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0
Pope Francis marks Palm Sunday in St. Peter’s Square

Pope Francis marked Palm Sunday in a packed St. Peter’s Square ignoring his prepared homily and spoke entirely off-the-cuff in a remarkable departure from practice.

Later, the pontiff hopped off his popemobile to pose for “selfies” with young people in the crowd.

In his homily, Pope Francis called on people, himself included, to look into their own hearts to see how they are living their lives.

“Has my life fallen asleep?” Pope Francis asked after listening to a Gospel account of how Jesus’ disciples fell asleep shortly before he was betrayed by Judas before his crucifixion.

“Am I like Pontius Pilate, who, when he sees the situation is difficult, washes my hands?”

Pope Francis sounded tired, frequently pausing to catch his breath, as he spoke for about 15 minutes in his homily during Palm Sunday Mass, which solemnly opens Holy Week for the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Francis marked Palm Sunday in a packed St. Peter's Square ignoring his prepared homily
Pope Francis marked Palm Sunday in a packed St. Peter’s Square ignoring his prepared homily

“Where is my heart?” the pope asked, pinpointing that as the “question which accompanies us” throughout Holy Week.

Pope Francis seemed to regain his wind after the 2 ½ hour ceremony. He shed his red vestments atop his plain white cassock, chatted amiably with cardinals dressed more formally than he at that point. Then he posed for “selfies” with young people from Rio de Janeiro who had carried a large cross in the square.

He had barely climbed aboard his open-topped popemobile when he spotted Polish youths, they, too, clamoring for a “selfie” with a pope, and he hopped off, to oblige them.

In a crowd of around 100,000 Romans, tourists and pilgrims, people clutched olive tree branches, tall palm fronds or tiny braided palm leaves shaped like crosses that were blessed by Francis at the start of the ceremony.

Pope Francis used a wooden pastoral staff carved by Italian prison inmates, who donated it to him. The pope wants to put people on the margins of life at the center of the church’s attention.

The pontiff wore red vestments, symbolizing blood shed by the crucified Jesus.

Holy Week culminates next Sunday with Easter Mass, also in St. Peter’s Square. Many faithful will remain in Rome, while others will pour into the city for the April 27 canonization of two popes, John Paul II and John XXIII.

Pope Francis noted that Pope John Paul’s long-time aide, now Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, had come to Rome.

The pontiff also noted he’ll be making a pilgrimage to South Korea this summer, with the key event, church World Youth Day celebrations on August 15 in Daejeon.

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Is Kate Middleton pregnant again?

Lisa.Felice
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Is Kate Middleton pregnant again?

Kate Middleton enjoyed several glasses of local wine at an engagement at the Amisfield Vineyard in New Zealand on Sunday.

The Duchess of Cambridge told wine-makers that she was “really enjoying being able to drink again after having baby George”.

A source close to Prince William and Kate Middleton said: “Kate is not pregnant. They want a bigger family in the future, but she’s not pregnant right now.”

Prince William, 31, and Kate Middleton, 32, joined John Darby, 57, owner of Amisfield Vineyard, who gave the royal couple a tour of the premises. Standing tall in a pair of Stuart Weitzman wedges, Kate Middleton nearly toppled over when she hit a rough patch as she toured the vineyard. An eyewitness told Us Weekly: “She slipped and grabbed William’s arm to steady herself.”

Kate Middleton enjoyed several glasses of local wine at an engagement at the Amisfield Vineyard in New Zealand
Kate Middleton enjoyed several glasses of local wine at an engagement at the Amisfield Vineyard in New Zealand (photo AP)

At one point on the tour, John Darby offered the Duke and Duchess a glass of 2011 Amisfield pinot noir. The wine expert, who discussed the grapes and climate with the couple, explained: “When it gets very cold we use helicopters to stop the frost over the vines by hovering above and stirring up the cold air.”

Prince William exclaimed: “You’re joking! That’s an expensive way to do it!”

He added: “Wow! If you ever need a spare pilot, I’m here!”

John Darby later told reporters: “The Duchess did take a little sip, but I don’t think she’s a big drinker.”

He also explained: “We nearly moved on without the Duke or Duchess having a glass of our wine, but [Prince William] was keen to try it. He said, <<Hang on, let’s enjoy a glass of wine. We can’t pass up the opportunity>>.”

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UN climate change report 2014: World must end dirty fuel use

James J. Williams
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UN climate change report 2014: World must end dirty fuel use

A UN report on climate change released today in Berlin says the world must rapidly move away from carbon-intensive fuels.

There must be a “massive shift” to renewable energy, says the 33-page study.

It has been finalized after a week of negotiations between scientists and government officials.

Natural gas is seen as a key bridge to move energy production away from oil and coal.

But there have been battles between participants over who will pay for this energy transition.

The report is the work of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was set up to provide a clear scientific view on climate change and its impacts.

The Summary for Policymakers on mitigation paints a picture of a world with carbon emissions rising rapidly.

“The high speed mitigation train needs to leave the station very soon, and all of global society will have to get on board,” the IPCC’s chair Rajendra Pachauri told journalists in Berlin at the launch of the report.

Dr. Youba Sokono, a co-chair of the IPCC’s working group 3, which drew up the report, said science has spoken.

He added that policy makers were “the navigators, they have to make decisions, scientists are the map makers”.

About half of all the carbon that humans have pumped into the atmosphere since 1750 has been emitted in the last 40 years.

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was set up to provide a clear scientific view on climate change and its impacts
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was set up to provide a clear scientific view on climate change and its impacts (photo Reuters)

Rates have been rising fast since 2000, despite the global economic crash.

The report points to an increased use of coal in the decade from the turn of the millennium, “reversing the longstanding trend of decarbonization of the world’s energy supply”.

Driven by a global increase in population and economic activity, global surface temperature increases will be between 3.7C and 4.8C in 2100 if no new action is taken.

This is way above the 2 degree level, regarded as the point beyond which dangerous impacts of climate change will be felt.

However, the scientists involved in the report say this situation can be turned around.

To be sure of staying below 2 degrees, the amount of carbon in the air needs to be around 450 parts per million (ppm) by 2100. To get there, emissions in 2050 need to be 40-70% lower than they were in 2010.

The IPCC says that renewables are a critical part of that pathway.

Since the last report in 2007, the scientists say that renewable energy has come on in leaps and bounds.

In 2012, renewables accounted for just over half of the new electricity generation added around the world.

The scientists stress that renewables are becoming economically competitive with fossil fuels and also offer a range of other benefits, including clean air and energy security.

“It certainly is the end for carbon intensive fuels that’s for sure,” said Jennifer Morgan from the World Resources Institute, who was a review editor on one of the chapters of the IPCC report.

“There needs to be a massive shift away from fossil fuels and investment needs to shift to going 100% clean as fast as possible.”

One of the surprising endorsements in the report is natural gas.

“Emissions from energy supply can be reduced significantly by replacing current world average coal-fired power plants with modern, highly efficient natural gas combined-cycle power plants,” says the summary.

The report describes natural gas as a “bridge” technology with deployment increasing before peaking and falling below current levels by 2050.

However, many of the scenarios examined by the panel would still involve an “overshoot” of the target range.

To cope with this the world may need to remove carbon from the atmosphere. Combining carbon capture and storage with bioenergy is seen as one potential solution, but the report is lukewarm on these ideas, saying the “methods are uncertain” and are “associated with risks”.

Timing is everything, say the scientists.

“Delaying mitigation efforts beyond those in place today through 2030 is estimated to substantially increase the difficulty of the transition to low longer-term emissions,” says the summary.

The report points out that there needs to be huge shifts in investment if the worst impacts of rising temperatures are to be avoided. Investment in renewables and other low carbon sources needs to at least treble by the middle of the century, while money flowing into fossil fuels has to diminish.

But differences have emerged over who should make the cuts in emissions and who should pay for the switch to low carbon energy sources. Developed and developing countries have clashed here in Berlin, echoing divisions found in the UN negotiations.

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Olivier Awards 2014: Abba’s Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus to perform at Royal Opera House in London

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Olivier Awards 2014: Abba’s Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus to perform at Royal Opera House in London

Abba’s former members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus are to perform on stage at the finale of the Olivier Awards at the Royal Opera House in London.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus will appear with the current London cast of the musical Mamma Mia! to celebrate its 15 years in the West End.

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus are to perform on stage at the finale of the Olivier Awards
Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus are to perform on stage at the finale of the Olivier Awards

Hit musicals Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along are the most nominated shows, with seven nominations apiece.

Gemma Arterton and Stephen Mangan are co-hosting this year’s ceremony.

The Olivier Awards, the biggest event in the UK theatre calendar, are taking place at the Royal Opera House in central London.

Afghanistan elections 2014: Abdullah Abdullah ahead in poll count

Diane A. Wade
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Afghanistan elections 2014: Abdullah Abdullah ahead in poll count

Afghanistan’s former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah is slightly ahead of Ashraf Ghani in the country’s presidential election, partial results have shown.

With about 500,000 votes in 26 provinces counted, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah has 41.9% with Ashraf Ghani on 37.6%.

Some seven million votes were cast in total across Afghanistan’s 34 provinces in the April 5 poll.

Full preliminary results are due by April 24. A runoff will take place in May if no candidate gets a majority.

The Independent Election Commission has warned that the front-runner could easily change as counting continues in the coming days.

Afghanistan’s former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah is slightly ahead of Ashraf Ghani in the country's presidential election
Afghanistan’s former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah is slightly ahead of Ashraf Ghani in the country’s presidential election

“Maybe today one candidate looks strong. Tomorrow, maybe another will pull ahead,” commission chairman Ahmad Yousuf Nouristani said.

The results will now emerge every day, and some ballot boxes have yet to arrive in Kabul from remote places travelling by donkey.

Abdullah Abdullah’s team has exhibited quiet confidence since the election.

The partial results gave another main contender and former Foreign Minister, Zalmai Rassoul, who is believed to be President Hamid Karzai’s preferred successor, 9.8% of the vote.

Possible electoral fraud has been a concern, but the election body responsible for dealing with complaints says it will be weeks before it rules on the issue.

There were allegations of large-scale fraud when Hamid Karzai was re-elected in 2009 – Dr. Abdullah Abdullah came second in that poll.

The Election Complaints Commission said there appeared to have been less fraud in this election.

“We have received 1,892 complaints with evidence, (including) 1,382 through phone,” spokesman Nader Mohseni said on Sunday.

He said 870 fell into the most serious category.

There were also fears that Taliban violence could disrupt the election, but millions turned out despite threats and several high-profile attacks in the run-up to election day.

The vote heralds the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan.

The next president will have to contend with a range of difficult issues, including continuing Taliban violence and how Afghanistan adapts after the withdrawal of foreign combat forces this year.

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Solomon Islands hit by second 7.5-magnitude earthquake

Nancy Clayson
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Solomon Islands hit by second 7.5-magnitude earthquake

The Solomon Islands have been hit by a second earthquake of 7.5-magnitude, less than a day after a similar strength tremor.

A tsunami warning was in effect in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, although it was not known whether a tsunami had been generated.

The latest quake was registered at a depth of 12 miles below the seabed, the US Geological Survey said.

There were no reports of major damage or casualties after the first quake early Sunday local time.

A 7.5 earthquake has struck off the Solomon Islands, less than a day after a similar strength tremor
A 7.5 earthquake has struck off the Solomon Islands, less than a day after a similar strength tremor

The first tremor woke people in the Solomon Islands, striking at 07:14 local time, and was followed by a 5.9 magnitude aftershock.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre reported indications of a small tsunami which may have caused some damage hear the epicenter 200 miles southeast of the capital, Honiara.

The Solomon Islands lies in a zone prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

In February, several people were killed after a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 8.0 quake struck near the Santa Cruz islands – part of the Solomon Islands nation.

The latest quakes come only a week after the Solomon Islands were hit by severe flooding, which left more than 20 people dead.

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Nigeria: At least 135 civilians killed by Boko Haram militants in Borno

Roy Siemens
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Nigeria: At least 135 civilians killed by Boko Haram militants in Borno

At least 135 civilians have been killed by gunmen in north east Nigeria since Wednesday, Borno state senator Ahmed Zannah said.

Senator Ahmed Zannah said the killings took place in at least three separate attacks in the state.

The attackers are suspected to be from the Islamist Boko Haram movement.

At least 1,500 people, half of them civilian, have been killed in the restive north-eastern region this year, according to Amnesty International.

Amnesty International blamed both “an increase in attacks by Boko Haram and uncontrolled reprisals by Nigeria’s security forces” for the high death toll.

Boko Haram has been accused of numerous attacks in northern Nigeria
Boko Haram has been accused of numerous attacks in northern Nigeria

Senator Ahmed Zannah said the attackers first target was a teacher training college in the town of Dikwa.

They killed five people there and abducted several women, he said.

The attackers burned down the college library before escaping, Ahmed Zannah said.

Boko Haram militants then attacked two villages near the border with Cameroon killing a further 130 people, the senator said.

The attacks took place on Wednesday and Thursday, with initial reports claiming around 70 people had been killed.

The Nigerian military has not yet commented on the attacks.

A state of emergency has been in place since last year in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in north-east Nigeria.

Human rights groups have criticized both Boko Haram and Nigeria’s military for failing to protect civilians.

Amnesty International said last month that Nigeria’s army killed around 600 people after a Boko Haram attack.

Some 250,000 people have been forced to leave their homes because of the fighting, the Nigerian government’s relief agency said.

Jimmy Fallon gets caught in Manhattan bar brawl

Lisa.Felice
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Jimmy Fallon gets caught in Manhattan bar brawl

Jimmy Fallon managed to escape unharmed after he was reportedly caught up in a bar fight in New York City on Thursday night.

The Tonight Show host is said to have joined a group of friends and colleagues for a post-work outing at Manhattan bar Niagara when a brawl broke out among other patrons.

Jimmy Fallon and his group were caught up in the chaos, but managed to escape without injury, according to the New York Post.

Jimmy Fallon is said to have joined a group of friends and colleagues for a post-work outing at Manhattan bar Niagara when a brawl broke out among other patrons.
Jimmy Fallon is said to have joined a group of friends and colleagues for a post-work outing at Manhattan bar Niagara when a brawl broke out among other patrons (photo NBC)

“Fallon was pretty shaken up,” a source close to him told the New York Daily News.

“He was at the wrong place at the wrong time, and chaos erupted around him.”

The popular rock club in East Village is operated by area musicians, including solo artist Jesse Malin and Johnny “T” Yerrington, who has drummed with Ryan Adams’ band. The grungy Avenue A hot spot is marked by an exterior mural of former Clash front man Joe Strummer with the caption “The future is unwritten”.

A source close to Jimmy Fallon, 39, said he stopped by Niagara just as a band was wrapping up and the fight was breaking out.

A witness said Jimmy Fallon was peripherally involved in the 10:30 p.m. imbroglio, but his connection to the combatants, if any, remained unclear.

Avatar sequel plans revealed by James Cameron

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Avatar sequel plans revealed by James Cameron

In an Ask Me Anything interview with Reddit community on Saturday, James Cameron revealed how things were going on the widely anticipated sequels to Avatar.

James Cameron said: “The second, third and fourth films all go into production simultaneously.”

“They’re essentially all in pre-production now because we are designing creatures, settings and characters that span all three films. And we should be finished with all three scripts within the next, I would say, six weeks.”

James Cameron revealed how things were going on the widely anticipated sequels to Avatar
James Cameron revealed how things were going on the widely anticipated sequels to Avatar

“There’s always pressure, whether it’s a new film or whether it’s a sequel, to entertain and amaze an audience,” the director added.

“I’ve felt that pressure my entire career, so there’s nothing new there. The biggest pressure I feel right now is cutting out things I love to get the film down to a length that is affordable. There hasn’t been a problem finding new and wonderful things to include in the movie.”

James Cameron dished on numerous other topics on Reddit, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio and his hardest movie to film.

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Japan confirms bird flu case in Kumamoto

Kathryn R. Bown
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Japan confirms bird flu case in Kumamoto

According to Japan’s Agricultural Ministry, two chickens have tested positive for bird flu at a farm where more than 1,000 chickens have died, marking the country’s first case  in three years.

The highly pathogenic H5 virus was detected through genetic testing of chickens at a farm in Kumamoto prefecture in the south, the ministry said on its website.

The highly pathogenic H5 virus was detected through genetic testing of chickens at a farm in Kumamoto prefecture
The highly pathogenic H5 virus was detected through genetic testing of chickens at a farm in Kumamoto prefecture

A total of 1,100 chickens have died and about 112,000 would be culled, media said.

There is believed to be no risk of the virus spreading to humans through consumption of chicken eggs or meat, said Tomoyuki Takehisa, an Agricultural Ministry official.

It is the first bird flu case in Japan since 2011 when it was detected in Chiba prefecture, north of Tokyo.

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