Home Blog Page 842

Jocelyn: Amanda Berry’s daughter is a Christmas baby and has spent years being home-schooled

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Jocelyn: Amanda Berry’s daughter is a Christmas baby and has spent years being home-schooled

Jocelyn is the little girl born to Amanda Berry, one of three women imprisoned in a Cleveland home for a decade.

The 6-year-old girl is “happy and healthy” despite being brought up in captivity, authorities have revealed.

After kidnap victim Amanda Berry, 27, courageously escaped the home on Monday, she told her grandmother that the child is her daughter Jocelyn, who was born at Christmas six years ago.

Authorities believe that Jocelyn’s father is one of the three brothers arrested in connection with the kidnappings and they are now carrying out paternity tests to confirm their suspicions.

Jocelyn was home-schooled by her mother, possibly without the knowledge of the suspects, Ariel Castro, 52, and his two brothers Onil Castro, 50, and Pedro Castro, 54.

The girl, who escaped the home with Amanda Berry and two other missing women, Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32, was pictured grinning in hospital alongside her mother and her aunt Beth.

Jocelyn is the little girl born to Amanda Berry, one of three women imprisoned in a Cleveland home for a decade
Jocelyn is the little girl born to Amanda Berry, one of three women imprisoned in a Cleveland home for a decade

Jocelyn, who authorities said enjoyed popsicles while being examined by doctors, is photographed lightly touching her mother’s arm and showing off her missing two front teeth.

“She looks great, happy, healthy and ate a popsicle last night,” Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Ed Tomba said.

“Seeing her mother smile made her smile.”

Ed Tomba added that it was “a good possibility” that one of the three suspects was her father.

It is feared other babies were born inside the Cleveland house. At least five children may have born at the house, police sources told NewsChannel5.

One victim suffered up to three miscarriages because she was so malnourished, while other sources told WKYC the captors would beat the pregnant women, so that the babies would not survive.

It is unknown what happened to any children who were born at the home.

FBI Special Agent Vicki Anderson told ABC TV that the three women had spent time together at Metro Medical Center hospital, where they were taken after being freed.

She described them as being in very good spirits and said it was obvious that they were very close.

“You could see that they had a bond, that they had been through this together,” Vicki Anderson said.

All three women were abducted between 2002 and 2004, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were in their teens at the time of their kidnappings and Michelle Knight was 20 years old.

On Monday evening, Amanda Berry began screaming from behind the locked front door of the home and was helped out by a neighbor. She fled the home and called 911.

Authorities are now investigating how the horrors inside the home went undetected for so long.

Neighbor Israel Lugo said other neighbors had seen naked women crawling on all fours behind Ariel Castro’s house. Three men were in the garden and were controlling the women, he said.

“We thought it was funny at first, and then we thought that was weird so we called the cops,” neighbor Nina Samoylicz told CNN.

“They thought we was playing, joking, they didn’t believe us.”

Neighbors waited for police for two hours but no patrol cars showed up.

Cleveland police said that the department has no records of a call for service to that home.

But the claim is one of a number of stories to have emerged from neighbors who say they reported unusual goings-on at Ariel Castro’s Seymour Avenue, Cleveland home to local police who either didn’t respond or didn’t enter the house when they did show up.

[youtube msyDlCLB8p8]

[youtube Ne2IEmqvyZE]

Imran Khan recovering in Lahore hospital with injuries to his head and spine

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Imran Khan recovering in Lahore hospital with injuries to his head and spine

Former cricketer and leading Pakistani politician Imran Khan is recuperating in hospital after falling off a makeshift lift that was taking him onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore.

Doctors say that Imran Khan received stitches in the head and treatment for injuries to his spine.

But they say that his spinal cord has not been seriously damaged and he has been moved out of intensive care.

Meanwhile there has been more violence ahead of the elections.

At least three people have been killed and about 25 injured – including six policemen – in a suicide bombing outside a police station in the Bannu region of north-western Pakistan.

Police said that it was not clear if the target was the police station itself or a nearby rally being held by the Awami National Party (ANP).

The Pakistani Taliban have threatened to prevent the ANP, as well the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the MQM party, from conducting their election campaigns because they are considered by the militants to be too liberal.

Imran Khan is recuperating in hospital after falling off a makeshift lift that was taking him onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore
Imran Khan is recuperating in hospital after falling off a makeshift lift that was taking him onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore

Imran Khan – who had a total of 15 stitches in his head and suffered two minor back fractures – was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time of fall which may have helped protect him from more serious injury, his family said on Wednesday.

Hospital spokesman Khawaja Nazir told the AFP news agency that Imran Khan also had a small injury to his shoulder.

“There is nothing serious to his injuries. He has been shifted from the ICU (intensive care unit) to a private room,” he said.

In a televised statement from his hospital bed on Tuesday night, Imran Khan told his supporters that the election was their fight, not his. He urged voters to decide on polling day this Saturday whether they wanted to make a “new Pakistan”.

“The people should exert full force on 11 May to get their lives changed,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif, the man widely seen as the frontrunner to be the next prime minister, has sent his sympathies to Imran Khan and cancelled his election appearances for Wednesday.

Imran Khan is being treated at the cancer hospital in Lahore he arranged to be built after his mother’s death.

Doctors there said on Wednesday that he would have a CT scan later in the day and that he had been advised that he would need at least a week’s bed rest.

It is unclear whether the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party leader will take this advice.

His plan had been to keep up his punishing schedule of election rallies in these final two days of official campaigning.

Dramatic television pictures from Tuesday’s campaign rally showed Imran Khan falling about 15ft from the lift platform together with several others, some of whom appeared to land on top of him.

A dazed and bloodied Imran Khan was later seen being carried away by supporters to a vehicle which drove him to hospital.

Hundreds of people remain outside the hospital awaiting more news of his condition. Many chanted “Long live Imran Khan”.

The PTI leader has been campaigning relentlessly in the run-up to Saturday’s poll and briefly collapsed on stage earlier this week.

Imran Khan is one of the key candidates in the election, and the PTI appears to have been gaining momentum.

[youtube qH_ouzFyg1k]

[youtube FRr5RjVsCU4]

No more rewards for North Korea, says Barack Obama at joint news conference with Park Geun-hye

Diane A. Wade
-
0
No more rewards for North Korea, says Barack Obama at joint news conference with Park Geun-hye

North Korea will no longer be rewarded for provocative behavior, said President Barack Obama at a joint news conference with South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye.

Flanked by President Park Geun-hye, Barack Obama told a White House briefing North Korea was more isolated than ever.

Park Geun-hye is on her first foreign trip since taking office in February.

Ahead of their meeting, US officials said North Korea had moved two medium-range missiles from a coastal launch site, lowering tensions.

“The days when North Korea could create a crisis and elicit concessions, those days are over,” Barack Obama told Tuesday’s briefing after meeting privately with Park Geun-hye in the Oval Office.

He added: “President Park and myself very much share the view that we are going to maintain a strong deterrent, we’re not going to reward provocative behavior, but we remain open to the prospect of North Korea taking a peaceful path.”

“So far, at least, we haven’t seen actions on the part of the North Koreans that would indicate they’re prepared to move in a different direction,” he said.

North Korea will no longer be rewarded for provocative behavior, said President Barack Obama at a joint news conference with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye
North Korea will no longer be rewarded for provocative behavior, said President Barack Obama at a joint news conference with South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye

The visit by Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president, came as the US and South Korea mark 60 years of their military alliance.

Park Geun-hye said South Korea would not tolerate what she called North Korean aggression and escalation.

“Instead of just hoping to see North Korea change, the international community must consistently send the message with one voice, to tell them and communicate to them that they have no choice but to change,” she said.

Pyongyang was believed to have been preparing for a missile launch last month, having threatened attacks in the region.

The threats followed tough new UN sanctions imposed on North Korea in March after its third nuclear test.

North Korea has also been angered by wide-ranging annual US-South Korea military drills, which ended a week ago.

Meanwhile, the state-owned Bank of China said it was halting transactions from North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank on Tuesday.

It is thought to be the first time that a Chinese entity has made a move against North Korean interests following the recent tension.

[youtube AoQt_bSYBqo]

Who is Robel Phillipos?

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Who is Robel Phillipos?

American citizen Robel Phillipos is one of the three more suspects arrested last month in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings.

Robel Phillipos’s past and character isn’t as much of a mystery to us as fellow suspects Dias Kadyrbayev and Azamat Tazhayakov, but the question still remains, how did this former daycare worker turn into a suspect?

Seeing what happens to Robel Phillipos, who is an American citizen like his colleague and friend Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, will show us how investigators and law officials treat someone who allegedly aided suspect accused of terrorism.

Robel Phillipos, 19, isn’t charged with physically tampering with evidence, more specifically throwing out Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s backpack, but he is being charged with lying to federal investigators over the course of four interviews.

“The only allegation he made is a misrepresentation,” his lawyer Derege Demissie said.

Robel Phillipos and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were classmates even before college. Robel Phillipos, according to school officials who spoke to Bloomberg, was a 2011 graduate of the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev also graduated in 2011, and actually received a $2,500 scholarship. What isn’t clear is how close they were in school.

“A yearbook photograph shows a smiling Phillipos. Almost directly in front of him, Tsarnaev stares at the camera – his hand gently resting under his chin,” reads the CNN report, but that doesn’t tell us if or how close Robel Phillipos and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were friends in high school. And though there are multiple reports from friends, neighbors, and people who played basketball with Robel Phillipos, none of them have commented on the type of friendship, if any, that he and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had. He and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were classmates for a brief period at UMass Dartmouth.

Robel Phillipos is one of the three more suspects arrested last month in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings
Robel Phillipos is one of the three more suspects arrested last month in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings

Robel Phillipos dropped out of School to take care his sick mother.

UMass Dartmouth said that Robel Phillipos, like Dias Kadyrbayev, was not a student at the time of his arrest. But reports say that before he dropped out, he was studying marketing.

“According to a former classmate and friend who worked with Phillipos at a daycare center, Phillipos was attending classes remotely at the time of his arrest because he was staying home to care for his mother, who is ill,” report Erin Baldassari and Amy Saltzman for the Cambridge Chronicle. Though the daycare center where Robel Phillipos worked at isn’t specified, we know he was also active in the Cambridge Kids Council, Cambridge Kids’ Council – a program chaired by the mayor of Cambridge and is, according to its website, “dedicated to developing policy recommendations and programs aimed at improving the quality of life for children, youth and families in the City of Cambridge.”

Robel Phillipos, according to USA Today, was raised by his mother, Genet Bekele, who herself was an immigrant from Ethiopia.

“She is a single mother and works with refugees,” NBC Boston reported, while the Cambridge Chronicle team added: “A devout Protestant, Phillipos’ mother worked directly with refugees and often involved herself in charitable work, the friend said.”

“Do What You Have to Do.”

That’s the phrase that Robel Phillipos is quoted as saying in the criminal complaint. He apparently muttered those words to Dias Kadyrbayev, while discussing what to do with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s backpack. That sounds like reluctance on Robel Phillipos’s part, and according to one of his friends, that’s his catchphrase when he doesn’t like what’s going on. The Chronicle report reads:  “One friend said Phillipos wasn’t prone to drama and would often detach himself from sticky situations. Defending allegations that Phillipos lied to investigators to protect Tsarnaev, friends said Phillipos didn’t get in trouble often.

“I know Robel, if he’s not with something, he’s going to say, <<You do you>>. That’s how Robel works,” a friend said, referring to the criminal complaint that quotes Phillipos as reportedly saying, <<Do what you have to do>>.”

Robel Phillipos lived close to the carjacking.

This was mentioned in the initial reports, but Robel Phillipos and his mother lived very close from the carjacking the Tsarnaev brothers committed, which eventually became their undoing.

“The family’s apartment building is located next to the gas station where the carjacking victim from the night of the shootout in Watertown escaped,” reports NBC Boston. There’s no indication from officials that Robel Phillipos did anything more than lie to federal officials, but that’s a strange coincidence to have the Tsarnaev brothers on the loose that night and were in walking distance to their friend’s house.

Robel Phillipos, 19, was released Monday on $100,000 bond and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet while under house arrest awaiting trial.

[youtube kMzxmo_oz_k]

Anthony Castro article about Gina DeJesus disappearance published in Plain Press in 2004

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Anthony Castro article about Gina DeJesus disappearance published in Plain Press in 2004

Anthony Castro, son of Ariel Castro – one of three men held over the disappearance of three Cleveland girls – reportedly wrote an article in 2004 about one of the victims, Gina DeJesus.

Anthony Castro told WKYC news he had penned the piece for the Plain Press.

He apparently knew nothing about his father’s alleged involvement in the case when he produced the article about Gina DeJesus’ disappearance.

Gina DeJesus was rescued on Monday along with Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight.

The author of the 861-word Plain Press article describes the anxiety felt by the neighborhood in the aftermath of Gina DeJesus’ disappearance.

It outlines the concerns of parents and relatives about sex offenders in the area.

The article also features an interview with Gina DeJesus’ mother, Nancy Ruiz.

The Plain Press is a local community newspaper in Cleveland.

It is believed that Anthony Castro was a college student at the time, and wrote the article as part of a class assignment.

Anthony Castro is reported to have been “stunned” by his father’s alleged involvement in the case, describing it as “beyond comprehension”.

Gina DeJesus was rescued on Monday along with Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight
Gina DeJesus was rescued on Monday along with Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight

Gina DeJesus’ disappearance has changed her neighborhood
by Ariel Castro

(Plain Press, June 2004) Since April 2, 2004 , the day 14-year-old Gina DeJesus was last seen on her way home from Wilbur Wright Middle School , neighborhood residents have been taken by an overwhelming need for caution. Parents are more strictly enforcing curfews, encouraging their children to walk in groups, or driving them to and from school when they had previously walked alone.

“You can tell the difference,” DeJesus’ mother, Nancy Ruiz said. “People are watching out for each other’s kids. It’s a shame that a tragedy had to happen for me to really know my neighbors. Bless their hearts, they’ve been great.”

On Cleveland ’s west side, it is difficult to go any length of time without seeing Gina’s picture on telephone poles, in windows, or on cars along the busy streets.

“People are really looking out for my daughter,” Ruiz said.

For seven weeks, Gina’s family has been organizing searches, holding prayer vigils, posting fliers and calling press conferences. Despite the many tips and rumors that have been circulating in the neighborhood, there has been no sign of her.

One thing is for certain, however. Almost everyone feels a connection with the family, and Gina’s disappearance has the whole area talking.

“It’s traumatized a lot of people,” Bob Zak, Safety Coordinator of the Westown Community Development Corporation, said. “People are suspicious of everyone. Kids, parents, and grandparents are afraid.”

The organization serves Cleveland ’s Ward 19, which stretches from West Boulevard to West 134th Street .

Parents and relatives waiting for their children as school let out at Wilbur Wright recently expressed concern about the number of sex offenders living and working in the area.

“I really believe there needs to be more security,” Vaneetha Smith said as she waited for her niece outside Wilbur Wright Middle School at the end of the day. “We have too many kidnappings, and they should crack down on all the sex offenders in the area.”

Luis Perez echoed Smith’s concerns as he waited for his niece at the school.

“I think the neighborhood is pretty bad,” he said. “You have to be aware of some people out there.”

The Ohio Electronic Sex Offender Registration and Notification (eSORN) database lists 133 sex offenders living or working in Gina’s immediate zip code. Many residents of the area, however, cannot use the database, as they do not have access to the Internet at home.

“I have been here almost four years and I have been notified of only one sex offender,” Ruiz said. “And he lives only about 1,000 feet away from here.”

Ohio law prohibits sex offenders who are required to register from establishing their residence within 1,000 feet of school buildings.

“There is no enforcing the laws because they still live right next to the schools and the bus stops,” Ruiz said. She believes the process of registering sex offenders is essentially a waste of time.

At a Ward 19 crime watch meeting, one of ten monthly, residents describe the area as a multi-ethnic community where people work and try to keep their housing up to par. They feel the disappearance of Amanda Berry on April 21, 2003 was a wake-up call, but Gina’s case really caught everyone’s attention.

Many residents believe the schools and the city have more work to do to help out.

“There is not enough supervision at the schools and when the kids get out, they still run through the streets,” Smith said. “They say that once they leave the school premises, the school is not responsible for them. But until they reach their house, I believe they are. They should be more concerned with their safety.”

“The school is supposed to be a safe place,” Perez said. “They need more police around the schools, surrounding the area. Without that, it’s just going to keep on going and there will be more innocent people getting hurt.”

Isaac Rodriguez has seen some changes happen at Wilbur Wright.

“There are more security guards at the school now,” the father of two middle school students said. “They have been having assemblies and talking to the kids about the danger.”

“When you send your kids out to school now”, Smith said, “you don’t know if they are going to make it home or not. From West 105th to [West 110th], anything could happen. I feel the mayor should do something about that. The children should be our first priority, no matter what else is going on in the city.”

Zak, a former Cleveland police officer of 30 years, believes the community is feeling the effects of the city’s cuts in the police force.

“The first thing a city should do is protect its citizens,” he said. Although police cannot be on the scene of every crime as they occur, Zak reports that residents are getting responses to calls “one, two, and four hours later.”

Cuts in the police force are not the only budget changes that are directly affecting residents. The Cleveland Municipal School District is also mulling how it will eliminate its projected $100 million budget deficit. Among the items cut will be purchased services, employee overtime, supplemental pay, textbooks, school staff and student transportation.

[youtube -Y33e_C61G8]

Charles Ramsey 911 call to Cleveland police transcript and audio

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Charles Ramsey 911 call to Cleveland police transcript and audio

Charles Ramsey 911 call to Cleveland police has been released.

Since Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight’s dramatic rescue Monday night, Charles Ramsey has become an internet celebrity due to his animated and zany interviews with news outlets.

His expletive-filled 911 call is garnering just as much attention.

Charles Ramsey explains to the dispatcher: “Hey bro I’m at 2207 Seymour Avenue, West 25th. Hey check this out, I just came from McDonalds right? And I’m on my porch eating my little food and this broad is trying to break outa the f***ing house next door to me.

“There was a bunch of people on the street right now and sh** and we are like, <<Whats wrong with you, whats the problem?>>

“And she’s like, <<This mother f***er has kidnapped me and my daughter>>. Said her name is Linda Berry or some shit. I don’t know who the fuck that is, I just moved over here bro.”

The dispatcher asks the man to calm down and slow down and tries to ascertain what is happening and where they are.

Charles Ramsey explains that he is looking at Amanda Berry, who is on the phone with a different dispatcher. He explains that she is white, but her child is Hispanic and that she is wearing a white tank top and blue sweat pants.

Since Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight's dramatic rescue Monday night, Charles Ramsey has become an internet celebrity due to his animated and zany interviews with news outlets
Since Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight’s dramatic rescue Monday night, Charles Ramsey has become an internet celebrity due to his animated and zany interviews with news outlets

He is then asked if Amanda Berry needs an ambulance and he can be heard shouting over to her.

“You need an ambulance or what? She needs everything, she in a panic, she’s been kidnapped you know? So put yourself in her shoes.”

ANIMATED 911 CALL FROM CLEVELAND HERO CHARLES RAMSEY

Charles Ramsey: Hey bro I’m at 2207 Seymour Avenue, West 25th. Hey check this out, I just came from McDonalds right? And I’m on my porch eating my little food and this broad is trying to break outa the f***ing house next door to me.

There was a bunch of people on the street right now and sh** and we are like, “Whats wrong with you, whats the problem?”

And she’s like, “This mother f***er has kidnapped me and my daughter”. Said her name is Linda Berry or some shit. I don’t know who the fuck that is, I just moved over here bro.

Dispatcher: Sir you have to clam down and slow down, is she still in the street?

Ramsey: Seymour Avenue.

Dispatcher: Is she still in the street or where did she go?

Ramsey: Yeah I’m looking at her, she right now. She calling you all, she on the other phone.

Dispatcher: Is she black, white or Hispanic?

Ramsey: Err she white, but the baby look Hispanic.

Dispatcher: Okay what is she wearing?

Ramsey: Err white tank top, light blue sweat pants, like a wife-beater.

Dispatcher: Do you know the address next door that she said she was in?

Ramsey: Yes 2207, I’m looking at it.

Dispatcher: Okay I thought that was your address, that house.

Ramsey: No No, I’m smarter than that bro, I’m telling you where the crime was, not my house.

Dispatcher: Sir we can’t talk at the same time, do you want to leave your name and number?

Ramsey: Charles Ramsey, R-A-M-S-E-Y

Dispatcher: Are the people she said that did this do you know if they are still in the house?

Ramsey: I don’t have a f***ing clue, bro, I just got out of McDonald’s.

Dispatcher: Can you ask her if she needs an ambulance.

Ramsey: You need an ambulance, or what? She needs everything, she’s in a panic bro, she’s been kidnapped so you know put yourself in her shoes.

Dispatcher: We’ll send the police out. Thank you.

[youtube Xjkce4b6l40]

Tamerlan Tsarnaev funeral: Colorado cleric offers to bury his body in a Muslim cemetery in Denver or Bennett

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Tamerlan Tsarnaev funeral: Colorado cleric offers to bury his body in a Muslim cemetery in Denver or Bennett

Sheikh Abu-Omar Al-mubarac, founder of the organization that built Colorado’s largest mosque, is offering to bury suspected Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a Denver-area Muslim cemetery.

Sheikh Abu-Omar Al-mubarac said he will pay for a traditional Muslim burial – no headstone, monument or casket – at a plot at a Muslim cemetery in Denver or Bennett.

He refused to say which one out of concern for “undue publicity”. He says he’ll bury Tamerlan Tsarnaev as long as his family can get the body to Denver.

Sheikh Abu-Omar Al-mubarac incorporated the Colorado Muslim Society in the late 1960s but made his offer independently of the organization. He says only God can judge Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

However, the Colorado Muslim Society issued a statement on Monday night distancing itself from its founder, Sheikh Abu-Omar Al-mubarac.

“It has recently been reported that the Colorado Muslim Society has offered to provide burial services for Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the individuals who perpetrated the grave and destructive bombings at the 2013 Boston Marathon.

“This report is absolutely untrue. The individual who has reportedly made this offer does not speak on behalf of the Colorado Muslim Society,” the statement says.

It continues: “The Colorado Muslim Society strongly condemns all acts of violence and grieves with all of America after the attacks in Boston.

Sheikh Abu-Omar Al-mubarac is offering to bury Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a Denver-area Muslim cemetery
Sheikh Abu-Omar Al-mubarac is offering to bury Tamerlan Tsarnaev in a Denver-area Muslim cemetery

“The conduct of Tamerlan Tsarnaev is abhorrent and contrary to every principle and belief that underlies the purpose of the Colorado Muslim Society.”

The Colorado Muslim Society’s general counsel Qusair Mohamedbhai told The Denver Post: “We would never, ever do something like that – offer to bury someone who has committed an extreme act of violence against this country.”

Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s uncle Ruslan Tsarni, of Montgomery Village, Maryland, has been unable to bury his nephew in Massachusetts because of protests.

The funeral director who currently has the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev in his possession has made a plea to the State Department to help him settle what will happen with the remains.

The city of Cambridge, where the suspected bombers lived prior to the attack, refused to bury the body.

Peter Stefan, whose business in Worcester, Massachusetts has been picketed by protesters, said that everyone deserves a dignified burial.

The impasse over 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body came as a local man started a fundraising campaign to have the alleged terrorist’s body returned to his family in Russia.

William Breault, from Worcester, has kick-started the campaign with $500 to send the body back to Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s parents.

Peter Stefan said on Monday that he understood the reluctance to deal with the remains following the atrocious attacks last month.

However he told NBC: “Everyone wants him sent back to Russia. I’m gonna get on the phone with the necessary people and say, <<We need help with this>>.”

He added: “It also makes us look bad. In this country, we bury people. We don’t leave them hanging around.”

Peter Stefan said that he believed that alleged terrorist’s family wants his body returned to Russia. Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has repeatedly claimed that her son’s were framed for the Boston bombing.

A State Department spokesman said that Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s family should contact the Russian Consulate for help while Massachusetts Governor Patrick Deval called the burial a “family issue”.

Cambridge city manager Robert Healy said on Sunday that Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body was not welcomed in one of its cemeteries.

“I have determined that it is not in the best interest of peace within the city to execute a cemetery deed for a plot within the Cambridge Cemetery for the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev,” Robert Healey said.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s uncle Ruslan Tsarni visited the funeral home over the weekend to claim his nephew’s body.

Ruslan Tsarni chose to step in, he said, because “no one wants to associate their names with such evil events” and because religion and tradition call for his nephew to be buried.

Every cemetery in Massachusetts has turned down the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev but Peter Stefan remains insistent that this death be handled like any other.

He has also reached out unsuccessfully to cemeteries in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Some protesters outside the funeral home believe the bombing suspect should be buried at sea, similar to what was done with the body of Osama bin Laden.

[youtube wkC7m4bD5u4]

US accuses China of cyber-spying on government computers

Diane A. Wade
-
0
US accuses China of cyber-spying on government computers

The United States accuses China’s government and military of targeting its government computers as part of a cyber espionage campaign, a US report on China says.

Intrusions were focused on collecting intelligence on US diplomatic, economic and defense sectors which could benefit China’s own defense programme, the report says.

This is the first time the Pentagon’s annual report has directly linked such attacks to the Beijing government.

China called the report “groundless”, saying it represented “US distrust”.

A report from state news agency Xinhua cited Sr. Col Wang Xinjun, a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) researcher, describing the report as “irresponsible and harmful to the mutual trust between the two countries”.

Both China and the US were victims of cybercrimes and should work together to tackle the problems, the agency quoted him as saying.

The Pentagon report also criticizes a “lack of transparency” in China’s military modernization programme and defense spending.

“In 2012, numerous computer systems around the world, including those owned by the US government, continued to be targeted for intrusions, some of which appear to be attributable directly to the Chinese government and military,” the report from the US Department of Defense said.

Pentagon's annual report has directly linked cyber attacks on US government computers to the Beijing government
Pentagon’s annual report has directly linked cyber attacks on US government computers to the Beijing government

The attacks were focused on “exfiltrating information” that “could potentially be used to benefit China’s defense industry, high technology industries… and military planners,” it said.

It added that this was particularly concerning because the “skills required for these intrusions are similar to those necessary to conduct computer network attacks”.

While China has long been suspected of a role in cyber attacks, the US has generally avoided publicly attributing attacks to the Chinese government, or confirming that US government computers have been targeted.

But the issue has come under increased scrutiny in recent months.

In February, US cyber security firm Mandiant said that it had linked hundreds of data breaches since 2004 to a Chinese hacking team traced to the site of a military unit in Shanghai.

China called the Mandiant report flawed, and said it was opposed to cyber-crime.

The report also analyses China’s progress in modernizing its military and says that a “lack of transparency” about its military capabilities has heightened regional tensions.

China announced in March that its annual defense budget was $114 billion, an increase of 10.4%.

However, the Pentagon estimated that China’s total military expenditure in 2012 was higher, between $135 billion and $215 billion.

China launched its first aircraft carrier in 2012, and is also investing in ballistic missiles, counter-space weapons and military cyberspace systems, the report said.

Defense Department official David Helvey said that while none of the individual weapons systems were an issue, the “integration and overlapping nature” of the systems left the department “concerned”.

They could boost China’s ability to restrict access to, and military operations in, the Western Pacific, he said.

David Helvey said the report also found that China had “increased assertiveness with respect to its maritime territorial claims” over the past year.

China has territorial disputes with many of its neighbors, including in both the South China Sea and East China Sea.

[youtube El9pZdLoJeg]

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight bravery praised by Cleveland officials

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight bravery praised by Cleveland officials

Ohio police have praised the bravery of three women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight – found alive on Monday evening in a house in Cleveland, after they vanished about a decade ago.

Amanda Berry, who disappeared in 2003 aged 16, escaped with a neighbor’s help while her alleged captor, later identified as Ariel Castro, was away.

Gina DeJesus, who went missing aged 14 a year later, and Michele Knight, who vanished in 2002 aged about 19, were also rescued from the property.

School bus driver Ariel Castro and his two brothers have been arrested.

The three women were taken to hospital for a check-up and to be reunited with their relatives before being discharged on Tuesday morning.

A six-year-old girl also rescued from the house was believed to be the daughter of Amanda Berry, Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba told a news conference.

FBI Special Agent Stephen Anthony said: “The nightmare is over. These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin.”

“Yes, law enforcement professionals do cry,” he added.

Ed Tomba vowed prosecutors would “bring the full weight of justice” on those responsible in the “horrific case”.

Ariel Castro, 52, and his two brothers, Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50, have been taken into custody.

Amanda Berry disappeared in 2003 aged 16
Amanda Berry disappeared in 2003 aged 16

Police Chief Michael McGrath said the women were believed to have been tied up at the house. Officials said they may also investigate other properties.

Amanda Berry, now 27, escaped on Monday evening when a neighbor heard her screaming and kicking a door, while her alleged captor was out of the house.

Rescuer Charles Ramsey said he had helped kick in a metal door so that Amanda Berry could climb outside and phone police.

In a recording of Monday’s emergency call, Amanda Berry says: “I’ve been kidnapped, and I’ve been missing for 10 years. And I’m here. I’m free now.”

Amanda Berry identifies herself to the 911 dispatcher, saying she has been on the news for the past decade, and begging for help to arrive before her captor returns.

Police Chief Michael McGrath told Tuesday’s news conference: “Thankfully, due to Amanda’s brave actions these three women are alive today.”

Neighbor Anna Tejeda said she had refused to believe the young woman at first.

“You’re not Amanda Berry. Amanda Berry is dead,” she said, according to the Associated Press news agency.

Other neighbors in the working-class district said they did not realize anybody was living at the house at 2207 Seymour Ave.

During the news conference, Public Safety Director Martin Flask said that in March 2000, Ariel Castro had called the authorities to report a fight on his street, but no arrest was made.

In January 2004, police called at Ariel Castro’s home, but no-one answered. They were alerted by children’s services after a child was left at a depot on a school bus that Ariel Castro had been driving. Authorities concluded there had been no criminal intent.

Amanda Berry had last been heard from aged 16 when she called her sister on 21 April 2003 to say she would get a lift home from her job at a Burger King restaurant.

In 2004, Gina DeJesus – who is now 23 years old – was believed to have been on her way home from school when she went missing.

Their disappearances made local headlines in Cleveland, and many assumed the girls were dead.

The case of Michele Knight, who was older than the other women when she disappeared and is now 32, was less widely publicized.

Her grandmother, Deborah Knight, was quoted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper on Monday as saying the authorities concluded she had run away.

The victims’ families have responded with stunned joy. Sylvia Colon, a relative of Gina DeJesus, said they had never given up hope.

But Amanda Berry’s mother, Louwana, died in March 2006, three years after her daughter went missing. A local politician said the mother had died of a “broken heart”.

In an extraordinary twist, it emerged that Ariel Castro’s son – also called Ariel, although he goes by his middle name Anthony – wrote an article about the disappearance of Gina DeJesus for his local newspaper in 2004.

Police have not commented on the case of a fourth missing girl, Ashley Summers, who disappeared in the same area in July 2007 when 14 years old.

[youtube osSZnU3JxKc]

Kim Kardashian in Givenchy floral gown bizarrely teamed with matching gloves and heels at Met Ball 2013

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Kim Kardashian in Givenchy floral gown bizarrely teamed with matching gloves and heels at Met Ball 2013

This year Met Ball’s theme may have been “punk”, but judging by Kim Kardashian’s powerfully floral outfit, she didn’t get the memo for Monday night’s event.

Kim Kardashian, 32, sported a garish floral gown over her blossoming baby bump, which she bizarrely teamed with matching gloves and heels on the New York red carpet.

She wasn’t exactly shy about flashing the flash as she joined boyfriend Kanye West for one of fashion’s biggest events.

According to People magazine, the custom Givenchy gown by Riccardo Tisci number is made out of floral printed jersey with grommet details that attached the sleeves, turtleneck and gloves.

The dress was rather bizarrely teamed with strappy sandals which gave the ensemble an overly matched look.

Pregnant Kim Kardashian misfired at the Met Ball in slit-to the-thigh Givenchy gown with matching shoes as she couldn't fit in her first choice dress
Pregnant Kim Kardashian misfired at the Met Ball in slit-to the-thigh Givenchy gown with matching shoes as she couldn’t fit in her first choice dress

Meanwhile, her boyfriend Kanye West- the night’s star performer – also wore Givenchy, but looked much more classy in a simple black suit and white shirt.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting their first baby this summer and it was revealed the reality star decided at the last minute to wear the garish creation, according to Life & Style.

“She had the Givenchy severely altered at the last minute on orders of her new stylist,” a fashion insider told the magazine.

“She’s gained a lot of weight in her arms and her stylist has told her she should not show them off.

“So her dress now has sleeves when it was sleeveless before.”

The source claims that Kanye West was unimpressed that Kim Kardashian decided to mess with the dress.

“Kanye is annoyed, as the dress is by his best friend Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, and he feels embarrassed that Kim is messing with a beautiful piece of art,” the source said.

Apparently, Kim Kardashian was having a “hard time” trying to fit into her original choice of dress before opting for the Givenchy gown.

“It had to be modified five times for her growing frame,” a friend of Kim Kardashian’s told the magazine last week.

Meanwhile, the reality star posted photographs of herself posing with designers Donatella Versace and Valentino at the event.

It is not known whether Kim Kardashian’s rather outlandish choice was approved by Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour who is reported to have hosted both Kim and Kanye West at her New York home last night.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were photographed going into Anna Wintour’s home on Sunday for an “intimate dinner”.

The reality star’s newfound connection with Anna Wintour comes after she was reportedly banned from even attending the event the year before by the editor.

According to a report in 2012, Kim Kardashian was banned from showing up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala by any mean because of an edict from Anna Wintour.

Apparently the Vogue editor wasn’t a fan of the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star and at the time made sure she didn’t have a way in.

A source told RadarOnline in the 2012 report: “Anna hates Kim. Why would she be invited to the event? It is all the biggest stars in the world and Kim doesn’t fit that bill at all.”

Kim Kardashian’s failure to show up to the 2012 proceedings was even more so unexpected especially as Kanye West was in attendance, looking dashing in a bowtie and suit.

The insider continued: “The Met Gala is $25,000 a ticket, but Kim can’t even buy her way in, Anna Wintour does NOT want her there!

“Anna Wintour would allow Kim Kardashian on the cover of Vogue over her dead body. As long as Anna in charge you will NOT see Kim on Vogue.”

This year Anna Wintour is said to have had a change of heart and allowed Kanye West to bring her as he was performing at the star-studded event.

[youtube qiiBHSRSPuA]

Anthony Castro interviewed Gina DeJesus’ mother when he wrote article about her disappearance

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Anthony Castro interviewed Gina DeJesus’ mother when he wrote article about her disappearance

Anthony Castro – son of Ariel Castro, the prime suspect in the abduction of three Cleveland girls – interviewed missing Gina DeJesus’ mother for a local newspaper, with no idea she was being held captive at his father’s house.

Anthony Castro, 31, said he was absolutely stunned when he heard about what his father has been accused of, after Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michele Knight and Amanda’s six-year-old daughter were rescued from his home.

After the disappearance of Gina DeJesus in April 2004, Anthony Castro penned a piece for his local paper which included quotes from her mother.

He was a journalism student at Bowling Green State University when he wrote the article, entitled Gina DeJesus’ disappearance has changed her neighborhood, for the Plain Press in June of that year.

Gina DeJesus’ mother Nancy Ruiz told him: “You can tell the difference. People are watching out for each other’s kids. It’s a shame that a tragedy had to happen for me to really know my neighbors.

“Bless their hearts, they’ve been great. People are really looking out for my daughter.”

The aspiring journalist described the atmosphere of the area after the incident.

Anthony Castro interviewed Gina DeJesus’ mother for a local newspaper, with no idea the girl was being held captive by his father
Anthony Castro interviewed Gina DeJesus’ mother for a local newspaper, with no idea the girl was being held captive by his father

“Since April 2, 2004 , the day 14-year-old Gina DeJesus was last seen on her way home from Wilbur Wright Middle School, neighborhood residents have been taken by an overwhelming need for caution.

“Parents are more strictly enforcing curfews, encouraging their children to walk in groups, or driving them to and from school when they had previously walked alone.

“On Cleveland’s west side, it is difficult to go any length of time without seeing Gina’s picture on telephone poles, in windows, or on cars along the busy streets.

“One thing is for certain, however. Almost everyone feels a connection with the family, and Gina’s disappearance has the whole area talking.”

Anthony Castro also mentioned Amanda Berry in his article, saying: “They feel the disappearance of Amanda Berry on April 21, 2003, was a wake-up call, but Gina’s case really caught everyone’s attention.”

He had no idea the answer to her whereabouts, and that of two other local girls, lay in his father’s house, which he said he was never allowed inside.

Anthony Castro said: “I last saw my dad two weeks ago, it was at the house, but he didn’t let me in.

“He never did. I was never invited inside. The last time was several years ago and even then it was for about 20 minutes.

“If I had known anything about this, there is no way I could have not done something about it. I wrote about it ten years ago and now it is so close to my family. It’s unbelievable.

“I can express nothing but shame for our family. It is just beyond anything that we can speak about. It’s just a nightmare. I feel unspeakably horrible for the victims.”

It also emerged today that Anthony Castro’s sister Emily was jailed for 25 years in 2008 for the attempted murder of her 11-month-old baby.

Emily Castro, 24, tried to slash her daughter Janyla’s throat in April 2007 after she broke up with the child’s father.

Court documents state that police were called to Emily Castro’s home in Fort Wayne, Indiana – where she moved after she became pregnant – when a passerby saw a woman running out to the street with a bleeding baby in her arms.

The woman was Emily Castro’s mother, Grimilda Figeroa, who told police that her daughter stabbed her own child.

When officers went to the home, they found Emily Castro covered in mud, water and blood.

Emily and Anthony’s father Ariel Castro, 52, was arrested on Monday after one of his alleged victims, Amanda Berry, escaped his home and called police.

Neighbors in the street were shocked to hear that Ariel Castro, who was a school bus driver in the Cleveland area until last year, could be capable of abducting three innocent teenagers from the street and tying them up with chains in his basement.

Ariel Castro’s Facebook page depicts a man with a passion for motorcycles and the bass guitar.

[youtube -Y33e_C61G8]

John Kerry meets Vladimir Putin for Syria talks in Russia

Roy Siemens
-
0
John Kerry meets Vladimir Putin for Syria talks in Russia

Russia and the United States have agreed to work towards holding an international conference to find a political solution to the conflict in Syria.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State John Kerry announced it would follow on from an Action Group for Syria meeting in Geneva last June.

John Kerry said they would try to “bring both sides to the table”.

Relations between Moscow and Washington have been strained in the last two years by differences over Syria.

John Kerry held lengthy talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday during his first visit to Moscow since becoming secretary of state.

John Kerry held lengthy talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday during his first visit to Moscow since becoming secretary of state
John Kerry held lengthy talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday during his first visit to Moscow since becoming secretary of state

He told Vladimir Putin that their two countries shared “some very significant common interests with respect to Syria”, including “stability in the region” and “not letting extremists create problems”.

“It is my hope that today we will be able to dig into that a little bit, and see if we can find common ground,” he added.

John Kerry then held further discussions with Sergei Lavrov, after which they jointly announced that they would try to organize an international conference on ending the conflict in Syria, if possible before the end of May.

It will try to convince both the Syrian government and opposition to accept a solution based on the core elements of the final communiqué issued on 30 June 2012, after the UN-backed Action Group for Syria meeting in Geneva.

The communiqué called for an immediate cessation of violence and the establishment of a transitional government that could include officials serving under Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of the opposition.

“We believe that the Geneva communiqué is the important track to end the bloodshed in Syria,” John Kerry told a news conference.

He added that a negotiated settlement would help avert the danger of Syria breaking up and might influence Washington’s decision on whether or not to arm rebel groups.

Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed Moscow’s belief that the departure of President Bashar al-Assad should not be a condition for peace talks, but insisted he was not trying to keep him in power.

“We are not concerned by the fate of any individual. We are concerned by the fate of the Syrian people,” Sergei Lavrov said.

[youtube SYLhCFUKO_Q]

Ariel Castro and brothers mugshots: Cleveland kidnap brothers arrested in Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight case

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Ariel Castro and brothers mugshots: Cleveland kidnap brothers arrested in Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight case

Ohio authorities have released pictures of the three Castro brothers arrested after three missing women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight – were found at a Cleveland home where they had allegedly been held captive for a decade.

The mugshots of Ariel Castro, 52, who owned the property, and his brothers Onil, 50, and Pedro, 54, emerged as police sources claimed the women reportedly had multiple pregnancies at the home.

At least five babies were born at the house, while one of the victims, Amanda Berry, suffered as many as three miscarriages because she was so malnourished, police sources told NewsChannel5.

Ariel Castro and his brothers Onil and Pedro were arrested for kidnapping Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight a decade ago
Ariel Castro and his brothers Onil and Pedro were arrested for kidnapping Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight a decade ago

Other sources told WKYC that the captors would beat the women when they were pregnant, meaning that the babies would not survive.

It is unknown what happened to any children who were born at the home, and it is not clear whether a 6-year-old girl who was found alive there on Monday is among the number cited by sources.

The girl was found after her mother, kidnap victim Amanda Berry, 26, climbed through a screen door on Monday afternoon while her alleged captor was out and fled to a neighbor’s home to call 911.

When police arrived minutes later, they found Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michele Knight, 32, who had also been missing for a decade, along with the young girl.

At the press conference, authorities confirmed that the little girl was born to Amanda Berry while she was in captivity, but it is not known which of the three suspects – if any – is the father.

Today police praised Amanda Berry, who went missing a day before her 17th birthday in 2003, for escaping and alerting authorities to the two other women at the home.

“The real hero here is Amanda,” Cleveland Deputy Police Chief Ed Tomba said at a press conference on Tuesday morning.

“She came out of that house and that started it all.”

[youtube 0dPBZE4Jz5c]

Katie Holmes fashion faux pas in white Francisco Costa gown reminiscent of toilet paper at Met Ball 2013

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Katie Holmes fashion faux pas in white Francisco Costa gown reminiscent of toilet paper at Met Ball 2013

Katie Holmes revealed her bony back as she attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala on Monday night in New York City.

As she was seen getting into her chauffeured car to head to the soiree, her halterneck gown displayed her lithe frame.

Katie Holmes’ not known for her daring fashion choices on the red carpet.

But as she attended the Met Ball on Monday night she seemingly decided to think outside of the box.

Katie Holmes revealed her bony back as she attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala on Monday night in New York City
Katie Holmes revealed her bony back as she attended the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala on Monday night in New York City

However, Katie Holmes’ choice of gown for the Punk: Chaos to Couture themed bash could only be described as a fashion faux pas.

The actress wore a white Francisco Costa gown, which was reminiscent of toilet paper as she glided down the red carpet.

The dress in question was a halterneck cut, showing off her back and shoulders.

Katie Holmes teamed the ensemble with a pair of white sky high stilettos that were a little too matchy matchy.

She also wore giant diamond earrings in her ears and stuck with the punk theme by styling her hair into a quiff and applying smokey eye make-up to her lids.

Katie Holmes was helped up the stairs to the famous museum by a suited and booted usher.

Michael Jackson autopsy report reveals he tattooed his lips pink and permanently inked his eyebrows and forehead

Sonia Pantiss
-
0
Michael Jackson autopsy report reveals he tattooed his lips pink and permanently inked his eyebrows and forehead

Michael Jackson autopsy report given in a Los Angeles court yesterday has revealed the King of Pop tattooed his lips pink, permanently inked his eyebrows and relied on a dark tattoo to blend his hairline into his wig.

As Michael Jackson’s tour promoter, AEG, continues, a disturbing photograph of the fallen pop star’s corpse was shown to the court on Monday by Dr. Christopher Rogers.

His coroner’s report described Michael Jackson as a man whose struggle to hide a skin pigmentation disease forced him to mask his true features but who would have lived a long life had he not overdosed on propofol.

The revelation of Michael Jackson’s permanent make-up comes during the trial brought by the singer’s mother and children who claim AEG shares blame in his death for neglecting to vet and supervise his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.

AEG, which was organizing Michael Jackson’s planned comeback concerts in London, claims it was not responsible for the star’s decision to employ Conrad Murray as his doctor.

Dr. Christopher Rogers confirmed from his autopsy that Michael Jackson’s skin became lighter in the 1980s owing to “vitiligo, a skin pigmentation disease”.

He added: “So some areas of the skin appear light and others appear dark.”

Michael Jackson autopsy reveals his eyebrows and forehead were tattooed black to make his wigs look better
Michael Jackson autopsy reveals his eyebrows and forehead were tattooed black to make his wigs look better

The doctor also confirmed that an overdose of propofol killed the pop star although several other types of sedative administered by Dr. Conrad Murray the same morning contributed to his death.

Michael Koskoff, a lawyer for Katherine Jackson, asked the deputy medical examiner for Los Angeles County: “Would a fit, competent doctor administer propofol for insomnia?”

“I would not expect that, no,” Dr. Christopher Rogers responded.

Los Angeles coroner’s toxicologist Dan Anderson also testified on Monday that the level of propofol in Michael Jackson’s body was “consistent with major surgery anesthesia”.

Propofol, a sedative used in operations and even executions, was allegedly taken so often by Michael Jackson that he referred to it as “milk”.

Dan Anderson told the court: “It raises a red flag in my eyes. It’s very problematic to find it outside the hospital setting.”

He went on to explain how when propofol is administered to a patient, a number of staff should be on hand equipped with sophisticated medical devices to intervene if the patient stops breathing.

Faced with suggestions that Michael Jackson gave himself the lethal dose of propofol, Dr. Christopher Rogers countered: “…based on the history that was available, I don’t believe that that happened.”

Furthermore, he testified, were it not for the lethal dose of the drug, Michael Jackson’s overall health would have promised him a normal lifespan.

With no signs of addiction to street drugs, or any heart disease that some have insinuated triggered his death, “there was no indication from the autopsy that there was anything anatomically wrong with him that would lead to premature death”, Dr. Christopher Rogers said.

CNN noted the importance of Dr. Christopher Rogers’ testimony in calculating Michael Jackson’s expected lifespan as it would relate to damages. If he had not passed, the fact that the pop star would have continued to make billions of dollars will affect the number the Jackson family expect.

AEG continue to argue that Michal Jackson chose Dr. Conrad Murray as his tour medic and the company had no way of knowing what he was giving the singer to sleep at night.

Imran Khan injured after falling on stage during Pakistani election rally in Lahore

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Imran Khan injured after falling on stage during Pakistani election rally in Lahore

Former cricketer and leading Pakistani politician Imran Khan has been injured after falling off a makeshift lift that was taking him onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore.

It is unclear how badly Imran Khan was hurt, but he suffered visible head injuries in the fall.

Imran Khan was taken to hospital for treatment by supporters afterwards.

He had been campaigning ahead of Saturday’s parliamentary elections, in which his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is expected to do well.

Imran Khan has been injured after falling off a makeshift lift that was taking him onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore
Imran Khan has been injured after falling off a makeshift lift that was taking him onto a stage at an election rally in Lahore

Dramatic television pictures from Tuesday’s campaign rally showed Imran Khan falling about 15ft from the lift platform together with several others, some of whom appeared to land on top of him.

A dazed and bloodied Imran Khan was later seen being carried away by supporters to a vehicle which drove him to a local hospital.

After receiving initial treatment he was moved to Lahore’s Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, which he founded.

A local PTI spokesman, Malik Ishtiaq, told the AFP news agency that Imran Khan had suffered head injuries. But another spokesman described his injuries as minor and insisted he would return to the rally.

“Imran Khan is all right. He has been taken to the hospital for first aid. He will be back to address the rally very soon after getting initial treatment,” Chaudhry Rizwan said.

Imran Khan’s former wife Jemima Khan wrote on Twitter: “He is in hospital and conscious now”.

His nephew, Hassan Niazi, tweeted: “Chairman reciting kalima in ambulance – he is fine – plz just pray”.

Hundreds of well-wishers and supporters later gathered outside the Shaukat Khanum hospital, chanting “Long live Imran Khan”, AFP said.

The PTI leader has been campaigning relentlessly in the run-up to Saturday’s poll and briefly collapsed on stage earlier this week.

Imran Khan is one of the key candidates in the election, and the PTI has been gaining momentum. He believes a “tsunami” of support will sweep him to power.

[youtube E10B-S-v1G4]

Charles Ramsey describes how he found Cleveland captives Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Charles Ramsey describes how he found Cleveland captives Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight

Charles Ramsey, the neighbor credited with saving three young women held captive in a Cleveland home for a decade, said he heard desperate screams and then kicked through a door to help one escape.

Charles Ramsey said he was eating a McDonald’s meal when he heard the cries, ran over to investigate holding a Big Mac and then came face to face with Amanda Berry, who was last seen in 2003 aged 16.

He told WEWS-TV: “I heard screaming, and I see this girl going nuts trying to get outside [of the house].

“I go on the porch and she said, <<Help me get out. I’ve been here a long time>>. I figure it was domestic violence dispute.”

“She comes out with a little girl and says <<Call 911, my name is Amanda Berry>>.”

Charles Ramsey said he didn’t immediately process that it was the same Amanda Berry who had disappeared from the neighborhood 10 years ago.

Charles Ramsey is the neighbor credited with saving three young women held captive in a Cleveland home for a decade
Charles Ramsey is the neighbor credited with saving three young women held captive in a Cleveland home for a decade

Soon afterwards, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were also found alive on inside the house.

When Charles Ramsey helped Amanda Berry out of the house, she was holding a young child, and there were other children in the home.

Charles Ramsey added: “I knew something was wrong when a little pretty white girl ran into a black man’s arms. Something is wrong here. Dead giveaway.”

Ariel Castro, 52, has been arrested and is in police custody in connection with the kidnapping case along with his two unnamed brothers, who are 50 and 54.

Charles Ramsey said: “When she told me, it didn’t register until I got the call to 911 and I’m like, <<I’m calling 911 for Amanda Berry? I thought this girl was dead>>.”

He handed Amanda Berry the phone, and she told police that she had been held captive in the home and to send help.

Also found in the home were two more women who had been reported missing at around the same time – Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight. All three appeared to be in good health.

Dr. Gerald Maloney, of Cleveland MetroHealth Center, told reporters: “They’re safe… We’re in the process of evaluating medical needs. They appear to be in fair condition at the moment.”

Gina DeJesus vanished in 2004, while Michelle Knight was last seen in 2002.

There were also several children in the home.

When police arrived, officers asked Charles Ramsey if he knew who he rescued.

The revelations shocked Charles Ramsey, who said that he has known Ariel Castro and the two often spent time together.

He told NewsNet5: “I’ve been here a year. I barbeque with this dude, we eat ribs and what not and listen to salsa music. Not a clue that that girl was in that house or that anyone else was in there with.”

Charles Ramsey added: “He’s somebody you look and then you look away because he’s just doing normal stuff. You got some big testicles to pull this one off because we see this guy every day.”

Amanda Berry disappeared at age 16 on April 21, 2003, one day before her 17th anniversary, when she called her sister to say she was getting a ride home from her job at a Burger King.

Gina DeJesus went missing at age 14 on her way home from school about a year later.

[youtube kBJowiFQj_c]

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were all abducted on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were all abducted on Lorain Avenue in Cleveland

The three missing women in Cleveland who were abducted a decade ago were all last seen on the same busy block in the city.

Michelle Knight, who was 20 years old when she went missing in August 2002, was last seen at a cousin’s house near West 106th Street and Lorain Avenue.

Three years later, in April 2003, Amanda Berry, disappeared after leaving her job at a Burger King – at West 110th Street and Lorain. It was the day before her 17th birthday.

A year later, Gina DeJesus, then 14 years old, was last seen leaving her middle school at West 105th Street and Lorain.

All three were found safe on Monday night after Amanda Berry bolted from a home on Seymour Avenue, about three miles from where they were last seen.

Amanda Berry told police that she and the other girls were being held prisoner by Ariel Castro, 52, who has been arrested along with his two brothers on suspicion of kidnapping.

The three missing women in Cleveland who were abducted a decade ago were all last seen on the same busy block in the city
The three missing women in Cleveland who were abducted a decade ago were all last seen on the same busy block in the city

The exact circumstances of the abductions is currently unclear, and it is not known whether or not the kidnapper deliberately targeted the block where all three victims were taken.

The story of Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus’ disappearance has been well known in the area for the past decade, as their relatives have continually held vigils and kept the story alive in the press.

Michelle Knight’s case was less high profile – police told her family that she had probably run away of her own accord after her son was taken away from her, so the search effort was less concentrated.

Amanda Berry’s mother Louwanna Miller died in March 2006 aged just 44 after the years of her daughter’s disappearance had taken a toll on her deteriorating health. Local news reports said that she “died of a broken heart”.

Amanda Berry’s sister has continued to keep the case in the public’s attention since their mother died, and she has worked closely with the DeJesus family.

Last year, Gina DeJesus’ mother Nancy Ruiz raised concerns that her daughter might have been the victim of human trafficking.

“I always said it from the beginning; she was sold to the highest bidder,” Nancy Ruiz said.

Last night Ariel Castro’s neighbor Charles Ramsey described the amazing moment he became the first person to see Amanda Berry – who gave birth in captivity – since 2003.

“I go on the porch and she said, <<Help me get out. I’ve been here a long time>>. I figure it was domestic violence dispute,” he said.

“She comes out with a little girl and says <<Call 911, my name is Amanda Berry>>.”

Charles Ramsey continued: “When she told me, it didn’t register until I got the call to 911 and I’m like, <<I’m calling 911 for Amanda Berry? I thought this girl was dead>>.”

He handed Amanda the phone, and she told police that she had been held captive in the home and to send help.

The three women were rescued and taken to an area hospital where they were receiving treatment.

[youtube kBJowiFQj_c]

Ariel Castro: Prime suspect in Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight kidnap arrested

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Ariel Castro: Prime suspect in Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight kidnap arrested

Ariel Castro has been identified as the prime suspect in the astonishing kidnapping case of three women held captive for ten years in Cleveland and he has been taken into custody – as well as two of his own brothers.

Ariel Castro, 52, of Cleveland, Ohio was arrested on Monday after one of the alleged victims, Amanda Berry escaped his home and called police.

He was a school bus driver in the Cleveland area, according to reports.

Only Ariel Castro lived at the home. The brothers lived elsewhere, police told reporters.

Ariel Castro has been identified as the prime suspect in the astonishing kidnapping case of three women held captive for ten years in Cleveland
Ariel Castro has been identified as the prime suspect in the astonishing kidnapping case of three women held captive for ten years in Cleveland

Ariel Castro’s Facebook page depicts a man with a passion for motorcycles and the bass guitar.

His last post to the social networking site on May 2 says: “Miracles really do happen, God is good :)”

Cleveland’s police chief said on Monday night that the victims were tied up in the house where they were found and had been there since they disappeared.

The county prosecutor joined dozens of police officers and sheriff’s deputies at the scene as they began searching the house late Monday.

Authorities say the women have been taken to a hospital to reunite with relatives and seem to be in good health.

Michelle Knight had been missing since 2002, Amanda Berry since 2003 and Gina DeJesus since 2004.

Remarkably, Ariel Castro’s son – also named Ariel who now goes by “Anthony” – penned an article for the Cleveland Plain Press about the disappearance of Gina DeJesus back in 2004.

Anthony Castro told WKYC-TV reporter Sara Shookman: “This is beyond comprehension… I’m truly stunned right now.”

Also struck by the allegations, the suspects’ uncle, Julio Castro, told CNN: “I never want to see them again.”

Police didn’t immediately provide any details of how the women were found but said they appeared to be in good health and had been taken to a hospital to be reunited with relatives and to be evaluated.

They said a 6-year-old girl also was found in the home.

On a recorded 911 call Monday, Amanda Berry declared: “I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been on the news for the last 10 years.”

The woman said she had been taken by someone and begged for police officers to arrive at the home on Cleveland’s west side before he returned.

“I’ve been kidnapped, and I’ve been missing for 10 years,” Amanda Berry told the dispatcher.

“And I’m here. I’m free now.”

Amanda Berry disappeared at age 16 on April 21, 2003, when she called her sister to say she was getting a ride home from her job at a Burger King.

Gina DeJesus went missing at age 14 on her way home from school about a year later. They were found just a few miles from where they had disappeared.

Police said Michelle Knight went missing in 2002 and is 32 now. They didn’t provide current ages for the other two women.

[youtube JOJn0JqLx_k]

North Korea removes two medium-range missiles from east coast launch site

Roy Siemens
-
0
North Korea removes two medium-range missiles from east coast launch site

A US official said North Korea has removed two medium-range missiles from a coastal launch site, indicating a lowering of tension on the peninsula.

Pyongyang was believed to be preparing for a launch last month, having threatened attacks in the region.

The threats followed tough new UN sanctions imposed on North Korea in March after its third nuclear test.

North Korea has been angered by wide-ranging annual US-South Korea military drills, which ended a week ago.

The news that the missiles had been removed from the site on the east coast came on the eve of a summit in Washington between the US and South Korean presidents.

South Korea’s President Park Geun-hye is to hold talks with US President Barack Obama later on Tuesday, with the two expected to reiterate a commitment to strong ties. Park, Geun-hye who took office in February, will also address the US Congress on Wednesday.

The Musudan missiles had been ready to launch at any moment but North Korea had now “moved them”, an unnamed US defense official told AFP news agency.

North Korea has removed two medium-range missiles from a coastal launch site, indicating a lowering of tension on the peninsula
North Korea has removed two medium-range missiles from a coastal launch site, indicating a lowering of tension on the peninsula

A report from South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, citing an unnamed senior government source, backed that up, saying Pyongyang appeared to have lifted its highest combat alert and moved the missiles, although their current location was not confirmed.

The move is the most tangible sign yet that North Korea has stepped back from its threats to launch missiles.

But a senior US official from the National Security Council warned that, given the North’s unpredictable behavior, it was “premature to celebrate it as good news”.

Pentagon spokesman George Little, who declined to comment directly on the missiles’ reported removal, told reporters “what we have seen recently is a provocation pause”.

“And we think that’s obviously beneficial to efforts to ensure we have peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.”

Meanwhile, the Beijing-based Bank of China said it was halting transactions from North Korea’s Foreign Trade Bank.

The US imposed sanctions on North Korea’s main foreign exchange bank after the recent nuclear tests and had urged other countries, including China, to cut ties with the bank.

The Bank of China made the announcement in a statement but did not provide further details.

This is the first time that a Chinese entity has made a move against North Korean interests following the recent tension, according to reports.

North Korea unveiled medium-range Musudan missiles during a military parade in 2010 but had not yet tested them.

Last month, South Korea raised its alert level to “vital threat” amid indications that Pyongyang was preparing for a launch.

At least one ballistic missile with an estimated 2,000-mile range had been fuelled and ready for launch, according to US and South Korean sources.

A test launch would be a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718, passed in 2006, which states the North “must not conduct any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile”.

Pyongyang had issued a series of threats in apparent response to the expanded UN sanctions and the US-South Korea drills – which saw nuclear-capable B2 and B52 bombers flown over the Korean peninsula.

These included warnings of attacks on Japan, South Korea and US military bases in the region, and a pledge to restart a mothballed nuclear reactor that produced plutonium for its weapons programme.

In addition, it shut down an emergency military hotline between Seoul and Pyongyang, and later withdrew some 53,000 workers in April from Kaesong Industrial Complex on the border with South Korea.

Kaesong complex, which was launched in 2003, employed people from both countries and was seen as one of the last remaining symbols of inter-Korean co-operation.

The final South Korean workers left the factory last week – the first time they have done so since the zone began operating 10 years ago.

However the tone of the rhetoric from North Korea has softened somewhat in recent days, observers say.

[youtube 3m4IxdcFISo]

Amanda Berry 911 call transcript. Missing Cleveland women

Nancy Clayson
-
0
Amanda Berry 911 call transcript. Missing Cleveland women

Three women from Ohio, who were abducted more than a decade ago, have been found alive in the basement of a house in Cleveland – where they were apparently held captive in chains.

Amanda Berry, 26, and Gina DeJesus, 23, and Michelle Knight, 32, escaped from the Cleveland house just a few miles from the city where they disappeared.

The extraordinary rescue came after Amanda Berry, who went missing at the age of 16, screamed for help when their captor left the house and she was found by a neighbor who helped her to call 911.

Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003
Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003

Amanda Berry 911 call transcript

Amanda Berry: Help me, I’m Amanda Berry.

Operator: Do you need police, fire or ambulance?

Amanda Berry: I need police.

Operator: OK, and what’s going on there?

Amanda Berry: I’ve been kidnapped, and I’ve been missing for 10 years. And I’m here. I’m free now.

Operator: OK, and what’s your address?

(The operator tries to figure out where she is.)

Amanda Berry: I’m across the street. I’m using their phone

Operator: OK, stay there with those neighbors and talk to the police when they get there.

(The operator repeats her instructions several times.)

Amanda Berry: OK, are they on their way right now? I need them now.

Operator: We’re gonna send them as soon as we get a car open.

Amanda Berry: No, I need them now before he gets back.

Operator: All right. We’re sending them, OK?

Amanda Berry: OK. I mean, like, right now.

Operator: Who is the guy who went out?

Amanda Berry: His name is Ariel Castro.

Operator: All right. How old is he?

Amanda Berry: He’s like 52.

Operator: All right, and a…

Amanda Berry: And I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been on the news for the last 10 years.

Operator: OK, I got that, dear… what is his name again?

Amanda Berry: Uh, Ariel Castro.

Operator: And is he white, black or Hispanic?

Amanda Berry: Uh, he’s Hispanic.

Operator: What’s he wearing?

Amanda Berry: I don’t know cause he’s not here right now. That’s how we got away.

Operator: When he left, what was he wearing?

Amanda Berry: (Indistinguishable)

Operator: The police are on the way. Talk to them when they get there.

Amanda Berry: OK.

[youtube AvIf8pH5q4g]

Mayon volcano eruption kills 4 German climbers and their guide in Philippines

James J. Williams
-
0
Mayon volcano eruption kills 4 German climbers and their guide in Philippines

Mayon volcano has erupted in the Philippines, killing four German climbers and their guide.

Mount Mayon at 206 miles south-east of the capital Manila sent a cloud of ash and rocks into the sky early on Tuesday.

The ash blast caught a group climbing the mountain, which is famous for its near-perfect cone.

At least seven other climbers were hurt in the eruption, which lasted for just over a minute.

Mount Mayon at 206 miles south-east of the capital Manila sent a cloud of ash and rocks into the sky early on Tuesday
Mount Mayon at 206 miles south-east of the capital Manila sent a cloud of ash and rocks into the sky early on Tuesday

“Five killed and seven are injured, that is the latest report,” National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chief Eduardo del Rosario said.

Four of those killed were German nationals and the fifth was their Filipino guide, the NDRRMC said later in a statement.

A guide on the mountain told a local television station by telephone that those who died were hit by the rocks that rained down on them after the ash blast.

Twenty people were approaching the summit of the mountain when the eruption occurred.

In an advisory, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology called the eruption a “small phreatic event” that lasted about 73 seconds and sent ash 500m into the air. No intensification of volcanic activity was observed, it said, and the alert level would not be raised.

It said small steam and ash ejections could occur with little or no warning and advised against entry to the 4-mile radius Permanent Danger Zone around the volcano.

Chief state seismologist Renato Solidum described the eruption as a “stream driven explosion”, a “normal process” in any volcano. There was no need for local residents around the mountain to evacuate, he said.

Mt Mayon has erupted at least 48 times since records began. The most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1,200 people and devastated several towns.

The most recent eruption was in late 2009, when tens of thousands of local residents were forced to evacuate as the volcano rumbled back to life.

[youtube nmKxITy_1PA]

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight: Missing women found alive after decade in a house in Cleveland

Diane A. Wade
-
0
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight: Missing women found alive after decade in a house in Cleveland

Three young women – Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight – who vanished in separate incidents about a decade ago in Ohio have been found alive in a house in Cleveland.

Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003, Gina DeJesus went missing aged 14 in 2004, and Michele Knight disappeared in 2002 aged around 19.

Their discovery followed a dramatic bid for freedom by Amanda Berry on Monday, helped by a neighbor.

Three brothers have been arrested in connection with the case.

Cleveland police said the suspects are Hispanic, aged 50, 52 and 54, and one of them had lived at the house on Seymour Avenue.

One was named as Ariel Castro, who has worked as a school bus driver.

Police have said a six-year-old girl was also found at the home. They have not revealed any further details, although a relative of Amanda Berry said she told him she had a daughter.

The girls’ family reacted with shock and delight at news of their discovery, and many people gathered outside the home where they had allegedly been imprisoned.

“In all this time, 10 years, nobody never figured nothing about where she was at and this has come to an end and it’s right here on Seymour,” said Gina DeJesus’ uncle.

A doctor said the three women were in a fair condition and were being kept in hospital for observation.

“This isn’t the ending we usually hear to these stories,” said Dr. Gerald Maloney in a brief news conference outside Metro Health hospital in Cleveland.

“We’re very happy.”

Speaking amid cheers from spectators, he added the women were able to speak to hospital staff but he declined to give further details.

The disappearances of Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus had been big news in Cleveland, and many had assumed them to be dead.

Little was made of the disappearance of Michelle Knight, who was older than the other two girls.

Her grandmother, Deborah Knight, was quoted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper on Monday as saying that the authorities concluded she had run away.

The dramatic events unfolded after Amanda Berry attempted to flee the house when her alleged captor went out.

Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003, Gina DeJesus went missing aged 14 in 2004
Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003, Gina DeJesus went missing aged 14 in 2004

Neighbor Charles Ramsey said he heard screaming.

“I see this girl going nuts trying to get outside,” he told reporters.

He said he suggested the woman open the door and exit, but she told him it was locked.

“We had to kick open the bottom,” he said.

“Lucky on that door it was aluminium. It was cheap. She climbed out with her daughter.”

Both Charles Ramsey and Amanda Berry called 911.

In her frantic call, released to the news media, Amanda Berry told the operator: “I’m Amanda Berry. I’ve been kidnapped. I’ve been missing for 10 years. I’m free. I’m here now.”

She identified her kidnapper as Ariel Castro and said other women were in the house.

Charles Ramsey said he was stunned by the developments. He said he had shared barbeques with Ariel Castro and never suspected a thing.

“There was nothing exciting about him… well, until today,” he said.

Amanda Berry at the Cleveland Hospital alongside her sister and the daughter that she gave birth to during the 10 years she was held against her will
Amanda Berry at the Cleveland Hospital alongside her sister and the daughter that she gave birth to during the 10 years she was held against her will

An uncle, Julio Castro, who has a shop nearby, confirmed his nephew had been arrested, and said Ariel Castro had worked as a school bus driver. The Cleveland school district confirmed he worked for them, but did not give specifics.

“I am thankful that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight have been found alive,” Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said.

“We have many unanswered questions regarding this case and the investigation will be ongoing.”

Amanda Berry was last heard from when she called her sister on 21 April 2003 to say she would get a lift home from work at a Burger King restaurant.

In 2004, Gina DeJesus was said to be on her way home from school when she went missing.

Their cases were re-opened last year when a prison inmate tipped off authorities that Amanda Berry may have been buried in Cleveland. He received a four-and-a-half-year sentence in prison for the false information.

Amanda Berry’s mother, Louwana, died in March 2006, three years after her daughter’s disappearance.

Although much is still not yet known about this case, it recalled a series of recent high-profile child abduction cases.

Jaycee Lee Dugard was 11 years old when she was dragged into a car as she walked to a bus stop near her home in South Lake Tahoe, California in 1991.

She was discovered in August 2009, having spent 18 years held captive in the backyard of Phillip and Nancy Garrido in Antioch, some 170 miles from South Lake Tahoe. She had two children.

In Austria, Natascha Kampusch was abducted on her way to school at the age of 10. She was held for eight years by Wolfgang Priklopil in the windowless basement of a house in a quiet suburb of Vienna.

She managed to escape in 2006 while Wolfgang Priklopil was making a phone call. He committed suicide hours after she had fled.

Elizabeth Smart was 14 when she was taken from the bedroom of her Utah home in June 2002 and repeatedly raped during nine months of captivity.

She was rescued in March 2003 less than 20 miles from her home. Her abductor, Brian David Mitchell, was jailed for life in 2011.

[youtube kBJowiFQj_c]

[youtube AvIf8pH5q4g]

Rihanna and Chris Brown break-up confirmed after she missed all his birthday celebrations

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Rihanna and Chris Brown break-up confirmed after she missed all his birthday celebrations

Chris Brown has confirmed he and Rihanna are taking a break from one another after she was absent from his birthday celebrations all weekend.

“I’m always going to love that person … [but] I can’t be focused on wife-ing someone that young – I need to step forward and be a man and be the best Chris Brown I can be,” Chris Brown, 24, said on the Kyle and Jackie O radio show.

Chris Brown has confirmed he and Rihanna are taking a break from one another after she was absent from his birthday celebrations all weekend
Chris Brown has confirmed he and Rihanna are taking a break from one another after she was absent from his birthday celebrations all weekend

“Live and you f***ing learn!” the singer tweeted Monday morning.

“I’m just focus on my music.”

“I mean at the end of the day, [Rihanna] is doing her own thing, she’s on the road,” he told the Australian radio hosts.

“It’s always gonna be love – I’m a grown man, just gotta fast forward.”

“I’m just trying to have, you know, the best time and basically celebrate with all my fans and all the people in the club,” Chris Brown explained.

Showing Chris Brown what he’s missing, Rihanna posted a picture with her gal pals Cara Delevigne and Georgia May Jagger on Sunday: “Yup! We definitely have more fun!! #blondelife #backstagebehavior @caradelevingne @georgiamayjagger.”

On Saturday, Chris Brown continued his 24th birthday bender at 1 OAK Nightclub in Las Vegas, where he wound up shirtless, smoking cigarettes and drinking the night away.

[youtube ocf-JK77YjU]

Lauryn Hill sentenced to jail for tax evasion

Lisa.Felice
-
0
Lauryn Hill sentenced to jail for tax evasion

Lauryn Hill has been sentenced in New Jersey to three months in jail for tax evasion.

Lauryn Hill, 37, also faces three months of home confinement, after pleading guilty last year.

Lauryn Hill has been sentenced in New Jersey to three months in jail for tax evasion
Lauryn Hill has been sentenced in New Jersey to three months in jail for tax evasion

The Grammy-winning singer failed to pay taxes on about $1.8 million of earnings between 2005 and 2007.

In a statement to the judge, Lauryn Hill said she intended to pay the taxes but could not after ending her music career. It is not clear when Lauryn Hill will report to prison.

“I needed to be able to earn so I could pay my taxes, without compromising the health and welfare of my children, and I was being denied that,” she told the judge in court on Monday.

Lauryn Hill has six children, five of whom she had with Rohan Marley, the son of Bob Marley.

She has largely withdrawn from public life while raising her children.

She started her career with Grammy-award winning hip-hop group Fugees alongside Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel.

Lauryn Hill released her acclaimed solo debut album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, in 1998, which won five Grammy awards and sold more than 19 million copies worldwide.

1...841842843...1,246Page 842 of 1,246