Six-month pregnant Kate Middleton and her mother were spotted in upmarket South Kensington together, browsing some of the London’s most exclusive baby stores after enjoying a spot of lunch together at the Zefi Mediterranean restaurant where they were seen by fellow diners sipping healthy fruit juices.
First on their list was Blue Almonds, which boasts that it creates “magical rooms for children” – perfect for the third in line to the throne.
Dressed in identical dark blue skinny jeans and knee-high black boots, Kate and Carole Middleton spent up to an hour browsing the Moses baskets on sale.
Priced up to £295 ($450) for an off the shelf model, they are certainly out of reach price-wise for many new mothers-to-be.
Some bespoke versions at the store can cost up to £1,000 ($1,600) and be customized with frilled fitted sheets and sun shades.
Six-month pregnant Kate Middleton and her mother were spotted in upmarket South Kensington together, browsing some of the London’s most exclusive baby stores
Kate Middleton, 31, who was wearing a loose blue maternity top with a pretty white lace collar, and her mother finally settled on a large white wicker version and walked out into the street together, clearly discussing their purchase.
They were then whisked off by a waiting car driven by one of Kate Middleton’s bodyguards, presumably back to Kensington Palace where Kate is overseeing the renovation of her new apartment.
According to recent reports, work on Apartment 1A, once the home of the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, will not be finished until at least September or October this year, well after the birth of the Duchess of Cambridge’s baby.
Kate Middleton and Prince William are currently living in a small two-up, two-down cottage in the grounds, which is less than ideal to bring a royal heir home to.
As a result, say sources, Kate Middleton has decided to eschew the help of a maternity nurse and spend the first six weeks after her child’s birth living with her parents at their new $7.5 million Georgian mansion in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
The duchess has told friends that she cannot think of anyone better suited to helping her in those first difficult few weeks than her mother, who has brought up three children of her own.
“It’s where I feel safest,” Kate Middleton has said.
Carole Middelton is said to be nervous but thrilled at the prospect of becoming a grandmother for the first time – to a future king or queen at that.
Although Izabela Minkiewicz, the owner of Blue Almonds, has declined to comment on Kate Middleton’s purchases, she confirmed that she was “honored” to have received a visit from the duchess.
“We spend a great deal of time making sure that we get to know the client, their particular taste and demands,” Izabela Minkiewicz said.
The following day Kate Middleton was seen back out shopping for baby goods again at the Peter Jones department store in Chelsea, where she spent several hours mulling over buggies and a car seat.
Kate Middleton has revealed that her baby is due in mid-July and that she will be going on maternity leave around a month earlier but insists, contrary to speculation, that she and Prince William have chosen not to discover the sex of their first child.
Michael Jordan married former model Yvette Prieto in Palm Beach, Florida, the former NBA champion’s manager Estee Portnoy said Sunday.
Newlyweds Michael Jordan, 50, and Yvette Prieto, 35, took their first spin around the dance floor as married couple at the Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida Saturday.
The wedding took place at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea with nearly 300 guests in attendance, including Tiger Woods, Patrick Ewing, Spike Lee and Ahmad Rashad.
The ceremony was followed by a reception at the luxurious private golf club designed by Jack Nicklaus. Michael Jordan owns a home near the course.
There were fireworks at night as part of the celebration.
In lieu of wedding gifts, donations were made to the James R. Jordan Foundation. The wedding flowers were donated to the Jupiter Medical Center.
Michael Jordan married former model Yvette Prieto in Palm Beach
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto met five years ago and were engaged last December.
Yvette Prieto wore a French silk voile corseted sheer sheath gown by J’Aton Couture, in an ecru palette with accents of flesh tones, with handmade silk lace created especially for her, and enhanced with Swarovski crystals.
The gown featured French seamed crinoline borders, which cascaded into a dramatic cathedral train finished in the lace, with accents of a peacock-feathered design.
The newlyweds and their guests were entertained by DJ MC Lyte, singers K’Jon, Robin Thicke and Grammy-Award winner Usher and The Source, an 18-piece band.
Everyone enjoyed an all-white, seven-layer white rum wedding cake that was covered in white fondant and sugar crystals, and adorned with crystal brooches and the couples’ monogram on the top layer.
Guests sat at tables that were a continuous candle-lit landscape with a myriad of crystal candelabras and mercury glass vessels, each filled with one variety of white flower, including roses, peonies and tulips, and one accent of purple.
Jacintha Saldanha’s suicide note has revealed that Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who were given details of Kate Middleton’s health by the nurse during a radio hoax, drove her to take her own life.
Jacintha Saldanha, 46, directly blamed the radio presenters in a suicide letter found by her hanged body.
The note said: “I hold the Radio Australians Mel Greig and Michael Christian responsible for this act.
“Please make them pay for my mortgage.”
Jacintha Saldanha left the handwritten note in her living quarters close to King Edward VII’s Hospital where Kate Middleton was being treated for acute morning sickness last year.
The nurse took her own life last December- just three days after she transferred the hoax call to a ward nurse.
It had been thought that Jacintha Saldanha was unhappy with how the hospital treated her after falling victim to the prank call.
But she exonerates the hospital from any responsibility in the letter and points the finger of blame at the 2Day FM presenters.
Jacintha Saldanha, a mother-of-two, addressed the message to her managers at the exclusive London hospital.
She said: “Please accept my apologies. I am truly sorry. Thank you for all your support.”
Jacintha Saldanha’s suicide note has revealed that Australian DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian drove her to take her own life
An inquest into Jacintha Saldanha’s death was due to begin this week but has been delayed. The nurse was found hanging by a scarf from a wardrobe in her bedroom on December 7.
Jacintha Saldanha shared a home in Bristol, UK, with her husband Benedict Barboza, 49, and their two children, Junal, 17, and Lisha, 14.
She had been working in England for ten years but was said to be having problems working at King Edward VII.
It has been revealed Jacintha Saldanha had been taking anti-depressants for nine months after attempting suicide twice in 2011.
She was closely monitored as a high-suicide risk but her employers were unaware of this.
Radio DJ Mel Greig has not returned to work since the hoax call was broadcast in December.
She made the call with co-host Michael Christian, who has since taken a lower profile job at a Melbourne station.
Mel Greig and Michael Christian were sent death threats and hate mail in the aftermath of the prank call.
The radio presenters rang the hospital impersonating Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles and asked questions about Kate Middleton’s pregnancy.
Southern Cross Austereo, which owns the radio station, has offered to pay 500,000 AUD into a trust fund for Jacintha Saldanha’s family.
Labour MP Keith Vaz spoke on behalf of Jacintha Saldanha’s family.
He said: “The forthcoming inquest will hopefully provide answers for the family and for them time will represent closure.”
Ruslan Tsarni, one of the Boston bombers’ uncles living in the U.S., was previously married to a CIA officer’s daughter for three years.
Ruslan Tsarni, formerly known as Tsarnaev, who publicly denounced his two terrorist nephews’ actions and called them “Losers”, even lived with his father-in-law agent Graham Fuller in his Maryland home for a year.
Graham Fuller was forced to explain the relationship on Saturday as news of the family link emerged online.
The former CIA agent told Al-Monitor that his daughter, Samantha, was married to Ruslan Tsarni, whose surname was then Tsarnaev, for three to four years in the 1990s.
Ruslan and Samantha divorced in 1999 more than ten years after Graham Fuller left the CIA in 1987.
“Samantha was married to Ruslan Tsarnaev [Tsarni] for 3-4 years, and they lived in Bishkek for one year where Samantha was working for Price Waterhouse on privatization projects,” Graham Fuller said.
“They also lived in our house in [Maryland] for a year or so and they were divorced in 1999, I believe.
“I, of course, retired from CIA in 1987 and had moved on to working as a senior political scientist for RAND.”
Graham Fuller said his son-in-law showed no interest in the agency or politics but spoke generally about his family in Chechnya.
The former CIA agent said any attempts to portray the relationship as a link between the security agency and the two terrorists was “absurd”.
Ruslan Tsarni, formerly known as Tsarnaev, was married for three years to CIA agent Graham Fuller’s daughter Samantha
“Like all Chechens, Ruslan was very concerned about his native land, but I saw no particular involvement in politics,” Graham Fuller told Al-Monitor.
“I doubt he even had much to say of intelligence value other than talking about his own family’s sad tale of deportation from Chechnya by Stalin to Central Asia. Every Chechen family has such stories.”
Graham Fuller visited Samantha and Ruslan Tsarni in Bishek, as a former Russian history graduate himself interested in “Soviet minorities”.
He said he may have met the terror suspects’ father, Anzor Tsarnaev, there once and his daughter knew the Tsarnaev family when Tamerlan was a toddler and before his younger brother Dzhokhar was born.
“I for one was astonished at the events, and to find myself at two degrees of separation from them,” Graham Fuller added.
Ruslan Tsarni, who lives in Montgomery Village, Maryland, was thrust into the spotlight as the names of his two nephews, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, emerged in connection to the Boston terror attack.
He stood on his driveway and attacked the two men calling them “Losers”.
Ruslan Tsarni has since reported a rift between his family and that of his brother Anzor’s and said his older nephew Tamerlan had become increasingly extreme in his religious views.
He said he last spoke to Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2009 when he declared he was dropping out of school to do “God’s business” and Ruslan Tsarni was concerned at his religious fervor.
“[The bombing] has nothing to do with Chechen … He put a shame on our family, he put a shame on the entire Chechen ethnicity,” Ruslan Tsarni told broadcasters in the aftermath of the bombings.
Ruslan Tsarni also told reporters that Tamerlan Tsarnaev had a friend called Misha who “brainwashed” him.
“This person just took his brain. He just brainwashed him completely,” he said.
FBI agents said they had tracked down Misha and believed he had no link to the terror attacks.
Anzor Tsarnaev, father of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, says he is postponing a trip to the U.S. to visit his hospitalized son Dzhokhar and collect Tamerlan’s body due to his spiking blood pressure.
Anzor Tsarnaev, 47, told The Associated Press on Sunday that he is “really sick” and his blood pressure had spiked.
He said last week that he planned to travel from Russia to the U.S. with the hope of seeing his younger son, who is under arrest, and burying his elder son, who was killed in a clash with police.
The news comes days after it was revealed that the suspects’ mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, was placed on a CIA watchlist 18 months before the Boston Marathon attack.
Anzor Tsarnaev confirmed that he is staying in Chechnya, a province in southern Russia, but did not specify whether he had been hospitalized.
Until Friday, Anzor Tsarnaev and the suspects’ mother had been living in the neighboring province of Dagestan.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva claimed she had to call an ambulance for her husband on Thursday but did not elaborate on what happened.
It was revealed last week that both parents have left their home in Dagestan for another part of Russia.
Anzor Tsarnaev is postponing a trip to the U.S. to visit his hospitalized son Dzhokhar and collect Tamerlan’s body due to his spiking blood pressure
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva was never planning to accompany her husband to the U.S. because she faces felony shoplifting charges here.
On April 25, the parents held a bizarre press conference in which they claimed that the gruesome carnage of the Boston attacks, which killed three people and injured more than 280, were staged by the U.S. government.
“America took my kids away from me,” Zubeidat Tsarnaeva cried.
“I’m sure my kids were not involved in anything.”
She went so far as to claim that the blood covering the streets after the blasts was in fact paint.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in a police shootout on April 19 and 19-year-old Dzhokhar was taken into custody – alive, but badly injured – less than 24 hours later in Watertown, Massachusetts following a massive manhunt.
After spending nearly a week in a Boston hospital recovering from gunshot wounds sustained during a firefight with police, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was transferred to the Federal Medical Center Devens on April 26.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged in the Boston Marathon attacks and is facing a maximum sentence of the death penalty or life in prison.
The Tsarnaev family emigrated to the U.S. a decade ago, but both parents returned to Russia last year.
Anzor Tsarnaev said Thursday that he was planning to travel to the U.S. as soon as Friday, but hadn’t yet bought a plane ticket.
Banging the table in front of him, Anzor Tsarnaev said: “I am going to the United States. I want to say that I am going there to see my son, to bury the older one.
“I don’t have any bad intentions. I don’t plan to blow up anything. I am not angry at anyone. I want to go find out the truth.”
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, 45, also described a figure known only as “Misha” – who has been pinpointed as a source of radicalization for her son Tamerlan Tsarnaev.
The mother said that he was a “very nice man”, of Armenian origin and living in Boston. “Misha” is also apparently a convert to the Islamic faith.
Anzor Tsarnaev has already been interviewed by Russian and American authorities – and would face further interviews if he ever gets to the U.S.
A blog dedicated to technology news in North Korea have reported that almost two million North Koreans now use the country’s only 3G network.
The figure has been confirmed by 3G provider Koryolink, a partnership between Egyptian telecoms firm Orascom and the North Korean government.
The service can only be used to make voice calls, and all international calls are banned.
At the start of 2012 Koryolink claimed to have one million 3G subscribers.
In January 2013 the government began allowing visitors to North Korea to bring in their mobile phones for the first time.
Almost two million North Koreans use the country’s only 3G network
Unlike residents, visitors to North Korea would now be able to use the 3G network for mobile internet access as well, by purchasing local SIM cards, the country said at the time.
However, last month, a China-based tour operator called Koryo Tours, which specializes in tourist visits to North Korea, posted a note on its website saying that 3G was no longer available for visitors.
North Koreans only have access to a very limited, state-run set of internet pages.
When Google Chair Eric Schmidt visited North Korea at the start of the year he urged the government to allow citizens access to the wider internet and said it would be “easy” for the 3G network to include data access.
“As the world becomes increasingly connected, the North Korean decision to be virtually isolated is very much going to affect their physical world and their economic growth,” Eric Schmidt wrote in a blog post.
Cristiano Ronaldo last night denied cheating on his girlfriend Irina Shayk with Brazilian model Andressa Urach who won the title Miss BumBum at a catwalk competition in 2012.
Andressa Urach, 27, had claimed Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo slept with her in a hotel just 48 hours before a key Champions League semi final which his team lost 4-1 to German side Borussia Dortmund.
The Brazilian model told The Sun: “I have always thought Cristiano is one of the most gorgeous men in the world, so I couldn’t believe it when he got in touch with me.
“He said he was very excited by my pictures online and one of the first things he asked me was if I really was a Miss Butt Brazil model.”
However, Cristiano Ronaldo said in a statement on Twitter last night: “I was informed that The Sun, faithful to its editorial line, will publish an article where is given voice to a so called Andressa – someone seeking the limelight on my account.
“And I wonder why this happens one day before a very important game for my team. Deeply outraged by a situation intended, in vain, to affect my personal life.
“I just want to clarify I was in fact at the Hotel Villa Magna on April 22 giving an interview to Manu Sainz, something the reporter himself is able to corroborate. Everything else is pure fiction and forgery.”
Cristiano Ronaldo last night denied cheating on his girlfriend Irina Shayk with Brazilian model Andressa Urach who won the title Miss BumBum at a catwalk competition in 2012
Andressa Urach had told The Sun it happened a day after Cristiano Ronaldo was pictured leaving a restaurant in Madrid with his girlfriend Irina Shayk.
Irina Shayt, 27, had her arms crossed and wore a downcast face.
Speaking about their tryst, she said: “It was incredible, his body’s perfect, like a Greek god. He went on for hours and would not stop talking about my butt.”
Andressa Urach claimed Cristiano Ronaldo told her he had dreamed about her behind and called her his “little horse” before asking her to come to Madrid and meet up.
She told how they linked up at the city’s $20,000-a-night Villa Magna hotel after she took a taxi there and waited for him in the lobby.
Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in a grey Audi R3 and parked in an underground car park before taking a private lift to his room, from where he texted her his room number, The Sun reported.
Cristiano Ronaldo is dating Russian beauty Irina Shayk, who is known as one of the world’s top swimwear and lingerie models.
On Thursday Irina Shayk was in the UK attending the launch of the new Eleven Paris store in London.
Irina Shayk and Cristiano Ronaldo started dating three years ago – just weeks before Ronaldo announced he had become a father to a baby son with an unnamed American mother.
Although the Real Madrid player announced he had “exclusive guardianship” of the tot Cristiano Jr., his mother Dolores is helping to raise the child in Portugal.
Over the past few years, Irina Shayk seemed to have embraced the role as surrogate stepmother to the child and has been seen doting over the little boy on frequent occasions.
However, since they started dating in May 2010, Cristiano Ronaldo and Irina Shayk regularly go for weeks or sometimes months without seeing each other.
Irina Shayk is based in New York for her modeling work, but travels all over the world, while Cristiano Ronaldo splits his time between Madrid and his native Portugal.
Six months pregnant Kate Middleton is said to have told a group of Army wives at a recent drinks reception in Aldershot that she has bought a Bugaboo pram in light blue, which some have taken as a clue to her unborn baby’s gender.
It’s been quite a week for Kate Middleton’s baby shopping: not only has she bought her pram, but she’s also chosen a white wicker Moses basket, which she purchased with her mother Carole from luxurious nursery furniture shop Blue Almonds, in South Kensington.
Made by a Dutch company, the Bugaboo quickly became a status symbol for yummy mummies, and, despite a price roughly the same as a small family car, they became a common sight on the streets of Notting Hill and Chelsea.
The top-of-the-range model comes in at just over $1,900.
Popular models such as the Bugaboo Cameleon, which starts at $1,250, even hold their value second-hand.
Kate Middleton is said to have told a group of Army wives at a recent drinks reception in Aldershot that she has bought a Bugaboo pram in light blue
“A pushchair is no longer something you use to push a child from A to B,” said Jo Studholme, who runs online magazine Pushchair Trader.
“They’ve become a status symbol. There are pramaholics out there who snap up the latest models just as they probably bought handbags before they became pregnant.”
While stores such as Mothercare and John Lewis still have a good selection of own-brand prams at the far more reasonable $390, it’s the designer brands that make most money.
Even without Kate Middleton’s endorsement, the rise of the Bugaboo has been meteoric.
What started out as Dutchman Max Barenbrug’s graduation project at design school in 1994 has turned into a global business.
With two daughters, Max Barenburg wanted to come up with a pram that men and women would be happy to push.
Bugaboo employs 800 staff and sells its products in more than 50 countries. The company’s annual revenue has grown from $2.8 million in 2001 to $97 million at the last count.
While sales are undoubtedly boosted by celebrity endorsement, chief marketing officer Madeleen Klaasen insists that quality is the true benchmark of the brand.
“If your product doesn’t perform, you’re gone after the first-year hype,” she says.
Bugaboo fans insist the pram is well-designed and therefore well worth the price-tag – even though it seems to be universally acknowledged that it doesn’t fit into the boot of a small car and is pretty difficult to work out how to open and collapse them.
There are several YouTube videos attempting to show Bugaboo virgins how to fold and unfold them.
“There was a big buzz about which buggy Kate would go for,” says Jo Studholme.
“I think there will be some disappointed manufacturers out there.
“The Bugaboo does have a high price-tag, but it is well-made and is good quality. The customer service is also excellent, so it’s not a surprising choice. But many had hoped she would go for a British brand, like the iCandy, instead.”
At least three people have been killed by an explosion that partly destroyed a block of flats in the northern French city of Reims, officials say.
Reims Mayor Adeline Hazan told BFM TV that the explosion at the four-storey building was probably caused by a gas leak.
Police said another 14 people were injured, including a number of children.
Images show one end of the building has collapsed.
Adeline Hazan told BFM TV the blast – which happened at 11:15 – had been “very strong” and had shattered windows in other buildings.
At least three people have been killed by an explosion that partly destroyed a block of flats in the northern French city of Reims
Two bodies were brought out of the rubble during the morning. A third was found later by search teams. By Sunday evening, two residents were still thought to be missing.
Ten flats were thought to be affected.
The building, in the Wilson area of Reims, is described as social housing dating back to the 1960s.
It was renovated several years ago but residents said that while the front had been re-painted, no change had been made to the interior structure.
A gas explosion in a flat in nearby Witry-les-Reims in early April left four people from the same family dead.
Housing Minister Cecile Duflot has promised a full inquiry.
“It appears the building was well maintained. All the necessary checks were carried out on the appliances,” Cecile Duflot said.
In a statement, President Francois Hollande sent his condolences to the victims’ families and his solidarity to the city of Reims.
A man has been arrested in Italy after he shot two police officers outside the PM’s office in Rome during new government swearing-in ceremony.
One of the officers was shot in the neck and is said to be in a serious condition.
The incident was around a kilometre away from the swearing-in ceremony at the Quirinal Palace.
Democratic Party Deputy Leader (PD), Enrico Letta, becomes prime minister at the head of a “grand coalition” including Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party (PDL).
The swearing-in signals the end of two months of political deadlock.
Correspondents say the “grand coalition” between Italy’s current main right- and left-wing parties is unprecedented, and will probably prove an uneasy alliance.
A man has been arrested in Italy after he shot two police officers outside the PM’s office in Rome during new government swearing-in ceremony
Silvio Berlusconi had said he would not be a minister, but had pushed for leading figures from his party to be given top posts.
Angelino Alfano, the PDL’s secretary and one of Silvio Berlusconi’s closest political allies, is deputy prime minister and interior minister in the new government.
Among the other key appointments is Bank of Italy director general Fabrizio Saccomanni to head the powerful economy ministry.
The cabinet is to have more women than usual, including former European Commissioner Emma Bonino as foreign minister.
Other women given government jobs include Olympic kayaker Josefa Idem who becomes minister of equal opportunity and sports, and Anna Maria Cancellieri at the ministry of justice.
Since February’s inconclusive poll there has been political stalemate in Italy, which is still plagued by economic woes after becoming one of the first eurozone victims of the global financial crisis of 2008.
President Giorgio Napolitano said on Saturday that the government would have the support of both chambers of parliament.
“I hope that this government can get to work quickly in the spirit of fervent co-operation and without any prejudice or conflict,” the president said.
“It was and is the only possible government.”
President Giorgio Napolitano, who is serving an unprecedented second term in Italy, has suggested he might resign if the new government fails to enact reforms.
Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris grew up without her mother after Debbie Rowe signed away all parental rights to the megastar in 2001, when the girl was just 3-year-old.
However, since Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, mother and daughter are trying to make up for lost time by slowly forging a close relationship.
And the first picture of Paris Jackson and Debbie Rowe together has surfaced, showing Debbie with her arm around Paris as they celebrated the teenager’s 15th birthday at Ahi Sushi in Studio City, California, on April 3, reports Entertainment Tonight.
Paris Jackson appeared serene and content as she leaned in close to her mother, a dermatologist’s nurse, who looked thrilled to be included in her daughter’s birthday celebration.
Paris – the youngest of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe’s two children – showed off her edgy style by wearing her short dark hair swept across her forehead and highlighting her eyes with thick black liner.
The resemblance between them is clear, especially in the color and shape of their eyes and their noses.
Debbie Rowe has reportedly developed an “intense bond” with her daughter and the pair have been spending lots of time together in recent months.
The first public picture of Paris Jackson and Debbie Rowe together, as they celebrated the teenager’s 15th birthday at Ahi Sushi in Studio City, California, on April 3
Michael Jackson’s ex-wife supported Paris, who performed in a dance contest at her school in Los Angeles last weekend, turning up with a bouquet of flowers.
Recently, Paris Jackson revealed that she had also been shopping with her mother, an activity that her grandmother Katherine Jackson was approving of.
The teenager said: “When I’m with my mom, we don’t really have security with us. Which is really nice.”
Paris’ uncle Jermaine Jackson recently said he approved of the pair’s burgeoning relationship.
Jermaine Jackson told TMZ: “I think that’s wonderful. The kids need their mum. I think it’s great. That’s their mother. That’s wonderful. That’s a good thing.’
Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson met when he was a patient at the specialist skin clinic she worked at when he was being treated for his chronic vitiligo.
They were married between 1996 and 1999, and Debbie Rowe gave full custody of her two children with Michael Jackson, Prince and Paris, during their divorce proceedings in 1999.
Debbie Rowe, now 54, later took things one step further in 2001, and relinquished all parental rights to the children, who were just toddlers at the time.
However, after Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009, Debbie Rowe reached an agreement with the megastar’s mother – who became the children’s legal guardian – for supervised visitation rights.
The Daily Mirror previously reported that Paris Jackson had found it “easy” to bond with her mother, and had been interested to know more about the dynamic of her relationship with her late father.
A friend said: “Paris is very inquisitive and found Debbie easy to bond with.”
Meanwhile, it appears Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson’s son Prince is not yet ready to develop a relationship with his mother.
The 16-year-old budding TV presenter allegedly isn’t interested in getting to know his birth mother, but she hopes that they will develop a natural connection much like she did with Paris.
Iceland’s centre-right opposition parties are set for a return to power with nearly all votes counted after Saturday’s parliamentary election.
The Independence party has 26% and the Progressive party 24%, putting them on track to win nearly 40 of the 63 seats.
The ruling Social Democrats are trailing with around 13%.
It is a dramatic comeback for the parties widely blamed for Iceland’s economic meltdown in 2008.
Iceland saw its prosperity evaporate, as the country’s three banks collapsed, and the Social Democrats came to power a year later, with a programme of austerity tailored to international lenders’ requirements.
“The Independence party has been called to duty again,” said leader Bjarni Benediktsson, who looks likely to become prime minister.
“We’ve seen what cutbacks have done for our healthcare system and social benefits … now it’s time to make new investments, create jobs and start growth,” he said.
“I’m very pleased,” said Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, leader of the Progressive party, as results came in.
Iceland’s centre-right opposition parties are set for a return to power with nearly all votes counted after Saturday’s parliamentary election
The centre-right camp has promised debt relief and a cut in taxes.
The two parties are also seen as Eurosceptic, and their poll success could slow down Iceland’s efforts to become a member of the European Union.
The Eurosceptics argue that Iceland already gets most of the benefits of full membership through existing free trade arrangements with the EU and by being part the Schengen visa-free travel zone.
Many Icelanders have become frustrated with the outgoing Social Democrat government, saying that its austerity policies were too painful.
A number of smaller parties have performed well, including Bright Future, which looks set to enter parliament with six seats and the computer activist Pirate party, with three.
The Social Democrats are on course for nine seats and the Left-Greens seven.
Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is being held in a small cell with a steel door at a federal medical detention center about 40 miles outside the city, a federal official said Saturday.
Federal Medical Center Devens spokesman John Collauti described the conditions under which 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was being held in the Ayer facility after being moved there from a hospital Friday.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was injured during a police chase in which his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, also a suspect in the bombing, was fatally wounded.
John Collauti said in a telephone interview that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is in secure housing where authorities can monitor him. His cell has a solid steel door with an observation window and a slot for passing food and medication.
The spokesman wouldn’t discuss specific details related to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, but said that typically medical workers making rounds each shift monitor the inmates. He said guards also keep an eye on some cells with video cameras.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is being held in a small cell with a steel door at a federal medical detention center about 40 miles outside Boston
Also, inmates in the more restrictive section do not have access to TVs or radios, but can read books and other materials, he said.
“Really this type of facility is fully capable of handling him and it’s not that much of an inconvenience because it’s more or less business as usual,” John Collauti said.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev left Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where he was controversially treated just yards from the wards containing many of his victims.
His new home is part of the minimum security facility on the decommissioned Fort Devens U.S. Army base.
It treats federal prisoners and detainees who require specialized long-term medical or mental health care.
It has been referred to in the past as “agreeable” and “fairly pleasant”.
It is designated as an administrative facility, which means it has inmates from different security classifications, from white-collar criminals to mobsters and sex offenders.
The medical center currently houses 1,000 inmates with 124 in a minimum-security satellite prison camp. It costs around $157 for each inmate per day.
According to its website, these minimum security prison camps, have dormitory housing, a relatively low staff-to-inmate ratio, and limited or no perimeter fencing.
They are usually work-and-program oriented and inmates help serve the labor needs of the larger institution or base.
Former NYPD officer William Masso, former New Jersey assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt and one time Underworld mafia boss John Franzese, 96, are currently inmates there.
The medical center inmates are often allowed to leave the facility to see outside specialists and for tests and medical procedures not available in the medical center.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is focused on preventing rehabilitation by encouraging inmates to participate in a range of programs that have been proven to reduce repeat offending.
The level of security which Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will be held under depends on his changing circumstances – because he is a pretrial inmate – and he has no set protocol at this time.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will have access to medical and dental care, and the prison’s handbook states that inmates have the right to a healthy, nutritious diet, as well as information about staying healthy while behind bars.
He admitted to his role in the attacks to the FBI this week – but apparently clammed up when finally read his Miranda rights.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had been communicating with law enforcement officials by writing on a pad after suffering an injury to his throat during the frenzied manhunt for him which renders him unable to talk.
However, the moment he was read his rights on Monday – which as a citizen of the United States entitle him to the constitutional right to remain silent and seek a lawyer – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev stopped communicating.
According to a new report, Russian authorities secretly recorded one of the Boston bombers discussing jihad with his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, in 2011 but failed to alert U.S. security agencies.
U.S. officials were told for the first time this week that two calls of note were discovered when the Russian internal security service, the RSB, were bugging calls at the Tsarnaevs family home in Dagestan, according to reports.
The recording picked up a “vague conversation” about jihad between either Dzhokhar or Tamerlan Tsarnaev and their mother Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the Associated Press reported.
It also picked up a phone call between Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and a man under FBI investigation living in Southern Russia.
American security sources anonymously revealed the information to the news agency and said if the calls had been flagged to the FBI, the agency may have conducted a more detailed investigation into the two men.
There was no evidence of a plot against America in the calls, according to the report.
Russian authorities secretly recorded one of the Boston bombers discussing jihad with his mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, in 2011 but failed to alert U.S. security agencies
The news comes as the FBI attempts to defend itself against criticism that it failed to fully investigate Tamerlan Tsarnaev that year.
In January, the FBI investigated and interviewed the family after Russian authorities flagged the elder bomber as a possible security threat.
It is not clear why the phone calls would not have been reported to American security officers as part of that briefing and the RSB were unavailable for comment.
Following their probe, the FBI concluded Tamerlan Tsarnaev did not present a threat and ceased monitoring him stating they saw no links to “terrorism activity, domestic or foreign”.
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R. South Carolina) said the agency had “dropped the ball” in that probe.
On Friday, the New York Times reported that the Russian government followed up their concerns over Tamerlan Tsarnaev six months later – asking the CIA for whatever information it had on him.
It is not clear what prompted the Russian request but the CIA review agreed with the FBI that Tamerlan Tsarnaev posed no threat.
As a precaution they placed him on a 70,000 name watch-list called the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE).
However, there were mistakes in both the spelling of his name and in his date of birth, so his six month departure from the country in 2012 wasn’t properly identified, according to the Times.
The first Russian request came in March 2011 through the FBI’s office in the United States Embassy in Moscow.
In a one-page request they said Tamerlan Tsarnaev “had changed drastically since 2010” and was preparing “to join unspecified underground groups”.
By June 2011 the FBI said they were satisfied he provided no threat and notified Russia.
They also added Tamerlan Tsarnaev to another watch-list – the Treasury Enforcement Communications System.
According to the Times, the FBI repeatedly went back to Russia to request more detail but they failed to provide any new information.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has come under increasing scrutiny in recent days given her outspoken denial of her sons’ actions and wild accusations of a cover-up.
She has repeatedly said her sons were framed and even claimed blood on the streets, after the bombings, was paint.
On Friday, it emerged agents now consider Zubeidat Tsarnaeva “a person of interest” in their investigation.
“She [Zubeidat Tsarnaeva] is a person of interest that we’re looking at to see if she helped radicalize her son, or had contacts with other people or other terrorist groups,” Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Democrat from Maryland, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, said.
Both sons appear to have had a close relationship with their mother.
Just before his death Tamerlan Tsarnaev made a final call to her saying: “Mama I love you.”
She was intending to travel with her husband to the U.S. last week but both delayed those plans.
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva said any suggestion she has links to terrorist activity are “lies and hypocrisy”.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has suffered a mini-stroke and has been flown to hospital in Paris, the state news agency said.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 76, had a “transient ischemia” – a temporary blockage of a blood vessel often called a mini-stroke – an official told the APS news agency.
But he said there was “no reason for worry” about the president.
The agency said Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who makes few public appearances – was undergoing tests in Paris.
The Algerian leader is reported to be at the Val de Grace military hospital, commonly used by high-profile patients from France and beyond.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has suffered a mini-stroke and has been flown to hospital in Paris
“An initial investigation has already been opened and his Excellency the president of the republic must observe a period of rest to undergo tests,” Rachid Bougherbal, the director of the National Sports Medicine Centre, was quoted as saying by APS.
PM Abdelmalek Sellal echoed Rachid Bourgherbal’s assurances that there was no need for concern.
But the fact that he has been sent to Paris has prompted questions about the accuracy of the official account, correspondents say.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika underwent surgery in hospital in Paris several years ago. Officially the problem was a stomach ulcer, but a leaked US diplomatic cable suggested he had cancer.
In spite of his age and apparently failing health, there are still those who believe Abdelaziz Bouteflika could stand for a fourth term in office in elections scheduled for next year.
Abdelaziz Bouteflika is part of an ageing leadership which has dominated Algerian politics since the country gained independence from France more than 50 years ago.
Rio de Janeiro’s world-famous Maracana stadium has reopened after nearly three years of renovations to prepare it for the World Cup finals in 2014.
Workers who helped with the renovation and their families were treated to an exhibition match between teams of stars past and present.
But leading newspapers reported problems with the new facility.
The reopening follows controversy over delays, costs and the future privatization of the site.
The renovation was completed four months behind schedule.
Days before the test event, seats were still being installed and pavements laid near the venue.
Rio de Janeiro’s world-famous Maracana stadium has reopened after nearly three years of renovations to prepare it for the World Cup finals in 2014.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor Eduardo Paes were among the 30,000-strong crowd watching the friendly between teams captained by Ronaldo and Bebeto.
But the Jornal do Brasil said Saturday’s visitors “needed patience to deal with the many problems” at the venue, arising from the rush to complete it.
It highlighted uneven flooring with small gaps and holes, flooding in the VIP area and a dysfunctional lift, and said some staff had tried to prevent journalists taking pictures of the affected areas.
Workers were still finishing building a stadium wall, and ticket offices, turnstiles and gates were not working, said another paper, the Folha de Sao Paulo.
But in a statement quoted by the Folha de Sao Paulo, the Rio de Janeiro state government pointed out that this was a test event, using only 30% of the stadium’s full capacity, and did not represent the full reopening.
It said it was “natural” that some more work remained to be done.
“Maracana will be delivered fully ready on the date set by FIFA: 24 May,” it reportedly said.
Former Brazil star striker Ronaldo, who captained one team for the exhibition match against former teammate Bebeto, said the stadium looked “amazing”.
“I’m happy to see the stadium ready again. The Maracana is a symbol of this country,” he said, according to the Associated Press news agency.
Former Brazil coach and player Mario Zagallo said he had “goose-bumps” when he arrived, AP said.
The first major international test of the facility will be a friendly between Brazil and England on June 2 before the Confederations Cup begins two weeks later.
There has been criticism of the cost of the renovation – nearly $500 million – because the stadium has already seen a number of upgrades.
A Brazilian indigenous group, the Aldeia Maracana (or Maracana tribe), have also protested at the site against their eviction from a former indigenous museum, built in 1862.
Plans to privatize the Maracana have run into controversy too, with demonstrations against the demolition of local facilities to make way for an arena with bars, restaurants and shops.
Critics say privatization will return much less to the government than it invested in the project.
The Maracana is seen as an iconic venue. Nearly 200,000 people watched the 1950 World Cup final between Brazil and Uruguay – the largest crowd ever to have watched a football match at a stadium.
This year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) saw President Barack Obama in pictures with Michelle-style bangs, quipping about Jay-Z and sideswiping at the media and his political foes.
The traditional send-up speech saw the President earn some laughter at his own expense but also land some funny blows against the media and the Republican Party.
Barack Obama opened with a soft joke about his time in office but increasingly moved onto more controversial territory – even joking about “burning books with Michelle Bachmann”.
The president said his advisers said he should stick to the traditional format and make jokes knocking himself down a peg or two.
Barack Obama added: “After four and a half years how many pegs are there left.”
“I still make rookie mistakes,” he told the 3,000 strong audience.
“Like, I’m out in California, we’re at a fundraiser, we’re having a nice time and I happened to mention that Kamala Harris is the best looking attorney general in the country. As you might imagine, I got trouble when I got back home. Who knew Eric Holder was so sensitive?”
“And then there’s the Easter Egg Roll, which is just supposed to be a nice event with the kids. I got out on the basketball court, took 22 shots, made 2 of them. That’s right, 2 hits, 20 misses. The executives at NBC asked, <<What’s your secret?>>.”
Swipes at the media’s expense are traditional fare at the event and Barack Obama seemed to have plenty of material – knocking CNN for mistakes and poking fun at the revolving door between politics and the media.
Referencing campaign adviser David Axelrod and the fact he is now working for MSNBC, he added: “It’s a nice change of pace because MSNBC used to work for David Axelrod.”
The president referenced his likeness to theSatan actor in The History Channel’s show The Bible saying that maybe the channel didn’t attend because they were too embarrassed for associating him with evil.
He then joked: “That never stops Fox News from turning up. They thought that comparison was not fair … to Satan.”
In another media joke, he added: “I remember when Buzzfeed was something I did in college around 2 a.m.”
Barack Obama wasn’t going to spare the chance to throw in a few barbs about the Republicans and their election campaign either.
“One thing [the Republican Party] agrees on is the need to do a better job of reaching out to minorities. And look, call me self-centered, but I can think of one minority they can start with. [Raises his hand] Think of me as a trial run, see how it goes.”
He spoke about reaching out to Republicans, quipping: “Some folks still don’t think I spend enough time with Congress. <<Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?>> they ask. Really? Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?”
Barack Obama vowed to take his “charm offensive” on the road to “a Texas BBQ with Ted Cruz, a Kentucky bluegrass concert with Rand Paul, and a book burning with Michele Bachmann”.
Addressing his re-election campaign, Barack Obama joked about his rivals attempts to discredit him.
This year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner saw President Barack Obama in pictures with Michelle-style bangs
“Did you know that Sheldon Adelson spent $100 million of his own money last year on negative ads? You’ve got to really dislike me to spend that kind of money. I mean, that’s Oprah money. … Sheldon would have been better off offering me $100 million to drop out of the race. I wouldn’t have taken it but I would have thought about it. Michelle would have taken it – you think I’m joking?”
The president made fun about conspiracy theories about his past, joking: “I’m not the strapping young Muslim socialist that I used to be.”
On his appearance, Barack Obama noted his graying hair and also presented a picture of himself photo-shopped with the First Lady’s style bangs.
He said he wanted “a little energy” and a “bit of change” for his second term with the new look.
Another photograph mocked the Bush library, opened earlier this week, and featured the new building alongside a giant “It’s His Fault” sign’.
In the multimedia routine, Steven Spielberg was on-hand to appear in a video mocking a movie on Barack Obama’s legacy.
Steven Spielberg said he called on Daniel Day Lewis to encapsulate the “lame duck, aloof” president.
President Barack Obama then appeared on screen pretending to be the method actor in the role.
In the event which was attacked in recent days for being too celebrity-focused, Barack Obama acknowledged his own controversial celebrity relationships.
He joked: “I’ve got 99 problems and now Jay Z is one.”
The President’s edgier material eased the way for host Conan O’Brien.
“As you all know, the president is hard at work creating jobs,” he joked.
“Since he was first elected, the number of popes has doubled. The number of <<Tonight Show>> hosts has tripled.”
He also leveled a few jokes at the media.
“If HuffPost is here, who’s covering 7 mistakes you’re making with bacon?” he asked.
In a popular topic for ridicule he also mocked CNN, joking: “Tonight’s dinner was halibut and filet, or as John King reported it: Lasagna and couscous.”
“Yes, a lot of online stars are in the room but, unfortunately, Matt Drudge couldn’t make it,” Conan O’Brien said.
“He had a prior commitment to teach a web design class in 1997.”
“Some people say print media is dying, but I don’t believe it,” Conan O’Brien added.
“And neither does my blacksmith.”
“It’s no surprise that Speaker John Boehner isn’t here tonight,” Conan O’Brien said.
“President Obama and John Boehner are kind of like a blind date between Anderson Cooper and Rachel Maddow. In theory, they understand each other’s positions but, deep down, you know nothing’s ever going to happen.”
NBC veteran Tom Brokaw turned down his invite this year claiming the event had become too tabloid.
One of America’s most respected journalists, Tom Brokaw said, it was last year’s appearance of Lindsay Lohan which was the final straw for him.
“The breaking point for me was Lindsay Lohan,” he told Politico on Friday.
“She became a big star at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Give me a break.”
The red carpet didn’t seem to disprove his point with dozens of celebrities from a-list to z-list lining up in their finest.
However, Conan O’Brien used the small screen attendees to his benefit.
Imagining the casting of a miniseries on Washington, the comedian ran through a series of potential lookalikes from Bob Barker as Vice President Joe Biden; an Easter Island Head as John Kerry; a Furby as Wolf Blitzer and – with one of the biggest laughs of the night – “tan mom” as Boehner.
The tradition of news outlets bringing stars to join their tables began when the cast of Saturday Night Live was brought down from New York to D.C. in the mid-1970s.
This year, celebrities had an Oscars-worthy parade of glamorous designer dresses and stylish suits on show – making it is as much an event for the fashion pack as the usual politicos.
Leading the perfect combination of the two, Michelle Obama arrived in a sequined black gown while Obama supporter and Vogue editor Anna Wintour opted for a white fur shawl.
Constance Zimmer and Kate Mara, who co-star as reporters in the political series House Of Cards, and Connie Britton, who plays an all-American country singer in Nashville, were some of the stars attending.
The women opted to show their patriotic colors with Constance Zimmer, 42, donning a red floaty frock, Kate Mara, 30, in a white floor-length gown, and Connie Britton, 46, in a blue mermaid-style creation.
It wasn’t only female celebrities invited along for the ride, Piers Morgan brought Gerald Butler along as his plus 1.
Kerry Washington, 36, star of the political drama Scandal, donned a dramatic black-and-white patterned gown.
“Just had my fitting with @Stephendatailor – my awesome go to tailor in DC! – getting EXCITED about tonight. #whcd,” tweeted Kerry Washington earlier in the day.
However, excited celebrities weren’t the only ones taking to Twitter to make their feelings known about the events.
Sarah Palin tweeted: “That WHCD was pathetic. The rest of America is out there working our asses off while these DC assclowns throw themselves a nerd prom.”
When Kate Middleton revealed she had bought a pram in light blue, Royal watchers wondered excitedly if she had dropped the biggest clue yet to the sex of her unborn child.
Kate Middleton – who is six months pregnant – told guests at a recent reception that she had chosen a buggy by designer label Bugaboo, which has celebrity fans including actress Sienna Miller and television presenter Peaches Geldof.
The buggies, which cost from £500 to £1,000 ($800-$1,600) and can operate as either a pushchair or pram, come in a variety of colors and parents who do not know the sex of their baby usually prefer neutral hues such as beige, off-white or black.
Kate Middleton and Prince William have insisted that they do not know if they are having a boy or a girl.
Kate Middleton, who is six months pregnant, told guests at a recent reception that she bought a Bugaboo pram in light blue
But although it is possible to swap some of the buggy’s accessories for those in different colors, including pink, Kate Middleton’s choice of blue will be seen as a clear hint as to her feelings about the gender.
The Duchess of Cambridge has said she would prefer a son while Prince William wants a daughter.
Yesterday, Bugaboo said it had not presented the buggy to the Royal couple after being advised by officials not to send gifts.
So it appears that the duchess, who was seen shopping for a Moses basket in South Kensington last week with her mother, bought the pram herself.
Kate Middleton, 31, revealed the Bugaboo color when she chatted to a group of Army wives at a drinks reception in Aldershot on St Patrick’s Day.
A source has claimed: “She and some of the other girls were talking about prams and one of the girls had her baby in a Bugaboo.
“Kate said she has bought one in light blue. It was a bit of a hint.”
Guardsman Lee Wheeler, 29, who met Kate Middleton at the ceremony, said the Duchess was happily discussing the Royal bump.
He said: “I asked her, <<Do you know if it’s a girl or a boy?>> and she said, <<Not yet>>.
“She said, <<I’d like to have a boy and William would like a girl>>. I asked her if she had any names and she said no.”
Since then, however, Kate Middleton and Prince William revealed they have a shortlist of boys’ and girls’ names.
Alexandra and Elizabeth are said to be favorites for a girl, with George in the running for a boy.
Marc Anthony has dumped Topshop heiress Chloe Green just weeks after she moved to the US, according to claims.
Marc Anthony, 44, reportedly told Chloe Green their romance was over and the designer, who at 22 is just three years older than her lover’s oldest daughter, moved her belongings out of their shared Miami house.
Chloe Green, whose father Sir Philip is worth an estimated £3.8 billion ($6 billion), was first spotted out with Jennifer Lopez’s ex-husband in February.
It is thought Sir Philip Green, who is good friends with Marc Anthony had given his seal of approval to the union.
Marc Anthony has dumped Topshop heiress Chloe Green just weeks after she moved to the US
A source told The Sun On Sunday: “The pair got serious very quickly and had the blessing of her parents, but it hasn’t worked out.
“It seems to have been Marc’s decision to end it.”
The source added the decision to split was sudden and Chloe Green has now left Miami to go on holiday with friends to recover.
Marc Anthony was married to Jennifer Lopez for 8 years and has twins Emme Maribel Muñiz and Maximillian David Muñiz with the star.
He also has a daughter Ariana from his relationship with former New York police officer Debbie Rosado and two sons with ex-wife former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.
Sir Philip Green holidayed with Marc Anthony and J-Lo in 2010.
Chloe Green’s exes include Djibril Cisse and Jermain Defoe.
Earlier in the relationship Marc Anthony and his younger girlfriend were believed to have been smitten, with the UK based Chloe Green moving over to the US for her lover.
A source told Grazia magazine: “Chloe and Marc have totally fallen for one another. She’s been looking into getting a place in New York, where they love to hang out, or Miami, where his family are based.”
According to Heat magazine, Sir Philip Green flew out to Miami to spend the Easter weekend with Chloe and Marc Anthony, as well as her mother Tina and brother Brandon, where the group got some dutch courage for the family meeting by drinking Dom Perignon at local club Set.
A deal on the formation of a new government has been reached in Italy, ending two months of political deadlock since the general election.
The agreement was announced after Prime Minister-designate Enrico Letta met President Giorgio Napolitano.
The coalition brings together Enrico Letta’s Democratic Party (PD) and the People of Freedom party (PDL) of former PM Silvio Berlusconi.
The swearing-in is to take place on Sunday at 11:30 local time.
Silvio Berlusconi had said he would not be a minister, but had pushed for leading figures from his party to be given top posts.
Angelino Alfano, the PDL’s secretary, will become deputy prime minister and interior minister in the new government.
Among the other key appointments proposed, Bank of Italy director general Fabrizio Saccomanni will head the powerful economy ministry and former European Commissioner Emma Bonino will become foreign minister.
Italian Prime Minister-designate Enrico Letta has agreed new government ending two months of political deadlock
The formation of the new government brings to an end a political deadlock that has unnerved financial markets since February’s inconclusive election.
President Giorgio Napolitano said the government would have the support of both chambers of parliament.
“I hope that this government can get to work quickly in the spirit of fervent co-operation and without any prejudice or conflict,” he said.
“It was and is the only possible government.”
The new government has to deal with a rapidly declining economic situation, rising unemployment – particularly among under the 35s – and lack of growth, despite some draconian austerity measures passed by the previous government of technocrats.
Enrico Letta, 46, is considered a moderate within the PD and is linked to Silvio Berlusconi through his uncle, Gianni Letta, who is one of Berlusconi’s closest aides.
Silvio Berlusconi is still contesting charges of tax fraud and sex with an underage prostitute, but recent opinion polls suggest his popularity has increased, giving him greater bargaining power.
Enrico Letta expressed “sober satisfaction over the team we put together”.
He has said he will shift the focus away from austerity to resolve Europe’s economic problems.
Enrico Letta’s candidacy for prime minister emerged after the PD leader, Pier Luigi Bersani, announced his resignation following a party rebellion over his choice for Italian president and his refusal to work with Silvio Berlusconi.
The third strongest force to emerge from the Italian election, the Five Star movement led by former comedian, Beppe Grillo, has refused to take part in a coalition with the two main parties.
He likened such a coalition to “an orgy worthy of the best of bunga bunga” in a barb directed at Silvio Berlusconi’s renowned private parties.
President Giorgio Napolitano, who is serving an unprecedented second term, has suggested he might resign if a new government fails to enact reforms.
Italian government – proposed posts:
Enrico Letta, 46: Prime minister
Angelino Alfano, 42: Deputy PM and interior minister
Everett Dutschke from Mississippi has been arrested and charged in connection with the sending of letters containing ricin to President Barack Obama, Senator Roger Wicker and Judge Sadie Holland.
Everett Dutschke, 41, was detained at home in Tupelo on Saturday and handed over to US Marshals, police said.
He has been charged with possessing a biological agent with intent to use as a weapon.
Everett Dutschke has links to Paul Kevin Curtis, the man against whom charges were filed and later dropped, as well as the senator and judge.
Ricin is a naturally occurring protein, found in the castor oil plant, which is highly toxic. It is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide.
Tupelo Police Chief Tony Carleton said Everett Dutschke was taken into custody without incident at 01:00 on Saturday. His home had been under surveillance since Friday afternoon.
A law enforcement official told WTVA that Everett Dutschke was being held at the Lafayette County Detention Center.
Everett Dutschke from Mississippi has been arrested and charged in connection with the sending of letters containing ricin to President Barack Obama, Senator Roger Wicker and Judge Sadie Holland
The US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Mississippi said in a press release that Everett Dutschke had been charged with developing, producing and possessing “a biological agent, toxin and delivery system for use as a weapon, to wit: ricin”.
If convicted of the federal charge, he faces a maximum life term in jail and a $250,000 fine.
The office said Everett Dutschke was expected to appear in a district court in Mississippi on Monday.
Agents from the FBI and the US Capitol Police, as well as members of an anti-terrorist response team from the Mississippi National Guard, had searched Everett Dutschke’s home on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as the premises of a former martial arts studio he ran in Tupelo.
Attention turned to Everett Dutschke after charges were dropped on Tuesday against Paul Kevin Curtis, a local Elvis impersonator.
A search of Paul Kevin Curtis’ home in nearby Corinth revealed no evidence to suggest he had sent the ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama, Senator Roger Wicker and Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland, officials said.
Hal Neilson, a lawyer for Paul Kevin Curtis, said Everett Dutschke’s name had been submitted on a list of people who might have had a reason to hurt his client.
Paul Kevin Curtis said he had worked with Everett Dutschke several years ago, and that they had discussed publishing a book called Missing Pieces, about an alleged conspiracy to sell body parts on the black market. Everett Dutschke decided not to publish the material, Paul Kevin Curtis added.
But Everett Dutschke told the Associated Press that he did not know Paul Kevin Curtis well, and that the last time they had contact was in 2010.
Judge Sadie Holland’s family is reported to have confronted Everett Dutschke at a political rally in the town of Verona in 2007, when he ran as a Republican against her son, Steve Holland, a Democratic state representative. Steve Holland said Everett Dutschke had made a derogatory speech about the Holland family, and that his mother had forced him to apologize.
Everett Dutschke said Steve Holland had exaggerated the incident, telling AP: “Everybody loves Sadie, including me.”
Jean Henry, who worked at Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner Dr. H. Wayne Carver’s office, was accused of bringing her husband in to gawk at the body of Newtown school shooter Adam Lanza and has been fired.
Dr. H. Wayne Carver dismissed Jean Henry, a processing technician, in a letter released Friday.
Jean henry was accused of showing Adam Lanza’s body to her husband on December 16, 2012.
Two days earlier, Adam Lanza killed 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and then turned a gun on himself.
It was reported in January that Jean Henry was put on administrative leave pending an investigation into the matter.
Morgue worker Jean Henry was accused of bringing her husband in to gawk at the body of Adam Lanza and has been fired
At that time, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy said he was informed of the investigation, which the University of Connecticut Health Center conducted as the agency that handles personnel matters for the medical examiner’s office.
“I hope that was not true. The investigation is ongoing,” Dannel P. Malloy said
“I would be deeply disappointed if proven to be true and would expect, if proven to be true, that whatever steps are appropriate would be taken.”
The Hartford Courant first broke the story.
Dr. H. Wayne Carver wrote that, in bringing her husband into the morgue, Jean Henry violated the agency’s ethical mission and showed “extremely poor judgment”.
Chris DeFrancesco, a University of Connecticut Health Center spokesman, says a grievance process is underway and no further information is available.
The center handles personnel matters for the medical examiner’s lab.
Frugal billionaire Mark Zuckerberg continues to enjoy his budget holiday in Hawaii with his wife Priscilla Chan, while it has been revealed he is even richer than previously thought.
Mark Zuckerberg, 28, gained $2.3 billion from selling 60 million stock options just before Facebook’s initial public offering last year.
Facebook’s CEO and his Harvard-educated doctor wife are also rumored to be on the lookout for real estate in Hawaii.
Despite his latest windfall, sport-shorts wearing Mark Zuckerberg remains focused on the simple things in life. Rather than indulging in lavish dinners and extravagant outings, he has been spotted eating burgers and surfing in recent days.
Mark Zuckerberg isn’t the first frugal billionaire, Warren Buffet is another who would prefer to keep his wealth in the bank rather than spend it on extravagant purchases. He famously still lives in the same modest home he bought in 1958 for $31,500.
Facebook’s CEO has another reason to keep his vacation cheap and cheerful. According to regulatory documents filed Friday, he has also been saddled with a massive $1.1 billion tax bill. Money he raised by selling 30.2 million Facebook shares for $38 apiece in the IPO.
Frugal billionaire Mark Zuckerberg continues to enjoy his budget holiday in Hawaii with his wife Priscilla Chan, while it has been revealed he is even richer than previously thought
Facebook’s stock hasn’t closed above $38 since the IPO was completed last May. The shares gained 71 cents Friday to close at $26.85.
The 29% decline from Facebook’s IPO price has cost Zuckerberg nearly $7 billion on paper, based on the 609.5 million shares of company stock that he owned as of March 31, according to the regulatory filing. His current stake is still worth $16.4 billion.
Mark Zuckerberg, who started Facebook in his Harvard University dorm room in 2004, has indicated he has no immediate plans to sell more stock.
The proxy statement filed to announce Facebook’s June 11 shareholder meeting is the first time that the magnitude of Mark Zuckerberg’s stock option gain had been quantified.
The proxy also revealed that Mark Zuckerberg’s pay package last year rose 16% because of increased personal usage of jets chartered by the company as part of his security program.
Mark Zuckerberg’s compensation last year totaled nearly $2 million, up from $1.7 million last year. Of those amounts, $1.2 million covered the costs of his personal air travel last year, up from $692,679 in 2011.
If not for the spike in travel costs, Mark Zuckerberg’s pay would have declined by 17%. His salary and bonus totaled $769,306 last year versus $928,833 in 2011.
But despite being worth $13.3billion, Mark Zuckerberg enjoys life’s simple pleasures. Earlier this week he and his wife were spotted chatting with friends at picnic tables while snacking on Kauai’s famous Bubba burgers and smoothies.
The couple, who are notoriously down-to-earth, sported casual wear and Mark wore his now-famous sandals, which are parodied by Jesse Eisenberg in the film about Facebook, The Social Network.
Bangladeshi police has arrested two owners of garment factories in the building that collapsed on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka this week killing at least 336 people.
Owners Mahbubur Rahman Tapas and Balzul Samad Adnan are suspected of forcing staff to work in the eight-storey building, ignoring warnings about cracks.
At least 336 people are known to have died after the Rana Plaza in the suburb of Savar collapsed on Wednesday.
On Saturday morning, at least 24 more people were rescued from the rubble.
Rescuers and volunteers, who worked through the night, cheered as they were brought to safety.
Earlier, rescue teams said they had located about 40 survivors on the collapsed third and fifth floors of the building.
Officials said they were working to extricate the remaining survivors and had passed oxygen cylinders and water to those still trapped.
Among those pulled out alive after three days in the rubble was Marina Begum, 22, now recovering in hospital.
Bangladeshi police has arrested two owners of garment factories in the building that collapsed on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka this week killing at least 336 people
“It felt like I was in hell,” she said.
“It was so hot, I could hardly breathe, there was no food or water. When I regained my senses I found myself in this hospital bed.”
More bodies of victims were also retrieved overnight and on Saturday morning.
Some 3,000 people are believed to have been working in the building at the time of the collapse and about 600 are still missing. Rana Plaza housed three garment factories, a bank and a number of shops.
Watching the operation are hundreds of relatives of those still missing, many clutching photographs of their loved ones.
Abul Basar wept as he awaited news of his wife who worked in one of the garment factories.
“My son says that his mother will come back some day, she must return,” he cried.
Mahbubur Rahman Tapas and Balzul Samad Adnan, the owners of the New Wave Bottoms and New Wave Style factories, were remanded in custody for 12 days by a court on Saturday. They were arrested earlier in the day after turning themselves in.
Deputy chief of Dhaka police Shyami Mukherjee said the two were accused of causing “death due to negligence”.
The owners reportedly told their employees to return to work on Wednesday, even though cracks were visible in the building a day earlier.
Three other clothing factories were reportedly operating in the building.
Police are also questioning two municipal engineers who are reported to have approved the safety of the building a day before it collapsed.
The owner of Rana Plaza, Mohammed Sohel Rana, is said to have gone into hiding.
“Those who’re involved, especially the owner who forced the workers to work there, will be punished,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told lawmakers on Friday.
“Wherever he is, he will be found and brought to justice,” the prime minister added.
There is widespread anger in Bangladesh over the disaster and fresh clashes between police and protesters erupted again on Saturday.
On Friday, police used tear-gas and rubber bullets to break up crowds that had blocked roads, set fire to buses and attacked textile factories.
Protesters are demanding that the government arrests all those responsible for the disaster and improves conditions for garment workers.
Police are guarding other garment factories in the area.
Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers that benefit from its widespread low-cost labor.
But the industry has been widely criticized for its low pay and limited rights given to workers and for the often dangerous working conditions in garment factories.
Primark, a clothes retailer with a large presence in Britain, confirmed that one of its suppliers was on the second floor of the Rana Plaza, and said it would work with other retailers to review standards.
Labor rights groups say the companies have a moral duty to ensure their suppliers are providing safe conditions for their employees.
UK fashion designer Katharine Hamnett has called on fashion brands to insist on safer working conditions for garment workers internationally.
“The price of clothes may be low but they are paid for with human lives,” she is reported to have said at the Vogue Festival in London on Saturday.
“We should demand credible, certifiable inspections on building structures and industry standards.”
She added: “This is a very dark day for the clothing industry.”
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Communist Party and left-leaning Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal party have called a general strike on May 2 to demand punishment for those found responsible for the deaths.
