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Beyonce bans professional photographers from Mrs. Carter Show World Tour after Super Bowl photos

Lisa.Felice
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Beyonce bans professional photographers from Mrs. Carter Show World Tour after Super Bowl photos

Beyonce has banned professional photographers from her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in an apparent attempt to prevent the release of unflattering pictures after Super Bowl experience.

No photo credentials are to be granted for her concerts, Beyonce’s UK publicist has confirmed, and instead she’s hired her own snapper, Frank Micelotta, to capture her in action – and her best angles.

Fstoppers.com revealed Beyonce’s company Parkwood Entertainment is giving out three to five pre-approved images shot to media after the show.

The photography ban comes after it was widely reported back in February the singer’s publicist had asked agencies or websites to remove “unflattering” photos of Beyonce during the energetic performance at the Super Bowl.

However, bloggers fear that the move by Beyonce’s camp may backfire, with publications and websites instead buying in pictures from fans and amateurs.

“They thought by not letting photographers in, they will have full control over the photos shown in the media,” F-Stoppers blogger Noam Galai writes.

“Huge mistake. Now not only is the mainstream media showing unflattering photos of her, they are showing bad-quality unflattering photos of her.”

Noam Galai, a professional photographer, believes that “unflattering photographs published of the star at the Super Bowl were the result of pressure to get snaps of the event out quickly with no time for much sorting or retouching”.

Beyonce has banned professional photographers from her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in an apparent attempt to prevent the release of unflattering pictures after Super Bowl experience
Beyonce has banned professional photographers from her Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in an apparent attempt to prevent the release of unflattering pictures after Super Bowl experience

He adds: “But in almost any other event, such as normal concerts, photographers have time to go through the images, get rid of the bad ones and send out the absolute best. Generally speaking, no one wants to post bad pictures.

“Banning professional photographers from all shows is simply stupid. Beyonce needs to use the media to her advantage, not fight it. Playing games with the media will cause more harm than good.”

Meanwhile, a Beyonce-approved video has been released to fans and unsurprisingly, she looks great in every frame.

The singer shows off snippets of three songs, a glimpse at her various designer costumes and a look at some of the dance moves and sweeping spectacle of the whole show.

The video starts with Beyonce’s rising to the stage in her white Ralph & Russo one-piece to the opening beats of Run The World (Girls).

She shouted: “How y’all doing… I want you to put your fists up.”

After a few bars of the song, there is a brief shot of her controversial “nipples” gold bodysuit designed by The Blonds.

The short promo also features Beyonce in her red Alon Livne gown, a black fringed ensemble and back to the Ralph & Russo number.

Beyonce is then seen flying over the crowd on a rig in her navy blue catsuit Dennis Kolpodinos as she sings Love On Top.

During the 90-second clip, there is Beyonce’s signature wind machine blowing her hair off her face and lots of wide shots to include the audience.

She ends the video by slowing the pace down for Halo, which sees snippets of her outfits, ending with Beyonce in the blue catsuit sitting with her eyes closed on stage.

Beyonce’s tour kicked off in Serbia on April 15 and is set to resume in Paris on Wednesday night.

The 65-gig tour comes to the UK on Friday and will arrive in the U.S. in June.

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Katherine Russell Tsarnaev arrested for shoplifting from Old Navy in 2007

Nancy Clayson
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Katherine Russell Tsarnaev arrested for shoplifting from Old Navy in 2007

It appears that Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, the widow of suspected Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, has a criminal record and is a confessed shoplifter.

According to a police report from 2007, Katherine Russell was arrested that year for stealing $67 worth of clothing from an Old Navy store in Warwick, Rhode Island.

And in an intriguing twist, Katherine Russell, who was 18 at the time, told officers she was married though she was living at parent’s North Kingstown home and did not meet Tamerlan Tsranaev until some two years later.

The startling revelation of this tawdry incident raises fresh questions over the past and character of the “all-American girl” “brainwashed” according to her friends, by her fanatic husband.

Katherine Russell, no 25, was arrested along with an unnamed female minor on 26 June 2007. Then, the police report states, she was “skinny” with hazel eyes and red or auburn hair – now firmly concealed by the Hijab. She is described as unemployed and married.

Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, the widow of suspected Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, has a criminal record and is a confessed shoplifter
Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, the widow of suspected Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, has a criminal record and is a confessed shoplifter

Old Navy store security guard Linda Lewis stopped the girls having watched Katherine Russelll and her companion enter the store, select several items and put them in their handbags.

In 2011 Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, was charged with stealing several designer dresses worth $1,600 from a store in suburban Natick.

Katherine Russell’s foray was hardly on the same scale. She took five items valuing $67; her friend took three with a total item of $125.

She was placed in handcuffs and taken to Warwick Police Department.

According to the store Loss Prevention Agent Linda Lewis: “They admitted to shoplifting the items and handed the over without further incident.”

Katherine Russell was summonsed to appear at Kent County Courthouse where her charge was dismissed on paying a $200 fine and doing community service.

That fall Katherine Russell enrolled in a Communications course at Suffolk University, Boston, an act that led to her meeting Tamerlan Tsranaev in a nightclub and the relationship that would ultimately derail her college dreams completely.

Umayyad Mosque minaret destroyed in Aleppo clashes

Sonia Pantiss
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Umayyad Mosque minaret destroyed in Aleppo clashes

The minaret of Umayyad Mosque, one of Syria’s most famous, has been destroyed during clashes in the northern city of Aleppo.

The state news agency Sana accused rebels of blowing up the 11th-Century minaret of the Umayyad Mosque.

However, activists say the minaret was hit by Syrian army tank fire.

The mosque, which is a Unesco world heritage site, has been in rebel hands since earlier this year but the area around it is still contested.

Last October Unesco appealed for the protection of the site, which it described as “one of the most beautiful mosques in the Muslim world”.

Images posted on the internet showed the minaret reduced to a pile of rubble in the mosque’s tiled courtyard.

The minaret of Umayyad Mosque, one of Syria's most famous, has been destroyed during clashes in the northern city of Aleppo
The minaret of Umayyad Mosque, one of Syria’s most famous, has been destroyed during clashes in the northern city of Aleppo

Other parts of the mosque complex – which dates mostly from the 12th Century – have been badly damaged by gunfire and shell hits.

A report by Sana said fighters from the al-Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group had destroyed the once famous landmark.

It quoted an official source saying that “terrorists… placed explosive materials in the minaret and the mosque’s southern door and set them off”.

However, Aleppo-based activist Mohammed al-Khatib, quoted by AP news agency, said a tank shell had “totally destroyed” the 45 m (148 ft) minaret.

The mosque has suffered extensive damage during months of fighting, with antique furnishings and intricately sculpted colonnades affected.

Reports say some ancient artefacts have also been looted, including a box purported to contain a strand of the Prophet Muhammad’s hair.

However, rebels said they had salvaged ancient handwritten Koranic manuscripts and hidden them.

Earlier, rebels and government forces reportedly clashed near Aleppo as they fought for control of a military airbase.

Rebels took a key military position outside the Minnigh airport on Tuesday and launched another raid on Wednesday, according to opposition activists with the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

“The rebels, who have laid siege to the airport for months now, entered it for the first time around dawn,” Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the UK-based activist group, told AFP news agency.

Heavy fighting was taking place in the grounds, he added.

Analysts say losing control of the airport would be a strategic blow for the government.

The Free Syrian Army has been trying to seize a number of airbases in the area to disrupt regime supply routes.

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Enrico Letta to become Italy’s new prime minister

Diane A. Wade
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Enrico Letta to become Italy’s new prime minister

Enrico Letta appears set to become Italy’s new prime minister, after being asked by President Giorgio Napolitano to form a broad coalition government.

The appointment of Enrico Letta, currently deputy leader of the centre-left Democratic Party, could see the end of two months of parliamentary deadlock.

An inconclusive general election in February left the country in political limbo.

Enrico Letta, 46, said he would aim to change the course in Europe on austerity.

“European policies are too focused on austerity which is no longer enough,” he said, following the closed-door meeting with the president in Rome.

He also said he had accepted the post knowing that it was an enormous responsibility and that Italy’s political class “has lost all credibility”.

Enrico Letta must now form a cabinet that can win cross-party support and a vote of confidence in parliament, possibly this weekend.

Factions from across the political spectrum, including former PM Silvio Berlusconi’s right-wing People of Freedom Party (PDL), have indicated that they are ready to form a coalition under a figure like Enrico Letta.

However, Silvio Berlusconi’s party and the Democratic Party (PD) differ on a number of issues.

Enrico Letta appears set to become Italy's new prime minister, after being asked by President Giorgio Napolitano to form a broad coalition government
Enrico Letta appears set to become Italy’s new prime minister, after being asked by President Giorgio Napolitano to form a broad coalition government

PDL National Secretary Angelino Alfano warned that his group would not take part in a government unconditionally.

Enrico Letta, once a member of the former centre-right Christian Democrats, is seen as moderate of the left. His uncle, Gianni Letta, has been Silvio Berlusconi’s chief-of-staff for 10 years.

A broad political alliance would again make Silvio Berlusconi a major influence.

This awkward coming together of bitter rivals is seen as the only way to end the parliamentary stalemate and put an administration in place.

But it is a forced political marriage that may not last long.

Enrico Letta’s candidacy for prime minister came about after the PD leader, Pier Luigi Bersani, announced his resignation last week.

He had ruled out working with Silvio Berlusconi and faced a party rebellion over his choice for Italian president.

The third strongest political force to come out of February’s election, former comedian Beppe Grillo’s Five Star movement, could not be persuaded to join a coalition and is expected to be in opposition.

With the Italian economy still struggling, the new government will be expected to try to implement a limited range of economic and institutional reforms.

Among its priorities will be an effort to re-shape the current election law. The aim would be to ensure that future general elections would deliver more emphatic, clear-cut results.

Enrico Letta’s appointment follows the swearing-in on Monday of President Giorgio Napolitano, who berated his country’s feuding politicians.

Taking up an unprecedented second term, he told the assembled MPs that they had been guilty of a long series of failings and that their inability to implement key reforms had been “unforgivable”.

Giorgio Napolitano has threatened to resign if no administration is formed.

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Menus displaying exercise needed to burn calories in meals help people consume less

Kathryn R. Bown
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Menus displaying exercise needed to burn calories in meals help people consume less

A US study at Texas Christian University suggests that menus displaying the exercise needed to burn calories in meals can help people consume less.

The research team found that diners given this extra information ordered and ate less calorific food than other customers.

Knowing it takes two hours of brisk walking to burn off a cheeseburger may be more of a warning than being told how many calories it contains, the researchers say.

The researchers now plan larger trials.

Dr. Meena Shah and Ashlei James divided 300 volunteers aged 18 to 30 randomly into three groups.

One received a menu without any calorie information, another menus with the calories displayed, and the third menus that showed both calories and the amount of exercise needed to burn them off.

All of the menus offered the same choice of food and drink, which included burgers, sandwiches, salad, chips, soft drinks and water.

A US study at Texas Christian University suggests that menus displaying the exercise needed to burn calories in meals can help people consume less
A US study at Texas Christian University suggests that menus displaying the exercise needed to burn calories in meals can help people consume less

Calories:

  • Calories (kcal) are a measure of the amount of energy in food
  • Exercising burns calories
  • An average man needs about 2,500kcal a day
  • An average woman needs about 2,000kcal a day
  • The values can vary depending on age and levels of physical activity
  • The study assumed a brisk walking pace of 3.5 mph (5.5 km/h)

None of the volunteers was aware of the reason for the study and the researchers took into account hunger levels when interpreting their findings.

The group given the menus with the extra information about how much brisk walking would be needed to burn off the food ordered and ate much less than the group who had menus with no calorie information.

They consumed 100 fewer calories, on average, as a result.

Dr. Meena Shah said: “This is the first study to look at the effects of displaying minutes of brisk walking needed to burn food calories on the calories ordered and consumed.

“This study suggests there are benefits.”

The researchers say brisk walking is something nearly everyone can relate to.

“We can’t generalize to a population over age 30, so we will further investigate this in an older and more diverse group,” Dr. Meena Shah added.

They will present their findings at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting in Boston.

Smart ForJeremy: Smart Car with rocket-shaped wings as brake lights designed by Jeremy Scott

Lisa.Felice
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Smart ForJeremy: Smart Car with rocket-shaped wings as brake lights designed by Jeremy Scott

Fashion designer Jeremy Scott has created three limited edition models for Smart Car, titled Smart ForJeremy.

Jeremy Scott, 38, whose trademark wings have adorned Swatch watches and high-top Adidas sneakers worn by the likes of Kanye West since 2008, has taken on a larger creative project with the Smart Car.

Made of transparent fiberglass, rocket-shaped wings serve as the car’s brake lights; and the luxurious interior includes diamond-stitched upholstery and a leather-wrapped dashboard

With prices ranging from $43,000 to $53,000, Jeremy Scott’s Smart Car costs nearly twice as much as the standard Smart Fortwo that they are based on, according to Fox News.

Jeremy Scott, whose name is synonymous with punk, has created custom outfits for Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Katy Perry; and is the first designer to make changes to a vehicle’s exterior body.

The hardest part of the project, the fashion designer said, was keeping it a secret for an entire year.

After he gave Smart his initial hand-drawn sketch, it took eight months to fully develop the car – working with the Smart Design Division at the Mercedes-Benz Cars Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California.

Fashion designer Jeremy Scott has created three limited edition models for Smart Car, titled Smart ForJeremy
Fashion designer Jeremy Scott has created three limited edition models for Smart Car, titled Smart ForJeremy

Jeremy Scott’s idea, described by Smart designer Gorden Wagener as a “veritable fireball of creativity”, was “to make something that would be a fetish design object”.

The wheel rims are made of shiny chrome, because, “being a fashion person, I like to look at myself a lot”, Jeremy Scott remarked. Meanwhile, the interior emulates a “luxurious handbag”.

Black velour floor mats with white leather borders and a Jeremy Scott signature completes the distinctive interior look.

Jeremy Scott said he was thrilled to see his Smart ForJeremy concept, which debuted at last year’s LA auto show in November, become a production reality.

He said: “I wanted to design something out of the ordinary, something that expressed my dreams and fantasies and that transferred my fashion ideas to automotive design.

“I see myself driving this car and can well imagine my friends and cool people all over the world loving the unique design of this Smart.”

Production of the Smart ForJeremy, which will be offered with three powertrain options: 55kW EV, 60kW Brabus EV, and 75kW Brabus 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol, is scheduled to begin later this month.

Annette Winkler, head of Smart, said: “I really look forward to cruising the city in this item of haute couture.”

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Lu Lingzi memorial service at Boston University before remains repatriation

Nancy Clayson
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Lu Lingzi memorial service at Boston University before remains repatriation

The family of Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi, 23, attended a memorial service at Boston University for their daughter, who was killed in the Boston Marathon attack.

Hundreds of people, including state Governor Deval Patrick, joined Lu Lingzi’s father and her aunt who had travelled from Shenyang, China, to repatriate their daughter’s remains.

The family of Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi attended a memorial service at Boston University for their daughter
The family of Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi attended a memorial service at Boston University for their daughter

“She’s gone but our memories of her are very much alive,” said her father, Lu Jun, who spoke in his native tongue and was followed by an English interpreter.

“An ancient Chinese saying says every child is actually a little Buddha that helps their parents mature and grow up.”

Lu Lingzi was the family’s only child.

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Boston Marathon bombing victims: three dead and 264 injured

Kathryn R. Bown
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Boston Marathon bombing victims: three dead and 264 injured

The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15 killed three and injured more than 200, 48 of whom were still in hospital, three in a critical condition, according to Reuters.

At least 14 people lost all or part of a limb and three of them lost more than one.

Doctors say every one of the people injured in the Boston Marathon blasts who made it to a hospital alive now seem likely to survive.

On Saturday estimates of the injured jumped from 180 to 264 as people with delayed health issues arrived at hospital.

Nick Martin, a spokesman for the health commission, explained the sudden jump across 26 hospitals.

The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15 killed three and injured more than 200, 48 of whom were still in hospital, three in a critical condition
The Boston Marathon bombing on April 15 killed three and injured more than 200, 48 of whom were still in hospital, three in a critical condition

“One of the best examples is hearing issues,” Nick Martin said.

“People might have first thought their hearing problems would be temporary.”

Others sought delayed care for minor shrapnel wounds.

The injured include several people who arrived with legs attached by just a little skin, a 3-year-old boy with a head wound and bleeding on the brain, and a little girl riddled with nails.

Even a transit system police officer whose heart had stopped and was close to bleeding to death after a shoot-out with the suspects now appears headed for recovery.

Three people died in the terror attack at the Boston Marathon finish line: Martin Richard, 8, Krystle Campbel, 29, and Lu Lingzi, 23.

Diana Ross almost unrecognizable as she goes make-up free in Malibu

Lisa.Felice
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Diana Ross almost unrecognizable as she goes make-up free in Malibu

Diana Ross looked a far cry from her usual self as she headed out without a scrap of make-up and loose fitting casual clothes last week.

Diana Ross, 69, was almost unrecognizable without her usual bright lipstick, heavy eye-liner and glittery stage outfits.

Diana Ross looked a far cry from her usual self as she headed out without a scrap of make-up and loose fitting casual clothes
Diana Ross looked a far cry from her usual self as she headed out without a scrap of make-up and loose fitting casual clothes

The rare bare-faced outing was for a casual day of errands in Malibu, California.
Diana Ross sported a rather unflattering baggy blue tracksuit, beige Ugg boots and black bag.

Once something of a sex symbol when she found fame with The Supremes in the 1960s Diana Ross was clearly content to stroll to the grocery in her loose-fitting getup.

Michael Jackson’s death civil trial set for April 29

Sonia Pantiss
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Michael Jackson’s death civil trial set for April 29

A civil trial in which Michael Jackson’s family is suing concert promoters AEG is to begin on Monday, April 29, court officials have confirmed.

Michael Jackson’s family is suing AEG for wrongful death, claiming the company was responsible for the star’s death in 2009 because it hired Dr. Conrad Murray.

Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011.

A jury of six men and six women has been selected for the Los Angeles trial, which may last up to six months.

Michael Jackson died from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol while preparing for 50 comeback gigs in the UK.

The legal action claims AEG Live is liable for his death because Dr.Conrad Murray supplied the mgastar with the surgical drug.

The Jackson family is suing for $40 billion. But AEG Live has said it was not responsible for the hire or supervision of the doctor and called the $40 billion claim “preposterous”.

Michael Jackson's family is suing AEG for wrongful death, claiming the company was responsible for the star's death in 2009 because it hired Dr. Conrad Murray
Michael Jackson’s family is suing AEG for wrongful death, claiming the company was responsible for the star’s death in 2009 because it hired Dr. Conrad Murray

Potential witnesses include Michael Jackson’s mother, the star’s two oldest children, Prince, 16, and Paris, 15, as well as the singers Prince and Diana Ross.

The jury was selected from more than 100 candidates – many of whom were eliminated because they said serving on a three-month trial would be a hardship.

Others were rejected when they said they had a bias against Jackson or disapproved of big-figure legal cases or had business ties to AEG or the Jackson family.

Lawyers for both sides have now begun questioning prospective candidates to sit as six alternative jurors – used to replace a regular juror who becomes unable to serve.

The legal action accuses the promoters of failing to check the credentials of Dr. Conrad Murray, who supplied Michael Jackson with the propofol.

During Dr. Conrad Murray’s trial in 2011, the prosecution said he caused Michael Jackson’s death through negligence.

The defense argued that Michael Jackson was a drug addict who caused his own death by giving himself an extra dose of propofol while the cardiologist was out of the room.

Earlier this week, Conrad Murray launched an appeal against his conviction.

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Chelsea Clinton buys New York’s longest apartment for $10 million

Nancy Clayson
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Chelsea Clinton buys New York’s longest apartment for $10 million

Chelsea Clinton bought New York’s longest apartment – stretching an entire block from 26th Street to 27th Street off Madison Avenue – for $10 million.

The apartment is described as “a luxury fortress” with one full-time doorman to the horizontal building’s four units, it takes almost 30 seconds to walk the 250-foot hallway, according to New York Daily News.

Chelsea Clinton, 33, bought the four-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot apartment with her husband Marc Mezvinsky, 35, after putting their nearby $4 million pad on the market earlier this year.

The building, which is being marketed by Douglas Elliman Real Estate, has one apartment on each floor and boasts various security features, including a key operated lift and one doorman for just four units.

The nearly 90-year-old building has just three $10 million homes and one $22.5 million duplex penthouse – so far two buyers are in contract, including Chelsea Clinton.

Apparently other big names are looking at the remaining units, which are billed as among the most secure in Manhattan.

Chelsea Clinton bought New York's longest apartment, stretching an entire block from 26th Street to 27th Street off Madison Avenue
Chelsea Clinton bought New York’s longest apartment, stretching an entire block from 26th Street to 27th Street off Madison Avenue

Melanie Lazenby and Dina Lewis, who share the residential building’s listing, said the hallway is “the wow factor” but exclaimed: “There’s a full-time doorman for only four apartments. I don’t know any other building with that kind of personal service.”

Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky’s apartment has six and a half bathrooms, a home office and den, plus a 252-square-foot planting terrace and a private storage unit.

The couple will also enjoy two dishwashers, two washer/dryers, his and her maze-like closet spaces and commodes, as well as natural light flooding the female dressing room – with double-sided vanity mirrors.

“Wives eyes light up when they see the closets,” said Melanie Lazenby, the daughter of James Bond actor George Lazenby.

“They smile and say they’ll need more clothes to live here. Their husbands just shake their heads.

“The long apartment, located at 21 East 26th St enables one spouse to be fast asleep while the other has a huge dinner party. All on one floor,” she added.

One person who toured the building, which was built in 1924 by luxury textile manufacturer Clarence B. Whitman & Sons, joked that residents of The Whitman will have a longer walk to their kitchen than many New Yorkers have to the corner store.

Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky’s current apartment on Fifth Avenue is far from shabby – boasting three bedrooms, two bathrooms as well as a gym and doorman.

Located in the Grand Madison – a building that has been dubbed “the most elegant and historical building downtown”, the 1,922-square-foot boasts “unforgettable views” over downtown Manhattan.

According to a Douglas Ellisman listing, Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky’s $4 million “starter pad” has a powder room, an open chef’s kitchen with beautiful bluestone countertops, oak floors, Italian marble bathrooms, huge windows and scores of other luxury finishes.

Assuming a 4% interest rate and 20% down payment, Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky’s already-hefty mortgage payments total around $18,460 a month.

According to StreetEasy.com, if they put down a $2.1 million – or 20% – deposit on the new $10 million home, their monthly mortgage bill will be in the region of $52,000 and closer to $60,000 if the couple handed over a 10% down payment instead.

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Zubeidat Tsarnaeva may be arrested if she returns to US after failing to appear on shoplifting charge

Diane A. Wade
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Zubeidat Tsarnaeva may be arrested if she returns to US after failing to appear on shoplifting charge

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, could be jailed if she returns to the US to see her hospitalized son, it has been revealed.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, 45, now lives in Dagestan, Russia

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in a gunbattle with cops on Friday. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, is in fair condition in a Boston hospital where he is being treated for injuries sustained in the same shootout.

ABC News reported on Tuesday that Zubeidat Tsarnaeva failed to show up at a court hearing stemming from a July 2012 arrest for shoplifting.

So if she returns to the US to visit her hospitalized son Dzhokhar or make burial arrangements for Tamerlan, she could be arrested on an outstanding warrant.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva allegedly stole $1,600 worth of clothes from a Massachusetts Lord & Taylor store.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, could be jailed if she returns to the US to see her hospitalized son
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, could be jailed if she returns to the US to see her hospitalized son

She was charged with two counts of malicious/wanton damage and defacement to property after allegedly swiping the merchandise from the retailer’s Natick, Massachusetts location in June 2012.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva was due in court on October 25 last year for a hearing in the case, but never showed up.

The Lord & Taylor location is not the same as the one on Boyleston Street in Boston, where a surveillance camera captured what police say is her younger son dropping a pressure cooker bomb that was hidden inside a backpack.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva additionally faces questioning by US investigators, who have traveled to Dagestan to speak with her.

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Shamshad Begum dies in Mumbai aged 94

Sonia Pantiss
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Shamshad Begum dies in Mumbai aged 94

Famous Indian singer Shamshad Begum has died in the western city of Mumbai, aged 94.

Shamshad Begum was indisposed for the past few months and died at her residence late on Tuesday, family members told the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency.

She was one of the earliest singers in Bollywood with a number of hit songs.

Among Shamshad Begum’s hits were Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon, Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar and Kajra Mohabbat Wala.

Born in Punjab’s Amritsar district, Shamshad Begum made her debut on a radio station in Lahore in December 1947.

She has been described as a woman who captivated the hearts of her listeners with the enchanting depth of her voice.

Shamshad Begum has also been credited as being one of the first singers whose voice was pre-recorded for use in movies.

The singer has been living with her daughter and son-in-law in Mumbai ever since her husband died in 1955, reports say.

Shamshad Begum was one of the earliest singers in Bollywood
Shamshad Begum was one of the earliest singers in Bollywood

“The funeral was a solemn affair with a few friends present,” her daughter Usha Ratra told PTI.

Usha Ratra said her mother “kept herself away from the glamour of the industry despite being one of the top singers of her era as she did not like limelight”.

“My mother used to say artistes never die. She wanted to be remembered for her songs.”

Shamshad Begum was a versatile artist, singing in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi languages.

She sang for top composers of her time, including Ghulam Haider, Naushad and OP Nayyar.

According to accounts on her life, Shamshad Begum’s singing ambitions met opposition from her family.

When Shamshad Begum finally got a contract with a recording company, her father agreed to let her sing on the condition that she would record in a burka and not get herself photographed.

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Allan Arbus dies from congestive heart failure at the age of 95

Sonia Pantiss
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Allan Arbus dies from congestive heart failure at the age of 95

Allan Arbus, best known for his role as army psychiatrist Sidney Freedman in the 1970s TV series MASH, has died at the age of 95.

Allan Arbus, who did not begin acting until he was in his 40s, started his career as a successful fashion photographer.

He became a TV regular who appeared on several popular series, including police drama Starsky and Hutch.

Allan Arbus died from congestive heart failure at his home in Los Angeles on April 19, his family confirmed.

“At 95, doctors didn’t want to do surgery and Allan didn’t want it at all,” Allan Arbus’ second wife Costello told Reuters.

Allan Arbus, best known for his role as army psychiatrist Sidney Freedman in the 1970s TV series MASH, has died at the age of 95
Allan Arbus, best known for his role as army psychiatrist Sidney Freedman in the 1970s TV series MASH, has died at the age of 95

Born in 1918 in New York, Allan Arbus started his career as a photographer in the US Army in Burma during World War II.

In the late 1940s, Allan Arbus set up a New York photography studio with his wife Diane, who later became a renowned art photographer.

The couple separated in 1959 and she committed suicide in 1971. They were portrayed by Nicole Kidman and Ty Burrell in the 2006 film Fur.

Allan Arbus’ first major acting role was in director Robert Downey Sr.’s 1972 cult film Greaser’s Palace, which also starred the director’s young son, Robert Downey Jr.

His last television role was in 2000 on the Larry David comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body has not been claimed by his wife or family

Nancy Clayson
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Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body has not been claimed by his wife or family

No one has come forward to claim Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s dead body, it has been revealed, as investigators continue to piece together his movements prior to the Boston Marathon attack.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was shot during a dramatic gunbattle with cops in Watertown, Massachusetts on Friday, before police said he was run over by his younger brother Dzhokhar as he tried to escape.

No one has come forward to claim Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s dead body
No one has come forward to claim Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s dead body

He was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

ABC News reported that so far, neither his wife – Katherine Russell Tsarnaev – nor other family members have claimed Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body for burial.

Katherine Russell was 21 when she converted to Islam and married Tamerlan Tsarnaev. After marrying, she left Suffolk University without graduating.

They had a daughter, Zahara, now 3. Tamerlan Tsarnaev seems never to have found a full-time career. His family members say Katherine Russell supported him, while he stayed home with the child.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the neck in the hospital, has told investigators that his older brother was the ringleader in the Boston Marathon attacks.

Dhaka building collapse kills at least 70 people in Bangladesh

Diane A. Wade
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Dhaka building collapse kills at least 70 people in Bangladesh

An eight-storey building collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, killing at least 70 people and injuring other 200, government officials say.

Many more people are feared trapped after building collapse and frantic efforts are under way to rescue those beneath the debris.

The army is helping with the rescue operation on the outskirts of Dhaka.

Building collapses are common in Bangladesh where many multi-storey blocks are built in violation of rules.

The eight-storey building contained a clothing factory, a bank and several other shops. It collapsed during the morning rush hour.

Many people have gathered near the scene looking for friends and relatives.

It is not yet clear what caused the collapse but local media reports said a crack was detected in the block on Tuesday.

An eight-storey building collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, killing at least 70 people and injuring other 200
An eight-storey building collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, killing at least 70 people and injuring other 200

Rescue workers are using concrete cutters and cranes to dig through the rubble.

Local police chief Mohammad Asaduzzaman told the Reuters news agency that factory owners appeared to have ignored a warning not to allow their workers into the building after the crack was detected.

Police told local media that the rear of the building suddenly started to collapse on Wednesday morning and within a short time the whole structure – except the main pillar and parts of the front wall – had caved-in, triggering panic.

Only the ground floor of the Rana Plaza in Sava remained intact after the collapse, officials said, as army and fire service rescuers equipped with concrete cutters and cranes dug through rubble to pull out trapped people. Many onlookers also joined the effort using their bare hands.

Survivors have described their terror as the collapse began.

“I was in the cutting section of the garment factory and suddenly we heard a huge noise and the building collapsed within a few minutes,” a garment worker told private Somoy TV.

“I removed the rubble and came out with two other workers. But at least 30 other workers in my cutting section were still unaccounted for,” he said.

In November, a fire at a garment factory in a Dhaka suburb killed at least 110 people and triggered a public outcry about safety standards in the industry.

The last major building collapse was in 2010, when a four-storey building collapsed in Dhaka killing at least 25 people and injuring several others.

Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing competitively priced clothes for major Western retailers which benefit from its widespread low-cost labor.

Following November’s fire, Western retail chains who buy from factories in Bangladesh urged factory owners to improve safety standards.

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Reese Witherspoon pictured in handcuffs at police station following her arrest for disorderly conduct

Lisa.Felice
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0
Reese Witherspoon pictured in handcuffs at police station following her arrest for disorderly conduct

Reese Witherspoon has been pictured in handcuffs following her dramatic arrest in the early hours of Friday morning.

The footage shows Reese Witherspoon, 37, being led out of an Atlanta police station in cuffs before being unshackled and taken inside for booking.

Reese Witherspoon appears in a calm and co-operative demeanor, although the video – obtained by TMZ– serves as another nail in her well-carved squeaky clean image.

The actress was arrested for disorderly conduct last Friday after her husband Jim Toth was arrested on suspicion of DUI.

Talent agent Jim Toth, 42, apparently feels “awful” for getting Reese Witherspoon involved in his arrest and is overwhelmed with guilt.

A source told People magazine: “[Jim Toth] feels awful that he involved Reese in the situation. He made a bad decision and
it certainly made things worse that he dragged her into it.

“[He] has to pay the consequences, bottom line. He gets that.”

Jim Toth reached 1.39 on the sobriety test – over Georgia’s legal limit of 0.08 – when he and Reese Witherspoon were pulled over in the early hours of the morning and it is thought their “embarrassing” incident will cause him to look at alcohol in a different way.

Reese Witherspoon has been pictured in handcuffs following her dramatic arrest in the early hours of Friday morning
Reese Witherspoon has been pictured in handcuffs following her dramatic arrest in the early hours of Friday morning

The source added: “Jim has always been a big social drinker. A lot of his job is being social. He’s out to lunch or dinner almost every day of the week, schmoozing clients and taking business meetings.

“[The arrest is] just going to make the two of them stop and pause, and think about maybe how much Jim’s drinking plays a role in their lives – if it does or not.”

Jim Toth and Reese Witherspoon, who have 7-month-old son Tennessee together, have been given bail until their court hearing on May 22.

Reese Witherspoon – who also has children Ava, 13, and son Deacon, 10, with ex-husband Ryan Phillippe – has since made a public apology for her behavior.

Referring to disrespectful comments to authorities, which allegedly included the statement “you’re about to find out who I am”, the actress said: “Out of respect for the
ongoing legal situation, I cannot comment on everything that is being reported right now.

“But I do want to say I clearly had one drink too many and I am deeply embarrassed about the things I said.

“It was definitely a scary situation and I was frightened for my husband, but that was no excuse. I was disrespectful to the officer who was just doing his job.

“I have nothing but respect for the police and I am very sorry for my behavior.”

Meanwhile, Reese Witherspoon’s friend Chelsea Handler told Entertainment Tonight that the actress was “doing fine”.

“She was just trying to protect her husband, so,” she said.

 “I mean everybody makes mistakes, so it’s not a big deal.”

Chelsea Handler met up with Reese Witherspoon, her husband and a group of friends including Cameron Diaz, Michael Keaton, Judd Apatow, and Leslie Mann – two days after the couple’s arrest.

According to Us Weekly, Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth joined their friends at the Greenwich Hotel in New York City.

Reese Witherspoon began dating Jim Toth in early February 2010, three years after her divorce from actor Ryan Phillippe with who she has two children.

Jim Toth and Reese Witherspoon married in Ojai, California in March 2011.

Sharon Osbourne devastated after learning Ozzy was abusing pills and denies divorce rumors

Lisa.Felice
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0
Sharon Osbourne devastated after learning Ozzy was abusing pills and denies divorce rumors

Sharon Osbourne revealed she remained devastated after learning her husband Ozzy was abusing pills, but pledged they weren’t getting a divorce.

Sharon Osbourne, 60, opened up on The Talk about Ozzy’s admission on Facebook last week that he had been drinking and taking drugs for the past 18 months.

“I never knew he was using prescription drugs,” Sharon Osbourne said while flanked by her four female The Talk co-hosts.

“I knew he was drinking occasionally, but didn’t realize to the extent.”

Sharon Osbourne said she and Ozzy were not getting a divorce and the statement was greeted by applause.

“I am devastated right now,” the former reality star said.

“It’s a disease that not only hurts the person who has the disease, but it hurts the family. It hurts people who love you.”

Sharon Osbourne, a cancer survivor, said her family has dealt with worse and were dealing with the revelation.

Sharon Osbourne revealed she remained devastated after learning her husband Ozzy was abusing pills, but pledged they weren't getting a divorce
Sharon Osbourne revealed she remained devastated after learning her husband Ozzy was abusing pills, but pledged they weren’t getting a divorce

“This too shall pass,” she said.

“Otherwise my husband will be taken to hospital to get my foot removed from his ass,” Sharon Osbourne added.

Ozzy Osbourne came clean in his public apology posted on his Facebook page.

“For the last year and a half I have been drinking and taking drugs,” he wrote.

“I was in a very dark place and was an a*****e to the people I love most, my family. However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober.

“Just to set the record straight, Sharon and I are not divorcing. I’m just trying to be a better person.

“I would like to apologize to Sharon, my family, my friends and my band mates for my insane behavior during this period… and my fans. God Bless, Ozzy.”

The Black Sabbath rocker reportedly started his drug binge after learning that bandmate Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma 18 months ago.

Ozzy Osbourne last week claimed that he was 44 days sober after his relapse.

The rocker has frequently spoken over the years about his battle with drugs and alcohol and has often been treated in rehabilitation clinics.

Ozzy spoke out in support of Tony Iommi, 65, last year and said: “When the bombshell hit about Tony’s cancer problem, I came to England. He needs more and more support, man.

“He doesn’t have a brother, he doesn’t have a sister, it’s just him and his wife and the members of Black Sabbath.

“He’s gonna beat it. What it’s down to is determination and believe me, this guy’s got more determination than anybody I’ve ever met.”

However, according to the Daily Mirror newspaper, while Ozzy Osbourne was putting on a public face of defiance he was cracking under the pressure and the thought of losing Tony Iommi pushed him to drink and drugs.

The substance abuse quickly spiraled out of control and began to strain his relations with Sharon.

Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne have become one of Hollywood’s best-known couples since starring in a reality television show, The Osbournes, alongside two of their children, Jack and Kelly, which gave an insight into their family life in Beverly Hills.

Sharon met Ozzy Osbourne when she was only 18. She became his manager soon afterwards and they married in 1982.

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Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev used al-Qaeda online magazine to make pressure cooker bombs

Roy Siemens
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0
Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev used al-Qaeda online magazine to make pressure cooker bombs

Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev apparently used an online magazine produced by al-Qaeda as their guide for how to make pressure cooker bombs that they set off at the finish line of last week’s Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring more than 180 others.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, reportedly confessed to the FBI that he and his brother Tamerlan were the ones behind the bombing and that they acted alone.

The Boston bomber also said that they were driven to commit the attack because of their feelings against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev used an al-Qaeda online magazine to make pressure cooker bombs they set off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon
Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev used an al-Qaeda online magazine to make pressure cooker bombs they set off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev remains in a Boston hospital but he is expected to be transported in the next few days as his condition was downgraded from “serious” to “fair”.

The suspect sustained unspecified damages during the course of the last week, most likely from the firefight with police on Friday morning that led to the death of his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is reportedly telling investigators that the deadly attacks were spearheaded by his brother, Tamerlan, who is thought to be the more radical of the two.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, a 26-year-old father of one, allegedly went through fits of rage, both verbally and physically abusing his wife who he called a “slut” and a “prostitute”.

Federal investigators have already questioned Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s wife, 24-year-old Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, and the brothers’ parents, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and Anzor Tsarnaev, are thought to be on their way to America for questioning from their native Russia.

It was revealed earlier today that no relatives have claimed Tamerlan Tamerlan’s body.

[youtube eNbgImH4ZNI]

David Henneberry first interview on how he found Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hiding out inside his Slip Away boat

Diane A. Wade
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1
David Henneberry first interview on how he found Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hiding out inside his Slip Away boat

David Henneberry, the man who discovered Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hiding out inside his boat, got choked up when talking about the victims of the deadly blasts.

David Henneberry, 66, dismisses claims that he is a national hero, saying that if anything, he is an “incidental hero”.

“It makes me feel wonderful that people that are thinking like that, but it is my boat. People lost lives and lost limbs,” David Henneberry told local station WCVB.

David Henneberry’s role in the saga came when he walked outside of his Watertown home early Friday evening after the shelter-in-place order was lifted in Boston, and the first place he went was to check his boat, that he calls “my baby”.

Earlier in the day, when he was still indoors, David Henneberry noticed that two of the pads that he puts in between the shrink wrap and his boat in order to prevent chaffing had fallen out of place.

“It was really windy, so I didn’t think twice about it,” he said.

David Henneberry dismisses claims that he is a national hero, saying that if anything, he is an incidental hero
David Henneberry dismisses claims that he is a national hero, saying that if anything, he is an incidental hero

As he tells it, David Henneberry was not expecting to find anything out of the ordinary when he went to adjust the pads.

“Go out and get some air. I am just going to put the pads back. They were bugging me all day. So I went out in the yard and felt the freedom that everyone is Watertown was feeling. When I pulled the strap, it was a lot looser than it usually is. But again, the wind could have loosened things up,” he told WCVB.

Even when he saw “a good amount” of blood on the inside of the cabin, he initially doubted himself, thinking back to whether he had accidentally been cut when he was inside the boat weeks earlier.

“And I looked back and forth a couple of times and my eyes went to the engine block and there was a body,” David Henneberry said.

He then ran back to his house and called the police, who immediately took over the scene. David Henneberry and his wife remain displaced from their home as investigators continue to comb over the boat and the property for clues.

“We had great sight and cover on what we had in the boat,” Boston Police Superintendant William Evans said in a Tuesday evening press conference.

“It was just a matter of holding until the tactical team came in to get him out.”

Police did in fact find the second bombing suspect inside the boat, ironically named the “Slip Away II”.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, was taken into police custody and transported to Beth Israel Hospital for treatment from various wounds likely sustained from the early Friday morning altercation with police, where his older brother Tamerlan was killed.

“Slip Away is slipping away. But I say it did its job. It held a bad guy and is going away like a Viking ship,” David Henneberry said to WCVB.

He also said that he is aware of a social media campaign where supporters are raising money to buy him a new boat after his was damaged in the apprehension of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Instead, David Henneberry wants people to donate to a fund set up for those who were injured in last Monday’s bombing.

“I am lucky I am alive. These other people were killed. Sometimes, I just sit and say, <<Wow>>,” David Henneberry said.

“This hits you more afterwards when you think <<My God, we probably slept last night, this guy could be in the (boat)>>… It’s surreal.”

[youtube 4RwPVb4mQZI]

Apple reports its first quarterly drop in profits in a decade in Q1 2013

Clyde K. Valle
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Apple reports its first quarterly drop in profits in a decade in Q1 2013

Apple has reported its first quarterly drop in profits in a decade, but said it will raise dividends for shareholders.

Apple made a net profit of $9.5 billion in the first quarter of 2013, down from $11.6 billion last year.

However, the results were better than many had expected, as strong iPhone and iPad sales boosted revenues to $43.6 billion.

Concerns over slowing demand for Apple products amid increased competition have hurt its share price recently.

“Though we’ve achieved a credible scale and financial success, we acknowledge that our growth rate has slowed and our margins have decreased from the exceptionally high level we experienced in 2012,” Tim Cook, Apple CEO, said.

Apple said it sold 37.4 million iPhones and 19.5 million iPads worldwide in Q1 2013.

Although Apple continues to remain a dominant player in the tablet computer and smartphone markets, investors have been worried that its market share was being eroded by increasingly popular offerings from rivals such as Samsung.

Apple has reported its first quarterly drop in profits in a decade, but said it will raise dividends for shareholders
Apple has reported its first quarterly drop in profits in a decade, but said it will raise dividends for shareholders

There have also been concerns over the lack of new product launches.

Analysts have suggested the company needs to innovate and develop new products to stay ahead of the competition, rather than relying on updates to existing products.

“The market is tired of the same old thing at Apple,” said Lauren Balter, an analyst at Oracle Investment Research.

“Investors are looking for innovation. The reality is that people are looking at other products now and they are looking at other cool features from competitors.”

These concerns have seen investors ditch Apple shares over the past few months. It has lost around 40% of its stock market value since hitting an all-time high in September last year.

However, Tim Cook tried to assure investors and shareholders that the firm was continuing to take measures to ensure that it maintained its dominance in the market.

“The decline in Apple’s stock price over the last couple of quarters has been very frustrating for all of us… but we’ll continue to do what we do best,” he said.

“The most important objective for Apple will always be creating innovative products.

“Our teams are hard at work on some amazing new hardware, software and services, and we are very excited about the products in our pipeline,” he added.

Some analysts said that the lack of a new product did not mean that Apple was not developing one.

“What no investor can see is what is happening between closed doors in research and development,” said David Tan, assistant professor of strategy at Georgetown University.

“[Research and development] is always very secretive. It always takes a very long time between the inception of an idea and commercializing a product.”

Apple, which before the latest earnings had $137 billion in cash, has been under pressure to share some of it with shareholders.

On Tuesday Apple said it planned to buy back $60 billion in shares, and raise its dividend to shareholders by 15%.

The move encouraged investors and Apple’s shares rose 5.5% in after-hours trading on Wall Street.

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New images show Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with arms full of Red Bull and Doritos at Cambridge gas station

Nancy Clayson
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5
New images show Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with arms full of Red Bull and Doritos at Cambridge gas station

New images of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with his arms full of Doritos and Red Bull as he and his brother Tamerlan attempt a getaway after becoming prime terror suspects.

Dressed in a grey hoodie, the surveillance footage is believed to show 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as he enters a gas station in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The man following him into the store in the beige cap appears to be 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

In another image, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is seen wearing a beige flat cap pulled low at an ATM machine, withdrawing $800.

Cambridge gas station surveillance images show Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with arms full of Red Bull and Doritos
Cambridge gas station surveillance images show Dzhokhar Tsarnaev with arms full of Red Bull and Doritos

The card was stolen from a man taken hostage by the alleged terrorists after he was car-jacked last Thursday during the bombers’ desperate but futile plan to escape.

The victim was able to jump out of the car and flee while the alleged terrorists went to buy snacks.

The terrifying sequence of events began when Tamerlan Tsarnaev carjacked a Mercedes SUV car at gun point barely 40 minutes after MIT campus police officer Sean Collier was killed as he sat in his patrol car.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev jumped into the passenger seat of the Mercedes and told the driver: “Did you hear about the Boston explosion… I did that.”

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was caught on a CCTV camera entering an all night garage with his face partially hidden by a grey hooded sweatshirt.

But he left empty handed after his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev hammered on the glass front door of the gas station kiosk saying: “We’ve got to go.”

Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s intervention came after the victim of the carjacking managed to escape and run across to another all night gas station across the street where he pleaded for help.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and Anzor Tsarnaev questioned by FBI in Dagestan

Diane A. Wade
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Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and Anzor Tsarnaev questioned by FBI in Dagestan

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the mother of the Boston bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, watches the video of her dead son’s mutilated body and cries, her lawyer revealed on Tuesday, after it emerged that she is to be questioned by US investigators.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva appeared publicly outside her home for the first time since her sons Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were named as suspects. She was ushered past journalists and into a taxi, which sped away.

US investigators traveled to southern Russia today to speak to Zubeidat Tsarnaeva and her husband Anzor Tsarnaev, an American Embassy official said.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva is in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim province in Russia’s Caucasus, where Islamic militants have waged an insurgency against Russian security sources for years.

The family’s lawyer Heda Saratova, asked for the family to be left alone and said that the parents had just seen pictures of the mutilated body of their elder son Tamerlan Tsarnaev and were not up to speaking with anyone at the moment.

“The mother is in very bad shape,” Heda Saratova said.

“She watches the video [of Tamerlan Tsarnaev] and cries.”

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva appeared publicly outside her home in Dagestan for the first time since her sons Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were named as suspects
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva appeared publicly outside her home in Dagestan for the first time since her sons Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were named as suspects

The trip by the US team was made possible because of Russian government cooperation with the FBI investigation into the bombing at the Boston Marathon.

Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev are accused of setting off the bombs that killed three people and wounded more than 180 others on April 15.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed in a police shootout, while his 19-year-old brother Dzhokhar was captured alive but badly wounded.

The embassy official said he could not confirm whether the US investigators had already talked to the suspects’ parents.

“Naturally, the parents are not ready to meet with anyone because the grief is enormous,” Russian official Zaurbek Sadakhanov told a crowd of journalist in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.

“They … are asking to be left alone, at least for a while, to be able to recover.

“As to the case, I think that detectives and policemen in the United States are knowledgeable and will find out what happened in an objective and unbiased way.”

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva is from Dagestan, while the suspects’ father, Anzor Tsarnaev is from neighboring Chechnya.

Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev had spent little time in either place before the family moved to the US a decade ago, but Tamerlan was in Russia for six months last year.

The father of the two Boston bombing suspects will apparently travel to the US later this week in order to seek “justice and the truth.

Anzor Tsarnaev says he has “lots of questions for the police” and is keen ‘to clear up many things’”when he arrives from his home in Makhachkala in Russia.

He had previously said that he would return to America this week in the wake of the death of his elder son Tamerlan and the arrest of 19-year-old Dzhokhar.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva added that the family hoped to bring Tamerlan’s body back to Russia.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev tells investigators Tamerlan was the ringleader in Boston attacks and they acted alone

Roy Siemens
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0
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev tells investigators Tamerlan was the ringleader in Boston attacks and they acted alone

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has told investigators that his brother Tamerlan orchestrated the Boston Marathon attacks because he “wanted to defend Islam from attack”, it emerged today.

In scrawled notes made from his hospital bed, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, told Guantanamo Bay interrogators that Tamerlan, 26, was motivated by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and his belief that they represented an assault on his faith, according to reports.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told investigators that he and his brother were not linked to any Islamic terrorist groups. Instead, authorities believe Tamerlan Tsarnaev “self-radicalized” by watching online videos of extremist Muslim preachers.

According to CNN, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev said Tamerlan was the ringleader in the Boston attacks that shook the nation a week ago, but that the pair were working alone.

In preliminary interviews with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the terror suspect said his brother “wanted to defend Islam from attack”, a source told CNN.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has told investigators that his brother Tamerlan orchestrated the Boston Marathon attacks because he wanted to defend Islam from attack
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has told investigators that his brother Tamerlan orchestrated the Boston Marathon attacks because he wanted to defend Islam from attack

The Washington Post reports that Tamerlan Tsarnaev believed he had to defend his faith because the US had waged war against Islam in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Two US officials said last night the evidence from the bedside interrogation suggests the terror suspects did not have any accomplices, despite previous fears they were part of a 12-man terror “sleeper cell”.

TamerlanTsarnaev died in a police shootout on Friday.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was formally charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction after being questioned by federal officials in his hospital room where he is recovering from multiple injuries.

He could face a death sentence, despite the fact Massachusetts has no death penalty, as he is being prosecuted under the federal system.

A probably cause hearing has been scheduled for May 30.

Investigators have been quizzing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev about whether there were more bombs, explosives or weapons beyond the ones already uncovered by police as well as who came up with the plot.

Interrogators are questioning Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in his room every few hours as doctors sit by his bedside, CNN reported.

The suspect is reportedly unable to speak because of a gunshot wound to the throat.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is believed to be communicating in writing to a special team of FBI counter-terrorism agents trained in interrogating “high-value” detainees that were sent to his bedside at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Jane Richard still fighting for her life in hospital as brother Martin was buried in a private funeral

Nancy Clayson
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0
Jane Richard still fighting for her life in hospital as brother Martin was buried in a private funeral

Eight days after 8-year-old Martin Richard was killed in the Boston Marathon attack, his family still has an anxious wait for news on his little sister, Jane, who has lost a leg and remains in a critical condition, it has emerged today.

Jane Richard, 7, is believed to have been standing on the marathon fence next to the big brother she idolized when Monday’s blast took place.

Father Bill and mother Denise – who also suffered head injuries – are having to remain strong for Jane, who is fighting “multiple injuries” from the terror attack after losing a leg.

Bill and Denise Richard buried their second oldest son, Martin, in a private funeral today while Jane remains hospitalized.

“The outpouring of love and support over the last week has been tremendous. This has been the most difficult week of our lives and we appreciate that our friends and family have given us space to grieve and heal,” Bill and Denise Richard said in a statement.

“A private Funeral Mass was celebrated this morning with immediate family. We laid our son Martin to rest, and he is now at peace. We plan to have a public memorial service in the coming weeks to allow friends and loved ones from our community to join us for a celebration of Martin’s life.”

Jane Richard is an enthusiastic Irish dancer having attended classes at the Clifden Academy of Irish Dance in Milton since the age of three.

Several Irish dance groups are now raising money to support her.

Jane Richard, 7, an enthusiastic Irish dancer, is fighting “multiple injuries” from the Boston Marathon attack after losing a leg
Jane Richard, 7, an enthusiastic Irish dancer, is fighting “multiple injuries” from the Boston Marathon attack after losing a leg

“She is just a beautiful little girl. We taught her since she was a baby, pointing her little toe,” Eileen Dillon Dinn, owner of the Clifton Academy, told the Irish Voice.

“We are just in a state of shock and disbelief. The Richard family is lovely. They went to the marathon as a happy family, and then this happened. We don’t know what to say.”

Jane Richard loved to learn all the new moves at the academy, according to her teacher, and was on the sidelines at the recent Irish World Dance Championships in Boston dreaming that someday she would get the chance to compete.

“She’s a beauty, always smiling,” said Dillon Dinn.

“Jane really lives to dance.”

Jane Richard’s eldest brother Henry, 12, and father Bill managed to escape from the bomb attack uninjured.

Images from the scene appear to show Bill Richard, 42, a community organizer, holding his youngest children up on the railings as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev plants his backpack bomb just behind them.

It isn’t clear whether any of the women in the photograph is the children’s mother, school librarian Denise Richard, 43, who sustained head injuries and had to undergo brain surgery following the attack.

A spokesman for the family said he was unable to confirm the identities of those in the marathon image or provide an update for Jane Richard’s condition given she is under a privacy order.

The Children’s Hospital of Boston did not identify the 7 year-old girl they said was still in a critical condition.

However, previous reports of the injured suggest that Jane Richard is the only one of 11 or so youngsters injured in the terror attacks that fits the sparse description.

The family were watching elated runners cross the finish line on Monday.

Bill Richard is a former marathon runner himself so the young family liked to support other participants in the event, according to friends of the family.

Neighbors said Jane Richard looked up to her older brother, Martin, and they both attended the Neighborhood House Charter School in Dorchester, where their mother served as the school librarian.

Tracey Monroe, a bystander who came to Jane Richard’s aid in the moments after the blast, told WCVB.com: “I saw her laying in the street. I held her head in my hands and I tried to rub her and comfort her. I asked what her name was and she said Jane.

“She was just a baby and so badly injured and scared. But she was so incredibly brave. I saw him [Martin Richard] and at that point I knew he was gone. I’ll never forget them – that little girl, she was so brave.”

The bombs, described by experts as makeshift anti-personnel devices, were made from pressure cookers packed with shrapnel and ball bearings to cause the maximum injuries to those caught in the blast.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, whose older brother and suspected accomplice Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in the manhunt to track the bombers down, has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction against persons or property.

The Boston Marathon bombing killed three and injured more than 200, 48 of whom were still in hospital today, three in a critical condition, according to Reuters.

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