Bobby Brown has turned himself over to Los Angeles authorities being jailed on Wednesday morning.
Bobby Brown, 44, was ordered to turn himself in following his most recent driving under the influence (DUI) conviction.
The singer was taken into custody inside a courtroom, where he appeared with his attorney Tiffany Feder, according to TMZ.
Bobby Brown was sentenced to 55 days in prison and 4 years probation late last month after being arrested and charged for his third DUI in October 2012.
Bobby Brown was sentenced to 55 days in prison and 4 years probation late last month after being arrested and charged for his third DUI in October 2012
He was on probation at the time following another drink driving incident last March and was ordered to undertake an 18-month alcohol treatment programme.
After missing his original court date last month in Los Angeles, where his attorney stated his plea was “not guilty”, Bobby Brown was ordered to attend three Alcohol Anonymous (AA) meetings per week until his hearing on Wednesday.
Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston divorced in 2007 after 15 years of marriage, which Whitney previously described as “stormy” and drug-filled.
British horror author James Herbert, best known for classic The Rats, has died aged 69.
James Herbert’s publisher, Pan Macmillan, confirmed that the best-selling author died at his home in Sussex, UK, this morning. No cause of death was given.
Jeremy Trevathan, the author’s editor for 10 years, described him as “one of the keystone authors in a genre that had its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s”.
James Herbert is survived by his wife, Eileen, whom he married in 1967, and their three daughters Kerry, Emma and Casey.
His first novel, The Rats, depicted London overrun by mutant flesh-eating rodents and sold 100,000 copies within two weeks of being published in 1974.
Since then, James Herbert has published 23 novels in more than 30 languages, selling 54 million copies worldwide. His latest book, Ash, was published last week.
James Herbert was appointed an OBE by the Queen in 2010 – the same year he was made Grand Master of Horror by the World of Horror Convention.
British horror author James Herbert, best known for classic The Rats, has died aged 69
Jeremy Trevathan described James Herbert as “one of the giants of popular fiction in the 20th Century”.
“It’s a true testament to his writing and his enduring creativity that his books continued to be huge bestsellers right up until his death.
“He has the rare distinction that his novels were considered classics of the genre within his lifetime,” he added.
Born in London’s East End on 8 April 1943, James Herbert won a scholarship to St Aloysius Grammar School in Highgate at the age of 10.
After a college course in graphic design, he went on to work at an advertising agency.
James Herbert started his first novel, The Rats, at the age of 28 and completed it within 10 months. He submitted the manuscript to six publishers, three of whom replied.
Of those, two rejected the novel and one accepted it.
The Rats was one of four James Herbert novels made into films, along with The Survivor, Fluke and Haunted.
James Herbert’s novel The Secret Of Crickley Hall was adapted for television and broadcast on BBC One in December, while The Magic Cottage was dramatized for BBC Radio 4.
Volkswagen has decided to recall 384,181 cars in China to replace a part of their gearboxes, its largest recall in the country to date.
Last week, Chinese state television showed Volkswagen consumers reporting sudden acceleration and loss of power.
Volkswagen said the direct-shift gearboxes could cause a power interruption, but drivers could remain in control and stop.
China is the biggest market for Volkswagen.
Volkswagen has decided to recall 384,181 cars in China to replace a part of their gearboxes
The recall, which starts on April 2, includes the Passat, Bora, Touran and Golf models amongst others, the company confirmed.
Volkswagen currently has two production joint ventures with China’s SAIC Motor and FAW Group.
The German carmaker sold 2.8 million cars in China in 2012, and said it planned to increase production to 4 million vehicles in the country in the next 5 years.
Anastasia Volochkova, a Bolshoi former soloist, claimed female dancers at the famous Russian ballet theatre were forced to sleep with wealthy patrons.
Anastasia Volochkova accused the Balshoi Ballet’s general director of turning the company “into a giant brothel”.
Outspoken Anastasia Volochkova, who has dabbled in TV talent and talk shows, was fired from the Bolshoi in 2003 for being too heavy.
General director Anatoly Iksanov dismissed the claims as “ravings”.
Anastasia Volochkova made the allegations during an interview on a television talk show in Russia on Sunday, later repeating them in a radio interview with Russian News Service.
“It mainly happened with the corps du ballet but also with the soloists,” she said.
“Ten years ago, when I was dancing at the theatre, I repeatedly received such propositions to share the beds of oligarchs.
“The girls were forced to go along to grand dinners and given advance warning that afterwards they would be expected to go to bed and have sex,” she alleged.
“When the girls asked: <<What happens if we refuse?>>, they were told that they would not go on tour or even perform at the Bolshoi theatre. Can you imagine?”
The allegations were put to Anatoly Iksanov during a news conference at the theatre on Tuesday, to which he responded: “I don’t comment on dirt and ravings.”
Anastasia Volochkova accused the Balshoi Ballet’s general director of turning the company into a giant brothel
It is the latest in a series of controversial events surrounding the world famous Russian theatre, which has become notorious for infighting and rivalry.
One of its top dancers, Pavel Dmitrichenko, is facing trial for allegedly ordering an acid attack on the ballet’s artistic director Sergei Filin in January.
Sergei Filin’s eyesight was damaged and he received severe burns to his face when sulphuric acid was thrown in his face outside his home in central Moscow.
More than 300 staff at the theatre last week signed an open letter to President Vladimir Putin saying that they believed Pavel Dmitrichenko was not capable of ordering such a crime and suggesting he had been pressured into making a confession.
Anastasia Volochkova was fired from the Bolshoi in 2003 with Anatoly Iksanov saying she was too tall and heavy for male partners to lift.
The former soloist eventually won a legal claim against the ballet theatre, although her career never really recovered.
Anastasia Volochkova has since dabbled in opposition politics and appeared on TV talent shows, while her private life has frequently appeared in the pages of Russian gossip magazines.
Cyprus officials have announced the country’s banks, which were closed to prevent mass withdrawals, will remain shut until at least Tuesday, March 26th.
The Cypriot government began an emergency meeting this afternoon to discuss alternatives to the EU-IMF bailout deal rejected by parliament on Tuesday.
Reports say the cabinet is considering imposing capital controls when banks are reopened.
Meanwhile, Cyprus’ finance minister is in Moscow to seek help from Russia.
Russia holds multi-billion dollar investments in Cyprus.
Finance Minister Michalis Sarris said after talks with Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov: “There were no offers, nothing concrete.”
Talks are expected to continue in Moscow on Thursday.
The banks will remain shut on Thursday and Friday this week and Monday March 25 is a scheduled bank holiday. The stock exchange also remains closed.
Germany has said banks in Cyprus may never reopen if a bailout is not agreed.
Earlier, Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades met party leaders and the central bank governor in Nicosia to hammer out a Plan B, after a one-off tax on savings failed to get the support of any MPs.
Nicos Anastasiades has also been talking to the European Union, European Central Bank and IMF.
Bank mergers, a bond issue and more Russian funding have all been mentioned as ways to help the country out of the crisis.
The establishment of a “bad bank” which would take on risky assets held by Cypriot banks has also been mentioned by officials.
Cyprus’ banks are still giving out cash through machines – although with limits, and some are running low.
Some businesses are now refusing credit card payments.
Cyprus banks, which were closed to prevent mass withdrawals, will remain shut until at least March 26th
On Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she regretted but respected the Cypriot vote.
Angela Merkel said the eurozone had a duty to find a solution for Cyprus, but added that the country’s current banking system was “not sustainable”.
Cyprus’ banks were left exposed following the debt crisis in Greece and there are fears Cyprus could go bankrupt if they fail.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble warned Cyprus that its banks might never be able to reopen if it rejected the bailout.
The controversial levy had been proposed as the condition for the 10 billion-euro ($13 billion) EU and IMF bailout. Cyprus was expected to raise 5.8 billion euros through the one-off tax on bank savings.
The plan was altered on Tuesday to exempt savers with less than 20,000 euros, but a 6.75% charge on deposits of 20,000-100,000 euros and a 9.9% charge for those above 100,000 euros remained.
However, parliament rejected the deal, with 36 MPs voting against it, 19 abstaining and none in favour.
Protesters outside parliament reacted with joy at the decision.
Cyprus has attracted money through its lower taxes, with Russians holding between a third and half of all Cypriot deposits.
Russian private and corporate deposits are believed to total about $30 billion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had called the bailout deal “unfair, unprofessional and dangerous”.
Analysts say Russia may provide more funding in return for interests in Cyprus’ offshore energy fields.
One offer of help has come from Cyprus’ Orthodox Church, which is a major shareholder in the third-largest domestic lender, the Hellenic Bank.
Archbishop Chrysostomos I said on Wednesday the Church was willing to mortgage its assets to invest in government bonds.
Lufthansa has cancelled more than 500 flights in advance of a strike by workers on Thursday.
The Verdi union has called on 33,000 employees to stage a five-hour walkout in a row over wages and conditions.
Verdi is calling for a 5.2% increase in wages for employees at several Lufthansa divisions.
But the German airline is trying to cut costs in the face of soaring jet fuel prices and increased competition from Middle Eastern and low-cost airlines.
Lufthansa has cancelled more than 500 flights in advance of a strike by workers on Thursday
Lufthansa – Europe’s biggest by revenue – wants to freeze pay and increase the hours employees work by one hour per week.
Hamburg and Frankfurt will be the airports most affected by the action, the union said.
Lufthansa has cancelled 514 flights in total, mostly to German and European destinations, but most intercontinental flights should be unaffected, the airline said.
Michael Jordan’s fiancée Yvette Prieto has reportedly signed a prenuptial agreement as the basketball legend doesn’t want to make the same mistake as he did with ex-wife Juanita Vanoy.
Juanita Vanoy reportedly scored what was at the time the largest celebrity divorce deal in history.
According to the National Enquirer, the prenup will protect nearly all of Michael Jordan’s $650 million fortune.
“Michael loves Yvette, but he won’t let that interfere with his common sense – and his money – like it did before,” a source allegedly told The Enquirer.
Michael Jordan, 50, and Yvette Prieto, 33, who will apparently tie the knot on April 27, will each keep the assets that they bring to the marriage, it has been reported.
Should the couple end up divorcing, Yvette Prieto will allegedly receive $1 million for every year that they were married.
If the marriage lasts for 10 years, Yvette Prieto will receive $5 million per year if they split up.
Yvette Prieto has signed a prenuptial agreement to protect Michael Jordan’s $650 million fortune
Yvette Prieto, a Cuban-American model, reportedly is “OK with the agreement”, because she doesn’t believe the prenup will ever come into play.
“She feels they have a strong relationship. She can’t imagine that they’d ever split up!”
The insider added: “Yvette knows Michael was once a serial cheater, just like his buddy Tiger Woods.
“But she believes Michael has sown his wild oats and only has eyes for her now. They’re both very happy and looking forward to the wedding.”
Michael Jordan and Yvette Prieto appeared at the main Palm Beach County courthouse in Florida to apply for a marriage licence in the early morning of March 7, according to Kathy Burstein, a spokeswoman for the clerk’s office.
Applicants must apply in person and a licence is good for 60 days.
Michael Jordan and Juanita Vanoy had no prenuptial agreement, but Juanita walked away from the marriage in 2006 with $168 million, their shared Chicago mansion and custody of the couple’s three children.
Three years before Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods’ romance began the Olympic skiing gold medalist was quoted as mocking her now-boyfriend in a newly unearthed article.
Lindsey Vonn poked fun at Tiger Woods in an article published by Time.com back in February 2010.
The story describes how Lindsey Vonn, surrounded by her entourage at the Olympics, was told of the hugs Tiger Woods got from supporters after releasing a statement following his cheating scandal.
“They’re like, <<Yeah, you’re awesome, you go have that sex>>,” Lindsey Vonn is quoted as saying – a comment which was reportedly met by raucous laughter by those surrounding her.
Lindsey Vonn then described a sketch she would perform if she ever had the opportunity to host Saturday Night Live.
Three years before Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods’ romance began the Olympic skiing gold medalist was quoted as mocking her now-boyfriend in a newly unearthed article
The 28-year-old pictured herself stood at a podium and imagined she was reading from a script in a pretend solemn voice.
“There’s something you don’t know about me,” Lindsey Vonn said, according to the publication.
“Tiger, you’re like my idol, and I too have a sex problem.”
Lindsey Vonn is Tiger Woods’ first serious relationship since his ex-wife Elin Nordegren left him after several women came out of the woodwork to reveal their affairs with the sports star.
A rare Chinese bowl bought for $3 at a New York state garage sale has sold for $2.2 million at Sotheby’s auction.
The 1,000-year-old Ding bowl from the Northern Song Dynasty was bought for $3 in 2007.
The bowl was displayed on the mantelpiece of a New York family who had no idea of its real worth, auctioneers Sotheby’s said.
It sparked a sales battle before being snapped up by London dealer Giuseppe Eskenazi on Tuesday.
Sotheby’s originally estimated that the bowl, which measures just 5 inches in diameter, would sell for $300,000 at most.
The 1,000-year-old Ding bowl from the Northern Song Dynasty was bought for $3 in 2007
Giuseppe Eskenazi, recognized as one of the most important dealers in Oriental art in the world, paid more than seven times its estimated value.
The art dealer entered into a “prolonged” fight with three other collectors, Sotheby’s said.
Sotheby’s said the bowl is a “remarkable and exceptionally beautiful example of Song pottery, celebrated for its thin potting, fine near-white body and ivory colored glaze”.
The only known bowl of the same form, size and almost identical decoration has been in the collection of the British Museum in London for more than 60 years, after being left to the museum by the prominent British collector Henry J. Oppenheim in 1947.
Sotheby’s said Song ceramics are increasingly being sought after by Chinese art collectors.
French police have searched the Paris apartment of IMF chief Christine Lagarde, as they investigate her role in awarding financial compensation to businessman Bernard Tapie in 2008.
As finance minister, Christine Lagarde referred Bernard Tapie’s long-running dispute with bank Credit Lyonnais to an arbitration panel, which awarded him 400 million euros damages.
Bernard Tapie was a supporter of ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy.
Critics say Christine Lagarde abused her authority but she denies any wrongdoing.
“This search will help uncover the truth, which will contribute to exonerating my client from any criminal wrongdoing,” Christine Lagarde’s lawyer, Yves Repiquet, told the Reuters news agency.
Investigators suspect Bernard Tapie was granted a deal in return for his support of President Nicolas Sarkozy in the 2007 election.
There is speculation in France that Christine Lagarde could yet be placed under formal investigation in this case.
As finance minister, Christine Lagarde referred Bernard Tapie’s long-running dispute with bank Credit Lyonnais to an arbitration panel, which awarded him 400 million euros damages
The origins of the case date back 20 years.
Bernard Tapie, who has long been active in French business, sporting and political circles, sued Credit Lyonnais over its handling of the sale in 1993 of sportswear brand Adidas, in which he was a majority stakeholder.
After years in the courts, the case was referred by Christine Lagarde to an arbitration panel in 2007 and she approved its decision to award damages.
Critics said the case should not have been settled by private arbitration, since public money was at stake in the bank, which was part-owned by the state.
The settlement Bernard Tapie received is believed to be a far greater sum than he would likely have received from the courts.
In an interview in January, Christine Lagarde stood by her decision, saying it was “the best solution at the time”.
Christine Lagarde replaced the disgraced IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was arrested in New York in 2011 on allegations of attempted rape.
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s lawyers settled a civil case for an undisclosed sum and a criminal investigation was dropped by US prosecutors last year.
However, Christine Lagarde’s position at the IMF could be in jeopardy if she is placed under formal investigation.
Christine Lagarde’s term as IMF chief does not expire until 2016, but amid the complexities of Europe’s economic crisis this is a distraction she can ill afford.
Bernard Tapie case
1993: Credit Lyonnais bank handles sale of Adidas, in which Bernard Tapie is a majority stakeholder
1993-2007: Court battle drags on as Bernard Tapie claims Credit Lyonnais undervalued the sale and that he was cheated following the winding-up of the once publicly-owned bank
2007: Bernard Tapie, a former Socialist, switches to support Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential election. Christine Lagarde, Nicolas Sarkozy’s finance minister, intervenes in the Tapie case to order binding arbitration
2008: Special panel of judges rules Bernard Tapie should receive damages of 285 million euros (400 million after interest added)
2011: Public prosecutor recommends judicial investigation into her actions
Barack Obama’s armored limo broke down on the way to Tel Aviv airport as the US president is making a historic visit to Israel.
The custom General Motors Cadillac limo was relegated to a pick up truck after the driver accidentally put gas in the engine instead of diesel.
President Barack Obama arrived in Tel Aviv Wednesday afternoon local time, and earlier that morning, the limo that was designated to his hotel was unable to move after the driver made the silly mistake.
Local news reports allege that it was the President’s limo that was shipped over specially from Washington that broke down so he was forced to use the second vehicle that they brought over from the U.S.
The limo was pictured by local station 24 Hour News when it was on the back of a flatbed truck.
Since the car was not able to take him from the airport, thankfully the president was always scheduled to leave the airport via helicopter in order to avoid passing through the Palestinian checkpoints that interrupt the route from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem.
The US Secret Service put out a statement about the incident, saying that it was a situation where it pays for them to be prepared.
“One of our protective vehicles experienced mechanical problems in Israel earlier today. This is why we bring multiple vehicles and a mechanic on all trips,” said Edwin Donovan, a spokesman for the Secret Service.
“Situations like this are planned for extensively by our advance teams so that the President’s itinerary is unaffected by these types of issues.”
They did not confirm that whether or not the driver used gas or diesel, and if that was the cause of the malfunction.
Barack Obama’s armored limo broke down on the way to Tel Aviv airport as the US president is making a historic visit to Israel
Barack Obama’s first stop was to Israeli President Shimon Peres’ house, and after planting a ceremonial tree and giving brief scripted remarks, he drove off in an armored limo.
Given the Secret Service statement, it appears that the President drove off in the second limo while the American technician worked on the first.
President Barack Obama started off the trip by apologizing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he was overheard saying: “It’s embarrassing, our entourage. My wife, Michelle, teases me mercilessly.”
The US president isn’t kidding about the fact that he travels with a crew: the Israeli government issued a press kit that reports Barack Obama has a 600-person entourage, and they will occupy all 233 rooms in the King David Hotel during their stay.
By comparison, Madonna has a 200-person entourage when she tours, meaning that the President has a crew three-times the size of the best-known Material Girl.
Barack Obama must enjoy hanging out with a familiar group, as he reportedly agreed to do a cameo in the upcoming movie version of the show Entourage.
Honey Boo Boo and her family have offered their own version of the Harlem Shake during a Good Morning America interview which aired last Friday.
“Good morning America, this is the Harlem Shake edition!” announced 7-year-old Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson towards the end of the interview.
As the popular music track sounded Honey Boo Boo broke into rapid dance on her front lawn in Georgia wearing a dress and fluffy rabbit slippers
Her mother, June Shannon, three sisters, and even GMA’s Amy Robach swiftly followed suit.
However, Honey Boo Boo’s father, Sugar Bear, missed the performance, as he was most likely at the local chalk mine, where he still works seven days a week.
GMA’s Amy Robach visited the reality stars to talk about their newfound fame.
She sat down with Honey Boo Boo and her mother June Shannon for a no-holds-barred interview.
But much of the interview was interrupted by Honey Boo Boo, who took the opportunity to share some of her favorite punchlines with viewers.
“Talk to the hand, talk to the man at Pizza Hut,” she exclaimed at one point.
But when June Shannon did get a word in, she opened up about parenting and her future plans.
“I want my kids to have their own personality,” June Shannon said.
“I allow them to be whoever they want.
“Whatever you do with your kids make sure they’re number one… Nobody will ever love Alana like I do.”
Honey Boo Boo and her family have offered their own version of the Harlem Shake during a Good Morning America interview which aired last Friday
On the subject of fame, June Shannon said that Honey Boo Boo “doesn’t actually realize how famous she is”.
The mother said that Honey Boo Boo only understands that her TLC money for Here Comes Honey Boo Boo reality show has gone into a trust fund for when she’s aged 21.
Despite being a celebrity herself, June Shannon said that she does not want her lifestyle to change and she enjoys helping the community,
She said her dream would be to “expand our house to two bedrooms and another bathroom” but it’s not at the top of her priority list.
Lindsey Vonn chanced a face-to-face meeting with Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren at the former couple’s daughter Samantha’s junior baseball game.
Lindsey Vonn avoided the awkward encounter by reportedly sitting in Tiger Woods’ car for an hour while the golfer watched Samantha, 5, play ball.
The Olympic skier most likely stayed in Tiger Woods’s black Mercedes rather than risk an encounter with his ex-wife Elin Nordegren, who was also watching the event – though Woods and Elin sat at opposites ends of the stadium.
Lindsey Vonn, who is recuperating from a bad fall while competing, was seen sweeping back her blonde hair in the front passenger seat as tiger Woods’s car pulled away after the game.
Her crutches were on the back seat.
Lindsey Vonn avoided run in with Elin Nordegren sitting in Tiger Woods’ car for an hour
Lindsey Vonn has been staying on Tiger Woods’s luxury yacht, Privacy, near his home in Jupiter, Florida.
Tiger Woods, 37, and Lindsey Vonn, 28, announced their relationship to the world on Monday, addressing reports that Tiger has been attempting to win back Elin Nordegren, who received $100 million as a divorce settlement.
They announced their relationship status in statements simultaneously published on Tiger Woods’s official website and Lindsey Vonn’s Facebook page on Monday along with a photo of themselves together.
Lindsay Lohan has strongly denied reports she tried to slip into a Hollywood nightclub hours after she agreed to three months of rehab in a last-minute plea deal with prosecutors.
Lindsay Lohan, 26, was allegedly seen ducking in the back off an SUV idling in front of trendy AV Club on Monday night.
The trouble actress has admonished the reports, insisting she stayed in after her court hearing in which the presiding judge warned her to stay away from the party circuit.
Lindsay Lohan addressed the photo in question in a series of tweets on Tuesday, insisting she is taking the message and her impending stint in rehab seriously.
“Guys relax, that was NOT me at AV or in the @Mr. Pink SUV. I’m taking this seriously and focused on the road ahead,” Lindsay Lohan wrote.
“I stayed in last night, after a pretty long day…and ordered sushi to my hotel.”
Lindsay Lohan also warned critics not to believe “EVERY little thing you hear, unless you hear it from me”.
She continued to thank her fans for their well-wishes throughout her personal dramas.
“The support I have gotten, has been great and means alot <3 L,” she wrote.
Lindsay Lohan has strongly denied reports she tried to slip into a Hollywood nightclub hours after she agreed to three months of rehab in a last-minute plea deal with prosecutors
Lindsay Lohan’s firm denial comes as a new mugshot of the star has been released. AsTMZ reports, Lindsay Lohan was ordered to turn herself in to Santa Monica police shortly after entering her no contest plea.
Meanwhile her father has wasted no time revealing his shock at allegations she was accused of partying shortly after.
Michael Lohan, 52, exclaimed to RadarOnline: “Are you kidding me?”
“Just when you think things are getting better, the same people who were in court with Lindsay, and heard the judge instruct her NOT to be around people or places that drugs might be present, are the same ones out with her attempting to go into a club last night!”
“Maybe waiting 45 days is too long? I wish she’d let me pick out the rehab NOW (and even pay for it), but then again, Heller and Dina wouldn’t approve even if it was the best. Or will they pay?”
Lindsay Lohan accepted a plea deal in a misdemeanor car crash case that includes 90 days in a rehabilitation facility.
The deal followed over two hours of talks behind closed doors in the judge’s chambers between her legal team and prosecutors.
Barack Obama has arrived in Tel Aviv for his first trip to Israel as US president.
After landing in Tel Aviv, BarackObama also referred to the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, saying “peace must come to the Holy Land”.
US officials have tried to lower expectations of any significant headway on restarting the peace process.
Syria, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions are expected to loom large in talks.
Correspondents say Israelis are more preoccupied with instability in the wider Middle East region than with breathing new life into the peace process, which broke down in 2010 amid a dispute over continued Israeli settlement construction.
Settlement supporters are a big force in Israel’s new coalition government.
Barack Obama was welcomed at Ben Gurion airport by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s President Shimon Peres.
After being introduced to Israeli ministers and dignitaries, Barack Obama said the US would “never lose sight of an Israel at peace with its neighbors”.
The US president added: “The United States stands with Israel because it is in our fundamental security interests to stand with Israel. Our alliance is eternal. It is forever.”
PM Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Thank you for defending Israel’s right to unequivocally defend its right to exist.”
Barack Obama has arrived in Tel Aviv for his first trip to Israel as US president
Barack Obama is due to hold separate talks with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during his three-day visit.
In the US, Barack Obama has been criticized for not having visited Israel in his first term as president, with some saying it shows he is not close enough to the country.
That is despite his administration’s repeated assertion that the two countries share an “unbreakable alliance”.
Thousands of Israeli and Palestinian security officers have been assembled in Jerusalem and the Palestinians’ de facto capital in the West Bank city of Ramallah, ahead of his trip.
The state of the economy and social issues dominated Israel’s last election, and Barack Obama has said he is not going to the region bearing any grand peace plan.
Barack Obama’s relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu has been notoriously frosty and one recent opinion poll suggested a mere 10% of the Israeli public had a favorable opinion of the US president.
The main event of this trip is a speech to the Israeli people – Barack Obama’s main task is to build bridges and improve his image, which could give him more leverage over the new Israeli government.
Yesterday, Palestinian protesters gathered in Ramallah and Bethlehem, some throwing shoes at images of Barack Obama and others driving over his portrait, reports said.
Demonstrator Huwaida Arraf told Reuters news agency that Barack Obama’s visit was “a slap in the face”.
“People are angry and disappointed that this far into his presidency, Obama has done nothing, and aid to Israel’s occupation continues to flow,” he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem to demand barack Obama free Jonathan Pollard, imprisoned in the US in 1987 for spying for Israel.
Barack Obama’s three-day visit to Israel:
Wednesday: Meets PM Benjamin Netanyahu
Thursday: Meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Friday: Visits Bethlehem’s Church of Nativity and later departs for Jordan
South Korea’s authorities are investigating a suspected cyber-attack that has paralyzed computer networks at broadcasters and banks.
Broadcasters KBS, MBC and YTN told police their networks were halted around 14:00, Yonhap news agency said.
Two banks, Shinhan Bank and Nonghyup, said their networks were affected.
The exact cause of the problems remains unknown. Last week, North Korea accused the US and its allies of attacks on its internet servers.
The networks had been “partially or entirely crippled”, the Korean Internet Security Agency (KISA), a state watchdog, said.
“This incident is pretty massive and will take a few days to collect evidence,” a police official told AFP news agency.
Staff at the three broadcasters said their computers crashed and could not be restarted, with screens simply displaying an error message, although they have continued to make television broadcasts.
There are reports of skulls popping up on some computer screens, which could indicate that hackers had installed malicious code in the networks, KISA said.
Some banking services at Shinhan bank, including internet banking and ATM machines, were also affected, although banking operations now appear to have been restored.
A third bank, Woori Bank, also came under attack but was not infected, authorities say.
South Korea’s authorities are investigating a suspected cyber-attack that has paralyzed computer networks at broadcasters and banks
South Korean internet service provider LG Uplus said it believed its network had been hacked, Reuters news agency reported, citing an unidentified spokesman.
But AP news agency reported LG Uplus spokesman Lee Jung-hwan as saying that the company’s networks were operating normally, with no signs of a cyber-attack.
An official from the presidential office told Yonhap the authorities were “now trying to determine the cause of the network paralysis”, adding it was not yet known whether North Korea was involved.
“We do not rule out the possibility of North Korea being involved, but it’s premature to say so,” Defence Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said.
No government-related computer networks had been affected, an official from the National Computing and Information Agency (NCIA) told the agency.
The military has upgraded its information surveillance status by one level, Yonhap said.
North Korea is believed to have been behind two major cyber-attacks on the South in 2009 and 2011 that targeted government agencies and financial firms.
Nonghyup bank was one of the victims of the 2011 attack, which left its customers unable to access or transfer their cash for three days.
North Korea has stepped up rhetoric in recent days in response to fresh UN sanctions over its nuclear test in February and joint annual military drills between the US and South Korea, which it bitterly opposes.
Last week, North Korea’s KCNA news agency accused the US and its allies of “intensive and persistent” hacking attacks on its networks.
Official sites such as KCNA, Air Koryo and Rodong Sinmun, the party newspaper, were reportedly inaccessible for short periods.
David Beckham has arrived in Beijing to begin his new role as a special ambassador for Chinese football.
David Beckham’s new role will involve attending league matches in China and visiting clubs to help promote football to children.
His appointment, announced earlier this month, comes as Chinese football works to recover from a match-fixing scandal that saw dozens of top officials, players and referees jailed or banned.
David Beckham, 37, will combine the role with playing for Paris St-Germain.
“I am helping in the education for young kids and young aspiring footballers,” the footballer said in a press conference.
“It’s as simple as that. I am not here to clear up anything. I am here to educate the children and give them a chance of becoming professional footballers.”
In a nation of 1.3 billion people some estimates suggest that fewer than 100,000 youths play any form of organized football.
In terms of television viewers China has plenty of fans, but many prefer to watch foreign games over the tarnished domestic league.
David Beckham’s new role will involve attending league matches in China and visiting clubs to help promote football to children
In February, China’s football association banned 33 players and officials for life after a three-year probe into match-fixing.
Two ex-heads of the Chinese football league were also jailed in June 2012 for corruption, four months after the country’s top referee, Lu Jun, was imprisoned for taking money to influence games.
The Chinese national team has also failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.
David Beckham’s four-day visit will include training sessions with primary schoolchildren and visits to football clubs in Beijing, Qingdao and Wuhan.
David Beckham, one of the most globally recognized names in football, has won a league championship at all three of the clubs he has played for on a permanent basis – Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy.
Marmite has returned to New Zealand supermarkets for the first time in over a year, after shortages caused by the Christchurch quake.
The February 2011 quake damaged the only factory in the country that produces Marmite, forcing it to close.
Stocks then dwindled, leading to shortages dubbed “Marmageddon” by media, from early 2012.
The factory has since reopened, with food company Sanitarium thanking consumers for “not freaking out”.
Sanitarium Marmite uses a different recipe than the English version of Marmite, manufactured by a different company.
It was first brought to New Zealand in the 1900s but the country came up with its own version, which has its own distinctive taste. Australia also has a similar product called Vegemite.
Marmite has returned to New Zealand supermarkets for the first time in over a year, after shortages caused by the Christchurch quake
The shortage led to complaints from many New Zealanders, including Prime Minister John Key.
“You’ve rationed, you’ve scraped, you’ve survived Marmaggedon – and now the wait is over!” Sanitarium said on its website.
“Thanks for not freaking out and for waiting patiently for the black gold’s return.”
The Marmite factory was scheduled to re-open by middle of last year but faced unexpected delays.
Even with its return, some supermarkets in New Zealand were rationing supplies to two jars per customer in the face of high demand.
But customers said they were happy with the spread’s return.
“I’ve tried the alternatives but they’re just not the same, so I’ve had to have jam or peanut butter on my toast,” consumer Robyn Lonergan told Agence-France Presse news agency.
This year’s Comic Relief presented a sketch featuring Rowan Atkinson as the Archbishop of Canterbury which has drawn more than 2,200 complaints to the BBC.
In the pre-21:00 watershed sketch, Rowan Atkinson – playing a fictional version of the Archbishop of Canterbury compared boyband One Direction to Jesus’s disciples.
He also claimed praying “doesn’t work”.
According to a BBC statement, the sketch “was intended to amuse and entertain,” adding, “we did not mean to cause any offence”.
Around a quarter of the complaints were specifically about religious offence, with the rest concerned with pre-watershed language.
Archbishop sketch has since been removed from the BBC’s iPlayer.
Comic Relief sketch featuring Rowan Atkinson as the Archbishop of Canterbury has drawn more than 2,200 complaints
The BBC received almost 3,000 complaints in total over the charity fundraising night of programming.
Other complaints over the event – which drew a peak audience of 12.2 million people – involved another sketch involving the popular series Call The Midwife.
A statement said Comic Relief was “known for pushing at the boundaries of comedy alongside heartfelt appeal films”.
It added that “getting the language, tone and content of the evening is extremely important to us… to any viewers we may have offended, we apologize”.
A host of British stars were involved in this year’s event which marked Comic Relief’s 25th anniversary.
Other sketches featured X Factor mogul Simon Cowell rejecting advances from David Walliams and Louis Walsh only to marry himself, while Ricky Gervais resurrected The Office’s David Brent for an appalling new song promoting racial diversity called Equality Street.
Death Wish Coffee is an US-based company claiming to produce the first and last cup of coffee ever needed to kick start your work day.
Death Wish, a medium-dark roast coffee blend roasted in up-state NY, claims to be the “most highly caffeinated premium dark roast organic coffee in the world”.
The brand, featuring a menacing black skull and cross bones, says they use coffee beans containing close to 200% of the amount of caffeine found in a typical coffee shop coffee.
In comparison, a tall, 12oz cup of regular Starbucks coffee contains an average of 260 mg caffeine according to Energy Field, making in each cup of Death Wish approximately 520 mg.
The coffee that sells for $19.99 per 1lb bag is organically grown, fair traded and shade grown to save more land, according to the company.
It’s also said to have the full flavor of dark-roasted Arabica coffee beans without the loss of caffeine during its.
Explaining this as a rarity, Death Wish states that dark roasts typically contain less caffeine than lighter roasts due to the amount of time the beans are cooked.
“The longer and darker you roast the coffee bean the more caffeine gets pulled/cooked out,” they state on their website.
“I was zipping around like I was the Flash,” a satisfied user wrote of the product while giving it five out of five stars on Amazon.com.
“Not only was it one of the strongest coffees I’ve ever had but it is also one of the best tasting and smelling.”
“Much to my dismay, this is just regular coffee,” one of two negative reviews out of 15 shared in contrast.
So secure with their product, Death Wish Coffee offers a money-back guarantee with its sale according to its website.
“Buy a bag, if you hate it, send it back (within 60 days) and we will refund you your money plus shipping. No Risk. It’s the best part about selling a product we believe in,” they write.
Death Wish, a medium-dark roast coffee blend roasted in up-state NY, claims to be the most highly caffeinated premium dark roast organic coffee in the world
Elin Nordegren’s rumored new boyfriend, billionaire coal magnate Chris Cline, parked his 164-foot yacht directly in front of her ex Tiger Woods’ 155-foot yacht on Florida’s Jupiter Island Monday, TMZ reports.
As the New York Post reported, Elin Nordegren has been “quietly dating” her 54-year-old neighbor in the upscale North Palm Beach oceanfront community of Seminole Landing following her 2010 divorce.
Chris Cline, worth a reported $1.2 billion, is said to host blowout parties on his impressive vessel dubbed “Mine Games” which has its own submarine.
Built by Gulf Coast-based Trinity Yachts, Chris Cline’s luxury yacht boasts five bedrooms, two formal dining rooms, a poolside bar, a hot tub, and a rental price of $265,000 per week.
Chris Cline has been married twice and has four children with his previous wives. His first wife, Sabrina, died of breast cancer in 1987. He remarried in 1993 and then divorced seven years later.
Meanwhile Tiger Woods’ seacraft is called “Privacy” and he spent the last weekend lounging on it with his new girlfriend Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn.
Built by Gulf Coast-based Trinity Yachts, Chris Cline’s luxury yacht boasts five bedrooms, two formal dining rooms, a poolside bar, a hot tub, and a rental price of $265,000 per week
Tiger Woods and Lindsay Vonn avoided having an awkward confrontation with Elin Nordegren at their 5-year-old daughter Samantha’s junior baseball game by having Lindsey Vonn hide in his black Mercedes for an hour.Elin Nordegren and Tiger Woods formed a couple for six years and also have a 3-year-old son Charlie.
They split up after Tiger Woods admitted to marital infidelity and nearly a dozen women came forward saying they had relationships with him.
Speaking about her relationship with the golfer, the former Swedish supermodel said she felt “blindsided” and “embarrassed” when she found out about his multiple infidelities.
Elin Nordegren said: “I never suspected. For the last three-and-a-half years, when all this was going on, I was home a lot more with pregnancies, then the children and my school.”
Since their split, Elin Nordegren received a $100 million divorce settlement, rebuilt her dream home, and takes psychology classes at Rollins College in Winter Park.
Elin Nordegren has also been romantically linked to businessman Jamie Dingman and more recently to Swedish hockey player Douglas Murray.
US Senate Democrats will ditch a plan to ban assault weapons, all but killing off a key part of a gun control campaign prompted by a recent school massacre.
Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein said her proposal would be left out of the firearms control bill.
Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid made the decision, saying the proposal could not get enough votes.
An assault-type weapon was used in the December massacre that killed 26 at Sandy Hook primary school in Newtown, Connecticut.
The shooting shocked the US and revived efforts in Washington DC to prohibit such firearms.
While polls show most Americans back an assault weapon ban, influential pro-gun lobby groups such as the National Rifle Association have pressed lawmakers to oppose such a move.
Senator Dianne Feinstein said she might put forward the assault weapons proposal, similar to a previous one she sponsored that expired in 2004, as an amendment to the bill.
But she would need 60 votes from the 100-member Senate to succeed, a margin analysts say the amendment would be unlikely to reach.
“I very much regret it,” Dianne Feinstein said.
“I tried my best.”
Senator Dianne Feinstein said she might put forward the assault weapons proposal, similar to a previous one she sponsored that expired in 2004, as an amendment to the bill
The plan had only narrowly passed a Senate panel last week, underlining its poor chances of clearing the full chamber.
It was one of four gun control measures backed by the panel, including expanded background check requirements for people buying guns, harsher punishments for illegal gun trafficking, and more money for security at schools.
Meanwhile, the town of Newtown has seen a surge in applications for gun permits since the massacre at Sandy Hook primary school in which 20 schoolchildren and six teachers were murdered.
There have been 79 requests for gun permits in Newtown since the shooting on December 14, police say, although the town has only issued about 130 licences annually in recent years.
A police official said people were worried about new regulations.
Kim Kardashian has revealed that she puts a lot of hard work into what she wears, employing a team of stylists to select and organize her different looks.
The stylists choose not just the clothes but also the accessories needed to complete the outfit.
Kim Kardashian is photographed trying the different looks on at a fitting, then can just select the finished outfit when she is ready for an event.
“With my hectic schedule it’s very hard to find time to put cute outfits together,” the reality star explained on her blog.
“So I have a stylist. I actually have a few and I use them so that I can just have many looks put together.
“Then I can just grab a look off my rack and not even think about it. I want you guys to see how the look really comes to life!”
Kim Kardashian has revealed that she puts a lot of hard work into what she wears, employing a team of stylists to select and organize her different looks
Along with her explanation Kim Kardashian also shared a picture of herself at a fitting then in the same outfit at the event.
The two images show what a difference Kim Kardashian’s hair and make-up makes to the finished look.
“I want to share with you guys some behind the scenes photos of me trying on some of my favorite outfits and how it ends up looking at an event,” she explained.
“I want you guys to see how the look really comes to life!
“For today’s Dressing Diaries post, I want to show you my Fashion’s Night Out look! I love this Tom Ford dress and belt!
“While I had my hair up for the fitting, I went for a slicked back hairstyle and a smokey eye for the actual event!”
Jay Leno has branded the NBC executives “snakes” live on air after rumors that he is to be replaced by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.
An email from NBC entertainment chief Robert Greenblatt was leaked leading to rumors that Jay Leno is going to be replaced by Jimmy Fallon next year.
On Monday’s show, the day after St Patrick’s Day celebrations, Jay Leno, 62, said: “You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right?
“St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland – and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives.
“It’s a fascinating story!”
Jay Leno has branded the NBC executives “snakes” live on air after rumors that he is to be replaced by Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show
Jay Leno also had fun with the fact that the network finished fifth in recent sweeps during his February 28 show.“It’s so bad, The Biggest Loser isn’t just a TV show anymore – it’s our new motto,” Jay Leno laughed, which led the furious exchange of emails with Robert Greenblatt.Jay Leno started his appearances on the show in 1987, when he became Johnny Carson’s regular substitute.
He was replaced by Conan O’Brien in 2009 and tried out his own show on the same network but when neither worked, Jay Leno returned in March 2010.
Cyprus’ parliament has rejected the controversial levy on bank deposits, proposed as part of an EU-IMF 10 billion-euro ($13 billion) bailout package.
No MPs voted for the bill, with 36 voting against and 19 abstaining.
Cyprus’ finance ministry had modified the package, proposing an exemption for savers with smaller deposits, but opposition had remained fierce.
Thousands of protesters who had filled the streets outside parliament reacted with joy to the news of the vote.
EU finance ministers have warned that Cyprus’ two biggest banks will collapse if the deal does not go through in some form.
However, there has been widespread outrage on the island at the prospect of ordinary savers being forced to pay a levy of 6.75%
The plan was changed to exempt savers with less than 20,000 euros, with those over 100,000 euros charged at 9.9%, but this was not enough to placate critics.
Several MPs during the parliament debate on Tuesday evening denounced the proposed plan as “blackmail”.
President Nicos Anastasiades had urged all parties to back the bailout, saying Cyprus will be bankrupt if the deal does not go ahead.
But he also said earlier on Tuesday that MPs were likely to reject the levy, despite the modifications.
“They feel and they think it’s unjust and that it is against the interests of Cyprus at large. But I have to admit that it was something which was not expected by the troika and by our friends, the Eurogroup.”
The president has called an emergency meeting of political party leaders on Wednesday morning to discuss the way forward.
Cyprus’ parliament has rejected the controversial levy on bank deposits
The president of the Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, emphasized on Monday that no other eurozone country would be forced to impose such a levy.
The Cyprus central bank chief, Panicos Demetriades, has warned that scrapping the tax on small savers would scupper the plan to raise 5.8 billion euros in total from bank deposits. He also predicted account holders could suddenly withdraw 10% or more of the total in Cypriot banks if the levy was imposed.
Fearing a run on accounts, Cyprus has shut its banks until at least Thursday. The local stock exchange also remains closed.
Cyprus’ banks were badly exposed to Greece, which has itself been the recipient of two huge bailouts.
Panicos Demetriades said that he favored imposing the levy only on deposits larger than 100,000 euros, with eurozone finance ministers also suggesting such a move.
Instead, they argue that wealthier savers should pay the levy at a higher rate – losing more than 15% of their investments, correspondents say.
However, many of those larger deposits are held by Russians, and Russian leaders have already reacted angrily to the Cypriot levy – on Monday President Vladimir Putin called it “unfair, unprofessional and dangerous”.
Of the estimated 68 billion euros in total held in Cypriot bank accounts about 40% belongs to foreigners – most of them thought to be Russians.
The Cypriot government fears a higher levy on these larger deposits would prompt many large investors to withdraw from the island and would effectively destroy its financial sector.
Russia has also said it may reconsider the terms of a 2.5 billion-euro loan it made to Cyprus in 2011, which was separate from the proposed eurozone bailout.
Cypriot Finance Minister Michalis Sarris arrived in Moscow on Tuesday to see if the repayment on that loan could be delayed until 2020, and whether the interest rate could be reduced.
Officials said he would also be looking for “further investment” in his country, correspondents report, with some speculating this might mean Russian access to Cyprus’ large undeveloped gas deposits.
