General Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentina’s former military leader, has died aged 87 while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity.
Jorge Rafael Videla is reported to have died from natural causes in prison.
The general was jailed in 2010 for the deaths of 31 dissidents during the 1976-83 military dictatorship, of which he was overall leader until 1981.
Up to 30,000 people were tortured and killed during this period, in a campaign known as the “Dirty War”.
Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla had been sentenced to life in prison for torture, murder and other crimes in 1985, but was pardoned in 1990 under an amnesty given by the president at the time, Carlos Menem.
In April 2010, the Supreme Court upheld a 2007 federal court move to overturn his pardon.
Eight months later Jorge Rafael Videla was found “criminally responsible” for the torture and deaths of 31 prisoners and jailed for life.
Most of the left-wing activists were taken from their cells in the central city of Cordoba and shot dead shortly after the military took power.
The army said at the time that they were killed while trying to escape.
General Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentina’s former military leader, has died aged 87 while serving a life sentence for crimes against humanity
Gen. Jorge Rafael Videla was one of 30 members of the security forces charged with the murders.
Last year, he was also convicted of overseeing the systematic theft of babies from political prisoners.
At least 400 babies are thought to have been taken from their parents while they were held in detention centres.
More than 100 children given for adoption to military or police couples have since been reunited with their biological families.
A court in Buenos Aires sentenced Jorge Rafael Videla to 50 years in prison, while another ex-military leader, Reynaldo Bignone, received 15 years for his alleged role in the crime.
In an interview with an Argentine journalist last year, Jorge Rafael Videla said the crackdown he oversaw was the price Argentina had to pay in order to remain a republic.
“War, by nature, is cruel,” he said.
“An internal war, between brothers, is especially cruel.”
Jose Miguel Vivanco, director of Latin America for US-based Human Rights Watch, said Jorge Rafael Videla presided over one of the region’s cruellest repressions in modern times.
“He was arrogant to the end and unwilling to acknowledge his responsibility for the massive atrocities committed in Argentina,” he said.
“Many of the secrets of the repression will die with him.”
Argentina’s Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Perez Esquivel told Reuters news agency: “Death has brought an end to his physical existence but not what he did against the people.”
The head of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an association that works to uncover the real identities of the stolen children, described Jorge Rafael Videla as a “bad man”.
“I’m reassured that a discredited man has departed this world,” said Estela de Carloto in a statement to local media.
Jorge Rafael Videla was born in 1925, the son of an army colonel.
In 1976, he and two other military leaders staged a coup against President Isabel Peron, the widow of former leader Juan Domingo Peron.
Argentina’s dictatorship:
1976: Military junta under General Jorge Rafael Videla seizes power – thousands of political opponents are rounded up and killed in what becomes known as “the dirty war”
1982: Jorge Rafael Videla’s successor, General Leopoldo Galtieri, orders invasion of British-held Falkland Islands – more than 700 Argentine soldiers killed in its unsuccessful defense
1983: Civilian rule returns to Argentina, and investigations into human rights abuses begin
2010: Jorge Rafael Videla is sentenced to life imprisonment for murders during his term in office
2012: Jorge Rafael Videla sentenced to 50 years for overseeing systematic theft of the babies of political prisoners
Roger W. Harms, M.D., leading obstetrician at the Mayo Clinic, explains why women’s feet swell during pregnancy.
“Your body produces and retains more fluid during pregnancy,” he says.
“Also, your growing uterus puts pressure on your veins, which impairs return of blood to your heart. In turn, this can lead to swelling in the legs, ankles and feet. Hormonal changes might play a role as well.”
To avoid cankles, Dr. Roger W. Harms suggests a number of measures:
1. Sleep on your left side:
This takes pressure off the inferior vena cava – the large vein that returns blood from the lower half of your body to your heart.
Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day
2. Stand in water:
Standing in a pool can compress tissues in the legs and might provide temporary relief.
3. Stay cool:
It might be soothing to apply cold-water compresses to swollen areas.
4. Wear compression stockings:
Your midwife or GP might recommend wearing supportive tights or stockings.
5. Drink plenty of fluids:
The Institute of Medicine recommends about two litres of fluids a day during pregnancy.
6. Exercise:
Walking and swimming can alleviate swelling.
7. Stay off your feet:
Avoid standing for long periods, and don’t cross your legs.
When you can, sit with your feet up and occasionally rotate your feet at the ankles.
Kim Kardashian tottered out in a pair of sky-high perspex high heels on Thursday after she complained that a pair of caged Givenchy heels had hurt her swollen feet just last week.
Heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian’s feet were so swollen that she barely managed to squeeze them into the footwear.
Puffy, her ankles were also clearly suffering, even appearing severely pinched in the stylish shoes.
But the 32-year-old reality star was keen to power on, strutting around while wearing another item of clothing that was very tight.
Kim Kardashian wore a clingy white shift dress for the afternoon outing.
Heavily pregnant Kim Kardashian’s feet were so swollen that she barely managed to squeeze them into the footwear
The attire was a similar design to a black frock she had slipped into earlier this month to promote her clothing line in Dallas, Texas.
Kim Kardashian’s dress featured what appeared to be an attached matching white cape and of course, her stilettos.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star wore her hair out in a straight style and had her usual smoky eye and nude lip combination applied for make-up.
She was joined by her mother Kris Jenner, who beamed at her daughter as she surveyed her outfit.
Kim Kardashian was dressed-to-the-nines to film scenes for her reality TV show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Kris Jenner, 57, was also wearing white in the form of a white blazer.
She paired the item with a Kardashian staple – a pair of leather trousers.
Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day
The reality matriarch and manager also got around in a pair of sky-high heels – hers a pair of suede ankle boots.
The mother-of-six also toted a patterned Givenchy handbag – the designer a favorite of the family.
Earlier this month, Kim Kardashian complained about her swollen feet when she tweeted a snap of them after wearing caged Givenchy boots all day.
Meanwhile recent reports claimed that Kanye West wouldn’t be around following the birth of their child in July because he is planning on embarking on a world tour later this year, following the release of his new album.
However, following claims that she would be left alone with a young baby, TMZ.com have now revealed that Kim Kardashian is planning on joining her beau on the road along with their child.
The website claims that the touring company has been asked to provide cribs and soundproof hotel rooms to provide the most comfortable accommodation for the couple and their baby throughout the tour.
However, Kim Kardashian is contractually obliged to remain in town over the winter for filming of her family reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
“Kim just feels like she can’t win,” the source added.
“She feels that both of their work schedules are going to prevent them from spending quality time together after the baby is born.”
Photographer Dario D was fed up with his fast food order not looking quite as appetizing as it did on the advert and decided to see how the food sold over the counter matched up to the promised product.
He bought burgers and tacos from some of the biggest chains in the United States and set them up in his studio for a professional standard photo shoot.
And the difference was clear to see.
Dario D found that most of the burgers he bought were not quite as tall as the adverts promised they would be.
In fact, Big Macs would struggle to fit inside their boxes if they matched their picture.
Another McDonald’s burger, the Angus Deluxe Third Pounder, would have the same trouble.
Dario D embarked on the project following: “a lifetime of disappointment, bafflement, and rage”, posting the results on his website.
He gave Burger King’s Whopper a few tries, but after slightly squashed results could only conclude: “They need to fire the guy who does his yoga on top of the Whoppers.”
In one side-by-side comparison, he showed the results of asking staff at different locations to make the Whopper look like its advert.
Photographer Dario D found that most of the burgers he bought were not quite as tall as the adverts promised they would be
“Both times, the cashiers turned and took strangely long, careful looks, as if nobody had ever requested that before,” he said.
“They said sure.”
Out of curiosity, Dario D complained about the “misleading” adverts.
A member of Burger King’s Consumer Relations Team replied: “One may find the Whopper Sandwich as pictured in commercials more attractive because during photo sessions, professional food stylists are used to ensure the consistency and appearance.”
It wasn’t just burger chains where the food failed to size up to its commercial counterpart.
In Taco Bell and Jack in the Box, the tacos were thin compared with the packed shells in the adverts.
Of the Taco Bell results, Dario D said: “Since these tacos are pretty dry and empty, I can only tolerate them with hot sauce, which, for me, is when they become good.”
With the help of a green screen and rotating chair, Dario D took each product’s photo at the most flattering angle he could before using digital software to show the advert and real product side-by-side.
Dario D said: “I gave the items as fair a chance as absolutely possible.”
George Michael has been airlifted to hospital with a head injury following a crash on the M1 motorway in UK.
George Michael, 49, remains in hospital after the crash at junction 6A, near St Albans, Hertfordshire.
A spokesman for the former Wham! star confirmed he had been involved in an accident on Thursday but said the singer only had “superficial cuts” and was “fine”.
George Michael was a passenger in a Range Rover and no other vehicles were involved, the spokesman added.
Connie Filippello, spokesman for George Michael, said: “George Michael was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a traffic accident yesterday evening. No third party was involved.
“We have no further comment at this time.”
George Michael has been airlifted to hospital with a head injury following a crash on the M1 motorway
Ambulance spokesman Gary Sanderson said: “The man who we believe to be in his 40s sustained a head injury and following treatment, stabilization and immobilization by land and air ambulance crews, he was flown to hospital for further care.”
Hertfordshire Police said the northbound carriageway of the road was closed for an hour while emergency services dealt with the incident.
Two people were in the car at the time of the crash at about 17:50 BST. No arrests have been made.
A police spokesman said: “The exact circumstances of what happened are unclear at this time and until further investigations have been carried out it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”
In September 2010, George Michael was given an eight-week sentence for crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis.
The singer was also fined £1,250 ($1,950) at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London and given a five-year driving ban.
George Michael was arrested in Hampstead, north London, after driving his Range Rover into a branch of photographic store Snappy Snaps.
Hosting Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the White House’s Rose Garden yesterday, President Barack Obama requested a standing Marine to open an umbrella and protect his head from the light rain that was falling.
However, according to Marine Corps regulations, not even the President of the United States can request a Marine to carry an umbrella without the express permission of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
The Marine Corp Manual, which is the bible for all soldiers serving, specifically states that a soldier’s uniform dress code does not allow the carrying of an umbrella and “no officer or official shall issue instructions which conflict with, alter, or amend any provision without the approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps”.
Indeed, male Marines are informed never to carry an umbrella from the earliest phases of training.
Regulation MCO P1020.34F of the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations chapter 3, rules out any use or carrying of an umbrella while a Marine is in uniform.
However, female Marines “may carry an all-black, plain standard or collapsible umbrella at their option during inclement weather with the service and dress uniforms. It will be carried in the left hand so that the hand salute can be properly rendered”.
During the press conference, President Barack Obama dodged questions about the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups, shifted responsibility for the Benghazi attack to Congress, and said he offers no apologies for the Department of Justice’s secret seizure of reporter’s phone records in search of a classified intelligence leak.
Hosting Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Rose Garden, President Barack Obama requested a standing Marine to open an umbrella and protect his head from the light rain
In a rain-soaked Rose Garden press conference originally intended to be a victory lap for the United States’ relationship with Turkey, Barack Obama stood alongside Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and fielded questions which quickly shifted to the trio of scandals that are engulfing his administration.
Addressing the Benghazi fallout pre-emptively before Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke, Barack Obama said that “at my direction, we’ve been taking a series of steps that were recommended by the review board”.
He spoke of various measures he was recommending, to “learn the lessons of Benghazi”. But he referred to the murders of four Americans there as an “incident”, not a terror attack.
The president said: “That’s why, at my direction, we’ve been taking a series of steps that were recommended by the review board after the incident. We’re continuing to review our security at high-threat diplomatic posts, including the size and nature of our presence; improving training for those headed to dangerous posts; increasing intelligence and warning capabilities.
“And I’ve directed the Defense Department to ensure that our military can respond lightning quick in times of crisis.”
His remarks focused on “properly funding” the State Department and Pentagon-run security at diplomatic posts, shifting the burden to Congress to “provide resources and new authorities so that we can implement all the recommendations of the Accountability Review Board which issued a report last month”.
Barack Obama said: “We’re going to need Congress’s help in terms of increasing the number of our Marine Corps Guard who protect our embassies.
“We’re not going to be able to do this alone.”
“’We need Congress.”
The review board is under fire for failing to interview high-level Obama administration figures, including then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Interviewing Clinton, Republicans on Capitol Hill have said, would have provided insights into who was accountable for lapses in security that left the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya vulnerable to attack.
Dick Trickle’s brother, Chuck, has said the legendary NASCAR driver suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest before his suicide.
Richard “Dick” Trickle, 71, who died on Thursday from a self inflicted gunshot wound, was so distressed by his mystery ailment that he visited doctors twice a day.
According to his brother, Dick Trickle became depressed by a discomfort under his left breast telling him that he “didn’t know how much longer he could take the pain”.
“It’s a shock to me,” said Chuck Trickle to The Las Vegas Review Journal.
“It’s real hard to think about. He was my brother, my friend and my hero, in that order.”
“He was very down.”
Chuck Trickle, who lives in Las Vegas said that to his knowledge his brother was healthy, except for the pain under his chest, but when they last spoke a week ago he suspected that something was wrong when he heard his brother curse.
Chuck Trickle said his brother was so beloved that “he could’ve run for president and won”.
“He was there for everybody,’ Chuck Trickle said. ‘He left a very large footprint on this earth.”
Chuck Trickle’s son, Chris, was shot in 1997 while driving in Las Vegas. He died the following year, and the case never was solved.
Dick Trickle’s brother, Chuck, has said the legendary NASCAR driver suffered chronic and debilitating pain in his chest before his suicide
During his racing career, Dick Trickle attracted attention when he drilled a hole in his safety helmet to allow him to smoke a cigarette as he competed.
He also installed cigarette lighters in his cars so he could smoke during races, the local news station noted.
Dick Trickle recalled in an interview with Fox Sports two years ago of a fan who came up to him while signing autographs and asked him about the cigarettes.
“He says, <<How many cigarettes did you smoke during that race?>> And I said, <<How many yellows were there?>> I said, <<One for every yellow>>.”
Dick Trickle said he quit smoking two and a half years before that interview but did it “just for no good reason”.
He died on Thursday at age 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police confirmed.
The body of the retired race car driver was found at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina, 30 miles west of Charlotte. His body was discovered near his pickup truck.
It is not known why he chose the cemetery as the location to end his life.
Dick Trickle had actually called police before shooting himself and forewarned them “there would be a dead body and it would be his”.
He made his debut on the NASCAR circuit in the #84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing.
His career spanned 24 years, during which he competed in a total of 2,200 races.
Dubbed the “White Knight” by his corporate sponsor SuperAmerica, Dick Trickle was said to have nabbed the most wins in short track racing.
He was named the Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s Winston Cup in 1989 at age 48.
Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tim Johnson says foul play is not suspected.
Dick Trickle leaves behind his wife of 53 years Darlene and three children.
They are the proud parents of three children. 50-year-old Tod Allen Trickle born on March 22, 1963, 41-year-old Chad Trickle born on March 03, 1972 and their eldest and only daughter 52-year-old Victoria Trickle, now Vicky Trickle Bowman, who once worked as her father’s personal assistant.
Darlene Carol Trickle, 69, was born Darlene McMahon on January 11, 1944, she got married to her childhood sweetheart Dick Trickle shortly after he graduated from High School in May, 1961.
At age of 8, Dick Trickle almost died while playing tag with his cousin in a house under construction.
He fell two floors to the basement and broke his hip and spent three years in a cast from his waist to his feet – walking with a limp for the rest of his life.
And tragically, his nephew, Chris Trickle, who was also a NASCAR driver was murdered in an unsolved drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1998.
Chris Trickle died from his wounds 409 days after the shooting.
A family friend of one of the Cleveland victims has revealed that Michelle Knight, the first of three women to be kidnapped off the street who suffered more than a decade of abuse in Ariel Castro’s house of horrors, was subjected to numerous beatings and treated like “a punching bag”.
Michelle Knight, now 32, vanished in August 2002, and was not seen again until earlier this month when she emerged from a dilapidated house on Seymour Avenue with Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.
The owner of the home, 52-year-old Ariel Castro, faces kidnapping and rape charges. He is accused of chaining up all three women in the home and raping them.
A family friend of one of the victims told CNN that Michelle Knight was often hit with hand weights and other objects and treated like a “punching bag” for 11 years.
Her relatives say that she is deaf in one ear, and may need facial reconstruction surgery. She was released from a hospital on Friday.
Michelle Knight was often hit with hand weights and other objects and treated like a “punching bag” for 11 years
Michelle Knight stayed in the hospital for several days after the other two women left.
She told CNN in a statement: “I am healthy, happy and safe and will reach out to family, friends and supporters in good time.”
Michelle Knight told police that her alleged captor repeatedly raped her and caused her to miscarry at least five times over the years by starving her and punching her in the stomach.
Police sources told the National Enquirer that Ariel Castro had no interest in having children with Michelle Knight, because she was only 4-foot-7 and he believed her to be “mentally disabled”.
The magazine’s source added that Ariel Castro was grooming his 6-year-old daughter with Amanda, Jocelyn, as another sex slave because the other captives “were getting to old for him”.
Police had not been looking for Michelle Knight when she was found in Ariel Castro’s house.
Michelle Knight disappeared in 2002 at age 21. Her mother concluded she might have run away from home because she was angry about the state taking away her child.
Police dropped the case when they couldn’t reach her mother.
Dell has reported a 79% slide in net profit, underlining a fall in personal computers sales as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets.
The PC maker’s net profit fell to $130 million in the three months to May 3, on revenue down 2% to $14 billion.
Dell is in the middle of a dispute between founder Michael Dell and two of its biggest shareholders.
Michael Dell wants to take the company private, but some investors oppose the plan.
Dell has reported a 79 percent slide in net profit, underlining a fall in PC sales as more consumers shift to smartphones and tablets
Michael Dell and private equity group Silver Lake have offered to buy back the company for $24.4 billion, and have pledged to shift the business away from PCs to mobile devices.
But its biggest shareholders – the investor Carl Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management – have argued that the valuation of the company is too cheap, and that Michael Dell’s deal is a “giveaway”.
Instead, they have proposed to offer additional shares to shareholders and install mew management.
In its quarterly results, Dell said that revenue from new technologies, services and software, rose 12% to $5.5 billion. That was in contrast to PC sales, which fell 9%.
Dell did not issue a profit guidance for the second quarter due to the ongoing dispute. The company has created a special committee of the board to study the private equity deal and alternative bids.
Retired race car driver Richard “Dick” Trickle died on Thursday at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police say.
The body of the NASCAR legend was found at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina, 30 miles west of Charlotte.
Dick Trickle’s body was discovered near his pickup truck.
The victim had actually called police before shooting himself and forewarned them “there would be a dead body and it would be his”.
Dick Trickle made his debut on the NASCAR circuit in the #84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing.
His career spanned 24 years, during which he competed in a total of 2,200 races.
Richard “Dick” Trickle died on Thursday at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound
Dubbed the “White Knight” by his corporate sponsor SuperAmerica, Dick Trickle was said to have nabbed the most wins in short track racing.
He was named the Rookie of the Year in NASCAR’s Winston Cup in 1989 at age 48.
During his racing career, Dick Trickle attracted attention when he drilled a hole in his safety helmet to allow him to smoke a cigarette as he competed.
He also installed cigarette lighters in his cars so he could smoke during races, the local news station noted.
Dick Trickle recalled in an interview with Fox Sports two years ago of a fan who came up to him while signing autographs and asked him about the cigarettes.
“He says, <<How many cigarettes did you smoke during that race?>> And I said, <<How many yellows were there?>> I said, <<One for every yellow>>.”
Dick Trickle said he quit smoking two and a half years before that interview but did it “just for no good reason”.
Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tim Johnson says foul play is not suspected.
Residents at a luxury TriBeCa apartment block in Lower Manhattan are very furious after discovering that artist Arne Svenson, who is their neighbor at a nearby building, has secretly been taking their photographs to exhibit and sell.
Arne Svenson freely admits to secretly photographing his neighbors at the exclusive 475 Greenwich St apartment block in TriBeCa, but claims he hasn’t done anything wrong.
His photographs are careful not to show anyone’s face in full, but they do show the residents engaged in a wide range of intimate and private activities including cleaning, taking a nap, watching television and carrying their sleeping kids to bed.
The photographs are currently on display at the Julie Saul Gallery in New York as part of an exhibition called The Neighbors which opened on Saturday.
Prints are available to buy for up to $7,500 and in sizes up to 5 feet by 2 feet.
Arne Svenson freely admits to secretly photographing his neighbors at the exclusive 475 Greenwich St apartment block, but claims he hasn’t done anything wrong
Residents of the Greenwich Street building – where penthouses fetch up to $6 million – are furious over what they see as an invasion of privacy and are concerned about the safety of their children.
“A grown man should not be able to photograph kids in their rooms with a telephoto lens,” resident Clifford Finn told the New York Post.
“You can argue artistic license all you want, but that’s really the issue here. I’m sorry, but I’m really bothered by this.”
A number of residents who are featured in the exhibition are understood to be considering legal action. Although they’ve been advised the may have better luck in a civil case rather than a misdemeanor criminal proceeding because their faces aren’t fully visible.
Arne Svenson, 60, who lives on the second floor of the nearby 125 Watt St building, is unapologetic.
“For my subjects, there is no question of privacy,” he said in a statement accompanying the exhibit.
“They are performing behind a transparent scrim on a stage of their own creation with the curtain raised high. The neighbors don’t know they are being photographed; I carefully shoot from the shadows of my home into theirs.
“I am not unlike the birder, quietly waiting for hours, watching for the flutter of a hand or a movement of a curtain as an indication that there is life within.”
Arne Svenson, whose previous exhibitions have included photos of sock puppets, was inspired to do this latest project after he inherited a bird watching telephoto lens from a friend.
Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods only made their first public appearance together as an official couple at the Met Ball a couple of weeks ago.
However, it seems Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn, who have been dating for a number of months, are well past the awkward first few dates stage.
The golfer and the skier looked more than comfortable to show off their sporting physiques as they spent a day lounging and fishing on Tiger Woods’ yacht in Florida on Tuesday.
Tiger Woods, 37, who in recent years has discovered there are plenty more fish in the sea after splitting from his wife Elin Nordegren after a string of infidelities on his part, seemed happy with his new girlfriend.
Making the most of the warm weather the golfer lounged about on the boat with his shirt off while casually dangling his rod in the water.
Dressed in a pair of white shorts and white trousers Tiger Woods completed his look with a backwards white cap.
Lindsey Vonn, 28, was equally as happy to show off her body and slipped into a bandeau bikini.
Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods looked more than comfortable to show off their sporting physiques as they spent a day lounging and fishing on golfer’s yacht in Florida
Clearly excited about her trip she ran to a bridge nearby to take a couple of snaps of Tiger Woods as he tried to catch fish.
Wearing her hair off her face in a messy bun and a pair of dark shades, Lindsey Vonn showed off her natural good looks and laid-back style.
Things are clearly going well between the couple as they were joined for their trip by Tiger Woods’ children from his marriage to Swedish Elin Nordegren – Sam and Charlie.
The children also enjoyed a spot of fishing however they didn’t seem to be enjoying it quite as much as their father, as they looked a little fed up waiting to catch something.
Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods’ relaxing day out comes after their last outing ended a little raucously.
It has been reported that Lindsey Vonn was left embarrassed and angry as Tiger Woods had too much to drink at a Met Gala after party.
Tiger Woods reportedly “looked uncomfortable” as his girlfriend led him through the roof top party.
Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods, who announced their love on Twitter and Facebook with a series of professional shots, are said to have left the party at around 2 a.m. when Woods stumbled up the stairs and fell over.
Luckily, Lindsey Vonn was on hand to pick her man up and she dragged him out of the party to their waiting car outside.
In his first major speech on the financial crisis, Pope Francis has called on world leaders to end the “cult of money” and to do more for the poor.
Free market economics had created a tyranny, in which people were valued only by their ability to consume, the pontiff told diplomats in the Vatican.
“Money has to serve, not to rule,” he said, urging ethical financial reforms.
Meanwhile, the Vatican’s own bank announced it would publish its annual report for the first time.
The Institute for Works of Religion, which has been at the centre of various financial scandals in recent years, is to hire an external accountancy firm to ensure it meets international standards against money laundering.
The bank would launch a website and publish its annual report in an effort to increase transparency, new president Ernst Freyberg said.
The institute is considered one of the world’s most secretive banks.
In his first major speech on the financial crisis, Pope Francis has called on world leaders to end the “cult of money” and to do more for the poor
Pope Francis said life had become worse for people in both rich and poor countries.
In a biblical reference, the pontiff said the “worship of the golden calf” of old had found a new and heartless image in the current cult of money.
He added that reforms were urgently needed as poverty was becoming more and more evident.
People struggled to live, and frequently in an undignified way, under the dictatorship of an economy which lacked any real human goal, Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis made his remarks during an address to newly accredited ambassadors to the Holy See.
The new pontiff, who took over from Benedict XVI in March, is renowned for his efforts of tackling poverty in his native Argentina.
The pontiff has previously said that the Church has a special duty to defend the poor.
“I would like a Church that is poor and is for the poor,” he said following his election as head of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics two months ago.
The Pope said he had chosen the name Francis in a direct reference to St Francis of Assisi, the Italian founder of the Franciscan Order who was devoted to the poor.
David Beckham has announced he will retire from football at the end of this season at the age of 38 after an illustrious 20-year career.
The former England captain made 115 appearances for his country and 394 for Manchester United, winning six Premier League titles and the Champions League.
David Beckham signed a five-month deal at Paris St-Germain (PSG) in January.
“I’m thankful to PSG for giving me the opportunity to continue but I feel now is the right time to finish my career, playing at the highest level,” he said.
PSG have two more games before the end of the season, at home against Brest on Saturday and away to Lorient on May 26.
David Beckham, who donates his salary with the newly crowned French champions to charity, has made 13 appearances since moving to Paris.
The Leytonstone-born midfielder has played for United, Real Madrid, Los Angeles Galaxy, AC Milan and PSG, lifting 19 trophies including 10 league titles.
He is the only English player to win championships in four countries.
“If you had told me as a young boy I would have played for and won trophies with my boyhood club Manchester United, proudly captained and played for my country over 100 times and lined up for some of the biggest clubs in the world, I would have told you it was a fantasy,” he said.
“I’m fortunate to have realized those dreams.”
David Beckham has announced he will retire from football at the end of this season at the age of 38 after an illustrious 20-year career
David Beckham joined United as a trainee in 1991, making his first-team debut the following year and signing his first professional contract in 1993.
He became one of the world’s most high-profile sportsmen during his time at Old Trafford – and a global celebrity following his marriage to Victoria Adams of pop group the Spice Girls in 1999.
Then came a move to Real Madrid in 2003 with whom David Beckham clinched La Liga in 2007 before switching to the United States with LA Galaxy.
He was loaned to AC Milan during the MLS off-season in 2009 and 2010, and his stay in the US ended when he signed for PSG.
David Beckham made his England debut against Moldova in 1996 and captained the side from 2000 to 2006, making his 115th and final England appearance in a 3-0 win over Belarus in 2009.
“To this day, one of my proudest achievements is captaining my country. I knew every time I wore the Three Lions shirt, I was not only following in a long line of great players, I was also representing every fan that cared passionately about their country,” he said.
“I want people to see me as a hardworking footballer – someone who, when he steps on the pitch, he gives everything he’s got. When I look back on my career that is how I look back on it and that is how I hope people have seen me.”
David Beckham was the first English player to score at three consecutive World Cup finals and has the joint-second most goal assists in European Championship finals history.
He played a significant role in the successful bid to bring the 2012 Olympic Games to London and in March of this year became the first sportsman from outside of China to be invited to become the ambassador for the sport in the country.
“Nothing will ever completely replace playing the game I love,” added David Beckham.
“However, I feel like I’m starting a new adventure and I’m genuinely excited about what lies ahead.
“I’m fortunate to have been given many opportunities throughout my career and now I feel it’s my time to give back.”
British PM David Cameron said: “David Beckham has been an outstanding footballer throughout his career.
“Not only that – he has been a brilliant ambassador for this country, not least if we remember all the work he did in helping us win London 2012.”
England manager Roy Hodgson added: “He’s had a glittering career, iconic status, and I wish him well in the future.”
David Beckham concluded his statement by thanking his family.
“I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done today without my family. I’m grateful for my parents’ sacrifice, which made me realise my dreams,” he said.
“I owe everything to Victoria and the kids, who have given me the inspiration and support to play at the highest level for such a long period.”
Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian’s sibling rivalry appears to have moved over into their work life, with the trio posing up for a joke catfight in a new image from their latest Kardashian Kollection campaign.
In the image, taken before Kim Kardashian fell pregnant, the sisters are seen wearing all-white outfits as they pose up ahead of the release of their latest range at Dorothy Perkins on 20th May.
Kim Kardashian, 32, is seen wearing a figure-hugging dress with a sweetheart neckline, while Kourtney opts for a white shorts suit and peach top.
Khloe Kardashian, 28, meanwhile shows off her slim figure in a white skater skirt and long-sleeved top.
Going for a retro feel in the shoot, the trio wear their hair in twenties-style waves. And when it comes to their make-up, the sisters sport simple eyes and red lips to add a pop of color.
But clearly jealous of sister Kim’s glossy raven locks, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian are seen pulling their sister’s hair as she pretends to scream in pain.
Although in another image they’re seen getting along as well as they usually do as they smile and strut their stuff in sync as they put their arms around each other.
And it’s not just white outfits they’re plugging this season, as one other promotional picture reveals a hint of the other items in the collection, including Kim in a figure hugging printed frock and Khloe in a leather cropped jacket with leather look leggings.
The girls have enjoyed huge success with Kardashian Kollection at Dorothy Perkins, following the launch at the store last year where they injected their va-va-voom style into over 100 pieces bags, tops and dresses.
Commenting on the partnership, a spokesman for Dorothy Perkins said at the time: “This was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.
Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian’s sibling rivalry reaches new levels as they all pose in angelic white for latest Kollection promo
“Knowing how popular they are and the huge interest they attract, it enables our customer to buy in to their lifestyle and emulate their look at a great price.”
The Dorothy Perkins brand has been a feature of the British high street since 1919, and has previously been associated with more demure office and casual wear.
However, the store has recently revamped its image though in the hope of attracting a younger, more glamorous crowd – and it doesn’t get more glamorous than the Kardashian sisters.
It’s been a huge success, and their stewardship of their own campaigns has helped massively.
Now, Kim Kardashian is allowing her fans a glimpse behind the scenes at how the magic unfurls when she Khloe and Kourtney pose for their Dorothy Perkins collection advertisements as they’ve also release4d a special video of the shoot.
The Kardashian sisters can be seen in tantalizing poses, particularly Kim, who gets one accessory between her teeth, a long white ribbon.
Hot on the heels of their spangled, curve-kissing, leopard print-infused first collection for Dorothy Perkins the Kardashian sisters came back with a second offering.
The latest capsule Kardashian Kollection arrived at the high-street store at the end of January in the UK and was available at Sears and online.
A monochrome palette is enlivened by the odd flash of scarlet or cobalt blue, while silhouettes are kept surprisingly simple.
Key looks from their debut collection are echoed in this one with plenty of polka dots in both a chiffon shirt and blazer variety.
But while the clothes are low key, the shoes are most definitely not.
Kim Kardashian’s famous skyscraper heels are very much in evidence – despite her advancing pregnancy – and come complete with bright pops of color and bang-on-trend studs galore.
As for arm candy, the self-made trio have branded their handbags with the iconic Kardashian Kollection symbol.
Styles range from a nude leather tote and frayed festival-chic bag to neon shoulder bags perfect for adding an injection of color to any drab outfit.
Kourtney Kardashian’s bohemian chic can be emulated by teaming simple black platform courts with the polka dot blazer.
To achieve Kim Kardashian’s red carpet glamour a statement color block wedge with the ottoman dress would help you channel the voluptuous star’s look.
Christina Aguilera looked almost magically slimmer in a picture she Tweeted from the set of her new music video on Wednesday.
Christina Aguilera, 32, was wearing what could’ve been a control garment on her lower body but she still had an enviably small waist.
She has taken a break from her tenure as a judge on The Voice to work on her music, and also to work towards a healthier shape.
Clearly the 5ft 2 singer has been hitting the gym, and she’s said to be working with personal trainer Tee Sorge.
Christina Aguilera recently showed off a slimmer figure on a shopping trip with boyfriend Matthew Rutler.
It seems re-teaming up with Tee Sorge is definitely working for the star.
Christina Aguilera looked almost magically slimmer in a picture she Tweeted from the set of her new music video
And she’s soon to return to her twice weekly appearances on the top talent show as it’s been reported that Christina Aguilera is headed back to her old job.
She’s going to replace Shakira after just one season.
Despite looking svelte Christina Aguilera has spoken out saying she loves that after years of being stick thin that she now has curves.
Last year Christina Aguilera said she was totally unconcerned about the way her clothes advertise her assets.
The singer said: “Actually, the challenge I’ve always had is being too thin, so I love that now I have a booty, and obviously I love showing my cleavage.
“Hey, if you can work it and you can own it, that confidence is going to shine through.”
Christina Aguilera left The Voice last year to promote her album Lotus, which came out in November to disappointing sales.
Cee Lo Green, who was part of the original line up with Adam Levine and Blake Shelton, also took a break at the same time as Christina Aguilera.
“Everybody can’t coach for life because when you have people with current recording in the game, this is not their job,” he said when he left, but Christina Aguilera – who regularly stole the show with her razor-sharp observations – is obviously missing her calling.
Miley Cyrus had a visible layer of white powder around her chin after suffering a make-up malfunction while glamming up to celebrate her title as Maxim‘s hottest woman at the magazine Hot 100 Party on Wednesday night.
Loose face powder is meant to be used – sparingly – to minimize shine, but the application was a little heavy handed this time around.
Miley Cyrus, 20, was dressed in an eye-catching black Valentino jumpsuit and metallic Saint Laurent platform heels to the Vanguard nightclub in Hollywood.
Her outfit featured a white band around the bust and a bow between her shoulder blades – a variation of a dress worn recently by Jennifer Aniston.
Miley Cyrus had a visible layer of white powder around her chin after suffering a make-up malfunction while glamming up to celebrate her title as Maxim’s hottest woman
“Hmmm …. What to wear… What to wear….. Hmmmm. Valentino ❤ you’ve never done me wrong!” she teased on Twitter just hours before the party.
Miley Cyrus volumized her blonde quiff, adding a series of delicate baubles to her ears and gold bracelets to her wrists but seeming to eschew any other accessories.
She also carefully hid her engagement ring – which she flashed on Twitter earlier in the week – by hiding her hands in the pockets of her jumpsuit.
In her winning spread for Maxim, Miley Cyrus is seen posing seductively on a beach in a revealing gold swimsuit while gazing into the camera with her eyes heavily lined.
“It feels amazing to be number one,” she told Maxim about her victory, “especially because it was voted on by the fans. I have the best fans in the world!”
“It’s every woman’s fantasy to be told she’s number one on Maxim’s Hot 100! So crazy!” added the singer.
Coming in at second place in the competition is former Disney star Selena Gomez, followed by singer Rihanna and actresses Mila Kunis and Jennifer Lawrence, who rounded out the top five consecutively.
Joining the starlets in the top ten were Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ashley Tisdale, Kate Upton, Vanessa Hudgens and Elisha Cutbert.
Hodges restaurant in downtown Cleveland is helping to make Charles Ramsey – the man who famously helped rescue kidnapping victim Amanda Berry – even more of a household name.
Hodges has added the “Ramsey burger” in honor of the 43-year-old hero, who has worked as a dishwasher at the restaurant.
The $12 burger is eight ounces of Certified Angus Beef with lettuce, cheddar cheese, bread and butter pickles, and a “secret sauce” on a toasted sesame seed bun.
The owner of the restaurant, Chris Hodgson, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the burger is a “play on a Big Mac, which is what he was eating [when the rescue occurred]”.
Chris Hodgson has also been selling T-shirts that honor Charles Ramsey, raising more than $17,000 so far.
The $12 Ramsey burger at Hodges restaurant is eight ounces of Certified Angus Beef with lettuce, cheddar cheese, bread and butter pickles, and a secret sauce on a toasted sesame seed bun
Unlike the burger, the proceeds of the shirt sales are going to the kidnapping victims, Chris Hodgson said.
Charles Ramsey won hero status across the nation for breaking into his neighbor’s home to rescue Amanda Berry, who had been kept inside the house for years against her will along with Michelle Knight, Gina DeJesus and her 6-year-old daughter.
Hours after the rescue, Charles Ramsey catapulted to Internet fame for the series of colorful television interviews that he gave on the ordeal.
Hodges patron Melissa Rush tried the burger on Monday afternoon and told the Cleveland Fox affiliate it was “delicious”.
When asked what she thought about Charles Ramsey, she said: “Oh, I’m obsessed. I’ve been following it. I think the guy is great. I’m really proud to know that he’s from Cleveland.”
Officer Barbara Johnson has described the moment she rescued Michelle Knight in the Cleveland house of horrors, 11 years after the 32-year-old was abducted.
Barbara Johnson was one of the first Cleveland police officers to rush into Ariel Castro’s house on Seymour Avenue after Amanda Berry managed to escape and call 911.
When she found Michelle Knight, the woman grabbed her tightly and begged her not to leave her, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
“Michelle hugged me first, then clutched me and said, <<Don’t let me go>>,” Barbara Johnson said at an awards ceremony for the officers involved in the miraculous rescue.
“You can’t really describe how I felt…it rips the heart out of my chest.”
Officer Barbara Johnson has described the moment she rescued Michelle Knight in the Cleveland house of horrors
The rescue of Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus a decade after they were all feared dead has been called the “Miracle in Cleveland”.
For the officers who arrived at Ariel Castro’s home on May 6, it was also a brush with unimaginable horror.
“When I heard there were people in the house, I ran up to the door, but it was locked from the inside,” Officer Michael Simon recalled.
“So I grabbed the hand rail by the stairs to use as a prying tool…but the other officers kicked the door in.
“Once inside, I felt evil in the house.”
Even the veteran officers who are confronted with human tragedy on a frequent basis could not ignore the emotional impact of rescuing the three girls from a decade of captivity.
“I’ve broke down [crying] a few times on the scene, and in private since then,” Officer Anthony Espada – the first officer on the scene – admitted.
“Those three girls are my heroes… after what went through in that house all those years.”
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev chose to write a note confessing his connection to the Boston Marathon bombings explaining why he and his brother Tamerlan made the two pressure cooker bombs as he thought he was dying when he was hiding out in a boat.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, found a pen in the boat but no paper so it was revealed today that he wrote his message on an interior wall of David Henneberry’s boat that he used as shelter in Watertown.
Law enforcement sources told CBS that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev wrote that he “does not mourn” the death of his older brother Tamerlan because he is a martyr living in “paradise” and that he expected to join him there soon.
The note is a critical piece of evidence for police as it reiterates what Dzhokhar Tsarnaev said to them in the hospital after his arrest.
Aside from simply confirming his other statements, it could serve as back up for the eventual legal case against him because the reported confession to police came before Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was read his Miranda rights informing him of his right to remain silent.
After they were read, the suspect reportedly stopped talking to police, but now the note will serve as a handwritten confession.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev found a pen in the boat but no paper and he wrote his message on an interior wall of David Henneberry’s boat that he used as shelter in Watertown
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev wrote that the bombings were retribution for the various American crimes against Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He equated the three people who were killed in the marathon bombings and the more than 250 others who were injured to “collateral damage” like the thousands of innocent Muslim victims of American wars across the globe.
“When you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims,” Dzhokhar Tsarnaev reportedly wrote.
CBS reporter John Miller pointed out that the note is just the latest piece of evidence that police are using in developing their theory that the Chechen brothers worked alone and were self-radicalized rather than being the “soldiers” for a larger group.
Investigators are still working to determine who else- if anyone- knew about the attack before it happened.
While the note is undoubtedly a boost for the state’s case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who is now being held in the medical center of an area prison, it is hardly cut and dry.
Because police fired hundreds of bullets at the boat during their attempt to capture Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the note is riddled with bullet holes.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been charged with using a weapon of mass destruction and the note will certainly be used in the case against him.
Prince Harry rounded off his hugely successful week-long tour of the U.S. yesterday very much in his comfort zone – playing polo in Connecticut.
His team won the match at the exclusive Greenwich Polo Club in aid of Sentebale, the charity he set up to help children in the poverty stricken African kingdom of Lesotho.
And as well as being awarded a trophy for his team’s stellar effort, Prince Harry also scored a kiss from model Karolina Kurkova at the end of the fast-moving game.
Cheered on by models, designers and wealthy guests, Prince Harry played in a team captained by Malcolm Borthwick, a regular in the England team, against a team led by Argentinean player and Ralph Lauren model, Nacho Figueras.
Malcolm Borthwick said Prince Harry would show his true athleticism on the field after having tried his hand at baseball in New York City on Tuesday.
“He’s an extremely good polo player,” he said.
Also playing on Prince Harry’s team was Dawn Jones, wife of the actor Tommy Lee Jones.
The game kicked off after Prince Harry arrived in a motorcade dressed in jeans, a blazer and his favorite desert boots. He was greeted by club founder Peter Brandt and his model wife, Stephanie Seymour.
As well as being awarded a trophy for his team’s stellar effort, Prince Harry also scored a kiss from model Karolina Kurkova at the end of the fast-moving polo game
Peter Brant, 65, – whose wife is 44 – is an American industrialist and businessman, worth an estimated $2.7 billion. He is also a major art collector and avid horseman.
He said on Wednesday that Prince Harry’s father and grandfather were good players and he was excited to watch Harry play at his club.
“It’s a great honor,” he said.
“It’s great for polo.”
Located in leafy Connecticut, Greenwich is one of the wealthiest pockets of the US, filled with hedge fund millionaires and their trophy wives.
Unlike previous royal polo events, tickets for the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, one of the highlights of the international calendar, are not available for sale.
The guests included the 13th Duke of Argyll, fashionista Olivia Palermo, model Karolina Kurkova and designers Jason Wu and Valentino.
“Is the sun coming out?” Karolina Kurkova asked as she posed in a light rain.
Guests at the polo dined on grilled peppered fillet of beef, served with an arugla and spring vegetable salad and crispy warm panisse, followed by vanilla bean creme brule, mixed berry trifle, Lemon Curd tart with mixed berries and truffle brownie squares.
Just 400 seats were available in all, however, making it literally the hottest ticket in a town, with dozens of elegantly-coiffured ladies – both young and old – trying to beg, borrow or steal an invite.
At the Greenwich branch of the English-Speaking Union, which promotes English language and culture, Natalie Pray, the president, has been fielding calls from its 300 members, some blatantly offering cash for tickets to see the prince play, according to the New York Times.
Peter Orthwein, the chief executive of Thor Industries, who is a founding member of the Polo Club admitted the prince’s visit had caused a stir.
In a speech shortly before the match, Prince Harry talked at length about the work of Sentebale in the tiny landlocked kingdom of Lesotho where AIDS is rife.
He said: “Whilst Sentebale may be evolving rapidly, the situation on the ground in Lesotho remains critical.
“The HIV pandemic continues to leave thousands of children without parents and family structures to guide them through life. Without this support, basic needs such as food, shelter and care remain unmet, leaving children vulnerable and very often without much hope in their lives.”
Prince Harry concluded by commenting about his extraordinarily successful tour of the US, saying: “This is the last day of my tour around the United States. “Thank you for a wonderful week. I have witnessed the extraordinary generosity of the people of this great Nation.”
Prince Harry’s visit promised a lighter tone than his stop the previous day in New Jersey, where he toured two shore communities devastated by Superstorm Sandy.
He also spent Tuesday in New York City at events promoting tourism, entrepreneurism and philanthropy.
Mo’Nique has shed 80 pounds since starting performing her exhausting workouts.
Mo’Nique, 45, said she now weighs 218 pounds after “tipping 300” when she starred in the 1999 sitcom The Parkers, adding: “My goal is between 190 and 200.”
The actress also said: “I am the best Mo’Nique I’ve ever been in my life right now, and I still have a ways to go. But I feel amazing.”
Mo’Nique has shed 80 pounds since starting performing her exhausting workouts
Mo’Nique has been documenting her daily workouts in pictures on Twitter, and writing inspirational messages in hopes that others will join her.
On Wednesday the actress tweeted: “We can always get a quick fix. However what will be the long term effects. Do it naturally, benefits . . . PRICELESS.”
The star mixes up her workouts, with weights, running, yoga, and basketball just some of the activities she pursues.
Mo’Nique also tells her fans she takes a minimum of 10,000 steps and does 50 sit-ups in a single day.
In a radio interview the actress revealed it was her husband Sidney Hicks who encouraged her to change her ways
Mo’Nique said: “It made me say [to myself], <<OK sis, you got these babies. The twins [Jonathan and David] are 7, [stepson] Michael’s 9, Shalon’s 22>>.
“And I want to meet their babies. So, I said, <<Let me stop being selfish, and eating everything>>. And I ate everything . . . I was a food junkie.”
The newly released White House Benghazi emails reveal the then CIA-Director David Petraeus strongly objected to the Obama administration’s version of events of the terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Libya.
David Petraeus, who was forced to resign in disgrace in November after an extra-marital affair with Paula Broadwell became public, wanted to see more detail made available, including a warning issued from the CIA about plans for an embassy attack.
The documents give a glimpse into the administration’s message control as officials carefully debated via email which details U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice should highlight when she went on talk shows five days later to discuss the September 11 assault on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.
The White House on Wednesday released 99 pages of emails and a single page of hand-written notes made by Petraeus’ deputy, Mike Morell, after a meeting at the White House the day before U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice began giving interviews to the media based on the agreed “talking points”.
On that page, Mike Morell scratched out from the CIA’s early drafts of talking points mentions of al-Qaeda, the experience of fighters in Libya, Islamic extremists and a warning to the U.S. Embassy in Cairo on the eve of the attacks of calls for a demonstration.
“No mention of the cable to Cairo, either?” David Petraeus wrote after receiving Mike Morell’s edited version, developed after an intense back-and-forth among Obama administration officials.
“Frankly, I’d just as soon not use this, then.”
Senior administration officials told reporters Wednesday that Mike Morell made the changes to the talking points because of his own concerns that they could prejudge an FBI investigation into who was responsible for the September 11th, 2012, attack that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
The officials said Mike Morell also didn’t think it was fair to disclose the CIA’s advance warning without giving Hillary Clinton’s State Department a chance to explain how it responded.
The officials spoke on a condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the emails on the record.
Officials said that Mike Morell acted on his own judgement and not with any pressure coming down from the State Department.
However, when David Petraeus received the final draft of the media talking points he was dismissive, saying that the reduced list would not satisfy the House Democrat who had asked for it.
“This is certainly not what Vice Chairman Ruppersberger was hoping to get,” David Petraeus wrote, in reference to Representative C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
The White House released the emails to the media after some of them leaked on Friday and seemed to suggest that President Barack Obama’s national security team may have altered the talking points for political gain.
And while the White House claims these are all the correspondence that occurred in the aftermath of the terror attack on Benghazi, they suggest more of battle between the State Department and the CIA – rather than the president’s own team.
“In recent days, these e-mails have been selectively and inaccurately read out to the media,” said a White House spokesman, Eric Schultz.
Critics have highlighted an email by then-State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland that expressed concern that any mention of prior warnings or the involvement of al-Qaeda would give congressional Republicans ammunition to attack the administration in the weeks before the presidential election. Fighting terror was one of President Barack Obama’s re-election strong points.
That email was among those released by the White House, sent by Victoria Nuland on September 14th at 7:39 p.m. to officials in the White House, State Department and CIA.
“I have serious concerns about all the parts highlighted below, and arming members of Congress to start making assertions to the media that we ourselves are not making because we don’t want to prejudice the investigation,” she wrote.
In another, Victoria Nuland sends the White House and intelligence officials an email warning that the talking points could be “abused” by opposition politicians “to beat the State Department for not paying attention to agency warnings so why do we want to feed that either?”.
White House Benghazi emails reveal the then CIA-Director David Petraeus strongly objected to the Obama administration’s version of events of the terror attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Libya
The emails were shared with Congress earlier this year as a condition for allowing the nomination of John Brennan for CIA director to move forward.
The general counsel for the national intelligence director’s office briefed members and staff from the Senate Intelligence Committee and leadership on the emails on February 15th at a session in which staff could take notes.
A similar briefing took place March 19 for the House Intelligence Committee and leadership staff.
An interim report last month from the Republicans on five House committees criticized the Obama administration and mentioned the emails, but the issue exploded last Friday when new details emerged.
Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee read some of the emails aloud last Wednesday at a hearing with State Department officials.
The next day, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, called on the White House to release the emails.
Congressional officials selectively shared parts of the emails, and new revelations emerged Friday that showed State Department and other administration officials pressing for references to terror groups and prior warnings to be deleted, expressing concerns about the political implications.
The White House released the full set of emails sent to Congress under the pressure in hopes of putting an end to the controversy that has dogged the administration for months.
The White House says congressional Republicans have misrepresented some of them.
The emails released by the White House were partially blacked out, including to remove names of senders and recipients who are career employees at the CIA and elsewhere.
The names were replaced with references to the office where they worked.
The talking points were used by Rice in her appearance on five news shows on Sunday, September 16, and also sent to Congress.
An official with the CIA’s office of congressional affairs whose name was blacked out sent the final version to David Petraeus on Saturday, September 15, at 12:51 p.m.
“As mentioned last night, State had voiced strong concerns with the original text due to the criminal investigation,” the official wrote.
David Petraeus responded at 2:27 saying he’d prefer not to even use them in that form.
But he said the decision was up to the White House’s national security staff.
“NSS’s call, to be sure; however, this is certainly not what Vice Chairman [Dutch] Ruppersberger was hoping to get for unclas use. Regardless, thanks for the great work.”
C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger is the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
At a Capitol Hill hearing Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder said there has been “very, very substantial progress” in the investigation into who was responsible for the twin nighttime attacks in Benghazi.
Earlier this month, the FBI said it was seeking information on three people who were on the grounds of the diplomatic mission when it was attacked.
The FBI posted photographs of the three people and said they may be able to provide information to help in the investigation.
Rep. Adam Smith of Washington State, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, said Wednesday’s release of the emails was a “wise choice”.
There was little in the roughly 100 pages of emails about Susan Rice’s “talking points” that had not been leaked previously.
While awkward for the White House, releasing the emails was an effort to counter complaints from Republicans and the media that President Barack Obama’s administration is secretive.
They included an email confirming perhaps the most damaging charge that administration officials removed mention from Susan Rice’s talking points that the CIA had warned of an al-Qaeda threat in the area of the eastern Libyan city before the attacks.
In the Benghazi emails, then-State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland raised concerns about references to intelligence about the threat from militants in eastern Libya.
Victoria Nuland wrote that she had “serious concerns” that the talking points would provide members of Congress with material to “beat the State Department for not paying attention to [Central Intelligence] Agency warnings” about threats in the region.
It was not clear who she was referring to but Republicans have tried to link former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a possible Democratic candidate for president in 2016, to the controversy over Benghazi.
“The seemingly political nature of the State Department’s concerns raises questions about the motivations behind these changes and who at the State Department was seeking them,” said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner.
Republicans say the talking points were an attempt to portray the attacks as arising from a spontaneous protest, and not an organized militant assault, so as to protect Barack Obama in last year’s presidential campaign from any charges that he was weak on fighting terrorism.
The White House vehemently denies any cover-up and emphasizes that the controversy over the talking points focuses on intelligence that eventually evolved. The emails, officials said, showed a normal back and forth between government agencies on a fluid national security event.
“Collectively these emails make clear that the interagency process, including the White House’s interactions, were focused on providing the facts as we knew them based on the best information available at the time and protecting an ongoing investigation,” White House spokesman Eric Schultz said.
Officials also suggested that Victoria Nuland was not the only one with concerns about the original talking points.
Sanjay Dutt has returned to jail to serve his sentence for firearms offences linked to 1993 blasts which killed 257 people in Mumbai.
The Bollywood star gave himself up at a court in the western Indian city.
Sanjay Dutt has already served 18 months of a five-year term for illegally possessing a rifle and pistol which he bought from the bombers after the attacks.
The actor had sought to delay his return to prison to finish a number of films, but the court rejected his appeal.
Sanjay Dutt, 53, was convicted in 2006 of buying arms from the bombers but cleared of conspiracy. The attacks left 713 others injured.
There was tight security outside the star’s house from early on Thursday morning as scores of reporters and television cameramen gathered.
Accompanied by his family and friends, Sanjay Dutt travelled in a convoy of cars to the court.
Sanjay Dutt has returned to jail to serve his sentence for firearms offences linked to 1993 blasts which killed 257 people in Mumbai
For 20 minutes, he was unable to leave the car because of the media mob which police struggled to keep in check.
Accompanied by his sister and wife, Sanjay Dutt went inside the court from where he will be transferred to jail.
Several Bollywood personalities visited Sanjay Dutt’s home in the posh Bandra suburb of Mumbai before he went back into custody.
The son of a Hindu father and a Muslim mother, Sanjay Dutt said the weapons were necessary in order to defend his family during the Hindu-Muslim rioting of 1993 which followed the destruction by Hindu zealots of the Babri mosque in the northern town of Ayodhya.
Sanjay Dutt, one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars, is hugely popular for his role as a loveable gangster in the Munnabhai movies. He has also dabbled in politics.
In 2006, a special anti-terror court convicted 100 people for the blasts. Twelve were given the death penalty and 20 others sentenced to life imprisonment.
Sanjay Dutt, the most high-profile among the convicts, was originally charged with five offences, including criminal conspiracy and possession of illegal weapons.
In March 2013, India’s Supreme Court upheld Sanjay Dutt’s conviction, but reduced his sentence from the earlier six years to five years.
Three Indian cricketers have been arrested over allegations of spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the country’s cricket board says.
The players belong to the Rajasthan Royals team and have been identified as S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila by the team boss, Raghu Iyer.
The team said it had “a zero-tolerance approach to anything that is against the spirit of the game”.
Meanwhile, the cricket board has suspended the three players.
There has been no word from the cricketers themselves, but S Sreesanth’s family said he was innocent.
“I have full faith in him, he would never do anything like this,” said his mother Savitri Devi.
Spot-fixing involves illegally rigging parts of a match, for example by timing the delivery of a deliberate wide or no-ball, to benefit bookmakers or those betting on matches.
Rajasthan Royals are captained by legendary Indian batsman Rahul Dravid and owned by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra.
Fast bowler S Sreesanth has represented India in many international games. He has played 27 Tests and 53 one-day internationals.
Media reports said the players were taken from Mumbai for questioning late on Wednesday.
Three Indian cricketers have been arrested over allegations of spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League
They are expected to appear in court in Delhi on Thursday.
“We have no information other than that the three players have been arrested. We don’t know the details of the charges against them. We are waiting to get further information from the police,” president of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) N Srinivasan told a press conference on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, the BCCI suspended the three players saying it was “shocked and saddened” at the development.
“The IPL governing council has met and decided that the cricketers found involved will be dealt with severely,” the board said in a statement.
“As of now, the three players – Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandila and S Sreesanth – stand suspended pending enquiry. All information required to bring the persons involved to book will be collected and strictest action will be taken, if found guilty,” it added.
The team owners Rajasthan Royals also issued a statement saying they had “been informed that three of our players have been called in for investigation on spot-fixing in matches. We are completely taken by surprise.
“We do not have the full facts at this point and are unable to confirm anything. We are in touch with the BCCI [Board for Control of Cricket in India] on this matter. We will fully co-operate with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation.”
Some media reports, quoting police sources, said at least seven bookmakers had also been arrested.
The sixth season of the IPL, which is considered to be the world’s showcase for Twenty20 cricket, is currently under way in India.
Top Indian and international players take part, contributing to what is the world’s richest cricket tournament.
The scandal is the latest to affect cricket.
Last year, Indian cricket officials suspended five players after a sting by undercover TV reporters purported to show cricketers agreeing to bowl no-balls and spot-fix matches.
And in 2011, three top Pakistani players – Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – were banned after they were found guilty of involvement in a betting scam.
