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.
Cyclone Mahasen has stricken Bangladesh’s southern coast, as people packed into evacuation shelters.
The storm hit Patuakhali district on Thursday with winds of up to 100 km/h (60 mph), and was heading for the ports of Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar.
Some two people have been killed, Bangladeshi officials say.
Around one million people have been ordered to evacuate low-lying areas in Bangladesh and Burma, and take shelter in cyclone centres.
Displaced Rohingya Muslims, living in camps on both sides of the border, may be particularly vulnerable.
But some of those on the Burmese side have resisted calls for them to evacuate camps in Rakhine state.
The UN has warned that 8.2 million people could be at risk from Mahasen in Bangladesh, Burma and north-east India.
At least 956,672 people have been evacuated from Bangladesh’s coastal areas to more than 3,200 cyclone shelters, the government said on Thursday.
The measures in place are a sign of the preparation the authorities have made for the storm.
Cyclone Mahasen has stricken Bangladesh’s southern coast
Warning messages went out to the population across all media before Mahasen hit.
Airports in Chittagong and the resort town of Cox’s Bazar have been shut until the danger subsides. Chittagong’s port, the busiest in Bangladesh, also remains closed.
The Bangladeshi authorities earlier raised the danger level to seven out of 10 for low-lying areas around Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar.
The cyclone covered more than 175km in nine hours before hitting Bangladesh, the country’s Meteorological Department said.
However, the service’s deputy director, Shamsuddun Ahmed, told AFP news agency the cyclone was not expected to cause serious damage as it was “not severe”.
The cyclone “did not gain strength in the last part of its journey as it hit the coast”, he said.
In Bangladesh, there have been reports of waist-deep water submerging low-lying areas and houses being damaged. Dozens of huts collapsed when the cyclone struck Patuakhali district, eye witnesses told local media.
There are also fears of a storm sea surge, and authorities have warned that heavy rainfall could cause landslides in hilly regions.
All schools, colleges and some hotels have been declared cyclone shelters. The centres are crowded and people are still rushing in.
In Burma, meanwhile, tens of thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in camps in low-lying areas of Rakhine state are feared to be at risk.
They were displaced by ethnic violence last year and many are reluctant to move from the camps.
Hla Maung said he lost his mother and two young daughters during the clashes between Muslims and Buddhists.
“I lost everything. I don’t want to go anywhere. I’ll stay here. If I die, I want to die here,” he said.
Rakhine state said it had moved some 36,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) from camps, said Kirsten Mildren, from the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
But she said the evacuation was “not moving as fast as we’d like – it’s certainly a race against time. We’re finding it very difficult to convince [people] to move to higher ground or safer buildings”.
Burmese planning minister Tin Naing Thein said that in all more than 166,000 people had been relocated, but there was little evidence of a mass evacuation in reports from the affected area.
Correspondents say the Burmese evacuations are seen as a test of the government’s resolve to assist the Rohingya, amid allegations that state forces stood by or even participated in last year’s anti-Muslim violence.
Cyclone Mahasen has already taken a toll. Though the storm did not make landfall in Sri Lanka, the associated heavy rain caused floods and mudslides which killed at least seven people, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre.
At least 50 Rohingya Muslims drowned on Tuesday when boats evacuating them from the path of the cyclone capsized off western Burma.
A tornado has ripped through Texas town of Granbury resulting in six deaths, officials say.
Homes were destroyed when the tornado hit Granbury, 70 miles west of Dallas, late on Wednesday.
Local officials warned the toll could climb as rescue teams search through the rubble of affected houses. Dozens of people have been injured and are receiving treatment at local hospitals.
Severe weather has been reported across the region.
One resident described the tornado’s impact to Reuters: “The house started shaking. We were in a closet.”
Homes were destroyed when the tornado hit Granbury, 70 miles west of Dallas, late on Wednesday
“You could hear it – it sounded like a train going off. It was scary,” he said
The same storm spawned another tornado that tore through part of the town of Cleburne, about 25 miles south-east of Granbury, the National Weather Service said.
There have been no reports of any fatalities from Cleburne so far.
However, dozens of homes have been destroyed or badly damaged, according to officials and residents.
A third tornado in neighboring Parker County has also caused damage to buildings, particularly in the town of Millsap, officials say.
Acting head of the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Steven T. Miller has quit after it emerged his staff singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny, President Barack Obama has announced.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew had asked for and accepted the resignation of IRS Acting Commissioner Steven Miller, he said.
“I will do everything in my power to make sure nothing like this happens again,” Barack Obama told a news conference.
The scandal has been one of several to rattle the White House in recent days.
Earlier on Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder faced four hours of questioning at a Congressional hearing on the IRS, the secret seizure of phone records from the Associated Press news agency, and the attack on the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi.
Eric Holder told the House judiciary committee that it would take time for the FBI to determine if any laws had been broken by IRS personnel.
In a short statement to reporters at the White House, President Barack Obama said he had reviewed the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) report on the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups and found the “misconduct” uncovered was “inexcusable”.
“Americans are right to be angry about it, and I am angry about it,” the president said.
“I will not tolerate this kind of behavior in any agency, but especially in the IRS, given the power that it has and the reach that it has into all of our lives.”
“The IRS has to operate with absolute integrity.”
Steven T. Miller has quit as IRS head after it emerged his staff singled out conservative groups for extra scrutiny
To that end, Barack Obama revealed that the treasury secretary had requested and accepted the resignation of acting commissioner of the IRS.
“It’s important to institute new leadership that can help restore confidence going forward.”
Barack Obama said the treasury department would also put in place new safeguards to “make sure this kind of behavior cannot happen again” and that the IRS would begin implementing the TIGTA’s recommendations immediately.
In a letter to colleagues, Steven Miller said he would leave his role in June.
“There is a strong and immediate need to restore public trust in the nation’s tax agency,” he added.
Steven T. Miller took over leadership of the agency in November, when the five-year term of Commissioner Douglas Shulman ended.
At the time when conservative groups were targeted, Steve Miller was a deputy commissioner who oversaw the division responsible.
On Tuesday, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration’s report on the scandal placed the blame on “ineffective management”.
It found IRS managers had allowed “inappropriate criteria” to be developed and stay in place for more than 18 months, resulting in “substantial delays” in processing applications for tax-exempt status, and requests for “unnecessary information”, such as lists of donors.
Among the criteria used by the IRS Determinations Unit to flag groups for review, the TIGTA said, were having words like “Tea Party”, “Patriots” and “9/12” in their names; or manifestos that focused on the government’s fiscal policy and educating the public to “make America a better place to live”, or criticized how the country was being run.
Senior IRS officials told the watchdog that the decision to focus on conservative groups had not been influenced by any individual or organization outside the agency.
Some Republicans, including two high-profile governors, have called for a special prosecutor to investigate.
House Speaker John Boehner told reporters earlier on Wednesday: “My question is, who’s going to jail over this scandal?”
At least three Congressional panels are planning hearings, and House judiciary committee member Representative Darrell Issa said he had asked five mid-level IRS employees be made available for questioning.
A startling number of teen girls have admitted to having a schoolgirl crush on Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, proclaiming their love for the Boston Marathon bombing suspect on social media.
It’s a disturbing trend on sites like Twitter and Facebook, where girls have admitted to finding Dzhokhar Tsarnaev attractive, and herald him in the ranks of Justin Bieber and One Direction singer Harry Styles.
One Twitter user, a waitress who goes by the name Keepitblunted, has said she is looking to get a tattoo of a Dzhokhar Tsarnaev quote.
“If you have the knowledge and the inspiration all that’s left is to take action.”
The quote was tweeted by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on April 8, a week before the Boston Marathon bombings.
She has since gone back on her promise, posting that she has decided to hold off “out of respect of my family’s wishes”.
But the young woman, named Alisha, told the New York Post that she’s not among the group of women who are interested in the case against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev because she’s in love with him.
She told the paper: “Somebody needs to stand up for him, and not the little high-school girls who just think he’s cute.”
The FreeJahar97 Twitter account was created on April 25 – 10 days after the double bombing.
The first tweet reads: “any other beliebers out there who want to see Jahar freed and believe he is innocent? feel like i’m all alone here.. #freejahar.”
Another says she is considering becoming a Muslim to better related to Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
“I know I didn’t know Jahar and I shouldn’t be saying this but… I miss Jahar… Is that weird? Don’t think I’m weird. I just miss him.”
Facebook group Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is innocent sprung up shortly after the bombings and has more than 8,000 followers
Tsarnaev5ever tweeted: “Jahar is gonna go crazy in that cell alone with just a book… I wanna send money to him… Anyone have the address?”
“Poor Jahar… He’s only 19. ONLY 19… No one deserves to be in a 10×10… No one…”
Shadowlilly1993 posted: “Yall can judge me as much as you want. I’m on his side.This kid needs people behind him. I hope to meet him one day he fascinates me @J_tsar.”
A teen who goes by the Twitter handle Wildziall, says: “I wonder what jahar is thinking about right now.”
In another, she said: “My little brother just said he would cover for me if I snuck out of the house to meet up with jahar I love him.”
Meanwhile, a Facebook group that sprung up shortly after the bombings, “Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is innocent”, has more than 8,000 followers.
The group, loaded with conspiracy theories and proclamations of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s innocence, is by invitation only.
Vocal fans of the “Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is Innocent” Facebook group have claimed that neither Tsarnaev’s brother, Tamerlan, was responsible for the Boston bombing.
Instead, they say, a government-funded group of mercenaries from a private company staged the event and framed the Chechen pair.
The company they accuse, Craft International, trains military and police teams through tactical and combat scenarios. Its founder, retired Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, wrote the best-selling book American Sniper and recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history.
Chris Kyle was killed in February at a Texas gun range, by a fellow veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Katherine Russell Tsarnaev’s new lawyer, Joshua Dratel, insists that the Boston Marathon bombing suspect’s widow will co-operate with the investigation into the terrorist atrocity.
Joshua Dratel, who has represented several terrorism suspects, joined the legal team of Katherine Russell, who was married to Tamerlan Tsarnaev, last week.
Katherine Russell has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but the FBI are currently interrogating her to find out if she had any clue as to her husband’s plans.
The bombing at the marathon’s finish line on April 15 killed three people and injured more than 260.
Katherine Russell Tsarnaev’s new lawyer Joshua Dratel insists that she will co-operate with the investigation into the terrorist atrocity
Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, and his younger brother Dzhokhar, originally from Chechnya, are believed to have carried out the attacks due to their radical jihadist beliefs.
Joshua Dratel, from New York, today said that he joined Katherine Russell’s legal team to help her navigate the criminal justice system and to protect her interests.
He said she had spoken with investigators and planned to keep co-operating.
“I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future,” he said.
“There’s no inconsistency between that and her interests at this point.”
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, is in a prison hospital facing charges that could bring the death penalty. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died on April 19 after a shootout with police.
Katherine Russell, 24, had been living in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband and two-year-old daughter, but has been staying with her parents in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, since the day her husband was killed.
She has reverted to using her maiden name, switching from her married name of Tsarnaeva.
Among the questions about Katherine Russell is what she knew or saw in the weeks leading up to the bombing, and in the days after it.
Two U.S. officials have said that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev told investigators the bombs were assembled in the small apartment Katherine Russell shared with her husband.
One of her lawyers has previously said Katherine Russell was working long hours and was frequently away from the apartment.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s burial in Virginia is legal, according to the county sheriff.
Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was buried at a Doswell cemetery last Thursday, angering some in the community after it was claimed that authorities were not consulted about the Muslim burial.
Neighbors of the cemetery have argued that a police presence will be needed at the cemetery while Caroline County officials investigated whether the burial had been done properly and legally.
Caroline County Sheriff Tony Lippa said in a statement that the official paperwork including the death certificate and burial permit were in order.
Tony Lippa said: “It would appear that all paperwork is in order at this point.
“Like the rest of America, the citizens of this county were outraged by the Boston Marathon Bombings. We too mourned for the loss of life, prayed for the survivors, and offered our support.
“Unfortunately we now find ourselves forever connected to this tragedy in the most unsavory way – as the final resting place of one of the alleged terrorist.”
The sheriff’s office will provide the same amount of protection to Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s burial site as any other cemetery in Caroline County.
The statement said: “The Caroline County Sheriff’s Office cannot, nor will we, divert our limited resources towards the protection of a single gravesite, especially one belonging to that of a terrorist.”
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was buried at a Doswell cemetery, angering some in the community after it was claimed that authorities were not consulted about the Muslim burial
Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s remains were rejected by cemeteries in many cities for fear of desecration and demonstrations.
Sheriff Tony Lippa said last week that he learned of the burial from the media and added that the county does not have the money to provide security and that it will be the cemetery’s responsibility.
The cemetery director told MyFoxBoston that he is not concerned about adding security and added that Doswell is a close community.
He also shared details of Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s burial, saying he was buried in a small ceremony Thursday morning after being draped in three white sheets and laid on his right side to face Mecca.
The cemetery director declined to say who was in attendance.
The decision to bury Tamerlan Tsarnaev in the small Islamic cemetery in rural Virginia has also sparked fury some members of the area’s Islamic community, who say they weren’t consulted, according to the Associated Press.
Imam Ammar Amonette, of the Islamic Center of Virginia, said that his group was never consulted.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was buried under a shroud of secrecy Wednesday evening at the Al-Barzakh Cemetery in central Virginia, about 15 miles from Richmond.
Martha Mullen, a professional counselor who has a degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, said she coordinated the clandestine burial with the help of the Islamic Society of Greater Richmond after a number of cemeteries refused to take his body.
A video footage shows the new Czech president, Milos Zeman, clearly worse for wear, propping himself up against a wall at a public event, struggling to negotiate a step and being aided by a cardinal.
Milos Zeman, 68, makes no secret of his drinking. But on this occasion – a rare and highly-ceremonial public display of the Czech crown jewels last week – his office insisted he simply had a virus and subsequently needed a day or two of rest.
Since then, the video has prompted a storm of social media gags. Czechs – by far the biggest beer drinkers in the world per capita – have been posting pictures of themselves in bars getting drunk with slogans like: “Here I am getting a virus”, or “Heading out for a virus”.
Milos Zeman, a chain smoker and lover of fatty foods, often extols the virtues of booze. On one occasion, the president praised Winston Churchill for his love of whisky and pointed out that Adolf Hitler was a teetotaler and vegetarian – “and you know how he ended up”.
During a 1996 election campaign Milos Zeman said his campaign bus “drove on gas and Becherovka”, a popular Czech liquor. Two years later he became prime minister.
Footage shows President Milos Zeman clearly the worse for wear at a rare public display of the Czech crown jewels
A tabloid in the Czech Republic once claimed Milos Zeman told the paper he would drink on average six glasses of wine – plus three shots – on any given day.
His unsuccessful rival in this year’s presidential election, the nobleman Karel Schwarzenberg, couldn’t help but take a swipe at his opponent’s taste for alcohol.
“Milos Zeman was in my opinion one of the most intelligent prime ministers this country has ever had,” Karel Schwarzenberg said during the campaign.
“And had he not drunk so much he’d have been a really good prime minister,” he added.
Milos Zeman insists he’s so used to drinking that it never has any ill effects, and he has openly challenged anyone to prove otherwise.
“If anyone has ever seen me drunk in my life, tell me when,” Milos Zeman said during the presidential election campaign.
Miroslava Nemcova, the speaker for Parliament’s lower house and one of seven holders of the keys to the Czech crown jewels, was the only person at last week’s event to comment on Milos Zeman’s appearance.
“I saw what you saw,” she was quoted as saying on the Lidove Noviny daily’s website Friday.
Ariel Castro, who is accused of imprisoning three women for a decade in his house in Cleveland, will plead not guilty to all charges, his lawyers say.
Ariel Castro, 52, is charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape.
Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were abducted at different times and held in Ariel Castro’s house in Cleveland. Amanda Berry escaped earlier this month and raised the alarm.
“He’s not a monster and he shouldn’t be demonized,” said lawyer Jaye Schlachet.
Speaking to the AFP news agency, he added that details of Ariel Castro’s innocence “will be disclosed as the case progresses”.
Craig Weintraub, another defense lawyer, told WKYC-TV that his client “loves dearly” Jocelyn, the child he fathered with 27-year-old Amanda Berry – one of the three alleged kidnap victims.
The defense lawyers said they had spent four hours speaking to Ariel Castro in prison.
Prosecutors in Ohio have said they also plan to seek aggravated murder charges that could carry the death penalty.
The charges relate to alleged forced miscarriages suffered by one victim.
Ariel Castro, who is accused of imprisoning three women for a decade in his house in Cleveland, will plead not guilty to all charges
The prosecutors are still preparing their case against Ariel Castro and there has yet to be an arraignment hearing.
Ariel Castro made his first court appearance in Cleveland on May 9 without entering a plea.
County prosecutor Brian Murphy told that hearing: “The charges against Mr. Castro are based on premeditated, deliberate, depraved decisions to snatch three young ladies from Cleveland West Side streets to be used in whatever self-gratifying, self-serving way he saw fit.”
He is charged with four counts of kidnapping, covering the three initial abduction victims and Jocelyn, Amanda Berry’s six-year-old daughter, who was apparently conceived and born in captivity.
The former school bus driver also faces three counts of rape, one against each woman.
Bail was set at $8 million, meaning in effect that he has remained in custody ever since. He is currently on suicide watch and is being kept in isolation.
According to CBS News, Ariel Castro confessed to his crimes in a long, hand-written letter found in the house, which investigators believe may have been intended as a suicide note.
In the 2004-dated letter Ariel Castro said he had been raped as a child by his uncle and was also abused by his parents, a law enforcement source told CBS News.
Ariel Castro reportedly called himself a “sexual predator”, but he also asked to donate all his money to his victims after his death.
His two brothers, Pedro and Onil Castro, also appeared in court on unrelated charges. They had been arrested, but police found no evidence linking them to the crime.
Pedro Castro was fined $100 for public drinking, while two minor counts against Onil Castro were dropped.
Amanda Berry, whose disappearance in 2003 the day before her 17th birthday was widely publicized in the local media, escaped from Ariel Castro’s house by kicking the door and screaming for help while her alleged captor was out. His neighbor, Charles Ramsey, helped her to escape.
Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus were freed soon afterwards. They were all abducted after accepting rides from Ariel Castro, according to a police report leaked to the media.
