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Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside David Henneberry’s boat

Roy Siemens
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Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside David Henneberry’s boat

Two unnamed US officials have revealed to the Associated Press that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside David Henneberry’s boat in Watertown.

The report contradicts the Boston police department’s own account of Dzhokar Tsarnaev’s capture on Friday – after commissioner Edward F. Davis described a firefight between him and officers before the terror suspect was captured.

The New York Times also said an M4 rifle had been found on the boat – another claim contradicted by the latest revelations.

Officers had originally said they had exchanged gunfire with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for more than one hour Friday evening before they were able to subdue him.

But on Wednesday, the law enforcement officials told the AP that no gun was found aboard the vessel.

It also contradicts many media accounts of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s final moments of freedom.

The New York Times reported that an M-4 carbine rifle – similar to the weapon used by American troops fighting in Afghanistan – was found aboard the boat and that officials had recovered two handguns and a bb gun used by the two brothers.

Two unnamed US officials have told the AP that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside the boat
Two unnamed US officials have told the AP that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was unarmed when police captured him hiding inside the boat

The throat wound sustained by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was also said by numerous law enforcement sources to be self inflicted.

Sources told Newsday that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s bullet wound looked to be self-inflicted, due to the location of the wound and the trajectory of the bullet.

Reuters reported that the Boston bomber was shot through the mouth by a round that exited through his neck.

Dozens of bullet holes were seen on the exterior of David Henneberry’s boat in photos taken shortly after the final standoff in the Watertown backyard.

The officials told the AP that say investigators only recovered a 9 mm handgun believed to have been used by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s brother, Tamerlan, from the site of a gun battle Thursday night, which injured a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officer.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was believed to have been shot before he escaped.

Meanwhile the suspect told the FBI that they were angry about the US wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the killing of Muslims there, officials said.

How much of those conversations will end up in court is unclear.

The FBI normally tells suspects they have the right to remain silent before questioning them so all their statements can be used against them.

Under pressure from Congress, however, the Department of Justice has said investigators may wait until they have gathered intelligence about other threats before reading those rights in terrorism cases.

The American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern about that.

Regardless, investigators have found pieces of remote-control equipment among the debris and were analyzing them, officials said.

One official described the detonator as “close-controlled”, meaning it had to be triggered within several blocks of the bombs.

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Henrique Capriles gives ultimatum over Venezuela’s presidential polls audit

Diane A. Wade
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Henrique Capriles gives ultimatum over Venezuela’s presidential polls audit

Henrique Capriles, the opposition candidate for Venezuela’s presidency, has threatened to take action over disputed votes he claims were “stolen” by Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Henrique Capriles Radonski demanded details of an audit of the vote the electoral council says it will carry out.

He said the council had a “deadline” of Thursday, but did not specify what action he would take.

Nicolas Maduro won the April 14 election by less than two percentage points.

He was sworn in as president last week, succeeding his mentor Hugo Chavez, who died in March of cancer.

Henrique Capriles has threatened to take action over disputed votes he claims were "stolen" by Nicolas Maduro's government
Henrique Capriles has threatened to take action over disputed votes he claims were “stolen” by Nicolas Maduro’s government

But the opposition cried foul, and tensions in the divided country have reached fever pitch, with the government accusing the opposition of fomenting coup attempts and the opposition accusing the government of “desperate lies”.

Nine people died in post-election protests and both the government and opposition are planning more protests on 1st of May.

Henrique Capriles says the vote was marred by thousands of irregularities, including voter intimidation, and has demanded a full recount.

The national electoral council (CNE) offered an electronic audit of the vote last week, to begin this week, but says Nicolas Maduro’s victory remains “irreversible”.

It has so far failed to give any details of the audit and on Wednesday Henrique Capriles said he would wait only until Thursday.

“We will not accept a joke audit,” Henrique Capriles said at a news conference.

“It’s time to get serious.”

Henrique Capriles repeated his accusations that Nicolas Maduro had manipulated poll results, telling a news conference: “The truth – and it is as big as our country is wide – is that you stole the election. That is the truth.

“You stole this electoral process, and you have to explain that to this country and to the world.”

The government, meanwhile, accuses the opposition of stirring up the post-election violence in a bid to engender a coup, and the government-controlled National Assembly has now announced a commission to investigate whether Henrique Capriles was responsible.

Pedro Carreno, who will head the commission, dubbed Henrique Capriles a “murderer” as he announced its formation – joining the National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello, who has called him a “fascist murderer”.

Prisons Minister Iris Varela, meanwhile, has said a jail cell awaits Henrique Capriles.

Media coverage of the post-election violence has been at odds, with state media describing pro-opposition mobs torching health clinics but opposition media saying many reports of the violence were fabricated.

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South Korea’s economy growth rate hits two-year high in Q1 2013

Clyde K. Valle
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South Korea’s economy growth rate hits two-year high in Q1 2013

South Korea’s economy growth rate hit a two-year high in the first quarter of 2013, boosted by a rebound in construction, investment and exports.

The economy grew by 0.9% in the January to March quarter from the Q4 2012, the central bank’s estimates showed.

The data is likely to help allay fears over the health of the Korean economy.

Earlier this year, the government cut its growth forecast for the current year amid a slowdown in exports.

However, the latest data showed a 3.2% quarter-on-quarter growth in exports during the period.

South Korea's economy growth rate hit a two-year high in the first quarter of 2013, boosted by a rebound in construction, investment and exports
South Korea’s economy growth rate hit a two-year high in the first quarter of 2013, boosted by a rebound in construction, investment and exports

That compares with a 1.2% drop in the previous quarter.

South Korea’s exports, which account for almost half of its overall output, have been hit by slowing demand in key markets such as the US and the eurozone.

Demand in the eurozone has been hurt by the bloc’s ongoing sovereign debt crisis, while the US economic recovery has also been fragile.

Some analysts warned that despite the positive data, exports continue to be fragile as conditions in those markets have not improved substantially.

“I think it’s hard to say that the economy is turning around as export growth completely halted,” said Jun Min-Kyoo, an economist at Korea Investment and Securities.

“Companies are still panicking about poor exports.”

There have also been fears over the impact movements in the currency markets may have on Korean exports.

The South Korean won has risen by nearly 10% against the US dollar since May, making its exports more expensive to foreign buyers.

Meanwhile, there has been a sharp decline in the Japanese yen, which has dipped almost 20% against the US dollar since November 2012, triggered by an aggressive monetary policy stance by the new Japanese government.

There have been fears that because Japan and South Korea compete in similar markets, Korean goods may lose out as a result of the currency moves and that such developments may also hurt South Korea’s overall growth.

However, analysts said the latest data indicated that the moves had not had a significant effect on the sector.

“Exports improved even though the yen was depreciating, suggesting that there hasn’t been any major impact on growth yet,” said Kong Dong-Pak, an analyst at Hanwha Securities.

As a result, policymakers have been taking measures to boost domestic consumption in an attempt to offset the decline in foreign sales and sustain growth.

Last week, the government unveiled a 17.3 trillion won ($15.3 billion) stimulus plan.

It said the funds would be used to help small and medium-sized exporters, create jobs, boost a stagnant property market and cover a shortfall in tax revenue.

The move is expected to help boost annual growth by 0.3 percentage point this year and create 40,000 jobs.

Analysts said that as the plan is implemented and starts to impact real growth, policymakers may revise their projections upwards.

“Once the government’s extra budget starts kicking in, it’s possible that the Bank of Korea could raise its 2013 growth forecast come July,” said Kong Dong-Pak of Hanwha Securities.

Mexican teachers in violent protest against education reforms in Guerrero state

James J. Williams
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Mexican teachers in violent protest against education reforms in Guerrero state

Mexican teachers incensed by sweeping education reforms have attacked the buildings of political parties in the south-western state of Guerrero.

For several hours, masked protesters started fires and attacked the offices with pickaxes and sticks, spraying slogans on the walls.

Guerrer governor has called for support from the federal government.

The reforms impose centralized teacher assessment and seek to end corrupt practices in the education system.

Those practices include the buying and selling of teaching positions.

But unions say the reforms could lead to big lay-offs, and critics also suggest they may be paving the way for the privatization of Mexico’s education system.

Mexican teachers incensed by sweeping education reforms have attacked the buildings of political parties in the south-western state of Guerrero
Mexican teachers incensed by sweeping education reforms have attacked the buildings of political parties in the south-western state of Guerrero

Wednesday’s protests came a day after the Guerrero state legislature refused to amend the educational bill, which includes constitutional changes which must be passed by each state.

Police stood by during Wednesday’s rampage in the state capital, Chilpancingo – though hundreds are guarding the state legislature.

Dozens of protesters targeted the local headquarters of the governing party, the PRI, as well as the offices of the opposition PAN and PRD, which have supported the reforms.

A senator’s office and state education department building were also attacked by the demonstrators, who broke windows and tossed computer equipment, desks and chairs out of the windows.

They burned papers inside the offices, some of which still had frightened workers inside when the masked men broke in, and sprayed slogans including “traitors of the people” on the walls.

The teachers are part of the country’s smaller, more radical union, the National Co-ordinator of Education Workers.

Union spokesman Minervo Moran said the violent protests were “a reaction to the aggressive policies that are being imposed by the reforms and that’s why there was this sort of action against the parties” that voted against the protesters’ proposals.

Guerrero Governor Angel Aguirre called for federal back-up and the PRI chairman Cesar Camacho pledged to investigate the unrest.

“We need to avoid the law of the jungle imposing itself, chaos and the breakdown of public order,” Cesar Camacho was quoted as saying.

Recently formed civilian self-defence groups are thought to have joined the demonstrators wreaking havoc on Wednesday.

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto signed the education law in February, but parliamentarians need to draw up separate legislation to implement it.

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Switzerland renews restrictions on EU immigration

Diane A. Wade
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Switzerland renews restrictions on EU immigration

Switzerland has decided to renew restrictions on immigration from eight central and eastern EU countries.

There is concern in Switzerland about a growing influx of workers from poorer EU members.

Restrictions on the number of work permits will be extended for 12 months from May.

Though not an EU member, Switzerland signed up to the bloc’s rules on freedom of movement and now faces criticism from Brussels.

The Swiss government says the quotas could be extended to 17 more EU countries – in western and southern Europe – from June.

Switzerland has decided to renew restrictions on immigration from eight central and eastern EU countries
Switzerland has decided to renew restrictions on immigration from eight central and eastern EU countries

When it signed up to the freedom of movement rules in 1999, Switzerland claimed the right enact a “safeguard clause” if the annual influx of workers from countries including Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, exceeds a certain number.

The government said it “came to the conclusion that the safeguard clause is one of several measures which can help to make immigration more acceptable to society and compatible with its needs.”

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton criticized the move.

“These measures disregard the great benefits that the free movement of persons brings to the citizens of both Switzerland and the EU,” said a statement from her office.

It said the measures were in violation of the free movement agreement.

EU officials have always told Switzerland it cannot cherry pick only those parts of European policy it likes best.

The Swiss government has come under pressure from both the right-wing People’s Party, and the Green Party, which say immigration has reached unsustainable levels.

Switzerland has low unemployment, high salaries, and a safe currency.

Even before the start of the eurozone crisis, large numbers of highly skilled workers from Germany and France were seeking jobs in Switzerland, our correspondent says, and in the last two years many more have arrived from Spain, Portugal and Italy.

A government statement said the number of people arriving in Switzerland had exceeded the number leaving by up to 80,000 in recent years.

Limiting work permits “can help to make immigration more acceptable to society”, the statement said.

New video shows Jane Richard being rescued by off-duty firefighter Matt Patterson

Nancy Clayson
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New video shows Jane Richard being rescued by off-duty firefighter Matt Patterson

An amateur video has revealed how off-duty firefighter Matt Patterson came to the rescue of 7-year-old Jane Richard in the Boston Marathon terror attack which killed her 8-year-old brother Martin.

Matt Patterson wearing a red T-shirt is seen rushing to the aid of little Jane Richard, who lost a leg in the attack and remains hospitalized in a critical condition.

Jane Richard is seen sitting up and then lying in the middle of the road, moments after standing on the sidelines where she was photographed alongside her brother Martin.

The photograph reveals how Jane and Martin Richard were standing just yards from terror suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Following the bomb attack others are filmed standing around stunned but Matt Patterson leaps into action.

Just before the explosion the firefighter had been enjoying a meal with his girlfriend in a nearby restaurant.

Matt Patterson wearing a red T-shirt is seen rushing to the aid of Jane Richard, who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon attack and remains hospitalized in a critical condition
Matt Patterson wearing a red T-shirt is seen rushing to the aid of Jane Richard, who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon attack and remains hospitalized in a critical condition

“This child for some reason just jumped at me – it was tunnel vision,” Matt Patterson said.

“I could see the damage. I could see that she needed a tourniquet. She needed surgery, it was obvious from what I saw.”

“I go up to a business guy and ask for his belt, he hands it over without hesitation. I have to stop the bleeding. I am making the tourniquet and another man comes and I ask him to hold it for pressure. I’m looking up and down the street – looking for where I can bring the child to an ambulance or more care.”

Matt Patterson and the other man ran with Jane Richard to a waiting ambulance. The girl has lost a leg and remains in a critical condition in hospital but is expected to survive her injuries.

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

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

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Iain Banks writes on Banksophilia about astounding messages of support over his terminal cancer

Sonia Pantiss
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Iain Banks writes on Banksophilia about astounding messages of support over his terminal cancer

Author Iain Banks has said the messages of support he has received from fans since announcing he has terminal cancer have been “astounding”.

On 3 April, the 59-year-old Scottish writer announced he was suffering from gall bladder cancer, saying it was “extremely unlikely I’ll live beyond a year”.

Writing on Banksophilia, a website set up by a friend, Iain Banks said: “Good grief! – what an outpouring of love, affection and respect. I honestly had no idea.”

“I feel treasured,” the author added.

“I am deeply flattered and touched, and I can’t deny I’ve been made to feel very special indeed.”

Iain Banks has said the messages of support he has received from fans since announcing he has terminal cancer have been astounding
Iain Banks has said the messages of support he has received from fans since announcing he has terminal cancer have been astounding

Iain Banks’ first novel The Wasp Factory was published in 1984 and was ranked as one of the best 100 books of the 20th Century in a 1997 poll conducted by book chain Waterstone’s and Channel 4.

“It’s only the fact that I’ve been able to pre-announce my own demise that has allowed me to realize my portion of that love in full while I’m still around to appreciate it,” Iain Banks wrote.

“Which has got me thinking; I need to tell other writers how much their work has meant to me while they are (and I am) still alive.”

“I think I’ll start with the amazing Mr. Alasdair Gray.”

Iain Banks wrote that he had recently returned to the UK following a short honeymoon in Venice and Paris with his wife Adele.

His proposal, he revealed with trademark black humor, ended with the words: “Will you do me the honor of becoming my widow?”

Iain Banks cancelled public engagements following his diagnosis and asked his publishers to bring forward the release of his new book The Quarry.

The author also writes sci-fi titles under the name Iain M. Banks. His latest book The Hydrogen Sonata was released last year.

In his latest post, Iain Banks praised his fans as “bright, clever, highly informed and sometimes worryingly more intelligent than me”.

He added that he was, “of course, deeply happy that I have attracted the attentions of a few of our – how can I put this politely? – more rationality-challenged friends”.

Iain Banks had said there was little chance of surgeons being able to remove the tumors in his liver because of how far they had spread, but had since been offered health advice and links to medical trials that “will be looked at seriously”.

The author signed off the message by saying he would continue to write updates “for as long as I’m able”.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev got Massachusetts welfare benefits while plotting Boston Marathon attack

Nancy Clayson
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Tamerlan Tsarnaev got Massachusetts welfare benefits while plotting Boston Marathon attack

Tamerlan Tsarnaev was receiving Massachusetts welfare benefits in the lead up to the deadly attacks at the Boston Marathon.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, lived off state aid while his wife, Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, worked as a home healthcare worker, sometimes clocking as many as 80 hours a week while her unemployed husband stayed at home, Massachusetts welfare officials revealed on Wednesday.

Ultimately Katherine Russell’s income made the couple ineligible for welfare and they stopped receiving state money in 2012.

Sources who knew Tamerlan Tsarnaev said that though he sported a flashy appearance, he failed to earn very much money for his family and was essentially a stay-at-home dad.

His younger brother, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,on the other hand, has been described as more entrepreneurial.

Katherine Russell Tsarnaev worked as a home healthcare worker, sometimes clocking as many as 80 hours a week, while her unemployed husband Tamerlan Tsarnaev stayed at home
Katherine Russell Tsarnaev worked as a home healthcare worker, sometimes clocking as many as 80 hours a week, while her unemployed husband Tamerlan Tsarnaev stayed at home

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, who was a sophomore at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, attended the school on a scholarship and earned petty cash selling marijuana, sources told the Boston Globe.

Investigators are scrutinizing the Tsarnaev brothers’ source of income, as they probe whether the pair received outside assistance for their attack, either from a radical group or foreign government.

Security experts have noted though that the modus operandi was relatively cheap, estimating that the materials for each of the pressure cooker bombs used at the Boston Marathon attack could have cost a total of $100 each.

It is not known when Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Katherine Russell, the mother of the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, began receiving the aid.

They “were not receiving transitional assistance benefits at the time of the [Boston Marathon blasts]”, Massachusetts Office of Health and Human Services spokesman Alec Loftus told the Boston Herald.

Both suspects believed to be behind the bombings, Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his brother, Dzhokhar, had also received welfare as children.

Their parents, Anzor Tsarnaev and Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, relied on state assistance when they moved to America from the Russian republic of Dagestan.

State officials have been reluctant to discuss whether the Tsarnaevs had received state money when they immigrated to the U.S. in the early 2000s.

Ultimately, after pressure from the press the state welfare benefits office divulged the information to the Boston Herald.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva says Dzhokhar and Tamerlan have been framed for bombings because they were Muslim

Diane A. Wade
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Zubeidat Tsarnaeva says Dzhokhar and Tamerlan have been framed for bombings because they were Muslim

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, the mother of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, has launched into a bizarre rant in which she claims she does not care if she or her youngest son are to be killed by US authorities.

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, who now lives in Dagestan, Russia, said in an emotional telephone interview that she believes her sons, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, have been framed for the bombings.

The suspects’ father, Anzor Tsarnaev, has already been interviewed by Russian and American authorities and will make his way to the United States along with his ex-wife as early as Thursday.

Their eldest son, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, died after a shootout with police in Watertown, Massachusetts on Friday, while Dzhokhar, 19, is in hospital recovering from a wound to the neck.

“If they are going to kill him, I don’t care,” Zubeidat Tsarnaeva told CNN of Dzhokhar.

“My oldest one is killed, so I don’t care. I don’t care is my youngest one is going to be killed today. I want the world to hear this.

‘And I don’t care if I am going to get killed too. And I will say Allahu akbar!”

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has launched into a bizarre rant saying she does not care if she or her son Dzhokhar are to be killed by US authorities
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva has launched into a bizarre rant saying she does not care if she or her son Dzhokhar are to be killed by US authorities

While Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was reportedly injured from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as he sought to hide from police in a boat parked in a backyard, his mother said she does not believe this account.

“You know what I think? I think now they will try to make my Dzhokhar guilty because they took away his voice, his ability to talk to the world… They did not want the truth to come out,” Zubeidat Tsarnaeva said.

She added that the only reason her sons were targeted was because they were Muslim, adding that she saw footage of Tamerlan Tsarnaev being killed “really cruelly”.

U.S. authorities are on their way to speak with Zubeidat Tsarnaeva in the aftermath of the bombings.

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JLS split up after farewell tour and launching final album

Sonia Pantiss
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JLS split up after farewell tour and launching final album

JLS have announced that they are splitting up after five years together.

In a statement on their official website the former British X Factor boy band thanked their fans.

“We wanted to make sure that you heard it from the four of us, that we have decided to bring our time as a band to an end,” the statement said.

The band also said they would put together a final album, Goodbye; The Greatest Hits, with a new single to coincide with a farewell tour.

“Goodbye; The Greatest Hits Tour will be the last time that we will perform together as a four and we want to make sure that this tour is the best ever and that we end on a high!

“We will always remain brothers and friends and we will always be your boys.

“Thanks to all of you guys, your support, your dedication and you have changed our lives forever. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you.”

JLS have announced that they are splitting up after five years together
JLS have announced that they are splitting up after five years together

JLS first appeared on The X Factor in 2008 finishing second to Alexandra Burke and are made up of Oritse Williams, Marvin Humes, J.B. Gill and Aston Merrygold.

In their time together they have had five number one singles and released four studio albums.

JLS’s debut album is the third biggest-selling X Factor debut ever behind Leona Lewis and One Direction.

One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson tweeted: “Sad to hear about JLS. Wish them all the best of luck in what they go on to do.”

The band will continue to work on the JLS Foundation after they spilt up. The charity was started three years ago.

“As always we will continue to support each other and we hope you will enjoy watching us grow individually in our new chapters going forward. We want to look at this final year as a celebration of all that we have achieved together.

“We hope you can look back and remember all the great moments that you have been responsible for.”

J.B. tweeted to fans: “I also know you will all take this in different ways but we will always be there for you guys even though we are no longer a group!!J x.

“Roll on the greatest hits tour!! The next chapter has begun, watch this space…hehe J x.”

Over their career, JLS have sold more than six million records, won two Brit awards in 2010 and five Mobo awards.

Marvin Humes, 28, married Saturdays singer Rochelle Wiseman last year and they are expecting their first child.

The group launched their own range of condoms and Aston Merrygold is a judge on Sky’s Got To Dance series.

J.B. Gill has developed an interest in farming.

Ahead of their farewell tour they are also playing several festivals across the UK in June, July and August.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Katherine Russell Tsarnaev arrested for shoplifting from Old Navy in 2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Umayyad Mosque minaret destroyed in Aleppo clashes

Sonia Pantiss
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Umayyad Mosque minaret destroyed in Aleppo clashes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Enrico Letta to become Italy’s new prime minister

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kathryn R. Bown
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0
Menus displaying exercise needed to burn calories in meals help people consume less

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

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

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

The researchers now plan larger trials.

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

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

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

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

Calories:

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

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

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

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

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

“This study suggests there are benefits.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Lu Lingzi memorial service at Boston University before remains repatriation

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lu Lingzi was the family’s only child.

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Boston Marathon bombing victims: three dead and 264 injured

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Others sought delayed care for minor shrapnel wounds.

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

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

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

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

Lisa.Felice
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0
Diana Ross almost unrecognizable as she goes make-up free in Malibu

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

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

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

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

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

Michael Jackson’s death civil trial set for April 29

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nancy Clayson
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0
Chelsea Clinton buys New York’s longest apartment for $10 million

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Diane A. Wade
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0
Zubeidat Tsarnaeva may be arrested if she returns to US after failing to appear on shoplifting charge

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

Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, 45, now lives in Dagestan, Russia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Shamshad Begum dies in Mumbai aged 94

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Shamshad Begum dies in Mumbai aged 94

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sonia Pantiss
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0
Allan Arbus dies from congestive heart failure at the age of 95

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nancy Clayson
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0
Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body has not been claimed by his wife or family

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

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

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

He was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

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

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

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

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

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