The Boston bombing suspects have been identified as brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who are originally from a Russian region near Chechnya and lived in the US for at least one year, sources told the Associated Press.
The surviving Boston bomber, named Suspect 2 by police, who was seen on CCTV wearing a white baseball cap, has been identified as Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, aged 19.
Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev is said to be from Russia’s south, not far from the Chechen Republic.
The man reportedly lived in Turkey before arriving legally in the US about a year ago.
The Boston bombing suspects have been identified as brothers originally from a Russian region near Chechnya
His brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, has been
identified as Suspect 1 and died overnight following a firefight with police.
His brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, has been identified as Suspect 1 and died overnight following a firefight with police.
NBC News’ Pete Williams said earlier Friday morning that the two suspects likely had “foreign military training,” and had been in the country for about a year.
Later he said they were brothers, and added: “They were legal permanent residents. They were in this country legally, at least a year. They appear to be from Turkey, possibly Chechens from Turkey. That seems to be the nationality here.”
Dzhokhar A Tsarnaev identified as one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects
Just before 7 a.m. Friday morning, the Associated Press confirmed Pete Williams’ reporting and naming Tsarnaev.
Born July 22, 1993, according to Pete Williams, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev attended Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, has a Massachusetts drivers’ license and has been in the country for around a decade.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev became a legal permanent resident, according to NBC, in 2007.
He died overnight in the firefight with police, suffering from “blast and potentially gunshot wounds …probably a blast injury [and] possibly shrapnel” throughout his trunk.
A previous NBC report claims the two immigrated at least two years ago.
Both brothers are said to have Massachusetts drivers’licenses.
The controversial CISPA (Cyber Information Sharing and Protection Act) has been passed by the US House of Representatives.
CISPA is designed to help combat cyberthreats by making it easier for law enforcers to get at web data.
This is the second time CISPA has been passed by the House. Senators threw out the first draft, saying it did not do enough to protect privacy.
CISPA could fail again in the Senate after threats from President Obama to veto it over privacy concerns.
A substantial majority of politicians in the House backed the bill.
The controversial CISPA has been passed by the US House of Representatives
The law is passing through the US legislative system as American federal agencies warn that malicious hackers, motivated by money or acting on behalf of foreign governments, such as China, are one of the biggest threats facing the nation.
“If you want to take a shot across China’s bow, this is the answer,” said Mike Rogers, the Republican politician who co-wrote CISPA and chairs the House Intelligence Committee.
CISPA has also secured the backing of several technology firms, including the CTIA wireless industry group, as well as the TechNet computer industry lobby group, which has Google, Apple and Yahoo as members. By contrast, the social news website Reddit has been vocal in its opposition to the bill. In March, Facebook said it no longer supported CISPA.
The bill could fail again in the Senate after the Obama administration’s threat to use its veto unless changes were made. The White House wants amendments so more is done to ensure the minimum amount of data is handed over in investigations.
The American Civil Liberties Union has also opposed CISPA, saying the bill was “fatally flawed”. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, Reporters Without Borders and the American Library Association have all voiced similar worries.
CISPA’s authors say existing amendments have addressed many of the criticisms and more oversight was being given to data before it was handed over.
One of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects is dead and the second is on the loose and said to be “armed and dangerous” after a dramatic shootout in the suburb of Watertown.
The terrorist, dubbed “Suspect 1” by the FBI, died in hospital after explosions and machine gun fire rocked the Watertown area hours after a police officer was shot dead at the nearby MIT campus.
Police warned the other, named “Suspect 2”, who was seen on CCTV wearing a white baseball cap was now on the run, adding: “We believe this to be a terrorist.”
Boston Police Chief Ed Davis tweeted: “One suspect dead. One at large. Armed and dangerous. White hat suspect at large.”
Boston descended into chaos on Friday morning as police dramatically held a suspect at gunpoint after multiple shots and explosions were heard in the suburb of Watertown.
One of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects is dead and the second is on the loose and said to be “armed and dangerous” after a dramatic shootout in the suburb of Watertown
The drama unfolded hours after the FBI released images of two men named as suspects in the deadly Boston Marathon attacks and the Boston Globe has said the two men involved in this evenings shoot-out are those same men.
Police screamed at reporters on the scene to turn off phones “if they want to live” as they hunted for the suspects – fearful that improvised explosives could be remotely detonated.
Dozens of police officers, FBI agents, national guard, K-9 units and SWAT teams rushed to Watertown after midnight after a reported car chase involving the two suspects in a black 2013 Mercedes.
According to eyewitness reports, two men believed to be in their early twenties engaged in a furious gun fight with dozens of police on a backstreet of Watertown.
Rolf Harris, the Australian entertainer and artist who moved to the UK decades ago, has been questioned by police over historical allegations of sexual offences.
Rolf Harris, 83, was interviewed under caution after attending police premises in south London by appointment in November.
On March 28, Rolf Harris, from Berkshire, was arrested and bailed until May.
The entertainer was held as part of the inquiry set up after claims were made against Jimmy Savile although his arrest is unrelated to the former BBC DJ and TV presenter.
Operation Yewtree was set up following the death of Jimmy Savile in 2011, when hundreds of sex abuse allegations came to light.
The Metropolitan Police did not name Rolf Harris after he was first questioned or following his arrest and have still not formally identified him. He is described by them as Yewtree 5.
Although the media were aware of Rolf Harris’s name in November, they chose only to report that an 82-year-old man had been questioned. His name was first reported by the Sun on its website and later editions of the newspaper on Friday.
Rolf Harris was held as part of the inquiry set up after claims were made against Jimmy Savile although his arrest is unrelated to the former BBC DJ and TV presenter
Rolf Harris, a fixture on British TV screens for more than 40 years, arrived in the UK from his native Australia in 1952.
His home in Berkshire was searched in November but he was not in the house at that point.
Scotland Yard said in March: “An 82-year-old man from Berkshire was arrested by officers on Operation Yewtree on suspicion of sexual offences.
“He has been bailed to a date in May pending further inquiries. The individual falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed <<others>>.”
Rolf Harris, one of 12 people arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, has not yet made any public comment.
The police investigation has three strands.
One is looking specifically at the actions of Jimmy Savile, and the second strand concerns allegations against “Savile and others”.
The third strand relates to complaints against other people unconnected to the Savile investigations, made by people who came forward after widespread coverage of the scandal.
Other high-profile names who were questioned in connection with the investigation are PR consultant Max Clifford, comedian Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis and comedian Jim Davidson – who all deny any wrongdoing. Gary Glitter, 69, whose real name is Paul Gadd, who was also arrested, has not yet made a statement.
A former driver for the BBC, David Smith, 66, has been charged with past sex offences following his arrest in December.
A former BBC producer, Wilfred De’Ath, arrested last year in Cambridgeshire over an allegation of indecent assault on a girl in the 1960s, has been told he will not face any charges.
Google and Microsoft have both reported rising profits for the first quarter of 2013.
Google’s net profit climbed to $3.35 billion in Q1 2013, up 16% from a year ago, boosted by online advertising revenue.
Microsoft said it made $6 billion in profit during the same period, a jump of more than 17% from a year earlier.
The tech giant’s earnings, which beat market forecasts, came despite a lukewarm reception for Windows 8 and a decline in global PC sales during the period.
Meanwhile IBM reported a fall in Q1 2013 profits and revenues after the technology services company failed to complete deals in time and was hit by the depreciation of the Japanese yen.
Analysts said that Microsoft’s profits were boosted in part by changing the way it sold its products to corporate clients, as well as cost-cutting measures.
Google and Microsoft have both reported rising profits for the first quarter of 2013
“Microsoft has successfully transitioned into an enterprise software company and these results show that,” said Kim Caughey Forrest, a senior analyst at Fort Pitt Capital.
“The strength of server and tools, and the actual way they sell licences to business, is making up for the missing PC sales.
“The margins are fantastic and the online services division seems to lose less money each quarter,” she added.
Meanwhile Google’s profits were driven up by growing income from online advertising, which helped boost overall revenues to nearly $14 billion for Q1 2013. That is up from $10.7 billion during the same period last year.
The results also suggested that Google may be beginning to build confidence with advertisers. The amount paid per advert is still declining, but at a slower rate than last year.
Despite the stronger-than-expected numbers, Microsoft announced that its CFO, Peter Klien, would be leaving the firm at the end of June.
Peter Klein, who has been with Microsoft for 11 years, is the latest in a series of executives to leave the company.
His departure comes just months after the Steven Sinofsky, the head of Windows division, quit Microsoft.
The departures of the two senior figures have come as there have been questions over the leadership of chief executive Steve Ballmer.
These doubts have been driven in part by slowing growth, and amid concerns that Microsoft had not been able to make a significant impact in the new and fast-growing sectors such as the smartphone and tablet PC markets.
The leading smartphone and tablet PC makers, such as Samsung and Apple, rely more on operating systems such as Android and iOS, rather than Microsoft’s Windows, which has enjoyed a dominance in the traditional PC market.
The fear for Microsoft is that as more people use smartphones and tablet PCs to access the internet, it may see its market share decline.
These concerns have grown after Windows 8, which is designed to make PCs work more like tablet computers, was greeted with mixed reviews at its launch last October.
More positively, analysts said that Peter Klien’s departure from the firm suggested that an imminent departure of chief executive Steve Ballmer was unlikely.
“The CFO departure is a little bit troubling. We’ve had a lot of executives leaving Microsoft recently,” said Brendan Barnicle, an analyst with Pacific Crest Securities.
“This also makes a departure by Steve Ballmer less likely. It would be very unusual to have a CEO leave soon after a CFO departure.”
Also on Thursday, IBM reported first quarter earnings of $3 billion, down 1% from a year earlier, with revenues falling 5% to $23.41 billion – lower than analysts’ expectations.
IBM said its results had been hit by delays in completing deals, with about $400 million worth of contracts that were expected to be counted in the first quarter of the year now being moved into the second.
In addition, the company said that the recent weakening of the yen had affected its earnings. The depreciation of the yen means that it earns fewer dollars from sales in Japan.
“Despite a solid start and good client demand, we did not close a number of software and mainframe transactions that have moved into the second quarter,” said IBM’s chief executive, Ginni Rometty.
“The services business performed as expected with strong profit growth and significant new business in the quarter.”
IBM’s CFO Mark Loughridge said it was “hard to measure” whether the recent series of US budget cuts – the sequester – had affected the firm.
“I can tell you that our US federal business was down 13%, which was certainly a drag on the US performance,” he said.
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has been accused of market “abuse” by the consumer watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
The OFT alleges that the company paid rivals to delay the release their own versions of GSK’s antidepressant drug Seroxat (paroxetine).
Alpharma, Generics UK and Norton Healthcare all received money not to enter the market with their copies of Seroxat.
Seroxat is a drug used to treat depression.
Consumer watchdog Office of Fair Trading alleges that GSK paid rivals to delay the release their own versions of Seroxat drug
The generic drug makers were attempting to supply the UK market with their versions of paroxetine, which GlaxoSmithKline brands as Seroxat, the OFT said.
GSK accused them of infringing its patent, so to resolve this dispute the pharmaceutical company effectively paid the three companies off, according to the OFT.
If proven, the allegations would be an infringement on the part of all the parties of competition law and on the part of GSK an abuse of its dominant place in the market.
“The introduction of generic medicines can lead to strong competition on price, which can drive savings for the NHS, to the benefit of patients and, ultimately, taxpayers,” said Ann Pope, senior director of services, infrastructure and public markets at the OFT.
“It is therefore particularly important that the OFT fully investigates concerns that independent generic entry may have been delayed in this case.”
The companies will now be asked to respond to its allegations, before the OFT makes a decision on whether or not competition law has been infringed.
Former Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf has been arrested and will be held under house arrest in Islamabad for two days.
Earlier, TV images showed Pervez Musharraf entering a district court amid heavy security.
On Thursday a Pakistani court ordered the former leader’s arrest over an attempt to impose house arrest on judges in March 2007.
It was an unprecedented move against a former army chief who ruled the country for almost a decade.
Although Pervez Musharraf was present at court on Thursday when the warrant was issued, police made no attempt to arrest him and he rapidly returned to his home on the outskirts of the city.
Pervez Musharraf has been arrested and will be held under house arrest in Islamabad for two days
On Friday morning, according to his aides, Pervez Musharraf went to a district court escorted by his security detail and submitted himself for arrest to comply with Thursday’s court order.
Police said the arrest had taken place overnight at his home.
Pervez Musharraf’s legal team say they will challenge the arrest order in Pakistan’s Supreme Court.
Last month Pervez Musharraf returned from years of self-imposed exile hoping to lead his All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) party into the general election next month.
Earlier this week his candidacy was rejected in Chitral, one of four seats he had applied to contest.
Pervez Musharraf had already failed in an attempt to stand in three other seats.
The case for which the former military ruler has been arrested relates to his controversial decision to dismiss judges – including Chief Justice Mohammad Iftikhar Chaudhry – when he imposed emergency rule in 2007.
Pervez Musharraf also faces several other criminal cases and had been trying to stave off arrest ever since he returned.
The Pakistani Taliban have also vowed to assassinate former President Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup.
Boston police arrested a suspect at gunpoint after multiple shots and explosions were heard in the suburb of Watertown on Friday morning – hours after a MIT campus police officer was shot dead late on Thursday night.
Dozens of police officers, FBI agents, national guard, K-9 units and SWAT teams rushed to Watertown after midnight after a reported car chase involving two suspects in a black 2013 Mercedes.
Witnesses reported hearing explosions and gunfire as the police engaged the two men and local television footage showed one man lying spread out on the ground, with his arms out, surrounded by police.
One suspect is reportedly in custody and another has been taken to Beth Israel hospital in Boston – their injuries are not clear.
Boston police arrested a suspect at gunpoint after multiple shots and explosions were heard in the suburb of Watertown, hours after a MIT campus police officer was shot dead
It is not clear at this time if the Watertown engagement, the MIT shooting and the Boston Marathon bombings are connected.
As the battle raged, police urged everyone to stay inside of their homes. The area is still considered extremely dangerous.
Law enforcement were reportedly searching for a black 2013 black Mercedes vehicle which a suspect is driving.
Initial reports suggest that one suspect is in custody and a police officer has been injured.
Earlier – Boston suburbs Cambridge police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s office confirmed a MIT campus police officer was shot dead after responding to a report of a disturbance when he was fired upon multiple times.
Si Robertson is a Vietnam War veteran staring A&E’s newest hit reality TV series Duck Dynasty.
Duck Dynasty reality show follows the lives of the Robertson family, who became wealthy from their family-operated business, Duck Commander, operated in West Monroe, Louisiana, which makes products for duck hunters.
The Robertson men, brothers Phil and Si, and Phil’s sons – Jase, Willie, and Jep -are known for their long, flowing beards.
Silas Merritt “Si” Robertson, 64, is the younger brother of family patriarch Phil Robertson, 66, who was the original inventor and founder of the Duck Commander company.
Si Robertson, born 1948, June 3, retired from the army in 1993 and went to work full time for Duck Commander where he designs the reeds that are inserted in every patented duck call. It’s a pretty easy job, made needlessly difficult by the fact that Si Robertson can never seem to stay on task.
Si Robertson is married for many years to Christine, who isn’t featured on the Duck Dynasty reality show
On Duck Dynasty, Si Robertson can be seen with his nephew Willie and the entire Duck Commander family. The show entered in second season in the fall of 2012 and is one of the networks most popular new reality programs.
The Vietnam vet is known for his constant use of the phrase “Hey!” and that he often shares his war stories with the guys, which usually gets the crew behind schedule, much to Willie’s dismay. Uncle Si’s most famous story is that while serving in Vietnam, his mother sent him a blue plastic mug. Thirty years later it’s still hanging from his back pocket and he continues to only drink from this cup, every day.
Si Robertson is married for 43 years to Christine, who isn’t featured on the show. Everybody expected to see Christine Robertson on Duck Dynasty Season 3, which premiered on February 27, 2013. It is certain that if Christine Robertson is Uncle Si’s wife, she also by default has to be an entertaining person. Even just as Miss Kay’s sister-in-law, Christine Robertson could add another special touch to the show. However, maybe she only wants to remain behind the scenes, which would be understandable too.
Si Robertson has a net worth of $2 million.
Duck Dynasty Season 3 finale will aired on April 24.
Boston suburbs Cambridge police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s office confirmed a MIT campus police officer was shot dead responding to a report of a disturbance when he was fired upon multiple times.
Initially, the officer was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with life threatening injuries but he later died. His name was not immediately released.
State police spokesman Dave Procopio says the shooting took place about 10:30 p.m. outside a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) building.
Dave Procopio says authorities are searching for a suspect or suspects. No arrests have been made.
MIT police, Cambridge police and state police are involved in the investigation.
Cambridge police and the Middlesex District Attorney’s office confirmed a MIT campus police officer was shot dead responding to a report of a disturbance when he was fired upon multiple times
About 11,000 people attend the prestigious school.
The campus website said police were sweeping the campus and urged people to stay indoors.
In a statement issued to the press, law enforcement officials said that no arrests have been made in the shooting and the search for a suspect or suspects is ongoing.
MIT in Boston issued an emergency alert at 10.48 p.m. on Thursday night reporting that shots had been fired putting an officer was down and that a shooter was on the run.
It has been reported that a “Hispanic looking man” took the officer’s weapon from him before firing on him.
MIT posted this alert to their website: “At 10:48 PM today gunshots were reported near Building 32 (Stata) which is currently surrounded by responding agencies.
“The area is cordoned off. Please stay clear of area until further notice. Unknown if injuries have occurred. Although the situation is considered active and extremely dangerous, an investigation is underway.
“Updates will be provided at this site when more information becomes available.”
MIT campus newspaper The Tech posted to Twitter: “Shots fired near 32 Vassar St (Stata Center), police officer down. Please stay inside.”
The school is describing the situation as “active and extremely dangerous” – and FBI agents have been witnessed at the scene.
Boston has been on edge after two bombs ripped through the crowd near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injured 183 more.
Storm Thorgerson, who designed Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album cover, has died aged 69, the band’s management has confirmed.
A childhood friend of Pink Floyd’s founding members of the band, Storm Thorgerson became their designer-in-chief, fashioning a string of eye-catching creations.
Storm Thorgerson designed the cover showing a prism spreading a spectrum of color for The Dark Side Of The Moon.
His credits also include albums by Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel and Muse.
Storm Thorgerson’s family released a statement saying he died peacefully on Thursday surrounded by family and friends.
“He had been ill for some time with cancer though he had made a remarkable recovery from his stroke in 2003,” the statement said.
“He is survived by his mother Vanji, his son Bill, his wife Barbie Antonis and her two children Adam and Georgia.”
Storm Thorgerson designed the album cover showing a prism spreading a spectrum of color for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist Dave Gilmour released a statement in which he said the artworks Storm Thorgerson created for the band had been “an inseparable part of our work”.
Dave Gilmour said: “We first met in our early teens. We would gather at Sheep’s Green, a spot by the river in Cambridge and Storm would always be there holding forth, making the most noise, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. Nothing has ever really changed.
“He has been a constant force in my life, both at work and in private, a shoulder to cry on and a great friend. I will miss him.”
A statement on the Pink Floyd.com official site said: “We are saddened by the news that long-time Pink Floyd graphic genius, friend and collaborator, Storm Thorgerson, has died.
“Our thoughts are with his family and many friends.”
Storm Thorgerson began his career with UK design group Hipgnosis, founded in the late 1960s and his distinctive style made him one of the industry’s most recognizable artists.
There was the mournful-looking cow on the front of Atom Heart Mother, the burning businessman on the sleeve of Wish You Were Here, the giant pig flying over Battersea Power Station and the prism spreading a spectrum of color across The Dark Side Of The Moon.
The FBI has released photos and video of two suspects they want to identify as part of the investigation into Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings.
CCTV captured the two men, one wearing a dark-colored baseball cap and the other a white cap, near the scene.
Shown to the media at a press conference at the Sheraton hotel in Boston, the blurry images show the as-yet unidentified men at the scene of both bomb blasts along the finishing line of the race on Boylston Street moments before the detonations.
Designated by FBI Special Agent Richard DesLaurier as “suspect one” and “suspect two” – suspect one is dressed in dark clothes wearing sunglasses, while suspect two is clearly wearing a white baseball cap on backwards – both are seen in the images with back-packs on.
Making a direct appeal to the public agent Richard DesLaurier asked for any information, however insignificant that could lead to them identifying and eventually speaking to this individual.
The FBI has released photos and video of two suspects they want to identify as part of the investigation into Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings
The FBI agent also warned members of the public not to approach them if they think they see them.
“We consider them to be armed and extremely dangerous, No one should approach them, do not apprehend the,” said Richard DesLaurier.
“Do not take any action on your own. If you see these men, contact law enforcement.”
Richard DesLauriers said footage showed the suspect in the white hat putting his backpack down at the site of the second explosion just in front of the Forum restaurant.
“We strongly encourage those who were at the Forum restaurant but haven’t contacted us yet to do so,” he said.
Richard DesLauriers said the FBI was aware of no additional threat.
At least one of the Boston bombs was made from a pressure cooker packed with explosives, nails and ball bearings, investigators have told US media. The devices were placed in black bags and left on the ground.
At this point, investigators have been sifting through masses of images, gathered by either civilian fan footage and multiple surveillance cameras in the area.
Anyone with any information regarding the two suspects is urged to call the FBI on 1800 222 5324
Isabella Barrett of Toddlers & Tiaras fame is a millionaire at only 6-year-old, thanks to her impressive beauty pageant record, TV appearances, and her own jewellery and make-up line.
Isabella Barrett has developed the lifestyle to go with her riches, telling the Daily Mirror all about her expensive taste in food, clothes and shoes.
“What’s not to like about being a millionaire?” she told the paper.
“I’m a superstar, I have my own jewellery line and I just love being the boss. I never lose at anything and almost every pageant I enter, I win. But what I love more than anything is shoes. I have over 60 pairs.”
Isabella Barrett’s mom Susanna, 39, co-owns the jewellery business with her daughter and entered the girl in her first pageant.
Isabella Barrett of Toddlers & Tiaras fame is a millionaire at only 6-year-old, thanks to her impressive beauty pageant record, TV appearances, and her own jewellery and make-up line
Susanna Barrett told the Mirror she doesn’t want her daughter to “grow up spoilt”.
She said: “You see what happens to these child stars like Britney Spears and I certainly do not want that happening to my daughter. But she does like nice things, so we do treat her.”
Isabella Barrett relishes room service at extravagant hotels.
“We travel so much to enter pageants, she really has developed a taste for five-star hotels and loves being waited on,” said Susanna Barrett.
“She can go a little crazy though and once ordered $2,200 worth of food. It’s never cheeseburgers and fries, always the most expensive like filet mignon and lobster.
“I know it seems pompous, but to us it’s just funny and part of her personality,” she explained.
Isabella Barrett has made most of her money from the Glitzy Girl collection, which features lip glosses, charm bracelets and velour hoodies. The idea for Glitzy Girl came about during her pageant days.
Every time Isabella Barrett won a beauty contest, she and her mother would get the title printed on a charm bracelet, “so she could brag about her accomplishments”, explained her mother in an interview withIn Touch.
Since fans loved the look of her charms, Isabella Barrett and her mother took advantage of her popularity and launched the line.
Most the money they make from the line is spent on clothes and shoes.
“I’ll admit when it comes to Bella’s wardrobe, there is no expense spared,” said Susanna Barrett.
“That means a voice coach, make-up artist, regular spray tans, hair extensions, acrylic nails and even made-to-measure fake teeth which cost us $500.”
Susanna Barrett added: “Each performance needs to be like a Broadway show and every single outfit is custom-made, costing up to $10,000.
“We must have spent around $50,000 entering pageants in the last two years alone, but look where she is now. It’s been more than worth it.”
Isabella Barrett’s mother insisted to the Mirror: “I am not a pushy parent, I just help Isabella achieve her dreams. If she told me tomorrow she didn’t want to do it any of it any more, then that would be fine.”
Nick Lachey, who briefly dated Kim Kardashian in 2006 following his high-profile divorce from Jessica Simpson, suggested that the reality star used him to get famous.
When asked whether tabloid pictures of Nick Lachey and Kim Kardashian on one of their early dates marked the start of Kim’s career, the singer said: “That’s one way to interpret it. Let’s just say this: We went to a movie. No one followed us there. Somehow, mysteriously, when we left, there were 30 photographers waiting outside.”
Nick Lachey, 39, went on to suggest that Kim Kardashian, 32, had tipped off the paparazzi about their movie date on May 24, 2006.
“There are certain ways to play this game, and some people play it well,” Nick Lachey said in the May 2013 issue of Details.
Nick Lachey, who briefly dated Kim Kardashian in 2006, suggested that the reality star used him to get famous
“She also had some help from that sex tape,” the interviewer added, referring to Kim Kardashian’s infamous video with rapper Ray J.
“Yeah, well that was already in the can,” the singer said.
Kim Kardashian and Nick Lachey are said to have met at a party for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart in April 2006, but only officially dated for one week, according to Kim.
The reality star herself attributes the start of her fame to the couple’s May outing in Westwood, Los Angeles.
“It started when I went out on a date with Nick Lachey,” Kim Kardashian wrote in the 2010 book, Kardashian Konfidential.
“Of course the paparazzi took pictures, because people were curious about who he was with.”
“So the next night I was out with Paris Hilton,” Kim Kardashian continued.
“We were in her car and the paparazzi started taking pictures. Usually they would shout, <<Paris! Paris! Paris!>>
“[But] they started yelling <<Kim! Kim! Kim!>> I wanted to hide, and Paris and I just looked at each other and laughed.”
“She said, <<Whatever you do, just smile>>. I thought, this is so weird, I don’t know what’s going on. It was surreal.”
Now Kim Kardashian is dating Kanye West and is currently six months pregnant with his child while Nick Lachey recently welcomed a baby boy with his wife Vanessa.
Ajay Rochester, former host of Australia’s Biggest Loser, has revealed she has gained a staggering 105 lbs.
Ajay Rochester, who hosted the weight-loss television show for four series between 2006 and 2009, said in a radio interview that she makes daily trips to fast food restaurants and admitted she is eating herself to death.
She was pictured on Tuesday picking up two Subway sandwiches and two large drinks while walking her dogs in Los Angeles, where she is now based.
“So I’ll eat that. Then I just lie down all day because I can’t move because my arteries are so clogged.
“And then I drive past Carl’s and get a burger and fries. I’m laughing about it. But it’s really serious because I am eating myself to death.”
Ajay Rochester, former host of Australia’s Biggest Loser, has revealed she has gained a staggering 105 lbs
Last year Ajay Rochester appeared on Australian TV screens in the celebrity diet show Excess Baggage, alongside Kevin Federline.
She has since relocated to the US in a bid to find fame.
“Seriously my house looks like somebody else lives in there,” Ajay Rochester said of her new Californian home.
“There are all these beautiful clothes, because I have lots clothes from Biggest Loser.
“So if you open my cupboard you would go, <<Well she must be the cleaner that big fat thing, and where is the skinny girl who lives here?>> Because I live in sweatpants. You know the saddest thing was, when I got home from Excess Baggage I thought; <<Oh yeah I did alright, I won, I lost a bit of weight>>.
“I came home and I tried on my skinny jeans and I was still too fat for my skinny jeans.”
Ajay Rochester’s weight has yo-yoed dramatically over the years as she struggled to cope with emotional issues.
She was physically abused by her adoptive mother during her childhood and they are now estranged.
Ajay Rochester found her birth mother Kaylene when she was 22, although her mother committed suicide a year later.
In 2003 she became a top-selling author in Australia with Confessions of a Reformed Dieter and later released The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Losing Weight and Getting Fit.
Ajay Rochester, a single mother, has a 13-year-old son Kai, who has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome.
Moroccan teenager Salah Barhoum has been forced to deny today that he was linked to the Boston Marathon bombing after photos of him carrying a bag and accompanied by a man with a backpack near the finish line were published in the media.
The picture of the 17-year-old was widely circulated in the days following the explosions along with allegations that he was being sought by the FBI.
ABC News spoke to the brother of the 17-year-old track star and confirmed that he went to the police on Wednesday to clear his name.
Salah Barhoum’s younger brother said that their mother was “sick and upset” that he had been connected to the fatal attack.
“It made her think he had done something wrong,” the brother told ABC News.
“My brother is not the bomber.”
The high school athlete had originally thought that he wanted to run in the race but when he could not for unspecified reasons, he went to the marathon route to watch the others.
The Moroccan teenager has been forced to deny that he was linked to the Boston Marathon attack after photos of him carrying a bag near the finish line were published in the media
After seeing photos of himself online and speaking to the authorities, Salah Barhoum took to Facebook to clear his name after reportedly making contact with authorities, saying: “Going to the court right now!! S*** is real. But u will see guys I’m did not do anything.”
Several hours later on Wednesday evening, he posted again: “back home! everything is fake but god is with me.”
The images show one young man in a blue athletic top standing beside another man in a white baseball cap and black sweatshirt, is believed to be one that the FBI circulated among law enforcement officials.
It is believed that the FBI will later today release images of men they want to question in connection to the bombings. It is not clear if the picture of the Moroccan teenager and his “coach” are among those images, and they have not been
After the image was distributed rapidly, new claims emerged on social media sites that they were innocent bystanders.
Anonymous sources from online community Reddit said that they were “friends” of the man in the blue tracksuit, and said that he was “just a high school kid that loves track”.
From there, reports range from saying that the man beside him in the white hat is his coach to others asserting that the “kid” does not know the man. Neither man has been publicly identified by name.
The supposed acquaintances on Reddit said that the man in the black track suit spoke with police, who then called the FBI.
“Both are scared, the guy in this pic will miss school tomorrow, where hs competing for some track competition, the other guy will miss work,” Reddit user “desert_morning” posted early on Thursday.
Friends defended Salah Barhoum on Internet forums saying he was a high school track runner who had gone to watch the marathon on Monday with his coach.
Salah Barhoum describes himself as a keen runner and member of his high school track team. The teen works at Subway and posts that he is a fan of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Hunger Games and Hannah Montana.
On his Facebook profile, which has since been made private, Salah Barhoum posted pictures in the crowd along the race route on Boylston Street close to a large screen of the race.
The two people pictured-including the Moroccan-American teen- are not formally considered suspects.
“I wouldn’t characterize them as suspects under the technical term. But we need the public’s help in locating these individuals,” said Janet Napolitano, the Secretary of Homeland Security.
Conflicting reports about the veracity of the photos and why authorities sent it out.
CBS reporter John Miller says that neither of the men pictured are suspects in the bombings that killed three and injured 183 on Monday.
Because of the crowded nature of the finish line, authorities are parsing through a combination of civilian footage and security tapes from nearby businesses. Reports of surveillance footage from a nearby Lord and Taylor’s department store gave initial hope about having the suspects pictured.
Madonna might not be allowed to visit Russia again anytime soon after officials ruled the singer violated the terms of her visa during last trip to Moscow and St Petersburg.
According to Russian daily Izvestia, the nation’s foreign ministry has ruled Madonna failed to get a work permit that would have allowed her for-profit shows in Moscow and St. Petersburg last summer.
That, in turn, might make it harder for her to get back into the country later.
Madonna’s visa reportedly limited her trip to “cultural ties,” as quoted by The Moscow News.
Madonna might not be allowed to visit Russia again anytime soon after officials ruled the singer violated the terms of her visa
The Russian Foreign Ministry is quoted as saying in a statement: “If a foreign national’s activity in Russia is aimed at making a profit, including through commercial performances, the said national must receive a work permit from the Federal Migration Service, and therefore must be issued a normal work visa, with the purpose of the visit stated as work for hire.”
Foreign Ministry officials were asked to look into Madonna’s visa situation by St. Petersburg lawmaker Vitaly Milonov, who tells Russian newspaper Izvestia: “Those who applied for a visa for Louise Ciccone [Madonna] face a fine of 500,000 rubles [$15,885.00]. It has to be determined whether [Madonna] filed the documents herself.”
“The question of the legality of Madonna’s visit to our country will also come up, and next time it will be a lot more difficult to get a visa.”
Vitaly Milonov had challenged whether Madonna’s visit was legal after she advocated gay rights and defended jailed feminist punk group Pussy Riot.
A lawsuit by anti-gay groups claiming Madonna broke Vitaly Milonov’s law was dismissed by a Russian judge last November.
Now, Vitaly Milonov reportedly wants to see Madonna fined $16.7 million. Last December he also accused Lady Gaga of breaking the law at her St. Petersburg concert.
Anil Kapoor is to play the lead role in the Indian remake of US hit counter-terrorism series 24.
Anil Kapoor’s character will mirror that of Jack Bauer, the role made famous by Kiefer Sutherland.
The actor, who played the quiz show host in Danny Boyle’s Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, is producing the shows set in Mumbai.
“I am not playing it safe, I am playing the lead,” he said.
“I’m a movie star.”
Anil Kapoor is to play the lead role in the Indian remake of US hit counter-terrorism series 24
Anil Kapoor, who has starred in more than 100 Bollywood films in the past three decades, also featured in the American 24 series playing Middle Eastern leader Omar Hassan.
“I have stuck my neck out,” Anil Kapoor told Reuters about the remake, produced by his company Anil Kapoor Film.
Director Abhinay Deo said: “We are giving them their star that they love and we are giving them subject matter which is close to them. Where can this go wrong?”
The original series started in 2001 and spanned 192 episodes over nine years.
The main set of the counter-terrorism unit is a replica of the one in the US series, according to show producers.
“My audience is the masses – the Hindi heartland, they haven’t seen this, for them it’ll be a novelty and something new,” said Raj Nayak, chief executive officer of the Colors channel, which will air the series later this year.
The Bay Psalm Book – the first book printed in America – is expected to fetch up to $30 million when it goes under the hammer in New York on November 26.
The Bay Psalm Book, which was printed in Massachusetts in 1640, is one of 11 remaining copies of a translated version of the Book of Psalms.
The book has not appeared at auction since 1947, when it sold for a record breaking $151,000.
In today’s money, it would be the equivalent of $1.56 million.
At the time, it was the highest price paid for a printed book.
The Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in America, is expected to fetch up to $30 million when it goes under the hammer in New York
John James Audubon’s Birds of America, which sold for $11.5 million in December 2010, currently holds the world auction record for a printed book.
The Bay Psalm Book was written by pilgrims 20 years after they established a colony in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Colonists John Cotton, Richard Mather and John Eliot, who wrote the book, wanted a version of the psalms which they believed was closer to the original Hebrew than the ones they had brought with them from England.
“The Bay Psalm Book is a mythical rarity,” said Sotheby’s David Redden.
“With it, New England declared its independence from the Church of England,” he added.
Funds for the printing press were raised in England.
The 1640 edition of the Bay Psalm Book is the earliest surviving print from the press, and was adopted by nearly every congregation in the Massachusetts Bay area.
There were 1,700 copies of the original Bay Psalm Book, of which 11 are now left in various degrees of completeness.
The book comes from the collection of the Old South Church in Boston which has two copies of the edition.
Senior minister of the church, Nancy Taylor, said the money from the sale would help to keep the historic building open and help to increase outreach programmes.
The book will tour various cities in the US before the auction on November 26.
A rare blue diamond has been unearthed at Cullinan mine in South Africa.
The 25.5-carat stone was recovered by Petra Diamonds at its Cullinan mine and is expected to bring large profits.
Experts say the blue diamond could be worth more than $10 million, and the find gave a boost to Petra’s share price.
Similar finds in recent years from the Cullinan mine have commanded high prices and Petra, with operations in Botswana and Tanzania, is expecting a high level of interest from buyers.
The 25.5-carat blue diamond was recovered by Petra Diamonds at its Cullinan mine in South Africa
“It’s very unusual for a diamond of this quality and size to come to market,” said company spokeswoman Cathy Malins.
The mine, north-east of Pretoria, has produced hundreds of large stones and is famed for its production of blue diamonds.
A similar 26.6-carat blue rough diamond discovered by the same company in May 2009 was cut into a near perfect stone and fetched just under $10 million at a Sotheby’s auction.
The diamond was named the “Star of Josephine” by its new owner.
Another deep-blue diamond from Cullinan was auctioned for $10.8 million last year and set a world record for the value per carat.
In 1905, the renowned Star of Africa blue diamond – the world’s second largest cut diamond – was discovered at the Cullinan mine.
The pear-shaped 530-carat stone was presented to King Edward VII and became part of the British crown jewels.
President Barack Obama has attended a memorial service for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing saying the attack’s perpetrators will be held accountable.
Barack Obama told an interfaith ceremony that everyone had been touched by the attack on their beloved city.
The president spoke as it emerged investigators had found clear video images of two potential suspects carrying black bags.
Two bombs were detonated near the finish line on Monday, killing three people and injuring more than 180.
There were several standing ovations as President Barack Obama spoke on Thursday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the main Roman Catholic cathedral in Boston.
President Barack Obama has attended a memorial service for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing
Before his visit, the president declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts, which would allow the state to access federal funding to deal with the aftermath of the attacks.
Barack Obama appeared in sombre mood as he joined city leaders, residents and victims at the prayer service.
He told the congregation: “The spirit of this city is undaunted; the spirit of this country shall remain undimmed.
“Everyone of us has been touched by this attack on your beloved city. Everyone of us stands with you. Because after all it’s our beloved city too.”
“They sought to intimidate us, to terrorize us,” he said.
Then added: “It should be pretty clear by now that they picked the wrong city to do it.”
Barack Obama was applauded as he warned the perpetrators of the attacks they would be brought to justice.
“We will find you,” he said.
“We will hold you accountable.”
Hundreds of people stood outside the cathedral during the service, while police at the bomb site listened to the president’s speech on the radios in their patrol cars.
Former Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney also attended the prayer ceremony.
Barack Obama is later expected to meet emergency workers and the families of victims.
On Thursday Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the FBI wanted to speak to two men, but did not say they were suspects.
“There is some video that has raised the question of those that the FBI would like to speak with,” Janet Napolitano said.
“I wouldn’t characterize them as suspects under the technical term, but we do need the public’s help in locating these individuals.”
She did not give details of what was seen on the tape.
Janet Napolitano would not say whether the attacks were suspected to be the work of a domestic or foreign group, but said the investigation was continuing “apace”.
She added that security had been ramped up at airports and transport hubs.
The FBI has denied a flurry of reports on Wednesday that a suspect had been arrested.
Investigators are going through thousands of images taken around the time of the attacks from security cameras, the media and people at the scene.
Officials have not said if they would publicly release more details of the case.
Correspondents say authorities are cautious about publicizing the relevant images, after the release of pictures relating to a 1996 bombing at the Atlanta Olympics led to the arrest of an innocent security guard, Richard Jewell.
A circuit board and battery pack – parts of a triggering mechanism – has been recovered.
The lid of a pressure cooker, apparently blown off during the explosion, was found on the roof of a nearby building.
Officials say the bombs consisted of explosives in pressure cookers, one with shards of metal and ball bearings, the other with nails.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The twin blasts killed three people: Martin Richard, 8, Krystle Campbell, 29, and Lu Lingzi, a postgraduate student from China.
Dozens remain in hospital following the bombs, many of them seriously injured.
It is reported that 10 victims have had limbs amputated. Nails and ball bearings were said to be embedded in their flesh.
At least 14 bombing victims, including three children, remain in hospital in a critical condition.
Paul Kevin Curtis from Mississippi has been charged with threatening President Barack Obama, after allegedly sending a letter containing suspected ricin to him.
Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, was arrested on Wednesday after letters were found addressed to Barack Obama and Republican Senator Roger Wicker.
Initial tests on the letters, identified at remote facilities, showed the presence of the lethal toxin.
The FBI has said there is “no indication of a connection” between the letters and Monday’s Boston Marathon attacks.
The letters addressed to President Barack Obama and Republican Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker were both postmarked Memphis, Tennessee, and dated April 8.
Paul Kevin Curtis has been charged with threatening President Barack Obama after sending a letter containing suspected ricin to him
According to US media citing intelligence sources, the letters read: “To see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance.”
They were reportedly signed: “I am KC and I approve this message.”
The FBI said Paul Kevin Curtis also allegedly sent a third letter positively identified for ricin to a Mississippi justice official.
The contents of the letter intended for President Barack Obama were being sent to an accredited laboratory for further analysis, the FBI said, with results expected in 24 to 48 hours.
Paul Kevin Curtis’ relatives earlier expressed shock at the news of his arrest, describing him as a natural musical performer who would impersonate Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly.
Bank of America has reported a sharp rise in profits for the first quarter of 2013 after it shed costs and set aside less money for bad loans.
Bank of America reported a net income of $2.3 billion in Q1 2013, after making $328 million in the last year’s same quarter.
Over the year the company has taken costs of $1 billion out of the bank, helped by 16,000 job cuts.
Also helping was a fall in the amount the bank set aside for bad debts – provisions were $1.7 billion, about a third lower than last year’s figure.
Bank of America is the latest US bank to report higher first quarter profits, with some having made record earnings.
Investment banking helped JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, while Citigroup and JP Morgan, in common with Bank of America, both cut loan reserves.
Cost cutting was another common theme among the big banks.
Bank of America has reported a sharp rise in profits for the first quarter of 2013 after it shed costs and set aside less money for bad loans
Bank of America itself plans to have lowered costs by $8 billion by 2015, and it said another $1.5 billion of cost cuts would be in place by the end of 2013.
Leaving the one-off gains aside, Bank of America’s income from mortgages and income from trading in the fixed income, currency and commodities markets were both lower.
The weaker underlying performance sent the company’s shares lower on Wednesday, ending down 4.7%.
The bank’s chief executive, Brian Moynihan, said he was pleased with its performance: “Our strategy of connecting our customers to all we can do for them is working.”
Bank of America, along with two of its big four rivals, also pointed to income from investment banking as a positive contribution to earnings.
Brian Moynihan added: “Solid increases in loan growth to small businesses and middle-market companies, four straight quarters of steady growth in mortgage originations, record earnings in wealth management, and another quarter near the top in investment banking fees show we are balanced, focused and moving forward.”
President Barack Obama decided not to dispatch any high-ranking members of his administration to former British PM Margaret Thatcher’s funeral on Wednesday, a move that has been heavily criticized on both sides of the pond.
According to the Associated Press, the White House sent ex-Secretaries of State George Shultz and James A. Baker III to lead the American delegation, which also includes Barbara Stephenson, the charge d’affaires at the US Embassy in London, and Louis Susman, former US ambassador to the UK.
British tabloid The Sun reported: “[…Downing] Street is most angered by rejections from Obama, First Lady Michelle and Vice-President Joe Biden. And none of the four surviving ex-US leaders – Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr., Bill Clinton and George Bush Jr. – is coming either.”
“The response contrasts with glowing US tributes on the day Lady Thatcher died. A No 10 source said last night: <<We are a little surprised by the White House’s reaction as we were expecting a high-profile attendance>>. The <<snub>> came ahead of the Boston marathon <<bomb outrage>>.”
Barack Obama’s decision not to dispatch any high-ranking members of his administration to Margaret Thatcher’s funeral has been heavily criticized
However, British PM David Cameron’s spokesman refuted reports that the Obama administration snubbed Margaret Thatcher.
“Absolutely not and that the seniority of the America dignitaries attending was reflective of her global stature,” spokesman Jean-Christophe Gray told reporters on Tuesday.
“He welcomed the fact that two former Secretaries of State with whom Lady Thatcher had worked very closely were attending, saying it was testimony to the esteem in which she was held.”
Meanwhile the New York Post editorial page called the US representation “underwhelming.”
“As the world bids farewell to Lady Margaret Thatcher today, it’s hard not to notice that America’s official presence at the state funeral for England’s most significant prime minister since Winston Churchill will be underwhelming,” wrote The Post, which is owned by Margaret Thatcher’s ally Rupert Murdoch.
“Instead of sending a high-ranking member of his own administration to lead the official delegation, President Obama has dispatched two former Republican secretaries of state, George Shultz and Jim Baker. Nothing against these men, but we can forgive the British for regarding Obama’s choice as yet another snub.”
The kicker: “What makes Washington’s little acts of thoughtlessness so telling is that they attract more attention than doing the right thing would.”
UK’s The Guardian dubbed it a “distinctly low-key official representation”.
“The US is to send distinctly low-key official representation … While Barack Obama was invited, he has opted to send a presidential delegation comprising no serving politicians.”
The Lenny Bikini Show at Rio de Janeiro Fashion Week proved that thin doesn’t mean healthy as one model’s buttocks seemed to be lacking in muscle tone – which some industry insiders say could be the result of skipping workouts and staying slim by eating very little.
“It’s no secret that a bad diet, little rest, no exercise, caffeine and smoking is not good for our bodies,” said Sheldon Stringer, personal trainer and owner of Urban Fitness Islington in London.
“The main cause of cellulite is simple: a bad diet of fatty foods married with long periods of not eating and dehydration or lack of water intake.
“A lot of people also rely on other stimulants and sometimes even substitute food and water for these stimulants. This will also lead to diminished muscle tone and also promotes the development of cellulite.
The Lenny Bikini Show at Rio de Janeiro Fashion Week proved that thin doesn’t mean healthy as one model’s buttocks seemed to be lacking in muscle tone
“In the case of these models, the stress of having to look their best, not eating to try and remain slim and working long hours with little or no rest, will result in cellulite build up as seen in these pictures.
“Due to the lack of nourishment caused by their bad diets and their intense schedules, their muscle mass is compromised as their bodies are starving most of the time, which results in flabby or flat muscles.”
The new images of Rio de Janeiro Fashion Week models come in the wake of revelations that models stay “Paris thin” by eating tissues and outrage caused by River Island’s use of what seemed to be a size zero model in its latest campaign.
The tissue allegations appeared in the memoirs of veteran fashion journalist Kirstie Clements, who was sacked from her role as editor of Australian Vogue in May 2012.
Kirstie Clements claimed she once spent three days on a shoot with a model but didn’t see her eat a single meal.
By the end of the trip, said Kirstie Clements, the model was so exhausted and weak from lack of food, she could barely keep her eyes open.
The fashion journalist also revealed that many starve themselves for days on end, endure regular stints on hospital drips and eat tissue paper in order to feel full.
“You know how you read interviews where models insist that they eat a lot? Not true,” said Kirstie Clements.
“The only way they can get that thin is to stop eating. They eat tissue paper to stave off the hunger pangs – literally ball it up and eat it.”
