Usher and Scooter Braun Head to Panama

The 19-year-old crooner's mentor, Usher, and manager, Scooter Braun, headed south of the border this weekend to spend time with him and perhaps chat about his Miami arrest for DUI and drag racing.

Bieber was first spotted on Saturday relaxing with his entourage in Punta Chame, a beach town on the Gulf of Panama. Justin's new gal pal, Chantel Jeffries, 21, who was with him in his rented Lamborghini at the time of his arrest, was also spotted on the getaway.

Naturally, plenty of Beliebers in Panama have been tracking the popstar's every move and have been documenting it on Twitter. Usher, 35, was photographed this weekend arriving at Bieber's abode and embracing him in a hug.
On Saturday, Panamanian actress Roseta Bordanea snapped a photo with the Biebs and Usher at the beach. She also posted several videos of Bieber enjoying a day of sun and sand.
Ryan Good, Bieber's former "swagger coach" and good friend, also joined the crew in Panama and was spotted with several adoring Beliebers.

While both Usher and Scooter have been silent on Twitter over the past two days, we imagine that they're likely talking to their embattled protégé about how to stay on the right side of the law.

Braun's last tweet on Friday implied that he planned to support the "Baby" singer, despite his string of bad decisions last week.

Been a long day. Bottom line is we are defined by how we handle adversity. Be there when it counts. Love fully in good times and bad.

Regardless of his wild antics, it is clear that the Biebs has a close-knit group of handlers who seem to have his back.

3 Suspects Released, University Lecturer, 2 Others Still In Custody

Three of the six persons detained for allegedly belonging to the Kogi State Boko Haram faction were on Thursday discharged by the Abuja Federal High Court due to lack of evidence. However, charges were filed against three other suspects.

The State Security Service (SSS) informed the court that there was no evidence against Mustapha Yusuf, Ismaila Abdulazeez and Ibrahim Isa Hayafu. The trial judge Justice Gabriel Kolawole has subsequently discharged them.

However, charges had been filed against the other three suspects, Umar Musa, Salami Abdullahi and Dr. Nazeef Yunus, an Assistant Lecturer in Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Kogi State University.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government had been ordered by the court on January 13 to charge the suspects within seven days. Otherwise, they would be freed at the resumption of proceedings in the case on Thursday.

After informing the court that charges have been filed against the suspects, the SSS applied for the leave of the court to further detain them until their arraignment.

The matter was adjourned to January 28, with Yunus and the two other suspects remaining in custody of the SSS.

UPDATE: One of the suspects still remaining in custody, Salami Abdullahi, a businessman accused of sponsoring Boko Haram activities in Kogi State has sued the SSS at the Federal High Court, Abuja. He demands N10bn for "unlawful arrest and detention."

Mr. Abdullahi is the Chief Executive and Managing Director of ASTA Nigeria group. He was apprehended at one of his filing stations in October 2013 by combined forces of the operatives of the SSS, soldiers and police. He claims he has been detained without trial since then.

Bieber DUI Arrest

As her ex-boyfriend was getting booked in Miami, Fla. for drag racing and DUI, Selena Gomez was having a much breezier time in L.A. on Thursday, Jan. 23. The "Come & Get It" singer was photographed heading back to her car after a pit stop at a local gas station.

Gomez, 21, was all smiles in a cleavage-baring beige top with black pants and a matching oversized cardigan. The Spring Breakers star also wore sunglasses and carried a soda and a pack of cigarettes.

Earlier this morning, her former love Justin Bieber, 19, was arrested in Miami for DUI and drag racing. In the afternoon, he appeared before a judge in bond court in an orange jumpsuit. His bail was set at $2,500: $1,000 for DUI, $1,000 for resisting arrest, and $500 for an expired Georgia license.

Currently both single, Bieber and Gomez sparked a frenzy earlier this month when they were caught riding Segways together near Bieber's Calabasas, Calif. home. The next night, the "Heartbreaker" singer posted an Instagram picture of the exes getting cozy. "Love the way you look at me," Bieber wrote. 

Compared to Bieber, Gomez's life post-split has been looking a lot brighter. Despite canceling her Australian tour last month, the former Disney star has been feeling "powerful" these days.

"Then I turned 20, went through a really bad breakup, and realized I needed to have 'Come & Get It' be amazing," she told Seventeen's March 2014 "Power Issue," with a slight dig to her ex. "I wanted it all to be me. I'm glad it's taken me this long to get where I am because now I am ready for it."

Ready for the next guy, too. "I actually talked to Katy Perry about guys who are intimidated by strong girls. I haven't found someone yet who could understand my lifestyle, support it, love me through it, and not be threatened by it," Gomez told the mag. "It's hard. I do think I might scare some guys, because I'm like, 'I want to change the world! I have dreams! What do you want to do?' But I only know how to be me."

Bomb attack kills 10 People near Pakistan army HeadQuarter

A Taliban suicide bomber killed 10 people in a crowded market near the Pakistani army headquarters on Monday, a day after the Taliban killed 20 soldiers near the largely lawless, tribal region of North Waziristan, police said.

The market, a short walk from the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad, is in one of the most secure areas of the city, said police chief Akhtar Hayat Lalika. The area was cordoned off by the military immediately after the blast.
Lalika said 14 people were wounded.

Two college students wearing blue uniforms were killed, said a Reuters photographer on the scene.

Their bodies lay near wreckage of a bicycle and pools of blood. Rescue workers struggled to help the wounded. Windows were shattered several hundred metres away.

Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid claimed responsibility for the blast on behalf of the Islamist insurgents.

"We will continue attacks on the government and its armed forces as the government has neither announced ceasefire nor peace talks with us," he said.

A bomb planted by the Taliban ripped through a vehicle carrying Pakistani troops on Sunday, killing 20 and prompting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to cancel his trip to the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos this week.

The government is keen to pursue peace talks with the Taliban to end the insurgency but there has been an upsurge in attacks since Sharif won elections in May 2013.

Michelle Obama's 50th Birthday Party

First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated her 50th birthday with a celeb-filled birthday party on Saturday, Jan. 18, featuring about 500 guests a source tells Us Weekly. 

Grammy-winning artist Ledisi opened out the night, but then handed the microphone over to Beyonce, who performed with a full band for about 30 minutes. 


Though the guests were asked to keep the evening's festivities quiet, the "Drunk in Love" singer, 32, posted several shots on her official tumblr account, including one of her in a short, sparkly dress and heels petting the Obamas' new dog Sunny. 

The mother of 2-year-old Blue Ivy Carter also posted pictures of her little tot visiting the White House in a white dress, admiring the large Christmas tree and playing with Sunny herself. 

John Legend and new wife Chrissy Teigen also attended the festivities, and Legend, 35, personally sang "Happy Birthday" to the First Lady. 


Michelle's doting husband, Barack Obama, acted as the evening emcee, giving an adorable toast once the birthday cake was brought out. 

The partying ran until around 4 a.m. and featured DJ Cassidy spinning music after the live performances ended. Beyonce brought her mother Tina Knowles, who recently had her own big 60th birthday party in New Orleans, and her sister Solange Knowles. 

Other celebrities in attendance included Paul McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Mary J. Blige, Ashley Judd, Angela Bassett, Jennifer Hudson, Gayle King, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, and Steve Harvey. 

Beyonce At Tina Knowles' 60th Birthday Bash

Sixty never looked so fierce! Sasha Fierce, that is. Beyonce's fashion designer mother, Tina Knowles, rang in her 60th birthday on Jan. 11 in a celeb-filled New Orleans masquerade ball. 

Beyonce, 32, documented the House of Deréon owner's massive ball, which she threw with her sister Solange Knowles, 27, at Muriel's Jackson Square Restaurant. 


Beyonce's hubby of almost six years, Jay Z, also attended the affair, as did Kardashian momager Kris Jenner, former Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland, and Beyonce's Dreamgirls costar Jennifer Hudson. 

The night was filled with dancing, a live band, and an enormous nine-tier golden cake topped with a feathered masquerade mask. Tina rocked a gold and black skin-tight gown, showing just how good 60 can look. Beyonce wore a champagne-colored Naeem Khan gown that showed off plenty of cleavage, and sister Solange wore a bright yellow strapless gown with a rainbow-colored mask. 


Not pictured was Beyonce's 2-year-old daughter Blue Ivy, but the festivities were presumably too late for the little one. Instead, the "XO" singer danced with her 9-year-old nephew Daniel Julez -- Solange's son with ex-husband Daniel Smith. 

Tina Knowles filed for divorce from Beyonce's former manager and father Mathew Knowles in 2009 after he had an affair with actress Alexsandra Wright. Beyonce also became independent from her father's management, which she discussed in-depth in her recent HBO documentary Life Is But a Dream.

Ronaldo to buy Real’s physios new cars for helping him win Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly reward the club's physiotherapy team by buying each of them a brand new car of their choice following his Ballon d'Or win.

The Portuguese forward promised Madrid's physiotherapists that if he won the Ballon d'Or, they would each get a new car, as a present for helping keep him fit in the last 12 months.

According to Metro.co.uk, many think Ronaldo edged Lionel Messi for the prize because of the Argentine's recent injury trouble, which has seen him miss the last few weeks of action.

Meanwhile, Manchester United ace Rio Ferdinand had been saved from running naked on the street after Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or.

Ferdinand had vowed to run naked if his former United mate failed to win the award. (ANI)

Ronaldo to buy Real’s physios new cars for helping him win Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will reportedly reward the club's physiotherapy team by buying each of them a brand new car of their choice following his Ballon d'Or win.

The Portuguese forward promised Madrid's physiotherapists that if he won the Ballon d'Or, they would each get a new car, as a present for helping keep him fit in the last 12 months.

According to Metro.co.uk, many think Ronaldo edged Lionel Messi for the prize because of the Argentine's recent injury trouble, which has seen him miss the last few weeks of action.

Meanwhile, Manchester United ace Rio Ferdinand had been saved from running naked on the street after Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or.

Ferdinand had vowed to run naked if his former United mate failed to win the award. (ANI)

Full Winner List Of 2014 Critics Choice Award

The 2014 Critics' Choice Awards went down yesterday Thursday 16th January 2014 in Santa Monica, California, USA.

As expected, it was lit up with stars all eager to see if or not they will pick up an award.

The Best Supporting Actress category just got interesting, Jennifer Lawrence who was the front runner, takes a back seat as Lupita Nyong'o leads the way now.

View the full list!

Best Picture
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Saving Mr. Banks
12 Years a Slave***WINNER
The Wolf of Wall Street



Best Actor
Christian Bale – American Hustle
Bruce Dern – Nebraska
Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club **WINNER
Robert Redford – All Is Lost



Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine***WINNER
Sandra Bullock – Gravity
Judi Dench – Philomena
Brie Larson – Short Term 12
Meryl Streep – August: Osage County
Emma Thompson – Saving Mr. Banks



Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl – Rush
Bradley Cooper – American Hustle
Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
James Gandolfini – Enough Said
Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club***WINNER



Best Supporting Actress
Scarlett Johansson – Her
Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o – 12 Years a Slave***WINNER
Julia Roberts – August: Osage County
June Squibb – Nebraska
Oprah Winfrey – Lee Daniels' The Butler



Best Young Actor/Actress
Asa Butterfield – Ender's Game
Adele Exarchopoulos – Blue Is the Warmest Color***WINNER
Liam James – The Way Way Back
Sophie Nelisse – The Book Thief
Tye Sheridan – Mud



Best Acting Ensemble
American Hustle***WINNER
August: Osage County
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Nebraska
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Director
Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity***WINNER
Paul Greengrass – Captain Phillips
Spike Jonze – Her
Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell – American Hustle
Martin Scorsese – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Original Screenplay
Eric Singer and David O. Russell – American Hustle
Woody Allen – Blue Jasmine
Spike Jonze – Her***WINNER
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen – Inside Llewyn Davis
Bob Nelson – Nebraska

Best Adapted Screenplay
Tracy Letts – August: Osage County
Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke – Before Midnight
Billy Ray – Captain Phillips
Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope – Philomena
John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave***WINNER
Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki – Gravity***WINNER
Bruno Delbonnel – Inside Llewyn Davis
Phedon Papamichael – Nebraska
Roger Deakins – Prisoners
Sean Bobbitt – 12 Years a Slave

Best Art Direction
Andy Nicholson (Production Designer), Rosie Goodwin (Set Decorator) – Gravity
Catherine Martin (Production Designer), Beverley Dunn (Set Decorator) – The Great Gatsby ***WINNER
K.K. Barrett (Production Designer), Gene Serdena (Set Decorator) – Her
Dan Hennah (Production Designer), Ra Vincent (Set Decorator) – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Adam Stockhausen (Production Designer), Alice Baker (Set Decorator) – 12 Years a Slave

Best Editing
Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers – American Hustle
Christopher Rouse – Captain Phillips
Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger – Gravity***WINNER
Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill – Rush
Joe Walker – 12 Years a Slave
Thelma Schoonmaker – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Costume Design
Michael Wilkinson – American Hustle
Catherine Martin – The Great Gatsby***WINNER
Bob Buck, Lesley Burkes-Harding, Ann Maskrey, Richard Taylor – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Daniel Orlandi – Saving Mr. Banks
Patricia Norris – 12 Years a Slave

Best Make-up
American Hustle***WINNER
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Lee Daniels' The Butler
Rush
12 Years a Slave

Best Visual Effects
Gravity***WINNER
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
Pacific Rim
Star Trek into Darkness

Best Animated Feature
The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Frozen***WINNER
Monsters University
The Wind Rises

Best Action Movie
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Iron Man 3
Lone Survivor***WINNER
Rush
Star Trek into Darkness

Best Actor in an Action Movie
Henry Cavill – Man of Steel
Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man 3
Brad Pitt – World War Z
Mark Wahlberg – Lone Survivor***WINNER



Best Actress in an Action Movie
Sandra Bullock – Gravity***WINNER
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Evangeline Lilly – The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Gwyneth Paltrow – Iron Man 3

Best Comedy
American Hustle***WINNER
Enough Said
The Heat
This Is the End
The Way Way Back
The World's End



Best Actor in a Comedy
Christian Bale – American Hustle
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street***WINNER
James Gandolfini – Enough Said
Simon Pegg – The World's End
Sam Rockwell – The Way Way Back



Best Actress in a Comedy
Amy Adams – American Hustle***WINNER
Sandra Bullock – The Heat
Greta Gerwig – Frances Ha
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Enough Said
Melissa McCarthy – The Heat

Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie
The Conjuring
Gravity***WINNER
Star Trek into Darkness
World War Z

Best Foreign Language Movie
Blue Is the Warmest Color***WINNER
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Past
Wadjda

Best Documentary Feature
The Act of Killing
Blackfish
Stories We Tell
Tim's Vermeer
20 Feet from Stardom***WINNER

Best Song
Atlas – Coldplay – The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Happy – Pharrell Williams – Despicable Me 2
Let It Go – Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez – Frozen***WINNER
Ordinary Love – U2 – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Please Mr. Kennedy – Justin Timberlake/Oscar Isaac/Adam Driver – Inside Llewyn Davis
Young and Beautiful – Lana Del Rey – The Great Gatsby

Best Score
Steven Price – Gravity***WINNER
Arcade Fire – Her
Thomas Newman – Saving Mr. Banks
Hans Zimmer – 12 Years a Slave



Joel Siegel Award
Forest Whitaker

Louis XIII Genius Award
Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater for trilogy Before Sunrise, Before Sunsetand Before Midnight

Hollywood's Hottest Star
Benedict Cumberbatch

Fassbender to lead Oscar charge

ACTOR Michael Fassbender will lead the Irish at this year's Academy Awards after claiming his first Oscar nomination.
The 36-year-old has received a nod in the Best Supporting Actor category for his portrayal as a brutal slave owner in '12 Years a Slave'.

Also nominated in the category are Barkhad Abdi for 'Captain Phillips', Bradley Cooper for 'American Hustle', Jonah Hill for 'The Wolf of Wall Street' and Jared Leto for 'Dallas Buyers Club'.

Fassbender lost out to Leto at the Golden Globes last week, but movie critics still think that he could take home the Oscar for his latest collaboration with Steve McQueen.

While he stated he would not be actively campaigning for an Oscar after failing to get a nomination last year for his role in 'Shame', the Kerryman will no doubt be hoping to leave the ceremony held on March 2 with a golden statuette in hand.

His film '12 Years a Slave' claimed four nominations in total, including one for McQueen for Best Director.

'Philomena', the true story of Irish woman Philomena Lee's journey to find out what happened to her son Anthony after 50 years of keeping his existence a secret, has secured four nominations overall.

Directed by Stephen Frears and co-written by actor Steve Coogan, the film is based on the 2009 book by former BBC journalist Martin Sixsmith.

Shot in Northern Ireland, it begins with a teenage Lee giving birth to Anthony at a Catholic convent and subsequently working alongside other young mothers in a Magdalene laundry as her child is put up for adoption.

It will compete for Best Film alongside 'American Hustle', '12 Years a Slave' and 'The Wolf of Wall Street', among others, while Judi Dench has been given the nod for Best Actress for her moving portrayal as Lee. She will be up against Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep and Amy Adams.

It has also received nominations in the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Score categories.

Less than a week after celebrating their Golden Globe victory, U2 have received their second ever Oscar nomination.

Bono and his bandmates are in contention to take home the Best Original Song Oscar, for their track 'Ordinary Love' in 'Mandela: Long walk to Freedom'.

Also shortlisted are 'Let It Go' from the film 'Frozen', 'Alone Yet Not Alone' from the movie of the same title, Pharrell Williams' track 'Happy' from 'Despicable Me 2' and 'The Moon Song', which features in 'Her'.

U2 were previously nominated in 2003 for their song 'The Hands That Built America', which featured in Martin Scorsese's 'Gangs of New York'.

The nominations for 2014's 86th Academy Awards were announced early yesterday morning at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, by Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs and actor Chris Hemsworth, star of 'Rush' and 'Thor: The Dark World'.

CHINA MOBILIZES 100,000 TROOPS IN PREPARATION FOR KOREAN PENINSULA CRISIS

Nearly 100,000 Chinese soldiers and thousands of vehicles from the 16th and 39th Army Groups of the Shenyang Military Region have been mobilized for a winter exercise near the North Korean border to prepare for a potential crisis over the Korean peninsula, reports the Seoul-based Chosun Ilbo.

The exercise launched on Jan. 10 is being held in the border region between the Changbai mountain and Heilongjiang river, the paper said.

The drill is a normal military exercise to train soldiers to fight in winter and long-range conditions, according to national state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV). However, a source from the People's Liberation Army said that it is very rare to see 100,000 military personnel mobilized for a regular exercise. The 39th Army Group has only just completed its "Iron Flow 134" exercise in the region late last year

Chinese authorities have declared that no civilian vessels are allowed to enter the waters of the Bohai Strait and northern part of the Yellow Sea between Jan. 10-17 due to the military operation. Observers claim that the PLA chose to launch the military exercises after the execution of Jang Sung-taek, former vice chairman of North Korean National Defense Commission, by order of North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un. The latest political struggle and execution in the reclusive nation has concerned many in China as Jang was in charge of economic affairs and cooperation with China.

The CCTV report said that the current exercise is being held only 220 kilometers away from North Korea's Sinuiju Special Administrative Region. Observers said that it is a move to show strength and maintain regional security and stability on the Korean peninsula.

Max Adorable Note 'He Will Love Her Beyond Forever To His Mum J,Lo

Jennifer Lopez's son Max could melt even the coldest of hearts. The American Idol judge and mom to 5-year-old twins Max and Emme couldn't help but gush over her little man when asked about him on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday, Jan. 15.

Lopez, 44 -- who was on the show with fellow Idol judges Harry Connick Jr. and Keith Urban -- nearly cried while sharing a story about the note Max had written professing his eternal love for her. "It just made my whole life," the "Hit the Floor" singer said of the handwritten message, which she also posted via Instagram.

"It says, 'I'll luv you beyond forever Mom,'" she read. "I'll cry right now! Stop it! Oh my God."

Then, pulling herself together, she added, "Beyond forever. That's the line, that's it. You know, I came home, and it was on my bed and then I opened it and just left it there...[It was] in a big manila envelope, a yellow envelope, and it said, 'To: Mom, From: Max.' And I opened it, and I was like, 'Oh my God.'"

"He's a poet!" DeGeneres said.

"He's a genius," Lopez countered. "Come on, let's be honest."

"That's amazing," Connick piped in. "I get notes from my kids, but it's like, 'I'll love you as long as you want if you give me a hundred dollars. All this 'beyond forever' stuff -- you live in some kind of fantasy world, Jennifer Lopez!" 

"My son, that's the love of my life right there," she gushed in response.

"I Can't Wait to Show Her the World"--Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian's daughter North is going to quite the little jetsetter! The 7-month-old tyke has already traveled quite a bit on dad Kanye West's Yeezus tour, but that's just the beginning of what her mom has planned for her.

Replying to questions from fans on the social media site Mobio INsider on Wednesday, Jan. 15, the 33-year-old reality star said she wants to take her daughter all over the globe.

"I want her to travel a lot," the first-time mom wrote of her baby girl, whom she welcomed with fiance West in June 2013. "I think it's important to see different cultures and lifestyles. I didn't start traveling internationally until I was a bit older, and I learned so much. I can't wait to show her the world."

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star also revealed her favorite thing about motherhood. "I love cuddling!" she said in response to another fan question. "We cuddled and played all day."

Man Jailed for killing two Children to seek Pardon

A SENIOR life insurance manager who ran down and killed two children in Budapest is to apply to President Michael D Higgins for a pardon so he can be released from prison.

Ciaran Tobin (48) travelled to the Hungarian capital earlier this week to begin a prison sentence there for the killings of a five-year-old boy and his two-year-old sister 14 years ago.

Tobin last year won a lengthy court battle not to be extradited there, but finally agreed to travel of his own volition after a deal was brokered which will mean he serves most of his sentence in Ireland.

Tobin, a former Irish Life employee from Sutton in north Dublin, flew to Budapest on Monday and was immediately taken into custody at Liszt Ferenc Airport.

Yesterday, Hungarian Justice Minister Tibor Navracsis signed an order which will allow him to be returned to Dublin as early as tomorrow to serve out his remaining 11 months.

He will have spent just four days behind bars in Hungary.

Mr Navracsis said Tobin was "likely to ask the Irish President for amnesty" on his return.

"Every president has the right to give amnesty to those whom he thinks have suffered enough and deserve a break. I would not be surprised if Tobin did get that amnesty," he said.

It is understood Tobin will cite the fact the Supreme Court decreed he did not have to be extradited because it did not believe he fled Hungary, as grounds for receiving such a pardon.

However, senior law lecturer Tom O'Malley said the issuing of pardons was extremely rare and usually only on the grounds of a clear miscarriage of justice.

Marton Zoltai and his sister Petra died after being struck by Tobin's car after he lost control and it mounted a footpath in Budapest in April 2000. Tobin left the country after his work posting there finished.

However, he was convicted of negligent driving, in ahis bsence, in 2002, first receiving a three-year sentence. This was later reduced to 18 months.

Seven of those months have already been served in Ireland when Tobin was in custody awaiting a decision on his extradition.

The Department of Justice declined to comment on what arrangements were being made for Tobin's return.

Prisoner of War is Alive after Four Years with the Taliban

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, an American soldier captured by the Taliban in 2009, is alive and weak-but-well, in a video obtained by the United States
The US has found a "proof of life" video showing that an American soldier held captive by the Taliban for more than four years is still alive.

Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, 27, is the only American prisoner of war and has not been seen since disappearing from his base in Afghanistan in 2009.

US intelligence obtained a USB drive last week with a video showing Sgt Bergdahl weak but alive and making a reference to Nelson Mandela's death last month, according to NBC News.

The video is the first evidence in more than three years that the young soldier is still alive and his parents confirmed its existence in a statement.

"Today we learned that a new video of our son, US Army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, has been distributed by his captors," said Robert and Jani Bergdahl.

 

"Naturally, this is very important to us and our resolve to continue our efforts to bring Bowe home as soon as possible. As we have done so many times over the past four and a half years, we request his captors to release him safely so that our only son can be reunited with his mother and father."

They added: "Bowe – If see this, continue to remain strong through patience. Your endurance will carry you to the finish line. Breathe!"

Sgt Bergdahl was captured in June 2009 after apparently wandering off his base in eastern Afghanistan. He is believed to have been handed over to the Haqqani network of militants based in northwest Pakistan.

The Taliban has released several videos since 2009, sometimes showing Sgt Bergdahl in his US military uniform and sometimes in civilian garb with a beard.

His parents received a letter from their son in June which was delivered through the Red Cross.

The Taliban had offered to release him in exchange for five senior militants held by the US in Guantánamo Bay but the deal never came to fruition amid disagreements on how the former detainees would be monitored.

Gunman, 2 Others Dead in Supermarket Shooting-Police Say

Three people, including a gunman, are dead following a shooting late Wednesday night at an Indiana grocery store, police told ABC News.

The shooting happened inside a Martin's Super Market in Elkhart. Police engaged and killed the shooter, according to Indiana State Police Trooper Brooks Shirk.

One victim is a female store employee in her late teens or early 20s, while the other victim is a woman believed to be in her 40s, Smith said.

The suspect, in his late teens or early 20s, entered the store with a semi-automatic handgun and a large knife, State Police Sgt. Trent Smith said at a news conference early this morning. The victims were found about 10-12 aisles apart.

Smith also said the shooter was pointing the gun at the head of a third person, believed to be a store employee, when police arrived. The gunman was then killed by Elkhart police. Several rounds were fired in the store, both from police and the suspect, Smith said.

Police aren't sure if the shooting was random or targeted. Police have not released the identities of the victims or the suspect.

Police are hopeful that surveillance video will help them better understand the shooting.

Martin's released a statement on Facebook, writing, "Thank you to our community for your thoughts and prayers tonight. We will comment further when we can do so responsibly and appropriately."

Smith said police are in the process of putting together search warrants and will have another press conference later

Justin Bieber mum about probe in egg attack

(CNN) - Justin Bieber hasn't spoken yet with detectives investigating allegations he egged a neighbor's house, a sheriff's sergeant said Monday.

"A neighbor accused him of throwing eggs at the house, and we are investigating," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Don Prince told CNN.

Bieber's representatives declined to comment when contacted by CNN.

If investigators find enough evidence that Bieber, 19, threw the eggs that splattered against his next-door neighbor's home, they could refer the matter to the district attorney's office for possible prosecution, Prince said.

The cost of repairing the damage to the house is a key factor in determining the severity of the charge. It could be felony vandalism if the eggs caused more than $950 in damage
The Oaks, an exclusive gated community in Calabasas, California, is at the center of the accusations. Bieber moved into a $6.5 million mansion there two years ago. An impressive list of the rich and famous -- including Michael Jackson's mother and children -- live in the neighborhood, about 30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.

His neighbors have complained about Bieber several times in the past year, including in May when two neighbors called the sheriff to report he was speeding down residential streets, a sheriff's spokesman said.

Deputies visited Bieber's home in response, but the singer refused to talk to them, sheriff's department spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

Retired NFL star Keyshawn Johnson went to Bieber's home then to counsel him about the dangers of going too fast on the residential streets, but Bieber wouldn't speak to him
A neighbor accused Bieber of spitting on him and making threats during a heated confrontation outside his home last March, Whitmore said. It prompted a sheriff's probe, but no charges followed.

Ronaldo wins Balon d’Or

Portugal captain and Real Madrid striker, Christiano Ronaldo, on Monday won the FIFA World Footballer of the Year award, the Balon d'Or.

The Portuguese beat the other contenders -Argentina's and Barcelona Lionel Messi and Frenchman and Baryen Munich winger, Frank Ribery- to pick the award for 2013.

At the ceremony, held in Zurich, Switzerland, former Brazilian striker Pele, picked and announced the winner, witnessed by FIFA President Sepp Blatter, and EUFA President, Mitchel Platini.

Ronaldo, who broke into tears while receiving the award, thanked his supporters and teammates for supporting him to win the award .

Cristiano Ronaldo Junior joins father for Ballon d’Or awards ceremony

Cristiano Ronaldo junior was in Zurich today to support his father at the Ballon d'Or award ceremony.
Three year-old Cristiano made a rare public appearance at the gala event this evening and wearing a dapper jacket looked the part as he supports his father's efforts to win a second Ballon d'Or award.

The Real Madrid man is up against long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Franck Ribery for the top prize.

20140 Golden Globe Award-Full Winner List

2014 Golden Globe Awards took place at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, USA.

Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o as well as Cate Blanchett, Uma Thurman, Kerry Washington, Zoe Saldana, Leonardo DiCaprio, Usher and Sofia Vergara were definitely some of the best dressed at the awards ceremony.

Unfortunately Lupita and Chiwetel, lost out to Jennifer Lawrence and Matthew McConaughey in their categories, but there is still the SAG awards and the Oscars to look forward to.



Full List of Winners
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Captain Philips
Gravity
12 Years a Slave WINNER
Philomena
Rush

Best Actress – Drama
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine WINNER
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Judi Dench, Philomena
Kate Winslet, Labor Day

Best Actor – Drama
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club WINNER
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Idris Elba, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Robert Redford, All Is Lost

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street
American Hustle WINNER
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Actress – Comedy
Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Amy Adams, American Hustle WINNER
Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said

Best Actor – Comedy
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Joaquin Phoenix, Her
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street WINNER
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle WINNER
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club WINNER
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl, Rush

Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity WINNER
Alexander Payne, Nebraska

Best TV Series – Drama
House of Cards
Downton Abbey
Breaking Bad WINNER
The Good Wife
Masters of Sex

Best Actress in a TV Series – Drama
Robin Wright, House of Cards WINNER
Kerry Washington, Scandal
Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Best Actor in a TV Series– Drama
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad WINNER
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
James Spader, The Blacklist
Liev Schreiber Ray Donovan
Michael Sheen, Masters of Sex

Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical
Modern Family
Girls
Parks and Recreation
The Big Bang Theory
Brooklyn Nine-Nine WINNER

Best Actress in a TV Series – Comedy
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation WINNER
Lena Dunham, Girls
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie

Best Actor in a TV Series – Comedy
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine WINNER
Jason Bateman, Arrested Development
Michael J. Fox, The Michael J. Fox Show
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series
Janet McTeer, The White Queen
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Jacqueline Bisset, Dancing on the Edge WINNER
Monica Potter, Parenthood

Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series
Rob Lowe, Behind the Candelabra
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Corey Stoll, House of Cards
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan WINNER

Best Actress In A Mini-Series or TV Movie
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven
Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor
Rebecca Ferguson, The White Queen
Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake WINNER

Best Actor In A Mini-Series or TV Movie
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra WINNER
Al Pacino, Phil Spector
Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge
Idris Elba, Luther

Boy's torture to death

In the final weeks of his brief life, little Myls Dobson suffered unspeakable acts of neglect and violence.


A New York criminal complaint released Friday at the arraignment of Kryzie King, 27, with whom the 4-year-old had been staying since mid-December, said the boy had burn marks and abrasions on his head, neck, face and testicles. There were bruises and numerous marks made by an object on his abdomen and legs and wrists -- bruises consistent with being restrained -- lacerations to his fingers, abrasions to his armpit, and bruises and scars on his back. The child appeared malnourished, the complaint said.

Myls suffered "horrific injuries sustained over a period of days," New York Police Commissioner William Bratton told reporters.

King pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Manhattan criminal court on charges of first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful imprisonment. But Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg told the court Friday that King also was being investigated on suspicion of murder, and likely faced additional charges upon the completion of the autopsy.

In a statement, King's attorney, Bryan Konoski, said: "My client is not charged with homicide at this time and she is presumed to be innocent of allegations against her. I would tell everyone not jump to any conclusions at this time."

Shortly before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, police responding to a 911 call found Myles locked in a bathroom at King's apartment at The Ritz Plaza, a luxury highrise in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan. He appeared battered, was unconscious and unresponsive on the floor, authorities said.

The child was pronounced dead at St. Luke's Hospital at 1:52 p.m.

King told police that Myls' father dropped the child off for her to watch on December 17 and that she was the "child's primary and sole caretaker" until the time of his death, the complaint said. The father was arrested in December for alleged bank fraud.

At a news conference Friday, an adviser to the boy's mother, Ashlee Dobson, said that she lost custody of her son for financial reasons. The mother and the adviser, Tony Herbert, demanded answers from child welfare authorities.

"The city of New York put the child in the care of the father, who they knew was a felon," Herbert said. "You open up a case and then you close it thinking everything is fine? No. That has to be answered. Who did that, who authorized that?"

Crashed Plane Found in Idaho

After more than five weeks of searching, authorities in Idaho have found the wreckage of a plane that went missing last month. It was carrying the president of a software company and members of his family, when it disappeared from radar on December 1.

No one appears to have survived the crash, said Lt Dan Smith from the Valley County Sheriff's Office said in a statement late Friday. There was no mention of bodies found. Efforts to recover the wreckage are on hold due to severe weather.

Dale Smith had left Baker City, Oregon, with his son, his son's wife, his daughter and her fiance. Smith founded SerialTek, a San Jose, California, company that develops hardware and software data storage tools.

The Smiths were in Dale Smith's single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza en route to Butte, Montana. As they were flying over central Idaho at an altitude of 9,000 feet, the 51-year-old executive reported engine trouble and asked controllers in Salt Lake City for the coordinates of the Johnson Creek Air Strip.

Days after the plane went down, search and rescue teams had detected a weak signal from an emergency locator transmitter that allowed authorities to narrow the search to the area south of Johnson Creek, near Yellow Pine, where the plane was believed to have gone down.

About 40 search and rescue teams, some using ATVs and snowmobiles, combed that area.

Repeated attempts to fly into the area of the last known contact, about a mile east of the Johnson Creek Air Strip, were unsuccessful because of poor weather.

Justin Bieber Accused of Throwing Eggs at Neighbor's

The singer is involved in yet ANOTHER controversy, and this one is rather inexcusable if it's accurate: one of Bieber's neighbors called the police last night because he says Justin was throwing eggs at his house.

This is the same Calabasas neighbor at whom Bieber allegedly spat many months ago.

According to a sources, the unidentified man stepped out to his balcony around 7:30 p.m. because he heard strange noises. That's when he witnessed Bieber hurling eggs at his home.

The man, naturally, asked Justin what the Hell he was doing… to which Justin responded by throwing more eggs and then running back into his own house.

The neighbor, who says a minimum of 20 eggs were tossed in his direction, called the Sheriff's Department and cops took down an incident report. It's unclear at this time if they spoke to Bieber.

Justin, meanwhile, is supposedly NOT back together with Selena Gomez. But maybe he ought to be. She seemed to keep him from not acting like a total jerk face grounded.

John Obi Mikel Also Deserve The Award- Yaya Toure

Manchester City star on Thursday won a third straight African Footballer of the year award.

The 31-year-old Ivory Coast international also won in 2011 and 2012.

Nigeria's John Obi Mikel was second and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast finished third.

"I thank my family for their support and also congratulate John Obi Mikel, who also deserved this award," said Toure, who was a key player for both club and country last year.

Egyptian legend Mohamed Aboutrika beat compatriot Ahmed Fathy and Sunday Mba from Nigeria to win the best Player based in Africa.

It was a fitting send-off gift for the 35-year-old Al Ahly star, who has announced his retirement from the game.

Ahly were also rewarded as the Club of the Year ahead of CS Sfaxien of Tunisia and South Africa's Orlando Pirates after they won an eighth CAF Champions League trophy.

Nigeria scooped several awards to underline a very successful year with coach Stephen Keshi voted Africa's best coach, while the Super Eagles were the best national team after they won a third Africa cup of Nations in February and qualified for a fifth World Cup.

The country's Under-17 team were picked as the National Youth Team and Kelechi Iheanacho, who was voted the MVP of the 2013 Under-17 FIFA World Cup, received the Most Promising Talent award.

6 suspicious deaths near Sochi

Russian authorities are investigating six suspicious deaths and at least one car explosion this week about 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the site of next month's Winter Olympics, they said Thursday.


The deaths in southern Russia's Stavropol territory, which borders the province where the Olympics will be held in Sochi, have prompted security forces to conduct an anti-terrorism sweep there, state-run RIA Novosti news agency said. It's one of the latest moves to address security concerns before the games.

The bodies of three men and explosive material were found Thursday in a vehicle in Maryinskaya in Stavropol province, Russia's Investigative Committee said on its website.

A day earlier, a vehicle containing a body exploded in Tambukan, in the same province, as police approached it, and two other bodies were found in other vehicles in Zolskaya Wednesday, the Investigative Committee said.

The latest alert comes amid heightened concern about security following twin bombings on public transit in the southern city of Volgograd at the end of last month.

No group has claimed responsibility for those attacks, but suspicion has fallen on Chechen separatist groups.

Three people also died last month in a car bombing in the city of Pyatigorsk, in Stavropol territory.

Dmitri Trenin, director of the Moscow Carnegie Center, said it appeared that the latest killings may be the work of Islamist militants from the tiny North Caucasus republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, which neighbors Stavropol territory.

The militants have carried out similar attacks on taxi drivers and other ordinary people in the past three to four years, he said. They are motivated by a vendetta against the local police and authorities and, more broadly, against the secular Russian state.

The latest security incidents are not likely to be directly linked to the Winter Olympics in Sochi but are part of a bigger picture of unrest in the North Caucasus region, Trenin said. They are receiving more attention than usual because of the upcoming games

LADY GAGA PLANNING TO OPEN A £1.25MILLION MICHAEL JACKSON MUSEUM

Lady Gaga is reported to be opening her own Michael Jackson museum, to display the £1.25million of Jacko's property that she owns.

Business Recorder reports that American media outlets suggest that Gaga is currently searching for a premises to house and showcase the 55 items that belonged to the King of Pop that she bought from an auction. Among the items were his iconic 'Thriller' jacket and diamond-encrusted glove. 

"Gaga is a huge Michael fan, and she feels that there needs to be a real museum to celebrate his life and work," a source said.  "She has been stocking up on items from all over the world. Some of her purchases have been under different names so that she is not overpaying for artifacts. But now she has a few pieces she is planning out the next stage of where the location for the museum should be."

They continued: "She's considering Gary, Indiana where Jackson started his career, her hometown NYC or Los Angeles, close to his Neverland home."

The 'Telephone' singer' is also quoted as saying: "I will put together a museum and put the money to a foundation he cares about."

Recently, Gaga responded to claims that the relatively poor performance of her 2013 album ARTPOP cost record Interscope millions, and led to staff at the label losing their jobs.

An article in the Examiner (which has since been withdrawn) claimed Interscope had lost around $25 million (£15 million) due to the poor sales of the singer's third album, which caused staff at the label to be made redundant. Writing on her fansite LittleMonsters.com, the singer claimed that there is "no truth to many of your comments, including the 25 million dollars deficit." 

Yaya Toure Name 2013 Glo CAF Award Winner

For the vast majority of the Awards Ceremony the Lagos audience delighted in the enormous recognition their nation, Nigeria, was receiving. Stephen Keshi was named as Africa's coach of the year following his excellent tactical work and his magnificent achievements over 2013. Kelechi Ineanacho, the precocious youngster, beat Ebenezer Assifuah to claim the continent's Breakout Star award, while the nation's fans received the 'Fair Play Award' for their pertinent, endless contributions throughout the year.

Stephen Keshi: Africa's Number One
Sunday Mba may have missed out on the Domestic-based Player of the Year award, but three Super Eagles (Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel & Emmanuel Emenike) made the 2013 CAF Dream Team.

As the evening wore on and as the honours piled up, those in assembly began to anticipate the crowning glory. The night was set up to be Nigeria's, but no one could quite breathe easily, no one could quite relax, until our king, Mikel, was sitting firmly on the throne, flanked by his Ivorian pretenders.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite to be, and the mood of the evening changed with CAF's final, decisive decision.

The protestations of Nigerians, particularly on Twitter, after Yaya Toure's name was revealed as African Footballer of the Year centred on the fact that while Mikel had won both the Europa League and the Cup of Nations in 2013, Toure had won nothing. Based on achievement, based on honours, Mikel should have been CAF's champion.

Indeed, when the two men met at the AFCON, in that unforgettable quarter-final between the Super Eagles and the Golden Generation, it was Mikel who truly rose to the occasion. Toure performed, along with his compatriots, beneath a haze of indifference, unable to get a grip on their myriad of abilities and seemingly unwilling to take the risks needed to unsettle Stephen Keshi's men.

Mikel, on the other hand, was a majestic influence.  He continued his form of the tournament and dictated play for the Super Eagles, inspiring those around him and driving his team forward. He was the creative heartbeat of the side and was a key man as Stephen Keshi's youthful Super Eagles claimed the continental title.

Justin Timberlake Celebrates People's Choice Awards

Live Mas! Justin Timberlake partied hard after winning big at the People's Choice Awards . . . with some Taco Bell. The 32-year-old "Mirrors" singer celebrated his three awards by heading directly to the fast food joint after attending the award show at Nokia Theatre L.A.

Timberlake shared several photos of himself on Instagram, posing with Taco Bell employees and fans. "What do we do after we win 3 PCAs?!?! Easy . . . Go to Taco Bell!!" he wrote. "People's Champ, baby!!" In the snapshot, the former 'N Sync boy bander poses behind a register while flashing the peace sign.

"Ok . . . One more. #PeoplesChoice," he captioned another shot of himself with his arms around the employees. Timberlake also tweeted: "Thank you so much to everyone who voted!! I'm feeling like the People's Champ tonight!! Can't wait to see you all on tour. #PeoplesChoice."


Timberlake took home the award for Favorite Male Artist, Favorite R&B Artist and Favorite Album. While accepting the award for Favorite Male Artist, he gave a special thank-you to his wife, Jessica Biel.

"Thank you! I would like to thank Ellen for all the personal inspiration and the cookies -- bakes a hell of a cookie," he joked of his seat buddy Ellen DeGeneres. "No, I'd like to thank my parents for continuing to instill in me that no dream is too big."

"I'd like to thank all the fans who voted. I'll take it -- people's champ, I love it," the "TKO" singer continued. "And I'd like to thank my beautiful wife for teaching me patience and the little things like just putting the dishes in the dish washer. It goes a long way -- fellas, you're welcome!"

Britney Spears Wins First-Ever People's Choice Award

How is that possible?! Britney Spears had never won a People's Choice Award until Wednesday. The 32-year-old "Work Bitch" singer took home her first-ever award for Favorite Pop Artist on Jan. 8, and had new boyfriend David Lucado in the audience to cheer her on.

"Wow! This is so cool! This is awesome! I was not expecting this," Spears said on stage in her acceptance speech. "It's because of you that I'm able to do what I love to do. I want to thank my family -- my beautiful family -- my boys at home, my management team and all of my fans. I love you dearly. Thank you!" (Spears is mom to sons Sean, 8, and Jayden, 7, with ex-husband Kevin Federline.)

Spears beat out Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, Bruno Mars and ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake for the award. She tweeted to her fans: "OMG! Thank you so much for choosing me as your Favorite Pop Artist! I love y'all so much! Xo!"

The award show also marked the first time Spears attended a red carpet event with Lucado. The couple looked picture-perfect while sitting next to each other in the audience. Spears wore a sexy Mikael D nude dress with a metallic floral print, and styled her blonde hair half-up for the evening.

The pop star ended her engagement to Jason Trawick last January. She and Virginia native Lucado, who has worked at a law firm, have been dating for about eight months. "I just love that he's very passionate and he's funny and he's sexy," Spears explained of her new man during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres last month. "I don't know, I like him. I just . . . I love him."

Chris rejects plea deal in D.C. court

Singer Chris Brown appeared before a Washington judge Wednesday along with his bodyguard Christopher Hollosy, facing assault charges stemming from an incident outside the W hotel in October 2013.

Brown and Hollosy were offered plea deals which would charge each of them with only one count of simple assault. But since video surveillance from the incident still hasn't been entered into evidence, and Brown's bodyguard is only facing one count of assault to begin with, lawyers for Brown and Hollosy said they are rejecting the current plea deal at this time.

Both sides agreed to meet again on February 20. That would give both legal teams ample time to review the evidence once it is available and negotiate a possible plea deal.

Brown's lawyers have requested a waiver of appearance for him for the February court date, citing the singer's current enrollment in rehab for anger management. To appear in court would cause Brown to miss up to three days of treatment, his lawyers argued, delaying his completion of the program.

Brown faces 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000 if convicted in Washington, but the singer's real legal troubles are in California. Brown has been on probation for charges stemming from 2009, when he brutally attacked his then-girlfriend Rihanna.

A judge in California recently revoked Brown's probation, but since Brown was already in a treatment program for anger management and completing his community service requirements, it had limited immediate effect.

The charges against Brown in Washington could influence the judge's decision on whether or not the R&B sensation has to serve jail time once he completes his rehabilitation.

His next court date in California is set for February 10, presumably before his legal woes in Washington will be settled.

Tupac musical set for Broadway

"Holler If Ya Hear Me," a new musical featuring the music of rapper Tupac Shakur, will open on Broadway at the Palace on June 19.


Preview performances for the brand-new show begin May 26. Casting for the show has not yet been announced.

Written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Tony nominee Kenny Leon (who will also direct Denzel Washington in this season's forthcoming "A Raisin in the Sun" revival), "Holler If Ya Hear Me" is an original, non-biographical story about two friends in the inner-city in the Midwest.

For what it's worth, the musical takes its title from an autobiographical song by the late rapper off his second solo album, released in 1993. In the music video, a girl witnesses her father's death, finds money to buy a gun, and subsequently rallies her young friends to ostensibly avenge his death.

The show does not purport to tell the story of Tupac Shakur, but will use his poetic music and lyrics to offer "a window into the realities of the streets still relevant today."

The packed design team includes choreographer Wayne Cilento, set designer David Gallo, costumer Reggie Ray, and lighting designer Mike Baldassari. Shakur's mother, Afeni, will serve as one of the show's producers.
story From EW.com.

ALL IS SET FOR 2013 GLO CAF AWARD AS IT HOLD TODAY IN LAGOS

The 2013 Glo CAF Awards holds today in Lagos where African players who have distinguished themselves in football in the last one year will get their due honours.

The Glo CAF Award is the most prestigious in Africa as it confers honours on outstanding African players, coaches, supporters and administrators. It is organised by the continent's highest football authority, the Confederation of African Football, and bankrolled by telecoms operator, Globacom.

During the prestigious ceremony, winners in 11 categories, voted for by African coaches and captains of national teams, will be unveiled.

These include the African Footballer of the Year, the African Player of the Year (based in Africa), National Team of the Year, Club of the Year, and Coach of the Year.

Other categories are the Most Promising Talent, Referee of the Year, Legend of the Year, Fair Play Award, Platinum Award and Africa's Finest XI.

Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure, who plays for Manchester City, is the current African champion and is vying for the award with Mikel Obi, who plays for Nigeria and Chelsea, and Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast and Galatasaray of Turkey.

Opinion polls favoured Mikel to pick the award for being a key part of the Nigerian national team that won the Africa Cup of Nations and the Chelsea team that lifted the Europa League title in 2013. Some pundits also favoured Toure because of the amazing strength of character and skill he displayed each time he played for both club and country.

AIRSTRIKE KILLS 25 MILITANTS

A gunmen patrol during clashes with Iraqi security forces in Fallujah, Iraq. Clashes continued late Sunday and early morning Monday between al-Qaida and Iraqi troops on the main highway that links the capital, Baghdad, to neighboring Syria and Jordan. Al-Qaida fighters and allied tribes are still controlling the center of the city where they are deployed in streets and around government buildings.
 
Iraqi soldiers and journalists donate blood for victims of military operations in Anbar Province at the journalists syndicate Baghdad, Iraq. Iraqi security forces and allies from Sunni tribes have been battling militants to recapture two key cities in Iraq's western Anbar province. Al-Qaida-linked group, known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, are controlling the center of Fallujah and part of Ramadi.
 
Security forces and civilians gather at a crater caused by a suicide car bomb attack in Kirkuk, 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. Police said a suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden truck into a police station, killing and wounding scores of people in the northern city, home to a mix of Arabs, Kurds and Turkomen, each of the ethnic groups has competing claims to the oil-rich area.

Iraq's defense ministry spokesman says a government airstrike has killed 25 al-Qaida militants in a besieged province west of Baghdad.

Tuesday's strike comes amid fierce clashes between Iraqi special forces and insurgents in a battle for control of the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi in Sunni-dominated Anbar province.

Gen. Mohammed al-Askari says the Iraqi air force struck the operations center for the terror network in the provincial capital of Ramadi, killing the 25 suspects inside. He didn't give more details about how the death toll was confirmed but cited intelligence reports.

Annie Idibia Gives Birth

Annie Idibia Gives Birth To A Healthy Baby Girl In The US.
The popular singer Innocent Idibia a.k.a 2face welcome his first child from annie though 2face have children from his previously woman before tie the knot with Annie in some months back.
According to the report,Annie delivered the baby in US which is a healthy baby Girl.
Congrats to Annie and 2Face!

Malware attack thousands of Yahoo users

A malware attack hit Yahoo's advertising server over the last few days, affecting thousands of users in various countries, an Internet security firm said.


In a blog post, Fox-IT said Yahoo's servers were releasing an "exploit kit" that exploited vulnerabilities in Java and installed malware.

"Clients visiting yahoo.com received advertisements served by ads.yahoo.com," the internet security firm said. "Some of the advertisements are malicious."

Fox-IT, which is based in the Netherlands, focuses on cyber defense.

It estimates tens of thousands of users were affected per hour.

"Given a typical infection rate of 9%, this would result in around 27,000 infections every hour," the company said. "Based on the same sample, the countries most affected by the exploit kit are Romania, Great Britain and France. At this time it's unclear why those countries are most affected, it is likely due to the configuration of the malicious advertisements on Yahoo."

If a computer infected with malware is connected to a network, attackers can often access other connected systems and servers.

Yahoo said it is aware of the attack, and is monitoring and blocking such advertisements.

"At Yahoo, we take the safety and privacy of our users seriously," it said in a statement Sunday night. " On Friday ... on our European sites, we served some advertisements that did not meet our editorial guidelines, specifically they spread malware. We promptly removed these advertisements."

Most of the attacks were limited to Europe, and did not affect Asia Pacific, North America and Latin America, Yahoo said.

Girl died after dental procedure

Finley Boyle, a 3-year-old Hawaii girl who suffered massive brain damage after undergoing a dental procedure last month, died Friday night, a hospice said Saturday.

The girl died with her family by her side, said Kenneth L. Zeri, president and chief professional officer of Hospice Hawaii.

"There are few greater privileges in life than to accompany someone on their end-of-life journey, providing comfort and support not only to that person but also to their loved ones," the statement said. "As with all of our patients, we were truly blessed to be able to be there for The Boyle Family and for Finley at the end of her journey."

Finley's parents are suing a Kailua, Hawaii, dentist, alleging negligence and dangerous conduct.

The lawsuit, filed against Lilly Geyer and her practice, Island Dentistry for Children, alleges improper medications with incorrect dosages were administered to the girl on December 3, according to court documents filed this week.

When routine surgeries go wrong

"As a direct and proximate result of the medications administered to (Finley) by defendants, (Finley) suffered cardiac arrest during her dental procedure," the lawsuit says.

It alleges that, as a further result of improper medications, Finley "suffered severe and permanent brain damage."

The lawsuit, filed Monday in Hawaii's First Circuit Court, alleges that Geyer had no plan in place to respond to medical emergencies, such as the one Finley suffered. It seeks unspecified damages.

'‘Oct 1′ Movies trailer by Kunle Afolayan’s wins award

Even before it is released in the market, the much talked about film October 1, produced and directed by celebrated film maker and actor, Kunle Afolayan has won the Fiction Film Trailer Award category of the International Movie Trailers Festival Awards 2013.

An excited post on the official Facebook page of the film made the announcement recently "We did it! October 1 Trailer Won the best Fiction film trailer at the International Movie trailers festival."
Kunle later on said". What a way to wrap year 2013.  I'm happy about this award. It's not about the money but the recognition of the  hardwork, the efforts of the cast and crew of October 1.  It is a pointer to the fact that the film has great potentials to go places when it is eventually released. I can't wait to see the complete film in 2014."
The movie sees veteran actor and broadcaster Sadiq Daba play lead character Inspector Dan Waziri. Deola Sagoe of Haute couture plays the legendary Funmilayo Ransom Kuti. Others are Ibrahim Chatta, David Bailey, Kehinde Bankole and more.

Life lost in small plane crash at Aspen airport

One person died and two others were injured when a small plane crashed at the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport in Colorado on Sunday, the Pitkin County Sheriff's office said.

The Canadair Challenger 601 was arriving from Toluca, Mexico at about 12:30 p.m. MT when it crashed, according to the Aviation Safety Network website.

Of the two survivors aboard the private jet, one sustained serious injuries while the other came away with minor injuries, according to a sheriff's office dispatcher. None of those involved, including the deceased, have been publicly identified.

Two celebrities witnessed the crash and documented it on Twitter.

"Horrible plane crash here at Aspen airport," comedian Kevin Nealon wrote in one of several Twitter messages sent from the scene. "Exploded into flames as it was landing. I think it was a private jet."

LeAnn Rimes, the country singer, also took to Twitter to describe seeing what she also described as the "horrible" crash. "So sad!" she wrote.

Located in the Rocky Mountains about 190 miles west of Denver, Aspen is known for its ski resorts.

The airport remained closed due to the crash on Sunday afternoon, according to its website.

Missing Doctor Was Stalking

A 30-year-old Michigan doctor who has been missing for almost a month was accused in September of stalking gospel artist Marvin Sapp, court records show.


Teleka Patrick failed to show up for work in Kalamazoo on December 6. The night before, police 100 miles south in Indiana found her car abandoned in a ditch off busy Interstate 94.

Sapp, who has been nominated for eight Grammys, filed a personal protection order against her, in which he complains that Patrick "has claimed him as her husband, had moved from California to Michigan, joined his church, had contacted his children and had been to his home.

"I have at least 400 pages of correspondence from her which I have never responded," his complaint reads.

Patrick's family recognized that questions have arisen regarding the missing woman's mental health, but said the focus must remain on finding her.

"We are aware of media reports that are beginning to focus on Teleka's mental health, and while we encourage the pursuit of honest journalism and truth, we will not take part in sensationalizing Teleka's disappearance," the family said in a statement on Facebook.

"We believe that she has met with foul play and wholeheartedly believe that she is in danger," the statement said.

So far, investigators have little evidence in the missing person case.

Two home videos uploaded to YouTube feature Patrick talking, cooing and singing to someone unnamed and apparently unknown.

Patrick's mother said she wasn't aware of any romantic relationship her daughter may have had.

Iraqi air force battling Al Qaeda group

Iraqi government forces battling an al Qaeda offensive near the Syrian border launched an air strike on Ramadi city on Sunday killing 25 Islamist militants, according to local officials.

Government officials in western Anbar province met tribal leaders to urge them to help repel al Qaeda-linked militants who have taken over parts of Ramadi and Falluja, strategic Iraqi cities on the Euphrates River.

Al Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has been steadily tightening its grip in the vast Anbar province in recent months in a bid to create a Sunni Muslim state straddling the frontier with Syria.

But last week's capture of positions in Ramadi and large parts of Falluja was the first time in years that Sunni insurgents had taken ground in the province's major cities and held their positions for days.

Local officials and tribal leaders in Ramadi said that 25 suspected militants were killed in the air force strike, which targeted eastern areas of the city early on Sunday.

In Falluja, ISIL's task has been made easier by disgruntled tribesmen who have joined its fight against the government.

"As a local government we are doing our best to avoid sending the army to Falluja ... now we are negotiating outside the city with the tribes to decide how to enter the city without allowing the army to be involved," said Falih Eisa, a member of Anbar's provincial council.

One option being considered to oust al Qaeda from Falluja would be for army units and tribal fighters to form a "belt" around the city, isolating it and cutting supply routes for militants, military and local officials said.

They would also urge residents to leave the city.

"The siege could take days, we are betting on the time to give people a chance to leave the city, weaken the militants and exhaust them," a senior military officer who declined to be named said.

Tension has been running high across Anbar - which borders Syria and was the heart of Iraq's Sunni insurgency after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion - since Iraqi police broke up a Sunni protest last week, resulting in deadly clashes.

TRIBAL LEADERS HESITANT

In Tehran, the deputy chief of staff of Iran's armed forces for logistics and industrial research, Brigadier-General Mohammad Hejazi, was reported as saying on Sunday that Iran was ready to provide Iraq with "military equipment or consultation" to help the Iraqi army in Anbar if it were asked to do so.

The Tasnim news agency quoted him as adding however that he did not think the Iraqi army would need a deployment of Iranian troops, because they already had sufficient manpower.

Iran is an ally of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shi'ite Muslim-led government.

Talks between Iraqi government officials and tribes made little headway on Sunday, with some tribal leaders hesitant to negotiate at all and others afraid of opposing al Qaeda, which has carried out numerous bombings and assassinations in Iraq.

"The militants told people in Falluja that they won't harm them and they are there in Falluja to exclusively fight the army, so this is the deal between the leaders in Falluja and the militants," a Sunni official involved in the negotiations in Anbar said.

Further west, across the porous border in Syria, al Qaeda fighters have captured swathes of land in the north and are battling with other Islamist brigades as well as the Syrian army.

The relationship between the fighters in Iraq and Syria is unclear, even though they refer to themselves as coming from the same group. Baghdad has said al Qaeda fighters from Syria are crossing into Iraq and have helped drive violence there to its worst levels in five years.

In Iraq, al Qaeda fighters had been controlling large parts of the desert in western Iraq along the Syrian border but have been driven back by a military campaign in recent days aimed at preventing them taking land.

In Ramadi, where tribesmen and the army have been working together to counter the al Qaeda insurgents, ISIL snipers positioned themselves on rooftops and fought small battles in the city.

ISIL fighters held on to their positions in the outskirts of Falluja and have used police and government vehicles inside the city for patrols, some flying a black flag associated with al Qaeda from the vehicles.

A tribal leader involved in negotiations in Falluja said the number of ISIL fighters in the outskirts of the city was insignificant and that fighting them might make matters worse.

"There is no reason to fight them and threaten the unity of the Sunni people. We believe that those who decide to fight alongside the government are wrong,"

Senate poised to confirm Janet Yellen as Fed chair

The Senate, kicking off its 2014 session on Monday, intends to waste no time making history as it moves to approve Janet Yellen to be the first woman to head the Federal Reserve.

A Senate vote is set for 5:30 p.m. (2230 GMT) on Yellen, 67, who has been vice chair of the U.S. central bank since 2010.

If confirmed, Yellen would succeed Ben Bernanke, whose second four-year term ends on January 31.

In an early sign that Yellen commands enough support to win confirmation, the Democratic-controlled Senate voted 59-34 on December 20 to move forward with the nomination.

President Barack Obama's choice of Yellen put her in line to become the first female chief of the powerful U.S. central bank in its 100-year history and just one of a handful of women heading central banks globally.

Yellen has been an unwavering advocate of the Fed's aggressive steps to boost the U.S. economy as it struggled to emerge from a severe economic recession.

In late 2008, the Fed cut overnight interest rates to near zero and has since conducted a series of massive bond purchase programs intended to keep long-term borrowing costs low.

The result has been a falling U.S. jobless rate, which hit a five-year low in November of 7 percent as the pace of economic growth has also picked up.

Assuming the Senate approves her nomination, Yellen's main task will be to navigate the central bank's way out of its extraordinary stimulus, dialing down its current bond-buying program. The U.S. central bank trimmed that program to $75 billion per month, from $85 billion, at a much anticipated policy meeting last month.

During a mid-November Senate Banking Committee hearing on her nomination, Yellen defended the Fed's aggressive actions to foster economic growth and said, "I consider it imperative that we do what we can to promote a very strong recovery."

Some Republicans expressed concerns the Fed may have gone too far. "I think the economy has gotten used to the sugar you've put out there and I just worry that we're on a sugar high," Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska said

Ford Concept Car Sports Solar Panels

You won't find it at a dealership anytime soon, but one of Ford's featured demonstrations at the 2014 International CES next week will be a C-MAX hybrid vehicle that has had its roof tricked out with SunPower solar panels.
The idea is to enable the vehicle's electric battery to replenish itself even if there's not an electric vehicle charger handy. But it's a slow process: it takes about an hour to store enough charge to drive the car one mile on electric power.
So, Ford researchers have developed a special charging canopy outfitted with a concentrating Fresnel lens that moves with the sun to accelerate the charging process – it's the same sort of magnifying glass used in lighthouses.
With the aid of this concentrator, the panels can generate enough electricity (about 8 kilowatt-hours) over the course of one day to propel the car up to 21 miles on its electric motor, said Mike Tinskey, global director of vehicle electrification and infrastructure for Ford.
The system works by concentrating the sun's rays onto the panels, and then slowly adjusting the vehicle's position under the canopy over the course of the day as the sun moves from east to west – using the electric engine to move it gradually. "We looked at tracking systems, but they were too complex and expensive, so we asked ourselves, 'Why can't the vehicle move instead,' Tinskey said.
There are obviously lots of things that have been tested before something like this becomes a viable commercial proposition. For example: how to keep people from walking under a canopy when a car isn't there, which presents a safety challenge.
But Ford plans to test this idea as another option for corporate campuses: the canopies would provide shelter, while allowing employees to top off the battery on their car for shorter commutes.
This is also an idea that might have legs in rural areas where the grid isn't reliable or, for that matter, available at all.
Ford's partners in this test are SunPower and the Georgia Institute of Technology, which is also a partner in the Ford MyEnergi Lifestyle initiative. That effort is exploring how solar systems and plug-in hybrids might be used by homeowners to more efficiently manage home energy use.
This isn't the first-ever solar vehicle: some of the lightweight cars for the X Prize competitions have experimented with them. But it's the first time one of the big automakers has adapted one of its existing hybrid models for such a use. "As far as I can tell, it's the first solar-powered, plug-in hybrid," Tinskey said.

South Sudan peace talks enter second day

Peace talks between South Sudan's government and rebels entered a second day Saturday in neighboring Ethiopia, but the warring sides have yet to embark on face-to-face negotiations.


No breakthrough came on the first day of talks amid mounting pressure from African and Western powers on South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and the rebel leader, former Vice President Riek Machar, to end the conflict.

Mediators met with representatives of both delegations to try to pin down the issues and set out a framework for the talks, said the head of an eastern African trade bloc mediating the talks.

The proxy talks, which involve negotiators from other African nations, continued Saturday morning and "things are on track," said Mahboub Maalim, executive secretary of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.

Key issues at the negotiating table will be the cessation of hostilities and the commencement of political dialogue, he said.

"Things are going in the right direction," he said, adding that it was positive that the two sides had been willing to send delegations so quickly to Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, for the talks.

But even as the two sides' teams negotiate, fighting continues in South Sudan, where three weeks of violence has claimed more than 1,000 lives and forced about 200,000 people from their homes.

The U.S. State Department further reduced its presence in South Sudan on Friday amid concern over the deteriorating security situation.

About 20 U.S. Embassy staff members were flown out of the capital, Juba, aboard a C-130 aircraft manned by U.S. Marines, according to the Defense Department. Other U.S. citizens in the country have been urged to leave.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters Friday that "even as we draw down our personnel, we continue to be engaged in and strongly support regional and international efforts to bring the violence to an end."