Q NEWS UPDATES

Anna Nicole Smith collapses, dies at 39

2007-02-08T15:12:00.000-08:00

The pneumatic blonde whose life played out as an extraordinary tabloid tale — Playboy centerfold, jeans model, bride of an octogenarian oil tycoon, reality-show subject, tragic mother — died Thursday after collapsing at a hotel. She was 39.

She was stricken while staying at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and was rushed to a hospital. Edwina Johnson, chief investigator for the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office, said the cause of death was under investigation and an autopsy would be done on Friday.
Just five months ago, Smith's 20-year-old son died suddenly in the Bahamas in what was believed to be a drug-related death.

Seminole Police Chief Charlie Tiger said a private nurse called 911 after finding Smith unresponsive in her sixth-floor room at the hotel, which is on an Indian reservation. He said Smith's bodyguard administered CPR, but she was declared dead at a hospital.

Through the '90s and into the new century, Smith was famous for being famous, a pop-culture punchline because of her up-and-down weight, her Marilyn Monroe looks, her exaggerated curves, her little-girl voice, her ditzy-blonde persona, and her over-the-top revealing outfits.

Recently, she lost a reported 69 pounds and became a spokeswoman for TrimSpa, a weight-loss supplement. On her reality show and other recent TV appearances, her speech was often slurred and she seemed out of it. Some critics said she seemed drugged-out.

Her former lawyer Lenard Leeds told the celebrity gossip Web site TMZ that Smith "always had problems with her weight going up and down, and there's no question she used alcohol." Leeds said it was no secret that "she had a very troubled life" and had "so many, many problems."

"She wanted to be like Marilyn her whole life and ironically died in a similar manner," Leeds said. Monroe died of a drug overdose at age 36 in 1962. FULL STORY

Michael Jackson Returns to the U.S.

2007-01-26T14:33:00.000-08:00

Michael Jackson is back in the United States after living in Bahrain, France and Ireland. He emerged with his spokeswoman Friday to confirm to The Associated Press that he is back after more than a year in self-imposed exile following his acquittal in a high-profile child molestation trial that ended in June 2005.
They also said he is on the comeback trail planning a pair of "fan appreciation events" in Japan in March, one of which will charge $3,300 for the opportunity to meet the Gloved One.
"I can confirm that he is in the United States," spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain said. "We don't give out information regarding our client's whereabouts because of safety, and this is just an ongoing policy."
During the brief conference call, Jackson read a statement prepared for The Associated Press about his plans to visit Japan and allowed only one question: How are you?
"I'm fine, thank you," was his reply.
Jackson, one of the best-selling artists of all time, said he has chosen to come back to Japan because of the strong support he enjoys there. FULL STORY

Oprah's name found on Death List of 6 Teen Girls Charged With Homicide Plot

2007-01-26T14:22:00.000-08:00

Six girls at a rural high school were charged with homicide conspiracy after their principal found a list of 300 names and officials discovered online postings suggesting they kill people, authorities said Thursday.
School officials said the list, discovered in a classroom trash can, mostly named students and faculty members but also included Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and the Energizer bunny.
Sequatchie County High School Principal Tommy Layne said that he initially considered it a joke, but that authorities then found the ninth-graders' online MySpace pages and postings that included the word "kill."
"In general terms, it was like, 'Let's kill these people,'" Dunlap Police Chief Clint Huth said. He declined to provide the specific wording on the posting, which has been removed.
"I am not saying we thwarted a shooting incident or an act of violence," Huth said. "On the other hand, had this gone unchecked, down the road it could have grown into something a whole lot more serious than a list of names."
There was no evidence that the girls had weapons or that an attack had been imminent, Huth said.
The girls, ages 14 and 15, were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal homicide late Wednesday and taken to a juvenile facility. A juvenile court detention hearing was set Friday in Dunlap, about 40 miles northwest of Chattanooga.
Layne said he learned about the list Tuesday when a "young man came in with his grandmother and said his name was on the list."
No club or group was involved, said Layne, who described the girls as friends. The school has more than 600 students.
Sophomore Lakyn Ledford stayed home Thursday after learning that student-athletes were on the list.

Wife Battles A Lion To Save Her Husband

2007-01-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

Wildlife officials credited a woman with saving her husband's life by clubbing a mountain lion that attacked him while the couple were hiking in a California state park.
Jim and Nell Hamm, who will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next month, were hiking in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park when the lion pounced, officials said Thursday.
"He didn't scream. It was a different, horrible plea for help, and I turned around, and by then the cat had wrestled Jim to the ground," Nell Hamm said in an interview from the hospital where her husband was recovering from a torn scalp, puncture wounds and other injuries. FULL STORY

Sex offender pretends to be 12 years old; enrolls into seventh grade

2007-01-26T13:57:00.001-08:00

A man in Arizona is accused of pretending to be 12 years old, by using make-up to disguise his age, and then enrolling himself into 7th grade classes around the state, in at least two middle schools. The man is also being accused of assaulting a girl, but the name of the girl is not known. Police will not release details about the assault.
Neil Havens Rodreick II, 29, is a convicted sex-offender who is from Oklahoma and police arrested Rodreick when he attempted to enroll into Mingus Springs Charter School located in Chino Valley, Arizona using what school officials thought to be fake documents. Rodreick spent nearly the whole day at the school. Rodreick also attended another charter school from August 14 to November of 2006, Imagine School at Rosefield. Rodreick attended a total of 50 days at Imagine before he was dismissed from the school for not attending class enough. Rodreick is currently being held inside the Yavapai County jail.
"Our first priority is to help our students and our families establish a sense of security on our campus," said a spokeswoman for the Imagine school, Rhonda Cagle.
Cagle also describes Rodreick as being "quiet."
"He was quiet. He turned in his homework. By most accounts he was aloof and kept to himself," added Cagle.
Rodreick attempted to use fake admissions documents and a fake birth certificate to enroll into the charter school. Authorities are charging Rodreick with misdemeanor assault, failure to register as a sex offender in Arizona, possessing forgery devices, conspiracy to commit forgery, and conspiracy to commit fraud.
Rodreick also tried to enroll into the school using a false name, "Casey Price."
Police are also saying that Rodreick fooled two other men into believing he was 12 years old.
Lonnie Stiffler, 61 and Robert James Snow, 43, were Rodreick's housemates in Arizona and met Rodreick on the internet in Oklahoma. Both Stiffler and Snow were under the impression that Rodreick was a "preteen," according to police, and that all three men were in a continuing relationship that included sex.
Another man, Brian J. Nellis, 34, was also arrested by police at Rodreick's home. Police say Nellis followed the three other men from Oklahoma to Arizona. All men were arrested on January 18, 2007.
All four men are being charged with fraud and forgery, but Nellis, Snow and Rodreick will be charged with failure for registering as sex offenders.
Police also discovered a video at the home, that shows Rodreick having sex with what appears to be an underage child. Police do not know who the child is, or how old he is, but that he is a "juvenile."
Rodreick was convicted in 1996 for lewdly propositioning to a 6-year-old boy.

Nicole Kidman injured during movie stunt

2007-01-26T13:51:00.000-08:00

Actress Nicole Kidman was injured in a car accident while filming the movie, The Invasion. The car reportedly went off course, and ran into a light pole on West Sixth Street in Los Angeles, California.
"The stunt driver apparently went off course and hit a light post," said Karen Smith, a officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.
"Nicole Kidman was in the vehicle at the time of the accident and was taken to the hospital for evaluation. She was released shortly thereafter," said a statement issued by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Kidman, along with eight other people were taken to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles where all were released with minimal injuries just 2 hours later. All are reported to have returned to work. Paramedics also treated Kidman on scene before she was taken to the hospital.

Microsoft sales go higher than expected in last quarter

2007-01-26T13:39:00.000-08:00

The sales of the Microsoft Corporation has increased considerably during the latest quarter, having brought more profit than predicted by Wall Street. However, the delay in arrival of the major new products resulted in spoiled financial results.
The quarter that finished in December marked the increase by 6 percent in the Microsoft sales, having reached the revenue of $12.5 billion. The delayed products - the latest versions of Windows Vista and Office 2007 - are to be launched next week.
Microsoft's video game business grew considerably in the quarter - its revenue increased by 75 percent, to the mark of $2.96 billion. The success of the business is explained by steady sales of its Xbox 360 console and highly demanded games like the critically acclaimed Gears of War at the end of 2006.
The noteworthy results have been gained by Microsoft in selling its server software applied in corporate data centers. It brought the revenue up 17 percent, to $2.85 billion. As for the operating profit, it increased by 35 percent, to over $1 billion. Following the most profitable Windows and Office, the server group, including databases, operating systems, and back-end programs used for e-mail systems, presently represents the third major product line of the Corporation.
Net income witnessed 28 percent decrease, to $2.63 billion to be compared to $3.65 billion dollars during the same period of time the previous year. To solve the problem of the product delay and support the personal computer industry, Microsoft provided free or discount coupons for upgraded versions of Windows Vista and Office 2007. Consequently, PC makers sold new computers during the last period of 2006 promising their customers that they would be able to acquire the new Microsoft products, thus preventing PC sales from standing at still point.
The coupon program was initiated by Microsoft in October with expectations of approximately 1.5 billion dollars in revenue to be deferred. However, with better PC sales Microsoft received the $1.64 billion. Microsoft pays attention towards development of the consumer electronics business. In the end of 2006 the company launched a digital media player called Zune, a product to compete with iPod produced by Apple. However, Microsoft's section of consumer entertainment and devices is not profitable yet.
As for Microsoft’s on-line business, it also leaves much to be desired, especially considering Internet searches. In the latest quarter there was a decline in the Microsoft's market share in searching. Still, the company continues to invest into this business segment. The revenue brought by on-line services, including web advertising and search-linked ads, increased by 5 percent in the quarter, to $624 million.

James Brown's children: Assets mismanaged

2007-01-26T13:33:00.000-08:00

James Brown's six adult children believe the soul singer's valuable estate was mismanaged and want the trustees removed, according to court documents.

An emergency petition filed late Wednesday in Aiken County also claimed that some of Brown's assets are in danger of being "lost or dissipated or stolen."
The irrevocable trust, signed in 2000, is said to contain most of Brown's primary assets, including music rights and his 60-acre Beech Island home.
The trust is separate from Brown's will, which was filed separately last week and divided personal possessions such as clothes, jewelry and automobiles among the children.
Trustee Buddy Dallas, also an attorney for Brown, said everything in the trust was handled "appropriately and properly" when the 73-year-old entertainer died December 25.
"I've been Mr. Brown's trusted friend and counsel for 24 years -- a relationship that was built totally on our trust," Dallas said. "And I never violated that trust for 24 years."
A court hearing was scheduled for February 1.

Ex-students get 5 years for fatal Seton Hall fire

2007-01-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

Two former roommates who set a dormitory fire that killed three students at Seton Hall University were sentenced Friday to five years in prison.

A plea bargain spared Joseph T. LePore and Sean Ryan, both 26, from facing more than 30 years in prison if they had been convicted in a trial. They could be eligible for parole in 16 months.
LePore and Ryan, who said the fire seven years ago resulted from "a prank that got out of hand," apologized to the victims' families.
"There's nothing I can really say to take away your pain," LePore said.
"I want you to know I am very, very sorry for your losses," Ryan said. "I hope you can move on."
Alvaro Llanos, a student horribly burned in the blaze, and Frank Caltabilota Sr., the father of one of those who died, said that at this point, no apology would be good enough.
"I can't see myself ever forgiving these two kids for starting this fire," Llanos wrote in a letter that was read in court. "They should have been man enough to bang on doors and save everyone's life. Instead, they ran away like the cowards they are."
In pleading guilty to arson in November, LePore and Ryan said they set a paper banner on fire in a third-floor lounge around 4:30 a.m. on January 19, 2000. The flames spread to a couch. The fire was largely confined to the lounge, but smoke spread throughout the six-story dorm, which lacked sprinklers.
Dozens were injured and 18-year-old freshmen Frank Caltabilota Jr., John Giunta and Aaron Karol were overcome by smoke and died.
The elder Caltabilota said his family could have forgiven the defendants had they quickly taken responsibility.
"Eventually, your judgment day will come from the highest court," he said. "You will see a jury consisting of Frankie, Aaron and John. On that day, justice will be done."
In addition to arson, LePore and Ryan pleaded guilty to witness tampering for telling some friends to lie to authorities. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped charges against LePore's parents, sister and friend that included hindering apprehension.
Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow has acknowledged her case depended on circumstantial evidence, noting in November, "We had no eyewitnesses, other than the defendants themselves, who could place the defendants at that location."
Defense lawyers have said the arson pleas, which take no responsibility for the deaths or injuries, were appropriate because the school did not have adequate systems to prevent the blaze from spreading.
The university, however, said it was in compliance with existing fire codes, and that it was not unusual for a building built in 1952 not to have sprinklers.
The fire led New Jersey to enact the nation's first law requiring sprinklers in dormitories at colleges and boarding schools.

U.K. Web site posts 9/11 hijackers smiling and joking on video

2006-10-01T07:30:00.000-07:00

By BETH GARDINER, Associated Press Writer

LONDON - Mohamed Atta, the ringleader of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, smiles and jokes with another hijacker before the two turn serious and speak intently to a camera in a video posted Sunday on a British newspaper's Web site.
The Sunday Times said the video, which was dated Jan. 18, 2000 — about a year and a half before the attacks against the United States — was made in
Afghanistan for release after the men's deaths.
For more than 30 minutes, the video shows Atta, who flew one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, and Ziad Jarrah, who piloted United Airlines flight 93 that crashed into a Pennsylvania field, both alone and together.
The newspaper said the hourlong video was made at an al-Qaida training camp in Afghanistan. It includes images of Osama bin Laden speaking to supporters in Kandahar, Afghanistan. A time stamp indicated that footage was shot on Jan. 8, 2000.
It has no sound, and the newspaper quoted a "U.S. source" who was not identified as saying that lip readers had been unable to decipher what the men were saying.
At times in the video, the two men look relaxed, laughing and chatting together before they grow serious and speak directly into the camera. At one point, they lean over a document the newspaper identifies as a will, studying it intently and sometimes pointing to specific sections and commenting to one another.
The Sunday Times said it had obtained the video "through a previously tested channel" but gave no further details. FULL STORY

Al-Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri appears in new videotape

2006-10-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

September 30, 2006

Al-Qaeda's second in command, Ayman al-Zawahri has appeared in a new videotape in which he calls President George W. Bush a "liar" and a "failure" in the war against terrorism. The video, which is 18 minutes long and titled "Bush, the Pope, Darfur and the Crusades" was released by IntelCenter and was produced by the media agency al-Sahab.
"Can't you be honest at least once in your life, and admit that you are a deceitful liar who intentionally deceived your nation when you drove them to war in Iraq?" said Zawahiri.
"Bush, you deceitful charlatan, 3 1/2 years have passed since your capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, so how have you found us during this time? Losing and surrendering? Or are we launching attacks with God's help and becoming martyrs? What you have perpetrated against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other Muslim captives in your prisons and the prisons of your slaves in Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan and elsewhere is not hidden from anyone, and we are a people who do not sleep under oppression and who do not abandon our revenge until our chests have been healed of those who have committed aggression against us," added Zawahiri.
"Your agents in the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan have captured thousands of the youth and soldiers of Islam whom you made to taste at your hands and the hands of your agents various types of punishment and torture. They are countering arguments that individuals have been able to provide useful information and they are continuing to reinforce their intentions for revenge," continued Zawahiri.
In the video, Zawahiri also criticizes the Pope Benedict XVI for comments he made against Muslims in a speech on September 12, 2006 and also calls for the Pope and all Christians to "become Muslims."
"This charlatan Benedict brings back to our memories the speech of his predecessor charlatan Urban II in the 11th century … in which he instigated Europeans to fight Muslims and launch the Crusades because he (Urban) claimed 'atheist Muslims, the enemies of Christ' are attacking the tomb of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him," said Zawahiri.
"If Benedict attacked us, we will respond to his insults with good things. We will call upon him and all of the Christians to become Muslims who do not recognize the Trinity or the crucifixion," added Zawahiri.
Zawahiri also said that sending any peacekeepers to the Darfur Region of Sudan is a "crusader plan" and that all Muslims in the region "should defend themselves."
"There is a Crusader plan to send Crusaders forces to Darfur that is about to become a new field of the Crusades war. Oh, nation of Islam, rise up to defend your land from the Crusaders aggression who are coming wearing United Nations masks. No one will defend you (Darfur) but a popular holy war," said Zawahiri.
The U.S. intelligance agency, the CIA has confirmed that the tape is authentic and that the person appearing in the video is Zawahiri.
"After conducting a technical analysis of the videotape, the CIA can confirm with confidence that the voice on the tape is that of Ayman al-Zawahri," said spokeswoman for the CIA, Michele Neff.
It is not known exactly when the video was made, but United States officials say that it was written after September 12, the day of the Pope's speech.
This is the 48th video released by al-Qaeda this year. Zawahiri appeared in 14 of those videos.

French newspaper suggests Osama bin Laden may be dead

2006-09-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

The French daily newspaper L'Est Republicain reported today that Al-Qaeda's Osama bin Laden may have died of Typhoid Fever in Pakistan on August 23, citing what it said was a leaked French secret service report dated September 21. The newspaper reported that unnamed Saudi secret services sources passed this information to the Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (DGSE, the French external secret service).
"According to a source that is usually reliable, Saudi secret services are now convinced that Osama bin Laden is dead," said the French intelligence report. The report states that Saudi Arabia first heard the information on September 4 and are searching for more details, more specifically Osama's burial place, before making an official announcement. Bin Laden is alleged to have succumbed to a serious bout of typhoid fever, which caused a partial paralysis of his lower limbs. Due to his remote hideout, the report claims, medical assistance was out of the question.
A spokesperson of the Pakistani home office said that he had no information about the possible death of Osama bin Laden. U.S. intelligence services and spokespeople at the White House also say they have no confirmation of the report.
French President Jacques Chirac reacted: "I was rather surprised to see that a confidential note from the DGSE was published and I have asked the minister of defence to start an investigation immediately and to reach whatever conclusions are necessary." He too stressed the information was not confirmed.
Meanwhile, a Saudi source told CNN and Time that bin Laden has a water-borne illness, but is still alive.
Saudi Arabia's embassy in Washington D.C. has issued a statment saying: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has no evidence to support recent media reports that Osama bin Laden is dead. Information that has been reported otherwise is purely speculative and cannot be independently verified... Information that has been reported otherwise is purely speculative and cannot be independently verified."
It's not the first time bin Laden's death has been announced. CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen pointed out that rumours of bin Laden's death circulate every few months.

3 kids found dead in fetus theft case

2006-09-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Autopsies were planned Sunday for three young children who were found dead hours after a woman was charged with killing their pregnant mother and her fetus in a grisly attack.

The two boys, ages 7 and 2, and their 1-year-old sister were found together Saturday in an East St. Louis apartment where their mother lived, State Police Capt. Craig Koehler said.

The children were last seen Monday with family friend Tiffany Hall, 24, now charged with first-degree murder in the death of their mother, who is believed to have been slain days before her children disappeared. Hall is also charged with intentional homicide of an unborn child, prosecutor Robert Haida said. (Watch crime scene where cops found children's bodies -- :50)
Koehler declined to say whether Hall was suspected in the children's deaths. The cause of their deaths had not been determined, he said.
The bodies of DeMond Tunstall, 7, Ivan Tunstall-Collins, 2, and Jinela Tunstall, 1, were found in an apartment at the John DeShields public housing complex, capping a furious two-day search that included scouring an 1,100-acre state park.
Authorities said a lead directed them to check the apartment, which had not been searched previously. They declined to elaborate.
"Anytime you have three deceased children, it's a very emotional time," Koehler said late Saturday as he fought back tears. "All these investigators have worked tirelessly with one outcome in mind — to find these children alive."
The body of their mother, Jimella Tunstall, 23, was found Thursday in a weedy East St. Louis lot. Authorities believe her womb was cut open after she was knocked unconscious. FULL STORY

Two dead, 19 hurt in Montreal shooting rampage

2006-09-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

A man in a black trench coat and a mohawk haircut opened fire Wednesday at a downtown Montreal college, slaying a young woman and wounding at least 19 other people before police shot and killed him, witnesses and authorities said.

Police dismissed suggestions that terrorism played a role in the lunch-hour attack at Dawson College, where scores of panicked students fled into the streets after the shooting began. Some had clothes stained with blood; others cried and clung to each other. Two nearby shopping centers and a daycare center also were evacuated.
"I was terrified. The guy was shooting at people randomly. He didn't care, he was just shooting at everybody," said student Devansh Smri Vastava. "There were cops firing. It was so crazy."
Witnesses said the attacker started firing outside the college before walking in the front door. Much of the shooting was in the second-floor cafeteria, where students dropped to the floor and lay in terror. At times the gunman hid behind vending machines before emerging to take aim — at one point at a teenager who tried to photograph him with his cell phone. Teachers ran through the halls, telling everyone to get out of the building.
Police rushed to the scene, hiding behind a wall as they exchanged fire with the gunman, whose back was against a vending machine, said student Andrea Barone, who was in the cafeteria. He said the officers proceeded cautiously because many students were trapped around the assailant, who yelled "Get back! Get back!" every time an officer tried to move closer.
Eventually, Barone said, the gunman went down in hail of gunfire.
Authorities did not provide any information about the attacker. Police spokesman Ean Lafreniere said there was just one gunman at the school and the search for any others was over.
Although police initially suggested the gunman had killed himself, Police Director Yvan DeLorme later said at a news conference that "based on current information, the suspect was killed by police." FULL STORY

A 6 metre long Python on the Road

2006-09-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

A python sits on a road after swallowing a pregnant sheep in the village of Kampung Jabor, about 200 km (124 miles) east of Kuala Lumpur, on September 5, 2006. The six-metre reptile weighing 90 kg (198.5 lbs) was too laden to move, making it easy for firemen to capture it, said a local daily newspaper. Picture taken September 5, 2006. MALAYSIA OUT NO ARCHIVE NO SALES REUTERS/Stringer (MALAYSIA).

Whitney & Bobby call it quits after 14 years of marriage

2006-09-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

By Dan Whitcomb.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Grammy-winning pop star
Whitney Houston has filed for divorce from singer Bobby Brown her spokeswoman said on Wednesday, following 14 tumultuous years of marriage and tabloid headlines.

Publicist Nancy Seltzer confirmed that Houston, one of the most celebrated pop artists of the 1980s and '90s who has since largely retreated from the public eye, had filed the court papers.
Seltzer declined further comment, and it was not immediately clear if Houston, 43, was seeking custody of the couple's 13-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina. The couple married in 1992.
Representatives for Brown, who emerged from the teen pop group New Edition as an R&B crooner and ultimately star of his own reality TV show, "Being Bobby Brown," declined comment. FULL STORY

Bush assassination movie Coming to America

2006-09-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

by Josh Grossberg Sep 12, 2006, 11:15 AM PT
All kinds of controversy is coming soon to a theater near you.

Newmarket Films, the indie distribution company that brought us Mel Gibson's polarizing The Passion of the Christ, has paid a reported $1 million to secure U.S. distribution rights to Death of a President, a movie that has sparked an uproar for dramatizing the assassination of President George W.
Bush.
The deal was announced on Monday, the five-year anniversary of 9/11. But a source claimed the date was purely coincidental and that negotiations simply had begun after the film had its world premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival Sunday night.
The brainchild of British producer-director Gabriel Range, Death of a President will air initially on Britain's Channel 4 on Oct. 9 and will be rolled out to theaters across the U.S. in the following months. Newmarket would not confirm whether it would time the film's release to Election Day.
Shot like a typical television documentary, the 93-minute film uses computer wizardry to combine archival footage of President Bush with staged scenes to depict the murder and its aftermath. The trades estimate the film's budget between $2 million and $4 million.
The film opens in October 2007, with the President visiting Chicago amid demonstrations over his newly expanded powers via the so-called Patriot Act 3. After giving a speech, he exits a hotel to his motorcade when he is gunned down by an assassin hiding in a nearby building. FULL STORY

'Girls Gone Wild' producers fined $2.1 million

2006-09-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

Joe Francis and his Mantra Films pleaded guilty to federal charges carrying $2.1 million in fines.

Authorities said Joseph Francis, founder of Mantra Films and a related company, MRA Holdings, also agreed to plead guilty to charges to be filed later in Los Angeles, and to pay fines and restitution totaling $2.1 million. (Read the agreement -- pdf)
The "Girls Gone Wild" videotapes -- often featuring young women heavily partying and baring their breasts -- are widely advertised on some cable television channels.
Mantra Films specifically pleaded guilty in Florida to charges that it failed to create and maintain age and identity documents for performers. The company also admitted it failed to label its videotapes and DVDs as required by federal law.
Court documents say the alleged violations occurred during productions titled "Ultimate Spring Break," "Girls Gone Wild on Campus Uncensored," "Totally Exposed Uncensored and Beyond," and "Girls Gone Wild College Girls Exposed/Sexy Sorority Sweethearts."
The Justice Department said the case is the first filed under a law designed to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.
The law, which prosecutors call Section 2257 -- is intended to protect minors by requiring producers to create and maintain age and identity records for every performer in sexually explicit movies and other media.
Distributors also must label their tapes and discs with the name of the custodian of the records and their location, prosecutors said.
"Today's agreements ensure that Girls Gone Wild will comply with an important law designed to prevent the sexual exploitation of minors and puts other producers on notice that they must be in compliance as well," said Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher.
Officials said Francis will pay $500,000 and his firms, Mantra and MRA Holdings, will together pay $1.6 million.
An attorney for Mantra, Aaron Dyer, told The Associated Press that the company would clean up its record keeping.
The charges involved "serious record-keeping issues that occurred several years ago," he told the wire service. "Mantra takes these issues very seriously and has done everything it can to make sure this never occurs again."
The case does not shut down "Girls Gone Wild."
Under terms of the deal, the Los Angeles charges against MRA will be dismissed after three years if the company fully complies with the record-keeping laws and fully pays the fines.

Britney Spears Gives Birth To Second Child

2006-09-12T17:15:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears Gives Birth To Second Child

Although it was never officially confirmed, Spears was expected to give birth later this week; reports circulated that she would have labor induced on Thursday in order to prepare for a cesarean birth. The birth of Spears' first son last year was also a cesarean (see "Britney Spears Gives Birth To A Baby Boy").Rumors that Spears went into labor last week were promptly debunked after photographs of the singer driving to Taco Bell on Thursday surfaced. The singer was also photographed taking her son Sean Preston for a drive with her around Malibu, California, in her white Mercedes on Monday. Spears discovered she was pregnant for the second time in early February, but waited until early May to confirm the news during an appearance on CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman" (see "Britney Pregnant Again"). The birth marks Spears' second and her husband Kevin Federline's fourth child; Federline already has two children with former girlfriend Shar Jackson: 4-year-old Kori and 2-year-old Kaleb.

Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006).

2006-09-10T18:30:00.000-07:00

Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin (22 February 1962 – 4 September 2006), byname "the Crocodile Hunter", an Australian conservationist and television personality. He achieved world-wide fame, from the television program The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally-broadcast wildlife documentary series co-hosted with his wife Terri Irwin. Together with his wife, he also co-owned and operated Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, founded by his parents.

Death
Shortly after 01:00 UTC (11:00 AEST) on 4 September 2006, Irwin was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray barb whilst snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, at Batt Reef, which is located off the coast of Port Douglas in Queensland. Irwin was in the area filming his own documentary, to be called The Ocean's Deadliest, but weather had stalled filming. Irwin decided to take the opportunity to film some shallow water shots for a segment in the television program his daughter Bindi was hosting,[32] when, according to his friend and colleague, John Stainton, he swam too close to one of the animals. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart", said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat the Croc One.
The events were caught on camera, and a copy of the footage was handed to the Queensland Police [33]. After reviewing the footage of the incident and speaking to the cameraman who recorded it, marine documentary filmmaker and former spearfisherman Ben Cropp speculated that the stingray "felt threatened because Steve was alongside and there was the cameraman ahead". In such a case, the stingray responds to danger by automatically flexing the serrated barb on its tail (which can measure up to 25 cm or about 10 inches in length) in an upward motion.

U.S. should convert to Islam. "Decide today, because today could be your last day."

2006-09-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

A new videotape has surfaced featuring Osama bin Laden's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and an American member of al Qaeda wanted by the FBI, according to a counterterrorism expert.

The tape, called "Invitation to Islam," runs 48 minutes, expert Laura Mansfield said. Al-Zawahiri speaks for about 4 minutes on the tape, and the American narrates the rest.
Californian Adam Gadahn, wearing a white robe and turban, introduces the message by calling on Westerners to convert. (Watch how this may be an effort to reach out to the West -- 2:40)
Gadahn says that even Americans working with President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are invited to embrace Islam, but they should hurry.
"We invite all Americans and believers to Islam, whatever their role and status in Bush and Blair's world order," Gadahn says. "Decide today, because today could be your last day."
Mansfield, who is a writer and corporate adviser on the Middle East, Islam and terrorism, said the time reference could indicate an attack is near. Muslims believe that non-believers should be given a chance to convert before they are attacked, Mansfield said.
"This may well be a warning," she said.
The only indication of when the tape was made is a reference to the recent fighting between Hezbollah and Israel, which ended August 14.
Gadahn, also known as "Azzam the American," previously has been featured in al Qaeda tapes and is listed as armed and dangerous by the FBI on its Web site. (Watch why it 'makes sense' to use Gadahn as a spokesman -- 3:29)
He is wanted by the FBI in connection with possible terrorist threats against the United States.
Gadahn appeared on a tape last year on the fourth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He also was on a tape earlier this year, on the first anniversary of the London subway bombings.

50 Cent Sued By Two Women Over 2004 Concert Altercation

2006-08-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Plaintiffs claim they were injured and feared for their lives during show.

50 Cent was hit earlier this month with a civil lawsuit filed by two Massachusetts women who claim that they were trampled and buried under a crowd rush and battered by the rapper during a May 2004 performance at the Hippodrome in Springfield, Massachusetts.
The suit — filed August 16 against 50, Lloyd Banks and the Hippodrome — came more than a year after the G-Unit boss (born Curtis Jackson) avoided a jail sentence by taking a plea deal on three counts of assault and battery in connection with the incident, in which the rapper allegedly jumped into the crowd after being hit in the head with a water bottle (see "50 Cent Performance Cut Short After Fan Throws Water At Him"). Click here to read more

Dangerous Hurricane John marches up Mexican coast

2006-08-30T18:33:00.000-07:00

Dangerous John marches up Mexican coast

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico - Hurricane John lashed tourist resorts with heavy winds and rain Wednesday as the dangerous storm marched up Mexico's Pacific coast, and forecasters predicted its center would brush close to land before nicking the tip of Baja California and heading out to sea. The Category 4 hurricane could dump up to a foot of rain along parts of Mexico's southern coast, causing landslides or flooding, meteorologists warned. FULL STORY

John Mark Karr won't be charged

2006-08-28T16:48:00.000-07:00

A man arrested in Thailand and accused of killing US child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey will not be charged with the murder, his lawyers have said.

According to reports by MSNBC and KUSA, a local television station in Denver, Colorado, tests performed on DNA samples taken from John Mark Karr, the man who confessed to killing JonBenet Ramsey in 1996, do not match DNA samples recovered from Ramsey's body. Neworks are reporting that charges against Karr for Ramsey's murder have been dropped.
KUSA says it "has confirmed from two sources that the DNA taken from John Mark Karr does not match the DNA samples taken from the crime scene in the JonBenet Ramsey murder case. No charges will be filed against Karr in connection with the Ramsey case by the Boulder County District Attorney's office," in the report on its website.
DNA from Karr's hair and saliva were tested in the Denver, Colorado Police Department's lab over the weekend.
"This information is critical because … if Mr. Karr's account of his sexual involvement with the victim were accurate, it would have been highly likely that his saliva would have been mixed with the blood in the underwear," said Colorado District Attorney, Mary Lacy. Lacy noted that Karr had become a suspect after exchanging e-mail with a professor in California .
Karr's attorney has requested that all DNA evidence be handed over to the defense for examination. His attorney has also requested additional testing of Karr's DNA; however, there is confusion about who represents Karr. Seth Temin, a public defender claims to represent Karr, but at least two other attorneys in California, Jamie Harmon and Patience Van Zandt, are also claiming to represent him.
"The warrant on Mr. Karr has been dropped by the district attorney. They are not proceeding with the case," said Timen.
"We're deeply distressed by the fact that they took this man and dragged him here from Bangkok, Thailand, with no forensic evidence confirming the allegations against him and no independent factors leading to a presumption he did anything wrong," added Timen.
In California, Karr still faces charges of posessing child pornography.
Karr was to have appeared in court this afternoon, in front of Judge Roxanne Bailin.

U.S considering pre-emptive ICBM strikes against alleged terrorists

2006-08-28T16:43:00.000-07:00

Pentagon considering preemptive non-nuclear ICBM capability.

The Pentagon is considering replacing the nuclear warheads on some ballistic missiles with conventional munitions so that they can be used for "pre-emptive" strikes against alleged terrorists, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld told reporters after a meeting with Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.
"If either of our countries or friends and allies were threatened at some number of years into the future with a weapon of mass destruction or a capability that was that lethal, I think any president, whether of Russia or the United States, would like to have available a conventional weapon that could attack that target swiftly and accurately and precisely and not feel that the only thing they had might be a nuclear weapon, which they would not want to use.", Rumsfeld said. He urged Russia to consider the idea too, but Ivanov said a pre-emptive strike was not the only solution.
The Pentagon has considered such strategies before. In February 2003 a similar plan was suggested, and in May 2006 it was recommended that Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) be used for such a purpose. Critics wondered what the risks would be for setting off accidental nuclear war: it would be impossible for another nation to tell whether a Trident II or Minuteman III launch was conventional — or nuclear-armed until it had actually detonated.