Osama bin Laden dead

Osama bin Laden dead

"Justice has been done," President Obama says in a televised speech to the nation. Bin Laden, mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks and Al Qaeda leader, was killed by a CIA-led team at a compound inside Pakistan

A CIA-led team killed Osama Bin Laden at a compound inside Pakistan Sunday and recovered his body, bringing a close to the world's highest-profile manhunt after a decade-long search, President Obama announced to the world Sunday night.

"Justice has been done," the President said solemnly in a hastily-arranged late night TV address from the East Room of the White House. Bin Laden, he said, "murdered thousands of innocent men, women and children" and his death was "the most significant achievement to date" in the U.S. war against the al Qaeda, terrorist network that bin Laden founded, led and inspired.
As described by the President and top administration officials, the successful effort to track down bin Laden centered on a man whom the officials described as a trusted courier for al Qaeda, a protégé of Khalid Sheik Muhammed, the operational mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.

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U.S. Radiation Risk

U.S. Radiation Risk

Radiation threats to the US

With reports that a radiation plume from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Plant could reach Southern California, worried citizens have been hoarding certain pills , wondering if it's OK to go outside and otherwise fretting over an invisible, and somewhat unpredictable, threat.

But all that worrying might cause more harm than the radiation itself, experts say. Here are some answers to common concerns.

Possible levels of radiation

Q: How much radiation do scientists think will arrive here?

Answer

Details: No one knows yet -- but probably not a whole lot. It's unclear what's happening at the Japanese power plant -- and whatever radiation escapes has to travel thousands of miles to reach U.S. shores.  Over that distance, it will be greatly diluted, if it gets here at all.

In fact, the winds have been shifting, often pointing back westward to Japan rather than to the U.S., California officials said in a news conference Thursday. "We are not in Japan," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of public health for Los Angeles County. "We are not within 10 miles of the reactor."

How much risk?

Q: How much risk will any radiation that does reach here pose?

Answer

Details: Gregory Jaczko, chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, an independent agency that regulates U.S. commercial nuclear power plants, said the basic science involved suggested that "there can't be any risk or harm to anyone here in the United States, or Hawaii, or any of the other (U.S.) territories."

Dr. Kei Iwamoto, of the faculty of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said he believed the amount of radiation from Japan that a person in California might be exposed to will be very low -- perhaps around one microsievert.

Chernobyl & radiation

Q: Did radiation reach here from Chernobyl?

Answer

Details: "The radiation from the accident was negligible from a health standpoint. I know of no evidence that that accident caused any increase in cancer in this country," Iwamoto said.

Children & radiation

Q: What about kids? Are they more sensitive to radiation?

Answer

Details: "Kids are more vulnerable to radiation for a couple of reasons," said Dr. William Hendee, a radiation physicist with the Medical College of Wisconsin. "Their organs and tissues are growing and developing. Growing and developing cells are more susceptible to radiation. Kids also have a longer life span."

Q: So should they be kept away from school?

Answer: No. Radiation levels are not likely to get very high. There is no reason to keep children out of school.

Iodine tablets vs. iodized salt

Q: Should people take iodine tablets or eat iodized salt? It can't hurt, can it?

Answer

Details: The tablets can be risky for some people -- especially pregnant women. There is no reason to take iodine tablets at this point, said California officials.

Do masks help?

Q: Would wearing a mask help?

Answer

Details: "Masks would reduce a bit of the inhalation, but the amount of radioactive fallout is going to be so tiny," Hendee said. "For someone who is concerned or worried, if they felt better wearing a mask, they should wear a mask. I don't think it will reduce their risk, because the risk is already so low."

Authorities' contingency plans

Q: What contingency plans do local and national health authorities have?

Answer

Details: Although national health authorities defer to state governments, they will issue recommendations based on the severity of radiation levels, said Robert Taylor, a spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Possible recommendations include evacuating areas within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant; warning people to take shelter and close all doors and windows; and advising residents to consume potassium iodide tablets. "There's no need for U.S. citizens to take any protective measures at this time," he added.

Safety & radiation

Q: What can people do to be safer?

Answer

 

Details: Until more is known about the threat that radiation from the nuclear plant might pose in California and beyond, your best bet is to get yourself prepared -- for any expected emergency. Assemble your earthquake kit. Install gas shut-off valves, if your house doesn't already have them. "Rather than going out and buying potassium iodide, I would encourage everyone to go out and buy three to five days of food and water, so that when we have our earthquake, you can be self-sufficient," said Howard Backer, interim director of the California Department of Public Health.

 

Most of all, address the health threats that you can control. According to the federal government, almost 1.5 million Americans die each year of heart disease or tobacco-related diseases. The best bang for your buck might be throwing away cigarettes, exercising and improving your diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Specials

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The Million Pound Dog

The Million Pound Dog

They say money can't buy love – but £1million will get you man's most expensive best friend.

A red Tibetan mastiff has become the priciest dog in the world after being sold for 10 million Chinese yuan, or £945,000.

Big Splash, or Hong Dong in Chinese, was bought by a coal baron from the north of China.

And it's lucky his new master is a multi-millionaire, because the hefty price tag doesn't factor in Big Splash's diet – enough chicken and beef to fill a growing 180lb dog, spiced up with Chinese delicacies such as sea cucumber and abalone.

His owner will need a big house too, as adult Tibetan Mastiffs have been known to weigh as much as 286lb, or more than 20 stone – the same as a sizeable rugby player. However the typical weight for a fully grown Tibetan Mastiff is around 13 stone.

But according to breeder Lu Liang, Big Splash is a 'perfect specimen' and the extravagant price for the 11-month-old is completely justified.

He said: 'We have spent a lot of money raising this dog, and we have the salaries of plenty of staff to pay' – adding that the new owner could charge almost £10,000 a time for Big Splash to breed with a female.

The high price paid for the dog is a sign that the red Tibetan mastiff has become a status symbol in China, replacing jewellery and cars as a way for the super-rich to show off their wealth.

Not only is red considered a lucky colour, but Tibetan mastiffs are thought to be holy animals, blessing their owners' health and security.

Tibetans believe the dogs have the souls of monks and nuns who were not good enough to be reincarnated as humans or into Shambhala, the heavenly realm.

Owners of the breed have included Queen Victoria, King George IV and Genghis Khan – who supposedly took 30,000 of the dogs with his army in his bid to conquer Western Europe.

These days there are only around 300 Tibetan mastiffs in the UK, and puppies sell for a more reasonable £850 to £1,000.

James Pally, a Tibetan mastiff breeder from Pantymwyn near Mold in Flintshire, North Wales, said:

'They are very smart and they think for themselves and can sense danger very acutely.

'Tibetan mastiffs were originally used to guard the livestock and they are very good with other animals and they love children.

'I have six of them and if you don't give them enough attention they sit in front of the TV.'

The title of most expensive dog in the world was previously held by a Tibetan mastiff called Red Lion, who was valued at £915,000 last year.








Source: Dailymail

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Mystery over identity of young Hollywood actress caught taking cocaine on camera

Mystery over identity of young Hollywood actress caught taking cocaine on camera

Video of a mystery Hollywood actress caught snorting cocaine is being touted for sale - but her identity has not yet been disclosed.

The tape apparently shows 'footage that makes the Miley Cyrus bong video look like a Disney movie'.

The faces of the party-goers have been blurred in the video to protect the unnamed star.

RadarOnline are reporting that a young brunette is the subject of the potentially damaging video.

She is wearing a pink tank top and a black and white cardigan.

A table lined with piles of cocaine and rolled up $100 bills used for snorting the drug is also visible in the shocking video.


Martini and shot glasses are also littered around the table and the revellers snort the coke as well as swiping their fingers through it.

A source told RadarOnline that the mystery actress is not the only well known person on the tape: 'There is more than one famous person in the footage'.

The mysterious girl is with a blonde woman and two young men.

One of the unknown men shouts in the video: 'Look how f***ing high I am... I'm going to snort out a f***ing one!'

Please don't do it', the other man laughs back to him.

'You know how many n****** have put their hands on that shit?!'

Other young starlets like Myley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Lindsay Lohan have hit the headlines recently with issues ranging from addiction, anger management and drug issues.

This woman's identity is not yet known but will surely be damaging to her career if the image of her snorting cocaine is released.








Source: Dailymail

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Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated to the U.S. presidency 150 years ago. He is one of history’s most popular presidents

Lincoln’s birthplace

Lincoln’s birthplace

Mary Todd Lincoln

Mary Todd Lincoln

Lincoln’s career

Lincoln’s career

Lincoln’s politics

Lincoln’s politics

Lincoln’s inauguration

Lincoln’s inauguration

Lincoln’s beard

Lincoln’s beard

Lincoln’s generals

Lincoln’s generals

Lincoln’s speeches

Lincoln’s speeches

Lincoln’s assassination
John Wilkes Booth fatally shot Lincoln.

Lincoln’s assassination

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Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

It's an astonishing statistic that is sure to send chills down the spines of freedom campaigners.
In Big Brother Britain there is an incredible one CCTV camera for every 32 citizens, a study has revealed.
The revelation that 1.85 million cameras are watching our every move confirms the shocking extent of surveillance in 21st century Britain.
Coming a day after it emerged tiny drones could be used to spy on Britons, the CCTV study is sure to add fuel to the debate that we have become a Big Brother state.The research involved police community support officers counting every camera in Cheshire and extrapolating the results nationwide to provide a reliable estimate of the level of CCTV surveillance in the UK.
Officers counted 12,333 cameras in the area, according to a study published in CCTV Image magazine, the majority of which were inside premises, rather than facing public street.
The research also found that most CCTV cameras in the UK are likely to be privately owned, with only 504 of Cheshire’s cameras run by public bodies.
After the Cheshire results were extrapolated nationwide, taking into account urban and rural areas and transport networks, the number of cameras was adjudged to be 1,853,681 – enough for one camera for every 32 citizens in the UK.Despite the proliferation of CCTV cameras, police admit that just one crime is solved for every 1,000 cameras.
Deputy Chief Constable Graeme Gerrard, the lead on CCTV for the Association of Chief Police Officers said the latest numbers, based on a map of CCTV systems in Cheshire, were intended to ‘inject more rigorous figures into the debate’ over Britain as a surveillance state.
A widely quoted estimate of 4.2 million cameras in the UK was based on a 1.5km road in a busy shopping district and extrapolated out for the entire UK, he explained.
And the previous estimate that the ‘average Briton is caught on security cameras some 300 times a day was based on a fictional tour of CCTV hot-spots.
However, he admitted: ‘The figure of 1.85m is still a significant number of CCTV cameras.
‘I'm not saying for a minute that this doesn't mean that we don't have a lot of cameras.’
Mr Gerrard confirmed he was surprised to learn of other research which suggested the London underground network houses as many as 11,000 cameras.

Writing in CCTV Image, Mr Gerrard added: ‘Eight years after the 4.2 million figure was first published, we now have research that indicates that the figure is less than half this guesstimate.
‘We also know that unless you make a particular point of visiting as many CCTV hotspot areas as you can, you are unlikely to be captured on CCTV 300 times a day.'
He admitted the latest figures were still estimates, but said they showed the number of CCTV cameras in the UK to be around 1.85 million.
‘And the real figure for the number of times the average person is likely to be 'caught' on CCTV in a day is less than 70 - and most of these will be at your workplace or fleeting glimpses by cameras located in shops’.
However, Isabella Sankey, director of policy at the campaign group Liberty, said the figures would do little to allay concerns about surveillance in Britain.
‘Who cares if there is one camera or 10 on their street if that one camera is pointing into your living room?’ she asked the Guardian.
‘Concerns about CCTV are not a simple numbers game; what's required is proper legal regulation and proportionate use.’

Read More: Dailymail

More about → Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

It's an astonishing statistic that is sure to send chills down the spines of freedom campaigners.
In Big Brother Britain there is an incredible one CCTV camera for every 32 citizens, a study has revealed.
The revelation that 1.85 million cameras are watching our every move confirms the shocking extent of surveillance in 21st century Britain.
Coming a day after it emerged tiny drones could be used to spy on Britons, the CCTV study is sure to add fuel to the debate that we have become a Big Brother state.

The research involved police community support officers counting every camera in Cheshire and extrapolating the results nationwide to provide a reliable estimate of the level of CCTV surveillance in the UK.
Officers counted 12,333 cameras in the area, according to a study published in CCTV Image magazine, the majority of which were inside premises, rather than facing public street.
The research also found that most CCTV cameras in the UK are likely to be privately owned, with only 504 of Cheshire’s cameras run by public bodies.
After the Cheshire results were extrapolated nationwide, taking into account urban and rural areas and transport networks, the number of cameras was adjudged to be 1,853,681 – enough for one camera for every 32 citizens in the UK.Despite the proliferation of CCTV cameras, police admit that just one crime is solved for every 1,000 cameras.
Deputy Chief Constable Graeme Gerrard, the lead on CCTV for the Association of Chief Police Officers said the latest numbers, based on a map of CCTV systems in Cheshire, were intended to ‘inject more rigorous figures into the debate’ over Britain as a surveillance state.
A widely quoted estimate of 4.2 million cameras in the UK was based on a 1.5km road in a busy shopping district and extrapolated out for the entire UK, he explained.
And the previous estimate that the ‘average Briton is caught on security cameras some 300 times a day was based on a fictional tour of CCTV hot-spots.
However, he admitted: ‘The figure of 1.85m is still a significant number of CCTV cameras.
‘I'm not saying for a minute that this doesn't mean that we don't have a lot of cameras.’
Mr Gerrard confirmed he was surprised to learn of other research which suggested the London underground network houses as many as 11,000 cameras.

Writing in CCTV Image, Mr Gerrard added: ‘Eight years after the 4.2 million figure was first published, we now have research that indicates that the figure is less than half this guesstimate.
‘We also know that unless you make a particular point of visiting as many CCTV hotspot areas as you can, you are unlikely to be captured on CCTV 300 times a day.'
He admitted the latest figures were still estimates, but said they showed the number of CCTV cameras in the UK to be around 1.85 million.
‘And the real figure for the number of times the average person is likely to be 'caught' on CCTV in a day is less than 70 - and most of these will be at your workplace or fleeting glimpses by cameras located in shops’.
However, Isabella Sankey, director of policy at the campaign group Liberty, said the figures would do little to allay concerns about surveillance in Britain.
‘Who cares if there is one camera or 10 on their street if that one camera is pointing into your living room?’ she asked the Guardian.
‘Concerns about CCTV are not a simple numbers game; what's required is proper legal regulation and proportionate use.’

Read More: Dailymail

More about → Shocking study reveals UK has one CCTV for every 32 people

After 5,300 years, Oetzi the iceman finally shows his face

After 5,300 years, Oetzi the iceman finally shows his face

He doesn't look half bad for a 5,300-year-old.

Since his discovery in 1991, Oetzi the iceman's true identity has been shrouded in myth and mystery. Just a faceless corpse that has embodied a bygone era of humankind.

But experts have finally worked out what the world's most famous natural mummy actually looked like.

Using 3D images of the corpse and forensic technology, two Dutch artists - Alfons and Adrie Kennis - painstakingly created a new Oetzi model.

But the one thing they couldn't determine was his natural eye colour. So they went with brown.

The model is on show at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy, alongside his mummified remains.

He was unearthed in September 1991 in the Eastern Alps near the Austro-Italian border by a couple of German tourists trekking through the Oetz Valley, after which he was named.

He was about 46 years old when he met his violent death.

Examinations revealed that he had been wounded by an arrow and possibly finished off with a mace blow to the face.

It is thought the arrow tore a hole in an artery beneath his left collarbone, leading to massive loss of blood - and the shock caused Oetzi to suffer a heart attack.

The fact that the arrow's shaft was pulled out before his death may have worsened the injury.

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The iceman has been crucial to our understanding of how prehistoric people lived, what they wore and even what they ate.

Researchers had previously suggested he was killed by a rival hunter after putting up a fight, and by examining the contents of his stomach, worked out that his final meal consisted of venison and ibex meat.

Archaeologists believe Oetzi, who was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper axe, may have been a hunter or warrior killed in a skirmish with a rival tribe.

Researchers say he was about 159cm tall (5ft 2.5in), 46 years old, arthritic and infested with whipworm, an intestinal parasite.

But he may not object to being immortalised in art, as he was apparently a fan himself with several carbon tattoos including groups of short, parallel, vertical lines behind his knees and around both ankles.

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Kim Kardashian takes a spectacular spill as her chair collapses beneath her

Kim Kardashian takes a spectacular spill as her chair collapses beneath her

She is usually so polished and put together.

But Kim Kardashian managed to completely lose her composure during a recent episode of Kim And Kourtney Take New York.

The reality star was visiting their new East coast Dash store to check on the refurbishments when she sat on a chair which had not been screwed together properly and it collapsed from underneath her.

The 30-year-old mogul ended up flat on her back on the floor with her legs in the air as her sister and the work crew looked on laughing.


Kourtney responded to the accident by chuckling to herself and saying: 'That was awesome.'

Kim saw the funny side and was laughing herself as she pulled herself off the floor and pulled herself together.

During the same episode, which aired last night, Kim had to say goodbye to Shengo, her Australian bodyguard turned boyfriend who had to return to his native country because his visa had expired.

Despite being distraught on the show, which was filmed several months ago, Kim has now moved on and this morning confirmed that she is now in a relationship with New Jersey Nets basketball player Kris Humphries.

Appearing on an episode of Rachel Ray with her mother Kris Jenner, Kim said she is 'not single' any more and then waved to the camera and said: 'Hi Kris!'

'I guess I’m just a hopeless romantic. As much as you want to try, I guess it’s not the worst resolution to break. I’m having a good time, I’m happy.'

Kim met Kris, 26, while living in New York filming her current reality show spin off.

The pair have never publicly admitted they were an item until now but have regularly been seen together over the past couple of months.

Read More: Dailymail

More about → Kim Kardashian takes a spectacular spill as her chair collapses beneath her

Kim Kardashian takes a spectacular spill as her chair collapses beneath her

Kim Kardashian takes a spectacular spill as her chair collapses beneath her

She is usually so polished and put together.

But Kim Kardashian managed to completely lose her composure during a recent episode of Kim And Kourtney Take New York.

The reality star was visiting their new East coast Dash store to check on the refurbishments when she sat on a chair which had not been screwed together properly and it collapsed from underneath her.

The 30-year-old mogul ended up flat on her back on the floor with her legs in the air as her sister and the work crew looked on laughing.


Kourtney responded to the accident by chuckling to herself and saying: 'That was awesome.'

Kim saw the funny side and was laughing herself as she pulled herself off the floor and pulled herself together.

During the same episode, which aired last night, Kim had to say goodbye to Shengo, her Australian bodyguard turned boyfriend who had to return to his native country because his visa had expired.

Despite being distraught on the show, which was filmed several months ago, Kim has now moved on and this morning confirmed that she is now in a relationship with New Jersey Nets basketball player Kris Humphries.

Appearing on an episode of Rachel Ray with her mother Kris Jenner, Kim said she is 'not single' any more and then waved to the camera and said: 'Hi Kris!'

'I guess I’m just a hopeless romantic. As much as you want to try, I guess it’s not the worst resolution to break. I’m having a good time, I’m happy.'

Kim met Kris, 26, while living in New York filming her current reality show spin off.

The pair have never publicly admitted they were an item until now but have regularly been seen together over the past couple of months.

Read More: Dailymail

More about → Kim Kardashian takes a spectacular spill as her chair collapses beneath her

Famous people killed in airplane disasters

Famous people killed in airplane disasters - Unfortunately, there are far to many famous people killed in airplane crashes and disasters. It seems like their celebrity and stardom does them no favors when something goes wrong with the pilot, the airplane or the weather.

Not sure if you are aware of it or not, but fifty years ago on February 15th, the United States figure skating team dies on Sabena Flight 548. It was a Boeing 707 plane. The plane was trying to land in Brussels when it crashed killing all 72 people on board and one on the ground. Aboard that flight was nine time champion, Maribel Vinson-Owen. “RISE”, Sabena flight 548 movie was made about the incident.
Famous people killed in airplane disasters

It was this unfortunate anniversary that brought me to thinking about this subject. Then I realized the number of celebrities and famous people that past in this manner. At the end of my list, I ask that you not only leave your comments, but also include those that I may have left off the list.
“We Are Marshall” 1970 plane crash

This was the tragic plane crash when the entire Marshall University Thundering Herd football team died. They were Southern airways flight 932 victims. There was a movie made by the name of “We Are Marshall” about the incident. Great movie and great program. They have returned their proud football tradition producing top talent and championships. Marshall University Thundering Herd football alums playing in the NFL, there are quite a few of them. Chad Pennington, Troy Brown, Randy Moss, Byron Leftwich Marshall University Thundering Herd players in the NFL. And by the looks of things, there are more on the way.

Aaliyah dies in plane crash

Aaliyah plane crash at the age of 22 caught people by surprise and was a real tragedy. She had just gotten her career to the heights of stardom when this happened. Here number one song “Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number” had widely been accepted and she was set to star in a new movie. The crash changed everything.

Aaaliyah’s parents lawsuit wrongful death was most out of frustration most believe. It had to be difficult to lose your daughter. Aaliyah’s parents settle crash lawsuits and moved on with their live.

There are many other cases when celebrities and famous plane crashes have occurred, but I want to get your input. What do you think of the list above and who should be added to it? Tell me your thoughts on Famous people killed in airplane disasters.
Read More: Therandomforest

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Bahrain crushes protest camp, locks down capital

MANAMA, Bahrain – Troops and tanks locked down the capital of this tiny Gulf kingdom after riot police swinging clubs and firing tear gas smashed into demonstrators, many of them sleeping, in a pre-dawn assault Thursday that uprooted their protest camp demanding political change. Medical officials said four people were killed.

Hours after the attack on Manama's main Pearl Square, the military announced a ban on gatherings, saying on state TV that it had "key parts" of the capital under its control.

After several days of holding back, the island nation's Sunni rulers unleashed a heavy crackdown, trying to stamp out the first anti-government upheaval to reach the Arab states of the Gulf since the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. In the surprise assault, police tore down protesters' tents, beating men and women inside and blasting some with shotgun sprays of birdshot.

It was a sign of how deeply the Sunni monarchy — and other Arab regimes in the Gulf — fear the repercussions of a prolonged wave of protests, led by members of the country's Shiite majority but also joined by growing numbers of discontented Sunnis.

Tiny Bahrain is a pillar of Washington's military framework in the region. It hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, which is a critical counterbalance to Iran. Bahrain's rulers and their Arab allies depict any sign of unrest among their Shiite populations as a move by neighboring Shiite-majority Iran to expand its clout in the region.

But the assault may only further enrage protesters, who before the attack had called for large rallies Friday. In the wake of the bloodshed, angry demonstrators chanted "the regime must go" and burned pictures of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa outside the emergency ward at Salmaniyah hospital, the main state medical facility.

"We are even angrier now. They think they can clamp down on us, but they have made us angrier," Makki Abu Taki, whose son was killed in the assault, shouted in the hospital morgue. "We will take to the streets in larger numbers and honor our martyrs. The time for Al Khalifa has ended."

The Obama administration expressed alarm over the violent crackdown. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Bahrain's foreign minister to register Washington's "deep concern" and urge restraint. Similar criticism came from Britain and the European Union.
Read More: Yahoo

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Couple reluctantly steps forward to claim lottery winnings

You'd think that the news that you'd won the lottery would galvanize you to pick up the check--and probably quit your job--with all deliberate haste. Not so for North Carolina lottery winners Raleigh and Erin Hill of North Carolina who waited until the day before the ticket expired to cash on their winnings.

Even though they learned of their good fortune a few weeks after the Aug. 20 announcement of the winning North Carolina Mega-Millions lottery ticket, the Hills put off claiming the proceeds from their million-dollar winning ticket. Instead they spent the next six months or so hiding the ticket away in an assortment of places--inside a Bible, a shoebox, an envelope and a work locker.

Why the delayed gratification? It certainly wasn't the case that they live in such opulence that they could take or leave their winnings. Raleigh, who bought the ticket, is a baggage handler, and Erin works for the federal government. No, it appears that the couple was haunted by a sense of unease over the many families who've won a lottery windfall only to see it destroy their lives and relationships.

Raleigh was so fearful of "the hoopla," in fact, that he waited several weeks before telling his wife that he had the winning ticket. And then one day, when she was fretting about having an awful day, he let her in on his secret. "Things aren't all that bad," he told her after leaving the winning ticket on her computer screen.

Indeed, public reticence now seems to be the new vogue among big-ticket lottery winners. Last month, Holly Lahti, a 29-year-old single mother from Idaho, came forward to claim "a $190 million Mega Millions jackpot, but vanished just as promptly from the public eye after the nine-figure payday had passed.

However, Lahti had some distressingly concrete reasons to retire from the spotlight. According to press reports, she had never divorced or legally separated from her long-estranged husband, Josh Lahti--potentially entitling him under state law to a share of her winnings. The couple had both been arrested in a 2003 domestic dispute, and John Lahti reportedly had several run-ins with the law for alleged physical abuse of his wife.

As for the Hills, they took their money in a lump sum, each receiving $340,000 after taxes. At a press conference to announce the winnings, they hinted that they might use the money to buy a new house and take a trip to Ireland, where Erin's ancestors hail from. At which point, presumably, they will resume their lives in comparative anonymity.
Read More: Yahoo

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Ousted regimes

Egyptian protesters celebrated in the streets when President Hosni Mubarak decided to step down after 30 years in power. Get the latest news about his departure. Who is in control now? In honor of this historic moment, we take a look at other regimes that have been toppled.

President Zine el Abidine ben Ali
Country: Tunisia
Time in power: 1987-2011

Ben Ali was appointed to lead the tiny nation of Tunisia after another leader was declared unfit to fulfill his presidential duties. Under Ben Ali’s leadership, Tunisia had several controversies, including the high-profile arrest of a journalist and riots over unemployment that led to his ouster. The small country’s uprising is said to have sparked Egyptians to take a stand for their rights.

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
Country: Iran
Time in power: 1941-1979

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s ouster was led by the Iranian Revolution. His reign was often criticized for his relationship with the United States and economic shortages. The overthrow allowed an infamous dictator to return to Iran after years in exile. How old was the Shah when he died?

Saddam Hussein
Country: Iraq
Time in power: 1979-2003

Hussein served as president during several crises, including the Iran-Iraq war and the Persian Gulf War. His reign came to an end 2003 after George W. Bush claimed that Hussein was hiding weapons of mass destruction. The United States invaded Iraq and Hussein was captured. Three years later, he was executed.

Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh
Country: Iran
Time in power: 1951-53

Mossadegh was overthrown in a rift with Britain. His biggest claim to fame was the nationalization of the Iranian oil industry. A dispute over oil led to protests in 1952 and heightened tensions with Britain. It also fueled other fears. What happened to Mossadegh?Who succeeded him?

Jacobo Arbenz Guzman
Country: Guatemala
Time in power: 1951-54

Arbenz was overthrown in the 1954 Guatemalan coup d’etat , which was organized by the CIA as fears of Communism heightened.  Arbenz ultimately resigned and the CIA launched another operation to get proof that Guatemala was a rising Soviet state.  Who replaced him?


Prime Minister Pol Pot
Country: Cambodia
Time in power: 1976-79

The infamous dictator  was responsible for the deaths of nearly 2 million people. The number of deaths led to Cambodia being tainted with a gruesome nickname. His high-profile conflict with a neighboring country ultimately led to his ouster. Pol Pot died under house arrest, but rumors persist about the nature of his death.


Czar Nicholas II
Country: Russia
Time in power: 1894-1917

Czar Nicholas II was overthrown in the February Revolution, although it happened in March. He received a gruesome nickname because of the Khodynka Tragedy and Bloody Sunday. His removal prompted the end of an empire, the beginning of another and the start of a war

Prime Minister Benito Mussolini
Country: Italy
Time in power: 1922-43

Mussolini is known as one of the fathers of fascism  His official title was not modest. He often had a contentious relationship with another dictator, but later joined forces against Britain and France in World War II. Ironically, it was his former colleagues who overthrew him. What happened to him?

Prime Minister Ion Antonescu
Country: Romania
Time in power: 1940-44

Antonescu created a fascist dictatorship, which also supported the Axis Powers. While he won support for domestic reforms, he was known as the mastermind behind a brutal massacre. He was overthrown in 1944 and later executed for war crimes. What was one of his famous last quotes?

President Idi Amin
Country: Uganda
Time in power: 1971-79

Amin was known as one of the most brutal dictators that Africa has ever seen. The number of people killed under his rule ranges from 100,000 to 500,000. The arrogant leader dubbed himself this royal nickname . On April 11, 1979, he fled the Ugandan capital as liberation forces moved in. He died in 2003 in Saudi Arabia.


President Slobodan Milosevic
Country: Yugoslavia
Time in power: 1997-2000

Milosevic, who earned this dubious honor, resigned after demonstrators protested the 2000 presidential election. Shortly after his resignation, he was arrested for embezzlement and later ordered to stand trial for war crimes. Who represented him at his trial? The trial ended without a verdict.

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