Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Americanpopstar,Beyonce,has dedicatedone ofher songsduringaconcertheldlast nightlateactorPaulWalker.
The worldoffilmandlovers ofaction movieswere shockedwhen they learnedofthe deathof the actoron Sundayforthe"Fast&Furious",who diedinan accident.

And,feltcompassion forevenBeyonce.Shehasheldaconcertlast nightat the Staples CenterLosAngeleswhereperformedherhitsbigger.

At one pointraisedpublicBeyoncewalkingwhen he said thatthe song"I WillAlwaysLove You"isthe lateactorascribes.

PaulWalkerdiedat age 40,andleft behinda15 year old girl
Beyonce ia kushton “I Will Always Love You” aktorit Paul Walker
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Pop ylli amerikan, Beyonce, ia ka kushtuar një prej këngëve të saj gjatë një koncerti të mbajtur mbrëmë aktorit të ndjerë, @Beyonce dedicates "I Will Always Love You" actor Paul WalkerPaul Walker
Bota e filmit dhe dashamirët e filmave aksion u shokuan kur mësuan të dielën për vdekjen e aktorit të “Fast & Furious”, i cili ndërroi jetë në një aksident.

Dhe, dhembshuri për të ka ndjerë edhe Beyonce. Ajo ka mbajtur një koncert mbrëmë në Staples Center të Los Angelesit ku performoi hitet e saj më të mëdha.

Në një moment Beyonce ngriti publikun në këmbë kur tha se këngën “I Will Always Love You” po ia dedikon aktorit të ndjerë.

Paul Walker vdiq në moshën 40 vjeçare, dhe ka lënë pas një vajzë 15 vjeçare
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A video published on the internet shows that an elephant has the ability to perform on the piano.
Pianist Paul Barton elephants made ​​music since 1996, but says he has only played until Peter joined elephant during a visit made ​​in Thailand. Even a smaller elephant, named Moo, is involved with some 'dancing' rhythmic.

Barton said that Peter's reaction to the music was a natural phenomenon. "Some elephants have extraordinary sensitivity to rhythm," he said.

Apart from music, scientists say that elephants feel the love and suffering, much as humans.
Elefanti dhe pianoja (Video)
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Një video e publikuar në internet tregon se një elefant ka aftësi që të performojë në piano.
Pianisti Paul Barton u ka bërë muzikë elefantëve që nga viti 1996, mirëpo thotë se ka luajtur vetëm deri kur elefanti Peter iu bashkua gjatë një vizite që pati në Tajlandë. Edhe një elefant më i vogël, i quajtur Soi, është përfshirë me disa ‘vallëzime’ ritmike.

Barton ka thënë se reagimi i Peter ndaj muzikës ishte një dukuri natyrore. “Disa elefantë kanë ndjeshmëri të jashtëzakonshme për ritmin”, ka deklaruar ai.

Përveç muzikës, shkencëtarët thonë se elefantët ndjejnë edhe dashuri dhe vuajtje, ngjashëm sikur njerëzit.
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extra-1

extra 21. Barack Obama, President i Shteteve të Bashkuara
Pas diplomimit në Columbia University në vitin 1983 për shkenca politika, Obama u zhvendos në Çikago ku ndihmoi në rimëkëmbjen e komuniteteve me të ardhura të ulëta në South Side, zonë që ishte goditur ekonomikisht nga mbyllja e uzinave të çelikut. Përpara se të regjistrohej në Harvard Law School në vitin 1988, Obama iu përkushtua botës së tij shpirtërore si dhe bëri disa udhëtime. Së pari u lidh me kishën “Trinity United Church” e më pas shkoi në Kenya për t’u takuar me të afërmit e tij.
Kuriozitete: Obama kaloi dy vjet në Los Angeles përpara se të transferohej në Columbia University për të përfunduar studimet. Thuhet se gjatë viteve të adoleshencës ka pirë alkool, marihuanë dhe kokainë “për të larguar nga mendja pyetjet se kush isha.”
extra-32. Vladimir Putin, president i Rusisë
Që përpara se të mbaronte universitetin, Putini aspironte të merrej me spiunazh. Pas marrjes së diplomës në katedrën e drejtësisë pranë Universitetit shtetëror të Leningradit, ai shkoi të punonte për agjencitë e sigurimit të shtetit, KGB-në. Fillimisht ai u punësua si sekretar, pastaj kaloi në seksionin e kundërspiunazhit e më pas punoi për PGU-në, divizionin e operacioneve të jashtme, ku u caktua të mbante nën vëzhgim të huaj dhe punonjës të konsullatave të huaja.
Kuriozitet: Flitet se gjatë periudhës së universitetit, Putini e kalonte kohën e lirë duke u marrë me xhudo.
3. Anxhela Merkel, kancelarja e parë femër e Gjermanisë. 
Merkel takoi burrin e saj të parë, Ulrich, gjatë kohës kur studionin bashkë për fizikë në Universitetin e Leipzig-ut në vitin 1974, kur ajo ishte vetëm 20 vjeç. Ata u martuan në vitin 1977 dhe një ndër arsyet ishte fakti që nëse donin të jetonin së bashku, duhet të zbatonin rregullat e vëna nga regjimi në fuqi. Gjatë periudhës së studimeve ajo iu bashkangjit projektit të ndërmarrë nga disa studentë për rindërtimin e rrënojave të Moritzbastei-t, në Leipzig, projekt që synonte krijimin e një klubi studentor dhe qendre argëtimi, iniciativë kjo e paparë në Gjermaninë Lindore të asaj kohe, ndaj dhe fillimisht u kundërshtua nga Universiteti. Gjatë periudhës së studimeve, Merkel punonte dhe si bartender dhe jetonte me të shoqin në një dhomë shumë të vogël ku banjon e ndanin me të tjerë.
Kuriozitete: Merkel u nda nga burri i parë në vitin 1982 dhe në vitin 1998 u martua me një profesor kimije, Joachim Sauer, me të cilin vazhdon të jetë e martuar dhe sot e kësaj dite. Thuhet se në mbrëmjet e universitetit i pëlqente të pinte lëng qershije dhe vodka.
4. Bashar al-Assad, presidenti i Sirisë
extra-4Assad i kaloi fillimet e të njëzetave duke studiuar mjekësi në Universitetin e Damaskut, ku u diplomua në vitin 1988. Gjatë kohës që punonte për t’u bërë doctor dhe kryente stazhin për okulistikë pranë spitalit ushtarak të Tishreen-it në dalje të Damaskut, Assad-i nuk kishte në plan të merrej me politikë. Vëllai i tij i madh Bassel-i, ishte i pari në radhë për të zënë vendin e babait, ish-presidentit sirian Hafez al-Assad. Kur Bassel-i vdiq në një aksident automobilistik, Bashar-it u bë automatikisht pretendenti i radhës për postin e të jatit.
Kuriozitet: Assad-i shërbeu si doktor ushtarak në Damask dhe më pas lëvizi në Londër. Ai nuk kishte as qëllimin më të vogël të rikthehej menjëherë në Siri si dhe asnjë aspiratë për t’u marrë me politikë.
5. Benjamin Netanyahu, kryeministri i Izraelit 
extra-5Netanyahu iu bashkua radhëve të forcave ushtarake izraelite përpara se të mbushte 20 vjeç, duke shërbyer pranë njësisë elitare të Forcave të Mbrojtjes. Mori pjesë në disa operacione të njohura ushtarake, përfshirë këtu dhe “Operacionin Izotop” të vitit 1972, emri i koduar i operacionit të shpëtimi të një avioni pasagjerësh të marrë peng nga 4 terroristë palestinezë. Netanyahu kaloi fillimet e të njëzetave në Shtetet e Bashkuara, ku studioi arkitekturë dhe administrim biznesi në Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Kuriozitet: Netanyahu nisi dhe i dha fund karrierës së tij me forcat speciale të Izraelit pa mbushur ende të 30-at. Ai mori pjesë në një numër operacionesh komando përfshirë dhe një sulm rrufe në brendësi të Sirisë.
6. David Cameron, kryeministër i Mbretësirë së Bashkuar
extra-6Pasi përfundoi studimet në Brasenose College, Oxford me rezultate të shkëlqyera, Cameron i kaloi pesë vitet në vijim duke punuar për “Conservative Research Department” (departament brenda strukturës organizative të Partisë Konservatore që merret me trajnimin e udhëheqësve të ardhshëm të kësaj partie), ku u shqua për talent dhe punë të palodhur. Gjatë periudhës së kolegjit ai ka qenë anëtar i klubit studentor “The Bullingdon Club” –i njohur për festat e zhurmshme ku pihej alkool me shumicë si dhe për prapësitë në kampus.
Kuriozitet: Zoti Cameron ka refuzuar të flasë për kohën kur frekuentonte klubin studentor “The Bullingdon Club”. Anëtarët e këtij klubit prej vitesh njihen për aktet e vandalizmit nëpër restorante si dhe për rrëmujat e shkaktuara në dhomat e studentëve.
7. Kim Jong-un, udhëheqësi suprem i Koresë së Veriut
extra-7Një pjesë e mirë e jetës së Kim Jong-un-it, kur ishte ende në moshë të re – madje dhe viti i lindjes (që zyrtarisht është1982, por qarkullojnë zëra që viti mund të jetë zgjedhur në mënyrë simbolike) – është e veshur me mister. Ai ndoqi Akademinë ushtarake Kim Il-sung, dhe presupozohet që filloi të shoqëronte të jatin Kim Jong-il (“Udhëheqës i Dashur”), në inspektimet ushtarake në terren përpara se të mbushte 30 vjeç. Ndërsa shëndeti i të jatit keqësohej, Kim-i u rrit në përgjegjësi duke u bërë gjeneral me 4 yje, zëvendës kryetar i Komisionit Qendror Ushtarak të Partisë së Punëtorëve dhe anëtar i Komitetit Qendror – gjithë kjo në harkun kohor prej disa orësh në vitin 2010, gjatë një mbledhjeje të Partisë së Punëtorëve.
Kuriozitete: Kur studionte në një boarding school (shkollë me konvikt) në Zvicër, Kim-i luajti në shfaqjen që organizoi shkolla të “Grease” (një musical që u bë dhe film i famshëm i Hollyëood-it me John Travolta-n). Gjithashtu ai ka qenë tifoz i çmendur i Chicago Bulls. Adhuronte Dennis Rodamn-in me të cilën arriti të takohej në vitin 2012, kur ylli i basketbollit bëri një udhëtim paksa të çuditshëm në Korenë e Veriut.
 8. Hassan Rouhani, presidenti i Iran-it
extra-8

Pasi u diplomua në Universitetin e Teheranit – ku studimet i pagoi vetë – Rouhani nisi udhëtimet nëpër Iran ku mbajti fjalime kundër-shahut dhe pro-Ayatollah Khomeini-t. Nuk është aspak për t’u çuditur që ky aktivitet u bë shkak që të largohej nga vendi dhe të shkonte në Francë ku gjendej si azilant dhe vetë Khomeini. Pavarësisht nga titulli fetar që kishte hojatoleslam, (rang i mesëm në hierarkinë fetare të Islamit Shiite), Rouhani u arrestua shumë herë në vitet e fundit të të njëzetave, për shkak të besnikërisë ndaj Khomeini-t.
Kuriozitet: Rouhani ka studiuar në Skoci. Thuhet se flet rrjedhshëm persisht, anglisht dhe arabisht si dhe ka njohuri të frëngjishtes, gjermanishtes dhe rusishtes.
9. Xi Jinping, sekretar i përgjithshëm i Partisë Komuniste të Kinës 
Xi Jinping, djali i Xi Zhongxun, një ndër themeluesit e Partisë Komuniste, kaloi adoleshencën e tij të vonë dhe fillimet e të njëzetave duke punuar në fshatin e largët Liangjiahe, ashtu si shumica e “rinisë intelektuale” të kohës. Presupozohet që në atë kohë ai jetonte në një guvë dhe dhe kalonte kohën duke përvetësuar virtutet e fshatarëve. Një ndër arsyet pse shkoi në fshat ishte dhe fakti që i ati nuk i kishte punët mirë me Mao Zedong-un i cili e kishte burgosur gjatë periudhës së spastrimeve në parti që shoqëruan Revolucionin Kulturor. Më vonë Xi studioi inxhinieri kimike në Universitetin Tsinghua në Beijing si dhe u diplomua në teori marksiste dhe edukim ideologjik.
Kuriozitet: Deri në moshën 22 vjeçare Xi punoi si fermer në Provincën Shaanxi. Ai është i pari udhëheqës komunist kinez që flet një mandarin (forma standarte zyrtare dhe letrare e kinezçes që bazohet në dialektin e Beijing-ut) të pastër dhe pa aksent province.
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A passenger train has derailed in the area of Bronx, New York in the United States and by the American media at least four people were killed and many others injured.

Five of the seven carriages of the train were derailed by the Transportation Authority of New York.
The Hudson Line Railroad's been suspended for the moment in the scene after emergency services arrived.
Fire Department of New York has announced that the accident occurred at 7:20 am local time and that 130 firefighters are at the scene.


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Një tren pasagjerësh ka dalë nga shinat në zonën e Bronksit, në Nju Jork të Shteteve të Bashkuara të Amerikës dhe sipas mediave amerikane të paktën 4 persona kanë humbur jetën e shumë të tjerë janë plagosur. 

Pesë nga shtatë vagonat e këtij treni kanë dalë nga shinat sipas Autoritetit të Transportit të Nju Jorkut
Linja Hekurudhore e Hudson-it është pezulluar për momentin pasi në vendngjarje kanë mbërritur shërbimet e emergjencës.
Departamenti i Zjarrfikësve të Nju Jorkut ka njoftuar se aksidenti ka ndodhur në orën 07:20 me orën lokale dhe se 130 zjarrfikës ndodhen në vendngjarje.
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Thousands of volunteers , television crews and even U.S. President Barack Obama , have come together to fulfill the desire of five years Scott Miles , who suffers from leukemia . His desire was to become Batman , respectively Batkid , for just one day . Thus , San Francisco returned to Gotham City , NY Daily News writes . Read the story that touched the hearts not only of Americans . Below find the link of his desire , for which Telegraph reported on Nov

Police closed the main road so Miles , while ridding the city , cheered by thousands of citizens and that in " every country crime

Police closed the main road so Miles , while ridding the city , cheered by thousands of citizens and that in " every country crime

The action began when Police Chief Greg Suhr , through the small screen called the Batkidit .


                 Batkid immediately responded and joined Batman to save the city .

He even had to " extinguish " the bomb replica plastic , to vacate a woman . Even though it was not easy , in the end it turned out , and the audience followed by applause and calls .
s not the end . Batkid managed to convince thieves who wanted to steal a vault in the center of town, so the town chief thanked on behalf of the city .


Miles for bravery was praised by President Obama , who sent a message through the network Vinea ( click here ) , while the network through Twitter earlier invited all to attend .
t forget Miles fights leukemia five years when he turns 18 months . Even though he was in therapy , is currently in remission .
The humanitarian organization Make- A- Wish has fulfilled desire . This event is attended by all the world's media and citizens
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A US senator has said that an estimated 4,700 people have been killed in America's secretive drone war, the first time a government official has offered a total number of fatalities caused by nearly a decade of drone strikes, local media reported.
Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of the drone raids, revealed the figure in a speech on Wednesday in his home state of South Carolina.
"We've killed 4,700," Graham was quoted as saying by the Easley Patch, a local website covering the small town of Easley. "Sometimes you hit innocent people, and I hate that, but we're at war, and we've taken out some very senior members of al-Qaeda," he told the local Rotary Club.
Graham's office did not dispute his reported remarks, but said that he had not divulged any classified information.
A spokesman told the AFP news agency that the senator "quoted the figure that has been publicly reported and disseminated on cable news."
US officials have sometimes hinted at estimates of civilian casualties, but never referred to an actual total body count.
"Now this is the first time a US official has put a total number on it," said Micah Zenko, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
'Tactical weapon'
If there was an official death toll estimate, it would be classified as secret, he added, raising the prospect that Graham could have broken secrecy laws.
Several organizations have tried to calculate how many militants and civilians may have been killed in drone strikes since 2004 but have arrived at a wide range of numbers.
The figure cited by Graham matches the high end of a tally by the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism. It says the number killed in drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia is between 3,072 and 4,756.
The Washington-based New America Foundation says there have been 350 US drone strikes since 2004, most of them during Barack Obama's presidency. And the foundation estimates the death toll at between 1,963 and 3,293, with 261 to 305 civilians killed.
US intelligence agencies and the White House have refused to divulge details about the strikes, which are officially termed classified, but officials have suggested that few if any civilians have been killed inadvertently.
In confirmation hearings this month for John Brennan, Obama's nominee to lead the CIA, senator Dianne Feinstein said she understood that the number of civilians killed was in the "single digits."
Despite criticism from lawmakers and rights advocates who have questioned the secrecy and the legality of the drone attacks, Graham defended Obama's reliance on the unmanned, robotic aircraft. "It's a weapon that needs to be used," Graham said. "It's a tactical weapon. A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is now armed."
The Obama administration has insisted the "targeted killings" are "a last resort" against those plotting to attack the United States but who cannot be captured.
Opponents, however, say drone strikes amount to extrajudicial assassinations that sow resentment among local populations and lack oversight by Congress or courts.
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Japan's new conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has arrived in the United States for a White House meeting with President Barack Obama.

Abe, who was elected in December, is seeking to reinforce the longstanding US-Japan alliance at a time of high regional tension stoked by a Japan-China territorial dispute and a North Korean nuclear test.

He arrived at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington where he will meet Obama on Friday.

The two leaders will also discuss economic ties, including an Asian trade deal.
The Obama administration will be gauging Japan's intent to join a trans-Pacific trade agreement that is under negotiation.
"US President Barack [Obama] remains supportive of the peaceful effort to find diplomatic resolution to outstanding issues of territorial claims"
- Danny Russel, Obama adviser on Asia
Abe plans to appeal to Obama for wider access to cheaper exports of US shale gas, Japanese media reported earlier in the week.
Abe's office would not confirm those reports.
Abe took office in December pledging to boost the economy by restoring Japan's export competitiveness, while at the same time stimulating demand at home through higher public works spending.
He also has promised to push ahead with politically tough reforms needed to sustain growth in the longer term, though such efforts have not made much headway in the past.
Abe is the fifth Japanese prime minister during Obama's time in office.
Danny Russel, Obama's top adviser on Asia, said the US wanted a diplomatic solution to ease tensions but also reiterated a veiled warning to China over contested islands in the East China Sea.
Obama "remains supportive of the peaceful efforts to find diplomatic resolution to outstanding issues of territorial claims," Russel told reporters.

Russel said that the US wanted to avoid "miscalculation" between China and Japan, saying that the world's second and third largest economies were leading a region that is "the driver of growth and dynamism".
'Critical'
Abe's visit comes one month after then-secretary of state Hillary Clinton stepped up the tone, warning Beijing not to challenge Japan's control over the islands known as the Senkakus in Japanese and the Diaoyu in Chinese.
The remarks by Clinton, a forceful advocate for a greater US focus on Asia, triggered by a reprimand from China but heartened Abe's government which has counted on a united front with the US.
Growing tensions between Japan and China over a territorial dispute are expected to top agenda [Reuters]
In an interview with The Washington Post ahead of his trip, Abe voiced hope that the US alliance - and the presence of 47,000 American troops on Japanese soil under a security treaty - would send a message to China.
"It is important for us to have them recognise that it is impossible to try to get in their way by coercion or intimidation," Abe said.

"In that regard, the Japan-US alliance, as well as the US presence, would be critical."
China contests Japan's historical claims in the area and voiced anger after Japan last year nationalised the islands, a move Abe's predecessor said was meant to avert a more provocative proposal.
Officials said that the two leaders would also look to show a common front on North Korea, which carried out its third nuclear test on February 12 despite pressure form virtually all nations including its main ally China.
Abe, who previously served as prime minister from 2006-7, has throughout his career been known as a "hawk" on North Korea and has been hesitant over periodic attempts by Washington to reach out to the communist state.
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 wide-reaching winter storm is causing or expected to cause massive travel headaches from Colorado to West Virginia to New Hampshire over the next four days. The storm – with snow, freezing rain, and some thunderstorms – will hit metropolitan areas such as Albany, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, Little Rock, St Louis, and Springfield, Massachusetts.

First part of the storm (through Friday)

Storm map 2

A primary low pressure system is dropping healthy snow amounts over the middle of the country. Highest snowfall will be contained in south-eastern Nebraska, north-eastern Kansas, and north-western Missouri, which will receive up to and perhaps just greater than a foot.

The main story here for snow is how many states will meet winter storm warning criteria (usually over 6in in this geographical area) over the next 48 hours. Snow amounts of over 6in will be expected to fall over six states including Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. More than 4in can be expected in the south-eastern part of South Dakota, Michigan's upper peninsula, and pretty much the whole of Wisconsin.

Most of the snow from this part of the storm is expected to fall over the next 24 hours. The exceptions are the northern part of Wisconsin, including Green Bay, and most of Michigan, including Marquette, where snow will likely linger into Saturday.

The snow is expected to mix with sleet and freezing rain along the southern part of the storm system. St Louis and Springfield will see snow amounts of around 3-6in. The snow should mix with and change to sleet and freezing rain. Farther to the south and east freezing rain is likely to be the big story.


The freezing rain will be the most dangerous part of the storm. It is caused by snow that melts on its way to the surface and then freezes on contact with the surface. It differs from sleet, which is snow that melts and refreezes into little ice pellets on its way to the surface. Any ice that forms from freezing rain can create treacherous travel conditions and knock out power lines.

Freezing rain amounts of up to and perhaps over half an inch is expected to fall over the next 24 hours in northern Arkansas – where ice storm warnings are in effect – and southern Missouri. Thunderstorms are likely along this southern front as warm Gulf air mixes with cold air from the north. It's possible that hail, which is not a wintry form of precipitation, actually mixes in with the freezing rain.

Lower amounts of freezing rain will spread eastward from the heaviest batch. Accumulations of over a tenth of an inch will expand eastward to central Indiana, southwestern Ohio, and eastern West Virginia over the next two days. Though amounts will be small, any freezing accumulation on roads should not be taken lightly.

Second part of the storm (Saturday into Sunday)

The main low pressure affecting the middle of the country is going to die over the next 48 hours, because it will run into a wall of high pressure in central Canada. In response, a secondary lower pressure system will form along the eastern seaboard on Saturday.

Most of the major cities in the north-east will get mostly rain or nothing at all. New York and Philadelphia are not in line for any real accumulation. Washington DC could be the exception, with some sleet on Friday thanks to the weakening primary in the midwest.

The real action will be in central New York state and interior New England, where amounts of over a foot and perhaps up 2ft could fall. I feel fairly safe in saying that cities such as Albany, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Springfield, Massachusetts are going to get socked on Saturday into Sunday. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is printing out around a foot by Sunday morning, with possibly more snow through the day.

The question zone is likely to be from the Hartford-to-Boston axis. With no true high pressure source to the north, warm air from the south will try and invade Hartford. Any snow could mix with sleet, and perhaps become rain. Boston could see a strong eastern wind that could bring in rain and keep amounts down.
Storm map

The jackpot zone is going to be in an area that manages to stay cold enough for snow, and close enough to the main precipitation shield. At this point, I'd guess it to be in a triangle from Greenfield, Massachusetts to Keene, New Hampshire to Worcester, Massachusetts. This is not an area that needs it, after a blizzard at the beginning of the month.

Importantly, we are still 48 to 72 hours out from when the secondary low pressure system will have its greatest impact. The exact location of the rain/snow line and heaviest snow amounts are still to be determined.

What we can say is that whatever area gets hit hardest will need more than one shovel to dig itself out.

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Teams with cadaver dogs are searching the scene of a huge fire that destroyed a restaurant and left at least 14 people injured.





Rescue teams with cadaver dogs are searching through the rubble of a Kansas City restaurant after a gas explosion sparked a massive blaze.
At least 14 people were injured in the fire in an upscale shopping district in the city in Missouri, which completely destroyed JJ's restaurant.
No fatalities were immediately reported but at least one woman who worked at the restaurant was still missing.
A man who had previously been unaccounted for has now been found.
Fire Chief Paul Berardi said several patrons were likely inside the restaurant when it went up in flames, and cadaver dogs were brought in to help sift through the charred debris.
"We are concerned that there may be additional people that were not able to get out of the structure," he said, adding that the blaze erupted during happy hour.
"I would always fear there are fatalities in a scene like this."
He said results of the search would take hours.
The blaze occurred shortly after 6pm local time.
Images showed dozens of firefighters battling the blaze that spread through a number of buildings including shops, restaurants, flats and offices.
City Manager Troy Schulte said it appeared an accident by a utility contractor had caused the blast, and a statement from utility Missouri Gas Energy late Tuesday reiterated that possibility.
Mr Berardi said there had been reports of a strong smell of gas before the fire, but he stressed the cause was still being investigated.
St Luke's Hospital was treating eight people, including one who had suffered extensive burns, officials said.
The University of Kansas Hospital was treating six people injured in the blast, including one in serious condition, according to spokesman Bob Hallinan. They had all suffered traumatic injuries, including broken bones, rather than burns or smoke inhalation.
The shopping area was established in 1922 by J.C. Nichols. Based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, it includes retail shops, restaurants, apartments and offices.
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    FOR MY SELF I BELIVE IN ALIENS BUT DONT HAVE ANY FACT`S


     IF U HAVE ANY FACT , SHARE WITH AS , LEAVE AT THE COMMENT BOX
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North Korea could be almost ready to carry out its threat to conduct a nuclear test, a U.S. research institute said, pointing to recent satellite photos.
The images of the Punggye-ri site where nuclear tests were conducted in 2006 and 2009 reveal that over the past month roads have been kept clear of snow and that North Koreans may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.
But it remains difficult to discern North Korea's true intentions as a test would be conducted underground.
The analysis was provided Friday to The Associated Press by 38 North, the website of U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. The latest image was taken Wednesday.
North Korea's powerful National Defense Commission declared its plans Thursday after the U.N. Security Council tightened sanctions in response to a December long-range rocket launch. It described it as part of a "new phase" of combat with the United States, which retains 28,000 troops in South Korea and which it blames for leading the U.N. bid to punish Pyongyang.
The North said a nuclear test was part of "upcoming" action but did not say exactly when or where it would take place.
38 North concludes that the Punggye-ri site, in the country's northeast, "appears to continue to be at a state of readiness that would allow the North to move forward with a test in a few weeks or less once the leadership in Pyongyang gives the order."
South Korean media have cited intelligence officials as saying technical preparations appear complete and the North could be ready to test within days of making a decision to do so.
U.S. officials confirmed Friday that the U.S. has seen some trucks moving around the site. One official said the U.S. is not ruling out that the test could happen in the near future.
But the officials cautioned that, as in previous tests, because it would be done underground, the U.S. may not know much before it actually happens. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss intelligence matters publicly.
In 2006, North Korea detonated a nuclear device just six days after it announced its plans to do so, and in 2009, 26 days after the announcement. Both tests came weeks after the U.N. Security Council had condemned it for long-range rocket launches.
"While the test site appears to continue to be at a high state of readiness, it's anyone's guess when a detonation might occur. The North Koreans may do it tomorrow, some other day or they may decide to wait until a meaningful date like Kim Jong Il's birthday on February 16th," said Joel Wit, a former U.S. State Department official and the editor of 38 North.
Anniversaries related to members of North Korea's ruling dynasty, such as former leader Kim Jong Il who died in December 2011, are marked with great fanfare in the authoritarian nation.
In its assessment of the preparations at Punggye-ri, 38 North noted that there was considerable snowfall there in November 2012. It said subsequent clearing operations as well as tracks in the snow in the remote area reveal activity at buildings and on roads near the possible test tunnel.
A satellite image taken Jan. 4 shows 30 or more personnel, possibly soldiers or security guards, in formation in the yard of the main administrative buildings at the site.
A Dec. 24 image shows a pile of material in the same yard. Its purpose is uncertain but it could be intended for sealing the tunnel. By the time of Wednesday's photo, the pile has shrunk, which could indicate operations have begun to seal the tunnel, according to the analysis.

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The hacker-activist group Anonymous is claiming responsibility for taking down a government website Saturday. NPR's Giles Snyder reports for our Newscast unit:
"The group says it hijacked the website of the U.S. sentencing commission to avenge the death ofAaron Swartz, the Internet activist who committed suicide earlier this month. The hackers also claim to have infiltrated several government computers and are threatening to make secret information public."
Family and friends blamed federal prosecutors for aggressively pursuing Swartz for allegedly downloading millions of academic articles with the intention of distributing them for free, Snyder says. Just 26 at the time of his death, Swartz was a co-founder of the social media website Reddit.
Instead of the agency's home page, the group posted a message saying a line had been crossed. They claim to have "infiltrated several government computer systems and is threatening to make public secret information," Snyder says.
As of this writing, pages at http://www.ussc.gov/ are still not available.
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Apple has been overtaken as the most valuable company in the world - by its old rival Exxon Mobil - after the iPhone and iPad maker saw its stock price fall.
Exxon Mobil is now the largest US publicly-traded company by market value - roughly a year after losing the title to Apple.
Apple's stock has kept on declining since it released its earnings report on Wednesday.
It dropped 2% on Friday to $441.30 (£279.36) for a market capitalisation of $414.5bn (£262.4bn).
Exxon Mobil, meanwhile, gained 13 cents to $91.48 (£57.91) and has a market capitalisation of $417bn (£264bn).
Apple's earnings results suggested that its phase of fast growth - which is rare for a company of its size - may be coming to an end.
On Thursday, the stock saw its biggest one-day percentage drop since 2008.
Apple's market capitalisation has now fallen by about $250bn (£158bn) - roughly the market value of Google - since hitting a high last September, when the stock traded above $700 (£443).
Mobil petrol station in Chiocago
Exxon Mobil runs the Mobil chain of petrol stations as well as refineries
Apple first surpassed multinational oil and gas firm Exxon in the summer of 2011.
The two companies swapped places that autumn, until Apple surpassed Exxon for good in early 2012 before their latest reversal of fortunes.
"Apple was clearly a momentum stock," said Kim Forrest, a senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group.
"Whenever the numbers behind momentum stocks stop, the momentum players are out and the stock tumbles."
Nevertheless, Apple still managed to ship a record 47.8 million iPhones in the December quarter, up 29% from a year earlier.
However, that lagged behind the 50 million phones that analysts on average had projected.
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A 17-year-old who shot dead his mother and sister wrote about how he was inspired by the "at ease" horror movie serial killer.






A Texas teenager has confessed to police that he shot his mother and sister after repeatedly watching a horror film about a boy who kills without remorse.
Newly released evidence in the case includes a four-page document handwritten by Jake Evans.
In it he calmly explained how he planned to kill several members of his family last October - inspired by the 2007 remake of the horror classic Halloween.
The film is about a young boy who knifes to death his sister and others, and escapes a mental hospital years later to continue killing as an adult.
Halloween Poster
Jake Evans repeatedly watched the 2007 remake of Halloween
"While watching it, I was amazed at how at ease the boy was during the murders and how little remorse he had," the 17-year-old wrote, just hours after the event.
"Afterward, I was thinking to myself it would be the same for me when I kill someone."
He said in the confession that he initially planned on using a knife to murder his mother Jami and 15-year-old sister Mallory at their home in Aledo.
"I went back upstairs and kept pacing back and forth imagining killing Mallory," he wrote.
"Thoughts of causing her pain kept entering my mind and were really bothering me. But then I'd think about the times she hurt my feelings."
Evans described how earlier that day, he and his sister had argued after he accused her of making a racist comment.
He said he sat on the sofa having a pillow fight with his sister with a knife in his pocket.
But then he changed his mind.
"After a while, I thought to myself that if I were to kill my mom and Mallory, I wouldn't want them to feel anything, so I decided to kill them both with the .22 revolver I stole from my grandpa," he wrote.
"I then spent probably over an hour walking nervously around the house thinking how life will never be the same and how I would never see them again."
Evans described knocking on his sister's bedroom door at about 11.15pm and shooting her in the back and head.
The confession of Jake Evans.
The teenager's police statement was released on the orders of the judge
He then went downstairs and shot his mother.
"As I emptied the shells on my bed, I heard noises and realised that Mallory was still alive," he wrote.
"While I loaded the gun back up, I was shouting that I was sorry and then ran as fast as I could to kill her. I made sure my mom was dead and shot her again in the head."
Evans called 911 and told the dispatcher what he had done.
"I know now though that I'm done with killing," he said at the end of his statement. "What happened last night will haunt me forever."
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People in New Jersey are told they must pay thousands to protect their homes, either by rebuilding or via high insurance premiums.







Superstorm Sandy has landed one final stunning blow to New Jersey as the state adopted tough new rebuilding guidelines.
The rules will force homeowners in flood zones to spend tens of thousands of dollars to raise their houses or pay exorbitant premiums of up to $31k (£19.6k) a year for flood insurance.
Governor Chris Christie said he adopted flood maps issued late last year by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as New Jersey's standard for rebuilding from the worst storm in its history.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie Gives Annual State Of The State Address
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
In the hardest hit states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, the storm destroyed more than 30,000 homes, caused $37bn in damage and is still keeping 41,000 people out of their damaged homes.
Gov. Christie said there are "very few places" where New Jerseyans will be able to avoid rebuilding if the higher buildings standards are used.
"If you choose not to, you'll have substantially higher flood insurance costs, which could be ... seven or eight times what you pay now," he said. 
"For the shore as a whole, I think that's the right decision to make."
Government grants of up to $30k are available to help offset the cost of elevating homes.
But some homeowners say they need to start work now, which means paying up front and hoping for reimbursement later.
"The cost of raising my house is $60k," Chuck Appleby of Seaside Park said.
"It's easy to say that's just two years of what you would pay in higher insurance costs, but if you don't have that kind of money, you're stuck."
Group Walks Organized In Sandy Affected Areas To Urge Congress To Pass Aid Bill
Volunteers helping to clear Sandy debris earlier this month
Gov. Christie said there will be government assistance programmes set up with some of the federal storm aid expected to go up for a US Senate vote next Monday.
Northeast lawmakers from both parties hope to win Senate approval of the delayed $50.5bn emergency relief bill and send it to the President, who has said he would sign it. The House passed the measure last week.

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David Headley, who helped plan the Pakistan militants' deadly attack on the Indian city of Mumbai in 2008, is sentenced.



A Pakistani-American who helped plan the 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai has been sentenced to 35 years in prison.
David Coleman Headley conducted meticulous scouting missions before 10 gunmen carried out the devastating assault that left 160 people dead, including children, and is often referred to as India's 9/11.
The 52-year-old was sentenced on 12 counts, including conspiracy to aid the Pakistani-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which mounted the attacks on the landmark Taj Mahal Hotel and other targets.
"I don't have any faith in Mr Headley when he says he's a changed person and believes in the American way of life," said US District Judge Harry Leinenweber in imposing the sentence, which was in the range of what prosecutors had requested for Headley's widespread cooperation.
Headley faced a maximum sentence of life in prison. He pleaded guilty and cooperated to avoid the death penalty and extradition to India.
Chattrapati Shivaji Railway terminus
The bloody scene at a Mumbai train station after the attack
The attackers arrived by boat on November 26, 2008, carrying grenades and automatic weapons, and fanned out to hit multiple targets, including a crowded train station, a Jewish centre and the Taj Mahal Hotel. TV cameras captured much of the three-day rampage live.
Before the judge imposed the sentence, a victim shot in the attack gave emotional testimony.
Linda Ragsdale, a Tennessee children's author, spoke through tears describing how she lost friends in the attacks and her own injuries. She said she was haunted by the sounds of people suffering and her recovery from the wounds continues.
"I know what a bullet can do to every part of the human body," she said. "I know the sound of life leaving a 13-year-old child. These are things I never needed to know, never needed to experience."
The attack heightened the strain in an historically strained relationship between India and Pakistan, which have fought three major wars. Indian officials accuse Pakistani intelligence of helping to plan the assault - an allegation Pakistan denies.
Last year, India secretly hanged the lone surviving gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab.
Headley was born Daood Gilani to a Pakistani father and American mother. He changed his name in 2006 to travel more easily to and from India.
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A member of the US Coast Guard who vanished three months ago has now returned home - confused and unable to tell his wife where he had been.
Petty Officer First Class Russell Matthews disappeared in October leaving behind just an abandoned car.
Despite a 10,000-square mile search of both land and sea along the coast of Hawaii, no trace of the 36-year-old could be found.
His car was discovered at Kaena Point, a remote area of Oahu.
The search for Petty Officer Matthews, who has been in the Coast Guard for 15 years, was eventually called off on December 13.
However, PO Matthews, who is a rescue swimmer, suddenly reappeared at his home on Sunday.
He was incoherent and had to be taken to hospital for treatment, according to theHonolulu Police Department and Coast Guard.
Coast Guard spokesman Lieutenant Gene Maestas said the service did not know where PO Matthews had been or what he had been doing since his wife reported him missing on October 9.
He said: "This is not the norm for the Coast Guard. In my 28-year career in the Coast Guard, I have never come across a case like this."
Coast Guard investigators were sent to see him to confirm his identity after he called his employer from a Honolulu medical centre.
Lt Maestas said PO Matthews would not be questioned until he was released by doctors - but the service would be investigating his disappearance.
He said: "We'll try to find out why he disappeared and all the details surrounding his case."
Sergeant Kim Buffett, of Honolulu Police, said detectives had no reason to pursue the case as it was not against the law to be missing.
She said the police case had been closed now PO Matthews had been found.
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