Tassos Papadopoulos: Missing Body Of Cyprus’ Ex-Leader Found



NICOSIA, Cyprus — Three months after it was stolen, the remains of Cyprus’ past chair was found reburied in added demise and three men were arrested Tuesday in what officials titled a case of bodysnatching for ransom.

Two spokesmen for past President Tassos Papadopoulos’ family insisted, however, that his relatives had never received a demand for money.

The right-wing Greek Cyprian hard-liner’s embody was stolen in December during slow-moving unification talks with Turkic Cyprian leaders. A lack of clear motive and few clues led to speculation that it could hit been politically motivated, but authorities suggested early on that ransom was a more likely scenario.

The robbers removed a heavy marble plaque from on crowning of Papadopoulos’ demise on the southern outskirts of the Cyprian capital, Nicosia, then dug down to the box and removed the embody of the past chair on Dec. 11, a period before the first day of his death.

The robbers left few leads at the scene. Lime was strewn over the demise in what investigators believe was an endeavor to erase some tracks they strength hit left behind. Investigators sought the help of the FBI and Interpol as well as Greek and Israeli accumulation enforcement authorities.

But there was lowercase progress in the investigation until Monday, when personnel found the embody in added cemetery after being alerted by his family, who had received a telephone tip, personnel spokesman Michalis Katsounotos said. Family spokesman Chrysis Pantelides said a Negro speaking broken Greek had titled with information about the remains and instructed them to occurrence police.

DNA testing early Tuesday addicted it was Papadopoulos’ body, Katsounotos said.

The past president’s embody was found exclusive added demise and covered with a thin layer of soil, he said, adding it had placed in the demise recently. He gave no boost details.

Katsounotos told The Associated Press the suspects module materialize in court Wednesday, and personnel module request their detention to assist with the investigation. He provided no details on the three men’s identities.



New Orleans Saint Scott Fujita Lives Up To The Team’s Name



Just most every player on an NFL listing should take a tender out of histrion Fujita’s playbook. He was named the New Orleans Saints’ Man of the Year for his charitable works, and helped bring a Super Bowl title to a municipality ease on the mend. His activism off the field and his leadership and blue-collar approach to the game of sport prefabricated him an easy fan favorite. And though the Saints declined to substance him a new contract at the modify of the season, Fujita ultimately signed with the Cleveland Browns as a liberated agent. However, the 30-year-old ensured his heritage on Bourbon Street and beyond by adding to his list of good deeds, and donating half of his playoff incentive ($82,000) to charity.

It is an behave of altruism unheard of in the grouping of liberated authority that has players chasing bigger paydays from municipality to city. At it’s best, a player is probable to thank a municipality for it’s support, and move on with a modicum of class. At it’s worst, it’s a bitter, ugly split of egos that is played out in the public forum. But the affable and earnest Fujita has proven instance and again that he doesn’t burn bridges, kinda he builds them, and then gilds them. “The people of this municipality and region hit been so good to me and my family, the big-hearted back told NOLA.com, “that we just felt strongly most doing something to protect the municipality we hit come to love so much.”

Half of the money has been earmarked by Fujita for coastal restoration in Louisiana, and the other half for the continuing relief efforts in Haiti, in what is an manifest nod to now-former teammate Jonathan Vilma.

Despite the NFL’s best efforts to displace public opinion, and prove otherwise, it would be naive for anyone to view the League as anything but big business. Which makes it all the more refreshing to wager someone conduct their business with class, selflessness, and and an understanding that there is not only a world, but a universe that exists outside of their possess egos (We’re hunting at you T.O.). You can be sure that whenever he returns to New Orleans, Fujita will never hit to clear for a meal, though judging by all reports, he’ll not only clear for his, but for everyone else’s as well.



Did Corey Haim Pull a Brittany Murphy?



Corey Haim died in Los Angeles in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and patch an investigation is underway to determine the cause of death, the LAPD suspects an accidental drug overdose.

According to the coroner, four prescription drug bottles were found in his North Hollywood apartment but there was no sign of illegal drugs.

A past someone of Haim, shaper Nathan Folks, told Pop Tarts that despite the child star’s daylong battle with illicit drugs, to his knowledge Haim no longer did illegal drugs, but may have matured a fixation on prescription medication.

“Corey was a enthusiastic person that struggled with being a past child actor. The pressure this town has on people to attain it is rattling intense and Corey struggled with drugs every of his life. He was obsessed with vicodin and pain killers. When he came to my house, that was every he wanted,” Folks said. “He worked really hard to overcome his addiction to illegal drugs and was rattling anti-drugs and was in AA and NA for years which really saddens me. But it seemed like he overturned to prescription drugs instead.”

Folks told us that over the terminal assemblage he had to “distance himself” from the person as he seemed to “slipping,” but their terminal conversation digit months ago was positive, and Haim seemed to be doing well.

“I was considering him for one of my next films; he was definitely ready for a comeback. It’s really a shame, he was true victim of this town,” Folks added. “Corey has an adorable mother who staleness be in shock. She went through a lot with him and to see his legacy end like this staleness be agonized for her.”

Haim’s mother told RadarOnline.com that her son was helping her battle cancer when he passed away.

FOX411: Celebrities Tweet Their Condolences.

Michael Masucci, the director of one of Haim’s stylish films “American Sunset,” filmed in Canada terminal May and slated for release this year, told Pop Tarts that the 38-year-old appeared to be doing “fine” when they terminal spoke a few weeks ago.

“It’s devastating, absolutely tragic. He was a truly gifted and talented person and a enthusiastic someone of mine, he will be truly missed,” Masucci said. “Working with him was amazing. He was a tremendously talented actor, rattling aroused and dedicated to the craft and to making the best possible movie he could make. From day one, we just clicked.”

Masucci said he saw no signs that Haim was on drugs.

“He was fine; there was nothing I think out of the ordinary,” he said. “I’m just as surprised as every one else. I’m in damper right now.”



Related searches: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sen. Roy Ashburn: ‘I’m gay’



Republican Sen. Roy Ashburn, who has been on leave from the Senate since his DUI arrest terminal week, addicted today that he is gay.

“I’m gay,” Ashburn told KERN radio host Inga Barks in an discourse this morning. “Those are the words that hit been so difficult for me for so long.”

Ashburn’s declaration follows reports that Ashburn was leaving a merry club before he was inactive for driving under the influence terminal week.

The Bakersfield Republican, who has consistently voted against gay-rights measures, said his votes were a reflection of how the eld of voters in his conservative district would hit desired him to vote.

Ashburn, who is divorced, has been on personal leave in the Senate since terminal week’s arrest. He is expected to return today.

Benjamin Lopez, lobbyist for the Traditional Values Coalition, said, “I don’t know ground Roy strayed. But he said that the Rev. gladiator Sheldon, founder of the coalition, was open to support Ashburn with counseling.

Lopez stood with Ashburn at a rally in Bakersfield in 2005 to support a state proposal to block merry wedlock as substantially as to get disembarrass of domestic partnerships with some benefits of marriage.

“I think it’s sad more than hypocritical,” Lopez said. “We’re not in Roy’s head. We don’t know what is he thinking. We hope he comes to terms with whatever is making him make a choice to be a merry man.”

Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, a merry rights group that sponsors many state bills, called Ashburn’s comments most his voting record “a lame excuse.”

“He’s blaming his constituents,” Kors said. “There are legislators in the Central Valley who hit voted for LBGT (lesbian, bisexual, merry and transgender) rights.”

In a press released hour Monday, Equality Calif. said: “We can empathize with Senator Ashburn’s long and difficult journey to admit that he is gay. Equality Calif. looks forward to working with the Senator to use his undergo to educate the grouping in his district on ground he deserves the same rights and privileges as a merry Negro as some other Californian.

Ashburn said on the radio show: “My votes reflect the wishes of the grouping in my district. I hit ever change that my faith and dedication was to the people, there, in the district, my constituents. And so as each of these individual measures came before the Legislature I cast ‘no’ votes, commonly ‘no’ votes, because the measures were . . . almost ever acknowledging rights or assigning identification to gay persons.”

Kors said: “People elected him to lead. I would be shocked to see if there is some polling that shows that most grouping in his district believe that anyone should be fired from their job because of their sexed class or kicked discover of public accommodations because of their sexed orientation. And yet he voted against bills to prevent that.”

Pages 1 2


Iran gives Russia pilots two months to leave: report



TEHRAN (Reuters) – Persia has given Russian commercial pilots working in the Islamic Republic two months to yield the land as it has no need for them, Transport Minister Hamid Behbahani was quoted as saying on Saturday.

The advise is a further sign of strains between Persia and Russia, which has indicated it could back new sanctions against Tehran over its disputed thermonuclear work. For its part, Persia has voiced frustration over Moscow’s failure to deliver a defense arm system.

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency said the intent to visit the Russian pilots to yield the land gained momentum after a Russian-made bomb caught blast as it landed in northeastern Persia in January, injuring more than 40 people.

The plane belonged to Iran’s Taban airline but the pilot was Russian, Fars said. It did not feature how many Russians currently worked as pilots for Persian airlines.

“Upon an visit from the president (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad), the Road and Transport Ministry has set a two-month deadline, upon the expiry of which every Russian pilots module have to yield the country,” Behbahani said.

“When our land itself possesses plentitude of professional and doc pilots, there is no need to bring in pilots from abroad,” he told Fars.

Iran has suffered a string of crashes in the past few decades, many involving Russian-made aircraft.

In 2009 a Tupolev bomb flying to Armenia caught blast in mid-air and crashed, killing every 168 people on board.

U.S. sanctions against Persia have prevented it from purchase new bomb or spare parts from the West, forcing it to supplement its aging fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes with bomb from Russia and added former Soviet states.

Behbahani said most 120 bomb out of 193 planes in Iran’s commercial fleet were currently active, with the rest grounded for one reason or another.

Russia, which has significant change ties with Iran, is among six world powers disagreeable to find a diplomatic resolution to the long-running dispute over Tehran’s thermonuclear program.

Moscow has indicated it could support new sanctions against Persia provided they are not too severe. Persia denies Western accusations that its thermonuclear impact is aimed at developing bombs.

Iranian officials have voiced growing frustration at Russia’s failure to supply the advanced S-300 arm defense system, which Israel and the United States do not poverty Tehran to have. Russia last month said it would not delude weapons if it leads to destabilization in any region.



Next Page »

WhatsPopularNow.com aka W.P.N. is Digg proof thanks to caching by WP Super Cache