Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Hamas and Israel exchange prisoners
The first phase of a prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel has now concluded, with over 400 Palestinian prisoners released by Israel in exchange for the handing over of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by Hamas five years ago.
Shalit was handed over to Egyptian officials at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, and was then taken by Israeli officials to the Tel Nof air base.
The release prompted the release of 477 Palestinian prisoners by Israel to Gaza and elsewhere.
In an interview with Egyptian television at Rafah, Shalit said that he hoped that the deal that allowed for his release on Tuesday would help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace.
Click here to follow our Gaza Live Blog
"I will be very happy if all Palestinian prisoners are freed so they can go back to their families [...] I hope this deal could help reach peace between Israelis and the Palestinians and strengthen cooperation," he said.
He said that he feared that he would be in captivity for "many more years", but was "very excited" to be headed home.
Shalit was in Israeli hands for the first time in five years and four months, reported Al Jazeera's Cal Perry from Jerusalem.
He was received by Israeli army officers and doctors, and was in "good and stable health" a statement from the Israeli army said.
He was allowed to speak with his family over the telephone at an Israeli army base near the crossing point, and then flown via helicopter to the Tel Nof air base in central Israel, to be reunited with his mother and father, and to meet with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the statement said.
PM Netanyahu warned the released Palestinian prisoners that if they were deemed to have returned to violence, they would be punished.
"We will continue to fight terror and every released terrorist who returns to terror will be held accountable."
Shalit later will be flown to his home in northern Israel.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mark Regev, the Israeli PM's spokesman, said that his government had allowed the Red Cross regular access to Palestinian prisoners, adding "they didn't look like [Shalit], who's come out of five years living in a hole under the ground".
"We are releasing today people who are guilty of the most heinous crimes against humanity. People who blew up bombs in restaurants, killing families, killing children," he said.
On Shalit's comments regarding his hope that the swap will help in any negotiations regarding peace, Regev said:
FACTBOX: Where are the prisoners going to go?
1-131: Homes in Gaza Strip
132 - 186: Homes in occupied West Bank (oWB) or East Jerusalem
187 - 241: Under security in oWB or East Jerusalem
242 - 281: Abroad
282 - 299: Gaza Strip (for three years)
300 - 444: Gaza Strip
445 - 450: Homes in Israel
451 - 477: Homes in oWB, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem
473: Home in Jordan
474: Home in Gaza Strip
For the list of the first phase of prisoners to be released click here
"I think Gilad Shalit was expressing the hope of all Israelis, that we hope to live in peace and reconciliation with our neighbours. [...]
Shalit was handed over to Egyptian officials at the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, and was then taken by Israeli officials to the Tel Nof air base.
The release prompted the release of 477 Palestinian prisoners by Israel to Gaza and elsewhere.
In an interview with Egyptian television at Rafah, Shalit said that he hoped that the deal that allowed for his release on Tuesday would help Israelis and Palestinians achieve peace.
Click here to follow our Gaza Live Blog
"I will be very happy if all Palestinian prisoners are freed so they can go back to their families [...] I hope this deal could help reach peace between Israelis and the Palestinians and strengthen cooperation," he said.
He said that he feared that he would be in captivity for "many more years", but was "very excited" to be headed home.
Shalit was in Israeli hands for the first time in five years and four months, reported Al Jazeera's Cal Perry from Jerusalem.
He was received by Israeli army officers and doctors, and was in "good and stable health" a statement from the Israeli army said.
He was allowed to speak with his family over the telephone at an Israeli army base near the crossing point, and then flown via helicopter to the Tel Nof air base in central Israel, to be reunited with his mother and father, and to meet with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, the statement said.
PM Netanyahu warned the released Palestinian prisoners that if they were deemed to have returned to violence, they would be punished.
"We will continue to fight terror and every released terrorist who returns to terror will be held accountable."
Shalit later will be flown to his home in northern Israel.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mark Regev, the Israeli PM's spokesman, said that his government had allowed the Red Cross regular access to Palestinian prisoners, adding "they didn't look like [Shalit], who's come out of five years living in a hole under the ground".
"We are releasing today people who are guilty of the most heinous crimes against humanity. People who blew up bombs in restaurants, killing families, killing children," he said.
On Shalit's comments regarding his hope that the swap will help in any negotiations regarding peace, Regev said:
FACTBOX: Where are the prisoners going to go?
1-131: Homes in Gaza Strip
132 - 186: Homes in occupied West Bank (oWB) or East Jerusalem
187 - 241: Under security in oWB or East Jerusalem
242 - 281: Abroad
282 - 299: Gaza Strip (for three years)
300 - 444: Gaza Strip
445 - 450: Homes in Israel
451 - 477: Homes in oWB, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem
473: Home in Jordan
474: Home in Gaza Strip
For the list of the first phase of prisoners to be released click here
"I think Gilad Shalit was expressing the hope of all Israelis, that we hope to live in peace and reconciliation with our neighbours. [...]
Outrage in China: Toddler Run Over Twice, Then Ignored 2011
Gruesome footage of a toddler falling victim to two successive hit-and-run accidents and then being ignored by many passers-by at the scene last ...
Monday, 17 October 2011
Britney Spears GIF-ting Fans With 'Criminal' Teases
It's a big week for music video premieres thanks to Justin Bieber, Beyoncé and Rihanna. And Britney Spears wants in on the fun too, as her "Criminal" video is also set to drop this week. Spears gave fans a taste of what to expect with a series of GIFs at Tumblr.
'Just saw the final cut of the Criminal video... It's so hot,' Britney tweets.
The five GIFs begin to weave together the story of the Chris Marrs Piliero-directed video. In one tease, Spears is all dolled up in a lacy cocktail dress as she attends a glamorous party. In another tease, Spears is seen running out of a building with gun in hand.
Another tease represents art imitating life. In it, Spears and real-life boyfriend Jason Trawick, who also plays her love interest in the video, share a kiss. The other two teases are a bit less action-oriented as she's just spotted standing around looking sexy in a black lingerie dress and twirling her hair around.
Spears looks incredibly glam in the teases for the slow jam's video, something that Piliero teased on Twitter recently. "Not a whole lot I'm allowed to say about the @britneyspears criminal vid other than that I love this video and can't wait for it to come out," he wrote. "Oh and that she looks gorgeous in it ... pretty sure it's cool for me to say that. ..."
The video is expected to drop this week, although the exact release date hasn't been announced.
Spears shot the video last month in London, right before kicking off the European leg of her Femme Fatale Tour. Little is known about the plot of the video, but when Spears was photographed carrying a prop gun on set, politicians in the U.K. accused the star of glorifying violence after the London riots. The video was shot in Hackney, which was hit hard by the August riots, and local politicians were upset by what they saw as an insensitive gesture by Spears.
"It is only a music video, but it's images like this, with pop stars glamorizing gangs, which means that some young people ... get drawn in," Hackney's Member of Parliament Diane Abbott told the ITV news program "London Tonight." "Britney should really know better."
Spears' camp shrugged off any criticism in a statement to MTV News: "The video is a fantasy story featuring Britney's boyfriend, Jason Trawick, which literally plays out the lyrics of a song written three years before the riots ever happened."
'Just saw the final cut of the Criminal video... It's so hot,' Britney tweets.
The five GIFs begin to weave together the story of the Chris Marrs Piliero-directed video. In one tease, Spears is all dolled up in a lacy cocktail dress as she attends a glamorous party. In another tease, Spears is seen running out of a building with gun in hand.
Another tease represents art imitating life. In it, Spears and real-life boyfriend Jason Trawick, who also plays her love interest in the video, share a kiss. The other two teases are a bit less action-oriented as she's just spotted standing around looking sexy in a black lingerie dress and twirling her hair around.
Spears looks incredibly glam in the teases for the slow jam's video, something that Piliero teased on Twitter recently. "Not a whole lot I'm allowed to say about the @britneyspears criminal vid other than that I love this video and can't wait for it to come out," he wrote. "Oh and that she looks gorgeous in it ... pretty sure it's cool for me to say that. ..."
The video is expected to drop this week, although the exact release date hasn't been announced.
Spears shot the video last month in London, right before kicking off the European leg of her Femme Fatale Tour. Little is known about the plot of the video, but when Spears was photographed carrying a prop gun on set, politicians in the U.K. accused the star of glorifying violence after the London riots. The video was shot in Hackney, which was hit hard by the August riots, and local politicians were upset by what they saw as an insensitive gesture by Spears.
"It is only a music video, but it's images like this, with pop stars glamorizing gangs, which means that some young people ... get drawn in," Hackney's Member of Parliament Diane Abbott told the ITV news program "London Tonight." "Britney should really know better."
Spears' camp shrugged off any criticism in a statement to MTV News: "The video is a fantasy story featuring Britney's boyfriend, Jason Trawick, which literally plays out the lyrics of a song written three years before the riots ever happened."
Photos: Colorado Avalanche vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
TORONTO — For the first time in team history, the Avalanche won all five games of an uninterrupted road trip with a 3-2 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.
David Jones scored at 1:11 of overtime, putting home the rebound of a Kyle Quincey shot. The Avs swept the five-game road swing and now are first in the Western Conference.The Colorado Avalanche have won their first four games on a five game road trip. They are 4-1, and are tied for the most points in the NHL.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 3-0, and are tied for first in the Northeast Division.
It's safe to say that no one saw this coming.
Though it's still early in the season, the two most surprising teams in the NHL so far this season meet up at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Leafs forward Phil Kessel is enjoying a ridiculous start to the season, as his eight points (with five goals) is tied for the league lead -- and with only three games played. His linemate Joffrey Lupul, acquired via trade last season from the Anaheim Ducks, has also been a standout.
In net, James Reimer has a .927 SV% combined with a 2.33 GAA. The second year goaltender was awarded a three year contract extension this offseason after a strong rookie campaign, and he has continued right where he left off last spring.
But the real story of this game is the list of players facing their former teams. John-Michael Liles played seven seasons with Colorado, and was one of the team's leading scorers last season. He was traded to Toronto immediately before the NHL Entry Draft for a second round pick. Philippe Dupuis was Colorado's fourth line center last season, and signed with the Leafs as a free agent.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere was part of the goaltending tandem last season in Toronto with Reimer, but signed with Colorado as a free agent this past summer. Giguere will get the start in net against his former club after having an incredibly easy debut against the Ottawa Senators, stopping 15 of the 16 shots he faced
David Jones scored at 1:11 of overtime, putting home the rebound of a Kyle Quincey shot. The Avs swept the five-game road swing and now are first in the Western Conference.The Colorado Avalanche have won their first four games on a five game road trip. They are 4-1, and are tied for the most points in the NHL.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 3-0, and are tied for first in the Northeast Division.
It's safe to say that no one saw this coming.
Though it's still early in the season, the two most surprising teams in the NHL so far this season meet up at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Leafs forward Phil Kessel is enjoying a ridiculous start to the season, as his eight points (with five goals) is tied for the league lead -- and with only three games played. His linemate Joffrey Lupul, acquired via trade last season from the Anaheim Ducks, has also been a standout.
In net, James Reimer has a .927 SV% combined with a 2.33 GAA. The second year goaltender was awarded a three year contract extension this offseason after a strong rookie campaign, and he has continued right where he left off last spring.
But the real story of this game is the list of players facing their former teams. John-Michael Liles played seven seasons with Colorado, and was one of the team's leading scorers last season. He was traded to Toronto immediately before the NHL Entry Draft for a second round pick. Philippe Dupuis was Colorado's fourth line center last season, and signed with the Leafs as a free agent.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere was part of the goaltending tandem last season in Toronto with Reimer, but signed with Colorado as a free agent this past summer. Giguere will get the start in net against his former club after having an incredibly easy debut against the Ottawa Senators, stopping 15 of the 16 shots he faced
Mom Charged With Neglect for Letting Kids Walk to Store Alone
But certainly, this Rock Hill, S.C., mom isn't winning any Mother of the Year awards. Candace Amber Cole, 27, was charged with neglect after her 5-year-old daughter and 6-year-old old son walked about a mile to a store to buy toilet paper while she slept, The Herald of Rock Hill reported.
Sheriff's deputies say the kids walked from their home to a gas station near Interstate 77 on Sunday. A store employee flagged down a deputy.
Cole, who was being held in the York County jail, told deputies that she wasn't aware that her children had left the home, WBTV reports.
According to the report, the deputy went into the home and found it to be "extremely unclean [with] no sheets on the children's bed, animal feces all over the home." The deputy also reported finding multiple bags of trash, rotten food and a toilet clogged with feces in the home.
The deputy called the Department of Social Services to come to the home, and the children were taken by Cole's mother, WBTV reports.
Should Cole be found guilty of neglect? (We'd say evidence points to yes ...)
Justin Bieber - Mistletoe Lyrics
Pop teen sensation Justin Bieber has chosen the new track called "Mistletoe" as the official first single from his debut Christmas album titled "Under the Mistletoe" set for release everywhere on November 1st, 2011 - Written and produced by The Messengers (Chris Brown, Cody Simpson), "Mistletoe" is a very cute and catchy christmassy tune! It's so cleverly crafted, it'll easily shoot straight to the tops of charts worldwide. 'With youu, shawty with you!!'
The Mistletoe lyrics by Justin Bieber are displayed below. To play the Mistletoe video click the thumbnail.Justin Bieber]
It’s the most beautiful time of the year
Running through the streets spreading so much cheer
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I'mma be under the mistletoe
Word on the street that it’s coming tonight,
Reindeer's flying in the sky so high
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
Gathering around the fire
Chestnuts roasting like a high tonight
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
I don’t want to miss out on the holiday
But I can’t stop staring at your face
I should be running in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
Don’t you buy me nothing
I am feeling one thing and it led me to a miracle
Don’t you buy me nothing
I am feeling one thing, your lips on my lips
There’s a very, merry Christmas
It’s the most beautiful time of the year
Flying through the streets spreading so much cheer
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
I don’t want to miss out on the holiday
But I can’t stop staring at your face
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
Shawty with you, under the mistletoe
Kiss me under the mistletoe
Show me baby that you love me so
Ohhhh, ohhh,
Kiss me underneath the mistletoe, oh, whoaaa
The Mistletoe lyrics by Justin Bieber are displayed below. To play the Mistletoe video click the thumbnail.Justin Bieber]
It’s the most beautiful time of the year
Running through the streets spreading so much cheer
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I'mma be under the mistletoe
Word on the street that it’s coming tonight,
Reindeer's flying in the sky so high
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
Gathering around the fire
Chestnuts roasting like a high tonight
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
I don’t want to miss out on the holiday
But I can’t stop staring at your face
I should be running in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
Don’t you buy me nothing
I am feeling one thing and it led me to a miracle
Don’t you buy me nothing
I am feeling one thing, your lips on my lips
There’s a very, merry Christmas
It’s the most beautiful time of the year
Flying through the streets spreading so much cheer
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
I don’t want to miss out on the holiday
But I can’t stop staring at your face
I should be playing in the winter snow
But I’mma be under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
With you, shawty with you
With you under the mistletoe
With you, shawty with you
Shawty with you, under the mistletoe
Kiss me under the mistletoe
Show me baby that you love me so
Ohhhh, ohhh,
Kiss me underneath the mistletoe, oh, whoaaa
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