EXCLUSIVE: Usher Testifies -- My Ex-Wife Attacked and SPIT on My Girlfriend!!

Usher blasted his ex-wife in court today -- testifying that Tameka Foster flew into a jealous rage, hitting him, throwing food, and worst of all ... spitting on his girlfriend.Usher took the stand in his ongoing child custody trial with his ex, and under questioning by his attorney, revealed how Tameka once went ballistic and "wanted to fight" ... when he showed up at her house with his new sidepiece.Ush testified Tameka walked to his car and said, "I'm gonna kick your ass. Bitch get out of the car. How dare you bring this woman into my subdivision in my house?" He added, "She continued to spit. At this point she pulled the door open, tried to swing at her."Usher claims he had to get out of the car and block Tameka ... who then hit him. Usher said he pleaded with Tameka to calm down, but claims "she threw a plate of food at the car" ... as he fled the situation. You gotta hear Usher describe the intense showdown -- and remember, Tameka previously testified she once told the gf, "I will f**k you up."

BREAKING NEWS: Mary Murphy Sued By Ex-Manager -- She's a 'Cocaine-Fueled Nymphomaniac'

"So You Think You Can Dance" judge Mary Murphy is a desperate, drug-abusing sexaholic ... who's addicted to plastic surgery ... so says her former manager in a new lawsuit. Murphy is being sued by her ex-manager Michael Sanchez -- who claims he was hired as Murphy's personal manager in 2006 ... and practically saved her life ... only to be kicked to the curb in 2010. In his suit, Sanchez claims Murphy was a NIGHTMARE ... and he was constantly covering up her dangerous and scandalous behavior to protect her image. Among the claims, Sanchez says Murphy is a "desperate, cocaine-fueled nymphomaniac" who had "many inappropriate sexual relationships with 'So You Think You Can Dance' and 'Chelsea Lately' crew members."Sanchez claims he once busted in to her apartment when she was unresponsive ... and found Murphy high on drugs and in bed with a SYTYCD producer ... with cocaine on the nightstand.Sanchez also claims Murphy would violate FOX TV rules and U.S. game show laws by secretly coaching contestants behind the scenes. And there's more -- Sanchez says Murphy would be drunk on set during tapings and hide her booze in a Coke cup.But despite his loyal service to Murphy, Sanchez claims the judge breached their contract and fired him in 2010 after a dispute over money. So far, no comment from Murphy's camp

Man arrested today at Radio House, Abuja with grenades and IED

A middle aged man identified as John Akpabu (pictured above), was today arrested at the National Press Centre, Radio House Abuja, during a ministerial briefing, armed with 37 rounds of live ammunition, 3 hand grenades and other explosives, The would-be-suicide bomber was arrested by security operatives as he tried

World’s Largest Chocolate Sculpture

Guinness World Records awards the most outrageous titles for the most outrageous feats, so why should Pastry Chef Francois Mellet and “Best Craftsman of France” Stephane Treand be any different?
They shouldn’t, and they’re not. These two, in honor of Qzina Specialty Foods 30^th anniversary, are the newest recipients of the title “World’s Largest Chocolate Sculpture.”
Mellet and Treand meticulously constructed and designed a massive 18,239-pound “chocotecture” (chocolate + architecture) mimicking ancient Mayan temples.
With all the talk of the Mayan calender ending on the 21st of December, this structure is getting even more attention. It’s a scary thought that the world may end, but Qzina Specialty Foods sure puts the fun in reminding us. Considered a premiere gourmet dessert and pastry provider, if this is how Qzina “provides,” bring it on. . . Armageddon or not.
Breaking last year’s record by more than 7,500 pounds, this structure is awe-inspiring and pays tribute to the crucial role and development the ancient Mayan culture played in the origins of chocolate. According to Qzina’s website, “The Mayans worshiped the Cacao tree and praised its beans as the food of the Gods.”

The details of Qzina’s 6-feet high (with a base that measures 10-feet by 10-feet) chocolate sculpture are intricate and reflect minute details of the historical architecture, even including “the number of steps and panels that reflect the Mayan calendar to its proportional size,” according to My Modern Met. Said to be one-thirteenth the size of the real thing, the sculpture commands the same jaw-dropping reaction, as this is made out of 100% chocolate.
The mouth-watering sculpture is on display at Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry location in Irvine, California, beginning June 4, until December 21, 2012 – which is when the Mayan calendar is said to end.
Sadder news: the company plans to “destroy” the sculpture on the very last day. I’m already getting my picket sign ready!

Killer Mike Destroys on “R.A.P. Music”

Killer Mike is going to be your favorite non-political rapper this year.  I’m sorry, just accept that fact and move on with your summer because it’s going to be infinitely more enjoyable by not fighting it.  I’d like to point out that that previous statement could not have been made without the help of someone behind Killer Mike.  That man would be producer El-P (who also is releasing his own solo album Cancer for Cure next week on the 22^nd of May).
Killer Mike’s latest offering, R.A.P. Music (an acronym for “Rebel African People Music”), is every bit of the rebellious sound, while somehow sounding like some of the most fun hip-hop you’re likely to come across all year.  Notice that I inserted the word “hip-hop” because I mean it.  I’m not talking about LMFAO “hip-hop” or other sorry excuses for the genre.  I’m talking real hip-hop.  Killer Mike has been around for over a decade, but for some reason he hasn’t become an A-list rapper.  I feel like R.A.P. Music is about to change this.  Of course, no small amount of credit is due to Brooklyn’s gifted rapper-producer El-P, but more on that later.
Killer Mike has a solid boom-bap behind him on every single track (and I do mean every single one) which is an incentive to go hard, but he finds his own groove on each track to tear the walls down himself.  “Big Beast” bangs with some of the fiercest thump you’re likely have the privilege of hearing, while Bun B, T.I., and Trouble help Killer Mike to put your jaw on the ground.  Truth be told, I’ve never been a T.I. fan, always feeling he was overrated and simply a decent mainstream rapper who got more credit simply because most mainstream rap sucks.  Well, this is a guest verse almost guaranteed to blow you away.  Hats are off to everyone on this opening banger.
So what?  The first track is almost the obligatory banger, right?  I’d normally agree with you, but the fact is that El-P has crafted some of the most hook-ridden beats of his career and for a different artist no less.  The second track, “Untitled,” may be one of the most exhilarating and lyrically complex tracks of Killer Mike’s career.  The beat sounds like something off of El’s I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead, but Mike soon makes you realize that this is his song and he’s here to own.  Discussing his love of women, it’s a refreshing track that goes against the grain of Top 40 hip-hop and its infatuation with the objectification of women.  Here, Mike discusses his love of his wife while at the same time name-dropping Andre 3000 and the mafia.
Surprisingly, the one track that stands out like a sore thumb (in a good way) is “Reagan.”  Utilizing soundbites from a speech from President Reagan, Killer Mike spits over a tension-filled beat about the lies of the American government.  It may sound out of date, but if we frame it in the context of 2012, most of the themes are as prevalent today as they ever were.  “Reagan was an actor/Not at all a factor/Just an employee of the country’s real masters/Just like the Bushs, Clintons, and Obamas/ just another talking head telling lies on a teleprompter,” sounds like an accusation that is unbiased and flat-out real.
Despite the social and political commentary, the one banger that’s sure to lay you on your back is “Butane” featuring El-P.  Mid-tempo boom-bap rides for just over three-minutes while Mike and El destroy the verses.  “I’m a Grinch with a grin/I’ll s**t on your kids,” El hilariously spits.  It’s a line so out of left-field that if you aren’t able to smirk, you need to loosen your trousers.
Over the course of 12 tracks (no skits), it’s too dense to go track-for-track about how wonderful this album is; you’ll just have to take my word for it.  The production, while very much a product of El-P, is straightforward without falling into monotony.  There is a thunder that sometimes can lack in the intricacies of El’s production, but Mike gets the best of the Brooklyn producer.  He doesn’t waste it.  Chances are you’re going to be bumping Killer Mike’s R.A.P. Music in the car, at the pool party, and in the gym.

I STILL MISS D BANJ ... DON JAZZY

 

Don Jazzy. Remember him? He worked with D’banj and they ran the Mo’Hits Records together. Suddenly, there was a rupture. In this interview, he captures life after Mo’Hits.

Did you envisage the break-up?

Obviously, I would not have seen it coming seven years ago when we started the company. But a year to the breakup, I saw it coming. We tried as much as possible to make it work. A lot of things happened even when we had shows like Koko Concert in Lagos, London and New York. We already had problems then but we still had to go for the shows and generally put up a front that all was well when in actual fact, it was not. It is not like it just happened; it took time because we knew that we had something very important to save.

What efforts did you make to ensure the partnership didn’t crumble?

Everybody tried to stop the break-up. If I did not want the company to move on, why did I travel from here to New York for a D’banj concert? It was a beautiful thing for Nigeria, Africa and us.

Are you still feeling hurt?

Yes, it hurt then and it still hurts. It’s not just me, even fans were badly hit. I remember when I was with a lady friend of mine and we were supposed to have a meeting. I told her it couldn’t hold because I had some issues to take care of. I told her Mo’Hits was going to break up and she started crying. The same way we feel bad about it, is how a lot of people are going to feel.

Is it true that you asked for separation from the group?

 We were working together and all was going on well. It got to a point where I looked at the situation and we both decided that it was not working and we had to move on.

Did Kanye West take on both of you? Many said it was the origin of the problems?

We were both signed and I am still on that label. My deal with the label is one of the best deals ever. The deal is still on and I will still be a part of it until the day I terminate the contract.

So that means you are still working or going to work with Kanye West?

I am supposed to be in New York now but considering the fact that they know I have a lot of work to do in Nigeria, I can’t be in two places at once. I have to finish one before I start any international jobs.

Your new label Mavin Records was a direct result of the break-up…

I did not think I was going to change the name of my company for any reason. A month before we launched, I thought that companies go through rebranding for many reasons. I am supposed to still be the Chief Executive Officer of Mo’Hits Records and I own it 100 per cent now.  What I did was to just go for a name change. I won’t be the first to do so. Although Mo’Hits is a name everybody has come to love and accept, they will love Mavin also.

Are you shopping for a replacement for Dbanj?

I have not gone to look for anybody that will replace Dbanj and I will never look for who will replace him. It is not possible! Entertainers are not the same, just as no two people are the same. I definitely know there is no way I am going to come across someone who is exactly like D’banj. He knows how to ride the audience, how to carry them along and I have watched the industry for many years and know it is going to be difficult to find someone who is like him.

You brought Tiwa Savage on board…

Even before the breakup, I have been looking for a female artiste. I have been talking with Tiwa for a long time. If I did not tell her to leave Los Angeles and move back home, she would not have come. I have been very interested in her career. At some point, I knew one day, we were going to end up working together.

At Mavin, are you still going to take a back seat like you did at Mo’Hits?

Definitely. I am even going to retreat further. As you all can tell from the new album Solar Plexus, which we just released, I tried as much as possible not to sing. I really don’t want to be an artiste. I understand that my vocal strength only appeals to a small number of people, so I don’t feel comfortable. I don’t like videos or cameras either. I love being involved in production. I am going to stick to that. Mavin is going to be run the way Mo’hits was run but with more expertise. I am going to get experts, who will take care of certain things. I can’t mix business and the creative process together. It’s better to have separation of duties. I have some producers and other artistes in mind that I don’t intend to make public now. All I would say is that we should look forward to a very exciting journey.

Your mix tape, Solar Plexus, is like a test run, how would you adjudge the response to it so far?

I have been releasing tracks for a long time now but I have never got this number of positive responses. Normally, when we release a track, we expect to get like 50 or 60 percent positive feedbacks but this one really shocked me. I don’t know if it’s what you call sympathy votes or it’s because there are more people who want to listen and see what we have come up with. Only a few people are criticising us.

Do you miss D’banj?

Definitely I do. I miss him a lot. I got in here today and the first thing I wanted to say was I’m D’banj!

Did you envisage the break-up?Obviously, I would not have seen it coming seven years ago when we started the company. But a year to the breakup, I saw it coming. We tried as much as possible to make it work. A lot of things happened even when we had shows like Koko Concert in Lagos, London and New York. We already had problems then but we still had to go for the shows and generally put up a front that all was well when in actual fact, it was not. It is not like it just happened; it took time because we knew that we had something very important to save.What efforts did you make to ensure the partnership didn’t crumble?Everybody tried to stop the break-up. If I did not want the company to move on, why did I travel from here to New York for a D’banj concert? It was a beautiful thing for Nigeria, Africa and us.Are you still feeling hurt?Yes, it hurt then and it still hurts. It’s not just me, even fans were badly hit. I remember when I was with a lady friend of mine and we were supposed to have a meeting. I told her it couldn’t hold because I had some issues to take care of. I told her Mo’Hits was going to break up and she started crying. The same way we feel bad about it, is how a lot of people are going to feel.Is it true that you asked for separation from the group? We were working together and all was going on well. It got to a point where I looked at the situation and we both decided that it was not working and we had to move on.Did Kanye West take on both of you? Many said it was the origin of the problems?We were both signed and I am still on that label. My deal with the label is one of the best deals ever. The deal is still on and I will still be a part of it until the day I terminate the contract.So that means you are still working or going to work with Kanye West?I am supposed to be in New York now but considering the fact that they know I have a lot of work to do in Nigeria, I can’t be in two places at once. I have to finish one before I start any international jobs.Your new label Mavin Records was a direct result of the break-up…I did not think I was going to change the name of my company for any reason. A month before we launched, I thought that companies go through rebranding for many reasons. I am supposed to still be the Chief Executive Officer of Mo’Hits Records and I own it 100 per cent now.  What I did was to just go for a name change. I won’t be the first to do so. Although Mo’Hits is a name everybody has come to love and accept, they will love Mavin also.Are you shopping for a replacement for Dbanj?I have not gone to look for anybody that will replace Dbanj and I will never look for who will replace him. It is not possible! Entertainers are not the same, just as no two people are the same. I definitely know there is no way I am going to come across someone who is exactly like D’banj. He knows how to ride the audience, how to carry them along and I have watched the industry for many years and know it is going to be difficult to find someone who is like him.You brought Tiwa Savage on board…Even before the breakup, I have been looking for a female artiste. I have been talking with Tiwa for a long time. If I did not tell her to leave Los Angeles and move back home, she would not have come. I have been very interested in her career. At some point, I knew one day, we were going to end up working together. At Mavin, are you still going to take a back seat like you did at Mo’Hits?Definitely. I am even going to retreat further. As you all can tell from the new album Solar Plexus, which we just released, I tried as much as possible not to sing. I really don’t want to be an artiste. I understand that my vocal strength only appeals to a small number of people, so I don’t feel comfortable. I don’t like videos or cameras either. I love being involved in production. I am going to stick to that. Mavin is going to be run the way Mo’hits was run but with more expertise. I am going to get experts, who will take care of certain things. I can’t mix business and the creative process together. It’s better to have separation of duties. I have some producers and other artistes in mind that I don’t intend to make public now. All I would say is that we should look forward to a very exciting journey.Your mix tape, Solar Plexus, is like a test run, how would you adjudge the response to it so far?I have been releasing tracks for a long time now but I have never got this number of positive responses. Normally, when we release a track, we expect to get like 50 or 60 percent positive feedbacks but this one really shocked me. I don’t know if it’s what you call sympathy votes or it’s because there are more people who want to listen and see what we have come up with. Only a few people are criticising us.Do you miss D’banj?Definitely I do. I miss him a lot. I got in here today and the first thing I wanted to say was I’m D’banj!

D’banj signs Davido

Dapo ‘D’banj‘ Oyebanjo has signed to his new (yet unnamed) record label the fast rising pop star David ‘Davido‘ Adeleke

NET investigations confirmed the signing took place on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at the 19-year-old’s house in Lekki after a five-man meeting involving D’banj, his manager Abisagboola ‘Bankulli’ Oluseun, Davido, his manager Asa Asika and father Deji Adeleke.

After the signing, both acts and their crew members then headed out to the weekly Industry Nite at the Oriental Hotels to celebrate. NET had earlier reported D’banj making his first ever post-Mo’Hits public appearance at the weekly gig where he gave a surprise performance with artiste of the night Ikechukwu.

We’re still working to get details of the deal particulars, but sources say talks started weeks before both acts met in the US. D’banj and Davido were both spotted at the famous strippers joint - Diamonds Of Atlanta Gentlemans Club in Atlanta.

Davido’s manager when contacted however played down the news of the signing insisting that both parties are still in talks. ‘We are still in talks, that’s all I have to say for now, it could take a day or a year‘, Asa Asika told NET in a phone conversation.

D’banj’s camp was yet to respond to our E-mails as at the time of filing in this report.D’banj recently signed to Mercury Records UK through the G.O.O.D Music label imprint.

Davido had until now remained an unsigned act but has in the past year risen to A-list status with just three singles out.He now joins D’banj’s younger brother KSwitch on the label which, according to insiders, will be affiliated to Island Def Jam Africa.

2012 Billboard Music Awards: Read The Full List Of Winners

Justin and Katy Perry were honored at the ceremony — check out the full winners list!

The 2012 Billboard Music Awards are taking place May 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, and from Justin Bieber to Katy Perry, all of the stars are winning big. Check out the full winners list below and tell us if you love or loathe the choices!

-Top R&B Artist — Chris Brown
-Top Male Artist — Lil Wayne
-Top Duo/Group — LMFAO
-Hot 100 Song — “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
-Top New Artist — Wiz Khalifa
-Billboard Spotlight award – Katy Perry
-Top Social Artist — Justin Bieber
Do YOU agree with all of the choices, HollywoodLifers?

'Sin City: A Dame to Kill For' and The Wachowskis' 'Cloud Atlas' Get Official Release Dates

— Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's long-awaited Sin City: A Dame to Kill For finally has an official release date. The revenge tale that takes place in the dark bowels of the gritty city will be heading to theaters on October 4, 2013. Jessica Alba and Mickey Rourke — who are integral to the plotline — will be returning for the sequel. We're not sure who else will be making an appearance for part two, but a press release is promising "huge names," so it's exciting to think of the possibilities. Any guesses? Filming starts this summer. — Cannes is already abuzz with news, but we're happy to see that the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer’s Cloud Atlas has been snatched up and will be seeing a December 6 release date. The movie starring Tom Hanks is based on David Mitchell's novel that consists of six stories set in different time periods and locations, but are intricately linked to one another. The Playlist reports that the movie runs a whopping 2 hours and 44 minutes (the script is reported to be over 200 pages long), which means Warner Bros. — who is distributing the film stateside — must love what they're seeing. Hopefully. The Wachowskis haven't made a movie since 2009's Ninja Assassin, which didn't fare well for the directors. Speed Racer has it's own little fanbase, but 2006's V for Vendetta was probably the last big critical success they had. It'd be nice to see something incredible coming from the filmmakers

Jackie Chan, 58, announces his retirement from action films

He made his name as a martial arts hero with a comic edge, but after 100 films Jackie Chan has announced he is retiring as an action star. The 58-year-old admitted he was 'too old' for stunts now and increasing violence in the wider world had put him off. Asked why he had decided to stop making action films he said the physical strain had become too much. He explained he felt 'really, really tired'. Speaking at the launch of his new production Chinese Zodiac at the Cannes Film Festival, Chan said it would be his final performance as an action hero. He said: 'This is my last action film. I am not young any more. I am really, really tired.' He added that he was no longer happy doing such movies, because is worried about the increasingly aggressive attitude of people today. Chan explained: 'The world is too violent right now. It’s a dilemma - I love fighting. I like action. but I don’t like violence. He has previously hinted that he would step back from action films, but says now the decision is final. 'I want the audience to know I am not just about fighting. I can also act.' The screen legend said he wanted to take on more serious roles and emulate the success of Robert De Niro. He explained: 'I don’t just want to be an action star, I want to be a true actor. I want to get rid of my image. 'I want the audience to know also I’m not only a comedian. I can act. Day by day, year by year, I’m going to show you the real Jackie Chan.' Chan, who was born in Hong Kong, began his career as a stuntman working with Bruce Lee in the films Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon in the early 1970s. His big break was in 1978 film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow. In the 1990s became famous for his particular style of performance which has been a mix of skilled martial arts and comedy. He did all of his own stunts and once claimed he had broken almost every bone in his body. He has been a darling of Hollywood because of his populist approach to martial arts and its box office success. Chan had hits with the Rush Hour franchise, Rumble In The Bronx, and Shanghai Noon. More recently, he voiced Master Monkey in Kung Fu Panda and played a Mr Miyagi- type mentor in the remake of The Karate Kid in 2010. His new film is the third in his Chan's Armour of God series, it sees his character search for the 'lost' 12 bronze heads of the Chinese Zodiac. In real life these were designed in the 18th century but were stolen in the 19th. Since the only seven have been retrieved with five still missing. Recreations of the bronze heads featured in the 2011 London exhibition by dissident a

rtist Ai Weiwei.

Doctors accidentally tear baby's head off as mother struggles to give birth in Brazilian hospital

Doctors in Brazil accidentally tore the head off a baby they were struggling to deliver, it was reported today.
The horrific incident occurred after the child became stuck as it was being born in Aracaju, northeastern Brazil.
The baby boy's headless body remained inside the mother and had to be removed by Caesarian.

Tragic: The 22-year-old mother, who has three other children, was rushed for an emergency Caesarian where, according to the woman, the headless body of the baby was removed (file pic)

A team of five doctors at the Santa Isabel maternity hospital had spent hours trying to deliver the baby in the early hours of Tuesday.
The 22-year-old mother, who has three other children, told her family she knew something was wrong when she heard something 'crack'.

 

Gilmara Azevedo dos Santos, the woman's cousin, told Brazil's Globo G1 website: 'She went through a lot of suffering, it was hours and hours and a lot of pain and discomfort, with doctors pushing on her stomach, trying everything to make the baby come out.

'Then at one point, she heard a loud noise and one of the doctors said, 'Marcos, are you crazy?'
He said the mother asked what was happening but didn't get an answer.
She was rushed for an emergency Caesarian where, according to the woman, the headless body of the baby was removed.
Ms Santos added: 'My cousin is totally devastated, the whole family is in shock. She is still in so much pain, as after the head had been pulled off they tried to get the body out by cutting her. In the end they had to open up her body to take out her son's dead body.'
The hospital's clinic director Debora Leite today said that a committee of professionals had been set up to investigate the baby's death.
The family confirmed they intend to sue for medical negligence.

Student killed and seven injured in 'Mafia' bomb blast outside school in Italy

Tragic: Melissa Bassi, 16, suffered horrific injuries in the explosion and was rushed to hospital but died a short while later from her injuries

A schoolgirl was killed and seven others injured today in a suspected mafia bomb blast which hit a school.
Two powerful explosions scattered deadly shrapnel across a wide area just as students were arriving for lessons as the devices, connected to gas canisters and hidden in rucksacks went off.
Melissa Bassi, 16, suffered horrific injuries in the explosion and was rushed to hospital but died a short while later from her injuries and there are fears over another of those hurt, a girl, whose condition was described as 'life threatening.'
Paramedics and police were immediately at the scene and TV footage showed scenes of chaos as shocked students gathered outside the building and investigators immediately linked the tragedy to an anti mafia protest march.
The blast went off close to the Morvillo Falcone school in the southern Italian town of Brindisi and home to the local mafia known as the Sacra Corona Unita who have close links with the Russian and Albanian mafia and are linked to drug and gun running.
The school is named after Francesca Morvillo Falcone, who was the wife of anti mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, who were both killed in a bomb blast on May 23 1992 which was carried out by the Sicilian Mafia and tonight/last night there was growing outrage at how innocent school chidlren had been targeted.

Rescue: A woman receives first aid after the explosion outside Francesca Morvillo Falcone high school

Panic: Emergency services and passers-by rush to help those injured in the blast

Mourning: Flowers are placed outside the school in Brindisi where the blast happened

Tributes: Dozens of Melissa Bassi's friends have left tributes on her Facebook page

The devices were hidden in a bin about 30metres from the Brindisi courthouse and as they exploded students arriving for lessons caught the full impact of the blasts.

 

Debris was scattered over a wide area with shrapnel from the canisters piercing shutters of nearby shops and blowing out windows of apartment buildings overlooking the scene.
TV footage showed scenes of desperation as shoes and rucksacks were scattered over the floor, abandoned by the students as the bombs went off just as students arrived for lessons.
Although security across Italy has been stepped up with fears of anarchist attacks due to the drastic economic situation the theory quickly gathering momentum was a never before heard of attack on innocent schoolchildren by the mafia.

Demonstration: Local residents protest the explosion near the high school today

Search begins: Firefighters and forensic officers investigate the shrapnel-covered scene

Blame: Brindisi's mayor, Mimmo Consales, has accused the mafia or carrying out the attack

Concealed: The devices were hidden in a bin about 30m from the Brindisi courthouse

Brindisi's mayor Cosimo Consales said: 'This is an unprecedented attack by organised crime. The name of the school and the planned anti mafia march is all too much of a coincidence,'' adding how just two weeks ago a local anti extortion racket campaigner had cheated death after a powerful device went off under his car.''
One eye witness who works in the court building which overlooks the school told Italian media:''I was just opening the window when the blast caught me in full. When I looked down I saw all the kids on the floor, they were covered in black and their books were on fire.
'It was an infernal scene. Who could have done something like this ? They were just kids.'

Devastating: Shrapnel pierced shutters of nearby shops as the blast blew out windows of apartments

Blast: Two powerful explosions scattered deadly shrapnel across a wide area just as students were arriving for lessons at Morvillo Falcone school

Accusations: Brindisi's mayor Cosimo Consales said:'This is an unprecedented attack by organised crime'

The European Caravan for Legality, is an anti mafia protest that had left Rome last month and was due to wind its away across Italy promoting initiatives against organised crime.
Giovanni Falcone and his wife were killed along with their three strong security escort after the Mafia detonated a bomb under a motorway as he made his convoy made his way from Palermo airport, on the mob's island stronghold of sicily airport to the city centre.

Just two months later his successor Paolo Borsellino who was also killed in a car bomb in Palermo as he visited the apartment block where his mother lived.
Local MP Alfredo Mantovano was also at the scene and said:''There is an anti mafia meeting taking place at the moment with the prosecutors and forces of law and order. This is the first time in Italy that a school has been targeted and this is the most terrible aspect of all this.''
The schoolgirl who was said to be in a serious condition was named as Veronica Capodieci and she had severe burns and internal injuries with doctors battling to save her life as her family waited outside the operating theatre.
According to statistics from Eurispes, an Italian economic and social think tank the Sacra Corona Unita has a turn over of around 2.5 billion Euro a year from its organised crime activities and is mainly from drugs, prostitution and arms trafficking.

Shocked: One eyewitness said: 'It was an infernal scene. Who could have done something like this? They were just kids'

Investigation: Italian firefighters inspect the site where an explosive device went off

In April 2009 two leading mobsters from the organisation were gunned down in their cars, Franco Romita and Giuseppe Trotta, were left virtually unrecognisable after the hit as their bodies were riddled with dozens of bullets.
Last week 35 people were arrested in a blitz by local police across Puglia, the region os southern Italy where the Sacra Corona Unita is based and also where Hollywood star Helen Mirren has a holiday home.

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Man obsessed with Hannibal Lecter finally faces trial after 'stabbing 17-year-old beauty school student to death'

Jury selection is expected to begin on Monday in the murder trial of a Washington beauty school student who is accused of strangling and stabbing to death his 17-year-old classmate.
Prosecutors said Christopher Scott Wilson, 31, had a fascination with death and corpses when he killed high school senior Mackenzie Cowell in February of 2010, comparing him to a serial-killing character from the television shows Dexter.
Wilson also has an arm tattoo of Hannibal Lecter, the fictional serial killer from Oscar-winning movie Silence of the Lambs.

Accused: Christopher Scott Wilson has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2010 death of 17-year-old Mackenzie Cowell

Star: Mackenzie Cowell was described as a popular high school girl who kept busy with work at the beauty school and her dance team

Wilson was ultimately charged with first-degree murder in a case that shocked the small agricultural city of Wenatchee, the self-described 'Apple Capital of the World'.
The 31-year-old and his alleged victim could hardly be more different. Unlike her grim older classmate, Cowell was a popular girl and a member of her school dance team known as the Apple-Ettes.

 

Reid Cowell, Mackenzie's father, recalled a driven girl with an ‘unreal schedule,’ juggling high school in the morning, beauty school in the afternoon and dance classes and dance team practice.
‘She would never have gone with anyone she didn't trust,’ Mr Cowell said. ‘The evidence tells me the chances are slim it wasn't him.’

Grim: Wilson was said to be obsessed with serial killers like the character in the TV show 'Dexter' (right), and he even got an arm tattoo of Hannibal Lecter (left

Slain: Cowell was last seen leaving her beauty school with classmate Wilson on February 9

Wilson reportedly rejected a ten-year plea deal after the defense won all of the major pre-trial motions.
Leading the defense team is John Henry Browne, the attorney who also represents the U.S. Army soldier charged in the killing of 17 Afghan villagers in March.
Browne said there are some cases where he encourages clients to plead guilty, even if they are 100 per cent innocent, because the deal is too good to turn down.

Reaper: During the investigation, police received a letter saying that Wilson talked about enjoying cutting people up while working at funeral homes

‘It's a significant risk for Chris, but he's maintaining his innocence, and I admire that in him,’ Browne said.
On February 9, Cowell left the Academy of Hair Design at around 3pm, telling her friends that she would be back in 15 minutes.
According to court documents, Cowell was last seen driving toward Wilson's home about two blocks away from the school. Police later found her abandoned vehicle five miles away on a rural road. Her purse was still in the car, but her keys and cell phone were missing.
Four days later, police found her body 20 miles away on the edge of the Columbia River. The teenager had been struck in the head, strangled and stabbed to death.
In addition to the fatal wounds, the coroner also determined that someone had tried to amputate one of the girl’s arms after she died.
Over the next seven months, police chased hundreds of leads and interviewed more than 800 people. Ultimately, Wilson was accused of murdering Cowell in his Wenatchee apartment, where police discovered traces of blood.

Three people reported seeing a person, closely matching Wilson's description, walking down the road near where Cowell's car had been abandoned.
DNA found on duct tape near Cowell's body was linked to Wilson. He was charged with the murder in October of 2010.

Mutilated: The coroner said that someone tried to amputate one of Cowell's arms after she died

Tragic: Police believe Cowell was killed in Wilson's apartment, where they found traces of her blood

According to court documents cited by KirovTV, several people contacted police with concerns about Wilson after Cowell disappeared.
One person wrote a letter to police claiming Wilson was obsessed with corpses and serial killers. He also claimed that the 31-year-old tried to choke his female friend, and then acted as if nothing happened.
Another acquaintance claimed that Wilson told her he liked to ‘cut people up’ when he was working at area funeral homes.

However, a judge barred prosecutors from introducing that work history - or mentioning his Hannibal Lecter arm tattoo - at trial.
Due to the media attention surrounding this case, Wilson’s defense team has expressed concerns that it will be difficult to find a pool of potential jurors that have not been tainted by the press coverage over the past two years.
Browne said he has filed a motion for change of venue, but will wait to see if an unbiased jury can be seated.

Certainty: Mackenzie's father, Reid Cowell, said he has little doubt that Wilson is his daughter's killer

Once the jury selection gets under way, Browne plans to present several motions, including a request to allow testimony from a police informant who claimed two other men admitted to murdering Cowell. He will also seek to bring the two men to the stand in person, according to the Wenatchee World.

The female informant named Samuel S. Cuevas and Emmanuel ‘Buddha’ Cerros Sanchez in Spring 2010, leading police to eavesdrop on the two men. However, police eventually determined that the two had strong alibis for the time of the murder.
Browne also seeks to suppress photos and a video police believe show the interior of Wilson’s apartment, where Cowell is thought to have died. The images and videos involve Wilson’s friend Tessa Schuyleman, who has been accused of misleading police in the Cowell case, but never charged with any crime.
Police said some of the photos show Schuyleman ‘posing as a dead person’ on the floor of Wilson’s apartment next to a stain. Investigators said the stain is Cowell’s blood, matched directly to her DNA.
Wilson, however, insisted that the stain in the video was spilled water from a marijuana bong, according to defense documents.
If convicted, standard sentencing calls for Wilson to serve 20 to 26 years in prison, but the judge could impose a tougher sentence.

Not so Lil' anymore: Kim shows off a fuller figure in skin tight bodysuit with wild blonde mane

Lil' Kim gave her fans quite a show as she took to the stage in a low-cut black and tan bodysuit that hugged her ample curves to perfection.
The Lady Marmalade rapper, 37, flaunted her womanly figure in the unusual outfit yesterday at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx.
She paired the plunging number with high heeled silver boots and two large metal bracelets.

Out of this world: Lil' gave her fans an eyeful in a galactic bodysuit in New York

With her massive mane of blonde hair swooped to one side, the rap star worked the stage in her galactic getup for the delighted crowd of New York.

 

Later she changed into several equally tight and revealing outfits.

Work it: Kim flaunted her ample backside as she strutted around the stage

The performance was part of her Return of the Queen comeback tour and included some of the star's previous hits including How Many Licks and The Jump Off.
The music icon even enlisted help from some of her celebrity friends including Missy Elliott and Eve, who joined her on stage.

Careful: Kim came dangerously close to a wardrobe malfunction as she bent over

Change of scenery: Kim rocked a series of different outfits to show off her curves

Kim, real name Kimberly Denise Jones, broke into the music business in 1994, as part of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A., which was a protegé of the late American rapper Notorious B.I.G.
Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s first and only album was titled Conspiracy, spawned three hit singles, which helped Kim launch her solo career.
Over the years, the female rapper from Brooklyn had a string of hits and sold millions of records.

Untamed: Kim also donned a see through mini dress and leopard print boots

She won a Grammy Award for the remake of Lady Marmalade, which she co-wrote and performed with Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Pink in 2001.
But in 2005 her music career slowed down when she served a year long prison sentence for lying to a jury about her friends' involvement in a shooting four years earlier.
During her incarceration, Kim released her fourth studio album, The Naked Truth.

Evolving look: In 2009 the rap star wore coloured contact lenses and darker hair