At the latest day at PAX East, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIV’s upcoming expansion Heavensward will be released on June 23. According to several reports, Square Enix also announced that there will be a collector’s edition of the game, including the original Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn as well as a standard edition.

Pre-orders for the expansion will open on March 16 and grant buyers five days early access to the new content. Square Enix is offering three different editions of Heavensward. Players can buy a standard edition with only the expansion or a collector’s edition featuring a handful of goodies: a mini dragon figurine, an art book, a DVD showcasing trailers, and a handful of in-game goodies including the exclusive griffin mount, a dragoon minion, and a helmet designed to look like Cecil’s from Final Fantasy IV.

In addition to raising the level cap from 50 to 60 and adding new high-level gear for all jobs, Heavensward will introduce flying mounts, including black Chocobos, dragons, griffins, and single-rider airships. The expansion will also introduce a new race, the Au Ra, a tall, stern people with tan or blue skin, horns growing from the side of their heads, and patches of scales dotting their skin.

A trailer — which you can see below — has been released that coincides with the release date announcement. It shows off the new areas of the expansion, which are set in the region where Ishgard resides. Compared to areas in the vanilla release, the new zones are more complex in geometry, larger in scope, and have a greater sense of verticality, a perfect combination for the introduction of flying mounts.

In addition to what has been mentioned above, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward will also introduce three new job classes to the table: the tank class dark knight, healing class astrologian, and gun-wielding ranged attacker the machinist. Longtime franchise players will recognize the dark knight class, a heavily armored class that gives players access to giant swords and dark magic. The astrologian uses the power of the stars to heal and shield their party. According to the development team, players have been asking for a job with guns for a long time. In response, they’re getting in the machinist, which requires big guns to take down enemies from the back of party lines. The machinist can also drop mechanical turrets to support party members and debuff enemies.

[Image via Square Enix]

‘Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward’ To Be Released June 23 is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Katy Perry‘s Prism was a hit, but not quite as big as her previous album, Teenage Dream. In fact, Teenage Dream just achieved a chart milestone, according to Billboard.

“Katy Perry’s successful Teenage Dream album celebrates its milestone 200th week on the Billboard 200 chart, as the set moves 90-126 on the list dated March 14. The set, which was released in 2010 and debuted at No. 1, is only the 25th album to spend at least 200 weeks on the chart since it began using Nielsen Music point-of-sale data on May 25, 1991. It joins such other titles as Taylor Swift’s Fearless, Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Mumford & Sons’ Sigh No More and Nirvana’s Nevermind in the 200 weeks (or more) club during the Nielsen era.”

Billboard also notes that Teenage Dream has not only scored a record-breaking five No. 1 hits, but is about to cross over the 3 million sales mark. Keep in mind that even selling 1 million albums is difficult for a superstar. Even Lady Gaga hasn’t been able to sell over 1 million albums with her latest releases ARTPOP and Cheek to Cheek. Beyoncé’s latest album has sold well, but it’s doubtful it will have the same chart longevity as Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream.

Speaking of Katy Perry, it was recently revealed that her Super Bowl performance was almost a disaster. According to Sports Illustrated, Perry‘s show relied on darkness. Her creative director Baz Halpin planned things for months with Katy Perry. There were weeks of rehearsals and other types of planning. Halpin didn’t even think about the one thing that could ruin the show and Katy Perry’s reputation – daylight.

The Super Bowl had started a little after 4:30 p.m. and as halftime approached, the sun was still shining. If it was still bright out, Katy Perry’s lion’s shell would have looked fake and ridiculous, as well as other props. It would have looked like an elementary school play. According to Yahoo Sports, coach Pete Carroll saved Katy Perry from a Janet Jackson-like disaster by making the decision to go for a touchdown rather than let the clock run down.

Katy Perry is currently touring Europe on her “Prismatic World Tour.” Her shows have garnered the singer excellent reviews. In 2008, after she hit big with her album One of the Boys, people thought she would fade away fast. Instead, she has outlasted most pop stars from that period and continues to keep going. Katy Perry is definitely on her way to pop music legend status.

[Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS]

Katy Perry Joins Taylor Swift In Major Chart Milestone: Your Turn, Beyonce is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Joe Biden is facing criticism for a remark at the Human Rights Campaign Conference, but it’s not because he spoke approvingly of LGBTQ rights or because of what he thinks about those who oppose marriage equality. Instead, it’s for a single exclamation that many say was blasphemous: speaking about certain anti-gay statements in the news recently, he said, “I mean, Jesus, God!”

Christian News reports on the controversy, noting that Joe Biden was specifically discussing commentary from Republican presidential hopeful Ben Carson, who recently explained that being gay must be a choice since men who entered prison defining themselves as straight engage in gay sex during incarceration, and according to Carson, leave as gay men.

Though Carson apologized for those statements, Biden used them as an example.

“Every ridiculous assertion from Dr. Carson on — I mean, ridiculous. I mean, Jesus, God. Oh God. I mean, it’s kind of hard to fathom, isn’t it?”

Joe Biden’s words carry the appearance of a man who, as he says, finds a situation simply so unfathomable that he has no idea what to say about it.

However, he has offended a number of people, it appears. The official Joe Biden Facebook page (run by Obama for America, the Obama-Biden 2012 campaign, not by Biden himself) is littered with commentary on the offense.

“Cry out to JESUS CHRIST to save you Biden, you’re going to need HIM”

“You are a dumb man, Joe Biden…’I mean…Jesus,God!'”

Other comments that are longer and less appropriate to reproduce here warn Biden that he is going to Hell, and accuse him of adopting the tactics of Satan.

Notably, the page hasn’t been updated since 2013, so it’s unlikely many of these comments are getting through.

The criticism of Biden comes, ironically, at a time when Americans are calling for a stop to the criminalization of blasphemy in other countries. Take, for example, the Saudi Arabian blogger who may be facing the death penalty for internet comments that spoke in opposition to Islam.

Fortunately for Joe Biden, in America, blasphemy is currently not an offense punishable by law, nor is supporting LGBTQ rights or speaking out against inaccurate declarations about a minority group. Biden is facing a surprising amount of public criticism for the words, but that’s probably the worst consequence he can expect.

Is Joe Biden’s casual blasphemy more offensive and harmful than the casual dehumanization of minority groups and the stripping of rights from an entire demographic of citizens?

[Photo by: Win McNamee/Getty]

Joe Biden Under Fire For Blasphemy: ‘I Mean, Jesus, God…’ is an article from: The Inquisitr News

If you’ve never Googled “girlfriend pillow” you might be surprised by all the results that come up when you do.

Of course, this reporter Googled “girlfriend pillow” strictly for journalistic purposes only (although the “Breast Friend” girlfriend pillow option does look potentially therapeutic for one lacking a significant other, but then again…).

Anyway, a Japanese inventor is taking the girlfriend pillow to a new whole level. While some might not want their girlfriend pillow talking back to them, Koichi Uchimura feels exactly the opposite. Uchimura is a girlfriend pillow veteran and has apparently been sleeping with his anime girlfriend pillow, called a dakimakura, for long enough that he believes it’s time she should talk back to him, reports the Vine.

Uchimura’s new talking girlfriend pillow, the Ita-Supo, features a lovely blonde anime girl with big blue eyes, named Rina Makuraba.

Depending on where one touches her (yes, there and there), Rina will reply with a different response. And if one is too rough, Rina will let them know that she is one girlfriend pillow that won’t put up with such treatment.

The Ita-Supo girlfriend pillow comes with two sensors, according to the Anime News Network. These sensors are strategically located beneath Rina Makuraba’s cartoon breasts and crotch area.

Rubbing the Rina Makuraba girlfriend pillow’s cartoon breasts will result in her giving positive responses such as “What if I start loving you even more than I already do?” But if one gets too rough, they may elicit a response from Rina such as, “Hey! That hurts!”

While some may find the talking girlfriend pillow creepy, untoward, or even perverted, Uchimura’s crowd-funding campaign to get talking Rina on the market has already raised over a million yen which equals about $8,600 U.S. dollars. The campaign’s goal was only half that, and with over 50 days left in the crowd-funding campaign, it looks like Rina Makuraba the talking girlfriend pillow is well on her way to market and may be the new companion of thousands of lonely men.

Options and dynamic variety abound with Rina the talking girlfriend pillow, the anime cartoon pillow girl coming already loaded with hundreds of speech patterns and endless future downloads in the making.

And while perhaps priceless for those lacking companionship, what is the price of this new girlfriend pillow?

The Rina girlfriend pillow will reportedly retail for about $167, and other pillowcases featuring Rina’s friends, Shion Kamitsuki and Shiho Natsuki, will also be available.

[Image via YouTube]

Girlfriend Pillow Inventor Takes It To Next Level With Anime Girl That Coos Sweet Nothings is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Tottenham Hotspur got the three points they desperately needed with a 2-1 victory over the Queens Park Rangers, thanks in large part to a no-call on a hand ball in the Spurs’ penalty box, at Loftus Park on Saturday afternoon. The victory keeps the Spurs within striking distance of fourth place in the Barclays English Premier League, which is currently held by Manchester United. The top-four in the EPL receive a berth in the prestigious Champions League next year.

Harry Kane provided all the scoring for Tottenham (15-5-8, 50 points), which moved into sixth place one point ahead of Southampton. Kane tallied goals in both halves, giving him 26 on the season, including 16 in 24 Premier League games. His 16 Premier League goals is the most among English strikers and one more than Aston Villa has tallied as a team.

While Tottenham was slightly underwhelming, according to ESPN FC’s Miguel Delaney, Kane was on top of his game from the opening kickoff. Kane almost got the Spurs on the board at the six-minute mark, but goalkeeper Robert Green pushed his header, off a cross from teammate Kyle Walker, just over the crossbar.

QPR actually had the best scoring chances in the first half, but those were routinely spoiled by Hugo Lloris, who came up with five saves. Lloris’ most spectacular save came midway through the first half, when he dove to swat a Charlie Austin’s flick after a bad turnover by Spur midfielder Andros Townsend.

Austin had another chance at giving QPR the lead at the 29th minute mark, when his shot ricocheted off the crossbar and down to the goal line, but there was no Ranger to knock it in the goal and the Spurs were able to clear it out of danger.

Kane finally put a goal on the board when rose above defender Nedum Onuoha and headed a free kick off Townsend’s leg pass Green at the 34th-minute mark.

Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen, just prior to halftime, had his curling rocket hit off the far post, or the Spurs would’ve gone into the break up 2-0.

Delany reported that QPR probably deserved more opportunities than they got as they appealed to the referee on three separate occasions for a penalty but were rebuffed each time.

The Rangers had their best opportunity to knot the game following halftime at the 58th-minute mark, but Lloris pushed Bobby Zamora’s strike passed the goal posts.

Kane gave the Spurs breathing room in the 68th minute, as he touched the ball around a diving Green before depositing the ball in the net with his left foot. Ryan Mason was credited with the assist.

Sandro gave the Rangers’ a bit of life with an 18-foot strike at the 75th minute of play.

QPR had other opportunities for an equalizer, but none better than late in the game. According to Nicholas Mendola of Pro Soccer Talk, Austin thought he won a penalty kick when his shot was blocked by the arm and then face of Nabil Bentaleb, but there wasn’t a call.

Kane talked about his goals and the game at the post-game conference.

“We’ve had a disappointing couple of weeks so we had to build momentum and get up the league. Which we have done with two good results. Andros put in a great ball in great area and that’s it, back of the net. The second one I was happy to round the keeper and put it in the back of the net.”

“It’s a massive win, we always seem to be winning 2-1. We looked in control, but we looked in control the other night and Hugo Lloris had to make a big save. So we have to improve in killing teams off.

“I’m loving my football, being out there with my team-mates and my mates. I feel good and confident, it’s important for a striker to have that. The second goal was a nice composed finish.”

Tottenham still has some work to do if they want to move into the top-four, as there are still 10 games left in the season. The Spurs travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United on March 15.

[Photo by Jaime McDonald/ Getty Images]

Tottenham Hotspur Moves To Within Three Points Of Top-Four in EPL, Following a Controversial 2-1 Victory Over Queens Park Rangers is an article from: The Inquisitr News

A 10-year-old boy died on Friday after he jumped from a second-story window at his school, following an argument with a classmate over a game of chess.

An eyewitness who was at the scene at the time of the incident, Elmer Pascia, told reporters, “When I looked, there was a lady in the window, like you know, talking to the people down below frantically.”

Soon after he jumped, falling fatally onto the concrete below, paramedics as well as teachers and other passersby all tried to help the child, who attended the Grant School in Dumont, New Jersey.

Pascia added, “I saw him moving, wearing trousers, I saw him moving his legs, and his hands, and they were attending to him.”

The suicide reportedly took place during the school’s lunch hour, while a teacher’s aide and some students sat in the classroom, which the boy jumped from.

The superintendent of Dumont Schools, Emanuel Triggiano, also spoke to reporters about the tragedy.

“There were a number of students who were in the classroom and we’ve provided them with some assistance and we will continue to provide them with assistance through the weekend and on Monday.”

A parent of one of the students from the school, who was very disturbed by the suicide told reporters, “It’s very concerning, but stuff happens, it happens, we don’t know what really happened. We have to find that out,” said Jay Poche.

Another concerned parent, Ana Nunez, also pointed out that the correct safety precautions for such an eventuality were not in place, as she said, “Why are there not safety guard windows for the second floor to prevent something like this? How did the window open, how wide?”

While Nunez makes a valid point, there’s no question that if a child wants to commit suicide in such a way, they will always be able to find a place to jump from. The fact that the Grant School victim chose his classroom window is unfortunate, as well as sad.

10-Year-Old Boy Commits Suicide Following Argument At School Over Chess Game is an article from: The Inquisitr News

The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 7 will reportedly include a few new faces — and some old ones.

While Bravo has yet to officially renew the series, rumor has it that the upcoming season of the show could look drastically different than it did during Season 6. In fact, according to a new report, the network is unsure which, if any, of its current Real Housewives will return.

On March 6, an OK! Magazine source claimed everyone is in jeopardy of losing their role.

“Everyone is on the chopping block – Teresa Aprea, Nicole Napolitano and even the Gorgas.”

The source claimed Bravo was hoping to bring “new faces” to the The Real Housewives of New Jersey in an effort to boost ratings, which suffered a noticeable drop last year, following the exit of Caroline Manzo. They’re even said to be considering bringing Manzo, along with Jacqueline Laurita, back to the series.

“Casting directors are thinking about bringing back some of the original women, like Caroline Manzo and Jacqueline Laurita.”

After Season 5, Bravo reportedly fired Laurita from The Real Housewives of New Jersey, but after seeing a huge ratings drop, opted to bring her back mid-season.

Appearing on the show’s sixth season, after taking three seasons off, was Dina Manzo. Dina reportedly agreed to return to The Real Housewives of New Jersey after her sister, and Laurita, moved on.

As for the possibility of Dina appearing alongside Manzo and Laurita on Season 7, there doesn’t seem to be much of a chance. As the Inquisitr previously reported, Dina recently moved to Los Angeles.

Teresa Giudice is also reportedly moving on from the series.

On March 2, a source told Real Mr. Housewife she had no plans of returning for Season 7.

“I do not believe Teresa and Joe will be filming the upcoming season. Teresa is done with the Housewives.”

In a second Real Mr. Housewife report, a source claimed it was unlikely Melissa Gorga would be brought back to The Real Housewives of New Jersey if Giudice did not return. According to the source, Bravo feels Giudice and Gorga go hand in hand, so if the currently incarcerated Giudice chooses to move on, there simply wouldn’t be enough story line for the network to have Gorga return.

Amber Marchese appeared on The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 6 as one of three new wives, along with Aprea and Napolitano, and recently told AllAboutTRH she would return to the show if presented with the opportunity.

[Photo via Twitter]

‘Real Housewives Of New Jersey’ Cast Changes Are Coming Soon [Report] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Responding to a 6-year-old’s humiliating punishment for tardiness at school, the Oregon communities of Grants Pass and Medford have come together to support the boy and his family.

The policy for tardiness at Lincoln Elementary School in Grants Pass states that once a child has been late three times, a detention will be issued for that event, as well as for each subsequent act of tardiness thereafter. First grade student Hunter Cmelo knew he would be facing punishment for tardiness when he arrived only one minute late to school that morning, for a reason he had absolutely no control over. He was so upset he entered school already in tears.

Concerned for her little boy, Nicole Garloff went back to school to check on Hunter, and the tardiness punishment she witnessed was shocking, according to ABC News.

“He was at the first table as you walk into the cafeteria, and he was just sitting there with one of those cardboard poster partitions in front of him… and two or three books next to him.”

Hunter Cmelo sits behind divider in the lunchroom because he was one minute late to school due to car trouble.

The purpose behind this type of punishment for tardiness is for the children to catch up on work missed while they were absent. Hunter, however, was only one minute late so had not missed anything at all. Nicole was angry Hunter had to endure a humiliating punishment before the entire lunchroom.

“I was really upset. I went and got my iPad and took a picture of him. He wasn’t tardy so many times that he deserved that.”

Laura Hoover, Hunter’s grandma, was so infuriated by the harsh punishment he received that she posted the heart-wrenching pictures of Hunter on Facebook, reports the New York Daily News.

“His momma’s car sometimes doesn’t like to start right up. Sometimes he’s a couple minutes late to school. Yesterday, he was one minute late. This is what his momma discovered they do to punish him.”

Bill Meyer, from AM 1440, heard about the little boy’s punishment for tardiness, and the reason behind the tardiness. He contacted Kelly’s Automotive, owned by Lisa McClease-Kelly, to see if she would be interested in making repairs to the Garloff’s vehicle. Lisa found that the problems with the car were more than what the vehicle was worth, so she reached out to Rapid Repo and Collections. The repo company donated a 2001 Chrysler Town and Country minivan.

Hearing of the young boy’s extreme punishment for tardiness, local area businesses, along with Kelly’s Automotive, came together to pay for repairs to the van.

Hunter’s family was completely taken aback when they went to pick up their vehicle. In addition to the free, updated vehicle, donations of free oil changes, gas cards, and restaurant gift certificates were given to the Garloffs. Bill Meyer was happy to help.

“This family never asked for the help. All they ever wanted was to change the school policy. We saw a way to do a little nudge, and then everyone else came in with their time and generosity.”

The Grants Pass Superintendent’s Office states the tardiness punishment has been slightly changed.

“As a result of the concerns raised, the district ended the learning catch-up location at Lincoln Elementary School. Going forward, a separate, supervised classroom has been designated for necessary catch-up work.”

Thanks to a kind community, Hunter will not have to face punishment for tardiness again. Since receiving the van, he has been to school on time each day.

[Images via the Daily Mail/KVAL]

Punishment For Tardiness Humiliates First Grade Boy, Community Rushes To His Defense is an article from: The Inquisitr News

While searching for a lost climber on Mexico’s highest peak, rescuers found two mummified bodies, buried in the ice and snow. There could possibly be a third body still to be discovered.

The search party was looking for a climber who went missing recently when they saw a frozen skull sticking out of the snow at 1,000 feet from the peak of 18,491 foot Pico de Orizaba.

According to Juan Navarro, mayor of Chalchicomula de Sesma, after examining the remains, the group of 12 civil protection mountaineers made a second gruesome discovery. Around 500 feet away was another frozen, mummified body.

Warning: Graphic images. Mummified bodies found on volcano ‘may be men missing since 1959′ http://t.co/D4aOADhw6z pic.twitter.com/UqA0Yy8t2Y

— ITV News (@itvnews) March 7, 2015

While there is no firm identification as yet, authorities believe that the two mummified bodies are climbers who went missing over half a century ago.

The climbers were last seen heading for the summit back in 1959 when they were hit by an avalanche. Of the party, four climbers survived but three were reported missing and presumed dead. The recovery team believe that there is a third frozen and mummified body up on the peak, which would make up the group of three missing people.

According to the Metro, rescue efforts are being hampered by bad weather, but the two found bodies will be taken to the Puebla State Prosecutor’s office to undergo DNA testing. Also the remaining clothing found on both bodies could help in the identification process, according to Navarro.

Mummified bodies found buried in crystalized ice on Mexico’s tallest peak: http://t.co/woeTagrQLk pic.twitter.com/okGsKm0YA3

— ABC News (@ABC) March 7, 2015

Navarro said authorities will continue the search once the weather improves.

“The ice is crystallized, they are practically planted in concrete. The idea is to get them out… but yesterday the weather was a bit complicated, because of the fog.”

“It is a very difficult area where people normally don’t go. It is an area where there is only snow, and no route.”

Once they have managed to dig the mummified bodies out of the ice, officials from Chalchicomula de Sesma are hoping to use a government helicopter to bring the corpses down from the peak.

In the meantime, the Independent reports on one of the 1959 team, Luis Espinoza, 78, who was himself caught in the avalanche, but managed to dig himself out of the ice and reach safety. Espinoza has studied the photographs of one of the frozen bodies and says he is confident that these are two of his missing teammates.

Since the authorities released the news, they have received calls from relatives in Germany and Spain, hoping to get closure on the loss of their family members so long ago.

In other mummy-related news, the Inquisitr recently noted that the mummified remains of a Tibetan monk had been discovered inside a 1,000-year-old Buddha statue using CT-scan imaging.

[Image: CC BY 2.0 Jose Francisco Del Valle Mojica]

Two Mummified Bodies Found On Mexican Peak May Be Climbers Lost 55 Years Ago is an article from: The Inquisitr News

In latest news, whether called a cougar or mountain lion, it was found wandering the busy parking lot of Temecula-California’s Promenade Mall. Fully-grown. What and how is a cougar just trotting around an extremely busy mall like the Promenade?

Well, according to Press-Enterprise, the Department of Fish and Wildlife were called approximately around 6 a.m. Someone from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department contacted the Fish and Wildlife wardens, who after-which arrived on the scene around 7 a.m. Once at the mall parking lot, they spotted the cougar and shot it with a tranquilizer dart.

Though cougars aren’t supposed to prowl around such public areas, this one seemed to have another agenda. Lieutenant Kyle Chang of the Fish and Wildlife Department had a few things to say about the parking lot situation.

Credits: Joe Fanaselle | Press-Enterprise

For one, the cat was an actual cougar/mountain lion and not a bobcat, as many “cougar” sightings turn out to be. According to the same source, Lt. Chang arrived on the scene to find the cougar, indeed, in the parking lot — and under a commercial semi’s trailer.

“A warden darted the cat and, before the tranquilizer took effect, it ran a short distance, bumping into the locked glass doors to the department store, then hopped a wall and collapsed, Chang said.”

As horrifying as this mall experience may have been, this cougar’s life met an early end, according to further statements from a Fish and Wildlife spokesperson, with KTLA-5.

“A lot of times they’re seeking habitat for themselves and the suitable habitat has been taken. So they range into what would be, for a mountain lion, unsuitable.”

Credits: Joe Fanaselle | Press-Enterprise

Obviously, though the cat was found near Macy’s, it wasn’t there with a gift card and awaiting the store to open. The general consensus would possibly agree that a highly-populated mall parking lot is an unsuitable place for a 125-pound cougar.

As fortunate would allow, there were no reported cougar attacks at the mall — likewise, no injuries or fatalities. The closest reported event was after the cougar was shot and bumped into the mall’s doors, before jumping the aforementioned fence and dying.

From the same Press-Enterprise source, an interview with biologist Kevin Brennan states from where the cougar could have possibly traveled.

“It was unclear where the cat came from or what route it took to the mall. Brennan said it might have come from the nearby Santa Rosa Plateau but mountain lions rarely cross Interstate 15, he said. The cat could just as likely have roamed out of the Mt. San Jacinto area, he said.”

Credits: Joe Fanaselle | Press-Enterprise

For sure, this is a situation most people see only on television in shows like World’s Most Shocking. Due to the brave efforts of law enforcement, the day went on as usual and the cougar was subdued.

What are your thoughts on the situation? Do you think the cougar heard about Macy’s’ sale and wanted in? Share your thoughts. Spark conversation in Inquisitr‘s community.

[Feature Image via Press-Enterprise]

Cougar In Mall Parking Lot: Found At Macy’s But With No Gift Card is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Islamic State militants are still on the path of destruction, and now there are reports they have demolished the ancient city of Hatra in Northern Iraq. The city that dates back 2,000 years was attacked by the militant group on Saturday, the Tourism and Antiquities ministry has reported. Though it was reported, it is unclear the extent of the damages since no images of the destruction have been released as of yet.

A resident who lives near the ancient city stated that he had heard a loud explosion early on Saturday. Other residents who live near the area reported that ISIS had indeed obliterated the ancient city and then began to bulldoze the surrounding areas. This type of destruction comes on the heels of the demolition of the Assyrian archeological site Nimrud just a day prior.

The Independent reports Kurdish official Saeed Mamuzini from Mosul as stating, “The city of Hatra is very big and many artefacts of that era were protected inside the site.”

Unesco, the cultural agency of the United Nations, sees this as a “cultural cleansing” and has categorized it as a war crime.

The ancient city of Hatra was the first capital of the Arab kingdom during the Parthian Empire. At one time, the city was able to withstand invasions from the Romans in A.D. 116 and again in 198. That was made possible due to its fortified structure, and now if the reports are correct, it may lie in rubble.

There is some doubt cast on the destruction of the ancient city, considering where Hatra is located. As reported by ABC News, Mohammed Nuri, an MP from southern Nineveh province, states that “until this moment, there are no confirmed reports that Hatra has been destroyed.” He continues that considering where the area is in proximity to the locals, it would be very unlikely that residents would be aware of any destruction taking place.

“I have not heard of someone who physically saw the destruction taking place.”

The Islamist State militants may be using the looted artifacts has a major source of funding, and they are believed to be taking the gold and silver before destroying these ancient cities. Mamuzini reports that many of the ancient precious metals that the Assyrians used were stored in the city of Hatra.

The ancient city of Hatra was conquered by Alexander the Great and is most famously known for its magnificent pillars in the center of the archeological site.

Islamic State Militants Destroy 2,000-Year-Old Ancient City is an article from: The Inquisitr News

President Obama has come under a lot of criticism for his handling of the current nuclear Iran deal, which could leave the Islamic country with numerous atomic bombs.

Most recently, an impassioned speech by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at congress last week ruffled more than a few political feathers as the head of the Jewish State enjoying standing ovation after standing ovation from both sides of the house.

In an interview with CBS’ Face the Nation, Obama seemed to be crumbling to pressure from all sides, as the current deal on the table with Iran is considered pitiful,

“If we cannot verify that they are not going to obtain a nuclear weapon— that there’s a breakout period so that even if they cheated we would be able to have enough time to take action — if we don’t have that kind of deal, then we’re not going to take it. If there’s no deal. Then we walk away.”

As the deadline for the current deal gets ever closer, Obama is playing with fire when he says he wants Iran to enrich uranium but not develop nuclear weapons as it is a fanatical regime which has a clear agenda.

In speaking with Bill Plante on the CBS Obama said,

“Over the next month or so, we’re going to be able to determine whether or not their system is able to accept what would be an extraordinarily reasonable deal if in fact, as they say, they are only interested in peaceful nuclear programs. And if we have unprecedented transparency in that system, if we are able to verify that in fact they are not developing weapons systems, then there’s a deal to be had, but that’s going to require them to accept the kind of verification and constraints on their program that so far, at least, they have not been willing to say yes to.”

Then there’s Netanyahu, who also appeared on Face the Nation, saying that he trusts the Iranians a whole lot less than Obama does, “I do not trust inspections with totalitarian regimes. What I’m suggesting is that you contract Iran’s nuclear program, so there’s less to inspect.”

In backing up the Israeli Prime Minister‘s position, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., agreed that Congress has a role in the deal, “Congress passed the sanctions itself, so Congress has very much an interest in the sanctions. I pushed that it shouldn’t be done before there’s an agreement…but after that, yes, Congress has a right to weigh in and I support it,” he said.

President Obama Claims He’ll Walk Away From Unsatisfactory Iran Deal is an article from: The Inquisitr News

On Friday, a mountain lion wandered into the parking lot of a California shopping mall. State wildlife officers shot the mountain lion with a tranquilizer dart. Sadly, the mountain lion died as officers sought to transport it back into the wild.

This is not the only incident in recent times that a mountain lion wandered into human occupied spaces. Incidents will continue to rise as humans continue to expand into wildlife’s habitats.

In the most recent incident, wildlife officers were summoned when a 100-pound male mountain lion was seen walking around a Macy’s loading dock at the Promenade Mall located in Temecula. Captain Patrick Foy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife arrived on the scene around 5 a.m., reports Yahoo! News.

Foy states that the Fish and Wildlife officers on the scene determined that the mountain lion did not pose any real threat to public safety so they would not have to kill him. They shot the big cat with a tranquilizer gun.

Foy added that in most cases tranquilized animals are transported and returned to the wild, but for reasons unknown, the mountain lion died after being placed in the back of the truck.

A necropsy will be conducted on the mountain lion to determine the cause of death.

“We don’t know exactly what happened. Stress and drugs, a combination of the two, were probably a contributing factor. Unfortunately, there’s a risk involved with these kind of animal captures,” Foy said.

“We do our very best to minimize chances of harm but sometimes things go wrong,” Foy added.

Foy has been with the Fish and Wildlife Department for 18 years. He states that he has personally used the same sedation method on two other mountain lions, four bears, and dozens of deer with no issues, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“What I’ve learned is that when no one’s around and the lion or deer is stuck, you dart them and everything goes fine, When you’re in the middle of a parking lot and there are lots of people around, and there are police lights, the animal is very stressed, and that’s when these sorts of things happen,” Foy said.

Foy added that the incident was at least the third time in the past year that a mountain lion has wandered into populated city centers for reasons they are not positive about.

The University of California conducted a study that was published last year that states that the mountain lions are becoming part of a shrinking gene pool and that their territories are growing much more isolated from one another due to urban development.

[Photo courtesy of Patch.com]

Mountain Lion Shot With A Tranquilizer Gun In Parking Lot Of California Mall Dies is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Chris Evans, known for playing Captain America in some of Marvel’s most popular films, donned his Captain America outfit on Saturday, March 7, to visit children at the Seattle Children’s Hospital, accompanied by another actor from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Chris Pratt.

The two began a Twitterbowl during the Superbowl, with Chris Evans starting it by telling Pratt he was “his enemy for the next two weeks,” as his favorite team, the New England Patriots, took on Pratt’s Seattle Seahawks. The lighthearted tweets between the two friends then turned into a bet after Chris Evans asked Pratt what the stakes were of either team winning. Pratt wanted Evans to show up at the Seattle Children’s Hospital if the Patriots lost, and would dress up as Star-Lord in a Brady jersey and visit Christopher’s Haven in Boston if the Seahawks lost.

With the stakes set between the two, they met up at Super Bowl XLIX on February 1 in Glendale, Arizona at the University of Phoenix Stadium to watch the game and kid around with Late Night show host Jimmy Fallon, photobombing fans photos and having a great time. 120.8 million viewers tuned in to see one of the closest games play out between the two teams, with the New England Patriots cinching victory at a score of 28-24.

When Pratt came to Boston to visit Christopher’s Haven, a charity that assists children with cancer and their families, Evans gifted a Patriots jersey with Pratt’s name on it before he suited up as Star-Lord to visit the children. The Marvel men brought gifts with them, including Marvel and Disney toys for the kids. The charity is close to Chris Evans heart and has visited the kids there before, as well as raised money for the charity.

Even though Chris Evans won the Twitterbowl bet, he still promised to visit the children at Seattle’s Children’s Hospital when he could, and showed up as promised on March 7 in full Captain America gear, shield included, and began to visit the children in the hospital. Again, the superhero pair brought Marvel and Disney gifts and took photos with the kids and their families as they all enjoyed their time together.

Following the visit, Chris Evans took to his Twitter account to express his gratitude for the experiences he had.

AMAZING day at @seattlechildren w @prattprattpratt. Met some TRUE super heroes! Feeling inspired, blessed, touched. Thank you w all my heart

— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) March 8, 2015

Since the Twitterbowl bet, Chris Evans and Chris Pratt both posted links to their respective charities where fans could donate should they be inclined. Christopher’s Haven reported $15,000 in donations while Seattle Children’s Hospital gathered $12,000.

Chris Evans Visits Seattle Children’s Hospital As Captain America is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Whilst regurgitating the hate-speak of what society has taught them, kids, at times, can be unwittingly cruel. That being said, four-year-old Siahj ‘Cici’ Chase will have none of it, and she’s not afraid to tell you.

After a boy at her school called her ugly, Miss Cici, with her adorable brown eyes, didn’t get upset; instead, she fired back with what might’ve been the best retort ever.

Said by her mother to be “quick on her feet”, the video shows Cici expressively recounting the incident with her lyrical Caribbean accent.

“What happened in school today?” her mom, Sonya, asks.

“A little boy said I looked…ugly,” Cici responded, pausing uncomfortably to get the vile word out.

“And what did you say?” asked Cici’s mom.

“I said, ‘I didn’t come here to make a fashion statement. I came here to learn, not look pretty.'”

He then apparently told her she looked bad, but Cici wasn’t having any more of his snide remarks.

“Did you look in the mirror lately? Buh-bye, see you later, you’re making me mad.”

Many of us as adults wouldn’t have been able to respond without lowering ourselves to the level of our hater, but not Miss Cici – who by the way is amazingly articulate for a pre-kindergarten student, or anyone really. Come on, when was the last time you were so poised and quick-witted in an unpleasant confrontation?

“Cici is a gem,” the precocious 4-year-old’s mom told HuffPost, “she’s sharp…. very active, talkative.”

Adding, “I read lots of the comments that people wrote and I just want to say thanks to everyone that said nice and encouraging things to and about her. I read some of them to Cici and she just smiles and giggles.”

Keep on being you Miss Cici, haters are always gonna hate.

Little Girl’s Killer Response To Boy Calling Her Ugly Is Pure Gold [Video] is an article from: The Inquisitr News

It began when two cash-strapped design school grads decided to rent out air mattresses to visitors in order to pay the rent. Soon after, they set up a website and began renting out rooms in their apartment at $80 per night.

Seven years later, those cash-strapped roomies are on Forbes’ billionaire list, and Airbnb is operating in 34,000 cities in 190 countries, with over a million dwellings listed on its online platform. According to Business Travel News, the company is poised to surpass the leading hotel chains in the next few years in patronage.

In addition to enjoying formidable commercial success, Airbnb became the leader of a legion of companies that allowed customers to rent goods for short periods of time via easy-to-use online platforms. Though there was nothing novel about companies renting goods to customers, the newfound peer-to-peer marketplace was revolutionary in that its “companies” were in fact ordinary citizens, and the goods they were lending were their own assets.

By 2013, Forbes noted, more than 100 of these companies existed, offering everything from car sharing (RelayRides and Sidecar) to temporary rooms for dogs (DogVacay) to skis (Rentoid) and SnapGoods).

Now known widely as “collaborative consumption,” Forbes called the new phenomenon a “disruptive economic force”–one that was capable of changing our relationship with material things forever: “Just as YouTube did with TV and the blogosphere did to mainstream media, the share economy blows up the industrial model of companies owning and people consuming.”

That Airbnb and the other peer-to-peer pioneers emerged from the rubble of the 2007 financial meltdown and subsequent recession is hardly by coincidence, notes The Economist. The sharing economy, the publication claims, is nothing more than a “post-crisis antidote to materialism and overconsumption.”

The LA Times’ Alex Stephany agrees: “The boom time left us with too much of everything, from cars to second homes to power drills,” he says. “Now that it’s over, we’ve never had a greater financial need to make use of these assets.”

Those alarmed by the recent New York Times report showing worldwide debt levels at nearly three times the planet’s economic output should be comforted by the fact nearly 25% of Canadians, Americans and Brits are now patrons of the sharing economy. Though far from a solution to the debt crisis, the sharing economy is an indication we are beginning to abandon our hazardously wasteful ways, and that the illusion of ownership may finally be losing its seductive powers.

Airbnb and Collaborative Consumption: The End of Excess? is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Gricelda Mejia, a Hispanic-Latino mother, is sitting in jail today for severely abusing her teen daughter. WFAB is reporting now that 33-year old Gricelda Mejia became so angry with her 13-year old daughter that she beat her, struck her with a belt, dragged her by the hair, and made her drink hot sauce as punishment. The child abuse took place at 2406 Beta Street in Houma, Louisiana.

The teenage girl reportedly told officials at her school who then referred the case to police. Officers from the Terrebonne Parrish Sheriff’s office arrested Mejia and charged her with cruelty to juveniles. Police are not saying what caused the beating, but the girl reported that her mother beat her several times during that week and snatched her down by the hair and dragged her throughout the house.

An examination of the child’s body revealed several severe bruises. The teen daughter, whom police have not named due to her age, has been taken out of her mother’s home. Gricelda Mejia sits in the Parish Jail, according to Daily Comet.

Information about Gricelda Mejia’s case is limited. Please check back as we update this story.

[Photo Credit: Twitter]

Gricelda Mejia: Louisiana Mom Made Teen Daughter Drink Hot Sauce For Punishment is an article from: The Inquisitr News

John Lennon’s legacy will forever live on in the the hearts and minds of his devoted family, friends, and fans. His passions, escapades, and activism are quite alive, though, and housed beautifully in his music, art, and photographs that are still on display to this day.

A recent discovery does have the music and art world in a bit of a fuss. A former photographer has found a 36 roll of negatives that were taken during John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s week long bed-in at Montreal’s historic Queen Elizabeth hotel in 1969.

The CBC reports that John Urban found the negatives while looking through some of his older work, hoping to find a picture of an ice sculpture he once took. Never did he imagine he’d come across such a collection of pictures that he did not actually take himself, and has no clue who did.

Urban states that the pictures of John and Yoko may have been taken by his former room mate, Frank Antonsen, who Urban assumed borrowed the camera to take the pictures and then left the roll behind. Yet when contacted about the negatives, Antonsen states that he actually never took a camera with him for the bed-in.

While he was present, Antonsen states he only brought a tape recorder, yet he believes that it’s possible the photographer that accompanied him, Nathan Wolkowitz, may have taken the shots. Wolkowitz has since passed so it’s nearly impossible to confirm if he was the photographer.

Although Urban is searching for the owner, if none can be found then the negatives will be auctioned off and the proceeds will be split between the New Democratic Party and Amnesty International.

Other pictures of John Lennon are also up for sale, these ones drawn by the legend himself.

The Art Of John Lennon will be featured at a gallery in Houston, TX at the end of March. The gallery will be selling replicas of Lennon’s art, that are from rare archived sketches. As reported by Your Houston News, Collection Curator, Lynne Clifford, a noted authority on the works of John Lennon, will be present to answer questions and delve into the history behind the artwork collection.

Not one to leave a stone un-turned, Seth Rogen and James Franco poked a little fun at Lennon and Ono’s expense with their version of the iconic Rolling Stone Magazine cover that featured Lennon and Ono in a candid pose. The single Instagram pic, as reported by The Inquisitr, was first released back in December during an SNL monologue being performed my Franco himself. The picture was meant to be in good fun, and drew both laughs and criticisms from fans.

[Image courtesy of The Telegraph]

John Lennon- His Legacy Lives On Through His Art, Images, And Words is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Whitney Bischoff is rumored to be the winner of this Bachelor, but a new report claims she may not be with Chris Soules for much longer.

Dating back to the start of this season, reports have claimed that Bischoff is Soules’ pick in the Bachelor finale, and sources indicate that they may be moving toward marriage.

But a new report claims that Whitney Bischoff may be ready to leave Bachelor Chris Soules not long after their engagement is announced before an audience of millions.

As Celeb Dirty Laundry reported, sources say that Whitney and Chris have drifted apart since the show stopped filming:

As a matter of fact, rumors have already begin making their rounds claiming that Chris Soules and Whitney Bischoff have already broken up. What went wrong? More like, what didn’t go wrong? After the Season 19 finale was filmed, Whitney Bischoff reportedly began having reservations about moving to Arlington and giving up her career in Chicago. And, to top it off, Chris Soules got a taste of Bachelor fame and had no intention of settling down and playing house with his fiancée. Instead, The Bachelor decided he wanted to live in California and join ABC’s series Dancing With The Stars – which is not going over well with Whitney. Chris has reportedly been in contact with his former fiancée, Sheena Schreck, who also lives in California. Even worse, rumors are out that Chris is cheating on Whitney with Sheena Schreck already!

It’s difficult to tell if there is any validity to the Bachelor rumor. The Celeb Dirty Laundry report did not cite a source, and the website has been known in the past to report on wild allegations that turned out nowhere near the truth.

But it would not be unusual if Whitney Bischoff and Chris Soules were to break up. Bachelor couples have a pretty poor track record, with only a handful of success stories. Even seemingly solid couples like Andi Dorfman and Josh Murray have ended up breaking up after the show ends and the excitement fades.

There could be good signs for Whitney Bischoff and Chris Soules, however. A separate report stated that Chris Soules is handing Whitney a real, 1.5 carat engagement ring on Monday’s Bachelor finale and has plans to walk the aisle with her. The couple has also been photographed together, including shots of them seeming very much in love while they crashed a stranger’s wedding and pretended to be engaged.

[Image via ABC]

Whitney Bischoff: Rumored ‘Bachelor’ Winner Could Already Be Leaving Chris Soules is an article from: The Inquisitr News

Teresa Giudice was likely happier this past Saturday than she was earlier on in the week. That’s because the Real Housewives of New Jersey star got a family visit. On Saturday, Teresa’s oldest daughter, 14-year-old Gia Giudice, tweeted about seeing her mom in prison in Danbury, Connecticut.

Gia’s tweet, composed of just two words, makes clear how much she misses her mom. She made sure to include the location of the low-security federal prison that her mom is currently in.

hate leaving

— Gia Giudice (@TrueGia) March 7, 2015

Several of Gia’s followers responded with encouraging messages. One person reminded her that with each time that she sees and leaves her mom, she’s that much closer to having her home. Others told her that they’re sending her and her family prayers.

As reported by People in early January, Teresa, originally sentenced to 15 months in prison, had her sentence reduced by a few months. Her release date is now currently set for February 5, 2016.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, just a few days prior to her prison visit, Gia Giudice tweeted about how happy it makes her to get emails from her mom Teresa Giudice.

emails at night from my mom make me so happy❤️

— Gia Giudice (@TrueGia) March 4, 2015

In an interview with Access Hollywood in late January, Gia said that emailing her mom helps her cope with missing her.

“We can talk to her on a daily [basis] and we have access to e-mailing her whenever we want. So that’s amazing. It definitely helps with like coping with missing her and stuff.”

Gia also said at the time that her mom was doing great in prison. Yet according to a new report, Teresa is hardly doing well behind bars. For an article in the latest issue of In Touch, a source revealed that Teresa has told prison officials that she fears for her life.

“[Teresa] thinks she’s better than everyone else. She acts like the other women are beneath her, and she’s making enemies because of it. She told officials that she was afraid for her life. Once you start complaining about certain prisoners, you become a target. It would be wise of her to stop acting like she’s above everything.”

Unfortunately for Teresa, she may soon have something else to worry about: her reality TV paycheck. A source close to the production told In Touch that The Real Housewives of New Jersey is moving on without her.

“The show will absolutely go on without Teresa. No formal dates have been made for filming to begin because producers are still looking for potential new cast members.”

[Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images]

‘RHONJ’ Teresa Giudice Gets Family Visit, Gia Giudice Posts Sad Tweet About Leaving Mom is an article from: The Inquisitr News