Elephant poachers must pay a higher price for their operations in Kenya, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The government released a statement today that said KWS would add 1,000 more rangers to their parks in order to protect the animals. Kenya has already lost 74 since the start of the year.

Over the past couple of years, the eyes of the world have been drawn to central Africa. There, a well-organized professional team of Arabic-speaking men who travel on horseback has killed hundreds of forest elephants and left the dead bodies to rot. The team is allegedly from the Sudan and may employ as many as 300 men.

With elephant ivory prices near an all-time high, the team has threatened the forest elephant populations with extinction in the Central African Republic, Cameroon, and Chad. A single 2012 attack in Cameroon killed over 300, but it was the bold slaughter in mid-March of 86 more in nearby Chad which caused the three nations to band together in a plan to get high-tech equipment to put a stop to the poaching.

But there’s also an elephant crisis in east Africa. As with the central African attacks, the poachers boldly enter national parks, kill the animals, and chop off their tusks for the ivory. In January, there was a worldwide outcry when a gang of poachers entered Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park, where they slaughtered an entire family of 11 elephants.

Kenyan official Muthui Kariuki said that outdated penalties for wildlife smuggling are part of the problem. “The government is concerned about this and has facilitated the process of reviewing the wildlife law and policy with a view to having more deterrent penalties and jail terms,” he said.

According to Kenya government officials, the price of elephant ivory has exploded from roughly $150 a kilogram to $1,000 a kilo. On Wednesday, custom officials in Mombasa, Kenya’s major port city, found a container holding an estimated $1.2 million in elephant ivory bound for Indonesia.

Yet, despite the huge sums to be made, the current law in Kenya caps the penalty for smuggling at a trifling $450. As a result, a judge fined a Chinese smuggler last month less than $1 each for 439 pieces of ivory — a mere $350.

Here is a portion of a long herd of 108 elephants, mothers and their calves, that I observed with a small group in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Park in 2004. A friend who is a long-time experienced hawk counter actually counted up all of the elephants.

Wouldn’t you agree that such an amazing spectacle is well worth protecting from the elephant poachers?

[wild elephants in Kenya's Masai Mara in 2004 photo by Elaine Radford]

[elephant poacher's tusks photo courtesy Joe Mercier via Shutterstock]

Elephant Poachers Will Face More Rangers, Tougher Sentences In Kenya is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Honus Wagner baseball card called the most coveted of all time sold for a record $2.1 million in an online auction this week.

The 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner has now become one of the most valuable baseball cards of all time, setting the highest price ever paid in a public sale. It also turned a nice profit in the last few years. The same card sold for $1.6 million back in 2008.

The auction company responsible for the Honus Wagner card sale said the event was a success.

“My overall goal on the T206 Wagner from the start was to set a record for a trading card auction,” said Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions, which auctioned the card. “My auction house set a new record by close to $500,000.”

The Honus Wagner card has an interesting story. There were fewer than 200 copies of the Hall of Fame shortstop’s card made because Wagner was unhappy that the card, produced by the American Tobacco Company, would send children bad messages about smoking.

But some people disagree with his intentions. Wagner was a smoker himself and even endorsed cigars, so some baseball historians think Wagner was just upset that he wasn’t paid to appear on the card.

There’s also some controversy about the Honus Wagner card itself. It’s said that the original card was trimmed to improve its condition.

Known as the “Flying Dutchman,” Wagner played shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning eight batting titles and hitting .327 for his career.

Other sports artifacts were sold at the same auction, including a ticket from Mickey Mantle’s first major league game that went for $6,890 and a program from the same game that sold for $6,750.

Honus Wagner baseball cards have been a cash cow in the past. In August, a rare 1909 Honus Wagner card sold at auction for $1.2 million to a New Jersey collector.

Honus Wagner Card Sells For Record $2.1 Million At Auction is a post from: The Inquisitr

The sun’s magnetic “heartbeat” was revealed by a new study using a supercomputer simulation. The “solar heartbeat” beats deep within the sun’s interior and generates energy that ultimately produces sunspots and solar flares.

The research was published in Thursday’s edition of Science and probed the sun’s periodic magnetic field reversals. The model shows that the sun’s zonal magnetic field bands switch their polarity every 40 years.

The study was led by Paul Charbonneau of the University of Montreal in Canada. Charbonneau explained that modeling the sun has been a difficult thing to do, despite decades of trying. The first attempts were made in the 1980s and resulted in an approximation of the sun’s inner turbulence.

The turbulence, which happens at both large and small scales, can cause solar flares and sunspots. The dissipation of turbulence causes it to form smaller whirlpool shapes on the sun’s surface. Those vortices will gradually break into smaller ones until the energy completely dissipates.

But the small whirlpools you create with your hands in water can take place on a much larger scale on the sun — and cause much more interesting effects. Using supercomputers at the University of Montreal linked to Calcul Quebec, the researchers set up a model that would show how the energy dissipates on the sun.

The sun’s polar reversal schedule is about four times longer than its 11-year sunspot cycle, which governs the level of solar activity. Understanding the long-term process and being able to model it is remarkable, according to scientists.

But even the university’s supercomputers can’t handle the size of the simulation needed for the sun’s magnetic heartbeat. Charbonneau explained that the energy buildup in the simulation blows the model up before it can rung for a long period of time.

Charbonneau also acknowledged that his model is not perfect. This is because sunspots, solar flares, and other phenomena on the sun are too small to be modeled with today’s computing power. But they are able to understand the brightness changes in the sun and how the correspond with solar activity.

The darker the sun is, the less active it is. Charbonneau is also studying how the sun’s magnetic field can affect the transport of energy from the celestial body’s inside to its outside. He added, “There’s a link between convective energy transport and the magnetic cycle, and you can measure that through going through the simulation and pulling out the flows, the primary variables.”

So, while the sun’s magnetic heartbeat was revealed through Charbonneau’s supercomputer simulation, the scientist is still working to better understand the object’s magnetic cycle.

[Image via ShutterStock]

Sun’s Magnetic ‘Heartbeat’ Revealed is a post from: The Inquisitr

Bill Maher has attacked Paul Ryan and Rand Paul, accusing the two politicians of “ruining Libertarianism” by being “intellectually stuck in their teen years.”

The comedian used the final “New Rule” section of this week’s Real Time to tackle conservatives who he believes have hijacked and distorted Libertarianism for their own ends. Maher has previously been vocal about his Libertarian leanings, but argued the movement has lost much of its original meaning. Speaking of his days as a professed Libertarian, Maher quipped:

“Back then, [Libertarianism] meant I didn’t want Big Government in my bedroom, or my medicine chest, and especially not in the second drawer of the nightstand on the left side of my bed. And I still believe that, but somewhere along the way Libertarianism morphed into this creepy obsession with free-market capitalism based on an Ayn Rand novel called Atlas Shrugged.”

Commenting that Libertarianism “sounds deep when you’re 19,” Maher continued:

“And one day, you realize that your copy of Atlas Shrugged belongs in the same milk crate as your beer helmet and the t-shirt that looks like a tuxedo, and you move on. Unless you’re Paul Ryan or Rand Paul.”

Maher has spoken out in the past against government intervention, but now argues opposition to government involvement has been taken to an extreme. He said:

“To everyone who keeps trying to shame me about abandoning my Libertarian moorings, my message is this: I didn’t go nuts, this movement did. Like when you see a stop light, your reaction should be: ‘Great, an easy way to ensure we don’t all crash into each other,’ not, ‘How dare the government tell me when I can and cannot go! Seatbelts? I refuse to live in a nanny state! I’m an individual and I want to soar free as an eagle, right through the windshield.’ ”

You can watch the whole segment below. Do you think Bill Maher is correct in saying the original meaning of Libertarianism has been repurposed by politicians like Ryan and Paul?

Bill Maher Says Paul Ryan, Rand Paul Ruined Libertarianism [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

A Tim Tebow-Seahawks trade is not likely, according to a new report that says the Seattle NFL team isn’t even interested in looking at the quarterback.

The Seahawks are in the market for a backup to starter Russell Wilson. While names like Seneca Wallace and Tyler Thigpen have been considered, Tim Tebow’s name hasn’t even come up.

Initially, Matt Flynn was scheduled as Wilson’s backup, but Seattle traded him to Oakland this week, opening up a spot on the Seahawks’ depth chart for a long-term backup.

Along with Wallace and Thigpen, Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart are also being considered. The team is also looking to increase its use of the zone-read option. This is where the quarterback is a threat to run. For this reason, the Seahawks are considering Wallace, even though they traded him away to Cleveland four years ago.

Tim Tebow’s NFL future is questionable, according to reports. If a trade with the Seahawks or another team doesn’t surface, the Jets may release him. Tebow spent the last year with the Jets, though he never played a single game.

It is likely a smart move for Seattle to pass on Tebow, considering they already have a starting quarterback in Russell Wilson. NFL.com’s Kareem Copeland asserted that Tim Tebow’s presence in Seattle would only create drama. Copeland added that the quarterback won’t be happy on any team where he can’t compete for the starting position.

But while Tebow is reportedly not a consideration, Leinart and Quinn could be good picks. The same holds true for Wallace, whose skill set closely resembles Wilson. The team also acquired Josh Portis this week, meaning that their next pick will compete with Portis to be Wilson’s backup.

While Tim Tebow’s Seahawks future is unlikely, Russell Wilson’s appears solid. Wilson is the first starting quarterback to stay for two seasons since Pete Carroll arrived as Seattle’s head coach.

[Image via Clemed]

Tim Tebow-Seahawks Trade Not Likely [Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Zsa Zsa Gabor can stay in her Bel Air mansion for the rest of her life, a judge has ruled.

The ninth husband of the ailing 96-year-old actress, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, will be allowed to sell the couple’s four-bedroom, five bathroom mansion in a “deferred transaction.” Any buyer of the Zsa Zsa Gabor mansion must let Gabor and von Anhalt remain in the property for at least three years, or until the actress dies. The new owner will also have to pay the couple $325,000 a year.

The couple have come under tremendous financial strain in recent years, with the cost of Gabor’s medical bills continuing to be high. Von Anhalt responded by putting the house up for sale at an asking price of $15 million in 2011.

Friday’s ruling by a Los Angeles judge, which was confirmed by Gabor’s publicist John Blanchette, will mean Gabor and von Anhalt can remain in their Bel Air mansion for the rest of the Hungarian-born star’s life. Speaking to reporters after the court hearing, von Anhalt said:

“This decision is going to make her very happy. Hopefully she will be with us for more than three years. Her mother lived to be 102.”

Gabor, the star of 1950s films such as Lili and Moulin Rouge, has been moved in and out of hospital since breaking her hip in 2010. In January 2011, the former actress had her leg amputated.

Her Los Angeles home is located in a much sought-after area, with its grounds used to film scenes in Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning movie Argo. The property has also been used as a shooting location for an upcoming HBO film about the life of late entertainer Liberace. The 6,400-square-foot home sits on more than an acre of prime land on the exclusive Bel Air Road. Gabor moved into the home about 35 years ago; her next-door neighbor is music producer Quincy Jones.

According to Haute Living, the Zsa Zsa Gabor mansion features a “gracious and elegant” oval-shaped formal entryway, a sitting room with an antique French fireplace, a huge formal dining room, and a master suite with a large bathroom and double sized two-room closet. There’s also a 1,000 square foot Monte Carlo-style rooftop terrace.

The property, which features exquisite French details and high ceilings throughout, is reportedly the former home of Howard Hughes and Elvis Presley.

Gabor recently celebrated her 96th birthday party at the house, with Blanchette confirming more than 100 friends attended the occasion. You can see shots of the Zsa Zsa Gabor mansion below:

Zsa Zsa Gabor Mansion: 96-Year-Old Actress Can Stay In Home For Life, Rules Judge is a post from: The Inquisitr

Kerri Walsh welcomed a baby girl into the world with her husband, Casey Jennings. The Olympic gold medalist gave birth to Scout Margery Jennings early Saturday morning, according to her rep.

Both Kerri Walsh Jennings and Scout are “healthy and resting.” The Olympic volleyball player and her husband, a pro-volleyball player, added that they feel “so blessed to have this beautiful new addition to our family.”

A statement by the couple added, “We cherish our lil Scout already and can’t wait to watch her as she grows in this world alongside her sweet big brothers.”

Kerri Walsh’s new baby girl joins brothers Joey, 3 1/2, and Sundance, 2 1/2. Kerri first announced the news on her Facebook Saturday morning, proclaiming, “She’s here! She’s here! She’s here! Our precious baby girl is finally here!”

Unbeknownst to her, Kerri Walsh Jennings was already five weeks pregnant with Scout when she and partner Misty May-Treanor paved their way to victory during the 2012 London Olympics. She announced her pregnancy on the Today show a month later, telling Matt Lauer:

“When I was throwing my body around fearlessly, and going for gold for our country, I was pregnant, and today I’m 11 weeks pregnant.”

She added that she didn’t know she was pregnant at the time. However, Kerri Walsh suspected a baby was on the way because she felt “unreasonably moody.” But thankfully her strenuous trip to the 2012 London Olympics — and subsequent gold medal — didn’t harm little Scout.

It is also likely that the three-time gold medalist will be back to volleying in no time — and may even teach little Scout a thing or two about her mom’s favorite sport. Kerri Walsh received congratulations from her volleyball partner, Misty, who wrote on Twitter:

Yeah Scout Margery Jennings.Congrats to my teammate @kerrileewalsh & the new addition to the Jennings Fam. Luv u!

— Misty May-Treanor (@MistyMayTreanor) April 6, 2013

Are you looking forward to seeing pictures of Kerri Walsh’s baby girl?

She’s here! She’s here! She’s here! #ScoutMargeryJennings &all her beauty has finally arrived. We are blessed. She is an angel! Thank U all!

— Kerri Walsh Jennings (@kerrileewalsh) April 6, 2013

[Image via s_bukley / Shutterstock.com]

Kerri Walsh’s Baby Girl Finally Arrives is a post from: The Inquisitr

Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were seen on a date in Los Angeles, holding hands and putting at least a temporary end to the rumors that their relationship has fizzled.

The two were seen out with friends is the city’s Los Feliz neighborhood, going out for sushi before taking an intimate walk together. Pattinson and Stewart held hands on their date and looked “really happy and lovey-dovey,” a witness told PopSugar.

“Kristen grabbed his arm, and they were walking and joking,” the witness said.

Pattinson and Stewart’s date came after a long time apart for the couple. Robert was gone from Kristen for months while filming his upcoming movie The Rover in Australia. Since then they’ve been making up for lost time, going on several dates including a March 19 trip to a karaoke bar and an appearance following the March 23 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

Before Pattinson’s return, the couple had been plagued by rumors of a breakup. Already on shaky ground after Kristen’s very public affair last summer with married director Rupert Sanders, some insiders said the couple was on the rocks.

In fact, some went so far as to say the relationship between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart was a sham and they were only pretending to be dating until the DVD release of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2.

“Rob & Kristen were asked to not announce a break-up or any relationship trouble until the DVD has been out for a few weeks and everything has sold,” a source revealed to Hollywooodlife back in March. “Since the first couple weeks are the times when the DVD will sell like wildfire. The more DVDs sold, the more money for them. So they are abiding by the request.”

The couple had endured other rumors of a sham relationship in the past. Back in the summer some wondered whether  Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart were concocting the entire affair, working with Sanders to build publicity for all involved. Of course, that theory blew up when Sanders and wife Liberty Ross split later in the year.

And the latest rumors of a breakup seem to be quieted by Pattinson and Stewart going on a date in Los Angeles.

Robert Pattinson And Kristen Stewart Go On A Date In Los Angeles, Quieting Breakup Rumors is a post from: The Inquisitr

Louisville outlasted Wichita State in their Final Four matchup and has now advanced to the 2013 NCAA Tournament championship game. The Cardinals squeaked by the Shockers 72-68 finally ending their Cinderella run.

The Cardinals had to overcome the fact that one of their team leaders would not only not be suiting up for this game, but that he won’t be playing for them in the championship game either.

At this point, there are few people watching the NCAA Tournament who haven’t heard about Kevin Ware and his horrific bone break. Despite suffering an injury that actually had opposing players in tears, Ware has managed to bounce back and be a rallying point for the team. He even traveled to the final four with the squad to cheer them on from the bench.

Louisville looked like they were missing Ware quite a bit at certain points in the game. The #1 seed actually trailed the ninth seeded Shockers by as many as 12 at one point in the game.

Still, the Cardinals simply couldn’t be put down and they wouldn’t quite trying to chip away at whatever deficit they found themselves in. “I just kept telling the guys … `We’re going to make a run. It’s about defense,” the team’s head coach Rick Pitino said.

For the Shockers, Cleanthony Early has been the team leader since the first game of the tournament and he led the team tonight with 24 points. Early scored five of the Shockers’ first eight points.

The Shockers started the game with an 8-0 lead and it appeared that they might actually be headed to yet another upset win. While the Cardinals held a one run lead at the half, they trailed for most of the second half.

With 4:47 in the game the Cardinals finally took the lead back and managed to hold on for the victory.

Louisville will next take on the winner of the Syracuse-Michigan game in the other half of the Final Four.

Louisville Makes 2013 NCAA Tournament Championship Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

The legalized use of marijuana has been a hot topic. Now that several states like Colorado and Washington have legalized marijuana for recreational use, one veterinarian suggests that animals dealing with debilitating and chronically painful conditions should also benefit from the medicinal effects of cannabis.

The cannabis (marijuana) plant and synthetic forms of cannabinoids have been therapeutically used as a medicinal alleviator of pain and stress for hundreds of years. Cannabis is one of the 50 fundamental herbs of traditional Chinese medicine.

Medical marijuana has been prescribed to people suffering from severe anxiety and chronic pain related to conditions such as cancer, Lyme disease, and glaucoma. Cannabis’ effectiveness as an analgesic has been studied.

University of Oxford doctors used brain scans and found it reduced the neural response to pain, suggesting the drug may help patients better endure discomfort.

The reduced activity was observed in two centers of the brain where pain is registered, the mid-Anterior cingulate cortex and the right Amygdala.

Cannabis does not block the sensation of pain like Morphine-based or opioid pain killers, and not all people respond to cannabis the same way.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary compound responsible for the psychotropic effects of cannabis.

THC is believed to interact with parts of the brain normally controlled by the endogenous cannabinoid neurotransmitter, anandamide. Anandamide, which is casually referred to as the “bliss chemical” and is also found in cocoa, is believed to play a role in pain sensation, memory, and sleep. Any animal with cannabinoid receptors – including pigs, chickens, monkeys, cat and rats – would feel the effects of THC.

Dr. Doug Kramer, a veterinarian who admitted to dosing his own dog Nikita, asserts pet owners should be legally permitted to give them medical marijuana in lieu of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medication. Nikita suffered from terminal cancer, and Kramer found the use of cannabis provided her with a better quality of life before she died.

Kramer suggested how to best administer marijuana to a pet, urging against literally blowing smoke in the animal’s face. In his interview with Vice Magazine, Kramer said, “A glycerin tincture is, to me, by far the optimal way to do it because it offers the greatest accuracy in dosing. It’s also sweet tasting.”

Terminal cancer (human) patients or those with Lyme disease are often afflicted with pain, sleeplessness, nausea, and a lack of appetite. Lacking sleep and proper nutrition can accelerate the perniciousness of a condition as well as contribute to a poor quality of life. Medical marijuana use helps with the aforementioned side effects of the disease and treatments – easing discomfort, quelling nausea, aiding sleep, and stimulating appetite.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Veterinarian Suggests Dogs Should Be Given Medical Marijuana is a post from: The Inquisitr

A red tide algae bloom has killed more than 200 manatees in Florida. The bloom began in January and largely dispersed last month.

While boat propellers used to be the biggest killer of manatees in the region, the red tide of 2013 was the most damaging this year.

Steve Rice, an officer with Florida Fish and Wildlife, has been charged with scouting the Caloosahatchee River on a regular basis to search for dead manatees. Rice has reported more than 20 dead sea cows in just the past few weeks.

The majority of dead manatees have been discovered by kayakers in the river. For Tim Martell, who leads manatee kayak tours, the view has been devastating. Martell explained:

“I think that it’s terrible. Red tide is something that is not good for the ecosystem overall and obviously not for these animals that are dying from it.”

The record number of manatees killed by the algae bloom is not surprising. Last month researchers announced that they expected the death toll to exceed the previous record of 151, which was set in 1996.

Red tide algae blooms are impossible to control or stop. The bloom happens naturally every year along the state’s Gulf Coast. Manatees are affected when toxins from the blooms are absorbed by the sea grass, which is the mammals’ main source of food. The toxins cause manatees to become paralyzed. They then drown because they are not able to swim to the surface for air.

Most of the algae bloom manatee deaths happened along Florida’s lower west coast, near Fort Myers. The algae bloom in that area started last fall and was more severe and long-lasting than normal — a situation that has scientists confused. The algae bloom largely dissipated by mid-March, but the manatees’ food supply was still tainted by toxins.

Because of this, the manatee deaths have continued. The sea mammals can eat up to 100 pounds of sea grass each day, meaning that they can potentially consumer way more toxins than their bodies can handle. Along with manatees, the toxins are also fatal to birds, dolphins, and other animals that consume them. People can also become ill from eating food from red tide areas or coming in contact with the blooms.

While the tide has claimed 241 of Florida’s roughly 5,000 manatees, there is no word on when the death toll numbers will stop rising.

[Image via ShutterStock]

Algae Bloom Kills Over 240 Manatees In Florida is a post from: The Inquisitr

An official’s body was found in a river in Nevada wrapped in a blanket and bound in duct tape, leading police to arrest four suspects in the man’s murder.

Police are still waiting for positive confirmation on the man, but they believe the official’s body found in the river belongs to the state’s chief insurance examiner, William McCune.

Investigators had already found evidence of a bloody struggle in McCune’s apartment in Carson City. The 62-year-old McCune had failed to make a flight on Thursday, and co-workers who went to his residence to look for him could not find him.

Detectives said they don’t know exactly what the connection is between the four suspects and the official found dead in the river, but did say that William McCune’s murder is believed to be related to “personal” matters and not his work.

Those arrested after the official’s body was found in the river were 23-year-old Michael Evans, 20-year-old Anthony Elliot, both booked on murder charges, while 22-year-old Raul Garcia and 20-year-old Makyla Blackmore were arrested on burglary charges.

“At this point, we believe all four took part in his murder and disappearance,” Carson City Sheriff Ken Furlong told The Associated Press. “We anticipate that the district attorney’s office will amend the criminal complaint to also charge (Garcia and Blackmore) with murder.”

Evans was arrested in Carson City, while police said they believed the three others skipped town when news came out of the state official’s disappearance. They were later picked up on the Las Vegas strip.

McCune, who was single with no children, was the head of the Nevada state insurance division’s corporate and financial affairs section. He was tasked with ensuring that all insurance companies in the state had enough money in reserve to cover all claims and obligations.

Police said they are still investigating the incident to find out how the official’s body ended up in the river.

Official’s Body Found In River In Nevada, Four Suspects Arrested is a post from: The Inquisitr

Shakira is ripping her ex-boyfriend after he filed a $100 million lawsuit claiming he’s owed part of her career earnings for helping make her a superstar.

The civil suit comes from Antonio de la Rua, who says he helped Shakira become a well-paid performer on the international stage. But the Colombian singer is calling out her ex-boyfriend, saying that she had already become an international superstar by the time they started dating in 2000.

Shakira and her ex-boyfriend were together for 10 years, breaking up in November 2010. In the lawsuit, de la Rua claims that he acted as Shakira’s manager and helped her negotiate some lucrative contracts. He believe he’s entitled to $100 million as a result of his work.

The lawsuit may be a bit of sour grapes. Shakira has a baby boy with Spanish soccer star Gerard Pique, and her career continues to sizzle.

This year she began a new stint as a coach on The Voice, taking over after Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green left the show. Critics said Shakira fit in quite nicely, working well off of fellow coaches Adam Levine, Usher, and Blake Shelton.

She even seemed to do well with the show’s unique format, in which the coaches each select singers to be on their teams through a series of blind auditions. Shakira showed a bit of feistyness in critiquing the singers but still held back a bit when she needed to, not tipping off the other coaches know that she was interested in singer Kris Thomas.

“I know you guys. I gotta keep it under control otherwise you all turn and then make my life miserable,” Shakira joked.

Shakira also has an answer for her ex-boyfriend, submitting a request to a judge that his lawsuit be dismissed. Shakira claims the ex-boyfriend advised her on decisions but was never employed by her in any officials sense.

Shakira Rips Ex-Boyfriend For His $100 Million Lawsuit is a post from: The Inquisitr

Anonymous has launched a massive cyber assault on Israel. While it is not the first time the hacktivist collective has launched #OpIsrael, it appears to be the largest operation so far.

The operation is in protest over what the group feels is Israel’s unfair treatment of Palestinians. In their announcement of the impending attack, which was posted on YouTube, Anonymous threatened to “disrupt and erase Israel from cyberspace.”

As with their previous operations, the hacktivist collective took to Twitter to report their activities, which so far have included taking down several Israeli websites.

Anonymous announced on YouTube that OpIsrael would begin on April 7 when “elite cyber-squadrons from around the world have decided to unite in solidarity with the Palestinian people against Israel as one entity.” The group also addressed the Israeli government, saying:

“You have NOT stopped your endless human right violations. You have NOT stopped illegal settlements. You have NOT respected the ceasefire. You have shown that you do NOT respect international law.”

Nir Gaist, chief technology officer and founder of the Nyotron computer security firm, expected the menacing messages from Anonymous would not pose a threat to Israel’s national security. Gaist, who assists with state security and economic agencies to protect themselves against online threats, acknowledged, “A threat exists, there is no doubt about it.”

He added, however, that “the significance of the threat is somewhat limited. The damage will likely be confined to the realm of image.”

In explaining their reason for the massive cyber assault on Israel, Anonymous asserted that Israel’s government has violated treaties, mistreated its own citizens, attacked its neighbors, threatened to shut down the internet on the Gaza Strip, and ignored “repeated warnings” about human rights abuses.

Deputy Information Security Officer Ofir Cohen added of the impending OpIsrael assault, “The estimations are that [the cyber-attacks] will reach an unusual level that we have never seen before.”

Do you think Anonymous is right to launch a cyber assault on Israel?

[Image via Rob Kints / Shutterstock.com]

Anonymous Launches Massive Cyber Assault On Israel is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jack Hoffman might be just seven years old, but there wasn’t a Nebraska Cornhusker who had a bigger day at the Nebraska Spring Game. Despite the fact that the team is looking to prepare for its third season in the Big Ten there was still plenty of time for the team to do something nice for one of its biggest fans.

Diagnosed with Cancer in 2011 and currently on  a break from his chemo treatment, the seven-year-old had made friends with Husker running back Rex Burkhead.

The former NU star running back had actually been named the captain of “Team Jack” a support group made up of family and friends of the youngster. Jack showed off that friendship by wearing a miniature Burkhead jersey as part of his uniform.

Jack Hoffman lined up behind quarterback Taylor Martinez just like he was the starting running back. On the last play of the scrimmage, the young man took the handoff and ran 69 yards for the game’s final touchdown.

The crowd cheered and both benches emptied when the littlest running back made his way to the endzone. While he looked uncertain when he started his run, there was no doubt where he was headed once he got going.

When Jack was asked what he was thinking when he went onto the field he was very matter of fact when he answered, “Scoring a touchdown.”

When he was asked what it felt like to score the touchdown he said that it felt “awesome,” and when he was asked what he thought of the crowd’s reaction to his long run he said that was “really awesome.”

The reaction to Jack’s run by the players and the more than 64,000 fans who were attending the game left his father a bit misty-eyed as he watched from the sidelines.

Check out the video of Jack Hoffman’s run and see if you don’t get a bit misty-eyed yourself.

[Image Via By Kiley (Flickr: Huskers - Touchdown Celebration) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons]

Jack Hoffman, 7-Year-Old Cancer Patient Scores Touchdown In Nebraska Cornhuskers Spring Game [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Michigan Wolverines are on to the NCAA championship game and a date with Louisville thanks to some unlikely contributors in a 61-56 win against Syracuse.

In a matchup billed as Michigan’s sharpshooting guards against Syracuse’s vaunted zone defense, the story of the day was how Michigan’s lesser-known players came alive. For the Wolverines, the star players struggled — Trey Burke missed seven of eight shots, Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 13 points but took 16 shots, and previously lights-out shooter Nik Staukas didn’t score at all.

But Michigan got a good boost from its defense, key contributions from role players, and a triple-double from freshman Mitch McGary in beating Syracuse.

“We had a lot of guys in there,” said Michigan coach John Beilein. “You never know who the outlier is, you never know who’s going to come in and get that done. We’ve been a team all year. It was great.”

Despite going on a 21-8 run late in the first half and going into halftime leading by 11, Michigan couldn’t hold its lead against a streaking Orange squad. Syracuse chipped away throughout the second half, and with 48 seconds left his a three-pointer to cut the lead to 57-56.

Then, trailing by three points with 19 seconds remaining, Syracuse did not call for a three-pointer but instead had freshman Trevor Cooney try to drive the lane. His shot missed, and Michigan saved the ball from going out bounds before finishing with a fast-break dunk as an exclamation point.

“I thought we got off to a really bad start defensively in the first half,” said Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. “We just didn’t have the movement that we’ve had, and Michigan took advantage of it. Our offense was not good in the first half or the second half. Second half, we got our defense going a lot better, and got back in the game in spite of our offense.”

Michigan has come a long way since hiring coach John Beilein in 2007. The Wolverines had missed the NCAA Tournament the previous nine seasons, but Beilein orchestrated a quick turnaround through stronger recruiting and a renewed sense of discipline.

The team also came back from some adversity within this season. Michigan lost six of its final 12 games going into the NCAA tournament, including a loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten quarterfinal and an upset to Penn State, which was previously winless in the league.

Michigan will face off against Louisville on Monday to crown the national champion.

Michigan Hangs On To Beat Syracuse, Advance To National Championship Game is a post from: The Inquisitr

Christianity should be the official state religion, say one-third of respondents in a nationwide HuffPost/YouGov poll.

According to polling, 32 percent of adults said they would support a constitutional amendment that makes Christianity the official religion of the United States, with 52 percent preferring to keep church and state separated. On a more local scale, 34 percent would like to see Christianity as the official state religion in their own state, while 47 percent oppose such an idea.

However, despite one-third of voters expressing support for a state religion, not many harbor hopes of church and state becoming one: Only 11 percent said they thought the US Constitution would allow states to adopt a state religion. 58 percent believed such a move would be unconstitutional, while 31 percent said they were not sure.

Voters were probably correct in their assessment of how realistic a state religion is: According to the US Supreme Court, the First Amendment prevents the government from establishing an official religion. The ruling also applies to states.

On Thursday, the North Carolina House of Representatives rejected a bill that could have laid the foundations for introducing an official state religion.

In the poll, Democrats were less likely to vote for an amendment proposing the combining of church and state. 46 percent of Democrats voted against the concept, while 55 percent of Republicans said they would favor a national constitutional amendment.

The HuffPost/YouGov poll was conducted April 3 – 4 among 1,000 US adults.

Where do you stand on the separation of church and state? Let us know in the comments!

[Image via Shutterstock]

Christianity Should Be State Religion, Says One-Third Of Nation is a post from: The Inquisitr

Jeremy Lin says his race was a barrier in his college recruiting process, with major programs refusing to give him a look because he was Asian.

Now the starting guard for the Houston Rockets after a breakout season with the Knicks in 2012, Lin wasn’t offered a scholarship to play Division I basketball despite a stellar high school resume. Lin led his Palo Alto (California) high school to a 32-1 record his senior year of 2005-06, scoring 15.1 points per game along with 7.1 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 5.0 steals.

Jeremy Lin also finished that season on the first-team All-State and was named Northern California Division II Player of the year. But he still attracted no looks from major Division I programs — including nearby Stanford and UCLA — and instead went to the Ivy League to star at Harvard University (which does not offer athletic scholarships).

Lin said he was hurt by a stereotype that Asian-Americans do not traditionally make for ball players.

“Well, I think the obvious thing in my mind is that I was Asian-American, which, you know, is a whole different issue but … I think that was a barrier,” Lin told Charlie Rose in a 60 Minutes interview that will air Sunday. “I mean … it’s a stereotype.”

Lin still slipped under the radar after college, going undrafted but eventually being signed by the Golden State Warriors after a strong showing in the NBA Summer League.

Even NBA commissioner David Stern found it odd that Jeremy Lin failed to garner any attention.

“I think in the true sense the answer to that is yes,” NBA commissioner David Stern told Rose, according to CBSNews.com.

“In terms of looking at somebody … I don’t know whether he was discriminated against because he was at Harvard,” he laughed, “Or because he was Asian.”

But Jeremy Lin didn’t stay quiet for long. After being sent to the NBA D-League and recalled, Lin burst out for the Knicks in 2012, leading to what was known as “Linsanity” in New York.

Jeremy Lin: Race Was A Barrier In College Recruiting Process is a post from: The Inquisitr

David Kuo, a former top official in President George W. Bush‘s faith-based initiative, has died. He was 44. According to his wife, Kimberly, Mr. Kuo passed away on April 5 in Charlotte from brain cancer that was diagnosed a decade ago.

Mr. Kuo was an evangelical Christian conservative who led President Bush’s faith-based initiative before famously turning on the administation, accusing it of failing to live up to the values it purported to hold.

David Kuo left his role as deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in 2003. He immediately became an outspoken critic of the administration, accusing it of failing to provide the $8 billion in federal spending that Bush, in his days as a candidate, had promised would pay for “armies of compassion.”

Mr. Kuo was not alone in his assessment. His predecessor, John J. DiIulio Jr., resigned in August 2001 after registering similar criticisms.

Bush created the faith-based office, which critics argued blurred the line between church and state, with his very first executive order as president. The new office meant religious groups could receive federal funding for offering social services.

Yet the White House failed to follow through on its promises, argued Mr. Kuo after leaving the office. In a 2003 60 Minutes interview (embedded below), Kuo said taxpayer money earmarked for religious organizations failed to materialize.

When David Kuo’s 2006 memoir, Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction, again criticized the scheme, the White House responded by saying the faith-based office was a “top priority” for the president.

Kuo also enjoyed a notable writing career. His first book, dot.bomb: My Days and Nights at an Internet Goliath, was the Good Morning America book club selection. His second book, the aforementioned Tempting Faith, appeared for a short time on the New York Times best-seller list. His articles appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and Time.

David Kuo Dies: Former Head Of Bush’s Faith-Based Initiative Passes Away At 44 is a post from: The Inquisitr

When a New Kid quit mid-show on Thursday, many fans worried about the forthcoming New Kids on the Block tour.

The band said all was well after Jonathan Knight’s mid-concert walkout, and it now seems they were right. Things looked back to normal on Friday, with the reformed 90s boy band performing on the Today show.

Less than 24 hours earlier at the iHeartRadio Theater in New York, Knight had walked off after appearing to suffer an anxiety attack (the video of this incident is embedded below). The remaining members of the band, Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, and Danny Wood, stayed on stage without Knight to finish the track “Survive You.”

The fellow band members were quick to downplay the incident late Thursday, joking that Knight had to answer a call of nature and had got stuck in the bathroom. McIntyre later calmed fan fears over Knight, tweeting:

“Not 2 worry BHs, all is well w Jon! It was a crazy album release week & we are all on a plane to Napa & look fwd to a grt show this weekend!”

McIntyre added:

“We love Jonathan and he loves us.”

The incident wasn’t mentioned in the group’s interview on Today, but bandmate Joey McIntyre later tweeted:

So proud of @jonathanrknight for coming back strong on the @todayshow this morning. We Own Tonight sounded good

— Joey McIntyre (@joeymcintyre) April 5, 2013

You can see New Kid quit mid-show below:

New Kid Quits Mid-Show But Returns For Successful ‘Today’ Performance is a post from: The Inquisitr