Mystery shrouds failure of Internet video link between Pakistani hotel, Miami terrorism trial

The mystery of who pulled the plug on the Internet connection linking witnesses testifying in Pakistan to a Miami terrorism trial remained unsolved Wednesday, stalling the high-profile proceeding until next Tuesday as the defense scrambles for an alternate solution.

A defense attorney for Miami imam Hafiz Khan, standing trial on charges of financially supporting the Pakistani Taliban, told a federal judge by phone that the Pakistan government’s foreign and interior ministries did not even know that the live video feed was cut off to Miami Tuesday morning.

A federal prosecutor said his office contacted an FBI legal attache in Islamabad, and the official checked in with several Pakistani government agencies and the staff at the hotel where the testimony was taken earlier this week. No one had a clue about the mysterious shutdown -- whether it was a technical glitch or the secret work of the Pakistan government.

Prosecutor John Shipley accused defense attorney Khurrum Wahid of trying to orchestrate the live testimony at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad “under the radar screen” of the Pakistan government -- an accusation strongly denied by Wahid.

U.S. District Judge Robert Scola, clearly exasperated by the high-tech failure 8,000 miles away, gave Wahid an ultimatum that must be met by Friday. Wahid could take the testimony of 10 remaining witnesses in a third country, such as a United Arab Emirate, as long as he could obtain travel visas for them and resume the depositions by next Tuesday. If not, the judge said, Wahid must abandon his alternate plan and return home over the holiday weekend to resume his defense in Miami.

“One way or the other, that’s the last accommodation I’m making,” Scola told Wahid by phone Wednesday morning.

A moment later, the judge told the 12 jurors: “We still don’t have any transmission from Pakistan. We are trying to make alternate arrangements.”

Perhaps the most befuddled in the bunch: Khan, 77, who is standing trial on charges of sending thousands of dollars to the Taliban terrorist organization, sworn enemies of the U.S. and Pakistan governments. Khan was the leader of the Flagler Mosque, 7350 NW Third St.

Despite safety concerns, the judge had allowed Khan’s defense attorney to travel to Pakistan to take live testimony from 11 witnesses so the defendant could receive a fair trial. Prosecutors opposed allowing the testimony, and refused to make the trip.

Everything seemed to be going well until about 11:20 a.m., or 9:20 p.m. Tuesday in Islamabad. The flat-screen televisions and video monitors in front of the judge, lawyers and jurors in Miami suddenly lost the signal and flashed “disconnected.”

Wahid explained to the judge by phone Tuesday that there was “absolutely no problem” until a prosecutor in Miami mentioned the name of the Serena Hotel, where the testimony was being taken, during cross-examination. He noted the hotel staff said “there were some intelligence operatives in the business center here, and they were taking pictures of us and our witnesses.”

Added Wahid: “I’ve been told by the hotel staff that it’s from outside the building and that ... the IP [Internet] address has been blacklisted by the Interior Ministry, I’m sorry, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.”

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Susanna Thompson Arrow Interview

From Betty Draper to Victoria Grayson, the TV-loving world eats up a mean mommy. But to hear Susanna Thompson talk about Moira Queen, her Arrow matriarch has more in common with Walter White, Nancy Botwin and other antiheroes who were forced to walk down a dangerous path by forces outside their control.

In addition to getting an entirely new perspective on her character, Thompson opened up about the resolution of last week's cubicle cliffhanger and reveals that an upcoming episode will take larger steps towards illuminating The Queen's pre-island life.

ETonline: When you saw that last week's script ended with Moira getting ambushed by Arrow, what went through your mind?

Susanna Thompson: I was excited. I mean, I was freaking out for Moira, but excited as an actor.

ETonline: Teasers for tonight have revealed that Moira gets in on the action tonight a bit -- obviously we've always known she was a strong, capable woman, but how fun was it to get your hands on a gun?

Thompson: See, I love that you say she's a strong capable woman -- I believe that too. But we all debated whether she should look strong and capable with that gun or like she was not quite sure what to do with it. The fact remains, there was a gun in her office, so me, as an actor, I have to connect the dots to that gun. Why was it there? How did she know where to find it?

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ETonline: It's just another example of Moira's ambiguity -- do you enjoy reveling in that?

Thompson: I do, I really do, but there are times I've had to reach out to the producers to ask for a little help in figuring out which way she's going [laughs]. But what I'm always trying to do is find the honesty in every situation and connect the dots. From the pilot to where we are now, I sort of have an idea of where they're aiming her to go -- but it can always change.

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ETonline: I'm sure every character feels that way since it seems like everyone wears a different face depending on who they're talking to.

Thompson: You're absolutely right and we all really have this moral barometer that we're being guided by in our lives. And it's constantly changing depending on what we bump up against. We can declare what we will or won't do until we're living the actual circumstances that put us face-to-face with a side of ourselves we never knew was possible.

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ETonline: Do you feel like Moira actively entered this criminal life or was forced into it after her husband's death?

Thompson: I do believe that she was pushed into a corner and it causing her to walk down paths she wouldn't normally. But the fact is, the ability to do that was in her. She probably didn't know the extent to which Robert was involved in this elite wealthy group of people with Malcolm and I think in trying to find out what happened to her husband, she's become more savvy and more calculated. My biggest guidepost along the way has been that she will do anything to protect her children. So Moira's not only fighting for her life and her children's lives, but I believe she believes she's fighting for the lives of millions.

ETonline: Looking ahead, what are you excited for fans to see?

Thompson: I'm excited for them to see how much more committed Moira is to stopping Malcolm. I've also heard that you'll see who she was 5 years ago in a flashback episode. I think part of that will also involve bringing back Robert, so that'll be interesting since we will more about their relationship.

Arrow airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW.

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NYC homes damaged by Sandy should be reassessed now: Queens councilman

A Queens councilman today called on Mayor Bloomberg and the Department of Finance to immediately reassess Big Apple homes damaged by Hurricane Sandy following Monday’s Post report that revealed thousands of affected property owners now face tax hikes.

“These homes have already been severely flooded – they shouldn’t be flooded with paperwork now,” said Councilman Peter Vallone, who is running for Queens Borough President.

“It is wrong for the city to force people that have already lost so much to go through an arduous appeals process just to receive a fair outcome. There must be records of the damage to specific homes at this point, and the city should reassess these properties immediately.”

Among the parts of Queens most heavily hit by Sandy were the Rockaways and Howard Beach.

Vallone also praised Council Speaker Christine Quinn for scheduling a joint-council-committee emergency oversight hearing Feb. 26 to investigate the shocking tax hikes to homeowners in hard-hit neighborhoods.

Although the city’s Web site says the assessments reflect property values as of January 5 – more than two months after Sandy struck -- the assessments were made prior to the storm because they are part of a capped, five-year state formula for setting assessment levels.

Many local real estate brokers say property values in Big Apple neighborhoods affected by Sandy -- such as Manhattan Beach and Coney Island in Brooklyn, the Rockaways and parts of Staten Island -- have fallen due to storm damage and because prospective buyers are now leery of living in high-risk hurricane evacuation zones.

Finance Department spokesperson Owen Stone said, “As the councilman knows, we are required by state law to release tentative assessments in January, and as we have said since the storm hit, we will physically inspect damaged homes to ensure their final assessments are correct when released in May."

Property owners who oppose the hikes have until March 15 to appeal to the city Tax Commission before rates are finalized in May.

Stone also said the deadline to apply for the Finance Department’s new Hurricane Sandy Property Tax Relief program has now been extended a month to March 15.

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Now owned by top executives, Cruise Planners on course toward continued growth

With a background in travel and present-day focus on raising her two small children, Lori Jahner set out to find work she enjoyed that would give her the flexibility she needed.

The 33-year-old from Aurora, Colo. decided on Cruise Planners — American Express Travel, a home-based travel agent network headquartered in Coral Springs.

“They have so much training to offer, ongoing education, and the branded name alone is so reputable and distinctive,” Jahner said. “Out of all the ones that I kind of looked into, this is the one that was standing out. More or less, it’s just the perfect opportunity so that I can do what I love, which is raising my kids but also selling travel.”

She has plenty of company. More than 850 franchise owners around the country are actively selling travel through Cruise Planners after paying startup costs that range from zero to $9,995. Those costs cover initial and continued training, marketing and advertising programs, a website, accounting and customer management software and support from the home office.

Fueled by everyone from stay-at-home moms to firefighters and retirees, the number of franchisees has grown by 14 percent annually for the last few years.

That has not gone unnoticed by cruise lines, who welcome more voices pitching their product.

“I think they are very important,” said Camille Olivere, Norwegian Cruise Line’s senior vice president of sales in North America. “They’re big supporters of ours and they’re bringing new people into the industry — and that is something that we desperately need.”

Cruise Planners agents sold $156 million in travel and related services last year, a 16 percent increase over 2011 and 48 percent jump over 2009.

Confident in continued growth, top Cruise Planners executives bought the company late last year from Palm Beach Capital, the private equity firm that had been majority owner since 2007.

CEO Michelle Fee, who has always held a stake in the company and now owns 50 percent, said she and fellow owners chief financial officer Tom Kruszewski and chief operating officer Vicky Garcia did not want to risk Cruise Planners being taken over by another investment group that might try to make changes.

“We wanted to make sure that whatever we keep doing is in the best interest of the company,” said Kruszewski, 60.

Before, Fee said, agents often asked whether the investment company would try to sell or change Cruise Planners. She said the purchase sends a good message.

“It shows them that we’re in this with you,” said Fee, 50, who co-founded the company with two partners 19 years ago. Those partners retired in 2007.

The company has invested about $2 million in technology upgrades and equipment in the last few years, including a mobile reservations system for agents that was introduced about a year and a half ago, and a consumer mobile app for iPhones and Androids that should launch later this month.

“We just have to be cutting edge,” Fee said. “Travel is technology; we have to be there with the big guys. Not only are we matching them, but we want to be better.”

Janet Fernandez, who started her Crise Planners franchise, Cruise Impressions, last July after working in different parts of the cruise industry since 1998, said she is already taking advantage of the latest tech innovations.

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Gov. Rick Scott needs Democrats to pass business tax cut

TALLAHASSEE For the first time in his brief and turbulent political career, Gov. Rick Scott needs a little help from Florida’s Democrats to turn one of his wishes into law.

Scott’s top legislative priority this year — a $141 million tax cut for manufacturers — comes with an asterisk: It has to garner ‘Yes’ votes from two-thirds of the Legislature to pass.

That means Democrats — whose gains in November breached the Republican supermajorities in Tallahassee — suddenly find themselves in an unfamiliar power position as they try to defeat Scott in 2014.

“I doubt that’ll be able to get a supermajority,” said Rep. Perry Thurston, a Plantation Democrat and minority leader in the Florida House. “It’s just another [business] incentive. We don’t know if it works.”

The bill seeks to eliminate sales taxes on all manufacturing equipment and machinery.

Scott has already put considerable political capital behind the tax cut, stating on numerous occasions that this was his top priority for 2013, along with a $1.2 billion boost in education funding.

“We need to build up manufacturing jobs in the great state of Florida,” he said in unveiling a $74.2 billion budget plan last month. Scott said the tax cut would create jobs and increase exports.

A failure on the measure would be politically embarrassing for Scott, who has staked his governorship on job creation and CEO-like efficacy.

It’s not clear if the entire Democratic caucus agrees with Thurston in opposing the tax break, which faces a higher vote threshold because it would hit local governments. Many Democrats have voted in favor of Scott’s tax cuts for businesses in the past. But as 2014 nears and Scott’s poll numbers sag, the party has begun to take a more aggressive stance against such cuts. Democrats recently slammed Scott for supporting “tax giveaways to special interest cronies.”

If Democrats decide to take a united stand against the manufacturing tax cut, it could be the first time the minority party leverages its strengthened numbers to torpedo a Scott-backed initiative. The party has been mostly marginalized for the last two years, as Scott and a Republican supermajority pushed through conservative legislation.

“Politics always come into play,” said Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel-Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, acknowledging her party’s newfound power to buck Scott’s tax cut. “There’s the political piece as well. And yes, that political piece will be in play. As it should be.”

Rehwinkel-Vasilinda, the top Democrat on the Finance and Tax committee, said she has not decided how she will vote on the measure. She said the bill’s supporters would have to convince her that it would create jobs and not overburden local governments, who stand to lose tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue. Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, called the proposal “ridiculous” and “trickle-down, voodoo economics.”

Scott’s team said the governor fully expects to get bipartisan support for the measure.

“Gov. Scott is confident that those who support job creation will support this,” said Jackie Schutz, a spokesperson for the governor. “This is about job creation. It’s about bringing more manufacturers to Florida.”

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Alec Baldwin Expecting a Baby with Wife

Newlyweds Alec and Hilaria Baldwin are ready to start a family.

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A rep for the former 30 Rock star confirmed to People on Tuesday that the couple are expecting their first child together.

"We're so thrilled and we can't wait to meet our baby," Alec and Hilaria told People.

This will be the second child for Alec, 54, who fathered a daughter, Ireland, with his ex-wife Kim Basinger.

Alec and Hilaria wed at St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in New York on June 30, 2012, three months after announcing their engagement.

Coincidentally, Alec's former co-star, Tracy Morgan, is also expecting a baby. He made the announcement just hours before the 30 Rock series finale.

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Fugitive cop Christopher Dorner in mountain shootout with LA cops

Fugitive former cop Christopher Dorner and law enforcement officers exchanged gunfire today in the mountains east of Los Angeles, officials said.

Two officers have been wounded so far in the shootout, according to multiple Southern California media reports, citing police radio traffic.

Dorner has been the target of a massive manhunt in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona after he allegedly killed three people.

The former LAPD cop’s truck was found burning in Big Bear, about two hours east of LA, on Thursday.

Today, Dorner allegedly stole a car and burglarized a Big Bear cabin, tying up a couple inside, law enforcement sources said.

AP

Suspect Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles officer.

Authorities responded to the burglary which led to the shootout.

Dorner’s alleged killing spree is tied to his hatred of the LAPD. The department fired him, saying he lied in accusing a superior of roughing up a mentally disturbed man under arrest.

The bloodshed began on Feb. 3 when Cal State Fullerton assistant women’s basketball coach Monica Quan and her fiance Keith Lawrence were shot to death in their car in Irvine, Calif.

Quan is the daughter a former LAPD captain-turned-lawyer who unsuccessfully represented Dorner at his departmental hearing.

Dorner was named as a suspect on Wednesday night, before he allegedly killed defenseless officer Michael Crain, who was stopped at red light in Riverside, Calif.

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Register for our free Business Plan Bootcamp

Whether you are planning to enter the Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge or want to refine a short business plan you already have, our free Business Plan Bootcamp later this month can help.

Melissa Krinzman, a veteran Business Plan Challenge judge and managing director of Venture Architects, will be leading a panel of experts who will give you advice on crafting a short business plan aimed at grabbing the attention of investors — or judges. If you are entering the Challenge, we encourage you to bring your entry with you because the panel will critique critical sections of the short plan.

Panelists include:

•  Richard Ginsburg, co-founder of G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early stage investment company.

•  Steven McKean, founder and CEO of Acceller, a Miami-based tech company, and a Challenge judge.

•  Mike Tomas, CEO of Miami-based Bioheart, president of ASTRI Group and a Challenge judge.

Time, date, place: 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26, Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus Auditorium (Room 1261, Building 1, 2nd floor).

To register: It’s free, but please register here.

Parking: Free parking at the MDC garage at 500 NE 2nd Avenue. It is important to note that the entrances are on NE 5th and 6th Streets.

You do not have to enter the Challenge to attend our free boot camp, but we hope you will. The Challenge deadline is March 11.

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Carnival ship fire quickly extinguished as ship wallows in Gulf awaiting tug

The Carnival Triumph, a Galveston, Texas-based passenger cruise ship with the theme “Great Cities Around the World,” might have been better off sitting at port, as a court initially ordered.

As of Monday morning the 14-year old ship was going nowhere, operating on emergency generator power after a fire Sunday in one of the diesel generators killed its propulsion. The fire was quickly put out by an automatic fire extinguishing system, and none of the 4,229 passengers or crew are said to be in any danger

All were waiting patiently as a giant tug boat trudged toward the Triumph, now operating under generator power, with the intention of hauling the 100,000 ton, 893-foot vessel to the nearest port in Progreso, Mexico. It is expected in port some time Wednesday afternoon. Carnival Cruise Lines headquarters are in Miami-Dade.

“The cause of the fire is still to be determined,” said Carnival spokesman Vance Guliksen. In a brief news release, Guliksen said “there were no casualties to guests or crew.”

He said all passengers will be flown back to the United States and will be fully refunded.. Carnival said it will cover any additional transportation expenses. Passengers will also receive a free future cruise.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday another Carnival ship, the Carnival Elation, was on the scene transferring food and beverages.

According to Carnival, some basic auxiliary power has been restored, cabin toilets are working on part of the ship and some elevators are operational. The dining areas are serving hot coffee and limited hot food.

The $420 million Triumph made news early last year after the family of a German tourist killed in the Costa Concordia disaster in the Mediterranean filed a $10 million lawsuit against Carnival. A judge found the family had standing, and ordered the ship held at port in Galveston. The court later allowed the ship to move between ports until a hearing takes place.

The lawsuit contends that Carnival Cruise Lines is the corporate parent of the Costa Concordia.

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Perks of Being A Wallflower Deleted Scene Logan Lerman Interview

When I sat down with Nina Dobrev last September to talk about her role in Perks of Being a Wallflower, she lamented that the storyline that initially attracted her to the role of Candace ended up on the cutting-room floor.

The film was easily one of 2012's best movies, so while it didn't suffer for the loss, fans of the book will get to see many of those excised scenes now that the sensational coming-of-age film is coming to DVD on February 12! Included on the Special Edition DVD is Dobrev's favorite, which sees Candace and her brother, Charlie, return home after she secretly has an abortion.

In addition to exclusively scoring that deleted scene, ETonline sat down with star Logan Lerman, who delivers a painfully powerful performance in the film, to talk about Perks' impact, his favorite scene and what's next for this rapidly rising star.

ETonline: Perks really struck a chord with audiences -- what kinds of reactions have you been getting?

Logan Lerman: I had been kind of isolated working [on Darren Aronofsky's Noah] for the last few months, but when I got back to L.A., the number one place I heard the most feedback was while visiting friends at college. Students seemed to connect with the film in a way I didn't expect. It's heartwarming and has been so nice to see.

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ETonline: Did you have to imagine you had a strong connection with the script when you first read it?

Lerman: Yeah, it was just one of those reads where, and I don't think this has ever happened to me, after I read it, I just knew it was f*cking amazing. I gave it to my whole family to read because it was that good. They agreed it was amazing. It was the kind of script I wanted to read over and over again. I just loved that material. Then research mode kicked in and it became a different kind of reading.

ETonline: What kind of preparation did you do?

Lerman: I just read a lot of different things, but it was really nice to have Stephen [Chbosky, writer/director] around because he knew every detail about the project and every character. I could rely on him for all my answers; he was almost like my little actorly cheat sheet.

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ETonline: Was Charlie a hard character to step out of at the end of the day?

Lerman: I didn't really segue out of him during the shoot. I stayed within who he was for that period of time. It wasn't difficult to stay in him, but it wasn't comfortable either. It was awkward; it was like going back to being 15 years old, and I didn't want to relive that, I was so awkward back then too.

ETonline: Do you have a favorite scene?

Lerman: The whole movie was fun to make, but I loved when all the young cast was together [so] personally, my favorite is the Truth or Dare sequence. I love that scene. I love that awkward tension.

ETonline: You went from filming this very intimate movie to making two very large films -- The Percy Jackson sequel and Noah -- do you have a preference in terms of experience?

Lerman: I definitely want to stay away from doing the same thing twice. With Noah, it was really just my attraction to the director. I wanted to work with him so bad and it just happened to be this big, epic movie. There's a lot more bitching on a big film. A lot of hurry up and wait on a big movie like that. It's a much different process of making a movie.

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ETonline: Would you make a movie you didn't necessarily love to work with a director you do love?

Lerman: I guess so. Deep down if there was a great filmmaker making a movie with a character I didn't like, I'd probably still do it to work with that filmmaker. It really comes down to the collaboration at the end of the day. With Perks, it was a great character and a great script, but had a director I had no frame of reference for. But as soon as you sit down to talk about the movie with Steve, his passion comes through loudly, so I felt comfortable investing my career and trust in his hands.

ETonline: Stephen's mentioned the idea of a possible sequel -- to see where the kids end up later in life. Would you trust him to go back and play Charlie again?

Lerman: No [laughs]. I don't know if that's what I'm supposed to say -- I don't know if people want to hear me say that, but I can't imagine a sequel to this. What the f*ck could come out of Perks of Being a Wallflower 2? Now they're older but happily ever after doesn't really exist for the wallflower. No. I don't want to imagine that.

Perks of Being A Wallflower hits DVD on February 12, click here to pre-order.

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