Groupon files for $750 million IPO – Groupon Inc. filed Thursday for a widely anticipated initial public offering in which the daily-deals service said it expects to raise as much as $750 million. The company said in its filing that it saw $644.7 million in revenue in the quarter that ended in March, compared with $44.2 million in the comparable period of 2010. [marketwatch]
Lab Chiefs Told FBI Lance Armstrong Tests Were Spicy - The director of the Swiss anti-doping laboratory informed federal authorities last fall that Lance Armstrong’s test results from the 2001 Tour de Suisse were “suspicious” and “consistent with EPO use.” The revelation came to light Wednesday as attorneys for Armstrong demanded an on-air apology from CBS’ “60 Minutes.” [associated]
Google Hack Hit White House – People who work at the White House were among those targeted by the China-based hackers who broke into Google Inc.’s Gmail accounts, according to one U.S. official. The hackers likely were hoping the officials were conducting administration business on their private emails, according to lawmakers and security experts. [wallstreetjournal]
Deadly E. Coli Mixes Common Toxin With Rare “Glue” – Scientists probing the deadly E. coli strain in Europe are finding the bacteria combines a highly poisonous, but common, toxin with a rarely seen “glue” that binds it to a patient’s intestines. It may take months for the global team of researchers to fully understand the characteristics of the bacteria that has killed at least 17 people in Europe and sickened 1,500. [reuters]
Nigerian Baby Farm Found – Nigerian police have raided an alleged “baby farm” where teenage mothers were forced to give up their newborns for sale to human traffickers. Thirty-two pregnant girls were rescued from a maternity home run by a trafficking ring in the southern city of Aba, police said. [mail&guardian]
Queen Jubilee Celebrations Coming Together - The Queen will begin her Diamond Jubilee celebrations on 2 June next year by attending the Epsom Derby, Buckingham Palace has announced. The 60th anniversary celebrations will be held over four days. A flotilla of up to 1,000 boats will sail along the Thames with the Queen on the Royal Barge on 3 June. [bbc]
Billy Bob Thornton’s Daughter Guilty Of Manslaughter - The estranged daughter of Billy Bob Thornton had been convicted of aggravated manslaughter in the death of a friend’s baby daughter, but was found not guilty of first-degree murder. The verdict was handed down last Friday to Amanda Brumfield, 32, in the same Orlando, Fla., courthouse where Casey Anthony is being tried for the murder of her daughter. [people]
Albertina Sisulu Dies – Struggle stalwart Albertina Sisulu died on Thursday, aged 92, according to reports. She was the widow of former ANC deputy president Walter Sisulu who died in 2003. Sisulu was an anti-apartheid activist who was heavily involved in the ANC Women’s League. [news24]
Sony Hacked Again – 1 Million Compromised - Sony reportedly suffered yet another hack attack on Thursday. This time, a group of hackers claims to have accessed the SonyPictures.com servers and compromised personal data belonging to one million customers, which the group said it then posted in a file on its website. [huffpo]
North Korea Is Second Happiest Nation In The World – Coming from a country where the leader has been referred to as “the son of God,” this probably shouldn’t be too much of a shock: China is the world’s happiest nation, followed by North Korea, according to recently released North Korean government research.” (GlobalPost’s The Rice Bowl blog.) [npr]
Woman Launches Herself Over Niagara Falls - A Canadian woman died when she was swept over Niagara Falls in what witness accounts indicate may have been a suicide, authorities said. Tourists saw the woman enter the rapids on the Canadian side of the Niagara River on Tuesday and then plunge over the Horseshoe Falls, according to police. The woman was dead when the Maid of the Mist tour boat reached her. [reuters]
Chinese Teen Sells Kidney For iPad 2 - The 17-year-old boy, identified only by his surname, “Zheng”, confessed to his mother that he had sold the kidney after spotting an online advertisement offering cash to anyone prepared to become an organ donor. ”I wanted to buy an iPad 2, but I didn’t have the money,” the boy told Shenzhen TV in the southern province of Guangdong. [telegraph]
Justin Timberlake Dishes On Britney And Jess – Talk about love ‘em and leave ‘em, Justin Timberlake told Vanity Fair that he hasn’t spoken to ex, Britney Spears, in “nine or 10 years.” Why the stalemate? Timberlake believes that their status as arguably the most famous couple of a generation was fueled by just that, but then they both grew up. [popeater]
Russian Spy Babe Hits Rock Bottom – Joins Media – Move over, TechCrunch and watch your back, Wired. The voracious self-promotion empire that is Russian spy babe Anna Chapman now claims another conquest. Russia’s sweetheart and America’s favorite deportee is taking over the reins as editor for a small venture capital newspaper. [wired]
Man Fined R2,000 For Cruelty To Frogs – A man who forced live frogs into plastic cold drink bottles to sell as fishing bait was found guilty of animal cruelty by the Sasolburg Magistrate’s Court, the NSPCA said yesterday. Jeremiah Mokoena, in his 20s, was found guilty and sentenced to a fine of R2 000 or six months’ imprisonment, suspended for five years. [citypress]
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