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  • Scarlett Johansson On Black Widow’s State Of Mind In “Civil War”

    Scarlett Johansson has had some pretty difficult and complicated shoes to fill during her stint as Black Widow.

    We first had the pleasure of seeing Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow battling her “ledger” in Avengers. We most recently saw her taking on a more controversy-laden battle with her past and her desire to leave the crime fighting world and settle down with Bruce Banner in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

    However, no one is really clear what Scarlett Johansson and Black Widow will be thinking and dealing with in Captain America: Civil War.

    Scarlett Johansson was asked by EW whether or not Black Widow was ready to be an Avenger for good or if she was still thinking about leaving it all behind.

    Scarlett Johansson responded, “You know, I don’t think she’s ever aspired to become an Avenger. That’s not really a choice that she made. It’s kind of like the events in her life led her to that point and when we see her [in Civil War], she’s finally capable of making a choice for herself.”

    She added, “Which is kind of a milestone in someone’s life when they’ve not really participated in the decisions that were made for them. She’s finally at a place where she’s going, ‘Okay, I actually kind of know what I want. And I think I kind of deserve it.’”

    After the controversy over the supposed sexist storyline in Age of Ultron, some want to know whether or not the storyline with Dr. Banner will continue or not.

    We have some EPIC first look photos from #CaptainAmericaCivilWar over at EW.com! You don't want to miss these.

    A photo posted by Entertainment Weekly (@entertainmentweekly) on

    Scarlett Johansson addressed the issue, but it seems we likely won’t find out much more about where their relationship may or may not go.

    She said, “I don’t know. There is little room for romance in Civil War; I think there is a lot going on that doesn’t really involve big heart-to-hearts. I mean it’s certainly in there and there’s references to it. But this is not the opportunity for us to explore the Widow’s deep, personal backstory.”

    Are you excited to see Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow again? I know I am!

  • Rita Ora Drops New Single, ‘Poison,’ Day After Billboard Music Awards

    Rita Ora dropped a new single Monday. ‘Poison’ is an upbeat track that comes on the heels of ‘I Will Never Let You Down’ and ‘How We Do (Party).’

    ‘Poison’ debuted the day after Rita Ora served as presenter at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas. She presented Meghan Trainor with her Top Hot 100 Song award.

    Ora wore one of the more provocative looks at the Billboard Music Awards–a white Fausto Puglisi gown with gold hardware. It had cutouts everywhere. She had to forgo wearing underwear in order to pull off the look.

    “I didn’t really think that far ahead, so I’m just going to have to pray to the Lord that we’re going to be okay,” she said on the red carpet, adding, “I’m going to keep my legs crossed. You need to take risks, and I think me being a crazy, fashion lover, I needed to do something. It’s good, though. I like it. I like taking a few risks once in a while.”

    The Daily Mail reports that Rita Ora hinted at a split from Ricky Hill. She was once connected with Rob Kardashian.

    Does this mean the singer is now single?

    Rita Ora received a Billboard Music Awards nomination for Top Rap Song for ‘Black Widow’ with Iggy Azalea.

    Check out Rita Ora’s new song, ‘Poison.’

    Might Rita Ora receive one or more nominations during award show season next year for ‘Poison?’

    If not, she should definitely win one for the sexy look she sported at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards.

  • Black Widow Inherits Buffy Mantle as Joss Whedon Female Hero

    Black Widow Inherits Buffy Mantle as Joss Whedon Female Hero

    Black Widow has been a fan fave throughout the Avengers and Ironman films. But the character is taking on a greater cultural significance in teh hands of writer/director Joss Whedon.

    Joss Whedon is already known for taking strong female characters and building worlds around them, letting them stand, falter, learn, and fail is amplified versions of how people live in real life. He did it with Buffy Summers as a vampire slayer. He added Eliza Dushku’s character of Faith to show more facets of that. He continued building strong females, even in a male-centered show like Angel. He built another entire show around Dushku with Dollhouse. And he has Black Widow to continue that tradition.

    “I’m always looking for pain, because pain usually contains truth and humor,” Joss Whedon said. As for Black Widow, “Her character is to me the most fascinating, because she’s defined by it in a way that she generally doesn’t show, and when she gets to, it’s very affecting. … I think we went deeper with her than with anybody else.”

    Actress Scarlett Johansson sees her role as Black widow as more than just some fill-in bit in a throwaway action flick.

    “For so long, female superheroes have been mistreated, and I think women’s roles in general are often oversimplified and generic and saccharine,” Johansson said. “I’ve finally been able to be a part of creating this character that is really multifaceted, and it’s fallen into what is generally a kind of male-dominated genre.”

    Not that it hasn’t been a tough road. Even in this day and age, and with Joss Whedon and Johansson batting for her, Black Widow is often omitted from marketing materials about the Avengers team.

    But Scarlett Johansson also believes that the fact that people are noticing the missing Black Widow is a good sign.

    “I see it as a vestigial remnant of this kind of sexist sort of mindset,” Johansson said. “It’s certainly nice that people are noticing and talking about it, whereas before it would just kind of be like, ‘Well, you know, it’s long pajamas and they’re for boys, so of course it’s all the guys on them.’ It’s a conversation that people are having — ‘Where’s all the girls? We want more. We want to see females in this genre who are not the stick in the mud or the damsel in distress or the girlfriend waiting by the window. We want to see characters who reflect the environment that we’re a part of.’”

  • ‘Age Of Ultron’ Big Disappointment For Black Widow Fans

    ‘Age Of Ultron’ Big Disappointment For Black Widow Fans

    There’s no question that Avengers: Age of Ultron would smash records in the box office. There’s also no question that the latest Avengers movie would be jam packed with the action and funny one-liners that everyone knows and loves.

    But the question that’s on everyone’s minds since Age of Ultron was released was what the hell did they do to the Black Widow?

    The way that Natasha Romanoff’s character regressed from being a kickass heroine who could hold her own in any fight against anyone to a simpering superhero in love who just wants to settle down with the Hulk was awkward, annoying, disappointing and downright unacceptable.

    The resulting backlash was understandably huge and might have even prompted Joss Wheadon to quit Twitter.

    Admittedly, there were a lot of other things disappointing about the movie. There was the complete disregard of Hydra’s powers and might. There was also that weird sequence with Thor looking for that ancient lake.

    But what really got people’s goat was how forced Natasha and Banner’s relationship seemed to be and how it shoehorned a beloved, feisty heroine into an ordinary girlfriend role.

    Marvel had already scored a coup when they cast Scarlett Johansson for the role. The actress perfectly embodied the character and turned her into the “most popular female superhero of the decade.”

    She was great in the Avengers and she shined even more in Captain America: Winter Soldier. People were intrigued with the glimpses given to who she was and what she can do.

    And to suddenly see her as a two-dimensional character in this film was a bitter pill to swallow for all those who were waiting to see Natasha shine and become even more badass.

    Maybe even star in her own superhero movie.

    Luckily for all of us, SNL and Scarlett Johansson have gone ahead and did Marvel’s job for them in their own take of a Black Widow movie.

  • Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in ‘SNL’ Rom-Com Spoof

    Scarlett Johansson hosted SNL on Saturday night, but it was her rom-com spoof in her Avengers: Age of Ultron character Black Widow that likely received the most laughs.

    Us Weekly reports that Scarlett Johansson–in the spoof–works as a Fashion Weekly magazine writer, lives with fellow character Thor (played by Saturday Night Live’s Taran Killam), and ultimately has her heart broken by Ultron,

    “So, who’s the guy?” Thor asks her in the fake trailer for Black Widow: Age of Me.

    “Why do you always think there’s a guy, Thor?” she replies.

    “Honey, you’re putting ketchup on your cereal!” he says.

    If you missed this weekend’s episode of SNL, you have to check out Scarlett Johansson in this rom-com spoof.


    Scarlett Johansson     also announced the winner of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight–causing many to cry ‘spolier!’

    Wiz Khalifa joined Scarlett Johansson on SNL this weekend as the evening’s musical guest.

  • Scarlett Johansson Will Host ‘Saturday Night Live’ on May 2nd, Heading Toward Five-Timers Club

    Scarlett Johansson is hosting Saturday Night Live on May 2nd. This will be the fourth time hosting SNL for the Avengers: Age of Ultron star, and this gig falls on the day after the film hits theaters.

    It was announced during this weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live, which was hosted by Empire star Taraji P. Henson, that Scarlett Johansson was on deck for the May 2nd episode. No musical guest has yet been announced.

    In light of when she is serving as host, could this mean that Scarlett Johansson might break out her Black Widow costume for at least one of the evening’s sketches? It would seem more than likely.

    Scarlett Johansson will need to host only one more time after May 2nd in order to become a member of SNL’s coveted five-timers club. So far only 15 people have been ‘inducted’ into the group. They are Ben Affleck, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, Candice Bergen, Chevy Chase, Danny DeVito, John Goodman, Elliot Gould, Tom Hanks, Buck Henry, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Paul Simon, Justin Timberlake, and Christopher Walken. The club was first mentioned on Saturday Night Live back in 1990 when Tom Hanks was making his fifth appearance on the show.

    Scarlett Johansson last hosted SNL in 2010. Hopefully it won’t be another five years from May 2nd before she becomes a member of the five-timers club.

    Will you be checking out Scarlett Johansson when Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theaters on May 1st? And will you be tuning in the next night to catch her as she hosts SNL–for the fourth time?

  • Scarlett Johansson In Final “Age Of Ultron” Trailer

    Scarlett Johansson showcases her extreme awesomeness as Black Widow in the new, and final, Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer.

    As Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson is absolutely phenomenal, of course, but she seems especially amazing in this upcoming film.

    This trailer, especially, seems to focus on Scarlett Johansson and her abilities.

    The trailer shows Scarlett Johansson doing amazing things. There’s a thing with flying kicks, a thing on a motorcycle. It’s just really, really amazing.

    Just watch it. Unless you prefer not to see any more spoilers before Avengers: Age of Ultron comes out May 1st.

    Scarlett Johansson once said of being Black Widow, “The most important aspect of my job as an actor, who’s been carrying this character from Iron Man to The Avengers and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, is to keep consistency with the character’s arc and have the character’s evolution be one that is cohesive.”

    She added, “You want to feel like the character is growing as opposed to just staying the same.”

    Well, Scarlett Johansson has kept Black Widow consistently awesome from the beginning, for sure. That may have been because she did her research early on.

    Scarlett Johansson recalled her first encounter with director Joss Whedon, saying, “In my first meeting with Joss, I had the chance to talk about Natasha’s backstory and her sordid past and I wanted to make sure that she stayed sort of gray, not really black or white. What’s exciting and compelling about the character is that she’s not Cap [Captain America]; she’s not righteous.”

    She added of Black Widow, “She was in S.H.I.E.L.D. because it’s where she belonged, not necessarily that it was the right place to be. Now we find The Avengers in business as usual mode but it’s changing. So it’s my job to make sure that Natasha, through that change, stays true to the Natasha that I started with in The Avengers.”

    So exciting! I can’t wait to see Scarlett Johansson in Avengers: Age of Ultron! Can you?

  • Scarlett Johansson: See the Black Widow in Last ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ Trailer

    Scarlett Johansson is back in her role as the Black Widow in the final trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron. The clip features the Black Widow holding up Captain America’s shield. It also features Thor–played by Chris Hemsworth–striking the shield with his hammer, sending it ping-ponging from one bad guy to another.

    Anyone who has already checked out Scarlett Johansson and the rest of the cast in previous trailers isn’t going to recognize any new footage in this latest clip. Most, however, won’t want any spoilers between now and the time the film hits theaters.

    This new trailer has received well over a million views since its release on Monday morning.

    The Avengers: Age of Ultron is expected to be one of the top blockbuster hits for spring.

    In addition to Scarlett Johansson and Chris Hemsworth, the film also stars Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. Newcomers to the film include Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlett Witch and Aaron Taylor Johnson as Quicksilver.

    Will you be checking out Scarlett Johansson and the rest of the cast when The Avengers: Age of Ultron hits theaters on May 1st?

  • Scarlett Johansson To Be In New Captain America Film

    Scarlett Johansson will reprise her role as Black Widow in the next installment of the Captain America franchise.

    Captain America: Civil War will be the third in the wildly popular, and awesome, series. The plot will center around a proposed law for superhero registration.

    Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors of Civil War, confirmed Scarlett Johansson‘s reappearance, as well as those of Chris Evans (Captian America), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), and Robert Downey, Jr. in his role as Iron Man.

    ‘We’ve been preparing for the movie since the one debuted last year. So, we’ve been working on it for a long time now,” they said.

    ”We’re very happy how it’s coming along… It’s going to star Chris Evans as Captain America, Scarlett Johansson will be back, Winter Soldier [Stan] will be back, and Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man will also be joining us in the next film.”

    Also making an appearance in the new film will be new character Black Panther.

    Black Panther will be played by Chadwick Boseman.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DtrUlMhbig

    There was concern that with Iron Man’s appearance in the film, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow wouldn’t get the screentime she deserves.

    However, it seems apparent that the directors will continue to keep Black Widow quite vital to the plot, just like in the first two.

    Even if it isn’t as big of a screen presence as we’d like, Scarlett Johansson will still have a huge role to play in the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron.

    In Age of Ultron, Scarlett Johansson’s past is explored in some depth and her ugly and sometimes torturous history will likely add an element to Black Window that will only make her more of a fan favorite.

    What do you think of the upcoming Marvel films and Scarlett Johansson’s role as Black Widow?

  • Rita Ora Opens Up About Calvin Harris Split, Talks ‘Black Widow’

    Rita Ora and Calvin Harris ended their relationship back in June.

    Although they both took to social media to confirm their split, neither have had much to say about the demise of their love affair – until now.

    During an interview with Cosmopolitan, the 23-year-old singer opened up about her split from the Scottish singer-songwriter.

    She admitted they were both going in different directions, due to their hectic schedules and career aspirations.

    “It was the right guy at the wrong time,” she explained. “I was about to start a tour, and he was also all over the place. There’s only so much you can do when you don’t see each other.”

    Rita, who previously dated Bruno Mars and Rob Kardashian, also cited distance as one of the main reasons for the break-up with the famed DJ/producer.

    While the British singer admires those who do have the ability to make long distance relationships work, she admitted she’s just not one of those people.

    “I really admire people who have long-distance relationships,” she added. “It’s an incredible achievement. I couldn’t do it.”

    https://twitter.com/CalvinHarris/status/475036975959789568

    Since many celebrity relationships have ended bitterly this year, most fans assumed they also ended on bad terms. However, the “I Will Never Let You Down” singer revealed their split was relatively amicable and she doesn’t have any ill feelings toward him.

    Now, her main focus is her career. She went on to dish about the widely popular feminist anthem she’s featured on with Australian female rapper, Iggy Azalea. Rita gushed about the chart-topping record, “Black Widow.”

    “As soon as I heard it, I was like, ‘This is the f–king song,’” she said of the song. “Katy Perry co-wrote it — it felt nice to have all women involved.”

    As the interview continued, things got a bit heated as the conversation took a turn toward sexuality. The “R.I.P.” singer revealed how her confidence has improved over time. She also shared her perspective of sexuality.

    “You have to come to terms with loving your body,” Rita explained.

    “Stand naked in front of the mirror and say, ‘I’m f–king sexy.’ That’s where it starts. I’m very proud to say that I think about sex,” she confessed. “It’s what everybody thinks about, whether they say it or not. For me, sex is a form of getting to know a person—feeling someone’s skin.”

  • Iggy Azalea Goes “Kill Bill” For New Video

    Iggy Azalea is no stranger to paying homage to films in her videos–she played a more grown-up version of Alicia Silverstone’s Clueless character in the video for “Fancy”–and her latest single is clearly influenced by Quentin Tarantino’s hit Kill Bill, complete with a cameo by Michael Madsen.

    “Black Widow”, a collaboration with Rita Ora, starts out in a diner with Azalea playing waitress to Madsen and Ora’s characters. When Madsen gets upset over his order, the scene changes into one filled with snow-covered mountains and cherry blossoms and Azalea appears in a skintight racing outfit with a sword.

    Azalea isn’t afraid to get a little weird with it, and the Australian rapper is also quick to take risks with the visuals, so it’s no surprise that her videos get a ton of hits; “Black Widow” was released on Vevo on August 13 and already has over 8 million views.

    Azalea was in headlines last week after a video was leaked online that appears to be from her pre-rap days and is very, very different from the direction she’s going in lately. In fact, she’s being compared to a “Toxic”-era Britney.

    Azalea recently joined several celebrities in taking the ice bucket challenge after being called out by Jennifer Lopez, and threw up a video on Instagram to call out three more people.

    Image via YouTube

  • Iggy Azalea And Rita Ora Team Up For ‘Black Widow,’ Cover Art Released

    Iggy Azalea’s single “Fancy” has been dominating the charts for few weeks now, and it looks like there’s no stopping the 24-year-old Australian hip-hop artist.

    Reports say that Azalea will be dropping a new video for her single featuring Rita Ora entitled “Black Widow.” The cover art for the upcoming video was just released by the two singers. The image showed the duo wearing matching red and black jumpsuits, and it seems to be inspired by the movie Kill Bill. Will the video have the two women doing Kung Fu and fighting with swords? Fans will just have to wait for the video to be released to find out what the image is all about.

    ‘Black Widow’: Iggy Azaela Featuring Rita Ora (Explicit)

    Both singers were very secretive about the image and just added the hashtag #comingsoon to the picture.

    Azalea and Ora also performed their new song at the 2014 Wireless Festival held in London. “Black Widow” was co-written by Katy Perry and is featured on Azalea’s album “The New Classic.”. After their performance, Ora took to Instagram and posted a picture of herself and Azalea performing together. “You jealous? You should be! #icouldnthelpmyself@thenewclassic #sorryNick,” she captioned the image.

    Rita Ora was also spotted at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin Spring/Summer 2015 event held in Berlin, Germany. Just before the event, Ora teased fans about the upcoming video for “Black Window” and said, “It’s just a very physical video.”

    “The New Classic” album was released on April 21 this year and debuted top five on worldwide charts. Azalea is also the fourth solo female rapper to hit the top spot of the Hot 100 charts.

    Though Azalea and Ora said that the video will be released soon, there is no set date yet. Meanwhile, fans can enjoy other singles from the same album including “Work,” “Bounce,” “Change Your Life,” and “Fancy.”

    Image via YouTube

  • France’s ‘Black Widow’: Did She Kill Her Lovers?

    Daniel Cano is believed by many to only be the latest victim of a woman who’s been dubbed the “Black Widow of the French Alps”.

    Manuela Gonzalez stands accused of the 2008 drugging and murder of 58-year-old husband Cano. The suspect allegedly set the car containing his unconscious body on fire, leaving him to burn to death.

    His remains were discovered in the burned-out shell of the car not too far from the home the couple shared in Villard-Bonnot, a township in the Isère region of the Alps.

    Cano’s manner of death alone would be suspicious enough in the eyes of law enforcement. However, investigators soon learned that the suspect had a string of relationships with men who had been been poisoned or died suddenly.

    For example, a jeweler that Gonzalez dated in 1984 was hospitalized after drinking tea that she had served him. It had been laced with morphine derivatives. Reports claim that Gonzalez had intended to drug the man and get him to write her a check for over $16,000.

    In 1989, a man that Gonzalez was in a relationship with was found dead in his car of an alleged suicide. He was killed by asphyxiation due to breathing exhaust fumes from his car.

    A second man was killed from breathing in fumes from a fire that broke out in a flat the couple shared.

    In light of how Cano died, these two deaths are seen as possible murders in retrospect.

    Those who support Gonzalez believe the ‘black widow’ label is unfair, and that she should not be accountable for deaths that were never deemed murders. It is feared these events will create unfair bias in the current murder case.

    The prosecution in the trial will use the mishaps in the lives of men associated with Gonzalez to demonstrate that she was likely to have been responsible for Cano’s death.

    Gonzalez continues to maintain her innocence.

    The subject of women killers has always been fascinating to the general public. It is often assumed that women do not have the capacity to commit murder in the same vein as male offenders. However, recent trials and research is putting that stereotype to rest.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • France’s Black Widow – Murder Trial Begins

    The woman known as the “Black Widow of Isère”, Manuela Gonzalez, stands accused of drugging her husband and burning him to death, as well as two other previous husbands who died in mysterious ways, and another two lovers involved with her who narrowly escaped death.

    Gonzales’ trial on begins Monday for drugging her husband and then burning him to death in his car.

    The case of Manuela Gonzalez has gripped France since it was discovered that the men in her life either die, or come close.

    The charred remains of Miss Gonzalez’s late husband, Daniel Cano, 58, were discovered in his burnt-out car near the house he shared with her in Villard-Bonnot in the Isère region of the Alps.

    After police investigation of the fire, they believe it was deliberately set, and that the deceased, Mr Cano, had taken – or was unknowingly fed – a large dose of sleeping pills.

    The prosecution claims that the motive for Mr Cano’s death was money. Miss Gonzalez and her husband were both regular gamblers and she had racked up considerable debts. Investigators found that in 2008, she re-mortgaged their house for 165,000 euros ($229,000) without her husbands knowledge.

    It was also discovered that Mr Cano’s life insurance was enough to pay off the entire mortgage on their home.

    While digging into Miss Gonzalez’s past, investigators discovered that four of her previous partners had been poisoned in suspicious circumstances, and two others had died.

    In 1983, her husband at the time, spent three months in a coma after taking large quantities of anti-depressants. He divorced her when he woke up.

    Just a short year later, she began a relationship with a jeweler, who ended up hospitalized after drinking a cup of tea she had laced with morphine derivatives as part of a plot to persuade him to write her a cheque for the equivalent of £10,000. That crime resulted in her conviction and a two-year prison sentence.

    In April 1989, another lover died in his garage, asphyxiated by exhaust fumes from his car. The death was declared a suicide at the time.

    Another male boyfriend died in 1991 as a result of fumes caused by a fire in an apartment they shared. Miss Gonzalez was accused of causing the death but the charges were dropped three years later.

    Strangely, a month before Mr Cano’s death, a fire broke out in his bedroom during the night while Miss Gonzalez was “cooking”. She said the dog had knocked over a candle in the room.

    Lawyers for Cano’s family say the past incidents reflect a pattern of murderous behavior while advocates for Gonzalez are expected to argue they have all been dealt with by the authorities and should not be considered relevant to this case.

    Prosecuting lawyers say that Miss Gonzalez has a split personality – one loving and fun, the other a murderess.

    Mr Cano’s son, Nicolas, 30, said: “She is someone with two faces.”

    “I have known her since I was six. She was kind, helpful, and smiley. She educated me and supported me throughout school. She was someone I loved very much and trusted,” he told Le Parisien before the trial.

    “Now I see her other face: Machiavellian, manipulating and full of hatred. I thought I knew her but I didn’t know her.”

    Her lawyer, Ronald Gallo, accused the French press of creating an inaccurate profile of Gonzales that “doesn’t give a damn about the truth and is only interested in the character they have created”.

    Miss Gonzalez pleaded not-guilty to the charges, for which she faces a life sentence if convicted.

    “I continue to say that I am innocent of what I have been accused and that will be shown in court,” she said.

    A verdict is due on Friday.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Winter Olympics- Are They Safe To Attend?

    Winter Olympics- Are They Safe To Attend?

    It’s time for the 2014 Winter Olympics and while athletes have already headed off the Sochi, where the Olympics will be held, many spectators are wondering if it’s safe to attend the sporting events. The Olympics have always been an easy target for terrorist attacks and although Sochi officials have said that they are doing everything possible to keep the games safe, several terrorist threats have already been made, one in the form of a video.

    In the video, two men who are believed to be responsible for the recent bombings in Volgograd, are shown making a bomb and calling it a gift that they plan to give to Sochi if the Olympics are held. These two men are believed to have been suicide bombers and are assumed dead. The bomb may be delivered by a group of women suicide bombers.

    Russian officials are currently searching for a woman they call the “Black Widow.” The woman’s real name is Ruzanna Ibragimova and she is the widow of a man who was killed last year by security forces. Several other women who are also believed to be widows are also being considered as threats.

    Officials have said that they have created a “ring of steel” around Sochi and believe the area is well protected. Some officials fear that one or more of the women may have already infiltrated the area before it was secure. Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin has said that he believes it is safe to have the Olympics in Sochi and said that as the host city, it is Sochi’s job to make sure that everyone participating in and visiting the games is safe.

    The U.S. military has sent two warships to the area and have several transport aircrafts on call in case a terrorist attack is launched and Americans need to be rescued.

    Do you think there will be a terrorist attack on the 2014 Olympics?

    Image via YouTube.

  • Black Widow Spider Found in Aldi Mart Grapes

    Black Widow Spider Found in Aldi Mart Grapes

    Discount supermarket chain Aldi removed its entire stock of grapes from the shelves of its Milwaukee, Wisconsin, stores in early November, after a shopper found a black widow spider in a container. The red grapes in that incident were purchased from Aldi’s Wauwatosa, WI, branch, and other black widow sightings have been reported at grocery stores in Michigan, Missouri and Minnesota, in recent months.

    The black widow spider is a venomous species of the genus Latrodectus. The spiders are known for their striking red and black markings, and for the practice of the female sometimes eating the male soon after mating. Their venom in neurotoxic, and seldomly fatal to humans, though children and the elderly are more susceptible.

    A few days prior to the latest incident in Wisconsin, a Michigan couple found a live spider in a bag of red grapes purchased in Brighton. In St. Louis, two more black widows were found in red grape containers in early October. In Minnesota, a spider was found in a crate of grapes at a school in Maplewood.

    Aldi has pledged to use additional inspection procedures to help prevent any future spider incidents.

    Black widows aren’t aggressive by nature, though will bite if cornered. One shouldn’t handle the spiders, and the best thing to do is to trap them in some sort of container, and move them outside.

    The practice of using the spiders on farms in place of pesticides might explain their appearances in grocery stores, as of late. A decade ago, customers had complained about finding black widows in bundles of grapes purchased at Tesco supermarkets in the United Kingdom. A grape farmer later admitted to purposely using the black widows to control pests.

    Incidentally, the UK has recently had its own problem with a widow spider of the “false” variety, after an infestation of the species shut down a school. Though, English false widows, of the genus Steatoda, are far less harmful to humans than the famous black widow of the Americas. Some members of the false widow genus can inflict bites which are medically significant in humans, though they generally don’t have any long-lasting effects.

    Symptoms of black widow bites are a bit more pronounced, and typically include fever and swelling. Victims should apply ice to the bite, and also consult with a doctor to obtain anti-venom.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Spiders Shut Down British School

    A school in England has been shut down due to an infestation of “false widow” spiders, the most poisonous British arachnid.

    The spiders, which are equipped with venom that can cause swelling and fever, had been spotted around the campus of Dean Academy, prompting the school to close its doors on Wednesday. Experts were brought in to eradicate the spiders.

    English false widows, of the genus Steatoda, are far less harmful to humans than the famous black widow of the Americas. Some members of the false widow genus can inflict bites which are medically significant in humans, though they generally don’t have any long-lasting effects. The symptoms associated with the bite of several Steatoda species are known in medicine as steatodism; and have been described as a less-severe form of latrodectism (the symptoms associated with a widow spider bite).

    Latrodectism, on the other hand, can be a problem. Due to the presence of latrotoxin in their venom, black widow bites can cause severe muscle pain, abdominal cramps, hyperhidrosis, tachycardia and muscle spasms. Symptoms usually last for 3–7 days, but may persist for several weeks.

    Codeine or tramadol are prescribed, depending on pain scores, along with an anti-inflammatory agent like naproxen and cortisone, and an antispasmodic like diazepam.

    False widows have been present in parts of southern England for almost a century, and are thought to have been spreading for the last 25 years. The spider has been in the news a bit in England lately, and on Twitter:

    In related news, it’s been reported that spiders were the cause of some of the problem, as Toyota recalled 803,000 vehicles. Spiders are making their way into the drainage tube that leads from the air conditioning condenser. The blockage from the spiders allows water to leak onto the airbag, which results in a malfunctioning.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.