Obama declares state of emergency for Connecticut following snowstorm

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has declared a state of emergency for Connecticut after the massive storm that blanketed the state with several feet of snow.

The order means federal money will be used to help state and local response efforts. The White House announced the declaration Sunday.

Obama authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide equipment and resources needed to help storm recovery.

The storm dumped at as much as 3 feet of snow on Connecticut, paralyzing much of the state. All roads in the state were closed, and even emergency responders got stuck on highways. The National Guard was brought in to help clear snow in New Haven, which got 34 inches.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says five deaths apparently were weather related.

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City recovering from storm that dumped more than 2 feet of snow on LI

REUTERS

A man operates a snow plow in New York today.

A massive winter storm dumped as much as 2½ feet of snow on Long Island overnight and left thousands there without power while New York City residents, despite a foot of snow, counted themselves lucky Saturday.

Police in Suffolk County, on the eastern end of the island, used snowmobiles to reach some motorists stranded on the Long Island Expressway. Ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles and some snowplow trucks as well as passenger vehicles got stuck overnight throughout the area, said Vanessa Baird-Streeter, spokeswoman for Suffolk County.

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About 10,000 utility customers, most in eastern Suffolk, did not have electricity Saturday morning, said Wendy Ladd of the National Grid.

Ladd said those without power could be restored within a day if crews can get to them, but "access is an issue."

"We have plenty of crews available to do the restoration work, and if we can get to them, we're saying we can get them back in 24 hours," Ladd said. "But the issue is whether our big trucks can get to them if streets aren't plowed."

Suffolk County was hit harder than neighboring Nassau County, a relief for communities that were flooded during last October's Superstorm Sandy. The Weather Service said coastal flooding did not create major problems during the new storm.

REUTERS

A car buried in snow along the Long Island Expressway

Meteorologist David Stark said the community of Upton, where the weather service has a headquarters, had 30.3 inches of snow. Several other towns topped 2 feet: Setauket, Smithtown, Port Jefferson, Mount Sinai, Islip, Huntington and Commack.

In Nassau, by contrast, Wantagh reported 11 inches.

In New York City, the reading in Central Park was 11.4 inches and 12.1 at LaGuardia Airport. Stark said the city had a longer period of sleet rather than snow, which held town the totals.

But the city was spared the worst of the storm, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

He said more than 2,200 vehicles plowed streets overnight, clearing every major thoroughfare at least once and even most secondary streets. Traffic was flowing easily through most of the city's busiest streets.

"We're in great shape. We're lucky. ... We've dodged a bullet," Bloomberg told plow workers at a sanitation garage in Queens.

Bloomberg said all city streets will be cleared of snow by the end of Saturday and that all primary, most secondary and "60 percent" of tertiary streets have already been plowed.

Noting that areas to the north and east of the city got hit far worse, the mayor said he would make the city's equipment and manpower available if needed in Long Island, Connecticut and elsewhere.

"We want to make sure we provide whatever they need. When we were in trouble, the country came to our aid and we want to make sure we do the same," he said.

Later Saturday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said several hundred snow plows from around the state are heading to Suffolk County on Long Island.

He said snowplows had a hard time because about 150 cars were stranded on the Long Island Expressway.

Hundreds of motorists had abandoned their vehicles on New York's Long Island, and even snowplows were getting stuck. Emergency workers used snowmobiles to try to reach stranded motorists, some of whom spent the night stuck in their cars.

Richard Ebbrecht, a chiropractor, left his office in Brooklyn at 3 p.m. on Friday and head for his home in Middle Island, N.Y., in Suffolk County, but got stuck six or seven times on the Long Island Expressway and other roads.

"There was a bunch of us Long Islanders. We were all helping each other, shoveling, pushing," he said. He finally gave up and spent the night in his car just two miles from his destination. At 8 a.m., when it was light out, he walked home.

"I could run my car and keep the heat on and listen to the radio a little bit," he said. "It was very icy under my car. That's why my car is still there."

Plows and personnel from across the state and New York City were heading to Connecticut and Massachusetts as well as Suffolk County to clear roads, Cuomo said.

City residents didn't have too much trouble getting around.

AP

A shirtless jogger runs through Central Park today.

"It's not that bad," said carpenter Kevin Byrne, as he dug his car out of its Manhattan parking spot. "It's not as bad as everybody said it was going to be."

But he said he left his shovel at home.

"I'm using a scraper to shovel out, which is not good," he said. "But was anybody prepared? The last two winters have been so mild."

Efrain Burgos, a native New Yorker, took no chances on driving.

"I took the subway for the first time in 10 years," said Burgos, who took the No. 2 train from his home in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx.

He said that while roads were well-plowed near the Upper West Side neighborhood where he works as a doorman, in the Bronx, "the roads are packed with ice."

On Father Capodanno Boulevard in Staten Island's Midland Beach, frigid gusts blew in from the water, but those residents who have moved back in to their houses said the wind wasn't as bad as feared even at the height of the storm. "Not like during Sandy, when the roof was flying away," said Dmitriy Pilguy.

He chuckled a bit at the pre-storm hype. "It's only snow," Pilguy said as he cleared his driveway. "I'm from Russia. I don't care."

REUTERS

A child sits buried in the snow waiting for his father to take his photo in Central Park.

Bloomberg said police have been checking on families from Superstorm Sandy who still have no heat but had encountered no problems so far.

Con Edison's Mike Clendenin said there were just 317 customers without power in the city on Saturday morning, mostly in Brooklyn. He said the number could increase as people wake up and discover they have no electricity.

But he said the low total "is certainly encouraging." There were no failures reported in Westchester County he said, although some villages there, including Scarsdale and Bronxville, reported more than 20 inches of snow.

Clendenin said there were about 3,000 power failures reported during the storm, "but we've been able to keep up and get them back."

Stark said winds had not been as strong as expected in the northern suburbs, with gusts remaining below 35 mph. In Suffolk, he said, they reached 50 mph.

The New York region's three major airports have also reopened after the snowstorm but flights are limited.

Port Authority spokesman Anthony Hayes says commercial flights started taking off from Kennedy and LaGuardia airports at around 9 a.m. Saturday. He said commercial flights should take off from Newark Liberty Airport at around 11 a.m.

Hayes says many flights have been canceled and passengers should check with their airline before heading to the airport.

The Port Authority says the first inbound passenger flight at JFK International Airport landed at 9:30 a.m.

Boston's Logan Airport remains closed but said it expects to reopen Saturday afternoon. Across the region, flights are expected to be back on close to normal schedules on Sunday.

Flight-tracking website FlightAware says airlines have canceled 5,368 flights due to the storm.

New York City subways are running with scattered delays. City buses are running.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says hourly service on the Metro-North Railroad's Harlem and Hudson lines will resume after 11 a.m. The MTA says service on the New Haven line will remain suspended because of heavy snow accumulations.

Service is limited on the Long Island Rail Road.

New Jersey Transit resumed bus service north of Interstate 195 as of 7 a.m. Saturday, including service into New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal.

NJ Transit suspended all northern bus service Friday evening due to treacherous driving conditions.

The agency says rail service on the Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton and Midtown Direct lines will resume at noon. It was suspended at 8 p.m. Friday.

Meanwhile, Amtrak said the New York-Boston train route would remain closed Saturday as crews cleared tracks of snow and fallen trees. Trains were running south from New York, and between New York and Albany.

REUTERS

A woman takes a photo of a snow man that was erected at the fountain at Lincoln Center during New York Fashion Week on Friday.

Meanwhile, snow totals in New Jersey ranged from 5-15 inches, with the highest snowfalls spread across the northern part of the state while other areas were spared.

The National Weather Service reports River Vale in northern Bergen County got 15 inches. West Milford, Hillsdale and Scotch Plains all got more than a foot of snow. Cedar Grove residents woke up to about 10 inches of snow Saturday morning.

Newark had been projected to get up to a foot of snow or possibly more but received about 5 or 6 inches. About 5 inches fell on Jersey City and about 6 inches fell at Newark Airport.

More than 28 inches of snow had fallen on central Connecticut by early Saturday, and areas of southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire notched 2 feet or more of snow — with more falling.

At least five deaths were being blamed on the storm, three in Canada and two in upstate New York. In southern Ontario, an 80-year-old woman collapsed while shoveling her driveway and two men were killed in car crashes. In New York, a 74-year-old man died after being struck by a car in Poughkeepsie; the driver said she lost control in the snowy conditions, police said.

A 23-year-old man in Germantown, NY has died after he went off the edge of a roadway while plowing his driveway with a farm tractor in Columbia County, state police said.

Troopers say the accident happened shortly after 9 p.m. Friday, about 35 miles south of Albany. The National Weather Service says about 7.5 inches of snow has accumulated in that area overnight. The tractor rolled down a 15-foot embankment.

The man was pronounced dead at Columbia Memorial Hospital. His name hasn't been released.

More than 650,000 people across the Northeast were without power this morning, with most of the outages occurring in New England.

New York City suffered surprisingly few power outages during the snowstorm.

Con Edison spokesman Mike Clendenin says the city has just 317 customers out, 206 in Brooklyn. No outages were reported in Westchester County.

In New Jersey, the state's two largest utilities were reporting minimal outages as of Saturday morning.

By late Saturday morning, about 5,000 customers in the state were without power. About 4,900 of those are customers of Atlantic City Electric in Atlantic County, with a handful of customers in Gloucester County also awaiting restoration.

The state's two largest utilities reported minor power failures. PSE&G had just 16 customers without service, while JCP&L reported fewer than 25. Orange & Rockland Electric reported no outages in New Jersey.

It's a far cry from the 2.7 million customers left in the dark after Superstorm Sandy last October, or a similar number affected by a snowstorm in October 2011.

Forecasters said wind gusts exceeding 75 mph could cause more widespread power outages and whip the snow into fearsome drifts.

On Saturday, Connecticut Gov. Malloy ordered all roads closed until further notice, saying that stalled or abandoned vehicles will only slow the recovery process. The storm dumped more than 2 feet of snow over much of the state.

State police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance says drivers and even some troopers have been getting stuck on the snow-covered highways. He said a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and killed Friday night in Prospect.

Vance said troopers are still out responding to calls but it's imperative that people stay off the roads.

In New York City, there will be delayed openings at public libraries in all five boroughs. Most will be open from noon until 5 p.m.

With Post Staff

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LiLo NOT staying at LI home - partying it up in Manhattan penthouse instead, dad says

A cash-poor Lindsay Lohan isn’t crashing at her mom’s Long Island home – she’s living it up in a Manhattan penthouse.

The starlet’s father told The Post he doubts Lindz is actually living with her mom, Dina, in Merrick.

"I don’t think she's living there. But she's there once in a while,” he said today. “How many times have you seen her in Merrick? She stays at her friend’s house in the city in a penthouse.”

"Just because her clothes are there doesn't mean she lives there."

Dina Lohan could not be reached for comment.

The news comes after a process server yesterday delivered papers to the Merrick home.

The Lohans have had financial troubles in recent years. Radar reported the actress was “flat-out broke” nine days ago, and Dina tallied a staggering $1 million in debt over the past 10 years.

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Family of 'Scooter Lady' brutally killed by tractor-trailer in SoHo sues truck company

The California sister of an eccentric Greenwich Village woman, who was killed in a gruesome tractor-trailer accident last summer, is suing the truck company over her death, according to a new lawsuit.

"Scooter Lady" Jessica Dworkin, 58, was crossing West Houston Street and 6th Avenue on her dual-wheeled ride on Aug. 27 when she "became stuck in the rear passenger wheel and dragged more than 700 feet," sister Melissa Dworkin alleges in the complaint.

Dworkin "experienced conscious pain and suffering...terror and fear of impending death," her sister says in the filing.

Suzanne Kaufman

Jessica Dworkin

The Manhattan Supreme Court suit names New York-based Liedtka Trucking, Brothers Leasing Company in New Jersey and Jersey driver Gregory Smith.

Smith remained at the scene of the accident and was not charged with any wrongdoing, but the lawsuit questions his safety record.

"Liedtka Trucking and Brothers Leasing negligently failed to inspect and review Smith's driving record prior to hiring him," court papers charge.

The company’s owner, Phil Liedtka, told the Post that Smith is so distraught from the incident that he’s taken a leave of absence.

“It was just a horrible, horrible tragedy, but it was not our fault,” Liedtka asserted. He defended his driver’s record. Smith “has been with us for eight years and has never, ever had an accident.”

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At least three people dead in fiery pileup involving more than two dozen cars on Georgia interstate

MONTROSE, Ga. — More than two dozen vehicles collided in a fiery pileup on a Georgia interstate on Wednesday morning, killing at least three people and leaving 12 others hurt, an emergency official said.

Laurens County EMS director Terry Cobb, who is at the scene on Interstate 16 in central Georgia, told The Associated Press at least six vehicles were still on fire when crews arrived. Emergency officials encountered fog on the way to the crash site, though it was not immediately known if that was a factor in the wreck, Cobb said.

"Once we got there, the fog was kind of lifted at the scene," he said.

Cobb said 27 vehicles were involved in at least two or three separate accidents, though emergency responders were still going through the wreckage. At least 12 people were taken to hospitals in the nearby town of Dublin, though most injuries appeared to be minor, Cobb said.

Joy Pope, a 911 operator with Laurens County, said emergency responders were working to extinguish a fire involving a petroleum tanker truck.

The pileup happened near Montrose, about 40 miles southeast of Macon. It shut down a roughly seven-mile stretch of the highway that is a major artery between Savannah and Macon, forcing cars to be detoured around the area.

Video from WMAZ-TV in Macon showed flames and dark, heavy smoke along the interstate.

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Man injured by Harlem train hit

A man was struck by a subway this morning in Harlem, authorities said.

The unidentified straphanger was at the Cathedral Parkway station at 10:05 a.m. when he was hit by a 2 train entering the station, said a spokesman for the MTA.

It was not immediately clear whether the man was on the tracks or on the platform at the time of the accident, officials said.

He was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital, where he is in stable condition, the FDNY said.

Normal train service has resumed, the MTA said.

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Ellis Island to remain closed for up to a year after Sandy devastation

HANDOUT

Damaged fuel tanks are seen at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. The museum, which remains closed to the public, sustained major infrastructure damage from Hurricane Sandy and the exhibits have been placed in storage.

Hurricane Sandy was an unwelcome new arrival to Ellis Island.

The national landmark has been closed to visitors since the October storm — and will remain closed for up to a year — even after an infusion of more than $20 million in federal recovery money, The Post has learned.

“The progress we made on Ellis Island over the past decade was extraordinary,” said Janis Calella, president of Save Ellis Island. “The devastation set us back.”

Sandy’s floodwaters were able to breach the sea wall and inundate the island, a historic point of entry for immigrants between 1892 and 1954.

Water rose to just below the first floor of the Immigration Museum.

And the Ferry Building, which just underwent a $3.5 million rehab, was washed out. A $400,000 exhibit dedicated to the medical care that was offered to immigrants was completely lost.

“We have had to cancel a full schedule of programs for 2013 and we don’t know when we’re going to be able to start them up again,” Calella said.

All of the island’s utility systems — electric, ventilation and communications — were wrecked.

“Almost all of our infrastructure is in the basements,” David Luchsinger, the chief Park Service administrator told The Post. “It was pretty much submerged and destroyed.”

Seawater flooded every basement and even destroyed the administration offices that had been restored only three months before the storm.

Luchsinger — whose home and belongings on Liberty Island were also destroyed — said it was only fortunate that most of Ellis Island’s historic artifacts were not damaged.

Eighty percent of them have since been moved to Maryland for safe-keeping because the island doesn’t have climate or air-control protection for them.

After decades of neglect, sections of the island were slowly rebuilt in the past 25 years and transformed into a tourist destination.

The island is part of the National Park Service and run by the federal officials who also operate the nearby Statue of Liberty.

Officials said they tried to prepare for Sandy as it approached but they could never have been ready for the storm’s power.

josh.margolin@nypost.com

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Deadly deserts

Ralph Peters

Violence in Allah’s name in northern Africa won’t end in my lifetime — and probably not in yours. The core question is: To what extent can the savagery be contained?

From the Atlantic coastline to the Suez Canal, struggling governments, impoverished populations and frankly backward societies struggle to find paths to modernization and to compete in a ruthless global economy. Religious fanatics for whom progress is a betrayal of faith hope to block development.

Still, if the only conflict was between Islamist terrorists and those who want civilized lives, the situation could be managed over time. But that struggle forms only one level in a layer cake of clashing visions and outright civil wars bedeviling a vast region. Much larger than Europe, the zone of contention encompasses the Maghreb, the countries touching the Mediterranean, and the Sahel, the bitterly poor states stretching down across desert wastes to the African savannah.

AFP/Getty Images

Figthers of the Islamic group Ansar Dine

The Sahel is the front line not only between the world of Islam and Christian-animist cultures in Africa’s heart, but between Arabs and light-skinned tribes in the north, and blacks to the south. No area in the world so explicitly illustrates the late, great Samuel Huntington’s concept of “the clash of civilizations.”

If racial and religious differences were not challenge enough, in the Maghreb the factions and interest groups are still more complicated. We view Egypt as locked in a contest between Islamists and “our guys,” Egyptians seeking new freedoms. But Egypt’s identity struggle is far more complex, involving social liberals, moderate Muslims, stern conservative Muslims (such as the Muslim Brotherhood) and outright fanatics. The military forms another constituency, while the business community defends its selfish interests. Then there are the supporters of the old Mubarak regime, the masses of educated-but-unemployed youth and the bitterly poor peasants.

Atop all that there’s the question of whether the values cherished by Arab societies can adapt to a globalized world.

The path to Egypt’s future will not be smooth — yet Egypt’s chances are better than those of many of its neighbors. Consider a few key countries in the region:

Mali

Viva la France! (Never thought I’d write that in The Post.) Contrary to a lot of media nonsense, the effective French intervention in Mali demonstrates that not every military response to Islamist terror has to become another Afghanistan: The French are welcome.

As extremists invariably do, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its allies rapidly alienated their fellow Muslims — after hijacking a local uprising. The local version of Islam is far more humane and tolerant than the Wahhabi cult imposed by Islamist fanatics. To the foreign extremists, the Malian love of Sufi mysticism, ancient shrines and their own centuries of religious scholarship are all hateful — as is the Malian genius for music that’s pleased listeners around the world.

Have a comment on this PostOpinion column? Send it in to LETTERS@NYPOST.COM!

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White House releases photo of Obama shooting rifle amid gun-control push

AP

President Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David last August in this photo released today by the White House.

WASHINGTON — The White House has released a photo of President Barack Obama firing a gun, two days before he heads to Minnesota to discuss gun control.

In a recent interview with The New Republic magazine, Obama said "yes" when asked if he has ever fired a gun. He said "we do skeet shooting all the time," except for his daughters, at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland.

The White House photo released Saturday is dated Aug. 4, 2012, and shows Obama shooting at clay targets on the range at Camp David.

The rifle is cocked in Obama's left shoulder, his left index finger is on the trigger and smoke is coming from the barrel.

Obama is pushing a package of gun-control measures in response to the Newtown, Conn., school shooting.

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New York politicians mourn death of former Mayor Ed Koch

AP

Ed Koch raises his arms in victory at the Sheraton Centre after winning the Democratic primary in his bid for a third four-year term on Sept. 11, 1985.

Ed Koch, the fiery New Yorker who served at the city's mayor for three terms, died today at age 88. Politicians and friends expressed their grief today.

Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York:

“Earlier today, New York City lost an irrepressible icon, our most charismatic cheerleader and champion, Edward I. Koch. He was a great mayor, a great man, and a great friend. In elected office and as a private citizen, he was our most tireless, fearless, and guileless civic crusader. Through his tough, determined leadership and responsible fiscal stewardship, Ed helped lift the city out of its darkest days and set it on course for an incredible comeback. We will miss him dearly, but his good works – and his wit and wisdom – will forever be a part of the city he loved so much. His spirit will live on not only here at City Hall, and not only on the bridge the bears his name, but all across the five boroughs.

“I’m expressing my condolences on behalf of all 8.4 million New Yorkers, and I know so many of them will be keeping Mayor Koch and his family and friends in their thoughts prayers. As we mourn Mayor Koch’s passing, the flags at all City buildings will be flying at half-staff in his memory.”

Bill De Blasio, Public Advocate:

""When Ed Koch said ‘How'm I doing?’ it was both a boast and an act of humility. That simple phrase captured the fact that he was deeply connected to everyday New Yorkers. And that connection fueled his urgency and his greatness. He helped bring us out of the fiscal crisis, he helped bring the South Bronx back, he helped give us hope again—all because it was personal for him. He simply wouldn't let New York City fail. Like many, I often disagreed with Ed. But I also got to know and learn from this great man, with a heart and mind as big as the city he loved. Ed Koch is gone now, but his energy and inspiration can never be forgotten by those of us lucky enough to have known him.”

Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York:

"With the passing of Ed Koch, New York has lost one of our most admired public leaders. Ed Koch embodied the highest ideals of public service and his life was dedicated toward making New York - the city and our state - a better place for all. From his days on the front lines of World War II, his time in Congress, to his leadership as Mayor guiding New York City through difficult years, Ed Koch never strayed from his unwavering commitment to serving others.

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Hershey's fourth-quarter profit rises on stronger sales

Hershey said its net income rose 5.5 percent in the fourth quarter, as sales of its Kit Kats, Reese's and other candies boosted revenue.

The company, based in Hershey, Pa., noted that it gained market share across categories during the quarter and raised its outlook for the year. Its shares briefly hit a new high.

In the year ahead, the company plans to step up investments in five brands — Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Jolly Ranchers and Ice Breakers — that it believes "can transcend borders around the world."

For the October to December period, The Hershey Co. said it earned $149.9 million, or 66 cents per share. That's up from $142.1 million, or 62 cents per share, in the year ago period.

Excluding one-time items, the company earned 74 cents per share. By that measure, analysts on average expected earnings of 76 cents per share, according to FactSet.

Sales rose 12 percent to $1.75 billion from $1.56 billion a year earlier. Analysts expected $1.7 billion.

During the fourth quarter, the company said its adjusted gross margin improved on higher pricing and cost savings, although that was partially offset by higher costs for ingredients. Selling, marketing and administrative expenses, which includes advertising, rose 19 percent, reflecting increased investments overseas.

For 2012, Hershey earned $660.9 million, or $2.89 per share, up from $628.9 million, or $2.74 per share, in 2011. Revenue rose to $6.64 billion from $6.08 billion.

Hershey expects earnings to increase by 10 percent to 12 percent to $3.56 to $3.63 per share, above the 8 percent to 10 percent increase previously forecast. Analysts expect $3.60 per share on average.

It reaffirmed it expects total sales for the year to increase by 5 percent to 7 percent, driven primarily by a boost in volume.

Its shares rose 87 cents to $79.16 in morning trading after rising as high as $79.50 earlier in the session. That was its highest level ever, according to FactSet.

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WATCH: Te'o hoaxer 'fell deeply, romantically in love' with Notre Dame football star, Dr. Phil says

AP

Dr. Phil McGraw, left, interviews Ronaiah Tuiasosopo. The interview is set to air Thursday and Friday.

The mastermind behind the Manti Te’o hoax was lovestruck — and is "confused" about his sexuality according to a new report.

Ronaiah Tuiasosopo said in an interview to run tomorrow and Friday on “Dr. Phil,” that his relationship with the college grid star was basically a love affair.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

“This was a deep, romantic connection that was two-way between Ronaiah and Manti,” psychologist Phil McGraw told “Entertainment Tonight.”

McGraw told NBC’s “Today" show in an interview aired this morning, that Tuiasosopo is “confused” about his sexuality.

“Here we have a young man that fell deeply, romantically in love,’’ McGraw said.

“I asked him straight-up, ‘Was this a romantic relationship with you?’ And he says yes. I said, ‘Are you then therefore gay?’ And he said, ‘Well when you put it that way, yes.’ And then he caught himself and said, ‘I am confused.'"

Te’o led his Notre Dame football team to an undefeated regular season. He inspired millions of fans by playing through emotional pain caused by the Sept. 11 death of his grandmother and loss of his girlfriend a day later.

But Te’o’s dead girlfriend “Lennay Kekua” turned out to be an online hoax -- hatched by acquaintance Tuiasosopo and embellished by the star linebacker. Sports Web site Deadspin uncovered the the massive scam two weeks ago.

Tuiasosopo told “Dr. Phil” that the fake, online romance was consuming his life.

“I wanted to end it because after everything I had gone through, I finally realized that I just had to move on with my life,’’ Tuiasosopo said. “I had to start just living and let this go.”

Tuiasosopo, a Christian musician from Southern California, sounded like a TV show producer explaining how Te’o and online gal pal Lennay would fall in and out of love at his discretion.

“There were many times where Manti and Lennay had broken up, but something would bring them back together whether it was something going on in his life or in Lennay’s life, or in this case, my life,” Tuiasosopo said.

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Debris of missing Missoni plane found in Curacao

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao — The first sign of debris from a missing plane that was carrying the CEO of Italian fashion house Missoni has surfaced in the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.

A spokesman for the island's prosecutor's office says a tourist found a bag belonging to an Italian who missed the flight. The plane was carrying Vittorio Missoni when it vanished Jan. 4 after takeoff from the Venezuelan resort islands of Los Roques. Norman Serphos said Tuesday that the German tourist had contacted the owner of the bag in Italy, who in turn called police in Curacao.

ZUMAPRESS.com

Vittorio Missoni

Serphos said Curacao police received the bag on Friday and are working with authorities in Venezuela and Italy.

Curacao lies about 200 miles west of Los Roques.

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Amazing 360-view from the top of the world

Watch your step!

A stunning, 360-degree image from the tallest building on Earth as been released as part of the second Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Photography Award (HIPA).

SEE THE AMAZING VIEW

The panoramic view from Dubai's Burj Khalifa is the same view Tom Cruise had in "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol."

The Gerald Donovan-image was created by over 70 photos — each 80 megapixels — merged together, according to the HIPA Web site.

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Staten Island woman goes missing in Turkey; family searching for her

Relatives of a missing New York City woman who disappeared while on vacation in Turkey, her first trip outside the U.S., are heading to Istanbul to look for her, her brother said Sunday.

Sarai Sierra's family was last in touch with her on Monday, the day she was supposed to start her journey home. The 33-year-old mother of two had been in Turkey on her own since Jan. 7.

Her brother David Jimenez told The Associated Press that he and Sierra's husband, Steven, were planning to leave for Turkey on Sunday night. He said he had no return date planned.

"I don't want to come home without my sister," he said.

Sierra planned to head to the Galata Bridge, a well-known tourist destination that spans the Golden Horn waterway, to take some photographs, said her mother, Betzaida Jimenez. Her daughter then supposed to begin traveling home and was scheduled to arrive in New York City on Tuesday afternoon.

Sierra's father went to pick her up at the airport and "waited there for hours" with no sign of his daughter, Jimenez said.

Sierra had planned to go on the trip with a friend but ended up going by herself when the friend couldn't make it. She was looking forward to exploring her hobby of photography, her family said.

"I was nervous. I didn't want my daughter to go," Jimenez said, but the trip had passed smoothly with Sierra in regular contact with her family and friends through text messaging and phone calls.

"She would always call and let us know, 'This is what I did today,'" Jimenez said.

When she didn't show up in New York City, her husband called the place where she had been staying, David Jimenez said. The owner of the hostel checked her room and saw that her passport, equipment chargers and other items were still there.

"It looked like she was just stepping out," he said.

The family has been in touch with authorities in their efforts to find her.

He said the adults in the family had kept the news that she was missing from her children, ages 11 and 9.

"We've really been trying to protect their hearts and their minds," he said.

Betzaida Jimenez said the situation has "been a nightmare."

"I'm forcing myself to get up because I have to get up," she said.

But she said the tight-knit family was holding onto their faith.

"We're praying and trusting God that she's safe somewhere and we're going to find her," she said.

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27 die in Egypt riot after soccer violence verdict

CAIRO — Angry relatives and residents rampaged through an Egyptian port city Saturday in rioting that killed at least 27 people after a judge sentenced nearly two dozen soccer fans to death for involvement in deadly violence after a game last year.

The unrest was the latest in a bout of violence that has left a total of 38 people dead in two days, including 11 killed in clashes between police and protesters marking Friday's second anniversary of the uprising that overthrew longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

President Mohammed Morsi canceled a scheduled trip to Ethiopia Saturday and instead met for the first time with top generals as part of the newly formed National Defense Council.

AP

An Egyptian soccer fan of Al-Ahly club displays scales to fans celebrating a court verdict that returned 21 death penalties in last years soccer violence, inside the club premises in Cairo, Egypt.

The violence in Port Said erupted after a judge sentenced 21 people to death in connection with the Feb. 1 soccer melee that killed 74 fans of the Cairo-based Al-Ahly team. Executions in Egypt are usually carried out by hanging.

All the defendants — who were not present in the courtroom Saturday for security reasons — can appeal the verdict.

Judge Sobhi Abdel-Maguid did not give his reasoning when he read out the verdicts for 21 out of the 73 defendants Saturday. The verdict for the remaining 52 defendants is scheduled to be delivered March 9. Some have been charged with murder and others with assisting the attackers.

Die-hard soccer fans from both teams, known as Ultras, hold the police at least partially responsible for February's violence, which was the world's worst soccer violence in 15 years, saying officers at the game did nothing to stop the bloodshed. They also criticize Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi for doing little to reform the police force or the judiciary since he took office in July.

The opposition says Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected and civilian president, and his Muslim Brotherhood allies in government have failed to restore stability amid continued political turmoil and crime, and point to a worsening economy.

In a statement Saturday, the main opposition National Salvation Front said it holds Morsi responsible for "the excessive use of force by the security forces against protesters." They threatened to boycott upcoming parliamentary elections if Morsi does not meet their demands that include amending articles in the new constitution.

The Brotherhood said in its statement that "misleading" media outlets were to blame for "enflaming the people's hatred for the current regime and urging them to act violently."

Immediately after Saturday's verdict was read live on state TV, two policemen were shot dead outside Port Said's main prison when angry relatives tried to storm the facility to free the defendants. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as live rounds, at the crowd outside the prison.

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Hasbro to cut 10 percent of workforce after fourth-quarter revenue misses expectations

Toy maker Hasbro said Friday that its fourth-quarter revenue failed to meet expectations because of weaker-than-expected demand over the holidays. It plans to cut about 10 percent of its workforce and consolidate facilities to reduce expenses.

The stock dropped more than 4 percent in morning trading.

Pawtucket, R.I.-based Hasbro, whose brands include Monopoly and Nerf, has about 5,500 employees worldwide. A 10 percent workforce cut would put about 550 people out of work.

While Hasbro said consumer demand was softer than it expected over the holidays, the season was expected to be tough. This was in part because retailers were ordering inventory more cautiously.

In addition, stores such as Wal-Mart, Kmart and Toys R Us beefed up their layaway and reservation services to encourage shoppers to buy toys early in the season, which meant items may have been scarce later on.

The November and December holiday selling period is critical for toy makers because it can make up as much as 40 percent of their annual revenue.

Spokesman Wayne Charness said that the job cuts will all be this year and will occur globally. He said that the facility consolidations could result in some closures but was not specific about which plants would be affected.

CEO Brian Goldner said in a statement that Hasbro created a plan during its fourth quarter to deliver $100 million in annual cost savings by 2015.

The company expects charges of about $37 million in 2012 and an additional $20 million to $30 million in estimated charges in 2013 related to its cost-cutting efforts.

Hasbro Inc. anticipates fourth-quarter revenue of about $1.28 billion. Analysts polled by FactSet predicted revenue of $1.4 billion. Unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates lowered results by $8 million.

Goldner said that demand over much of the holiday season was weaker than expected in the U.S. and some international markets.

For 2012, Hasbro expects adjusted earnings between $2.89 and $2.91 per share on revenue of approximately $4.09 billion. Unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates lowered revenue by $99 million.

Wall Street forecast earnings of $2.84 per share on revenue of $4.2 billion.

The company will report its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results on Feb. 7.

Its stock fell $1.72, or 4.5 percent, to $36.73 in morning trading. Its shares have traded in a 52-week range of $32 to $39.98.

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Trial begins for 2 in shooting of NYPD officer

Slain cop Peter Figoski

Two men accused of shooting a New York City police officer to death in a botched Brooklyn robbery are on trial for murder.

Lamont Pride and Michael Velez have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of longtime NYPD officer Peter Figoski. Their trial began Thursday.

Two others will be tried later. A fifth has pleaded guilty in a deal to testify in exchange for a reduced sentence.

The 47-year old Figoski was among officers responding to a December 2011 home invasion. Prosecutors say he was ambushed by Pride and others who were hiding in an unfinished part of the basement apartment.

Figoski was an officer for 22 years. He was posthumously promoted to detective.

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New WTC security chief says it will 'take a community to protect this complex'

The new chief of security at the 16-acre World Trade Center is a veteran of the Secret Service who was responsible for internal White House safety.

The Port Authority hired Long Island native Doug Farber to run the system that will soon protect the nation’s top terror target.

“It’s not without its challenges for sure,” Farber, 38, said in an interview, just months before 1 WTC is slated to open.

“It’s going to take a community to protect this complex,” he said.

Farber, who started early this month, will be paid $180,000 per year to run a military-grade security system that will protect tens of thousands of workers — as well as the streets and train lines that run alongside WTC.

Warzer Jaff

Doug Farber

“It’s impossible to eliminate threat altogether,” said Farber, who has guarded and chauffeured a host of world leaders and members of three First Families. “But it’s about managing threat.”

Farber was based in New York on 9/11 coordinating Secret Service arrangements for the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly that was only days away.

When terrorists struck, he raced downtown to help.

Now, more than 11 years later, he still keeps a piece of the Twin Towers – where the Secret Service had its field office – on a plaque close to his desk. It’s a reminder of what happens when things go wrong in his business of security, intelligence and secret counter-measures.

Farber replaced Lou Barani, who was fired last June because of questions about his dealings with WTC security vendors.

But the Port Authority security chief whose legend looms largest at Ground Zero is the late John O’Neill, the onetime FBI counter-intel boss who was killed in the 9/11 attacks.

Farber also inherits a particularly delicate spot at the intersection of turf battles among the NYPD, the Port Authority, City Hall, the governors of both New York and New Jersey and the federal government.

“The real nightmare is the ongoing thing about who is in charge,” said Jan Gilhooly, a former top official with the Secret Service and now a member of the New York-New Jersey Waterfront Commission.

“Doug is going to need the wisdom of Solomon. That’s why a lot people said ‘I don’t want this job. I don’t want to be in the middle of this.’ But Doug is the perfect fit. He’s learned how to navigate and get along with everybody.”

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Hasidic counselor Nechemya Weberman gets 103 years in child sex-abuse case

Gregory P. Mango

Nechemya Weberman.

Nechemya Weberman, the prominent Hasidic counselor convicted of sexually abusing a young girl, was sentenced today to 103 years in prison for his heinous crimes.

Weberman is now doomed to die behind bars for his years-long abuse of a now-18-year-old woman. She was only 12 when the abuse began.

The kiddie-sex fiend was found guilty on all 59 counts of abuse by a Brooklyn jury in December. He’s been in jail ever since, awaiting today’s sentencing.

Weberman’s trial tore apart the incredibly private Satmar Hasidic sect, pitting the defendant’s fierce loyalists against the victim’s supporters who claimed the community turned a blind eye to abuse.

The victim sobbed while telling the court how Weberman stole her teenage years.

“I clearly remember how I would look in the mirror and saw a girl who didn’t want to live in her own skin,” she said.

“A girl who couldn’t sleep at night because of the gruesome abuse that had been done to her body. A sad girl who wished so badly she could live a normal teenage life but instead was victimized by a 54-year-old man who forced her to perform sickening acts, again and again, for his sadistic pleasure.”

Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes said the trial and 103-year sentence showed his prosecutors can win justice for victims, even if insular communities want it "swept under the rug."

“If there is one message to take away from this case it is that this office will pursue the evil of sexual abuse of a child no matter where it occurs in this county. We must protect our children from sexual predators," Hynes said.

"The abuse of a child cannot be swept under the rug or dealt with by insular groups believing only they know what is best for their community. In this case it took the courage of a young woman to drive home the point that justice can only be achieved through the involvement of civil authorities charged with protecting all the people."

The abuse went from 2007 to 2010, prosecutors said, as the girl was forced into sex acts that happened mostly in Weberman's office.

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