Protesters gathered in at least seven cities on Mondayin what they hoped would be their biggest demonstrations yet againstthe increasein transit rates.

The protest movement is mainly made up of the middle class and is critical of the government's decision to increase transit rates by10 cents, to $1.60.

Police in Sao Paulo estimated that 30,000 people rallied in the city's biggest demonstration yet.Up to20,000 people marched in Rio de Janeiro and another 6,000 took part in protestsin the capital Brasilia.

In Brasilia, several thousand people under heavy police escort marched on the Esplanada dos Ministerios thoroughfare that cuts between rows of government ministry buildings.

Pre-match protest

In Belo Horizonte, police estimated about 20,000 people joined a peaceful crowd protesting before a Confederations Cup match between Tahiti and Nigeria as police helicopterscircled overhead and mounted officers patrolled the stadium area.

The match was part of an eight-team warm-up tournament for the World Cup finals. Earlier on Monday,demonstrators erected several barricades of burning tyres on a nearby highway, disrupting traffic.

Protests also were reported in Curitiba, Belem and Salvador.

Authorities said they would respond with force only if protesters destroyed property.

In a brief statement, President Dilma Rousseff acknowledged the protests, saying: "Peaceful demonstrations are legitimate and part of democracy. It is natural for young people to demonstrate."

Riot police had fired rubber bullets and tear gas into crowds of protesters on Thursday in Sao Paulo.

Protest organisers said more than 100 people were hurt although police only confirmed about a dozen injuries.

And on Sunday police used tear gas and rubber bullets again when several hundred protesters marched near Maracana stadium before the match between Italy and Mexico.

Brazilian officialshave been usingdrones, thermal cameras and thousands of troops to patrol the six stadiums hosting matches in six different cities across the country.

Widespread corruption

Brazilians have long accepted malfeasance as a cost of doing business, whether in business or receiving public services.

Thegovernment loses more than $47bn each year to undeclared tax revenue, vanished public money and other widespread corruption, according to the Federation of Industries of Sao Paulo business group.

But in the last decade, about 40 million Brazilians have moved into the middle class and they have begun to demand more from government.

Many are angry that billions of dollars in public funds are being spent to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics while few improvements are made elsewhere.

The government of Brazil, where almost one-fifth of the population lives in poverty, estimates that hosting the 2014 World Cup will cost $14.5bn. Some tickets are expected to cost more thanthe country's minimum wageof $300.

The government has asked FIFA to make 500,000 seats available for free to the poor.

If you're concerned about national security, the new revelations will probably dismay you; if you appreciate leaking of government secrets, Snowden's technique is likely encouraging: Theft by thumb drive.

The NSA and other spy and military agencies have long known the dangers of the innocent-seeming portable USB flash drive. In October 2008, the NSA discovered that a thumb drive loaded with malware had infected the military's secure internal network. The Pentagon then (at least ) banned the use of thumb drives — NSA commanders evenordered USB ports filled in with liquid cement.

But "of course, there are always exceptions," especially for system administrators, a former NSA official . "There are people who need to use a thumb drive and they have special permission. But when you use one, people always look at you funny."

That doesn't appear to have fazed Snowden. Not only do investigators know he pilfered the top secret files on a thumb drive, they "know how many documents he downloaded and what server he took them from," a U.S. official . They don't know how he accessed those files, but as a system administrator, Snowden had broad access to key parts of the NSA network — and, , "presumably a keen understanding of how those networks are monitored for unauthorized downloads."

In any case, , "confirmation of a thumb drive solved one of the central mysteries in the case: How Snowden, who worked for contracting giant Booz Allen Hamilton, physically removed classified material from a spy agency famous for strict security and ultra-secrecy."

Didn't Snowden's behavior, or his decision to take unpaid leave just a month after starting his job in Hawaii, arouse any suspicions? Sort of, . According to Hosenball's sources, Snowden's prolonged absence "prompted a hunt for the contractor, first by his employer Booz Allen Hamilton and then by the U.S. government." Hosenball :

[Snowden] was only on the job for around four weeks when he told his employers he was ill and requested leave without pay, the sources said. When Booz Allen checked in with him, Snowden said he was suffering from epilepsy and needed more time off. When he failed to return after a longer period, and the company could not find him, it notified intelligence officials because of Snowden's high-level security clearance, one of the sources said.

Government agents spent several days in the field trying to find Snowden, according to the source, but they were unable to do so before the first news story based on Snowden's revelations appeared in The Guardian and then in The Washington Post. The government did not know Snowden was the source for the stories until he admitted it on Sunday, the sources said. []

His prowess with computer networks isn't a surprise, , now that we've discovered he's "a member of a growing and increasingly powerful alumni group: The internet people." For a few years, and more than 800 posts, Snowden was a frequent contributor to Ars Technica forums — the successor to Usenet and precursor of Reddit — making him "a part of the internet's relatively small but powerful creative nucleus."

Once he opened his mouth, Snowden outed himself not just as the leaker but as an internet person, , and his forum persona "is instantly recognizable to anyone who spent time in a major forum in the early to mid-2000s."

He's a bit of a know-it-all, a bit of a troll, opinionated about both subjects he knows well and ones he doesn't. He unsubtly references his sex life, his security clearance, and his mysterious work. He was not shy about giving advice, which is probably the defining trait of the forum power user....

Most of the people he used to interact with are long gone — like Snowden, they grew up, and receded back into the real world. But he took with him the set of values he either learned or became comfortable expressing online: A keen interest in rights and speech, particularly where they concern the internet and privacy, suspicion of government and authority, a belief in both free markets and free-flowing information, and a set of cultural and aesthetic values that both set him apart from the mainstream and endear him to his people — the internet people. []

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NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Suzanne Whang, the comedian and former host of HGN's "House Hunters," has penned an open letter to her breast cancer.

It's an apology - which should be the first sign that the actress has battled the disease with a sense of humor. Though best known for guiding homebuyers to their dream domeciles on HGN's "House Hunters," she also has a surprisingly ribald stand-up act.

"Dear Tit Cancer," she says in the salutation of her letter, posted at the site AnOpenApology. (As you may have guessed, many of the apologies posted on the site are ironic.)

"I'm sorry that I made fun of you mercilessly in stand-up comedy clubs and at spoken word events," her letter says. "I'm sorry that I made you feel weak. I'm sorry that I became unsuitable for habitation. I'm sorry that I evicted you and got a restraining order that you can't come within 100 feet of me ever again ... I'm sorry that I'm happy, healthy, and thriving now."

Whang also included a photo of her scarred left breast.

The Korean-American also joked that "I'm sorry" means something very different in Korean than it does in English.

Things are looking up for the actress since her battle with the disease: She recently landed a role on the upcoming NBC series "About a Boy."

Martha stopped by Access Hollywood Live on Wednesday, where she told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover what she wants in a man.

"I have my first dates this week," the 71-year-old, who will consider a younger guy, said.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with younger men, men the same age, it just really depends on if they're active and fit and healthy and good looking," she continued.

She was quick to list off things that will not land a date with her.

"Somebody who hates children, hates animals, smokes, drinks to excess, all those bad things," she explained.

Adding that a "nice smile, a nice appetite for good things... a nice person who's also funny and witty and smart and hopefully rich enough" will catch her eye.

Kit asked if her extremely busy life would allow for a man.

"Maybe. The right one," she said with a smile.

She's also not opposed to a man who might not seem geographically ideal.

"Bicoastal is great," she said. "London, New York, perfect."

The "Living the Good Long Life: A Practical Guide to Caring for Yourself and Others" author (her latest book is available now) is open to the type of relationship that might develop, saying, "I'm not necessarily looking for the husband who's going to take out the garbage," and said she will also consider something serious.

Adding, "I'm not a jealous person, but if it's a relationship for like, the rest of my life, maybe monogamy wouldn't be a bad thing."

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Recall SummaryName of product: High-pressure scuba diving air hosesHazard: The diving hose that connects the regulator to the tank's pressure gauge can separate reducing the available air supply to the diver, posing a drowning hazard.Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the hoses and contact A-Plus Marine for a free replacement hose.Consumer Contact: A-Plus Marine; at (800) 352-2360, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or online atand click on the recall notice on High Pressure Braided Hose Safety Recall. Consumers can also send an email tofor more information.

Photos are available at.

Recall DetailsUnits: About 40Description: The recalled air hoses are high-pressure scuba air hoses with a black, smooth rubber outer covering. They are about half a centimeter in diameter and 32 or 36 inches long. These hoses connect the regulator to the tank pressure gauge. The phrase "Scuba Diving High Pressure hose I.D. 3/16" (4.76 mm) W.P. 5000 PSI Exceeds SAE 100RT braid with Kevlar fiber from Dupont," is printed in white lettering on the hose's outer covering. The hoses have metal fittings on each end. "CE EN 250 230" is stamped on the female side of the fitting and "12Q1" on the male side.Incidents/Injuries: A-Plus has received three reports of hoses separating. No injuries have been reported.Sold at: Scuba diving retailers nationwide from April 2012 through June 2012 for about $34.Importer: A-Plus Marine Supply, Inc.,of Gulf Breeze, Fla.Manufactured in: Taiwan

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on .

Media Contact Please use the phone numbers below for all media requests.Phone: (301) 504-7908Spanish: (301) 504-7800

CPSC Consumer Information Hotline Contact us at this toll-free number if you have questions about a recall:800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054)Times: 8 a.m. 5:30 p.m. ET; Messages can be left anytimeCall to get product safety and other agency information and to .

CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer productssuch as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicalscontributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, go online to: , call CPSC's Hotline at (800) 638-2772 or teletypewriter at (301) 595-7054 for the hearing and speech impaired. Consumers can obtain this news release and product safety information at . To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to .

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Gadhafi's former intelligence official Ahmed Ahmed Qaddaf al-Dam, who is among dozens wanted for their role in Libya's 2011 civil war, surrendered to Egyptian security forces, they said.

Police had surrounded his home in the Cairo neighborhood of Zamalek before dawn. Shots were fired during the siege, but witnesses gave conflicting reports as to whether Qaddaf al-Dam opened fire in the air to drive police away or police had fired the shots as they tried to storm the building. There were no injuries reported.

The official said that Qaddaf al-Dam will be handed over to Interpol to be transferred to Libya. He spoke anonymously because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

Last year, Libya's general prosecutor had requested that Egypt hand over 40 Libyans affiliated with Gadhafi's regime suspected of committing offenses during the eight-month war.

In addition to Qaddaf al-Dam, the list included former Foreign Minister Ali Al-Treki and military intelligence chief Bouzeid Al-Jabou.

During the siege, Qaddaf al-Dam said in a phone call to a private TV channel that he had been invited to Cairo by the military council that took over after the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak. He described security forces as "a gang."

"We came here with an invitation from the Foreign Ministry and the military council ... We are not terrorists to be ambushed like this," he said. "We will defend our house until the end."

Mubarak, who like Gadhafi was ousted by a 2011 Arab Spring uprising, had close ties to the Libyan dictator. Human rights groups said Cairo allowed Libyan intelligence to kidnap the anti-Gadhafi opposition, notably dissident Mansour Kikhia who disappeared in 1993. Kikhia was said to have later been killed. His remains were located in a house in Tripoli in September.

Even after Mubarak's overthrow, Cairo appeared reluctant to hand over wanted Gadhafi officials, possibly because they had ties with Egypt's intelligence and security apparatus or investments in the country.

The move against Qaddaf al-Dam comes shortly after a visit to Cairo of Libya's Prime Minister Ali Zidan, in which he met with Egypt's President Mohammed Morsi. According to reports in the Egyptian media, Zidan demanded that Egypt hand over wanted men in return for the encouragement of Libyan investment in Egypt and easing the entrance of Egyptian workers to Libya.

Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians work in Libya. Tensions rose in past weeks after Libyan militias arrested scores of Egyptian Christians who were accused of spreading Christianity. After their release, the Christians said they were tortured while in detention. Egypt's Foreign Ministry protested the arrests and Christians demonstrated outside Libya's embassy in Cairo.