Image copyright Science Photo Library Image caption The much-maligned black rat may not have caused repeated outbreaks of the plague

 Black rats may not have been to blame for numerous outbreaks of the bubonic plague across Europe, a study suggests.

 Scientists believe repeat epidemics of the Black Death, which arrived in Europe in the mid-14th Century, instead trace back to gerbils from Asia.

 Prof Nils Christian Stenseth, from the University of Oslo, said: "If we're right, we'll have to rewrite that part of history."

 The study is in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

 The Black Death, which originated in Asia, arrived in Europe in 1347 and caused one of the deadliest outbreaks in human history.

 Over the next 400 years, epidemics broke out again and again, killing millions of people.

 It had been thought that black rats were responsible for allowing the plague to establish in Europe, with new outbreaks occurring when fleas jumped from infected rodents to humans.

 Rat reservoir

 However, Prof Stenseth and his colleagues do not think a rat reservoir was to blame.

 They compared tree-ring records from Europe with 7,711 historical plague outbreaks to see if the weather conditions would have been optimum for a rat-driven outbreak.

 He said: "For this, you would need warm summers, with not too much precipitation. Dry but not too dry.

 "And we have looked at the broad spectrum of climatic indices, and there is no relationship between the appearance of plague and the weather."

 Image copyright Science Image caption When the weather is favourable, Asia's giant gerbils thrive, increasing the chance of plague transmission

 Instead, the team believes that specific weather conditions in Asia may have caused another plague-carrying rodent - the giant gerbil - to thrive.

 And this then later led to epidemics in Europe.

 "We show that wherever there were good conditions for gerbils and fleas in central Asia, some years later the bacteria shows up in harbour cities in Europe and then spreads across the continent," Prof Stenseth said.

 He said that a wet spring followed by a warm summer would cause gerbil numbers to boom.

 "Such conditions are good for gerbils. It means a high gerbil population across huge areas and that is good for the plague," he added.

 The fleas, which also do well in these conditions, would then jump to domestic animals or to humans.

 And because this was a period when trade between the East and West was at a peak, the plague was most likely brought to Europe along the silk road, Prof Stenseth explained.

 'Perfect storm'

 "To me this was rather surprising," he said.

 "Suddenly we could sort out a problem. Why did we have these waves of plagues in Europe?

 "We originally thought it was due to rats and climatic changes in Europe, but now we know it goes back to Central Asia."

 The team now plans to analyse plague bacteria DNA taken from ancient skeletons across Europe.

 If the genetic material shows a large amount of variation, it would suggest the team's theory is correct.

 Different waves of the plague coming from Asia would show more differences than a strain that emerged from a rat reservoir.

 The plague died out in Europe after the 19th Century, however outbreaks continue to this day in other parts of the world.

 The World Health Organization said there were nearly 800 cases reported worldwide in 2013, including 126 deaths.

 In another paper, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, researchers in the US said that the expansion of agriculture was placing East Africa at an increased risk of the plague.

 As cropland increased, rodent populations were also rising, creating "the perfect storm for plague transmission", the researchers said.

 Follow Rebecca on Twitter ||||| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. ||||| Plague

 Key facts

 Plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis , a zoonotic bacteria usually found in small mammals and their fleas.

 , a zoonotic bacteria usually found in small mammals and their fleas. People infected with Y. pestis often develop symptoms after an incubation period of one to seven days.

 often develop symptoms after an incubation period of one to seven days. There are two main clinical forms of plague infection: bubonic and pneumonic. Bubonic plague is the most common form and is characterized by painful swollen lymph nodes or 'buboes'.

 Plague is transmitted between animals and humans by the bite of infected fleas, direct contact with infected tissues, and inhalation of infected respiratory droplets.

 Plague can be a very severe disease in people, with a case-fatality ratio of 30% to 60% for the bubonic type, and is always fatal for the pneumonic kind when left untreated.

 Antibiotic treatment is effective against plague bacteria, so early diagnosis and early treatment can save lives.

 From 2010 to 2015 there were 3248 cases reported worldwide, including 584 deaths.

 Currently, the three most endemic countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, and Peru.

 Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic bacteria, usually found in small mammals and their fleas. It is transmitted between animals through fleas. Humans can be infected through:

 the bite of infected vector fleas

 unprotected contact with infectious bodily fluids or contaminated materials

 the inhalation of respiratory droplets/small particles from a patient with pneumonic plague.

 Plague is a very severe disease in people, particularly in its septicaemic (systemic infection caused by circulating bacteria in bloodstream) and pneumonic forms, with a case-fatality ratio of 30% to 100% if left untreated. The pneumonic form is invariably fatal unless treated early. It is especially contagious and can trigger severe epidemics through person-to-person contact via droplets in the air.

 From 2010 to 2015, there were 3248 cases reported worldwide, including 584 deaths.

 Historically, plague was responsible for widespread pandemics with high mortality. It was known as the "Black Death" during the fourteenth century, causing more than 50 million deaths in Europe. Nowadays, plague is easily treated with antibiotics and the use of standard precautions to prevent acquiring infection.

 Signs and symptoms

 People infected with plague usually develop acute febrile disease with other non-specific systemic symptoms after an incubation period of one to seven days, such as sudden onset of fever, chills, head and body aches, and weakness, vomiting and nausea.

 There are two main forms of plague infection, depending on the route of infection: bubonic and pneumonic.

 Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague and is caused by the bite of an infected flea. Plague bacillus, Y. pestis , enters at the bite and travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node where it replicates itself. The lymph node then becomes inflamed, tense and painful, and is called a ‘bubo’. At advanced stages of the infection the inflamed lymph nodes can turn into open sores filled with pus. Human to human transmission of bubonic plague is rare. Bubonic plague can advance and spread to the lungs, which is the more severe type of plague called pneumonic plague.

 plague is the most common form of plague and is caused by the bite of an infected flea. Plague bacillus, , enters at the bite and travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node where it replicates itself. The lymph node then becomes inflamed, tense and painful, and is called a ‘bubo’. At advanced stages of the infection the inflamed lymph nodes can turn into open sores filled with pus. Human to human transmission of bubonic plague is rare. Bubonic plague can advance and spread to the lungs, which is the more severe type of plague called pneumonic plague. Pneumonic plague, or lung-based plague, is the most virulent form of plague. Incubation can be as short as 24 hours. Any person with pneumonic plague may transmit the disease via droplets to other humans. Untreated pneumonic plague, if not diagnosed and treated early, can be fatal. However, recovery rates are high if detected and treated in time (within 24 hours of onset of symptoms).

 Where is plague found?

 As an animal disease, plague is found in all continents, except Oceania. There is a risk of human plague wherever the presence of plague natural foci (the bacteria, an animal reservoir and a vector) and human population co-exist.

 Plague epidemics have occurred in Africa, Asia, and South America; but since the 1990s, most human cases have occurred in Africa. The three most endemic countries are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, and Peru. In Madagascar cases of bubonic plague are reported nearly every year, during the epidemic season (between September and April).

 Diagnosing plague

 Confirmation of plague requires lab testing. The best practice is to identify Y. pestis from a sample of pus from a bubo, blood or sputum. A specific Y. pestis antigen can be detected by different techniques. One of them is a laboratory validated rapid dipstick test now widely used in Africa and South America, with the support of WHO.

 Treatment

 Untreated pneumonic plague can be rapidly fatal, so early diagnosis and treatment is essential for survival and reduction of complications. Antibiotics and supportive therapy are effective against plague if patients are diagnosed in time. Pneumonic plague can be fatal within 18 to 24 hours of disease onset if left untreated, but common antibiotics for enterobacteria (gram negative rods) can effectively cure the disease if they are delivered early.

 Prevention

 Preventive measures include informing people when zoonotic plague is present in their environment and advising them to take precautions against flea bites and not to handle animal carcasses. Generally people should be advised to avoid direct contact with infected body fluids and tissues. When handling potentially infected patients and collecting specimens, standard precautions should apply.

 Vaccination

 WHO does not recommend vaccination, expect for high-risk groups (such as laboratory personnel who are constantly exposed to the risk of contamination, and health care workers).

 Managing plague outbreaks

 Find and stop the source of infection. Identify the most likely source of infection in the area where the human case(s) was exposed, typically looking for clustered areas with large numbers of small animal deaths. Institute appropriate infection, prevention and control procedures. Institute vector control, then rodent control. Killing rodents before vectors will cause the fleas to jump to new hosts, this is to be avoided.

 Identify the most likely source of infection in the area where the human case(s) was exposed, typically looking for clustered areas with large numbers of small animal deaths. Institute appropriate infection, prevention and control procedures. Institute vector control, then rodent control. Killing rodents before vectors will cause the fleas to jump to new hosts, this is to be avoided. Protect health workers. Inform and train them on infection prevention and control. Workers in direct contact with pneumonic plague patients must wear standard precautions and receive a chemoprophylaxis with antibiotics for the duration of seven days or at least as long as they are exposed to infected patients.

 Inform and train them on infection prevention and control. Workers in direct contact with pneumonic plague patients must wear standard precautions and receive a chemoprophylaxis with antibiotics for the duration of seven days or at least as long as they are exposed to infected patients. Ensure correct treatment: Verify that patients are being given appropriate antibiotic treatment and that local supplies of antibiotics are adequate.

 Verify that patients are being given appropriate antibiotic treatment and that local supplies of antibiotics are adequate. Isolate patients with pneumonic plague. Patients should be isolated so as not to infect others via air droplets. Providing masks for pneumonic patients can reduce spread.

 Patients should be isolated so as not to infect others via air droplets. Providing masks for pneumonic patients can reduce spread. Surveillance: identify and monitor close contacts of pneumonic plague patients and give them a seven-day chemoprophylaxis. Chemoprophylaxis should also be given to household members of bubonic plague patients.

 identify and monitor close contacts of pneumonic plague patients and give them a seven-day chemoprophylaxis. Chemoprophylaxis should also be given to household members of bubonic plague patients. Obtain specimens which should be carefully collected using appropriate infection, prevention and control procedures and sent to labs for testing.

 which should be carefully collected using appropriate infection, prevention and control procedures and sent to labs for testing. Disinfection. Routine hand-washing is recommended with soap and water or use of alcohol hand rub. Larger areas can be disinfected using 10% of diluted household bleach (made fresh daily).

 Routine hand-washing is recommended with soap and water or use of alcohol hand rub. Larger areas can be disinfected using 10% of diluted household bleach (made fresh daily). Ensure safe burial practices. Spraying of face/chest area of suspected pneumonic plague deaths should be discouraged. The area should be covered with a disinfectant-soaked cloth or absorbent material.

 Surveillance and control

 Surveillance and control requires investigating animal and flea species implicated in the plague cycle in the region and developing environmental management programmes to understand the natural zoonosis of the disease cycle and to limit spread. Active long-term surveillance of animal foci, coupled with a rapid response during animal outbreaks has successfully reduced numbers of human plague outbreaks.

 In order to effectively and efficiently manage plague outbreaks it is crucial to have an informed and vigilant health care work force (and community) to quickly diagnose and manage patients with infection, to identify risk factors, to conduct ongoing surveillance, to control vectors and hosts, to confirm diagnosis with laboratory tests, and to communicate findings with appropriate authorities.

 WHO Response

 WHO aims to prevent plague outbreaks by maintaining surveillance and supporting at-risk countries to prepare. As the type of animal reservoir differs according to the region and influences the risk and conditions of human transmission, WHO has developed specific guidelines for the Indian sub-continent, South-America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

 WHO works with ministries of health to support countries facing outbreaks for field control activities. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Much-maligned black rats and their fleas have long been blamed for spreading the Black Death that claimed millions of lives in Europe over the course of a few hundred years, but scientists now have a new critter they think was at fault. By studying tree rings to learn about precise climate fluctuations during the multiple epidemics from 1347 into the 1700s, a team out of the University of Oslo is reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that giant gerbils in Asia were the more likely culprit. The working theory is that wet springs followed by warm summers in Asia prompted gerbil populations to soar, and that within a few years plague bacteria would show up in harbor cities in Europe, sweeping the continent from there. "If we're right, we'll have to rewrite that part of history," a researcher tells the BBC. "Suddenly we could sort out a problem," the researcher continues. "Why did we have these waves of plagues in Europe? We originally thought it was due to rats and climatic changes in Europe, but now we know it goes back to Central Asia." Next up: sequencing plague bacteria from skeletons across Europe. If there's considerable genetic variation in the disease, this will support the theory that new strains kept arriving from Asia, as opposed to persisting in rat reservoirs in Europe. Though not what it once was, hundreds of cases of the plague are still reported annually, with 126 deaths in 2013, reports the World Health Organization. (Check out what some researchers call the plague's silver lining.)


Dear Celestia,

 Today we learned that Hasbro, are no real bros. They are indeed proper wankers.

 We were only trying to spread the word that friendship is magic, and then these twats came along with their fancy threat-letters.

 Please, banish HasNObro to the hell-holes forever.

 Yours truly

 Pony Mc Archiveington ||||| Forget SOPA. The biggest online intellectual property story last week was the shutdown of a website offering downloads of the cartoon My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, which shook the burgeoning "brony" community to its core.

 Bronies (bro+pony) are adult male fans of the new series launched in 2010 based on the classic ‘80s My Little Pony toy that [spoiler] your mom secretly threw out your collection of when you went to college.

 If you think bronyism sounds like something only a serious pervert living in his mother's basement would be into, you're only about 30% correct. To address your immediate question: it's not ironic. It's nerdy guys who genuinely enjoy an animated series about ponies. The show has a legitimate appeal to older audiences—high production values, snappy dialog, and a heartwarming message. But the online fan culture of bronies grew out of 4chan, so they have a computer nerd vestigial tail of Mountain Dew, anime appreciation, chronic virginity, and cyberbullying.

 Bronies have their own news sites, fan forums, and even a healthy amount of fan art of ponies doing unspeakable sexual acts on Tumblr. They've had real life meet-ups, and an upcoming BronyCon in New York will feature appearances by voice actors from the show.

 In the pecking order of internet weirdo subcultures, bronies fall somewhere between Ron Paul supporters and furries. For this reason, I like to do a search for "bronies" on Twitter every now and then to see if there's anything worth ironically retweeting. It was while doing this search that I stumbled onto the piracy scandal unfolding between trademark holder Hasbro and a popular brony site.

 Until last week, PonyArchive.org was a keystone of the Brony community. The fan site offered free full episodes of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and had around 30,000 visitors a week. PonyArchive's videos were much higher quality than YouTube, making it the best destination for fans who didn't want to buy episodes on iTunes or wait for the DVD release in February. It also serviced international fans who couldn't access the show on TV or iTunes in their country.

 It turns out giant international corporations don't love it when you pirate their content, even if the words "friendship" and "magic" occur in its title. On December 14, Hasbro sent a take-down notice to PonyArchive.org. PonyArchive, which was based in Sweden, did not comply, and sent this email reply, reposted on BronyNews:

 Thanks for your consern [sic]. Since we are merely spreading friendship and magic we feel that we're protected by princess Celestia herself. Also, we are not based in the US - so US law does not apply to us. Please feel free to download the episodes from our website in order to

 learn about accepting, friendship and happyness too. Have a nice one :)

 But Hasbro did not want to learn about accepting or happyness. They sent a second notice, and by December 20th, PonyArchive relented and removed all content from the site except this message under the heading "Fuck you, Hasbro":

 Dear Celestia,

 Today we learned that Hasbro, are no real bros. They are indeed proper wankers.

 We were only trying to spread the word that friendship is magic, and then these twats came along with their fancy threat-letters.

 Please, banish HasNObro to the hell-holes forever.

 Yours truly

 Pony Mc Archiveington

 (According to the Friendship Is Magic wiki, Princess Celestia is a "winged unicorn, the supreme ruler of Equestria"—the world of My Little Pony.)

 These harsh words sparked a rift in the brony community. Had PonyArchive reacted immaturely, or was it a justified response to a snub by Hasbro? EquestriaDaily, the most popular brony blog, had 844 comments on its post about the crack-down.

 Most commenters were anti-PonyArchive:

 "Being a brony, I am ashamed to be associated with people that choose to answer in such an arrogant and self-entitled manner. It's childish, that's what it is. The last thing this fandom need are people like this."

 "Not cool, PonyArchive. You're failing to love and tolerate the very people who introduced the love and tolerate rule. Shame..."

 Other bronies were just disappointed the site was gone, especially bronies in other countries:

 Ponyarchive is down. Guess I'll just use The Pirate Bay. It's not like I can buy the DVDs or any episodes from iTunes. — Anonybrony (@Anonybrony) December 21, 2011

 PonyArchive's official response in the comments? "Well, we did this for teh lulz."

 Illegal torrents of episodes are still out there for motivated bronies and international fans, and there's little chance bronies are going away anytime soon. Right or wrong, one thing is clear: Don't get between a man and his Ponies.

 Katie Notopoulos is the creator of the blogs Sorry I Missed Your Party, Dumb Tweets at Brands, and Marina Abramovic Made Me Cry. She's on Twitter, duh. ||||| Today's My Little Pony is totally different from what you grew up with in the '80s, and it isn't just that you're no longer interested in brushing a plastic pony's mane for hours. When the franchise was rebooted last year with the TV show My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, it developed an unlikely fanbase: "Bronies," or adult male fans. Like an animated, girls' version of Bridesmaids (with less diarrhea jokes, presumably), the series proves that men will watch a high-quality program targeted to women, even if it's overloaded with pink and sparkles.

 The New York Observer tells the unlikely tale of how the charming 4chan cesspool inspired a legion of men to begin following the adventures of characters like Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash. Shortly after the show (which, true to its origins, still exists in part to sell Hasbro toys) premiered on The Hub in October, an article about the show was posted on the 4chan comics and cartoons message board /co/. According to fan Nanashi Tanaka, "We were going to make fun of it, but instead everybody got hooked. And then the first pony threads exploded."

 Soon the mostly-male commenters, who developed the term Brony from "bro pony," were posting about the show thousands of times a day, and even taking their discussion of Applejack and Pinkie Pie's latest exploits to the infamous /b/ board. Big-eyed, pastel-colored cartoon ponies who talk about friendship are the antithesis of everything /b/ stands for, and thus a civil war broke out on the boards. The denizens of /b/ fought back against the influx of ponydom with bannings and the usual photos of hardcore sex acts and dead things, which would traumatize the average internet user for life. According to Know Your Meme, the Bronies adopted a surprising mantra: "I'm gonna' love and tolerate the shit outta you." Fans responded to hate by calmly working around bannings and posting even more pony pictures, enraging their /b/ opponents even further. Eventually things died down when the creator of 4chan acknowledged the popularity of ponies on the boards. Says fan Sam Levine:

 "My Little Pony is the only group to take on 4chan and win. 4chan once took on the F.B.I. and won. So you might say that My Little Pony is more powerful than the F.B.I."

 The show's first season ended last month and by now Bronies have moved on to other Pony-centric fansites. Many say they're not ready to share their love of My Little Pony with the world yet, and not just because it's girly. In fact, though male Bronies have drawn the most attention, the Observer estimates that about a quarter of adult fans are women.

 Advertisement

 Understandably, fans of both genders don't want to advertise to everyone at work that they create fan art, post YouTube parodies, and collect merchandise related to a children's show. Bronies say they're drawn to My Little Pony because the plots, characters, and animation rise above the level of your average kids' show — and that's exactly what creator Lauren Faust intended. Faust was a writer and storyboard artist on The Powerpuff Girls and wanted to make another show children and adults could enjoy. Though, she recently told Wired she never expected this response:

 "This might be a little short-sighted on my part, but I just assumed that any adult man who didn't have a little girl wouldn't even give it a try ... The fact that they did and that they were open-minded and cool enough and secure in their masculinity enough to embrace it and love it and go online and talk about how much they love it - I'm kind of proud."

 The Hub has embraced Bronies in it's marketing, and hopefully other executives are taking note. They key to a successful children's program isn't churning out increasingly stereotyped shows in which girls pretend to be princesses and frolic with woodland creatures while boys fight and play with cars (or fight with robots that turn into cars). Men aren't allergic to everything aimed at women, and with interesting characters and plots (and a dose of '80s nostalgia) people of all ages, and genders, are likely to become fans.

 Advertisement

 With such high praise for the show, you might want to check out the first episode for yourself on YouTube. After all, even Ryan Gosling is a closet Brony.

 Pony Up Haters: How 4chan [N.Y. Observer]

 My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic [Know Your Meme]

 My Little Pony Corrals Unlikely Fanboys Known As ‘Bronies' [Wired]

 Advertisement

 Earlier: Ryan Gosling Obviously Sings My Little Pony Theme Song |||||

Write a summary.

– It's going to be harder to salivate over the precious hijinks of My Little Pony for a weird conglomeration of "Bronies"—men addicted to the exploits of the syrupy animals. Hasbro has shut down the website that offered downloads of My Little Pony cartoons, featuring the exploits of the tricked-out ponies based on the company's classic toy. "If you think bronyism sounds like something only a serious pervert living in his mother's basement would be into, you're only about 30% correct," nickers Gawker. Some bronies do enjoy seeing their favorite characters in a pastel sex haze. But others are actually drawn to the heartwarming messages of the stories, and bridle at any suggestion they might be pony-kinky. Sweden-based PonyArchive.org was kind of the bible of bronies everywhere, offering high-quality online episodes, but Hasbro has now succeeded in shutting it down. Operators were stunned. "Since we are merely spreading friendship and magic, we feel that we're protected by princess Celestia herself," noted one operator on Brony News. Neigh.


News article:

Depending on your depth of feeling about Whitney Houston, the Motown-era musical “Sparkle” will either feel like a fond (and sometimes cringe-inducing) farewell to an old friend, or a wholly unremarkable entry in the already overcrowded star-is-born genre.

 Houston, who shot the film just a few months before her death in February, does get her moment of glory in a scene so pointed, I find it hard to believe it wasn’t re-edited after she died. Standing at the front of a church, clad in a royal-purple cape and flanked by stained glass and a full choir, the late singer belts out — in a voice substantially huskier than in her “Bodyguard” days — that she’s “singing because I’m happy.” At my screening, I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. If you’re still mourning Houston’s death, it’s almost enough of a reason to go.

 But it does little to redeem the rest of this plodding story, which often seems like a flat, straightforward Supremes biopic in its adherence to seemingly pointless scenes and exposition. Director Salim Akil (“Jumping the Broom”), working from a screenplay by his wife, Mara Brock Akil (TV’s “The Game”), gets the retro visuals just right, and some stage performances do, well, sparkle. But they’re too few and far between, surrounded by cardboard dialogue (“I’ll sign them!” shouts Curtis Armstrong, as a Columbia records exec, watching the group backstage) and a now-well-worn “Behind the Music” trajectory.

 PHOTOS: DEAD MOVIE STARS

 The remake of a 1976 film starring a young Irene Cara, it’s the story of three sisters, Sparkle (“American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks), Sister (British actress Carmen Ejogo) and Dolores (Tika Sumpter, a real pistol who should have gotten more screen time). They try to make it as a girl group in the burgeoning Detroit Motown scene of 1968 (updated from the setting of the original, 1950s Harlem).

 Cee Lo Green pops up as a club performer early on, confirming that musically, it’s the era in which he really belongs — and that he rocks a smoking jacket like nobody’s business.

 Houston, the girls’ churchgoing single mother, Emma, “used to be a professional singer” (the first of many times you’ll flinch!) who turned to substance abuse (flinch again!) before finding God, so they’re doing the singing thing on the down-low, sneaking out to perform in smoky clubs once Mom’s gone to bed.

 It’s somewhat hard to believe they pull off these weekly gigs, their star on the rise, without Emma knowing. Or it would be if — I’m sorry, but it’s true! — Houston didn’t look as if she’d just been woken up from a nap nearly every time she’s on camera. No, it’s not hard to believe this person would be a sound sleeper.

 Still, Houston does get a few amusing moments in her supporting role, dancing along with a band on TV before snapping it off and commanding the girls’ Bible club to hit the books, or training a steely eye on her daughter being chatted up by a young man after church.

 Sparkle, the group’s songwriter, is wooed by their young and handsome manager, Stix (the always-earnest Derek Luke), but worries he’s using her to get closer to sister Sister. She, Sister, in turn, has fallen under the spell of Mike Epps as sleazy TV comedian Satin (what is it with the ridiculous S-names in this town?), who traffics in cheap race-riot jokes and dabbles in hard drugs and domestic violence. When Sister announces at the family’s Sunday dinner that she’s going to marry him, things get ugly, and Houston’s character ends up on the defensive: “I passed out a few times, sure, but you’d never see me laying in my own vomit!” (Wince.)

 As the group, Sister and the Sisters, begins to make a name for itself, the film briefly takes off with a series of lively performances; Ejogo is a particularly dynamic and gorgeous singer, and all three young actresses wear the increasingly glam period outfits well.

 But eventually, Sister’s bruises and track marks, courtesy of Satin, start to show through the cover-up, and her downfall takes center stage in a way that feels awfully close to a Lifetime TV movie. It’s always telling when viewers giggle during a scene that’s intended to be shocking and tragic, as they did here.

 Meanwhile, Dee wisely decides to high-tail it to medical school, and Sparkle is left wondering if she should strike out on her own.

 For a movie called “Sparkle,” the absolutely least interesting or central thing about it is Sparkle (and Sparks), although the “Idol” singer does bust out one impressive performance. In any case, I hope not to have to type that name again unless I’m covering a My Little Pony resurgence. ||||| Whitney Houston deserved better than to go out onscreen with this botch job remake of a 1976 soap opera that never deserved another thought. Hell, Dreamgirls did a better job of fictionalizing the story of the Supremes into a viable musical. The new Sparkle is a formula job from scene one to dead end. Set in Detroit in the late 1960s with Motown in flower, Sparkle casts Houston as the domineering mother of three daughters who form a girl group behind mama's back. Sister (Carmen Ejogo) is the troubled bombshell who fronts the group, called – ready for it? – Sister and Her Sisters. Dee (Tika Sumpter) doesn't mind singing backup because she has her eye on being a doctor. It's Sparkle (Jordin Sparks), a churchy mama's girl, who does mind. Sparkle writes all the songs and yearns to be a STAR!. Oh, brother. Director Salim Akil hits every cliché in the script and adds visual triteness of his own. Sparks, the Season Six American Idol winner, has a lovely smile and no discernible range as an actress. So her final transformation falls flat. Still, there's one scene that almost redeems this mess of a movie. It's Houston in church singing "His Eye Is On the Sparrow." She gives it everything she has. And what a glory abides in her voice. In a movie that feels fake to its core, Houston is the genuine article. She will be much missed. ||||| Ann Hornaday reviews 'Sparkle'

 By Ann Hornaday

 Friday, August 17, 2012

 A sudsy, eye-catching bauble that should have been a pop-infused piece of escapism but instead turned into an unwitting elegy, “Sparkle” arrives freighted with more than its share of expectations. A re-make of the beloved 1976 musical starring Irene Cara (and, not incidentally, featuring the music of Curtis Mayfield), the updated version will forever be known the final screen appearance of Whitney Houston, who died in February during post-production.

 While “Sparkle” doesn’t give the audience a lasting memory of Houston’s voice at its most soaring, it does manage to provide a lingering sense of loss, mixed with celebration and grim irony. Houston plays the disapproving mother of a daughter who longs to make it big as a singer; in a role that plays like a cautionary mirror version of Houston’s own fatal battles, she warns against the depredations of an entertainment industry that indulges and exploits young talent just as intently as it nurtures it.

 Happily, though, Houston’s presence in “Sparkle” isn’t maudlin or discomfiting. She even has some wonderfully amusing scenes as Emma, the tight-lipped, kerchiefed martinet whose Saturday-night refrain to her girls is always the same: “Curl your hair. Go to bed. Church tomorrow.”

 Whether they listen is another story. As “Sparkle” opens, in Detroit in 1968, Sister (Carmen Ejogo) and her little sister Sparkle (Jordin Sparks) have snuck out to a nightclub where Sparkle has convinced her sister to sing one of the songs she’s written. (And yes, that’s Cee Lo Green in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-him early cameo.)

 In the course of Sister’s vamping, bombshell debut, she and Sparkle attract the attention of a newbie manager named Stix (Derek Luke), who eventually will persuade them to try for the big time; even Sister and Sparkle’s level-headed sister Dee (Tika Sumpter) will agree to don all manner of sequins, wigs and eyelashes-out-to-here in an effort to help Sparkle achieve her dreams. One of the film’s most satisfying moments is when Dee -- who has taken sharp note of the changes sweeping black culture in that era -- abandons her processed bob for a chic, close-cropped natural cut.

 Fans familiar with the original -- or any number of backstage showbiz morality tales -- know that plenty of hardship must ensue before inevitable, glitzy triumph. Sister will take up with a no-count comedian named Satin (played with appropriately silky, sinister aplomb by Mike Epps), and Emma -- a former singer herself -- will do all she can to keep her kids from making the same mistakes she did.

 But in between the obstacles, “Sparkle” trafficks in the same gorgeous Motown style -- sonic and visual -- that made the original film, and “Dreamgirls” after it, such delectable fun. The pulp melodrama may be slathered on like so much frosted pink lip gloss, but director Salim Akil (“Jumping the Broom”) knows just when to cut it with a dollop of warmth or down-home humor. (The scene in which Sister brings Satin home for Sunday dinner rings with particular flinty honesty about tensions within the African American community.)

 The filmmakers have kept Mayfield’s stand-out songs from the original, including “Jump,” “Hooked On Your Love” and “Something He Can Feel,” performed by Ejogo with a sinuous sulk. The tunes contributed by R. Kelly don’t quite hold up, in part because their arrangements feel so jarringly of-this-moment. But Sparks does a terrific job with her big number, a barn burner called “One Wing” on which she holds her own before three backup singers, an orchestra and an enormous gospel choir.

 Even when Mara Brock Akil’s script descends into lurid, hackneyed schematics, the performances in “Sparkle” possess verve and seriousness, especially those by Luke (a consistently appealing screen presence) and the attractive main actresses, who judiciously balance earthy focus and divalike fabulosity. For her part, Houston delivers a steady, if muted, rendition of the classic hymn “His Eye is on the Sparrow,” which finds her in dramatically diminished voice but powerful emotional form.

 “Sparkle” may have begun as nothing more than a tuneful, diverting nostalgia trip, but it turns out to be a surprisingly poignant swan song.

 Contains mature thematic content involving domestic abuse and drug abuse, some violence, profanity and smoking. ||||| 1.5 out of 4 stars Title Sparkle Written by Mara Brock Akil and Howard Rosenman Directed by Salim Akil Starring Jordin Sparks, Carmen Ejogo, Whitney Houston Classification PG Country USA Language English

 Sparkle is a story about the transformative power of music, the dark side of fame and a young church choirgirl with a dream… can you see how it might be hard to talk about the movie outside of the context of Whitney Houston's death? Let's try, though. Because despite the seeming need to draw Michael Jackson-ian comparisons, Sparkle was never going to be Houston's "This Is It" Tour – an epic comeback with which to relaunch her career. Instead, the movie is a showcase vehicle for a new generation of young actress-hyphen-singers, led, at least titularly speaking, by American Idol champ Jordin Sparks.

 Anyone who has seen Dream Girls, What's Love Got To Do With It? or even The Doors will find themselves in familiar (if inferior) territory here, complete with all the giddy hallmarks of the late '60s music-group-on-the-rise sub-genre – musical montages with loads of hair and outfit changes, a front wo/man who's gotten too big for their go-go boots, and that scene where the big shot record producer struts into the dressing room to tell the young hopefuls that they've got what it takes.

 Sparkle's more specific narrative follows the Andrews sisters of Detroit. There is Sister (the sexy one, played by Carmen Ejogo), Dolores (the smart one, played by Tika Sumpter) and Sparkle (the talented, virginal songwriter with a dream, played by first time actor Sparks).

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 In the Andrews household a girl either sticks to her Bible-studies or winds up poor, pregnant and alone, as was the fate of the family matriarch (Houston as Emma). In a scene that I'm sort of surprised made it into the final cut (Houston died while Sparkle was in post-production), Sister reminisces a childhood where she would often find her mother passed out in a heap of her own vomit. Whitney, or rather Emma, retorts that that happened "only once."

 Of course the girls defy Mama's warnings and soon find themselves opening on the same circuit as Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. All of their dreams are coming true until Sister strikes up a volatile love affair with a celebrity (Mike Epps as sleazy standup comedian Satin Struthers is standout if uncomfortably reminiscent of Laurence Fishburne's Oscar-nominated turn as Ike Turner in the aforementioned Tina Turner bio-pic).

 The irony of Sparks's performance (that she is solid enough, but fails to sparkle in any way) will likely turn her career, at least as far as movie making goes, into another post-Idol cautionary tale. Egojo – who will almost certainly be labelled Beyoncé Lite, but is in fact more dynamic, sexy and, dare we say, Bootylicious than the real thing – plays hardened vulnerability to perfection, so much so that you wonder (given her 38 years) where Hollywood has been hiding her.

 This movie is not Houston's legacy – anyone who wants to hear that can download her double disc Greatest Hits collection or go check out the just-launched tribute exhibition at the Grammy museum in L.A. Houston's performance in Sparkle – essentially a series of camera-pandering "diva expressions" and a horrible red weave – sees her bloated and sweaty, presumably fighting the demons that would soon derail her. Was she ever a great actress? No. I can recite most of The Bodyguard from memory, and still I can concede that much.

 In the movie's most poignant scene, Emma performs a gospel standard for the congregation: "I sing because I'm happy/I sing because I'm free." For fans, it's a fitting, post-mortal epitaph. A reminder of what made Whitney sparkle. |||||
What is a shorter version of the above article?

– No one's going to call Sparkle a work of cinematic genius: It's a no-surprises remake about the struggles of a 1960s girl group. But if you're a Whitney Houston fan, it may be meaningful: In the Washington Post, Ann Hornaday applauds the film. It "may have begun as nothing more than a tuneful, diverting nostalgia trip, but it turns out to be a surprisingly poignant swan song," she writes. There's an eerie element to Houston's character, who "warns against the depredations of an entertainment industry that indulges and exploits young talent just as intently as it nurtures it." In Rolling Stone, Peter Travers calls the movie "a formula job from scene one to dead end." Still, there's one Houston song ("His Eye Is on the Sparrow") that "almost redeems" the film. "In a movie that feels fake to its core, Houston is the genuine article." During that scene, "I’m pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the house," notes Sara Stewart in the New York Post. "If you’re still mourning Houston’s death, it’s almost enough of a reason to go." But remember, the movie is more of a "showcase vehicle for a new generation of young actress-hyphen-singers" than a celebration of Whitney. And as for star Jordin Sparks, she "fails to sparkle in any way," writes Courtney Shea in the Globe and Mail.


Here is a news article: Three of Harvey Weinstein’s most outspoken accusers — Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek and Annabella Sciorra — together presented a video montage on equality and representation at the 90th Academy Awards on Sunday evening.

 “Hi, it’s nice to see you all again, it’s been a while,” Sciorra said before the crowd applauded. “It’s an honor to be here tonight. This year, many spoke their truth and the journey ahead is long, but slowly a new path has emerged.”

 “The changes we are witnessing are being driven by the powerful sound of new voices, of different voices, of our voices. Joining together in a mighty chorus that is finally saying time’s up,” Judd said.

 Hayek added, “So we salute those unstoppable spirits who kicked ass and broke through the biased perceptions against their gender, race and ethnicity to tell their stories.”

 “And we look forward to make sure that the next 90 years empower these limitless possibilities of equality, diversity, inclusion, intersectionality. That’s what this year has promised us,” Judd continued.

 Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock

 The video included people like Mira Sorvino, Kumail Nanjiani, Greta Gerwig and others speaking on the importance of representation in Hollywood.

 “This entire fall, the Time’s Up movement, everyone is getting a voice to express something that has been happening forever, not only in Hollywood, but in every walk of life,” Sorvino said.

 Judd was one of the women who initially spoke out against Weinstein in an explosive expose published by The New York Times. The actress claimed Weinstein showed up to their business meeting at a Los Angeles hotel wearing a bathrobe and later asked her to watch him shower. “I said no, a lot of ways, a lot of times, and he always came back at me with some new ask,” Judd told the NYT. “It was all this bargaining, this coercive bargaining.”

 In a New York Times op ed, Hayek 51, detailed her experiences with Weinstein through the course of the making of the 2002 Miramax Frida Kahlo biopic Frida — claiming, among other things, that he had once threatened to kill her when she refused his advances.

 “The range of his persuasion tactics went from sweet-talking me to that one time when, in an attack of fury, he said the terrifying words, ‘I will kill you, don’t think I can’t,’ ” she claimed.

 To donate to the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund, which will provide subsidized legal support to women and men in all industries who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or abuse in the workplace, visit its GoFundMe page. Learn more about Time’s Up, an organization of women in entertainment combating sexual harassment and inequality, on its website.

 Be sure to check out PEOPLE’s full Academy Awards coverage to get the latest news on Hollywood’s big night.

 In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Weinstein previously denied “all of the sexual allegations as portrayed by Salma” — though he did admit to “boorish behavior.”

 Sciorra, spoke to The New Yorker in a expose about her harrowing encounters with Weinstein. In it, she recounted one specific night during the 1990s when the Oscar-winning producer allegedly barged into her apartment after dropping her off.

 “[Weinstein] walked in like it was his apartment, like he owned the place, and started unbuttoning his shirt. So it was very clear where he thought this was going to go,” said Sciorra, who claimed she told him to leave her apartment.

 “He shoved me onto the bed, and he got on top of me,” she said of Weinstein, who allegedly locked her arms over her head with one hand and forced sexual intercourse on her. “Then he attempted to perform oral sex on me. And I struggled, but I had very little strength left in me,” Sciorra also claimed.

 Harvey Weinstein, 65, was one of the most powerful and influential figures in Hollywood before being accused of sexual harassment and assault by dozens of women. He has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex, as well as claims that he retaliated against women who rebuffed him.

 The 2018 Oscars were held at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center on March 4 and were telecast live on ABC. ||||| Ashley Judd, Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek took the stage at the 2018 Oscars to reflect on the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.

 "It's an honor to be here tonight, this year many spoke their truth and the journey ahead is long but slowly a new path has emerged," Sciorra said.

 "The changes we are witnessing are being driven by the powerful sound of new voices, of different voices, of our voices, joining together the mighty chorus that is finally saying, time's up," Judd told the audience.

 "So we salute those unstoppable spirits who kicked ass and broke through the biased perceptions against their gender, their race and ethnicity to tell their stories," Hayek continued.

 "And on this 90th anniversary evening when the Oscars celebrates timeless classics, we also look forward as well," Sciorra shared. |||||
A summary of this is?

– Jimmy Kimmel referenced Harvey Weinstein in his opening monologue for the 90th Academy Awards, but it got more personal when three of Weinstein's accusers stepped out onto the stage Sunday night to introduce a video montage on gender equality in Hollywood, per People and E! Online. "It's nice to see you all again, it's been a while," said Annabella Sciorra, who was joined onstage by Ashley Judd and Salma Hayek. "This year, many spoke their truth and the journey ahead is long, but slowly a new path has emerged." Judd added, "The changes we are witnessing are being driven by the powerful sound of new voices, of different voices, of our voices. Joining together in a mighty chorus that is finally saying time's up." And Hayek: "We salute those unstoppable spirits who kicked ass and broke through the biased perceptions against their gender, their race, and ethnicity to tell their stories." The video montage included Weinstein accuser Mira Sorvino, who noted that "everyone is getting a voice to express something that has been happening forever, not only in Hollywood, but in every walk of life." Also speaking out in the segment (and attracting online attention): Big Sick star Kumail Nanjiani, who said, "Some of my favorite movies are by straight white dudes about straight white dudes. Now you can watch my movies and relate to me. It's not that hard." Also making waves with a dramatic moment: Frances McDormand, who won best actress for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and had every female nominee stand up in the audience before leaving with two words: "Inclusion. Rider."


Write a summary based on this article:

U.S. Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte issued an apology today "for not being more careful and candid" when explaining what happened during an alleged gunpoint robbery in Rio de Janeiro last weekend.

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 "I want to apologize for my behavior last weekend -- for not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics," Lochte said in a statement posted on social media. "I wanted to share these thoughts until it was confirmed that the legal situation was addressed and it was clear that my teammates would be arriving home safely."

 A photo posted by Ryanlochte (@ryanlochte) on Aug 19, 2016 at 7:11am PDT

 Lochte claimed on Sunday that he and three teammates — Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen — were robbed in a taxi early that morning while heading to the Olympic Village in the Brazilian seaside city. Lochte told NBC News' Matt Lauer on Wednesday that the swimmers had used a restroom at a gas station and when they got back to their taxi, the driver didn't move. That's when two men approached with guns and badges and told them to get out and get down, Lochte said.

 But Rio's Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso said the four U.S. swimmers were not robbed.

 One or more of the U.S. Olympians vandalized a bathroom at the gas station after they left a party early Sunday. The athletes broke mirrors and damaged other things in the bathroom, police said.

 The athletes initially refused to stay, but security asked the taxi not to leave. Another person stepped in to intervene between the athletes and the guards, and the athletes left money, police said.

 Globo TV

 Police said that witnesses were initially afraid to speak to police because of the possibility of retaliation from the high-profile foreign athletes involved.

 There was no evidence of violence against the athletes, police noted.

 On Thursday, Brazilian officials recommended that Lochte and Feigen face charges of false reporting of a crime, a civil police spokesperson said.

 The investigation is ongoing.

 In his apology today, Lochte called the experience "traumatic."

 "It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country -- with a language barrier -- and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave, but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event," he said in the statement.

 Lochte also acknowledged that "this was a situation that could and should have been avoided."

 "I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons," he continued.

 AP Photo/Leo Correa

 Lochte, Bentz and Conger have returned to the United States, but Feigen remains in Brazil.

 The U.S. Olympic Committee on Thursday night apologized to Brazil for the "distracting ordeal."

 "The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members," the statement said. "We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States."

 Their behavior was also blasted by the head of USA Swimming, Chuck Wielgus.

 "While we are thankful our athletes are safe, we do not condone the lapse in judgement and conduct that led us to this point. It is not representative of what is expected as Olympians, as Americans, as swimmers and as individuals," Wielgus said in a statement Thursday night.

 ABC News' Matt Gutman, Julia Jacobo and Emily Shapiro contributed to this report. ||||| Ryan Lochte I'm Sorry

 Ryan Lochte Says Sorry

 Breaking News

 Ryan Lochte is finally doing a mea culpa for the lie he told on NBC that's become an international incident ... but he kind of doubled down on the version of events he told cops.

 Lochte just posted ... "I want to apologize for my behavior last weekend -- for not being more careful and candid in how I described the events of that early morning and for my role in taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics. I waited to share these thoughts until it was confirmed that the legal situation was addressed and it was clear that my teammates would be arriving home safely."

 Lochte continues ... "It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country - with a language barrier - and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave, but regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night, I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that I am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event."

 He goes on to say he's proud to rep the USA in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided.

 He adds, "I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons. I am grateful for my USA Swimming teammates and the USOC, and appreciate all of the efforts of the IOC, the Rio '16 Host Committee, and the people of Brazil who welcomed us to Rio and worked so hard to make sure that these Olympic Games provided a lifetime of great new memories."

 "There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend, so I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performances of these Games and look ahead to celebrating future successes."

 The statement is clearly crafted to thwart police efforts to have Lochte prosecuted. The biggest problem the swimmer faces ... going on TV, trashing the city by claiming armed men posed as cops robbed him as he was innocently taking a cab back to the Village. ||||| CLOSE Lochte and three U.S. swimmers said they were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday, with Lochte saying their cab was pulled over by men impersonating police officers.

 Brazilian police say U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte lied about being robbed at gunpoint. (Photo: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports)

 RIO DE JANEIRO — Jimmy Feigen was on his way back to the United States on Friday night after having his passport returned while another one of the U.S. swimmers who returned home has apologized and given a detailed account of the incident at the gas station.

 Feigen did not join Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger when they left Thursday night because he was ordered to donate almost $11,000 to a local sports charity before charges against him would be dropped and he would be allowed to leave. USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said Feigen was able to "secure the release of his passport this evening and is headed home."

 Rio officials are appealing and want the fine increased to about $50,000.

 In a statement released through the University of Georgia, where he's a junior, Bentz said that he "regretted this situation has drawn attention away from the Olympics, which have been hosted so incredibly well by Brazil and its citizens." Though he portrayed Lochte as acting aggressively, his statement also substantiates what Lochte has previously said.

 Lochte has said the four swimmers were robbed at gunpoint early Sunday by men impersonating police officers. Lochte said one of the men even pointed a gun to his forehead and robbed the men of their cash. But Rio police said the story was fabricated.

 During a news conference Thursday, Fernando Veloso, chief of Rio’s civil police, said the men were drunk and smashed up a gas station bathroom before being confronted by security guards. Veloso said guards flashed a gun to prevent the men from leaving the scene, which ended with the swimmers giving about $55 to pay for the damage.

 The International Olympic Committee has opened a disciplinary commission into the four athletes, and they could be sanctioned if wrongdoing is found.

 In his statement, Bentz said the four were on their way back to the Olympic village early Sunday when they stopped at a convenience store to use the restroom. When they did not find a restroom inside, they "foolishly relieved ourselves on the backside of the building behind some bushes," Bentz said. They did see a locked door out back, Bentz said, but he did not see anyone break it open.

 Video shot Thursday by USA TODAY showed the bathroom mirror and a soap dispenser were undamaged.

 While they were in the area, however, Bentz said Lochte pulled down a framed metal ad that had been loosely anchored to the wall. This is similar to what Conger said in his statement to Rio police Thursday. adding that the sign being ripped off "made a lot of noise."

 Bentz said he then suggested they leave, and they returned to the taxi.Two men whom Bentz said he believed to be security guards told them to exit the taxi. As Conger and Feigen walked away from the vehicle, Bentz said one of the guards flashed his badge at him and drew his handgun. As Bentz yelled at Conger and Feigen to return, the second guard drew his weapon.

 "Both guards pointed their guns at us and yelled at us to sit on a nearby sidewalk," Bentz said.

 Lochte got up and began yelling at the guards, Bentz said. Conger and he tried to pull him down to the ground, but Lochte had a "heated verbal exchange" with the guards. No physical contact was made, Bentz said.

 A bystander who saw the exchange approached the group and offered to translate for the Portuguese-speaking officers.

 “They don’t speak English,’’ Fernando Deluz said in an interview with the website globo.com. “I decided to get involved. The moment that they [the swimmers] tried to flee the security approached them. At first I told them ‘Slow, slow.’ I told them to be calm, go slow. They sat down.

 “One of them was very terrified. Very terrified.”

 Bentz described the group as being "frightened and confused." Through the interpreter, Bentz said one of the guards told them they needed to pay in order to leave. He gave them what was in his wallet, a $20 bill, and Feigen gave them 100 reals. The guards lowered their guns and Bentz said he used hand gestures to ask if it was OK to leave.

 "I went over and I spoke with (the swimmers) and I said, 'OK, that’s OK, bye bye, thank you,’” Deluz told globo.com.

 Video of the incident at the station has appeared on multiple media sites. But Bentz said he is "confident" some video angles that would substantiate his account have either not been released by Rio authorities or were skipped over. And no footage of the heated exchange between Lochte and the guards has been seen yet.

 Bentz's apology follows one from Lochte earlier in the day on social media. The 12-time Olympic medalist said he was sorry for not being "more careful and candid" in how he described events Sunday. Though he did not go into details, Lochte said in a Tweet that he and three fellow swimmers faced a "traumatic" situation that involved a language barrier and a stranger pointing a gun at them.

 He accepted responsibility for his role in "taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics."

 "I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event," he wrote. "I am very proud to represent my country in Olympic competition and this was a situation that could and should have been avoided."

 Lochte said he wanted to wait until their situations were resolved before issuing a statement. He said that the focus of the Games should now turn back to the athletes who are still competing as the Games near their conclusion this weekend.

 "There has already been too much said and too many valuable resources dedicated to what happened last weekend, so I hope we spend our time celebrating the great stories and performance of these Games and look ahead to celebrating future successes," he wrote.

 A photo posted by Ryanlochte (@ryanlochte) on Aug 19, 2016 at 7:11am PDT

 PHOTOS: Every U.S. medal at the Rio Games |||||

– Is Ryan Lochte trying to wrest back control of Lochte-Gate? USA Today points out the US swimmer posted a lengthy mea culpa—though TMZ labels it nothing more than a doubling down—on social media Friday morning. In it, he says he's sorry to "my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event" for his behavior in Rio over the weekend, though he doesn't document specifically what that behavior was. He apologizes "for not being more careful and candid" about what transpired and the part he played in "taking the focus away from the many athletes fulfilling their dreams" at the Olympics. With no mention of the drunken gas-station vandalism that's being alleged, Lochte simply wrote, "It's traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country—with a language barrier—and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money to let you leave," adding that even in those circumstances, he should've a) "been much more responsible in how I handled myself," and b) avoided the situation entirely. As for why it took him so long to address the issue more fully, he notes he had to make sure teammates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, and James Feigen were set to arrive back in the US safe and sound (though Feigen still remains in Brazil, per ABC News) and that all legal matters had been taken care of.


News article:

On the same day the Baltimore Police Department graduated the city’s future men and women in blue, the agency suspended an officer who was captured on video pummeling a man on the street. By the following day, the officer had resigned.

 In the now-viral footage, the officer and the man, whom his lawyer identified as Dashawn McGrier, can be seen talking to each other. “Don’t touch me,” McGrier told the officer, who then repeatedly punched the man. The two ended up on nearby stair steps, where the officer continued beating McGrier. McGrier fell to the ground, and the officer stayed on top of him, appearing to restrain him.

 Baltimore’s interim police commissioner, Gary Tuggle, immediately suspended the officer and ordered an investigation after the agency received videos of the confrontation.

 “While I have an expectation that officers are out of their cars, on foot, and engaging with citizens, I expect that it will be done professionally and constitutionally. I have zero tolerance for behavior like I witnessed on the video today. Officers have a responsibility and duty to control their emotions in the most stressful of situations,” Tuggle said in a statement Saturday, just hours after he honored the city’s police academy graduates.

 The Baltimore Police Department announced Sunday night in a tweet that Tuggle accepted the officer’s resignation.

 UPDATE:

 The officer involved in yesterday’s incident is no longer with the BPD. Interim Commissioner Tuggle has accepted his resignation. The second officer remains on administrative duties. This remains an active criminal investigation. — Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) August 13, 2018

 The incident places fresh scrutiny on a department that is supposed to be overhauling its police practices and is dealing with a tumultuous year — one that has been marred by the forced departures of two commissioners and concerns that the agency’s recruits have been receiving badges and guns without an understanding of lawful police work.

 [Dozens claim a Chicago detective beat them into confessions. A pattern of abuse or a pattern of lies?]

 Dashawn McGrier suffered a broken jaw, nose and ribs, his attorney said. (Warren Brown)

 The agency has been going through an overhaul after the Justice Department under President Barack Obama found that its officers engaged in widespread discrimination and unconstitutional policing policies that disproportionately affected African Americans. The city has agreed to a federal consent decree, which imposes rules on policing and requires monitoring of the agency’s activities.

 The latest incident happened at about 11:45 a.m. Saturday, when two officers encountered McGrier in east Baltimore. The police department said that one of the officers is familiar with McGrier and that “the situation escalated” after McGrier refused to give officers identification. In the video, a second officer can be seen standing near McGrier while he is being punched. At one point, that officer, who has been placed on administrative duties while the investigation is ongoing, appeared to be trying to stop his colleague.

 Baltimore police said the officer who struck McGrier had been with the department for just over a year. The agency has not released his name. But Baltimore defense lawyer Warren Brown, McGrier’s attorney, identified him as Arthur Williams and said the same officer arrested McGrier in June, when his client was charged with assault, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. A video of the June 26 encounter showed McGrier being held on the ground by the same officer, Brown said.

 [A man was shot and killed by police. A jury gave his family $4.]

 Brown said that the Saturday encounter was a “follow-up” to the June incident and that the officer cornered McGrier and placed his hands on him “for no justifiable reason.”

 “What went on out there yesterday was not professional; it’s personal,” Brown told The Washington Post on Sunday. “This is not police work. This is one guy beating up another guy.”

 McGrier, who was not charged over the Saturday incident, remains in a hospital. Brown said McGrier’s jaw, ribs and nose were fractured and doctors had concerns about his ability to breathe.

 Brown said he is confident that the officer will be charged. The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office is investigating the incident and has not commented.

 Mayor Catherine E. Pugh (D) said she has seen the video and has “demanded answers and accountability.”

 “We are working day and night to bring about a new era of community-based, constitutional policing and will not be deterred by this or any other instance that threatens our efforts to re-establish the trust of all citizens in the Baltimore Police Department,” Pugh said.

 Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, called the incident “a flagrant violation” of the consent decree.

 The city and the Justice Department reached the agreement after Freddie Gray died of injuries while in police custody in 2015. The consent decree, which is more than 200 pages, outlines rules on vehicle stops, searches, arrests and more. The department under Attorney General Jeff Sessions challenged the agreement, saying it had been rushed and would reduce the powers of the police department. But a federal judge in February approved the decree, citing the need to repair “the many fractures so poignantly revealed by the record.”

 [‘Marcus needed help, not death’: Body-cam video shows police officer fatally shooting naked man]

 The consent decree also required the creation of an independent team of experts to monitor the department’s compliance. That team, which is made up of experts on policing, civil rights enforcement and police reform, said in a statement that it has reviewed the video and will watch closely to see how the department “responds to and investigates this incident.”

 The Baltimore police union did not return a call seeking comment Sunday. Lt. Gene Ryan, the union’s president, told the Baltimore Sun that “at first view” of the video, it showed “inexcusable behavior” on the officer’s part. But Ryan added that there might be more to the incident that he does not yet know.

 The tumult comes a few months after former Baltimore police commissioner Darryl De Sousa resigned over accusations that he failed to file federal tax returns in 2013, 2014 and 2015. De Sousa replaced Kevin Davis, whom the mayor fired in January, citing the city’s record-setting homicide rate.

 In February, while De Sousa was commissioner, a report raised questions about the qualification of Baltimore’s academy recruits. Sgt. Josh Rosenblatt, the academy’s head of legal instruction, told the Baltimore Sun that a third of recruits don’t have an understanding of the laws on constitutional policing, but the department gives them badges anyway.

 Brown, McGrier’s defense attorney, said the beating “might be Exhibit 1 in that regard.”

 “This officer is fresh out of the academy, which makes you wonder what are they teaching them there and what type of psychological screening they employ with these cadets,” Brown said.

 A spokesman for the police department did not answer questions about the officer’s performance while in the academy.

 The Baltimore Sun reported that the officer graduated from the academy in April. A video of a ceremony that month showed a graduate named Officer Arthur Williams receiving three top honors, including the Police Commissioner’s Award of Excellence and the Director’s Leadership Award. He also scored the highest, 94.88 percent, “in the categories of defense tactics, physical training and emergency vehicle operations,” according to the video.

 Peter Hermann and Sari Horwitz contributed to this report.

 Read more:

 Federal judge approves Baltimore police consent decree

 Baltimore detectives convicted in shocking corruption trial

 Baltimore’s police problems go beyond just a few criminals in uniform ||||| "For what?!" the man yells on a Baltimore sidewalk.

 The officer responds by shoving the man backward against a brick wall.

 "Don't touch me!" the man yells, slapping the cop's hand away.

 Then the video gets really ugly.

 The officer starts throwing punches and continues pummeling the man for the next 12 seconds, the bystander's video shows.

 They both eventually fall to the ground, and the officer pins the man down with his arm across his neck. The man's blood starts pooling on the sidewalk.

 What happened Saturday morning marks the latest controversial use of force against a black person by police.

 The Baltimore officer who attacked the man is also black. So is another officer who witnessed the attack, but did little to intervene.

 Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said he was "deeply disturbed" by the incident, and the officer seen throwing punches was quickly suspended. The Baltimore Department tweeted late Sunday that the officer resigned.

 UPDATE:

 The officer involved in yesterday's incident is no longer with the BPD. Interim Commissioner Tuggle has accepted his resignation. The second officer remains on administrative duties. This remains an active criminal investigation. — Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) August 13, 2018

 The other officer has been placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of an investigation, Baltimore police said . The state attorney's office was also notified.

 Statement from Interim @BaltimorePolice Commissioner Gary Tuggle on the viral video circulating online. https://t.co/3feuv9gU7E. pic.twitter.com/FJNlL8lzNj — T.J. Smith (@TJSmithMedia) August 11, 2018

 Police have not identified either officer.

 What led up to the attack

 The incident began around 11:45 a.m. while officers were working on "a crime suppression detail related to crime in the area," Baltimore police spokesman T. J. Smith said.

 "Two officers encountered a man, whom one of the officers is familiar with," police said.

 "After the first encounter, officers released him and ... approached him again to provide him a citizen's contact sheet," police said.

 Smith said officers are required to fill out a contact sheet any time they talk to a citizen in relation to any type of investigation, no matter how brief the encounter.

 "When he was asked for his identification, the situation escalated when he refused," police said.

 Police did not identify the man, but CNN affiliate WJZ identified him as Dashawn McGrier.

 He was taken into custody and was also given medical treatment for his injuries, police said. He was not charged with any crimes and was released from custody, police said.

 The man's attorney, Warren Brown, is planning to file a lawsuit, CNN affiliate WBAL reported. Brown has not responded to CNN's request for comment.

 'Zero tolerance' for this behavior

 Tuggle said he was appalled by the incident and has "zero tolerance for behavior like I witnessed on the video."

 "Officers have a responsibility and duty to control their emotions in the most stressful of situations," the interim police commissioner said.

 Baltimore is still dealing with the aftermath of the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, who died in custody a week after a police encounter

 Days of peaceful protests devolved into riots, with assaults on police, looting, arson and the devastation of businesses.

 Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said in a tweet that the city is working hard to earn and maintain the trust of the public. She said she has demanded answers and accountability for what happened Saturday.

 "We are working day and night to bring about a new era of community-based, Constitutional policing and will not be deterred by this or any other instance that threatens our efforts to reestablish trust of all citizens in the Baltimore Police Department," she said. ||||| Tweet with a location

 You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| A Baltimore police officer was suspended with pay by the department Saturday after a viral video emerged showing him repeatedly punching a man in the face before taking him to the ground.

 UPDATE: Baltimore officer from viral beating video resigns, police confirm »

 Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle said he was “deeply disturbed” by the video, and that the incident is under investigation.

 “The officer involved has been suspended while we investigate the totality of this incident,” Tuggle said. “Part of our investigation will be reviewing body worn camera footage.”

 Police said a second officer on the scene at the time of the incident was placed on administrative duties pending the outcome of the investigation.

 Attorney Warren Brown, who is representing the man who was punched, identified his client as Dashawn McGrier, 26. Brown said McGrier was not being charged with a crime, but was taken to a hospital and was having X-rays taken of his jaw, nose and ribs late Saturday for suspected fractures from the altercation.

 Brown said McGrier had a previous run-in with the same police officer — whom he identified as Officer Arthur Williams — in June that resulted in McGrier being charged with assaulting the officer, disorderly conduct, obstructing and hindering, and resisting arrest. Brown said that in that incident and in the one Saturday, McGrier was targeted without justification by the officer.

 “It seems like this officer had just decided that Dashawn was going to be his punching bag,” Brown said. “And this was a brutal attack that was degrading and demeaning to my client, to that community, and to the police department.”

 Williams could not be reached for comment.

 Tuggle did not identify the officer or the man who was punched, but the department said the officer has been on the force for just over a year.

 At Williams’ graduation from the police academy last year, he received awards for top performance, including for high marks in "defense tactics, physical training and emergency vehicle operations,” for his "academic achievement, professional attitude, appearance, ability to supervise,” and for his "tireless and unwavering dedication" and "outstanding leadership ability,” according to a video of the graduation ceremony.

 The police department said the incident Saturday began after two officers stopped McGrier, let him go, then approached him again to give him a citizen contact sheet.

 “When he was asked for his identification, the situation escalated when he refused,” the department said. “The police officer then struck the man several times.”

 Brown said McGrier was sitting on steps when Williams passed by in his vehicle, then moments later was walking down the street when the officer, now on foot, told him to stop without giving him a reason.

 “My client was saying, ‘What is this all about? You don’t even have probable cause,’ ” Brown said. That’s when Williams began shoving McGrier, Brown said.

 Tuggle asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact the Office of Professional Responsibility at 410-396-2300.

 “While I have an expectation that officers are out of their cars, on foot, and engaging citizens, I expect that it will be done professionally and constitutionally,” he said. “I have zero tolerance for behavior like I witnessed on the video today. Officers have a responsibility and duty to control their emotions in the most stressful of situations.”

 The incident occurred Saturday outside Q’s Bar and Liquors in the 2600 block of E. Monument St. in East Baltimore.

 The video shows the officer pushing McGrier against a wall, with his hand on McGrier’s chest, and then McGrier pushing the officer’s hand off his chest. It is then that the officer starts swinging.

 The officer throws repeated punches, shoves McGrier onto rowhouse steps and continues beating him until McGrier lands on the pavement. McGrier appears to be bleeding when he gets to the ground.

 McGrier appears to try to deflect some of the officer’s punches but does not punch back.

 A second officer, who the department did not identify, briefly places his hand on McGrier’s arm as McGrier tries to avoid the blows but does not appear to try to stop the first officer from throwing punches.

 Shantel Allen, 28, who said she grew up with McGrier and considers him like a brother, called the escalation of the encounter by Williams shocking.

 “I was speechless. I was enraged. I was hurt. I was shocked more than anything. That is really something you don’t expect,” she said. “I truly feel as though this officer needs to be dealt with in a very serious manner, so none of his fellow officers or anyone else in the criminal justice system feels like they can use this kind of force.

 “This is a crime. You can’t just go around putting your hands on people,” she said.

 Brown said Internal Affairs officers were at the hospital to speak with McGrier. Brown said he also had spoken with the office of Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. Mosby’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

 The police department said Mosby’s office “provided information related to this case,” but did not explain what that meant.

 Several men on Monument Street at the time — who asked not to be named, for fear of reprisal from the police for discussing the matter — said the officer who threw the punches knew McGrier from prior interactions, and that they believed he was targeting him.

 They said the officer is young and had previously worked foot patrol along the corridor, but recently began working out of a car.

 The men said the officer stopped McGrier on Saturday without good reason, which is why McGrier was talking back to the officer before the officer started throwing punches.

 “He knows his rights, and he felt as though his rights were being violated, and he took offense to that,” one man said.

 That the officer responded physically was completely out of line, and must result in serious consequences, the men said.

 “We want justice. We don’t want things like that to happen. We want him to be held accountable, and not no paid suspension,” one man said.

 Mayor Catherine Pugh echoed Tuggle in a statement late Saturday, in which she also called the encounter between the officer and McGrier “disturbing.” She said she was in touch with Tuggle and had “demanded answers and accountability.” ||||| Focused crawls are collections of frequently-updated webcrawl data from narrow (as opposed to broad or wide) web crawls, often focused on a single domain or subdomain. ||||| ...

 d with the keys in the ignition. You can help prevent auto theft.

 No matter how cold it is outside, never leave your vehicle unattende |||||
What is a shorter version of the above article?

– An incident that "deeply disturbed" Baltimore's interim police commissioner has led to one police officer's resignation and another being put on administrative duty. CNN has bystander video of a man shouting at one officer as another stands nearby; the first starts throwing punches and 10 seconds later both men are on the ground, with the officer on top and blood from the civilian streaked across the sidewalk. The second officer is seen trying to get his hands into the tussle but doesn't appear to try to stop the first officer's punches. Neither officer has been identified, but Warren Brown, an attorney repping the civilian, identifies his client to the Baltimore Sun as 26-year-old Dashawn McGrier. Brown says the cops stopped his client without offering a reason; witnesses tell the Sun the officer who threw the punches knew McGrier and may have targeted him. In a statement, the Baltimore PD says the cops stopped McGrier as part of a crime probe; they say McGrier refused to provide ID for a citizen's contact sheet, said to be required when cops talk to a citizen during an investigation. After initially being suspended, the punch-throwing officer resigned, per the Baltimore PD; the second officer is still on administrative duties pending an investigation. McGrier wasn't charged, police say. Brown says McGrier suffered jaw, rib, and nose fractures, per the Washington Post. "I have zero tolerance for behavior like I witnessed on the video today," Gary Tuggle, the PD's interim commissioner, said. "Officers have a responsibility and duty to control their emotions in the most stressful of situations." Brown says McGrier will sue, per WBAL. Baltimore is still haunted by the 2015 death of Freddie Gray.


Article:
Louise Turpin, left, talks to her attorney Jeff Moore during a preliminary hearing in Superior Court, Wednesday, June 20, 2018, in Riverside, Calif. Turpin and her husband David Tuprin have pleaded not... (Associated Press)

 Louise Turpin, left, talks to her attorney Jeff Moore during a preliminary hearing in Superior Court, Wednesday, June 20, 2018, in Riverside, Calif. Turpin and her husband David Tuprin have pleaded not guilty to child abuse, torture and other charges. (Watchara Phomicinda/The Press-Enterprise via AP) (Associated Press)

 RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — In a plea to a police dispatcher to "help my sisters," a 17-year-old girl in a childlike, quivering voice detailed years of abuse she and 12 siblings suffered in a house where she said they were shackled to beds, choked and went unbathed so long the stench was suffocating.

 In the 911 call played in a California court Wednesday during a hearing to determine if her mother and father should face trial on child abuse charges, the girl said two younger sisters and a brother were chained to their beds and she couldn't take it any longer.

 "They will wake up at night and they will start crying and they wanted me to call somebody," she said in a high-pitched voice. "I wanted to call y'all so y'all can help my sisters."

 David and Louise Turpin have pleaded not guilty in Riverside County Superior Court to torture, child abuse and other charges. They are being held on $12 million bail each.

 Louise Turpin dabbed her eyes with a tissue as the recording of her daughter was played.

 The 911 call in January was the start of a new day for the 13 Turpin offspring — ages 2 to 29 — who lived in such isolation that some didn't even understand the role of police officers when they showed up at the house in response to the call, authorities said.

 Officers freed the three children shackled to beds and arrested the parents in a case that drew worldwide attention to severe neglect that was hidden behind the neatly kept facade of their home in Perris, 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

 Inside, police said they discovered a house of horrors that reeked of human waste. Signs of starvation were obvious, with the oldest adult child weighing just 82 pounds, they said.

 The children were locked up as punishment, beaten and denied food and things normal kids enjoy, like toys and games, authorities said. They were allowed to do little except write in journals that may corroborate the horrific stories they told investigators.

 The girl planned her escape for two years and was terrified as she climbed out a window and ran to freedom, Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Manuel Campos testified.

 "She couldn't even dial 911 because she was so scared that she was shaking," he said.

 When she called the dispatcher around the corner from her house, the girl wasn't even sure what street she was on. The kids were rarely allowed to go outside, though they did trick-or-treat on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas.

 "I don't go out much so I don't know anything about the streets or anything," she said on the call and confirmed she was reading her address off a piece of paper with her mother's name on it.

 The girl said she hadn't bathed in about a year and that the house was filthy.

 "Sometimes I wake up and I can't breathe because of how dirty the house is," she said, adding she washed her hair and face in the sink.

 Dirt was caked on the girl's skin and she smelled unbathed, said Campos, who interviewed the girl later in the day.

 The girl, who said she hadn't finished first grade, had difficulty pronouncing some words and spoke like a child much younger than her age, Campos said. She referred to her parents as "Mother" and "Father" because it was "more like the Bible days," he said.

 The girl said when she was 12 and her father pulled down her pants and put her on his clothed lap in a recliner chair in the TV room. She didn't like it and pushed away and pulled up her pants as she heard her mother coming upstairs.

 "Her father told her she better not tell anybody what happened," Campos said.

 The family moved several times, including a stint in Texas, where the girl said they were left on their own for about four years, though her mother bought them food.

 The children mostly were locked in their rooms and were only allowed to leave to eat, use the bathroom and brush their teeth.

 There was no breakfast, and recently lunch and dinner had been combined into one meal that included peanut butter or bologna sandwiches, a frozen burrito and chips, she said. The girl told Campos she couldn't stomach peanut butter any longer and it made her gag.

 If they didn't obey strict rules, they were slapped in the face or had their hair pulled, the girl told Campos.

 About two years ago when the mother found out she had been watching a Justin Bieber video, the girl said her mother started choking her and asked, "do you want to die?" Campos said.

 The girl said she didn't want to die, but she feared she was about to as the choking continued.

 "Yes you do, yes you do, you do, you want to die," the mother said, according to Campos. "You want to die and go to hell."

 ___

 Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press Writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report from Los Angeles. ||||| Louise Turpin, left, talks to her attorney Jeff Moore during a preliminary hearing in Superior Court, Wednesday, June 20, 2018, in Riverside, Calif. Turpin and her husband David Tuprin have pleaded not... (Associated Press)

 RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) — In a plea to a police dispatcher to "help my sisters," a 17-year-old girl in a childlike, quivering voice detailed years of abuse she and 12 siblings suffered in a house where she said they were shackled to beds, choked and went unbathed so long the stench was suffocating.

 In the 911 call played in a California court Wednesday during a hearing to determine if her mother and father should face trial on child abuse charges, the girl said two younger sisters and a brother were chained to their beds and she couldn't take it any longer.

 "They will wake up at night and they will start crying and they wanted me to call somebody," she said in a high-pitched voice. "I wanted to call y'all so y'all can help my sisters."

 David and Louise Turpin have pleaded not guilty in Riverside County Superior Court to torture, child abuse and other charges. They are being held on $12 million bail each.

 Louise Turpin dabbed her eyes with a tissue as the recording of her daughter was played.

 The 911 call in January was the start of a new day for the 13 Turpin offspring — ages 2 to 29 — who lived in such isolation that some didn't even understand the role of police officers when they showed up at the house in response to the call, authorities said.

 Officers freed the three children shackled to beds and arrested the parents in a case that drew worldwide attention to severe neglect that was hidden behind the neatly kept facade of their home in Perris, 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

 Inside, police said they discovered a house of horrors that reeked of human waste. Signs of starvation were obvious, with the oldest adult child weighing just 82 pounds, they said.

 The children were locked up as punishment, beaten and denied food and things normal kids enjoy, like toys and games, authorities said. They were allowed to do little except write in journals that may corroborate the horrific stories they told investigators.

 The girl planned her escape for two years and was terrified as she climbed out a window and ran to freedom, Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Manuel Campos testified.

 "She couldn't even dial 911 because she was so scared that she was shaking," he said.

 When she called the dispatcher around the corner from her house, the girl wasn't even sure what street she was on. The kids were rarely allowed to go outside, though they did trick-or-treat on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas.

 "I don't go out much so I don't know anything about the streets or anything," she said on the call and confirmed she was reading her address off a piece of paper with her mother's name on it.

 The girl said she hadn't bathed in about a year and that the house was filthy.

 "Sometimes I wake up and I can't breathe because of how dirty the house is," she said, adding she washed her hair and face in the sink.

 Dirt was caked on the girl's skin and she smelled unbathed, said Campos, who interviewed the girl later in the day.

 The girl, who said she hadn't finished first grade, had difficulty pronouncing some words and spoke like a child much younger than her age, Campos said. She referred to her parents as "Mother" and "Father" because it was "more like the Bible days," he said.

 The girl said when she was 12 and her father pulled down her pants and put her on his clothed lap in a recliner chair in the TV room. She didn't like it and pushed away and pulled up her pants as she heard her mother coming upstairs.

 "Her father told her she better not tell anybody what happened," Campos said.

 The family moved several times, including a stint in Texas, where the girl said they were left on their own for about four years, though her mother bought them food.

 The children mostly were locked in their rooms and were only allowed to leave to eat, use the bathroom and brush their teeth.

 There was no breakfast, and recently lunch and dinner had been combined into one meal that included peanut butter or bologna sandwiches, a frozen burrito and chips, she said. The girl told Campos she couldn't stomach peanut butter any longer and it made her gag.

 If they didn't obey strict rules, they were slapped in the face or had their hair pulled, the girl told Campos.

 About two years ago when the mother found out she had been watching a Justin Bieber video, the girl said her mother started choking her and asked, "do you want to die?" Campos said.

 The girl said she didn't want to die, but she feared she was about to as the choking continued.

 "Yes you do, yes you do, you do, you want to die," the mother said, according to Campos. "You want to die and go to hell."

 ___

 Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press Writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report from Los Angeles. |||||Summary:

– In a plea to a police dispatcher to "help my sisters," a 17-year-old girl in a childlike, quivering voice detailed years of abuse she and 12 siblings suffered in a house where she said they were shackled to beds, choked and went unbathed so long the stench was suffocating. In the 911 call played in a California court Wednesday during a hearing to determine if her mother and father should face trial on child abuse charges, the girl said two younger sisters and a brother were chained to their beds and she couldn't take it any longer. "They will wake up at night and they will start crying and they wanted me to call somebody," she said in a high-pitched voice. "I wanted to call y'all so y'all can help my sisters." David and Louise Turpin have pleaded not guilty in Riverside County Superior Court to torture, child abuse and other charges. They are being held on $12 million bail each, per the AP. Louise Turpin dabbed her eyes with a tissue as the recording of her daughter was played. The girl planned her escape for two years and was terrified as she climbed out a window and ran to freedom, Riverside County Sheriff's Deputy Manuel Campos testified. When she called the dispatcher around the corner from her house, the girl wasn't even sure what street she was on. The kids were rarely allowed to go outside, though they did trick-or-treat on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas. "I don't go out much so I don't know anything about the streets or anything," she said on the call and confirmed she was reading her address off a piece of paper with her mother's name on it. The girl said she hadn't bathed in about a year and that the house was filthy. "Sometimes I wake up and I can't breathe because of how dirty the house is," she said. (The Associated Press has more details of the call.)