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An oil refinery's lights illuminate rainfall as Hurricane Harvey makes landfall in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017. Hurricane Harvey smashed into Texas late Friday, lashing a wide swath... (Associated Press) CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Hurricane Harvey settled over southeast Texas early Saturday, lashing the state's Gulf Coast with damaging winds and dumping torrents of rain over hundreds of miles of coastline that braced for what forecasters predicted would be life-threatening storm surges — basically walls of water moving inland. The fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in more than a decade made landfall Friday night about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi as a Category 4 storm with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. It gradually weakened over the next several hours and the National Hurricane Center said that by 5 a.m. Saturday Harvey was downgraded to a Category 1 — still sustaining winds of 90 mph (144 kph). It had already dumped more than 9 inches (228.6 millimeters) of rain in the South Texas city of Victoria and had knocked out power to more than 200,000 customers. Harvey's approach sent tens of thousands of residents fleeing inland, hoping to escape the wrath of a menacing storm that threatens not only the coast but a wide swath of Texas that is home to oil refineries, chemical plants and dangerously flood-prone Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city. No deaths were immediately confirmed in the hours after Harvey's arrival, but officials noted emergency crews couldn't get out in many places due to high winds. Melissa Munguia, deputy emergency management coordinator in Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, said early Saturday that it could be hours before crews could fully assess the damage in coastal communities. Early reports did begin to emerge from Rockport, a coastal city of about 10,000 people that was directly in Harvey's path when it came ashore. Officials confirmed that the roof of Rockport's high school had partially caved in and that the community's historic downtown saw extensive damage. Rockport City Manager Kevin Carruth told local media outlets that multiple people had been taken to the county's jail for assessment and treatment after the roof of a senior housing complex collapsed. KIII-TV reported that 10 people were treated there. Earlier Friday, Rockport Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Rios had offered ominous advice, telling the station that those who chose to stay put rather than evacuate the area "should make some type of preparation to mark their arm with a Sharpie pen," implying doing so would make it easier for rescuers to identify them. In Corpus Christi, the major city closest to the storm's center, wind whipped palm trees and stinging sheets of horizontal rain slapped against hotels and office buildings along the city's seawall as the storm made landfall. Boats bobbed violently in the marina. It was too dark to tell whether any boats had broken their moorings. Fueled by warm Gulf of Mexico waters, Harvey grew rapidly, accelerating from a Category 1 early Friday morning to a Category 4 by evening. Its transformation from an unnamed storm to a life-threatening behemoth took only 56 hours, an incredibly fast intensification. Harvey came ashore as the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961's Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record. Based on the atmospheric pressure, Harvey ties for the 18th strongest hurricane on landfall in the U.S. since 1851 and ninth strongest in Texas. A worst case scenario is that the hurricane could hug the coast for days and stay strong enough to remain a tropical storm. Forecasts call for as much as 30 inches (.76 meters) of rain to fall by next Wednesday, with some areas getting as much as 40 inches (1 meter), according to the hurricane center. Meanwhile, the storm surge could bring flooding of 6 to 12 feet (2 to 4 meters) to a coastal area that includes Matagorda Island and Port O'Connor. Sometime early next week forecasters said it could go back into the warm Gulf of Mexico waters, which provide fuel, then turn back in for a potential second hit on what may be an already flooded Houston-Galveston area. Before the storm arrived, home and business owners raced to nail plywood over windows and fill sandbags. Steady traffic filled the highways leaving Corpus Christi, but there were no apparent jams. In Houston, where mass evacuations can include changing major highways to a one-way vehicle flow, authorities left traffic patterns unchanged. Just hours before the projected landfall, the governor and Houston leaders issued conflicting statements on evacuation. After Gov. Greg Abbott urged more people to flee, Houston authorities told people to remain in their homes and recommended no widespread evacuations. In a Friday press conference that addressed Houston officials' decision to not have a voluntary or mandatory evacuation, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said there might be a "greater danger" in having people who don't need to be evacuated on roads that could flood. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said that because the hurricane was not taking direct aim at Houston, the city's primary concern was heavy flooding. "We are not having a hurricane," said Emmett, the top elected official for the county, which encompasses Houston. "We are having a rain event." At a convenience store in Houston's Meyerland neighborhood, at least 12 cars lined up for fuel. Brent Borgstedte said this was the fourth gas station he had visited to try to fill up his son's car. The 55-year-old insurance agent shrugged off Harvey's risks. "I don't think anybody is really that worried about it. I've lived here my whole life," he said. "I've been through several hurricanes." Scientists warned that Harvey could swamp counties more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) inland and stir up dangerous surf as far away as Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) from the projected landfall. It may also spawn tornadoes. Even after weakening, the system might spin out into the Gulf and regain strength before hitting Houston a second time Wednesday as a tropical storm, forecasters said. All seven Texas counties on the coast from Corpus Christi to the western end of Galveston Island ordered mandatory evacuations from low-lying areas. Four counties ordered full evacuations and warned there was no guarantee of rescue for people staying behind. State officials said they had no count on how many people actually left their homes. The storm posed the first major emergency management test of President Donald Trump's administration. The president was expected to receive briefings during the weekend at Camp David, and signed a federal disaster declaration for coastal counties Friday night. The last Category 4 storm to hit the U.S. was Hurricane Charley in August 2004 in Florida. Superstorm Sandy, which pummeled New York and New Jersey in 2012, never had the high winds and had lost tropical status by the time it struck. But it was devastating without formally being called a major hurricane. Harvey is the first significant hurricane to hit Texas since Ike in September 2008 brought winds of 110 mph (177 kph) to the Galveston and Houston areas, inflicting $22 billion in damage. It's taking aim at the same vicinity as Carla, which had wind gusts estimated at 175 mph and inflicted more than $300 million in damage. The storm killed 34 people and forced about 250,000 people to evacuate. ___ Associated Press writers Michael Graczyk, Juan Lozano and Nomaan Merchant in Houston; Seth Borenstein and Catherine Lucey in Washington; and Diana Heidgerd, Jamie Stengle, David Warren, Claudia Lauer and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report. ||||| (CNN) As Hurricane Harvey batters Texas , people in New Orleans are bracing for 10 inches of rain or more starting Sunday and continuing into early next week. The daunting forecast comes just weeks after strong storms overwhelmed the city's unique drainage system , leading to flooding at a couple of hundred properties and exposing critical deficiencies among 100 large pumps that drain many neighborhoods. Days later, a key turbine that helps generate an uncommon frequency of electricity needed to run the city's oldest, most powerful pumps caught fire, leaving just one of five power turbines in working order Mayor Mitch Landrieu detailed the progress of the repairs Friday afternoon, saying he believes the drainage system could handle the predicted 5 to 10 inches of rain -- but he urged caution. "While it is a fact the drainage capacity has improved since August 5, we remain in a state of diminished draining capacity," he said. "However, (if) this weather system strengthens and produces as much rainfall as the National Weather Service predicts, we could see some localized flooding, even if our drainage system was at full capacity." Additionally, 24 high-water vehicles and 39 boats are strategically staged throughout the city, Landrieu said. Barricades have been placed in flood-prone areas to keep drivers from venturing into high waters, and free sandbags were available at fire stations throughout the city. New Orleans remains under a state of emergency , which Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared in response to the flooding and the turbine failure in early August. 14 pumps still offline Because of New Orleans' unusual topography -- with many areas below sea level and protected by levees -- pumps in every neighborhood must suck rainwater through storm drains and canals and push it into a nearby lake or other water bodies. In most other cities, gravity does that work. Pumps that drain rainwater from New Orleans' streets are not the same pumps that the US Army Corps of Engineers built after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as part of a $14 billion effort to fortify the city against tropical events . City-owned equipment did not figure into the deadly flooding during Katrina, which owed to the failure of federal levees, though some city pumps and other machinery were damaged in that flood. Some city-owned equipment has been repaired or upgraded since Katrina -- sometimes at federal expense -- but local investment hasn't kept pace with the system's needs. Of the 120 drainage pumps, 106 were in service, Landrieu said Friday. Seven of those pumps were relatively small and located in newer sections of the city where flooding weeks ago was not a problem, according to the most recent records posted online Friday night by the city-owned Sewerage & Water Board . Another five were among the system's 20 so-called "constant duty" pumps, which are also small and work to clear the streets of runoff from lawn watering and other daily water usage. The two major pumps that remained out of service were located at an enormous pump station in the city's Lakeview neighborhood. Without those pumps, the capacity of that station, which serves a heavily populated swath along the city's western edge and a large section of neighboring Jefferson Parish, remained reduced by about a quarter. While the city's drainage system remains impaired, Landrieu has noted that even at its maximum design capacity, the pumps only can drain 1 inch of water in the first hour of a storm and a half-inch each subsequent hour. That means a deluge would predictably cause temporary localized flooding, an outcome most residents expect. Heavy hitters take the reins Much of the drainage capacity in the oldest part of New Orleans relies on power generated by the city. Some other pumps in that area -- and nearly all pumps elsewhere in the city -- run on power supplied by the local commercial provider, Entergy. But because overhead power lines tend to topple in high winds, city-generated and backup power sources are key to keeping drainage pumps running. The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board generates an unusual frequency of electricity needed to run the oldest and most powerful drainage pumps at a facility near the Mississippi River. The city has cleaned 900 street-level catch basins , Landrieu said, since the flooding on August 5. Residents complained that debris clogging the drains exacerbated flooding. The city is now poised to fast-track routine maintenance of its 68,000 catch basins And the mayor has installed a team of heavy hitters -- including Paul Rainwater, who led the Louisiana Recovery Authority after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 -- to manage the city's drainage infrastructure on an emergency basis.

– Texas isn't the only state worried about Hurricane Harvey. Louisiana also is expected to get doused, and New Orleans in particular is bracing for flooding. The city could get 10 inches of rain starting Sunday, reports CNN. Complicating things is that New Orleans is still repairing its drainage system after it was overwhelmed by recent storms. Mayor Mitch Landrieu thinks the system should be able to handle the coming deluge, but if Harvey changes track and dumps more rain than expected, the situation could be dicey. As for Harvey's current progress, the National Hurricane Center downgraded it as of 5am Saturday to a Category 1 as it delivers winds of up to 90mph and heavy rain to southeast Texas, reports the AP. The city of Victoria, for instance, got more than 9 inches of rain, and more than 200,000 people were without power in the region. President Trump tweeted Saturday morning that federal authorities are keeping a close eye on it. "Closely monitoring #HurricaneHarvey from Camp David," he wrote. "We are leaving nothing to chance. City, State and Federal Govs. working great together!"

Some believe the pieces come from wreck of the Titanic - which sunk in 1912 Mystery continues to surround the origin of the 100-year-old fragments of rubber that have been washing up on the shores of Britain and northern Europe for the last two years. Last week, conservationists cleared more than 100 rubber sheets, two rolls of rubber, three rubber ingots and several tablets from Chesil Beach in Dorset. Some theorists believe the pieces could date back to the Titanic - and may have risen to the water's surface after being contained for more than a century in the lost wreckage of the ship - which sunk in April 1912. Scroll down for video Discovery: Izzy Imset, a local dive shop operator at Chesil Beach in Dorset, found this collection washed up on the shore Most of the pieces are engraved with the name Tjipetir, an early 20th century rubber plantation in west Java, Indonesia. And their perfectly-preserved quality is alarming environmentalists and sparking fears over why supposedly biodegradable materials have remained completely intact. The rubber blocks and sheets are in such fine condition that they could have come from a ship that had just sunk. But the material they are made from was popularly used around a century ago. Conservationist Steve Trewhella said it is worrying that the pieces, some about one metre long, are in such good condition considering the rubber is meant to be biodegradable. The pieces are made from gutta percha, a form of latex made from the sap of a tropical tree of the same name. Theory: Some believe the blocks may have come from the Titanic, pictured, which sank in April 1912 The pieces are made from gutta percha, a form of latex produced from the sap of a tropical tree with the same name. It was used to make a wide range of items 100 years ago Most of the pieces are engraved with the name Tjipetir - an early 20th century rubber plantation in Java, Indonesia Worry: Their perfectly-preserved quality is alarming environmentalists and sparking fears over why supposedly biodegradable materials have remained completely intact It was used to make a wide range of items 100 years ago, including teddy bears' noses and golf balls, although the most common use was to insulate underwater telegraph cables. Other sheets found washed ashore are marked 'Senawang' which was also an early 20th century rubber plantation in Asia. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR 100-YEAR-OLD WASHED UP RUBBER Since perfectly-preserved pieces of 100-year-old rubber began to wash up on shores around northern Europe, several theories have been put forward to explain their mysterious appearance: Some believe the pieces could have come from the Titanic, which sunk in 1912. Another possibility is that the fragments came from a Second World War cargo ship on it's way from Asia to England. Similar pieces have washed up on beaches in Cornwall, Jersey, Normandy in France, Holland and Germany and there is a Facebook group, called Tjipetir Mystery, dedicated to the mysterious rubber. One wild theory is that the pieces could have come from the Titanic. Gutta percha tablets were listed on the famous ship's manifest before it sank on April 15, 1912, but there is no evidence these pieces would have come from the Titanic wreck. Another possibility is that they came from a Second World War cargo ship on it's way from Asia to England. But as the cargo is valuable, the name of the ship will not be revealed until the salvage operation is complete. Mr Trewhella said: 'It's a bit of a mystery. What we do know is that the rubber came from this plantation in Indonesia 100 years ago and it was destined for Europe and various parts of the world, but we have no idea what it would have been used for. Tjipetir is the name of an early 20th century rubber plantation in Indonesia (pictured) 'This was before plastic existed and gutta percha was used for a variety of products from the soles of shoes to insulation for early telegraph cables. THE 'UNSINKABLE' SHIP WHICH SANK IN 3 HOURS Dubbed the 'unsinkable' ship, the Titanic famously struck an iceberg and sank in under three hours on April 15, 1912. Of the 2,224 on board, 1,517 passengers and crew perished. It lay unseen on the ocean floor for decades, until 1985, when an American-French expedition identified its final resting place 329 miles south-east of Newfoundland. The wreck, which was split into two sections 2,000ft apart, has now been the focus of research by scientists and historians for 25 years. 'There is a ship that went down off the Isle of Scilly a hundred years ago that we think it could be. 'Some people have speculated that it could be from the Titanic, which was carrying this product when it sank. 'In reality it seems quite unlikely but we do get objects washing up from as far as north America. 'It could be that a shipwreck is gradually disintegrating, and as the hold is becoming more exposed the cargo floats to the surface and washes ashore. 'Some of the pieces have goose barnacles on them which indicates this rubber has been floating on the surface for some time as they only attach to flotsam on the ocean surface. 'The thing we find most worrying is that this is biodegradable rubber and here it is, 100 years later, in near perfect condition. It is astonishing that this product has remained intact for so long. Goose barnacles found on one of the rubber mats washed up suggests it had been floating on the surface for some time as they only attach to flotsam on the ocean surface Washed up: Seaweed and flotsam can be seen riding a wave at Chesil beach in Dorset 'It still looks as good as the day it was made which raises concerns about the litter we are making now. 'Scientists and various organisations make assumptions about how long things will take to break down but they don't really know. 'We're leaving a long-lasting legacy and I think people will be picking up our rubbish in a thousand years.' ||||| Image copyright Tom Quinn Williams For the past few years, 100-year-old rubber-like blocks from Indonesia have been mysteriously washing up on beaches in the UK and northern Europe. The Titanic has been suggested as one of the possible sources - but now a beachcomber says she may have solved the puzzle of the Tjipetir blocks. In the summer of 2012, Tracey Williams was walking her dog along a beach near her home in Newquay, Cornwall, when she spotted a black tablet on the sand, made of something resembling rubber. It looked like a large chopping board and the word "Tjipetir" was engraved into it. Weeks later, she found another such curiosity on a different beach alongside bales of rubber, washed up in a cove. Her curiosity piqued, she began to research the origins of these mysterious blocks. What she learned included stories of shipwrecks, an infamous World War One tragedy and the Titanic. It also transpired that these blocks had been appearing on beaches across northern Europe, baffling everyone who had found them. Image copyright Other Image caption This image appears to show Tjipetir blocks on an Indonesian plantation in the late 19th or early 20th Century Image copyright Louise Mamet Image caption Louise Mamet found this block at Dunes de Sainte Marguerite in Landeda, France Image copyright Jan Jacob Westerbeek Image caption Jan Jacob Westerbeek found this block in Bergen aan Zee in the Netherlands on 8 December 2013 Image copyright Adam Adamson Image caption Adam and Marina found a Tjipetir block on a small island, Out Skerries, off Shetland in August There has been speculation in the press as to the source of the washed-up blocks, with the Daily Mail and the Times recently running articles. The French press covered the story in April also. But Williams believes she has worked out the source of the mystery - and it matches what the UK authorities think too. Image copyright Tom Quinn Williams Image caption Tracey Williams with two washed-up Tjipetir blocks The word Tjipetir turned out to be that of a rubber plantation in West Java, Indonesia, which operated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The blocks were not strictly rubber - they are most likely gutta-percha, the gum of a tree found in the Malay Peninsula and Malaysia. It was used in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries to insulate telegraph cables on the seabed. Before modern plastic began to be widely used, gutta-percha was also made into such items as golf balls, teddy bear noses, picture frames and jewellery, among many others. Williams began charting her progress on a Facebook page, which led to many people coming forward to reveal their own gutta-percha finds, often made when they were cleaning their local beach. These were not only around England and Wales but also in Shetland, the Channel Islands, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Along with these blocks, bales and rolls of rubber are also being washed up. There has been speculation that the gutta-percha could be coming from the wreck of the Titanic. "A French newspaper covered the story and reported that the Titanic had been carrying gutta-percha," Williams said. "I checked the ship's manifest and discovered that it had indeed been carrying gutta-percha and bales of rubber. There was much wild press speculation about this afterwards." Image copyright Jonathan Johansson Image caption Jonathan Johansson and his mother Lisbeth (pictured) found a block in March in Heestrand, Sweden Image copyright Friederike Wegert Image caption Friederike Wegert and her children found a block in March 2013 on Borkum, an island off the German coast Image copyright Jose de Cora Image caption Jose de Cora found a Tjipetir block in San Cibrao, north-west Spain in August 2013 Image copyright Corentin Perrin Image caption Corentin Perrin found this in November at Brem sur Mer in France when he fell on to "curiously hard" water Then, in the summer of 2013, Williams had a breakthrough. She was contacted separately by two people - who did not want to be named - and both pinpointed one wreck as the source. They knew of a salvage company carrying out recovery of cargo from Japanese liner the Miyazaki Maru, which had sunk during World War One. It had been carrying the Tjipetir blocks. It sank 150 miles (241.5km) west of the Isles of Scilly. Image copyright Other Miyazaki Maru Built in 1909 in Kobe, Japan Ocean liner of 8,520 tons Sunk on 31 May, 1917 during a voyage from Yokohama to London by German submarine U-88 Was carrying cargo and passengers - eight people died Now situated 150 miles (241.5km) west of the Scilly Isles Source: Wrecksite "I was told that when salvage work is done, the cargo they are looking for is pulled out in large amounts, and the gutta-percha and rubber bales have been released from the ship's hold as a result," Williams said. "So both my sources told me that shipwreck is where those items are mainly coming from. I've been shown evidence supporting this." Image copyright German Federal Archives Image caption Walther Schwieger also sank the Lusitania But Williams isn't the only person who thinks the gutta-percha is coming from the Miyazaki Maru. The government's Receiver of Wreck, Alison Kentuck, the official who administers wreck and salvage laws within UK territorial waters, also says it is most likely the blocks are indeed cargo from that ship. "When we are made aware of wreckage we conduct research to find the owner," she said. "We look at the age of the items, where they could have come from and examine any markings. "Our findings with these particular items pointed towards that particular wreck. So although we have not confirmed it, the Miyazaki Maru is our favoured possibility as the source of the washed-up blocks." The Miyazaki Maru was sunk by a German submarine, U-88, captained by Walther Schwieger, one of Germany's most successful U-boat aces. Schwieger was also in charge of another German U-boat which, in May 1915, sank the RMS Lusitania, a liner bound for Liverpool, carrying 1,924 passengers and crew from New York. That notorious event led to more than 1,100 deaths, including more than 100 Americans and is thought to have hastened the US's entry into the war. Oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer, who specialises in tracking flotsam, says the Tjipetir blocks may be washing up on beaches for centuries. "Based on the findings so far, they are clearly being fed into the hemispheric ocean circulation. It only takes 25 years for flotsam to go around the world, and they've probably been around long enough to go around the world three times. "They're still in good condition after all these years, which is unusual. They're probably one of the great pieces of flotsam that people may be finding 100 years from now." Ebbesmeyer also said various gyres - or ocean currents - may pull the blocks from Spain across to the Americas "mirroring the same route that Columbus took" before possibly ending up in Florida. The ones found in the North Sea "should go up past Norway, turn east past the top of Siberia, go through the Bering Strait into the North Pacific and go all over from there". Several people have also reported finding Tjipetir blocks back in 2008, before the current salvage operation is thought to have begun on the Miyazaki Maru. One person has come forward to say they found a block more than 30 years ago and used it as a chopping board to gut fish on their fishing boat. "Many ships would have been carrying gutta-percha, so it's possible that the cargo is coming from more than one source," says Williams, who is writing a book about the Tjipetir story. "It is being seen as pollution - and I clean debris from my local beaches all the time - but the gutta-percha is a natural product, so it does degrade. I've seen disintegrated blocks on the beach." "Perhaps other companies are salvaging material from World War One wrecks too. It is possible that some of it is from the Titanic? I don't know." Walther Schwieger picture courtesy of the German Federal Archives (BArch, Bild 134-C1831 / o.Ang. / CC-BY-SA 3.0) Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

– From Britain to Spain to Denmark, rubbery blocks have recently washed up on beaches, all bearing the same word: Tjipetir. It's still not certain where each block comes from, but a woman who found one while walking her dog in England has a pretty good idea, the BBC reports. After Tracey Williams posted on a Facebook page about her investigation into the matter, two individuals who haven't been publicly identified told her about a Japanese ship sunk 150 miles west of Britain's Scilly Isles during World War I. The Miyazaki Maru carried the blocks, and it has recently been subject to salvage work, resulting in their release, the sources explained. The blocks have their origins in Indonesia, where they get their name from a 19th- and 20th-century rubber plantation in West Java. The rubber-like stuff—likely a tree gum called gutta-percha—was once used for such diverse purposes as insulating cables and making golf balls. Williams' theory is supported by a British official in charge of the country's wreck laws—the Receiver of Wreck, as she's known. But "many ships would have been carrying gutta-percha, so it's possible that the cargo is coming from more than one source," Williams notes. One of those sources could be the Titanic, which listed such blocks among its cargo, the Daily Mail reports. Interesting pieces of history, but not so appealing to conservationists: "The thing we find most worrying is that this is biodegradable rubber and here it is, 100 years later, in near-perfect condition," says one. (In other weird beach finds, a two-headed dolphin recently washed ashore.)

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - BP Plc promised improved drilling practices on Friday as the company balances twin aims of rebuilding investor and public confidence after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill while not admitting flaws in its own procedures. BP said it would more closely oversee the work of its contractors, echoing its position that the rig blast, which killed 11 men and led to the spill, was the fault of its contractors, including driller Transocean and Halliburton. The companies have filed lawsuits worth tens of billions of dollars blaming each other for the blast, and any admission by BP that its existing drilling procedures needed improvements could weaken its legal position. BP said it would also establish centers for monitoring its drilling wells in real time -- something some rivals already do and which might have prevented the well blow-out that caused the disaster. The London-based company declined to comment on whether it was addressing shortcomings in its internal procedures that were highlighted in government investigations, such as its reliance on a single barrier to keep oil and gas in the well. BP's rivals including Exxon Mobil, Royal Dutch Shell and BG Group have criticized its design for the Macondo well, saying it contributed to the disaster. GOING BEYOND WHAT'S REQUIRED BP said its plans go beyond regulatory requirements. "BP clearly understands that they have to win back not only the regulators' confidence, but the confidence of the public as well," the head of the U.S. offshore drilling regulator, Michael Bromwich, said at a congressional hearing in Washington. The regulator has already established strong, new safety and environmental standards that all operators are required to meet, said Bromwich, director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement. Appointed after the BP spill to overhaul the drilling regulator, Bromwich said he has been pleased by BP's cooperation with the agency since the disaster. He welcomed BP's plans to strengthen safety. "We'll always look favorably on companies that will impose on themselves higher safety standards than what our current regulations require," Bromwich said. The agency will consider whether to encompass any of the voluntary standards BP has adopted as it moves ahead with plans to develop additional drilling regulations, Bromwich said. A BP source told Reuters in April that the company had filed one drilling application. The agency would not offer specific details on Friday about any pending BP applications to drill exploratory wells. BP said on Friday that it would only use blow-out preventers (BOPs) -- devices designed to prevent uncontrolled releases of oil and gas from wells -- with twin sets of shears which could slice through drill pipes, and that it would have third parties verify the testing of BOPs. The failure of the BOP on the rig that was drilling BP's Macondo well contributed to the oil spill, although the panel convened by President Barack Obama to investigate the disaster said even if it worked properly the fatal blast would still have occurred. BP will also require lab testing of the cement mixtures its outside cementing contractors recommend for lining and sealing oil wells, and provide the results to the offshore safety regulator. BP's Chief Executive Bob Dudley, who took over from Tony Hayward after the leaking Macondo well was capped, had previously outlined some of the measures at public events in the past month. Representative Edward Markey, the top Democrat on the U.S. House Natural Resources committee, said BP's plans show that offshore drillers can comply with tougher safety rules. "It is time for the oil industry and their Republican allies in Congress to drop their opposition to stronger requirements," said Markey, an outspoken critic of the oil industry. "If BP can do this, so can everyone else," he said. (Additional reporting by Malathi Nayak in Washington; Editing by David Hulmes, Jane Merriman and Dale Hudson) ||||| ANCHORAGE/LONDON (Reuters) - BP reported yet another pipeline leak at its Alaskan oilfields, frustrating the oil giant's attempts to rebuild its reputation after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. BP said on Monday that a pipeline at its 30,000 barrel-per-day Lisburne field, which is currently closed for maintenance, ruptured during testing and spilled a mixture of methanol and oily water onto the tundra. The London-based company has a long history of oil spills at its Alaskan pipelines, including lines servicing Lisburne. The accidents have hurt BP's public image in the United States, where around 40 percent of its assets are based. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said the spill occurred on Saturday and amounted to 2,100 to 4,200 gallons, affecting 4,960 square feet of gravel pad and about 2,040 square feet of wet and aquatic tundra. Production from the entire Lisburne field remains shut off while the spill is addressed, Alaska officials said. A BP spokesman said the cleanup was under way and the company would determine the cause "in due course." Immediate efforts are focused on containment and cleanup, said Tom DeRuyter, state on-scene coordinator for the Department of Environmental Conservation. Cleanup must be completed before the pipe section is excavated, he added. "BP has got a goal to have the investigation completed and the line repaired by fall freeze-up," he said. "I do not anticipate the cleanup will take that long." The pipeline will also have to be dug up to allow for an investigation into why it failed, DeRuyter said. MAINTENANCE WORK Lisburne, managed as part of the Greater Prudhoe Bay Unit, has produced no oil since June 18, according to Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission records, suggesting maintenance work requiring a prolonged shutdown. Dawn Patience, BP Alaska spokeswoman, said there is not yet an estimated time for the Lisburne field to be back in production. "The planned maintenance is ongoing," she said, adding the leak happened when BP was testing recently installed valves in the piping. The affected pipeline is an eight-inch diameter line, and the area that leaked runs underground beneath a road, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. BP's blown out Macondo well caused the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, spewing almost 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf and putting BP's future in the U.S. at risk. Previous problems including leaks from corroded pipelines in Alaska and the fatal Texas City refinery blast in 2005 had already earned the company a poor reputation for safety, something analysts say it needs to address if it is to continue to grow in North America. In 2009, a crack in a flow line that serves Lisburne spilled around 46,000 gallons of a mixture of oil and water on to the snowy tundra. BP in May agreed to pay a $25 million civil penalty and spend $60 million on enhanced safety measures, to settle a federal probe of a pipeline oil spill on Alaska's North Slope in 2006. New York-listed shares in BP were down 0.2 percent, or 9 cents, to $44.20 per share in late afternoon trading. (Editing by David Gregorio)

– A burst pipeline in Alaska has prompted BP's latest US spill, with a mixture of methanol, crude oil, and water leaking onto the tundra on Saturday, the company announced. The spill—somewhere between 2,100 and 4,200 gallons—happened during a pressure test and is currently being cleaned up, said a BP rep; the cause of the rupture will be investigated “in due course.” The leaking mixture threatens local vegetation, an Alaska official tells Reuters. “You have actively growing plants and they're very susceptible to the contaminants.” It’s just the latest of many such leaks in Alaska, and comes days after BP pledged safer practices.

Two Navy SEALs and two Marine Raiders will face murder charges in the June 2017 death of an Army Special Forces staff sergeant in Mali. The four personnel face UCMJ charges that include felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, hazing and burglary in the strangulation death of Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar, according to a release from Navy Region Mid-Atlantic public affairs. An Article 32 preliminary hearing for all four accused is scheduled for Dec. 10. None of those charged were named in the release. Redacted charge sheet information reveals previously undisclosed details about the alleged incident. Whereas previous accounts only noted that the two SEALs had assaulted Melgar, charge sheets indicate that the two Marine Raiders, identified only as a staff sergeant and a gunnery sergeant, were allegedly involved in the direct assault as well. All four individuals are being accused of driving to the Marines' quarters to get duct tape, driving to the quarters shared by Melgar and the SEALs, then breaking down Melgar’s locked door, restraining him and binding him with duct tape and strangling him by using a chokehold. Each has been charged with conspiracy for allegedly sharing information with each other about what they told investigators, omitting information such as the use of duct tape and the Marines’ presence in the room, and disposing of alcohol kept in the quarters. Navy completes investigation into death of Green Beret in Mali — here’s what happens next Marine Raiders were also questioned about what happened in the shared housing on the night of Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar's death. × Fear of missing out? Fear no longer. Be the first to hear about breaking news, as it happens. You'll get alerts delivered directly to your inbox each time something noteworthy happens in the Military community. Thanks for signing up. By giving us your email, you are opting in to our Newsletter: Rear Adm. Charles Rock, commander of the Mid-Atlantic Region, preferred the charges Wednesday. Though no defendants were named, numerous media outlets have reported that two members of SEAL Team Six, Petty Officer Anthony DeDolph and Chief Petty Officer Adam Matthews, who shared off-site housing in Bamako, Mali, with Melgar, as well as two Marine Raiders, were questioned as “persons of interest” or witnesses in the death investigation. Navy Capt. Jason Salata shared a statement on behalf of U.S. Special Operations Command. “We honor the memory of Staff Sgt. Melgar, our thoughts remain with his family and teammates. If these allegations of misconduct are substantiated, they represent a violation of the trust and standards required of all service members. We trust our service members to safeguard our nation’s most sensitive interests and to do so with honor," Salata said. He added: “We will not allow allegations or substantiated incidents of misconduct to erode decades of honorable accomplishments by the members of U.S. Special Operations Command. Ours is a culture of professionalism and accountability, which prides itself in being a learning organization that uses critical self-examination in a relentless dedication to improvement.” Just a week ago, it was reported that the more than year-long investigation had been concluded and handed over to Rock, who was appointed directly by Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer. Melgar’s June 4, 2017, death was initially investigated by Army officials but was later handed over to Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Little information, other than acknowledgement of the death investigation, has been made public by military officials since Melgar’s death. Various media outlets have reported new details as the investigation progressed. Melgar, DeDolph, Matthews and two Marine Raiders shared housing in Mali and were in the country on a mission supporting Malian and French counterterrorism units fighting al-Qaida factions in the region. Initially, DeDolph and Matthews told investigators they found Melgar unresponsive in his room. They later changed their story to say the three were conducting hand-to-hand combat training at 4 a.m. The pair said that Melgar was drunk, passed out and couldn’t be revived. But that raised further questions, as friends of Melgar knew he did not drink alcohol. When that information, along with toxicology reports showing no drugs nor alcohol in Melgar’s system, DeDolph and Matthews again changed their stories. They said they had ambushed Melgar in his room after a perceived slight, saying he had deliberately avoided them while driving to a party. During the scuffle, Melgar became unconscious and stopped breathing. DeDolph and Matthews told investigators they attempted CPR and a field-expedient tracheotomy before taking him to a nearby medical facility. He could not be revived. A later autopsy classified his death as “homicide by asphyxiation,” or strangulation. Marine Corps Special Operations Command has previously declined to comment on the investigation. Both DeDolph and Matthews were flown from Mali shortly after the incident and placed on administrative hold at SEAL Team Six headquarters in Dam Neck, Virginia. Melgar had emailed his wife shortly before his death and told her had a “bad feeling” about some of his fellow troops. Other reports indicate that Melgar may have learned of cash skimming by fellow special operators. The Daily Beast last year reported that Melgar had allegedly uncovered that the SEALs were skimming cash from operational funds. The funds are often used to pay informants for terrorist or arms trafficking information. Melgar was nearly finished with his deployment to Mali when he died. Melgar was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group at the time of his death. A native of Lubbock, Texas, Melgar joined the Army in 2012 and served two tours in Afghanistan with 3rd Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. / Updated By Courtney Kube Two elite Navy SEALs and two Marine Raiders were charged with felony murder in the June 2017 strangulation death of U.S. Army Green Beret Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar. The U.S. Navy brought the charges against the four service members on Tuesday, painting a gruesome picture of the effort to kill Melgar, 34. The suspects are accused of driving to Marine quarters to obtain duct tape, breaking into Melgar's room while he was sleeping, restraining him with the duct tape, and strangling him in a chokehold. The four U.S. service members, which include two members of the famed SEAL Team Six, killed Melgar "while perpetrating a burglary," according to their charge sheets. Melgar was killed in Bamako, Mali, where U.S. forces were working with local military to counter the local Al Qaeda affiliate, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The charges were first reported by The Daily Beast. Melgar died in the embassy housing he shared with other service members. In addition to felony murder, the charges against the four men include conspiracy, obstruction of justice, hazing and burglary. Logan J. Melgar U.S. Army A spokesperson for U.S. Special Operations Command said these charges do not reflect the conduct of U.S. Special Operators all over the world. "We will not allow allegations or substantiated incidents of misconduct erode decades of honorable accomplishments by the members of US Special Operations Command," Captain Jason Salata said. "If these allegations of misconduct are substantiated, they represent a violation of the trust and standards required of all service members." "We hold ourselves and each other accountable on a daily basis because we know that lives are on the line." The names of the two Navy SEALS are redacted from the charge sheets, but a September 2017 Army Criminal Investigative Division report about the incident quotes Navy SEAL Tony DeDolph saying he and Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar were wrestling at 4 a.m. when a fellow SEAL Adam Cranston Matthew came in and joined in the horseplay. According to the SEALS, the men fell down together and when they stood up, Melgar wasn't breathing. The SEALs say they attempted CPR and tried to open an airway, but Melgar died of asphyxiation. The identities of the Marine Raiders are still not public, but their tie to the Raiders was first reported by NBC News.

– Four members of the US armed forces are facing a slew of charges in connection with the 2017 death of an Army Green Beret in the African nation of Mali. Among the charges leveled against Petty Officer Anthony E. DeDolph and Chief Petty Officer Adam C. Matthews, both members of SEAL Team Six, and two unnamed Marine Raiders are felony murder, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, burglary, hazing, and involuntary manslaughter, the Daily Beast reports. Officials say the SEALs and Marines broke into the room of Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar at embassy housing in Bamako in June 2017, restrained him with duct tape, and put him in a chokehold, strangling him while “perpetuating a burglary,” NBC reports. The SEALs reportedly tried to resuscitate the 34-year-old Melgar and also tried to open an airway by opening a hole in his throat. According to the Daily Beast, which has reported extensively on the case, there was an “ongoing disagreement," between Melgar, who was part of a six-person intelligence team, and the SEALs "over the SEAL’s professionalism.” Sources say the SEALs would bring prostitutes to the house and were stealing cash meant to recruit local informants. “The place ran like a frat house,” a source told the site. The SEALs and Marines hatched the plot to haze Melgar on June 4, 2017, and attacked him around 5am. They ultimately took Melgar to a medical facility, where he was declared dead. Later, the four engaged in a cover-up, per the Military Times, including sharing information about what they told investigators, withholding information from investigators, and getting rid of alcohol kept in the room.

Related topics Advertisement Residents across southern New Jersey reported that they felt the ground shake on Saturday morning, but the USGS and the National Weather Service both say there was no earthquake. There is some growing speculation from experts in the area that it could have been a sonic boom. Air force personnel at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst also reported no activity that could have caused such shaking. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst spokesman Pascual Flores told the media on Saturday, "There currently is no training of any type that would have resulted in today's incident." New Jersey residents in Atlantic, Cape May, Ocean, Salem and Camden counties are buzzing about what they felt, what they heard and when it happened. USGS reported on their website a sonic boom with a question mark of magnitude 0.0 at 11:03 a.m. local time, as they were not completely sure what had occurred. Location: New Jersey 40.08277130127 ; -74.649917602539 According to wikipedia, a sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created by an object traveling through the air faster than the speed of sound. Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion. The crack of a supersonic bullet passing overhead is an example of a sonic boom in miniature. Numerous reports of light to moderate shaking across southern New Jersey were also on the USGS website. ||||| Time is running out for New Jersey residents and businesses to take advantage of the state’s tax amnesty program, which ends Jan. 15. The temporary program allows people to pay their delinquent taxes and half the interest they owe. The state waives the other half of the interest as well as any financial penalties for late payment. ||||| Jan. 28, 2016: Shaking in N.J. was likely a sonic boom, USGS says The story below is from Oct. 20, 2012. SOUTH JERSEY — Reports of a "sonic boom" and ground shaking were due to military activity near South Jersey, according to officials. Cumberland County emergency officials and the Sea Isle City Police Department confirmed a sonic boom was created due to military aircraft flying over an area of water in South Jersey. The boom sound occurred at 11:03 a.m., around the time residents reported the ground shaking. Officials also confirmed that the sonic boom was a "non-incident" and are not following up at this time. Official did not report the exact location of where the sonic boom was created. South Jersey residents said they felt the ground shake around 11 a.m. this morning, according to Jersey Shore Hurricane News Facebook page. The source goes on to report that the cause is not related to seismic activity, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). A number of South Jersey and central New Jersey residents responded to the post with comments, stating they felt the shaking from areas including North Brunswick, Barnegat, Manahawkin, Somers Point, Toms River and Ventnor. One resident, Chris Ryan, of East Brunswick, said he felt the shaking in Avalon. "It sounded like a huge explosion, or maybe they were testing a super fast military jet," Ryan wrote in an email to the South Jersey Times. "I have never heard a sound like that in my life." Anthony Donise, of Southampton Township in Burlington County, said the shaking "did not feel like a tremor," and suspected it was from military activity due to their location near McGuire Air Force Base. "I've heard and felt similar in the past, but nothing as pronounced and close as this morning," Donise added. Residents have also reported feeling the sonic boom in Estelle Manor and Wildwood Crest. Stay with NJ.com for more details. If you felt or heard the sonic boom, send Jim Cook Jr. an email at [email protected] --- Staff reporters Spencer Kent and Jim Cook Jr. contributed to this report

– The ground shook and windows rattled in South Jersey this morning, and it remained a mystery for a while—especially after local Air Force personnel said they weren't to blame, reports the Examiner. But officials later confirmed that military aircraft had shaken up the state with a sonic boom, the Star-Ledger reports. Those officials are calling it a "non-incident" unworthy of investigation, but residents say they were shaken up. "My basement door shook violently for 15 sec or so long enough to creep me out," one person posted on the New Jersey Shore Hurricane News Facebook Page. "Sounded like someone was trying to get out." Another called it "a huge explosion. ... I have never heard a sound like that in my life."

CLOSE Arizona Senator John McCain called isolationist politics 'half-baked, spurious nationalism,' and said abandoning America's role as a world leader would be 'unpatriotic.' McCain was honored with the National Constitution Center Liberty Medal. (Oct. 17) AP Former Vice President and chair of the National Constitution Center presents Sen. John McCain with the 2017 Liberty Medal Monday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. (Photo: Jerry Habraken, The News Journal) PHILADELPHIA — An emotional Sen. John McCain on Monday leveled a blistering attack on what he called the "half-baked, spurious nationalism" that seems to have inspired President Trump's administration to retreat from the world stage. In a speech to accept the National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal, McCain, R-Ariz., emphasized that the United States is "a land made of ideals, not blood and soil," a rebuke to the Nazi slogan about bloodlines and territory chanted in August by White supremacists demonstrating in Charlottesville, Va. An at-times raspy-sounding McCain drew applause and cheers at the Philadelphia event when he said: “To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain 'the last, best hope of earth' for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history." McCain, the Senate Armed Services Committee chairman who is battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, did not mention the name of Trump, with whom he has publicly feuded on and off for more than two years. Previously: Sen. John McCain: Doctors gave me 'poor prognosis' on cancer fight Previously: John McCain says he is a 'no' on Graham-Cassidy bill, leaving Obamacare repeal in peril But it was clear that he was talking about the Trump White House, which has taken an "America First" stance toward international affairs. Trump was criticized for his response to this summer's Charlottesville violence, which included the death of a woman who was hit by a vehicle deliberately driven into a crowd of counterprotesters. Trump said "both sides" were to blame. McCain emphasized the need for the United States to preserve its ideals at home and "champion" them abroad. "We have done great good in the world. That leadership has had its costs, but we have become incomparably powerful and wealthy as we did," McCain said. "We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we don’t. "We will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn’t deserve to," he added. The National Constitution Center said it awarded its Liberty Medal to McCain, a former prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, "for his lifetime of sacrifice and service." Former Vice President Joe Biden, in his role as chairman of the center, bestowed the medal on McCain. Biden and McCain have long earned criticism for crossing the political aisle to join arms. “I see now that I was part of something important that drew me along in its wake even when I was diverted by other interests. I was, knowingly or not, along for the ride as America made the future better than the past.” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. In the most heated of debates, sometimes even between the two senators themselves, the men found common ground to make America better. The former vice president even believed McCain should have won the Republican nomination for president in 2000, much to the chagrin of his delegation. “From my perspective, it all pointed in that direction from the very beginning,” Biden said. Each year, the Liberty Medal is awarded to men and women "of courage and conviction who have strived to secure the blessings of liberty to people the world over," according to the organization. Previous recipients include Nelson Mandela, Sandra Day O'Connor and Colin Powell. Those gathered Monday night on Independence Mall outside the Constitution Center, considered McCain a worthy addition to that list. “I am the luckiest guy on earth,” McCain said. “I have served America’s cause — the cause of our security and the security of our friends, the cause of freedom and equal justice — all my adult life. I haven’t always served it well. I haven’t even always appreciated what I was serving. “But among the few compensations of old age is the acuity of hindsight,” he said. “I see now that I was part of something important that drew me along in its wake even when I was diverted by other interests. I was, knowingly or not, along for the ride as America made the future better than the past.” The Arizona senator has received considerable attention this year both for his willingness as a Republican to defy the GOP effort to repeal Obamacare and for his cancer diagnosis announced this summer. The 81-year-old announced in July that he was diagnosed with a brain tumor — the same type of cancer that took Biden’s son, Beau. He's been receiving radiation and chemotherapy treatment at the National Institutes of Health since the Senate began its summer recess, and has kept a working schedule. Former Vice President and chair of the National Constitution Center speaks before awarding the 2017 Liberty Medal to Sen. John McCain Monday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. (Photo: Jerry Habraken, The News Journal) Biden said McCain's drive to continue serving the country is an example to all Americans. “To paraphrase Hemingway, when we grow stronger and all our broken parts, John, you were broken many times, physically and otherwise, and you’ve always grown stronger,” Biden said. “But what you don’t really understand in my humble opinion is how much courage you give the rest of us in looking at you. It matters.” McCain became a focal point when he took a stand against efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, efforts that former president Barack Obama and Biden championed. Last month, McCain voted no to the Graham-Cassidy proposal, which would have kept much of the Obamacare tax structure in place, but given back money to states in the form of block grants, allowing them to design their own health care systems. “I cannot in good conscience vote for the Graham-Cassidy proposal. I believe we could do better working together, Republicans and Democrats, and have not yet really tried," McCain said in a statement at the time. "Nor could I support it without knowing how much it will cost, how it will affect insurance premiums, and how many people will be helped or hurt by it." CLOSE Sens. John McCain and Sheldon Whitehouse doubled down on their bipartisan effort encouraging the U.S. Supreme Court to create a new standard for determining the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering. Time These efforts and the belief in standing up for the liberty of all people are what leaders throughout the country voiced again and again about McCain Monday night. Starbucks Executive Chairman Howard Schultz stressed that it is easy to recall stories of great men, but noted that it is “much harder to follow in the footsteps of great men.” “You, Senator McCain, are a founding father of our time,” he said. McCain joined the Navy in 1958 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. He rose to be a captain during his 22 years of service, working as a pilot in the Caribbean during the Cuban Missile Crisis and later conducting targeted air strikes in North Vietnam. On October 26, 1967, his plane was shot down over Hanoi during a bombing mission. McCain was captured and spent years in a prisoner of war camp, where he was tortured by his captors. Despite the opportunity for early release, McCain refused until all of his fellow soldiers were freed, prompting a four-day beating that McCain struggled to survive. The senator has received 17 military awards and decorations, including the Silver Star, the Navy Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star, for his heroism. McCain's political career began in 1982, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served for two terms before his election to the U.S. Senate in 1986. He has been in the Senate since, winning his re-election five times, as well as making two runs for president in 2000 and 2008. It's was during this time his lifelong friendship with Biden grew deeper. “He says he carried my bags, but he never carried my bags,” Biden said to laughs in the crowd. “He was supposed to carry my bags, but he never carried my bags.” McCain handed it right back during his remarks, noting that he did in fact carry Biden's luggage — part of the duties taken on by the Navy’s liaison officer to the Senate. "I’ve resented it ever since," he said with a smile, before adding: "Joe has heard me joke about that before. I hope he has heard, too, my profession of gratitude for his friendship and love these many years. It has meant a lot to me." Contributing: Scott Goss, The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal. Follow Dan Nowicki and Brittany Horn on Twitter: @dannowicki and @brittanyhorn Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2ysbp2D ||||| Sen. John McCain (left) received the Liberty Medal from former Vice President Joe Biden in Philadelphia on Monday. | Matt Rourke/AP Photo McCain, in speech, denounces 'spurious nationalism' Sen. John McCain delivered a condemnation of “spurious nationalism” on Monday night in Philadelphia, using his acceptance speech for the National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal to issue a call to American ideals. The Arizona Republican, his voice wavering at points after a program celebrating his life and service in the military and Congress — former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz at one point called him “a founding father of our time” — joked about the path his own life has taken in a country that allowed a man who finished at the bottom of his class to become his party’s presidential nominee. Story Continued Below “I see now that I was part of something important that drew me along in its wake, even when I was diverted,” he said at one point. But despite the lighter moments and spirit of thanks, his speech was one of warning, and seemed very much directed at the leadership approach of President Donald Trump and his supporters. “To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain ‘the last best hope of earth’ for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems,” McCain said, “is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history.” America is about what America stands for, McCain said. “We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil,” he said. “We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we don’t. We will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn’t deserve to.” Playbook Power Briefing Sign up for our must-read newsletter on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. Email Sign Up By signing up you agree to receive email newsletters or alerts from POLITICO. You can unsubscribe at any time. McCain was introduced by former Vice President Joe Biden, who reflected on first seeing the future senator released from the Hanoi Hilton, and later coming to know him as the Navy’s liaison to the Senate, and then as a friend and colleague. He called McCain an inspiration to him, and to his beloved son Beau, who also followed military service with a career in politics, and also fought brain cancer, before dying in 2015. “What you don’t really understand is how much courage you give the rest of us. It really matters,” Biden said. “Everybody talks about these virtues, but this is what the guy did,” Biden added. “Duty. Duty. Duty. It’s the marrow running through the solid steel spine of this guy.” In his introduction, Schultz echoed the themes of the evening. “There are some who question what this nation has become, our commitment to our founding values,” he said. “Perhaps they do not know where to look.” The answer, Schultz said, is McCain. ||||| In Speech, Sen. McCain Decries 'Half-Baked, Spurious Nationalism' Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Rourke/AP Matt Rourke/AP In what appeared to be a thinly veiled reference to politics in the Age of Trump, Sen. John McCain on Monday warned Americans against "half-baked, spurious nationalism," calling the abandonment of U.S. global leadership "unpatriotic." Speaking in Philadelphia, where he was being honored with the Liberty Medal by the National Constitution Center, McCain did not mention the president by name, but his words appeared to be aimed at Trump and his administration. "To abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems," he said, "is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history." In an apparent reference to white supremacists who sparked violence in Charlottesville, Va., in August, McCain said: "We live in a land of ideals, not blood and soil." The Nazi slogan "blood and soil" was shouted by tiki-torch-wielding demonstrators in Charlottesville. "We are the custodians of those ideals at home and their champion abroad," he said. "We have done great good in the world. That leadership has had its costs, but we have become incomparably powerful and wealthy as we did." "We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we don't," McCain continued. "We will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn't deserve to." The chairman of the center's Board of Trustees, former Vice President Joe Biden, presented the medal to McCain. Biden, the Delaware Democrat who once served alongside McCain in the Senate, said: "We often argued — sometimes passionately. But we believed in each other's patriotism and the sincerity of each other's convictions. We believed in the institution we were privileged to serve in." Biden alluded to McCain's torture during more than five years spent as a prisoner of war after his U.S. Navy A-4 was shot down over North Vietnam in 1967. "John, you have broken many times, physically and otherwise, and you have always grown stronger, but what you don't really understand in my humble opinion is how much courage you give the rest of us looking at you," Biden said. McCain was diagnosed with brain cancer in July.

– John McCain didn't mention President Trump by name, but a speech he gave on Monday sounded very much like a rebuke to what NPR calls the "Age of Trump." In particular, McCain warned against "half-baked, spurious nationalism" during his speech in Philadelphia, where he received the Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center. The big line getting attention: "To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain 'the last best hope of earth' for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history." McCain also declared that "we live in a land of ideals, not blood and soil," the latter part referring to the Nazi slogan chanted by white supremacists during a march in Charlottesville, Va., notes USA Today. McCain was given the medal by former VP Joe Biden, who recounted the 81-year-old McCain's life, from being held as a POW in Vietnam for five years to his current fight with brain cancer. McCain, he said, inspired courage, reports Politico. "Everybody talks about these virtues, but this is what the guy did,” Biden added. "Duty. Duty. Duty. It’s the marrow running through the solid steel spine of this guy."

Iran MPs 'urge Ahmadinejad to end boycott' TEHRAN — Iranian lawmakers have called on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to end an eight-day boycott and accept the supreme leader's decision to reinstate the intelligence minister, Shargh newspaper reported on Saturday. More than 216 conservatives out of the parliament's 290 MPs wrote a letter to Ahmadinejad after an "extraordinary" meeting on Thursday, urging him to accept the reinstatement of Heydar Moslehi, the report said quoting Tehran MP Reza Akrami. "You are expected to adhere to the supreme leader (Ayatollah Ali Khamenei) and put an end to that which our enemies are taking advantage of," the lawmakers wrote. The all-powerful Khamenei reinstated Moslehi despite Ahmadinejad having reportedly forced his resignation, only minutes after it was made public on April 17. The interference sparked a row within the regime's leadership, leading to Ahmadinejad's withdrawal from public view as well as cabinet meetings since April 22, and the cancellation of a visit to Qom, the Shiite clerical city. The absence is unusual for the hardline president, who is ubiquitous in the media and is also known for his near daily public appearances and speeches. The crisis seems to have been aggravated by accusations from ultra-conservatives that Ahmadinejad's close aide and chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, was the one who forced Moslehi's ouster. Ahmadinejad's opponents have rallied against Mashaie, whom the president has staunchly defended, accusing him of leading a "current of deviation" aimed at destroying the Islamic regime. But Khamenei on Saturday urged state officials to refrain from actions which would give excuse to "the enemy and create a tumult" for the country, in remarks broadcast by state television. "(When) a tiny lack of coordination appears, the country is harmed," he said. "If the lack of coordination is wide and the enemies are made aware of them, (the enemies) create an uproar. They revel. They rejoice when an atmosphere of challenge and confrontation comes to light" in the country. Khamenei's remarks came a day after his deputy representative in the elite Revolutionary Guards, Mojtaba Zolnour, accused Mashaie of driving the crisis, and advised the president to distance himself from his close ally. "Today Mashaie is the actual president. Mr Ahmadinejad has held on to a decaying rope (by relying on) Mr Mashaie... I hope that God will rid the president from the evil of this person," he was quoted as saying by various papers on Saturday. As official media continue their blackout on the crisis, Ahmadinejad's chief media adviser, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, wrote on his website Friday that the president was very "concerned" that if he bowed to pressure, his "achievements" would be lost. But he also stated Ahmadinejad would "eventually" return to work and put the issue behind him. His remarks were echoed later on Saturday by Tehran lawmaker Fatemeh Aliya after her two-hour meeting with Ahmadinejad, saying the president would "continue his work". "The president has explanations (for his boycott) which he will soon offer" to the people, she was quoted as telling Borna news agency, an offshoot of the state news agency IRNA. Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More » ||||| Iran's spy chief took his seat at a planned Cabinet meeting in Tehran and waited with the other ministers for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The embittered president never showed up. FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2011 file photo, Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi speaks at a press conference in Tehran, Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has refused to accept Moslehi as Iran's... (Associated Press) FILE - In this March 8, 2011 file photo, Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi, stands in an undisclosed location in Tehran, Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has refused to accept Moslehi as... (Associated Press) FILE - In this March 8, 2011 file photo, Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi walks in an undisclosed location in Tehran, Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has refused to accept Moslehi as Iran's... (Associated Press) FILE - In this March 8, 2011 file photo, Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi stands in an undisclosed location in Tehran, Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has refused to accept Moslehi as... (Associated Press) It was all another bit of political theater last week amid Iran's current _ and deeply complex _ power plays between the increasing confident Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi and the suddenly defensive Ahmadinejad, who refuses to accept Moslehi and has boycotted Cabinet sessions despite an order from the country's highest authority. Political dustups are nothing new to Iran, where parliament bickers regularly and Ahmadinejad and the ruling clerics have traded tense moments. But few can match this one for its raw nerve and serious stakes, which reach into the highest levels of how Iran is ruled. In the balance is a host of big-ticket questions: Ahmadinejad's political stature in his final two years in office, his ability to push back against growing challenges from parliament and other critics, and whether Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is seeking to exert more control as key ally Syria faces an uprising. Ahmadinejad could hardly have picked a more potent adversary than Moslehi, who was restored to the powerful intel post by Khamenei just hours after resigning April 17 apparently under pressure from Ahmadinejad. The embarrassing slap has invited speculation that Khamenei's once-blanket support for Ahmadinejad _ particularly in the critical months of chaos after his disputed re-election in 2009 _ could be now fraying by his repeated attempts to push the limits of his powers. It also shows the importance the ruling clerics place in the intelligence minister, who is deeply involved in both Iran's international policies and its domestic spy networks that are pillars of the regime's control. A serious fall from Khamenei's favor would undoubtedly leave Ahmadinejad's clout diminished as a lameduck leader and test the loyalty of his main supporters, including the Revolutionary Guard that will have a central role in picking the candidates for his successor in 2013. Ahmadinejad's opponents, meanwhile, have seized the moment. A group of lawmakers has revived a petition drive for Ahmadinejad to be called before the chamber for questioning, giving his critics room to raise the extremely unlikely _ but still headline snagging _ scenario of impeachment. A group of 216 lawmakers, more than two-third the 290 members, issued a letter to Ahmadinejad urging him to call off his Cabinet boycott for the good of the country, the Shargh newspaper in Iran reported Saturday. "You are expected to follow the supreme leader," the lawmakers wrote. On Friday, a hard-line cleric used his nationally broadcast sermon to indirectly warn Ahmadinejad that he would be moving into dangerous territory by escalating his challenges to Khamenei. "Obedience to the supreme leader is a religious obligation as well as a legal obligation, without any doubt," said Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami. He did not mention Ahmadinejad by name, but it was clear he was referring to the president. Last week, Khamenei even made a rare public rebuke to Ahmadinejad, saying he will not hesitate to intervene in government affairs whenever necessary. "Yet Ahmadinejad remains defiant," said Mustafa Alani, a regional analyst at the Gulf Research Center in Dubai. "From Iran's point of view, this is not the time for this kind of internal stalemate." Iran's top Arab ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, is struggling to quell a growing revolt that threatens his regime. In the Gulf, Iran's standing has taken sharp blows after Sunni leaders accused Tehran of backing Shiite uprisings in Bahrain and elsewhere. Bahrain's main business group called Saturday for a boycott of Iranian goods. At the same time, Ahmadinejad is backed into a dispute he cannot be expected to win. He accepted Moslehi's resignation after apparent disputes over decisions by Moslehi _ the only Islamic cleric in the Cabinet _ to dismiss close Ahmadinejad allies in the ministry. But Moslehi appears to have a direct pipeline to Khamenei, who has the final word on all matters of state. "Ahmadinejad may have overreached this time," said Sami Alfaraj, director of the Kuwait Center for Strategic Studies. "It seems that he didn't expect this kind of response from Khamenei." The signs were there, however. Khamenei has repeatedly praised the 54-year-old Moslehi, who previously served as Khamenei's representative to the Revolutionary Guard's vast civilian network, known as Basiji, that serves as the ruling system's proxy in nearly every neighborhood around the country. When Moslehi was appointed to the intelligence post in 2009 _ as part of political shake-ups after the postelection protests _ he told parliament that the ministry's work would "bring a smile" to the supreme leader. In March, Moslehi relayed a message from Khamenei to the ministry staff that they should not pay attention to "political trends or individuals" but instead work under the direction of the supreme leader. This was widely interpreted as an endorsement of proposals to make the intelligence services a special organization directly under the supreme leader _ the same status as the Revolutionary Guard. For years, Ahmadinejad has counted on the Guard as the bedrock of his support. But even that could be showing some stress fractures. The day after Khamenei's intervention to save Moslehi, the Guard-run newspaper Javan slammed Ahmadinejad and his close aides. It suggested that "unsavory elements" aligned with Ahmadinejad sought to use the intelligence ministry for political gain _ an apparent reference to efforts at undermining political rivals for next year's parliamentary elections and the 2013 presidential race. Then the Bakeri Online website linked to Ahmadinejad fired back, claiming that Moslehi wanted to sell out the ministry to the Revolutionary Guard. "It's getting very complicated for Ahmadinejad now," said Alfaraj. "He sought to make Moslehi a scapegoat. He feels he has to stick to it. He's pushed himself into a very tight corner."

– Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is waging a personal strike of sorts. He hasn't been in his office, on TV, or at a Cabinet meeting for more than a week, reports AFP. The reason is a tense feud with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—one that doesn't bode well for Ahmadinejad's political future, explains AP. The trouble began when Ahmadinejad pressured Iran's spy chief, Heidar Moslehi, into resigning on April 17. Hours later, Khamenei pulled rank and reinstated him. More than 200 members of Iran's 300-seat parliament have signed a letter calling on Ahmadinejad to accept Moslehi's reinstatement and return to work. "You are expected to follow the supreme leader," they wrote. If he continues to refuse, it opens the possibility of impeachment, though AP thinks that's an unlikely outcome. Still, Ahmadinejad has two years left in his term as president, and they could be a long two years if he's lost the support of Khamenei.

Related By Breaking News Staff An Ohio political action committee is raising money to help George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of second-degree murder in the murder trial of teenager Trayvon Martin, buy a new gun. “We’re buying ZIMMERMAN a NEW GUN - We need your help,” reads the title of the article on the Buckeye Firearms Association’s website that has garnered the attention of media outlets in the past few days. Zimmerman’s gun was held by the Justice Department as trial evidence. The Buckeye Firearms Association is now raising funds to help Zimmerman obtain a new gun and “fight attacks on the Second Amendment,” according to the group’s website. “We have created the Zimmerman Second Amendment Fund. We encourage you to donate whatever you can afford, $100 … $50 … $25 … even just $10. We will provide Mr. Zimmerman, who has no current source of income, with the funds he needs to replace his firearm, holster, and other gear.,” reads a release by the organization. The Buckeye Firearms Association is “a grassroots political action committee dedicated to defending and advancing the right of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities,” according to their website. More than 4500 visitors have read the release by the group since it was posted on their website on Thursday. It is unknown how much money the organization has collected for the Zimmerman Second Amendment Fund so far. ||||| George Zimmerman, who has been in hiding since he was acquitted of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin, emerged to help rescue a family who was trapped in an overturned vehicle, police said today. Zimmerman was one of two men who came to the aid of Dana and Mark Gerstle and their two children, who were trapped inside a blue Ford Explorer SUV that had rolled over after traveling off the highway in Sanford, Fla. at approximately 5:45 p.m. Thursday, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. The crash occurred at the intersection of I-4 and route Route 46, police said. The crash site is less than a mile from where Zimmerman shot Martin. By the time police arrived, two people - including Zimmerman - had already helped the family get out of the overturned car, the sheriff's office said. No one was reported to be injured. Zimmerman was not a witness to the crash and left after speaking with the deputy, police said. It's the first known sighting of Zimmerman since he left the courtroom following his controversial acquittal last week on murder charges for the death of Martin. Zimmerman, 29, shot and killed Martin, 17, in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012. The jury determined that Zimmerman shot Martin in self-defense. READ MORE: 'Justice for Trayvon' Rallies Bring Martin's Family to the Fight The acquittal prompted dozens of protests across the country this past weekend and his lawyers have said that Zimmerman has been the subject of death threats. His lawyers said Zimmerman has been wearing a bullet-proof vest when he ventures out in public. Zimmerman's parents told ABC News' Barbara Walters they too have received death threats and have been unable to return to their home. Zimmerman's Parents in Hiding from 'Enormous Amount of Death Threats': ABC News Exclusive "We have had an enormous amount of death threats. George's legal counsel has had death threats, the police chief of Sanford, many people have had death threats," Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman said."'Everyone with Georgie's DNA should be killed' -- just every kind of horrible thing you can imagine." An indication of the animosity toward Zimmerman is the number of threatening phone calls being received by a woman in Winter Park, Fla. Lori Tankel told ABCNews.com that someone had incorrectly posted her cell phone number online thinking it was Zimmerman's. She said she started receiving threatening calls within an hour after the jury had reached a verdict on July 13. "They were saying things like, 'Zimmerman? Is this George? We're going to get you, we're going to kill you,'" she said. Her cell phone number is only one digit off from Zimmerman's, she said. Tankel said she received at least 80 phone calls within one day of the jury's not guilty verdict. While the threats died down during the week, she said they ramped right back up again on Friday and continued through the weekend. "Those phone calls were extremely malicious," she said. "I think at that point, they kind of knew it wasn't George Zimmerman's number, but they were still going to harass me." Tankel said she initially reported the threatening calls to the the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, but was told to follow up with law enforcement in Orange County, Fla., where she lives, to file a report, she said. But Tankel she said she won't be changing her number anytime soon. "I'm a sales representative for several different horse-related companies, and I have five states in my territory," she said. "To change business cards and contact everybody, it's not that simple." ||||| George Zimmerman, who has not been seen publicly since his acquittal in the murder of Trayvon Martin earlier this month, surfaced last week to rescue an unidentified family trapped in an overturned vehicle on a Florida highway, police said Monday. Sanford Police Department Capt. Jim McAuliffe told Fox News that Zimmerman, 29, was identified by a crash victim as the man who pulled him from the mangled vehicle. “George Zimmerman pulled me out,” firefighters were told by the unidentified driver, according to McAuliffe. The Seminole County Sheriff's Office said the single-car accident occurred July 17 at approximately 5:45 pm. and involved a blue Ford Explorer SUV that had left the road and rolled over. The sheriff's office said there were four occupants inside -- two parents and two children. There were no reports of injuries. The deputy responding to the crash said that when he arrived, two men -- one of whom was Zimmerman -- had already gotten the family out of the overturned vehicle. Zimmerman was not a witness to the crash and left after making contact with the deputy, the sheriff's office said. The crash occurred at the intersection of I-4 and Route 417 in Sanford, police said. In another development, Sanford police confirmed that Monday they had delivered boxes of evidence from their Zimmerman investigation, including his firearm, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice. Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder on July 13 in the killing of Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012. Zimmerman's parents, meanwhile, have told ABC News that they have received death threats and have been unable to return to their home following the verdict "We have had an enormous amount of death threats,” Robert Zimmerman said. “George's legal counsel has had death threats, the police chief of Sanford, many people have had death threats … ‘Everyone with Georgie's DNA should be killed' -- just every kind of horrible thing you can imagine." Jessica Dibartolomeo Landa and Serafin Gomez contributed to this story

– George Zimmerman has surfaced for the first time since his acquittal—in the most unexpected of ways. Sanford's police department captain today tells ABC News that what the network is calling "the first known sighting" of Zimmerman was a heroic one: He "pulled an individual from a truck that had rolled over" in Florida, at the I-4/Route 417 intersection. The crash occurred last Wednesday and involved a family of four. The parents and two children had apparently been helped out of the Ford Explorer SUV before police arrived, and Fox News reports that the unidentified driver told firefighters who came to the scene that Zimmerman pulled him out of the car. No word on whether Zimmerman was wearing his bullet-proof vest at the time (his lawyers say he is donning one in public), but he certainly wasn't carrying the gun he used to shoot Trayvon Martin, as the Sandford PD is holding onto it at the DOJ's request. But an Ohio PAC would like to see him armed again: WHIO reports that the Buckeye Firearms Association is seeking (tax-deductible) donations in order to "provide Mr. Zimmerman, who has no current source of income, with the funds he needs to replace his firearm, holster, and other gear." No word on how much it has raised since posting the announcement on Saturday.

Queen Elizabeth II visited a children’s hospital today in Manchester and met with young survivors of the deadly blast that killed 22 people after an Ariana Grande concert. The queen, wearing an orange hat and carrying a black clutch, arrived at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital this morning after the U.K. held a national moment of silence for the victims of the blast. The 91-year-old monarch met with some of the hospital’s nurses and doctors and visited the hospital rooms of survivors, including a 15-year-old girl who was wearing an Ariana Grande T-shirt and surrounded by balloons and stuffed animals. Queen Elizabeth asked the girl, identified as 15-year-old Millie Robson, if she had enjoyed the show. Millie told the queen she met Grande backstage before the concert. The Queen speaks to Millie Robson, aged 15, from County Durham, and her mum, Marie at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. pic.twitter.com/9yJem1gt88 — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 25, 2017 Her Majesty is meeting nursing staff, paediatric doctors & surgeons who are treating victims & supporting their families in Manchester. pic.twitter.com/KAYcbhnQJ6 — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 25, 2017 The Monday night blast at Manchester Arena killed at least 22 people and left dozens injured. The blast, which occurred in the venue's foyer, came at the conclusion of Grande’s concert, just after pink balloons had fallen from the arena's ceiling. Grande's audience at Manchester Arena was mostly young people, many of them teens and pre-teens wearing the singer's signature bunny ears. The queen called it "very wicked" to "target that sort of thing." Queen Elizabeth also met with a 14-year-old girl and her parents and a 12-year-old girl and her mom. The queen told one of the families it was "very interesting how everybody has united" in the wake of the attack. Her Majesty meets Evie Mills, aged 14, from Harrogate, her mum, Karen and dad, Craig at the hospital in Manchester. pic.twitter.com/DK14fFRGQS — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 25, 2017 Whilst at the hospital in Manchester, The Queen spoke to 12-year-old Amy Barlow, from Rawtenstall, and her mum, Kathy. pic.twitter.com/nzYPo5cgu3 — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 25, 2017 She also met with a mother who was injured while waiting for her 12-year-old daughter at the concert. The woman, identified as Ruth Murrell, told the queen her daughter attended the concert with a friend. The friend’s mother died in the blast. Peter Byrne/AP Photo Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital has 371 beds and is the "largest single-site children's hospital in the U.K.," according to its website. The Queen visiting @RMCHosp today will have meant a lot to the patients and staff. Thank you for the kind words and support. pic.twitter.com/6B2dO6OvOx — RMCH Charity (@RMCHcharity) May 25, 2017 The queen issued a statement quickly after the attack, saying, “The whole nation has been shocked.” “I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured,” the statement read. ||||| Queen Elizabeth made a surprise visit to a children’s hospital that is treating many of the young victims of the horrific tragedy that followed the Ariana Grande concert on Monday, telling one patient that the suicide bombing was “dreadful” and “very wicked.” The monarch arrived at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital at around 11:20 a.m. Thursday, shortly after Britain had fallen silent for a minute in tribute to the dead and injured as well as their families and loved ones. Queen Elizabeth told 14-year-old Evie Mills, who received the concert tickets a birthday present, and her parents, “It’s dreadful. Very wicked. To target that sort of thing,” The Telegraph reports. The Queen reassured them that “everyone is united” following the attack. She then told the teen that she thought Ariana Grande was a “very good singer,” adding: “She sounds very, very good.” The Queen also met with Millie Robson, 15, who wore an Ariana Grande T-shirt as her surprise guest asked if she enjoyed the concert prior to the attack. The teen then shared that she had won VIP passes and met the pop star backstage. The royal visitor wished Millie a quick recovery. REX/Shutterstock “It’s not something you expect at all,” the Queen told Mille’s father, who was waiting at the exit of the arena when the bomb exploded. Emily Murrell, 12, missed the Queen’s visit due to a surgery. Her mother Ruth, who was also recovering in the hospital after being hit with shrapnel when the bomb went off, said her daughter would be disappointed. Queen Elizabeth also met 12-year-old Amy Barlow and her mother, Kathy. Twenty-two people died, many of them teens and children, and around 75 were injured in the attack at Manchester Arena on Monday. REX/Shutterstock REX/Shutterstock In a brief tour, the Queen met doctors, nurses and others who have helped save lives in the days since Monday’s attack. The Queen also met the head of the National Health Service trust and the chief nurse and the chief executive. “The awful thing was that everyone was so young. The age of them,” she told one member of the staff. The hospital is one of the most important in the U.K. and treats 200,000 people a year. REX/Shutterstock REX/Shutterstock WATCH: Homeless Manchester Man Helped Those in Need Following The Suicide Bombing at Ariana Grande Concert In a statement signed Elizabeth R. and issued by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, the monarch said: “The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury in Manchester last night of so many people, adults and children, who had just been enjoying a concert. “I know I speak for everyone in expressing my deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event and especially to the families and friends of those who have died or were injured.” And she praised those who rushed to help. “I want to thank all the members of the emergency services, who have responded with such professionalism and care,” her statement added. “And I would like to express my admiration for the way the people of Manchester have responded, with humanity and compassion, to this act of barbarity.” The deadly explosion occurred around 10:33 p.m. local time near the ticket office outside Manchester Arena, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said. Investigators suspect the attack was carried out by Salman Abedi, 22, who detonated an improvised explosive device and died at the scene, Hopkins said. According to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant communication, ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack. ||||| In a few simple words during a visit to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital to meet the young victims of the terrorist bombing, the Queen encapsulated the horror of an attack that has left the nation reeling. “It’s dreadful, very wicked, to target that sort of thing,” the Queen said to 14-year-old schoolgirl Evie Mills, who she met lying on her hospital bed with a teddy by her side, and a blanket shrouding her injured chest and legs. The Queen later added as she toured the children's ward viewing at first hand the carnage of Monday night's attack: “the awful thing was that everyone was so young.” During her 65 years of reign, the Queen has occasionally made visits to hospital to help lead the nation in moments of national grieving. She did so after the 7/7 terror attacks in London and also to meet servicemen and women injured fighting for their country. But never have so many children been among the victims. There are 14 inpatients remaining at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital following the attack, including five in critical care. Among those continuing to recover from their injuries in the hospital was Millie Robson, 15, from Co Durham, who was still wearing her Ariana Grande concert t-shirt that she had specially chosen for the concert at the Manchester Arena.

– Queen Elizabeth brought smiles to the faces of victims of the terror attack in Manchester when she made a surprise visit to a hospital Thursday. "It's dreadful, very wicked, to target that sort of thing," she told one 14-year-old victim lying in a bed at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. When the teen explained that she'd received tickets to see Ariana Grande for her birthday, the 91-year-old queen revealed that she, too, is a fan of the pop star, reports People. She is a "very good singer. She sounds very, very good," she said. A mother injured in the blast as her daughter attended the concert told the queen that the mother of one of her daughter's friends had been among the 22 killed, per ABC News. "It just means such a lot that you've come today," she told the queen, per the Telegraph. In a statement, the queen—who also met with hospital staff—expressed her "deepest sympathy to all who have been affected by this dreadful event." She added, "the whole nation has been shocked."

By Jane Musgrave Palm Beach Post Staff Writer — Strapped for cash, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell didn't think twice about auctioning off a camera he brought back from the moon 40 years ago. But Uncle Sam thought about it - plenty. Armed with information from a New York auction house, the federal government Thursday sued the 80-year-old suburban Lake Worth man, claiming he was trying to sell property that wasn't his. "Defendant Edgar Mitchell is a former NASA employee who is exercising improper dominion and control over a NASA Data Acquisition Camera," government attorneys wrote in the lawsuit filed in federal court. They are asking U.S. District Judge Daniel T.K. Hurley to order Mitchell to return the camera immediately. Mitchell, who gained fame in 1971 when he became the sixth man to walk on the moon and has remained in the limelight by lecturing about his beliefs in alien landings and paranormal activity, scoffed at the government's claims. "It's utter nonsense," he said. During the moon mission era, he said he and other astronauts got permission to take mementoes from the space crafts. "We have dozens of pieces. All of us who flew to the moon," he said. Had they not brought them back, they would have been destroyed, he said. After astronauts climbed back into the command module for the roughly 250,000-mile trip home, engineers in Houston blew up the lunar module, he said. "It was government throwaways, government junk," he said of the various items he salvaged. His most prized possession is a hand controller from the Apollo 14 spacecraft. "They were going to throw it away on the lunar surface, so why not?" he asked. Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, who was also a commander of Skylab 3 in 1973, said the rules changed, perhaps after Mitchell retired in 1972. At some point, he estimated about 35 years ago, he and others were ordered to return anything they got in connection with their NASA duties. He recalled that he was forced to return a dagger and his wife to hand over a bracelet they received as gifts in Morocco when he and other astronauts took part in a worldwide goodwill tour. "I gave all of my stuff back," he said. "I didn't have anything as good as a camera." The two cameras he and astronaut Pete Conrad took to the moon in 1969 stayed there, he said. "They're probably still up there," he said from Houston where he works as a painter, billing himself as "the only artist to walk on the moon." Mitchell, he said, shouldn't be faulted. Others, he said, probably didn't return their space goodies. "Be kind to Ed," he said. "These things, back in those days, it wasn't important. We were trying to get to the moon and get back alive. The other stuff, it wasn't important." It seems unlikely the federal government is going to heed that advice. Already, it persuaded Bonhams auction house to pull the camera from a planned May 5 sale, where the sellers estimated it would fetch as much as $80,000. "There are no current plans to offer the camera at a Bonhams auction," said a New York City spokeswoman for the British-based auction house. Mitchell acknowledged that the government asked him to return the camera in the past. But, he said, he thought the issue had been resolved. Many collectors love space memorabilia. Now, he said, some worry the government will seize items that have cost them plenty. "It's just a tempest in a teapot," he said. ||||| NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government has sued a former NASA astronaut to recover a camera used to explore the moon's surface during the 1971 Apollo 14 mission after seeing it slated for sale at a New York auction. The lawsuit, filed in Miami federal court, accuses Edgar Mitchell of illegally possessing the camera and attempting to sell it for profit. In March NASA learned that the British auction house Bonhams was planning to sell the camera at a Space History Sale, according to the suit filed on Wednesday. The item was labelled "Movie Camera from the Lunar Surface" and billed as one of two cameras from the Apollo 14's lunar module Antares. The lot description said the item came "directly from the collection" of pilot Edgar Mitchell and had a pre-sale estimate of $60,000 (37,400 pounds) to $80,000, the suit said. Mitchell was a lunar module pilot on Apollo 14, which launched its nine-day mission in 1971 under the command of Alan Shepard. The sixth person to walk on the moon, Mitchell is now retired and runs a website selling his autographed picture. He has made headlines for his stated belief in the existence of extraterrestrial life. "All equipment and property used during NASA operations remains the property of NASA unless explicitly released or transferred to another party," the government suit said, adding NASA had no record of the camera being given to Mitchell. The suit said the government had made repeated requests to Mitchell and his lawyer to return the camera but received no response. Mitchell's lawyer, Donald Jacobson, said NASA management was aware of and approved Mitchell's ownership of the camera 40 years ago. Continued...

– NASA is suing the sixth man on the moon for a camera that he says would have ended up as "government trash" or moon litter if he hadn't kept it. Government lawyers got involved after Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell attempted to sell the lunar movie camera at auction, where it was expected to fetch up to $80,000, Reuters reports. The 80-year-old astro rejects NASA's claim that he is "exercising improper dominion and control" over its camera and should return it immediately. Mitchell—who admits that NASA has asked for the camera before—says moon mission astronauts were allowed to keep plenty of mementos. "We have dozens of pieces, all of us who flew to the moon," he tells the Palm Beach Post. Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon, says he left behind the camera he took there in 1969. "Be kind to Ed," he says. "These things, back in those days, it wasn't important. We were trying to get to the moon and get back alive. The other stuff, it wasn't important."

If your Facebook News Feed is full of paragraph-long statuses about privacy, you're not alone. Two privacy hoaxes that have been circulating on Facebook for years resurfaced this week. Here are the two rumors that are making the rounds: One claims to be a legally-binding message to protect Facebook photos and profile information from copyright infringement, a false status that has been spreading since 2012: As of September 28th , 2015 at 10:50p.m. Eastern standard time, I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future. By this statement, I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, or take any other action against me based on this profile and/or its contents. The content of this profile is private and confidential information. The violation of privacy can be punished by law (UCC 1-308- 1 1 308-103 and the Rome Statute). NOTE: Facebook is now a public entity. All members must post a note like this. If you prefer, you can copy and paste this version. If you do not publish a statement at least once it will be tactically allowing the use of your photos, as well as the information contained in the profile status updates. Another purports to allow users to purchase a £5.99 monthly subscription to ensure posts stay private, a fake offer that has been around since at least 2011. Now it's official! It has been published in the media. Facebook has just released the entry price: £5.99 ($9.10) to keep the subscription of your status to be set to "private." If you paste this message on your page, it will be offered free (I said paste not share) if not tomorrow, all your posts can become public. Even the messages that have been deleted or the photos not allowed. After all, it does not cost anything for a simple copy and paste. Facebook addressed the rumors years ago in a fact-checking blog post regarding the change related to ownership of users' information or content they post to the site. "This is false. Anyone who uses Facebook owns and controls the content and information they post, as stated in our terms," Facebook stated in the post. "They control how that content and information is shared. That is our policy, and it always has been." Additionally, Facebook referred users to its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities: "You own all of the content and information you post on Facebook, and you can control how it is shared through your privacy and application settings." To explain further, the social media network continues: "For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License)." However, the IP license ends when you delete your IP content or your account, Facebook stated. If a user chooses to delete IP content, it's deleted in a manner "similar to emptying the recycle bin on a computer." The myth-busting site Snopes.com also addressed the Facebook subscription rumor in a blog post to debunk the myth. "The claim that Facebook would be initiating user charges was but the bait to lure people to [a] protest page and its hidden malicious payload; there are no plans afoot to require payment from those who use the site," Snopes reported. The revived hoaxes follow a new, more timely scam making the rounds last week. The latest tries to trick users into divulging personal information and sharing spurious links with their friends to get a "dislike" button on their profiles. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that an alternative to "like" is on the way, but it will not be called "dislike" and it has yet to start rolling out. ||||| Facebook has always been ripe for privacy hoaxes, and it appears it's harvest time again on the social-networking giant. Users of the world's largest social network were inundated Monday with messages on their news feeds reposted by friends that warn if they don't act fast, Facebook will be allowed to infringe on their privacy. The hoaxes play on real concerns consumers have about how their personal information might be used by Internet giants such as Facebook, Google and Netflix, among others, who have in the past been accused of violating their users' privacy. One of the hoaxes, which resurfaces every couple of years, warns users to post what sounds like a legally binding statement to their feeds that prohibits Facebook from using their photos, content or personal information without users' permission. The now-familiar message begins like this: As of September 28th , 2015 at 10:50p.m. Eastern standard time, I do not give Facebook or any entities associated with Facebook permission to use my pictures, information, or posts, both past and future. By this statement, I give notice to Facebook it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, or take any other action against me based on this profile and/or its contents. The hoax promises to exempt those who repost the legal-sounding statement from Facebook's Data Use Policy, a document that governs how Facebook may use its members' data that they agree to when they sign up to use the service. However, of course, once approved, the contract cannot be altered by users. The statement goes on to state that violation of privacy can be punished under the Uniform Commercial Code, a set of laws that govern commercial transactions in the US. However, the section cited in the message deals not with privacy but with contract terms that conflict with certain rights. Another hoax says users can protect their privacy by purchasing a $5.99 month subscription to ensure that their posts stay private: Now it's official! It has been published in the media. Facebook has just released the entry price: $5.99 to keep the subscription of your status to be set to "private." If you paste this message on your page, it will be offered free (I said paste not share) if not tomorrow, all your posts can become public. The Menlo Park, California-based Internet giant has warned users to be wary of these hoaxes in the past, and the recent round apparently warranted a new but humorous address. "While there may be water on Mars, don't believe everything you read on the internet today," a Facebook post says. "Facebook is free and it always will be. And the thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax. Stay safe out there Earthlings!" Privacy policies across the technology industry have been a jumble of legal jargon for decades, and users have gotten used to just clicking the button to agree and move on. But Facebook has been trying to clear up the confusion, publishing an updated version of its privacy policy last year that tries to boil down the complex legalese into readable English. Users also now see regular notifications alerting them to changes in Facebook's privacy policies and terms of service. Facebook's efforts still haven't stopped users from fearing the worst. Users have been posting the hoax privacy post, in one form or another, since 2012 according to the Snopes.com website, which debunks urban myths.

– If you happen to see a legal-sounding post being shared across Facebook, steer clear. The post is just the latest hoax that began spreading on the social network on Monday, warning that unless users re-post the statement, Facebook will have access to their personal data and photos without their permission. According to the post, those who do re-post it will be exempt from Facebook's Data Use Policy. It then cites a section of the Uniform Commercial Code, which governs commercial transactions, though CNET points out that the section mentioned actually has nothing to do with privacy. Another hoax making the rounds is one describing a monthly fee that Facebook has supposedly introduced for users to keep their data private. This message promises users who re-post it will get the service free of charge; those who don't will see their posts become public. "While there may be water on Mars, don't believe everything you read on the internet today," a Facebook post reads. "Facebook is free and it always will be. And the thing about copying and pasting a legal notice is just a hoax." CBS News reports similar hoaxes spread in 2012 and Facebook's terms state "you own all of the content and information you post."

Dodgers fan slain following Giants game window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-9', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 9', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Courtesy California Department O Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Image 1 of 9 Jonathan Denver Jonathan Denver Photo: Courtesy California Department O Image 2 of 9 Remnants of police tape mark the spot near Third and Harrison streets where Dodgers fan Jonathan Denver was fatally stabbed after Wednesday's game against the Giants at AT&T Park. Remnants of police tape mark the spot near Third and Harrison streets where Dodgers fan Jonathan Denver was fatally stabbed after Wednesday's game against the Giants at AT&T Park. Photo: Douglas Zimmerman, SF Gate Image 3 of 9 S.F. Police Chief Greg Suhr says, "It's just senseless." S.F. Police Chief Greg Suhr says, "It's just senseless." Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 4 of 9 The day after a Dodger fan was fatally stabbed after a Giants game, San Francisco Chief of Police Greg Suhr holds a press conference at the hall of justice on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. The day after a Dodger fan was fatally stabbed after a Giants game, San Francisco Chief of Police Greg Suhr holds a press conference at the hall of justice on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 5 of 9 Image 6 of 9 The day after a Dodger fan was fatally stabbed after a Giants game, San Francisco Chief of Police Greg Suhr holds a press conference at the hall of justice on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. The day after a Dodger fan was fatally stabbed after a Giants game, San Francisco Chief of Police Greg Suhr holds a press conference at the hall of justice on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 7 of 9 The day after a Dodger fan was fatally stabbed after a Giants game, San Francisco Chief of Police Greg Suhr holds a press conference at the hall of justice on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. The day after a Dodger fan was fatally stabbed after a Giants game, San Francisco Chief of Police Greg Suhr holds a press conference at the hall of justice on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Mike Kepka, The Chronicle Image 8 of 9 Giants pitchers Sergio Romo (left), Matt Cain and George Kontos observe a moment of silence for Jonathan Denver. Giants pitchers Sergio Romo (left), Matt Cain and George Kontos observe a moment of silence for Jonathan Denver. Photo: Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images Image 9 of 9 Dodgers fan slain following Giants game 1 / 9 Back to Gallery It was, at first, the sort of baseball rivalry spat that happens all the time - a batch of Giants and Dodgers fans mixing it up, talking some smack, shoving a bit. Most such confrontations dissolve quickly and harmlessly. On Wednesday night, however, events took a far more tragic turn after a Giants-Dodgers game in San Francisco - leaving one young man stabbed to death, one suspect in custody and two more being hunted by police. Jonathan Denver, a 24-year-old Dodgers fan who worked as a plumber's apprentice in Fort Bragg (Mendocino County), was stabbed near Third and Harrison streets about 11:30 p.m., less than 90 minutes after the game ended at AT&T Park six blocks away, police said Thursday. He had taken the day off so he could attend the game with his father - a security guard for the Dodgers - and other family members. The group that fought with Denver and the others on the streets South of Market didn't go to the game, but the killing happened after the combatants exchanged insults about the Giants and Dodgers, police said. At least one of the suspects wore a Giants cap, and Denver was dressed in Dodgers apparel, police said. LATEST SFGATE VIDEOS Now Playing: Now Playing Immigration Q&A;: What's the deal with H-1B visas? San Francisco Chronicle Do you know your California state symbols? 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The trouble started when Denver and his companions left the bar and encountered the suspects, who had come to the South of Market to club-hop, Police Chief Greg Suhr said. The two groups exchanged words about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, and the back-and-forth "deteriorated into a fight," the chief said. The fight broke up, but a few minutes later the two groups crossed paths again, Suhr said. More fighting broke out, and this time Denver was stabbed. Denver died at San Francisco General Hospital. A second man was treated at the hospital after he was punched numerous times during the fight, police said. That man was later released. 'No place for violence' "Obviously, this is one of the most storied rivalries in baseball," Suhr said. "But there is no place for violence. Please be respectful of everybody rooting for whoever they want to root for. ... The fact that anybody got in a beef over the Giants vs. Dodgers and someone lost their life, it's just senseless." Denver had been a plumber's apprentice for two years at North Coast Plumbing, Heating and Sheet Metal in Fort Bragg, said the company's owner, Cas Smith. He had taken time off from his job to go to the game. "He was just a very nice young man - he wanted to be a plumber," Smith said. "He was very promising. He was one of our best apprentices. "It's sad." Denver's aunt, who did not want to be named, said the family "just wants everyone to know that he was a good-hearted person. He wasn't looking for trouble and wasn't involved in any gang." She said her brother, Denver's father, has been a security supervisor at Dodger Stadium for many years. He also works security at Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the Lakers of the NBA and the Kings of the NHL, she said. She said she spoke to Preece on Thursday. "He was having trouble with being able to complete sentences," she said. "He was in shock." The Dodgers said that "the pain that this has caused his family and friends is unimaginable. Words are not enough to describe our sadness. There is no rational explanation for this senseless act which resulted in Jonathan's death." Dodger Stadium victim The Giants and Dodgers are longtime rivals, and at times the rivalry has spilled over into violence between fans. The most notorious incident happened after the opening game of the 2011 season in Los Angeles, when Giants fan Bryan Stow was severely beaten in the parking lot of Dodger Stadium. Two San Bernardino County men are awaiting trial in connection with the attack, which left Stow, a paramedic from Santa Cruz, with long-term brain injuries. The Giants held a fundraiser for Stow on Tuesday, with some proceeds from tickets going toward his care, and planned to do the same at games Thursday night and Sunday afternoon. A spokeswoman for the Giants said the team knew little more about the Wednesday night incident than what police have said. "We're obviously very concerned about the situation and trying to understand exactly what happened," said the spokeswoman, Staci Slaughter. The team observed a moment of silence for Denver before Thursday night's Giants-Dodgers game. Police said they would increase security in and around the ballpark. San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Henry K. Lee and Kevin Fagan contributed to this report. ||||| San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr late Thursday morning offered details of the confrontation that led to the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old Dodgers fan -- the second tragedy in recent years in the storied rivalry between the L.A. team and the Giants. The stabbing death of 24-year-old Jonathan Denver appears more complicated than the 2011 brutal beating outside Dodger Stadium that left Giants fan Bryan Stow with severe brain damage. Denver, his father, his father's girlfriend, his brother and a friend left Wednesday's game during the 8th inning and went to a nearby bar, Suhr said. They were walking down 3rd Street toward Harrison Street, about four blocks from the ballpark, when they encountered a group that had come to town in a car registered in Lodi to visit a nightclub. "There was a back-and-forth about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, which deteriorated into a physical fight," Suhr said. While someone in Denver's group initially got the "short end," there were no serious physical injuries, Suhr said. RELATED: Bryan Stow's family calls Dodger fan's death 'senseless' Then, a second fight erupted, although it was "unclear who followed who," he added. That fight involved "two or three people" from the victim's group and "four or five" from the other group, said Suhr, and ended when Denver, who was wearing Dodgers gear, realized he had been stabbed. The attackers fled and two were taken into custody a few blocks away. They remained in questioning midday Thursday. Suhr, who declined to name the men, said the two -- described in a police report as being aged 18 and 21 -- were talking to investigators. Police, who are looking for two other possible suspects, put out a call for any cellphone video, business surveillance footage or witness accounts. The Giants-Dodgers games, as well as football games between the Cowboys and 49ers, trigger what Suhr referred to as a "rivalry package" of enhanced police staffing, which was in effect Wednesday. At Thursday's game, Suhr said, some officers working the game will be wearing Dodgers gear. "Obviously, this is one of the most storied rivalries in baseball," said Suhr, a self-described "big Giants fan." But, he added, "there is no place for violence. Please be respectful of everybody rooting for whoever they want to root for. " "Although ... the suspects were not at the game and the victim had left. The fact that anybody got in a beef over the Giants versus Dodgers and someone lost their life, it's just senseless." ALSO: O.C. man first arrested in crash that killed 5 may get probation FBI arrests Temecula man, 19, in 'sextortion' of Miss Teen USA School officials reject Costa Mesa teen's $28,000 broken-teeth claim Twitter: @leeromney [email protected]

– Police say it was indeed a fight over rival baseball teams that led to the fatal stabbing of a 24-year-old man in San Francisco Wednesday night. Jonathan Denver was wearing Dodgers gear when his group encountered a group of Giants fans on a street outside the Giants' stadium, reports the Los Angeles Times. "There was a back-and-forth about the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, which deteriorated into a physical fight," says San Fran's police chief. The groups actually broke apart after that first fight, but met up again a short time later and fought again. Denver got stabbed during the second fight, and police have two suspects in custody, ages 18 and 21. Denver had been at that night's Dodgers-Giants game with his father, who works as a security guard for the Dodgers, and a few other people, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. His death follows the beating in 2011 of Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium. Stow survived but has severe brain injuries.

Police say missing 14-year-old Philip Chism was found safely. Danvers police released a brief notice around 7:30 a.m. saying the missing teenager, 14-year-old Philip Chism, was found safely.No further details were given at that time. He was first reported missing around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday Contrary to some early news reports and online chatter Wednesday morning, both the missing teen and a homicide investigation at Danvers High are connected, according to District Attorney's office spokesperson Carrie Kimball-Monahan.A spokesperson for the Danvers police said she couldn't confirm or deny those early reports and that the DA would address those questions at a press conference Wednesday morning at the high school.That press conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Kimball-Monahan said there is no threat to public safety at this time. The Danvers Public Schools remain closed.Danvers Patch will have more details as they become available. ||||| A 24-year-old Danvers High School teacher has been found dead, and a 14-year-old boy is being held without bail on a charge of murdering her. Math teacher Colleen Ritzer’s body was found in the woods behind the school, said Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett. Philip D. Chism was ordered held without bail at his arraignment this afternoon in Salem District Court. Judge Matthew Nestor approved funds for a mental competency evaluation. Chism is to be tried as an adult; a probable cause hearing was slated for Nov. 22. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Chism had been reported missing Tuesday after he did not return home from school. Ritzer was reported missing at about 11:20 p.m. Tuesday when she did not return home and did not answer her cellphone. Police searched the school and found blood in a second-floor bathroom. Ritzer’s body was found later behind the school, Blodgett said in a news conference this morning at the high school. “She was a very, very, respected, loved teacher. ... It’s a terrible tragedy for the entire Danvers community,” Blodgett said. Chism was found by police in the neighboring community of Topsfield at 12:30 a.m. today walking north on the southbound side of Route 1, Blodgett said. He said authorities had no reason to believe there were any other suspects. In the morning news conference, he did not identify Chism, citing state law protecting the records of juvenile offenders. He also released few further details of the investigation, declining to comment on whether the suspect knew Ritzer, when the suspect was linked to the teacher’s slaying, and how Ritzer died. A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said the teacher was stabbed and cut. It appeared, according to the official, that a box cutter was used. The official declined to speak for attribution, citing the sensitivity of the investigation. No further details were released at the arraignment. With his mother in the gallery, the tall, lanky boy with close-cropped hair, stood quietly during the proceeding, wearing a jail-issued white jumpsuit. But police said in a report filed today in court that the charges came after an interview of Chism and a review of video surveillance footage recovered at the school. The evidence indicated that Chism “assaulted and subsequently murdered Colleen Ritzer and disposed of her body near the high school grounds,” the report said. The report also said corroborating evidence was found at “multiple scenes at the Danvers High School and surrounding wooded area.” Police said the investigation was launched after both Ritzer and Chism were reported missing. The report also said, “Ritzer and the juvenile are known to each other from the school.” 14-year-old Philip Chism during his arraignment. His attorney, Denise Regan, stands on the right. (Nicolaus Czarnecki/Metro) Nicolaus Czarnecki/Metro Danvers police issued a tweet at 9:25 p.m. Tuesday, saying they were looking for Chism. Chism had recently relocated to Danvers from Tennessee, police said on their Facebook page. The posting said that he had last been seen at the Hollywood Hits theater on Endicott Street around 6:30 p.m. Police tweeted at 7:16 a.m. today that Chism had been found safe. According to teammates, Chism is the leading scorer for the school’s junior varsity team as a striker. The teammates said that on Tuesday, Chism failed to make the team practice at 4 p.m. and also missed a regular team dinner that is usually held at 6 p.m. at a teammate’s home. Four members of the team said in an interview that Chism was amiable, hard-working, pleasant, and had managed to collect some friends around him in his first months in a new school. They described him as about 6 feet tall, with a love of soccer. Ritzer, a math teacher, was a young woman with a smile who had always wanted to lead a classroom, a long-time neighbor said this morning. “She was gentle, with a big smile,” said Mary Duffy, who has lived next door to Colleen Ritzer’s family in Andover for more than two decades. “It makes no sense.” The Ritzer family issued a statement this afternoon, saying, “At this time we are mourning the tragic death of our amazing, beautiful daughter and sister. Everyone that knew and loved Colleen knew of her passion, her teaching and how she mentored each and every one of her students.” The family also asked people to respect their privacy and thanked the public for their thoughts and prayers. Ritzer was a 2007 graduate of Andover High School. She received a bachelor’s in 2011 from Assumption College in Worcester. She had taken graduate-level courses at Salem State University. All classes in Danvers public schools were canceled this morning due to the investigation. The academic wing of the school is blocked off with crime scene tape. Town officials called parents at about 4:45 a.m. today, saying only that there was a police presence at the school and schools were canceled. Sitting in a car parked across from the school, two students said they were stunned and terrified to hear what had happened. “We are all terrified. It’s very scary,” said Caitlin McBride, a junior. “No one will ever look at this school the same way anymore.” McBride said she received a text this morning, saying the school was closed. “I didn’t know what to do,” said Kendall Meehan. “It’s all very scary. It’s not something you see around here.” Both students said they didn’t know the 14-year-old who was reported missing.

– The Danvers, Massachusetts, public school district canceled all classes today as police investigate the death of a 24-year-old math teacher—whom they suspect was killed by a 14-year-old student. High school teacher Colleen Ritzer was reported missing at 11:20pm last night, the Boston Globe reports. Police searched the school, finding blood in a second-floor bathroom. Soon thereafter, they found the suspect walking along the side of Route 1. The 14-year-old had been reported missing earlier, after failing to return home from school. Soon after locating the boy, police discovered Ritzer's body in the woods behind the school, according to WBZ. The teen has been charged with murder, and will be arraigned later today. Town officials started alerting parents at about 4:45am that school would be closed. "We are all terrified," one junior said. "No one will ever look at this school the same way." The teen has not been officially identified, but 14-year-old Philip Chism was reported missing yesterday, and the DA's office confirmed to the Danvers Patch that the incidents are connected.

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. ||||| He's now under house arrest, reports TMZ. Wesley Snipes gives a thumbs up to the media as he leaves U.S. Federal Court in Ocala, Fla., on Jan. 31, 2008. (Photo: Phil Sandlin, AP) Wesley Snipes has moved from prison to house arrest. TMZ reports that the Federal Bureau of Prisons says Snipes was released on April 2 and transferred to the New York Community Corrections Office, which will oversee his home confinement, due to end on July 19. Snipes, 50, was convicted of three misdemeanor counts back in 2008 for failing to file tax returns from 1999-2001. During the three-year period, Snipes cheated the government out of $7 million, reports New York's Daily News. He lost an appeal for a retrial in 2010, which resulted in his being sentenced to three years at a McKean Federal Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania, where he was housed with roughly 290 white-collar inmates. Snipes had been paying millions in federal income taxes when, according to prosecutors, he accepted the arguments of his two co-defendants, an accountant and an anti-tax ideologue. In lengthy filings to the IRS, the three defendants claimed they did not legally have to pay taxes, citing an obscure section of the tax code that establishes that foreign sources of income for U.S. citizens are taxable. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/Xu9p4E

– Wesley Snipes is a free man again, relatively speaking. The actor has been released from prison and moved to house arrest in New York City, reports TMZ. He had been serving a three-year sentence since December 2010 for failure to pay about $7 million in federal taxes from 1999 to 2001. At the time, he took what turned out to be very bad advice from his accountant and an anti-tax crusader about how he could get away with it, reports USA Today. His home confinement ends in mid-July.

Kerry is quietly seeking to salvage Iran deal he helped craft WASHINGTON — John Kerry’s bid to save one of his most significant accomplishments as secretary of state took him to New York on a Sunday afternoon two weeks ago, where, more than a year after he left office, he engaged in some unusual shadow diplomacy with a top-ranking Iranian official. He sat down at the United Nations with Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to discuss ways of preserving the pact limiting Iran’s nuclear weapons program. It was the second time in about two months that the two had met to strategize over salvaging a deal they spent years negotiating during the Obama administration, according to a person briefed on the meetings. With the Iran deal facing its gravest threat since it was signed in 2015, Kerry has been on an aggressive yet stealthy mission to preserve it, using his deep lists of contacts gleaned during his time as the top US diplomat to try to apply pressure on the Trump administration from the outside. President Trump, who has consistently criticized the pact and campaigned in 2016 on scuttling it, faces a May 12 deadline to decide whether to continue abiding by its terms. Advertisement Related: Editorial: Donald Trump’s wrong-headed course on Iran Kerry also met last month with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and he’s been on the phone with top European Union official Federica Mogherini, according to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to reveal the private meetings. Kerry has also met with French President Emmanuel Macron in both Paris and New York, conversing over the details of sanctions and regional nuclear threats in both French and English. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. FILIP SINGER/EPA/Shutterstock The rare moves by a former secretary of state highlight the stakes for Kerry personally, as well as for other Obama-era diplomats who are dismayed by what they see as Trump’s disruptive approach to diplomacy, and who view the Iran nuclear deal as a factor for stability in the Middle East and for global nuclear nonproliferation. The pact, which came after a marathon negotiating session in Vienna that involved Iran and six world powers, lifted sanctions in return for Iran stopping its pursuit of nuclear weapons. “It is unusual for a former secretary of state to engage in foreign policy like this, as an actual diplomat and quasi-negotiator,” said Michael O’Hanlon, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution. “Of course, former secretaries of state often remain quite engaged with foreign leaders, as they should, but it’s rarely so issue-specific, especially when they have just left office.” Kerry declined to be interviewed for this story. The quiet lobbying campaign — by him and others — is being conducted below the radar because he and his allies believe a high-profile defense of the deal by prominent Democrats would only backfire and provoke Trump, making it more likely the president would pull the United States out of the deal. “Part of the equation is if Ernie [Ernest Moniz, the former US energy ecretary] or John made a bold statement, [Trump] is . . . crazy, and he might do the opposite just to spite them,” said one source who has worked with Kerry. “You’re liable to spur this guy in a direction you don’t want him to go in, just to be spiteful.” Advertisement Moniz was a key part of the negotiating team, meeting with his Iranian counterpart as they determined some of the technical scientific details. John Kerry (right) whispered to former US Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in July 23, 2015. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images/file A former Obama White House official said there is little to be gained by aiming the effort directly at Trump. “At least from our network, you’re not going to find messages aimed at him directly,” said the official. “It would be counterproductive. Anything with our brand attached to it, he’ll run in the opposite direction.” Related: Scot Lehigh: The great deal-breaker takes on the Iran accord Get Ground Game in your inbox: Daily updates and analysis on national politics from James Pindell. Enter email address: Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Democratic lawmakers in Congress also have been relatively quiet, and not all share Kerry’s belief that the deal is essential for preventing a nuclear arms race in the volatile region. Kerry has quietly tried to bolster support in Congress. In recent weeks he’s placed dozens of phone calls and, often with Moniz by his side, has lobbied members of Congress, including House Speaker Paul Ryan. While he is not negotiating as he did as secretary of state, he is attempting through quiet advocacy to preserve what he accomplished. Kerry supporters see in this campaign some of his trademark traits, especially his unflagging energy even in the face of potential failure. Critics see something else, a former office holder working with foreign officials to potentially undermine the policy aims of a current administration. Advertisement The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Under terms of the deal, the United States is supposed to waive sanctions, which come up for review every three or four months, as long as Iran remains in compliance. Trump is threatening to reimpose sanctions on Iran when the next deadline comes on May 12, which would essentially mean the United States is pulling out of the deal. Trump has ridiculed Kerry for a deal that he says is not harsh enough on Iran, saying that inspectors should have broader access, portions of the deal should never expire, and that Iran’s ballistic missile program should also be curtailed. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provided further ammunition for critics of the deal, unveiling documents that showed Iranian efforts to build its nuclear program before the 2015 deal was reached. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented material on Iranian nuclear weapons development during a press conference in Tel Aviv last week. Sebastian Scheiner/Associated Press Kerry and others said the documents were nothing new, and illustrated the need for an inspections regime to make sure Iran is complying with the current agreement. “Every detail PM Netanyahu presented yesterday was every reason the world came together to apply years of sanctions and negotiate the Iran nuclear agreement — because the threat was real and had to be stopped,” Kerry wrote on Twitter Tuesday. “It’s working!” Kerry is coordinating his push with a group of officials who were his top advisers at the State Department, and who helped craft and negotiate the Iran deal in the first place. The group, called Diplomacy Works, has an advisory council that includes lead Iran-deal negotiator Wendy Sherman, former State Department chief of staff Jon Finer, and former spokeswoman Jen Psaki. John Kerry (2nd left), US Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman (2nd right) and staff watched a tablet in Lausanne as President Barack Obama made a state address on the status of the Iran nuclear program talks in April 2, 2015. Brendan Smialowski/Pool/file The group claims to be responsible for 100 news articles, 34 television and radio hits, and 37 opinion pieces on the Iran question. They do fact checks of criticisms of the agreement and blast them out to an e-mail list of nearly 4,000 policy makers and foreign policy experts. But the group determined that the most influential voices would not be Democrats, and instead would focus on Europeans, Israelis, and nonpartisan experts to try and salvage the deal, according to a person involved in the effort. As a sign of the their success, Kerry has pointed to an April 25 letter signed by 26 former top-ranking Israeli military and security officials urging the United States to stay in the agreement. “Our effort is self-aware,” said David Wade, a longtime Kerry adviser who was chief of staff at the State Department and is helping advise Diplomacy Works. “We are in uncharted waters. The bipartisan, traditional foreign policy community remains on the president’s enemies list from 2016. The president delights in dismissing anything accomplished under his predecessor, so we know traditional validators wouldn’t be compelling to him.” “This isn’t President Obama’s agreement. It’s the world’s agreement,” he added. “Maybe Macron, Merkel, and Great Britain can persuade the administration, but if they can’t they’ll be even more essential to protecting the deal absent the United States. We know these voices are powerful. They have an audience with the president and our allies are popular at home.” They are not ignoring the domestic audience. Kerry and Moniz met in February with Ryan, who has been outspoken in his opposition to the Iran deal. Kerry also held a breakfast briefing last week with members of the House and Senate, which was designed to answer questions as well as underscore how, if Trump pulls out, Europe could hold the deal together. Kerry’s activities could raise questions if they are perceived as a direct effort to counter current administration foreign policy. Related: Ernest J. Moniz: On Iran and North Korea: Don’t trust, and verify, verify, verify The Trump administration got entangled with controversy when Michael Flynn, the incoming national security adviser, tried to undermine Obama policies in the administration’s last few weeks. His actions appeared to some legal experts to violate the Logan Act, an obscure 18th century law meant to crack down on private citizens acting on behalf of the United States during a dispute with foreign governments. The Logan Act prohibits US citizens from having private correspondence with a foreign government “with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government . . . in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States.” Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas, said the law is a red herring — since it’s never been used to prosecute anyone — and almost certainly would not apply to anything Kerry is doing. “The act only applies to conduct that is designed to ‘defeat the measures of the United States’ or influence the conduct of foreign governments,” Vladeck said. “If all Kerry is doing is working to keep in place something that’s still technically a ‘measure of the United States,’ I don’t see how the statute would apply even if someone was crazy enough to try it.” Most Democrats have remained fairly quiet about the Iran deal. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer opposed the deal from the start, even though he’s not in favor of ripping it up now. Senator Robert Menendez, the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has been consumed with his own troubles, having spent last year in a federal corruption trial that ended without a conviction. He was admonished last month by the Senate Ethics Committee for bringing “discredit upon the Senate.” “No one has really led the charge. You could argue that’s what needs to be done by Obama, Kerry, Susan Rice, and the others who were involved,” said Daniel Kurtzer, who served as Bill Clinton’s ambassador to Egypt and George W. Bush’s ambassador to Israel. “But nobody knows how to deal with [Trump].” The president doesn’t listen much to the voices of the foreign policy establishment. And they don’t really know how to reach him through conservative media. “It’s a legitimate question to ask why is Obama not out front with the cognoscenti. But those aren’t the ones Trump cares about anyway,” Kurtzer said. “My guess is the phone has been ringing off the hook between European leaders and Obama. The Europeans are trying. They’re giving it their best shot.” Related: White House says North Korea is willing to talk denuclearization A spokeswoman for Obama declined to comment on whether the former president is doing anything to preserve the Iran deal. Kurtzer said the most articulate public advocate for the pact right now is Moniz, although he said that the former energy secretary may not have the name recognition required to drive a national debate (Kurtzer himself initially could not correctly recall his name). “He really knows his stuff,” he said. “He’s very calm . . . . The problem is, who knows who he is?” Moniz declined several requests for an interview this week about his efforts. Public support for the deal was initially low, with nearly 60 percent of those surveyed in August 2015 saying they were opposed, according to a survey from Morning Consult. Those numbers are now reversed, with 56 percent supporting it; the number opposed, 26 percent, is the lowest level since the group began polling on the Iran deal. Democrats are strongly in favor, while Republicans are evenly split, according to the survey conducted from April 26 to May 1. Some on the left believe Trump has kept it alive for political reasons, to provide a convenient foil. “It’s something that has been in Trump’s cross-hairs even before he was inaugurated,” said the former Obama administration official. “That we’re in May 2018 and still in ‘will-they-or-won’t-they’ speaks to the utility the administration has found in the Iran deal. Otherwise they would have been out of it on day one. “A lot of us are somewhat skeptical,” the official added. “But we’ve been skeptical for the past 18 or 19 months now.” ||||| Former Secretary of State John Kerry is under fire over a report claiming that he has been engaged in “shadow diplomacy” with officials from Iran and Europe as part of a final attempt to save the seemingly doomed 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The Boston Globe reported Friday that Kerry sat down twice with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in recent months to strategize in a bid to save the deal, as part of what the Globe described as “an aggressive yet stealthy” mission to put pressure on the Trump administration to keep the deal in some form. Trump faces a May 12 deadline to review the deal, and Kerry has been ramping up his meetings ahead of that deadline. He reportedly met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier -- who was foreign minister of Germany when the deal was negotiated. He has also met with French President Emmanuel Macron twice and spoken by phone with European Union foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini. The Globe reported that Kerry was quiet in his campaign as he believes that a high-profile defense of the deal by prominent Democrats would only make Trump more likely to pull the U.S. out of the deal. Kerry’s reported actions immediately sparked criticism and raised claims that such dealings with Iranian and European officials could violate the Logan Act -- which prohibits private citizens from negotiating on behalf of the U.S. government without authorization While no one has ever been successfully prosecuted under the law, the Logan Act was raised last year over former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s negotiations at the United Nations over a resolution with Israel during the Trump transition. “John Kerry helped craft a flaccid deal that granted the terror regime in Tehran vast monetary and geopolitical concessions, even as it put them on the glide path to nuclear weapons by its own terms,” Sohrab Ahmari, senior writer at Commentary magazine, told Fox News. “The biggest public service he can render now is to go away.” Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said Kerry’s move “certainly raises Logan Act questions.” He pointed to an alleged double standard, suggesting there would be a bigger outcry if Bush-era Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had done the same during the Obama administration. There was a significant outcry from Democrats and the Obama administration in 2015 when Republicans -- led by Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton -- wrote to Iranian leadership explaining the difference between an executive agreement and a treaty. The letter suggested that any deal without a congressional vote could be modified by a future Congress or revoked with “the stroke of a pen” by whoever replaces President Obama. At that time, Kerry slammed Cotton's move as an “unconstitutional, un-thought-out action by somebody who has been in the United States Senate for 60-something days." Harvard Law School professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz said Saturday that Kerry is lucky that no one has been prosecuted under the Logan Act or else he could be in trouble. “Fortunately for everybody, the Logan Act [is a] dead letter but if it were in existence, my friend John Kerry would be violating the Logan Act,” Dershowitz said on “Fox & Friends.” Although Kerry would not likely be prosecuted into the Logan Act, Dershowitz said that there are “real problems” with what Kerry is doing. “He is negotiating, though he is not in the administration, and there are real problems with doing that,” he continued. According to The Globe, Kerry has also been trying to get Congress on his side by placing dozens of phone calls, including to House Speaker Paul Ryan. Kerry is reported to have coordinated his push with a group of former top State Department advisers who helped negotiate the Iran deal -- named Diplomacy Works. The group has reportedly chosen to focus on Europeans, Israelis and non-partisan experts to try and salvage the deal. “This isn’t President Obama’s agreement. It’s the world’s agreement,” David Wade, a longtime Kerry adviser and advisor to Diplomacy Works, told The Globe. “Maybe Macron, Merkel, and Great Britain can persuade the administration, but if they can’t they’ll be even more essential to protecting the deal absent the United States. We know these voices are powerful. They have an audience with the president and our allies are popular at home.” Diplomacy Works did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News. Trump has been critical not only of the Iran deal but also Kerry’s role in negotiating the deal in particular. He has repeatedly called him the “worst negotiator I’ve ever seen.” On Friday, Trump mocked Kerry at the National Rifle Association’s annual conference in Dallas, Texas, describing him as “not the best negotiator we’ve ever seen” and mocking Kerry for breaking his leg during 2015 negotiations. “He never walked away from the table, except to be in that bicycle race where he fell and broke his leg,” he said to cheers from the crowd. “That was the only time.”

– While President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly slam the Iran nuclear deal, John Kerry is quietly trying to save it. The former secretary of state has held private meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in an effort to salvage the pact he spent years helping to forge, an insider tells the Boston Globe. Kerry also briefed House and Senate members last week on how Europe might sustain the deal if Trump pulls out. "It is unusual for a former secretary of state to engage in foreign policy like this," a foreign policy expert admits. But does it raise the specter of the Logan Act, a law designed to stop private citizens from representing the US government? Not according to law professor Stephen Vladeck, who says no one has been prosecuted under the Logan Act—and Kerry is only "working to keep in place something that’s still technically a 'measure of the United States,'" he adds. But not everyone agrees: "Kerry working with foreign governments to save the flawed #IranDeal certainly raises Logan Act questions," tweeted Sen. Marco Rubio, per Fox News. The Globe notes that Kerry is coordinating his efforts with Diplomacy Works, a group of his former State Dept. advisors who have apparently influenced media coverage and prompted top Israeli officials to sign a letter supporting the Iran deal. "Our effort is self-aware," says a member of the group. "This isn't President Obama's agreement. It's the world's agreement."

'Dramatic' solar flare could disrupt Earth communications WASHINGTON — An unusual solar flare observed by a NASA space observatory on Tuesday could cause some disruptions to satellite communications and power on Earth over the next day or so, officials said. The potent blast from the Sun unleashed a firestorm of radiation on a level not witnessed since 2006, and will likely lead to moderate geomagnetic storm activity by Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. "This one was rather dramatic," said Bill Murtagh, program coordinator at the NWS's Space Weather Prediction Center, describing the M-2 (medium-sized) solar flare that peaked at 1:41 am Eastern time in the United States, or 0541 GMT. "We saw the initial flare occurring and it wasn't that big but then the eruption associated with it -- we got energy particle radiation flowing in and we got a big coronal mass injection," he said. "You can see all the materials blasting up from the Sun so it is quite fantastic to look at." NASA's solar dynamics observatory, which launched last year and provided the high-definition pictures and video of the event, described it as "visually spectacular," but noted that since the eruption was not pointed directly at Earth, the effects were expected to remain "fairly small." "The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface," said a NASA statement. Murtagh said space weather analysts were watching closely to see whether the event would cause any collision of magnetic fields between the Sun and Earth, some 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) apart. "Part of our job here is to monitor and determine whether it is Earth-directed because essentially that material that is blasting out is gas with magnetic field combined," he told AFP. "In a day or so from now we are expecting some of that material to impact us here on Earth and create a geomagnetic storm," he said. "We don't expect it to be any kind of a real severe one but it could be kind of a moderate level storm." The Space Weather Prediction Center said the event is "expected to cause G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) levels of geomagnetic storm activity tomorrow, June 8, beginning around 1800 GMT." Any geomagnetic storm activity will likely be over within 12-24 hours. "The Solar Radiation Storm includes a significant contribution of high energy protons, the first such occurrence of an event of that type since December 2006," the NWS said. As many as 12 satellites and spacecraft are monitoring the heliosphere, and one instrument in particular on board NASA's lunar reconnaissance orbiter is measuring radiation and its effects. "Certainly over the (two-year) lifetime of the mission this is the most significant event," said Harlan Spence, principal investigator for the cosmic ray telescope for the effects of radiation, or CRaTER. "This is really exciting because ironically when we were developing the mission initially we thought we would be launching closer to a solar maximum when these big solar particle events typically occur," Spence told AFP. "Instead we launched into a historic solar minimum that took a long, long time to wake up," he said. "This is interesting and significant because it shows the Sun is returning to its more typical active state." The resulting geomagnetic storm could cause some disruption in power grids, satellites that operate global positioning systems and other devices, and may lead to some rerouting of flights over the polar regions, Murtagh said. "Generally it is not going to cause any big problems, it will just have to be managed," he said. "If you fly from the United States to Asia, flying over the North Pole, there are well over a dozen flights every day," he added. "During these big radiation storms some of these airlines will reroute the flights away from the polar regions for safety reasons to make sure they can maintain communications. "People operating satellites would keep an eye on this, too, because geomagnetic storming can interfere with satellites in various ways whether it is the satellite itself or the signal coming down from the receiver." The aurora borealis (Northern Lights) and aurora australis (Southern Lights) will also likely be visible in the late hours of June 8 or 9, NASA said. Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

– The sun let loose a fiery explosion yesterday that could mess with GPS and communication satellites, power grids, and more, the National Weather Service warned today. “This one was rather dramatic,” an official from the NWS’ Space Weather Prediction Center tells the Telegraph. "We saw the initial flare occurring and it wasn't that big, but then the eruption associated with it—we got energy particle radiation flowing in and we got a big coronal mass injection." The solar flare peaked at 1:41am. This explosion released the biggest burst of radiation since 2006, reports the AFP. NASA says the burst of particles appeared to rain down over “almost half the solar surface,” but since the blast wasn’t pointed at Earth, they’re expecting a “fairly small” impact here. "We don't expect it to be any kind of a real severe" geomagnetic storm, "but it could be kind of a moderate level storm," says the NWS official. Still, over the next 12-24 hours we may see some satellite disruptions, and some flights may be re-routed away from the polar regions. “It will just have to be managed,” he adds.

WASHINGTON — The Republican presidential race is being shaken up again, with Mitt Romney retaking the lead, Newt Gingrich surging into second place, and Herman Cain dropping to third place, according to a new McClatchy-Marist nationwide poll released Friday. The poll of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents signaled that Romney retains his steady if uncommanding position and that, in the quest by most Republicans for an alternative, they’ve cooled on Cain and are turning to Gingrich. It's the first national survey taken entirely since the allegations of sexual harassment against Cain erupted into a full political firestorm this week. “Clearly this race has taken yet another dramatic turn. The top tier has gotten more crowded,” said Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion at Marist College in New York, which conducted the poll. “Romney is still where he’s been. It’s fair to say this is a battle for the anybody-but-Romney candidate," Miringoff said. "Gingrich has now begun his 15 days of fame. Whether he is able to maintain that, as others have fallen, is the question. He may be the only one standing when this is all said and done.” The breakdown of the poll: — Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, 23 percent; — Gingrich, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, 19 percent; — Cain, the former restaurant executive, 17 percent; — Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, 10 percent; — Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, 8 percent; — Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, 5 percent; — Former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, 1 percent; — Former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, 1 percent; — Undecided, 17 percent. The survey of 347 Republicans and Republican-leaning independents was conducted Tuesday-Thursday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 5.5 percentage points. The Cain controversy rose to a new level of intensity starting Monday when a woman, Sharon Bialek, put her name and face behind charges that Cain had made an aggressive sexual advance against her in 1997. The poll suggested support sinking for Cain since then, as a second of four women accusing Cain of inappropriate behavior went public, and Cain gave a highly publicized news conference Tuesday denying the charges. Asked what they thought about the accusations, 11 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents said they thought Cain did something illegal, 34 percent said he did something wrong but not illegal, 29 percent said he did nothing wrong, and 26 percent were unsure. Asked what they thought motivated the revelation of the accusations, 48 percent said it was to ruin Cain’s reputation, 28 percent said it was based on facts, and 24 percent were unsure. But 69 percent said he should not quit the campaign, while only 22 percent said he should. Another 9 percent were unsure. Cain’s support had shot from single digits in national polls as late as Labor Day to an average of 23 percent in recent polls compiled by the website RealClearPolitics. He’d been neck and neck atop the contest with Romney for a month, but the sexual harassment controversy appears to be taking a toll. “His momentum is stalled,” Miringoff said. “But there is no great urgency on part of Republicans to have him leave the race.” Among the top tier, Gingrich has the most committed supporters. The poll found that 43 percent of his supporters said they are firmly committed to his candidacy. For Romney, that figure is 30 percent. For Cain, it is 31 percent. Gingrich’s support stands out even more given that overall, just 30 percent of those supporting a candidate say they are firmly committed. That’s the same as it was in September, and it suggests that voters could swing before the voting starts in Iowa on Jan. 3. “They’re no more firmly committed to the overall field than they were in September,” Miringoff said. “We should have seen people feeling a greater sense of conviction. It’s not moving.” Asked to rank what they’re looking for in a candidate, 33 percent said someone who shares their values; 27 percent said experience; 23 percent said someone who agrees with them on issues; and 13 percent said electability. Of those looking first for values, 22 percent supported Romney and 21 percent supported Cain, the top two choices. Of those basing their choice primarily on issues, 28 percent went for Romney and 21 percent to Gingrich. Of those looking first for experience, 25 percent went to Gingrich and 20 percent supported Romney. For electability, 26 percent went to Romney and 23 percent to Gingrich. ON THE WEB Marist poll results MORE FROM MCCLATCHY Who's the next hot GOP candidate? Maybe it's Gingrich GOP presidential candidates say no bailouts for Europe, autos, banks Cain sinking like a stone, neutral GOP analysts say Cain insists he's 'never acted inappropriately with anyone, period' Follow Steven Thomma on Twitter For more McClatchy politics coverage visit Planet Washington ||||| MANCHESTER, N.H. — Newt Gingrich got his meltdown out of the way early. Last spring he endured a series of setbacks, culminating with the resignations of nearly his entire campaign staff, a fund-raising drought and a descent into margin-of-error territory in the polls. But now, with nearly all the Republican presidential candidates having seen their hopes of emerging as the alternative to Mitt Romney rise and plummet, Mr. Gingrich is getting another shot, if only by default. A CBS News poll out Friday has him running near the front of the fractured pack, alongside Mr. Romney and not far behind Herman Cain. He has cheered many conservatives with his combative debate performances and disdain for the news media. He is suddenly pulling in money — “more on Wednesday than in all of July,” he said in an interview — which has allowed him to open a state headquarters here in New Hampshire, with six paid staff members. He is promising to campaign hard in Iowa, whose caucuses kick off the voting season on Jan. 3. Asked by a supporter on Friday during the office’s opening whom he would pick for his cabinet, Mr. Gingrich said with a laugh: “I’ve gone from being dead in June to being asked who will be in my cabinet. I think that’s real progress.” While his campaign still feels intended as much to promote his ideas and media projects — his schedule the next two weeks is heavy with screenings of his documentary films and signings for a children’s book written by his wife, Callista — his supporters say he is as credible a challenger to President Obama as Mr. Romney, and more so than any of the other Republicans in the race. Mr. Romney was the only rival Mr. Gingrich mentioned to the 100 or so supporters who squeezed into the storefront headquarters; he condemned him with the faint praise of being “a good manager.” “If you want to manage Washington, he’d be a pretty good candidate,” Mr. Gingrich said. “But if you want to fundamentally, profoundly change Washington, I think that’s a different job.” Mr. Gingrich still has substantial organizational and political challenges to overcome, starting with doubts about him among some social conservatives, who take a dim view of his two divorces. But he also has to confront his own history of undercutting himself, going back to the days when, as House speaker in the 1990s, he lost high-profile showdowns with President Bill Clinton, and then his job. Earlier this year, his campaign stumbled badly in the wake of his handling of disclosures that he had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on jewelry for his wife at Tiffany. He lost 15 or so aides who resigned en masse in June, complaining that Mr. Gingrich would rather cruise in the Greek isles with his wife than stump hard in Iowa and other early states. He plummeted in the polls and ended September with just $350,000 in his campaign account. Today he regards that all as a temporary setback that opened “a vacuum” in the race that allowed other candidates to “audition” for the role of front-runner. Now, he says, he has caught up where he would have been all along. “We went through almost two months of really hard survival in June and July,” he said in an interview. “You could see the DNA of my style of campaigning falling into place, which is very solutions-oriented, substance-oriented. It’s building momentum.” There is also a caustic side of his personality that emerges when he is challenged. To some of his critics, he can sound mean. “Newt has an authoritative assertiveness that can be off-putting,” said Rick Tyler, who was a close aide to Mr. Gingrich for a dozen years and still regards him highly. “He doesn’t suffer fools. He makes people look bad. He knows exactly how to do it, and he’s very good at it. It’s probably been part of his success, and he doesn’t give it up easily. He can really make someone look small and foolish. But he’s not trying to be mean.”

– Is Newt Gingrich finally winning over the GOP base, or is he just the latest not-Mitt-Romney? Despite early gaffes (big debts at Tiffany's, paid-for Twitter followers) that sent his support plummeting, created money problems, and caused staff members to resign en masse, Gingrich has not only stuck around but now is polling around Herman Cain and Romney, reports the New York Times. In fact, a McClatchy-Marist poll released yesterday shows Gingrich in second place all by himself with 19% support, behind Romney's 23% but ahead of Cain's 17%. More importantly, Gingrich also is pulling in money now—claiming to have made more on Wednesday than he did in all of July—which has allowed him to hire a staff of six in vital New Hampshire. Gingrich claims he's not just the latest flash in the pan—rather, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, and others were all just temporarily filling the "vacuum" he caused because of his early troubles. “I’ve gone from being dead in June to being asked who will be in my Cabinet," said Gingrich. "I think that’s real progress.” He and the other GOP candidates debate again tonight.

Women with menstrual cramps in New York state could have a new option for easing their monthly pains: medical marijuana. The New York State Assembly is considering a bill to add dysmenorrhea — the medical name for menstrual cramps — to the list of conditions for which doctors can legally authorize a patient to use medical marijuana. Under the state's law, only patients with the specific medical conditions named in the law can access medical marijuana in New York, according to Newsweek. Cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis are among the conditions already on the list. Severe cases of dysmenorrhea can be "debilitating," New York State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal wrote in the bill. "Medical marijuana can alleviate many of the painful effects of dysmenorrhea." [Healing Herb? Marijuana Could Treat These 5 Conditions] The bill, which still has several legislative hurdles to overcome, is supported by actress Whoopi Goldberg, who sells a line of medical marijuana products that are marketed specifically for period pain, Newsweek reported. But does marijuana really help with menstrual pain? There haven't been any rigorous studies that have shown that there's a benefit to using marijuana for menstrual cramps, said Dr. Charles Pollack, an emergency-medicine physician at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and the director of the university's Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp. And though there are good data showing that marijuana can help people with neuropathic pain, the pain from menstrual cramps doesn't fall into this category, Pollack said. Neuropathic pain is pain related to the nerves, such as a pinched or inflamed nerve. That said, "it's not out of the realm of the possible" that the drug could be helpful for women with menstrual cramps, Pollack told Live Science. This is because the female reproductive tract, and, in particular, the uterus and the lining of the uterus, has an "abundance" of endocannabinoid receptors, Pollack said. The chemicals in marijuana that are responsible for its effects in the body are called cannabinoids, and can bind to these receptors. The discovery of these receptors, for example, has led to some researchers thinking that marijuana may help women with endometriosis, Pollack said. Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which the tissue that normally lines a woman's uterus, called the endometrium, grows outside the uterus, the Mayo Clinic says. One area of research is considering whether marijuana may help both with easing the pain of endometriosis and slowing the growth of endometrial tissue, Pollack said. It's also possible that women with painful menstrual cramps benefit from the anxiolytic, or anti-anxiety, effects of marijuana, Pollack added. But because of the lack of data, it's difficult to draw conclusions about the drug's effects. "There's just a paucity of data in this regard," Pollack said. And the drug may have downsides: Although it's "exceedingly unlikely" that someone will die from an overdose of marijuana, there are still questions about the possible effects of regular, long-term use, he said. Dr. Ranit Mishori, a professor of family medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine, told Live Science in 2016 that, "with the exception of a study in 1800s, I see no evidence in the medical literature that supports" the use of marijuana for menstrual cramps. Although there are barriers to studying marijuana in the U.S., "the alternative isn't to recommend a treatment in the absence of evidence," Mishori said. Originally published on Live Science. ||||| The pain creeps in slow and unexpectedly. Initially, it’s a subtle discomfort, like the prick of a needle stabbing away at your stomach. As the minutes pass by, the discomfort can develop into a crippling pain, making even simple tasks such as standing up straight seem utterly unbearable. That dreadful feeling has a name: Dysmenorrhea—the medical term for severe period pain commonly referred to as cramps. And it’s something experienced every month by hundreds of women all across America. While over the counter medicine like Midol can be helpful for many women, some 20 percent of women who suffer from cramps caused by their menstrual cycles each month experience such extreme dysmenorrhea that they can’t perform daily actives like getting out of bed and going to work, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Now, relief may soon be on the way. The New York Assembly's Health Committee passed an initiative Tuesday that would add dysmenorrhea to the list of conditions necessary to qualify for medical marijuana use. If it becomes law, everyday women suffering from intolerable period pain could have legal access to pot with a medical marijuana card. “This is a woman’s health issue and for years women have suffered in silence. There’s Midol. You can take Advil, but really nothing more,” Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat, who introduced the bill, told Newsweek during a phone call Wednesday. “Men have really been [the ones] who’ve run state houses, governorships, presidencies, and some issues that are just about women have gotten shortchanged and that’s because it’s not in men’s everyday consciousness.” The measure, called Assembly Bill 582, was approved in a 21-2 vote by the committee and it’s headed to the Assembly floor next. It would also need the OK from the New York Senate and Governor Andrew Cuomo. The bill’s only pushback so far came from two Republican Assembly members—both men—but Rosenthal is confident that members of the Senate would be more understanding of how helpful medical marijuana, a drug that people suffering from various types of chronic pain can legally use in New York, can be for women during menstruation, too. “There is some mild discomfort for some, but some women can’t leave their bed for a week,” Rosenthal said. “People are starting to understand that medical marijuana is a useful tool to relieve suffering and women’s suffering from severe menstrual cramps.” In New York, only people suffering from cancer, HIV infection or AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy, Huntington's disease or chronic pain can get access to medical marijuana—not everyday women who naturally have periods and experience the pain that sometimes comes along with it each month. Rosenthal has become known as a champion for women’s issues. She worked last year to get a bill that removed sales taxes on feminine hygiene products signed into New York law, and she’s at the helm of passing another bill that would make feminine hygiene products free for women in prisons, homeless shelters and schools. For Assembly Bill 582, she is getting some extra help from a highly regarded medical marijuana advocate, who just so happens to be a well-known movie star and co-host of the daytime talk show, The View. “I met with a force of a woman named Whoopi Goldberg, and she’s been a longtime expert on medical marijuana. I met with her and spoke with her, and she’s been passionate about easing women’s suffering by using medical marijuana,” Rosenthal said. “I thought this was a great opportunity to create an impact with a passionate supporter and help women access something new that can help relieve what cripples some of them during that time of the month.” Goldberg introduced her own line of medical cannabis products in 2016 to combat menstrual pain with cannabis industry leader Maya Elisabeth. Under their Whoopi & Maya brand, women in legal marijuana states are able to receive pain relief with a cannabis bath soak, cannabidiol (CBD) and beeswax-infused body balm and organic and raw cocoa infused with either THC or CBD. Although the bill has a few more steps to go before women could potentially be prescribed medical marijuana for cramps in New York, Rosenthal said the high support so far for the measure is a good sign it could pass into legislation. “I think we’re a progressive state. It did take 20 years to get medical marijuana to be the law,” she said,” but we’re going to work hard to get it passed.” “And I’m sure many women will vouch for what they have to go through each month.” ||||| Dysmenorrhea may begin soon after menarche, where it often improves with age, or it may originate later in life after the onset of an underlying causative condition. Dysmenorrhea is very common, and it may be severe enough to interfere with daily activities in up to 20 percent of women. Dysmenorrhea is more likely in women who smoke, and in women with an earlier age at menarche or longer duration of menstruation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce moderate to severe pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea compared with placebo, but we do not know whether any one nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug is superior to the others. Simple analgesics such as aspirin and paracetamol may reduce pain in the short term, although few studies have been of good quality. The Chinese herbal remedy toki-shakuyaku-san and an Iranian herbal remedy made from saffron, celery, and anise may reduce pain compared with placebo. We do not know whether Chinese herbal remedies are beneficial compared with placebo, but there is limited evidence that they may be effective compared with other treatments for dysmenorrhea. Thiamine and vitamin E may reduce pain compared with placebo in young women with primary dysmenorrhea. Combined oral contraceptives may be more effective at reducing pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea; however, few studies have been of good quality. Topical heat (about 102°F [39°C]) may be as effective as ibuprofen and more effective than paracetamol at reducing pain. High-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) may reduce pain compared with sham treatment, but seems to be less effective than ibuprofen. Acupressure may be more effective than sham or no treatment at relieving dysmenorrhea. Spinal manipulation may be no more effective than placebo at reducing pain after one month in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Relaxation may be better than no treatment at relieving dysmenorrhea. We do not know whether acupuncture, fish oil, vitamin B 12 , magnets, or intrauterine progestogens reduce dysmenorrhea. Surgical interruption of pelvic nerve pathways is not beneficial in treating dysmenorrhea, and may be associated with adverse effects including constipation. Enlarge Print Clinical Questions What are the effects of treatments for primary dysmenorrhea? Beneficial Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (other than aspirin) Likely to be beneficial Acupressure Aspirin and paracetamol Behavioral interventions (relaxation) Contraceptives (combined oral) Herbal remedies other than toki-shakuyaku-san Thiamine Toki-shakuyaku-san (herbal remedy) Topical heat (about 102°F [39°C]) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (high-frequency stimulation only; effects of low-frequency stimulation remain unclear) Vitamin E Unknown effectiveness Acupuncture Fish oil Magnets Progestogens (intrauterine) Vitamin B 12 Unlikely to be beneficial Spinal manipulation Likely to be ineffective or harmful Surgical interruption of pelvic nerve pathways Clinical Questions What are the effects of treatments for primary dysmenorrhea? Beneficial Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (other than aspirin) Likely to be beneficial Acupressure Aspirin and paracetamol Behavioral interventions (relaxation) Contraceptives (combined oral) Herbal remedies other than toki-shakuyaku-san Thiamine Toki-shakuyaku-san (herbal remedy) Topical heat (about 102°F [39°C]) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (high-frequency stimulation only; effects of low-frequency stimulation remain unclear) Vitamin E Unknown effectiveness Acupuncture Fish oil Magnets Progestogens (intrauterine) Vitamin B 12 Unlikely to be beneficial Spinal manipulation Likely to be ineffective or harmful Surgical interruption of pelvic nerve pathways Definition Dysmenorrhea is painful menstrual cramps of uterine origin. It is commonly divided into primary dysmenorrhea (pain without organic pathology) and secondary dysmenorrhea (pelvic pain associated with an identifiable pathologic condition, such as endometriosis or ovarian cysts). The initial onset of primary dysmenorrhea usually occurs within six to 12 months after menarche, when ovulatory cycles are established. Pain duration is commonly eight to 72 hours and is usually associated with the onset of menstrual flow. Secondary dysmenorrhea can also occur at any time after menarche, but may arise as a new symptom during a woman's fourth and fifth decades, after the onset of an underlying causative condition. In this review we only consider studies of women with primary dysmenorrhea. However, the results may also be generalizable to women with secondary dysmenorrhea. Studies of women with endometriosis, adenomyosis, pelvic congestion, and fibroids may also examine dysmenorrhea/pain as an outcome. Incidence and Prevalence Variations in the definition of dysmenorrhea make it difficult to determine precise prevalence rates. Studies tend to report on prevalence in adolescent girls, and the type of dysmenorrhea is not always specified. Adolescent girls tend to have a higher prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea than older women, because primary dysmenorrhea can improve with age (see Prognosis). Secondary dysmenorrhea rates may be lower in adolescents, because onset of causative conditions may not yet have occurred. Therefore, the results from prevalence studies of adolescents may not always be extrapolated to older women, or be accurate estimates of the prevalence of secondary dysmenorrhea. However, various types of studies have found a consistently high prevalence in women of different ages and nationalities. One systematic review (search date 1996) of the prevalence of chronic pelvic pain, summarizing community and hospital surveys from developed countries, estimated prevalence to be 45 to 95 percent. A second systematic review of studies in developing countries (search date 2002) found that 25 to 50 percent of adult women, and about 75 percent of adolescents, experienced pain with menstruation, with 5 to 20 percent reporting severe dysmenorrhea or pain that prevents them from participating in their usual activities. A third systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence rates among high-quality studies with samples representative of the general worldwide population (search date 2004) found that prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 59 percent (95% confidence interval, 49 to 71 percent). Prevalence rates reported in the United Kingdom were between 45 and 97 percent for any dysmenorrhea in community-based studies, and between 41 and 62 percent in hospital-based studies. Etiology and Risk Factors A systematic review (search date 2004) of cohort and case-control studies concluded that age younger than 30 years, low body mass index, smoking, earlier menarche (younger than 12 years), longer menstrual cycles, heavy menstrual flow, nulliparity, premenstrual syndrome, sterilization, clinically suspected pelvic inflammatory disease, sexual abuse, and psychological symptoms were associated with increased risk of dysmenorrhea. ||||| 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.

– Ladies in New York may soon be able to turn to pot to turn down the pain from their periods. The state is considering adding menstrual cramps to a list of conditions that could warrant a prescription for medical marijuana, reports Newsweek. A bill that seeks to have dysmenorrhea, the medical term for painful menstrual cramps, added to the list of conditions (which include multiple sclerosis and cancer) passed the New York Assembly's Health Committee late last month and will now head to the Assembly floor. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Democrat who introduced the bill, says dysmenorrhea can be "debilitating," per Live Science, but the condition has long been ignored because it's not in the "everyday consciousness" of men who dominate government. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes 20% of women who experience cramps find it hard to get out of bed or go to work. But "for years women have suffered in silence. There's Midol. You can take Advil, but really nothing more," Rosenthal says. "Medical marijuana can alleviate many of the painful effects," the bill adds. There haven't actually been any modern studies that show marijuana eases menstrual pain. However, a doctor tells Live Science that the uterus and uterine lining have an "abundance" of endocannabinoid receptors, which cannabinoids bind to, so "it's not out of the realm of the possible." Whoopi Goldberg certainly thinks pot can help. Goldberg, who has met with Rosenthal, sells cannabis-infused products designed to alleviate period pain.

Image via Warren County Sheriff Christopher David Schroeder faces child exploitation charges in an Ohio girl's disappearance. A Missouri man kept a fifteen-year-old Ohio girl trapped for weeks in his home 40 miles west of St. Louis where he repeatedly had sex with her, filming at least one of the twisted encounters, authorities say.Christopher David Schroeder, 41, of Marthasville lured the girl online, offering to pick her up outside of Cleveland after she complained about her parents, according to federal court documents. He held her against her will until Tuesday when Warren County Sheriff's investigators, working off tips from an Ohio task force, raided his home and rescued the teen, police said.The nightmare began on November 8. The girl told investigators Schroeder disabled her cell phone once she was in his car, smashing the SIM card and removing the battery. They stopped only for gas during the 600-mile drive. Along the way, Schroeder told the girl they were going to have sex when he got her home, authorities said. She protested that she was just fifteen years old.That didn’t stop Schroeder, authorities say. He’s accused of having sex with the girl multiple times. He also laid down harsh rules, ordering the girl to cut her hair, clean his house and lose weight, according to an affidavit. She wasn’t allowed to tell anyone her real name or use a phone or computer without his permission, authorities said. She told investigators he wouldn’t let her leave, and she was afraid to escape because he kept several guns in the house.The girl’s worried relatives in Ohio pleaded for help during the weeks she was missing. Her stepfather even snuck onto the set of a new Nicolas Cage movie being filmed in Cleveland, cajoling the action star into posing with a missing poster to bring attention to her disappearance The search ended when the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children tracked the disappearance to Schroeder and contacted Warren County deputies. He had used the chat site Kik to chat with the girl online, authorities say.Schroeder describes himself as an IT professional in a LinkedIn profile, working at companies including Enterprise Holdings, Energizer and Anheuser-Busch during the past 20 years. He also included a list of causes he cares about. “Children” was second on the list.When investigators searched his home on Tuesday, they confiscated video cameras and a DVR. Two of the cameras were trained on his bed. One of the videos showed Schroeder having sex with the girl, according to the affidavit.He allegedly told investigators he thought the girl was 18 and claimed that someone else drove her to Missouri, but authorities found a receipt from a McDonald’s in Ohio along with traffic ticket while searching his house and car.Schroeder appeared on Wednesday in federal court in St. Louis. He was charged with driving the teen across state lines to commit a sex crime and production of child pornography. He faces fifteen years to life in prison if convicted.Along with the federal charges, Warren County authorities booked him on statutory rape charges. ||||| For the next month, he had sex with her and recorded it. Missouri police finally tracked down the perv with help from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children, and busted him on Tuesday. Cops found video cameras set up in the bedroom, with clips of him having sex with the teen on the DVR, authorities said.

– A Missouri man held a 15-year-old captive in his home for weeks, forced her to have sex with him, and filmed at least one encounter, according to police. Authorities say a fake Facebook page led them to a home in Marthasville, 60 miles west of St. Louis, on Tuesday, where an Ohio teen was being held by 41-year-old Christopher Schroeder, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Police say the teen met Schroeder through messaging app Kik in late October or early November and complained she wasn't happy at home in Brooklyn. Police allege Schroeder picked her up in Ohio on Nov. 8, drove 600 miles to Marthasville without telling the teen where they were going, then refused to take her home, per the New York Daily News. He's charged with statutory rape, production of child pornography, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Schroeder also forced his captive—whose case drew the attention of Nicolas Cage—to clean his house, cut her hair, and lose weight, according to an affidavit. Police allege Schroeder, who kept several guns at home, also destroyed her cellphone and banned her from using the Internet without his permission. Two cameras pointed at Schroeder's bed were seized from the home, along with footage of the teen, police add. Schroeder told authorities the girl had been driven to Missouri by someone else and that he believed she was 18, but the victim says she told Schroeder she was 15 both on Kik and in person, according to police. The Riverfront Times reports Schroeder's LinkedIn page shows he's an IT professional who lists "children" as a cause that's important to him.

They're calling it #sweatergate. Los Angeles meteorologist Liberte Chan was asked to cover up during a live weather report on Saturday, May 14, and it caused a storm of controversy on social media, but the KTLA reporter assured fans that she wasn't offended. Chan was wearing a sequin Aidan Mattox black dress during her weather report on Saturday morning when news anchor Chris Burrous handed her a gray cardigan. "We're getting emails," he explained. Courtesy Facebook "What's going on? Why? Because it's cold?" she replied as she donned the sweater, complaining, "I look like a librarian now." Several people took to Twitter claiming that Chan (who had changed out of a previous outfit because of trouble with the green screen that morning) had been publicly embarrassed and body-shamed. One commenter insisted it was a case of double standards, sharing a screen grab of a 2012 KTLA weather forecast that featured a male meteorologist with two models wearing skimpy lingerie. Burrous apologized on Twitter, explaining that he offered up the sweater "in jest but I see how it seemed. I am sorry." @crowsight @hoseph_ @KTLA I completely understand meant in jest but I see how it seemed. I am sorry. I hope you will give me another chance — Chris Burrous (@chrisburrous) May 15, 2016 KTLA has no comment, but Chan addressed the awkward moment with fans on Facebook Live on Sunday, May 15, admitting, "It became this big thing." "I really wasn't offended," she said. "People are kind of spinning it and saying that it was sexist.… I thought it was kind of funny. I think we just played into the viewers saying, you know, you should cover up, so he brought me over a sweater. But not offended, I don't think it was sexist, but that's just my opinion." Want stories like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter! ||||| Weather reporter asked to cover up live on air Image 1 of / 2 Caption Close Image 1 of 2 Image 2 of 2 Weather reporter asked to cover up live on air 1 / 2 Back to Gallery Dress codes and sexism are two hot topics that have been heavily debated over the years. Whether in the school yard or at your local tech firm, women are scrutinized the most on what is considered appropriate to wear. There have been rules about not wearing sleeveless dresses to the office or avoiding skirts that are two inches above the knee, just to name a few. But what if your job provides more leeway and freedom of expression in your wardrobe — do these so-called rules still apply? Viewers of KTLA, a Tribune Broadcasting station in Los Angeles, seem to think so. Liberté Chan is a weather reporter for KTLA News, and on Saturday she was handed a sweater and asked to cover up in the middle of her broadcast. When Chan asked why, a voice off-camera simply replied,"We're getting emails." Not to cause a big commotion, Chan put on the oversized sweater and added a little banter to lighten the mood: "I look like a librarian now." After the broadcast was complete, Chan posted a video of the incident to her Facebook page and asked her followers if the dress was too revealing. The majority of the responses to Chan's post were supportive of the reporter and her black dress; others believed the station was correct in providing a sweater. "Your dress was fine and the shaming forced on you was simply cruel and uncalled for," said Facebook user Morgan Sheridan. Prior to the broadcast Chan posted a video of herself in the dress, expressing how excited she was to wear it. ||||| Personal Thoughts on the LBD/Sweater Moment that Went Viral After receiving a number of requests for interviews regarding my LBD/Sweater moment on the KTLA Morning News this weekend, I thought I would share a few personal thoughts. For those who missed what happened Saturday, March 14th, I was wearing a black, beaded sparkly dress and apparently, the station received a slew of negative emails from viewers saying the dress was inappropriate for air. I’ve worked on-air for 10 years and by now, I’ve learned that everyone has an opinion and you have to have a thick skin to work in this business. It’s a visual medium and sometimes your outfit works and sometimes it doesn’t. During the 8am hour, my co-anchor came over and handed me a sweater and said, “we’re getting a lot of emails.” I was surprised since I hadn’t seen any of the emails and didn’t think there was anything that inappropriate (the beads/sequins were probably a little much for the morning, but what girl doesn’t like something that sparkles?!), so I played along and put on the sweater. That prompted a barrage of tweets and more emails from viewers, some of which I included below. To be perfectly honest, the black beaded dress was a backup. The pattern on my original black and white dress didn’t work on the weather wall (for some reason, it turned semi-transparent), so after my first weather hit at 6am, I changed. For the record, I was not ordered by KTLA to put on the sweater. I was simply playing along with my co-anchor’s joke, and if you’ve ever watched the morning show, you know we poke fun at each other all the time. And, also for the record, there is no controversy at KTLA. My bosses did not order me to put on the cardigan, it was a spontaneous moment.. I truly love my job, I like my bosses and enjoy working with my coworkers. Since talking to my team, I want our viewers to know it was never our intention to offend anyone. We are friends on and off the air and if you watch our newscast, you know that. More importantly, I hope my viewers were able to plan their Saturday once they heard my forecast and enjoyed the sunny weather after the clouds cleared. The original dress that didn’t work on-air because it was semi see-through A few articles online: Variety Esquire Mashable Daily Mail Yahoo News .Mic A few tweets from followers… thanks for the support! Comments

– Liberte Chan was excited about the outfit she chose for her Saturday weather report on KTLA. "Even if it's early in the AM, can't beat a black beaded dress," she tweeted shortly before she went on air at the Los Angeles TV station, showing off her sequined dress, per Us Weekly. But her enthusiasm was short-lived: Soon after she started the live weather report, a hand appeared from off-camera holding a gray cardigan sweater. "What's going on? Why? Because it's cold?" she asked, to which anchor Chris Burrous replied: "We're getting emails." Chan smiled and put on the sweater, lamenting, "I look like a librarian now." Online reaction was swift, with commenters debating whether it was sexist and inappropriate to call out Chan on the air, even if her attire hadn't been typical newscaster garb, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Chan reposted the video herself on her Facebook page later that morning, first apologizing to librarians for her librarian comment, then asking viewers for their take on what Us refers to as "#sweatergate." Some said she may have been dressed too casually for work but that the sweater handoff wasn't necessary. "The morning [newscasters] on this channel have made raunchy innuendos numerous times that I can recall and there's been news stories shown with women wearing less but this dress is a problem?" one wrote. Burrous offered his own apology, tweeting, "Meant in jest but I see how it seemed. I am sorry." Chan tweeted a link Sunday night to her blog, where she expounded on the incident. She explained the dress had been a backup (the first one she had on didn't work with the studio's greenscreen) and that she was never ordered to put on the sweater. "I was simply playing along with my co-anchor's joke, and if you've ever watched the morning show, you know we poke fun at each other all the time," she writes. (This worker was sent home for not wearing high heels.)

In July, a team of investigators for Andy Savage, Michael Slager’s defense attorney, examines the scene where Walter Scott was killed in North Charleston. Attorneys for former North Charleston officer Michael Slager filed court documents Tuesday alleging that Walter Scott, who had cocaine and alcohol in his blood, wrestled away the patrolman’s Taser and pointed it at him. What’s next Circuit Judge Clifton Newman will consider Michael Slager’s request for bail during a hearing at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Charleston County Judicial Center, 100 Broad St., Charleston. Facing his own Taser, Slager said he drew his pistol and fired, according to police reports included in the filing. Inside For complete coverage of the Walter Scott shooting, go to postand courier.com/walter-scott Attorneys for the officer now charged with murder in Scott’s death submitted the paperwork to offer an explanation of Slager’s actions and support his plea for release on bail. The documents provide a glimpse of Slager’s account about what might have happened in the moments before a bystander started filming the April 4 confrontation. But attorneys for Scott’s family said that none of the information is moving or shocking and that none of it directly supports Slager’s version of the shooting. The trace amount of drugs in Scott’s blood wasn’t enough to affect his behavior, they argued. Ultimately, they noted, Slager suffered only minor scrapes while five bullets tore through Scott’s body. “This entire filing is smoke and mirrors,” family attorney Justin Bamberg said. “They want you believe Scott took the Taser and attempted to use it on Mr. Slager, but Walter Scott’s fingerprints were not on the Taser.” Slager’s lead defense lawyer, Andy Savage, argued that the evidence culled from a State Law Enforcement Division investigation favors his client. Slager has been jailed since the bystander’s footage surfaced three days after the shooting that raised scrutiny nationwide of police officers’ use of force against black men. The attorney questioned why the authorities didn’t release evidence explaining parts of the encounter not shown in the video. He said six police summaries of statements by Slager are consistent with each other and with forensic evidence, including the footage. “It wasn’t just a cold-blooded shooting of a guy in the back, and they knew that,” Savage said Tuesday. “You have to view the Slager incident as part of a continuum of public questioning of police conduct, and he got swept up in that. I’m sure political leaders and law enforcement people were concerned about civil disobedience and perhaps activity beyond exercising of First Amendment rights.” Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson, who is prosecuting Slager, said in response to Savage’s filing that such information should come out in court instead of the news media. Court rules also limit her ability to thoroughly respond to the move, Wilson said in a statement. “It is best for the administration of justice that I not join in a media sideshow,” she said. “The evidence in this case will be presented in the courtroom. Presenting that evidence in the proper way and at the proper time remains our focus.” The confrontation On that Saturday morning in early April, Slager pulled over Scott’s Mercedes-Benz because of a broken brake light. Video from his cruiser showed him talking with Scott. The officer never mentioned that he suspected Scott of driving under the influence. Toxicology tests on Scott’s blood later found cocaine and the byproducts of cocaine and alcohol mixing in his system. While the level of cocaine for typical impaired drivers is about 87 nanograms per milliliter, Scott’s level was 36, according to the findings. But to Chris Stewart, an attorney for Scott’s family, the amounts were so minimal that they might not have shown up in a urine test. With Slager back in his cruiser during the traffic stop, Scott got out and started running. Slager chased him. In a vacant lot, the officer first fired the stun gun at Scott’s back, but its prongs didn’t make clean contact, he later told North Charleston police Lt. Daniel Bowman. Slager put another cartridge into his Taser, allowing him to fire it again. Scott fell, Slager later told police supervisors, according to the reports. With Scott on his stomach, Slager told him to put his hands behind his back, but he didn’t listen, the reports stated. Slager used his Taser to directly stun Scott twice — one in the side, once in the back. In all, Slager pulled the Taser’s trigger six times during a 67-second span that morning, data from the device indicated. Struggle on ground Slager jumped onto Scott’s back and tried to handcuff the man, but Scott flipped over to face him, the officer told the police. When Slager put his forearm to Scott’s neck to hold him down, according to the account, Scott used both hands to grab the Taser. The documents did not say where the Taser was at the time. “The suspect was able to wrestle it away,” the lieutenant’s report stated. “The suspect then stood up and pointed the Taser at Officer Slager. Officer Slager then drew his weapon as he was returning to the standing position and fired multiple times.” The start of the bystander’s video, taken from beyond a fence, showed the two on the ground. But the camera shifted away from the action as the men stood — the time when Slager said Scott had his stun gun. The bystander, Feidin Santana, said Slager had the upper hand in the fight. The Taser then bounced on the ground behind Slager, but it’s not clear in the footage how it had been dislodged. Scott had his back turned, and he was running when Slager started shooting. Three of the eight bullets missed. One grazed Scott’s right ear, according to autopsy findings. Other bullets hit his right shoulder, his right buttocks and his right side. One went into his upper back, puncturing his lungs and heart. Doctors also found a Taser barb stuck in Scott’s left side. Before Slager left the shooting scene, he showed Chief Eddie Driggers how he said Scott wrested the Taser from his hands. He also pointed at the scrapes on his legs and his left hand, according to Driggers’ report. The wounds were treated that afternoon at a hospital, but they were not serious. The attorneys for Scott’s family released photos Tuesday contrasting the officer’s injuries with Scott’s bullet wounds. “(Slager) had a small scratch on his finger and a scratch on his knee that you could get falling off a bicycle,” Stewart said. “He had no major injuries, and he pulled out his gun and shot it after Mr. Scott was running away.” A risk to public? SLED investigators later examined Slager’s clothes, finding his own blood on his shirt and pants. On the Taser, they also found DNA that likely came from both Slager and Scott, but the court documents offered no account for how Scott’s DNA got on the device. The family attorneys said Scott’s DNA could have easily transferred to the Taser when Slager jabbed the device into Scott. “It doesn’t mean Walter Scott had the Taser,” Bamberg said. On Scott’s hands, the agents came across gunshot residue, the tiny particles spewed during a firearm discharge. The residue is typically found on a gunman’s hands and sometimes on gunshot victims. But it also could have wound up on Scott’s hands when Slager handcuffed him after the shooting, the family attorneys said. Slager’s lawyer said his team’s interpretations of the evidence would come during later court proceedings. “We have our own theories about what happened, but that’s for the trial. That’s not for the bond hearing,” Savage said. “This information is to show ... an explanation so that the court can determine whether (Slager) is a risk to the public, which we believe he clearly isn’t.” Circuit Judge Clifton Newman is expected to take up Slager’s bail request Thursday. Savage came up with two plans for the former officer’s release, but details were not included in the public court filing. The documents included 40 letters in which 17 relatives, 14 North Charleston police employees and five former co-workers expressed support for Slager. A forensic psychiatrist also opined that Slager would pose a “very low risk” to the public if he’s released. “Mr. Slager has realistic plans for the future,” Dr. Leonard Mulbry wrote, “and (he) prioritizes the needs of his family and his desire to return to being the productive, responsible member of society he has always been.” Reach Andrew Knapp at 937-5414 or twitter.com/offlede. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. The South Carolina police officer who shot and killed Walter Scott after he turned and ran says an infamous video does not show the whole story of what happened on the morning of April 4 — and he says the truth will come out. “Just that three seconds of the video came out. And everybody thought I was racist, and I just got out of my car and just shot him in the back for no reason,” Officer Michael Slager told NBC News in a Skype interview from jail. “That’s what makes me upset is that nobody knows what actually happened,” he said. “But now it’s gonna come out.” The comments came as his lawyer outlined a defense: Slager didn’t know Scott was unarmed, felt threatened, and made a quick decision to shoot because he believed Scott might pull a gun and shoot him first. And in documents filed Tuesday ahead of a bail hearing on Thursday, Savage argues the state's own evidence shows Slager did not commit murder. The filings allege that Scott's DNA was found on Slager's Taser, and that gun shot residue was found on Scott's hands — purportedly indicating there was a struggle for both weapons. A grand jury indicted Slager for murder in the North Charleston shooting, and a video clip recorded by a passerby made it the latest episode to call police conduct into question, particularly in encounters with unarmed black men. Slager stopped Scott, 50, for a broken taillight. A dashboard camera inside the officer’s cruiser captured video of Scott fleeing on foot. When the officer caught up, the bystander’s video captured what appeared to be the end of a struggle, and then Scott turning to run. Slager fired eight times from some distance. The officer’s lawyer, Andy Savage, told NBC News that Scott grabbed Slager’s Taser and fired it twice at the officer, only missing because he didn’t know how to operate it. Slager fired “because he felt threatened,” and had no way to know Scott was unarmed because he had not had the chance to pat him down, his lawyer said. “He sees irrational behavior of a suspect, at that time,” Savage said. “He sees a guy who’s committed four felonies in the last minute and a half — violently resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, robbing the police officer of his weapon Taser, and using that Taser in attempt to harm him. Four felonies in the last 30-45 seconds.” After he took off running, Scott pivoted, the lawyer said, at which time the officer figured “the logic is that was going for a weapon.” “Four months later, you can sit down with your cold beer and your TV show and watch the video and say, ‘Ah, he wasn’t armed,’” Savage said. “Well, good for you. Would you have known that at the time that the officer had to make a life-and-death decision? The guy has violently attacked him, violently tried to use the Taser against him.” The video also raised suspicion because Slager, after Scott was down, appeared to drop the Taser beside Scott’s body. Savage, the lawyer, said that only appeared suspicious through the prism of other cases of fatal encounters between police and unarmed black men, including Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner on Staten Island. “If you wanted to erase all those background issues in the prism you’re looking through,” Savage said, “you would say he’s securing a weapon.” Thirty seconds later, he said, the officer picked up the weapon and holstered it. Savage described his client as a “Joe Six-Pack” and “just a regular guy.” He said that Slager is sorry for what happened. “He’s certainly very concerned about the loss of life,” Savage said. “I don’t want to say he’s desperate about that. But he realizes that his actions resulted in the death of somebody. That's a heavy thing for anybody. "If an average guy, whether he's driving a car and runs over a pedestrian or — whatever it is and there’s a loss of life, it comes back and haunts you," said Savage. "And he’s haunted by that.” Scott's family meanwhile says that despite any new evidence, they believe Slager committed murder. "What truly matters in this case is this, the context to this situation is already caught on tape," said Scott family attorney Chris Stewart. "Everything else we've seen is distraction information, trying to make people think whatever transpired before is relevant and important. But it's not."

– The former police officer facing a murder charge in the death of Walter Scott says video of him shooting the unarmed black man in the back multiple times doesn't tell the whole story. In a jailhouse interview, Michael Slager tells NBC News that he finds it upsetting that "everybody thought I was racist, and I just got out of my car and just shot him in the back for no reason," but the truth is very different and it will come out. His lawyer tells NBC that Slager felt threatened after an alleged tussle for his Taser and that he fired as Scott took off running because he didn't know that he was unarmed and feared he would produce a weapon. Slager was facing a suspect "who's committed four felonies in the last minute and a half—violently resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer, robbing the police officer of his weapon Taser, and using that Taser in attempt to harm him," the lawyer says. The lawyer also claims that the video, which shows Slager apparently dropping the Taser next to Scott's body, only looks suspicious because people see it through "the prism" of other police incidents like the Michael Brown shooting. Slager has a bail hearing tomorrow, and in a court filing a lawyer for the Scott family dismisses as "smoke and mirrors," his lawyers allege that Scott wrested the Taser away from the officer and pointed it at him moments before the shooting, the Post and Courier reports. (Slager was accused of excessive force in 2013.)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's president has asked the United Nations nuclear chief to confirm it still adheres to the nuclear deal with world powers after President Donald Trump refused to re-certify the accord. A statement Sunday from President Hassan Rouhani's office quoted him as telling Yukiya Amano that Iran's adherence to the deal "has been complete and remarkable." Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, met with Iranian officials during his visit Sunday in Tehran. Rouhani described the nuclear deal "as an important achievement ... and we must consolidate this important international commitment with full cooperation." Trump's refusal to recertify the deal has sent the agreement to the U.S. Congress. ||||| Tehran, Iran - What would have been a routine visit by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) became a public relations opportunity for the Iranian government. Yukiya Amano was in Tehran on Sunday, his first visit since US President Donald Trump told Congress that Iran is not complying with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), more commonly known as the 2015 nuclear deal. The IAEA chief put a positive face on proceedings, but the stakes are high. This time, his verification of compliance was a moment of vindication for Iran and another international rebuke of the White House. "Ladies and gentleman, I am very happy to come to your country again," Amano said during a press conference at Iran's nuclear agency. "Since January 2016, the IAEA has been monitoring and verifying the nuclear related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA. The IAEA believes that the JCPOA is a significant gain for verification. The IAEA can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA are being implemented," he added. 'Message to Trump' There was no ambiguity in his comments to journalists. There was even a message that sounded tailor-made for Trump. "The most important thing is to be factual," Amano said. "I have always been factual since I became director general of the IAEA. Sometimes I have to report bad news but I also report the good news. It is very important to stick to the rules and I will continue to do so." Before meeting with Amano, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani was speaking in an open session of parliament. He took the opportunity to slam the US and restate his country's commitment to its own defence. "You object to our weapons, we are going to manufacture and store any kind of weapons we need," Rouhani said. "And this is to defend ourselves and the unity of our land and people. And we will not hesitate to use them in the appropriate time to defend ourselves. "You know, that we have built, are building and will continue to build missiles, and this doesn't violate international law or the international resolution (JCPOA). We will continue to reinforce our defence abilities and to defend our national security. And if there is any violation of the United States's commitments, we will react strongly," Rouhani said. The White House has said Iran's development of a missile programme is a threat to regional security and violates the spirit of the nuclear deal. Non-nuclear inspections For Iran's leaders, Amano's visit was an opportunity to remind the world they have passed every nuclear inspection with flying colours. "So far, eight times, the IAEA has released reports that state that Iran has met its commitments fully," said Ali Akbar Salehi, head of the Atomic Energy Agency of Iran. Salehi, Amano's counterpart in Iran, also said demands by the Trump White House to inspect non-nuclear military facilities - something that was kept out of the original nuclear deal - are a waste of time. "Military bases are not part of the deal … so it's useless to talk about them," he said. The pressure to keep the peace is now on European shoulders. "Americans are not implementing the nuclear deal, let's be frank," said Emad Abshenass, a Tehran-based political analyst. "[As long as] all the other countries stick by the nuclear deal, the nuclear deal is there." The IAEA chief reminded Iranians that his organisation will continue to monitor and verify the JCPOA "in an impartial and objective and stringent manner" - even Trump has struggled to criticise Iran's technical compliance with the deal. But the US's current Iran policy has more to do with Iran's emboldened role in the Middle East and less to do with dismantling the JCPOA. While the nuclear deal opened the door for international banks and businesses to deal with Iran, the US is blocking the doorway. The threat of new sanctions from the US is having the same effect as actual sanctions. "What happens is that most of the international companies, they don't know what to do," Abshenass said, adding: "They are afraid to invest or start implementing their agreements with Iran … so all of the agreements are on hold right now. They have signed the deals, they have signed the agreements but none of them is being implemented. Everyone is afraid of what might happen." Iranians say this is a violation of the agreement. And while Iran's government would prefer to keep the nuclear deal intact, Tehran's distrust of the US government is growing. Salehi told journalists that if the nuclear deal were to fall apart because of US actions, it could put global non-proliferation into question. And in his speech to parliament, Rouhani said the Trump White House is not an honest broker. "The US should abandon negotiations and treaties with the world given the path it has taken," Rouhani said. "The administration of a country that violates the international obligations of the previous administration is not trustworthy."

– Iran's president asked the United Nations nuclear chief to confirm it still adheres to the nuclear deal with world powers after President Trump refused to re-certify the accord, and al-Jazeera reports that he got his wish. "The IAEA can state that the nuclear-related commitments made by Iran under the JCPOA are being implemented," Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said at a press conference Sunday in Tehran. President Hassan Rouhani's office quoted him as telling Amano that Iran's adherence to the deal "has been complete and remarkable," reports the AP. Rouhani described the nuclear deal "as an important achievement ... and we must consolidate this important international commitment with full cooperation." Amano met with Iranian officials during his visit Sunday in Tehran. Trump's refusal to recertify the deal has sent the agreement to the US Congress. (The Ayatollah has said it's no use responding to Trump's "whoppers.")

LONDON — A man from the South Coast of England has become the world’s first convicted ginger terrorist. After decades of perceived abuse for his red hair, Mark Colborne, 37, stockpiled the ingredients required for an arsenal of chemical weapons that he was planning to deploy against “blacks and Caucasian idiots,” officials say. On behalf of his ginger “brothers,” the man’s ultimate aim was to assassinate Prince Charles and Prince William so that the British crown could be placed on the red head of Prince Harry. Colborne was found guilty Tuesday in London of preparing terrorist acts after his family found the substances needed to make cyanide in his bedroom along with dust masks, a spray bottle, gloves, and a chemical that would help the poison penetrate his victims’ skin. He had also amassed a small library of manuals that may have helped him commit an atrocity, including The Poor Man’s James Bond, which was compiled by former American Nazi Party member and survivalist Kurt Saxon. More alarming than the recipes for napalm, cyanide, and ricin were the journals penned by Colborne that spelled out his terrifying hair-color-based ideology. “I want them to see my transition from poor red-haired victimized minority that is constantly walked over to a fully transformed military terrorist striking at the hearts of the bigoted tyrannical rulers and of course the dark-haired dark-eyes Caucasian race,” he wrote. “I will be heard through terror.” Authorities say Colborne once joined the far-right British National Party, which is associated with a history of racist views, and he studied a copy of Mein Kampf. There is, after all, very little ginger-supremacist material available outside the Angry Ginger Kid YouTube video and the work of red-headed Australian singer Tim Minchin, whose song “Prejudice” includes the words: So listen to me if you care for your health / You won’t call me ginger ’less you’re ginger yourself / Only a ginger can call another ginger, ginger With no obvious ginger-power leaders to look up to, Colborne had to be more imaginative. He wrote: “The IRA are my heroes—acting as a small military force taking on a wealthy power, and of course red hair being associated with their history.” Colborne’s brother, who gave evidence in court, discovered the journals, which contained graphic threats of violence alongside recollections of taunting. “There were also a number of comments about being attacked and abused when younger... and being laughed at and bullied because he was ginger. All of what I had found scared and concerned me greatly,” he said. Kevin Colborne also discovered receipts for pine charcoal and sodium phosphate, which he was shocked to discover online were used to manufacture explosives. He immediately went to get his mother from work. Get The Beast In Your Inbox! Daily Digest Start and finish your day with the top stories from The Daily Beast. Cheat Sheet A speedy, smart summary of all the news you need to know (and nothing you don't). By clicking “Subscribe,” you agree to have read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Subscribe Thank You! You are now subscribed to the Daily Digest and Cheat Sheet. We will not share your email with anyone for any reason. “Mum was the first person into the room... She picked up a cardboard box and we gathered round. I can recall pulling out a bottle of distilled water, scales, iron oxide, and a brown bottle,” he said. “Mum was having a look around and also on the floor. She found a book called Assorted Nasties. It appeared to be a book on poisons and how they could be used.” Despite his mother’s protests, Kevin called the police. Detectives would later uncover details of his plots to commit mass murder against non-gingers. “I don’t want to be a serial killer. I’m more of an Anders Breivik,” wrote Colborne, citing the Norwegian right-wing terrorist who killed 77 people in 2011. “I’m looking for major retribution, a mass terrorist attack which will bring to the attention our pain not just mine but my brothers around the world.” Colborne wrote in his journal that he wanted to set off a bomb in his hometown. “I would like to create a huge explosion in Southampton town centre or in a pub full of Caucasians and then tell the newspapers the reason for the attack,” he said. “I’ve often thought of following a Caucasian, killing him and taking his head.” In his lurid diary entries, he described himself and fellow redheads as Aryans, locked in battle with the black and Caucasian communities. His most outlandish plot was to install Prince Harry as king of the gingers. “Wouldn’t it be great to have a military silent rifle, take up a good stealth position and put a bullet in Charles’ head. I would sacrifice my life for that one shot,” he wrote. “Kill Charles and William, and Harry become king. “Kill the tyrants.” ||||| A man who felt “belittled by society” for being a white, ginger-haired male and fantasised about shooting Prince Charles so Prince Harry could be king has been found guilty of plotting a terror attack “for the Aryan people”. Mark Colborne, 37, compared himself to the Norwegian far-right terrorist Anders Breivik – who killed 77 people in 2011 – and made notes in a diary detailing plans to assassinate the royal heir with a sniper rifle. He also acquired manuals entitled Assorted Nasties, Silent Death and The Poor Man’s James Bond, jurors were told. Alison Darlow QC, prosecuting, told a court that the defendant had trawled the internet for explosives and poisons and bought books on the subject. He allegedly bought chemicals online that formed the essential ingredients for cyanide and stockpiled dust masks, metal filter funnels, plastic syringes and latex gloves. Colborne was arrested on 3 June last year after his half-brother found papers detailing his racial hatred in his bedroom at the family home in Southampton. The Old Bailey in London heard how Colborne had written of his wish to carry out a terror attack, stating: “I will put a major dent in England, one that is felt around the world. If for some reason I cannot perform a major operation, then I will still opt for low-level attacks.” Comparing himself to rightwing extremists, he said: “I’m looking for major retribution, a mass terrorist attack which will bring to the attention our pain – not just mine but my brothers’ around the world.” In March last year, Colborne bought various ingredients for cyanide, the court heard. On 3 June, Kevin Colborne came across receipts for chemicals his brother had bought while preparing to decorate the home. He became concerned after learning that the chemicals could be used for fireworks and alerted his mother, Patricia. Together they went into Colborne’s “extremely cluttered” bedroom, uncovered an assortment of chemicals, the books and other equipment, and called the police. Darlow told the court that the defendant had depression and agoraphobia and had led a relatively isolated life. She said: “He clearly had experienced a troubled childhood and perceived himself as marginalised and belittled by society because he was a white, ginger-haired male.” A jury could not agree a verdict after a trial earlier this year, but Colborne was found guilty at the Old Bailey following a retrial. A jury deliberated for more than 14 hours to deliver its majority verdict on Tuesday. The jury rejected allegations that Colborne possessed chemicals to make cyanide and dimethyl sulfoxide and stockpiled paraphernalia including syringes, screw-top spray and face masks. Judge John Bevan QC adjourned sentencing until Tuesday 3 November. Colborne showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered. Investigating officer Det Sgt Andy Hedley said: “It is clear from our investigation that Mark Colborne is a fantasist who had ideas and plans about committing acts that could cause great harm to other people.The 37-year-old went beyond the realms of fantasy when he wrote down his intentions and bought the chemicals that would have enabled him to carry out these plans. “Fortunately, he didn’t ever carry out any of these plans and from all the evidence we found, Colborne had not progressed to actually making poisons or viable devices that would have presented an immediate threat to the community.” He added: “I would like to thank and praise Colborne’s family who were brave in coming forward to tell us about concerns they had about his behaviour.”

– A man who felt "belittled" for having red hair has been found guilty of plotting terrorist acts from his bedroom in the UK. Prosecutors say Mark Colborne, 37, was found with handwritten notes and books describing how to make lethal poisons like napalm, cyanide, and ricin, as well as ingredients, dust masks, a spray bottle, latex gloves, metal filter funnels, plastic syringes, and a chemical that would help poison penetrate skin, per the Daily Beast and Guardian. Alongside recollections of bullying, Colborne also wrote about "putting a bullet in Prince Charles's head" and killing Prince William so that a red-haired Prince Harry could be king, reports the BBC. "I don't want to be a serial killer. I'm more of an Anders Breivik. I have left potential targets open," he wrote. "I was waiting for an opportunity to kill one of them." His writings also expressed hatred toward "non-Aryans" whom he called "blacks and Caucasian idiots." "I want them to see my transition from poor red-haired victimized minority … to a fully transformed military terrorist striking at the hearts of the bigoted tyrannical rulers and of course the dark-haired dark-eyes Caucasian race," wrote Colborne, who suffered from agoraphobia and depression. "I'm looking for major retribution, a mass terrorist attack which will bring to the attention our pain, not just mine but my brothers' around the world." Police were alerted to the case last June when Colborne's mom and brother came upon his stash. "It is a very strange case involving, if I may say it, a very strange person," the judge said. A jury found Colborne guilty in a 10-2 decision after 14 hours of deliberations. He'll be sentenced Nov. 3.

Washington (CNN) Sen. John McCain says he is "convinced" Obama is letting his personal problems with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu get in the way of shared policy goals. "The President should get over it. Get over your temper tantrum, Mr. President," the Arizona Republican said Sunday in an interview with CNN's Gloria Borger on "State of the Union." "It's time that we work together with our Israeli friends and try to stem this tide of ISIS and Iranian movement throughout the region, which is threatening the very fabric of the region," he said. "The President has his priorities so screwed up that it's unbelievable," McCain said. Obama has taken issue with Netanyahu's comments leading up to Israel's election that there will be no Palestinian state on his watch. The President told The Huffington Post last week that it is now "going to be hard to find a path where people are seriously believing that negotiations are possible." When asked by Borger about Obama's consideration of signing a U.N. resolution calling for a Palestinian state, McCain said it should be completely off the table. "Of course he shouldn't be considering it. And, second of all, if he does that, then -- and it would be approved by the U.N., then the United States Congress would have to examine our funding for the United Nations," McCain said. "It would be a violation because of the President's anger over a statement by Bibi, by the prime minister of Israel. It would contradict American policy for the last at least 10 presidents of the United States." McCain said Obama needs to move past his hurt feelings -- both to work toward peace in the region and to cooperate with Israel in addressing Iran's growing influence in the region. "The least of your problems are what Bibi Netanyahu said in a political campaign," McCain said. "It pales in significance to the situation which continues to erode throughout the Middle East and it puts America at risk." Democratic Rep. Steve Israel of New York said on policy issues, the United States and Israel is strong -- so "who cares" about the "the hype and the drama of personalities." "What counts is, are we providing Israel with the critical security equipment technology that they need? And on that, we are," Israel said on "State of the Union." What counts, and what we need to do, is get back to the fundamentals and stop with all the drama," he said. ||||| Sen. Ted Cruz Ted CruzSanders: Dems are not always right Sanders wins Maine caucuses Michigan congressman endorses Kasich MORE (R-Texas), who is expected to declare his intention to run for president on Monday, is "absolutely unfit" to run for office because of his views on climate change, California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) said Sunday. Brown was asked on NBC's "Meet The Press" about Cruz's comments on "Late Night With Seth Meyers" that "many of the alarmists on global warming, they've got a problem, because the science doesn't back them up." "What he said is absolutely false," Brown said — adding that the vast majority of climate scientists believe that climate change is man-made. He said that climate change had contributed to both California's drought and record snowfalls in parts of the Northeast. "So, it’s climate disruption of many different kinds," Brown added. "And that man betokens such a level of ignorance and a direct falsification of scientific data. It’s shocking and I think that man has rendered himself absolutely unfit to be running for office." Brown also said that if he were 10 years younger, he might be running for president himself. Cruz is reportedly planning to announce he is running for president in 2016 during a Monday appearance at Virginia's Liberty University. He is expected to run by courting the party's conservative base instead of trying to become the first choice of moderate voters. ||||| House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Sunday dinged President Obama's response to the reelection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. ADVERTISEMENT "I will tell you that, from the president and the administration, they're trying to make this about the prime minister, Netanyahu," McCarthy said on CBS's "Face the Nation." "It's not about him, it's not about the administration. This is about the mutual concern we have for Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon," McCarthy said. "This administration should be better than this," McCarthy said, adding that given Netanyahu's reelection, the U.S. should build upon its "unique" relationship with Israel "instead of trying to make it personal." Republicans have criticized the White House's response to Netanyahu's reelection this week, underscored by escalating tensions over his vocal opposition to a potentially unsatisfactory deal over Iran's nuclear program, which faces a preliminary deadline at the end of the month. In an interview released Saturday, Obama sought to play down the significant of Netanyahu's reelection, saying it wouldn't have "a significant impact" on selling a potential deal to the public or Congress. Obama also cited his congratulatory call to Netanyahu two days after the election to signal he would not brush off the Israeli leader's pre-election promise to not allow a Palestinian state, which he later walked back. "We take him at his word when he said that it wouldn't happen during his prime ministership," Obama told The Huffington Post. "The president should get over it," Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, adding Obama should get over his "temper tantrum."

– President Obama pulled no punches in his blunt assessment of Benjamin Netanyahu's campaign rhetoric, and John McCain is today taking his own jabs at Obama. Appearing this morning on CNN, he said, "The president should get over it. Get over your temper tantrum, Mr. President." He dismissed Obama's priorities in the region as "so screwed up that it's unbelievable," dismissed Netanyahu's comments as "the least of your problems," and dismissed Obama's consideration of a UN resolution backing a Palestinian state—except to threaten it, saying, "then the United States Congress would have to examine our funding for the United Nations." He continued: "It's time that we work together with our Israeli friends and try to stem this tide of ISIS and Iranian movement throughout the region, which is threatening the very fabric of the region." Other highlights from your Sunday dial, per the Hill: Kevin McCarthy on Obama's Bibi response: "It's not about him, it's not about the administration. This is about the mutual concern we have for Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon. This administration should be better than this." Homeland Security Committee chief Mike McCaul on Yemen: "Yemen is one of the most dangerous spots in the world. And now, because we are withdrawing completely, we will have no intelligence footprint or capabilities to monitor what AQAP and ISIS and the Shia militants are doing in the region." Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown on Ted Cruz's pending announcement: "That man betokens such a level of ignorance and a direct falsification of scientific data" (because of his views on climate change). "It’s shocking and I think that man has rendered himself absolutely unfit to be running for office." McCain on Cruz: "He is a valued member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, him and I are friendly and I think he is a very viable candidate." But, "Lindsey Graham is the one I think knows best about national security."

Story highlights Motivational speaker John Littig and psychotherapist Lynne Rosen are found dead Apartment manager: Note said, "I can't take it anymore, my wife is in too much pain." Their "Pursuit of Happiness" radio show spoke of personal development and growth Two life coaches who hosted a radio show called "The Pursuit of Happiness" apparently committed suicide together in their Brooklyn apartment, police said. Motivational speaker John Littig, 48, and his common-law psychotherapist wife, Lynne Rosen, 46, were found with plastic bags over their heads and a tube attached to a canister of helium, according to police. Two suicide notes were found, police said. The manager of the building, Hasan Boztepe, 51, said he smelled a strong odor coming from the apartment and broke down the door Monday morning after no one answered his repeated knocks. He found the bodies sitting on a couch, holding hands. The canister with an open valve was on Rosen's right, he said. Boztepe said he also found two suicide notes, one apparently written by a man and one by a woman. In the man's note, Boztepe remembered the words: "I can't take it anymore, my wife is in too much pain." "I was shocked. I am still in shock. I feel so bad for these people," Boztepe said. He said he knew the couple and stopped by the apartment last week to fix something for Littig. "He walked me to the door and said 'thank you very much.' He was a very nice guy -- and a couple of days later, this." The couple's radio show, "The Pursuit of Happiness," on WBAI-99.5 FM focused on "personal development, growth and creativity" according to their website. It was an hourlong show airing every other Thursday afternoon. "RIP Lynne Rosen + John Littig. Partners on air and in life," the station posted Thursday on Facebook and Twitter. The couple also led a life coaching consulting company, Why Not Now, offering coaching "designed to help foster and encourage your inner strengths," and "put you confidently on the path to designing the life you've always wanted to live," according to their website. "You should try to do something that scares you every day," Littig said on a show in February. "People really need to try to implement that into their lives," Rosen later added. "Even if it is small things and it feels scary; but it's a small step and it moves you forward toward your real self." ||||| Police have not said when the couple ended it all. But neighbors said they were told they had been dead for a week before they were found. And while a sheet of plastic covered the door to their apartment, building workers were spraying air freshener through the halls.

– A strong odor alerted building manager Hasan Boztepe that something was not right inside John Littig and Lynne Rosen's Brooklyn apartment. When no one answered his repeated knocks, he broke down the door Monday and found the two radio hosts dead in a double suicide. They were sitting on a couch holding hands, the manager tells CNN, and they had each left a note behind. Littig's read: "I can't take it anymore, my wife is in too much pain." As for Rosen's, it "basically said she was sorry for doing this," a police source tells the New York Daily News. “We believe she had some psychological problems." The life coaches, whose show was described as focusing on "personal development, growth, and creativity," were in a common law marriage. They had been together 20 years, a neighbor tells the New York Post. "John was a very nice person. Lynne kept to herself," the neighbor says. "She was always putting on a lot of weight and taking it off." Other neighbors didn't have such kind words. One called Rosen "kind of a cold fish," and another told the Daily News Littig was fond of banging on his drums in frustration at all hours and would "fly into these crazy rages and scream like a crazed animal." Neighbors have reportedly been told the couple was dead for a week before their bodies were discovered.

My name is Stephanie Clifford (aka Stormy Daniels). I am attempting to speak honestly and openly to the American people about my relationship with now President Donald Trump, as well as the intimidation and tactics that he, together with his attorney Michael Cohen, have used to silence me. In order to tell my story, I have had to file a public lawsuit in Los Angeles, California in an effort to void a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that Mr. Trump never signed and yet is trying to use to intimidate me. Rather than agree that the NDA is invalid, thus allowing me to talk, Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen have instead attempted to hide the facts from the public using a bogus arbitration proceeding and have threatened me with millions of dollars in damages ($1M each time I speak out) if I tell the truth about what happened. I recently made an offer to return the $130,000 I was previously paid if it was agreed that I could simply tell the truth publicly. Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen did not even bother to respond. I need funds to pay for: attorneys' fees; out-of-pocket costs associated with the lawsuit, arbitration, and my right to speak openly; security expenses; and damages that may be awarded against me if I speak out and ultimately lose to Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen. I am more fortunate than many, many people in this country. And for that I am grateful. But unfortunately, I do not have the vast resources to fight Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen alone. Thank you for supporting me. ||||| Stormy Daniels sets up crowdfunding account to raise funds for Donald Trump legal fight Adult film star and director Stormy Daniels has set up a crowdfunding account to raise funds for her legal fees in her fight to void the non-disclosure agreement that she signed connected to her alleged relationship with Donald Trump. Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, wrote in the tout at website CrowdJustice that she is working to "speak honestly and openly to the American people about my relationship with now President Donald Trump." RELATED: Stormy Daniels would like to erase the last few months On Wednesday Daniels' assistant confirmed to Chron.com that the crowdfunding account was legitimate. "In order to tell my story, I have had to file a public lawsuit in Los Angeles, California in an effort to void a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that Mr. Trump never signed and yet is trying to use to intimidate me," Daniels added. So far she has raised nearly $120,000 in contributions, with some chipping in just $10 to support her cause. Last week she filed a lawsuit saying that Trump and his attorney Michael Cohen "aggressively sought to silence" her when she planned to make her story public in late 2016. Now Playing: Her lawsuit seeks to nullify the s0-called "Hush Agreement" that Cohen had Daniels sign soon before the election on the grounds that Trump never signed it himself. On Thursday Chron.com briefly spoke to her attorney, Michael Avenatti, about the account. "We want a forum for her to tell her story to the American people, without a threat of being sued for millions of dollars," Avenatti told Chron.com. Avenatti did say that the public can expect more to come out regarding the case. When asked what those additional details could be he declined to elaborate. On Thursday Chron.com was not able to confirm how much money is needed to be raised. Some have asked Avenatti what will happen to any excess funds collected from the CrowdJustice account. According to Avenatti it will be refunded to the contributors as pursuant to the website's existing policies. RELATED: Read porn star Stormy Daniels' lawsuit against President Donald Trump CrowdJustice is a crowdfunding site, quite like GoFundMe or Kickstarter, where everyday people can raise funds for specific legal actions. It has raised thousands of dollars for a variety of causes including voting rights, child refugee appeals, and murder cases. Daniels was thrust into the spotlight back in January when the Wall Street Journal reported that Cohen had paid her $130,000 to keep her quiet about the alleged sexual encounter with Trump back in July 2006 at a Lake Tahoe celebrity golf tournament. She has offered to return that sum of money in exchange for being able to tell the truth publicly. She wrote on CrowdJustice that neither Trump or his lawyer responded to her offer. "I am more fortunate than many, many people in this country. And for that I am grateful. But unfortunately, I do not have the vast resources to fight Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen alone," she wrote. The 38-year-old porn performer, director, and screenwriter was recently in Houston where she performed for three nights at Galleria-area club Vivid Live. Daniels, the married mother of a 7-year-old metal-music-loving daughter, splits her time between Los Angeles and Dallas when she's not feature dancing or directing her own films. She writes, directs and performs in at least one full-length porn feature a month, on average. Craig Hlavaty is a reporter for Chron.com and HoustonChronicle.com. ||||| (CNN) The lawyer representing Stormy Daniels says that, on the heels of her lawsuit against Donald Trump, several other women are now exploring the possibility of legal action against the President. Attorney Michael Avenatti confirmed that several women recently came to him seeking to potentially build legal cases against Trump. He would not identify the women. Avenatti's claim was first reported by BuzzFeed Trump and the White House have denied all the allegations. It is unclear whether any women from that group are among those who Avenatti says approached him. Avenatti filed a lawsuit on Daniels' behalf last week to get her out of a nondisclosure agreement she signed with Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen. The porn star, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, says the agreement was designed to keep her quiet about an alleged 2006 affair with Trump. Both Cohen and the White House have denied the allegations of an affair between Daniels and Trump. Cohen admitted that he had paid Clifford $130,000 from his own pocket through a private LLC as part of the deal just before the 2016 election. Her complaint argues the deal is not valid because Trump himself did not sign it, though Cohen did. JUST WATCHED Lawyer: Trump Org. wanted a muzzle on Daniels Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Lawyer: Trump Org. wanted a muzzle on Daniels 02:35 The lawsuit also alleges Daniels was intimidated into signing the nondisclosure agreement. Since her lawsuit was filed, Daniels has offered to pay back the money she took to allow her to tell her story. Avenatti says the deadline for that offer has passed with no response from either Michael Cohen or Donald Trump. The first hearing in the case is scheduled for July 12 in a Los Angeles court.

– Stormy Daniels supporters can assist her with her legal battle against President Trump by contributing to a crowdfunding campaign the adult film star has set up. "I am attempting to speak honestly and openly to the American people about my relationship with now President Donald Trump and the intimidation and tactics used against me," she writes at the CrowdJustice page for her campaign, which has raised more than $137,000 so far. She says the money raised will not go to her personally but will go toward "attorneys' fees; out-of-pocket costs associated with the lawsuit, arbitration, and my right to speak openly; security expenses; and damages that may be awarded against me if I speak out and ultimately lose to Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen." Daniels' assistant confirmed to the Houston Chronicle that the campaign is legitimate, and her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told the paper, "We want a forum for her to tell her story to the American people, without a threat of being sued for millions of dollars." Avenatti also spoke to BuzzFeed News Wednesday, telling the site other women have reached out to him about possible representation in their own potential legal cases against Trump. He did not, however, offer any details about the basis of those hypothetical cases. CNN reports that at least 15 women have come forward with accusations against Trump ranging from lewd behavior to sexual assault; it's not clear if any of those women are the ones Avenatti claims to have been approached by. The White House never responded to Daniels' recent offer to pay back her hush money.

BEAVERCREEK, Ohio (WDTN) - Brennan Eden, the driver of the car that went airborne and crashed on I-675 in Beavercreek, Ohio Aug. 23 had been arrested and released by Beavercreek Police approximately an hour before the crash occurred. According to a statement by the Beavercreek Police Department, Eden, 19, of Mason, Ohio, was arrested at approximately 6:13 a.m. Police said the Eden was found in his car with a juvenile female in a parking ot near the corner of Beaver Vu Dr. and N. Fairfield Rd. Police said they found an unopened can of alcohol, a trace of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia inside Eden's car. Eden was cited for prohibition, drug paraphernalia, and drug abuse and released prior to 6:54 a.m. Police said Eden was cooperative and there were no indications he was under the influence of alcohol at the time of his arrest. The girl was also arrested then released to the custody of her father. Eden crashed his car at approximately 7:15 a.m. Witnesses said Brennan was passing other drivers at speeds of at least 100 mph before he drove off the left side of the roadway while passing a Sugarcreek Twp. police car. The crash was caught on that officer's cruiser camera. Eden lost control of his car and slammed into the concrete pillar of a bridge south of Indian Ripple Road. The force of the crash broke the car into three pieces and Brennan was ejected. "He went down into the median, into the grass, hit the guardrail, went airborne and the car hit the center post of the bridge and literally exploded into three main pieces," said witness Mark Riley. Brennan was was flown to Miami Valley Hospital by Careflight where he was last listed in critical condition. Ohio State Highway Patrol Lt. Marty Fellure said they are still investigating the crash trying to determine Eden's speed and why he was passing cars on the berm. The crash shut down the southbound lanes for nearly six hours. ||||| State police in Ohio say an out-of-control car "disintegrated" when it went airborne and smashed into a highway overpass pillar. The 19-year-old driver was in critical condition. A police cruiser's dashboard camera captured Monday morning's stunning crash on Interstate 675 near Dayton. The video shows a 1985 Pontiac Firebird passing by in the median, striking a culvert and then flying through the air. The car slams into the overpass, turning into a shower of parts. The State Highway Patrol says driver Brennan Eden was ejected onto a highway shoulder. Troopers say he was alert and conscious afterward. Investigators are trying to determine how fast the car was going.

– When the phone rings, but it's not God at the other end, well, it means that it's not your time. Ask Brennan Eden. The 19-year-old's 1985 Pontiac Firebird went airborne, smashed into a pillar, and disintegrated early yesterday morning. But he's still around to talk about it, though he remains in critical condition after being ejected onto the highway shoulder. A police cruiser's dashboard camera captured the crash, near Dayton, Ohio, on tape. WTDN Dayton adds that Eden was reportedly arrested an hour before the crash after police found traces of pot and drug paraphernalia in his car. Watch, or read the full article.

The ascension of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court is expected to usher in a new conservative majority that could become part of President Trump's legacy. Gorsuch, who was confirmed by the Senate on Friday, is widely expected to shift the ideological balance of the court to the right, with his views seen as mostly in line with the man he is replacing: the late Justice Antonin Scalia. But some court watchers say Gorsuch may be even more conservative than Scalia, his mentor and a fellow adherent to the originalist view of the Constitution. “I think it’s interesting he’s cast as either a follower of Scalia or a more temperate version of Scalia, but in fact it seems that he may be quite to the right of Scalia in certain areas,” said Caroline Fredrickson, president of the left-leaning American Constitution Society for Law and Policy. ADVERTISEMENT Like Scalia, Gorsuch was part of a majority ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby stores. His 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Affordable Care Act could not compel certain companies to provide health coverage for contraception if it violated their religious beliefs. The Supreme Court upheld that ruling in 2014. While Gorsuch ducked questions at his confirmation hearings about his views on equal protections for LGBTQ Americans, liberal groups expect him to give heavy weight to religious freedom in decisions about civil rights. “I can see efforts to make it easier for people to opt out of providing services,” Fredrickson said. “I can see letting the florist, the caterer, the dress maker have no requirement to provide gays and lesbians with any services ... There are a lot of different ways, even if a right is not taken away in name, it’s gone because it’s impossible to exercise.” Conservatives say liberal groups are reading Gorsuch’s record out of context, noting he has never actually ruled on any LGBTQ rights case. Carrie Severino, chief counsel for the conservative Judicial Crisis Network that lobbied hard for Gorsuch’s confirmation, said he has a record of following the law without consideration for politics. Yet conservatives do agree with liberals than Gorsuch is more conservative than Scalia in at least one area of case law, known as the Chevron deference. The administrative law principle, which says courts should defer to an agency’s interpretation of vague laws unless they are unreasonable, was established by the Supreme Court in the 1984 landmark decision Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council Inc. It’s a court precedent even Scalia upheld. “Broad delegation to the Executive is the hallmark of the modem administrative state; agency rulemaking powers are the rule rather than, as they once were, the exception; and as the sheer number of modern departments and agencies suggests, we are awash in agency ‘expertise,’ ” Scalia said while speaking at Duke Law School in 1989. But in a concurring opinion in a case on the 10th Circuit last year, Gorsuch argued that Chevron should be reconsidered. “If this goliath of modern administrative law were to fall? Surely Congress could and would continue to pass statutes for executive agencies to enforce," he wrote. "And just as surely agencies could and would continue to offer guidance on how they intend to enforce those statutes. The only difference would be that courts would then fulfill their duty to exercise their independent judgment about what the law is.” Liberal groups say that line of thinking could put Obama-era public health and safety protections at risk, as many of them are already being challenged in the courts. “He will, unlike Scalia, restrict the ability of agencies to protect our health and safety … and second-guess agency experts,” said Nan Aron, president of the Alliance for Justice. “His decisions favor corporations and special interests at the expense of consumers and workers, and we believe he will continue this trend on the Supreme Court.” But John Malcolm, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, says Gorsuch isn’t favoring one administration or another in making the argument against Chevron deference. “His approach of less deference to agencies would apply during a Democratic administration and Republican administration,” he said. “It’s not based on whether he likes the executive branch rulings or not.” Malcolm said Gorsuch is arguing for the separation of powers by saying it’s a judge’s role to give the best interpretation to ambiguous laws, rather than deferring to agency interpretations. “Gorsuch would show no more deference to Trump administration agencies than he would Obama administration agencies,” he said. Other legal experts cautioned that it’s hard to guess how Gorsuch will rule on any given issue. “You can’t really know even if you read all his circuit opinions how it will work out once he’s on the court,” said Carl Tobias, a professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law. Tobias argues that the types of cases heard by the 10th Circuit vary from those heard by the Supreme Court, which often handles broader constitutional questions. “And I think that to some extent justices change when they are on the court for good or bad and it just depends on the issue,” he said. However he rules, Gorsuch’s impact on the court will be felt for years to come. He is 49 and will have a lifetime appointment. "If he turns out to be conservative, it solidifies the conservative bloc in a way that wouldn’t have happened if you had someone older," Tobias said. Gorsuch will be sworn in as a justice on Monday. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. The U.S. Supreme Court term is nearly over, but the influence of the newest justice, Neil Gorsuch, is likely to have an immediate effect on one of the most important cases yet to be heard and on helping select cases the court will take up next. History will be made Monday when Justice Anthony Kennedy administers the judicial oath to Gorsuch at a White House ceremony. Never before has a sitting justice sworn in a former clerk to become a colleague on the high court bench. Chief Justice John Roberts will privately administer the separate constitutional oath earlier in the day. The court hears the final 13 cases of the term during the last two weeks in April, when it will be back at full strength for the first time since Antonin Scalia died 14 months ago. Gorsuch will not be able to vote on cases that were argued before he arrived at the court, but he may have a decisive role to play in an important freedom of religion case to be heard April 19. At stake are laws in well over half the states that prohibit spending tax dollars to support churches. The states say the restrictions are necessary to keep the government from meddling in religious affairs. But to the challengers, they're nothing more than a form of discrimination. Related: Neil Gorsuch Confirmed to Supreme Court After Senate Uses 'Nuclear Option' The case involves a lawsuit brought by Trinity Lutheran Church in Columbia, Missouri. It applied for money from a state program that provides grants to non-profits seeking to cover gravel playgrounds with a rubber surface made from recycled tires. The church wanted to improve the playground at its pre-school and daycare center. But the state rejected the application, citing a provision in the Missouri constitution that says "no money shall ever be taken from the treasury, directly or indirectly, in any of any church, sect, or denomination of religion." As a judge on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Gorsuch supported a private company and an order of Catholic nuns who argued in two separate cases they should not have to provide contraceptive insurance coverage for their employees — despite Obamacare's requirements — because doing so would violate their religious beliefs. Religious freedom is also at the heart of a pending case the court has not yet agreed to hear, testing whether businesses can refuse, on religious grounds, to provide services for same-sex weddings. Over the past few months, the justices have repeatedly listed the case for discussion at their private conferences where they decide which cases to hear. Gorsuch could provide the fourth vote needed to grant review. Related: LGBT Job Discrimination Is Prohibited by Civil Rights Law, Federal Appeals Court Rules That case will likely be among those discussed when Gorsuch meets with the rest of the court in a closed-door conference Friday — his first official act as a justice. Another case awaiting action asks the court to decide whether the Second Amendment provides the right to carry a gun outside the home. After issuing its landmark ruling in 2008 that the Second Amendment provides a right to keep a handgun at home for self-defense, the Supreme Court has repeatedly declined to step back into the issue. The justices have denied review of dozens of cases intended to test the reach of gun laws outside the home. Though Justice Gorsuch cannot vote on cases already argued but not yet decided, he could still end up playing a role. If the court is tied 4-4 on any of those cases, the justices could order them to be re-argued, which would allow him to participate and eliminate the possibility of another deadlock. The Senate voted 54-45 Friday to confirm his nomination. The entire process, from President Trump's announcement to the final vote, took 66 days. That's two days faster than the average for the eight other current justices. At age 49, Gorsuch will be the youngest justice on the court by more than a decade. The average age of his colleagues is just shy of 70. At 84, Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the oldest justice on the court. ||||| Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. ||||| Not too long before he was nominated to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch published two opinions – in the same case – staking out some genuinely heterodox positions on administrative law. In the now-relatively well-known case of Gutierrez-Brizuela v. Lynch, Gorsuch wrote both the majority decision for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit and his own concurrence, using the latter as an opportunity to argue against what is known in the law as “Chevron deference.” The court’s holding in the 1984 case Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council directs courts to defer to reasonable agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes; it is a foundational case in terms of the existing structure of American government, because it grants policymaking flexibility to the agencies that line Constitution and Independence Avenues, and reduces the relative role of courts (and the congressional statutes they are interpreting) in providing fixed stars for our core federal regulatory regimes. In a way, Chevron deference is responsible for making the views of the current head of the Environmental Protection Agency far more important than the content of the Clean Air Act in terms of setting national anti-pollution policy. Gorsuch’s opinion in Gutierrez-Brizuela points out that this result essentially inverts the conventional view of the separation of powers, under which Congress sets national policy through statutes, the courts interpret those statutes to “say what the law is,” and the executive branch carries the law into execution, rather than revising it from one administration to the next according to its policy whims. So we have the odd situation that Gorsuch is viewed as a revolutionary thinker – as taking up arms against a rule at the heart of modern administrative law – by advocating for an understanding of American government we all (should have) learned in high-school civics. A defender of Chevron would point out that something like its rule is necessary for the government to solve modern problems. Congress can only ever act in fits and starts, and cannot engage in day-to-day technical judgments about, say, what kind of substances are “air pollutants” and what quantity of them is dangerous to human health. So Congress instead sets out the broad policy aims, and then empowers an administrator or cabinet secretary to carry out those aims through her agency’s expertise. Requiring more of Congress is unrealistic, and letting courts freeze the meaning of ambiguous terms like “pollutant” through judicial interpretation means that Congress’ policy goals will be frustrated when times or scientific knowledge change. The core case for Chevron thus comes from big policy statutes that broadly create or empower federal agencies with technical expertise – statutes like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act (EPA); the Federal Communications Act (Federal Communications Commission); the Federal Power Act and Natural Gas Act (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission); the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (Food and Drug Administration); or the Occupational Safety and Health Act (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). What is particularly notable about Gorsuch’s famous forays into administrative-law jurisprudence and Chevron deference is how distant they are from these fundamental applications of the doctrine. In fact, Gorsuch’s two best-known decisions on administrative law – Gutierrez-Brizuela and De Niz Robles v. Lynch – both involve one of the weakest possible contexts in which to defend Chevron doctrine. The administrative agency at issue in both is the Board of Immigration Appeals, the primary function of which is just to decide the host of quasi-judicial immigration cases that must be adjudicated throughout the nation every year. In both cases, the complaint was that the BIA had changed the legal rules on the immigrants at issue and then applied those rule changes retroactively, implicating core fairness concerns, but no real issue of technical judgment or agency expertise. Remarkably, Gorsuch’s next-best-known administrative law decision shares this feature. In United States v. Nichols, the issue was (again) the power of a non-technical administrator (the attorney general) to create retroactive effects on individuals – although Nichols, even more dramatically than the cases above, involved the agency interpreting a criminal statute. Gorsuch’s opinion would have denied the agency this power under the statute, or else recognized that Congress’ delegating this authority to the executive branch would violate the (now rarely invoked) non-delegation doctrine. Again, Gorsuch is fundamentally sticking up for the classic conception of separation of powers, and the priority position of Congress and the courts in making and interpreting the laws that determine the rights of individuals. But, again, the agency action at issue here is quite far removed from the core purposes of Chevron, in a way that highlights what is bothersome about the doctrine, and masks what it gets right. All of this is to say that Gorsuch’s atypical take on administrative law may be rooted in his atypical perspective on the subject as a judge on the 10th Circuit, rather than on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The big agency rulemakings on technical questions that sit much closer to the core of Chevron doctrine tend to come up through the D.C. Circuit, and would accordingly jump to mind for justices who got their start there or whose government background involved these kinds of administrative-law issues. (Out of the previous nine justices, that is, remarkably, Scalia, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Justices Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan.) The D.C. Circuit does not have any immigration cases, however, and so Gorsuch’s perspective on applications for Chevron doctrine in that context will be relatively new on the court. Of course, Gorsuch’s opinions recognize that his critique of Chevron must extend to cases in which the doctrine makes much more sense than in the narrow area in which he is writing. But because judges are people, Gorsuch’s views on these questions are quite likely to be influenced by his exposure to cases in which Chevron doctrine has far more uncomfortable effects in terms of allocating the responsibility for “saying what the law is” between agencies and courts. All in all, there is no question that a deep dive into Gorsuch’s writings in this area marks him as a unique skeptic of certain core doctrines of administrative law and the deference they provide to the agencies – particularly on questions of how to read their operative statutes. It is impossible in this regard to confuse Gorsuch with Breyer or Kagan, say, in terms of the deference they are likely to show towards administrative decision making in future cases. What is far less clear is whether and how far Gorsuch’s outspoken skepticism extends to the far-more-central cases of agency rulemaking in which Chevron developed and in which it continues to play a core role in making federal regulation effective. That much remains to be seen. Recommended Citation: Eric Citron, The roots and limits of Gorsuch’s views on Chevron deference, SCOTUSblog (Mar. 17, 2017, 11:26 AM), http://www.scotusblog.com/2017/03/roots-limits-gorsuchs-views-chevron-deference/ ||||| Becoming the ninth Supreme Court Justice, Judge Neil M. Gorsuch will have little time to get comfortable in the surroundings before he could be casting significant – and perhaps even decisive –votes. He joins a court of eight members, who have sometimes struggled to find enough common ground to avoid splitting evenly, a result that settles nothing. In fact, Gorsuch could hold the decisive vote in a case that he is expected to join his new colleagues in hearing on Wednesday, April 19. Potentially one of the biggest cases of this term, it tests the rights of religiously affiliated organizations to equal access to government benefits. The court granted review on that case – Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer -- almost 15 months ago, but has been holding off on considering it apparently because of the possibility that the eight Justices might divide 4-to-4 on it. That challenge, and others he will face, will not be entirely new and strange: he served as a law clerk at the court almost 25 years ago. But he will be the first to do that and then return later to serve alongside the Justice for whom he had worked: Anthony M. Kennedy, now the court’s longest-serving member. After the new Justice takes two official oaths and shows up for work, his first assignment will be a role as a “Circuit Justice” with the duty to handle emergency matters that come up from a lower court in one of the nation’s 13 federal circuits (geographic regions). Each of the Justices gets assigned to at least one of those circuit regions; Gorsuch will pick up a circuit now assigned to a Justice who has more than one. Often, those Circuit matters involve last-minute pleas by prison inmates seeking to put off their scheduled executions, but these filings can also involve significant constitutional or legal questions. As is normal, Gorsuch will have the option of acting on such matters alone or sharing the action with his colleagues. First Matters Before Gorsuch One of the most significant emergency matters that is likely to reach the court soon, perhaps this month, would be a request to take some preliminary action on President Trump’s executive order limiting entry into this country of foreign nationals from Mideast nations. Although the question may arise in a preliminary sense, it could be as important as whether the government can enforce key parts of the controversial presidential order. When the eight-member court last took a significant action in a major controversy over immigration policy, it split 4-to-4 last term and thus left intact lower court rulings that had barred President Obama from putting into effect his delayed deportation order for individuals who had lived for long periods in the U.S. after having entered illegally or having stayed illegally after their arrival. There are real similarities between the issues of presidential power surrounding both the Obama and Trump initiatives. A Gorsuch vote on the Trump order thus could turn out to be crucial. His first scheduled working session with all of his colleagues will be on Thursday, April 13, when they gather behind closed doors to discuss new cases they might accept for review or turn aside. The other Justices who are working on drafts of opinions on cases already argued will be deciding at that session whether they have any ready for public release during the following week. Gorsuch And Current Cases A new Justice ordinarily will not take part in deciding cases that had been heard before he or she joined the court. If, however, the other Justices have wound up voting 4-to-4 on a not-yet-decided case, they could schedule a new hearing on such a case, probably to occur during the next term that starts in October, when Gorsuch could take part. Among already-pending new cases that raise major controversies that could come up for early consideration by Gorsuch and his colleagues, at the April 13 session or later this Spring, are disputes over gay rights, gun rights and voting rights. The gay rights case, if granted review, would put before the Justices one of the key issues that has arisen in the wake of the court’s ruling nearly two years ago in favor of same-sex marriage (the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges). That question is whether those who object to such marriages for religious reasons have a right not to provide goods or services to such couples. That dispute not only would draw the court back into the midst of the abiding nationwide controversy over gay rights, but also would provide a new test for the nine-member court’s attitudes toward church-government relations. The case is Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The specific question is whether a state can constitutionally enforce its civil rights law against a bakery whose owner refused, for religious reasons, to make a cake for a same-sex couple’s wedding party. Judge Gorsuch has familiarity with this kind of conflict. As a federal Circuit Court judge, he wrote an opinion in favor of the religious freedom claims of the family owners of the Hobby Lobby Stores, a retail chain of arts and crafts supplies. The religiously devout family objected to a requirement under the federal Affordable Care Act that their stores provide birth-control methods for their female employees. A divided Supreme Court later agreed with the victory handed to the family by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. The new Justice will face a religious freedom issue again in the scheduled April 19 hearing in the Trinity Lutheran Church case. That involves the constitutional question of whether a religiously-operated school has an equal right to take part in a state program of handing out materials made from used tires to be used as school playground matting. Such aid was barred for the school under the Missouri state constitution’s ban on any public aid to religion, even though the specific benefit had no religious content. After taking no action on that case in more than a year, the Supreme Court has scheduled it for the final sitting of oral arguments without knowing whether it would have a ninth Justice by then, but perhaps in the hope that it might. A dozen other cases set for the April hearing session will not be particularly challenging for Gorsuch or his colleagues, or of much interest to the general public. Each of the others involves a quite narrow issue – the kind of cases the court has been regularly taking on in the 14 months that it has operated with only eight members, after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. At least one of those cases will be assigned to Gorsuch to write the court’s opinion, because each Justice usually gets at least one such assignment out of each argument sitting. If, as seems quite likely, the court accepts any new cases for review between now and the end of the current term, probably in late June, those will be heard during the next term opening in October. New Cases And Gorsuch Among the new cases that Gorsuch and his colleagues will confront during coming weeks is a deeply controversial gun rights dispute, in the case of Peruta v. California. The question is whether the Second Amendment’s “right to keep and bear arms” protects the carrying of a gun outside the home, even in a concealed way. In the nine years since the court first ruled that the Amendment guarantees a personal right to have a gun for self-defense, it has never agreed to rule on a case involving questions about carrying a firearm in public. The court also must decide fairly soon what to do with a major case on voting rights – always a staple on the modern court’s docket. The case of North Carolina v. North Carolina NAACP involves the constitutionality of one of most restrictive voting rights laws in the nation, which includes such restrictions that a lower court found it to have revived the anti-racial specter of “Jim Crow” discrimination. After North Carolina elected a new Democratic governor, the state’s new leadership asked the court to simply dismiss the state’s pending appeal seeking to defend those restrictions. That request seems to have been giving the eight Justices some difficulty. Another voting rights controversy that has just reached the court is a test of whether courts have any valid way to judge the constitutionality of “partisan gerrymandering” – the practice of drafting new election districts specifically to give one political party’s candidates a special advantage in an election. The new case involves an appeal by the state of Wisconsin, urging the court not to allow such challenges to go forward in the courts. The court has never been able to craft a workable constitutional formula on when there has been too much partisanship in a redistricting plan. The newest form of civil rights claims – the question of whether transgender people are legally protected from discrimination in government programs or policies by laws that outlaw bias based on sex – is developing in lower courts across the country and is certain to be before the court before very long. It did reach the court earlier this term in a case involving a transgender youth in a Virginia high school who was denied access to the restroom that matches his gender identity, but the Justices chose to send that dispute back to a lower court to examine the Trump Administration’s change of policy to oppose legal protection for transgender people. An older controversy, over whether the foreign nationals that the U.S. has detained at the military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are protected by any legal rights under American law, has been largely absent from the court’s docket for several years, but two new cases would thrust the court back into depths of that controversy. The two appeals raise basic questions about the legality of the war crimes tribunals at Guantanamo, which have been largely stalled by legal missteps and complications. The arrival of a new Justice could add a new perspective to that lingering controversy, since the legal fate of the Guantanamo detainees has never been an issue before the federal appeals court on which Judge Gorsuch has been serving. In general, as soon as the new member of the court takes a seat at the end of the bench in his first public session, his every utterance – and even his posture – will draw the keenest attention for signs of how he will perform as the successor to Justice Scalia. His opponents in the Senate argued that he would be at least as conservative as Scalia had been, and maybe more. Lawyers and other court observers will be especially attentive to signs of his ideological leanings. Legendary journalist Lyle Denniston is Constitution Daily’s Supreme Court correspondent. Denniston has written for us as a contributor since June 2011 and has covered the Supreme Court since 1958. His work also appears on lyldenlawnews.com. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate, at bit.ly/constitutionweekly ||||| Neil Gorsuch, President Trump's pick to fill the Supreme Court slot left open by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, was confirmed by the Senate in a bruising fight, after the upper chamber's Majority Leader Mitch McConnell invoked the so-called nuclear option, which allowed Republicans to end debate with a simple majority of votes, rather than the traditional minimum of 60, and push through the nomination. Interested in Supreme Court? Add Supreme Court as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Supreme Court news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest On Monday, Gorsuch will be publicly sworn in as the 113th Supreme Court justice at 11 a.m. ET at the White House. To help understand why the addition of Gorsuch, a judicial conservative ideologically similar to Scalia, to the nation's highest court matters, we reached out via email to Kate Shaw, an ABC News contributor and a Cardozo School of Law professor. Let's step back for a second. What is the broad impact on the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court with the addition of Gorsuch? How do you see him fitting in on the court? He knows Anthony Kennedy well, yes? Shaw: For over a decade, the court has been divided between four more conservative justices, four more liberal justices and Justice Kennedy, the swing vote on nearly every issue. Justice Scalia's sudden death nearly 14 months ago obviously changed that balance: Over the last year, the best outcome the conservative justices could hope for in most cases was a 4-4 tie if they could attract Justice Kennedy's vote. So Gorsuch's confirmation restores the state of affairs that existed on the court before Justice Scalia's death — which means the answers to a lot of pressing legal questions are again in Justice Kennedy's hands. And yes, Gorsuch does know Justice Kennedy. Gorsuch served as a clerk for Kennedy as part of his clerkship for retired Justice Byron White. (Law clerks for retired justices frequently also become part of the chambers of an active justice.) When Gorsuch joins the court, it will be the first time a former law clerk will serve alongside his or her former justice on the court. What happens now? What's the first thing on his plate? Does he report to work immediately? He'll need to be formally sworn in, which involves taking two separate oaths of office — one he'll take at the Supreme Court and one at the White House. After that, he'll likely get to work immediately. The court is on recess this week but will resume hearing cases on Monday, April 17, and I'm sure he'll soon be hard at work — more likely already is hard at work — preparing to hear those cases. He won't participate in deciding any of the cases the court has already heard, unless the court decides to have them reargued, which it could well do in any case that appears to be deadlocked 4-4. What upcoming cases should we watch closely that Gorsuch could affect now that he has joined the court? The most anticipated case in the April sitting is probably Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, a case about whether a state constitutional provision that prevents state funds from going to religious institutions violates the federal Constitution — both the clause protecting the free exercise of religion and the clause guaranteeing the equal protection of the laws. Here a church that contains a playground applied for a state program that helps nonprofits resurface their playgrounds. The church was denied access to the program because of its status as a church, and it argues that this is unconstitutional. I'd say the other big cases to watch right now are the various challenges to the president's second travel ban executive order. Both the 4th Circuit and the 9th Circuit will hear arguments in May on the constitutionality of the travel ban. Whatever happens in those cases, the losing party is virtually certain to seek Supreme Court review. Although the court doesn't typically hear cases between April and October, it's certainly not unheard of for it to do so — and I think it's quite possible here, in particular if the administration loses and asks the court to act quickly. The court could also rule without hearing arguments. Let's dive into the travel ban for a moment. If the fight over the travel ban reaches the Supreme Court, you're saying it's possible that Gorsuch could give the conservative wing the votes needed to rule in favor of the Trump administration? It's definitely possible. That's likely why the Trump administration took its time appealing its district court losses in both Maryland and Hawaii — because it wanted Gorsuch in place and thinks it has a good chance of getting his vote. Of course, there's no guarantee that Gorsuch will vote with the administration, but if the rest of the conservatives vote to uphold the ban, it's hard for me to see him breaking with them in his first major vote on the court. From Gorsuch's record, are there cases where he might not necessarily rule as conservatives might expect him to? Well, one of the threads of his jurisprudence that's gotten a lot of attention in the last few months is his skepticism of doctrines that require courts to defer to administrative agencies. Those views could result in him striking down some of the deregulatory actions the agencies are in the early stages of taking. One area in which he might vote differently from Justice Scalia — and, in fact, could be more conservative — is campaign finance regulation. Though Scalia, like the other conservatives, was in general quite hostile to campaign finance regulation, he was actually a supporter of the constitutionality of disclosure requirements. (He wrote in one case, though this was not actually about campaign contributions, that "requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed.") [Justice Clarence] Thomas, by contrast, thinks that compelled disclosure — for example, of the names and personal details of campaign contributors — violates the First Amendment. And it seems to me possible that Gorsuch could sign on to the Thomas position. In a largely deregulated campaign finance landscape, disclosure requirements are one of the only remaining mechanisms by which money in politics is regulated, so this could have a major impact. How will the court be affected if the president is able to add another conservative justice? I'd say the most pressing questions here are around the future of abortion. The court has long been closely divided on the question of whether the Constitution protects abortion at all, with a strong minority of the court taking the position that it does not. We don't know for sure what Gorsuch thinks about abortion, but a lot of people assume that he shares Justice Scalia's view that Roe v. Wade and its successor Planned Parenthood v. Casey were incorrectly decided and should be overturned. Let's assume that's true. If Justice [Ruth Bader] Ginsburg were to leave the court and be replaced by a conservative like Gorsuch, you'd have only four votes in favor of Roe and Casey: [Stephen] Breyer, [Sonia] Sotomayor, [Elena] Kagan and Kennedy. (Kennedy joined the liberals last year in striking down a restrictive Texas abortion law. He's far more likely to uphold certain abortion restrictions than the liberal justices, but the most recent signs from him are that he has no interest in overruling Roe.) This means that the Constitution's protection of abortion could be in real peril with another Trump appointment. I think at that point a lot of attention would shift to Chief Justice [John] Roberts. As a general matter, his inclination in such matters is to proceed incrementally. The court could uphold a series of abortion regulations, weakening the foundations of Roe and Casey rather than overruling them outright. The question then would be whether the court would be willing to take the next step and actually overrule them. Roberts is a real institutionalist, so it's possible that he'd take seriously the concerns that overruling long-settled precedents on such a divisive social issue might hurt the court's legitimacy and standing in the eyes of the public. That's essentially what happened in Casey, when everyone thought Roe would be overruled after personnel changes at the court, but it wasn't. ||||| Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Gorsuch will be confirmed as a Supreme Court justice on Monday Neil Gorsuch has been confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, following a bitter and partisan battle over his nomination by President Trump. The conservative judge could be required early on to weigh in on several hot-button issues due before the court, including religious freedoms, gun rights and Mr Trump's travel ban. Other cases which deadlocked between the eight current justices may be reheard now that there is a ninth justice in place to break the tie on America's highest court. Here are some of the key cases he may have a hand in deciding in the coming weeks and months. Church and state Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v Comer One of the first cases Justice Gorsuch will hear, with oral arguments due to begin next week, concerns separation of church and state. A school run by Trinity Lutheran Church in Missouri sought to take part in a state programme that resurfaces playgrounds with rubber from recycled tires. But the Missouri Department of Natural Resources denied the request, arguing that the state constitution prohibited funding of religious organisations. Representing the church, the Alliance Defending Freedom said the denial infringed the church's First Amendment rights. The case was accepted by the court in January last year but delayed a hearing for 15 months. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Neil Gorsuch could influence American policy for decades Religious freedoms Masterpiece Cakeshop v Colorado Civil Rights Commission The Supreme Court is due to decide this week whether to accept the case of a baker in Colorado who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, on religious grounds. The lower courts found that the owners of Masterpiece Cakeshop had violated Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA), and the decision was upheld by the Colorado Court of Appeals. The case has been under consideration for acceptance by the Supreme Court since January, suggesting that Judge Gorsuch could tip the balance either way. He has previously found in favour of religious freedoms in the workplace, including in two of his most well-known cases. In Burwell v Hobby Lobby and Little Sisters of the Poor v Burwell, Judge Gorsuch ruled that a requirement for employers to cover contraception under their health insurance plans infringed their religious freedoms. Gun rights Peruta v San Diego This takes up a lower court ruling that said the second amendment alone did not grant California gun owners the right to carry a concealed weapon in public places. The ruling granted counties the right to apply additional tests before granting a permit, including whether the applicant showed "good cause" to require it. The argument essentially boils down to whether the existing right to gun ownership for self defence at home extends to carrying a concealed weapon in public places. "Any prohibition or restriction a state may choose to impose on concealed carry - including a requirement of 'good cause,' however defined - is necessarily allowed by the [Second] Amendment," said the lower court ruling. The ruling led to variation across counties, with some sheriff's offices denying nearly all concealed carry applications. The restrictions are being challenged by a group of Second Amendment campaigners. Travel ban President Trump's controversial executive order banning travel from six Muslim-majority countries is probably heading to the Supreme Court later this year. Justice Gorsuch repeatedly declined to comment on the issue during his confirmation hearings, but a Supreme Court case would provide a public test of his independence from Mr Trump, who nominated him for the court. The order is due to go before the Fourth Circuit and Ninth Circuit court in May. Another immigration issue which could make its way to the court at some point is Mr Trump's attempt to strip federal funding from so-called "sanctuary cities" - cities that refuse to comply with federal orders to detain immigrants. Mexico shooting Hernandez v Mesa This is the case of a 15-year-old unarmed Mexican boy who was on the Mexican side of the border when he was shot dead in 2010 by a US border patrol agent, in disputed circumstances. Sergio Hernandez's family want to sue the agent for infringing the boy's constitutional rights. The Supreme Court has already heard oral arguments in the case but the justices did not reach any conclusion. That opens the way for the case to be reheard with Justice Gorsuch on the bench. Voting rights North Carolina v North Carolina NAACP In July, judges on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against a North Carolina voting overhaul that they said targeted African Americans "with almost surgical precision". The case went to the Supreme Court in August but split the justices 4/4 over whether to prevent the overhaul coming into effect before November's general election. With the case due to go before the court again, Judge Gorsuch could swing the result either way. ||||| President Donald Trump watches as Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch hugs his wife Marie Louise in the Rose Garden of the White House White House in Washington, Monday, April 10, 2017, after Supreme Court... (Associated Press) President Donald Trump watches as Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch hugs his wife Marie Louise in the Rose Garden of the White House White House in Washington, Monday, April 10, 2017, after Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, right, administered a public oath of office to Gorsuch. (AP Photo/Carolyn... (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump praised new Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch during a White House swearing-in ceremony on Monday as a jurist who will rule "not on his personal preferences but based on a fair and objective reading of the law." In the Rose Garden ceremony, Trump said Americans would see in Gorsuch "a man who is deeply faithful to the Constitution of the United States" and predicted greatness for the 49-year-old former appeals court judge from Colorado. "I have no doubt you will go down as one of the truly great justices in the history of the U.S.," Trump said. The president noted that the successful nomination came during his first 100 days in office and added: "You think that's easy?" Gorsuch, who restores the court's conservative majority, was sworn in during the ceremony by Justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom he once served as a law clerk. It was the second of two oaths — the first was conducted privately in the Justices' Conference Room by Chief Justice John Roberts. In remarks in the Rose Garden, Gorsuch said he was humbled by his ascendance to the nation's high court and thanked his former law clerks, saying of his former law clerks, "your names are etched in my heart forever." Gorsuch promised to be a "faithful servant of the Constitution and laws of this great nation." He fills the nearly 14-month-old vacancy created after the death of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who anchored the court's conservative wing for nearly three decades before he died unexpectedly in February 2016. In nominating Gorsuch, Trump said he fulfilled a campaign pledge to pick someone in the mold of Scalia. During 11 years on the federal appeals court in Denver, Gorsuch mirrored Scalia's originalist approach to the law, interpreting the Constitution according to the meaning understood by those who drafted it. Like Scalia, Gorsuch is a gifted writer with a flair for turning legal jargon into plain language people can understand. Gorsuch will be seated just in time to hear one of the biggest cases of the term: a religious rights dispute over a Missouri law that bars churches from receiving public funds for general aid programs. His 66-day confirmation process was swift, but bitterly divisive. It saw Senate Republicans trigger the "nuclear option" to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster threshold for Gorsuch and all future high court nominees. The change allowed the Senate to hold a final vote to approve Gorsuch with a simple majority. Most Democrats refused to support Gorsuch because they were still seething over the Republican blockade last year of President Barack Obama's pick for the same seat, Merrick Garland. Senate Republicans refused to even hold a hearing for Garland, saying a high court replacement should be up to the next president. The White House swearing-in ceremony was a departure from recent history. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan were both sworn in publicly at the Supreme Court. Former Justice John Paul Stevens has argued that holding the public ceremony at the court helps drive home the justice's independence from the White House. Some interesting facts about Gorsuch and the court: —He is the youngest nominee since Clarence Thomas, who was 43 when confirmed in 1991. —The Colorado native went to high school in Washington while his mother served as EPA administrator in the Reagan administration. —He's the sixth member of the court who attended Harvard Law School; the other three got their law degrees from Yale. —Gorsuch credits a nun with teaching him how to write. He and his family attend an Episcopal church in Boulder, though he was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools as a child. He joins a court that has five Catholics and three Jews. —As an associate justice, Gorsuch will earn $251,800 a year — over 15 percent higher than his $217,600 salary as an appellate judge. —Gorsuch joins the ranks of justices who are millionaires. He reported financial assets in 2015 worth at least $3.2 million, according to his latest financial disclosure report. ___ Associated Press writers Mark Sherman and Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

– Neil Gorsuch is now officially a member of the US Supreme Court, and the 49-year-old's impact is expected to be both immediate and long-lasting. Gorsuch officially gets to work on Monday, in time to hear important cases for the current term and to help weigh in on which cases will be heard in the next one. Here's a look: The court will hear a case April 19 that may be the most significant of the term, writes Lyle Denniston at Constitution Daily. In Trinity Lutheran Church v. Comer, a Missouri church is suing for the right to use state funds to improve a kids' playground. It's seen as one of the biggest church-state cases in a while. Also on the court's radar are various challenges to President Trump's travel ban, reports ABC News in its Gorsuch primer. A preview at the BBC includes an upcoming gun rights case (Peruta v. San Diego) about people's rights to carry concealed weapons in public places. Gorsuch cannot vote on any cases argued before he became a justice, but if any of those cases end up 4-4, the court could order them re-argued before the full, nine-member panel, notes NBC News. At the Hill, Lydia Wheeler writes that Gorsuch may actually be more conservative than the late Antonin Scalia in some areas, particularly on what's known as the Chevron deference. It stems from a 1984 ruling in which the high court ordered lower courts "to defer to reasonable agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes," per an explainer at SCOTUSblog. In layman's terms, liberal groups fear that public health and safety laws enacted in the Obama era are at risk. The Gorsuch confirmation fight is destined to replayed again and again. This op-ed in the Washington Post thinks one thing that would help is a constitutional amendment limiting justices' terms to 18 years. See a video of Trump, Gorsuch, and Justice Anthony Kennedy (Gorsuch used to clerk for him) here via PBS. As the low man on the court's totem pole, Gorsuch has some kitchen responsibilities.

Horticulturists announced Tuesday they had successfully cloned a genetic replica of an ailing 130-year-old giant sequoia planted by conservationist John Muir in the 1880s on his ranch in Martinez, Calif. And many more are apparently on the way, they say. If all goes according to plan, the first clone nurtured in a Michigan laboratory will be shipped within a year to California for planting at Muir’s homestead, which is now a national historic site about 35 miles northeast of San Francisco, said David Milarch, cofounder of the nonprofit Archangel Ancient Tree Archive. “That tree is the last living witness to Muir’s life and times,” Milarch said. “We expect to ship its clone to the John Muir National Historic Site when it’s about 18 inches tall. Once rooted, it’ll grow several feet a year.” Muir, regarded as the father of the modern conservation movement, returned from a Sierra Nevada trip with the original seedling wrapped in a damp handkerchief. He planted the specimen beside a carriage house on his family’s Martinez fruit ranch. Today, the sequoia is 70 feet tall and dying of an airborne fungus. As part of an effort to preserve a living connection with Muir at the site, Keith Park, a National Park Service horticulturist, trimmed two dozen cuttings from healthy young branches and shipped them to Archangel, which has successfully cloned trees planted by George Washington at Mount Vernon. Jake Milarch, an archive propagator and David Milarch’s son, snipped the cuttings into 400 smaller pieces and treated them with an experimental combination of misters, artificial sunlight, nutrients, four hormones and a temperature of 74 degrees in the nonprofit group’s laboratory in Copemish, Mich. “Critics said it was impossible to clone a giant sequoia more than 80 years old,” Milarch said. “But my son proved it can be done. Right now, we have one clone. But we’ll get more, no doubt about it.” Others could be donated to national parks and other areas with the proper climate and soils to grow them. “Any organization with a John Muir giant sequoia clone will draw lots of crowds for a long time,” Milarch said. “Our own board of directors said that while we cannot sell any tree, we could produce clones for people who financially support our work.” [email protected] ||||| Michigan-based Archangel Ancient Tree Archive announced this week that it has successfully cloned a giant sequoia tree planted by renown conservationist John Muir. About 130 years ago, Muir transplanted the tree from Yosemite to his home in Martinez, California. Now 75 feet tall, the tree suffers from two fatal fungal diseases. Archangel's co-founder David Milarch said a forester from the John Muir National Historic Site sent cuttings from the sick tree to Archangel. Milarch described his conversation with the forester. "He said we're in trouble. John Muir's tree is dying. We would like to have John's last living witness to his life and times stay alive." Milarch continued, "We said sure. We will clone your beloved tree so that not only the country, but the world, has the tree that John revered so greatly at his home." Archangel has a propagation facility in Copemish, Michigan. Milarch says the cuttings were treated with a "hormone cocktail," and says the recent appearance of roots indicates the success of the cloning. He says the National Park Service will plant the tree's clones in national parks with suitable climates. He hopes one will be planted in Michigan - specifically in the Arboretum at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Muir is sometimes referred to as the father of the National Parks. A famed advocate for wilderness preservation, he played key roles in the establishment of Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. Archangel's mission is to propagate the world's old growth trees before they are gone, to create a genetic library of ancient trees, and to clone them for purposes of research and reforestration. In April 2012, Michigan Radio previously reported on the work of Milarch and Archangel. - Virginia Gordan, Michigan Radio Newsroom

– Big news in the world of horticulture—literally. Scientists have managed to successfully clone a genetic replica of a famed giant sequoia. Three reasons why this is a big deal: The 70-foot tree was planted by John Muir, who had a heavy hand in the founding of Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks; the tree is being ravaged by an airborne fungus; and critics didn't think a tree of this species could be cloned after its 80th birthday, reports the Los Angeles Times. This tree is about 130 years old. The credit for the feat goes to the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, which has other feathers in its cap: It has also cloned trees planted by George Washington at Mount Vernon. The clone was born in a Michigan lab from one of two dozen cuttings from the tree, which were divided into much smaller pieces and subjected to what Archangel's co-founder describes to Michigan Radio as a "hormone cocktail." Roots have formed, indicating that the cloning worked; the clone needs to grow to a foot-and-a-half in height before it can leave the lab. Once that happens, it'll be put in the ground at Muir's San Francisco-area homestead, hopefully within a year. (Another famed tree that will live on: the one Anne Frank watched from the Secret Annex.)

A fine example of the classic ‘knightly’ sword This double-edged sword was found in the River Witham near Lincoln. It is an extremely well preserved example of the type of sword which was common from about 1300. When new this sword would have been a fine weapon, and probably owned by a wealthy individual or knight. It is likely that the blade was manufactured in Germany, which was the centre of blade manufacture in Europe at this time. The blade is made of steel, which combines a sharply honed edge with the flexibility not to shatter in use, and is inlaid with gold wire to form an inscription which is yet to be deciphered. Although the blade is most probably German, the sword is English, and would have been fitted with a hilt. The cross-shaped hilt is characteristic of swords of this period and is associated with Christianity. The sword is part of the ceremony of Knighthood, and the cross-shaped hilt of such swords, used by knights, acknowledge the Christian duties a knight must fulfil, defending the church. The blade is unusual as it has two fullers, or grooves, running parallel down its length on each side. A Viking origin has been suggested for the sword on the basis of the fullers, the pommel and the letter forms of the inscription. However, it is apparent that the pommel, inscription and the blade shape are more characteristic of Medieval European swords than those of Viking origin. Find in the collection online ||||| Crawl of outlinks from wikipedia.org started March, 2016. These files are currently not publicly accessible. Properties of this collection. It has been several years since the last time we did this. For this collection, several things were done: 1. Turned off duplicate detection. This collection will be complete, as there is a good chance we will share the data, and sharing data with pointers to random other collections, is a complex problem. 2. For the first time, did all the different wikis. The original runs were just against the enwiki. This one, the seed list was built from all 865 collections. ||||| This 13th-century sword with a gold inscription was likely made in Germany, but was found at the bottom of the River Witham in 1825. A medieval sword inscribed with a mysterious message is stumping researchers and causing a stir among armchair historians. The 13th-century weapon was found in the River Witham in Lincolnshire, in the United Kingdom, in 1825. It now belongs to the British Museum, but is currently on loan to the British Library, where it's being displayed as part of an exhibit on the 1215 Magna Carta. The sword looks fairly ordinary at first glance. Weighing in at 2 lbs., 10 ounces (1.2 kilograms) and measuring 38 inches (964 millimeters) long, the weapon is steel, with a double edge and a hilt shaped like a cross. But on one side of the sword is a mysterious inscription, made by gold wire that has been inlaid into the steel, which reads, "+NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+." [The 7 Most Mysterious Archaeological Finds on Earth] What does this strange group of letters mean? No one knows for sure, according to the British Library, which recently posted information about the weapon on its website, along with a request for readers to help crack the seemingly incomprehensible code. Is the message some kind of magical incantation, meant to empower the weapon's owner with mystical abilities during battle? Perhaps the inscription is a religious blessing, or maybe it's just the complicated signature of whoever forged the weapon. Those who read the British Library's blog post put these and many other theories forward regarding the sword's enigmatic message. A close up of the sword's mysterious inscription. Credit: The British Museum Dozens of commenters chimed in to help solve the mystery. And luckily, one of those commenters had a lot of insight into the history of inscribed swords in Europe. Marc van Hasselt, a graduate student of medieval studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, has studied similarly inscribed swords and said that these weapons were "all the rage" in 13th-century Europe. The British Library recently updated its blog post with more information from van Hasselt. Wordy weaponry Many inscribed swords have been found in countries including Poland, France, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, making the River Witham sword "part of a large international family," according to van Hasselt. In 2006, researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden (as well as several other institutions) started the Fyris Swords Project, a research project dedicated to figuring out the historical context in which these inscribed medieval swords were used. The River Witham sword was forged in Germany, which was then the blade-making center of Europe, according to the British Museum. And pre-Christian Germanic tribesman inscribed runes onto their swords, axes and armor to "endow the items with magical powers," the Fyris Swords Project researchers wrote in a paper published in the journal Waffen- und Kostümkunde (Weaponry and Costumes) in 2009. It's possible that this ancient tradition was carried over to Christian times and that the inscriptions on the blades were therefore meant to "invoke God’s holy name and his grace to gain support and protection in battle," according to the researchers. Such swords were likely owned by wealthy warriors, according to the British Museum, which speculates that the River Witham sword belonged to a knight or some other rich individual who rode into battle during the crusades of the late medieval period. The British Museum also suggests that such swords may have been a part of the ceremony in which a man became a knight and vowed to defend the church. Cracking the code Even though historians are fairly certain why inscribed swords were popular in the medieval period and who owned them, they still aren't sure just what these swords actually say. Interpreting the inscriptions on the blades is like "trying to crack a mysterious code," according to the Fyris Swords Project researchers. While historians aren't entirely sure what language the letters on the sword represent, they are fairly certain that the letters are a short-form version of Latin, according to van Hasselt, who said that Latin was the "international language of choice" in 13th-century Europe. The first two letters on the River Witham sword are ND, which van Hasselt said might be a kind of invocation that stands for "Nostrum Dominus (our Lord) or Nomine Domini (name of the Lord)." The XOXcombination that follows could refer to the Holy Trinity of the Christian faith. And the two plus sign-shaped symbols before and after the inscription are likely Christian crosses, according to the Fyris Swords Project researchers. This sort of speculation about what the sword's inscriptions might represent has been going on for more than a century (researchers have been publishing their interpretations of the inscriptions in the journal Waffen- und Kostümkunde since 1904). The variety of the letter sequences on the swords makes it clear that the inscriptions are not general statements (i.e., a standard blessing written out in short form). Quite the opposite is true, according to the researchers. "[The] inscriptions (even though sometimes showing a constancy of letters) are extremely variable and appear to be very personal. One might say the individual secret of every sword bearer. It must have been a special dictum [saying] so obvious and so self-evident to him that it was not necessary to spell out its significant meaning," the researchers said. Commenters on the British Library website have suggested a number of possible interpretations of the River Witham sword's inscription (which you can read under the library's blog post). But just as with the other inscribed swords found throughout Europe, it's unlikely that anyone will be able to say with complete certainty just what message this medieval sword conveys. Follow Elizabeth Palermo @techEpalermo. Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. ||||| Last week (3 August) we blogged about the medieval sword on display in the British Library’s Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy exhibition. We have been thrilled by the number of enthusiastic comments and suggestions we have received about this sword. Due to the phenomenal range of suggestions, it’s unlikely that we will be able to decipher the mysterious inscription before Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy closes on 1 September — indeed, it could be a mystery that may never be solved! — but we would like to offer huge thanks for all your thoughts and ideas, which have come from all corners of the globe. The message board on this blog post has now closed, but we encourage you to continue sharing ideas about what the code might mean on Twitter. Please follow our Medieval Manuscripts Blog and @BLMedieval Twitter feed for more news and views from the team. * * * Visitors to Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy may have noticed that we have one or two objects on display, in addition to the many manuscripts and documents telling Magna Carta's 800-year-old story. One of those objects is a double-edged sword, found in the first section of the exhibition, on loan to the British Library from our friends at the British Museum. The item in question was found in the River Witham, Lincolnshire, in July 1825, and was presented to the Royal Archaeological Institute by the registrar to the Bishop of Lincoln. It weighs 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) and measures 964 mm (38 in.) in length and 165 mm (6½ in.) across the hilt; if struck with sufficient force, it could easily have sliced a man’s head in two. A double-edged sword, 13th century, possibly of German manufacture but discovered in England in the 19th century (British Museum 1858,1116.5): image courtesy of the British Museum An intriguing feature of this sword is an as yet indecipherable inscription, found along one of its edges and inlaid in gold wire. It has been speculated that this is a religious invocation, since the language is unknown. Here's what the inscription seems to read: +NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+ Detail of the inscription of the sword At our exhibition this sword is displayed alongside a 14th-century manuscript of the Grandes chroniques de France, open at a page showing the French invasion of Normandy in 1203. The men-at-arms in that manuscript are wielding swords very similar to the one with the strange inscription. The French invasion of Normandy in a manuscript of the Grandes chroniques de France (British Library Royal MS 16 G VI, f. 365v, detail) Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy, is on display at the British Library until 1 September 2015, see our exhibition website for ticketing details. All the items can also be seen on our Learning site, and in the catalogue, edited by Claire Breay and Julian Harrison, that accompanies the exhibition (now on special offer at £15). Postscript (7 August, updated 10 August) Thank you to everyone who has read and shared this blogpost, and for those who have left their enthusiastic comments and suggestions. We're very grateful for your assistance in helping us to decipher this mysterious inscription. We have received several pages of comments -- to view them all, please use the forward/backward button at the foot of this post. Please note that comments on this post have now closed. The following note has been kindly added by Marc van Hasselt (Utrecht University, Hastatus Heritage Consultancy). The River Witham Sword in its European Context Inscribed swords were all the rage in Europe around the year 1200. Dozens of them have been found, from England to Poland, from Sweden to France. While researching a specific sword-blade found in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands, I found around a dozen other swords which had striking similarities. One of those swords was the River Witham sword, making it part of a large international family. Using the excellent research by Thomas Wagner and John Worley, an image of a hugely successful medieval workshop was created, making ‘magical’ swords for the elite. The swords themselves are of a high quality, but what most catches the eye are the inscriptions. Both their mysterious contents and the similarities in the lettering are striking. A sword from Sweden might use the same slightly curved X as the River Witham sword. A sword currently in Berlin has an I-S contraction also used on a sword found in the Netherlands. These similarities go so far as to suggest the same hand in making the inscriptions. However, their contents are still a mystery, regardless of their origins. There is some debate on the language used in the inscriptions. But looking at the other European finds, it seems most likely that this language is Latin. This makes sense in the context of 13th-century Europe, as Latin was the international language of choice (like English is today). To elaborate, let's compare the River Witham sword to the sword from Alphen: both start with some sort of invocation. On the River Witham sword, it is NDXOX, possibly standing for Nostrum Dominus (our Lord) or Nomine Domini (name of the Lord) followed by XOX. On the sword from Alphen, the starting letters read BENEDOXO. Quite likely, this reads as Benedicat (A blessing), followed by OXO. Perhaps these letter combinations – XOX and OXO – refer to the Holy Trinity. On the sword from Alphen, one letter combination is then repeated three times: MTINIUSCS, which I interpret as Martinius Sanctus – Saint Martin. Perhaps a saint is being invoked on the River Witham sword as well? By putting together pieces of the puzzle from all over Europe, we might come a little bit closer to solving the mystery. And even if we cannot decipher the inscriptions completely, they might bring us a little closer to understanding our ancestors. Further reading: http://www.gustavianum.uu.se/digitalAssets/203/203037_3medieval-christian-invocation-inscriptions-on-sword-blades.pdf http://www.gustavianum.uu.se/digitalAssets/196/196842_how-to-make-swords-talk---an-interdisciplinary-approach-to-understanding-medieval-swords-and-their-inscriptions.pdf Inscription on the Sword from Alphen: +BENEDOXOFTISSCSDRRISCDICECMTINIUSCSDNI+ +DIOXMTINIUSESDIOMTINIUSCSDICCCMTDICIIZISI+

– World, can you help us decipher a medieval sword inscription? That sums up the British Library's announcement about a blade discovered in an English river in 1825, LiveScience reports. The so-called River Witham sword—a 13th-century object now on display at the library—bears a message along its 38-inch steel blade: "+NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+." The "indecipherable inscription" is "along one of its edges and inlaid in gold wire," writes curator Julian Harrison on the library blog. "It has been speculated that this is a religious invocation, since the language is unknown." Indeed, Marc van Hasselt, one of the blog's many commenters, sees religious-themed Latin short forms in the message and notes that Latin was the "international language of choice" among 13th-century Europeans. Van Hasselt, a medieval-studies student in the Netherlands, says the opening "ND" may be "Nostrum Dominus (our Lord) or Nomine Domini (name of the Lord)" and the "XOX" may refer to the holy trinity. He references work done by Thomas Wagner and John Worley, whose Fyris Swords Project examines such inscribed medieval swords and tries to give them historical context. LiveScience points to a 2009 paper in Weaponry and Costumes in which Fyris researchers wrote "most ... unidentified medieval sword inscriptions could be invocations. This type is basically characterized by a Christian cross at the beginning and sometimes at the end of the inscription"—perhaps as with the River Witham sword, which was likely "owned by a wealthy individual or knight" and may have been "part of the ceremony of Knighthood," the British Museum adds. Still, writes Harrison, "It could be a mystery that may never be solved!" (See how "Yoda" turned up in the library's Medieval Manuscripts blog.)

Washington (CNN) A close aide to Scott Pruitt last year ordered a set of 12 fountain pens that cost the Environmental Protection Agency $1,560, according to agency documents. Each $130 silver pen bore the agency's seal and Administrator Pruitt's signature, according to the documents, which were obtained by the Sierra Club through a Freedom of Information Act request. "Yes, please order," an aide wrote. The order from the Washington shop Tiny Jewel Box also included a set of journals that cost $1,670. EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox said the pens were similar to purchases made by Pruitt's predecessors "for the purpose of serving as gifts to the Administrator's foreign counterparts and dignitaries upon his meeting with them." Read More ||||| FILE - In this Wednesday, May 16, 2018 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appears before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Wednesday, May 16, 2018 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appears before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on budget on Capitol Hill in Washington. Newly filed disclosure reports show the Washington... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Wednesday, May 16, 2018 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appears before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies on budget on Capitol Hill in Washington. Newly filed disclosure reports show the Washington... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Wednesday, May 16, 2018 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt appears before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related... (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly filed reports show the Washington lobbyist whose wife rented a bargain-priced Capitol Hill condo to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt had far more contact with the agency than previously disclosed, despite repeated denials by both men. Powerhouse lobbying firm Williams & Jensen amended its 2017 disclosure filings to show that former chairman J. Steven Hart contacted EPA on behalf of the Coca-Cola Company, pork producer Smithfield Foods and a board overseeing the finances of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. Pruitt has denied that Hart lobbied his agency in 2017, most recently during congressional testimony last month. The firm amended its required federal lobbying disclosures after an extensive review of Hart's emails, calendar entries and other materials. Hart was forced to retire early as a result of the scandal that erupted following public disclosure of the EPA chief's unusual living arrangements. Pruitt has denied wrongdoing, describing Hart as a personal friend from his home state of Oklahoma. In a statement, Williams & Jensen said Hart had failed to fully disclose his lobbying activities to his own firm, resulting in prior reports omitting information. Federal law requires lobbyists to file quarterly reports detailing their contacts with government officials, including the clients they were representing, what topics were discussed and how much they were paid. "Following press reports of a former member of our firm engaging in lobbying activity that had not been disclosed, we engaged outside counsel to conduct a review of relevant filings," the firm's statement said. "Following the completion of that review and the advice of counsel, today the firm filed amendments to several disclosure reports that include information that was not previously disclosed to our firm and therefore not included in the original filings." Both Pruitt and Hart have publicly denied the lobbyist had conducted any business with EPA in 2017. At a May 16 hearing before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, the embattled EPA chief erroneously insisted that Hart had not lobbied the government last year. "Steve Hart is someone that was not registered as a lobbyist in 2017," Pruitt testified. "He's a longtime associate and friend." Records showed that Hart was in fact a registered lobbyist in 2017, though at the time it had not yet been formally disclosed that he directly lobbied Pruitt's agency. Federal law makes it a crime to "knowingly and willfully" give materially false statements to Congress. EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox did not respond to requests for comment Friday night about whether Pruitt still stood by his testimony. A spokesman for Hart did not respond to phone or email Friday. Pruitt's connections to Hart have been under intense scrutiny since March, when media reports first revealed that the EPA chief had rented a luxury Capitol Hill condo from a corporation co-owned by Hart's wife for just $50 a night. Pruitt's daughter, then a White House summer intern, stayed in a second bedroom at the condo at no additional cost. On Pruitt's 2017 condo lease, a copy of which was reviewed by The Associated Press, Steven Hart's name was originally typed in as "landlord" but was scratched out. The name of his wife, health care lobbyist Vicki Hart, was scribbled in. The AP and other media outlets reported in April that Pruitt had met in his office last year with Hart on behalf of the philanthropic arm of Smithfield Foods to discuss efforts to preserve the Chesapeake Bay. The world's largest pork producer, Smithfield has been involved with efforts to clean up the bay since EPA fined the company $12.6 million in 1997 for illegally dumping hog waste into a tributary. The amended disclosure report filed Friday by Williams & Jensen acknowledges the meeting between Hart and Pruitt constituted lobbying, as did additional communications by the lobbyist with Pruitt's staff to recommend potential candidates for a science advisory board and other positions appointed by the EPA administrator. A spokeswoman for Smithfield did not respond to a request for comment Friday. The new disclosure report says Hart also lobbied EPA in 2017 on behalf of the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico about water quality and infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Maria. A spokesman for the oversight board did not immediately respond Friday to an email seeking comment. The firm also disclosed for the first time that Hart had contact with EPA on behalf of Coca-Cola. According to the reports, Hart lobbied the agency about clean water supplies, water conservation and "environmental issues impacting the beverage industry, including hydrofluorocarbon replacement." Hydrofluorocarbons are potent greenhouse gases commonly used for refrigeration. Under the Obama administration, EPA had sought to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons because they contribute to global warming, but the effort was stymied after industries challenged the proposed ban in court. In a statement issued Friday, Coca-Cola said the company has severed ties with Williams & Jensen. "The Coca-Cola Company is committed to the highest level of integrity in all aspects of our business, and we expect our lobbying firms to uphold that same commitment," the statement said. ___ Follow Associated Press investigative reporter Michael Biesecker at http://twitter.com/mbieseck

– More controversial expenditures at the Environmental Protection Agency have been revealed thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request: Last year, one of EPA chief Scott Pruitt's top aides spent $1,560 on fountain pens and $1,670 on personalized journals, the Washington Post reports. The order from Tiny Jewel Box, DC's "premier destination for fine jewelry and watches," was signed off on by Millan Hupp, whom Pruitt referred to as a "longtime friend" in congressional testimony last year, per CNN. That's significant because Pruitt has attempted to distance himself from pricey EPA purchases, blaming it on "career staff," but in this case it was a close aide rather than a career staffer who signed off on the purchase. The dozen pens, at $130 a pop, were engraved with Pruitt's signature and an EPA seal; a spokesperson says they are similar to purchases Pruitt's predecessors made "for the purpose of serving as gifts to the Administrator's foreign counterparts and dignitaries upon his meeting with them." Indeed, a $2,952 purchase was made from the same shop during the Obama administration. The EPA is also, of course, under fire for a $43,000 phone booth. Also Friday, it was revealed that the energy lobbyist whose wife rented Pruitt a DC condo at a great price had much more contact with the EPA than had been previously disclosed, the AP reports. Specifically, he was revealed to have lobbied the EPA last year despite Pruitt insisting he had not.

When the nominees for the 2010 BET Awards were announced, the first thing that jumped out to people (aside from the fact that Lil Kim was nominated for “Female Hip Hop Artist Of The Year” but hasn’t had an album or hardly rapped a lyric since 2006) was the fact that pop sensation Justin Bieber was nominated in the category of “Best New Artist.” Some eyebrows were raised while others were furrowed but it captured everyone’s attention. So the question is… “Is Justin Bieber’s BET nomination good or bad for BET?” Let’s take a closer look at both sides of debate. Bad Justin Bieber is a pop star of epic proportions. However, he hasn’t been on BET’s radar until about a few weeks ago. He also hasn’t been an artist the network has supported. While some may argue he doesn’t belong because of his lack of melanin, that doesn’t play a role considering that Robin Thicke has long been a staple of BET programming. Justin Timberlake, Eminem and others have had their time on the network, as well. What’s interesting is the move seems to be far more calculated—it is a transparent reach for the award show to be recognized by mainstream press and audience. Bieber is not an artist the network has been instrumental in helping launch his career. He did release an album in late 2009 and BET was nowhere to be found. It is fair to say the other nominees (Melanie Fiona, Young Money, Wale and Nicki Minaj) have had their careers bolstered by their BET presence. Bieber seems more like a bandwagon move than anything else. More than likely, the upper brass have been paying attention to Twitter and have noticed his name constantly on the trending topics list. When it came to making up for the Michael Jackson tribute debacle at last year’s ceremony, they decided now would be the perfect time to latch on and attempt to make up for the monumental failure of a show. There are other artists that BET could have nominated in Bieber’s place such as B.o.B., Waka Flocka Flame, Janelle Monae, etc. It speaks in volumes regarding BET’s so-called “Black Star Power” vs. wanting to be accepted by everyone. This is obviously a move for the latter. Good Justin Bieber is huge across the board right now. This isn’t the first time that BET missed the bus on an artist and decided to make up for their miscalculations. Drake had been around for quite some time before the network even paid attention. The same can be said for Eminem. Considering this and the fact that Bieber does have a song with a BET staple (the Ludacris feature on his hit single “Baby”) and you understand why BET had to give Bieber the nod. To ignore him could be downright blasphemous. Bieber was signed by Usher and has captured the hearts of young ladies of all racial backgrounds. Why continue to ignore what is right in your face? Sure, you can argue that Christina Aguilera should have received a nod for 2006′s “Back To Basics” which featured a soulful sound largely produced by the legendary DJ Premier, but everyone makes mistakes, right? Quite frankly, this is a brilliant move by the network to bring more eyeballs to their award show. Whether the move lacked integrity doesn’t matter when those television ratings come in. It’s about big business and BET made the big business move that will help catapult their award show. ||||| Justin Bieber Lands BET Award Nominations Email This In news Bieber's nomination is a curiosity coming from Black Entertainment Television, a network whose awards tend to recognize black performers like " He makes the type of music our audience likes," said Stephen Hill, BET's President of Music Programing and Specials. "Bieber has crossed the color boundaries the same way that hip-hop has crossed the boundaries the other way for a number of years." In news Rolling Stone is calling "the biggest surprise" of the BET Award nominations, Justin Bieber is in the mix for Best New Artist. Bieber will face off with Young Money, Wale, Melanie Fiona and Nicki Minaj for the prize.Bieber's nomination is a curiosity coming from Black Entertainment Television, a network whose awards tend to recognize black performers like Jay-Z and Beyonce , who scored five and four nominations, respectively. This afternoon, Bieber addressed the nominations via Twitter Bieber's connections to R&B and hip-hop are clear -- his biggest celebrity proponent and mentor has long been Usher, and the Biebs joined Akon, Ludacris, Usher and Kelly Rowland for a performance last week."I have a swagger coach that helps me and teaches me different swaggerific things to do," Bieber said in January. His subsequent description of the "swagger coach" sounded oddly similar to the role of a plain ol' stylist, but it seemed an apt chance to align himself with the 2008 Jay-Z and TI single 'Swagga Like Us,' a superstar joint featuring Lil Wayne and Kanye West.What's unsurprising about the nomination news is that Bieber is trafficking in industry accolades -- his album 'My World 2.0' debuted at No.1 on the Billboard charts in March, he's performed at the White House and his fans are rabid enough to stampede in Australia.

– Justin Bieber already won over the world’s tween girls, and now he’s scored a BET Award nomination—causing some confusion, considering his “lack of melanin.” But, points out Andreas Hale on Dr.Jays.com, other white artists like Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake, and Eminem have been staples of Black Entertainment Television. Still, he wonders: Is the Bieb’s nomination good or bad? It seems a “calculated, transparent reach” for mainstream recognition, “more like a bandwagon move than anything else.” But “this isn’t the first time that BET missed the bus on an artist and decided to make up for their miscalculations,” Hale writes, pointing to Drake and Eminem as examples. “Bieber was signed by Usher and has captured the hearts of young ladies of all racial backgrounds,” he concludes. “To ignore him could be downright blasphemous.”

Sorry, this zipcode is not in our deliverable area for this subscription service. Re-enter zip code or sign up for digital access. Get digital access ||||| Steven Pratt, 45, sobs in Atlantic County Superior Court on Tuesday at his first appearance on murder charges. Pratt is accused of killing his mother two days after being released from prison. JASON NARK / DAILY NEWS STAFF MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Tears rolled down Steven Pratt's face in an empty courtroom Tuesday and guilt spilled from his mouth. Pratt, 45, stood alone without an attorney, his hulking frame hunched over as he sobbed, and he seemed eager to skip the proceedings and head back to the place he's called home for 30 years - prison. Pratt is accused of beating his mother, Gwendolyn Pratt, to death on Sunday, less than two days after she picked him up from Bayside State Prison and threw him a welcome-home party at their house in Atlantic City. "I don't want a trial," Pratt told Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Michael A. Donio at his arraignment. "I'm guilty." Pratt, who was 15 when he shot and killed a neighbor in 1984, began crying heavily as soon as Donio read the charges. Donio advised Pratt not to speak without an attorney present, but Pratt continued to talk. "I have no lawyer," he said. "I have nobody." When told that his bail was $1 million, Pratt said that it "doesn't matter." "I have nothing," he said, before being led away. Pratt was released Friday after serving 30 years for murder. Around 6:30 a.m. Sunday, authorities were called to the McKinley Avenue home, where they found Gwendolyn Pratt, 64, dead, and they detained her son. Gwendolyn Pratt, according to her brother, worked at Resorts Casino Hotel since 1989 and lived a simple, quiet life in Atlantic City. She had been excited about her son's release, her brother said, and had taken him to IHOP after he was released. A spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Corrections said prisoners are provided with transitional services prior to release. Prisoner disciplinary records are not public record, but department spokesman Matt Schuman said Pratt had not had any additional sentences applied to his initial term. Steven Pratt's relatives said he seemed "upbeat" when they visited him through the years at the Cumberland County prison. A woman bringing items out of the Pratt home in the Westside section of Atlantic City on Tuesday declined to comment. A neighbor said no one wants to talk, and urged a reporter to leave. "This neighborhood's been through enough," the woman said. On Twitter: @JasonNark

– Steven Pratt, the man accused of beating his mother to death less than two days after being released from prison for another murder, admitted to the crime yesterday at his arraignment in New Jersey. The 45-year-old wept, and despite the judge advising him not to speak without an attorney present, he said, "I don't want a trial. I'm guilty. ... I have failed. ... I have no lawyer. I have nobody." When his bail was set at $1 million, he said it "doesn't matter," the Philadelphia Daily News reports. Pratt's uncle, the brother of Pratt's mother, said Gwendolyn Pratt was excited when her son was released Friday and took him to IHOP after picking him up at Bayside State Prison. She also threw him a welcome-home party at her house in Atlantic City that night, but on Sunday morning, police were called to the house to find the 64-year-old dead. Pratt had served 30 years for shooting and killing a neighbor in 1984. The Press of Atlantic City notes that a few months ago, Pratt reportedly passed on an offer to go to a halfway house where he could ready himself for his release.

American special operations forces and FBI agents on the ground in Syria are actively searching sites where they believe Western hostages, including Americans executed by ISIS, may have been buried, counterterrorism officials told ABC News. Interested in Syria? Add Syria as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Syria news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest Three officials briefed on the ground searches by U.S. commandos -- the first real effort to recover the remains of two American journalists and two American humanitarian aid workers killed from 2014 to 2015 -- said they were undertaken on the basis of new intelligence from two ISIS members from London captured last month by Syrian Kurds. “Intel people are digging hard and directing ground guys to locations,” a counterterrorism official who is not authorized to speak publicly told ABC News. Two other counterterrorism officials confirmed to ABC News that ground searches have begun and suggested the efforts are limited so far but could be expanded. The remains are believed to be spread out over several sites. Syrian Democratic Forces/Handout via Reuters Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh are two of the most important ISIS figures ever captured on the battlefield. U.S. commanders at Joint Special Operations Command and CIA have had a policy of carrying out targeted killings with armed drones of the terrorist group's senior leadership rather than more risky attempts to capture them. The two ISIS fighters taken prisoner last month were half of a quartet of British guards — dubbed the "Beatles" by the hostages — who tortured and beheaded their captives. Their leader, Mohammed Emwazi, was called "Jihadi John" and died in a CIA airstrike in Raqqa, Syria, in November 2015. Another member, Aine Davis, was captured in Turkey last year. The two men are being interrogated by U.S. officials and are providing information about burial sites of American hostages they tormented and executed while running a kidnap and ransom operation for ISIS, which began in 2013. Ransom demands were halted after a July 4, 2014 failed Delta Force rescue raid and the subsequent U.S.-led coalition air campaign against ISIS. AP, FILE The U.S. Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell has contacted families of the hostages who died -- some of whom were shown having their heads cut off by Jihadi John on video -- many of whom welcomed the capture of the pair and U.S. efforts to find the remains of their loved ones. Diane Foley, mother of journalist James Foley, the first to die on video in August 2014, told ABC News, that knowing that U.S. forces are searching for burial sites of her son and his fellow captives is emotionally difficult but gratifying. "I am grateful for all these efforts but bringing these two jihadists to justice gives us more hope and solace than the return of Jim's remains," she said. Foley's execution was followed by the killings on video of fellow American hostages Steven Sotloff, a journalist, and Abdul-Rahman (Peter) Kassig, a humanitarian medic and former Army Ranger. Five more men — two from Britain, two from Japan and one from Jordan — also died in horrific videos released over several weeks by ISIS into early 2015. Kayla Mueller was the only westerner whose death did not play out in a Jihadi John video. ISIS announced the death of the humanitarian aid worker from Prescott, Ariz. in a Feb. 6, 2015 tweet, claiming a Jordanian airstrike killed her in Syria. The captors sent her parents three photos of her lifeless face when they asked for proof. "I don't know what happened to Kayla. I don't where Kayla is. I need her home," said her mother, Marsha, on Friday. "She belongs here." Matt Hinshaw/The Daily Courier via AP, FILE Kayla's father, Carl Mueller, said he appreciates that any effort to recover the remains of his only daughter, whose death is still a mystery. The Muellers recently pressed U.S. hostage recovery officials in a Washington briefing to reveal how their daughter died and were told specific details have eluded investigators. "Unlike the other families, we don't have the gruesome execution video,” Carl Mueller told ABC News. “We need to know she's gone.” Beyond the effort to examine sites in Syria, the Muellers want any information about Kayla's last days, when according to fellow captives who later escaped she was forced to be the sex slave of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. Sources have told ABC News that al-Baghdadi is believed to have been most likely killed in a U.S. airstrike in July, though his death was never confirmed. "I would like anyone who has information about Kayla to share that with us," her mother said. That includes Kotey and Elsheikh, who may know how she died and where she is buried. According to J.M. Berger, author of “ISIS: The State of Terror,” Kotey and Elsheikh are the most important ISIS figures captured in several years. "This is a really big development," Berger said. "ISIS has provided an incredible documentation of its atrocities and we haven’t seen anyone held to account for that. It would be hard to see how these guys could get off. People need to see justice being done." ||||| We hope a trial of these two dangerous men would lead to the capture of others, equally culpable, who seek to hide amid frightened refugees, and to an end to the impunity that allowed the Islamic State to spread. When such hate-filled perpetrators are captured, brought to a public trial and held accountable for their evil deeds, we hope their contagious hatred will begin to abate. It is a necessary first step. As the heartbroken parents of Jim, Steven, Peter and Kayla, we beseech our government to insist that Mr. Kotey and Mr. Elsheikh receive a fair and public trial either in the federal criminal courts of the United States or the International Criminal Court in The Hague. When crimes like these are made public, victims like us can be heard and begin to heal. The accused will hear how their crimes have destroyed others, and perhaps even begin to repent. And we can hope that justice will put an end to such crimes against humanity. These men should face justice in a public courtroom because they are criminals, not soldiers. They imprisoned unarmed civilians, then sadistically abused and murdered them. They are cowards, not warriors. The Islamic State is a delusional and exploitative cult, not a state. Our first choice would be to try them in a federal criminal court, where they belong because their victims were Americans. Force them to be judged by a jury of our compatriots. Give them the fair trial that makes our nation great. Let that show the world how wrong the Islamic State is about America. That would be the best way to honor our children. As parents who have lost children to violence, we also ask for life imprisonment for these men. Execution could be misconstrued as martyrdom, perpetuating violence and diminishing America’s stature as a defender of human rights. If, as a nation, we truly believe “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” then let us be above the brutality and hatred of the Islamic State. In remembrance of our brave Jim, Steven, Peter and Kayla, let us treat their captors with the justice and humanity we would have wanted for our children and for ourselves. Let us remember that real greatness lies in the moral courage to do what is right and just, even in the face of the opposite.

– The capture of two ISIS fighters who may know the whereabouts of Kayla Mueller's body has raised hope that her parents might finally be able to put their daughter to rest. ISIS said the aid worker kidnapped in Syria in 2013 was killed in 2015 when a Jordanian airstrike hit the building housing her in Raqqa, and while her death was confirmed, her body was never recovered. Marsha and Carl Mueller hope El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Amon Kotey—two of four British jihadists dubbed "The Beatles"—will now lead authorities to her remains, and perhaps to the remains of other Americans, reports the Arizona Republic. The men have been described as guards under Mohammed Emwazi, or Jihadi John, who carried out the executions of James Foley, Steven Sotloff, and Peter Kassig before his reported death in 2016. Since their capture in eastern Syria early last month, the two fighters held by Syrian Kurdish forces have been pointing out burial locations, the Muellers say they've been told. Early last week, a counterterrorism official told ABC News that ground searches had begun. "I am grateful for all these efforts but bringing these two jihadists to justice gives us more hope and solace than the return of Jim's remains," said Diane Foley, Foley's mother. The parents of Foley and Mueller joined the parents of Sotloff and Kassig in calling for life in prison for the captives in a New York Times op-ed a week ago. "Execution could be misconstrued as martyrdom, perpetuating violence and diminishing America's stature as a defender of human rights," they wrote, requesting a trial in the US or an international court.

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. ||||| U.K. singer/songwriter James Blunt has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single "You're Beautiful." Blunt becomes the first British artist to reach the summit since Elton John achieved t U.K. singer/songwriter James Blunt has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single "You're Beautiful." Blunt becomes the first British artist to reach the summit since Elton John achieved the feat in 1997 with "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight." That song spent 14 weeks at the top."You're Beautiful" is drawn from Blunt's Custard/Atlantic debut, "Back to Bedlam," which reaches a new peak of No. 5 this week on The Billboard 200. The set has sold 783,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.Additionally, "You're Beautiful" remains No. 1 on the Pop 100, Hot Digital Songs and Adult Top 40. The charts will be posted tomorrow (March 2) on Billboard.com.

– "I'm sorry now/I'm sorry now/I'm sorry now, it's true." These are the lyrics to James Blunt's newest hit: his 2014 apology to everyone in the universe for his way-overplayed love song "You're Beautiful," which saturated the airwaves in 2005-2006 and ascended to the top of "most annoying song" lists everywhere. While talking to Hello! about his new album, Moon Landing, James was, well, blunt about how he feels about the song that catapulted him to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard "Hot 100" list. "There was one song that was force-fed down people's throats—'You're Beautiful'—and it became annoying," he told the magazine. "And then people start to associate the artist with the same word." His record company turned off a lot of his potential demographic, he says: "I was marketed … to appeal to women during Desperate Housewives' commercials, and you lose 50% of the population in doing so." And he swears he's not as serious and earnest as that treacle made him out to be. "As all my friends know, I'm anything but," he says. "I have a couple of overemotional, miserable songs that I’m known for, but I think … people can see I don't take myself that seriously."

March 7, 2015, 10:34 AM | In an interview with CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante, President Obama answers questions about the private email system that Hillary Clinton used for official government business while she was secretary of state. More of Plante's interview with the president will be broadcast on CBS' "Sunday Morning" and "Face the Nation" Sunday, March 8, 2015. ||||| Washington (CNN) Former President Bill Clinton is staying out of the controversy over Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email address on a private server. Asked by CNN's Dan Merica on Sunday in Miami whether his wife has been treated fairly, Clinton said: "I'm not the one to judge that. I have an opinion but I have a bias." "I shouldn't be making news on this," he said. Clinton's comments come as other Democrats call on Clinton to answer questions about why she took the unusual approach to email, which had the effect of giving her extraordinary control over what later became public record and what remained private. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, said that Clinton's status as the "pre-eminent political figure" in American politics requires her to explain herself. "She needs to step up and come out and say what the situation is," Feinstein said on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "From this point on, the silence is going to hurt her." President Barack Obama weighed in, too, saying he's "glad" that Clinton has asked the State Department to release the 55,000 pages of emails she submitted -- after selecting the ones related to her official business. "The policy of my administration is to encourage transparency, which is why my emails, the BlackBerry I carry around, all those records are available and archived," Obama said in an interview with CBS News. "I'm glad that Hillary's instructed that those emails about official business need to be disclosed." Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was largely responsible for the overhaul of the State Department to modern computer technology, took a pass at criticizing Clinton's private email use. "I had my own email account and the reason I did it was because we were fundamentally changing the information system at the State Department. We needed to open it up and bring it into the 21st century," he told CNN on Sunday. He declined to comment on Clinton's use of private emails. "That is for Mrs. Clinton to talk about," he said. Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Hillary Clinton, a former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, is looking to become the country's first female President. Hide Caption 1 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Before she married Bill Clinton, she was Hillary Rodham. Here she is attending Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She graduated in 1969 and spoke at the commencement ceremony. After Wellesley, she attended Yale Law School. Hide Caption 2 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Rodham was a lawyer for the Rodino Committee, whose work led to impeachment charges against U.S. President Richard Nixon in 1974. Hide Caption 3 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In 1975, Rodham married Bill Clinton, whom she met at Yale Law School. He became the governor of Arkansas in 1978. In 1980, the couple had a daughter, Chelsea. Hide Caption 4 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Arkansas' first lady, now using the name Hillary Rodham Clinton, wears her inaugural ball gown in 1985. Hide Caption 5 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons celebrate Bill's inauguration in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991. He was governor from 1983 to 1992, when he was elected President. Hide Caption 6 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Bill Clinton comforts his wife on the set of "60 Minutes" after a stage light broke loose from the ceiling and knocked her down in January 1992. Hide Caption 7 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In June 1992, Clinton uses a sewing machine designed to eliminate back and wrist strain. She had just given a speech at a convention of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union. Hide Caption 8 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton jokes with her husband's running mate, Al Gore, and Gore's wife, Tipper, aboard a campaign bus. Hide Caption 9 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton accompanies her husband as he takes the oath of office in January 1993. Hide Caption 10 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons share a laugh on Capitol Hill in 1993. Hide Caption 11 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton unveils the renovated Blue Room of the White House in 1995. Hide Caption 12 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton waves to the media in January 1996 as she arrives for an appearance before a grand jury in Washington. The first lady was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. The Clintons' business investment was investigated, but ultimately they were cleared of any wrongdoing. Hide Caption 13 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons hug as Bill is sworn in for a second term as President. Hide Caption 14 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first lady holds up a Grammy Award, which she won for her audiobook "It Takes a Village" in 1997. Hide Caption 15 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons dance on a beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 1998. Later that month, Bill Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Hide Caption 16 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton looks on as her husband discusses the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 26, 1998. Clinton declared, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." In August of that year, Clinton testified before a grand jury and admitted to having "inappropriate intimate contact" with Lewinsky, but he said it did not constitute sexual relations because they had not had intercourse. He was impeached in December on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice. Hide Caption 17 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The first family walks with their dog, Buddy, as they leave the White House for a vacation in August 1998. Hide Caption 18 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight President Clinton makes a statement at the White House in December 1998, thanking members of Congress who voted against his impeachment. The Senate trial ended with an acquittal in February 1999. Hide Caption 19 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton announces in February 2000 that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat in New York. She was elected later that year. Hide Caption 20 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton makes her first appearance on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee. Hide Caption 21 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Sen. Clinton comforts Maren Sarkarat, a woman who lost her husband in the September 11 terrorist attacks, during a ground-zero memorial in October 2001. Hide Caption 22 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton holds up her book "Living History" before a signing in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2003. Hide Caption 23 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton and another presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, applaud at the start of a Democratic debate in 2007. Hide Caption 24 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton talk on the plane on their way to a rally in Unity, New Hampshire, in June 2008. She had recently ended her presidential campaign and endorsed Obama. Hide Caption 25 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama is flanked by Clinton and Vice President-elect Joe Biden at a news conference in Chicago in December 2008. He had designated Clinton to be his secretary of state. Hide Caption 26 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, as secretary of state, greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a meeting just outside Moscow in March 2010. Hide Caption 27 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight The Clintons pose on the day of Chelsea's wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in July 2010. Hide Caption 28 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight In this photo provided by the White House, Obama, Clinton, Biden and other members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in May 2011. Hide Caption 29 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton checks her Blackberry inside a military plane after leaving Malta in October 2011. In 2015, The New York Times reported that Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as secretary of state. The account, fed through its own server, raises security and preservation concerns. Clinton later said she used a private domain out of "convenience," but admits in retrospect "it would have been better" to use multiple emails. Hide Caption 30 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton arrives for a group photo before a forum with the Gulf Cooperation Council in March 2012. The forum was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hide Caption 31 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Obama and Clinton bow during the transfer-of-remains ceremony marking the return of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who were killed in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012. Hide Caption 32 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton ducks after a woman threw a shoe at her while she was delivering remarks at a recycling trade conference in Las Vegas in 2014. Hide Caption 33 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton, now running for President again, performs with Jimmy Fallon during a "Tonight Show" skit in September. Hide Caption 34 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton testifies about the Benghazi attack during a House committee meeting in October. "I would imagine I have thought more about what happened than all of you put together," she said during the 11-hour hearing. "I have lost more sleep than all of you put together. I have been wracking my brain about what more could have been done or should have been done." Months earlier, Clinton had acknowledged a "systemic breakdown" as cited by an Accountability Review Board, and she said that her department was taking additional steps to increase security at U.S. diplomatic facilities. Hide Caption 35 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders shares a lighthearted moment with Clinton during a Democratic presidential debate in October. It came after Sanders gave his take on the Clinton email scandal. "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails. Let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America." Hide Caption 36 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton is reflected in a teleprompter during a campaign rally in Alexandria, Virginia, in October. Hide Caption 37 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight Clinton walks on her stage with her family after winning the New York primary in April. Hide Caption 38 of 39 Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight After Clinton became the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, this photo was posted to her official Twitter account on Tuesday, June 7. "To every little girl who dreams big: Yes, you can be anything you want -- even president," Clinton said. "Tonight is for you." Hide Caption 39 of 39 Also on Sunday, the former U.S. ambassador to Kenya who claims he lost his job in part for using Gmail says there "may have" been an unfair double-standard now that Clinton's use of a personal email address on a private server has been revealed. "As I've reflected on it in the last couple of days, it does appear like there was a different standard that was used in my case and that has been used in hers," Scott Gration, the former Air Force general and ambassador, told CNN's Michael Smerconish on "State of the Union." Gration said he accessed Gmail because it allowed him to get breaking news alerts and news of possible terrorist activities "faster than it came through the official channels." "So for me, it was very important to have access to the different services that I had subscribed to in the embassy," Gration said. Gration, who flew 274 combat missions over Iraq as a fighter pilot and served as Obama's special envoy to Sudan, left his job as U.S. ambassador to Kenya in 2012 after an inspector general's report hammered his management style and his use of a personal email address. Clinton's use of a personal email address on a private server was first publicly revealed last week, and has led to accusations that she's tried to keep some emails from becoming public records. "To find out that in reality, other people in the department, to include my supervisors, were doing things differently and were looking the other way, I think that's hard," Gration said.

– President Obama says he learned Hillary Clinton was using a home-grown email account while she was his secretary of state at "the same time everybody else learned it—through news reports." His comments came via an interview with CBS airing this morning, though the New York Times notes that the president failed to address the elephant in the room: How he could have failed to notice that his top diplomat was emailing from a clintonemail.com domain rather than state.gov? He continues: "The policy of my administration is to encourage transparency. And that's why my emails through BlackBerry that I carry around—all those records are available and archived." As to whether Clinton's private email furthered that transparency, Obama said, "I’m glad that Hillary’s instructed that those emails about official business need to be disclosed" and "the fact that she is going to be putting them forward will allow us to make sure that people have the information they need." Meanwhile, CNN reports that Bill Clinton weighed in on the brouhaha—by not exactly weighing in. "I'm not the one to judge that. I have an opinion but I have a bias. I shouldn't be making news on this." Added Sen. Dianne Feinstein, an unabashed champion of a Clinton 2016 run, speaking this morning on Meet the Press: "She needs to step up and come out and say what the situation is. From this point on, the silence is going to hurt her."

The capture is ironic. Two inmates who escaped from the Edmonton Institution for Women Monday night were captured less than 24 hours later — at an escape room downtown. Kelsie Laine Marie Mast, 23, and Samantha Faye Toope, 20, had jumped the fence of the prison Monday night and fled. The owners of SideQuests Adventures on 102nd Avenue and 104th Street, Jonathan and Rebecca Liaw, said two women came down to the lobby of the escape room about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Two prisoners, 20-year-old Samantha Faye Toope (left) and 23-year-old Kelsie Laine Marie Mast (right), escaped from the Edmonton Institution for Women on Monday night. (Edmonton Police Service) The women asked the standard questions about the popular problem-solving and strategy game rooms where players are given clues and a time limit in which to find their way out. Rebecca Liaw took the women down a back hallway to show them one of the theme rooms and explained how they worked. "While I was holding that conversation with them, we kind of turned only to find the hallway full of five police officers," she said Wednesday. "Then they were arrested immediately, and that was the end of that conversation." Everything seemed normal Jonathan Liaw was in the front lobby when the police came down the stairs asking if he'd seen two women. "He asked if they had prior appointments with us. I told him, 'No, they did not,' " Liaw said. Four more police officers joined and proceeded to put the women in handcuffs. Rebecca Liaw, co-owner of SideQuests Adventures, was showing two women one of the escape rooms when police came in. (CBC) "There were no signs of anything that we should be red-flagging," Liaw said. "They didn't seem like they were hiding from anyone or anything." He said the women, dressed in jeans and hoodies, had carried on a normal conversation, asking normal questions. "How many puzzles? How long was the timer? What are the themes we have? That sort of thing." In a downtown location where panhandlers and intoxicated people are fairly common, Liaw said this situation was unique. "We get lots of interesting visitors but this is definitely top of the list for 'definitely interesting.' " Jeff Campbell, regional communications manager for the Prairie region with Correctional Service Canada, said it wasn't immediately clear how the women got away from the prison at 11151 178th St. He said they were looking into the situation to prevent future escapes. Edmonton police described both women as violent offenders with a history of weapons offences. Toope is serving a two-year sentence for robbery, theft, possession of property obtained by crime and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle. Mast is serving two years and nine months for drug trafficking, theft, possession of property obtained by crime and mischief. ||||| Escape rooms are interactive adventure games, not hideouts for fugitives on the lam. That’s what two female inmates discovered when they were arrested at Sidequests Adventures Inc. at 10190 104 St. on Tuesday evening. Jonathan Liaw, co-owner of SideQuests Adventures Inc., said two women came in and asked what an escape room was about and wanted to see one of the rooms, not an unusual request. “It’s funny and ironic that escaped convicts run into an escape room and get caught,” Liaw said Wednesday. His wife, co-owner of the business, was showing the pair a room when a police officer arrived around 8:30 p.m., asking if two women had walked in and whether they had an appointment. A member of the public had seen the women on the street and alerted police. Neither Liaw nor his wife had seen the news that two women inmates had jumped the east fence of the Edmonton Institution for Women at 11151 178 St. on Monday. “There were no warning signs or red flags about them,” Liaw said. Kelsie Laine Marie Mast, 23, was serving a sentence of two years, nine months for trafficking in a controlled substance, theft, possession of property obtained by crime, mischief and failing to comply with conditions. Samantha Faye Toope, 20, was serving a two-year sentence for robbery, theft, possession of property obtained by crime, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle while disqualified, failure to attend court and failing to comply with conditions. Police had advised the public not to approach the women. The pair were back in the custody of Correctional Service Canada on Wednesday, which was investigating how the escape occurred. [email protected] Twitter.com/CGriwkowsky

– Two women who escaped from jail in Alberta, Canada, were apparently so confident in their abilities that they headed to an escape room less than 24 hours later. Another escape proved impossible, however, when police officers surprised them within minutes. The scene unfolded Tuesday at SideQuests Adventures in Edmonton, which challenges visitors to escape locked rooms using a series of clues. Co-owner Rebecca Liaw says two women entered the business around 8:30pm and asked some questions about the facility's rooms, and Liaw then took them to see one. "While I was holding that conversation with them, we kind of turned only to find the hallway full of five police officers," she tells CBC News. "Then they were arrested immediately, and that was the end of that conversation." While his wife was showing the women the room, Jonathan Liaw says a police officer arrived acting on a tip from a member of the public, who'd recognized the women as those who'd escaped the Edmonton Institution for Women by jumping a fence a day earlier. Upon realizing the women were still inside the building, the officer "called for backup right away," Liaw tells Global News. "It's funny and ironic that escaped convicts run into an escape room and get caught," he adds, per the Edmonton Journal. Kelsie Mast, 23, and Samantha Toope, 20—whom police described as violent offenders serving time for crimes that include drug trafficking, theft, and robbery—were back in the custody of Correctional Service Canada by Wednesday. An investigation into their escape is ongoing.

Seconds later, as students "hit the floor," the alleged shooter's parents arrived and disarmed the boy, according to Smith. Other students told Smith that they saw the boy's father tackle him, while his mother took the gun away. No one was injured. Smith said girls in the class began to cry in the aftermath, but the boys didn't — although Smith admitted: "I wanted to cry." Smith said that he knows the alleged shooter, has talked to him many times and that he has seemed "fine and normal," and that he has friends. Bountiful Police Chief Tom Ross said the boy had a 12-gauge shotgun and a 9 mm handgun to school, as well as additional ammunition. When his parents noticed the guns were missing from their home, they came to the school looking for their son, Ross said. They were inside the school when they heard the gunshot, said Ross. The parents then went to the south wing of the school where the shot was fired, and disarmed and detained the teen, Ross said. Lt. Dave Edwards said that after the parents disarmed their son, the boy was subsequently arrested by a Bountiful police officer who happened to be nearby when he heard the 8:13 a.m. 911 call of an "active shooter," and arrived within two minutes. Ross said at an afternoon news conference that the classroom was occupied by 26 students and a teacher. Without saying anything, the teen "racked a round [into the shotgun] and fired into the ceiling," Ross said. The boy then pointed the gun toward his neck, the chief said. The teacher and a student tried to verbally engage the boy to prevent him from harming himself, Ross said, an effort that allowed the boy's parents to arrive in time to disarm him. ||||| A police officer escorts students down the street following a school lockdown at Mueller Park Junior High after a student fired a gun into the ceiling Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Bountiful, Utah. Police... (Associated Press) A police officer escorts students down the street following a school lockdown at Mueller Park Junior High after a student fired a gun into the ceiling Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in Bountiful, Utah. Police said two fast-acting Utah parents disarmed their son in the hallway of the Utah junior high school... (Associated Press) BOUNTIFUL, Utah (AP) — Police said two fast-acting Utah parents disarmed their 15-year-old son at a Utah junior high school Thursday after the teenager brought the family's shotgun and handgun to school and fired a round into the ceiling of a classroom without injuring anyone. Bountiful Police Chief Tom Ross said the boy's mother and father became concerned about their son Thursday morning. They went to Mueller Park Junior High in the northern Utah city of Bountiful when they noticed a handgun and shotgun were missing from their home. Ross said the parents confronted their son and disarmed him. Student Dan Fowers, 15, told The Associated Press that the teenager came into a classroom minutes after class began and fired one round from a shotgun into the ceiling before a woman grabbed the gun from the boy and told him to stop. Fowers said the woman threw the gun on the ground and pulled the boy back into a hallway. "It was really scary," Fowers said. "The look on his face, it kind of looked like he wanted to do some damage." He said students in the classroom dove under their desks, as they'd been taught during lockdown drills, with some screaming and crying. Previously, police said the parents disarmed their son in a hallway. Bountiful Police Lt. Dave Edwards confirmed the shooting inside the classroom but said he did not yet know enough to confirm other details from Fowers' account. Police did not immediately release the teen's identity. Ross would only say that the student was a 15-year-old white male. He did not have details about the parents' specific concerns about their son, why the student brought the weapons to the school or what he intended. Police had not been contacted before about the boy, Ross said. As the parents intervened, a teacher called 911 and a police officer who happened to be down the street arrived and took custody of the student soon after, police said. Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams had no immediate information about the student or whether the student had any history of trouble or incidents at the school. Ross said the student was in custody Thursday but did not know if the student had been arrested on suspicion of any specific charges. The school, about 11 miles north of Salt Lake City, remained on lockdown as more than 100 officers went room-by-room through the building to ensure it was safe. Ross said no other student appears to have been involved. Several hundred parents arrived and waited in the snow across the street from the school for word from police and administrators about when they could pick up their children. They later packed into a church across the street to sign up to take their children home. School officials began allowing parents to take students home around 11 a.m. Candy Beckstead said she was at a dentist's office when her sister called to tell her that there was something going on at her son's school. She didn't hear from her 8th-grade son but rushed to the school. "I freaked out and went into panic mode," she said. "Screaming, crying." About 840 students in 7th, 8th and 9th grades attend the school, according to state data. Bountiful is a city with a predominantly Mormon population of about 44,000 people. The incident comes about two weeks after another Utah student stabbed five high school classmates and himself before he was cornered by school workers, according to police. ___ Price reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press writer Lindsay Whitehurst in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

– A Utah teenager who allegedly fired a shotgun into his school's ceiling Thursday morning was restrained and disarmed by his own parents, the AP reports. While police say the 15-year-old, who also had a handgun, discharged the shotgun in the hallway, at least two students say it happened inside a classroom during science class. Student Dan Fowers says the teen came in and fired the shotgun. "I looked up and there was a big hole in the ceiling," he tells KSL. Another student, Calvin Smith, tells the Salt Lake Tribune the shooter stood there looking angry for a moment before his parents burst in. Smith says the teen's dad tackled him while his mom took the gun away and dragged him into the hallway. Police confirm that the shooter was disarmed by his parents. The unnamed teen's parents were concerned about his behavior before school Thursday and headed for Meuller Park Junior High in Bountiful when they realized two family guns were missing. Police aren't giving the shooter's identity, why his parents were concerned about him, or what he had planned. Police say it's unclear if the teen meant to fire the shotgun or if it discharged accidentally. Fowers says the situation was "really scary." "The look on his face, it kind of looked like he wanted to do some damage," Fowers tells the AP. He says students dove under their desks, screaming and crying. Smith tells the Tribune he knows the shooter, who has always seemed "fine and normal."

Health workers attend a protest outside Madrid's La Paz Hospital calling for the national health minister's resignation after a Spanish nurse contracted Ebola. (Andrea Comas/Reuters) The first case of Ebola transmission outside of West Africa has raised questions about how a nurse at a Spanish hospital contracted the virus and whether sufficient protocols were in place to protect health workers there. The nurse became infected at Madrid's Carlos III hospital while treating Manuel Garcia Viejo, a priest who contracted the virus in West Africa. The woman, a "sanitary technician," entered Garcia Viejo's room only twice, according to Spanish officials. In one case, she entered the room to change his diaper; another time, after he had died, she entered to collect his belongings, according to Mercedes Vinuesa Sebastian, Spain's public health director. Both times, the nurse wore personal protective equipment. Spanish officials said they do not know what went wrong and are investigating. "We are working to verify the exact source of contact to see if all strict protocols were followed," Spanish Health Minister Ana Mato said at a news conference on Monday, according to NBC News. European Union officials have issued a letter to Mato asking for clarification about how the nurse became infected even though all EU member states were required to take measures to avoid transmission. “There is obviously a problem somewhere,” European Commission spokesman Frédéric Vincent said, according to the Guardian. [RELATED: Spanish case highlights the risks and benefits of repatriating Ebola patients] Health workers at the Carlos III Hospital protested on Tuesday, and others have raised concerns that the protective suits used by workers treating Ebola patients at the facility are not adequate. According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, hospital staff provided photos of protective suits that use latex gloves attached using tape. Hospital staff members told the paper that the protective equipment should have been completely impermeable, but that it was not. The workers also said that the suits did not allow for autonomous breathing. Hospital officials denied that World Health Organization recommendations were not followed in the treatment of both Garcia Viejo and another Spanish priest, 75-year-old Miguel Pajares, who died of Ebola after being flown from West Africa to Spain, where he received the experimental drug ZMapp. “The suits used perfectly meet protocol, as well as the mandatory protection requirements for this disease," said Yolanda Fuentes, the deputy director of Carlos III hospital, according to El Pais. [EXCLUSIVE: How the world failed to stop the Ebola epidemic] The WHO recommendations detail, in general terms, the types of equipment that are appropriate for treating a patient with hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola. The WHO also outlines procedures for entering and exiting an infected patient's room, removing protective equipment and decontaminating surfaces inside and outside a patient's room. Failure to follow any of the steps in those procedures could potentially lead to infection. Hospital staff also alleged that waste from the patient's room was removed using an elevator that was shared by all hospital personnel, according to the Guardian. [RELATED: Dallas patient: I would have preferred to die in Liberia rather than expose my fiancée to Ebola] The nurse who contracted Ebola began experiencing symptoms on Sept. 30, five days after Garcia Viejo died. Tests confirmed on Monday that she had contracted Ebola. After treating both Garcia Viejo and Pajares, the woman went on a vacation but remained in Madrid, officials said, according to Reuters. On Tuesday, 22 people who came into contact with the nurse were being monitored, but not isolated, according to Rafael Perez-Santamaria, head of the Carlos III Hospital. The nurse's husband, who is not showing symptoms, and another health worker who is experiencing diarrhea but not fever, have been hospitalized. Early signs of Ebola infection include fever, diarrhea and headaches. A Spanish man who recently returned from Nigeria has also been hospitalized, though the first test came back negative for Ebola, according to the Associated Press. Officials "even announced plans to euthanize the woman's pet dog" in an effort the contain the virus, the AP reported. Madrid's regional government even got a court order to euthanize and incinerate their pet, "Excalibur," against the couple's objections. The government said available scientific knowledge suggests a risk that the mixed-breed dog could transmit the virus to humans, and promised to use "biosecurity" measures to prevent any such transmission. The incident has raised fresh concerns that, despite assurances from global public health officials that Ebola cases can be safely managed in developed countries, sufficient precautions have not been taken. The WHO's European director told Reuters that additional imported cases in Europe are "unavoidable." "Such imported cases and similar events as have happened in Spain will happen also in the future, most likely," said Zsuzsanna Jakab. "It is quite unavoidable ... that such incidents will happen in the future because of the extensive travel both from Europe to the affected countries and the other way around." [This post originally cited an AP report that said a Nigerian has been hospitalized in Spain. The AP has updated its reporting to say that the man is Spanish and had recently traveled to Nigeria. This post has been updated as well.] RELATED READING: U.S. will increase Ebola screenings, but won’t impose travel bans Here’s what the Ebola epidemic (still) looks like in West Africa Live chat with Post reporters and Ebola expert. Submit questions Dallas officials send a message of calm about Ebola risk Dallas Ebola patient receives experimental treatment Patient may face charges in Texas ||||| Media caption Spanish authorities have been criticised after the nurse contracted Ebola in the country's best-equipped quarantine unit A doctor in Madrid says the Spanish nurse infected with Ebola remembers touching her face with her gloves after treating a dying priest. The nurse, Teresa Romero, is the first person known to have contracted the deadly virus outside West Africa. She had treated two Spanish missionaries who later died from Ebola. A World Health Organization (WHO) adviser has warned that more Ebola cases can be expected among medical staff, even in developed countries. Ms Romero, a 40-year-old auxiliary nurse, remains in quarantine in the Spanish capital along with her husband and three other people. A fifth person, said to be a friend and colleague of Ms Romero, was admitted on Wednesday morning with a slight fever. In all, more than 50 people in Spain are under observation. Media caption Dr German Ramirez Olivenza: "She told me that at some point the suit could have touched her face" The infected nurse was part of a team of about 30 staff at the Carlos III hospital in Madrid looking after the missionaries when they were repatriated from West Africa. Miguel Pajares, 75, died on 12 August after contracting the virus in Liberia, while Manuel Garcia Viejo, 69, died on 25 September after catching the disease in Sierra Leone. New figures released by the WHO show that more than 8,000 people have now been infected with the disease and 3,879 have died. The vast majority of deaths have been in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Nurse 'doing better' Ms Romero told the El Pais newspaper that she might have become infected when removing her protective suit after cleaning Mr Garcia Viejo's room. "I think the error was the removal of the suit," she told El Pais by phone. "I can see the moment it may have happened, but I'm not sure about it." She added that she did not have a fever on Wednesday and was "doing better". In another development, the woman's husband, Javier Limon, is reported to be fighting a court order to have their pet dog put down over fears it could be carrying the disease. Animal rights groups have also criticised the move, saying there is no evidence Ebola has been spread by dogs. Image copyright AFP Image caption In Sierra Leone, burial teams are reported to have gone on strike because they have not been paid Image copyright AFP Image caption Several aid organisations have criticised the global response to the outbreak, saying more needs to be done In other developments: Meanwhile, the head of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in Sierra Leone says the rest of the world is not doing enough to combat the outbreak of the Ebola virus. Media caption MSF chief says Sierra Leone's Ebola outbreak is "not under control" Cristina Falconi, MSF's chief in Sierra Leone, told the BBC that more staff, supplies and facilities were needed immediately to have any chance of halting the spread of the disease in West Africa. "We need people, more people on the ground, more means of transport, more facilities, more beds. But also good management of these facilities," Ms Falconi told the BBC's Tulip Mazumdar. In Sierra Leone, burial workers have gone on strike this week, leaving the bodies of Ebola victims on the streets of the capital, Freetown. Local media said the teams had abandoned their posts in anger over unpaid wages, but Deputy Health Minister Madina Rahman insisted on Wednesday that the strike had been "resolved" and the staff would soon return to work. The BBC's Umaru Fofana in Sierra Leone says burial teams in the eastern district of Kenema remain on strike, saying they are owed four weeks' wages by the government. In neighbouring Liberia, health workers say they will go on strike if their demands for more money and safety equipment are not met by the end of the week. Ebola virus disease (EVD) Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage Spread by bodily fluids such as blood, sweat and saliva Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 70% Incubation period is two to 21 days There is no proven vaccine or cure Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be natural host of virus ||||| Spain is urgently compiling a list of people who had contact with the nurse who became the first case of an Ebola infection outside Africa when she was diagnosed in Madrid yesterday. The government is taking action to keep doctors and staff safe at Hospital Carlos III, and is investigating how the woman became infected, Health Minister Ana Mato said at a news conference yesterday. The nurse treated Manuel Garcia, a priest who died of Ebola last month, at the hospital. Her husband and thirty medical workers are being monitored, officials said. The diagnosis adds a new dimension to the outbreak, which has killed more than 3,400 people, mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. A man is hospitalized with Ebola in Dallas after traveling there from the Liberian capital Monrovia, the first time the virus has been inadvertently carried out of Africa in the almost 40 years since it was discovered. The Ebola Scourge “The concern in European hospitals where there’s good infection control is minimal,” David Heymann, professor of infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said in a telephone interview. “It may spread to a few people at the start, but it shouldn’t go further. I don’t anticipate any major outbreaks in Europe.” Photographer: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images A Spanish nurse infected with Ebola is moved to Carlos III Hospital from Alcorcon Hospital in Alcorcon, Spain, on Oct. 7, 2014. Close A Spanish nurse infected with Ebola is moved to Carlos III Hospital from Alcorcon... Read More Close Open Photographer: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images A Spanish nurse infected with Ebola is moved to Carlos III Hospital from Alcorcon Hospital in Alcorcon, Spain, on Oct. 7, 2014. Patient Contact The European Union has asked Spain to explain what happened in the nurse’s case, Frederic Vincent, spokesman for EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg, said by telephone. The European Commission will hold a conference call tomorrow on the case with the 28 EU governments, plus Norway, Switzerland, the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Vincent said. Related: Work to identify the nurse’s contacts is “continuous” and “intensive” and is being conducted following World Health Organization recommendations, Spanish public health director Mercedes Vinuesa Sebastian told lawmakers in Madrid today. The nurse went on vacation after treating the priest, with whom she was in contact twice, once before and once after his death, Vinuesa Sebastian said. Stocks of Spanish hotel operators fell in Madrid. NH Hotel Group SA fell as much as 4.8 percent and Melia Hotels International SA fell as much as 3.3 percent. Stable Condition The nurse had been in contact with other people and those people would have to be followed, Fernando Simon, coordinator of the center of alerts and emergencies at Spain’s health ministry, told Cadena Ser radio today. The virus is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person. The nurse was previously treated in Alcorcon Hospital, on the outskirts of Madrid, before being transferred to Carlos III Photographer: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images TV trucks at Carlos III Hospital before the arrival of Priest Miguel Pajares on Aug. 6, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. Close TV trucks at Carlos III Hospital before the arrival of Priest Miguel Pajares on Aug. 6,... Read More Close Open Photographer: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images TV trucks at Carlos III Hospital before the arrival of Priest Miguel Pajares on Aug. 6, 2014 in Madrid, Spain. “We can’t put a blindfold on,” Simon said, according to comments published by Ser on its website today. “The possibility of contagion exists -- it’s low, but it exists.” The nurse is in stable condition, and her life isn’t at risk at the moment, Simon said. It may have been possible to isolate the patient on Sept. 30 when she showed her first symptoms, Simon said. Her husband is in isolation, in good health and “relatively calm,” he said. “In the case of a person under monitoring, perhaps an isolation protocol should have been applied,” Simon said. Madrid health officials will have have a full list ready today of the people that the nurse had contact with, Simon told Ser, adding that it could include 20 or 30 health workers. Missionary Doctor “If this spreads and we have another case, I’m out of Madrid,” said Jose Dominguez, a taxi driver in the capital. “I have an apartment on the coast, and I’ll drive there with my wife and daughter until this blows over. I’ll bring 600 cans of food.” Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images A Doctors Without Borders health worker in protective clothing carries a child suspected of having Ebola in the MSF treatment center in Paynesville, Liberia, on Oct. 5, 2014. Close A Doctors Without Borders health worker in protective clothing carries a child... Read More Close Open Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images A Doctors Without Borders health worker in protective clothing carries a child suspected of having Ebola in the MSF treatment center in Paynesville, Liberia, on Oct. 5, 2014. Aid workers who have fallen ill in Africa have been evacuated to Spain, France, Germany, the U.S. and Norway for treatment, raising concern that secondary infections will occur in those countries. Garcia, a missionary doctor, died at Carlos III hospital on Sept. 25 after being repatriated from Sierra Leone. Miguel Pajares, the priest who contracted the illness in Liberia, died at the hospital in August. Nursing unions in Madrid called on the government to reassure patients and staff and carry out investigations as quickly as possible to find out how the infection occurred. “We demand all the information so that the general public and nursing professionals can be assured of their safety,” said Juan Carlos Mejia, secretary of union action at the Madrid branch of the nursing union SATSE. For Related News and Information: Fujifilm Jumps as Ebola Patient Given Drug Leaves Hospital (2) To contact the reporters on this story: Esteban Duarte in Madrid at [email protected]; Charles Penty in Madrid at [email protected] To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alan Crawford at [email protected]; Vidya Root at [email protected]; Phil Serafino at [email protected] Kristen Hallam, Todd White

– How did a Spanish nurse get the first case of Ebola contracted outside West Africa? Though she treated a priest who was suffering from the virus, she only entered his room twice, Spain's public health head says—once to change the patient's diaper, and once after he had already died, the Washington Post reports via Bloomberg. She was wearing protective gear both times, but some have suggested the suits at the Carlos III Hospital are subpar; latex gloves, for instance, are simply taped to the outfit, according to pictures staffers showed Spain's El Pais newspaper. Another possible explanation being offered up by a Spanish doctor, as per the BBC: that she touched her face with contaminated gloves. The nurse herself—one María Teresa Romero Ramos, per Spanish newspaper El Mundo—doesn't have "the slightest idea" how she became ill, though she now feels "a little better." Some experts on the disease are now suggesting that, contrary to official assertions, this strain of Ebola could spread through the air, the Los Angeles Times reports. "We just don't have the data to exclude it," says a researcher. Amid concerns over Spain's handling of the illness and calls for its health minister to step down, officials are keeping an eye on some 50 people for signs of the illness, the New York Times reports. Another cause of controversy centers on the nurse's dog: International Twitter users have banded together to urge authorities not to put it down as planned, the New York Times notes.

The reality that free services aren’t actually free is currently being demonstrated through the latest money-grab by MySpace. User account information is being made available to anyone who wants it for a surprisingly cheap price. One look at the Infochimps website shows that you can purchase 24 hours of MySpace’s real-time data stream for just $30. The data is described as follows: It contains most all fields and data offered by the stream, unparsed and packaged for a full day. When you sign up for a MySpace account, you also agree that MySpace own all the content you decide to upload. A fair exchange in return for the service being free? Maybe it was at the time, but now anyone can buy all the information for analysis and marketing if they so wish. [UPDATE] MySpace has since been in contact making it clear that they are in fact not selling user data, instead allowing what is already freely available to be repackaged and sold by Infochimps. Here’s MySpace’s official response to this news: MySpace is not selling user data to Infochimps. MySpace provides developers, including companies such as Infochimps, with free access to publicly available real-time data (such as status updates, music, photos, videos) using our Real Time Stream feed. We have identified the need for third-party developers who can’t handle the size of our full feed to still have access to the data in a different format. For this reason InfoChimps is offering developers a pre-packaged version of our Real Time Stream, as a value-added service. MySpace also point to the Infochimps blog for further information on what exactly is being offered: This data is not sold by MySpace, but given out for free from their API and then packaged by Infochimps for redistribution. By giving developers free access to publically available real-time data (such as status updates, music, photos, videos) MySpace reinforces its commitment to powering the real-time social Web and the development of open standards. Read more at PC World Matthew’s Opinion Unfortunately, this is the reality of your data on a site like MySpace. The content of the site is owned by the company, not the individual, and they can use it how they please. There is a developer agreement attached to purchasing the data, but that won’t stop marketeers filtering through the information and using it for their gain. Targeted advertising, statistical analysis for future product launches, and even use by other social networks to help improve their service, are all potential uses for this data. The decision to sell this data is clearly one based on a need to generate revenue from the network. MySpace has lost its mojo of late while rival Facebook is going from strength to strength. Turning to selling off of data streams sounds like desperation to me. ||||| Social networking just became a little riskier to your privacy. Information from MySpace is now for sale to third parties ranging from academics and analysts to marketers. The data will include any activity or information that is attached to an account. That includes blog posts, location, photos, reviews, and status updates--among others. Infochimps, an Austin, Texas, company that collects and sells structured data, is selling the data. Of course, MySpace is perfectly within its rights to work with Infochimps, because it legally owns the data and the server logs. Users waive their right to privacy in exchange for free Web hosting and access to its social features. "Free" comes at a cost. Here's snippet of what "they" know about you. This is exactly the type of scenario that Eben Moglen, a Columbia University law professor and founder of the Software Freedom Law Center, warned of at a seminar about privacy in cloud computing last month. I wouldn't have imagined that MySpace would be one of the aggressive purveyors of personal data. In his talk, Moglen advocated development of peer-to-peer social networks in which users retain ownership of their data. His suggestion is looking more appealing (and prophetic) now that one of the biggest names in social networking has sold out its users' privacy. [NOTE: The original version of this story stated that MySpace was selling data; in fact, Infochimps is the seller, through a revenue-sharing agreement with MySpace. MySpace has released the following statement: MySpace is not selling user data to Infochimps. MySpace provides developers, including companies such as Infochimps, with free access to publicly available real-time data (such as status updates, music, photos, videos) using our Real Time Stream feed. We have identified the need for third-party developers who can't handle the size of our full feed to still have access to the data in a different format. For this reason Infochimps is offering developers a pre-packaged version of our Real Time Stream, as a value-added service. More information is available from Infochimps Blog.]

– In a scenario privacy advocates have warned about, MySpace has started selling user data to third parties—and you may be surprised to hear what a low price your private data goes for. A whopping 24 hours of MySpace's data stream is sold for a mere $30 by one firm, a sign of how hard up MySpace has gotten as it falls ever farther behind rival Facebook. "Turning to selling off of data streams sounds like desperation to me," Matthew Humphries writes on geek.com. Desperate or not, MySpace is a sobering reminder that social media sites, and not their users, own content users post to the sites—a reason online privacy expert Eben Moglen recently called for peer-to-peer social networks where users retain ownership of their data, PC World reports.

William Mancebo/Getty Images Portland State linebacker AJ Schlatter died at the age of 20 on Sunday at approximately 9:15 p.m. PT because of an apparent blood clot. Schlatter's father posted on Facebook about his son's death Monday, explaining the blood clot may have occurred following surgery to remove his tonsils, which he underwent Friday: Per the Vikings' official website, Schlatter appeared in 11 games and started 10 this past season, racking up 62 tackles (6.5 for loss), two fumble recoveries, two sacks and an interception. The Oregonian's Ken Goe passed along statements from Vikings head coach Bruce Barnum and athletic director Mark Rountree. "My heart is with the Schlatter family. They are our focus right now," said Barnum. "We lost a diamond that will never be replaced. He was the definition of what we are about at PSU." Rountree offered condolences to the Schlatter family in his remarks: Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Schlatter family with all the compassion and sympathy we can bring to bear during this difficult time. Things like this aren't supposed to happen. We cherish every student's well-being, and the loss of AJ will be tough on our family. He represented his family and Portland State with passion, courage, and humility that made us all proud. He will be missed. Per Goe, Schlatter's father was an assistant football coach for the Vikings in the 1980s. His mother, Terri Jo, played volleyball at Portland State, as did his sister, Garyn. After redshirting during the 2014 campaign, Schlatter burst onto the scene for an exceptional Portland State team that clinched a berth in the FCS playoffs with a 9-3 record. ||||| Portland State is mourning the sudden loss of linebacker AJ Schlatter, who died Sunday at home due to a complication from minor throat surgery. The 20-year-old Schlatter's father Jim wrote a Facebook post Monday saying he believed his son developed a blood clot after having his tonsils removed Friday. "He was such a inspiration to me and I was and am so PROUD to be his father," Jim Schlatter wrote. Schlatter, a native of Canby, Oregon, was a redshirt freshman and starter for a Vikings squad that finished the season ranked No. 10 in the nation after making the FCS playoffs for the second time. "My heart is with the Schlatter family. They are our focus right now," coach Bruce Barnum said. "We lost a diamond that will never be replaced. He was the definition of what we are about at PSU." Originally a walk-on, Schlatter earned a full scholarship with the program through hard work. As a freshman, he had 62 tackles and was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week following a win over Eastern Washington on Nov. 21. Schlatter came from a family that has been ingrained in Portland State athletics. His mother, Terri Jo, played on the school's national championship volleyball team in 1984, became an assistant coach with the program and is a member of the school's athletics hall of fame. His father spent time in the 1980s as an assistant football coach, and his sister Garyn was a star volleyball player. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Schlatter family with all the compassion and sympathy we can bring to bear during this difficult time," athletic director Mark Rountree said. "Things like this aren't supposed to happen. We cherish every student's well-being, and the loss of AJ will be tough on our family. He represented his family and Portland State with passion, courage and humility that made us all proud. He will be missed." Funeral arrangements were pending.

– A freshman football player at Portland State died Sunday evening after having minor surgery—and his father says he's blaming himself. AJ Schlatter, 20, apparently suffered a blood clot after his tonsils were removed. "I failed my son tonight," his father, James Schlatter, writes on Facebook, per Bleacher Report. "I could not [resuscitate] him nor did the best efforts by ems and the emergency room staff. AJ Schlatter passed away approximately 9:15 Sunday evening." Little else is known, but Schlatter's father also expressed pride in the linebacker who went from walk-on to full scholarship with his widely hailed work ethic, ESPN reports. "In his 20+ years he became a greater man then I could ever dream of becoming," James Schlatter writes. AJ proved himself on the field, making 62 tackles and earning Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Vikings beat Eastern Washington in November. He was also an "incredible leader" who "busted his rear end, day after day," and was "always humble, nice, classy, appreciative," a PSU social studies teacher tells the Portland Tribune. Other tributes are coming in from officials at the school, where James Schlatter was an assistant football coach and AJ's mother, Terri Jo, is in the athletics hall of fame for her time with the volleyball team. "Things like this aren't supposed to happen," says PSU athletic director Mark Rountree. "[AJ] will be missed." (A tonsillectomy-gone-wrong features prominently in the high-profile case of Jahi McMath.)

“We feel a sacred obligation to continue our work,” she said. However, the remains that have yet to be identified are the most challenging. Most of the samples are bones, which are some of the most difficult materials to generate DNA profiles from, Mr. Desire said. Compounding the effort is the fact that much of the DNA of Sept. 11 victims was destroyed or degraded because of exposure to fire, heat and jet fuel. Though the steps for DNA identification have remained mostly the same over the years, the techniques for extracting and identifying DNA samples have improved. First, the bone must be pulverized though recently, Mr. Desire’s team has been able to apply new technology — ultrasonic ball bearings — to this process, which has resulted in a finer powder. The finer the powder, the more DNA that can be extracted, Mr. Desire said. Then, scientists extract DNA, but because the DNA is often so limited, they try to make copies of it by triggering a polymerase chain reaction using an enzyme. In the case of Mr. Johnson, the scientists performed the process three times before they had enough DNA to create a profile. Once the DNA profile is generated, the team then compares it to DNA samples. The Medical Examiner’s office has a databank of more than 17,000 reference samples from victims and family members. Mr. Johnson’s DNA sample was compared to a sample from his toothbrush and then confirmed with samples from his parents. Mr. Desire said the DNA testing techniques have improved in response to the difficulties in identifying 9/11 victims. The DNA crime lab, part of the medical examiner’s office, also conducts research and development, which has been instrumental in technological advancement, Mr. Desire said. “We are far ahead of where we would have been if not for the necessity of making these identifications,” he said. For Mr. Johnson’s father, who is a member of the board of the National September 11 Memorial Museum, the identification of his son provides little comfort, he said. Though he said he was grateful that the city had been sensitive and diligent in its work, the news was just another reminder of the pain he and his family have felt for 17 years. “His friends reported at his memorial service on the incredible love and support that he gave to them that in a sense went even beyond our understanding of him,” Mr. Johnson said about his son. “He was one of the kindest people that anyone around him had ever known. The pain of losing someone like that was tremendous.” ||||| “We have to break these bone samples down to small pieces to get access to the cells,” Desire said. “Through the years, that process has gotten better and better. We are also using new digestion chemicals to remove the DNA from the fragment.”

– Advances in DNA testing have helped investigators identify the remains of one more victim of the 9/11 attacks—the 1,642nd to be identified, and the first in almost a year. A bone fragment that investigators had attempted to identify several times over the years has been confirmed as belonging to Scott Michael Johnson, a 26-year-old financial analyst who worked on the 89th floor of the World Trade Center's south tower, the New York Daily News reports. He was one of 67 Keefe Bruyette & Woods employees to die that day. The bone fragment was identified with the help of new DNA technology that can identify samples that have degraded in the almost 17 years since the attacks. Mother Ann Johnson, 71, is glad the medical examiner's office kept its promise to never stop trying to identify all 2,753 victims. "Having said that, it's also made me cry and when I told our daughter, we sat there and both cried," she tells the New York Times. "You get pulled right back into it and it also means there’s a finality. Somehow I always thought he would just walk up and say, 'Here I am. I had amnesia.'" (Another victim was identified in August last year, but the man's family chose to withhold his name.)

Written instructions Common advice is to let your body heal a pimple on its own without popping. However, in the real world, it's not great for your social life to go around with a bulging white zit for the world to see. Plus, when done properly, popping a pimple can be beneficial to the healing process. Reserve this technique only for pimples that are ready to be popped—all the way at the surface and white/yellow. After a shower is best, when the skin is supple, but popping can be successfully performed with dry skin as well. Disinfect a needle with rubbing alcohol. A basic sharp sewing needle is a good choice because sewing needles are strong and sharp. Gently prick the pimple's surface. Take two tissues and wrap each of your index fingers with them. Squeeze from the sides, confidently but gently, using a down-and-in motion. Don't force it. If the pimple is ready it will pop. If it doesn't, leave it be. Stop if clear fluid or blood starts to come out. Walk away from the mirror! Continuing to work at a lesion that is not ready to be popped will most definitely introduce unnecessary irritation and can also increase the chance of scarring. Important It is very important to leave deep, painful lesions (cysts and nodules) untouched. Do not attempt to pop them. Instead, a effective option for these types of lesions is to see a dermatologist who can administer a cortisone injection, which will bring down swelling and potentially reduce or eliminate scarring. Often dermatologists will accept a quick "emergency" appointment for such matters. ||||| "Good fucks make good babies," Norman Mailer once opined, and I believe it. Around 3.85 billion years ago, life as we know it emerged when a single one-celled organism floating in the primordial ooze cleaved itself and passed along its genetic material to a new organism. Some scientists go so far as to speculate that life on this planet arose as soon as it could, that in its chemical composition, life seemingly wishes to be. To me, the creation of human life -- in which I have once participated successfully -- is the convergence of personality, joy, hope and intention in a reenactment of what is most primal, mysterious, eternal and imperative in this world. This is one reason it seems strange to be at a fertility clinic very early in the morning waiting for my turn to jerk off into a plastic cup and produce a specimen that, I devoutly hope, will soon impregnate my wife. I want another child. Though my son has done much to prove the "good fucks make good kids" theory, my wife has not been able to conceive again. Working against us are advancing age and intractable self-doubt; even as I sit in this waiting room, I'm nervous. But I want another child. I know it when I watch my son resting on my wife's belly, the two of them luxuriating in one another's love. This, I realize, is what the Old Masters were trying to capture in their countless paintings of Mary holding the infant Jesus -- the most beautiful thing in all creation. I want more of this beauty alive in the world. I want to share again my tiny portion of the spark. So I wait for my turn to masturbate. I've never had to wait for a turn to jerk off; I've often waited for an opportunity but never a turn, and for some reason this makes me jittery and a bit peevish. I find myself staring at the pages of a book about hip-hop music called "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" and though my reading material seems a tangential detail, be warned that it comes back at a crucial and unpleasant juncture of this story. I'm also finding it difficult to focus on the book because of the strangely unsettling aura hanging over the waiting room, one that becomes more pronounced as the large room fills up with women awaiting treatment, couples awaiting consultation, and stray men awaiting onanism. My wife, Rachel, and I had visited the clinic for our initial consultation with the fertility specialist a few weeks prior. Though celebrated as one of New York magazine's "Best Doctors" with a wall brimming with awards, the doctor did not fill me with confidence. He was an unctuous Gilbert Gottfried-looking fellow who came across precisely like the type of man capable of using his own seed to impregnate his patients in a mad plan to create a race of superior nebbishes. I really started to get uptight after he told us what we had to do to prepare for the insemination. Around two weeks after my wife's next period, if an ultrasound showed she was ovulating, she was to receive an injection to stimulate egg production. I was to come in to the office the next morning and produce a specimen. I was to refrain from ejaculating for two days before, but not for more than four days. "Two days?" I said, but judging from the distaste with which the doctor and my wife both looked at me, it might have come out more like: "TWO DAYS?!?!?" If self-control was what worried me initially, what actually transpired during the next two weeks was a loss of interest in sex that was both utter and unprecedented. I felt like those men in an episode of Nigerian mass hysteria who become convinced that a witch doctor has made their penises disappear. My libido hibernated and was replaced by a gnawing performance anxiety. "Don't worry, buddy -- you'll be able to pull it off," offered a helpful friend, but when the day arrived, I was anything but confident. I still didn't feel remotely sexual, but more like a single-celled life form floating in the ooze hoping I'd be able to cleave myself. ------- In the waiting room of the fertility clinic, a gorgeous receptionist calls my name, "Albert S." Her use of my initial makes me feel a little illicit, in a good way. I fix on her hips swaying beneath her loose skirt as she leads me down a cheerless hallway toward the wanking rooms. The moment of truth nearly upon me, my unease intensifies, and I try to redirect my nervous energy by fantasizing about what might happen if the hot receptionist closed the door behind us and purred that she wanted "to help things along." She snaps me out of my daydream by saying: "Mkasdfj kdsf l jasilupe, if you need it." I ask her to repeat what she said. "Those cups are for the specimen," she says, pointing, "and the test tubes have lube -- lubrication -- if you need some." "Aaaah," I nod. "Loooooooobuh." Don't turn red. Don't turn red. Her radiant smile lights up the dismal masturbation warren. Damn it, I turned red. The door shuts and the receptionist is not on the Penthouse Letters side of it. I am alone. The room does not look like a place of joy and fun; it looks like an interrogation chamber -- and I am here to rough up the suspect. I inch toward the inevitable pile of sad, tattered pornographic magazines and think how their joyless glossy pages are a wellspring from which scores of new human lives have been and will be created. The fact that these magazines remain testifies that a thin pornographic gruel is enough to nourish the libidos of the polyglot parade of self-abusers passing through these rooms. Well, if this smut worked for everyone, it wasn't working for me. I wash my hands and genitals like instructed by a sign on the wall and mat myself dry with paper towels. Lifting the lid to the trash can, I am confronted with a rubber glove glistening with a lot of lube goop. There is nothing on the sign about having to use a rubber glove. Rubber and schmaltz was a man's erotic choice. Now it feels like I'm in a Times Square peep show booth, with the walls, ceiling, and sawdust-covered floor closing in to crush me. Regroup. Regroup. Suddenly hung like a Ken doll, I start to panic. I look around for a call button, an intercom, an alarm, an ejector seat. Then I notice the DVD player. Men are visual creatures, and idiots, and I am all man. With still photographs, you have to co-opt an image and construct a scenario in your fantasy world, a scenario in which, ultimately, people behave in ways you can imagine people behaving. This can be difficult. Video, however, is like a wormhole to a parallel universe -- Porno World -- where the people look sort of like we do but their actions are not guided in the slightest by human reason, but rather solely by the effects of too much Spanish fly and moonshine. I rifle through the selection of DVDs. "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am." Nah -- too early in the morning for whamming, bamming or politesse. "Cuntry in the City." A bracingly witty title, but the flick sounds plot driven. Nix. "Yo Wife Got Jungle Fever." "We made you, little one, when Daddy was imagining Mommy's date with LeBron James." Nope. "Suckers 4" is the most politically correct offering, and I give it a try. The opening features a teaser montage of young ladies for whom conversation with the family at Thanksgiving dinner is no doubt quite strained. Then, we meet Vanessa, an attractive brunette in hot pants performing a dance of sexual availability. The screen goes blank, and then kala-BOOSH! Vanessa appears alongside her costar. She doesn't seem too happy about it, nor can I really say that the young man attached to the costar is behaving like a gentleman. But something about it is working for me. I'm watching Vanessa do her thing, and it's working, and I'm happy. Here is where "Can't Stop, Won't Stop," the book about hip-hop I was reading in the waiting room, returns to the story. On the subway over, I was reading about the Sugar Hill Gang's breakthrough hit, "Rapper's Delight." And as I enjoy "Suckers 4," I realize that Vanessa's bobbing head and my hand are both moving up and down in time to a rhythm, and that rhythm is unmistakably the line from that classic song: "I said a hip hop a hippie to the hippie to the hip hip hop, you don't stop" After two weeks of dread and no interest in anything to do with sex, the life force comes on strong, flooding over me with nearly 4 billion years of impetus, reminding me that this is why I am here, to reproduce, and, if necessary, to adopt novel reproductive strategies so that my genetic material is perpetuated, and I can't, I won't, and -- my God, where's the cup?! -- I don't stop. I laugh as I twist shut the cap of the specimen cup and begin to tidy up. I check the time on my cell phone to see how long the ordeal had actually taken. Four minutes. After making myself presentable, I bring my specimen, as instructed, to the Andrology Center, a windowless laboratory where three screw-faced middle-aged women work amid dozens of spinning centrifuges of male ejaculate. "Vhen did you make this?" one of the screw-faces asks in a thick Russian accent. I say: "Uh, just now. I was just in the room." "Yes, yes. But vhen? Vhat TIME did you make this?" she demands. "Ve have to know exactly the TIME because the DOCTOR can't use it if it's been TOO LONG." "Uh ... 7:35! I made it at 7:35!" Does she think I’ve been in there cuddling with it? Outside in the waiting room, there's an oppressive and unsettling aura. I'm smiling, but no one else is. Not the women waiting for treatment. Not the couples sitting together. Not the few stray men waiting for their turn to masturbate. The fertility clinic is an unhappy place. It is a stop on the way to great joy, you would hope, a joy that I am lucky enough to already know -- every day, I kiss my son and love him and dream for him and about him, and because of him I feel supremely confident that the most meaningful part of my existence is ahead of me. No doubt the people in the waiting room also dream of the future, but the dreams must be very different without the little boy. Each visit to this office, each joyless clinical treatment, may be bringing these people closer to the cold clinical moment when the doctor says, finally: "No. Not for you." Could you blame them for not smiling? These people are terrified. Life wants to be. Once life is, it wishes to endure, and this desire moves everything that lives. Open your eyes and you will see it everywhere, and though there are few places where it is more apparent than the waiting room of the fertility clinic, I failed to see it. I hurry through the waiting room toward the elevators with my head down, hoping to get out as soon as I can. As I wait for the lift, I scan the unhappy faces. I hope this guy's a good doctor. Please let all of these people get what they want. Because who cares what the fuck makes good babies, anyway? Albert Stern's work has appeared in the New York Times and Nerve.com. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with his wife and son.

– You can blow your nose in public and discuss irregular bowel movements with a friend—but mention pimple popping, and the world goes “ewwww.” But “who hasn't popped a pimple? Who doesn't get a painful little prick of satisfaction from doing so?” writes David Marchese for Salon. If “Lady Gaga's labia can become water cooler fodder” and “Tiger Woods' golden shower-related texts are read by millions,” why are we freaked out by popping zits? Perhaps it’s because of the old wives’ tales about pimple causes: too much candy, dirty hands—“all the habits of an individual with a weak, decadent will,” Marchese theorizes. And “if acne-sufferers are bad, poppers are even worse. They can't keep their hands off themselves long enough to heal,” indicating a certain self-destructive streak. But guess what? It’s not actually bad for you—as long as you do it correctly. Check out this helpful guide for tips.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com. Higher education can do more than stimulate the mind.Students in the popular and provocative human sexuality course at Northwestern University were invited for an optional demonstration after class on Feb. 21 in which a naked woman was penetrated by a sex toy until she reached sexual climax, The Daily Northwestern reported. About 120 students voluntarily stayed for the extracurricular activity organized by professor John Michael Bailey. Guest speaker Ken Melvoin-Berg, co-owner of Weird Chicago Tours, led the "Network for Kinky People" panel, which included several women.Before a woman onstage disrobed, students were repeatedly advised that they would see explicit content.The woman then used a machine with a graphic name to stimulate herself to the point of ejaculation, a topic that had been recently covered in class, Bailey said."It was a fun and educational experience," Melvoin-Berg told the Chicago Tribune. The students ""seemed to be incredibly pleased. We had a number of them that got closer and closer."The rousing performance caused controversy on campus and around Chicago, leading Bailey to write a lengthy defense of his decision to allow the demonstration."I hesitated only briefly before saying yes. My hesitation concerned the likelihood that many people would find this inappropriate. ... [But] those still there had stayed for an optional demonstration/lecture about kinky sex and were told explicitly what they were about to see," Bailey wrote. Bailey added that student feedback was "uniformly positive" and vowed to continue his fight against efforts "to silence sex research."Bailey's class is one of the most popular at the college, with about 600 students registered for it. The semester is packed with other optional panels after class that have included talks with sex offenders and a question-and-answer session with a swinging couple.Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro issued a statement on Thursday stating that the school had opened an investigation into the incident, and claiming the demonstration "represented extremely poor judgment on the part of our faculty member," according to FoxNews.com ||||| A psychology professor did what?! The story behind the Illinois university’s strange sex demonstration. Update: Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro said Thursday that he was "troubled and disappointed" after hearing about the sex toy incident—and that Northwestern would be launching an investigation into it. “I feel it represented extremely poor judgment on the part of our faculty member,” he said in a statement. On Saturday morning, the professor behind the controversial class issued his own apology stating that he regrets allowing the controversial demonstration, and that "In the 18 years I have taught this course, nothing like the demonstration at issue has occurred, and I will allow nothing like it to happen again." It was bizarre, say students—even for a professor who gets off (excuse the pun) on controversy. On Feb. 21, after a lecture on sexual arousal, students in Northwestern University psychology Professor J. Michael Bailey’s human-sexuality course were given the option to stay for a guest presentation. Most were used to these sessions: With topics like “The Gay Guys Panel” (gay men talking about their sex lives) and Q&A sessions with transgender performers, the optional add-ons were part of what made Bailey’s class one of the most popular on campus. An unconventional sex ed class is making news. But this particular lecture was, shall we say, different. Led by a man whose website describes him as a “psychic detective and ghost hunter,” it was called “Networking for Kinky People,” and began with a towel placed neatly on the auditorium stage. Next, a woman took her clothes off, and—with an audience of around 100—lay down on her back, legs spread. As students moved forward from the theater’s back seats, for a closer view, “The girl grabbed the mic,” says Sean Lavery, a Northwestern freshman. “She explained that she had a fetish for being watched by large crowds while having an orgasm.” No, the girl involved was not a student. Yes, she was over 21, we’re told—and the guy stimulating her was introduced as her boyfriend. “It was a committed couple who did the demonstration, and it happened at the end of the class,” says Ken Melvoin-Berg, the guest speaker, who helps operate a tour company called Weird Chicago that offers sex tours. We'll spare you the gory details—but let's just say they involved the woman's boyfriend bringing her to climax on stage, using a contraption called a "fucksaw," and plenty of gasps, not just from flabbergasted students. “I was gauging everyone’s reaction,” says Lavery, who’s been in Bailey’s class since January. “I think everyone was just like, ‘Is she really doing this right now?’” The demonstration will become a rallying cry for sex-education critics, and parents of fresh-faced 18 year olds for whom Northwestern is suddenly at the top of their college wish lists. The demonstration, as you can imagine, has become the talk of campus—a story that will undoubtedly become fable for subsequent classes of incoming freshmen. It will also certainly become a rallying cry for sex-education critics, and parents of fresh-faced 18 year olds for whom Northwestern is suddenly at the top of their college wish lists. With the story first reported in Northwestern’s campus paper, The Daily, on Tuesday, it’s safe to say that the influx of criticism has only just begun. But Bailey, for his part, has never shied away from controversy. His 2003 book, The Man Who Would Be Queen, ruffled feathers with its argument that some transgender men who wish to become women are driven by erotic fascination rather than biological desire; Bailey has said himself that he enjoys turning intellectual taboo on its head. But he resigned from his post as the chairman of Northwestern’s psychology department in 2004, shortly after allegations that he had unethically published confidential information about many of his subjects. (The claims were never substantiated, and Bailey has vehemently denied them.) Now a professor of clinical and personality psychology, Bailey is not licensed as a clinical psychologist in Illinois, nor has he been, according to the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. Back on campus, Northwestern is still defending its longtime prof, despite Bailey's comments in another class, quoted in the student newspaper this week, that "Sticks and stones may break your bones, but watching naked people on stage doing pleasurable things will never hurt you." "Northwestern University faculty members engage in teaching and research on a wide variety of topics, some of them controversial and at the leading edge of their respective disciplines," the university's vice president for university relations, Alan Cubbage, told The Daily Beast in a statement. "The university supports the efforts of its faculty to further the advancement of knowledge." Bailey declined to be interviewed for this article, but seems to have gained at least a bit of perspective since his earlier remarks. Late Wednesday, he posted a lengthy explanation of his behavior to the Northwestern faculty site, in which he acknowledges he had "some apprehension" about the display—though more for the personal repercussions than any lack of educational value. "Do I have any regrets? It's mostly too early to say," he writes. "I certainly have no regrets concerning Northwestern students, who have demonstrated that they are open-minded grownups rather than fragile children." Grownups, yes; but also open-minded enough to assess the display for themselves. "I was like, 'OK, she orgasmed on stage,'" says Lavery, the freshman, who is 18. "What're we supposed to take away from that?" Jessica Bennett is a Newsweek senior writer covering society, youth culture and gender. Her special reports, multimedia packages and original Web video have been honored by the New York Press Club, the Newswomen's Club of New York and GLAAD, among other organizations. Follow her on Twitter. Like The Daily Beast on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for updates all day long. For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at [email protected]. ||||| Faith Kroll and Jim Marcus who demonstrated the use of a sex toy at Northwestern University. (Sun-Times / ) Related Statement from professor of class Northwestern University acknowledged that an unusual demonstration was held on campus last week in which students observed a naked woman being penetrated by a sex toy. The sex act was performed in front of about 100 students in psychology professor John Michael Bailey’s human sexuality class. The demonstration occurred after class, and attendance was optional. The university will pay several hundred dollars to guest lecturer Ken Melvoin-Berg, co-owner of Weird Chicago Tours. His Feb. 21 discussion of bondage, swinging and other sexual fetishes was arranged by Bailey, who gets extra funding from the university’s College of Arts & Sciences for lectures and other activities he routinely holds after class. “The students find the events to be quite valuable, typically, because engaging real people in conversation provides useful examples and extensions of concepts students learn about in traditional academic ways,” Bailey said in a prepared statement Wednesday night After an initial discussion at Ryan Family Auditorium, the class was told that a couple was going to demonstrate the use of a sex toy and female orgasm. “Both Professor Bailey and myself gave them five or six warnings about what was about to happen and it would be graphic,” Melvoin-Berg said. The woman undressed and got on stage with her male partner, who used a device that looks like a machine-powered saw with a phallic object instead of a blade. Melvoin-Berg said the couple are exhibitionists who enjoy having people watch them have sex, and they were not paid for the demonstration. Jim Marcus said he and his fiancé hadn’t planned to show off the sex act at first, but decided to do so after the class watched a video on female orgasm that he thought was unrealistic. They already had brought the equipment to show as part of the discussion. “It seems like a human sexuality class is a smart place to dispel some of the mistakes that we saw in the video,” said Marcus, a musician who also teaches sex education. He said the demonstration with his fiancé, Faith Kroll, was different from a live sex show or pornography. “I was more than happy to. We have fun with it,” Kroll said. “I’m an exhibitionist. I enjoy the attention, being seen by other people. It was entertaining because there were a lot of curious minds, so that was cool.” “What we did was not designed to titillate people, but to educate people,” Marcus said. He said the demonstration was accompanied by a discussion about safety and consent, for example. “I hope (Bailey) doesn’t take a lot of flak for this, but I suspect he will,” Marcus said. “It is probably something I will remember for the rest of my life. I can’t say that about my Econ 202 class and the material that I learned there,” said Northwestern senior Justin Smith. Smith, 21, said students were told there would be a “sex tour operator” speaking about fetishes after class, but they didn’t initially know there would be a live demonstration. “We were watching a video on sexual arousal. They thought, ‘Why not give a demonstration?,” Smith said. “The main guy, Ken, said, ‘Are you ready for the live sex show?’ We were like, ‘OK.’” There were several warnings and some students trickled out, he said. He said most students were sitting in the auditorium’s balcony, including a student’s mom who attended class that day. Once the demonstration began, Smith said, “there was a lot of covering of the mouth like ‘Oh my gosh.’ It was pretty quiet … I didn’t really see people take affront, but they were engaged with the experience.’” Melvoin-Berg called it an educational experience for the students, and said it lasted about three minutes. “We wanted to share not only our lifestyles and talk about it, but demonstrate what we do in our personal lives,” he said. The students, he said, “seemed to be incredibly pleased. We had a number of them that got closer and closer.” An Evanston police department spokesman said Northwestern police would be responsible for determining whether the demonstration violated any local ordinances. University spokesman Alan Cubbage said “the issue has not been raised,” and nobody had filed a complaint with the police department.

– Class presentations don’t get much more unconventional: last week Northwestern psychology professor John Bailey held an optional after-class demonstration in which a naked woman had an orgasm live onstage, as a man identified as her fiance used a sex toy known as a “fucksaw” on her. The girl was not a student, according to the Daily Beast. The sex act was the climax (no pun intended) of a talk by guest lecturer Ken Melvoin-Berg, who offers sex tours of Chicago. “Both Professor Bailey and myself gave them five or six warnings about what was about to happen,” Melvoin-Berg tells the Chicago Tribune. Some students left, but about 100 stayed as a naked woman came onstage and explained that she had a fetish for being watched by large crowds. The event has created a bit of a stir, but the school has issued a statement standing behind Bailey, and the professor is unrepentant. “Sticks and stones may break your bones,” he reportedly told another class this week, “but watching naked people on stage doing pleasurable things will never hurt you.” For more, click here.

A Manchester man accused of robbing a convenience store while armed with a sharp stone was arrested after returning to the store to apologize. Click to watch News 9's coverage. Manchester police said Carlos Reyes, 46, went to the Shop-N-Go store twice Tuesday. The first time, he took money from the store, and the second time, he came back to return it, they said. Police said the store on Massabessic Street was robbed just after noon Tuesday. "Just after noontime yesterday, an individual walked into the store, allegedly armed with a sharp stone," Lt. Brian O'Keefe said. "He threatened the clerk and took roughly $200 worth of cash and fled." Police released a surveillance photo of the suspect holding the weapon in front of the man behind the counter. Police said they recovered the sharpened rock inside the store. Police were called back to the store later that night for a report of a suspicious person who turned out to be Reyes. "About seven hours later, he decided that he was feeling bad about his actions, and he allegedly went back there to apologize, at which time he was placed into custody by a Manchester police officer who arrived on scene," O'Keefe said. Court records said Reyes told police that he robbed the store earlier in the day, because he was hungry and that he was trying to return the money to the clerk. Police said Reyes only had a small portion of the money that was originally taken, but what happened is unusual. "In 20 years, I haven't seen that," O'Keefe said. "So no, it's not a very frequent occurrence in the Queen City." Bail was set at $5,000. ||||| MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — A man is accused of robbing a New Hampshire convenience store while armed with a sharp rock, then returning hours later to give back the money. Police say 46-year-old Carlos Reyes, of Manchester, was charged with robbery and was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. It wasn't immediately known if he had lawyer, and a phone number couldn't be found for him. Officers responded to a Shop-N-Go just after noon Tuesday. Witness Saoul Haney tells WMUR-TV (http://bit.ly/1spGUG7 ) that the robber apologized for the theft as he fled the scene and said he needed the money. The clerk called police hours later and said the man had arrived to "turn himself in" and began crying. Reyes was arrested after police reviewed surveillance photos.

– He may have robbed a Stop-N-Go, but it looks like a New Hampshire man decided to stop and turn back instead—and return the money he was said to have stolen, WMUR reports. Carlos Reyes, 46, allegedly entered the Manchester convenience store just after noon on Tuesday, armed with a sharp rock, per the AP. A witness says the suspect said he was sorry while demanding the loot, explaining he needed the cash. Reyes then reportedly took off, but a few hours later, according to a Stop-N-Go clerk, Reyes trudged back into the store weeping and gave the money back. The cops were called once again, and after they reviewed the surveillance tape, Reyes was arrested on charges of armed robbery. He's due in court Wednesday. (He must have felt really, really … heavy.)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A 117-year-old woman in Mexico City finally received her birth certificate, and died a few hours later. Trinidad Alvarez Lira had waited years for proof that she had been born in 1898. She hadn't received all the government old age benefits she was entitled to because she had no proof of her age. The city Department of Social Development said Thursday they had finally granted her birth certificate earlier this week, but she died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Apparently Alvarez Lira didn't have time to cash a single check. ||||| CLOSE Emma Morano from Italy is the last known person on Earth who was born in the 1800s. Here's her secret to a long, healthy life. USA TODAY Emma Morano sits in her apartment next to a picture of her where she was young in Verbania, northern Italy on Friday. The 116-year-old woman from the northern Italian region of Piedmont, became the world's oldest person following the death of the previous holder of the record, New York CIty's Susannah Mushatt Jones, who passed away in Brooklyn on Thursday. (Photo: Antonino Di Marco, EPA) The death of 116-year-old Susannah Mushatt Jones in New York City on Thursday leaves just one person on Earth who was alive in the 1800s. Born about a month before 1900 began and when England's Queen Victoria was still on the throne, Emma Morano is now the oldest living person. Incredibly, she still lives on her own in northern Italy. On Friday, she was happy to hear the title had passed to her, one of her relatives told London's Daily Telegraph newspaper. “She was told this morning and she said ‘My word, I’m as old as the hills,’ but she was very pleased,” Rosi Santoni said. Morano was not able to come to the phone, the Telegraph reported – she is almost completely deaf. When the Telegraph reporter called she was eating a lunch of semolina with a boiled egg. She eats a raw egg each day, ever since a doctor's recommendation when she was diagnosed with anemia at the age of 20. Here is her story: Name: Emma Morano Country of residence: Italy Birthday: Nov. 29, 1899 Morano was the first of eight children, all of whom have since died. One sister lived to be 102. In 1926, she married and in 1937 her only child was born, but died at a few months old. In 1938, she separated from her husband, Giovanni Martinuzzi, but never divorced. Until 1954, she was a worker at a jute factory in her town before working in the kitchen of a boarding school. She retired at 75. When asked about the secret of her longevity by the La Stampa newspaper in 2015, she first mentioned her daily glass of homemade brandy. But Morano mostly cites her eating habits for helped her live so long. "For breakfast I eat biscuits with milk or water," she said. "Then during the day I eat two eggs — one raw and one cooked — just like the doctor recommended when I was 20 years old. For lunch I'll eat pasta and minced meat then for dinner, I'll have just a glass of milk." Sleep is another important factor in her longevity, she told the newspaper. Morano goes to bed before 7 every night and wakes up before 6 a.m. Her physician, Dr. Carlo Bava, is convinced there's a genetic component as well. "From a strictly medical and scientific point of view, she can be considered a phenomenon," he told the Associated Press, noting that Morano takes no medication and has been in stable, good health for years. Italy is known for its centenarians — many of whom live in Sardinia — and gerontologists at the University of Milan are studying Morano, along with a handful of Italians over age 105, to try to figure out why they live so long. "Emma seems to go against everything that could be considered the guidelines for correct nutrition: She has always eaten what she wants, with a diet that is absolutely repetitive," Bava said. "For years, she has eaten the same thing every day, not much vegetables or fruit. But she's gotten this far." In this 2015 photo, Susannah Mushatt Jones, is embraced by her niece Lois Judge in her room at the Vandalia Avenue Houses, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Jones died on Thursday, leaving Emma Morano, of Verbania, Italy, as the only person on Earth born in the 1800s. (Photo: Richard Drew, AP) When the AP visited in 2015, Morano was in feisty spirits, displaying the sharp wit and fine voice that she says used to stop men in their tracks. "I sang in my house, and people on the road stopped to hear me singing. And then they had to run because they were late and should go to work," she recalled, before breaking into a round of the 1930s Italian love song Parlami d'amore Mariu. "Ahh, I don't have my voice anymore," she lamented at the end. But even though her movements now are limited, according to the AP — she gets out of bed and into her armchair and back again, her eyesight is bad and hearing weak — she does seem to walk around at night. "Her niece and I leave some biscuits and chocolates out at night in the kitchen. And in the morning they're gone, which means someone has gotten up during the night and eaten them," Bava said. On her 116th birthday last year Morano received a congratulatory telegram from Sergio Mattarella, the president of Italy, according to the Telegraph, and a signed parchment of blessing from Pope Francis, which is now framed and hangs on the wall of her apartment. CLOSE The world's oldest person, Susannah Mushatt Jones, died on Thursday night. Jones lived in New York and was born in Alabama in the year 1899. (May 13) AP Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1TeDej5

– A 117-year-old woman in Mexico City finally received her birth certificate, and died a few hours later. The AP reports Trinidad Alvarez Lira had waited years for proof that she had been born in 1898. She hadn't received all the government old-age benefits she was entitled to because she had no proof of her age. Mexico City's Department of Social Development said Thursday they had finally granted her birth certificate earlier this week, but she died of a heart attack on Wednesday. Apparently Alvarez Lira didn't have time to cash a single check. If Alvaraez Lira was indeed born in 1898, she would have been the world's oldest person, and one of only two people alive who were born in that century.

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. ||||| Oscar Pistorius has told his murder trial that girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp did not scream or shout as he grabbed a gun and fired shots that killed her. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said it was "improbable" that she would stand in the bathroom saying nothing while Mr Pistorius was just 3m (10ft) away shouting at her to call the police. Mr Pistorius said he could not explain why she had not shouted out. The athlete, 27, denies murder saying the killing was a terrible accident. Analysis Oscar Pistorius has been on the stand for an entire week - but the back and forth of cross-examination is where testimony is tested and concessions are made. "What would a reasonable person do?" This was one of prosecutor Gerrie Nel's questions. The answer could be the difference between negligence and intent - although we're not quite there yet. As he was preparing to wrap up for the day, Mr Nel accused the athlete of creating a version of events that did not happen. "She had nothing to be scared of except you," Mr Nel charged, but the accused denied this. The prosecutor pointed out that Mr Pistorius was making "mistakes", a point the judge also noted. The court would not accept his explanation that the mistakes were a result of him being tired. The state has alleged that the pair had an argument in the bedroom and she ran away from him. We don't have any indication of how the state plans to prove this. Neighbours have testified to hearing "loud voices". He admits killing Ms Steenkamp but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder. He believed she had been in bed when he grabbed his gun, made his way to the bathroom and fired shots through the door. The prosecution says he deliberately killed her after an argument. On the third day of his cross-examination, Mr Nel pressed the South African Olympic sprinter to explain the final moments leading up to the shooting. He asked why he had not checked whether Ms Steenkamp had heard his calls for her to phone the police, or why he had not taken her to safety instead of going to confront the supposed intruder. Mr Pistorius said it was his personality to confront what he believed was an intruder. The trial has been adjourned until Monday morning. 'She was scared of you' Later, Mr Nel questioned Mr Pistorius's account that he had not heard Ms Steenkamp shout or scream during the whole incident. "When you shouted at Reeva to phone the police, she was 3m away from you in the toilet, but she didn't say anything," he said. "Why would she not say anything?" Image copyright AP Image caption Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June, has said Mr Pistorius tried to say sorry to the family privately Image copyright Reuters Image caption Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began the day asking Mr Pistorius about his alarm system at home Mr Pistorius said he did not know. The prosecutor accused the athlete of lying, and said he had shot Ms Steenkamp while she was talking to him from the bathroom. Gerrie Nel: Fierce prosecutor Image copyright Reuters One of South Africa's most prominent lawyers More than 30 years' experience Prosecuted former police boss Jackie Selebi on corruption charges, calling him an "arrogant liar" during cross-examination Pistorius feels 'bull terrier' bite Pistorius trial: Key players "She wasn't scared of an intruder," he said. "She was scared of you." He went on: "Are you sure that Reeva did not scream after the first shot?" Mr Pistorius took a long time to answer, and broke down into sobs. "At no point did Reeva shout out or scream," he said. Mr Nel then disputed his claim, saying he would not have been able to hear if he had just fired his gun. Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defence disputes their testimony. 'Fixated' on intruder At one point the judge admonished Mr Nel, telling him not to call a witness a "liar" while he was giving evidence. The BBC's Pumza Fihlani, at court in the capital, Pretoria, explains that lawyers can say witnesses are lying but not call them liars. Mr Pistorius told the court he had heard a window opening and closing, and had immediately got out of bed and grabbed his gun. "I told Reeva to get down and phone the police," he said. Oscar Pistorius: The charges Pre-meditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp on 14 Feb 2013 If found not guilty, the judge automatically considers a charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter Discharging a firearm in public at Tasha's restaurant on 11 Jan 2013 Discharging a firearm in public by firing it through a car sunroof on 30 Nov 2012 Illegal possession of 0.38 ammunition He denies all charges Read more Mr Nel asked if he had not looked at Ms Steenkamp, or asked if she had heard the noise. "My whole being was fixated on this person that I thought was in the bathroom," Mr Pistorius said. Before the cross-examination resumed on Friday, Mr Nel confirmed that Mr Pistorius had asked to meet Ms Steenkamp's family to apologise for killing her. The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model. If he is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive up to 15 years in prison. Mr Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies. There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

– Oscar Pistorius' cross-examination is in its third day, and the topic returned to the moments leading up to Reeva Steenkamp's shooting. Pistorius described waking and moving fans in the bedroom, and moving to put a pair of jeans over a light shining from an amplifier. That's when he heard the bathroom window "sliding" open and slamming, he said. He never heard Steenkamp get out of bed, but a window slamming is much louder, he added. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel asked, "Did you not say to Reeva, 'Reeva did you hear that?'" to which Pistorius responded, per the BBC, "I was sure there was somebody in my house," indicating he didn't need confirmation from Steenkamp. Instead, Pistorius grabbed his gun. "I told Reeva to get down and phone the police," but says he did not wait for a response. Why did Steenkamp not speak from the bathroom? "I wish she had let me know she was there," Pistorius said through tears, per the Telegraph. Nel also noted Pistorius might've thought it strange that an intruder would climb into the bathroom, then close the door to the toilet; Pistorius previously said it was usually left open. And why was Pistorius so afraid when he had a burglar system? "I turned the alarm off," Pistorius said, according to the BBC, but later said he didn't remember doing it but "must have" as it was a habit to turn it on when he entered the bedroom and off when he left. Plus, he wasn't confident the alarm would work and there was no burglar proofing on windows. Nel, however, pointed out that Pistorius must not have been too concerned about his safety if he left cars outside and a broken window unfixed—though Pistorius said he was in the process of getting it repaired.

ISIS continues to hold the world's attention with yet another globally broadcast execution and an ongoing battle for a critical town on the Turkish-Syrian border. But glimpses into the inner workings of the group are fairly unusual, even in light of ISIS's vast resources and global profile. A recent interview with a 25-year-old woman who was a member of ISIS's religious police in Raqqa offers a glimpse into what it's like to work within one of the world's most notorious terror organizations. On October 5th, CNN interviewed a 25-year-old Syrian woman who had recently defected from Khansa’a brigade, an all-female ISIS division that enforces conservative social norms based on ISIS's radical interpretation of Islam — for instance, the Khansa'a would sometimes lash women for not wearing "the proper sharia clothing." "Khadija" was an elementary school teacher before she convinced her family to move to Raqqa, ISIS's de facto capital in Syria — she had met a Tunisian ISIS sympathizer, who spoke of marrying her, through social media. "I got in touch with my cousin, and she said, 'You can come join us in the Khansa'a Brigade.' She was living in Raqqa with her husband who was with the Islamic State," said Khadija. Khadija rationalized her initial attraction to the group. She saw ISIS as an extension of the early waves of dissent that have welled in Syria since March of 2011, back when the country's nascent uprising seemed like the latest chapter in the ongoing the Arab Spring, rather than the prelude to a horrific civil war. Her Tunisian recruiter also emphasized how the group would eventually overthrow the hated regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. "He would say, 'We are going to properly implement Islam. Right now we are in a state of war, a phase where we need to control the country, so we have to be harsh,'" Khadija told CNN. She patrolled the streets, armed and pleased at first with the authority she held. But she grew disillusioned with the group's cruelty. "There were cases where the wife had to be taken to the emergency ward because of the violence, the sexual violence," she said in reference to foreign fighters specifically. She also witnessed a man's beheading. "I said enough, after everything I had already seen and all the times I had stayed silent," Khadija said to CNN. The interview is especially valuable in exposing the blurred lines that run through the power vacuum in Syria. At one point, it seems, ISIS was able to harness the energies of a disappointed revolution and convince some beleaguered Syrian that the Islamic State was a viable manifestation of Syria's anti-government struggle. But Khadija shows how that can backfire — and how ISIS's tactics are so brutal that they're capable of alienating even a once-loyal foot soldier. ||||| Story highlights 25-year-old joined ISIS after chaos following protests against Syrian president Lured by man she met online, she became interested in ISIS She joined female police brigade that enforces ISIS rules on women She witnessed beheading and violence against women The petite 25-year-old tentatively opens the door to the hotel room where we've agreed to meet. Her face is covered, but her body language betrays her anxiety. She slowly lifts her niqab, revealing her young, heart-shaped face. Her large brown eyes, filled with guilt and turmoil, are delicately made up under perfectly sculpted brows. She calls herself 'Khadija.' It's not her real name, because she's a marked woman. Once a member of a fearsome, female ISIS brigade, she's a recent defector, disillusioned by the group's brutality. Her interview with CNN is the first time she has ever told anyone her story. 'I ran away to something uglier' Growing up in Syria, Khadija's family ensured she got an education. She earned her college degree and began teaching elementary school. Khadija describes her family and upbringing as "not overly conservative." JUST WATCHED Kassig: 'I believe in hopeless causes' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Kassig: 'I believe in hopeless causes' 02:21 JUST WATCHED Defector offers glimpse of life in ISIS Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Defector offers glimpse of life in ISIS 03:04 JUST WATCHED Strikes in Syria bring civilian casualties Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Strikes in Syria bring civilian casualties 03:14 When the Syrian uprising began more than three and a half years ago, Khadija joined the masses who began peaceful protests against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. "We'd go out and demonstrate. The security services would chase us. We'd write on walls, have different outfits to change into," she said. "Those days were great." But it was when the Syrian uprising spiraled into chaos and violence that she said she began to lose her soul, her humanity. "Everything around us was chaos," she said, her words tumbling out. "Free Syrian Army, the regime, barrel bombs, strikes, the wounded, clinics, blood -- you want to tear yourself away, to find something to run to. "My problem was I ran away to something uglier." Gradual induction She found herself drawn to the eloquence of a Tunisian whom she met online. Taken with his manners, she grew to trust him over time and he gradually lured her into the Islamic State, she said. He assured her that the group was not what people thought, that it was not a terrorist organization. "He would say, 'We are going to properly implement Islam. Right now we are in a state of war, a phase where we need to control the country, so we have to be harsh.'" He told her he was coming to the Syrian city of Raqqa, that they could even get married. "I got in touch with my cousin, and she said, 'You can come join us in the Khansa'a Brigade. She was living in Raqqa with her husband who was with the Islamic State," Khadija said. The brigade is the feared, all-female police for ISIS. Khadija convinced her family to move to Raqqa, saying it would be easier to register her younger siblings in school, and that they would have the support of relatives. With her cousin to open the doors, Khadija was welcomed into the feared Khansa'a brigade. Inside the female ISIS brigade The Khansa'a Brigade is made up of around 25 to 30 women and is tasked with patrolling the streets of Raqqa to ensure that women adhere to proper clothing as outlined by the Islamic State. JUST WATCHED Kurds battle ISIS in key border town Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Kurds battle ISIS in key border town 01:49 Beaded or slightly form-fitting abayas are banned. Women are not allowed to show their eyes. Those who broke the laws are lashed. The lashings to the women who broke ISIS rules were carried out by Umm Hamza. When Khadija first saw Umm Hamza, she was terrified. "She's not a normal female. She's huge, she has an AK, a pistol, a whip, a dagger and she wears the niqab," Khadija said. Brigade commander Umm Rayan sensed Khadija's fear "and she got close to me and said a sentence I won't forget. She said, 'We are harsh with the infidels, but merciful among ourselves.'" Khadija was trained to clean, dismantle, and fire a weapon. She was paid $200 a month and received food rations. Her family sensed Khadija was slipping away, but were helpless to stop it. Her mother tried to warn her. "She would always say to me, 'Wake up, take care of yourself. You are walking, but you don't know where you are going.'" Second thoughts Initally, Khadija did not pay attention to her mother's warnings, seduced by the sense of power. But eventually, she started questioning herself and the principles of the Islamic State. "At the start, I was happy with my job. I felt that I had authority in the streets. But then I started to get scared, scared of my situation. I even started to be afraid of myself." She started thinking: "I am not like this. I have a degree in education. I shouldn't be like this. What happened to me? What happened in my mind that brought me here?" And her image of ISIS began to crumble. Burned into her mind is an image she saw online of a 16-year-old boy who was crucified for rape. She questioned her inclusion in a group capable of such violence. "The worst thing I saw was a man getting his head hacked off in front of me," she said. Violence against women Even more personally, she witnessed ISIS' brand of violence reserved for women. The brigade shared its building with a man who specialized in marriage for ISIS fighters. "He was one of the worst people," she said of the man tasked with finding wives for both local and foreign fighters. "The foreign fighters are very brutal with women, even the ones they marry," she said. "There were cases where the wife had to be taken to the emergency ward because of the violence, the sexual violence." Khadija saw a future she did not want. With her commander pressuring her to submit to marriage, Khadija decided she needed to leave the brigade. "So it was at this point, I said enough. After all that I had already seen and all the times I stayed silent, telling myself, 'We're at war, then it will all be rectified.' "But after this, I decided no, I have to leave." Khadija left just days before the coalition airstrikes, but her family remains in Syria. She was smuggled across the border to Turkey. Life after ISIS Khadija still wears the niqab, not just to conceal her identity but also because she's struggling to adapt back to life outside the Islamic State. Regretful of her immersion in radical Islam, she is wary of another sudden change. "It has to be gradual, so that I don't become someone else. I am afraid of becoming someone else. Someone who swings, as a reaction in the other direction, after I was so entrenched in religion, that I reject religion completely," she said. Towards the end of our interview, speaking about how ISIS could have gotten a foothold in parts of Syrian society, she has a personal moment. "How did we allow them to come in? How did we allow them to rule us? There is a weakness in us." Khadija spoke to us because she said she wants people, especially women, to know the truth about ISIS. "I don't want anyone else to be duped by them. Too many girls think they are the right Islam," she said. She desperately wants to be the girl she was before falling under the spell of ISIS -- "a girl who is merry, who loves life and laughter... who loves to travel, to draw, to walk in the street with her headphones listening to music without caring what anyone thinks," she said. "I want to be like that again."

– A Syrian elementary school teacher says she joined ISIS to help topple President Bashar al-Assad, but ended up fleeing the group for her life. Covered in a niqab and calling herself Khadija, she tells CNN that she initially enjoyed demonstrations against al-Assad and came to hate the chaos and bloodshed of war. "My problem was I ran away to something uglier," she says. After meeting a Tunisian online who promoted ISIS, she joined an all-female arm of the group called Khansa'a Brigade. With 25 to 30 other women, Khadija walked the streets Raqqa to ensure that women covered their eyes and wore only loose-fitting abayas. "At the start, I was happy with my job," she says. "I felt that I had authority in the streets." The group's leader was a "huge," terrifying woman with "an AK, a pistol, a whip, [and] a dagger," says Khadija. "She got close to me and said a sentence I won't forget. She said, 'We are harsh with the infidels, but merciful among ourselves.'" But 25-year-old Khadija struggled to accept what she saw: women whipped for violating Islamic law, a teenage boy crucified for rape, a man beheaded in front of her, and foreign ISIS fighters who sexually abused their own wives. When Khadija's commander wanted to marry her off, that was it: Khadija fled to Turkey, where she's readjusting to regular life and yearning to be the "merry" girl she once was. Business Insider says the interview reveals the "blurred lines" in Syria, where disappointed revolutionaries are willing to join the Islamic State—which is so "brutal" that it's "capable of alienating even a once-loyal foot soldier."

AFP / Arif Ali Pakistani Muslims pray in Lahore in September Police in Pakistan have arrested an imam for inciting violence after a 15-year-old boy who was reported to have been mistakenly accused of blasphemy cut off his own hand. The cleric, Shabbir Ahmed, last Monday told worshippers at a village mosque that those who love the Prophet Mohammad always say their prayers, before asking who among the crowd had stopped praying, according to local police chief Nausher Ahmed. Mohammad Anwar, 15, raised his hand by mistake after apparently mishearing the question. Ahmed then accused the boy of blasphemy, according to local media, a serious allegation in Muslim-majority Pakistan. Anwar fled home, where he cut off the hand he had raised and placed it on a plate before presenting it to the imam, according to police chief Ahmed. The imam was arrested late Saturday and would appear in court on Monday "for further legal proceedings", Ahmed added. "Shabbir Ahmed, the cleric, has been arrested and booked under anti-terror law for inciting the boy to take such an extreme step," Ahmed told AFP from Hujra Shah Muqeem district, some 125 kilometres (77 miles) south of Lahore in Punjab province. Faisal Rana, a senior police official, confirmed the arrest. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan, an Islamic republic of some 200 million, where even unproven allegations frequently stir mob violence and lynchings. Critics including European governments say the country's blasphemy laws are often misused to settle personal scores. ||||| Pakistani police have arrested the imam of a mosque for inciting violence after a 15-year-old boy, who was told by the religious leader that he was a blasphemer, went home and cut off his own hand. Shabbir Ahmed was delivering a sermon at a village mosque in the east of Pakistan's Punjab province when he told the gathering those who love the Prophet Mohammad always say their prayers before asking who, among the crowd, had stopped praying and did not love the prophet. Local police chief Nausher Ahmed told Reuters news agency that Mohammad Anwar, mishearing the question, raised his hand. The imam quickly singled him out and called him a "blasphemer" in front of the congregation. Anwar went home and cut off his hand - an act welcomed by his father who told police he was proud of his son and did not want the imam arrested. The boy presented his arm to the imam on a plate, said Nausher who added he saw a video in which the boy was greeted by villagers in the street as his parents proclaimed their pride. READ MORE: Campaigning to reform Pakistan's deadly blasphemy law The incident took place at a village in Hujra Shah Muqeem town, about 125km south of Punjab's capital Lahore. Police filed anti-terrorism charges against Shabbir and arrested him on Saturday. "Such illiterate imams of mosques should not be allowed to deliver speeches," Nausher said. "His arrest is under the National Action Plan that hate speeches inciting violence are no longer allowed in this country." Blasphemy is a highly controversial issue in Pakistan, and angry mobs have killed many people accused of insulting Islam in the Muslim-majority country. The law does not define blasphemy but stipulates that the penalty is death, although a death sentence has never been carried out. Since 1990, more than 65 people have been extrajudicially killed as a result of blasphemy cases. ||||| ISLAMABAD Pakistani police have arrested the imam of a mosque for inciting violence after a 15-year old boy who was told by the cleric that he was a blasphemer went home and cut off his own hand. Shabbir ​Ahmed was delivering a sermon at a village in the east of Punjab province when he asked the gathering if anyone did not love the Prophet Mohammad. Mishearing the question, the 15-year old boy raised his hand. Ahmed quickly singled him out and called him a "blasphemer" in front of the congregation, Nosher Ali, the head of the local police station, told Reuters on Sunday. After returning home, the boy cut his hand off, an act welcomed by the boy's father who told police he was proud of his son and did not want the cleric arrested. Police filed anti-terrorism charges against Ahmed and arrested him on Saturday, police chief Ali said. "Such illiterate imams of mosques should not be allowed to deliver speeches. His arrest is under the National Action Plan that hate speeches inciting violence are no longer allowed in this country," Ali said.​​ Blasphemy is a highly controversial issue in Pakistan, and angry mobs have killed many people accused of insulting Islam in the majority Muslim country. The law does not define blasphemy but stipulates that the penalty is death, although a death sentence has never been carried out. Human rights activists say accusations of blasphemy are sky rocketing because the law is often abused to settle personal grudges. (Reporting by Tommy Wilkes and Amjad Ali; Editing by Gareth Jones)

– It was a simple misunderstanding of a question asked by a holy man, but it cost a 15-year-old Pakistani boy his hand, and landed an imam under arrest. Imam Shabbir Ahmed was giving a sermon at a mosque in Punjab province, reports al Jazeera, when he asked his congregation who among them did not love the prophet Mohammed. Mishearing, 15-year-old Mohammed Anwar raised his hand, reports Reuters, and was immediately singled out by Ahmed as a "blasphemer." The boy went home, and reportedly with his father's approval, cut off his own hand to atone for his imagined sin; he later presented the limb to the imam on a plate, reports the AFP. All of which landed Ahmed under arrest Saturday evening on charges of inciting violence; he's due in court on Monday. "Such illiterate imams of mosques should not be allowed to deliver speeches," the local police chief tells Reuters. "His arrest is under the National Action Plan that hate speeches inciting violence are no longer allowed in this country." Blasphemy is a hotly debated topic in Pakistan, note the news agencies: It is not defined under Pakistani law, but the penalty is death, though that has never been enforced.

Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email A man was arrested on suspicion of murder after the bodies of a woman and two children were found in a Liverpool flat. Police said they had been called out following reports of a concern for the safety of the occupants of a ground floor flat in Falkner Street, in the Georgian Quarter. Upon entering the flat the bodies of a woman and two children were discovered on Tuesday evening. A 30-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder and taken to hospital after falling ill. Nearby homes were evacuated after reports of a fuel leak at the property. (Image: Liverpool Echo) A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “The investigation is in its early stages and officers are keeping an open mind, however it is believed that the incident is domestic related. “A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and has subsequently been taken to hospital after falling ill. “At this stage police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident. “A Home Office post mortem will be carried out to establish the cause of death of the deceased.” (Image: Thomas Long) As a precaution and on advice from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service following a report of a fuel leak inside the property, buildings on Falkner Street were evacuated but residents have been allowed back into their properties, with the exception of the properties either side of the address. Road closures remained in place on Falkner Street and Catharine Street in to the morning of Wednesday and motorists were advised to avoid the area. House to house enquiries are underway and detectives are appealing for anyone who may have information or who may have seen anything prior to their arrival at the address which could help them with their enquiries to contact 0151 777 4065. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. ||||| This article is over 1 year old Thirty-year-old man arrested after bodies of woman and two children found at flat in Liverpool Man arrested after three bodies found in John Lennon's former home A 30-year-old man has been arrested in Liverpool on suspicion of murder after the bodies of a woman and two children were found in the former home of John Lennon. Merseyside police opened an investigation after being called to a ground floor flat in Falkner Street, at about 7.30pm on Tuesday after concern for the safety of the occupants. Officers said the investigation was in its early stages but they believed it was “domestic related”. They added that police were not looking for anyone else at this stage. The arrested man has been taken to hospital after falling ill. Neighbours said the property was regularly visited by Beatles fans on tours of the city as Lennon lived there with his first wife, Cynthia, shortly after they married. The flat was owned by the band’s manager, Brian Epstein. One man, who did not want to be named, said: “The tourist tours are always stopping at the house because John Lennon used to live there.” He said a family with two young children had lived in the flat. “I didn’t know them, I just knew there was a family living there. The children were toddler age.” People in Falkner Street had been evacuated from their homes earlier on Tuesday night over concerns about a fuel leak. Police closed the street and urged people in neighbouring roads to remain inside and keep windows closed. One woman said: “The police said we had a couple of minutes to get out of the house. There were ambulances, fire engines and police here. We weren’t allowed back in until about 11pm.” On Wednesday morning, a police cordon remained in place outside the terrace house. Police have said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0151 777 4065 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

– Police in Liverpool are investigating a suspected triple murder at the former home of one of the city's most famous sons. A 30-year-old man was arrested Tuesday night after a woman and two young children were found dead in an apartment on Falkner Street, where John Lennon lived with first wife Cynthia after they were married in 1962, the Guardian reports. Nearby homes were evacuated amid reports of a gas leak at the ground-floor property, reports the Liverpool Echo. The suspect, 30, was hospitalized after falling ill. Police say they believe this was a domestic incident and they're not seeking any other suspects. Neighbors say the apartment in the Toxteth district was a regular stop for Beatles fans touring the city.

Rory McIlroy, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, walked off the course in the middle of his ninth hole Friday, withdrawing from the Honda Classic. Geoff Foster has details on The News Hub. Photo: Reuters. Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Thus far, Rory McIlroy's new life as a Nike athlete hasn't gone well. The world No. 1-ranked player walked off the course in the middle of his ninth hole Friday, withdrawing from the Honda Classic, where he was defending champion. He was seven over par and had hit three balls into the water. After telling a small scrum of reporters, "I'm not in a great place mentally. I can't really say much, guys. I'm just in a bad place mentally," he swiftly left the premises by car. An hour later, the 23-year-old Northern Irishman issued a statement apologizing for his withdrawal, which he attributed to a sore wisdom tooth affecting his concentration. A photographer caught him chomping on a sandwich minutes before withdrawing, causing some to doubt the explanation. PGA Tour policy prohibits a player from withdrawing except for injury, disability or serious personal emergency. Getty Images Rory McIlroy on Friday Ernie Els, who played with McIlroy Friday, said later, "I'm a great fan of Rory's, but I don't think that was the right thing to do." Some fans on social media also considered it bad form. There were a host of other explanations, sensible or wild, including his romance with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. The one-time No. 1 in her sport also has been playing poorly of late. It was the third tournament this season for McIlroy. In his first, in Abu Dhabi after announcing a huge deal with Nike in January, swaddled in swooshes from head to toe and playing all Nike clubs (except sometimes the putter), he missed the cut. Last week in his second event, the Accenture Match Play in Arizona, he washed out in the first round. It's too early to draw long-term conclusions about his adjustment. McIlroy's coach since boyhood, Michael Bannon, told me earlier this week he thought McIlroy would get used to the new equipment pretty quickly. "And pretty quickly for me would be two or three months," he said. In the short term, both McIlroy and Bannon said the major issue are swing flaws that crept in over the winter. "He's coming in under plane," Bannon said. There are those, Nick Faldo most prominently, who say that changing everything all at once, including the ball, is a dangerous move. The transition can eat away at a player's confidence and mess with a well-grooved swing. Why take the risk? Money, of course. Estimates of the multiyear deal McIlroy signed with Nike range up to $100 million. Every Tour player I talked to at the Honda thought McIlroy's move was a no-brainer. "For that kind of money, I'd switch to hickory sticks," said Johnson Wagner, a three-time Tour winner. Wagner is unlikely to get the offer. McIlroy, Tiger Woods and possibly Phil Mickelson are almost certainly the only pros in the eight-figure range for equipment deals, according to an industry person who talked on the condition of anonymity. Even deals of $1 million or more a year are the province of only a few, primarily those in the world top 10, the person said. Top pro golfers are independent contractors, and sponsorship revenue is an important part of their livelihood. But below that kind of money, switching even for more money isn't necessarily the right play. "I don't think I'd even talk about switching for $500,000. It would probably have to be $750,000 or $1 million to really think about it," said Ryan Palmer, another three-time Tour winner. If the new clubs cost him a few strokes at the wrong time, it wouldn't be worth it. "When you do the math, two top-five finishes more than pays the difference," he said. Most equipment companies base their payments on formulas tied to a player's world and/or money-list rankings. The more of a company's products the player uses, the more he earns. The most valuable commodities are the driver and the ball, which consumers spend the most money on, followed by the hat, highly visible on television and always during interviews. Even when players stay within one brand, they are frequently switching to new or improved clubs. "It's not really a difficult process," said Mr. Westwood, who has played Ping clubs for the past 26 years. "You try it out, and if it's no better, then you go back to the other stuff. The problem comes when you change manufacturer, because you can't go back to the other stuff if it's not as good." That's what makes McIlroy's rare complete-bag switch to Nike from Titleist so difficult. The quality of Nike's clubs is not at issue. "Is there a difference between Nike's equipment and Titleist's equipment? Infinitesimal," Hall of Famer Nick Price, a Bridgestone player, told me. "All of the top five or six big companies these days are so very good. I know the Nike people, and they will make him clubs every bit as good [as] or better than he had." Even if the heads, shafts, lies, lofts and weights of McIlroy's new clubs are identical to his old ones, however, they won't all feel the same. "Some clubs are easier to switch than others. You just pick them up and they work," said Charles Howell III, who switches individual clubs frequently, often from one tournament to the next, depending on conditions. "But other times it's not so easy." Several pros told me that three woods are often the hardest to change. Wagner last year moved from Titleist to TaylorMade for his driver and three wood only. Getting comfortable with a new driver was a cinch, but he and the fitters in TaylorMade's equipment van, which follows the Tour, worked hard to get his three wood right. Eventually, by applying just the right amount of an adhesive epoxy known as rat glue to just the right spots on the inside of the crown, they got the club sounding and reacting the way Wagner liked. Two weeks after putting the club in play, he won the Sony Open in Hawaii. Instead of taking off a month or more, as he usually does at the end of the year, McIlroy began working on his new sticks with Nike's equipment gurus in Fort Worth, Texas. All that range work away from competition may have been where the bad habits he and Gannon are now trying to fix snuck in. McIlroy acknowledged after Thursday's round that he's still consciously working on his swing during play, which isn't what any elite player wants. McIlroy endured a slump last summer, missing four cuts in five events, which he broke out of only after deciding, on the range one day at the WGC Bridgestone in Ohio, to stop thinking about plane angles and positions and instead keep it simple. "I said, 'Why don't I just stand up and hit the ball where I want it to go?' " That was the spark he needed. He finished tied for fifth that week and won the PGA Championship the next. —Email John Paul at [email protected]. Corrections & Amplifications Charles Howell III plays with Titleist clubs and others. An earlier version of this column incorrectly called him a full-bag Titleist player. A version of this article appeared March 2, 2013, on page A16 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: McIlroy's Meltdown: What's Wrong?. ||||| On Friday, Rory McIlroy, world No. 1, withdrew from the Honda Classic after posting a +7 on his first eight holes of the day. He cited pain from wisdom teeth, but concern about McIlroy wasn't confined to his dental work. With exactly four complete rounds so far in 2013 (a missed cut in Abu Dhabi, a first-round flameout in the WGC-Accenture Match Play and an unremarkable first round on Thursday), he's looked about as fearsome on the course as a kid with a new set of plastic clubs. And, yes, new clubs — not plastic, but made by Nike — are taking their share of the heat. During the offseason, McIlroy signed with Nike, and the fact that he hasn't exactly lit up the sky since then has many wondering whether the swoosh might be the problem. McIlroy didn't quell any concerns when he switched from his Nike putter to a Scotty Cameron model after just one round in Abu Dhabi. [Related: Rory McIlroy walks off course at Honda Classic] So is the McMojo gone? Is McIlroy ready to give back all the gains he made during his impressive 2012? Will Tiger Woods regain his rightful throne atop the golf world? In order: No; no; and possibly, but that's a different topic. Look, first off we have to recalibrate our definition of what a "great" golfer is. A great golfer these days will win three tournaments in a season. The days of Woods winning eight, nine tournaments in a year? Gone, baby, gone. The level of talent now is broader than at any time in the game's history, and no player, not even McIlroy, is a favorite in the "Tiger-versus-the-field" days of yore. So it's not unexpected that any player will have winless runs. [Also: Rory McIlroy withdrew from Honda due to 'severe wisdom tooth pain'] Now, granted, winless runs are one thing; looking like you're not sure which end of the club to swing is another. Here's the secret about McIlroy, though: He's insanely streaky. He started 2012, for instance, placing in the top three in four of five tournaments. He then strung together five tournaments, including two majors, in which he missed the cut in three and placed 60th in the fourth. And then he closed off the year finishing 5-1-24-1-1-10, including a thoroughly dominating win at the PGA Championship. So it's entirely possible that by the time the azaleas bloom at Augusta in a few weeks, this initial stumble will be nothing but an ugly, faint memory. Plus, let's kill the whole "it's the equipment's fault" meme dead. As our own Shane Bacon put it just a few days ago, "Every equipment company in the world these days is churning out solid stuff that you could put in the hands of any professional golfer and see immediate positive results. A Nike driver is going to have incredible technology, just like a TaylorMade will and a Ping and a Cleveland. The dirty little secret in golf business right now is that it's all really ... good." McIlroy is going to be fine. He's got talent, drive, game smarts and a track record of success. We'll just have to accept that his career is less raging locomotive and more roller coaster. -Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.- More news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute: Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports: • Tiger Woods had to hit golf shot on Thursday from the water, saves par • The Hype: Say goodbye to majestic flyovers • Ken Griffey Jr. surprises heartbroken fan • Adidas unveils hideous jerseys for six flagship programs this March ||||| Rory McIlroy abruptly walked off the course Friday at the Honda Classic, telling reporters who followed him to his car he's "not in a good place mentally." Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo... (Associated Press) He later said it was more dental than mental, releasing a statement that he couldn't concentrate because of a sore wisdom tooth. The surprising departure raised serious questions about golf's No. 1 player with the Masters just more than a month away. McIlroy has played only four rounds in three tournaments this year, and this was a clear sign of frustration. McIlroy was asked three times if anything was wrong physically and said there was not. "There's not really much I can say, guys," he told three reporters before he drove away. "I'm not in a good place mentally, you know." McIlroy already was 7-over par through eight holes of the second round when he hit his second shot into the water on the par-5 18th at PGA National. He shook hands with Ernie Els and Mark Wilson and was headed to the parking lot before they even finished the hole. Els also hit into the water on the 18th and was complaining to a rules official about the muddy conditions of the fairway when he realized McIlroy was through. "I was dropping my ball and I realized he wasn't dropping his ball," Els said. "I thought maybe his ball crossed further up (the hazard). When I hit my fourth shot, he just came up and said, `Here's my card. I'm out of here.'" About an hour after he left, McIlroy released a statement that pinned his withdrawal on dental problems. "I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future," McIlroy said. "It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners." He was seen eating a sandwich on the 18th fairway. McIlroy apologized to the tournament, saying he had every intention of defending his title at the Honda Classic. He said on Twitter he was "gutted." "I'm a great fan of Rory's, but I don't think that was the right thing to do," Els said. Told about McIlroy's statement about the sore wisdom tooth, Els softened his stance, not wanting to judge another player's pain. "I didn't see anything, but if he had a toothache, that's what it is, you know?" Els said. "Hey, it's tough. If you ask him how he's feeling now, he's obviously feeling terrible for what's happened this morning." "I didn't notice anything," Wilson said. "He wasn't playing the way the world No. 1 plays normally. Didn't hit the ball where he wanted to, and he's a true gentleman, though. He ... wasn't treating Ernie and myself in a different way. He was upset with his golf and I guess he had enough for the week." McIlroy, coming off a year in which he won a second major in record fashion, already set himself up for scrutiny when he left Titleist to sign an equipment deal with Nike that was said to be worth upward of $20 million a year. Nike introduced him with blaring music and a laser show in Abu Dhabi, but it's been all downhill from there. McIlroy missed the cut in the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship with rounds of 75-75. He took a four-week break, and then was eliminated in the opening round of the Match Play Championship to Shane Lowry in one of the most poorly played matches of the round. McIlroy played 36 holes with Tiger Woods at The Medalist on Sunday and said Tuesday it was no time to panic. "Even though my results haven't revealed it, I really felt like I was rounding a corner," McIlroy said. "This is one of my favorite tournaments of the year and I regret having to make the decision to withdraw, but it was one I had to make." It looked more like McIlroy was sinking than rounding the corner, not difficult to do on a course with so many water hazards. And he found plenty of them. McIlroy, who opened with a 70, hit two poor chips that led to double bogey on No. 11, and a wild tee shot to the right led to a bogey on the 13th. His round really unraveled on the par-4 16th, when he hit his tee shot to the right and into the water, took a penalty drop and then came up short of the green and into the water again. He made a 6-foot putt for a triple bogey. He three-putted from 40 feet, running his first putt about 10 feet by the hole, for a bogey to go 7 over. And then came the approach on the 18th that found water for the third time on his short day. McIlroy is scheduled to play next week in the Cadillac Championship at Doral, which has no cut, and then the Houston Open. But on the first day of March, he has completed only four rounds of competition. Els said the attention on McIlroy was sure to increase. "I didn't think much of the equipment change. We've all made equipment changes before," said Els, who has used three brands of clubs to win majors. "I think there was a bit of criticism somewhere, and then I think he's furthering responding to that, and I think he's got a bit of pressure coming on him that way. I thought he played quite well yesterday. I thought he was pretty close to playing good golf, and unfortunately this morning ... hopefully he gets it together. We've got next week, got four rounds there. Such a talented player, he'll get it figured out." It was the second straight year one of golf's biggest stars failed to finish a tournament on the Florida swing. Woods withdrew after 11 holes on the final round at Doral last year because of tightness in his Achilles tendon, raising questions about the seriousness of his recurring leg injuries. He won Bay Hill two weeks later. McIlroy at least drove off from PGA National without a helicopter camera following him. ||||| Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was 7 over par Friday through nine holes. He walks off the course on the 18th hole, his ninth of the day, and withdrew from the Honda Classic. (Photo: Stuart Franklin, Getty Images) Story Highlights Rory McIlroy withdrew halfway through the second round of the Honda Classic McIlroy was 7 over par on the day when he withdrew He is expected to be in the field next week at the Cadillac Championship PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Maybe it's time to worry. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy walked off the golf course Friday and withdrew from the Honda Classic after hitting his second shot into the water on the par-5 18th hole. He initially said he was not in a good place mentally, then later released a statement saying he was struggling with wisdom tooth pain. LEADERBOARD: Honda Classic The defending champion, who started on the 10th hole, was 7 over after making a double-bogey on the 11th, a bogey on the 13th, a triple on the 16th and a bogey on the 17th. McIlroy walked straight to his car and left the Champion Course at PGA National. "I sincerely apologize to The Honda Classic and PGA Tour for my sudden withdrawal," McIlroy said in a statement, released by the Tour. "I have been suffering with a sore wisdom tooth, which is due to come out in the near future. It began bothering me again last night, so I relieved it with Advil. It was very painful again this morning, and I was simply unable to concentrate. It was really bothering me and had begun to affect my playing partners." McIlroy also tweeted this, after he left the course: "Apologies to all at the Honda. A tough day made impossible by severe tooth pain. Was desperate to defend title but couldn't play on. Gutted" But McIlroy did not mention any of that when he spoke to reporters in the parking lot as he walked to his car. "There's not really say much I can say, guys," he said. "I'm not in a good place mentally, you know?" Asked if anything was wrong physically, McIlroy answered, "No." Asked about his swing getting stuck, he said, "Yeah, I really don't know what's going on." The PGA Tour's withdrawal policy states: "During a round, a player may withdraw because of injury or other disability which requires medical attention or serious personal emergency. The player shall notify the PGA Tour tournament director or a PGA Tour Rules Official of his reason for withdrawal, and within a period of 14 days submit written evidence supporting such reason to the commissioner. GALLERY: RORY MCILROY WALKS OFF THE COURSE Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn Rory McIlroy walks off the course at the Honda Classic Fullscreen Post to Facebook Posted! A link has been posted to your Facebook feed. Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay Autoplay Show Thumbnails Show Captions Last SlideNext Slide Ernie Els and Mark Wilson were McIlroy's playing companions in the second round. Neither said they sensed McIlroy was bothered by a toothache, and both were surprised that McIlroy walked off after nine holes. McIlroy shook both players' hands, said he had enough and walked away. "I'm a great fan of Rory's, but I don't think that was the right thing to do," Els said after the round. But this was before he was told McIlroy released a statement explaining his withdrew because of wisdom tooth pain. Els then backtracked a bit. "Hey, listen, if something was bothering him, you know, it was bothering him and all credit to him trying to play through whatever pain he was in. He obviously couldn't do it after nine holes anymore. Toothache, it's not fun, I guess," Els said. "He's feeling terrible about it, I know he is. That's the last thing he wants to do is walk off. Yeah, if he's 7 over or whatever he was, you've got something bothering you, you know, the rules of play, you can walk off at any time. Obviously something was seriously bothering him, and he was not going to make the cut and probably didn't want to continue playing that way. … I've played like that before. It's embarrassing. You don't want to be out there while you feel like, get me out of here." Els, who has changed equipment as much as any top player in the game, said the scrutiny McIlroy is under might be getting to him. "It seems like it's kind of building now a little bit," Els said. "I didn't think much of the equipment change. We've all made equipment changes before. I think there was a bit of criticism somewhere, and then I think he's furthering responding to that, and I think he's got a bit of pressure coming on him that way. I thought he played quite well yesterday. I thought he was pretty close to playing good golf, and unfortunately this morning, hopefully he gets it together. We've got next week, got four rounds there. You know, such a talented player, he'll get it figured out." McIlroy's good friend, Graeme McDowell, who played on the opposite side of the morning wave, said he sensed something was amiss with McIlroy as he warmed up on the range. "He was in good spirits, but I felt he wasn't hitting the ball well. There were some groans coming out of the bay next to me," McDowell said. The fellow Irishmen haven't spent much time together of late but McDowell understands what McIlroy is going through right now. McDowell won the 2010 U.S. Open for his first major, changed equipment and struggled with both his new clubs and his new stature as one of the game's best players. Finally, McDowell said, he had to slap himself in the face and get over it, which he has. McDowell said McIlroy has to do the same thing. "He's had a funny start to the year," McDowell said. "He missed the cut in Abu Dhabi, the lost to Shane Lowry in Match Play. All of a sudden he's not getting a lot of momentum. "He just needs to get over the hurdle of playing for others and start playing for Rory McIlroy. He wants to prove to the world he's good enough with Nike equipment. He'll get it worked out. He's a smart kid. We all experience this sometime in our careers. To me, it's a mini-crisis. … There's a lot of golf to be played, and he's a class player. He's just going through a unique phase in his career. A lot of going on his world and he has the largest spotlight on him. " … But you don't write him off. He has the X factor that so few people have." McIlroy missed the cut in his first tournament of the year in Abu Dhabi, lost in the first-round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and shot even-par 70 in Thursday's first round of the Honda. McIlroy, who made an equipment change from Titleist to Nike, has downplayed concerns about his new equipment. Instead, he said he was more concerned with his swing and just needed competitive rounds to get it in shape. McIlroy is scheduled to play in next week's WBC-Cadillac Championship at Doral.

– The world's top-ranked golfer pulled a rare stunt today, calling it quits in the middle of his round and walking off the course. Rory McIlroy withdrew from the Honda Classic, where he's the defending champ, after going 7-over par on his first eight holes, reports USA Today. "There's not really much I can say, guys," he told reporters in the parking lot, reports AP. "I'm not in a good place mentally, you know." Later, though, McIlroy issued a statement blaming a sore wisdom tooth. So what's going on with the 23-year-old? "Expect a host of explanations, sensible or wild, including his romance with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki," who is also playing poorly, writes John Paul Newport at the Wall Street Journal. Other theories include his switch to Nike clubs in the offseason after a huge endorsement deal, and the extra pressure that comes with being No. 1. Whatever it is, "McIlroy is going to be fine," writes Jay Busbee at Yahoo Sports. "He's got talent, drive, game smarts and a track record of success. We'll just have to accept that his career is less raging locomotive and more roller coaster."

RIPLEY, W.Va. (AP) — Authorities in West Virginia say a 9-month-old sexual assault victim has died. Jackson County Sheriff Tony Boggs said the girl died of her injuries at a hospital Wednesday. Thirty-two-year-old Benjamin Taylor of Cottageville was charged Monday with first-degree sexual assault. Taylor is the boyfriend of the victim's mother but is not the child's father. An additional charge is pending. According to a criminal complaint, the baby had extensive bleeding and a body temperature of 90 degrees. The complaint says the injuries indicated a violent sexual assault, as well as shaking or striking of the face. Taylor told deputies he took the baby to the basement of an apartment while doing laundry. He said he "blacked out" and didn't know how the baby's injuries occurred. It's unclear whether Taylor has an attorney who could comment on the case. ||||| In a horrific turn of events, a 10-month-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by her mom's boyfriend has died.Now little Emmaleigh's family is left to make funeral arrangements for a child they will remember as the "most pleasant baby in the world."The Adkins family calls alleged murderer Benjamin Taylor a monster. He has been charged in the child's death after police say he sexually assaulted her inside their family home.On Monday, Emmaleigh's mother discovered her daughter's bloody and swollen body on the basement floor and called 911, WSAZ-TV reports.The innocent baby fought for her life. On Wednesday, the child took her final breath in the arms of her distraught mother.The Jackson County Sheriff's office says it is still investigating, but so far it does not appear that the victim's siblings were harmed by Taylor.Sheriff Tony Boggs also says their mother is not accused of any wrongdoing.It's hard to explain why this has happened, says Danielle Adkins, cousin of the victim's mother."Now that she is gone, you can't help but just be angry," Adkins says.She says Benjamin Taylor swept her cousin off her feet, and says he did a lot with her cousin's children.Now, the family is left to pick up the pieces as they search for answers and meaning in this terrible tragedy."She will never go home with her brothers and sisters again," Adkins says. "She's never going to be at a family event. We are never going to know what her kids are going to look like or see her graduate high school or any of those normal life things because of this monster."

– Authorities in West Virginia say a 9-month-old sexual assault victim has died. Jackson County Sheriff Tony Boggs said the girl died of her injuries at a hospital Wednesday, the AP reports. Benjamin Taylor of Cottageville was charged Monday with first-degree sexual assault; an additional charge is pending. Taylor is the boyfriend of the victim's mother but is not the child's father. According to a criminal complaint, the baby, IDed by WSAZ as Emmaleigh Barringer, had extensive bleeding and a body temperature of 90 degrees. The complaint says the injuries indicated a violent sexual assault, as well as shaking or striking of the face. Taylor, 32, told deputies he took the baby to the basement of an apartment while doing laundry. He said he "blacked out" and didn't know how the baby's injuries occurred. Boggs says the mother hasn't been accused of being involved with the crime, and Emmaleigh's siblings appear to be unharmed, per WSAZ. "The only way justice is going to be served is if [Taylor] feels every ounce of pain that he caused her," a cousin of the baby's mother says, with KTRK adding the family is calling Taylor a monster. It's unclear whether Taylor has an attorney who could comment on the case.

You need to enable Javascript to play media on Bloomberg.com Play The standoff between the U.S. and Russia over fugitive former security contractor Edward Snowden may threaten a planned summit between Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin as the case further strains an already frayed relationship. With less than two months to go before Obama is scheduled to leave for Russia, administration officials have repeatedly refused to confirm that the president will keep a commitment to meet with Putin for one-on-one talks in Moscow before heading to a Group of 20 nations summit Sept. 5-6 in St. Petersburg. “You know that the president and his advisers are asking what kind of a trip he can have to Moscow with such a big gorilla in the room,” said Stephen Sestanovich, who was U.S. ambassador-at-large responsible for policy toward Russia and states of the former Soviet Union from 1997 to 2001. “Anybody involved in planning that trip is sweating bullets.” Canceling the summit, announced in June, would deal a blow to Obama administration efforts to smooth relations with Russia and would be a direct challenge to Putin’s prestige. Russia assumed the G-20 presidency for the first time last December and Putin is the host for the group’s annual summit. Putin “wants to have the meeting; I don’t think there’s any question about that,” said James Collins, who was U.S. ambassador to Russia from 1997 to 2001. Travel Plans White House press secretary Jay Carney this week was explicit about the U.S. insistence that Russia expel Snowden, who is holed up in a Moscow airport while seeking asylum, and that discussions with Putin’s government are continuing. When asked whether the Obama-Putin summit will go on as planned, Carney refused to directly answer. “The president intends to travel to Russia in September for the G-20 Summit, and I don’t have any further announcements with regard to that travel,” Carney said July 17. Pressed on whether that includes the Moscow stop, he said, “I just have nothing else to say on it.” Russia hasn’t received any “official notification” that Obama’s plans have changed, Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters today. Russia has never handed anyone over and “won’t do so,” he said. “But neither Snowden nor anyone else should engage in anti-American activity. We hope that the situation won’t affect Russia-U.S. ties.” Broader Issues While both governments have insisted that the Snowden case shouldn’t upend cooperation on broader issues such as counterterrorism and nuclear proliferation, they remain at odds over a host of other issues. Those include Putin’s support of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria and Russia’s prosecution of government critics. Carney yesterday called sentencing of anti-corruption activist Alexey Navalny to five years in prison for embezzlement “the latest example of a disturbing trend of government actions aimed at suppressing dissent and civil society in Russia.” Navalny was freed today pending appeal. Two U.S. Senators, Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democrat Charles Schumer of New York, introduced a non-binding resolution urging Russia to turn over Snowden to the U.S. If it doesn’t, the resolution says Obama should consider recommending that the G-20 economic summit be held elsewhere. ‘Clear Message’ “On multiple fronts, Russia is becoming one of the bad actors of the world,” Graham said in a joint statement released today. Schumer said Putin is “too eager to stick a finger in the eye of the United States” and that the U.S. should “send a crystal clear message to President Putin about Russia’s deplorable behavior.” By leaving open the question of the summit going forward, the White House has delivered a strong message, said Andrew Kuchins, director of the Russia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “They’re trying to put some squeeze” on Russia, Kuchins said. “This may put a little bit of pressure on Putin to be a little more forthcoming, and deliver” Snowden. The Russian leader has an incentive to act to avoid having a previously announced summit with Obama spoiled or casting a shadow over the G-20 gathering, said Sestanovich, now a senior fellow for Russian and Eurasian studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. ‘Can’t Win’ “Putin can’t win having Snowden on his hands at the beginning of September,” he said. “Any intelligence benefit that they’ve gotten from Snowden’s presence, they’ve already gotten. Any political benefit from tweaking the U.S., they’ve already gotten. Now, it’s just a complication in power politics.” Collins, now the director of the Russia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said the White House message to Putin is “you have to find a way to deal with this issue” Snowden, 30, who exposed classified U.S. programs that collect telephone and Internet data, faces prosecution on espionage and other charges. He applied for temporary asylum this week at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and has been confined to the transit area there since arriving on a flight from Hong Kong on June 23. The U.S. has revoked his passport. Snowden Staying “He’s got no intention to go anywhere, he wants to stay here,” Snowden’s Moscow-based lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said in an interview yesterday. Snowden applied for a 12-month renewable refugee status in Russia on July 16. Kucherena said he will be granted temporary permission to enter the country within the next week while authorities continue to process his asylum claim. Federal Migration Authority spokeswoman Zalina Kornilova declined to comment. Putin has accused the U.S. of stranding Snowden in Moscow by putting pressure on other countries to prevent his travel through their airspace and deny him refuge in Latin America, where Venezuela, Nicaragua and Bolivia have indicated they’d be willing to take him. U.S. officials, from Obama on down, have called on Russia to deliver Snowden into U.S. custody. Obama spoke with Putin by telephone July 12. The two leaders last met June 17 at the Group of Eight Summit in Northern Ireland, a week before Snowden landed at Sheremetyevo Airport. Even though the U.S. doesn’t have an extradition treaty with Russia, “it is our view that there is substantial legal justification for him to be returned to the United States,” Carney said, adding, “We don’t want this matter to do harm to our bilateral relations.” Putin this week expressed hope that the controversy will blow over. “International relations are considerably more important than squabbles between intelligence services,” Putin said. To contact the reporter on this story: Roger Runningen in Washington at [email protected] To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steven Komarow at [email protected] ||||| The White House is considering canceling a fall summit between President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, a move that would further aggravate the already tense relationship between the two leaders. FILE - In this June 17, 2013, file photo, President Barack Obama meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. The White House is considering canceling a fall summit between... (Associated Press) The White House is dangling that option over the Russians as Moscow considers a temporary asylum petition from Edward Snowden, the American accused of leaking information about classified U.S. intelligence programs. But officials have privately signaled that scrapping the bilateral talks would also be retaliation for other areas of disagreement with Russia, including its continued support for Syrian President Bashar Assad's attacks against civilians. Regardless of what happens with Snowden, the White House says Obama will still attend an international summit in St. Petersburg, Russia. But officials have gone out of their way in recent days to avoid publicly committing to the meetings in Moscow. "The president intends to travel to Russia for the G20 Summit," White House spokesman Jay Carney said. "And I have no further announcements to make beyond what we've said in the past about the president's travel to Russia in the fall." By simply considering cancellation of the trip, the Obama administration is indicating its concern the Kremlin will allow Snowden to take refuge in Russia. The White House has called on Russia to return the 30-year-old former government contract systems analyst to the U.S. where he is facing espionage charges. Snowden, in a temporary asylum request submitted by his lawyer Tuesday, claimed he faces persecution from the U.S. government and could face torture or death. Andrew Kuchins, director of the Russia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the White House's cancellation threat could be effective leverage over Putin, who likely wants to avoid an embarrassment on the world stage. "When the spotlight of the world is on him and Russia, he doesn't want that spotlight to reveal a lot of negative things which are going to be distractions," Kuchins said. Pulling the plug on the U.S.-Russia talks would deepen the tensions between the two leaders. And it would likely make it even more difficult for the two countries to find common ground on areas of disagreement that plague the relationship. The U.S. accuses Russia of providing military support to Assad that has allowed him to cling to power during more than two years of clashes with rebels seeking to overthrow his government. The U.S. deeply angered Russia earlier this year when it announced sanctions against 18 Russians as part of a law named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was arrested in 2008 for tax evasion after accusing Russian police officials of stealing $230 million in tax rebates. Russia also announced last year that it was banning U.S. adoptions of Russian children, a move seen as a retaliation for the Magnitsky act, passed last year. On Thursday, the White House also said it was "deeply disappointed and concerned" by the conviction of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who challenged the Kremlin with exposures of high-level corruption and mocked the leadership with biting satire. He was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday in a verdict that fueled street protests near Red Square and drew condemnation from the West. Kuchins said that while granting Snowden asylum would certainly be the impetus for canceling Obama's Moscow trip, it would not be the only reason. "It would be saying at least two things to the Russians," Kuchins said. "That granting asylum to Edward Snowden was a bridge too far, and secondly that we don't feel like we're actually losing so much out of the cancellation of the summit because we didn't expect to get much out of it." Some U.S. lawmakers are calling on Obama to go beyond simply canceling his talks with Putin. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has also called on the U.S. to boycott next year's Winter Olympics scheduled for Sochi, Russia. ___ Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDC ||||| international relations Obama Laying the Groundwork to Snub Putin Over Snowden President Barack Obama has a lot of uncomfortable stuff to talk about with Russian President Vladimir Putin, to the point where he's reportedly thinking about skipping their next one-on-one visit altogether. Mostly this is about Edward Snowden, who is still hanging around the Moscow airport, hoping he can work out some way to leave there without getting shipped back to the United States. Washington journalists have been wondering aloud whether all this would cause Obama to rethink his planned stopover in Moscow as he heads to the G20 summit in St. Petersberg in September. And on Thursday night, the New York Times reported that "officials said he is now rethinking the Moscow stop, not just because of the impasse over Mr. Snowden but because of a growing sense that the two sides cannot agree on other issues enough to justify the meeting." In addition to Snowden, the United States is also pretty displeased with the recent embezzlement conviction of Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny, as well as Russia's ongoing support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. But Snowden is the big sticking point. "You know that the president and his advisers are asking what kind of a trip he can have to Moscow with such a big gorilla in the room," Stephen Sestanovich, a former U.S. ambassador-at-large in charge of Russia policy, told Bloomberg. The administration has been noncommittal about the possibility of striking the Moscow leg of the trip: "I can say that the president intends to travel to Russia for the G-20 summit," Spokesman Jay Carney said on Wednesday when asked if Obama would take a pass on Moscow. "I don’t have anything to add to what we’ve said in the past about that trip." If Obama did cancel, it "would be seen as a direct slap at Mr. Putin, who is known to value such high-level visits as a validation of Russian prestige," the Times reports.

– President Obama is still going to Russia this fall to attend a G20 summit, but the White House is now suggesting that he'll back out of a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow. All the coverage says it's Obama's way of making clear he's not happy about US-Russia relations at the moment, mostly because of Edward Snowden, but also over things like the sentencing of a top Putin critic to 5 years in prison, and Moscow's support of Syria, reports New York. This is Obama's way of trying to gain some leverage, according to the common refrain in stories: "Canceling the meeting in Moscow would be seen as a direct slap at Mr. Putin, who is known to value such high-level visits as a validation of Russian prestige," says the New York Times. "Canceling the summit, announced in June, would deal a blow to Obama administration efforts to smooth relations with Russia and would be a direct challenge to Putin’s prestige," says Bloomberg, noting that Putin is the current G20 president. "By simply considering cancellation of the trip, the Obama administration is indicating its concern the Kremlin will allow Snowden to take refuge in Russia," says AP.

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. ||||| Complaints lodged in recent months raise questions about the efficacy of a brand of sunscreen many parents choose for its all-natural ingredient claims. Did a recent change in the company’s formula prompt problems? The company says “no.” NBC5's Lisa Parker Investigates. (Published Monday, Aug. 3, 2015) Gretta Stabler admits that she is a sunscreen fanatic. The Naperville mom says she religiously slathers her daughters in sunscreen – head to toe – 20 minutes before heading to pool. And for good reason. “I’m very diligent about using sunscreen on my kids," Stabler explained. "I have a very strong family history of skin cancer." So, on a recent trip to Costco, she grabbed a sunscreen made by The Honest Company. The California business sells all-natural products, and was founded by actress Jessica Alba. The sunscreen is labeled “ultra-pure” – a natural mineral-based sun protection with an SPF of 30: Ingredients Stabler says were appealing, at first. “I used some of the brand’s products before," Stabler said. "I was drawn by the fact it was a zinc-based sunscreen. It was a natural product not full of chemicals." On their first outing to the pool with the sunscreen, Stabler says she applied it on 6-year-old Maggie early and often. Four times total over a 3-hour period. “She got really burned on her arms, shoulders, legs face, pretty much everywhere. I was angry,” Stabler said. Mad, but motivated. She posted a warning to her neighbors on Facebook, with pictures and descriptions similar to these complaints NBC 5 Investigates found from parents across the country: “Save money. Buy baby oil.” “Worst sunscreen ever” “Burnt to a crisp” “I got 2nd degree burns” “WARNING! Do not use!” “Does not work AT ALL” “Causes horrible burns” “HORRIBLE … doesn’t work” “Bright red burns all over!” We asked the Food and Drug Administration if The Honest Company sunscreen met minimum safety standards. The FDA would only say it requires manufacturers to test their own products. The agency does not verify that testing or require companies to share results. We also found at some point the company cut the amount of zinc oxide in the tubes from 20 percent to 9.3 percent. When it removed the zinc, the company says it added other ingredients to keep it effective. The majority of other sunscreens we looked at that contain zinc oxide as the only active ingredient contain much more of the mineral – anywhere from 18 to 25 percent. After seeing the rash of complaints NBC 5 Investigates visited some local stores and found the product was no longer on some store shelves, like Target where an employee told us it was “discontinued.” The shelves were nearly empty at the Nordstrom we visited, and “out of stock” for visitors to the company website. Which made us wonder: is the company quietly pulling a problem product? The Honest Company says no, the sunscreen remains available at many retailers, on its website for Honest monthly subscribers with existing sunscreen orders, and has not been discontinued. It maintains the product was tested by an independent third party according to FDA protocol, and is safe when used as directed. The company says it changed the formula in early 2015, largely to lessen whitening and to help ease application and feel, which was a feedback point from its customers. When asked about the more than 200 complaints we counted, lodged online since April of this year, the company says it can’t begin to hypothesize why certain customers might complain about any given product, and points out the number of complaints received on its own website is less than one-half of one percent of all its units sold at honest.com. Chicago dermatologist Marjorie Rosenbaum could not comment on the Honest product, but says in general, consumers should not rely only on ingredient claims. “All natural isn’t necessarily good. And quote ‘chemical’ isn’t necessarily bad,” Rosenbaum explained. “I think sticking with the known products is probably a better idea than trying an off-label brand initially. They may be fine. But you don’t have the background or accountability and the years of some of these others.” Back in Naperville, Gretta Stabler says her experience with the Honest Company has left her questioning whether the company lives up to its name. “I’m not a chemist,” said Stabler. “But when I buy a bottle that says SPF 30 on it and it has zinc oxide, I just thought I was getting her a bottle that would offer some protection.” ||||| CLOSE Jessica Alba’s Honest Company is under fire after many complaints that her sunscreen left their children burned. Jessica Alba (Photo: Thos Robinson, Getty Images for New York Times) Jessica Alba's Honest Company is under fire. The actress' company, which markets "safe and eco-friendly household and baby care products," got burned after consumers came out in droves, saying the company's sunscreen doesn't provide much sun protection at all. The company touts the product in question as an SPF 30 sunscreen, with "broad spectrum, mineral-based protection." Consumers took to Twitter and other social media platforms to express their frustration with the product after getting sun burned while using it. Don't buy @Honest sunscreen unless u want to look like this. Second time I've tried this stuff and got fried pic.twitter.com/pEhO5GYIkQ — 💀 (@LetsGetSpoopy) July 26, 2015 @Honest this is my very real result from Honest 30 SPF sunscreen. Only spent 1 hour outside. Burnt. #nothappy#redpic.twitter.com/T42TNeg5mj — Brandon Atherton (@bdatherton) June 1, 2015 No offense to @Honest, but I will NEVER use your sunscreen again!! After applying it LIBERALLY every hr, my baby girl is burnt!! Not happy!! — Rochelle Lynn (@RoRunner22) June 21, 2015 Consumers also expressed frustration on the product's Amazon page, saying it didn't prevent burning "at all" and "honestly doesn't work." The Honest Company issued a statement Friday regarding the complaints, saying it stands by the "safety and efficacy" of the sunscreen lotion. They also said the product meets the standards issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when used as directed, which includes applying 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapplying after 80 minutes of swimming or sweating. The company also said the product was tested by an independent third party, per FDA protocol. The FDA requires sunscreen products to use up to 25% of zinc oxide. An investigation by NBC Chicago found the Honest Company dropped the percentage of the ingredient from 20% to 9.3% at some point. The investigation also detailed the story of Gretta Stabler from Naperville, Ill., who used the product on her 6-year-old daughter while at the pool. Stabler told NBC Chicago she applied the sunscreen four times over a three-hour period. "She got really burned on her arms, shoulders, legs face, pretty much everywhere. I was angry," Stabler told NBC Chicago. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1N2DM7k

– The Honest Company founded by Jessica Alba has become a $1 billion business selling all-natural products, but some customers say the firm is being less than honest about its sunscreen's ability to protect people from the sun. Many customers have taken to social media to complain that the "ultra-pure" product doesn't work, and to share photos of their bright red skin, reports USA Today. One customer tells NBC Chicago that she used plenty of the stuff on her 6-year-old daughter, but she "got really burned on her arms, shoulders, legs, face, pretty much everywhere. I was angry." The amount of zinc oxide used in the sunscreen was cut from 20% to 9.3% at some point, according to NBC Chicago, which looked at similar products and found that they contained at least 18% zinc oxide. In a statement, the company stood by the product saying it is "effective and safe," was tested by an independent third party, and was only complained about by a small fraction of customers, reports People, which notes that the Honest Company's website says it is now sold out of sunscreen lotion and spray. (A review of more than 1,700 sun protection products found that 80% either don't work or contain harmful ingredients.)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has issued a formal complaint to the Chinese government over the use of high-grade lasers near the military base in Djibouti that were directed at aircraft and resulted in minor injuries to two American pilots, the Pentagon said Thursday. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said that the U.S. is confident that Chinese nationals are responsible for the use of the lasers, which targeted aircraft on several occasions in the last few weeks. White said the incidents represent a serious threat to U.S. airmen, and that the U.S. has asked China to investigate the incidents. She estimated there have been fewer than 10 laser incidents in recent weeks, and the Pentagon sought the formal complaint because of the injuries and the growing number of instances the problem happened. Marine Lt. Col. Chris Logan, a Pentagon spokesman, said that reports from pilots indicate that on three occasions the lasers were military grade and came from the Chinese base nearby. The Chinese recently built a base near Camp Lemonnier, the U.S. military installation in the Horn of African nation of Djibouti. It is China's first overseas military base, and was manned last year. It is just a few miles from the U.S. base. In addition to issuing the formal diplomatic demarche, the U.S. also put out a notice to airmen, saying they should exercise caution when flying near certain areas in Djibouti. The pilots suffered minor eye injuries. There were no aircraft crashes or other more serious problems. Lasers present a serious problem because when aimed at aircraft they can injure pilots or temporarily blind them -- which can present safety risks particularly as they are taking off and landing. ||||| U.S. military pilots flying in the Middle East are facing laser pointer attacks at a rate higher than the Pentagon has previously acknowledged, according to a report. Officials at U.S. Air Forces Central Command in Qatar told The Wall Street Journal that military pilots in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan have reported 350 attacks in the first seven months of 2018, a sharp increase from 400 attacks overall in 2017. ADVERTISEMENT Such attacks had been declining in recent years, officials said, but are on the rise in 2018 and are linked to terrorist groups including the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al Qaeda. The attacks are typically aimed at pilots during landing procedures in an attempt to cause an crash, officials say, though no crashes due to laser attacks have occurred thus far. The potency of the lasers ranged from hand-held laser pointers to military-grade lasers, according to the Journal. “Lasing attacks are dangerous and have the potential to confuse, temporarily interfere with the vision of our aircrew, or to permanently damage the eyesight of our service members,” a spokesman for U.S. Central Command told the Journal. “It is exceedingly difficult to pinpoint the origin of a short laser engagement, so we can’t definitively source most laser attacks,” the spokesman said. “We assess that many likely come from insurgents and terrorist organizations like [Islamic State], al Qaeda and others.” The number of attacks in the region is still far lower than the number of amateur attacks that occur aimed at commercial pilots every year, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). FAA reports indicate that 2,800 lasing incidents took place between January 2018 and June 2018, while about 2,700 occurred during the same period last year. ||||| WASHINGTON—Hostile forces in the Middle East are targeting American pilots with laser pointers at a growing rate, imperiling aircrews and reflecting a problem more widespread and longstanding than the Pentagon has previously acknowledged. American pilots operating in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, the three most prominent conflict zones for American troops, experienced most of the more than 350 lasing incidents reported over the last seven months by aircrews operating across the Middle East, officials at U.S. Air Forces Central...

– Laser-pointer attacks are a serious and growing problem for US military pilots in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reports. The Pentagon is acknowledging for the first time just how much of a problem the simple devices have caused aircrews, predominantly in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, where the bulk of some 350 laser-related incidents have occurred in the last seven months alone. That nearly matches the roughly 400 reported laser-beam attacks in 2017. By this year's end, the tally should at least equal the peak of 700 recorded attacks in 2015. The problem is that pointers give users an affordable and effective way to distract pilots, putting their lives at risk. While the WSJ report is the first public disclosure by US officials of laser-attack numbers, they've made the news before. Earlier this year, the Pentagon said a formal complaint was issued to China over the use of lasers near a US military base in Djibouti. Those lasers were directed at aircraft and resulted in minor injuries to two American pilots. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said the US was confident that Chinese nationals from a nearby Chinese base were responsible for the laser attacks, the AP reported. Per the Hill, the phenomenon is still more commonly seen by commercial pilots, who the FAA says reported 2,800 laser-related incidents between January 2018 and June 2018.

The full text of a statement Keillor sent to the Star Tribune Tuesday night: The MPR committee’s letter to listeners was in response to a blizzard of listener anger, all of it richly deserved, after MPR expunged shows that people loved. And listeners smelled a rat. Listeners know me far better than MPR management does and they know I’m not abusive. Management, when it heard a complaint back in October, did not have the good manners to call me, an employee of fifty years, and sit down with me face to face and talk about what had happened. If they had done the simple courteous thing, this all would’ve been avoided. How to respond to so many untruths in a short space? The woman who complained was a friend, had been hired as a freelance researcher, an employee of mine, not MPR’s, working a job that she did from home by email. I hardly ever saw her in the office. Our friendship continued in frequent emails about our kids and travel and family things that continued to my last show and beyond. She signed her emails “I love you” and she asked if her daughter could be hired to work here, and so forth. She attended the last show in L.A. She still features “A Prairie Home Companion” prominently on her Facebook page. Her complaint was drawn up by her attorney, a highly selective and imaginative piece of work. MPR depended on the complaint, it never spoke to me or to the complainant. If I am guilty of harassment, then every employee who stole a pencil is guilty of embezzlement. I’m an honest fiction writer and I will tell this story in a novel. ||||| FILE - In this July 26, 2017 file photo, Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of, "A Prairie Home Companion," talks at his St. Paul, Minn., office. Minnesota Public Radio provided additional details... (Associated Press) FILE - In this July 26, 2017 file photo, Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of, "A Prairie Home Companion," talks at his St. Paul, Minn., office. Minnesota Public Radio provided additional details of allegations of sexual harassment against Keillor on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, saying his alleged... (Associated Press) FILE - In this July 26, 2017 file photo, Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of, "A Prairie Home Companion," talks at his St. Paul, Minn., office. Minnesota Public Radio provided additional details of allegations of sexual harassment against Keillor on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, saying his alleged... (Associated Press) FILE - In this July 26, 2017 file photo, Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of, "A Prairie Home Companion," talks at his St. Paul, Minn., office. Minnesota Public Radio provided additional details... (Associated Press) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Public Radio provided additional details of allegations of sexual harassment against humorist Garrison Keillor on Tuesday, saying his alleged conduct went well beyond his account in November of accidentally touching a woman's bare back. MPR said in a statement that Keillor was accused by a woman who worked on his "A Prairie Home Companion" radio show of dozens of sexually inappropriate incidents over several years, including requests for sexual contact and explicit sexual communications and touching. MPR said the woman, whom it has not identified, detailed the allegations in a 12-page letter that included excerpts of emails and written messages. MPR said as it attempted to investigate the case, Keillor and his attorney refused to grant access to his computer, emails and text messages. Keillor did not respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press. He told the Star Tribune listeners were angry over his firing because they "smelled a rat" and "they know I'm not abusive." He called the woman's account "a highly selective and imaginative piece of work" drawn up by her attorney. MPR faced a backlash from outraged Keillor fans after firing the best-selling humorist after four decades of his telling folksy stories about his fictional Minnesota hometown of Lake Wobegon. Keillor accused the station of firing him without a full investigation. Until MPR's new statement Tuesday, the only account of his actions was his. He told the Minneapolis Star Tribune on Nov. 29 that he had simply been trying to console a co-worker. "I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness, and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized," Keillor told the newspaper in an email. "I sent her an email of apology later, and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it." In a note to members Tuesday afternoon, MPR President Jon McTaggart said otherwise. "If the full 12-page letter or even a detailed summary of the alleged incidents were to be made public, we believe that would clarify why MPR ended its business relationship with Garrison and correct the misunderstandings and misinformation about the decision," he added. The station also disputed that Keillor was fired in a rush, laying out a timeline in which it launched an internal investigation after receiving a general allegation against Keillor from a former employee — not the alleged victim — in late August. MPR said that employee refused to identify the alleged victim or detail what happened to her, and MPR didn't get specifics of the allegations until it received letters from the former employee Sept. 29 and from the alleged victim Oct. 22. MPR said it notified its board Oct. 26 and launched an independent investigation a few days later. MPR said Keillor responded to the allegations with his attorney present. MPR said Keillor and his attorney declined to give access to his computer, emails and text messages to allow a full investigation. The station said it had avoided releasing more information about the allegations while it was in mediation with Keillor "and the other parties in this matter." "Unfortunately, the mediation sessions have not produced the final settlements we had hoped for," the station said. MPR has removed from its website archived "A Prairie Home Companion" shows featuring Keillor. The network also ended broadcasts of "The Writer's Almanac," Keillor's daily reading of literary events and a poem, and ended rebroadcasts of Keillor-hosted "Prairie Home" shows. Keillor, 75, retired in 2016 as host of "Prairie Home," a Saturday evening radio variety show he created in 1974. The show, now titled "Live from Here," continues with Keillor's hand-picked successor, mandolinist Chris Thile.

– Minnesota Public Radio provided additional details of allegations of sexual harassment against humorist Garrison Keillor on Tuesday, saying his alleged conduct went well beyond his account in November of accidentally touching a woman's bare back. MPR said in a statement that Keillor was accused by a woman who worked on his "A Prairie Home Companion" radio show of dozens of sexually inappropriate incidents over several years, including requests for sexual contact and explicit sexual communications and touching. MPR said the woman, whom it has not identified, detailed the allegations in a 12-page letter that included excerpts of emails and written messages, the AP reports. MPR said as it attempted to investigate the case, Keillor and his attorney refused to grant access to his computer, emails, and text messages. The station said it had avoided releasing more information about the allegations while it was in mediation with Keillor "and the other parties in this matter." "Unfortunately, the mediation sessions have not produced the final settlements we had hoped for," the station said. Keillor told the Star Tribune listeners were angry over his firing because they "smelled a rat" and "they know I'm not abusive." He called the woman's account "a highly selective and imaginative piece of work" drawn up by her attorney.

BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT, Utah — Parts of this sprawling region of red-rock canyons and at least three other national monuments would lose their strict protection and could be reopened for new mining or drilling under proposals submitted to President Trump by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday, according to congressional aides and others who have been briefed on the report. Environmentalists, ranchers, tribal governments and Western lawmakers had been watching closely to see if Mr. Zinke would propose changing the borders of the Bears Ears National Monument, which President Barack Obama established at the end of his term, and other scenic and historic areas under federal protection. In recent days, Mr. Zinke had been considering a dramatic reduction to Bears Ears, to approximately 160,000 acres from 1.35 million, according to multiple people familiar with the process. No president has ever reduced a monument by such a large amount. Shrinking the monuments would be widely seen as a direct blow to Mr. Obama’s environmental legacy, and would probably prompt the first major legal test of a century-old conservation law. ||||| This crawl of online resources of the 115th US Congress was performed on behalf of The United States National Archives & Records ||||| FILE - In this May 26, 2017, file photo, Susie Gelbart walks near petroglyphs at the Gold Butte National Monument near Bunkerville, Nev. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said he's recommending that none... (Associated Press) SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Tribes, ranchers and conservationists know that none of the national monuments ordered reviewed by President Donald Trump will be eliminated, but the changes in store for the sprawling land and sea areas remain a mystery after the administration kept a list of recommendations under wraps. That left people on all sides of the contentious debate clinging to only shreds of information and anxiously waiting for more details. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told The Associated Press that none of the 27 monuments will be rescinded, but he said he would push for boundary changes on a "handful" and left open the possibility of allowing drilling, mining or other industries on the sites. The White House said only that it received Zinke's recommendations Thursday, a deadline set months ago. But it declined to make them public or offer a timetable for when it would take action. Zinke previously said in a trickle of announcements this summer that no changes would be made at six monuments under review — in Montana, Colorado, Idaho, California, Arizona and Washington — and that Bears Ears on tribal lands in Utah would be downsized. Conservationists and tribal leaders responded with alarm and distrust, demanding the full release of Zinke's recommendations and vowing to challenge attempts to shrink any monuments. Jacqueline Savitz, senior vice president of Oceana, which has been pushing for preservation of five marine monuments included in the review, said that simply saying "changes" are coming doesn't reveal any real information. "A change can be a small tweak or near annihilation," Savitz said. "The public has a right to know." Groups that consider the millions of acres designated for protection by President Barack Obama and other past presidents part of a massive federal land grab voiced optimism that Zinke wants to reign in some areas. But they also expressed disappointment that the full report wasn't available. "It was kind of the unmonumental monument announcement," said Kathleen Sgamma, of the oil industry trade group Western Energy Alliance. Sgamma's group is among the organizations that hope the review spurs reform of the 1906 Antiquities Act, the law that gives presidents power to unilaterally create national monuments. Zinke said in a short summary report that he found that that the creation of some of the monuments was arbitrary or politically motivated. If Trump adopts Zinke's recommendations, it could ease some of the worst fears of the president's opponents, who warned that vast public lands and marine areas could be stripped of federal protection. But significant reductions in the size of the monuments or changes in what activities are allowed on them could trigger fierce resistance, too, including lawsuits. A tribal coalition that pushed for the creation of the 2,100-square-mile (5,400-sqaure kilometer) Bears Ears monument on sacred tribal land said it is prepared to launch a legal fight against even a slight reduction in its size. "Our tribes stand together and are willing to go into battle in terms of litigation," said Davis Filfred, a council delegate for the Navajo Nation council. New England commercial fishing groups say they're hopeful they'll get back rights to fish in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, an area off the coast of New England designated last year for protection by President Obama. Republican Utah state Rep. Mike Noel, who has pushed to rescind the designation of Bears Ears as a monument, said he could live with a rollback of its boundaries. He called that a good compromise that would enable continued tourism while still allowing activities that locals have pursued for generations — logging, livestock grazing and oil and gas drilling. Other sites that might see changes include the Grand Staircase-Escalante monument in the Utah desert, consisting of cliffs, canyons, natural arches and archaeological sites, including rock paintings; Katahdin Woods and Waters, 136 square miles (352 square kilometers) of forest of northern Maine; and Cascade Siskiyou, a 156-square-mile (404-square kilometer) region where three mountain ranges converge in Oregon. The marine monuments encompass more than 340,000 square miles (880,000 square kilometers) and include four sites in the Pacific Ocean and an array of underwater canyons and mountains off New England. Zinke suggested that the same presidential proclamation process used by four presidents over two decades to create the monuments could be used to enact changes. Environmental groups contend the Antiquities Act allows presidents to create national monuments but gives only Congress the power to modify them. Mark Squillace, a law professor at the University of Colorado, said he agrees with that view but noted the dispute has never gone before the courts. Conservative legal scholars have come down on the side of the administration. No president has tried to eliminate a monument, but some have reduced or redrawn the boundaries on 18 occasions, according to the National Park Service. Zinke did not directly answer whether any monuments would be newly opened to energy development, mining and other industries Trump has championed. Zinke, a former Montana congressman, insisted that public access for uses such as hunting, fishing or grazing would be maintained or restored. He also spoke of protecting tribal interests. In the interview, Zinke struck back against conservationists who had warned of impending mass sell-offs of public lands by the Trump administration. "I've heard this narrative that somehow the land is going to be sold or transferred," he said. "That narrative is patently false and shameful. The land was public before and it will be public after." ___ Brown reported from Salt Lake City. Associated Press writers Michael Biesecker contributed from Washington, Felicia Fonseca from Flagstaff, Arizona; and Patrick Whittle from Portland, Maine. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter at www.twitter.com/matthewbrownap

– Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has completed his President Trump-ordered review of 27 national monuments declared by Trump's three predecessors—and while he hasn't recommended abolishing any of them, he tells the AP he has proposed shrinking a "handful" of them. Insiders tell the New York Times that Zinke's report recommends Trump shrink at least four monuments, including the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. Ranchers, loggers, fishing groups, and others opposed to the designations welcomed the proposals in a summary of the report released Thursday, though details of what monuments might be affected are being kept under wraps for now. Tribal groups and environmentalists have vowed to fight attempts to shrink the monuments, the Washington Post reports. It will be the first time such a move has been contested in court, and experts say the legal battles are likely to be the toughest test the Antiquities Act has faced in its 111-year history. Democrats have spoken out against the proposals, which are supported by many Republicans in Western states. Utah state Rep. Mike Noel says shrinking Bears Ears will be "a victory for our state" against federal attempts to restrict grazing, drilling, and mining. "When you turn the management over to the tree-huggers, the bird and bunny lovers, and the rock lickers, you turn your heritage over," he says.

FILE - This Tuesday, March 21, 2017, file photo shows the logo of German car manufacturer BMW on a BMW M6 Coupe car during the company's earnings news conference in Munich, Germany. Bill O'Reilly's top-rated... (Associated Press) Bill O'Reilly's top-rated Fox News show may be starting to feel a financial sting after allegations that he sexually harassed several women. Automakers Hyundai, BMW and Mitsubishi, financial firm T. Rowe Price, personal finance site Credit Karma, insurer Allstate, drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline, pet food company Ainsworth, men's shirt seller Untuckit, and online marketing firm Constant Contact said Tuesday that they have joined Mercedes-Benz in pulling their ads from the show. The moves come after a weekend report in The New York Times that O'Reilly and his employer paid five women $13 million to settle harassment or other allegations of inappropriate conduct by Fox's star. Hyundai said it currently has no ads on "The O'Reilly Factor," but it pulled spots on future episodes. The automaker says it wants to partner with companies and programming that share its values of inclusion and diversity. BMW said it suspended advertising on the show due to the recent allegations, as did T. Rowe Price, Sanofi, Ainsworth and Constant Contact. Allstate said support for women is a company value and it had also suspended advertising on the show. GlaxoSmithKline said it had "temporarily put a hold" on ads on O'Reilly's show while it reviews the situation. A Mercedes-Benz spokesman said Monday night that the company had pulled ads from O'Reilly's show and reassigned them to other Fox News shows. Sanofi and Untuckit have the same plan. BMW said it wasn't sure where it would place its ads instead. O'Reilly is Fox News' top revenue producer, according to research firm Kantar Media, bringing in over $178 million in ad dollars in 2015 and $118.6 million in the first nine months of 2016. Fox News itself makes up one-fifth of parent company 21st Century Fox's profit, according to estimates from Anthony DiClemete, a media analyst with the Nomura investment bank. Representatives for Fox News and its parent company 21st Century Fox did not immediately answer questions. ||||| NEW YORK (AP) — A third Fox News Channel employee has joined two colleagues in their lawsuit that says they were subjected to racial discrimination by a since-fired executive. Monica Douglas said former controller Judith Slater, who was fired on Feb. 28, frequently expressed an unwillingness to be near black people. Douglas is black, as are colleagues Tichaona Brown and Tabrese Wright, who filed suit against Fox last week. Douglas, who is Panamanian, said in the lawsuit that Slater told her she wouldn't let her dogs eat food Panamanians eat. She said Slater frequently referred to her status as a breast cancer survivor, calling her the "one-boobed girl" and the like. Douglas said she complained about Slater's comments in 2014 and nothing was done. Fox, in a statement, said it takes complaints like this very seriously. "There is no place for conduct like this at Fox News, which is why Ms. Slater was fired," the network said.

– Bill O'Reilly's top-rated Fox News show may be starting to feel a financial sting after allegations that he sexually harassed several women. Automakers Hyundai, BMW, and Mitsubishi; financial firm T. Rowe Price; personal finance site Credit Karma; insurer Allstate; drugmakers Sanofi and GlaxoSmithKline; pet food company Ainsworth, men's shirt seller Untuckit; and online marketing firm Constant Contact said Tuesday that they have joined Mercedes-Benz in pulling their ads from the show, the AP reports. The moves come after a weekend report in the New York Times that O'Reilly and his employer paid five women $13 million to settle harassment or other allegations of inappropriate conduct by Fox's star. Hyundai said it currently has no ads on The O'Reilly Factor, but it pulled spots on future episodes. The automaker says it wants to partner with companies and programming that share its values of inclusion and diversity. BMW said it suspended advertising on the show due to the recent allegations, as did T. Rowe Price, Sanofi, Ainsworth, and Constant Contact. Allstate said support for women is a company value and it had also suspended advertising on the show. GlaxoSmithKline said it had "temporarily put a hold" on ads on O'Reilly's show while it reviews the situation. A Mercedes-Benz spokesperson said Monday night that the company had pulled ads from O'Reilly's show and reassigned them to other Fox News shows. Sanofi and Untuckit have the same plan. BMW said it wasn't sure where it would place its ads instead. (There are also mounting allegations of racial discrimination by a since-fired exec at Fox News.)

The Senate voted Saturday to repeal the ban on gays in the military, marking a major victory for gay rights and an impending end to the 17-year old "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The bill now heads to President Barack Obama, who plans to sign it into law, overturning what repeal advocates believed was a discriminatory policy that has unfairly ended the careers of thousands of gay members of the military. Text Size - + reset POLITICO 44 The 65-31 Senate vote marked a historic — and emotional — moment for the gay-rights movement and handed Obama a surprising political triumph in the closing days of the 111th Congress. The legislation had been left for dead as recently as last week when Senate Republicans blocked efforts to advance it. But on final passage, the bill won the support of eight Republicans, an unexpectedly high total. The repeal, which will not take effect for many months, ushers in a major cultural shift for a military that has operated under the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy since the first year of former President Bill Clinton’s term. Shortly after the final tally was announced, a handful of top White House officials, led by Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, congratulated and embraced gay-rights leaders who had gathered just off the Senate floor. “It’s a historic moment,” said Jarrett, who had never attended a vote before. “It wouldn’t have happened without Congress, obviously, the president’s leadership and so many people across the country who became engaged in the issue. … Everybody played a vital role in today’s success.” The Senate vote capped months of uncertainty about whether Congress or the federal courts, where gay-rights advocates are fighting the ban, would act first to repeal the policy. The real drama had already come a few hours earlier when the repeal bill cleared a crucial procedural hurdle. The 63-33 cloture vote was three more than needed to beat back a Republican filibuster. With support from all but one member of the Democratic Caucus and help from six Republicans, the stand-alone bill overcame the 60-vote threshold required to move forward. The Republican senators who voted yes with the Democrats in the cloture vote were Mark Kirk of Illinois, Scott Brown of Massachusetts, George Voinovich of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both of Maine. Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina and John Ensign of Nevada joined the six other Republicans in bucking their party on the historic final vote. “It was a difficult vote for many of them,” Collins, who introduced the legislation with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), said of her GOP colleagues. “But in the end they concluded – as I have concluded – that we should welcome the service of any qualified individual who is willing to put on the uniform of this country, fight for us in war zones … and put freedom on the line for us.” West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who previously stated his opposition to the repeal, was the only Democrat to miss the vote, because of a family “holiday gathering,” his spokeswoman said. Obama called the Senate vote a “historic step” toward ending a discriminatory policy that weakens America’s national security and violates the ideals troops risk their lives to defend. ||||| From Jim Miklaszewski Opponents of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy are celebrating today's Senate vote to dismantle the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, but the actual repeal of the law could take up to a year to go into full effect. In its present form, the bill states that repeal will not take effect until 60 days after Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen and President Barack Obama "certify" that the U.S. military is prepared for implementation. Secretary Gates has predicted that the process of certification could take up to a year. So what happens next? Under the expected procedure, the Defense Department will conduct servicewide training and education for all active duty, reserve and national guard forces, and make whatever adjustments in procedures and facilities are necessary. Only then would Gates and Mullen certify the military is prepared to implement the repeal. During that process, the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel would also issue a servicewide memo instructing any gay or lesbian servicemembers not to openly declare their sexual orientation because they could potentially be subject to separation from the military. The reality is, however, that under the more stringent guidelines for enforcement of the law implemented in October, there have been no servicemembers discharged from the military. So it would be unlikely that anyone would be forced out of the military during the certification process. Msnbc.com's Carrie Dann contributed. ||||| The Senate has voted to overturn the military's ban on openly gay troops and sent the bill to President Barack Obama. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., walks near the floor of the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010, during a rare Saturday session to finish the year's legislative business. Senators... (Associated Press) Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., left, and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., right, with Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, center, head to a news conference about the "Don't... (Associated Press) Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., left, and Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., go to a news conference about the Don't Ask Don't Tell bill on an unusual Saturday session on Capitol Hill in Washington... (Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., left, with Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., speaks at a news conference about the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" bill during an unusual Saturday session on Capitol Hill... (Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., from right, speaks as he stands with Sen. Joesph Lieberman, I-Conn., Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., at a news conference about... (Associated Press) He's expected to sign it into law next week, ending the 17-year policy known as "don't ask, don't tell." The Senate vote was 65-31. The House had passed an identical version of the bill by a 250-175 vote earlier in the week. Repeal would mean that, for the first time in American history, gays would be openly accepted by the military and could acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out. More than 13,500 service members have been dismissed under the 1993 law. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below. WASHINGTON (AP) _ In a landmark for gay rights, the Senate on Saturday voted to let gays serve openly in the military, giving President Barack Obama the chance to fulfill a campaign promise and repeal the 17-year policy known as "don't ask, don't tell." Obama was expected to sign it next week, although the change wouldn't take immediate effect. The legislation says the president and his top military advisers must certify that lifting the ban won't hurt troops' fighting ability. After that, there's a 60-day waiting period for the military. "It is time to close this chapter in our history," Obama said in a statement after a test vote cleared the way for final action. "It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed." The Senate vote was 65-31. The House had passed an identical version of the bill, 250-175, on Wednesday. Repeal would mean that, for the first time in American history, gays would be openly accepted by the military and could acknowledge their sexual orientation without fear of being kicked out. More than 13,500 service members have been dismissed under the 1993 law. Rounding up a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate was a historic victory for Obama, who made repeal a campaign promise in 2008. It also was a political triumph for congressional Democrats who struggled in the final hours of the postelection session to overcome GOP objections on several legislative priorities before Republicans regain control of the House in January. "As Barry Goldwater said, 'You don't have to be straight to shoot straight,'" said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., referring to the late GOP senator from Arizona. Sen. John McCain, Obama's GOP rival in 2008, led the opposition. The Arizona Republican acknowledged he didn't have the votes to stop the bill and he blamed elite liberals with no military experience for pushing their social agenda on troops during wartime. "They will do what is asked of them," McCain said of service members. "But don't think there won't be a great cost." In the end, six GOP senators broke with their party on the procedural vote to let the bill move ahead and swung behind repeal after a recent Pentagon study concluded the ban could be lifted without hurting the ability of troops to fight. Advocacy groups who lobbied hard for repeal hailed the vote as a significant step forward in gay rights. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network called the issue the "defining civil rights initiative of this decade." Supporters of repeal filled the visitor seats overlooking the Senate floor, ready to protest had the bill failed. "This has been a long fought battle, but this failed and discriminatory law will now be history," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. The Pentagon study found that two-thirds of service members didn't think changing the law would have much of an effect. But of those who did predict negative consequences, a majority were assigned to combat arms units. Nearly 60 percent of the Marine Corps and Army combat units, such as infantry and special operations, said in the survey they thought repealing the law would hurt their units' ability to fight. The Pentagon's uniformed chiefs are divided on whether this resistance might pose serious problems. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos has said he thinks lifting the ban during wartime could cost lives. "I don't want to lose any Marines to the distraction," he told reporters this week. "I don't want to have any Marines that I'm visiting at Bethesda (Naval Medical Center) with no legs be the result of any type of distraction." Adm. Mike Mullen and Marine Gen. James Cartwright, the chairman and vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, respectively, have said the fear of disruption is overblown. They note the Pentagon's finding that 92 percent of troops who believe they have served with a gay person saw no effect on their units' morale or effectiveness. Among Marines in combat roles who said they have served alongside a gay person, 84 percent said there was no impact. ___ Online: Pentagon study: http://tinyurl.com/23lxc49 Servicemembers Legal Defense Network: http://www.sldn.org/ Information on the bill, H.R. 2965, can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov

– Almost a formality after this morning's successful vote to kill a Republican filibuster, but historic nonetheless: The Senate repealed the military's ban on openly gay service members this afternoon by a vote of 65-31, reports AP. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law next week, though it could take up to a year for Don't Ask, Don't Tell to be formally lifted because of military reviews required by law, notes MSNBC. “We righted a wrong,” said Joe Lieberman, who with Susan Collins co-sponsored the measure. “Today we’ve done justice.” In the end, eight Republicans joined Democrats, including the expected (Collins, Olympia Snowe, George Voinovich, Lisa Murkowski, and Scott Brown) and the day's surprises (Richard Burr, John Ensign, and Mark Kirk), notes Politico.

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 ||||| Story highlights Martin's mother is an alum of the school Florida Memorial also houses the Trayvon Martin Foundation (CNN) Trayvon Martin's getting a college degree. The slain Florida teenager -- killed by George Zimmerman five years ago -- will be awarded a posthumous bachelor's degree in aeronautical science from Florida Memorial University Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, will accept the degree on his behalf during the school's spring commencement on May 13. Fulton is an alumnus of the school, a historically black university in Miami Gardens. The aeronautics degree is in "honor of the steps he took during his young life toward becoming a pilot," the school said in a Facebook post . Florida Memorial's Department of Aviation and Safety has a designated Cessna pilot training center, and the school also houses the Trayvon Martin Foundation. Florida Memorial wanted to award the degree to Martin now because, if he had lived and attended the college, he would have been graduating this year, said school President Roslyn Clark Artis. Read More ||||| New York protesters carry a sign of Trayvon Martin. Many of the protesters hold Skittles to signify the candy Martin purchased shortly before his death. Five years after his death, Trayvon Martin will receive a posthumous bachelor’s degree in aeronautical science from Florida Memorial University (FMU), the university announced Wednesday on its Facebook page. If Martin were alive today, he would be 22 years old—the same age as many college graduates. Martin’s degree will specify a concentration in flight education, the university said, “in honor of the steps he took during his young life toward becoming a pilot.” FMU, a historically black college, maintains a designated pilot training center. Martin attended a few aviation classes in high school and “had an obvious love of flying,” an FMU spokeswoman told CNN. Martin’s name catapulted to national recognition in 2012 when he was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, in Sanford, Florida. After spotting the then-17-year-old returning from a convenience store, Zimmerman called the Sanford Police Department to report Martin’s “suspicious” behavior. An altercation followed, and resulted in Martin being fatally shot in the chest. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, but ultimately acquitted in July 2013. The case sparked national conversation over racial profiling and police brutality, serving as the genesis of the Black Lives Matter movement. A month after the shooting, former president Barack Obama famously declared, “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.”

– If Trayvon Martin were alive today, he would be 22 and perhaps preparing this month for his college commencement. One Florida school is giving his parents the honor of accepting a degree for him. CNN reports that Florida Memorial University will bestow a posthumous bachelor's degree in aeronautical science as a nod to Trayvon's "obvious love of flying," per a university spokeswoman. His parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton—an FMU grad herself, the Atlantic reports—will be in attendance at the school's May 13 graduation ceremony to accept their son's degree. The degree will feature a concentration in flight education, "in honor of the steps [Travyon] took during his young life toward becoming a pilot," per a Wednesday Facebook post by the school. CNN notes Trayvon had taken a few aviation classes while in high school. FMU also praised Martin and Fulton, noting Trayvon's dad has "committed his life to transforming tragedy into change" since his son was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in 2012, while Fulton "epitomizes strength and dignity as she uplifts other victims of violence while effecting change for a more equal and just society." Fulton returned the kind message, offering her thanks to her alma mater on Twitter. (Rapper Jay Z is honoring Trayvon in his own way.)

Image copyright Reuters Image caption The organisation that rescued Zsazsa said the Havanese was now wagging her tail again A dog had apparently been faithfully lying beside the body of its deceased owner for several weeks when the pair were discovered in a flat in Hungary. The nine-year-old Havanese breed, called Zsazsa, was found in a Budapest apartment on Wednesday. She was severely malnourished when found, animal protection officials in Budapest said. Zsazsa's owner, a woman in her sixties, appeared to have died of natural causes. Neighbours called the police after becoming concerned that the elderly woman had not been seen for several weeks, Reuters reported. Police entered the apartment and found the dog lying next to its owner. Rescuers say that the dog had some dried food, but she would have died if she hadn't been found. Zsazsa was weak, unable to stand, and had to be dragged away from her dead owner, they said. The organisation that rescued her said that she was now wagging her tail once again. ||||| BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A dog has been rescued by animal protection services in Hungary after being found lying alongside the body of her mistress who died weeks before. A 9-year-old Havanese dog called Zsazsa is seen after being rescued by animal protection services after being found lying alongside the body of her owner who had died weeks earlier, in Budapest, Hungary January 5, 2018. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo The 9-year-old Havanese, called Zsazsa, was in a severely dehydrated state when she was found in a Budapest apartment on Wednesday but was now recovering, Gabor Pataki, head of the animal rescue group Allatmento Liga, said on Friday. The dog had some dry feed to eat, but doctors said she would have died within a couple of days if she had not been found, Pataki said, adding that the owner must have died weeks before. Police opened up the flat after neighbors reported that the elderly owner had not been seen for some time. Slideshow (2 Images) “The dog was lying next to the dead body, and was so weak that she could not stand up. We had to drag her away,” Pataki said. He said many dogs would have died after such a trauma. “But yesterday she was on her feet again and even wagged her tail.” Police said the 66-year old woman appeared to have died of natural causes.

– A woman was found dead in her home in Budapest on Wednesday, having apparently died of natural causes weeks earlier, the BBC reports. Her dog hadn't left her side. “The dog was lying next to the dead body, and was so weak that she could not stand up," Gabor Pataki tells Reuters. "We had to drag her away." Pataki is the head of animal rescue group Allatmento Liga, which has taken in Zsazsa, a 9-year-old Havanese. Neighbors called police this week after not seeing Zsazsa's 66-year-old owner for several weeks. When police entered the woman's home, they found Zsazsa extremely malnourished and dehydrated. Doctors say she would have died within days had she not been found. Now the lucky dog is recovering from her ordeal. "Yesterday she was on her feet again and even wagged her tail," Pataki says.

In what could be an enormously significant finding for Buddhists around the world, archaeologists in China have unearthed an ancient ceramic box containing cremated human remains, which carries an inscription saying they belong to Buddha, also known as Siddhārtha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama, also known as the Buddha or “Enlightened One,” is probably one of the most influential individuals to come out of India through the founding of Buddhism. He is believed to have lived and taught mostly in the eastern part of ancient India sometime between the 6 th and 4 th centuries BC. According to the Mahaparinibbana Sutta of the Pali canon, at the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach Parinirvana, or the final deathless state, and abandon his earthly body. After his death, Buddha's cremation relics are said to have been divided amongst 8 royal families and his disciples. Legends say that, centuries later, they were enshrined by King Ashoka into 84,000 stupas. Many of the remains were supposedly taken to other countries. The Death of the Buddha, a hanging scroll painting at the British Museum. Credit: Trustees of the British Museum Gathering of the Buddha Around 1,000 years ago, two monks named Yunjiang and Zhiming, spent two decades gathering together the remains of the Buddha, which had been distributed around India and other countries. Live Science reports that the newly-discovered box, which was unearthed in Jingchuan County, China, came with an inscription dated to June 22, 1013. It states: “The monks Yunjiang and Zhiming of the Lotus School, who belonged to the Mañjuśrī Temple of the Longxing Monastery in Jingzhou Prefecture, gathered more than 2,000 pieces of śarīra [cremated remains of the Buddha], as well as the Buddha's teeth and bones, and buried them in the Mañjuśrī Hall of this temple. In order to promote Buddhism, they wanted to collect śarīra [Buddhist relics]. To reach this goal, both of them practiced the instruction of Buddhism during every moment of their lives for more than 20 years. Sometimes they received the śarīra from others' donations; sometimes they found them by chance; sometimes they bought them from other places; and sometimes others gave them the śarīra to demonstrate their wholeheartedness." The ceramic box containing human remains believed to belong to Buddha. Credit: Chinese Cultural Relics According to Live Science, archaeologists identified cremated human remains inside the ancient ceramic box, and while it is impossible to say with certainty whether they are indeed the remains of Siddhārtha Gautama, the 1,000-year-old inscription certainly suggests this is the case. The discovery was first made back in December 2012 while a group of villagers were repairing roads. After years of archaeological excavations at the site, the historically significant finding was reported in Chinese in 2016. Now, the discovery has reached the English-speaking world for the first time in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. Top image: A statue of Buddha ( CC by SA 4.0 ) By April Holloway ||||| 1,000 years ago, a pair of monks from Mañjuśrī Temple of the Longxing Monastery in China's Jingzhou Prefecture reportedly spent two decades collecting bits of cremated bone from far and wide which they believed to be the remains of the man known as the Buddha. And now, their collection has been found. Whether the materials truly belong to the famous ancient philosopher is a mystery, and will probably stay that way. But in addition to the ossuary, archaeologists also found 260 statues – a discovery that's of cultural and historical significance regardless of the origins of the bones themselves. The discovery was made by villagers repairing roads about five years ago, and reported in Chinese journals. The reports were recently translated into English in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. Archaeologists report the inscription on the box says: "The monks Yunjiang and Zhiming of the Lotus School, who belonged to the Mañjuśrī Temple of the Longxing Monastery in Jingzhou Prefecture, gathered more than 2,000 pieces of śarīra, as well as the Buddha's teeth and bones, and buried them in the Mañjuśrī Hall of this temple." śarīra is a broad term describing any kind of relic claimed to be related to the Buddha – the famous "Enlightened One" who was born in what today is Nepal and travelled through the eastern parts of India sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. The story goes that on his death, the cremated remains of the man called Siddhartha Gautama – aka the Buddha – were divided up among royal families and disciples, and so were distributed far and wide. Whoever Yunjiang and Zhiming were, they seemed to have been busy collecting 2,000 bits of burned tooth and bone and putting them into a box over the course of two decades. Not unlike saintly fingerbones or true pieces of Christ's cross, Buddha's śarīra can have greater cultural significance than biological, with pearl-like pieces of bone revered in Buddhist shrines and temples across the world. The archaeologists don't speculate on the actual origins of the bones, and aren't certain if the 2 metre (6.6 foot) high statues were buried at the same time as the box. Crafted between the Wei dynasty (386 to 534 CE) and the Song dynasty (960 to 1279 CE), the stone blocks included a mix of depictions of Buddha himself, seekers of enlightenment, enlightened devotees, gods, and simple inscribed objects called steles. Historically the inscriptions and assortment of statues provide insights into the history of the culture surrounding the religion. For many Buddhists, whatever the true nature of the bones, the discovery of this incredible collection from a millennium ago could have immense spiritual significance. ||||| Cremated human remains were found inside this ceramic box. An inscription found nearby says that they were buried Jun. 22, 1013 and belong to the Buddha. It is not certain if the statues were buried along with the remains. The cremated remains of what an inscription says is the Buddha, also called Siddhārtha Gautama, have been discovered in a box in Jingchuan County, China, along with more than 260 Buddhist statues. The translated inscription on the box reads: "The monks Yunjiang and Zhiming of the Lotus School, who belonged to the Mañjuśrī Temple of the Longxing Monastery in Jingzhou Prefecture, gathered more than 2,000 pieces of śarīra [cremated remains of the Buddha], as well as the Buddha's teeth and bones, and buried them in the Mañjuśrī Hall of this temple," on June 22, 1013. At the site where the statues and Buddha remains were buried, archaeologists also found the remains of a structure that could be from the Mañjuśrī Hall. [See Photos of the Buddhist Statues and Cremated Remains of Buddha] Yunjiang and Zhiming spent more than 20 years gathering the remains of the Buddha, who is also sometimes referred to as Gautama Buddha, the inscription notes. "In order to promote Buddhism, they wanted to collect śarīra [Buddhist relics]. To reach this goal, both of them practiced the instruction of Buddhism during every moment of their lives for more than 20 years," the inscription says. "Sometimes they received the śarīra from others' donations; sometimes they found them by chance; sometimes they bought them from other places; and sometimes others gave them the śarīra to demonstrate their wholeheartedness." The inscription does not mention the 260 Buddhist statues that were found buried near the remains of the Buddha. The archaeologists aren't sure whether or not the statues were buried at the same time as the cremated remains, wrote the team of archaeologists, who were led by Hong Wu, a research fellow at the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, in two articles published recently in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. The archaeologists did not speculate on whether any of the remains are actually from the Buddha who died around 2,500 years ago. Previous archaeological discoveries in China have also revealed human remains with inscriptions that claim that they belong to the Buddha the archaeologists noted. These include a skull bone, supposedly from the Buddha, found inside a gold chest in Nanjing. The statues, which are up to 6.6 feet (2 meters) high, were created between the time of the northern Wei dynasty (A.D. 386 to 534) and the Song dynasty (A.D. 960 to 1279), the archaeologists wrote. During that time, Jingchuan County was a transportation hub on the eastern end of the Silk Road, archaeologists said. The statues include depictions of the Buddha, bodhisattvas (those who seek enlightenment), arhats (those who have found enlightenment) and deities, known as heavenly kings. Some of the statues only depict the head of the individual, while others are life-size, with some even showing individuals standing on platforms. A few of the statues are steles, which are stone slabs that have a carving within them. Steles are sometimes considered to be a form of statue. Few of the statues have any writing on them. One holds the date corresponding to May 26, 571, with inscriptions that mention a "disciple Bi Sengqing," who may or may not have created the statue. "[I] realized that I am confused (…) everyday, because of my admiration of the wisdom of the Buddha, [I] contribute my daily expenses as a tribute, to sculpt a statue of Śākyamuni Buddha, praying for greater longevity, and … reads the inscription, whose next line is not visible. Villagers discovered the statues and Buddha remains while repairing roads in December 2012 at Gongchi Village in Jingchuan County. Over the following year, archaeologists excavated the remains, detailing their findings in Chinese in 2016 in the journal “Wenwu”. Both articles were recently translated into English and published in the journal Chinese Cultural Relics. Originally published on Live Science.

– When Siddhartha Gautama, aka the Buddha, died 2,600 years ago, legend has it that he was cremated and his remains split up among eight royal families, then eventually dispersed to several different countries. Now scientists in Jingchuan County, China, say they've found a box with thousands of pieces of his "sarira" (cremated remains, including teeth and bones) with a message inscribed from a pair of monks who'd embarked on a 20-year-plus mission to collect as much of the famous ascetic's remnants as they could find, Live Science reports. Those two holy men, Yunjiang and Zhiming, apparently buried the box more than 1,000 years ago, in June 1013. The translated inscription on the container explained whose remains they believed they'd found and how they'd "buried them in the Manjusri Hall of this temple." Also found at the same site: pieces of a structure that scientists speculate could have been from the aforementioned Manjusri Hall, as well as 260 statues that depict the Buddha, various gods, people who'd sought enlightenment (and those who'd found it), and carved stone slabs known as steles—a "discovery that's of cultural and historical significance regardless of the origins of the bones themselves," per a release. All were originally found in 2012 by villagers fixing roads in the area, but the discovery was just this year translated into English in the Chinese Cultural Relics journal. Scientists aren't sure if the statues were buried at the same time as the box. They also note other remains marked as being the Buddha have been found previously in China; they don't indicate whether they believe these are the real deal. (A mummified man was found in an ancient Buddha statue.)

BERLIN (Reuters) - The image of the United States has deteriorated sharply across the globe under President Donald Trump and an overwhelming majority of people in other countries have no confidence in his ability to lead, a survey from the Pew Research Center showed. Five months into Trump’s presidency, the survey spanning 37 nations showed U.S. favorability ratings in the rest of the world slumping to 49 percent from 64 percent at the end of Barack Obama’s eight years in the White House. But the falls were far steeper in some of America’s closest allies, including U.S. neighbors Mexico and Canada, and European partners like Germany and Spain. Trump took office in January pledging to put “America First”. Since then he has pressed ahead with plans to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, announced he will pull out of the Paris climate accord, and accused countries including Canada, Germany and China of unfair trade practices. On his first foreign trip as president in early June, Trump received warm welcomes in Saudi Arabia and Israel, but a cool reception from European partners, with whom he clashed over NATO spending, climate and trade. Just 30 percent of Mexicans now say they have a favorable view of the United States, down from 66 percent at the end of the Obama era. In Canada and Germany, favorability ratings slid by 22 points, to 43 percent and 35 percent, respectively. In many European countries, the ratings were comparable to those seen at the end of the presidency of George W. Bush, whose 2003 invasion of Iraq was deeply unpopular. “The drop in favorability ratings for the United States is widespread,” the Pew report said. “The share of the public with a positive view of the U.S. has plummeted in a diverse set of countries from Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia and Africa”. BELOW PUTIN AND XI The survey, based on the responses of 40,447 people and conducted between Feb. 16 and May 8 this year, showed even deeper mistrust of Trump himself, with only 22 percent of those surveyed saying they had confidence he would do the right thing in world affairs, compared to 64 percent who trusted Obama. Infographic ID: '2rVZ1DK' Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with confidence ratings of 27 percent and 28 percent respectively, scored higher than Trump. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, with a confidence rating of 42 percent, scored highest among the four leaders in the survey. The countries with the lowest confidence in Trump were Mexico, at 5 percent and Spain at 7 percent. The only two countries where ratings improved compared to Obama were Russia, where confidence in the U.S. president surged to 53 percent from 11 percent, and Israel, where it rose 7 points to 56 percent. Slideshow (4 Images) Globally, 75 percent of respondents described Trump as “arrogant”, 65 percent as “intolerant” and 62 percent as “dangerous”. A majority of 55 percent also described him as a “strong leader”. The survey showed widespread disapproval of Trump’s signature policy proposals, with 76 percent unhappy with his plan to build the wall on the border with Mexico, 72 percent against his withdrawal from major trade agreements and 62 percent opposed to his plans to restrict travel to the U.S. from some majority-Muslim countries. On the positive side, the survey showed that 58 percent of respondents had a positive view of Americans in general. And in many regions of the world, a majority or plurality of respondents said they expected relations with the United States to stay roughly the same in spite of Trump. ||||| Global views of the U.S. and its president have shifted dramatically downward since the end of Barack Obama’s presidency and the start of Donald Trump’s, and they are now at similar levels to ratings from the George W. Bush era, according to a new Pew Research Center report that examines attitudes in 37 countries. Since the Center started tracking global opinions of the U.S. and its president in 2002, these views have risen and fallen dramatically. You can explore the arcs of U.S. favorability ratings in countries around the world by using this interactive chart builder. (Although the Center doesn’t conduct surveys in every country every year, patterns over time should be clear.) Here’s a quick global tour highlighting trends in U.S. favorability and confidence in the U.S. president: 1 Mexico and Canada have lost confidence in the U.S. president. In the United States’ southern and northern neighbors, confidence has fluctuated over the past three presidencies but declined most sharply this year. Just 22% of Canadians and 5% of Mexicans have at least some confidence in the U.S. president, down from more than eight-in-ten Canadians (83%) in 2016 and half of Mexicans (49%) in 2015. While Canadians generally have indicated greater confidence in U.S. presidents than Mexicans have, current Trump confidence levels are lower than both countries’ Bush-era lows. These countries have generally maintained fairly steady levels of U.S. favorability over the past 15 years, yet they both show a sharp drop in U.S. favorability since Trump took office. Three-in-ten Mexicans have a very or somewhat favorable view of the U.S., down from two-thirds (66%) in 2015. About four-in-ten Canadians have favorable views of the U.S. (43%), down from 68% in 2015. 2 In Western European countries, confidence in the U.S. president has declined sharply. Clear majorities in the United Kingdom, France and Germany had at least some confidence in Obama, with shares reaching 93% in Germany at the start of his presidency. (German confidence declined somewhat in 2014 after allegations the U.S. National Security Agency eavesdropped on Chancellor Angela Merkel, though it rebounded when the German investigation was later dropped.) Current Trump confidence ratings in these countries are similar to their respective lows during the George W. Bush years. For example, only 13% of French respondents had at least some confidence in Bush in 2008, and now 14% in France say the same for Trump. Likewise, 14% of Germans had at least some confidence in Bush in 2008, while 11% are confident in Trump now. In Europe, Poland is a bit of an outlier, since its confidence in the U.S. president changed less dramatically across the three administrations. Polish respondents had a Bush-era high of 47% confidence and an Obama-era high of 64%, yet just 23% of Poles have confidence in Trump in 2017. When it comes to U.S. favorability, Poland has remained relatively positive and stable since 2002. France and Germany, on the other hand, show greater fluctuation across administrations, with higher overall U.S. favorability during Obama’s presidency. 3 Russia and Israel have gained confidence in the U.S. president. Since Obama’s final term, confidence has gone up among Russians and Israelis. This year, 53% of Russians have at least some confidence in the U.S. president, up from an Obama-era low of 11% in 2015. Russian confidence in Obama rose and fell over the president’s eight years in office, which saw tensions with Russia over Ukraine and other issues. In Israel, 56% are confident in President Trump, up from 49% confidence for Obama in 2015. Over the past 15 years, Israeli confidence in the U.S. president was highest in 2003, when 83% said they had at least some confidence in George W. Bush. While more than half from both countries have confidence in Trump, Russia and Israel differ in overall U.S. favorability. Israel has shown consistently favorable views of the U.S. over the past 15 years (81% in 2017). Russia’s favorability of the U.S. has fluctuated more, but is up to 41% with Trump in office after hitting a low of 15% two years earlier. 4 Countries in the Middle East continue to have low favorability ratings for the U.S. Just 15% in Jordan and 18% in Turkey have at least a somewhat favorable view of the U.S. in 2017. While U.S. favorability in Jordan has remained relatively constant for the past six years, favorability in Turkey is down almost 10 percentage points from 2015 (when 29% expressed favorable views). U.S. favorability is consistently higher in Lebanon, reaching 55% in 2009, but has slowly declined to 34% in 2017. Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan consistently have had low confidence in the U.S. president, regardless of who that was, over the past 15 years. Today, just 15% in Lebanon, 11% in Turkey and 9% in Jordan have confidence in Trump. 5 Japan and South Korea have sharply lower confidence in the U.S. president, but majorities remain favorable toward U.S. overall. Only around a quarter of Japanese respondents (24%) and 17% of South Koreans say they are confident in the U.S. president now that Trump is in office. That represents a 71-percentage-point drop in South Korea from 2015. And confidence among Japanese dropped 54 points between 2016 and 2017. Despite this plunge in attitudes toward the U.S. president, overall U.S. favorability remains high in both countries. Three-quarters of South Koreans have a favorable view of the U.S. while 57% of people in Japan say the same. U.S. favorability gradually climbed among South Koreans since 2002, with a 9-point drop this year compared with 2015. In Japan, on the other hand, favorability declined during the Bush years, peaked in 2011 at 85% and fell to 57% in 2017. Use this interactive to explore global opinions of the United States and confidence in its president since 2002. Topics: U.S. Global Image and Anti-Americanism, U.S. Political Figures, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Donald Trump ||||| President Trump walks to a joint statement in the Rose Garden with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington on June 26, 2017. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) President Trump has alarmed citizens of the nation’s closest allies and others worldwide, diminishing the standing of the United States in their eyes, according to a wide-ranging international study released Monday. But in the survey of 37 countries, Russia is a bright spot for Trump. As beleaguered as the president is at home, a majority of Russians say they have confidence in him. And Russians’ attitudes toward the United States have improved since Trump took office. Elsewhere, though, and with remarkable speed, Trump’s presidency has taken a toll on the United States’ image abroad. The international survey by the Pew Research Center found that favorable ratings of the United States have decreased from 64 percent of people across all countries surveyed at the end of Barack Obama’s presidency to 49 percent this spring. The new figures are similar to those toward the end of the George W. Bush administration. The president himself has fared even worse: A median 22 percent are confident that Trump will do the right thing in global affairs, down from 64 percent who had confidence in Obama. From Chile to Italy, from Sweden to Japan, majorities consider the president arrogant, intolerant, unqualified and dangerous. On the flip side, most view him as a strong leader. And many expect their country’s relationship with the United States to withstand his presidency. It is perhaps unsurprising that a man who campaigned on a pledge to put American interests first would generate backlash in other parts of the world. Nor is it surprising that the negative reaction would carry over to opinions about the United States itself. Particularly in Europe, “that’s almost a reflex,” said Daniel Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for European affairs. What is surprising, said Frank G. Wisner, a former diplomat who served under Democrats and Republicans, is the degree to which Trump has scorned principles the United States has not only long espoused but also helped to define in the previous century. These include democratic governance, free markets, collective security, human rights and the rule of law — commitments that together, Wisner said, delineate the liberal international order. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) “America’s image has taken hits in recent years, from the decision to invade Iraq to the events of 2007 and 2008, when the American financial model took a huge hit,” he said. “But the most consequential is the ascent of Mr. Trump to the Oval Office.” Global popular opinion matters, Wisner said, in part because it defines how foreign leaders engage with American interests. The depths of disapproval registered abroad suggest that Trump has undone the progress Obama made in burnishing the American brand. It took Bush eight years, and the quagmire in Iraq, to notch such dismal ratings overseas, according to Pew. It has taken Trump six months. [ America’s global popularity rises under Obama presidency ] His unpopularity is the result of a mix of disagreement with his signature policy objectives, such as building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, and distaste for his character, according to Pew’s analysis of poll results. Among other world leaders studied by Pew, German Chancellor Angela Merkel receives relatively high marks. The share of people who report little or no confidence in her, a median of 31 percent across 37 countries, is less than half that for Trump, at 74 percent. The survey found that 59 percent lack confidence in Russian President Vladimir Putin and 53 percent in Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trust in the American president plummeted most in some of the United States’ closest allies in Europe and Asia, as well as in the countries it borders, Canada and Mexico. In only two countries, Russia and Israel, does Trump receive a higher score than Obama. Since 2002, when Pew began examining the United States’ image abroad, perceptions of the United States have run in parallel with judgments about the country’s president. Opinions of the United States have improved in Russia, as confidence in the president rose from 11 percent toward the end of Obama’s two terms to 53 percent under Trump, which is among his best ratings — along with figures for Israel, Nigeria and Vietnam. There is no directly comparable number for Americans, as approval ratings and confidence questions employ different wording, although public polls have found that majorities of Americans disapprove of Trump’s overall job performance and his handling of foreign policy. Germans hold some of the most negative opinions of the United States, with 62 percent viewing the country unfavorably and 87 percent lacking confidence in Trump. Germany joins more than half of the 37 countries surveyed where approval for the United States fell by double digits this year. In Mexico, positive views of the United States have been cut in half, from 66 to 30 percent. Women tend to see the United States more negatively than do men in 10 of the countries surveyed, and in 16 countries, older people are more distrustful than the young. At the same time, affinity for Americans remains intact, as does the popularity of American popular culture, Pew found. Most people think Washington respects the personal freedoms of Americans, yet there is growing doubt about American-style democracy, in France and Germany, among other countries. With Asia a notable exception, more people disapprove than approve of the spread of American ideas and customs to their countries. The complexity was on display recently in a classroom at the Free University in Berlin. The topic was “Democracy and the State in the U.S.” One of the professors, Christian Lammert, said his students represent the first living generation to come to political consciousness with the United States’ position on the global stage in doubt. American democracy, in the students’ eyes, had proved imperfect, not least owing to the treatment of racial minorities. With their own country, Germany, playing a newly authoritative role, they are learning how fundamentally geopolitics could shift over the next decades, Lammert said. In Britain, a country seized by political uncertainty as it sorts out its relationship to Europe, “there’s incredulity about Trump,” even among many who supported the Brexit referendum, said Michael Borio, a local council member in London. Nicholas Guyatt, an American historian at the University of Cambridge who has written about the waning of American power, attributed Trump’s low favorability abroad not just to the spectacle of bedlam in Washington but to a deeper disconnect between the American president and the rest of the world. Abroad, Guyatt said, people see that Trump’s vision of American greatness is a relic. “We’re in an uncertain place, because if the U.S. is no longer playing this role in a particular vision of world order, what’s the substitute? A different vision? Chaos?” he said. The Pew Research Center survey was conducted from February to May among national random samples of 852 to 2,464 interviews in each of the 37 countries. The margin of sampling error for each country ranges from plus or minus 3.2 to 5.7 percentage points. Emily Guskin contributed to this report. 1 of 53 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × A look at President Trump’s first year in office, so far View Photos Scenes from the Republican’s first months in the White House. Caption Scenes from the Republican’s first months in the White House. June 26, 2017 President Trump and first lady Melania Trump greet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrives at the White House. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. [email protected] Read more Alternately charming and boorish, Trump plays the role of a lifetime overseas Germans perplexed as Trump escalates feud European leaders fear Trump’s political chaos is undermining U.S. power What Wilson began 100 years ago this month, Trump is ending Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news ||||| Three-quarters of world has little or no confidence in Trump, Pew study finds More than three-quarters of the world has little or no confidence in Donald Trump’s global leadership and his signature policies, with support for the American presidency collapsing fastest among America’s traditional allies in Europe, according to new polling by the Pew Research Center. In many countries, support for the US president is now below that of George Bush in 2004, following the Iraq invasion. Globally, two-thirds of respondents describe Trump as “arrogant and dangerous”. Qatar blockade exposes rifts in Trump administration's 'peculiar' foreign policy Read more The research conducted across 37 countries shows a median of 22% have some or a great deal of confidence in Trump to do the right thing when it comes to international affairs. Almost three-quarters (74%) have little to no confidence in the Republican leader. By contrast, in the final years of Barack Obama’s presidency, a median of 64% expressed confidence in Trump’s predecessor to direct America’s role in the world. The polling also shows that the low level of support for the president is leading to a decline in support for wider American values. Just 49 % expressed a broadly positive view of the US, compared with 64% in surveys carried out 2015 and 2016. For the first time in Pew research history, most Canadians no longer regard America as a force for good in the world. Just 43% of Canadians have a positive view of their neighbour. The two major countries expressing faith in Trump’s ability to be a force for good are Israel and Russia. The US president has persistently low ratings across Latin America and Europe, where medians of only 14% and 18% respectively have confidence in his leadership. Only 5% in Mexico and 7% in Spain have confidence in Trump. The survey also finds that Trump is personally disliked globally, with most seeing him as arrogant, intolerant and dangerous, while few think of him as well-qualified or as someone who cares about ordinary people. Trump’s supporters will argue his “America First” policies were never intended to make him popular globally, and some of his domestic approval ratings have shown a small increase. But such high levels of unpopularity are likely to make other world leaders believe there is no electoral downside in airing their differences with him – or with the US. The poll suggests that Angela Merkel has replaced the American president as the politician to whom the world’s people look for leadership. Forty-two per cent expressed confidence in the German chancellor, while 31% said they did not have confidence in her. A median of 60% in Europe have confidence in her, a rare achievement for someone who has been at the helm of Germany for more than a decade. Her support is especially strong on the centre-left, underlining how difficult it has become for the opposition German Social Democratic Party to land a blow upon her in the German election campaign. In contrast, just 6% of Germans said they believed Trump was qualified to be president; 13% believe he cares about ordinary people; and 91% regard him as arrogant, 81% as intolerant, and 76% as dangerous. In the UK, 89% see him as arrogant, 77% as intolerant and 69% as dangerous. Globally, 65% think Trump is intolerant and 62% that he is dangerous. Abandoning Paris climate deal marks Trump's return to angry populism Read more Most of his trademark policies are also unpopular, including his proposed wall on the Mexican border, his withdrawal from the Paris climate change treaty and his ban on immigrants from several mainly Muslim countries. In Germany, hosts to the G20 summit of world leaders next month, only 9% support Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate change treaty. Globally, only 19% support the move. In just four of 10 EU countries surveyed does the public feel positively inclined toward the US as a country. The most widespread support is found in Poland (73%), Hungary (63%) and Italy (61%). In spite of the “special relationship” between the US and the UK, only 50% of the British see the US favourably. The most negative views of the US are in Germany (62% unfavorable), Spain (60%) and the Netherlands (59%). And in the past year, the share of the Spanish public that expresses a very unfavourable opinion has roughly tripled from 7% to 23%. In more than half of the 37 countries surveyed, positive views of the US experienced double-digit drops in 2017. In Mexico, positive views of the the US have roughly halved, down 36 points from 66% to 30%.

– Five months into the era of President Trump, the world's perception of the US and its leader has sunk to the level it was at late in George W. Bush's presidency, according to a new Pew Research Center poll of people in 37 countries. The poll was conducted among more than 40,000 people between February and May. Among the findings: There has been a massive decline in confidence in the US in its nearest neighbors, Pew says. The proportion of people saying they have at least some confidence in the American president has dived from 83% to 22% in Canada, and from 49% to just 5% in Mexico. Some 55% rated Trump as a strong leader, though 75% said he was arrogant, 65% intolerant, and 62% dangerous. Only 23% said he cared about ordinary people. Overall, just 22% of people polled worldwide had confidence in the US president to do the right thing—and only 49% had a favorable view of the US, down from 64% two years ago. The Guardian notes that this is the first time in Pew polling history that a majority of Canadians have not seen the US as a force for good in the world. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin also had low marks worldwide, though not as low as Trump. The decline was especially steep in western Europe and Latin America, but the fall in confidence was widespread, reports Reuters. "The share of the public with a positive view of the US has plummeted in a diverse set of countries from Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa," Pew says. Poll respondents disapproved of all five Trump policies they were asked about, including the US-Mexico border wall and withdrawal from trade agreements. There are two bright spots for Trump: Russia and Israel. Confidence in the US president is up in both countries and favorable views of the US are up to 41% in Russia from 15% two years ago. Former diplomat Frank Wisner links the fall in confidence in the US to Trump's lack of commitment to principles including free markets and the rule of law. "America’s image has taken hits in recent years, from the decision to invade Iraq to the events of 2007 and 2008, when the American financial model took a huge hit," he tells the Washington Post. "But the most consequential is the ascent of Mr. Trump to the Oval Office."

(CNN) About a quarter of US adults meet guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise in their spare time, according to new data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics . The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people between the ages of 18 and 64 engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week, as well as muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. The department's Healthy People 2020 initiative, which kicked off in 2010, had a target goal of 20.1% of adults meeting these guidelines by 2020. The CDC report, published Thursday, reveals that this goal was surpassed; 22.9% meet it. "That being said, we found that even though the average has met and exceeded the objective or the goal, there are differences," said Tainya Clarke, a health statistician and epidemiologist with the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics and one of the authors of the report. "There are differences at the state level, and there are differences by some sociodemographic factors." If you live in Colorado, there's a decent chance you've exercised today. That state had the highest percentage of adults meeting the guidelines, with 32.5% doing so, according to the report. The District of Columbia and 13 other states also significantly surpassed it. Thirteen states, most notably Mississippi at just 13.5%, were significantly lower than the national average. "Many of the states with the highest percentages of populations meeting the guidelines through leisure-time physical activity were what you'd call 'cold weather states' like Colorado, New Hampshire, Massachusetts," Clarke said. "And usually, we would think the warmer states would have more people outside running or biking or cycling, because that's what we see on TV all the time." Many of the states that failed to meet the Healthy People 2020 goal were in the Southeast, such as Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Even though the overall goal was met ahead of time, the report should be inspiration to push forward, Clarke said. "We have to pause and ask ourselves, are we doing great as a nation? Is it really good that only 23% of our population is engaged in enough aerobic activity and muscle strength training, or do we need to do better?" Clarke said. When the authors measured the results by gender, an average 28.8% of men met the guidelines. That includes 40.5% of working men in the District of Columbia, compared with 17.5% in South Dakota. Meanwhile, an average 20.9% of women met the guidelines nationally, ranging from 10.5% in Mississippi to 33.6% in Colorado. People in professional and managerial occupations were more likely to meet the federal guidelines for adequate exercise than those in production and related occupations. "If you are engaged in a physically demanding job for eight to 12 hours a day, the last thing you want to do at the end of your workday is go to the gym to work out," Clarke explained. The report's authors noted that adults who are physically active at work and exercise in their leisure time are more likely to be in better health than their counterparts who do not. "You can have a physically active job, but certainly, if one is out as a contractor, aspects of being a fireman or firewoman, such jobs have physical aspects to them in a way that sitting in a job do not," said Daniel Corcos, a professor of physical therapy and human movement sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, who was not involved with the report. "But there are virtually no jobs out that require the heart to be elevated continuously at more than 100 beats per minute and also strengthen the muscles in a way they do in leisure-time physical activity that includes both aerobic and resistance activity." It's imperative for people to find ways to exercise and take ownership of their health if they want to ward off the many illnesses associated with a lack of physical activity, such as hypertension and diabetes, Corcos said. Follow CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter. CDC data from 2016 says that only 20% to less than 25% of adults had obesity in Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. The same data set said that 35% or more of adults in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia had obesity. "It's clear that seven out of 10 adults in Colorado aren't exercising, so even at the best this is something people find difficult and they need help," Corcos said. "They need to be provided facilities or trainers or a healthcare program at work or some mean to enable them to work out because the evidence is compelling that exercise is arguably the most simple and best medicine." ||||| Archive-It Partner 1067: The Political TV Ad Archive, a project of the Internet Archive, collects political TV ads and social media sites in key 2016 primary election states, unlocking the metadata underneath and highlighting quality journalism to provide journalists, civic organizations, academics, and the general public with reliable information on who is trying to influence them & how.

– Here’s some bad news, but don’t take it sitting down. A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report has found that only 23% of Americans are getting enough exercise. For adults 18 to 64, US guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week (half that if working out vigorously) and muscle-strengthening exercise at least twice a week. Although the findings beat the government's Healthy People 2020 initiative, which set a goal of 20.1% by 2020, success has been uneven, reports USA Today. For example, although 27.2% of men hit the target goal, only 18.7% of women did. Results also varied by region. Colorado scored highest, with 32.5% hitting exercise targets, while Mississippi brought up the rear, at 13.5%. In general, states in the southeast scored below the national average, and states in the west were above average. Cold-weather states, like Colorado, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, fared well, which was a little surprising, says Tainya Clarke, a statistician and one of the report’s authors. "Usually, we would think the warmer states would have more people outside running or biking or cycling because that's what we see on TV," she told CNN. As the report notes, research has consistently found that regular exercise lowers the risk of a host of conditions, improves mental health, and extends life. The bottom line? In virtually all regions, there’s room for improvement. "We have to pause and ask ourselves, are we doing great as a nation?” asks Clarke. “Is it really good that only 23% of our population is engaged in enough aerobic activity and muscle strength training, or do we need to do better?" (These 10 cities have the highest exercise rates, and three are in Colorado.)

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– Nebraska police stumbled upon a Christmas surprise during a routine traffic stop in Nebraska Tuesday. Per the York News-Times, an elderly couple claims the 60 pounds of high-grade marijuana stashed in the topper of their Toyota Tacoma pickup was meant for holiday presents. Patrick Jiron, 80, and Barbara Jiron, 70, were en route to Vermont from California when they were pulled over for failing to signal while driving over the center line of an interstate highway. Deputies immediately noticed the pungent scent of marijuana. After the county’s drug detection dog, Dundee, sensed a controlled substance, they conducted a probable cause search and found the drugs, estimated to have a $336,000 street value, in boxes. The Jirons confirmed that they possessed marijuana, which they said "was for Christmas presents," says Lt. Paul Vrbka of the sheriff’s department. In an update to the story, York News-Times reports that Barbara was released after being taken into custody due to medical issues. She has been cited in the case, while husband Patrick was booked on felony charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver and having no drug tax stamp. He has since been release after posting 10% of his $100,000 bond. Vrbka says the couple claims "they didn’t know it was illegal to transport marijuana in Nebraska." (Marijuana activists rolled a 100-pound joint in Massachusetts.)

Explorers visit Nazi sub off the Texas coast On the floor of the Gulf of Mexico lies a Nazi ship of ghosts... evidence of how close World War II came to the shores of Texas. It's a story most Americans never knew. “And there’s a very good reason," said shipwreck diver Richie Kohler. "The United States government didn’t want us to know. They didn’t want us to know how Germany was taking us to task, how successful these U-boats were.” Nazi propaganda films trumpeted the triumphs of Hitler’s U-boats, submarines that sank thousands of Allied ships — primarily in the North Atlantic. But there’s another story undocumented by films archived on the Internet. Nazi naval commanders dispatched 22 U-boats to prowl the Gulf of Mexico, including the Texas coastline. For the past 10 days, Robert Ballard, the underwater explorer who discovered the Titanic, has been searching shipwrecks that U-boats left behind along our Gulf Coast. "Hitler brought the war to our doorstep shortly after they declared war on us, so this was something that most American people do not realize: How close the war came, and how threatening it was," Ballard said. "They were extremely successful." Historians say U-boats sank at least 50 American ships in the Gulf, one in the very mouth of the Mississippi River. Americans managed to sink only one U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico. "It is a static time capsule, and all of these shipwrecks in deep water are just that. They’re moments frozen in time... in history," Ballard said. And they’re a ghostly reminder of a time when Hitler’s navy came startlingly close to the shores of Texas. ||||| Gulf camera reveals site of WWII sinking of SS Robert E. Lee, German U-boat The German U-boat fired upon the American steamboat as it approached the mouth of the Mississippi Spectacular footage detailing World War II wrecks thousands of feet down in the Gulf of Mexico has been released by scientists doing a months-long deep sea expedition in the area. Their ship, Exploration Vessel Nautilus, is loaded with experts from around the world, as a team lead by Penn State University checks the Gulf for damage from the BP Deep Water Horizon oil spill in 2010. Scientists control two remote operated submersible vehicles equipped with cameras and sample collection tools which are used to scour the murky bottom. Real-time video feeds pump out their every move on the web. Over this past weekend, amazing footage of two of the Gulf's most famous wrecks has been beamed back. New high definition images of the the SS Robert E. Lee and the German U-boat that sunk it in 1942 have been collected by the crew. The stricken vessels lie almost 5,000 feet deep and serve as silent grave sites for the souls who lost their lives as they went down. SS Robert E. Lee was carrying survivors from sister ships torpedoed in the Gulf, from Trinidad to New Orleans. On the June 30,1942, as it reached just 25 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River, a German torpedo hit. According to historical accounts, a lookout spotted the torpedo coming in and alerted the steamer's escort, the American submarine chaser USS PC-566. The ship immediately began dropping depth charges. The German U-boat, U-166, which launched the attack, was sunk with no survivors. Its wreck cannot be disturbed, now protected as a war grave for the 52 crew lost. On board the SS Robert E. Lee, lifeboats were scrambled and all but 15 of the 283 passengers and crew on board survived. They had just 15 minutes to get off before the boat disappeared under the waves. The Nautilus' ambitious deep sea expedition launched last month and is partly funded by BP oil spill reparations. It has given web viewers a unique look at life at the bottom of the Gulf. After starting with corals and moving on to rare sea life like the deep sea vampire squid and the bright blue siphonophore, efforts are now focused on investigating the area's rich military history. "I didn't know World War II was fought in our backyard," said Dr. Robert Ballard, who leads the trip. Ballard is among the world's most accomplished and well known deep-sea explorers, credited with the 1985 discovery of the wreck of RMS Titanic. "Many souls were lost on these wrecks and others, but now they are teeming with corals and undersea creatures. It's the amazing tapestry of life," Ballard said via email from on board the Nautilus. Photos show guns once used to protect the ship at the height of battle, now covered in majestic and colorful anemonies - a stark contrast to the violence of war. The expedition team will spend the week putting together detailed high resolution mapping of the wrecks using the latest in undersea technology. From the SS Robert E. Lee and U-166 they will move onto the Gulf Penn, a second world war tanker taken down by a U-boat in May 1942. They will then begin a dive on the SS Alcoa Puritan, a cargo ship torpedoed and sunk the same month. In total, 200 explorers will take part in the 120-day expedition which culminates in the fall with a tour of Kick 'em Jenny, the most active and dangerous submarine volcano in the Caribbean, just off the coast of Grenada. A close up look of world's second largest coral reef, the Belize/Honduras Mesoamerican reef is also included, all of it streamed back to viewers watching at home. "This is a voyage of discovery everyone can make," said Dr. Ballard in the expedition launch release. You can follow the Nautilus team live at Nautiluslive.org and via their Facebook page. ||||| Petroleum Survey discovers U-Boat Petroleum companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico’s outer continental shelf routinely provide the government with sonar data for areas with potential archaeological potential value. Several federal agencies review oil and natural gas-related surveys every year, and over the years the data have revealed more than 100 historic shipwrecks in U.S. waters. In 2001, scientists at the Minerals Management Service noted that “a German submarine definitely got our attention.” During World War II, U-boats prowled the Gulf of Mexico to disrupt the vital flow of oil carried by tankers departing ports in Louisiana and Texas. In just one year, the Kriegsmarine sank 56 Allied ships, including 17 tankers, while losing only one submarine – the Unterseeboot 166. German submarine predations so threatened the war effort that American government and industry responded with the longest petroleum pipeline project ever undertaken, building the “Big Inch” and “Little Big Inch” from East Texas to Illinois, and as far as New York. See WW II Big Inch and Little Big Inch Pipelines. But for the U-166, the war was over. Its final resting place remained a mystery for almost 60 years. The last victim of the U-166 was the passenger freighter Robert E. Lee, sunk by a single torpedo on July 30, 1942, while on its way to New Orleans. Her Naval escort ship, PC-566, rushed in to drop ten depth charges. The U-166 was believed to have escaped. It did not. Finding U-166 In 1986, a Shell Offshore vessel using a deep-tow system of the day recorded two close wrecks about 45 miles off the Louisiana coast in 5,000 feet of water. Thought to be the Robert E. Lee and cargo freighter Alcoa Puritan, it was May 2001 before an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) using side scan sonar revealed the U-166. The lost World War II submarine was separated from Robert E. Lee by less than a mile on the sea floor. The AUV, which required no cable connection to its mother ship, found the Alcoa Puritan 14 miles away. Learn more about the petroleum industry’s offshore robotics in ROV – Swimming Socket Wrench. Six other World War II vessels have been discovered in the course of Gulf of Mexico oil and natural gas surveys. As a result of the U-166’s discovery, BP and Shell altered their proposed pipeline to preserve the site and government archaeologists notified the U.S. Navy Historical Center of the discovery. “They, in turn, notified the German Embassy and military attaché,” the MMS article explains. “Since the remains of the U-166’s 52 crewmen are still on board, the German government has declared the site to be a war grave and has requested that it remain undisturbed.” Editor’s Note – Since 2011, the Minerals Management Service has become the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ The American Oil & Gas Historical Society preserves U.S. petroleum history. Support this AOGHS.org energy education website with a contribution today. For membership information, contact [email protected]. © 2018 Bruce A. Wells. ||||| *TWO WEEKS LEFT* Know a creative young explorer? Their artwork could go on an ocean adventure aboard E/V Nautilus! We're looking for original artwork from artists 6-18 years old to design our official 2019 expedition patch. Apply by January 31: https://t.co/urOvDR92Fg ||||| GULFPORT -- Out of the shadows of the deep it slowly appeared. The railing, and what looked like cargo studded with coral, emerged to the crew aboard of exploration vessel Nautilus. In the Gulf of Mexico for a number of missions under the umbrella The New America, the Ocean Exploration Trust identified the USS Peterson (DD 969), a destroyer built at Ingalls' Pascagoula Shipyard. About 10 years ago, the U.S. Navy sank the decommissioned ship as part of a weapons test. Its exact location was unknown until July 7, when the Nautilus pinpointed its watery grave. The destroyer's identification is part of the mission of the Nautilus' crew, led by Robert Ballard, world famous for discovering the Titanic, among other wrecks. Between July 6 and July 14, the crew explored a number brine pools and deepwater coral reefs in addition to the wrecks. Sunken German U-boat Arguably the expedition's most exciting moments for history buffs came when the crew probed the wreckage of German U-boat U-166 -- the only known U-boat sunk in the Gulf of Mexico -- as well as several of the U-boat's targets, such as the SS Gulf Penn and SS Robert E. Lee. Spokeswoman Susan Poulton said the crew already knew the German sub's location, but returned to explore further with Hercules and Argus, two remotely operated vehicles controlled from aboard the Nautilus. "To our knowledge, this particular wreck site has not been mapped with 3-D mapping," Poulton said Tuesday while Nautilus was docked at the Port of Gulfport. "Our mapping team went in and did surveys of the area, which will help our archaeologists better understand what happened and how she sunk. "We have the historical references, but now we actually have the physical evidence and the physical forensic archaeology." Poulton said the Robert E. Lee could be seen with a torpedo in it, and the U-boat was split in two by a depth charge that sank the sub and its 52-man crew. Most the passengers aboard the Robert E. Lee, which was carrying survivors from other U-boat attacks, survived. Discovering the unknown Poulton said discovering the unknown -- such as the Peterson -- often provides the biggest thrill. "So little of the ocean has been explored to begin with, photographed even less, mapped even less. So, you're talking about .0000 (percent)," she said. "Some of these scientists have spent their lives studying organisms and they've never seen a live sample." The Nautilus will head back out to the Gulf on Thursday as part of the Gulf Integrated Spill Response Consortium to better understand and predict the fundamental behavior of petroleum fluids in the ocean.

– Many never knew how close German U-boats came to US soil during World War II, but new high-def footage reveals several wrecks on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico. Robert Ballard, known for discovering the Titanic, is now mapping some of these wrecks, including the SS Robert E. Lee that was torpedoed by the German U-166 in 1942 and sank 45 miles off the coast of Louisiana. While most of the Lee's 286 passengers survived, the U-166 was hit by the Lee's Navy escort and sank less than a mile away with all 52 still aboard; it now slumbers as a protected war grave. Though U-boats sank more than 50 US ships in the Gulf, the U-166 is the only U-boat of the 22 that were directed to the Gulf that Americans managed to down, reports WFAA. Though the sub's location has long been known, a rep for the expedition tells the Sun Herald that the new "surveys of the area ... will help our archaeologists better understand what happened and how she sunk." The 120-day deep-sea exploration, launched last month, is being carried out by Ballard and what will eventually total 200 explorers; they're searching the area using the Exploration Vessel Nautilus, in an effort funded in part by BP oil spill reparations. The explorers first investigated the area's corals and rare sea life, including the deep sea vampire squid, and are now turning their lenses on the region's military history. "Many souls were lost on these wrecks and others, but now they are teeming with corals and undersea creatures," Ballard tells the Houston Chronicle. "It's the amazing tapestry of life." Follow the explorers' live stream here or view photos here. (Another German sub, the U-550, was found off Nantucket.)

Another day, and another record for Apple's stock. Shares of Apple (AAPL) topped their day-old all-time high, hitting $696.82 Friday amid strong enthusiasm for the iPhone 5. Apple unveiled its new faster and thinner iPhone earlier this week, and pre-orders for the new device sold out in less than an hour when they began Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific (3 a.m. ET). Last year, it took 22 hours for pre-orders to sell out. Analysts on Wall Street are predicting the new smartphone will be a major success. Related: 4G iPhone 5 sounds death knell for 3G ||||| We recently wrote that following all the leaks and rumors leading up to the iPhone 5 unveiling, the only thing more predictable than the new iPhone itself was people’s reactions to it. Well, the only thing even more predictable than response to the iPhone 5 was the fact that preorders would sell out quickly. Apple (AAPL) made preorders of its new iPhone available on apple.com at 3:01 a.m. EDT, 12:01 a.m. PDT and in less than one hour, the company’s initial stock of new iPhones for Verizon Wireless (VZ), AT&T (T) and Sprint (S) was depleted. Disappointing indeed. Shipping time for new orders placed on Apple’s website slipped to two weeks just before 4:00 a.m. EDT, where it remained at the time of this writing. Verizon, AT&T and Sprint each still quoted launch-day delivery for new iPhone 5 preorders placed as of 8:15 a.m. EDT Friday morning. UPDATE: Verizon ran out of launch-day stock late Friday morning, and AT&T sold out of its preliminary iPhone 5 inventory just before 1:00 p.m. EDT on Friday. UPDATE 2: Sprint is now quoting delivery times of up to 2 weeks for new iPhone 5 preorders.

– We're not sure if this means it's going to save the economy or anything, but the new iPhone looks like a sales hit; it sold out in less than an hour on Apple.com, BGR reports, despite bellyaching from pundits that it was too incremental an upgrade. The feat is especially impressive given that preorders went up at 3:01am Eastern. Of course, there are other places online where the phones will be available. As of this writing, preorders still appear to be available from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. Not surprisingly, Apple shares hit a record high today, CNN reports: $696.82.

Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. German investigators said Tuesday they have identified eight suspected Nazi war criminals who worked at the former Stutthof concentration camp near Gdansk, Poland. “Following our investigations, we have identified four men and four women,” Jens Rommel, the head of the central office for Nazi crime investigations in Ludwigsburg, Germany told NBC News. Items belonging to former prisoners at the Stutthof Nazi concentration camp in Poland were found during an archaeological excavation earlier this year. ADAM WARZAWA / EPA Initial legal inquiries into “accessory to murder in several thousand cases” were forwarded to prosecutors’ offices across Germany, Rommel said. Local prosecutors will now need to assess whether there is enough evidence against the eight suspects to bring charges. Between June and August 1944, thousands of people were killed by the Nazis in the gas chambers and with neck shots at the Stutthof camp, Rommel explained. The male suspects had worked as guards at the Stutthof camp, while the women had been employed as typists or phone operators, Rommel said. He added that all of the suspects were born between 1918 and 1927, meaning they would be in their late 80s or 90s. Investigators in Ludwigsburg are continuing their research and investigations for former concentrations camps Auschwitz and Majdanek, while they recently expanded their search to former Nazi concentration camps Bergen-Belsen and Neuengamme. In June, a German court convicted 94-year-old former Auschwitz guard Reinhold Hanning of being an accessory to 170,000 counts of murder. Related: Pope Offers Silent Prayer at Auschwitz The 2011 prosecution of John Demjanjuk, an autoworker who lived in the U.S. for years after the war and was convicted of 28,060 counts of being an accessory to murder, was a game-changer for the German legal system. The court's ruling that he could be convicted on his service record alone, triggered a search for dozens of suspected Auschwitz guards who were still believed to be living in Germany. Two others are currently on trial in Germany for “accessory to murder” during the Nazi regime. ||||| FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2015 file picture Jens Rommel, the head of a special prosecutors' office that looks into Nazi war crimes,poses in Ludwigsburg, Germany. German prosecutors say they have tracked... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Nov. 24, 2015 file picture Jens Rommel, the head of a special prosecutors' office that looks into Nazi war crimes,poses in Ludwigsburg, Germany. German prosecutors say they have tracked... (Associated Press) BERLIN (AP) — German prosecutors say they have tracked down eight people who allegedly worked at the Nazis' Stutthof concentration camp during World War II and are considering whether they can be charged as accessories to murder. Jens Rommel, the head of a special prosecutors' office that looks into Nazi war crimes, told news agency dpa on Tuesday that four male suspects worked as guards and four women were secretaries or telephone operators. Rommel's office, which doesn't bring cases to court itself, handed the cases to prosecutors across Germany for them to consider whether to file charges. Some 65,000 people died at Stutthof. German prosecutors in recent years have pursued Nazi suspects under new legal reasoning that, even without evidence of a specific crime, they can be prosecuted if they helped camps operate.

– Eight elderly men and women could be charged with working at a Nazi concentration camp in Poland during WWII, the AP reports. German investigators say the four men were guards at Stutthof concentration camp and the four women were telephone operators and secretaries. According to Reuters, the eight individuals were identified by Jens Rommel, Germany's head Nazi hunter, and the Central Office for the Investigation of Nazi Crimes. Rommel has forwarded the cases to local prosecutors, who could charge the individuals with "accessory to murder in several thousand cases," NBC News reports. The individuals are in their late 80s or 90s. Approximately 65,000 people were killed at the Stutthof concentration camp. German prosecutors have recently started going after people for allegedly working at Nazi concentration camps even when their specific crimes aren't known. "Given the vast system of concentration and extermination camps put in place by the Nazis, and the number of personnel needed to run and guard these sites, it comes as no surprise that a few of these perpetrators are still alive, even today," Reuters quotes a statement from the World Jewish Congress as saying. The German government has given Rommel and his office nine more years to investigate Nazi crimes from WWII.

Campbell Soup Company said Thursday it was voluntarily recalling 355,000 cans of SpaghettiOs after pieces of red plastic were found "in a small number of cans" in the U.S. The plastic, which peeled off of the cans' lining, posed a "potential choking hazard," the company said, adding that the "issue was identified after the company received consumer complaints." The affected cans were 14.2 ounces, the company said, and contained a date — February 22, 2017 — stamped on the base. Related: Campbell's Drops 10 Ingredients From Chicken Soup Campbell said full refunds or exchanges would be offered. ||||| 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. ||||| Campbell Soup Company is voluntarily recalling cans of SpaghettiOs because of potential choking hazard. The company said a small number of the 14.2-ounce cans of SpaghettiOs Original could contain pieces of red plastic. The plastic material is from parts of the can lining which may peel off, according to a release. The affected cans have a date of Feb. 22, 2017, which is stamped on the base of the can and a UPC code 51000 22432 printed under the bar code. The recall affects 355,000 cans in the United States. The company says they recalled the product after receiving complaints from consumers. The company says the product should not be eaten. People who have bought the affected product should return it to the store where it was purchased for an exchange or full refund. For more information call 866-535-3774 between 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday or visit www.Facebook.com/SpaghettiOs.

– Any cans of SpaghettiOs lurking in your cupboards should be inspected in case they're part of a batch containing a potential choking hazard, the Campbell Soup Company says. The company says pieces of red plastic from the lining were found in a small number of cans and that it is recalling a batch of 355,000 cans, NBC News reports. WSB-TV reports that the voluntary recall was made after complaints from consumers, who will be able to get full refunds. The affected cans have a date of Feb. 22, 2017, on the base of the can, with the UPC code 51000 22432 appearing under the bar code. "Please don't eat this product," Campbell says in a Facebook post. (The company has been tinkering with its chicken soup recipe.)

By Tara Haelle HealthDay Reporter (HealthDay) MONDAY, June 8, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Having general anesthesia during surgery at a very young age may be linked to poorer brain development, new research suggests. Children who had received general anesthesia during surgery before they turned 4 years of age later scored slightly lower on listening comprehension and parts of an IQ test, compared to children who had never had general anesthesia, the researchers found. The children's overall IQ scores, however, remained within the normal range. "It is difficult to see whether this decrease had any functional effect for an individual child," said study author Dr. Andreas Loepke, a professor of clinical anesthesia and pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. But, he added, "these concerns make it obvious that a lot more research is needed to better understand the effects of anesthetics on brain development." The findings, published online June 8 and in the July print issue of the journal Pediatrics, echo those of earlier studies that have pointed to a similar link. Loepke and his colleagues compared 53 children who had undergone surgery using general anesthesia before they were 4 years old with 53 children who had never been exposed to general anesthesia. Each child from the first group was matched to a child in the second group according to age, sex, socioeconomic status and being left- or right-handed. All of the children underwent IQ and language development testing as well as imaging with an MRI. The scores for all the children in both groups were within the normal range. But the children with a history of surgery had listening comprehension and performance IQ scores that averaged 3 to 6 points lower than the kids without surgery. Performance IQ refers to several combined components from an overall IQ test. A score of 100 is considered average. In addition, those with a lower performance IQ and listening comprehension had slightly less gray matter in two areas at the back of their brains, the researchers found. "The very receptors that anesthetics act on to produce unconsciousness during surgery are also important for stimulating neurons to form proper connections and to survive," Loepke said. "Anesthetic exposure may interfere with normal brain development." However, one expert cautioned, this small study only shows a link between lower scores and a history of general anesthesia. It cannot show that anesthesia caused brain development problems, said Dr. Raafat Hannallah, a pediatric anesthesiologist at Children's National Health System in Washington, D.C. "Studies in children have limitations that prevent experts from understanding whether the harmful effects, if any, were due to the anesthetic drugs or to other factors, such as the surgery or related illness," Hannallah said. Loepke also mentioned other factors that can occur during surgery that might have unknown effects, such as inflammation, pain or the underlying medical problem being treated. "Hence, our study cannot conclusively identify any of these factors to be the cause for the reported findings," he said. In addition, skipping surgery may lead to similar or worse concerns about brain development, Loepke pointed out. "Surgery is only performed to save lives or to prevent serious health complications," Loepke said. "So not performing these crucial surgeries may put the child at greater risk for developmental complications than the theoretical risk linked to the anesthetic exposure." The majority of children in this study underwent surgery for ear, nose or throat conditions, especially hearing conditions. General surgery and urology comprised the other two common surgery types. "Concerns regarding the unknown risk of a surgical procedure and anesthetic exposure to a child's brain development must be weighed against the potential harm associated with canceling or delaying a needed surgical or diagnostic procedure," Hannallah said. "The child's doctors, including the physician anesthesiologist, are best able to provide this advice." For those children who need surgical procedures, anesthesia and surgery today are "safer than ever," Loepke added. "Survival is much improved even for critically ill babies and procedures that were unthinkable just two or three decades ago," he said. At least two previous studies, one from Australia and the other from the Mayo Clinic, also published in Pediatrics in 2011 and 2012, also found a potential link between anesthesia in young children undergoing surgery and language deficits. Researchers are continuing to study both animals and children to learn more about whether anesthetics have any effect on brain development, Loepke said, but these findings should not be used to delay a necessary procedure. "Bottom line, kids do not undergo anesthesia for the fun of it," Hannallah said. "They do because they need a surgical or diagnostic procedure to keep them healthy or cure an existing condition. This should not change based on current knowledge." More information For more on preparing children for anesthesia, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists. ||||| Surgical anesthesia given to children under the age of 4 years may be associated with reduced gray matter density in certain brain regions, leading to lower IQ and poorer language development. This is according to a new study by researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital, OH. Children who underwent general anesthesia for surgery before the age of 4 were found to have poorer intelligence and language development. Children who underwent general anesthesia for surgery before the age of 4 were found to have poorer intelligence and language development. Lead study author Dr. Andreas Loepke, of the Department of Anesthesiology at Cincinnati Children's, and colleagues publish their findings in the journal Pediatrics. In past research, Dr. Loepke and colleagues found that general anesthesia led to nerve cell death and cognitive impairment in mice and rats, which sparked concern about how general anesthesia may impact the human brain in early life - a crucial neurodevelopmental period. As such, the team set out to assess how general anesthesia given to children undergoing surgery before the age of 4 years may affect brain structure, IQ and language development. "The ultimate goal of our laboratory and clinical research is to improve safety and outcomes in young children who have no choice but to undergo surgery with anesthesia to treat their serious health concerns," says Dr. Loepke. "We also have to better understand to what extent anesthetics and other factors contribute to learning abnormalities in children before making drastic changes to our current practice," he adds, "which by all measures has become very safe." Anesthesia before age 4 linked to lower gray matter density in cerebellum, occipital cortex The researchers enrolled 53 participants aged 5-18 years who had undergone surgery involving general anesthesia before the age of 4, alongside 53 age-matched participants who had not had surgery. None of the children had a history of neurologic or psychological illness, according to the team, and none had experienced traumatic brain injuries. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to analyze the children's brain structures, and the children were also required to complete IQ and language development tests, including the Oral and Written Language Scales and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. While all children's test scores were within the normal range in comparison with the general population, the team found that those who underwent surgery had much lower IQ and language development scores than those who had not had surgery. What is more, the researchers found that the lower test scores among the children who underwent surgery were mediated by reduced gray matter density in the occipital cortex and cerebellum of the brain. These findings remained after accounting for potential confounding factors, including children's age, gender, socioeconomic status, left or right handedness, the type of surgery performed and the length of exposure to anesthetics. Lower IQ scores may equate to lifetime earnings loss of $560 billion According to the researchers, the lower IQ scores identified among children who received general anesthesia for surgery is the equivalent to a potential loss of around a 5-6 IQ points. They note that this finding could have important implications for society, pointing to one previous study that estimated every 1-point IQ loss may reduce a person's lifetime earnings potential by $18,000. The researchers calculate that among the 6 million children who undergo surgery in US each year, a 5-6-point loss in IQ could equate to a potential lifetime earnings loss of $540 billion. The team notes that their findings emphasize the importance of finding better ways to administer anesthesia to young children undergoing surgery - something they are currently investigating in laboratory studies. However, they stress that current anesthesia techniques are very safe and that the benefits of surgery for young children far outweigh the risks associated with anesthetic exposure. "It is important to note that no surgeries are truly elective in young children," Dr. Loepke notes. "Many surgical procedures early in life treat life-threatening conditions, avert serious health complications, or improve quality of life. These cannot be easily postponed or avoided." In June 2014, Medical News Today reported on a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which provided insight into what happens to the human brain as it recovers from the effects of general anesthesia. The research team - including Andrew Hudson of the University of California-Los Angeles - found that the brain has to go through a series of certain states, or "way stations," in order to recover from anesthetic. "We found that certain states act as hubs through which the brain must pass to continue on its way to consciousness," Hudson explains. ||||| The youngest surgical patients might suffer down the road with eroded abilities to communicate and understand, according to a new study that adds weight to evidence that anesthesia can damage the developing brain. A team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital compared kids who had surgery before they were 4 years old with peers of the same age, gender and socioeconomic status. Their study included 106 5- to 18-year-olds who underwent assessments to measure brain development. The researchers also looked at MRI images of the children’s brains. Surgery appeared to be associated with lower language abilities and cognition, and with lower brain mass, they reported today in the journal Pediatrics. The study isn’t perfect: It looks back on a group of kids studied for another research project and includes a relatively small sample group. The scientists can say only that they think they’ve found an association and can’t prove that anesthesia caused the deficits. But it provides more evidence of the importance of other work to figure out how anesthesiologists can do less potential harm during unavoidable surgical procedures on babies and children, said lead author Dr. Andreas Loepke. All of the kids in the group had test scores that were within normal ranges, he said. But those who had operations had significantly lower scores in listening comprehension, lower IQs and less brain density in certain areas. “These children are not dying. These effects are fairly subtle, but they’re still concerning, and that’s why I think we need to act on them,” Loepke said. Previous research has estimated that the loss of a single IQ point can correlate with a decrease in a person’s lifetime earnings potential by $18,000. This study found a potential loss of five or six points. The researchers pointed out that based on an estimated 6 million pediatric surgeries annually, the lifetime potential loss in earnings could be $540 billion. Loepke said continued work in Cincinnati and elsewhere, including in Columbus, aims to provide more answers about how to make anesthesia safer for pediatric patients. That could mean finding new anesthetics or figuring out whether some in use are safer than others. It could mean replacing general anesthesia with regional anesthesia, or discovering techniques to reverse or mitigate the damage. “These are not elective surgeries. (The children) need the surgery,” Loepke said. “What we’re trying to figure out is how do we make anesthesia even safer.” Dr. Emmett Whitaker, attending pediatric anesthesiologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, said the study is solid and gives anesthesiologists more valuable information about what previous research — most of it on rats and mice — has shown. Whitaker said he is particularly concerned about the smaller brain volume seen in the kids who had been given anesthesia. “If a loss of neurons is what’s occurring, that’s a big concern,” he said. Anesthesiologists and surgeons already strive to limit the exposure a child has to anesthesia by making sure everything is ready to go when they enter the operating room. When a child must have two procedures (or a surgery and an MRI that requires sedation), they try to do them during one visit. “We’re starting to try to identify less-toxic regimens,” Whitaker said. Dr. Ibrahim Farid, chairman of anesthesia and pain medicine at Akron Children’s Hospital, said he is eager for results of other studies that aim to figure out whether regional anesthesia could replace general anesthesia in some operations, thereby decreasing risks to the brain. Another study is comparing twins — one who had surgery, one who didn’t — prospectively, and that should prove enlightening as well, he said. Previous studies point to a high-risk period around a child’s first birthday, he said, and that might mean that it makes sense to try to postpone surgeries until age 2 when possible. Repairs to hernias and removal of extra digits or masses can often wait safely, Farid said. [email protected] @MistiCrane ||||| CINCINNATI - Children who received general anesthesia for surgery before age 4 had diminished language comprehension, lower IQ and decreased gray matter density in posterior regions of their brain, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center report their findings in the journal's June 8 online edition. The authors recommend additional studies to determine anesthesia's precise molecular effects on the brain and contribution to diminished brain function and composition. Researchers say this knowledge could make it possible to develop mitigating strategies for what the authors describe as a potential dilemma for child health. "The ultimate goal of our laboratory and clinical research is to improve safety and outcomes in young children who have no choice but to undergo surgery with anesthesia to treat their serious health concerns," said Andreas Loepke, MD, PhD, FAAP, lead study author and an anesthesiologist in the Department of Anesthesiology at Cincinnati Children's. "We also have to better understand to what extent anesthetics and other factors contribute to learning abnormalities in children before making drastic changes to our current practice, which by all measures has become very safe." Loepke and his research colleagues have published previous studies showing widespread cell death, permanent deletion of neurons and neurocognitive impairment in laboratory rats and mice after exposure to general anesthesia. Those studies have raised concerns about similar effects in young children during a particularly sensitive neurodevelopmental period in early life, which researchers say could interfere with the refinement of neuronal networks and lead to long-term functional abnormalities. For their current retrospective study, the authors compared the scores of 53 healthy participants of a language development study (ages 5 to 18 years with no history of surgery) with the scores of 53 children in the same age range who had undergone surgery before the age of 4. The authors stress that average test scores for all 106 children in the study were within population norms, regardless of surgical history. Still, compared with children who had not undergone surgery, children exposed to anesthesia scored significantly lower in listening comprehension and performance IQ. Researchers also report that decreased language and IQ scores were associated with lower gray matter density in the occipital cortex and cerebellum of the brain. Researchers, who used extensive analysis of surgical and other medical records, said the children were matched for age, gender, handedness and socioeconomic status - all confounding factors of cognition and brain structure. The authors also factored into their calculations the types of surgeries and length of exposure to anesthetics. The anesthetics used during the surgeries included common agents such as sevoflurane, isoflurane or halothane (used alone or in combination) and nitrous oxide. Children included in the study did not have a history of neurologic or psychological illness, head trauma or any other associated conditions. Neurocognitive assessments included the Oral and Written Language Scales and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. Brain structural comparisons were conducted by MRI scans. Estimated Social Cost Extending their study a step beyond the medical data, the research team also considered the potential societal impact of their findings. Earlier research from 2008 had estimated the loss of 1 IQ point to decrease a person's lifetime earnings potential by $18,000. Factoring in the potential loss of 5 or 6 IQ points found in their current study, the researchers report that, based on the estimated 6 million children who undergo surgery in the United States each year the lifetime potential earnings loss could total $540 billion. Emphasis on Safety Although data in the current study highlight the need to look for improved methods of administering anesthesia, Loepke and his colleagues emphasize that current methods are very safe. Loepke advises parents who are concerned to discuss with their pediatrician and surgeon the risks of a surgical procedure - and the potential risk of anesthetic exposure - versus the risks of not having a surgery. "It is important to note that no surgeries are truly elective in young children," Loepke said. "Many surgical procedures early in life treat life-threatening conditions, avert serious health complications, or improve quality of life. These cannot be easily postponed or avoided." Loepke also stressed that researchers at Cincinnati Children's are actively looking for alternative anesthetic techniques in their ongoing laboratory studies. Drugs are being tested that show potential for lessening the harmful effects of anesthetics in laboratory rats and mice, and this research is ongoing. Additionally, the medical center is participating in an international clinical trial to test an alternative anesthetic regimen in young children undergoing urological procedures. ### Collaborating on the current study were: the first author, Barynia Backelijauw, BS, currently a medical student at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UC); Scott Holland, PhD., Imaging Research Center-Division of Radiology at Cincinnati Children's and Mekibib Altaye, PhD., Division of Biostatistics/Epidemiology at Cincinnati Children's. Drs. Loepke, Holland and Altaye are on faculty at the UC. Funding support came in part from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD38578); the University of Cincinnati Research, Observation, Service and Education Student and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Programs, and from departmental funds of the Department of Anesthesiology, Cincinnati Children's. About Cincinnati Children's:

– A new study out of the University of Cincinnati suggests that kids who need general anesthesia before the age of 4 might suffer the consequences years later with lower IQs. In the study published in Pediatrics, researchers looked at 106 kids ages 5 to 18, half of whom had surgery before their fourth birthday, reports Medical News Today. Generally speaking, the kids who had been under anesthesia scored worse on intelligence tests and in listening comprehension, and they had less gray matter in two areas of the brain (the cerebellum and occipital cortex), reports HealthDay News. All of the kids in the study were still in the normal range for IQs, but the researchers found that the anesthesia kids consistently scored about 5 or 6 points lower. "The very receptors that anesthetics act on to produce unconsciousness during surgery are also important for stimulating neurons to form proper connections and to survive," says study author Andreas Loepke. "Anesthetic exposure may interfere with normal brain development." In a post at Eureka Alert, the team even puts a societal cost on the problem of $540 billion, based on earlier research suggesting that the loss of one IQ point translates to a lifetime earnings drop of $18,000. So what to do? These are typically unavoidable surgeries, but the study shows the importance of figuring out safer protocols for kids—maybe more regional anesthetics instead of general anesthesia, or methods to limit the damage, for example, reports the Columbus Dispatch. (A previous study looked at the scary-sounding problem of people waking up during surgery.)

Alicya Rodriguez, 9, of Thornton says she receives $1 per lost tooth, which she plans to divide between saving and spending. She puts the tooth into the palm of a porcelain figure, below, and the Tooth Fairy takes it from there. According to a survey, 29 percent of U.S. kids get $1 for a lost tooth. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post) The economy is so tough that it has taken a bite out of what kids get for losing teeth. Compared with a year ago, youngsters reaching under their pillows have found an average of 40 cents less per tooth, according to a recent Visa Inc. survey. The going rate nationally per tooth is down to $2.60 from $3. Alicya Rodriguez, a Thornton fourth-grader, said she hadn't heard of the downturn, "but I haven't lost a tooth for a while." She said she and her friends receive $1 per tooth, which she plans to split between saving and spending when "a couple of wiggly" teeth finally come out. The amount shelled out varies in different areas of the country. The Tooth Fairy largess is up in the West, where the average reimbursement per tooth rose to $2.80 from last year's $2.70. In other areas of the nation, getting money out of the Tooth Fairy is like pulling teeth. The average payout in the East is $2.10, down 38 percent from $3.40 in 2010; the South, $2.60, down 21 percent from last year's average of $3.30; and the Midwest, $2.80, down 3 percent from 2010's $2.90. "The survey gives parents the opportunity to start talking with kids — even pretty little ones — about money management," said Jason Alderman, Visa's senior director of financial education. Parents can ask what the child wants to do with the money — buy a toy, put it in savings or give it to charity. Advertisement "What we have gotten from the Tooth Fairy is seared in our brains," said Alderman. "You probably don't remember the check that Aunt Edna sent you for your birthday, but you remember how much the Tooth Fairy left you." Some Tooth Fairies give gold or silver coins. Molars and front teeth seem to be worth more. Dr. Rhea Haugseth said most parents keep it reasonable. "I tell them there are 20 baby teeth and they need to think about what that could cost," said Haugseth, president of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post) Haugseth suggests no more than $5, a stocking-stuffer item or doing a "kindness" through TheRealToothFairy.com. Some families scramble. The Tooth Fairy that visits the Hourigan home "is horrible," writes Melissa Hourigan of Denver. Her 9-year-old daughter "has come to expect that the Tooth Fairy is backed up and sometimes delayed on getting the tooth and providing payment." Once, their daughter got a Target card "because we felt bad and wanted to do something," Hourigan said. "Well, that clearly has set the tone. It is amazing how much these little ones talk about going rates with Tooth Fairies. It seems like everyone is giving between $2 and $5." Other survey findings include: 10 percent of children receive no money from the Tooth Fairy, up from 6 percent last year; 7 percent receive less than a dollar; 29 percent receive exactly $1, compared with 37 percent last year; 18 percent receive between $2 and $4; and 18 percent receive $5, compared with 22 percent in 2010. The survey is based on 1,006 phone interviews of adults ages 18 and older nationally from July 7 to 12. Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or [email protected] ||||| "The thing that drives me bonkers at work is to open up the trash can drawer and see a cup half-full of water that was carefully placed into the trash can so it doesn't spill--in a trash can an arm's length away from the kitchen sink!99% of the people in my office are college graduates, probably toward the top of their class. But some without enough common sense to pour the water in the sink before putting the cup into the trash can.I probably should make a sign... :-)" — Chris Baker ||||| Writes Carolyn in Brooklyn: “My youngest daughter, Annisa, clearly had a problem with her recalcitrant tooth fairy. This is a series of letters, including an envelope, that I saved from her early years. I have no doubt that her finely tuned negotiating skills were developed as a result.” The best part? Annisa, who just turned 31 on Saturday, is now — no joke — a Director of Human Resources.” (I really didn’t think this tooth-fairy letter could be topped, but in terms of sheer precociousness — not to mention determination — I think we have a new winner.) related: Look, Tooth Fairy, here’s the deal.

– The Tooth Fairy has been hit by the recession. Kids are getting an average of 40 cents less under their pillows this year compared to last year, according to a recent survey by Visa. The new going rate: $2.60, though the amount varies according to region. Children in the West get a whopping $2.80 on average, while those in the East must make do with $2.10. How are real children affected by this turn of events? One fourth-grader hadn't noticed, the Denver Post reports. "But," she says, "I haven't lost a tooth for a while." (Check out some hilarious Tooth Fairy correspondence here and here.)

Stephen Hawking: I didn't learn to read until I was eight and I was a lazy student Physicist Stephen Hawking has admitted being a lazy student He is regarded as having one of the brightest minds on the planet. But eminent astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has admitted that he did not learn to read until he was eight years old. In a public lecture at the Royal Albert Hall, Professor Hawking also admitted that he was lazy while at Oxford University, where he studied physics, and that only the diagnosis that he might die young from motor neurone disease impelled him to concentrate on his work. Professor Hawking said: ‘My sister Philippa could read by the age of 4 but then she was definitely brighter than me.’ He said that he was unexceptional at school and was never further than halfway up his class. ‘My classwork was very untidy, and my handwriting was the despair of my teachers,’ he said. ‘But my classmates gave me the nickname Einstein, so presumably they saw signs of something better.’ Even though he gained a first-class honours degree from Oxford, Professor Hawking told his audience that had had been incredibly lazy while at university and had barely worked for an hour a day. He said: 'I'm not proud of this. I'm just describing my attitude at the time, which I shared with most fellow students; boredom and feeling nothing was worth making an effort for.' But he said that it was when doctors told him that he probably only had a few years to live at the age of 21 that galvanized him into focusing on his work and a period of productivity that resulted in some of his early breakthroughs. He said: 'When faced with the possibility of an early death, it makes you realise that life is worth living and there are lots of things you want to do.' Jim Al-Khalili, Professor Physics at the University of Surrey, who was at the event, said: ‘I am certain that Stephen Hawking was destined to achieve great things in cosmology with or without his illness. 'While it must have been true that his diagnosis would have focused his mind, he could equally have chosen to leave physics and do something else entirely with what little time he thought he had left.’ Stephen Hawking with his first wife Jane, pictured in May 1974. The couple separated in 1991 Between 1965 and 1975, Professor Hawking developed the theory that black holes emerged after the Big Bang and developed a theory that collapsed stars radiate heat, which became known as ‘Hawking radiation’. Stephen Hawking is severely disabled by a type of motor neurone disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which has left him entirely paralysed. He speaks using cheek muscles that activate predictive test software which is then translated into a synthesised voice. His book about science and the universe for the layman, A Brief History of Time, was published on 1 April 1988 and made Hawking into a superstar of cosmology. In his controversial new book , The Grand Design, Professor Hawking has claimed that modern physics leaves no room for a Creator - and that science could explain the origins of the universe. ||||| Stephen Hawking: I didn't learn to read until I was eight and I was a lazy student Physicist Stephen Hawking has admitted being a lazy student He is regarded as having one of the brightest minds on the planet. But eminent astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has admitted that he did not learn to read until he was eight years old. In a public lecture at the Royal Albert Hall, Professor Hawking also admitted that he was lazy while at Oxford University, where he studied physics, and that only the diagnosis that he might die young from motor neurone disease impelled him to concentrate on his work. Professor Hawking said: ‘My sister Philippa could read by the age of 4 but then she was definitely brighter than me.’ He said that he was unexceptional at school and was never further than halfway up his class. ‘My classwork was very untidy, and my handwriting was the despair of my teachers,’ he said. ‘But my classmates gave me the nickname Einstein, so presumably they saw signs of something better.’ Even though he gained a first-class honours degree from Oxford, Professor Hawking told his audience that had had been incredibly lazy while at university and had barely worked for an hour a day. He said: 'I'm not proud of this. I'm just describing my attitude at the time, which I shared with most fellow students; boredom and feeling nothing was worth making an effort for.' But he said that it was when doctors told him that he probably only had a few years to live at the age of 21 that galvanized him into focusing on his work and a period of productivity that resulted in some of his early breakthroughs. He said: 'When faced with the possibility of an early death, it makes you realise that life is worth living and there are lots of things you want to do.' Jim Al-Khalili, Professor Physics at the University of Surrey, who was at the event, said: ‘I am certain that Stephen Hawking was destined to achieve great things in cosmology with or without his illness. 'While it must have been true that his diagnosis would have focused his mind, he could equally have chosen to leave physics and do something else entirely with what little time he thought he had left.’ Stephen Hawking with his first wife Jane, pictured in May 1974. The couple separated in 1991 Between 1965 and 1975, Professor Hawking developed the theory that black holes emerged after the Big Bang and developed a theory that collapsed stars radiate heat, which became known as ‘Hawking radiation’. Stephen Hawking is severely disabled by a type of motor neurone disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which has left him entirely paralysed. He speaks using cheek muscles that activate predictive test software which is then translated into a synthesised voice. His book about science and the universe for the layman, A Brief History of Time, was published on 1 April 1988 and made Hawking into a superstar of cosmology. In his controversial new book , The Grand Design, Professor Hawking has claimed that modern physics leaves no room for a Creator - and that science could explain the origins of the universe.

– If you assumed a brilliant mind like Stephen Hawking learned to read before most of us were out of diapers, you're very, very wrong. During a lecture in London on Wednesday, the astrophysicist announced that he didn't learn to read until he was eight years old ... and was a lazy student, to boot. "My classwork was very untidy, and my handwriting was the despair of my teachers," he said, adding that while at Oxford, he spent barely an hour a day on schoolwork. "I'm not proud of this. I'm just describing my attitude at the time, which I shared with most fellow students; boredom and feeling nothing was worth making an effort for." The Daily Mail reports that the 68-year-old said his behavior changed when doctors told him, at age 21, that he only have a few years left to live. "When faced with the possibility of an early death, it makes you realize that life is worth living and there are lots of things you want to do."

Trulia's stock rose more than 14 percent in Monday premarket trading, while Zillow's stock fell more than 3 percent. Trulia shareholders will receive 0.444 shares of Zillow common stock for each share they hold, and will own approximately 33 percent of the combined company. Zillow Inc. shareholders will receive one comparable share of the combined company and own the other two-thirds of the business. The combined company will keep both the Trulia and Zillow brands. The companies said that there is limited consumer overlap of their brands, as about half of Trulia.com's monthly visitors don't visit Zillow.com. Zillow, which is based in Seattle, had 83 million unique users across mobile and online in June. San Francisco-based Trulia had 54 million unique users across its websites and mobile apps the same month. Trulia Inc. CEO Pete Flint will stay in his post and join the board of the combined business. He will report to Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff. Another Trulia director will join the combined company's board after the transaction is complete. Both companies' boards approved the deal. Both companies' shareholders still must approve it. The transaction is targeted to close next year. ||||| Online real-estate service Zillow agrees to buy rival Trulia for $3.5 billion. Pictured, Zillow's phone app. Bloomberg News Zillow Inc. Z -0.44% Zillow Inc. Cl A U.S.: Nasdaq $142.90 -0.63 -0.44% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1.33M AFTER HOURS $141.80 -1.10 -0.77% Volume (Delayed 15m) : 5,827 P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap $6.23 Billion Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee $275,180 07/31/14 Real Estate's Twitter Stars 07/29/14 Deals of the Day: Mall Deal in... 07/28/14 In Zillow-Trulia Deal, Making ... More quote details and news » Z in Your Value Your Change Short position and Trulia Inc., the two online real-estate giants that announced plans to merge Monday, have a message for real-estate agents that have grown increasingly concerned about their market clout: We're partners, not competitors. Zillow, the most-trafficked real-estate website, agreed to buy Trulia, the No. 2 company, hoping to create a market behemoth that will dominate listings of homes for sale and other information that buyers and sellers covet. At Zillow's closing share price of $160.32, the company would issue about $3.5 billion in stock in the deal, which is expected to close in 2015, and value Trulia at just over $71 per share. The concern of real-estate agents is understandable. The founders of Zillow came from Expedia about one decade ago where they eliminated the need for travel agents in booking many trips. Spencer Rascoff, chief executive officer of Zillow Inc. Bloomberg News But Zillow executives took care Monday to ease concerns that they might plan a repeat performance in the real-estate business. "We started Zillow as a media property, not a real-estate brokerage," said Spencer Rascoff, chief executive of Seattle-based Zillow. "We sell ads, not houses." Zillow executives say the combined company—which will maintain both companies' sites—will do even a better job of listing data on most houses in the country and connecting agents with buyers and sellers. That also will benefit real-estate companies that advertise on the sites, executives say. The acceptance of brokers will play a big part in determining whether the combined Zillow and Trulia succeeds. In the past 12 months through the first quarter they had combined annual revenues of about $400 million, but both lost money during the year. Thousands of agents throughout the country rely on websites today for market data, listings and leads. But many have never been happy about ceding control of the market information that they once dominated. The National Association of Realtors, a trade group, in 1996 started its own listings website, Realtor.com, which is now operated by Move Inc. The association continues to tout it over competitors like Zillow and Trulia. "Realtor.com is still the most accurate, up-to-date resource of real-estate information," said a spokesman for the association in an email Monday. The growth of companies like Zillow and Trulia underscores the more subtle disruption that the Internet has caused in the real-estate brokerage industry than it has elsewhere. In other businesses, like stock trading and travel, online companies have eliminated brokers and other middlemen. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that there were around 64,000 travel agents in 2013, compared with about 124,000 in 2000. But Zillow's founders say they understood early on that there always would be a need for real-estate agents, partly because buying and selling homes often are highly emotional decisions, and can be the biggest financial deals most people ever conduct. "In real estate, there will always be a practitioner in the middle of a transaction, helping consumers with an infrequent, complex, and emotional transaction," said Mr. Rascoff. Real-estate brokers have stayed busy as the Internet has grown. The BLS estimated that there were almost 198,000 real-estate brokers and agents in 2013, well more than the estimate of 140,000 in 2000. Although Zillow users can list their homes for sale without charge, it hasn't become more popular to sell a home without an agent. In 2001, about 13% of sales were a for-sale-by-owner property, according to the National Association of Realtors. In 2013, only 9% of sales fell into that category. But that's not to say that Zillow, Trulia and others haven't changed the home-sales process. Today, many buyers and sellers start their search by going online. Sites also are often checked by homeowners to see what their houses are worth and, as such, are important advertising tools for agents hoping to land listings from those possible sellers one day. Giving one company so much market clout is concerning to the brokerage industry and some real-estate agents are approaching news of the merger with trepidation. Although Zillow and Trulia might not try to replace agents, they say, a combined company could be able to charge agents more for advertising. California Association of Realtors president Kevin Brown wrote in an email that his association had concerns that "this merger will lead to fewer choices and higher advertising costs for our members and their clients." He wrote that "even in the Internet age, Realtors will continue to play an integral role in the home-buying and selling process." Lisa Chapman Bushnell, a real-estate agent in Marco Island, Fla., said she advertises on both Zillow and Trulia and spends more than $600 per month on each in order for her contact information to appear alongside listings when consumers search the sites. She said that both sites get her leads on buyers and that she won't be worried about the combined company unless it leads to higher advertising prices. The sites "have improved my production greatly," she said. Write to Joe Light at [email protected]

– Apparently, we're starting the workweek with competitors eating each other for breakfast. First Dollar Tree announced it would be buying rival Family Dollar, and now real estate heavyweight Zillow is snatching up competitor Trulia for a hefty $3.5 billion, reports the AP. The all-stock deal will result in a behemoth online real estate company that will retain both brands, with Trulia CEO Pete Flint reporting directly to Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff. One group likely to be less than thrilled: real estate agents and multiple-listings services that used to have a stranglehold on much-coveted real estate info, reports the Wall Street Journal. The sale is expected to be finalized in 2015 after shareholder approval and an antitrust waiting period, according to Yahoo Finance.

Milo Yiannopoulos, the revolting bête noire of the Alt-Right, a person who is such a reactionary American that he's British, seems to have made a critical mistake. Surely, conventional wisdom holds, even Republicans will balk at being asked to equate liberty with child molestation? Related See Bill Maher, Milo Yiannopoulos Talk Free Speech, Trolling Self-proclaimed internet troll butts heads with Larry Wilmore over transgender rights in "Overtime" segment As onetime conservative talk show host Charlie Sykes put it, "Anti-Semitism, ok. Racism, ok. Alt-right, ok. Advocacy of pedophilia? Is THAT the bridge too far?" Along with longtime Breitbart cohort Steve Bannon, the foppish Yiannopoulos – the co-author of the Alt-Right's unofficial manifesto – has until now been extremely successful in selling the various intellectual justifications for Trumpism. In particular, he's been one of the main voices pushing the idea that Donald Trump's most lurid and offensive behaviors are "conservative," because they represent a front in the war against speech limits and political correctness. "He'd rather grab a pussy than be one," was Milo's pithy take on then candidate Trump's Access Hollywood scandal. Not all traditional conservatives bought these clunky rhetorical gymnastics, which were designed to give Fox viewers permission to vote a Bible-averse, model-humping New Yorker into the White House. But enough did to win Trump the presidency. Still, there has been a lingering unwillingness among the National Review/Weekly Standard crew of Reagan Republicans to embrace Yiannopoulos and all he represents. That unwillingness spilled into open conflict when the loathsome campus agitator was named a keynote speaker at this week's Conservative Political Action Conference. A blog called the Reagan Battalion re-circulated excerpts of a year-old interview of Milo by the Drunken Peasants podcast, in which he clearly endorses sex between men and underage boys. Yiannopoulos talked about how "we get hung up on this kind of child abuse stuff," dismissing what he calls the "oppressive idea of consent." "In the homosexual world particularly," said Yiannopoulos, who is gay, "some of those relationships between younger boys and older men [are] sort of coming-of-age relationships ... in which those older men have helped those young boys to discover who they are." When one of the podcast co-hosts suggested that it sounded like he was talking about Catholic priest molestation, Yiannopoulous quickly co-signed, claiming personal experience in that area. "You know what?" he shouted. "I'm grateful for Father Michael. I wouldn't give nearly such good head if it wasn't for him." When challenged that he seemed to be endorsing pedophilia, Yiannopoulos then retreated to a semantic argument. "You're misunderstanding what pedophilia means," he said. "Pedophilia is not a sexual attraction to somebody 13 years old, who is sexually mature. Pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty." After a scandal blew up over these words, Yiannopoulos used a technique that Donald Trump has used often in the past two years: He simply claimed he didn't say what he said. Blaming "sloppy editing" for the controversy, Yiannopoulos insisted on his Facebook page, "I was talking about my own relationship when I was 17 with a man who was 29." He added, "The age of consent in the UK is 16. That was a mistake." This was despite the fact that Yiannopoulos explicitly talked about "sexually mature" 13-year-olds in the context of who can and cannot be a consenting adult. He has made similar remarks before – he revels in them, in fact. When he appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast last summer, for instance, he couldn't help himself when Rogan brought up the "semen warrior" culture in Papua New Guinea. "These men who take these young boys, " said Rogan, "and inseminate them, and put cum in their mouths and their asses to make them grow..." "Sounds like homosexuality," Yiannoploulos quipped. "Sounds great." The furor currently raging over Yiannopoulos's comments is exactly the sort of thing this professional button-pusher relishes. Like Trump, his shtick is to say crazy things to get attention, and then manipulate ears and eyeballs to his advantage mid-furor. A favored tactic is to direct his audiences toward some overemotional sap who has made the mistake of calling for him to be banned, at which point he triumphantly declares himself a champion of liberty, and his enemies censors and authoritarians. Timothy Fadek/Redux In his Alt-Right manifesto, Milo self-consciously celebrates the trolling phenomenon as something inspired, meaningful and "undeniably hysterical." And like all trolls, Yiannopoulos thinks his provocations are brilliant, when actually he's just a goof with an accent and a C-minus mind who says witlessly obnoxious things and through sheer accident of historical circumstance gets rewarded for it. He seems genuinely to believe that he's one of the first people ever to notice that you can make a good living through lying and the unscrupulous use of hate speech. With the confidence of a person who hasn't yet discovered the depth of his own unoriginality, he leans into controversies instead of recoiling from them, sure he can always spin things in a pinch. One of his main affectations is a flaunting of duplicity as a revolutionary virtue. For instance, it was predictable that this longtime critic of "victimhood culture" would cling to his own victimhood in a crisis. "I am a gay man, and a child abuse victim," he wrote, cloaking himself in multiple layers of the very identity politics he claims to despise. He even used AIDS patients as a human shield, which was a bit excessive even for him, but not out of character: "If I choose to deal in an edgy way on an Internet livestream with a crime I was the victim of that's my prerogative. It's no different to gallows humor from Aids [sic] sufferers." The "oppressive idea of consent" rant seems to have created problems for Yiannopoulos. Staffers at Breitbart, where he is a senior editor, are threatening to walk out unless he's fired. Moreover, he's been disinvited from CPAC, a development he will no doubt portray as an overreaction by a defeated and humorless Republican establishment. Milo's obvious play will be to use all of this coverage as free PR, seeking to come out the other side with his rebel credentials burnished. He'll recreate himself as a Republican martyr, unfairly maligned by a corrupt priesthood that fears the true movement. On the outside, this looks like a mistake. The Bannonite Alt-Right crew Milo represents imagines itself a brilliant group of intellectual danger-seekers, but trying to sell boy-buggering to the American Conservative Union sure seems more stupid than daring (and it's plenty daring). After all, the success of the Trump movement depends upon a nervous coalition of aging religious conservatives and young, race-baiting, Internet-addicted morons – the people GOP consultant Rick Wilson once called "childless single men who masturbate to anime." The link between these two groups has always been tenuous at best. Really, it's an absurd semantic misunderstanding, a classic Americanism, confusing the words "liberty" and "libertine." There's a big difference between believing in limited government, and completely rejecting all behavioral and sexual morality. But people like Yiannopoulos and Trump have been successful at blurring these lines, because we're not a very bright people. Also, we're inexperienced when it comes to this kind of high-level political con artistry. A dynamic that all good swindlers understand is that once you've gotten a person to make one embarrassing decision, it's easier to get him to make the next one. A person who loses 10 grand trying to buy the Brooklyn Bridge is a good bet to spend 20 more chasing the loss. Con artists call this "reloading." The Trump phenomenon has been like this. Megachurch moms and dads across the country grit their teeth when the "grab them by the pussy" tape came out, quietly convincing themselves that "locker-room talk" was less horrifying than a Hillary Clinton presidency. When they cast their votes weeks later, it was like a secret transgression that bound them to the new leader. This counter-intuitive brand of politics is very effective. It's why no one should be too quick to put this week's seeming fiasco with CPAC in the Republicans' loss column. One would think the last thing you'd want to do if your intent was to hold a fragile Republican coalition together is pitch Milo Yiannopoulos as a defender of family values. Why would the Mike Pence crowd ever rally behind a Brit with frosted hair who brags about getting blowjobs from priests? It seems preposterous. But watch it work. A week from now, the same conservatives who are beating their breasts about Yiannopoulos now will go crawling back into the Trump camp to fight the hated liberals on a dozen other issues. They will look weak and indecisive, and privately will be demoralized, while the Trump/Bannon/Milo crew will look like poker players who won a bluff. It's always about the next news cycle with these people. Trolling doesn't take brains. But it works, and it will keep working, until we learn to see through the provocations in real time. Until he joined Trump's team, Steve Bannon ran a news site that stoked hatred of everyone from women on birth control to President Obama. Watch here. ||||| Milo Yiannopoulos had everything he needed to be a smash success in today’s conservative world: a big personality, an intuitive sense for baiting the left and no inhibitions about causing offense. It hardly mattered that he did not consider himself much of a conservative. But Mr. Yiannopoulos’s downfall this week — a dizzying 24 hours in which he lost his speaking slot at the pre-eminent conservative conference, had a book deal canceled and, on Tuesday, resigned under pressure from his job as a senior editor at Breitbart News — was a sign that in today’s political culture, when each day seems to bring a fresh lowering of the bar for decency and civility, some limits still remain. His glib remarks about pedophilia by Roman Catholic priests and his endorsement of sexual relations with boys as young as 13 drew widespread condemnation from many of the conservatives who had long stood by him, even as he offended so many others with his insulting remarks about Hispanics, African-Americans, Muslims and Jews. Mr. Yiannopoulos, appearing in Lower Manhattan wearing a sober suit and red tie on Tuesday afternoon, uttered the words that he had refused to say so many times before: I’m sorry. “I don’t think I’ve been as sorry about anything in my whole life.” ||||| ADVERTISEMENT Milo Yiannopoulos has finally gone too far. The lightning rod Breitbart News editor was dumped by the Conservative Political Action Conference and Simon & Schuster on Monday, following the surfacing of videos in which Yiannapoulos seemed to condone pedophilia. And it's true, this was awful behavior from Yiannopoulos. But it's hardly the first — and probably not even the 10,000th — awful thing he's said or done. The University of California, Berkeley, is still smoldering from the violent rampage triggered by the appearance of the hate-mongering Breitbart News editor. And at least until this latest controversy, college Republicans, who organized the Berkeley event, were vowing to invite him back (along with right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones) to deliver his aborted address. That it took these pedophilia comments for conservatives to finally turn on Yiannopoulos speaks volumes about how low their movement has fallen. Yiannopoulos was a hate-peddling provocateur long before this. By inviting him to speak at universities around the country, many college Republicans apparently thought they were taking a brave stance against the forces of political correctness, and scoring one for free speech. In fact, they were discrediting their own movement by allying themselves with a vicious troll — demonstrating that they hate their enemies more than they love their alleged principles. Republican students have a right to invite whomever they want to say whatever they want (short of a targeted call for violence) unmolested and without censorship. Berkeley is a public university and is required not just by the First Amendment but its own mission to be a broad purveyor of ideas to create a "safe space" for Yiannopoulos. And CPAC is a private gathering that can put whomever it wants on its roster — and also remove those same people. But if Republicans have a right to invite Yiannaopoulos wherever they want, others have the right to judge them for the company they keep. And Yiannopoulos is very, very bad company. For starters, he writes for Breitbart, a go-to site for the alt-right movement, a loose conglomeration of long-standing nativist outfits such as VDare and FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform), and white supremacists. They all hate the left's political correctness and multiculturalism not because it offends America's commitment to individual rights and universalistic notions of justice, but because it comes in the way of their ethno-nationalistic project — which the site aids by peddling a constant stream of the vilest xenophobia (as I wrote here). But Yiannopoulos is a devilishly cunning man who is not easily categorized. He has devised an elaborate straddle, serving the alt-right while hiding behind his complex identity as a gay, Catholic, partly Jewish immigrant to make fun of the left's growing regime of intolerance. To be sure, this regime needs attacking. It has become impossible to challenge leftist orthodoxy on race, gender, sexuality, and other issues without being dubbed a racist, sexist, and bigot. The left has made discussion of too many issues taboo and vastly narrowed the terms of discussion on those that are allowed. But if "nothing goes" in the leftist moral universe, "anything goes" in Milo's and his fellow alt-right trolls'. And that, too, is a big problem. Yiannopoulos wants to replace the left's protective authoritarianism with the alt-right's nihilistic anarchism. If the left wants to empower the state to mollycoddle minorities, Yiannopoulos and his social media warriors want free rein to viciously bait and bully minorities — and mock them if they refuse to grin and bear it. It is a profoundly degraded and dehumanized spectacle. It's political sado-masochism. Now, in Yiannopoulos' appearances on campuses and elsewhere, there is often nothing particularly objectionable about him. To the contrary, he is funny, charming, knowledgeable, edgy, entertaining, and sometimes even insightful. Even his profanity-laden attacks aren't out of line compared to what you hear from contemporary stand-up comics. If that was all there was to Milo, you could simply shake your head at his over-the-top taunts, laugh a little, and move on. But it isn't. Yiannopoulos agrees with the alt-right that certain pop cultural products remain firmly the purview of white men and yield not another inch to diversity or feminizing. The first big battle on this front was the GamerGate blowup two years ago, when video-game-playing (mostly white) men unleashed a torrent of invective and abuse against female game developers who they felt were hell-bent on feminizing their products. Yiannopoulos tweeted and wrote constantly in support of the gamers, joining them in their attacks and depicting them as the real victims — a political jujitsu that he has now perfected to an art. Yiannopoulos was later banned from Twitter over his attacks last summer on Leslie Jones, a black woman starring in the new Ghostbusters. Yiannopoulos instigated and mobilized his massive alt-right Twitter brigade — already worked up about the movie's all-female cast — against Jones. They called her an "ape" and other terrible things. Then they created a fake Twitter account in her name and sent a series of tweets with anti-Semitic, homophobic slurs. When a distraught and bewildered Jones protested, Yiannopoulos simply berated her for playing the victim. Yiannopoulos and his fellow alt-righters don't just abuse leftists and their symbols. They also go after fellow right-wingers who disagree with them, especially on Trump. Milo's former Breitbart colleague, Ben Shapiro, who quit when the site became, as he put it, "Trump's Pravda," recounts that when his child was born, Yiannopoulos tweeted a picture of a black baby to taunt him for being a "cuckservative." (This is alt-right slang for a cuckolded conservative who enjoys watching his wife have sex with a black man, a metaphor for having been seduced by the left's multiethnic vision.) Now, Shapiro is no slouch himself when it comes to fighting the PC culture. He has written books like Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America's Youth. But because he is anti-Trump and Jewish, alt-righters flood him with anti-Semitic tweets replete with references to gas chambers. Yiannopoulos dismisses all of this with a flick of his thick artificial-blonde shock, glibly insisting that speech is not violence and most of his followers don't actually believe what they say. They are simply doing it for kicks and to shatter taboos. That's debatable. But what's not is that speech affects culture and culture affects politics. Otherwise, what would be the point of zealously defending free speech? Indeed, as Andrew Breitbart, the late founder of Breitbart, used to say, "politics is downstream from culture." And a culture where threatening minorities and dissenters with imagery from the Holocaust is tolerated will, at minimum, expand the outside limits of the inhumanity that is politically possible. So why are conservatives cozying up to such hideousness? The best explanation they offer is that inviting someone so beyond the pale will shatter the tight boundaries drawn by political correctness and open the space for a wider airing of ideas. But the problem is that by using a stink bomb like Yiannopoulos they'll make their own ideas malodorous. Who will take conservative praise of civility, tradition, family values, manners, honor, moderation, and dignity seriously if a 31-year-old, out-of-control adolescent is their champion? Milo Yiannopoulos is like the Joker in Batman. He has turned chaos and nihilism into a business model for notoriety and wealth. Conservatives won't defeat their liberal enemies by making a deal with this devil. Rather, they will validate the liberal critique of the right as a front for bigotry and prejudice, discrediting everything they claim to defend and declaring their own moral bankruptcy. ||||| Milo Yiannopoulos finally went too far for conservatives. On Monday, he lost his book deal, and his speech at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was canceled. And on Tuesday, he resigned from the ultra-conservative website Breitbart. But it wasn’t his racism, sexism, transphobia, or other kinds of bigotry that led to Yiannopoulos’s fall. Nope. After all that, it’s comments apparently supporting child molestation that did Yiannopoulos in. Here’s the backstory: Over the weekend, it was revealed that Yiannopoulos was invited to give a speech at CPAC, the biggest mainstream conservative conference in America. That sparked a lot of outrage — particularly among the left, which pointed out that Yiannopoulos has a long history of making all sorts of bigoted comments. But liberal outrage wasn’t what got CPAC to pull the plug or Yiannopoulos to resign from Breitbart. Instead, the final straw was a video resurfaced by the conservative website Reagan Battalion — in which Yiannopoulos defended the idea of “13 year olds” having sex with “older men,” referencing his own story that he benefited from a priest molesting him when he was a teenager. Here is the uncut 5 minute video of Milo Yiannopoulos advocating for Pederasty involving "13 Year old" and "older men." HIS WORDS.@Mschlapp pic.twitter.com/mAgmfpuyvu — The Reagan Battalion (@ReaganBattalion) February 20, 2017 “In the homosexual world, particularly, some of those relationships between younger boys and older men — the sort of ‘coming of age’ relationships — the relationships in which those older men help those young boys to discover who they are and give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable sort of rock,” Yiannopoulos said. That, apparently, was the tipping point for CPAC. In a statement, CPAC organizers said they originally invited Yiannopoulos, whose speaking event at a college campus had to be canceled because it literally caused riots, to stand up for free speech — but that Yiannopoulos’s comments on child molestation went too far. “Due to the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia, the American Conservative Union has decided to rescind the invitation of Milo Yiannopoulos to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference,” American Conservative Union Chair Matt Schlapp said in a statement. Yiannopoulos has since apologized. In a Facebook post, he clarified that he doesn’t believe pedophilia and child molestation are okay: “I would like to restate my utter disgust at adults who sexually abuse minors. I am horrified by pedophilia and I have devoted large portions of my career as a journalist to exposing child abusers.” As for his actual remarks, he explained, “As to some of the specific claims being made, sometimes things tumble out of your mouth on these long, late-night live-streams, when everyone is spit-balling, that are incompletely expressed or not what you intended. Nonetheless, I've reviewed the tapes that appeared last night in their proper full context and I don't believe they say what is being reported.” (Who among us hasn’t accidentally defended child molestation on a late-night live stream?) But the apology didn’t stop the enormous backlash. Later in the afternoon, Simon & Schuster and Threshold Editions announced that they have canceled their book deal with Yiannopoulos. And under apparent pressure from Breitbart staff who demanded Yiannopoulos’s resignation, he quit on Tuesday. For many people, the whole controversy has raised more questions than answers. Why was it that it took something as low and awful as support for child molestation to finally get conservatives to disown Yiannopoulos? What about all the bigotry he has pushed in the past? Why were those other remarks not enough? What’s remarkable about this whole affair is how unsurprising it is. The video that the Reagan Battalion resurfaced has been around since July 2016. And Yiannopoulos has a long history of making offensive, provocative remarks; it’s what he’s known for. It was totally predictable that a mainstream conservative group’s attempt to reach out to someone who’s basically an internet troll would blow up in some way — yet the fact CPAC and other conservatives even felt compelled to reach out to someone like Yiannopoulos says a lot about conservatism today. Yiannopoulos is a troll — and this is far from his first offensive remark As journalist Nicole Hemmer explained, none of this should be surprising to anyone: “As someone who’s been on this beat for a while: everything you’re learning about Milo has been public for ages. CPAC made its choice.” Yiannopoulos, after all, has a long history of offensive remarks. Here are a few examples: He claimed he “went gay” so he “didn’t have to deal with nutty broads.” He was banned on Twitter after he launched a racist, sexist harassment campaign against black actress Leslie Jones, whom he described as “barely literate” and “a man.” He often mentions that he only dates nonwhite men — in a way that deliberately exoticizes and stereotypes black men. In one column, he asked, “am I racist for not dating white dudes?” He later added, “These days, I wouldn’t actually write ‘no whites’ on my profile. Some people would find that offensive. But I would come up with a formulation to achieve the same effect, like, say, ‘9 inches and over, and don’t contact me if you can name more than four hockey players.’” He named and showed the picture of a transgender student previously at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee during a speech at the school — effectively doxxing a nonpublic figure and opening her up to harassment because he didn’t like her feminist activism. He repeatedly argued on Real Time With Bill Maher last week that trans people are “disordered,” and even suggested that gay people might be as well. (Major medical groups, like the American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association, say being transgender or gay is not a mental disorder.) He hired a black porn star, Jovan Jordan, as a bodyguard when attending a meetup for video gamers. “My most ardent haters are feminists, and their fear of penises is well-known,” he argued. “It was vital, therefore, that I sought the services of a man believed to have the biggest dick in the porn industry.” He said that men shouldn’t be kicked out from universities for groping women. He declared his birthday “World Patriarchy Day.” He created the “Yiannopoulos Privilege Grant,” a college scholarship available only to white men to put them “on equal footing with their female, queer and ethnic minority classmates.” This is who Yiannopoulos is: As my colleague Zack Beauchamp explained, his entire shtick is to say something inflammatory, anger a whole lot of people, get widespread media attention, refuse to back down, and say he did it all to stand up for free speech — because no one can control what he says. Yiannopoulos pushes the boundaries just enough to force this chain of events, which conveniently prop him up as a hero. But Yiannopoulos’s child molestation remarks crossed the line. For one, condoning child molestation goes too far for just about everyone, regardless of political party. But the remarks also may have crossed the line because they played into longstanding conservative fears about gay men — specifically, the myth that there’s a link between homosexuality and pedophilia. The Family Research Council, a conservative anti-LGBTQ group, still promotes this myth on its website. And it was used in the past to demonize gay men and block the advancement of gay rights — such as, retired UC Davis professor Gregory Herek explained, “in 1977, when Anita Bryant campaigned successfully to repeal a Dade County (FL) ordinance prohibiting anti-gay discrimination, she named her organization ‘Save Our Children,’ and warned that ‘a particularly deviant-minded [gay] teacher could sexually molest children.’” (The empirical research shows there is no scientific basis to this myth.) In this context, Yiannopoulos’s support of child molestation as a gay man played into preexisting conservative fears about homosexuality, making him a particularly alarming figure. That, coupled with society’s total rejection of pedophilia, may have contributed to Yiannopoulos’s fall — leading not just to a lost book deal and canceled speech, but to him quitting from Breitbart, the media outlet where he made so many of his past offensive remarks. Yiannopoulos claims he’s just defending free speech In the past, Yiannopoulos has explained away his offensive remarks by arguing that he’s simply standing up for free speech. This was the tack he took when he appeared on Bill Maher’s show over the weekend. “All I care about is free speech and free expression,” he said. “I want people to be able to be, do, and say anything.” To this end, he points to college campuses as evidence of liberal “political correctness” running amok in a way that’s stifled free speech. He can claim some personal experience here, like the time anti-fascists rioted at UC Berkeley when he was scheduled to give a speech there and forced him to cancel his event. But this is part of a broader conservative talking point about “trigger warnings,” “safe spaces,” and other examples of left-leaning students on college campuses doing things that, according to critics, stifle free speech. This isn’t something that’s exclusive to conservatives. Maher, who identifies as liberal, appeared to invite Yiannopoulos to his show at least in part because he agrees that liberals are too sensitive to speech that they disagree with. “You make liberals crazy for that part of liberalism that has gone off the deep end,” Maher told Yiannopoulos. But other liberals have argued that this supposed defense of free speech is really just a ruse to say all sorts of racist, sexist, and bigoted things. ThinkProgress editor Judd Legum pointed out, for example, that despite CPAC’s claim that it invited Yiannopoulos to defend his free speech rights, they disinvited him when his speech went too far for them. The racism, sexism, and other offensive remarks were apparently fine, but it was the support for child molestation that apparently crossed a line. 4. Conservatives pretend their insistence on providing platforms to disgusting people is about free speech, not content — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 20, 2017 5. But as the Milo incident reveals, they believe certain kinds of speech should not be given a platform — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 20, 2017 7. Conservative "free speech" advocates simply believe that racists, sexists and other kind of bigots should get lots of access — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) February 20, 2017 After all, CPAC knew of Yiannopoulos’s past offensive remarks. It’s one of the reasons people rioted in Berkeley, decried Yiannopoulos’s invitation to Maher’s show, and told CPAC not to invite Yiannopoulos in the first place. Yet CPAC invited him, publishers signed book deals with him, and Breitbart employed him anyway — at least until his pro-pedophilia comments surfaced. Modern conservatism has a problem with bigotry The entire debacle, however, shows a broader issue: Modern conservatism has a huge problem with bigotry in its ranks. Consider Donald Trump. He called Mexican immigrants “rapists” who are “bringing crime” and “bringing drugs” to the US during his campaign launch event. He proposed banning Muslims, an entire religious group, from entering the US. He argued that a federal judge overseeing the Trump University lawsuit should be disqualified because of his Mexican heritage. And at campaign events and as president, he has spoken of black people through coded language that suggests all black people live in jobless, crime-ridden “inner cities” and all may even work for the Congressional Black Caucus. What’s more, racism and xenophobia appeared to predict support for Trump. One telling study, conducted by researchers at UC Santa Barbara and Stanford shortly before the election, found that if people who strongly identified as white were told that nonwhite groups will outnumber white people in 2042, they became more likely to support Trump — suggesting there’s a significant racial element to his support. And this doesn’t even get into the other offensive remarks Trump has made, including about sexual assault — like when he said he can grab women by the genitals and get away with it because he’s a celebrity. Yet Trump won the Republican primary and, ultimately, the 2016 general election. He’s not only continued to get the backing of the Republican Party but is also scheduled to talk at CPAC this week. Or consider Yiannopoulos’s resignation from Breitbart — one of the most read news outlets on the right, based on online traffic numbers. Breitbart is a news outlet that has run all sorts of explicitly racist, sexist, and bigoted articles. That was, apparently, fine under the website’s editorial standards. But once Yiannopoulos’s pro-pedophilia remarks surfaced, only then did he apparently go too far for Breitbart. Some conservatives have looked at all of this in shock and horror. Conservative pundit Glenn Beck, for one, has become a top critic on the right of the Trump administration. In one instance, after Trump appointed former Breitbart head and alt-right champion Steve Bannon in November as his chief strategist, Beck suggested that Americans are racist if they let Trump keep Bannon in charge. “When people really understand what the alt-right is, this neo-nationalist, neo-Nazi, white supremacy idea that Bannon is pushing hard,” Beck said, “I hope they wake up because, if not, we are racist. If that’s what we accept and we know it, then we are racist. I contend people don’t know what the alt-right is yet.” But Beck seems to represent a minority on the right, given Trump’s ascendance to the White House and his continued support from Republicans. Conservatives’ apathy to such racism, misogyny, and other offensive remarks is how CPAC and other conservatives could overlook Yiannopoulos’s racism, sexism, and other kinds of bigotry when they touted him as a free speech champion — only to consider his child molestation comments beyond the boundaries of accepted free speech. Watch: It’s now on America’s institutions — and Republicans — to check Donald Trump ||||| Self-described troll and conservative writer Milo Yiannopoulos resigned from Breitbart News on Feb. 21, but his far-right speeches and provocative comments aren't going anywhere. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Before Milo Yiannopoulos gained (and lost) a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) invitation, a book deal and a job, the now-former Breitbart News writer had already said and written many offensive things. That’s his appeal to the people who admire and elevate him: “Milo,” the personality, is built on the idea of triggering liberals. His Breitbart archives contain a regular stream of articles arguing all sorts of things designed to demean and offend: that feminism makes women ugly, that he would prefer it if teenagers self-harmed rather than discuss trans issues on Tumblr, and that women will be happy only if we “un-invent” the birth control pill and the washing machine. None of these things, including the fact that the writer had already been banned from Twitter for, the platform said, inciting harassment against actress Leslie Jones, stopped Yiannopoulos from becoming a voice that CPAC felt was of value to their movement on free-speech grounds. Or for that matter, from appearing on Bill Maher’s HBO show and finding common ground with the more liberal comedian. Those opportunities for Yiannopoulos came right after the University of California at Berkeley canceled a speaking engagement of his because of intense protests — gaining him at least one indirect tweet from President Trump. If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view – NO FEDERAL FUNDS? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 2, 2017 But about 96 hours after his appearance on Maher’s “Real Time” program, Yiannopoulos’s most considerable step yet toward leaving his alt-right adjacency and entering into mainstream conservative discourse, he became a castaway. Yiannopoulos resigned from Breitbart on Tuesday. The day before that, he lost his book deal with Simon & Schuster, and his invitation to speak at CPAC was rescinded. The reason, as CPAC put it, was “the revelation of an offensive video in the past 24 hours condoning pedophilia.” That’s in reference to a series of videos that the Reagan Battalion, a conservative site, tweeted out days ago, showing examples of Yiannopoulos’s past comments on pedophilia and consent. Yiannopoulos has claimed that the videos were “selectively edited” to make it appear as if he was defending child abuse, and that their release was part of a “co-ordinated effort to discredit me.” Here is a rough timeline of how Yiannopoulos went from a breakthrough moment to the opposite in a matter of days. Friday night, Feb. 17, 10 p.m.: Yiannopoulos appears on “Real Time with Bill Maher.” The two sit down for a one-on-one interview, which is mostly friendly. The interview follows days of controversy over the very fact that Yiannopoulos is appearing on the show at all. He also sits down for a panel discussion with Maher’s other guests. It is substantially less chummy. Saturday, Feb. 18, 1:40 p.m.: Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union, announces that Yiannopoulos will be a speaker at CPAC: We think free speech includes hearing Milo’s important perspective. #CPAC2017 pic.twitter.com/ssDS6HVmLN — Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) February 18, 2017 In the minutes following, several prominent conservative writers and leaders start to protest the decision on Twitter, pointing to Yiannopoulos’s long history of remarks that, in their opinion, don’t fit with the values of CPAC. Sunday, Feb. 19, 2:30 a.m.: The Twitter account for the conservative blog Reagan Battalion, which had been tweeting and re-tweeting criticism of CPAC’s invitation to Yiannopoulos, tweets a link to a video interview between Yiannopoulos and Joe Rogan, saying that it shows him “defend [ing] pedophilia and pedophiles.” In the 2015 clip, Yiannopoulos discusses a parish priest who had a sexual relationship with him when he was a teen, declines to name the priest, and says, “It was perfectly consensual.” He adds: “When I was the 14, I was the predator.” Sunday, Feb. 19: 11 a.m.: The Reagan Battalion tweets out another video, which edits together several of Yiannopoulos’s more controversial remarks. It includes a long segment from a separate statement Yiannopoulos has made about pedophilia in the past. That statement comes from a January 2016 episode of the podcast Drunken Peasants, in which Yiannopoulos appears to defend sexual relationships between adults and “younger boys” in their teens. Specifically, he says: “Some of those relationships between younger boys and older men, the sort of coming-of-age relationships, the relationships in which those older men help those young boys to discover who they are, and give them security and safety and provide them with love and a reliable and sort of a rock where they can’t speak to their parents.” “I’m grateful for Father Michael,” he said, in what appears to be an attempt at a joke. “I wouldn’t give nearly such good [oral sex] if it wasn’t for him.” He then argues that “pedophilia is attraction to children who have not reached puberty. Pedophilia is attraction to people who don’t have functioning sex organs yet who have not gone through puberty,” and not someone who is 13 years old and “sexually mature.” The videos start to gain traction, and soon the outrage about Yiannopoulos starts to focus on these statements. It starts to appear the writer is becoming the subject of a tactic he helped to popularize, that is, making noise about your opponents until it becomes unavoidable. In his case, the noise he began about one of his “enemies” could escalate into mob abuse. That’s why he was banned from Twitter months ago, after the platform said he broke their rules against inciting harassment. [Just how offensive did Milo Yiannopoulos have to be to get banned from Twitter?] In July, Yiannopoulos mocked actress Leslie Jones as she received an onslaught of viciously racist tweets. The harassment, it seemed, stemmed from the fact that she was one of the co-stars of the “Ghostbusters” remake. In one tweet, Yiannopoulos shared faked screenshots that made it appear as if Jones had tweeted profane and offensive things. Yiannopoulos called his suspension from the platform “cowardly” and disputed that he was directly involved in the harassment. His use of Twitter was an extension of the sort of journalism for which he was known: opposition research-style investigations into the personal lives of people he sees as enemies, with the intention of discrediting them. His Breitbart archives include articles based on unverified claims that social justice activist Shaun King, who identifies as biracial, is lying about his ethnicity. King has said that the evidence cited by Yiannopoulos and other conservative writers is incorrect, and that the reports are “lies.” He has also written similar pieces, framed as exposés, about several feminist activists. At a December campus visit to University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, he spent time during a speech there to mock a transgender student by name, displaying her photograph on a screen. Sunday, Feb. 19, 9 p.m.: Yiannopoulos posts a statement denying that his remarks were a defense of pedophilia. It reads, in part: The videos do not show what people say they show. I *did* joke about giving better head as a result of clerical sexual abuse committed against me when I was a teen. If I choose to deal in an edgy way on an internet livestream with a crime I was the victim of that’s my prerogative. It’s no different to gallows humor from AIDS sufferers. The rest is here. Sunday, Feb. 19: 9:45 p.m.: CNN’s Jake Tapper starts tweeting about the videos: Friend of mine, conservative, could not be more distraught by this Milo tape. Was molested as a child. Horrified. — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 20, 2017 My friend, a survivor of sex trafficking: "Milo straight up defended abusing 13 yr old boys…Please don't let that be normalized" — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 20, 2017 More from survivor of sex trafficking: "Please please please don't let that mess he said go away." How on earth can CPAC defend this? — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 20, 2017 In response, Yiannopolos offers to go on Tapper’s show to “clear all this up.” Monday, Feb. 20, 1 p.m.: CPAC announces that Yiannopoulos will no longer be speaking at CPAC. "@ACUConservative has decided to rescind the invitation of Milo Yiannopoulos to speak at #CPAC2017." pic.twitter.com/sVWGnPCW7C — Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) February 20, 2017 Monday, Feb. 20, 1:30 p.m.: Yiannopoulos releases another statement on Facebook, which reads, in part: “I’ve repeatedly expressed disgust at pedophilia in my feature and opinion writing. My professional record is very clear. But I do understand that these videos, even though some of them are edited deceptively, paint a different picture. I’m partly to blame. My own experiences as a victim led me to believe I could say anything I wanted to on this subject, no matter how outrageous. But I understand that my usual blend of British sarcasm, provocation and gallows humor might have come across as flippancy, a lack of care for other victims or, worse, “advocacy.” I deeply regret that. People deal with things from their past in different ways.” The rest of that statement is here. Monday, Feb. 20, about 5:15 p.m.: Simon & Schuster cancels Yiannopoulos’s book. Meanwhile, discussions are reportedly building at Breitbart about Yiannopoulos’s future there. Here’s what Dave Weigel and Robert Costa reported for us at the time: By late Monday afternoon, there were ongoing discussions at Breitbart about Yiannopoulos’s future at the company, according to two people familiar with the organization who were not authorized to speak. Inside the newsroom, several staffers made clear to senior leadership that they felt uncomfortable and may decide to leave if he stays, the people said. There was also an aggressive liberal campaign to get advertisers to quit Breitbart News. Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2:30 p.m.: Shortly before a news conference, Yiannopoulos announces that he is resigning from Breitbart. “Breitbart News has stood by me when others caved. They have allowed me to carry conservative and libertarian ideas to communities that would otherwise never have heard them,” Yiannopoulos said in a statement. “They have been a significant factor in my success. I’m grateful for that freedom and for the friendships I forged there.” “I would be wrong to allow my poor choice of words to detract from my colleagues’ important reporting, so today I am resigning from Breitbart, effective immediately. This decision is mine alone.” At 3 p.m., he held a news conference. More reading: ||||| Milo Yiannopoulos is a British writer and public speaker who has become a flashpoint in national debates over freedom of speech. He just lost a big book deal with Simon & Schuster over tapes from a year ago that just came to light in which he seems to advocate for pedophilia. From college campuses to conservative circles, it seems that everyone’s talking about Milo. If you’re wondering who this guy is, here are some things to know about him. Basically, he’s an alt-right British writer and public speaker Yiannopoulos, 32, grew up in England and is currently based in the United States, known for his provocative statements. He has branded himself as being aggressively pro-free speech and anti-political correctness. His conservative stances — including his announcement that he was creating a “privilege grant” to “provide college funding assistance to white males” — have associated him with the alt-right movement. Among other things, he has railed against safe spaces, trigger warnings, identity politics and feminism — he created the hashtag #FeminismIsCancer and has deemed rape culture “fake.” He calls himself a “supervillain” and a free speech advocate Yiannopoulos has called himself the “most fabulous supervillain on the Internet” and “Chief Executive Triggerer.” He appears to delight in offending and skewering liberals — though he has said “the left is responsible for me” — and calling out what he sees as hypocrisy on the left. He was a Breitbart News editor Yiannopoulos was the tech editor for the conservative publication Breitbart News, but he authored numerous articles that have more to do with politics than tech, like “Gay Rights Have Made Us Dumber, It’s Time to Get Back in the Closet.” Many of the posts on his byline at Breitbart consist of the full text of speeches he has given on college campuses. Then Yiannopoulos resigned from Breitbart. He founded The Kernel He founded the web magazine the Kernel, which Daily Dot Media bought in 2014. Under Yiannopoulos, the Kernel was accused of failing to pay contributors. He regularly tours college campuses and is often met by protesters He calls his tour “The Dangerous Faggot Tour.” A scheduled talk by Yiannopoulos roiled the UC Berkeley campus, where protests escalated into a riot. But students and others have protested and walked out of his talks on campuses across the country. Protests over his campus appearances have sparked spirited debates over the line between free speech and hate speech. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, for instance, he attacked a transgender student. Twitter banned him for a campaign against Leslie Jones He got kicked off Twitter for his role in the trolling of actress Leslie Jones. Since then, he’s been active on Facebook, where he posted a defense of his comments about pedophilia and saying that he is victim of child abuse himself.

– With his book deal, CPAC speaking gig, and job at Breitbart now history, this hasn't been the greatest week for Milo Yiannopoulos, but it would be a mistake to think we've seen the last of him, writes Matt Taibbi at Rolling Stone. The alt-right provocateur will now take a page from President Trump's playbook and "re-create himself as a Republican martyr" maligned by the establishment, Taibbi writes, predicting that the older conservative crowd repulsed by Yiannopoulos will soon be "crawling back," just as they did after Trump's transgressions. "Why would the Mike Pence crowd ever rally behind a Brit with frosted hair who brags about getting blow---- from priests? It seems preposterous," he writes. "But watch it work." Click for his full column. In other coverage: German Lopez at Vox wonders why it took conservatives so long to disown Yiannopoulos, rounding up earlier offensive remarks such as his claim that he "went gay" to avoid "nutty broads." The Washington Post has a timeline of the dizzying 96 hours in which Yiannopoulos' "most considerable step yet toward leaving his alt-right adjacency and entering into mainstream conservative discourse" was swiftly reversed after comments seen as condoning pedophilia surfaced. Matt Lewis, conservative author of Too Dumb to Fail, tells the New York Times that the Yiannopoulos debacle is a product of a time when provocative personalities are stifling serious discussion of ideas. "You essentially have a world where there are no adults left, nobody exercising moral authority to say, 'No, this does or does not meet our standards,'" he says. "Everybody is just responding to perverse incentives to get more buzz." USA Today briefly recaps the career of the man who calls himself the "most fabulous supervillain on the internet." At the Week, Shikha Dalmia likens Yiannopoulos to the Joker. She says he "seduced" campus conservatives by getting them to think that having him speak was a victory against political correctness. "In fact, they were discrediting their own movement by allying themselves with a vicious troll—demonstrating that they hate their enemies more than they love their alleged principles," she writes.

Video of Austin police arresting jogger goes viral AUSTIN -- A video posted Thursday by a UT student showing a young woman being arrested is gaining national attention. The video shows 24-year-old Amanda Jo Stephen in handcuffs, sitting on the sidewalk at 24th and San Antonio streets near the University of Texas campus. Moments later, she's captured yelling and cursing at Austin police officers as they load her into a police car. Christopher Quintero shot the video. "She was running away, past the cops. [She was] not running from them, but jogging, and they grabbed her arm from behind, and I think it's perfectly understandable that she was kind of startled and jerked her arm away and was like, 'Who's grabbing me?'" said Quintero. Police Chief Art Acevedo says there is a lot more to the story. The officers were working on an initiative to cut down on pedestrian and bicycle violations. This week, they are focusing on jaywalkers. On Thursday, officers stopped 28 people and cited seven. On Friday, KVUE cameras caught numerous people ignoring the stop signal and unlawfully crossing the street. "We do it all the time here," said UT student Patrice Hailey. "The traffic here is so bad, I mean, we just have to walk when we can." Acevedo says Stephen did the same thing while officers had another person stopped for jaywalking. "He can see her face, and she can see his face, yells, 'Austin Police, I need you to stop.' She still doesn't stop, so he grabs her arm and says, 'I need you to stop.' She then at some point takes off her ear buds and he says, 'Austin Police, I need you to stop,' and she says to the effect, 'I don't give an "f" who you are. Get your "f'ing" hands off of me," Acevedo said. According to police, Stephen was arrested for failure to obey a pedestrian control device and failure to identify. Failure to identify is a Class B misdemeanor in Texas. The police department received inquires from news outlets across the country Friday, the same day a jury convicted Brandon Daniel for shooting and killing Senior Austin Police Officer Jaime Padron. Acevedo calls the national attention petty. "I thank God that this is what passes for a controversy in Austin, Texas. And I stand here proud as a police chief, saying that I'm proud that this is the controversy that I'm dealing with today, on the day that we're actually convicting somebody of capital murder. And I'm glad that I'm here having to address mediocrity," said Acevedo. The viral video and photos ignited a lot of discussion on social media, including tweets to and from Acevedo. See our Storify below for Twitter reactions to Stephens' arrest. ||||| Updated (8:35 p.m. Saturday): Austin police chief Art Acevedo apologized for a comment he made during a press conference regarding the arrest of Amanda Jo Stephen, who was arrested Thursday after crossing the intersection of 24th and San Antonio streets. In the press conference Friday, Acevedo said the public had overreacted to the incident. "In other cities there's cops who are actually committing sexual assaults on duty, so I thank God that this is what passes for a controversy in Austin, Texas," Acevedo said. Acevedo said his comments were the result of a strenuous week for the department. "I attempted to place the arrest into context by bringing attention to the fact that law enforcement deals with many acts of serious misconduct," Acevedo said. "In hindsight I believe the comparison was a poor analogy, and for this I apologize." Updated (6:45 p.m. Friday): At a press conference held Friday, APD police chief Art Acevedo addressed the recent arrest of 24-year-old Amanda Jo Stephen, who was taken into custody Thursday after crossing an intersection at a red light. Stephen was formally charged with “failure to identify” and “failure to obey a pedestrian control device” and was released from Travis County Central Booking Thursday evening. Acevedo said the arrest occured in the midst of a West/North Campus traffic initiative which began Feb. 1. Acevedo said the initiative’s purpose is to reduce the number of traffic violations made by drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. According to Acevedo, 28 pedestrians were stopped and seven citations were issued specifically for disregarding pedestrian control devices Thursday. “Our goal is to change behavior, and not necessarily to write tickets or take people to jail,” Acevedo said. “This week, we’re actually focusing on pedestrian violations. The initiative will continue for some upcoming weeks, utilizing the resources of district representatives.” According to Acevedo, there have been 96 deaths related to pedestrian-involved incidents and 1,757 pedestrians injured in traffic crashes in in the past five years. “I’d rather have everybody angry at me and my officers, then to see a young person lose their life needlessly,” Acevedo said. “I’d rather be up here talking about this, than going to our 97th fatality involving a pedestrian or 1800th injury involving a pedestrian.” When arresting Stephen, officers took the appropriate actions, Acevedo said. “I don’t buy that you can’t hear an officer yelling at you to stop,” Acevedo said. “I’ll give the benefit of the doubt initially, but when the officer is right by you and can see the hat and he’s looking at your face, you should be able to know what’s going on.” Acevedo said Stephen disregarded the officer’s lawful request for her to identify herself and verbally resisted the arrest. “All that young lady had to do when she was asked for her information was to provide it by law, “ Acevedo said. “Instead of doing that, she decided to throw [herself] to the ground – officers didn’t sit her down – and she did the limp routine.” According to Acevedo, Stephen was handcuffed after telling the officer not to touch her. Acevedo said the public outcry following the arrest did not faze him. “Thank you lord that it’s a controversy in Austin, Texas that we actually have the audacity to touch somebody by the arm and tell them ‘oh my goodness, Austin Police, we’re trying to get your attention,’” Acevedo said. “Quite frankly, she wasn’t charged with resisting, and she was lucky I wasn’t the arresting officer because I wouldn’t have been quite as generous.” Original Story (Thursday): City police officers arrested a woman around 10:45 a.m. Thursday for failing to provide identification after she was stopped near the intersection of 24th and San Antonio, outside Big Bite Pizza and Grill. Advertising senior Chris Quintero, who witnessed the arrest, said Austin Police Department officers were working at the intersection when the woman jogged across the block. “I was sitting at the Starbucks at 24th and San Antonio,” Quintero said. “Then I hear a cop shout at an innocent girl jogging through West Campus with her headphones on.” When the woman did not stop, the officer grabbed her by the arm and quickly placed her in handcuffs, Quintero said. “She repeatedly pleaded with them, saying that she was just exercising and to let her go,” Quintero said. In footage of the incident that Quintero filmed, the woman can be seen attempting to get up from the ground and being kept down by police officers. “I was doing nothing wrong,” the woman said from her position sitting on the sidewalk. “I was crossing the street.” When police escorted the woman into the police car, she began shouting and eventually shrieking unintelligibly. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “I didn’t fucking do anything wrong. I just crossed the street.” Quintero said two additional officers on bicycles arrived on the scene to assist with the arrest. In footage, the officers can be seen working together to secure the woman in the back of the police car. According to APD spokeswoman Lisa Cortinas, APD officers do not target jaywalking specifically, instead they focus on pedestrian and bike safety overall. “District representatives were working pedestrian enforcement at 24th Street and Guadalupe,” Cortinas said. “[In this case], the call is titled failure to identify.” APD spokeswoman Veneza Bremner said as far as she was aware, there was no concerted effort Thursday to ticket jaywalkers. “I don’t think there’s any initiative going on out there, but [APD officers] can go write tickets whenever they see a problem out there,” Bremner said. Bremner said officers occasionally patrol the area even when they have not been called to address a specific crime. “I’m not sure how often they do it, but I do know that they’re out there every now and then doing that,” Bremner said. “Whenever the call load allows, they’re proactively out there.”

– It's not every week that an arrest of a jaywalking jogger makes headlines, but throw in a viral video, an outraged arrestee, and a defiant police chief in Austin, and there you have it. The arrest took place Thursday, when 24-year-old jogger Amanda Jo Stephen got taken into custody after crossing an intersection at a red light, reports the Daily Texan. A University of Texas student filmed the arrest from across the street, and the posted video quickly went viral, reports KVUE-TV. You can hear Stephen screaming that she did nothing wrong as officers load her into the police car. She is charged with “failure to identify” and “failure to obey a pedestrian control device." The student who shot the video says the woman was jogging by "when they grabbed her arm from behind, and I think it's perfectly understandable that she was kind of startled and jerked her arm away and was like, 'Who's grabbing me?'" The common sentiment is that police over-reacted, but chief Art Acevedo isn't having it. He says the arrest came in the midst of a crackdown for pedestrian safety, and Stephen was one of 28 pedestrians stopped. He says she was the one who escalated the situation by doing the "limp routine" and refusing to identify herself. “Thank you lord that it’s a controversy in Austin, Texas, that we actually have the audacity to touch somebody by the arm and tell them, 'Oh my goodness, Austin Police, we’re trying to get your attention,'" said Acevedo. “Quite frankly, she wasn’t charged with resisting, and she was lucky I wasn’t the arresting officer because I wouldn’t have been quite as generous.”

Carol C Guarnizo-Herreño , research assistant 1 2, Georgios Tsakos , reader 1, Aubrey Sheiham , emeritus professor (deceased) 1, Michael G Marmot , professor 1, Ichiro Kawachi , professor 3, Richard G Watt , professor 1 1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London WC1E 7HB, UK 2Departamento de Salud Colectiva, Facultad de Odontología, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia 3Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA Correspondence to: C C Guarnizo-Herreño c.guarnizo-herreno.11{at}ucl.ac.uk Accepted 1 December 2015 Abstract Objective To compare oral health in the US and England and to assess levels of educational and income related oral health inequalities between both countries. Design Cross sectional analysis of US and English national surveys. Setting Non-institutionalised adults living in their own homes. Participants Oral health measures and socioeconomic indicators were assessed in nationally representative samples: the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 for England, and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-08. Adults aged ≥25 years were included in analyses with samples of 8719 (England) and 9786 (US) for analyses by education, and 7184 (England) and 9094 (US) for analyses by income. Main outcome measures Number of missing teeth, self rated oral health, and oral impacts on daily life were outcomes. Educational attainment and household income were used as socioeconomic indicators. Age standardised estimates of oral health were compared between countries and across educational and income groups. Regression models were fitted, and relative and absolute inequalities were measured using the relative index of inequality (RII) and the slope index of inequality (SII). Results The mean number of missing teeth was significantly higher in the US (7.31 (standard error 0.15)) than in England (6.97 (0.09)), while oral impacts were higher in England. There was evidence of significant social gradients in oral health in both countries, although differences in oral health by socioeconomic position varied according to the oral health measure used. Consistently higher RII and SII values were found in the US than in England, particularly for self rated oral health. RII estimates for self rated oral health by education were 3.67 (95% confidence interval 3.23 to 4.17) in the US and 1.83 (1.59 to 2.11) in England. In turn, SII values were 42.55 (38.14 to 46.96) in the US and 18.43 (14.01 to 22.85) in England. Conclusions The oral health of US citizens is not better than the English, and there are consistently wider educational and income oral health inequalities in the US compared with England. Introduction There is a longstanding belief in the United States that the British have terrible teeth, much worse than US citizens. This view dates back at least 100 years, with toothpaste adverts extolling the virtues of American smiles.1 Contemporary examples of this belief in popular US culture range from The Simpsons2 to the Hollywood character Austin Powers and his repugnant smile.3 The perceived terrible state of British teeth is also perpetuated in contemporary literature. For example, Everett, the annoying and dull English love rival in Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Goldfinch, is disparagingly noted for his “rabbit teeth.”4 Few studies have directly compared the oral health of US and UK populations. Two descriptive studies have indicated that US adults had better oral health than their British counterparts.5 6 However, these studies did not statistically assess these differences. The US and UK share similar political systems and are noted for their high levels of inequality.7 One notable policy difference between the countries is the funding and delivery of health care. In the UK dentistry is largely provided through the NHS, whereas in the US dental insurance coverage is dominant. Evidence on differences in health inequalities between these countries is mixed. Some studies showed higher absolute levels of inequality in the US,8 9 whereas others that measured relative inequalities did not find significant differences.10 11 No study has assessed levels of oral heath inequalities between the US and UK. The aim of this study was to compare the oral health and assess levels of oral health inequalities between the US and England. Methods Data Our analysis was based on data from the English Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Both are nationally representative surveys with comparable information about oral health and socioeconomic position. In the ADHS 2009,12 eligible adults were invited to an interview and those with at least one natural tooth were also invited to a clinical examination. In England, interview data referred to 9663 adults, of whom 5622 completed the clinical examination. The NHANES 2005-06 and 2007-08 collected information on oral health from 11 791 adults.13 We selected participants aged 25 years and older as many younger people are still studying, and so final educational attainment cannot be known. Analyses were conducted separately for educational and income inequalities, and only for adults with complete data. Information on missing data is included in appendix 1 of the online data supplement. The analytical samples were 8719 (England) and 9786 (US) for analyses by education, and 7184 (England) and 9094 (US) for analyses by income. For clinical oral health, we considered only data for dentate participants in the US to achieve comparability with the English data, as only dentate individuals underwent the ADHS clinical examination. The samples for clinical data were 5048 (England) and 7718 (US) for analyses by education, and 4408 (England) and 7234 (US) for analyses by income. Variables Number of missing teeth, self rated oral health, and oral impacts on daily life were our outcomes. Number of missing teeth was derived from the clinical examination. For self rated oral health, we derived a binary variable distinguishing individuals who perceived their oral health as good or better from those who did not. For oral impacts, both surveys included six identical questions from the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) assessing pain, function, and social impacts. In line with standard practice,14 15 we derived a binary measure separating the rest of the sample from those who reported “very often” or “fairly often” to any OHIP-14 question. Although edentulousness (no natural teeth) was self reported in the ADHS 2009 and clinically examined in NHANES 2005-08, we present relevant results as supplementary information (appendix 2). Educational attainment and household income were the socioeconomic position indicators. Education was categorised as: high (college degree or above), medium (US high school diploma, some qualifications but not college degree in England), and low (less than high school in US, no qualifications in England). Regarding household income, US income data was available as categorical rather than in absolute numbers; we therefore divided the variable in three hierarchical groups approximating to tertiles. To make comparable the income data in England, we used the same categorisation. Age, sex, marital status, and ethnicity were covariates given their relationship with oral health and socioeconomic position. Statistical analysis First, we estimated age standardised estimates of oral health in each country. Second, regression models were fitted to assess the association between oral health and socioeconomic position. For the binary outcomes, we estimated prevalence ratios using robust Poisson regression models. For the count outcome of number of missing teeth, we report incidence rate ratios estimated using negative binomial regression models. Third, to measure relative and absolute inequalities, the relative index of inequality (RII) and the slope index of inequality (SII) were estimated (appendix 1). The RII and SII are regression based indices that use all available data and take into account the distribution of the population across all socioeconomic categories.16 17 The RII can be interpreted as the prevalence ratio, and the SII as the absolute difference in prevalence of the outcome between people at the bottom and those at the top of the socioeconomic position hierarchy. RII values >1 and SII values >0 indicate inequality and show that the outcome is higher among those with a lower level of education or income. All analyses took into account the complex sampling design and survey weights. Patient involvement There was no direct patient involvement in this study. The datasets analysed did not include names or identity numbers of participants. Results Age standardised estimates showed that, among dentate adults, the mean number of missing teeth was significantly higher in the US (7.31 (standard error 0.15)) than in England (6.97 (0.09)) (table 1⇓). For subjective measures, oral impacts were more prevalent in England while the prevalence of less than good self rated oral health was not significantly different between the countries (table 1⇓). In both countries, women reported more oral impacts and had more missing teeth than men, while the opposite was true for self rated oral health. Estimates by age group revealed that missing teeth and edentulousness were higher in the US among those aged 25-64 years, whereas number of missing teeth was higher in England among older adults. Table 1 Age standardised estimates of oral health measures in England and the US. Values are prevalence (95% CI) unless stated otherwise View this table: Adults in the highest education or income groups tended to have better oral health in the US, except for number of missing teeth in the top income group. Conversely, those in the lowest socioeconomic position levels tended to be better off in England (table 2⇓). Table 2 Age standardised estimates of oral health measures by socioeconomic position level in England and the US. Values are prevalence (95% CI) unless stated otherwise View this table: There were significant associations between oral health and socioeconomic position and a general pattern of social gradients in both countries. These gradients tended to be steeper in the US with the exception of the income gradient in the number of missing teeth (appendix 3). Figure 1⇓ shows relative socioeconomic inequalities in oral health. The relative index of inequality (RII) was >1 for all outcomes in both countries, indicating that negative outcomes were higher among those with less education and income. Since higher scores in the RII indicate larger inequalities, our results show that relative inequalities tended to be higher in the US. The difference between the two countries was particularly marked for self rated oral health and lower for number of missing teeth. Estimates of absolute inequalities are presented in table 3⇓. Absolute educational and income inequalities were consistently higher in the US, with larger differences observed for self rated oral health. Fig 1 Relative inequalities in oral health measures in England and the US, by education and income Table 3 Absolute inequalities in oral health measures, England and the US View this table: Discussion Contrary to popular belief, our study showed that the oral health of US citizens is not better than the English. Indeed, our study showed a mixed picture, with Americans having significantly more missing teeth, the English reporting more oral impacts, and no differences in self rated oral health between the two countries. Adults in the lowest socioeconomic position tended to have better oral health in England, while those at the top educational or income levels were generally better in the US. This was particularly clear for self rated oral health. Consistent education and income gradients in oral health were found in both countries, with steeper gradients in the US. Relative and absolute measures of oral health inequalities were consistently higher in the US, especially for self rated oral health. It is difficult to compare our results with other studies as no previous research has analysed epidemiological data to determine differences in oral health and inequalities between the US and England. In this analysis we were not able to explore in depth potential explanations for our findings. However, it is established that certain ethnic minorities have poorer oral health than the majority white population.18 19 20 Clearly the ethnic composition in US and England are different, and this could explain our results. However, repeating our analyses restricting the samples to the white population revealed similar results (appendix 4). In addition, as inequalities in subjective oral health tend to be very low among edentate adults,21 22 we conducted additional analysis of the subjective outcomes excluding edentate participants, but again the findings were similar (appendix 4). Differential levels of access and provision of treatment services between the health systems may have contributed to our findings. For example, it is possible that national differences in wisdom teeth extraction might partially explain our findings on missing teeth. Another possible reason could be the role of oral health risk factors such as sugars consumption and smoking. However, a previous study showed that health behaviours did not explain the differences in levels of inequality between these countries.8 Moreover the role of health behaviours as explanation of inequalities is rather limited,23 24 although this would depend on the specific health outcome and behaviours analysed. Finally, wider societal differences in welfare policies exist, with England having a more comprehensive range of “safety net” policies which may help to reduce oral health inequalities. This analysis has some limitations. First, because of the poor comparability of clinical outcomes between surveys, our analysis was limited to one clinical measure of oral health status, number of missing teeth, and did not include any aesthetic or orthodontic outcomes. Another limitation is the comparability of subjective measures of oral health, as these are sensitive to cultural differences in reporting. However, self reported health outcomes are considered valid for comparisons between countries25 26 and are accepted as valid indicators of oral health.21 27 28 29 It would have been preferable to use NHANES 2009-10, which would have been closer in time to ADHS 2009, but this was not possible because of lack of comparable data. In conclusion we have shown that the oral health of US citizens is not better than the English, and there are consistently wider educational and income related oral health inequalities in the US compared with England. What is already known on this topic There is a popular US belief, dating back many decades, that the English have terrible oral health, much worse than their US contemporaries However, few studies have directly compared levels of oral health between the US and England or assessed education and income oral health inequalities between these countries What this study adds This is the first analytical study to compare levels of oral health and oral health inequalities between England and the US The mean number of missing teeth was significantly higher in the US, oral impacts were more prevalent in England, and there were no differences in self rated oral health Both countries displayed significant relative and absolute educational and income related inequalities in all outcomes analysed, and these inequalities were consistently higher in the US than in England Footnotes Aubrey Sheiham died on 24 November 2015 Contributors: CCG-H, RGW, and GT co-designed the study. CCG-H and GT performed the statistical analysis. RGW and CCG-H wrote the first draft. GT, AS, MGM, and IK read the draft and provided comments. All co-authors read and approved the final draft. Competing interest: All authors (with the exception of AS) have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf (available on request from the corresponding author) and declare: no support from any organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. Ethical approval: Not necessary because data obtained from secondary sources. Transparency: This manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study being reported, and no important aspects of the study have been omitted. Data sharing: Datasets used in this study are available at www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm (NHANES survey) and https://discover.ukdataservice.ac.uk/ (ADHS survey). In these datasets, data are totally anonymised. This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 3.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/. ||||| Super spoof spy Austin Powers (shown here in the movie "The Spy Who Shagged Me" and played by Mike Myers) considers himself a sex symbol despite his crooked, discolored grin. (K. Wright/New Line Cinema) As a dental professional living in London, Richard Watt spent years watching as his colleagues became increasingly irritated with the constant jokes about "English teeth." The most offensive mockery, the gleeful pop culture references that seemed to signal it's okay to be mean as long as it's about teeth and people from Great Britain, originated from their brothers and sisters across the Atlantic. There was American author Donna Tartt's description of a British character's "rabbit teeth" in her Pulitzer-prize winning novel "Goldfinch." "The Simpsons" episode where a dentist terrifies Springfield's resident oddball kid Ralph Wiggum into better brushing habits by showing him a book called "The Big Book of British Smiles" featuring revered national figures like Prince Charles with misaligned or misformed teeth. And who can forget super spy Austin Powers' grotesquely discolored grin in his three feature films? In an effort to discover whether there's any truth to the widely-held belief, Watt teamed up with researchers from both countries to gather and analyze national data on the subject. Their conclusion, published Wednesday in the journal BMJ, may be a shocker to those on our side of the ocean: Americans do not have better teeth than the English. In fact, by some measures Americans' teeth are actually worse. They have significantly more missing teeth (yuck) and the inequalities in oral health are much wider between rich and poor in the United States than in Britain. "We were very surprised with our findings," said Watt, a professor of dental public health at University College London, told The Washington Post. Watt, it should be pointed out, is Scottish. The analysis was based on information from two nationally representative health surveys -- the British Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) and the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Both are nationally representative surveys with comparable information about oral health and socioeconomic position. The data the researchers used included people ages 25 who underwent a clinical examination to check their teeth. About 8,700 in Britain and 9,800 in the United States were included in the analysis by education about 7,200 in Britain and 9,100 in the United States in the analysis for income. As might be expected, the researchers found strong links between levels of education and household income and oral health in both countries. That is, the more educated and wealthier had better oral health. But the disparities were much greater in the United States. The researchers said there could be several reasons that may explain the differences between the two countries. One theory they had was that perhaps it might be due to the more diverse ethnic composition of the population in the United States, but their analysis showed this was not the case. Other possibilities may include the fact that dental services in the United States are provided privately and can be pricey and that they are part of the nationalized health-care system in Britain; or that Americans may have riskier behaviors that impact oral health such as smoking or consuming higher amounts of sugars. In addition to looking at clinical data, the group assessed how people perceived their oral health in both countries. That included looking at how dental diseases impacted quality of life in areas such as pain, eating, speaking and their confidence in socializing. Despite their better teeth, the British reported more significant impacts on their quality of life. "This could be partly a cultural difference - the English complain more!" Watt theorized. There is of course the possibility that if you look at other measures of oral health that Americans could come out better. This study, as people who enjoy making fun of English teeth will inevitably point out, was limited to analysis of missing teeth and did not include aesthetic or orthodontic outcomes. Below is a look at some data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development that provides more context by showing how the United States and Britain do in oral health in relation to other countries. Note that Britain not only did better than the United States, it did better than all the other OECD countries that reported data that year. To be fair, while the BMJ study said Americans' teeth are no better than the British's teeth, it stopped short of saying they were worse. The researchers actually talked about "a mixed picture," with Americans having significantly more missing teeth and the British reporting more impacts due to dental issues (could it be all the people poking fun at them has made them extra self-conscious?) Watt said that as oral diseases continue to be a major health problem across the world that maybe the study will help make British teeth less of a running joke: "Perhaps now Americans will not laugh at English teeth anymore?" Read more: Beware the rule-following co-worker, Harvard study warns It turns out parenthood is worse than divorce, unemployment — even the death of a partner Maternal exposure to anti-depressant SSRIs linked to autism in children The myth of sugar-free drinks, candy: Study shows they can wreak havoc on teeth, too For more health news, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter here.

– A Washington Post article features a giant image of Austin Powers and a reminder of his "grotesquely discolored grin." It's evidence, of course, of how awful English teeth are, especially as compared with Americans' pearly whites. Except, as a new study published Wednesday in the BMJ finds, our whites may not be quite so superior. Richard Watt (who is Scottish) partnered with fellow dental professionals on both sides of the pond to figure out how our grins stack up, and the result references Powers again. The study, "Austin Powers bites back: a cross sectional comparison of US and English national oral health surveys," concludes that "the oral health of US citizens is not better than the English." In fact, in one aspect it's worse. The study made use of two nationally representative health surveys, the British Adult Dental Health Survey and the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. When it comes to missing teeth, Americans have more voids, at 7.31 to 6.97. Further, when it comes to missing teeth among the ages 25-64 set, Americans still outpaced the English (who had a higher number of missing teeth among older adults). In both countries, women were missing more teeth than men. But we do have the edge in one respect: When it comes to oral impacts on daily life (as determined by six questions that asked about pain, function—like eating and talking—and social impacts), such impacts "were more prevalent in England," the researchers write. But "this could be partly a cultural difference," Watt speculated to the Post. "The English complain more!" (No missing teeth here: 232 teeth were removed from this boy's head.)

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) face is seen on a video monitor as a woman speaks during a rally at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida, August 26, 2012. Supporters of U.S. Republican presidential candidate, Congressman Ron Paul, hold signs during a rally at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida August 26, 2012. TAMPA, Florida Thousands of die-hard Ron Paul supporters paid no heed to Tropical Storm Isaac on Sunday and held a marathon rally in Tampa to celebrate the 77-year-old congressman, who gave a farewell speech of more than an hour about his libertarian views. As Republican National Committee officials scrambled to adjust the storm-shortened schedule for this week's convention to nominate Mitt Romney for president, Paul followers gathered across town at the University of Southern Florida's Sun Dome. Paul, who is retiring from Congress this year after a colorful career and three failed White House runs, looked embarrassed as he got a prolonged standing ovation from an ear-splitting crowd as music thumped "Ron Paul, Ron Paul" in the background. He praised his supporters for backing his vision of reduced government and increased personal liberties and urged them to continue the movement even now that his presidential bid had ended. "The convention is very important this week ...(But) there's something even more important than all that and that is the cause that we're leading, the cause for liberty and the attention that we're getting right now," said the Texas congressman. In his last speech of the long campaign season, Paul gave a rambling, 65-minute discourse that jumped from one topic to another and made reference to novels and history. But the crowd stayed engaged, chanting "President Paul, President Paul" and cheering his belief government should be cut. Filling seats up to the basketball arena's rafters, the sign-waving crowd had already spent most of the five hours before Paul spoke listening to speakers bashing mainstream Republicans, the Federal Reserve and calling for an end to U.S. military involvement overseas. A favored topic was getting rid of the Federal Reserve Bank. South Carolina state senator Tom Davis got the crowd revved up into a frenzy when he criticized the central bank chairman. "Ben Bernanke is a traitor and a dictator," Davis said to roars from the crowd as they stood and stomped on the floor. Paul told The New York Times this weekend that he was not speaking at the convention because he did not want to give Romney a full-fledged endorsement. His son Rand, a U.S. senator from Kentucky who is seen as the future of the "Ron Paul Revolution," is speaking at the convention and has supported Romney. REBELLIOUS SUPPORTERS Republican officials and the Romney campaign were worried that Paul's often-rebellious supporters would stage an unlikely attempt to have him nominated at the convention, and distract attention from the party's message of defeating President Barack Obama on November 6. But Paul backers, a unique combination of conservatives, the young, retired members of the military and independents, have been placated in part by the party putting ideas like an audit of the Federal Reserve -- something he has long supported -- onto the party platform. Nevertheless, Paul and several of the rally's speakers Sunday afternoon blasted the national committee for changing rules to make it tougher for an outsider like him to get delegates to become a candidate with a realistic chance of advancing in the nominating process. Paul failed to win any states in this year's Republican primary and caucuses votes but gathered up to 200 delegates, enough to cause disruption at the convention. Paul's message of sharply reducing the role of government, scrapping the Federal Reserve and ending the U.S. military presence overseas resonated this election cycle more than in previous years. It was seen as attractive to conservatives and some disillusioned Democrats in times of a deep budget deficit and war weariness. Paul joked about not being asked to speak at the convention. "Today I was very excited. I got a call from the RNC," he said. "They said they changed their mind. They were going to give me a whole hour and I could say anything I want -- tomorrow night." He paused to let the crowd realize convention events had been canceled for Monday night because of Tropical Storm Isaac. Then he said: "Just kidding, just kidding." (Editing by Alistair Bell and Philip Barbara) ||||| Rep. Ron Paul, the plucky GOP presidential candidate yet to get fully behind Mitt Romney, lashed out Sunday at Republican efforts to marginalize his supporters at the upcoming party convention, telling a counter rally to stand firm because "we will become the tent eventually." Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks at a rally at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles... (Associated Press) Vreth Liberty Zatikyan from Santa Monica, Calif., shows his support for Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, during a rally at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention... (Associated Press) Mary White of Rathdrum, Idaho, shows her support for Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, at a rally at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla.,... (Associated Press) John Popper of Blues Traveler performs at a rally for Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday,... (Associated Press) Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks at a rally at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles... (Associated Press) Appearing not far from where Romney will collect the Republican nomination, Paul used the rally to lecture a party he thinks is too willing to intervene abroad, too timid when it comes to combating a monetary policy he sees as misguided, and too lax about preserving civil liberties. His remarks were the perfect pitch to a friendly crowd of thousands, who stood the whole time he spoke. "It made the paper in Washington that the revolution wasn't happening," the Texas Republican said. "Don't they only wish." Paul ended active campaigning in June, but so far the libertarian-leaning politician hasn't endorsed Romney's candidacy. He told The New York Times for a story Sunday that he was denied a chance to speak because he refused to let the Romney campaign vet his remarks and give an unconditional endorsement. In contrast to the stately scenery inside the Republican convention arena, the Paul rally had all the trappings of a rock concert: fog lamps, sweeping beams of colorful lights, music thumping with bass, free-flowing tap beer. Blues Traveler frontman John Popper performed ahead of Paul's remarks. The University of South Florida college basketball arena was hardly full, but boisterous Paul fans erupted most times he was mentioned and wore shirts with his name and image; one shirt read "My President is Paul" and another said "Let Ron Paul Speak." Paul joked that he was given a speaking slot on Monday night _ when Tropical Storm Isaac was causing the GOP to postpone activities. "Just kidding," he assured. He didn't win a single state but still amassed more than 175 delegates to the convention, several of whom got a standing ovation when they were introduced as a group at the Paul rally. On stage and among the audience, Paul backers chafed at the idea that their presence in Florida was an unwanted distraction at a convention focused on saluting Romney. Paul's coalition is made up of anti-war Republicans, people who want stricter government adherence to the Constitution and those who want to dismantle the Federal Reserve, which sets American monetary policy. His devoted following has caused strains in the convention lead-up. Late last week, Republican convention rule-makers advanced measures designed to blunt the Paul presence, including votes to dull the strength of his contingent in the Maine delegation and another to make it tougher for similar candidates to follow his path in the future. Ashley Ryan, the young new Republican committeewoman from Maine, said procedural moves viewed as minimizing Paul's supporters would backfire on the GOP. "Our party will go from being a big tent with many ideas to a small group at the mercy of a few insiders," Ryan said. Paul carried on with the theme. ""Believe me, we will get in the tent because we will become the tent eventually," he said, adding, "With the energy that we have. It seems to me they would be begging and pleading for us to come into the party." Tropical Storm Isaac disrupted the GOP schedule, yet planners retained a video tribute to Paul and a speaking role for his son, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, moving both to Wednesday night between 7 and 8 p.m. Doug Wead, an author and former adviser to both Bush presidents, drew loud applause when he described the congressman as "a clean boat in a sea of garbage." Throughout the day, Paul was held up as a beacon of ideological purity. Paul, 77, is leaving Congress after his 12th term expires at year's end. But some hope he'll make a fourth run at the White House. He has run the past two election cycles as a Republican and ran once before as a candidate for the Libertarian Party. Said Austrian School economist Walter Block: "It's true Ron will be 80 in 2016, but he's a young 80." At one point during the five-hour rally, the audience broke into chants of "Paul `16" _ but they were referring to Rand Paul, not his father. ||||| TAMPA, Fla. — The future of what Ron Paul started rests with supporters like Ashley Ryan, who will attend Mr. Paul’s final presidential campaign rally here with decidedly mixed feelings. Ms. Ryan, a 21-year-old college student, will take over as Maine’s national committeewoman after sitting as a Paul delegate at this week’s Republican National Convention. But in a credentials dispute, hard-bargaining party leaders left Paul forces with only half the Maine delegates they thought they had won this year — a blunt reminder of Mitt Romney’s grip on the proceedings. “It was a huge slap in the face,” Ms. Ryan said. Though her unseated Maine colleagues can attend with guest passes furnished by the Iowa delegation, she said, “I was very disappointed.” Yet Mr. Paul’s supporters can celebrate achievements that an earlier generation of libertarians never tasted. Despite Tropical Storm Isaac, Mr. Paul is still scheduled to stage a valedictory rally on Sunday before an estimated 10,000 supporters at the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome. Its speakers, including Ms. Ryan, were planning to send the Republican Party a message about their commitment to grow in influence as the 77-year-old Mr. Paul moves on. The libertarian movement has always boasted intellectual champions. But it has gotten something new from Mr. Paul, the iconoclastic veteran House member from Texas, whose small-government, low-tax, noninterventionist views found new attention in the Tea Party era and served as the focus of a determined grass-roots effort to shake up the Republican establishment. Over three separate presidential bids, Mr. Paul has given libertarians a leader from the world of electoral politics, a beachhead within the party and a passionate if disparate army of activists. The onetime obstetrician has even bequeathed the movement a successor: his son, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. “We used to say most people found libertarianism by reading Ayn Rand,” said David Boaz of the Cato Institute, a libertarian research organization in Washington. “In the last five years, most people have found libertarianism by listening to Ron Paul.” Brian Doherty, an editor at Reason magazine and a historian of the libertarian tradition, goes so far as to call the Texas Republican “a miracle.” Before Mr. Paul, the movement found many admirable traits in political figures like Barry M. Goldwater and Ronald Reagan — but also big disappointments. Even now, backers like Ms. Ryan see the Paul campaign ending in a fizzle rather than a bang at the convention. In addition to disappointments over delegates, Mr. Paul, who finished second to Mr. Romney in New Hampshire’s signature primary, will not get to address the party convention. That reflects both sides of the movement’s new circumstances. To enhance its long-term viability among Republicans, Paul campaign leaders decided to cooperate with Romney forces for a smooth convention, while eschewing compromises that would have alienated core supporters even more. Mr. Paul, in an interview, said convention planners had offered him an opportunity to speak under two conditions: that he deliver remarks vetted by the Romney campaign, and that he give a full-fledged endorsement of Mr. Romney. He declined. “It wouldn’t be my speech,” Mr. Paul said. “That would undo everything I’ve done in the last 30 years. I don’t fully endorse him for president.” Mr. Paul’s campaign chairman, Jesse Benton, acknowledged the frustrations that the Paul high command had been forced to manage. Some true believers want to “dress in black, stand on a hill and say, ‘Smash the state,’ ” said Mr. Benton, who is married to one of Mr. Paul’s granddaughters. But “it’s not our desire to have floor demonstrations. That would cost us a lot more than it would get us.” Just eight years ago, “it was fringy people in the John Birch Society” who were espousing Mr. Paul’s ideas for taking on the Federal Reserve system, Mr. Benton said. “Now it’s the Republican Party” that has drafted a platform plank calling for auditing the central bank. The purity of the movement’s principles has long left it in self-imposed isolation. The minimalist role it envisions for government repels a vast majority of Democrats; its noninterventionist foreign policy and live-and-let-live social views repel most Republicans. The Pew Research Center’s most recent study of groups within the electorate, conducted last year, categorized 10 percent of registered voters as libertarians. But even that relatively small group, said the center’s president, Andrew Kohut, held more moderate views on the role of government and foreign affairs than Mr. Paul.

– It's a good thing for Mitt Romney that Ron Paul isn't speaking at the Republican National Convention because ... he doesn't actually endorse the candidate. The GOP apparently tried to throw a bone to the popular loser by offering him an opportunity to speak. But the offer came with conditions Paul couldn't abide. For one thing, he told the New York Times, his speech had to be vetted by the Romney team—and he had to wholeheartedly endorse the candidate. "It wouldn't be my speech," the 77-year-old told the Times. “That would undo everything I’ve done in the last 30 years. I don’t fully endorse him for president.” But Paul had an opportunity yesterday to say exactly what he wanted at a rally of his supporters at the basketball arena of the University of South Florida in Tampa, not far from the GOP convention site. He ripped Republican leaders for marginalizing his supporters at the convention in his 65-minute speech, and vowed that "we will become the tent eventually," reports AP. (He also said the 9/11 victims would still be alive had he been at the country's reins, notes Buzzfeed.) Paul is leaving Congress this year when his 12th term ends, but some supporters hope he might make one more run for White House—which would be his fourth—next time around.

>> that's what i wear. >> that's what i wear. >> i'd kill for a 27 waste. >> reality star kendra wilkinson traded in life in the playboy mansion as one of hugh hefner 's girlfriend for a life in indiana as wife of nfl wide sever hank baskett . >> she and hank have welcomed a baby boy into their lives. congratulations. >> thank you so much. >> how is it switches gears from being in the playboy mansion to being wife and mother , whole new life? >> it's amazing. i think my life has changed with the perfect timing and everything. i think, you know, i was that party girl . that party playboy girl. now i'm a wife and a mother . and i'm just enjoying every chapter of my life. this is where i should be in life right now. i've always said the word -- i've always said the number 24 , 24. that's the age i've always wanted to have kids and be married. >> it all worked out. >> it all worked out. i have the best husband, the best baby i could ever imagine. >> you've been doing it all at once, though. the baby, the move. you were in l.a. and indianapolis. now you'll be in philadelphia soon. >> how do you juggle it? >> our chapters are in six months. every six months is a new move, a new -- it's great. it's crazy. an adventure. >> a lot of moms struggle with getting the weight off. there's one scene i loved. you were in one of those sauna suits. it's a blue thing you put it on, you were trying to get skinny for your husband. i think we have -- this is the sauna suit. tell us how that thing worked out. >> well, i really don't recommend that. because it's unhealthy. that was just a funny gag for the show and for my husband and everything. but, you know, that just really, you know, loses water weight. >> what are you laughing at? >> you have to lose it in a really good way. exercises and a good diet. >> that's what i like about you. you're not afraid to put on the suit. after pregnancy everyone expects you to look a certain way. you didn't mind showing your belly. >> i didn't mind it. i said to my show, if i'm going to have a reality show i want it to be real and want my fans to know i'm real. the cameras didn't think they could shoot that. i'm like, no. press play. shoot this. this is something i really want on tv. >> is that something you wore on date night? i know you're concerned about getting that spark back. >> i found the perfect dress for date night. i still felt insecure, though, because i -- you know, it was right after having the baby. i just -- you know, i was really insecure around that time. >> you look like you've lost a lot of weight. how have you done it? >> every day is changing. every day is a new day. i wake up and see something different about myself. i'm not trying to lose -- i love my body now. i love the weight. it's so funny you see celebrities all the time, i'm not a size 2. i'm like, yes, i'm not a size 2 anymore. >> that's a good attitude. so many people in hollywood , they want to be as skinny as that. >> you think women sometimes put too much pressure on themselves to get their shape back too quickly without enjoying the moment? it's truly one of the best experiences in life. why not let it go. >> during pregnancy i enjoyed everything. i was eating everything. i was just having a good time. >> jou still like the idea, just real quick, that you are doing this reality show , that you have cameras showing everything? do you still think it's a good idea on season 2 ? >> i definitely think it's a good idea. the show will end one day. they're not going to follow me when it's time to take him to preschool, elementary school . that's when it's going to end. right now we're having a good time. you know, it's all fun. but, you know, i will -- i will -- the show will end, you know, one day. >> it seems so difficult to find new things, new adventures to show on reality television . because there's just so much of it. and so many of those storylines are kind of played over. will yours be different and what will make that special? >> you know what's funny? i was just about to tell you, you know how kate is on " dancing with the stars "? i just told my publicist today if i were asked to go on " dancing with the stars " i don't think i would do it. i would say no to it. i'm that mom that wants -- i want to be there every step. i know i'm here for three days. i don't want to spend three months away from my kid, my baby. >> we wish you the best of luck on season 2 . catch it sunday night on "e." ||||| Kendra Wilkinson reveals she checked into a mental hospital at age 15 for having 'suicidal' thoughts Holden/WireImage Kendra Wilksin said she began her downward spiral with drugs at age 13. Long before Kendra Wilkinson entered the spotlight and became known as a bubbly blond Playboy model, she experienced some troubled times as a teenager. In the new "E! True Hollywood Story" about the reality star, Wilkinson admits dabbling in drugs and self-mutilating during her short 24 years of life. She said she was "about 13" when she had her first experience with cocaine after her friends introduced her to "this white stuff." "I started feeling pretty good," Wilkinson said. "That was the start of my drug days." By the time she was 15, Wilkinson was abusing drugs and was at one point "feeling suicidal" and "cutting myself." "I had so much pain that I just wanted to die," she revealed. "It wasn't that I was trying to die, it was that the pain took away from my pain inside." After Wilkinson admitted swallowing a "half-dozen or so medications" while at school, her mother, Patti, checked her into a secured psychiatric facility for two weeks. "It was crazy in that place," the reality star told "THS." "We didn't see daylight. We weren't allowed outside. It was basically a jail, but it was a hospital." Despite her family members being "scared to death," Wilkinson said the hospitalization "did not change me at all." "I think it made me worse because in my heart I didn't want to change," she said. "People were forcing me, and that's something that does not work with me." Wilkinson credits an instance when she almost died from a cocaine overdose as the moment that made her realize she needed to get her life together. "I was bleeding from every hole in my body and I really thought I was going to die that night," she said. "But you know what, I survived, and I swear it was a couple of days after that that I had an epiphany. I just stopped drugs, stopped smoking cigarettes, stopped everything, and went home." Admitting that her "devil years" were "very selfish," Wilkinson's attempt to repair her damaged relationship with her family took time. "My mom did not take me back with open arms," she said. "I basically had to get on my knees and beg. I looked in her eyes [and said] 'I swear on my life, I am done.'" After getting involved in sports and working a part-time job, the reformed teen found her way working at the Playboy mansion, where she ultimately met future boyfriend Hugh Hefner. Now married to NFL star Hank Baskett and caring for their 3-month-old son, Hank IV, Wilkinson told E! Online that she's just "enjoying time" with her new family.

– Kendra Wilkinson may be among the most famous Playboy Playmates—not to mention married to a football star—but her younger years weren’t so bright. Previews for her upcoming E! True Hollywood Story show Wilkinson talking about using cocaine at 13 and cutting herself by 15, the New York Daily News reports. “I had so much pain that I just wanted to die,” she says, adding that she checked into a psychiatric facility for two weeks after swallowing a "half-dozen or so medications." Wilkinson found herself in the news for another reason yesterday after she apparently slammed fellow celebrity mom Kate Gosselin for appearing on Dancing With the Stars. “If I were asked to go on, I don't think I'd do it,” she said on Today. “I would definitely say no to it, because I am that mom that wants to be there every step. I don't want to spend three months away from my baby. I just couldn't do that.” She later tweeted she “didn’t mean to bash Kate.”

Safety Announcement [12-17-2013] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that methylphenidate products, one type of stimulant drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), may in rare instances cause prolonged and sometimes painful erections known as priapism. FDA continues to monitor the safety of drugs after they are approved, and, based on a recent review of methylphenidate products, we have updated the drug labels and patient Medication Guides to include information about the rare but serious risk of priapism. Patients who take methylphenidate and develop erections lasting longer than four hours should seek immediate medical treatment to prevent long-term problems with the penis. If not treated right away, priapism can lead to permanent damage to the penis. Priapism can occur in males of any age and happens when blood in the penis becomes trapped, leading to an abnormally long-lasting and sometimes painful erection. Younger males, especially those who have not yet reached puberty, may not recognize the problem or may be embarrassed to tell anyone if it occurs. All male patients and their caregivers should be taught the signs and symptoms of priapism and the importance of seeking immediate medical treatment if it occurs. Methylphenidate products are among the medicines that can be used to treat ADHD. One of the most common childhood brain disorders, ADHD can continue through adolescence and adulthood and causes symptoms such as difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity. Medications such as methylphenidate used to treat ADHD benefit patients with the disorder by increasing focus, reducing impulsivity, and improving overall social functioning. Therefore, patients who have been prescribed a methylphenidate product should not stop taking it without first talking to their health care professionals. Table 1 lists methylphenidate products marketed in the United States. In our review, the median age of patients taking a methylphenidate product who experienced priapism was 12.5 years (range 8 to 33 years). In a few patients, priapism occurred after an increase in the dosage of methylphenidate, but priapism has also occurred under other conditions, such as during short periods of time when the drug was stopped temporarily, when there was a longer than typical time between doses, or after stopping the drug permanently. Two patients required surgical intervention; one required shunt placement, and the other had to have needle aspiration of the corpus cavernosum. The risk of priapism may cause some health care professionals toconsider switching patients to the non-stimulant drug Strattera (atomoxetine), another drug used to treat ADHD; however, atomoxetine has also been associated with priapism in young children, teenagers, and adults. Priapism appears to be more common in patients taking atomoxetine than in patients taking methylphenidate products. Health care professionals should be cautious when considering changing patients from methylphenidate to atomoxetine. Amphetamine products are also used to treat ADHD, and we have received reports of priapism in four patients taking an amphetamine product. However, whether the amphetamine products caused the priapism is uncertain, because all of these patients had been taking other medications that are thought to cause priapism. Therefore, we cannot conclude that the use of amphetamine products can result in priapism. ||||| Warning to Ritalin users from the FDA: You may get the shaft As if kids with ADHD didn’t have enough difficulty paying attention in class, now they have a whole new set of concerns. Well, the boys at least. According to a report released this week by the FDA, one of the drugs that’s used to help kids with ADHD “may in rare instances cause prolonged and sometimes painful erections known as priapism. …If not treated right away, priapism can lead to permanent damage to the penis.” The chemical, methylphenidate—which is in drugs like Ritalin—is a stimulant that affects the body’s central nervous system. So far, reported incidents of priapism from ADHD medicine erections are very rare (there have been 15 documented cases from 1997 to 2012) but the consequences are serious. “Two patients required surgical intervention; one required shunt placement, and the other had to have needle aspiration of the corpus cavernosum.” Ironically, another drug used to treat ADHD—Adderall—has the opposite effect. It causes impotence among many men who use it, proving that dudes with ADHD just can’t catch a break. To learn more about the dangers, click here. ||||| A leading type of stimulant used to treat attention deficit disorder can cause rare cases of painful and long-lasting erections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned on Tuesday. The agency, in a notice on its website, said its review documented the problem, formally known as priapism, in males 8 to 33 years of age who took drugs containing methylphenidate. The chemical is the active ingredient of Novartis AG's Ritalin and Johnson & Johnson's Concerta. Generic forms of both drugs are also widely used. Drug labels of such products will be updated to warn of the potential but rare danger, the FDA said. "Younger males, especially those that have not yet reached puberty, may not recognize the problem or may be embarrassed to tell anyone if it occurs," the FDA said. The agency said patients developing erections lasting more than four hours should seek immediate medical attention to prevent permanent damage to the penis. A non-stimulant drug also used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Eli Lilly and Co's Strattera, has also been linked to priapism in young children, teenagers and adults. Strattera, whose chemical name is atomoxetine, appears to pose a greater risk than methylphenidate products, the FDA said. "Health care professionals should be cautious when considering changing patients from methylphenidate to atomoxetine" products, the agency said. (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by John Wallace)

– Labels on Ritalin and other drugs used to treat ADHD will soon have a new warning: Beware long, painful erections. It seems that a chemical in the drugs called methylphenidate is a stimulant that can mess with the body's central nervous system, explains Vocativ.com. It “may in rare instances cause prolonged and sometimes painful erections known as priapism," says an FDA warning. Cases have been seen in kids as young as 8 years old, notes Reuters. "Younger males, especially those that have not yet reached puberty, may not recognize the problem or may be embarrassed to tell anyone if it occurs," says the FDA. And that's a real concern because the problem can cause permanent damage to the penis. Methylphenidate is found in Ritalin, rival Concerta, and generic forms of both.

President Barack Obama is "madder than hell" about the Veterans Affairs scandal, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough says. “The president is madder than hell, and I’ve got the scars to prove it, given the briefings I’ve given the president," he said in an interview with CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Major Garrett that aired Sunday on "Face the Nation." "Nobody is more outraged about this problem, right now, Major, than the president of the United States," McDonough added. McDonough's comments echoed VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's statement at last week's Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing, when the secretary said he was "mad as hell" about the reports. (WATCH: Sunday shows in 90 seconds) Shinseki and the Obama administration have come under fire for reports that at least 40 veterans died while waiting for care in the Phoenix VA system. Several lawmakers, as well as The American Legion, a top veterans’ advocacy group, have called on Shinseki to resign. Asked about the secretary's performance at the Senate hearing last week, McDonough said: “We don’t score testimony on Capitol Hill or otherwise. What we score is results that results to the services and benefits that our vets have earned.” Undersecretary of Health Robert Petzel, who testified with Shinseki at the hearing, stepped down on Friday. (WATCH: Jon Stewart mocks General Shinseki 'mad as hell' quote) McDonough, as he has in earlier interviews, touted the administration's commitment to veterans and its "historic increase" in benefits for veterans. “The president’s demanding that we get to the bottom of the exact allegations that you're talking about as it relates to whether veterans are getting the timely access to care that they have earned," McDonough said, adding that as soon as the reports came out, he reached out to Shinseki to ensure the department had accountability measures in place to handle the problem. Read more about: Major Garrett, Face The Nation, Denis McDonough, Veterans, Eric Shinseki ||||| Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.

– White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough today summarized the commander-in-chief's feelings on the VA scandal pretty pointedly: "The president is madder than hell, and I’ve got the scars to prove it, given the briefings I’ve given the president. Nobody is more outraged about this problem, right now," he tells CBS, "than the president of the United States." His comments echo VA Secretary Eric Shinseki's last week, notes Politico, when he told the Senate he was "mad as hell." (Politico notes that Newt Gingrich was equally blunt today when asked whether Shinseki's head should roll: "Yes.") Continued McDonough: "The president’s demanding that we get to the bottom of the exact allegations that you're talking about as it relates to whether veterans are getting the timely access to care that they have earned."

That red dress may be more than a fashion choice. New research suggests that when women see a lady in red, they become more protective of their boyfriends. It sounds a bit like a bad romantic comedy plot point, but color really can influence people's emotions and behavior, said study researcher Adam Pazda, a graduate student in psychology at the University of Rochester. "You see that there is a huge reluctance to introduce or let a boyfriend spend time alone [with a woman in red]," Pazda told Live Science. "Essentially, you see this defensive behavior intention, like, 'I don't want my boyfriend anywhere near this girl.'" [How 8 Colors Got Their Symbolic Meanings] Wearing red Red is inextricably linked with romance and sex in Western culture — think of Valentine's Day hearts, red lipstick and even red-light districts. Psychologists have found, in multiple studies, that whatever a woman's intentions when she dons a red outfit, men respond. Men "find women in red more attractive, they want to spend more money on dates with women wearing red, waitresses wearing red get more tips," Pazda said. A 2010 study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology also revealed that women found guys wearing redmore appealing than men in other colors. Pazda and his colleagues were interested in understanding how women might respond to a lady in red, given that most previous research focused on men. So the researchers set up three simple experiments. The picture used for the color manipulation in Experiments 1 and 2 (the face of the female target was intact in the experiment but is blurred here to protect privacy). The dress color was red or white. Credit: Adam Pazda In the first, 196 women recruited online were shown a picture. Both were of a young, moderately attractive woman wearing a dress. In one image, seen by half the participants, the dress was white. In the other, seen by the other half, it was red. [Your Color Red Really Could Be My Blue] The researchers asked the participants to rank how interested in sex the woman in the picture was, on a scale of 1 to 100 (greatest interest). They found that when the woman was wearing red, her fellow women ranked her as more interested in sex— 49.26 versus 41.06 in the white dress. A second study used the same photos, but this time half of the female participants were asked to imagine they were competing for a man with the woman in the photo. A total of 327 women participated. Again, the woman in red was seen as more interested in sex (by 46.02 on the 100-point scale compared with 38.23 for the woman in white). And women were more likely to say that the woman in red would be more likely to cheat on her boyfriend, compared with the woman in white. This effect did not extend to general negative judgments about the woman — for example, color did not influence participants' chances of believing the women to be poor. Color of jealousy The researchers contrasted the red dress with white because they worried that another color would show up skewed on people's computer monitors, Pazda said. In the third study, women saw the photographs in person, so the researchers changed the alternate color to green — a color that, unlike white, has no links to virginity or purity. This time, 143 Slovakian women, all university students who were in heterosexual relationships, looked at photographs of the same woman wearing either a red or green shirt; participants indicated how interested in sex they thought the photographed woman was, how willing they would be to introduce their boyfriend to her, and how comfortable they'd feel if their boyfriend spent time alone with her, all on a scale of 1 to 9. The picture used for the color manipulation in Experiment 3 (the face of the female target was intact in the experiment but is blurred here to protect privacy). The shirt color was red or green. Credit: Adam Pazda Despite the switch from white to green, participants still saw red as provocative. The woman in red was rated as more interested in sex (4.11 out of 9) than the woman in green (3.4 out of 9). And women were less likely to want the red-clad woman around their boyfriends. Padza cautioned that the results are based on what people say, not what they actually do. "I really can't stress enough the point that I wouldn't say that this applies to every single woman all the time," he said. "The results in our study are just average tendencies. It's certainly not the case that anytime a woman wears red, she is going to be isolated or excluded by other women." It's not clear what red would mean outside of the romantic context, either, Padza said. A red work blouse might have a very different context than a slinky vermillion club dress. "The next step is to get women into the same room where one is wearing red and one is not, and see if there is face-to-face derogation," he said. "Extending it beyond intentions to actual behavior would definitely be a first step." The findings are detailed today (July 11) in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on Live Science. ||||| • In the 1939 film classic The Women, much is made of the alluring quality of a specific color of nail polish: “Jungle Red.” It turns out that the characters’ faith in the product was not misplaced. New research suggests the color red on a woman does indeed signal sexual availability—not only to men, but also to other women. As we have noted previously, studies have found that men tend to view women in red as more sexually attractive. But, ladies, if you were thinking wearing that color would send a subliminal signal only males would pick up on, you’re out of luck. “Our results suggest that women perceive and behave toward other women in red as if these other women are actively advertising” their openness to the possibility of a sexual encounter. “Our results suggest that women perceive and behave toward other women in red as if these other women are actively advertising” their openness to the possibility of a sexual encounter, writes a research team led by University of Rochester psychologist Adam Pazda. Its study is published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Pazda and his colleagues describe three experiments conducted on two different continents that provide evidence that wearing red sets off certain alarm bells. In the first, 196 women recruited online viewed a photo of “a moderately attractive women in her late 20s.” Half saw an image of her wearing a white dress; the rest viewed an otherwise identical image of her in a red dress. Afterwards, all responded on a sliding scale to a series of statements such as “This person is interested in sex.” As expected, the woman was seen as more sexually receptive if she was wearing red. This held true whether or not the study participants were in a committed relationship. Another experiment featured 143 women enrolled at two Slovakian universities. They, too, looked at a photo of a woman in her 20s; she was wearing either a red or green shirt. Afterwards, they were asked to rate not only her interest in sex, but were asked “How likely would you be to introduce this person to your boyfriend?” Those who viewed her in the red shirt rated the woman as “more sexually receptive,” and “reported stronger intentions to guard their mate from the target,” the researchers report. The researchers caution that, needless to say, “not all women displaying red are actively advertising sexual availability.” For those who are not, it’s valuable to understand the ways their wardrobe choices are being interpreted—both by men, and by their female acquaintances. So if you’re getting unexpected smiles from male co-workers, and surprisingly hard stares from women, note the color of your outfit (and your nail polish). Not to make you red-faced, but you may be sending out a signal without even realizing it.

– Researchers know that guys tend to find women in red to be alluring; now, they're investigating how women react to the color. Research headed by a University of Rochester psychologist finds that women see others wearing red "as if these other women are actively advertising" sexual availability. For instance, "there is a huge reluctance to introduce or let a boyfriend spend time alone (with a woman wearing red)," Adam Pazda tells LiveScience. "You see this defensive behavior intention, like, 'I don't want my boyfriend anywhere near this girl.'" His team referred to studies across two continents. In one, half of the women participating saw an image of a woman in red; the other half saw the same picture—except the woman was wearing white. Their responses supported statements like "this person is interested in sex," the Pacific Standard reports. Another study saw subjects viewing photos of a woman in a red or green shirt. Asked how likely they'd be "to introduce this person to your boyfriend," women "reported stronger intentions to guard their mate from the target" when she was wearing red. Pazda emphasizes that his results refer to "tendencies" and aren't always applicable. An earlier study points to a link between red and fertility.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department arrested former priest John Feit on Tuesday in the 1960 murder of a 25-year-old McAllen schoolteacher, officials said. Feit, 83, was taken into custody on Tuesday afternoon outside his apartment in Scottsdale, Ariz., KRGV-TV reported. The sheriff’s department arrested Feit on a murder charge from the Hidalgo County Prosecutor’s Office and the Texas Rangers, said Maricopa sheriff’s Deputy Joaquin Enriquez. Feit will be charged after his initial appearance in front of a Texas judge. He is being held without bail until he can be extradited to Texas. “Right now, he’s not going anywhere,” Enriquez said. Irene Garza’s parents said their daughter planned to go to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen for a confession on April 16, 1960. Her body was found several days later in an irrigation ditch about a mile from the church where Feit was a priest. An autopsy determined she had been raped and bludgeoned. Feit was allegedly the last person to see her alive after hearing her confession the night before Easter Sunday. Suspicion quickly turned to Feit after authorities determined he was in Edinburg in March when another woman there reported that a man, whom she later identified as Feit, had grabbed her from behind as she prayed alone in a church. The woman said he put a cloth over her mouth and threw her on the ground. When she bit his finger and screamed, he fled. On April 27, Feit acknowledged to police that a film-slide viewer found where Garza’s body was dumped was his. Texas Rangers questioned Feit extensively a couple of months after Garza’s slaying. When authorities went to arrested Feit on the March charge of assault with intent to rape, they found he had left Texas. He surrendered a week later, claiming he was in a hospital recuperating from the interrogation process. Feit’s prosecution ended in a mistrial and he later pleaded no contest to aggravated assault. In 1963, Feit entered Assumption Abbey, a Trappist monastery in southwestern Missouri. In the ’70s, he left the priesthood, married and had children. He remained a person of interest in the case, but no one was ever convicted of the crime. New witnesses turned up when the case was reopened in 2002. Chief among them were Rev. Joseph O’Brien, whom Feit had worked with temporarily in 1960; and Dale Tacheny, a priest at the Missouri monastery. Both men said Feit made incriminating statements that they had kept secret for many years. Then-Hidalgo County DA Rene Guerra said he concluded that Father O’Bien and Tacheny were unreliable based on information from police and other sources, but acknowledged that he and his staff never sought to interview the witnesses. In 2003, Guerra said he was not going to prosecute Feit in the case, saying then that he “did not find any new conclusive evidence that would warrant a prosecution.” ||||| A former priest has been arrested over the 1960 murder of Texas beauty queen and schoolteacher Irene Garza, officials and campaigners said Tuesday. John Feit, 83, was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona on a murder charge out of Hildago County, Texas — where the one-time Miss South Texas was found dead in a canal, authorities said. Feit was jailed pending extradition to Texas, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona said in a statement. His arrest came after a Texas grand jury indicted him on the murder charge, NBC affiliate KPNX in Phoenix reported. It wasn’t immediately clear what new information, if any, led to the charge. Twenty-five-year-old Garza was last seen at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen on April 16, 1960. Her body was found April 21 in a canal, according to the Texas Rangers website. She vanished after going to see Feit, a visiting priest, for confession. Her family set up a campaign website, Justice for Irene, to sustain public interest in the case even after five decades passed. An update late Tuesday on the site’s associated Facebook page said: “Justice has been served.” “Charges are being filed… that’s a major break in this 56-year-old case,” it said. Barbara Dorris, Outreach Director of campaign group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said she was "deeply grateful" Feit was apprehended. “We hope that this move brings some hope to Garza's family,” Dorris said in a statement. ||||| MCALLEN, Texas (AP) - A former priest has been arrested in Arizona in the 1960 slaying of a 25-year-old Texas schoolteacher. Eighty-three-year-old John Feit was arrested Tuesday by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department and awaits extradition to Texas. Feit faces a murder charge in the death of Irene Garza. Authorities say Garza visited Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, where Feit was a priest, on April 16, 1960. Garza had planned to go to confession that evening but never returned, and her body was found days later in an irrigation canal. According to an autopsy, Garza died from a head injury. Feit was a suspect in the killing but was never charged in the case. Hidalgo County District Attorney Ricardo Rodriguez said that he presented the case against Feit to a grand jury last week. ||||| MCALLEN, Texas – John Feit, a former Catholic priest, has been arrested in a 56-year-old murder case. Irene Garza was last seen alive the night before Easter 1960 when Feit heard her confession at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas. Five days later, searchers found the lifeless body of the 25-year-old former Miss South Texas face down in a canal. Feit, 83, has long been the main suspect in the case, but he wasn’t arrested until Tuesday in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office arrested him on a murder charge out of the state of Texas, according to the Hidalgo County, Texas, Prosecutor’s Office and the Texas Rangers. Authorities are working to extradite him from Arizona. In 2004, a grand jury decided not to indict Feit. In a sworn statement to authorities and during an interview with CNN in 2013, Feit denied he killed Garza. Feit told police Garza left the rectory after he heard her confession and the last time he saw her, she was standing outside the church. The case that shook a city An autopsy determined Garza had been raped while in a coma and then had died from suffocation. Near Garza’s body investigators found items that belonged to the church, including a candelabra. One item, a metallic Kodak slide photo viewer, belonged to a 27-year-old priest who was assigned to the church: the Rev. John Feit. Questioned by police, Feit failed lie detector tests. What was also suspicious was that just 24 days before the killing, Feit had been arrested for attacking another young woman at a church in a town about 10 miles from McAllen. Feit pleaded no contest to misdemeanor aggravated assault. A judge found him guilty and fined him $500 with no prison time. Sacrilegious To say the scandal rocked McAllen is an understatement. For folks growing up in McAllen at the time, it was unthinkable that a Catholic priest would commit such a crime. That’s the way Garza’s cousins remember it. “We were accusing a priest that — in those days priests were infallible, ” said Lynda De La Vina, who was 9 years old at the time. Another cousin, Noemi Sigler, was only 10 when Garza was killed. “It was impossible for a priest to do such a deed. I mean, if you thought of it, that would be sacrilegious.” But Feit was the likely suspect, said former Texas Ranger Lt. Rudy Jaramillo, who started investigating the murder in 2002 when he served with a Rangers cold case unit. The evidence, he said, “suggests and indicates that that’s who it’s pointing to.” Garza cousin: It was ‘a cover-up’ Authorities at the time protected Feit, said Sigler. “I don’t know whether it was out of respect for the church or anger or fear, I have no idea,” she said. Shortly after the killing, the church transferred Feit far away to a monastery. He would be moved to other locations over time, and about three years after the killing, the church transferred Feit to Our Lady of Assumption monastery in Ava, Missouri. Sheltering Feit “was about protecting the church and somehow believing that the church takes care of their own,” said De La Vina. “It was the best that could have happened at that point. Because nothing else was being done.” Sigler describes her view in more succinct terms: It was “a cover-up.” During the next four decades, the case grew colder and eventually faded from the headlines. But the cousins kept pushing until 2002, when the Rangers and Jaramillo reinvigorated the investigation. Hopes for solving the case were never higher when two surprise witnesses independently come forward — each separately claiming that they heard Feit confess. But then-District Attorney Rene Guerra delayed bringing the case before a grand jury for years, saying their testimony wasn’t credible. Eventually, in 2004, a grand jury did hear the case, but voted not to indict Feit. Another 12 years went by before Feit was arrested on Tuesday. Additional details are expected from Ricardo Rodriguez, the district attorney of Hidalgo County, while Feist awaits extradition from Arizona to Texas.

– Schoolteacher and beauty queen Irene Garza was found raped and bludgeoned to death in a canal in 1960, days after confessing to a priest at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas. More than 50 years later, that priest has been charged with her murder. John Feit, the main suspect in the case for years, was arrested in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Tuesday and is now awaiting extradition to Texas, reports KFOR. Items found near Garza's body, including a candelabra, were traced to the church where Feit worked about a mile away, while a film-slide viewer belonged to Feit himself, reports the Dallas Morning News. Less than a month before Garza was killed, Feit had also been arrested for attacking a woman at a church 10 miles from McAllen; he pleaded no contest to aggravated assault and paid a $500 fine. During early investigations, Feit—then a 27-year-old visiting priest, per NBC News—told police he last saw Garza standing outside of the church but failed lie detector tests. Later, two priests came forward claiming Feit made incriminating statements to them before he left the priesthood in the 1970s. A grand jury decided not to indict Feit in 2004, but a jury in Texas heard the case again last week and returned a different verdict, reports KTXS. It isn't clear if any new information was presented. A cousin of Garza, who was just 10 years old when she was killed, says accusing a priest of murder was no easy feat 56 years ago. "It was impossible for a priest to do such a deed. I mean, if you thought of it, that would be sacrilegious," she says. She alleges authorities at the time protected Feit in some kind of "cover-up." (Two murders eerily similar to each other remain unsolved.)

The media decided that Mitt Romney would be the inevitable Republican presidential nominee weeks before voters did, according to a report that analyzes race coverage. The study being released Monday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center Project for Excellence in Journalism found that while Romney didn't have a clear path until chief rival Rick Santorum suspended his campaign April 10, the media concluded the race was over Feb. 28, when Romney narrowly won the Michigan primary. The report analyzed the content and tone of coverage of the contest from Jan. 2 to April 15. It used a computer-assisted analysis of more than 11,000 news outlets and a closer assessment of 52 key print, television, audio and online news outlets. Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism and a co-author of the report, said Romney was the focus of plenty of skeptical stories throughout the primaries, but the former Massachusetts governor's victory in Michigan led to a decisive shift in media coverage. Romney grew up in Michigan, but Santorum made a strong play for conservative support. "The press began to see Romney's victory as essentially secured by the end of February even though it was clear many voters were still uneasy," Rosenstiel said. "What we saw going on in the coverage then was a suddenly intense discussion of `delegate math' and the conclusion that no other candidate could win." After Michigan, the report said, "news coverage of (Romney's) candidacy became measurably more favorable and the portrayal of his rivals _ particularly Rick Santorum _ began to be more negative and to shrink in volume." Santorum would go on to win several more primaries in March, but by then the press had concluded the race was over, the report found. "In the media narrative, for all intents and purposes, the general election had begun," the report said. The report found that none of the four major Republican contenders _ Romney, Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul _ received particularly positive coverage, but that President Barack Obama drew more negative media coverage than any of his would-be GOP challengers. The report found a slight drop in stories focusing on the "horse race" discussion of tactics and strategy compared with both the GOP and Democratic primary campaigns in 2008, but the number was still high. Sixty-four percent of this year's stories focused on the horse race, while 28 percent examined personal issues, public record and policy positions. In 2008, 80 percent of stories focused on the horse race. Rosenstiel said the candidates' policy positions received greater media attention this year because there were significant differences among the candidates on important issues, especially Romney's push on health care and support for a health insurance mandate in Massachusetts. "There were discussions about policy because there were real questions about whether tea party and social conservatives would embrace Romney," Rosenstiel said. "When Santorum and Gingrich attacked Romney on his health care plan, it raised a fairly substantive set of questions." The report also found: _ Romney received much more "vetting" by the press than his Republican rivals. News outlets explored matters such as his history in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and experience at the private equity firm Bain Capital in at least 12 percent of their stories about the candidate. Gingrich received a similar level of scrutiny, but was the subject of only about half as much campaign coverage as Romney. _ Santorum never received a sustained period of positive coverage despite his election victories. Coverage was momentarily positive at three points: after his strong showing in the kickoff Iowa caucuses Jan. 3; following triumphs in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri on Feb. 7; and the week he won in Louisiana on March 24. But the positive coverage was quickly overshadowed each time by doubts about the former Pennsylvania senator's organization and fundraising. _ Gingrich's only period of sustained positive coverage came in the week of his victory in the South Carolina primary Jan. 21. After his poor debate performances the following week and a loss to Romney in Florida on Jan. 31, coverage of the former House speaker went back into negative territory and never really recovered. _ Paul received the most positive coverage, but also the least amount of coverage. Only 7 percent of stories featured the Texas congressman as a significant newsmaker, compared with 59 percent for Romney, 31 percent for Santorum and 30 percent for Gingrich. _ Obama did not enjoy a single week of coverage that was more positive than negative. The negative coverage was driven by several factors, including the sustained attacks against him by the Republican field, a spike in gas prices, the uncertain pace of economic recovery and the Supreme Court challenge to his health law. ___ AP deputy director of polling Jennifer Agiesta in Washington contributed to this story. ___ Follow Beth Fouhy on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bfouhy ||||| Featured on PewResearch.org Inequality, Corruption Growing Concerns for China - 16 Oct 12 One-in-Five Adults Have No Religious Affiliation - 9 Oct 12 The Future of Mobile News - 1 Oct 12 In Changing News Landscape, Even Television Is Vulnerable - 27 Sep 12 A Record One-in-Five Households Now Owe Student Loan Debt - 26 Sep 12 Almost Half of U.S. Hispanic Population Lives in 10 Metropolitan Areas - 19 Sep 12 Obama Ahead with Stronger Support, Better Image and Lead on Most Issues - 19 Sep 12 A Third of Americans Now Say They Are in the Lower Classes - 10 Sep 12 Deepening Economic Doubts in India - 10 Sep 12 The Master Character Narratives in Campaign 2012 - 23 Aug 12 The Lost Decade of the Middle Class - 22 Aug 12 Hispanic Student Enrollments Reach New Highs in 2011 - 20 Aug 12 Further Decline in Credibility Ratings for Most News Organizations - 16 Aug 12 Romney's Personal Image Remains Negative - 2 Aug 12 Little Public Awareness of Outside Campaign Spending Boom - 2 Aug 12 Catholics Share Bishops' Concerns about Religious Liberty - 1 Aug 12 Growing Share of Americans Live in Income-Segregated Neighborhoods - 1 Aug 12 Two-Thirds of Democrats Now Support Gay Marriage - 31 Jul 12 Views on Gun Laws Unchanged After Aurora Shooting - 30 Jul 12 The Rise of the "Connected Viewer" - 17 Jul 12 Raising Taxes on Rich Seen as Good for Economy, Fairness - 16 Jul 12 Pervasive Gloom About the World Economy - 12 Jul 12 Obama Holds Lead; Romney Trails on Most Issues - 12 Jul 12 Most Muslims Want Democracy, Personal Freedoms and Islam in Political Life - 10 Jul 12 Division, Uncertainty Over Court's Health Care Ruling - 2 Jul 12 Pakistani Public Opinion Ever More Critical of U.S. - 27 Jun 12 GOP Holds Early Turnout Edge, But Little Enthusiasm for Romney - 21 Jun 12 The Rise of Asian Americans - 19 Jun 12 Debt and Deficit: A Public Opinion Dilemma - 14 Jun 12 Global Opinion of Obama Slips - 13 Jun 12

– No one's been nominated yet—but the media crowned Mitt Romney the winner of the GOP primaries after he took Michigan on Feb. 28, a Pew report finds. Of course, Romney didn't essentially seal the deal until Rick Santorum dropped out. That happened on April 10, weeks after the media had effectively called the race for Romney, finds the report, which tracked 11,000 news outlets from Jan. 2 to April 15. After Feb. 28, we saw "a suddenly intense discussion of 'delegate math' and the conclusion that no other candidate could win," explains the report's co-author. Following Michigan, coverage of Romney's campaign grew more favorable, while coverage of his rivals, "particularly Rick Santorum," decreased and grew more negative. But the most negative coverage was reserved for President Obama: He didn't see "a single week" in which positive press outweighed the negative, the AP notes. That was thanks in part to Republican attacks, a shaky economy, climbing gas prices, and the Supreme Court battle over ObamaCare. Ron Paul, on the other hand, got the most positive press—but he didn't get much coverage overall. Click through for more analysis of campaign coverage so far.

Britain has revealed that it is negotiating with Zimbabwe over the repatriation of remains thought to belong to fighters from the African country’s struggle against its colonisers, currently held in the Natural History Museum in London. Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe said in a speech at the weekend that British settlers had in the late 1800s taken the skulls of several celebrated resistance fighters in what is known locally as the “First Chimurenga” as “war trophies”, and called for their return. "We are told that skulls of our people, our leaders, are being displayed in a British museum and they are inviting us to repatriate them. We will repatriate them, but with bitterness, questioning the rationale behind decapitating them," Mr Mugabe told thousands of people at the annual national holiday honouring fighters who died in the war to end white minority rule. "The First Chimurenga leaders, whose heads were decapitated by the colonial occupying force, were then dispatched to England, to signify British victory over, and subjugation of, the local population. “Surely, keeping decapitated heads as war trophies, in this day and age, in a national history museum, must rank among the highest forms of racist moral decadence, sadism and human insensitivity.” On Thursday night, the Foreign Office confirmed that “remains of Zimbabwean origin” were in London and it was waiting for Zimbabwe to send technical experts to liaise with museum staff. “The issue of the potential repatriation of Zimbabwean human remains was first discussed by British and Zimbabwean Authorities in December 2014,” it said in a statement. “The UK has since invited Zimbabwe to appoint technical experts to meet their museum counterparts in London, in order to discuss some remains of Zimbabwean origin. “It is not yet clear whether these remains are related to the events, places or people referred to in the president’s speech this week. We await the appointment of the required Zimbabwean experts in order to take this forward. This story highlights the importance of following due process when handling sensitive museum collections.” A spokesman for the Natural History Museum confirmed that it was “considering a request”. “The Natural History Museum has a policy of considering requests for return of human remains to their places of origin, under the provisions of Section 47 of the Human Tissue Act 2004,” he said. “The museum actively engages in discussions with governments and communities with an interest in or who wish to make a claim for return of remains.” It is understood that once Zimbabwe raised the issue of the missing skulls, it took time to identify their location. The Natural History Museum has around 20,000 items in its human remains section. Zimbabwe attained its independence from Britain in 1980. Mr Mugabe said his government would consult with traditional leaders about how to bury the remains at the country’s "sacred" shrines. The state-run Sunday Mail newspaper reported in July that the skulls included those of Mashayamombe Chinengundu of Mhondoro and Chief Makoni Chingaira of Rusape, who were beheaded by British invasion forces at the height of Zimbabwe’s first war of resistance against white settlers in the 1890s. The war broke out in Zimbabwe between the indigenous Shona and Ndebele communities and the white British settlers from 1896 to 1897. Godfrey Mahachi, executive director of National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, said the heads’ repatriation was already being discussed. “Of course, Britain has confirmed that they are holding our human remains that got into the British museums sometime soon after the First Chimurenga,” he told state-run daily newspaper The Herald. “The process that is now taking place is about how we are going to handle the repatriation. This is why there is an invitation for Zimbabwe to constitute a team to discuss with British authorities.” Robert Barrett, one of Zimbabwe's leading historians and archeologists, said there was no proof that any skulls of Zimbabwe's early liberation fighters landed up in the UK after they were executed during the first rebellion against British rule in 1896. He said that Professor Terence Ranger, a British academic and leading Zimbabwe expert who died in January, had discounted the theory and "talk" that the head or remains of one of the early freedom fighters, Chief Makoni, was sent to the UK after he was shot by firing squad during the rebellion. "Terence Ranger, who strongly supported the liberation of Rhodesia, wrote a paper on this and denied that Chief Makoni's head had been sent to the UK. Chief Makoni was arrested and had a brief military trial and was then executed by firing squad. We don't know where he or others from the rebellion were buried," Mr Barrett said. Another historian disclosed that Zimbabwe had a few foreign heads of its own within its Museum of Natural Sciences in Harare. "Zimbabwe has a couple of Aboriginal skulls and a Bushman head and these, in many people's belief, should be sent back to Australia and Botswana." He said museums in many parts of the world exchanged skulls during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. ||||| Zimbabwe’s president says Britain keeping war trophy heads ‘ranks among highest form of moral decadence’ and calls for repatriation of remains stemming from 19th century uprising against colonial powers Zimbabwe’s president, Robert Mugabe, has demanded that London’s Natural History Museum returns the skulls of freedom fighters who were killed by British colonisers. British officials acknowledged that discussion about the repatriation of Zimbabwean human remains began last year but did not say whether a final decision had been made. Mugabe said the missing skulls were those of leaders of “the first chimurenga”, an uprising against white settlers in the late 19th century, that included the spirit mediums Mbuya Nehanda and Sekuru Kaguvi, who were hanged from a tree in 1898. “The first chimurenga leaders, whose heads were decapitated by the colonial occupying force, were then dispatched to England, to signify British victory over, and subjugation of, the local population,” Mugabe said this week, during a Heroes Day commemoration in Harare. “Surely, keeping decapitated heads as war trophies, in this day and age, in a national history museum, must rank among the highest forms of racist moral decadence, sadism and human insensitivity.” Once the remains were repatriated, the 91-year-old president added, the government would consult with traditional leaders about how to bury them at sacred shrines across the country. Zimbabwe’s state-controlled Herald newspaper reported on Thursday that the heads would be sent back to the country as soon as the logistical issues had been resolved. But the British embassy in Harare was more cautious. It said: “The issue of the potential repatriation of Zimbabwean human remains was first discussed by British and Zimbabwean authorities in December 2014. The UK has since invited Zimbabwe to appoint technical experts to meet their museum counterparts in London, in order to discuss some remains of Zimbabwean origin. It is not yet clear whether these remains are related to the events, places or people referred to in the president’s speech this week. “We await the appointment of the required Zimbabwean experts in order to take this forward. This story highlights the importance of following due process when handling sensitive museum collections.” Repatriation of human remains is a fraught legacy of European colonialism in Africa. In 2011, Germany returned 20 skulls to Namibia that had once been used for racial experiments. The plane carrying the skulls back was greeted by warriors on horseback who shouted war cries. But hundreds more skulls remain in Germany. A year later, the remains of a Khoisan couple, Klaas and Trooi Pienaar, were repatriated to South Africa from Austria. The Pienaars’ bodies were illegally exhumed and shipped to Austria in 1909, where they became part of racial “research” by the Austrian scientist Rudolf Poch. The Herald said it had tracked down the great-grandson of Chitekedza Chishawira, who was killed by the British during the first chimurenga in 1897. Tichadii Ziwengwa Chishawira told the paper: “It is painful for us. My great-grandfather died after he was tied to the leg of a horse. The whites accused him of rebellion after he resisted and fought white supremacy. The decapitation of our forefather is an indictment of how insensitive imperialists were.” Chief Mashayamombe, whose great-grandfather Mashayamombe was also killed, was quoted as saying that the displaying of human skulls in museums was taboo in African culture and showed the brutality of the settlers. “That shows disrespect for our culture,” he told the Herald. “That is why I have written a letter to the government, even to Her Majesty the Queen, saying I want the skull of my leader. So, we welcome the development being undertaken to return them. But we are not happy with the attitude of the imperialists. Even the killing itself was brutal.” The Natural History Museum said it was not clear whether any remains in its collection are related to the skulls referred to by Mugabe. A spokesperson said: “The Natural History Museum cares for 20,000 human remains in its collection. They are referred to by scientists both at the museum and internationally for research. “We have a policy of considering formal requests for return of human remains to their places of origin, under the provisions of Section 47 of the Human Tissue Act 2004, and we have been involved in a series of significant repatriations. “This is a thorough process that involves establishing the correct provenance of remains based on complex historical sources. “It is not yet clear whether any remains in the Museum collection are related to the events, places or people referred to in President Mugabe’s speech this week.”

– Zimbabwe's president is demanding the return of "decapitated heads" of warriors killed during "the first chimurenga," an uprising against British colonizers at the end of the 19th century, reports the Telegraph. The skulls serve as "war trophies," and keeping them "must rank among the highest forms of racist moral decadence, sadism, and human insensitivity," President Robert Mugabe, 91, said in a speech this week, per the Guardian. He says the skulls are now housed at Britain's Natural History Museum and noted those killed in the uprising included influential spirit mediums; he plans to bury the remains, once returned, across Zimbabwe. The country certainly seems confident the remains will be swiftly sent home; the state-controlled Herald reports the skulls "will be repatriated soon as authorities from both countries are working out the logistics to conclude the process." British officials say they've been discussing the repatriation since December, however, it isn't clear when a decision will come. "The UK has since invited Zimbabwe to appoint technical experts to meet their museum counterparts in London, in order to discuss some remains of Zimbabwean origin," says the British embassy in Harare. "It is not yet clear whether these remains are related to the events, places, or people referred to in the president's speech."

Police identify Indianapolis woman, 63, who died; woman, 37, and 11-year-old boy remain hospitalized. Buy Photo A shoplifting suspect fleeing from police caused a three-vehicle crash near Fountain Square that killed a woman and left two people in critical condition, Monday, June 8, 2015. (Photo: Kelly Wilkinson/The Star)Buy Photo A theft suspect fleeing police ran a red light in Fountain Square and slammed his SUV into a pickup truck and car Monday morning, killing the 63-year-old woman driving the truck and seriously injuring two others. Matthew Edmonds, 21, Indianapolis, is facing preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement, theft and driving while suspended with a prior conviction in the incident, which began shortly after 8 a.m. at the Walmart in Beech Grove and ended 12 minutes later at Prospect Street and State Avenue. The crash killed Donna Niblock, 63, Indianapolis, who was pronounced dead at Eskenazi Hospital. Her 11-year-old grandson was listed in critical condition Monday at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. LaDonna Rogers, 37, Indianapolis, another passenger in the pickup driven by Niblock, was listed in serious condition at Eskenazi Hospital. The driver of the other car was not injured. Details of the theft-in-progress report that prompted Edmonds to flee police were not available Monday. Beech Grove police received the report at 8:07 a.m. A responding officer spotted the suspect's vehicle, a silver Chevy Tahoe, leaving the store parking lot and began to follow it north in the 4600 block of South Emerson Avenue. The Beech Grove officer activated his emergency lights in an attempt to stop Edmonds but, instead of stopping, the vehicle sped off on Emerson. Beech Grove police briefly chased Edmonds — who was driving at a high rate of speed and briefly traveling west in the eastbound lanes of Raymond Street — before calling off the pursuit three minutes later because of safety concerns. As police from Beech Grove chased Edmonds north on Emerson, then west on Raymond, the pursuit moved into the jurisdiction of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. A statement from IMPD said department officers, who share the same police radio frequency as Beech Grove officers, "were already aware of the initial theft run at the Walmart and subsequent pursuit headed towards Southeast District." At 8:14 a.m., Beech Grove officials called off the pursuit as Edmond's SUV turned north on Perkins Avenue. At that point, IMPD officers also were instructed by a supervisor not to chase the SUV because of safety concerns. "At this point due to children getting onto a school bus on Perkins Avenue, an IMPD supervisor made the determination for IMPD officers to also terminate the vehicle pursuit," the IMPD statement said. Edmonds briefly evaded police after the pursuit was halted, but an IMPD officer on Pleasant Run Parkway soon spotted the SUV. The IMPD officer followed the SUV and provided radio updates to other officers in the area but did not have his siren on and was not traveling at a high rate of speed, said Lt. Richard Riddle, an IMPD spokesman. Riddle said that it appears Edmonds saw the IMPD vehicle as he drove north on State "and actually sped up through this intersection" of Prospect and State, where he slammed into the pickup truck traveling west on Prospect. His SUV then careened into a sedan stopped at the intersection for a red light. After the collision, Riddle said, Edmonds got out and tried to flee on foot. He was quickly arrested by officers in the area. Edmonds, who listed a Gary address in recent police and court records, previously appeared in court in Marion County on several misdemeanor charges, including battery, criminal mischief and theft. He pleaded guilty in 2013 to a theft charge and was sentenced to probation. Last July, Edmonds was arrested on charges that included criminal mischief and battery resulting in bodily injury. Edmonds agreed to a guilty plea on the criminal mischief charge, while the battery charge was dismissed. He was sentenced to a day in jail and was put on probation. A no contact order also was filed against him in connection with the case. Gilbert Torres said he didn't see the crash Monday, but he heard the crunching metal as the vehicles collided in the intersection. After police arrived, Torres was among the dozens of community members who walked to the crash site to see what happened. "I was just a few doors down on Prospect, so we heard the loud boom and all the craziness," Torres said. "I just can't believe it. And they said he was shoplifting? This isn't worth that. For a little kid to get hurt over shoplifting, that's crazy, man." Pam Shireman had seen Edmonds fleeing police as she waited at a bus stop. "I was standing there waiting for the bus (on Emerson), and all of a sudden I seen that silver Tahoe in the wrong lane, driving like 100 miles per hour into oncoming traffic," she said. "Me and the bus driver was praying that he didn't hit anybody head-on. Then we get up here on the bus and see ... it's sad. It's just horrible." Even though police had called off the pursuit, "the psychology has already been put in motion" in the suspect's mind, said Ellen Deitz Tucker, spokeswoman for PursuitSafety, a national nonprofit working to reduce pursuit deaths and promote law enforcement alternatives to chasing nonviolent suspects. At least one person dies, on average, every day in the United States in police pursuits, according to data from PursuitSafety. Innocent bystanders such as Niblock account for an average of three deaths a week, and one law enforcement officer dies on average every six weeks, Tucker said. Many of those deaths occur after police have suspended chases, she said. Star reporter Jill Disis contributed to this story. Call Star reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack. A witness describes seeing vehicle on the run from police and then the aftermath crash. (Kelly Wilkinson / The Star) When IMPD is involved in pursuits Indianapolis police officers have wide discretion to initiate pursuits in cases ranging from those involving felons to traffic infractions. Although officers do not need permission to initiate a pursuit, a supervisor determines how long a pursuit should continue and when it should be terminated. Before initiating and during the course of any pursuit, the pursuing officer and supervisors must consider the following: Seriousness of the offense. Knowledge of the identity of the pursued suspect(s). Other occupants of vehicle (such as children). Weather and lighting conditions. Road conditions (such as intersections, traffic controls, overhead lighting, curves, hills, construction, etc.). Density of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Locality of pursuit (residential, highway, etc.). Familiarity with area. Nature of pursuit (such as the manner of operation of suspect vehicle, speeding, erratic or reckless driving, etc.). Vehicle's speed. Source: IMPD Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/1MhVpzq ||||| Beech Grove mayor sounds off on Walmart, calling it 'public nuisance' Posted: Saturday, August 15, 2015 9:38 PM EDT Updated: Sunday, August 16, 2015 11:06 PM EDT Beech Grove's Mayor Dennis Buckley says he was in a meeting last week and kept getting interrupted with news of more trouble at the city's Walmart. By Friday, the city's police chief made the decision to declare the store a public nuisance after a summer of high profile incidents. Mayor Buckley cites nearly 500 police calls in just 5 months to the store and says something has to change. "I want Wal-mart to be a better corporate partner with us and it's not happening," said Mayor Buckley. "They can really be a productive business in our city if they want to be, but we can't continue down this road," he added. It's a road that has seen the store in the news all summer. The first time was in June when two women got into a brawl in the shampoo aisle. Video of the incident went viral.Days later, police were called to the store for a shop-lifter who led them on a chase. During that pursuit, police say the suspect crashed his car and killed a woman, injuring others. This past week, Beech Grove got another shop lifting call after police say two suspects were stopped by security for shoplifting. During questioning, one of the men ran after pulling out a gun and shot himself nearby.Later that same night, according to Mayor Buckley, Beech Grove police were at the Walmart again for another shoplifter who ran. "For a period of time, there were not any Beech Grove police officers patrolling the streets of Beech Grove because we were down at Walmart again dealing with an irrelevant shop lifter," said Buckley. Now the store has ten days to address some of its issues, according to the Mayor or they could be fined each time police are called to the store. "That store is a real problem," said the mayor. According to a Walmart spokesperson, the company has hired off duty police to patrol the store and implemented a program where low level shoplifting offenses will be handled in house so police don't need to be called. A Walmart spokesperson said the company enjoys great relationships in communities across the country. Mayor Buckley said Beech Grove has not been one of those communities. ||||| The Beech Grove mayor pushed for a public nuisance designation for Wal-Mart after suspected shoplifter Gillace Monroe Samples, 42, fled the store and shot himself at a nearby restaurant. Gillace Monroe Samples, 42, is suspected of shoplifting at Walmart in Beech Grove before running to a nearby restaurant and shooting himself in the head. He remained in critical condition as of Friday afternoon. (Photo: Photo provided by Beech Grove Police Department) Update: Beech Grove police said Monday that 42-year-old Gillace Monroe Samples died over the weekend from his self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Monroe, suspected of shoplifting, had been stopped Thursday by Wal-Mart workers, including an off-duty deputy. Monroe pulled a gun and ran out of the store. He was found shot in the restroom of a nearby restaurant. Earlier: When a man shot himself following an incident at Wal-Mart in Beech Grove, it was the last straw for that town's mayor. He's declared the business a public nuisance. On Thursday morning, 42-year-old Gillace Monroe Samples tried to steal from the store, police said. After being caught by security, Samples waved his gun at employees before running to a nearby restaurant and shooting himself in the head as police closed in. He remained in critical condition at Eskenazi Hospital as of Friday afternoon. The shooting is the latest in a string of high-profile incidents that have been connected to the troubled Wal-Mart store over the last two months, joining a brawl between two women in the store's shampoo aisle and a separate act of shoplifting that ended with a crash that killed a 63-year-old woman. As a public nuisance, Wal-Mart can be assessed fines when officers are needed there. To Beech Grove Mayor Dennis Buckley, it's one of the only remaining options. "We're better than that, our community is better than that and I don't want to get a phone call every day saying that somebody pulled a gun at Wal-Mart and has done something out of line," Buckley said. Police said Thursday's incident began around 11 a.m. Samples and another suspect, 42-year-old Johnny Maxey, were caught shoplifting at Wal-Mart, located in a shopping center in the 4600 block of South Emerson Avenue. Two Wal-Mart employees — one an off-duty Marion County Sheriff's Department deputy working as a security guard and another assisting him — escorted the suspects to the store's loss prevention office. That's when Samples pulled out a handgun before fleeing the store, police said. The deputy, assisted by Beech Grove and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers, chased Samples. Witnesses helped the officers track down Samples in the restroom of Egg Roll No. 1, a restaurant located just north of Wal-Mart on South Emerson. Officers were moving in to make an arrest when they heard a gunshot, police said. Samples was wanted for parole violation and battery by means of a deadly weapon, and for being a serious violent felon in possession of a firearm, police said. The battery and gun possession charges are connected to a shooting reported in Indianapolis on July 29. Like Buckley, Wal-Mart spokesman Brian Nick expressed frustration with the latest confrontation. He also commended Wal-Mart employees and security for keeping other shoppers safe. "We're thankful that our security measures helped identify a dangerous individual who could have caused harm to others in the community," Nick said. The aftermath of previous incidents saw police discussing how frequent runs to Wal-Mart have stretched the department's resources. Between February 2014 and mid-June, Beech Grove police made 1,278 runs to the store resulting in 473 arrests. Officials from both sides met and eventually implemented a restorative justice program at Wal-Mart. The voluntary program, Nick said, is designed to reduce the number of police runs to the store. It gives Wal-Mart associates the ability to offer some shoplifters a chance to opt into a program that results in a fine instead of being arrested. It's usually targeted at people during first-time offenses when police aren't necessary, Nick said. "That is something the store will continue to work on with law enforcement, and something that we've seen success with in other parts of the country," he said. While he's pleased with the program's early results, Buckley said he's noticed police activity has increased over the last two weeks. Once the public nuisance designation is finalized, Wal-Mart will be notified and given a 10-day grace period before receiving fines, Buckley said. Then officers will have the option to issue tickets when they're called to the store. Each ticket could carry a $2,500 penalty and court fees. In response to the designation, Nick said Wal-Mart officials will work to keep the store peaceful. Call Star reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack. HIGH-PROFILE INCIDENTS CONNECTED TO BEECH GROVE WAL-MART: June 4: Two women fight each other in the shampoo aisle of the store. One woman's 6-year-old son joins the fight, throwing punches and tossing a shampoo bottle. Video of the brawl eventually goes viral. June 8: A shoplifting suspect is chased by police, runs a red light in Fountain Square and crashes his SUV into a pickup truck and car, killing the 63-year-old woman driving the truck and seriously injuring two of her family members. Aug. 13: A 42-year-old wanted man suspected of shoplifting runs out of the store after waving a handgun. He runs to a nearby restaurant and shoots himself in the head, police say. He remained in critical condition as of Friday afternoon. Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/1LiOOs0

– An Indiana mayor has finally reached his breaking point after a third serious incident in as many months led police to a local Walmart store on Thursday—so he's declared it a public nuisance. Police say Gillace Samples, 42, waved a gun at employees of the Beech Grove location after he was caught shoplifting, then ran to a nearby restaurant where he shot himself in the head; Samples, who was wanted on two outstanding warrants, was listed in critical condition on Friday, reports the Indianapolis Star. Within two weeks back in June, an alleged shoplifter at the same store was involved in a car crash that killed a 63-year-old woman while fleeing police, the Star reported. Two women were also charged after getting into a brawl in the store's shampoo aisle. "For a period of time, there were not any Beech Grove police officers patrolling the streets of Beech Grove because we were down at Walmart again dealing with an irrelevant shoplifter," a police rep told WTHR of Thursday's incident, noting the public nuisance designation will allow police to fine the store up to $2,500 per call. From February 2014 to mid-June, police made 1,278 visits to the store, resulting in 473 arrests. A Walmart rep says some shoplifters can enter a restorative justice program and pay a fine rather than be arrested, limiting police visits. But police say calls have spiked over the last two weeks. "I don't want to get a phone call every day saying that somebody pulled a gun at Walmart and has done something out of line," Mayor Dennis Buckley says. "That store is a real problem."

Fox News host Megyn Kelly had a heated interview with former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers on Monday about his past actions as part of the radical group. “You sound like — with respect — Osama bin Laden,” Kelly said to Ayers, cutting him off as he tried to justify the Weather Underground’s violent actions by pointing out what he said was violence committed by the government. Text Size - + reset Kelly grilled Ayers, who returned to national prominence during the 2008 presidential campaign when questions arose about his contact with Barack Obama, on the activities she linked to the Weather Underground during the 1960s and 1970s, some of which — like the killing of a San Francisco policeman — Ayers fiercely denied had anything to do with the Weather Underground. “I think Bowe Bergdahl, if he deserted, is a hero,” Ayers said, likening it to those who fled to Canada during the Vietnam War. “I think throughout history we should build monuments to the unknown deserters.” Ayers maintained that most of the group’s activities centered around property destruction — illegal, but not deadly. “It’s not about legality,” Kelly said. “You could have murdered somebody with those bombs.” “The people who were conducting the war in Vietnam actually murdered people,” Ayers began. Kelly cut him off. “The answer is to make yourself a murderer as well?” she asked. ||||| Megyn Kelly faced off with former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers in an explosive interview tonight in which Kelly repeatedly confronted Ayers about bombings and killings that the radical group was reportedly involved in. Kelly asked Ayers how many bombings he was personally responsible for. Ayers declined to answer, but did acknowledge the “terrible risk” they took with some of their more out-there tactics. Kelly grilled him on how the Weather Underground “declared a state of war against the U.S. government” and encouraged violence. Kelly went through a series of instances in which the Weather Underground was tied to bombings and killings, all of which Ayers denied involvement of himself and others he associated with, including his current wife. At one point, he tole Kelly, “It would be fair and balanced that was and is going on, perpetrated by the government. Kelly told him that with that kind of equivocation, “You sound like Osama bin Laden.” Watch part one of the interview below, via Fox News: And part two: [image via screengrab] — — Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

– Megyn Kelly's interview with former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers got a little heated last night. The Fox News host repeatedly questioned Ayers about bombings and killings attributed to the radical group, and Ayers denied involvement in many of them, Mediaite reports. At one point, Politico reports, Ayers said it would be "fair and balanced" to also consider the "violence ... perpetrated by the government." Kelly's response? "You sound like, with respect, Osama bin Laden."

GOP shoots down Democratic plan to change Senate rules By Josiah Ryan - Republican Senate Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) objected to a unanimous-consent request from Democrats on Tuesday on a resolution that would have weakened filibuster rules and stalling tactics usually deployed by the minority on the floor of the Senate. The resolution, supported in a spirited colloquy among Democratic Sens. Tom Udall (N.M.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.) and Tom Harkin (Iowa) for most of Tuesday afternoon, would have eliminated some forms of the filibuster, ended secret holds, guaranteed consideration of amendments for both the majority and minority, required talking filibusters and expedited the nominations approval process. The colloquy was heavily punctuated with references to the Jimmy Stewart film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and references to the wishes of the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the widely acknowledged master of Senate procedure. “The U.S. Senate has become the place where good House bills go to die," complained Udall. “The Senate was once called the greatest deliberative body in the world. Today there is very little deliberation at all." Harkin said that the rules preventing Democrats from changing the rules were themselves unconstitutional. “Here in the Senate because of a change in rules that happened many years ago it has bound every senator thereafter,” said Harkin referring to a rule that requires a supermajority to change the rules. “I think that’s unconstitutional.” As Harkin and other Democrats pointed out, the Constitution requires a supermajority for presidential impeachment, to oust a member of Congress and for approval for international treaties, but allows each House to “determine the rules of its proceedings.” Republicans, for the most part, did not participate in the debate until the very end, when Alexander objected to the unanimous-consent request. Members of leadership in the chamber, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have said that Democrats' attempt to change the rule is “a power grab.” ||||| A leader in the fight to curtail the filibuster, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), questioned Tuesday whether a modest plan to ease gridlock in the Senate gets “to the heart of the matter.” “Well, anything is probably better than what we have now, but the question is, do you take a couple little baby steps that don’t really get to the heart of the matter?” Harkin told POLITICO. “That’s what I consider most these to be, small baby steps. They don’t get to the heart of the matter.” Text Size - + reset POLITICO 44 Harkin was referring to a bipartisan plan developed by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) that would institute some reforms but leave the filibuster intact. The proposed changes would limit the number of executive branch nominations subject to Senate confirmation; make it more difficult for senators to anonymously block legislation or nominees; and end a stall tactic that lets senators force clerks to read aloud the complete text of a bill if the measure has been made public. The Senate leaders, Democrat Harry Reid and Republican Mitch McConnell, are expected to reach a gentlemen’s agreement that will let the GOP offer more amendments but limit filibustering on motions to begin debate. But the efforts fall short of the push by progressives such Harkin and junior senators such as Democratic Sens. Tom Udall of New Mexico and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, who want to overhaul the filibuster and limit its use by changing the rules. Udall and Merkley want to employ an arcane procedure they call the “constitutional option” to force the Senate to change its rules by a simple majority of 51 votes, rather than a supermajority of 67. Even if the reformers got a vote to the floor, they appear to lack the votes for passage. Democratic leaders still worry that such an effort could create a damaging precedent if they lose the majority after 2012. It remains to be seen whether Udall, Merkley and Harkin push for the floor votes. That decision will likely be made after they take the temperature of their caucus during a Tuesday lunch meeting.

– A bid to overhaul the Senate's filibuster rules appears to have fallen short of the mark. Instead, lawmakers are expected to approve a set of modest changes in coming days as a compromise, reports the Washington Post. Some Democratic lawmakers wanted to require senators to actually stand and talk the entire time—as in Jimmy Stewart's Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a reference they cited several times in arguments, notes the Hill. (Or in a more modern example, Bernie Sanders' recent rant.) Instead of a "talking filibuster," the new rules will likely put an end to stalling tactics such as forcing clerks to read the complete text of the bill. They'll also make it harder to block legislation or the approval of nominees anonymously. “Well, anything is probably better than what we have now, but the question is, do you take a couple little baby steps that don’t really get to the heart of the matter?” Sen. Tom Harkin asks Politico. "That’s what I consider most these to be, small baby steps."

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are seen at the Laboratory of Entomology and Ecology of the Dengue Branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in San Juan, March 6, 2016. REUTERS/Alvin Baez CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Florida health department said on Wednesday it was investigating another two cases of Zika not related to travel to a place where the virus is being transmitted, raising the possibility of local Zika transmission in the continental United States. The Florida health department said it has identified an additional case of Zika in Miami-Dade County, where it was already investigating a possible case of Zika not related to travel, and another case in Broward County, where it has been investigating a non-travel related case. “Evidence is mounting to suggest local transmission via mosquitoes is going on in South Florida,” said CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said. “These cases fit similar transmission patterns for mosquito-borne diseases such as Chikungunya that we’ve seen in South Florida in years past.” To confirm whether Zika is being transmitted locally, epidemiologists must survey households and neighbors within a 150-yard radius around the residence of the person who has Zika, which constitutes the flying range of the mosquitoes that carry the virus. According to the U.S. Zika response plan, Zika transmission is defined as two or more cases not due to travel or sex with an infected person that occur in a 1-mile diameter over the course of a month. Evidence of the virus in local mosquito populations can also be used to confirm local transmission. Florida heath department officials said investigations into the new cases begins today. The state is urging residents and visitors to participate in requests for urine samples by the department in the areas of investigation. These results will help the department determine the number of people affected. In addition to the possible cases of non-travel related transmission, Florida on Wednesday reported 328 travel-related cases of Zika. The state is monitoring 53 pregnant women who had Zika infections. ||||| Fearing Zika, FDA Asks 2 Florida Counties To Halt Blood Donations Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris O'Meara/AP Chris O'Meara/AP There's been a looming fear that mosquitoes would start spreading the Zika virus in the U.S. Now that possibility seems increasingly real. On Thursday, senior officials at the Food and Drug Administration said they have asked blood donation centers in two Florida counties, Miami-Dade and Broward, to stop collecting blood for the time being. The move came after investigators ruled out travel as the cause of four cases of Zika virus in those counties. Florida health officials announced the cases last week. The people hadn't traveled to places where Zika is endemic and don't appear to have contracted it through sex, leaving a possibility that they got the virus from being bitten by infected mosquitoes in the U.S. If they did acquire the virus from domestic mosquitoes, it could mean that others in the area also may have acquired Zika virus locally, and may have donated blood without knowing it was infected. In an effort to "help ensure the safety of the nation's blood supply," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement that blood collections shouldn't resume in the area until the centers can test each incoming blood donation for Zika virus. The agency suggested that neighboring counties do the same, and that at-risk counties across the U.S. screen donors before collecting blood. "These may be the first cases of local Zika virus transmission by mosquitoes in the continental United States," said the statement. The Florida Department of Health has yet to confirm how the people acquired the virus.

– The US may have just joined the other 67 countries and territories worldwide where mosquitoes are spreading the Zika virus, Popular Science reports. Up until now, all 1,600 Zika cases in the US were people who either traveled elsewhere to contract it or had sex with someone who did. But on Wednesday, the Florida health department announced four cases in Florida in which officials have ruled out both travel and sex. That means it's possible mosquitoes in Miami-Dade and Broward counties are spreading the virus. Officials are surveying people within a 150-yard radius of the four cases, Reuters reports. That's the distance Zika-spreading mosquitoes are able to fly. So far, officials have interviewed about 200 people and asked for urine samples. They're also testing local mosquitoes. On Thursday, the FDA asked both Miami-Dade and Broward counties to stop all blood donations as a precaution, according to NPR. It's recommending neighboring counties do the same.

Nicole Kidman has said she would not change her performance in the Grace Kelly biopic Grace of Monaco which is opening the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. Set in the 1960s, Olivier Dahan's film focuses on Kelly's early years as a princess, when she was tempted to return to Hollywood by an offer from Alfred Hitchcock. The film has received mixed reviews and criticism from the royal family of Monaco. Kidman spoke to the BBC's Arts Editor, Will Gompertz. ||||| It's traditional for Cannes to start with something spectacular. This is certainly no exception. It is a film so awe-inspiringly wooden that it is basically a fire-risk. The cringe-factor is ionospherically high. A fleet of ambulances may have to be stationed outside the Palais to take tuxed audiences to hospital afterwards to have their toes uncurled under general anaesthetic. Grace of Monaco is a stately and swooning homage to Princess Grace, formerly Grace Kelly, focusing on her alleged courage in keeping plucky little Monaco safe for tax-avoiding billionaires. This was during its supremely parochial and uninteresting 1962 face-off with Charles De Gaulle, who wanted to absorb the principality and its monies into France's national bosom. So can Grace, by finally sacrificing her movie career on the altar of this cockamamie Ruritanian state, and flaunting her martyred couture loveliness, win the respect of the Monégasque folk and even the grumpy old Général himself? The resulting film about this fantastically boring crisis is like a 104-minute Chanel ad, only without the subtlety and depth. Princess Grace herself is played by Nicole Kidman, wafting around the Palace with dewy-eyed features and slightly parted lips which make her look like a grown-up Bambi after a couple of cocktails, suddenly remembering his mother's violent death in the forest. It doesn't seem that long since we endured a horrendous biopic of Princess Diana, that other super-rich blonde pasionaria — played by Naomi Watts. As audiences reeled into the foyer after that, they comforted themselves with the thought that surely things couldn't get worse. Surely they wouldn't be forced to endure another badly acted, badly directed film about a wealthy and self-pitying royal? How very wrong. I can now actually imagine a creepy science-fiction short story about someone going back to prehistoric days in a time machine, killing a tiny trilobite, and then coming to the present to find everything the same, only now it's Naomi Watts playing Grace and Nicole Kidman playing Diana. The movie begins with a sketch of jowly and adorable old Alfred Hitchcock (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) coming to Monaco hoping to tempt Grace back to the movies, proffering a juicy leading role in his latest film, Marnie. Two recent dramas about Hitchcock's troubled life — one for cinema, a better one for TV — have in fact begun in approximately the same way, but then followed the troubled director back to the US. Here, we stay with Kidman's Grace, who is effectively confronted by a dilemma. Should she return to her selfish, shallow life in Hollywood or build a new shallow, selfish life in Monte Carlo? Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly in Grace of Monaco Photograph: Julien Panie/Warner Bros And so the terrible mental turmoil begins. She pores over the script, late at night, in bed, with stylish reading glasses. During the day, she tries her darnedest to impress the wittering ladies of Monaco by entering into the spirit of charity galas and such. She worries about plotting against her at court. She consults her confidant, one Father Francis Tucker, a sorrowing priest who is evidently permitted the familiarity of calling her "Gracie", played with conviction by Frank Langella. Then, in order to bone up on the history and culture of Monaco — and perhaps because the situation is not yet sufficiently gay — Grace consults a local nobleman, Count Fernando D'Aillieres, played by Derek Jacobi. He scampers about the hillsides, with Grace in tow, filling her in on all the tiresome details, while also presuming to give her tips on acting and deportment. (Surely as an Oscar-winning star she knows this stuff already?) Jacobi has a little fun with the part, although it needed Ian McKellen to come on, playing the Count's ageing houseboy. But how about the people for whom it is all supposed to be about? Her, erm, husband and children? Well, the absolute indifference shown by Grace to her kids here is startling. And what of Prince Rainier himself, that fairy-tale prince for whom she gave it all up? He is played by Tim Roth, who gives a very cigarette-smoking, glasses-wearing, moustache-having performance. He is always leaning in his chair, leaning against door frames — looking through his glasses, and smoking. What is this remarkable head of state thinking about? As performed by Tim Roth, it looks like he is thinking about how much he regrets taking this appalling role, and how inadequate he considers his fee, whatever it is. An interesting, complex film could be made about a talented woman who decides to make the best of being trapped in an imperfect marriage. But such a film would have to stop curtsying, and really think about its subject. • Five other dreadful films that premiered at the festival • Right - so what else might be good at this year's festival? Here's 24 other contenders • And here's a video on the beach at Cannes in which Peter and others discuss the programme • Watch a video review of the film ||||| Cannes Film Festival opening nights are glitzy affairs, with movies like “The Great Gatsby,” “Up” and “Midnight in Paris” premiering to the requisite tuxedoed fanfare in recent years. On the surface, the same seemed to apply to the kickoff of this year’s edition Wednesday night, as Nicole Kidman’s much-awaited, somewhat-delayed Grace Kelly biopic, "Grace of Monaco" had its world premiere at a splashy event just a few miles from where the real-life princess’ story took place. Yet the evening had an added element not normally found at Cannes opening nights: awkwardness. A strange mood hovered over the screening of “Monaco" — or one of its versions, anyway — as the movie premiered to a muted response. The glam trappings were, of course, everywhere. At the elaborate red-carpet ritual, announcers called out French and American celebrities as hundreds of professional photographers snapped photos and many more amateur ones craned for looks from the surrounding streets. Photos See which actors, directors and movie mainstays made it to the French film festival. Festival director Thierry Fremaux greeted the cast and filmmakers and posed for pictures with them, as he does on Cannes red carpets. And an elegant Kidman stood atop the steps of the Palais de Festivals, bedecked in a manner that evoked Kelly herself. Inside the theater, French actor Lambert Wilson took the stage to greet Kidman and costar Tim Roth, who plays Prince Rainier, as “Princess Nicole and “Prince Tim,” even breaking with Cannes politesse to enter the crowd and spontaneously dance with Kidman at her seat. The event was given added heft when the jury — led by Jane Campion and featuring heavyweights such as Nicolas Winding Refn, Gael Garcia Bernal and Sofia Coppola — came out to the stage in the time-honored opening-night Cannes custom, with non-jury member Alfonso Cuaron then emerging and officially declaring the festival open. But hanging over the screening that followed was the battle between U.S distributor the Weinstein Co. and the French filmmakers, including director Olivier Dahan and producer Pierre-Ange Le Pogam. Harvey Weinstein had last summer rejected a cut submitted by the French filmmakers and instead edited his own version with a different tone and feel, even pulling off the rare move of negotiating for the right to release his cut of the movie in the U.S. Weinstein wasn’t at the screening Wednesday — and that was just the beginning of the strangeness. It was the version the French preferred that screened Wednesday. And it didn’t go especially smoothly. The movie plays as melodramatically as billed, at times going for the overwrought close-up or schmaltzy music to emphasize what’s at stake. Some of its transitions also suggested a movie that had been chopped up and reassembled several times. (The movie, incidentally, focuses only somewhat on Kelly and Rainier’s relationship, or their respective inner lives, instead choosing to center much of the story on their reactions to a standoff between Rainier and French leader Charles de Gaulle over Monagasque sovereignty.) More pointedly, Cannes opening-night films tend to generate standing ovations of at least five or six minutes, but the clapping after this one was mostly polite, and it was over after a brief two. A press screening earlier in the day also generated only modest excitement at best. (Those who’ve seen it say that Weinstein’s version is lighter and more Capraesque, though whether we will ever get the chance to see it is another matter. More on that in a moment.) The events at the start of the world’s most prestigious film festival were the most public example yet of a long-simmering battle. Weinstein and the French filmmakers have been trading salvos for months, with Weinstein’s edits prompting Dahan to go on a tirade in the French press in the fall and the French filmmakers retaliating by successfully submitting it as the Cannes opening-night film without consulting Weinstein in January. The proceedings Wednesday served to offer an important reminder: Though it may be the most public form of a film’s unveiling, the hoopla of a red carpet can sometimes serve to conceal the turbulence within. In Dahan’s particular case, concealment may not have been an issue, though: His expression and body language suggested a filmmaker uncomfortable about the state of affairs; he barely smiled and seemed to have a perfunctory air about him. Weinstein, meanwhile, did not even make the trip to opening night. That offered the rare prospect of Kidman, with whom Weinstein often collaborates, basking in the attention on one of the most important nights of the film year without him. Making matters more surreal, a representative of the U.S. film mogul issued a statement earlier in the day seeking to explain his absence. “My wife Georgina and I have been in Jordan visiting two Syrian refugee camps, Al Zaatri yesterday and Azraq today,” Weinstein said in the statement. “This was a long planned trip with the UNHCR and our friend Neil Gaimon [sic] to bring attention to the plight of refugees who have been forced to flee Syria and the incredible work of UNHCR.” He concluded by offering an obligatory thank you to the producers and financiers, including Dahan and Le Pogam. The audience reaction to the French version of the film, which opens across Europe in the coming weeks, creates a tantalizing number of possibilities for Weinstein. He could, of course, dump or withhold the French version of “Grace of Monaco,” saying that he was delivered a bad film and in turn salvaging some pride, if not dollars. But Weinstein is spending as much as $4 million on the U.S. rights, making an outright dump hard to imagine. And, in a way, the tepid response could give him an opening to say he has the solution to what ails the film and offer a chance for him to vindicate himself in the battle with Dahan when he releases his own version. Of course, that's a risky bet: If Weinstein does do that and it doesn’t work, he could end up in an even worse position, having made a point of saying he had the better alternative only for the marketplace to rebut the claim. The opening-night awkwardness is over, but the drama may yet linger. ||||| Nicole Kidman attends the opening ceremony and "Grace of Monaco" premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14. (Photo: Anthony Harvey, FilmMagic) CANNES, France — Leave it to the Monaco royal family to provide one of the juiciest, scandal-filled world premieres in recent Cannes history. Grace of Monaco, with Nicole Kidman playing the role of the Hollywood star turned real-life princess, brought everything you could hope for in a Cannes opening night. There was glamour, of course, in the form of Kidman walking down the red carpet, as well as scandal (the Monaco royal family has railed loudly against the film) and intrigue (the film's U.S. distributor, Harvey Weinstein, was not happy with the finished product). The royal offspring have been particularly vociferous about their displeasure with Grace of Monaco, which depicts their parents — Prince Rainier and Princess Grace — during a particularly emotionally trying time in their marriage and their tiny principality, about 30 miles from Cannes. course, in the form of Kidman walking down the red carpet, as well as scandal (the Monaco royal family has railed loudly against the film) and intrigue (the film's U.S. distributor Harvey Weinstein was reportedly not happy with the finished product). MORE : Dragon sighting in Cannes AT CANNES: Women filmmakers take spotlight CUE THE DRAMA: What to expect at this year's festival Princess Stephanie, Princess Caroline and Prince Albert stayed away from the premiere, vowing not to see the movie. Based on reading the script and seeing the trailer, they called it a "farce." "I understand, it's their mother and father," Kidman said at a news conference here Wednesday. "And I understand it's protection of their mother and father. It's awkward, is what it is." But the awkwardness did not stop there. Also hovering over the head of director Olivier Dahan was the rumbling of powerful distributor Weinstein of The Weinstein Company. Hollywood trade publications have been filled with reports of Weinstein's unhappiness with the final cut of the film, with growing indications that he would back out of distributing it in the USA unless changes were made. An early Cannes screening for journalists on Wednesday led to a smattering of applause and tepid initial reviews (Time magazine's was headlined "The Real Scandal Around Grace of Monaco: It's Not Very Good.") But at the Wednesday news conference, Dahan was able to pronounce that any problems with Weinstein had been smoothed over for the U.S. distribution, with no foreseen changes. "Harvey will use that version. If changes need to be made, we'll do them together," said Dahan. "I am very happy." This did not mean that Weinstein was happy enough to join the film premiere. Weinstein, who is due at the festival later in the week, had a humanitarian excuse for missing the premiere. "My wife Georgina and I have been in Jordan visiting two Syrian refugee camps," Weinstein said in a release sent out during the Grace news conference. "This was a long-planned trip with the UNHCR (the United Nations refugee agency) ... to bring attention to the plight of refugees who have been forced to flee Syria." Weinstein went on to wish the "Grace of Monaco team all the best for the screening in Cannes tonight." Festival director Thierry Frémaux told USA TODAY that the film, which was shot in the South of France, was the perfect choice for an opening night movie. "This is a film that reflects the spirit of a glamorous opening of the world's largest festival," said Frémaux. "And it allows Nicole Kidman to show that she is one of the greatest actresses in the world." Kidman pointed out that part of the intrigue for both the movie and the premiere was the continued fascination over Grace Kelly, who died in a 1982 car crash after giving up her Hollywood career to marry Rainier and raise her family. "She fascinated me and she still does," said Kidman. "And obviously she fascinates the world." Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1lpohac ||||| Grace of Monaco, a biopic about Grace Kelly's shift from Hollywood royalty to European monarch, has been slammed by most critics at the Cannes film festival. Surely there's a hero out there who can save the princess? Critics can't decide if Grace of Monaco is stagey or stiff, wooden or cardboard. But, the majority agree, it's royally bad. Olivier Dahan's film, which opened the Cannes film festival this week, stars Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly, escaping Hollywood to marry the handsome Prince Rainier of Monaco (Tim Roth). Monaco refuses to tax its billionaires and send the proceeds to Paris, so the plucky principality is blockaded. It's up to Grace to princess-up, learn the political game and save the day. It's glitzy and empty, so wooden it's a fire-risk, says the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw in a review that tramples Dahan's tiara into a fine gold dust. "The cringe-factor is ionospherically high," he continues. "A fleet of ambulances may have to be stationed outside the Palais to take tuxed audiences to hospital to have their toes uncurled." Bradshaw's disdain is shared by Robbie Collin of the Telegraph. Like Bradshaw, he draws comparisons with Naomi Watts's turn as Diana in Oliver Hirschbiegel's eponymous biopic of last year. Grace of Monaco is "fantastically silly", says Collin: "Dahan searches frantically for emotional potency in Kidman, often moving the camera so close to her face you worry the lens hood might bump her forehead." The film has been called "a farce" by Kelly's children Prince Albert and Princess Caroline, while a grand spat between Dahan and his US distributor, Harvey Weinstein, thrilled many critics more than the film. The row, during which Dahan called Weinstein's unreleased edit "a pile of shit", was far more entertaining than anything happening on-screen, said Variety's Scott Foundas. "Kidman never appears to fully connect with the character," he says. "[She] delivers a series of doleful little-girl-lost-poses – and, later, pantomimed iron-jawed determination. The Hollywood Reporter's Stephen Dalton sides with Foundas: "Is it even possible to make a boring film out of this rich, juicy, gossipy material?" he asks. "It would seem so. Indeed, it is almost perversely impressive how Dahan misses almost every target." Grace of Monaco opens with a quote from Kelly: "The idea of my life as a fairytale is itself a fairytale". In today's fairytale the film is the damsel in distress, the critics the big, bad wolf, but there's one knight in shining armour out there. Here, galloping over the hills, he comes: Geoffrey Macnab, our dashing hero from the Independent. The film is "a subtle and stylised character study", "an old fashioned weepy in which Kidman excels" and finally, "a film of considerable formal sophistication". Macnab's gallantry might offer some small solace to Dahan, while the rest of the critics growl. ||||| Last year, 'The Great Gatsby' opened the Cannes Film Festival with a thud. This year, the festival opened with another big star drama, 'Grace of Monaco,' but many in the press screening were treating the biopic more like a comedy. Many audible laughs were heard in the Wednesday screening ahead of its Cannes debut, and some reviewers subsequently ripped the Nicole Kidman starring flick. Empire writer Damon Wise called it "the first camp classic ever to open the festival." Hollywood Reporter reviewer Stehpen Dalton said director Oliver Dahan "misses almost every target and squanders almost every opportunity." The Rotten Tomatoes' reviewer rating has it at a measly 6 percent. The Cannes reviews should give ammunition to producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been reported to have told Dahan he wants a different ending. The Rainier family has also not been pleased with the film, expressing their distaste at how their family was portrayed, although nobody had yet seen the film. Kidman said she understood the royal family's fears but said they were misplaced. "I feel sad because the film has no malice towards the family," she said at a press conference Wednesday. "Particularly Grace and Rainier."

– To say the premiere of Grace of Monaco, with Nicole Kidman in the title role, did not go well last night at Cannes would be an understatement. In an absolutely scathing review at the Guardian, Peter Bradshaw calls the biopic "a breathtaking catastrophe ... a film so awe-inspiringly wooden that it is basically a fire-risk," comparing it to "a 104-minute Chanel ad, only without the subtlety and depth." A separate Guardian article rounds up similarly awful reviews and wonders, "Is there a critic who liked it?" Fox News' amusing headline take: "Grace of Monaco called a great comedy, which is bad, because it's a drama." (And yes, the article notes, there were "many audible laughs" during the screening.) The Los Angeles Times notes that the premiere itself was "awkward," thanks to a disagreement between the French filmmakers and the Weinstein Co., which is distributing the film in the US. Harvey Weinstein doesn't like the French cut of the movie, which is what screened at Cannes, and he wasn't even in attendance. The audience seemed to agree with him, the Times notes: "Cannes opening-night films tend to generate standing ovations of at least five or six minutes, but the clapping after this one was mostly polite, and it was over after a brief two." Also adding to the drama: Princess Grace's children have called the movie a "farce," USA Today notes. But Kidman is standing behind the film, telling the BBC she doesn't regret the role.

Eric Cantor plans to join boutique investment bank Moelis & Co., as the recently defeated House majority leader embarks on a new career on Wall Street. Mr. Cantor, 51 years old, will be a vice chairman and board member at the firm, effective this week, he and Moelis founder Ken Moelis said in a joint interview on Monday. Mr. Cantor,... ||||| Moelis & Company > News > news-feed-details Press Release version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"? ​Moelis & Company (NYSE: MC), a leading global independent investment bank, today announced the appointment of Eric Cantor, former United States Representative for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District and former House Majority Leader, as Vice Chairman and Managing Director. Mr. Cantor will also be elected to the Moelis & Company Board of Directors. In his new role, Mr. Cantor will provide strategic counsel to the Firm’s corporate and institutional clients on key issues. He will play a leading role in client development and advise clients on strategic matters. Ken Moelis, Chairman and CEO of Moelis & Company, said, “At Moelis & Company, we offer our clients judgment and experience in order to help them with their most important strategic and financial decisions. Eric’s judgment and tremendous experience will expand the capabilities our team brings to clients around the world as he has unique expertise in assessing complex situations and crafting innovative solutions.” Through more than 25 years of political and business experience, Mr. Cantor has emerged as a leading voice on the economy and job creation. During his Congressional career, Mr. Cantor worked to lower taxes, eliminate excessive regulation, strengthen small businesses, and encourage entrepreneurship. His commentary was often featured in publications focusing on a wide range of issues including economic matters, health care and foreign policy. Mr. Cantor said, “When I considered options for the next chapter of my career, I knew I wanted to join a firm with a great entrepreneurial spirit that focused on its clients. I have known Ken for some time and having followed the growth and success of his Firm, I have long admired his vision and leadership. The new model of independent banks offering conflict free advice, in a smaller more intimate environment, was a place where I knew my skills could help clients succeed.” Mr. Moelis added, “Eric has proven himself to be a pro-business advocate and one who will enhance our boardroom discussions with CEOs and senior management as we help them navigate their most important strategic decisions.” About Moelis & Company Moelis & Company is a leading global independent investment bank that provides innovative strategic advice and solutions to a diverse client base, including corporations, governments and financial sponsors. The Firm assists its clients in achieving their strategic goals by offering comprehensive integrated financial advisory services across all major industry sectors. Moelis & Company’s experienced professionals advise clients on their most critical decisions, including mergers and acquisitions, recapitalizations and restructurings and other corporate finance matters. The Firm serves its clients with over 500 employees based in 15 offices in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. For further information, please visit: www.moelis.com. Eric Cantor Mr. Cantor was formerly United States Representative for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District and House Majority Leader. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives between 2001-2014. He was elected by his colleagues in the House to serve as the Majority Leader for the 112th and 113th Congresses where he led the public policy agenda for the House. During his time in office, Mr. Cantor was a leading voice on the economy, job creation and policies focused on improving the lives of the American middle class. He championed pro-growth solutions including lowering taxes, eliminating excessive regulation, strengthening businesses, and encouraging entrepreneurship. He was also regularly featured in publications focusing on a wide range of topics including both domestic and international matters. Mr. Cantor received his undergraduate degree from The George Washington University, his law degree from The College of William and Mary, and his master’s degree from Columbia University in New York. back version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"? News Feed Moelis & Company to Announce First Quarter 2016 Financial Results and Host a Conference Call on April 27, 2016 ​Moelis & Company will release its first quarter 2016 financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, April 27, 2016. Details Details Moelis & Company Announces the Appointment of Brian Jinks as a Managing Director Providing Financial and Strategic Advice to Midstream Oil and Gas Clients Moelis & Company today announced the appointment of Brian Jinks as a Managing Director providing financial and strategic advice to midstream oil and gas companies and Master Limited Partnerships. Details version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"? recent transactions The Empire District Electric Company The Empire District Electric Company’s sale to Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. See Full List See Full List LightSquared Inc. Chapter 11 Reorganization See Full List

– Following his exit from the House, Eric Cantor has a job on Wall Street. He'll be the vice chairman and managing director of investment bank Moelis & Co, NPR reports, and he'll also serve on its board. "When I considered options for the next chapter of my career, I knew I wanted to join a firm with a great entrepreneurial spirit that focused on its clients," Cantor says in a press release, applauding a "more intimate" approach to banking at what the Washington Post calls a "boutique" company. Moelis is headquartered in New York City, but Cantor will be opening an office in Washington, the Wall Street Journal reports. Cantor was involved in real estate before entering Congress, the Post notes.

In a confessional video posted to YouTube in September, Amanda Todd describes the torment her virtual attacker caused her. YouTube V ancouver native Amanda Todd, 15, was found dead last week in an apparent suicide, evidently pushed over the edge by persistently cruel bullying, online and in real life. And now, the vigilante hacker group Anonymous claims to have identified — and unmasked — her virtual harasser. A guide to the developing story: What exactly happened? Before she allegedly committed suicide, Amanda detailed how the harassment started in a confessional YouTube video she posted in September. Without naming names, the teen said through a series of cue cards that when she was in seventh grade she flashed a man online. A year later, the man tracked her down on Facebook, demanded more salacious photos, and forwarded her original naked photo to "everyone." When Amanda moved schools, the man reportedly continued harassing her, this time creating a Facebook page using her uncensored photo as the profile picture, inspiring real-life harassment and beatings from her fellow students. And who is this alleged tormenter? The hacking group claims that a 30-year-old Facebook employee from New Westminister, British Columbia, harassed Amanda so relentlessly that she took her own life. In a newly released YouTube video, a man wearing a Guy Fawkes mask says in an auto-tuned voice that the man "is an abomination to our society and will be punished." Anonymous further distinguishes "Amanda Todd's punisher" in a post on Pastebin, saying: "This is the pedophile that social engineered Amanda Todd into supplying him nude pictures." They include his online user name, birthday, and location. What does the alleged harasser say? He doesn't appear to have spoken publicly since Anonymous unmasked him. But earlier this week, he reportedly appeared in court on unrelated charges of sexual assault and sexual interference with a minor. At the time, he claimed he was Amanda's friend and reportedly blamed a man in New York for harassing her. Is there further proof against this man? Yes. Vice magazine published information that allegedly connects Amanda and the man, including screenshots from Facebook posts and "jailbait" website accounts. The man allegedly posted images of nude teenagers to such a forum and reportedly "made it known he was blackmailing underage girls." How are people reacting to this awful tale? Obviously, this guy is "in for a world of pain," says Laura Beck at Jezebel. Thankfully, there's "steady momentum in the direction of increased intolerance of this specific brand of internet bullshit." But Anonymous has hardly solved the larger online bullying epidemic, says Patrick McGuire at Vice. "The vigilante justice of Anonymous is simply a band-aid on a very serious and quickly growing problem online that is putting vulnerable young girls like Amanda Todd in a very complicated and destructive type of danger." The disturbing trend requires further examination "under a more complicated lens." Editor's note: This article has been revised since it was first published. ||||| Canadian authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 15-year-old Amanda Todd, who made a heartbreaking video chronicling years of bullying in school and online, previous suicide attempts and humiliation that lasted up until her death. Authorities have opened a probe into her death and "anyone that had contact with her" before she died, police said. Todd posted the video called "My story: Struggling, bullying, suicide, self harm" on Sept. 7 and was found dead in her home town of Port Coquitlam, British Columbia on Oct. 10. Since her death, the video has been viewed more than 3 million times. In the video, Todd described using webcam chats to meet and talk to new people online as a seventh grade student, including a man who pressured her to flash her chest. One year later, she did and the man took a photo of her chest. Todd said that the man put the photo online and sent it to everyone she knew. Even after moving towns and schools multiple times, the man continued to follow her online and use her photo, she said. The photo and the bullying online and in school drove her to depression, drugs, alcohol, cutting and a suicide attempt with bleach. "I can never get that photo back," she wrote. "It's out there forever." Authorities would not comment specifically on whether they are searching for the man Amanda claimed was cyber-bullying her, but Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Peter Thiessen said, "We're following up on a wide variety of tips and information, without getting into detail." When asked if criminal charges could result from the investigation, Thiessen told ABCNews.com, "That would be dependent on the quality of the evidence we might get." Anonymous, an online hacking and activist group, posted the name and address of a British Columbia man in his 30's who they claim pressured Todd for the nude photo. Contact information for the man was not immediately available. The RCMP did not respond to requests for comment today regarding the Anonymous post. Authorities have not officially called the death a suicide, but Cpl. Jamie Chung of the Coquitlam Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement, "At this time it has been determined that the teen's death was not suspicious in nature and that foul play was not a factor." The nearly nine-minute, black and white video showed Todd silently telling her story through a series of white cards with black marker writing on them. She can only be seen from her nose down for most of the video, occasionally moving around so that her face is visible. "Hello, I've decided to tell you about my never ending story," the video begins. She described the events leading up to the photo of her chest and how she felt after the photo was posted online. "I then got really sick and got anxiety, major depression and panic disorders," she wrote. "I then moved and got into drugs and alcohol." She described being called names, eating lunch alone and resorting to cutting herself. She also told the story of an incident where she made a "huge mistake" and "hooked up" with a boy at her school who had a girlfriend, but who she believed really liked her. A week later, she said she received a text message telling her to get out of school and then a group of students, led by the boy's girlfriend, surrounded her at school and said, "Look around, nobody likes you." "A guy then yelled, 'Just punch her already,' so [the girlfriend] did," Todd wrote. "She threw me to the ground and punched me several times. Kids filmed it. I was all alone and left on the ground." Teenager Documents Bullying and Abuse Before Her Death Todd said she "wanted to die so bad" when her dad found her in a ditch. She drank bleach when she went home and had to be rushed to the hospital to have her stomach pumped, she said. "After I got home, all I saw was on Facebook--'She deserved it. Did you wash the mud out of your hair? I hope she's dead,'" she wrote. Todd moved to another school in another city, but said the torture followed her through Facebook. Students posted photos of ditches and suggested she try another bleach. "Every day, I think, why am I still here?" she asked towards the end of the video. "I'm stuck. What's left of me now? Nothing stops. I have nobody. I need someone. My name is Amanda Todd." Authorities were called to a residence in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, just before 6 p.m. on Oct. 10 to investigate the sudden death of the tormented teenager. Todd said in her video that she did not want to press charges against the girl who beat her up because she wanted to move on when she moved to another city and school. Cheryl Quinton, spokeswoman for the Coquitlam School District, told ABCNews.com, "The family was wanting to pass along that several supports were in place for their daughter on the school, home and community levels. There was a lot of intervention and a lot of support. I know that is the message that they want to convey." Quinton didn't get into specifics of the timeline, but emphasized that Todd's parents wanted people to know that "there was a lot of support for this student." Todd was in the tenth grade at the Coquitlam Alternate Basic Education School when she died. School officials would not release the name of her previous school. Quinton said the death has been "very devastating" to the small school where resources are being provided to students in regards to suicide prevention and bullying. "We typically, as a school district, don't talk about such deaths but with the family's endorsement we did choose to do so because it is important to point out the dangers associated with social media and cyber-bullying," Quinton said.

– Canadian authorities have opened a probe into the death of Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old who posted a YouTube video describing years of bullying, then apparently committed suicide little more than a month later. Amanda described in the video being pressured to show her breasts to a man online. He took a photo, posted it online, and sent it to everyone Amanda knew; the photo even followed her as she moved towns and schools, she said in the video. Authorities won't say if they're looking for that man, but want to talk to "anyone that had contact with her" before she was found dead in her British Columbia home town a week ago, ABC News reports. Authorities are not officially calling it a suicide, but have ruled out foul play and say the death was not suspicious. Amanda described in the video how the photo led to cyberbullying and bullying at school—and then depression and anxiety, drug and alcohol use, self-harm, and even a suicide attempt. She told one specific story of being beat up by a girl after she "hooked up" with the girl's boyfriend. "She threw me to the ground and punched me several times," Todd wrote on a cue card she held up in the video. "Kids filmed it. I was all alone and left on the ground." She said she "wanted to die so bad" when her father found her, then drank bleach and was rushed to the hospital; students continued to bully her over the incident and suggest she drink bleach again. Hacking collective Anonymous yesterday revealed the man it says took Todd's photo—click for more on him.

An alleged attack on a female staff member at a Department of Youth Services facility by accused teen murderer Philip Chism bears a chilling resemblance to the murder of a Danvers High School teacher, sources told Team 5 Investigates Karen Anderson. Watch the report A spokesman for the Essex County Sheriff said that Chism, 15, assaulted the woman at the Dorchester DYS facility Monday. Photos: Massachusetts most notorious crimes Surveillance video captured Chism following the DYS employee into a locker room carrying an object that appeared to be a pencil. He then allegedly began choking her, and as she started to scream he began to punch her, Anderson reported. According to Anderson's report, within seconds staff members rushed in to help her and were able to quickly pull Chism off. Authorities said Chism, then 14, killed Danvers teacher Colleen Ritzer, 24, with a box cutter he had taken to school after she asked him to stay after for help. He allegedly followed her into the school bathroom, where she was murdered and raped. Chism has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, robbery and murder. "The Department of Youth Services is working closely with law enforcement to investigate an assault that took place on a member of the staff at our Dorchester facility," said Alec Loftus, DYS spokesman, declining for privacy reasons to identify Chism. Chism was taken to Boston Medical Center for a mental health evaluation. ||||| A woman working for the Department of Youth Services was allegedly attacked at the agency’s Dorchester facility on Monday by Philip D. Chism, the teenager accused of murdering a Danvers High School teacher in October. “The Department of Youth Services is working closely with law enforcement to investigate an assault that took place on a member of the staff at our Dorchester facility,” the agency said in a statement released by its parent agency, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Advertisement The statement did not identify Chism, of Danvers. But a spokesman for Essex County Sheriff Frank G. Cousins Jr. told the Globe that Chism is under investigation for allegedly attacking a DYS staff member. Following the assault, Chism was transferred to Boston Medical Center for treatment of an unspecified medical issue, said Maurice Pratt, assistant superintendent for the sheriff’s office. Get Fast Forward in your inbox: Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here “The Essex County sheriff’s office has a security detail assigned to him,’’ Pratt said. “The incident is being investigated by the Massachusetts State Police.’’ Chism, 15, is charged as an adult in Essex Superior Court with first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated rape for the Oct. 22, 2013, killing of Colleen Ritzer, a popular, young math teacher at Danvers High. Chism has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Because of his age, DYS had custody of Chism on behalf of the sheriff’s office. Chism, who was 14 at the time of the attack, allegedly followed Ritzer into a bathroom at the school shortly before 3 p.m., slashed her throat, partially stripped her, and stole her cellphone, credit cards, and two driver’s licenses. Advertisement He then allegedly took her body in a recycling bin to a wooded area behind the school, authorities have said. Chism allegedly raped Ritzer twice, once with an object. A spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley also said Tuesday that State Police detectives were investigating an attack Monday at the DYS facility in Dorchester. “That investigation remains very active today,’’ Conley spokesman Jake Wark said, adding that no charges have been filed. The statement issued by DYS did not disclose the extent of injuries suffered by the woman during the attack. But Wark said the victim, a woman in her 20s, declined medical treatment at the time of the attack. “The safety and well-being of our staff is of primary concern and a full review of this incident will be conducted to identify any necessary security enhancements at the facility,’’ DYS said in its statement. Previous coverage: • Timeline of the murder of Colleen Ritzer at Danvers High School • Lawyers for Danvers teen want charges dismissed • For Danvers High, a new beginning • Chism hit with new rape charge in teacher’s death • Grisly new details released in murder of Danvers teacher

– The 15-year-old Massachusetts boy accused of raping and murdering his math teacher last year allegedly attacked a female staffer at his youth-detention facility, police say. The woman is apparently OK and declined medical treatment at the scene, while Philip Chism has been taken to a hospital for an evaluation, reports the Boston Globe. Authorities aren't saying exactly what happened, but WCVB-TV reports that Chism can be seen on surveillance video carrying what appears to be a pencil and following the woman into a locker room. After he began choking the woman, other staffers quickly pulled him away, reports the TV station, which points out that the scenario "bears a chilling resemblance" to how teacher Colleen Ritzer was murdered at Danvers High School last year. Chism is accused of following her into a school bathroom and killing her. He has pleaded not guilty in that case and is still awaiting trial.

A radical gene therapy for drug addiction has been shown to dampen down cravings for cocaine and protect against overdoses of the substance that would normally be lethal. The therapy uses implants of stem cells which have been genetically engineered to release a powerful enzyme that removes the class A drug from the bloodstream. Tests in the lab showed that mice fitted with the implants lost their appetite for cocaine and survived massive overdoses of the drug that killed 100% of untreated animals. The work has raised hopes for a long term treatment for addiction that works by clearing drugs from the body as soon as they are injected, inhaled or ingested. The therapy would effectively make addicts immune to the substances. Lead researcher Ming Xu, a professor of anaesthesia and critical care at the University of Chicago, said the approach was “highly efficient and specific for eliminating cocaine.” “Compared to other gene therapies, our approach is minimally invasive, long term, low maintenance and affordable. It’s very promising,” he told the Guardian. Scientists have known for decades that an enzyme found in blood plasma called butyrylcholinesterase, or BChE, destroys cocaine by breaking it down into harmless byproducts. But the enzyme is not particularly fast-acting and does not linger in the bloodstream long enough to help those addicted to the drug. To create their new therapy, the Chicago researchers rewrote the DNA in mouse skin stem cells to make them churn out a modified form of BChE that is 4,400 times more potent than the natural enzyme. The scientists reasoned that clumps of these engineered cells, called organoids, could be implanted under the skin, where they would release the cocaine-busting enzyme into the blood. Tests in mice suggest the concept might work. Writing in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering on Monday, Xu and his colleagues describe how they implanted genetically engineered organoids under the skin of several mice. Blood tests showed that the animals had consistently high levels of BChE for at least 10 weeks. As a result, the mice sought cocaine less than untreated animals, and were able to withstand normally fatal overdoses of the drug, up to 160mg per kg of bodyweight, the equivalent of 12g in a 75kg person. Estimated lethal doses of cocaine vary wildly in humans, but can be as low as 0.05g when taken nasally. Xu believes the experimental therapy has the potential to become the first intervention approved for the treatment of cocaine addiction. Lab studies suggest that similar implants for humans could release BChE for 20 to 30 years, he said, and so potentially protect addicts for decades. “We have not observed obvious side effects, but will study them carefully,” Xu said. Deaths from cocaine in England and Wales rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2017 with 432 lives lost to the drug, according to a report from the Office of National Statistics. In July, the Metropolitan police commissioner, Cressida Dick, criticised middle class cocaine users for fuelling the domestic drug trade. According to the latest crime survey for England and Wales, cocaine was used by an estimated 875,000 people in 2017-18, the highest number in a decade. Though more work is needed before the cocaine-blocking therapy can be trialled in humans, Xu believes the approach has the potential to make drug users immune to cocaine and protect them from fatal overdoses. The team is working on similar genetically-engineered cells to treat alcohol and nicotine addiction, and soon expect to start research on a therapy for opioid addiction, Xu said. ||||| Oliver Rüther/Plainpicture People with cocaine addiction may soon be invited to test a pioneering new treatment that destroys the cocaine they take before it can hit the reward centres in their brain, using genetically engineered versions of their own skin cells. Currently, there are no approved treatments for cocaine addiction and many who do successfully kick the habit will ultimately relapse. Approximately 5000 Americans die each year from cocaine overdoses. The new therapy might help tackle the problem. Skin cells would be taken from recipients and equipped in the lab with an extra gene that constantly makes human butyrylcholinesterase (hBChE), an enzyme that rapidly destroys cocaine in the bloodstream. Then the cells would be multiplied into a clump called an organoid that doctors would implant permanently under the recipient’s skin. Advertisement Ming Xu at the University of Chicago in Illinois and his colleagues have trialled the therapy in mice. Xu’s team’s results show that the prototype strategy worked exactly as hoped. Within 20 minutes, six mice with an active implant had practically eliminated a standard dose of cocaine injected into their tummies, a job that took six control mice almost 2 hours. And unlike the control mice, the treated mice didn’t get a “pleasure hit” in the brain from the neurotransmitter, dopamine. This absence of a “hit” also meant that unlike the controls, the treated mice didn’t go searching for more cocaine in standard tests to measure this behaviour, and didn’t preferentially visit previous sites where cocaine was accessible. They did, however, seek out more alcohol when it was made available to them, demonstrating that the treatment specifically targets cocaine addiction. No cocaine-induced relapses Xu expects the treatment would be effective in people too. “It will work, like in mice, by highly efficiently degrading cocaine as soon as it enters the blood circulation so that little would reach the brain,” he says. “People addicted to cocaine would stop using it, and there would be no cocaine-induced relapses,” says Xu. “There are no methods approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treating cocaine abuse, so it could be the first.” Almost all treated mice also survived huge doses of cocaine that killed controls. Xu gave treated and control animals doses of 40, 80, 120 and 160 milligrams of cocaine per kilo of body weight. All control animals died on the largest two doses, and half the controls on the 80-milligram dose. Xu’s team also tested prototype human versions of the organoids, made from foreskin cells of newborn baby boys. Like the mouse organoids, they produced the necessary enzyme continuously, for at least two months. “We’d like to move to clinical trials as soon as possible,” he says. Encouragingly, Xu says that some of the mice originally treated are still healthy, with active organoids, after six months, providing hope the treatment will be long-lasting in patients. He also says that similar grafts of patients’ own skin have been used without complications for decades to treat conditions such as burns and other skin disorders, which suggests the organoids wouldn’t be rejected. “I would expect this medication could prove effective when partnered with cognitive behavioural therapy to help people interpret and better cope with distressing cocaine craving,” says John Marsden, professor of addiction psychology at London’s Institute of Psychiatry. “It’s very encouraging that research in the US remains undaunted by the stubbornness of cocaine use disorder to respond to treatment, and I remain optimistic we’ll see an evidence-based medication.” Journal reference: Nature Biomedical Engineering, DOI: 10.1038/s41551-018-0293-z Read more: The love drug that could draw people away from any addiction ||||| Addiction to any drug – be it alcohol, tobacco, opioids or illicit drugs, like cocaine – is a chronic disease that causes a compulsive drug-seeking behavior individuals find difficult or impossible to control even when they are aware of the harmful, often deadly consequences. Long-term use changes the structure of brain regions linked to judgment, stress, decision-making and behavior, making it increasingly difficult to ignore drug cravings. I am a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Ming Xu at the University of Chicago, where we study addiction, with a goal of finding an effective cure. In a paper in Nature Biomedical Engineering, we describe a new approach, which we developed and tested, that blocks cocaine-seeking in mice and actually protects them from high doses that would otherwise be deadly. How can gene therapy stop addiction? Present in human liver and blood is a natural enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase, which we abbreviate as BChE. One of this enzyme’s jobs is to break down, or metabolize, cocaine into inactive, harmless components. In fact, there is even a mutant human BChE (hBChE), which was genetically engineered to greatly accelerate the metabolism of cocaine. This super mutant enzyme is expected to become a therapy for treating cocaine addiction. However, delivering the active enzyme to addicts by injection and keeping this enzyme functioning in living animals is challenging. So instead of giving the enzyme to the animals, we decided to engineer skin stem cells that carried the gene for the BChE enzyme. This way the skin cells would be able to manufacture the enzyme themselves and supply the animal. In our study, we first used the gene-editing technique CRISPR to edit the mouse skin stem cells and incorporate the hBChE gene. These engineered skin cells produced consistent and high levels of the hBChE protein, which they then secreted. Then we grew these engineered stem cells in the lab and created a flat layer of skin-like tissue which took a few days to grow. Once the lab-grown skin was complete, we transplanted it into host animals where the cells released significant quantities of hBChE into blood for more than 10 weeks. With the genetically engineered skin graft releasing hBChE into the blood stream of the host mice, we hypothesized that if the mouse consumed cocaine, the enzyme would rapidly chop up the drug before it could trigger the addictive pleasure response in the brain. ‘Immunizing’ against cocaine Cocaine works by elevating dopamine levels in the brain which then result in feelings of reward and euphoria, which trigger a craving for more of the drug. The animals that received the engineered skin graft were able to clear injected quantities of cocaine faster than control animals. Their brains also had lower levels of dopamine. Moreover, the skin grafts of hBChE-producing cells can effectively decrease the rate of lethal overdoses from 50 percent to zero when the animals were injected with a high, potentially lethal, dose of cocaine. When animals were given a lethal dose, all the control animals died while none of the animals that received the engineered skin perished. It was as if the enzyme produced by the skin graft had immunized the mice against a cocaine overdose. We then assessed whether hBChE-producing cells can protect against development of cocaine-seeking. We used mice that were trained to reveal their preference for cocaine by spending more time in a cocaine-rich environment. Under the same dosage and training procedures, normal animals acquired preference to cocaine, whereas host animals with the skin graft showed no such preference, indicating skin graft of the hBChE-cells efficiently blocks the cocaine-induced reward effect. In a similar way, skin-derived hBChE efficiently and specifically disrupts recurrence of cocaine-seeking after 25 days of withdrawal. To test whether this gene therapy approach will work in humans, we grew human skin-like tissue from primary skin stem cells that were genetically edited by CRISPR to allow hBChE production. We were encouraged to see that engineered human epidermal cells produced large quantities of hBChE in cells cultured in the lab and in mice. This suggests the concept of skin gene therapy may be effective for treating cocaine abuse and overdose in humans in the future. Adapting this approach for humans could be a promising way for blocking addiction. But first we must have sufficient evidence that it works well with few side effects. Likewise, engineering skin cells with the enzymes that degrade alcohol and nicotine could be an effective strategy for curbing addiction and abuse of these two drugs as well.

– Could a skin graft help cocaine addicts get clean? Scientists at the University of Chicago say their novel approach has worked in mice, reports New Scientist. And if this translates to humans, it could be a game changer, though the remedy is specific to cocaine addiction. In a new study in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the researchers explain that their work revolves around an enzyme we naturally produce called BChE. The enzyme is unique in that it's a cocaine killer—it essentially destroys any cocaine it comes across in the bloodstream—but the body produces too little of it to be of use for addicts. Solution? The scientists say they can take skin cells from people, arm them with a jacked-up version of BChE, and then implant them back under the recipient's skin. The process, taking advantage of the gene-editing technique CRISPR, produced strong results in mice. "Compared to other gene therapies, our approach is minimally invasive, long term, low maintenance, and affordable," lead researcher Ming Xu tells the Guardian. "It's very promising." In the study, mice that received the implants eliminated a standard dose of cocaine from their bodies in 20 minutes, versus two hours for the control mice. Crucially, the first group didn't get a "pleasure hit" from the drug, either, per New Scientist. As the Guardian puts it, the treatment essentially made the mice immune to cocaine. What's more, all the mice with the implants survived doses of cocaine that killed the control mice. "Adapting this approach for humans could be a promising way for blocking addiction," another researcher writes at the Conversation, and she lays out the next steps underway toward that goal. (Humans aren't the only creatures having trouble with cocaine.)

Published on Jan 22, 2018 TODAY’s Megyn Kelly responds to Jane Fonda’s recent issues with her questions about plastic surgery while appearing on Megyn Kelly TODAY. Kelly explains why she has no “regrets asking the question.” » Subscribe to TODAY: http://on.today.com/SubscribeToTODAY » Watch the latest from TODAY: http://bit.ly/LatestTODAY About: TODAY brings you the latest headlines and expert tips on money, health and parenting. We wake up every morning to give you and your family all you need to start your day. If it matters to you, it matters to us. We are in the people business. Subscribe to our channel for exclusive TODAY archival footage & our original web series. Connect with TODAY Online! Visit TODAY's Website: http://on.today.com/ReadTODAY Find TODAY on Facebook: http://on.today.com/LikeTODAY Follow TODAY on Twitter: http://on.today.com/FollowTODAY Follow TODAY on Google+: http://on.today.com/PlusTODAY Follow TODAY on Instagram: http://on.today.com/InstaTODAY Follow TODAY on Pinterest: http://on.today.com/PinTODAY Megyn Kelly: I Have No Regrets About My Question To Jane Fonda | Megyn Kelly TODAY ||||| “To drink or not to drink?” That is one of the many questions that Jane Fonda poses in her new documentary. Lounging around, getting her hair done, the Oscar-winning actress starts to dish about her beverage of choice. “They only serve wine,” she laughs. “I don’t drink champagne. I don’t drink wine. I drink vodka. I’ll have to bribe somebody.” “Jane Fonda in Five Acts,” which premieres on Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival, is an intimate portrait of a movie star and activist. Director Susan Lacy (“Spielberg,” “American Masters”) interviewed Fonda a dozen times. She planned trips with Fonda to revisit moments from her past, and conducted secondary interviews with her pal Robert Redford, her ex-husbands and her kids. Fonda spoke to Variety about the movie, which airs on HBO later this year. Why did you agree to do a documentary? I had written a book already and so I was used to talking about my life. I knew Susan [Lacy] from “American Masters.” I didn’t realize that she was a director and I saw the documentary she did on David Geffen. It was so good. Related Gucci! How 'Eighth Grade' Got Their Catch Phrase John Lithgow-Blythe Danner's 'Tomorrow Man' Bought Ahead of Sundance Premiere Were you nervous about visiting any of the places from your past? Well, the more meaningful place we went to where I had never been was my mother’s grave in Ogdensburg, New York. And that was a very emotional experience for me. I had issues with my mother and it took me a long time to get over that and to kind of reconcile myself with my mother and come to love her and forgive her. She killed herself when I was 12. What did it feel like to finally see her grave? [She starts to tear up.] Sad, that she died so young without my ever really knowing her. Grateful, that I had come to a place where I could love her and forgive her. Complicated. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when you visit your ex-husband Ted Turner’s ranch. I go there from time to time. It was an escrow when I started dating him. He had another ranch, a 60,000 acre ranch. He said “Do you want to see a ranch I’m going to maybe buy that’s 180,000 acres?” And we drove through and he said ‘’Should I buy it?” And I said, “No.” It just didn’t seem right that someone would own that much property. Then I got to know him and I realized well he protects it. I built the house that we were in. And planted the trees. He sends me the apples from the apple tree. It’s a little weird to go back. He’s there with other women now and things have changed a little, but not much. He says in the movie that he wishes he could still be with you. Were you surprised? We are very, very close. It’s complicated. We talk about it all the time. He taught me a lot. Did you base your media mogul character in “The Newsroom” on him? No. He inspired the performance that I gave in “Monster-in-Law,” because 10 years with Ted, you know he’s so flamboyant and he has such a great sense of humor. And he’s not afraid of being over-the-top. What my decade with Ted brought to me for “The Newsroom” was feeling comfortable in that kind of environment. What was it like watching your documentary? It was really hard. And it will be really hard [at the premiere] when I see it again. I hope I don’t cry. It’s one thing to write about yourself. Susan didn’t shy away from talking about things that are very difficult for me on a lot different levels. And then your children are talking about you and it’s a kind of white-knuckle experience. There’s a lot in the movie about your political evolution as an activist, starting with the Vietnam War. I’m glad about that because I think it shows that people aren’t born politically brave. People aren’t necessarily born feminists. What is your biggest fear about the Trump administration? The most immediate fear is what’s happening to our planet because that’s not reversible and it’s very dire. Secondly, I fear that our democracy is being taken from us. However, the good part is, as Jerry Brown recently said, “He’s totally negative energy.” Except maybe when he’s with a porn star! Isn’t that terrible to be able to say that about your president? He’s total negative energy and he moves in the world, and it releases positive energy from other people. That’s why so many people are rising up and being active that never were before; running for office when they never considered doing it before. It’s not just because he set the bar so low. It’s because, “Help!” I’ve got to be a part of saving this country and everything we stand for. So there’s a good side to it. Do you think he’ll be impeached? I have no idea. Every day there’s some outrageous thing that’s happened. Then there’s discussion of the trauma and impeachment. We have to be careful not to let ourselves get distracted, because while we are paying attention to that, our country is being stolen behind our backs. Do you think you’ll see a female president in your lifetime? I intend to live long enough to do that. Do you think Oprah should run for president? I think she’s a very powerful persona. I think her values are totally, 100 percent fabulous. I don’t think she’s going to run. If she did, I would support her, because I think she would surround herself with the best people. Earlier this week at the Sundance press conference, Robert Redford talked about how we’re at a tipping point as a result of the #MeToo movement. Rob Redford said that? Yay! Do you feel like what’s happening right now is creating real change in Hollywood? Hollywood is the least of it. The Time’s Up movement is very different than the #MeToo movement. The Time’s Up movement is about taking action to create change. One of the wonderful things that I love about the Time’s Up movement is that they understand the importance of intersectionality, of reaching out to other sectors where women aren’t famous and aren’t white and are terribly vulnerable. They face terrible sexual harassment. Domestic workers, farmer workers, restaurant works, and so forth. Time’s Up is putting its arms around all those sectors. That’s why I think it’s a very profound movement that will be around for long, long time. I do think it’s a tipping point. We’re not going back. When did you first become aware that you weren’t being paid as much as your male counterparts? Last year. See, this is going to strike you as weird. But I never paid any attention. Well, of course Rob Redford’s going to be paid more money. I’m just me. He’s him. So I just assumed that that was the way it was and I took it for granted. It wasn’t until a lot of the younger people in my industry began to speak out about it and I began to pay attention. Now I’m old so it doesn’t matter that much. Do you negotiate differently now? I don’t negotiate anything. My agents negotiate for me. I think I goosed them a little more than I used to. You bcame a meme after an interview with Megyn Kelly went viral. Would you ever go on her show again? Sure. So you weren’t upset that she asked you about plastic surgery? No. It wasn’t like I was upset. I was stunned. It was so inappropriate. It showed that she’s not that good an interviewer. But if she comes around and learns her stuff, sure. ||||| Jane Fonda and Megyn Kelly appear to be gearing up for a war of words. One day after Fonda told Variety she felt the NBC news anchor was “inappropriate” when she asked her in September about her cosmetic surgery, Kelly devoted a segment of her “Megyn Kelly Today’ to the simmering imbroglio. “Look, I gave her the chance to empower other women, young and old, on a subject which she purports to know well and she rejected it. That’s okay. But I have no regrets about the question. Nor am I in the market for a lesson from Jane Fonda on what is and is not appropriate. After all, this is a woman whose name is synonymous with outrage,” said Kelly, speaking Monday during her program. “Look at her treatment of our military during the Vietnam war, many of our veterans still call her ‘Hanoi Jane’ thanks to her radio broadcasts which attempted to shame American troops. She posed on an anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down our pilots.” Fonda seemed offended in September during an interview early in the program’s tenure, but told Variety she would consider returning to “Megyn Kelly Today.” “It wasn’t like I was upset. I was stunned. It was so inappropriate,” Fonda said about the question. “It showed that she’s not that good an interviewer. But if she comes around and learns her stuff, sure.” During the segment, Kelly showed several pieces of video from other news programs in which Fonda has discussed her cosmetic surgery.

– Back in September, less than one week into Megyn Kelly's tenure as a Today host, she asked Jane Fonda a question about plastic surgery and got shut down. But the subject apparently isn't dead. Over the weekend, Fonda was asked by Variety if she'd ever be a guest on Kelly's show again. "Sure," said Fonda, but her response wasn't all positive. She says she was "stunned" by the question. "It was so inappropriate. It showed that she’s not that good an interviewer. But if she comes around and learns her stuff, sure." Kelly had a response to that: Variety reports that on Monday Kelly decided it was "time to address the 'poor me' routine" and dedicated one of her segments to the dust-up. She included clips of Fonda talking about the subject on other news shows. Then Kelly said: "Apparently, when she came here, however, again to promote her film about aging, I was supposed to discern that this subject was suddenly off limits. ... I have no regrets about that question. Nor am I in the market for a lesson from Jane Fonda on what is and is not appropriate. After all, this is a woman whose name is synonymous with outrage. Look at her treatment of our military during the Vietnam war; many of our veterans still call her 'Hanoi Jane' thanks to her radio broadcasts which attempted to shame American troops. She posed on an anti-aircraft gun used to shoot down our pilots. She called our POWs hypocrites and liars and referred to their torture as 'understandable.' Even she had to apologize years later for that gun picture. But not for the rest of it. By the way, she still says she is not proud of America. So, the moral indignation is a little much. She put her plastic surgery out there ... and honestly, she has no business lecturing anyone on what qualifies as offensive."

(CNN) Central Illinois is coping with damage and injuries after a rare blitz of tornadoes Saturday, when 22 twisters were reported to the National Weather Service. Hardest hit was the town of Taylorville, about 30 miles southeast of the capital of Springfield. Storm winds wrecked houses, downed power lines and pulled trees up by the roots. "It's a miracle no one was killed in the tragedy of these tornadoes," said Gov. Bruce Rauner, who toured the area on Sunday. At least three people are being treated for major injuries at Memorial Hospital in Springfield and 18 more suffered minor injuries, Rauner said. The governor activated Illinois' State of Emergency Operations Center. Rescuers pulled people from homes damaged by the twisters, Taylorville Fire Department Chief Mike Crews said. Otherwise, no deaths have been reported. Taylorville neighbors go through the debris after the storm. Read More ||||| Despite the aforementioned environmental caveats, annual accumulated diurnal max STP is a statistically significant covariate to annual United States tornado reports (Fig. 1). This degree of explanatory power (44% of the variance in annual tornado counts is explained by accumulated diurnal maximum STP) suggests that STP may be used as a climatological proxy for annual tornado report counts. At the monthly scale, accumulated STP exhibits a seasonal trend in explanatory power. Monthly standardized anomalies of accumulated diurnal maximum STP for January, February, March, May, and December all explain roughly half of the variance associated with the standardized anomaly of monthly United States tornado counts (Fig. 2). August displays a minimum in variance explanation (9%), and it is speculated this is a function of the mesoscale nature of late boreal summer tornado environments and larger contributions to the monthly count climatologies from tropical storms and hurricanes. Standardized anomaly regression slopes reveal that monthly accumulated STP is a conservative estimator of monthly tornado counts, and this bias is greatest in the boreal summer (Fig. 2). The null hypothesis of, “Monthly accumulated STP does not explain statistically significant amounts of variance in monthly tornado counts” was rejected at the 0.01 significance level for all months except August. Thus, the STP covariate can be applied at the monthly scale, but caution should be used due to the seasonal changes in the coefficient of determination and level of statistical significance. Fig. 1 Scatter plot of United States annual tornado counts vs. United States annual accumulated significant tornado parameter (1979–2017) from NARR Full size image Fig. 2 1979–2017 Unites States monthly tornado reports and accumulated diurnal maximum STP (expressed here as a standardized anomaly by month) from NARR. Regression r2 and p values are listed next to their respective months Full size image Examining annual tornado report counts and accumulated annual STP through time confirm this explanatory relationship and give further confidence in the use of STP as a climatological tornado report proxy (Fig. 3). Both tornado counts and STP indicate a slight positive trend through time over the analysis period, which starts at the beginning of the modern Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) era. Consistent tornado reporting data exists back to the early 1950s, but there are currently no datasets that allow for the space and time scales necessary to adequately retroactively compute STP back to 1950, and hence, we are limited here to the analysis period 1979–2017. Most of the increase in tornado reporting is observed from the late 1980s to the early 2000s, with a steady or even declining trend thereafter which is consistent with previous research.3 Fig. 3 Interannual variability of United States tornado reports (blue; axis left) and the United States annual sum of daily max significant tornado parameter (red; axis right) from NARR Full size image Of greatest interest here is the potential for shifts in the spatial location of tornado frequency. Research has identified evidence of a “Dixie Alley,” which represents an eastward extension of the traditional "Tornado Alley" in the central Great Plains.26 However, this could be due to the techniques used to smooth reports in space and time.27 An eastward shift in tornado frequency was also suggested, but results were limited to two arbitrary regions, coarse spatial environmental covariates, and lacked a robust environmental tornado report proxy such as STP.12,13 Using Theil-Sen slope analysis—a robust linear trend estimator which is insensitive to outliers—and Kendall’s τ test for statistical significance, we show a robust downward trend in the annual accumulation of STP across the central and southern Great Plains. Meanwhile, a robust upward trend is found in portions of the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast (Fig. 4). No significant increase (decrease) in tornado environments is observed west (east) of the 95th meridian. We believe these trends in tornado environments are significant and have not been documented with this level of detail by previous research. Fig. 4 Theil-Sen slope analysis of 1979–2017 annual grid-point sum of daily max STP from NARR. p values are hatched at values ≤ 0.05 significance using Kendall’s τ statistic. Slope units are sum of daily max STP per year Full size image Given these environmental tendencies, one would also suspect to find such evidence of trends in tornado reports given the explanatory power of the STP covariate. Indeed, significant trends in the spatial frequency of annual tornado reports are found over the analysis period (Fig. 5). Both tornado reports and environments indicate significant decreasing trends in frequency over portions of Texas, Oklahoma, and northeast Colorado. Agreement in the sign of the Theil-Sen slope is also noted for significant increasing trends in portions of Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky. We are most confident about the trends in these areas, where both tornado reports and environments share the same significant sign of Theil-Sen’s slope. Confidence in the trends of tornado frequency are reduced in areas where the sign of Theil-Sen’s slope is opposite or do not share statistical significance. For example, significant increases in tornado reporting trends are found across Kansas, but environments indicate a neutral or downward trend. Additionally, tornado environments indicate a robust increasing trend in portions of Arkansas and Louisiana that are not supported by tornado reporting trends. We cannot offer a physical reason for these discrepancies at the current time, but they may be a function of non-continuous regional/seasonal efficiencies of the STP covariate (e.g., biases shown in Fig. 2) and biases in the tornado report database. We speculate the non-continuous regional/seasonal efficiencies of STP are a function of convective initiation and forcing for ascent. In addition, STP was designed with the intention of evaluating environments favorable for right-moving supercells in the Great Plains of the U.S. and not necessarily non-mesocyclone tornadoes.15,28 However, results associated with reports herein are generally consistent with an increasing trend found in the Southeast United States due to a greater propensity for tornado outbreaks east of the Mississippi River.29,30 Fig. 5 Theil-Sen slope analysis of 1979–2017 annual gridded tornado reports. p values are hatched at values ≤ 0.05 significance using Kendall’s τ statistic. Slope units are reports per year * 10−1 Full size image Further examination reveals that spatial trends in tornado environment frequency are modulated by seasons (Fig. 6). Positive trends in tornado environment frequency are shown to progress northward through the annual cycle. Most of the decreasing trends across Texas are due to the months of March, April, and May (Fig. 6b), and most of the Great Plains has shown a decreasing trend in tornado environments during June, July, and August (Fig. 6c). It should be noted that our results do not indicate that maximum United States tornado environment and report frequency is no longer in the Great Plains. Rather, we demonstrate there has been a robust downward trend of tornado environments and reports in portions of the Great Plains concurrent with a simultaneous robust increasing trend in areas surrounding the Mississippi River Valley and the Midwest. ||||| Illinois is now in 'Tornado Alley,' study finds hello FILE - This April 30, 2017, file photo, provided by the Warren County Emergency Management Agency shows what looks like a tornado that approached Vicksburg, Miss. A new study finds that tornado activity is generally shifting eastward to areas just east of the Mississippi River that are more vulnerable such as Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee. And it's going down in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. (Jerry Briggs/Warren County Fire Department via Warren County EMA via AP, File) Associated Press FILE - In this April 30, 2014, file photo, Dustin Shaw lifts debris as he searches through what is left of his sister's house at Parkwood Meadows neighborhood after a tornado in Vilonia, Ark. A new study finds that tornado activity is generally shifting eastward to areas just east of the Mississippi River that are more vulnerable such as Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee. And it's going down in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Over the past few decades tornadoes have been shifting - decreasing in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas but spinning up more in states along the Mississippi River and farther east, a new study shows. Scientists aren't quite certain why. Tornado activity is increasing most in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and parts of Ohio and Michigan, according to a study in Wednesday's journal Climate and Atmospheric Science. There has been a slight decrease in the Great Plains, with the biggest drop in central and eastern Texas. Even with the decline, Texas still gets the most tornadoes of any state. The shift could be deadly because the area with increasing tornado activity is bigger and home to more people, said study lead author Victor Gensini, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Northern Illinois University. Also more people live in vulnerable mobile homes and tornadoes are more likely to happen at night in those places, he said. Even though Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma get many more tornadoes, the four deadliest states for tornadoes are Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "More folks are generally at risk because of that eastward shift," Gensini said. Because tornadoes sometimes go undercounted, especially in the past and in less populous areas, scientists don't like to study trends by using counts of tornadoes. Gensini and tornado scientist Harold Brooks of the National Severe Storms Lab looked at "significant tornado parameters," a measurement of the key ingredients of tornado conditions. It looks at differences between wind speed and direction at different altitudes, how unstable the air is and humidity. The more of those three ingredients, the more likely tornadoes will form. The increases in this measurement mirrored slightly smaller increases found in number of twisters. The study looked at changes since 1979. Everywhere east of the Mississippi, except the west coast of Florida, is seeing some increase in tornado activity. The biggest increase occurred in states bordering the Mississippi River. Overall there is a slight increase in tornado activity, but it's not too much and not nearly like what's happening in the east, Gensini said. Why is this happening? "We don't know," Gensini said. "This is super consistent with climate change." As the Great Plains dry out, there's less moisture to have the type of storms that spawn tornadoes, Gensini said. Tornadoes form along the "dry line" where there are more thunderstorms because there's dry air to the west and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to the east. That dry line is moving east. "This is what you would expect in a climate change scenario, we just have no way of confirming it at the moment," Gensini said. Gensini said unless there are specific detailed studies, he and others cannot say this is caused by global warming, just that it looks like what is expected. Pennsylvania State University meteorology professor Paul Markowski, who wasn't part of the research, praised the study as careful and well done. ___ Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears . ___ The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ||||| A rash of tornadoes broke out Saturday afternoon and evening across central Illinois, injuring at least 30 people and turning homes into piles of splintered wood. Interested in Tornadoes? Add Tornadoes as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Tornadoes news, video, and analysis from ABC News. Add Interest There were 22 tornadoes reported to the National Weather Service on Saturday, all in central Illinois. The offices in Lincoln, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri, will conduct storm surveys on Sunday to confirm the intensity and track of the tornadoes. At least 30 people were injured in Christian County, Illinois, just southeast of Springfield, where many of the storms hit. Matt Norris Mike Crews, emergency manager for Christian County, said there were no more than 30 people transported to hospitals. There are still task forces out with ambulances to make sure there are no more people injured or trapped. No fatalities have been reported. Officials said 21 people were taken to Taylorville Memorial Hospital with one injury considered critical. Crews also said at a press conference Saturday night that emergency officials responded to about 12 to 15 homes that had people trapped inside. All of them were safely evacuated. Stephanie Porter A box truck with chemicals was also overturned, officials said, and a hazmat crew was working to clean it up. Further assessment of the damage will be done starting at 7 a.m. Sunday. Videos of suspected tornadoes were shared across social media on Saturday in Illinois. One person was killed during a severe storm in southwestern Missouri on Friday. Scott Lakin in the Lawrence County Coroner’s Office confirmed to ABC News that a man was found dead with debris on top of him in Aurora, Missouri. ABC News' Dan Manzo contributed to this report.

– Central Illinois is reeling after a Saturday rash of at least 22 tornadoes crushed houses, tore up trees, and took down power lines, CNN reports. It "feels like I woke up to a nightmare," says a man in Taylorville, the hardest-hit town. Officials say 21 people were hospitalized there, one critically, and crews responded to over a dozen houses that contained trapped people, per ABC News. At least 30 injuries have been reported, but no fatalities. Illinois averages 47 tornadoes annually, usually peaking in May, but a strong cold front set up "the perfect conditions" for Saturday's blitz, says CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar. Tornadoes have been moving east in recent decades from Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas to states on and east of the Mississippi River—including Illinois, the AP reports. Sadly, that means tornadoes are forming more often in more populated areas. Why the change? "We don't know," says Victor Gensini, who lead a study on the subject. "This is super consistent with climate change." Seems the Great Plains are drying out, providing less moisture to create storms that trigger tornadoes, while a line of dry, tornado-producing air is moving east. "This is what you would expect in a climate change scenario, we just have no way of confirming it at the moment," says Gensini. (See more about Gensini's study.)

There have been many failed attempts to provide evidence of a sixth sense, but now scientists have at least, they claim, come up with a sixth taste – the taste of fat. Fat, which now joins sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savoury) has a unique and unpleasant taste that researchers have called oleogustus. They suggest its identification could lead to new ways of fighting obesity and heart disease, and to the creation of improved fat replacements. “Our experiments provide a missing element in the evidence that fat has a taste sensation, and that it is different from other tastes,” says Professor Richard Mattes, director of the Ingestive Behaviour Research Centre at Purdue University in Indiana, US. “Identifying the taste of fat has a range of important health implications. At high concentrations, the signal it generates would dissuade the eating of rancid foods,” he adds. “But at low levels, it may enhance the appeal of some foods by adding to the overall sensory profile, in the same way that bitterness alone is unpleasant but at appropriate levels adds to the appeal of wine and chocolate.” Current fat replacements may have been less successful than was hoped because they mimic the texture of fat, but not the taste, says the professor. Our food choices are often based on memories of how we felt after eating an item, but the taste of fat may contribute to those associations, he adds. There has been a consistent recognition over the centuries of four primary taste qualities – sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Umami, referring to a meaty or savoury taste and first reported in 1908, has increasingly been accepted as a fifth basic taste. 50 best foods for healthy living 50 show all 50 best foods for healthy living 1/50 Digestion Live yoghurt - Many with digestive issues avoid dairy, but live yoghurt may be worth a shot, as it is full of gut-friendly bacteria. Because the lactose in live yoghurt is effectively broken down, it is gentler on the system than milk. Rex 2/50 Digestion Chia seeds - Just two tablespoons of chia seeds provide a third of your recommended daily intake of fibre. notahipster, Flickr 3/50 Digestion Sauerkraut - Fermented foods like sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) is packed with probiotics, aiding digestion. Qwerty Binary 4/50 Digestion Lentils - High in insoluble fibre, lentils are great for digestion, as well as being regarded as beneficial in alleviating irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis. Rex Features 5/50 Digestion Buckwheat - Despite the name, buckwheat is completely wheat and gluten free and a great, high fibre alternative to anyone with a wheat intolerance. Getty Images 6/50 Immune system Oranges - Citrus fruits such as oranges are high in Vitamin C, which helps to prevent colds and infection. Getty Images 7/50 Immune system Mushrooms - Shiitake mushrooms have been shown in studies to boost the production of white blood cells, thus improving the body’s ability to fight infection. powerplantop, Flickr 8/50 Immune system Clams - Contain zinc and selenium, which helps to slow the body’s immune response and control inflammation. 9/50 Immune system Garlic - Packed with antioxidants, garlic was used to fight gangrene in World War I, but more practically can help to keep colds at bay. It is also quite anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal, and used to treat everything from psoriasis to athlete’s foot. 10/50 Immune system Broccoli - One cup of broccoli provides you with almost 100% of your RDA of vitamin C, which is thought to stave off colds and other illnesses. It is also rich in vitamin A, K, folate and potassium. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli contain a sulphurous compound that studies show can lower the risk of cancer. Getty 11/50 Skin, hair and nails Avocado - The good fats in avocado hydrate the skin, while omega 9 can help reduce redness. Avocado is also rich in vitamin E, which helps guard against sun damage and vitamin C, which helps produce elastin and collagen for skin firmness. Getty 12/50 Skin, hair and nails Sunflower seeds - a handful contains more than a third of your daily vitamin E needs. F Ceragioli via Wikimedia Commons 13/50 Skin, hair and nails Pumpkin - One of the richest sourcs of Vitamin A, which is essential for the formation of connective tissue, i.e. skin. Getty Images 14/50 Skin, hair and nails Olive oil - The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil plump the skin for a more youthful look, plus antioxidant polyphenols may curb ageing free-radicals. SAIF DAHLAH/AFP/Getty Images 15/50 Skin, hair and nails Green tea - Polyphenols in green tea could help to offset sun damage. Getty Images 16/50 Weight loss Cinnamon - This spice is a great additive for breakfasts and bakes if you are trying to cut sugar and sweeteners, and it is also thought to help balance blood sugar. Getty Images 17/50 Weight loss Apples - Apples are high in pectin, a soluble fibre that helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Getty Images 18/50 Weight loss Eggs - One of the best sources of protein, eggs help to keep you energised and prevent unhealthy snacking, while providing a host of vitamins and minerals for general good health. Getty Images 19/50 Weight loss Tuna- High in protein, low in saturated fat and rich in omega 3, tuna is a fantastic option for maintained weight loss. The omega 3 in oily fish improves the body’s response to insulin, lowering metabolism and helping to prevent the dreaded sugar spikes. Getty 20/50 Weight loss Oats - High in fibre for slow-release energy, oats also are thought to lower cholesterol. Getty Images 21/50 Heart health Beetroot - This is a good source of iron and folic acid. It is also rich in nitrates, which help to reduce blood pressure. Raimond Spekking 22/50 Heart health Garlic - High in manganese, selenium and antioxidants, garlic is thought to help lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Getty Images 23/50 Heart health Asparagus - Rich in the amino acid asparagine, which serves as a natural diuretic and helps rid the body of excess salts. This is beneficial for people have high blood pressure or other heart-related diseases. Getty Images 24/50 Heart health Salmon - Studies have found that eating oily fish such as salmon can lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, Getty Images 25/50 Heart health Pomegranate - Rich in vitamins A, C and E, and high in fibre, pomegranates are thought to help protect against heart disease. A 2004 study showed evidence that daily consumption helped to alleviate narrowed arteries and reduce cholesterol. Getty Images 26/50 Brain health Mackerel - Oily fish including mackerel is rich in Omega 3, which studies have suggested is linked to a reduced risk of dementia, schizophrenia and depression, as well as enhanced memory. Getty Images 27/50 Brain health Hazelnuts - HIgh in Vitamin E, which studies say can help to prevent cognitive decline in older people. Getty Images 28/50 Brain health Blueberries - low in calories and high in antioxidants, blueberries are regarded as a nutritional powerhouse. Some studies have found a link between blueberry consumption and improved spatial learning and memory. Getty Images 29/50 Brain health Cacao - Contains phenylethylamine, which acts as a mild mood enhancer, and a 2009 study shows signs that it can help to reduce stress. However, adding sugar and milk to cacao to make your favourite chocolatey treat offsets any health benefits - try to keep it as close to its natural state as possible. Keith Welle via Wikimedia Commons 30/50 Brain health Pumpkin seeds - Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day provide your total RDA of zinc, which is important for enhancing your memory. 31/50 Energy Sweet potatoes - Starchy veg like sweet potatoes are a great source of low-GI carbohydrates for slow-burn, long-lasting energy. Sweet potatoes are also rich in soluble fibre and vitamins A, C and B6. Getty Images 32/50 Energy Beef - Low energy levels are often a sign of iron deficiency or anaemia. Lean cuts of beef are a good source of iron, as well as being a protein powerhouse to aid muscle development and stamina. Getty Images 33/50 Energy Brown Rice - Complex carbohydrates like brown rice break down into energy-boosting sugars more slowly than white rice, meaning more energy for longer, and more balanced blood sugar levels - i.e. no nasty sugar crash within hours of eating. Arria Belli, Flickr 34/50 Energy Bananas - A great source of energy that keep sugar levels balanced, plus the sweet taste will help to satisfy cravings. Getty Images 35/50 Energy Quinoa - This supergrain contains more protein than rice or any other grain, ideal for building muscle, along with being a nutrient-rich source of carbohydrates. AFP/ Getty Images 36/50 Bone health Sardines - Sunshine is the best source of bone-building Vitamin D, but if a British summer doesn’t allow for that, sardines are a surprising source, as well as being rich in calcium. Getty Images 37/50 Bone health Brussel sprouts - Just three-quarters of a cup of this divisive winter vegetable provides your RDA of vitamin K, which is essential in helping the absorption of calcium for healthy bones. Getty Images 38/50 Bone health Chickpeas - High in protein and fibre, chickpeas are also packed with iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and vitamin K, which contribute to building and maintaining strong bones. Scott Teresi, Flickr 39/50 Bone health Spinach - If dairy isn’t your thing, spinach could be your saviour - a cup of cooked spinach contains a quarter of your calcium needs. Getty Images 40/50 Bone health Almonds - Rich in potassium, which prevents the excretion of calcium in urine, as well as being rich in protein and other nutrients for maintaining bone health. M.Verkerk/J.J.G.Claessens/Creative Commons 41/50 Men’s Health Prawns - Rich in zinc, which is essential for sperm quality and fertility. Getty Images 42/50 Men’s Health Tomatoes - high in lycopene, an antioxidant which, according to the World Cancer Research Fund, can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Strangely, cooked and tinned tomatoes are recommended, as the lycopene is more readily absorbed. PIERRE ANDRIEU/AFP/Getty Images 43/50 Men’s Health Brazil nuts - High in selenium, which boosts the immune system and strengthens the thyroid gland. Quadell 44/50 Men’s Health Cauliflower - Rich in vitamin C, potassium and boron, which is said to aid in increasing testosterone levels and muscle-building. Getty Images 45/50 Men’s Health Turkey - With obesity an escalating problem for men, turkey is a great swap for your morning bacon. HIgh in lean protein, it is full of B vitamins, which can aid in lowering cholesterol. Getty Images 46/50 Women’s Health Walnuts - These nuts contain antioxidants and phytosterols that may help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Getty Images 47/50 Women’s Health Green beans - Low in fat, bean are a great source of protein and fibre and can also help to guard against breast cancer and heart disease. Isoflavones in beans, chickpeas and lentils help with the regulation of hormones, easing PMS and menopause symptoms. Getty Images 48/50 Women’s Health Flax - One of the oldest sources of fibre in the world, flaxseed can ease digestion as well as providing omega 3 fatty acids. It is also thought to be of help with menopause, but some experts say it should be avoided if pregnant. Sanjay Acharya via Wikimedia Commons 49/50 Women’s Health Cranberries - Rich in anthocyans, red berries such as cranberries help to play a role in cell repair and are thus thought to reduce cancer risk. Also high in vitamin C and folic acid, essential for women of childbearing age, and cranberry juice is a fantastic way to get rid of cystitis. Getty Images 50/50 Women’s Health Tofu - A great source of phytoestrogens, which can help with the symptoms of menopause and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Getty Images In the new study, reported in the journal Chemical Senses, the researchers investigated the taste sensation of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), or free fatty acids, which are fat’s basic building blocks. In two experiments, volunteers wearing nose clips were asked to sample a range of different taste qualities, including NEFA, and sort them into groups of similar qualities. The texture of each of the samples was manipulated to be the same, so the only difference was taste. Results show that the men and women identified fat as having a taste, different from all the other samples. “Many people described it as bitter or irritating and consistently unpalatable,” says Professor Mattes. “The research is difficult because we do not have a widely agreed-upon word to describe the sensation.” ||||| Forget sweet or sour, researchers say people may have a “sixth” taste for fatty foods. Researchers out of Purdue University said that the taste of fat dubbed “oleogustus” can be added to the list of distinctive tastes that include sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. To decipher if “oleogustus” could be identified by eaters the researchers conducted a small study to see if people could identify the “unique taste of fat.” They gave participants nose clips so they couldn’t mistake the aroma of food for taste and then had them try different concentrated samples and sort them by taste including sweet, salty, sour, bitter and blank. In the study 64% of participants could distinguish a fatty acid sample from the group. While a fatty food taste test may seem to have been a dream come true, subjects reported samples with shorter fatty acid chains tasted sour and with longer fatty acid chains tasted pungent or irritating. One reason for the distaste of the fat-heavy samples may have been the higher concentrations used. To concentrate taste researchers used concentrations of fatty acid chains that are higher than those found in food, but similar to the kinds of fatty acid chains found in cooking oils or fermented products. Experts say the early experiment needs more research but could help shed light on how we react to certain foods. Study co-author Richard Mattis told ABC News said that by understanding how the body “tastes” fat, we might also be able to understand if it affects how the body metabolizes foods. He said elevated levels of triglycerides, a main component of fat, is also associated with high levels of cardiac risk in a person. “From a basic biology perspective it would be nice to know how our sensory systems work, identifying fat as a basic taste is equivalent…to knowing chartreuse is part of the visual [spectrum],” he explained. Robin Dando, assistant professor of Food Science at Cornell University, said more and more studies have come out finding that fat can have its own flavor and that it could impact what we know about how receptors in the body perceive fat. “I think it’s a really interesting piece of research the notion that fat is a taste itself is an important concept,” Dando told ABC News. ”This kind of … evidence that says we have a whole extra mechanism [for taste] is really scientifically important and interesting.” Dando explained that previously researchers simply thought people identified fat by texture and that it didn't have a specific taste. Amy Jamieson-Petonic, a dietician at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, said having a sixth taste could be extremely helpful when helping patients break down their diet. “This might potentially be able to help us figure out different ways to tell people get their nutrients,” she said. She reiterated that she thought more study was needed before dietitians and others incorporate the taste of “fat” into their work. ABC News' Sonia Singh contributed to this article.

– Ponder the taste of fat for a minute. Is your mouth watering? It shouldn't be. While the closest you've probably come to eating pure fat was on an untrimmed steak, Purdue University researchers have isolated the taste of fat for the first time—and folks, it isn't pleasant. They began by plugging the noses of participants who tasted a variety of samples instilled with chemicals representing the five basic tastes—bitter, salty, sour, sweet, and umami (savory)—and fatty acids, considered the "building blocks of fat," per Forbes. The unique taste of the fatty acids, which researchers dubbed "oleogustus," varied by chemical structure: short-chain fatty acids tasted sour and long-chain fatty acids tasted bitter. But what came as a surprise to researchers—considering how fat, when paired with other tastes and smells, usually enhances food—was that all variations tasted terrible. "We have a situation where one form of fat is adding to the appeal of food and may encourage intake. While with another, the taste signal is aversive, discouraging consumption," a researcher says. What gives? Researchers suggest that since fatty acids show up in rotting food, their off-putting taste may serve as a warning that what you're putting in their mouth shouldn't be there. At low levels, though, the acids' bitterness could enhance food. After all, chocolate and coffee can also be bitter, reports the Independent. Others note it may be the thick, creamy texture of fat that we adore so much, rather than the actual taste. The study author tells ABC News further study on how humans taste fat and confirmation of a sixth taste could help researchers understand how our bodies digest foods. Meanwhile, the research could lead to better replacements that mimic fat's texture and taste. (Here are 5 low-fat foods you should stop eating now.)

(Reuters) - The National Football League has chosen Twitter as its exclusive global partner for streaming its Thursday night games during the 2016 regular season, the parties said on Tuesday, a deal that could help the social media site expand its user base. CBS Corp (CBS.N) and Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) unit NBC, which won the broadcast rights in February, could also gain more viewers via Twitter, TV executives said. Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) spokesman Brian Poliakoff declined to disclose the financial terms, or elaborate on how the games would be streamed. But technology news website Re/code, citing people familiar with the bidding process, reported that Twitter paid less than $10 million for the streaming rights. The deal comes as sports fans are increasingly relying on the Internet to watch video at the expense of traditional cable and satellite connections. Livestreaming the games would give Twitter a new avenue to attract users as it tries to catch up with rival social networks like Facebook Inc (FB.O), which has over a billion users. The NFL partnership helps cement Twitter’s position as a destination for live video, said Tom Richardson, president of consulting firm Convergence Sports & Media. “I don’t think it’s going to cannibalize viewership at all,” CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus said. “I don’t see people turning off their televisions and watching the game on Twitter.” “The fact that our national commercials are running on the Twitter feed is a big benefit,” he said. The Twitter logo is shown at its corporate headquarters in San Francisco, California April 28, 2015. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith An NBC spokesman declined to comment. Twitter will livestream 10 games for free to the more than 800 million people who use its service, as well as non-registered users. Twitter Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said users would be able to watch the games “right on Twitter.” Under the deal, Twitter can sell local ads off the games, but national ads, which make up about 85 percent of the spots during the games, will be sold by CBS and NBC. Twitter outbid a number of companies, including Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N), Yahoo Inc YHOO.O and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) to win the deal, according to Bloomberg, which first reported the news. Facebook Inc (FB.O) dropped out of the bidding last week, the report said. Facebook, Yahoo, Verizon and Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. Twitter’s stock hit an all-time low in February after the company said its user growth stalled for the first time since it went public in 2013. As of Tuesday’s close of $17.05, the stock had fallen 26 percent this year. ||||| SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email Twitter Inc. just did its first broadcast deal, and it’s a big one. The company will stream 10 Thursday night National Football League games during the 2016 season, a package that cost the service around $10 million, according to a person familiar with the matter. This is a triumph for Twitter, which is struggling to attract new users and expand its content beyond the posts of journalists, politicians and celebrities. Success with NFL games will also pave the way for more video deals that could include other professional sports, political content, and eventually entertainment, Chief Financial Officer Anthony Noto said in an interview. “This is one element of a much broader strategy to provide the next generation of real-time content,” said Noto, who was the NFL’s Chief Financial Officer until 2010. He joined Twitter in 2014, and last year the social media company signed an agreement to distribute NFL highlights and other clips. For the NFL, this is a chance to experiment. The league is aware that a growing number of households are comfortable streaming video over the Internet, and this is an opportunity to appeal to so-called cord-cutters, as former cable-TV subscribers are known. The NFL has streamed selected games, but this is its first season-long streaming deal. Twitter will probably package the games alongside a live feed of curated tweets and stream all of it on its site and mobile app, the person said. Other web sites will also be able to embed Twitter’s live stream, which gives the company and the NFL a much wider digital reach than the 66 million Americans who currently use the service. They will also be broadcast on NBC, CBS and the NFL Network, the NFL said in a statement Tuesday. Twitter bid for the package against a slate of heavyweights including Verizon Communications Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. The NFL is America’s most-watched sport by a wide margin; even Thursday night games, which draw smaller audiences than the contests on Sundays and Mondays, attracted about 17 million viewers last season. At around $1 million per game, Twitter is paying a small fraction of what would seem to be the market rate. Yahoo paid $17 million to stream a single game from London, which was played at 9:30 a.m. New York time and also broadcast on network TV in the teams’ home markets. In the most recent broadcast deal, CBS Corp. and Comcast Corp.’s NBC each paid about $45 million a game for five Thursday night contests each during the 2016 and 2017 seasons. “We did not take the highest bidder on the table,” said Brian Rolapp, the NFL’s executive vice president of media, of the Twitter deal. “The platform is built around live events already. We want to see how they use the unique platform, and syndicated tweets all over the Internet is going to be interesting.” After modest gains in early trading on Tuesday, Twitter shares fell 0.2 percent to $17.05 at 11:34 a.m. in New York. They had fallen 26 percent this year through Monday. Twitter also controls some of the advertising inventory for the games, Chief Operating Officer Adam Bain said in a post on Twitter. The deal “continues our strategy to build world’s best daily connected audience that watches together and can talk with one another in real-time,” he wrote. By using Thursday night games to experiment with different kinds of media, distribution models and technologies, the NFL is preparing for its next round of negotiations. The league’s biggest broadcast contracts expire in 2021, and by then it will be ready to sell a broad array of digital rights -- and make more money. This effort has included using new outlets to try and reach more viewers, especially on their mobile phones. The league also has a mobile distribution pact with Verizon that gives the carrier rights to stream games to wireless customers’ smartphones. Verizon had been considered one of favorites in the race for the NFL’s Thursday night games, but the NFL was interested in more diverse options, according to a person familiar with the discussions. “This is a bigger strategic effort for Twitter than it would have been for any other of the reported companies,” said James Cakmak, an analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt & Co. “It’s not just winning the deal -- that’s the easy part. It will be interesting to see how exactly they plan to leverage it.” — With assistance by Aleksandra Gjorgievska, and Scott Moritz

– NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell shared big news in his first tweet in 18 months on Tuesday: Twitter has acquired the rights to stream 10 of 16 Thursday night NFL games this fall, games that will simultaneously air on CBS and NBC, reports Re/code. The NFL hopes to reach former cable subscribers, while Twitter—whose user growth has stalled recently, per Reuters—aims to attract a larger audience. Terms of the deal were not released. Twitter, which beat out Verizon, Yahoo, and Amazon, saw shares jump 2.4% in early trading, reports Bloomberg.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Annapolis, Maryland, March 2001. Photo by Elizabeth W. Newell. Chesapeake Bay Retriever. Photo courtesy of American Chesapeake Club, Inc. Retrievers are characterized by their versatility, strength, endurance, and loyal devotion. These dogs excel in field and obedience trials. As service dogs, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are found working with drug enforcement agencies, and visiting hospitals and nursing homes. Some are trained for search and rescue work, even as avalanche or sled dogs. Since 1966, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever has been the official mascot of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. ||||| Maryland State ArchivesArchive-It Partner Since: Mar, 2011Organization Type: State Archives & LibrariesOrganization URL: http://www.msa.md.gov As the historical agency for Maryland, the State Archives is the depository for records of permanent value. Today, the Internet is the face of government. Through this partnership we hope to capture and make accessible important state and local government laws, publications and information. ||||| ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lawmakers took a step Thursday toward scrubbing references to "Northern scum" and other Civil War-era phrases from the official state song. The Maryland Senate voted 37-8 for the changes, while also recognizing "Maryland, My Maryland" as the state's historic song. Supporters of the measure, which now goes to the House, said it was a compromise that removes offensive language and recognizes history. "They keep the historic song. It's still there, but this bill is an excellent compromise to move forward, so that our children and our children's children and so that all Maryland can be proud of our state song," said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, a Democrat. "At the present time, all of Maryland cannot be proud of our state song, and so that's the reason I'm voting green." Maryland, which is below the Mason-Dixon Line, was a slave state with strong southern sympathies, but nevertheless refused to secede from the Union. "Maryland, My Maryland" was written in 1861 by James Ryder Randall, when he was despondent over the death of a friend who was shot while protesting Union troops in Baltimore. It refers to President Abraham Lincoln as a "despot" and the need to "burst the tyrant's chain." The changes keep one verse from the old lyrics and add one from an 1894 poem by Frederick County educator John T. White that describes the state's natural beauty. Sen. Robert Cassilly, a Republican, said it was wrong to try to eliminate parts of the state's history. "Our song doesn't belong to the Confederacy. It belongs to us," he said. Cassilly said the song celebrates the courage of people who are willing to stand up and fight for what they believe in, even if they turn out to be on the wrong side of history. "It is what it is, but we learn from history, we learn from each other and we build upon it, so the idea that we're trying to excise our history is just, I don't think that's America," Cassilly said. "That's not what we're about." The song is set to the traditional seasonal tune of "O, Tannenbaum." It was adopted as the state song in 1939. It's not immediately clear why the song was adopted then. It was proposed in 1935, a year after the state had celebrated the tercentenary of its founding, and could've been adopted as a source of state pride, according to a panel that studied the song in 2015. The racial and political climate of the time should also be considered. There had been two lynchings, and the trial of an African-American man accused of murdering a white family in the early 1930s. At the same time, the NAACP was pursuing equal pay for African-American teachers and by enshrining a Confederate war anthem, the General Assembly may have been seeking symbolically to challenge such efforts, the report said. The song calls for Maryland to secede from the Union — at a time when Maryland residents sympathized with the Confederacy. The song begins with a hostile reference to Lincoln, who brought troops through Baltimore to protect Washington: "The despot's heel is on thy shore, Maryland! His torch is at thy temple door, Maryland!" It ends with a call for the state to stand up to the Union: "She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb — Huzza! She spurns the Northern scum! She breathes! She burns! She'll come! She'll come! Maryland! My Maryland!" ||||| Maryland State Flower - Black-Eyed Susan In his Species Plantarum (1753), the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1701-1778) described and named the flower Rudbeckia after Olav Rudbeck and his son, both professors at the University of Uppsala, and hirta from the Latin meaning "rough hairy". Black-Eyed Susans, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 1998. Photo by Elizabeth W. Newell.

– No one seems to take issue with Maryland's state flower (the black-eyed Susan), dog (the Chesapeake Bay retriever), or even dessert (the multi-layer Smith Island cake). But the state's Department of Legislative Services tells NBC News that lawmakers have tried more than once to dump "Maryland! My Maryland!"—a marching song soldiers belted out during the Civil War that became the state song in 1939—because of its Confederate ties and somewhat dread-inspiring lyrics, to no avail. But a state Senate vote Thursday, while not completely ditching the song that state Sen. Cheryl Kagan has called "shameful," approved 38-8 a bill that will at least modify some of the more questionable lyrics; it moves to the state House of Delegates next. Sung to the comforting tune of "O Tannenbaum/O Christmas Tree," the song starts off with "The despot's heel is on thy shore" (a disparaging reference to Lincoln), moves on to more confrontational lines such as "Avenge the patriotic gore that flecked the streets of Baltimore," and then goes full-on battle cry with "She spurns the Northern scum! She breathes! She burns! She'll come! She'll come! Maryland! My Maryland!" (The "Northern scum" slur refers to the Union and its soldiers.) The lyrics were penned by James Ryder Randall in 1861 after one of his pals was shot and killed as he protested Union troops filing through Baltimore, per the AP. If the bill goes through, the more controversial wording will be removed, and lyrics from an 1894 poem describing the state's scenic beauty will be swapped in.

A white former North Carolina police officer, who was captured on body camera video in 2017 beating and using a stun gun on an African-American man stopped for jaywalking, was the subject Thursday in a criminal arrest warrant for assault and communicating threats, the Buncombe County district attorney announced. The warrant against Christopher Hickman was issued by Chief Magistrate D.L. Cowan on charges of assault by strangulation, assault inflicting serious injury and communicating threats, according to a press release from District Attorney Todd Williams. Hickman case news: pic.twitter.com/ayewjg9g8f — Buncombe County DA (@BuncombeCoDA) March 9, 2018 The announcement, which also said no further comment would be forthcoming, comes days after the Asheville Police Department, where Hickman worked at the time of the alleged assault, submitted the results of its investigation into Hickman's actions. The @BuncombeCoDA confirms @AshevillePolice submitted the Officer Hickman investigation to the Office for review this morning. — Buncombe County DA (@BuncombeCoDA) March 6, 2018 The announcement comes after the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, which had declined to open its own investigation into the matter, said the FBI had launched a criminal investigation into the case. Federal agents were asked by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation to conduct the criminal probe against Hickman, officials said. ABC News Patty McQuillan, a spokesman for the state Bureau of Investigation, said the decision to bring in the FBI was made after discussions with the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office. "The SBI director has discussed this with the district attorney and has declined to open a separate state investigation at this time given that the SBI is already assisting with a federal criminal investigation which will encompass most, if not all, of the issues set forth in the district attorney’s request," McQuillan said in a statement to ABC News. "A second state investigation would likely duplicate much of the results of the ongoing federal investigation." That did not deter Williams from asking the SBI director for a probe as late as March 2, according to a letter tweeted by the D.A. after the disturbing video was leaked to a news organization. DA Williams' letter to NC SBI Director Bob Schurmeier #avlnews #wncnews pic.twitter.com/EaUiezlQ3g — Buncombe County DA (@BuncombeCoDA) March 2, 2018 The criminal probe stems from an incident on Aug. 25, 2017, when Hickman and a partner he was training stopped 33-year-old Johnnie Jermaine Rush for allegedly jaywalking in Asheville. ABC News Video taken by Hickman's body camera, which was leaked to the Citizen Times of Asheville, shows he and his partner stopping Rush and telling him they had warned him four times to use a crosswalk instead of jaywalking and trespassing on private property. "I don't care. I just got off of work, man," Rush told the officers. Rush went on to tell the officers, "You ain't got nothing better to do besides mess with me, and I'm trying to go home?" Hickman eventually ordered Rush to put his hands behind his back, but Rush backed away and started to run, the video shows. As Hickman ran after Rush, he radioed a dispatcher, saying, "black male, tank top, thinks its funny." Then he yelled at Rush, "You know what's funny is you're going to get f----- up hardcore on the ground." Hickman tackled Rush and the two men wrestled before Hickman's partner and at least two other back-up officers helped hold Rush down. The video shows Hickman punching Rush in the head repeatedly and then shooting him with a yellow stun gun. As officers held Rush on the ground and handcuffed him, Rush is heard on the video screaming in pain and yelling, "I can't breathe! I can't breathe." Rush is shown in the footage being put in the back of a police car and paramedics checking his bloodied face and head. As the footage continued, Hickman told an arriving supervisor that Rush "tried to drag the Taser out of my hand." "I beat the s--- out of his head. I'm not going to lie about that," Hickman is heard saying. Rush was arrested on suspicion of trespassing, impeding traffic and resisting a public officer. In a report to the Asheville City Council on Monday, City Manager Gary Jackson wrote, "The use of force shown in the recordings is, understandably, a source of great anger and concern within the community." "I am concerned that the public does not presently have access to all of the information necessary for it to judge the City's response to this officer's actions, and that absent that information, this matter will continue to negatively impact the community's perception of its police department and the way which the city responds to misconduct by its employees," Jackson wrote. Jackson wrote that as soon as Asheville Police Chief Tammy Hooper saw the video on the night it was taken, she ordered Hickman to "to turn in his badge and gun." On Sept. 15, 2017, Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams dropped all charges against Rush. Jackson wrote that Hickman ordered a review of all body camera footage taken by Hickman while on duty. He said 58 hours of footage was reviewed and "revealed four other instances where Hickman displayed discourteous and rude conduct to members of the public." "The administrative investigation into Hickman's arrest of Rush concluded that Hickman had engaged in excessive force in violation of [Asheville Police Department] policy, as well as unbecoming conduct and failing to meet the responsibilities of duty," Jackson wrote. ABC News Chief Hooper fired Hickman on Jan. 5, according to Jackson. "The community deserves to know that the City takes Hickman's misconduct seriously, and that APD employees who engage in excessive force will be held accountable." Efforts by ABC News to reach Hickman for comment were not successful. During a community meeting Wednesday night, many Asheville residents said Hickman should have been arrested and charged with assault. "This is a human rights issue, and Hickman should've been charged from day one," DeLores Venabel, local Black Lives Matter leader, said during the meeting. "If no one would've leaked it [the video] or said something, we would be in the dark.” During the meeting, Hooper repeated an apology to the community she first publicly issued on March 1, saying, “I am happy to resign if that will solve the problem.” ||||| (CNN) A western North Carolina police officer who resigned after a body camera video shows him hitting and using a Taser on a man suspected of jaywalking will face preliminary charges of assault, the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office said Thursday. Senior Police Officer Christopher Hickman, 31, was removed from patrol duty a day after the incident last August and resigned from the Asheville Police Department in January, the same day he was to be terminated, according to a timeline of the case released by the Asheville City Council On Thursday, a judge issued a warrant for Hickman's arrest on one count each of assault by strangulation, assault inflicting serious injury and communicating threats. Christopher Hickman was removed from patrol duty a day after the incident last summer. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said Hickman has been taken into custody. It is unclear whether Hickman has an attorney. CNN reached out to the Fraternal Order of Police lodge in Asheville and didn't receive an immediate comment. The release of body cam video in late February caused outrage in this North Carolina city in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The video shows Hickman and an officer in training stopping Johnnie Jermaine Rush, then 32, for allegedly jaywalking in the early morning hours of August 25, 2017. After initial words were exchanged, Hickman moves to arrest Rush, who then flees on foot, according to video of the incident published by the Asheville Citizen-Times on February 28 "(He) thinks it's funny," Hickman is heard saying as he chases Rush. "You know what's funny is you're gonna get f---ed up hardcore." The officers catch Rush and tackle him. As Rush is being restrained on the ground, Hickman punches him in the head several times, shoots him with a stun gun and chokes him. "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Rush repeatedly yells. "Help! Help!" Later in the video, Hickman speaks with another officer. "I beat the s--- out of his head," Hickman says. "Not gonna lie about that." The violent arrest is one of several videotaped instances in recent years that have generated anger and public debate about police use of force. Hickman did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Rush could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation told CNN on Thursday that the FBI has launched an investigation into the incident, and has requested assistance in the probe. The US Department of Justice told CNN it never comments on whether there is an investigation. Tempers flared at a town hall meeting Wednesday as locals expressed their frustration and anger about the incident, according to CNN affiliate WLOS . Amid the outcry, police Chief Tammy Hooper said she would resign if it would help resolve the problem, WLOS reported. CNN called the police department but was unable to get a comment from the chief. "There is no excuse for what happened to Johnnie Rush," the ACLU of North Carolina said in a tweet . "Police must protect and serve everyone, regardless of race. Instead, a Black man gets beaten, tased, and choked over jaywalking. That's right, jaywalking." "The City Council and I immediately contacted city administration to express our outrage at the treatment of Mr. Rush and our outrage of not being informed about the actions of APD officers," Manheimer wrote. "We will have accountability and, above all, transparency." Manheimer said the council wants to review how the incident was handled by police administrators and to look at police policies and training. Officer resigned before termination Rush initially was charged with second-degree trespassing and resisting a public officer. He filed a complaint with police the day he was arrested alleging Hickman used excessive force. Chief Hooper watched the body camera footage, according to the timeline, and ordered Hickman off the street and told him to turn in his badge and gun. He was placed on administrative duty after Rush's complaint. "The whole thing is bad, right? When I watched the video, I had the same reaction as probably you did when you watched it," Hooper told WLOS . "It's just a terrible, egregious case. The whole reason around the stop to begin with was just a bad thing from start to finish." The district attorney and Asheville police agreed to dismiss the charges against Rush in September after watching the body camera footage, according to documents from the City Council. "The acts demonstrated in the video were egregious and unacceptable," Asheville police said. "Therefore, APD requested that all charges against Mr. Rush related to this incident be dropped, to which the DA agreed and dismissed them." Officials then went back and reviewed 58 hours of Hickman's body camera footage and found four other instances in which he displayed "discourteous and rude conduct to members of the public," according to the timeline. In January, Hooper moved to fire Hickman but the officer resigned first. Hooper also asked a detective to investigate whether Hickman committed criminal assault in the interaction, according to the timeline. That investigation is ongoing. "The acts demonstrated in this video are unacceptable and contrary to the department's vision and the progress we have made in the last several years in improving community trust," the police chief said in a statement. "Officers know that they must earn the trust of our community by providing fair and respectful service. That very clearly did not happen during the incident depicted and for that I apologize to Mr. Rush, as well as the community," Hooper said. Statement from Chief Hooper regarding the video on @asheville. #The acts demonstrated in this video are unacceptable and contrary to the Department's vision and the progress we have made in the last several years in improving community trust..." pic.twitter.com/9fNSeKIiMR — Asheville Police (@AshevillePolice) March 1, 2018 'I can't breathe' The body camera video published online by the Citizen-Times begins as Hickman and an officer in training decide to get out of the car and talk to Rush. They say in the video that they had just warned him not to jaywalk. "You ain't got nothing better to do besides mess with me, and I'm trying to go home," Rush says. "I just got off of work, man. I'm tired." The officer in training says he saw Rush fail to use a crosswalk four times in a row. "I was polite with you and asked you, use the crosswalk. I know what you're doing man," the officer in training says. "You think I'm a punk. Guess what, I'm not. I don't think you're a punk either." The officer in training says he can either arrest Rush or write him a ticket. After more words are exchanged, the officer in training begins to write a ticket. "Ya'll ain't got s--- better to do besides harass somebody about f---ing walking," Rush says. Hickman then tells Rush to put his hands behind his back. As the officers approach, Rush flees. The officers catch up to him and tackle him to the ground. They order him to put his hands behind his back, and he says he can't. "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" Hickman picks up his stun gun and shoots Rush on the ground, who screams in pain. The video shows Hickman putting his left hand around Rush's throat and ordering him to put his hands behind his back. "I can't!" Rush says. 'I beat the s--- out of his head' Other officers arrive on the scene, and Rush is handcuffed on the ground. "All this over you getting a ticket? Now it's serious, bro," Hickman says. Hickman then begins yelling at Rush and asks him, "What's wrong with you?" "Stop yelling at me," Rush says. "Well, then get up and we'll put you in a car, tough boy," Hickman says. Officers help Rush up, the video shows, and as Hickman moves him over to his patrol car, he pushes Rush's head down. "Stop, man, you ain't got to do all of that," Rush says. "Don't look at me with your spitty, blood face," Hickman responds. "Yeah, because you've been hitting me in my face," Rush says. "Yeah, you're right," Hickman says. "So that give you the right to punch me in my face?" Rush says. "Unfortunately, it is," officer says. Later, Hickman speaks with a supervisor on the scene about what happened. The city manager identified the person as a supervisor. "He started throwing a fit on the sidewalk. I told him to get his hands behind his back, and it was on from there. (He) ran, laughing, saying 'f--- you,' 'can't wait til you catch me.' So we caught him," Hickman says. "Then he wanted to fight. Tried to drag the Taser out of my hand, and then I just went on his f---ing head. I beat the s--- out of his head. Not gonna lie about that." The supervisor tasked with reviewing cases of use of force failed to forward any information or notes from Hickman or Rush and did not review the body camera footage, according to the City Council timeline. That supervisor was disciplined and ordered to undergo more training.

– A North Carolina police officer recorded beating a black man stopped for jaywalking now faces criminal charges. It began around midnight on Aug. 25 when officer Christopher Hickman and a police trainee stopped 33-year-old Johnnie Jermaine Rush in Asheville and accused him of jaywalking and trespassing through a parking lot, reports the Asheville Citizen-Times. Rush explained he just got off work. "You ain't got nothing better to do besides mess with me?" he asked, per ABC News. Video from a body camera worn by Hickman, who is white, shows Rush running away after Hickman's order to put his hands behind his back. As Rush runs, the officer says, "You know what's funny is you're going to get f----- up hardcore." In the ensuing altercation, Hickman is seen repeatedly punching Rush in the face, as Rush says, "I can't breathe." Hickman also uses a stun gun on Rush, who at one point has another person's hands on his throat, per the Citizen-Times. "I beat the s--- out of his head. I'm not going to lie about that," Hickman later says. Assault charges against Rush were dropped soon after he filed an excessive force complaint. Hickman resigned in January just as he was about to be fired. But local outrage hit a peak when the body camera footage leaked late last month, per CNN. On Thursday, the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office announced Hickman had been arrested on charges including felony assault by strangulation and communicating threats. He is now free on bond.

As expected, Tesla saw some pretty big losses this quarter, mostly related to Model 3 delays. The company reported $675 million in losses attributable to shareholders in Q4, wrapping up 2017 with almost $2 billion in losses for the whole year. But, unlike other doomed companies posting dire losses quarter after quarter, Tesla revenues have been sizable. Just this quarter, Tesla earned $3.3 billion in revenues from automotive sales, leasing, energy products, and services. For the year, the company reported almost $12 billion in revenue. People want Tesla products, but Tesla can't stop spending more money than it has. The company (naturally) contends that all losses are temporary. "At some point in 2018, we expect to begin generating positive quarterly operating income on a sustained basis," the company stated in its investor letter. Musk specified in the accompanying earnings call that he expected the company to be profitable by the more stringent Generally Accepted Accounting Principles this year. That line may sound familiar: Tesla claimed similar projections in early 2016, and while the company did indeed have its second-ever profitable quarter that year, it resumed its loss-making habit shortly after. Model 3 Tesla now has to crank up Model 3 production. In early January, Tesla reported good delivery numbers for Model S and Model X vehicles, and the company's energy business certainly seems healthy (Tesla installed 143MWh of battery storage in Q4 2017, not counting its massive installation in South Australia). But investors are concerned about the Model 3 because it was supposed to be the mass-market car that would fly off the assembly line and make money for the cash-burning company. The entry-level electric Model 3 debuted in July 2017 to great fanfare, but Tesla has struggled for months to ramp up production to meet demand. The quarter after the Model 3 was introduced, Tesla revealed that it had only delivered 266 vehicles. The company said the issue was bottlenecks on the production floor, and it bought an automation and machining company called Perbix, presumably to handle those bottlenecks. But by the end of Q4, deliveries seemed only marginally better. In early January, the company released a statement on Q4 Model 3 deliveries ahead of today's Q4 earnings call, and Tesla said it had delivered just 1,550 Model 3s in Q4. At the beginning of the year, the company said it expects to churn out 2,500 Model 3s per week by the end of Q1 2018 and 5,000 per week by the end of Q2 2018. But the investor letter published today seemed to hedge that estimate even further. "It is important to note that, while these are the levels we are focused on hitting and we have plans in place to achieve them, our prior experience on the Model 3 ramp has demonstrated the difficulty of accurately forecasting specific production rates at specific points in time," the letter said. Musk's attitude seems to be that there's no doubt Tesla will achieve its ramp numbers and that minor delays are negligible in the big picture. "If we can send a Roadster to the asteroid belt, we can probably solve Model 3 production," he said on today's earnings call, referencing the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch yesterday. The extra stuff Tesla never seems to want for side-quests. The company builds stationary lithium-ion battery storage for residences and utilities: it built 330 new Superchargers last year, and it just entered a new deal with South Australia to build a huge 250MW virtual power plant. Last fall, Musk revealed a semi truck slated for production in the near future and a new ultra-luxury Roadster. Musk has intimated that, after the currently-unannounced Model Y is revealed, Tesla will develop a pickup truck. In today's investor letter, Tesla hinted at continued development of Autopilot, an automotive feature that saw a great deal of controversy in previous years. The company revealed that it had completed "an extensive overhaul of the underlying architecture of our software" enabling "a step-change improvement in the collection and analysis of data and fundamentally enhanced its machine learning capabilities." Musk also denied that LiDAR was strictly necessary on cars for autonomous driving. "We have to solve passive optical extremely well," he said, referencing running image recognition based on camera data. "At the point that you have solved passive optical extremely well, what is the point of active optical?" As for energy, the company reported that the South Australia installation is working as planned in its investor letter. "This project is already generating substantial benefit by meeting high summer demand when supply is limited and by instantaneously responding to unplanned interruptions or frequency drops in the grid," Tesla wrote. "Due to the success of this project, we're seeing an increase in demand for Powerpack, our commercial energy storage product." Musk briefly addressed the semi truck on the phone call today as well. He said that a run rate of 100,000 units a year would be a reasonable expectation four years from now (although given previous years-out projections for the Model 3, it's safe to take that with a grain of salt). "I think we may be able to exceed the specs that we announced last year, which would be exciting," Musk added. Tesla surprised many by announcing a 500-mile range for the semi last year. Musk also talked about the Fremont factory and the Gigafactory in Sparks, Nevada. He noted that, on Model 3 production, the company's semi-automatic lines are working faster than the fully-automated lines, but Tesla's engineering firm in Germany has developed a fully automated line that will be delivered to Tesla's facilities at the end of March. "The competitive strength of Tesla is not going to be the car; it's going to be the factory," Musk said. He added that a primary objective for Tesla is "productizing the Gigafactory." ||||| Loss of $675.4m announced day after Musk’s car sent into space in test of SpaceX rocket The tech billionaire Elon Musk sent one of his Tesla electric cars into space yesterday, a day before the company that built it announced its biggest ever quarterly loss. Musk’s Tesla electric car and energy storage company lost $675.4m in the three months ending 31 December, the company announced on Thursday, compared with a loss of $121m for the same period last year. The company has been spending heavily as it rolls out the next generation of electric cars, the Model 3 sedan, a semi truck and other products. The company has struggled to keep up with is production targets for the Model 3 but said it would probably build about 2,500 Model 3s per week by the end of the first quarter and that it plans to reach its goal of 5,000 vehicles per week by the end of the second quarter. Forget the car in space: why Elon Musk's reusable rockets are more than a publicity stunt Read more On Wednesday Musk’s private aerospace company, SpaceX, blasted a cherry red Tesla Roadster sports car into space in a successful test of its Falcon Heavy rocket. Play Video 0:32 Timelapse of Elon Musk's dummy astronaut orbiting Earth in a Tesla – video The car and its dummy driver are now heading towards the asteroid belt. Tesla delivered 101,312 Model S sedans and Model X SUVs last year, up 33% over 2016 and ahead of its targets, according to preliminary figures released last month. But it fell woefully short on the Model 3, which went into production in July. Tesla made just 2,425 Model 3s in the fourth quarter, and has pushed back production targets multiple times. At one point, Tesla had 500,000 people on a waiting list for the Model 3, but it’s not clear if all of them are continuing to wait. On a call with analysts Musk said production was getting back on track. “If we can send a Roadster to the asteroid belt we can probably solve Model 3 production,” he said. Musk is set to collect a $55.8bn (£40bn) bonus - probably be the largest ever - if he can build Tesla into a $650bn company over the next decade. In the meantime the 46-year-old has agreed to work unpaid for the next 10 years.

– The day after Elon Musk sent a Tesla Roadster to space in the first test flight of SpaceX's new rocket, his electric car company chalked up a less impressive record. Tesla Inc. announced its biggest-ever quarterly loss Wednesday, a whopping $675.4 million loss for the quarter ending Dec. 31, the Guardian reports. The losses are mostly due to production delays for the Model 3, but the company still has sizable revenues and Musk says he believes it will return to profitability this year, reports Ars Technica. "If we can send a Roadster to the asteroid belt, we can probably solve Model 3 production," he said during a call with analysts Wednesday. (Musk made $10 million for his Boring Company with the sale of 20,000 flamethrowers.)