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Russia rules out new Geneva talks over Ukraine crisis

Roy Siemens
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Russia rules out new Geneva talks over Ukraine crisis

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has ruled out holding fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the Ukraine crisis, unless pro-Russian opposition groups are involved.

Sergei Lavrov added there was no point as an April accord between the US, EU and Russia had not been implemented.

He spoke after a Council of Europe meeting which was expected to support Ukraine’s plans for a May 25 election.

But Sergei Lavrov called an election “unusual” at a time when the army was being used against the population.

Ukrainian acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia said Ukraine was ready to back a new round of talks in Geneva as long as Moscow supported presidential elections.

“If Russia is ready to commit itself to support these elections and to eliminate this threat and eliminate its support for the extremist elements in Ukraine, we are ready to have such a round of meetings,” he said at a news conference.

Andriy Deshchytsia later appealed for international observers to be sent to Ukraine to monitor the elections on May 25.

“[We] also asked the partners to make everything possible to eliminate the external threats and provocations supported by Russia in Ukraine to allow these elections to take place in a free and democratic way,” he added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has ruled out holding fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the Ukraine crisis
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has ruled out holding fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the Ukraine crisis

OSCE Chairman Didier Burkhalter said there should be a ceasefire in Ukraine ahead of the May presidential election – as holding it is very difficult in the current situation, the AFP news agency reports.

In recent days, security forces have launched a crackdown on pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, triggering clashes outside the town of Sloviansk.

Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said on Tuesday that four soldiers and an estimated 30 separatists had been killed in the “anti-terrorism operation”.

He said that up to 800 well-trained militants armed with large-calibre weapons and mortars were hiding among civilians in the town, where government buildings have been seized and checkpoints set up.

A Russia Today reporter in Sloviansk said residents were stockpiling food and there were barricades on almost every road.

In the southern port of Mariupol, where the city council building was seized a week ago by pro-Russia militants, there were reports of gunfire near a military base close to the city’s airport, local media reported.

Tyres were also set on fire in the city centre, giving off thick smoke, they said.

Meanwhile, many flights in and out of Donetsk were suspended. The Ukrainian aviation authorities gave no reason for the move.

New checkpoints were earlier set up around Kiev. The interior ministry said it wanted to prevent the movement of weapons and explosives.

The authorities also attempted to re-establish control over Odessa, with Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov dismissing the acting head of the regional administration, Volodymyr Nemyrovskyy.

Forty-six people died in the Black Sea city on Friday in a fire at an official building and fighting between pro-Russian and pro-Ukrainian protesters.

At a news conference in Vienna on Tuesday, Sergei Lavrov said holding further international talks on Ukraine as some have suggested would be like “going round in circles”.

Instead, he explained, the government in Kiev and their Western backers needed to implement the series of steps to resolve the crisis that they had agreed in Geneva on April 17.

Under the agreement, all parties, including the separatists in eastern Ukraine, were to “refrain from violence, intimidation and provocative acts”. It also said those occupying buildings would have to leave them and be disarmed in return for an amnesty.

They also agreed to an inclusive constitutional process that would include the establishment of a broad national dialogue and consideration of proposed amendments.

Sergei Lavrov said he was not against a follow-up meeting to discuss the accord, but that it would not “have any added value” unless representatives of the separatists were invited.

The May 25 presidential election was called after pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown by pro-Western protesters in February.

“Scheduling an election during a time when the army is being used against a part of the population is not conventional – it’s not Afghanistan,” Sergei Lavrov noted.

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Monica Lewinsky Vanity Fair article: “I deeply regret what happened between me and President Clinton”

Nancy Clayson
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Monica Lewinsky Vanity Fair article: “I deeply regret what happened between me and President Clinton”

Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, whose affair with President Bill Clinton lead to his impeachment in the US Senate, has broken her long silence in the media.

In Vanity Fair magazine, Monica Lewinsky, now 40, writes that she deeply regrets the fling.

President Bill Clinton “took advantage” of her, Monica Lewinsky writes, though she describes their relationship as consensual.

In 1998, Republicans failed in their effort to oust him from office on the grounds he had lied about the affair.

With Hillary Clinton said to be mulling a 2016 run for the presidency, the Lewinsky matter has remerged in US political discourse, in part because Republicans are eager to wield it against her.

In an advance excerpt of the article released by Vanity Fair, Monica Lewinsky writes she hopes to reclaim her story and says she is still recognized every day and sees her name thrown about in pop culture and the news media.

Monica Lewinsky’s affair with President Bill Clinton lead to his impeachment in the US Senate
Monica Lewinsky’s affair with President Bill Clinton lead to his impeachment in the US Senate

“I, myself, deeply regret what happened between me and President Clinton,” Monica Lewinsky writes.

“Let me say it again: I. Myself. Deeply. Regret. What. Happened.”

Monica Lewinsky writes that she suffered abuse and humiliation after the scandal broke in 1998, in part because she was made a “scapegoat” to protect the president.

“The Clinton administration, the special prosecutor’s minions, the political operatives on both sides of the aisle, and the media were able to brand me,” she wrote.

“And that brand stuck, in part because it was imbued with power.”

Arguing Bill Clinton had lied to federal investigators about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky, who was in her early 20s, the Republicans in the House of Representatives impeached the president, essentially bringing him up on charges in the Senate to determine whether he could be expelled from office.

That effort failed, and Bill Clinton served in the White House until his term ended in 2000.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, went on to be elected US senator and to serve as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, and is currently tipped as a frontrunner for the Democratic 2016 presidential nomination.

The Republicans have indicated recently that Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky will be fair game should Hillary Clinton indeed run.

Republican Senator Rand Paul – also tipped to run for the presidency in 2016 – said this year that “bosses shouldn’t prey on young interns in their office”.

Bill Clinton “took advantage of a girl that was 20-years-old and an intern in his office”, Rand Paul added.

“There is no excuse for that and that is predatory behavior.”

In her piece, Monica Lewinsky signals that her desire in breaking her silence after so many years is to “give a purpose” to her past.

“Perhaps by sharing my story, I reasoned, I might be able to help others in their darkest moments of humiliation,” she writes.

Monica Lewinsky now aims “to get involved with efforts on behalf of victims of online humiliation and harassment and to start speaking on this topic in public forums”.

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Scotty McCreery victim of home invasion near North Carolina State University campus

Lisa.Felice
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Scotty McCreery victim of home invasion near North Carolina State University campus

Scotty McCreery was the victim of an early morning home invasion near the campus of North Carolina State University, where he is a student, police say.

Scotty McCreery was the victim of an early morning home invasion near the campus of North Carolina State University
Scotty McCreery was the victim of an early morning home invasion near the campus of North Carolina State University

Raleigh Police spokesman Jim Sughrue says officers were called shortly before 2 a.m. Monday to an apartment about a mile from campus.

Three suspects armed with guns are reported to have taken wallets, cash and electronic items.

Police say the 20-year-old Scotty McCreery was among the victims. No one was injured.

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Cornelius Gurlitt dies aged 81

Sonia Pantiss
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Cornelius Gurlitt dies aged 81

Cornelius Gurlitt, known as the “Nazi art hoarder”, has died aged 81, with no definitive answer on what will happen to his secret collection, which included many Nazi-looted pieces.

More than 1,400 works were found in Cornelius Gurlitt’s Munich apartment, including pieces by Picasso and Matisse.

Many of the artworks were feared lost or destroyed before tax investigators uncovered his priceless collection in 2012.

More than 1,400 works were found in Cornelius Gurlitt’s Munich apartment, including pieces by Picasso and Matisse
More than 1,400 works were found in Cornelius Gurlitt’s Munich apartment, including pieces by Picasso and Matisse

Cornelius Gurlitt was the son of Adolf Hitler’s art dealer, Hildebrand Gurlitt.

Hildebrand Gurlitt was ordered to deal in works that had been seized from Jews, or which the Nazis considered “degenerate” and had removed from German museums.

Cornelius Gurlitt, whose death followed ill-health after heart surgery, told Der Spiegel magazine last November that he would never willingly give up the paintings.

“I haven’t loved anything more than my pictures in my life,” he said.

But he changed his position, agreeing to co-operate with the German authorities on establishing the paintings’ provenance, and returning them if they were shown to be stolen.

German Culture Minister Monika Gruetters praised him for that, saying: “He will be rightly recognized and respected for taking this step.”

Cornelius Gurlitt died “in his apartment in Schwabing, in the presence of a doctor,” spokesman Stephan Holzinger said in a statement.

He did not live an extravagant life but would sell a painting only when he needed money.

Cornelius Gurlitt’s collection only came to light after a routine check found he was carrying wads of cash on a train from Switzerland, triggering a tax inquiry.

Investigators found more than 1,400 works in his flat in Munich in February 2012 – though they only revealed the discovery in late 2013 – and a further 60 in his house near Salzburg, Austria, earlier this year.

Among them were works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall, Emil Nolde and Max Liebermann.

The collection is estimated to be worth up to a billion euros ($1.35 billion).

Under German law, Cornelius Gurlitt was not compelled to return any paintings to their owners, as he was protected by a statute of limitations, which negates any claim for incidents that happened more than 30 years ago.

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Norwegian army uses Oculus Rift headset to drive tanks

Nancy Clayson
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Norwegian army uses Oculus Rift headset to drive tanks

The Norwegian army has put virtual-reality Oculus Rift headset to a novel use – helping soldiers to drive tanks.

By mounting cameras on the outside of the tank, Norwegian soldiers were able to create a 360-degree feed to the Oculus headset, worn by the driver.

The device – still just a prototype – is much cheaper than conventional military camera systems.

By mounting cameras on the outside of the tank, Norwegian soldiers were able to create a 360-degree feed to the Oculus headset, worn by the driver
By mounting cameras on the outside of the tank, Norwegian soldiers were able to create a 360-degree feed to the Oculus headset, worn by the driver

But the picture quality is not yet good enough for operational use.

The army began testing the headset in 2013 and in April of this year tried out the latest iteration of the hardware.

The virtual-reality headset hit the headlines when Facebook bought the company behind it – Oculus VR – for $2 billion in March.

To date neither has said much about what they plan to do together, but this week Oculus VR chief executive Brendan Iribe talked about hopes “to build a one billion player MMO”.

Massively multi-player online games (MMO) using virtual reality (VR) would be the “holy grail” for the technology, he told delegates at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference.

Facebook’s large audience would help make such a platform possible although such an enormous player base would require a much larger network than existed currently, he said.

And while Oculus is starting off with a big focus in gaming he said that a lot of where VR would go in the next decade would be about “face-to-face communication and social”.

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Keith Richards’ 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT rolls to auction

Clyde K. Valle
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Keith Richards’ 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT rolls to auction

Keith Richards’ 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GT is coming up for auction.

Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards bought the Dino brand new in California in 1972, bringing it over to the UK in 1975.

Keith Richards bought his Ferrari Dino brand new in California in 1972
Keith Richards bought his Ferrari Dino brand new in California in 1972

He kept the Dino for fourteen years until April 1986, covering just 25,000 miles.

The car is being offered up for sale at Coys’ Monaco auction on May 9. There’s no reserve on the car, which means there’s no minimum price at which the Dino has to sell at.

“A Dino offered at no reserve is rare enough in itself, but when one adds to this proven long-term ownership by rock and roll aristocracy, the Keith Richards car has to be the ultimate Dino,” a Coys spokesman said.

Ferrari first premiered the Dino 246GT at the Turin Motor Show in November of 1969, taking over from the 206GT that preceded it. Underneath sat a rear-mounted, transverse engine 2.4-litre V6 pushing out 195bhp, though the only acceleration figure we can provide is a 0-1000m time of 26.8s and a top speed of 146 mph.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wedding date set for May 24

Lisa.Felice
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wedding date set for May 24

With her wedding date less than three weeks away, Kim Kardashian revealed that she has selected the gown.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West get ready to wed later this month.

With her wedding date less than three weeks away, Kim Kardashian revealed that she has selected the gown
With her wedding date less than three weeks away, Kim Kardashian revealed that she has selected the gown

As Kim Kardashian and Kanye West walked the red carpet at the 2014 Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, they were quickly bombarded with questions about their upcoming wedding day, which is set to take place on May 24.

Vogue’s contributing editor Andre Leon Talley spoke with the couple at fashion’s biggest night, quizzing Kim Kardashian, 33, about her dress for the big day.

“I tried on quite a few,” Kim Kardashian, who wore Lanvin to the Met Ball, revealed.

“[Then I] narrowed it down.”

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Madeleine McCann case: Police to start activity in Portugal

Nancy Clayson
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Madeleine McCann case: Police to start activity in Portugal

Police searching for Madeleine McCann will begin activity in Portugal.

The disclosure comes amid reports Portuguese authorities have given permission for sites in Praia da Luz, where the toddler went missing, to be searched.

Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said he would be unable to provide details of activity.

But he said he believed it “will occur in the coming weeks”.

A letter was sent to media editors amid speculation about excavation work.

Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz
Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in 2007

Madeleine McCann was three when she went missing from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Algarve, in May 2007.

A request to search a number of sites was among a series of requests made to police in Portugal by British detectives working on the case, according to reports.

Mark Rowley said he had discussed the case with his opposite number in Portugal and highlighted the “high levels of interest” that activity would generate in the British media.

But he said Portuguese police do not provide the media with updates on current investigations.

He adds that “activity will cease” if police in Britain provide information or reporters “cause any disruption to their work in Portugal”.

Mark Rowley also said the processing of requests had been “more bureaucratic and slower than we would wish”.

But he asked media editors to respect the requests of Portuguese authorities as they carry out the work.

“We do not want to undermine our prospects of providing Mr. and Mrs. McCann with answers in this tragic case,” he added.

The development comes after the seventh anniversary of Madeleine McCann going missing was marked on Saturday.

Gerry McCann, Madeleine’s father, expressed his family’s gratitude that the Metropolitan Police team investigating Madeleine’s disappearance was now moving on to a “very active” phase in their investigation.

Kate McCann also disclosed last week that she returns to the Portuguese resort where her daughter disappeared to “walk those streets” and “look for answers” once or twice each year.

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Eight more girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria

Roy Siemens
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Eight more girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria

Islamist group Boko Haram has kidnapped eight more girls in northeastern Nigeria.

The latest kidnapping happened on Sunday night in the village of Warabe, in Borno state. The girls taken were between the ages of 12 and 15.

On Monday, Boko Haram’s leader threatened to “sell” more than 230 girls seized from their school, also in Borno, on April 14.

There is mounting domestic and international anger at the Nigerian government's failure to find the girls
There is mounting domestic and international anger at the Nigerian government’s failure to find the girls (photo NBC News)

The Islamist insurgency by Boko Haram has left thousands dead since 2009.

The area around Warabe, the site of the latest abductions, is a stronghold of the Islamist movement.

The gunmen arrived in two trucks and also seized animals and food from the village.

Communications are very poor in the area, which explains why the news took several days to emerge.

The village is also close to the Sambisa forest, where the first group of schoolgirls is thought to have been taken.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video on Monday confirming that his group had abducted them.

There is mounting domestic and international anger at the Nigerian government’s failure to find the girls.

The US called the kidnappings an “outrage” and said it was offering the Nigerian government assistance in trying to find the girls.

Boko Haram, which means “Western education is forbidden”, has attacked numerous educational institutions in northern Nigeria.

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Rolf Harris trial begins in London

Lisa.Felice
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Rolf Harris trial begins in London

Rolf Harris has arrived at a London court, where he is due to stand trial on 12 counts of assault.

Rolf Harris, 84, was accompanied at Southwark Crown Court by his wife, Alwen Hughes, and a security team.

Rolf Harris has arrived at a London court, where he is due to stand trial on 12 counts of assault
Rolf Harris has arrived at a London court, where he is due to stand trial on 12 counts of assault

He denies assaulting four girls, the youngest of whom was seven or eight and the oldest 19, between 1968 and 1986.

Jury selection was expected to begin on Tuesday, with the prosecution case set to open later in the week.

The entertainer entered not guilty pleas at a hearing in January.

Rolf Harris’ trial is expected to last for more than six weeks.

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Apple to pay new retail chief Angela Ahrendts $68 million in shares

Clyde K. Valle
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Apple to pay new retail chief Angela Ahrendts $68 million in shares

Apple has awarded its new retail chief Angela Ahrendts a pay package which includes $68 million in shares.

The pay award, which amounts to 113,334 shares, was revealed in a regulatory filing to the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC).

Apple announced the appointment of Angela Ahrendts in October, but she only started her job on May 1.

Angela Ahrendts was previously chief executive of UK luxury retailer Burberry.

She will receive 85% of the shares as long as she stays with Apple for four years, regardless of performance.

Apple has awarded its new retail chief Angela Ahrendts a pay package which includes $68 million in shares
Apple has awarded its new retail chief Angela Ahrendts a pay package which includes $68 million in shares (photo CNN)

Angela Ahrendts will receive the shares award over a number of vesting periods beginning on June 1, 2014, and ending on June 14, 2018.

The first tranche will vest on June 1, 2014, and is worth $9.8 million at Apple’s closing price of $600.96 on Monday.

She can expect the next tranche to vest on May 1, 2015.

At Monday’s closing price the second tranche would be worth $13.6 million.

The pay package makes her among the most highly paid female executives in the world.

Angela Ahrendts is the first woman to be appointed to Apple’s board of directors in a decade and will take charge of its global retail and online stores, which employ around 42,400 people.

She was credited with the turnaround of Burberry doubling sales thanks to overseas expansion, while the retailer’s share price rose by 250% under her tenure. She was appointed chief executive in 2006.

Burberry has seen significant overseas growth, particularly in China. As of last year three-quarters of Burberry stores were located in emerging markets.

In contrast nearly half of Apple’s 431 stores are in its home market of the US. Despite this only 31% of Apple’s revenues last year came from America.

Destiny: Activision Blizzard to invest $500 million in making, updating and promoting new video game

Nancy Clayson
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Destiny: Activision Blizzard to invest $500 million in making, updating and promoting new video game

Activision Blizzard has committed $500 million to making, updating and promoting its Destiny video game.

The games-maker boss, Bobby Kotick, revealed the cash commitment at an industry conference last week.

But industry analysts questioned whether an entirely new game like Destiny would prove a hit with fans.

The Sci-Fi themed game is scheduled for release on September 9 this year.

Activision Blizzard has committed $500 million to making, updating and promoting its Destiny video game
Activision Blizzard has committed $500 million to making, updating and promoting its Destiny video game

“If you’re making a $500 million bet you can’t take that chance with someone else’s IP,” Bobby Kotick said during his speech at the Milken Institute’s global conference.

“The stakes for us are getting bigger.”

Destiny is being made by the Bungie studio which is best known for its work on the Halo series of games.

Set in a post-apocalyptic future 700 years from now, Destiny gives players the job of defending the last human city from invaders and, eventually, expanding mankind’s sphere of influence. Bungie has said the game will mix elements from both massively multiplayer games and single-player shooting games. So far, the game is a console-only title.

Activision has billed Destiny as a next-generation game that will constantly change over its predicted decade-long lifespan. The game will be an “open world” and place far fewer restrictions on what players can do than other titles.

Activision Blizzard is believed to be putting so much money behind Destiny to help compensate for the falling interest in some of the other game franchises it owns and runs. In particular, the 2013 sales of Call of Duty: Ghosts were lower than those in 2012 and subscriber numbers for World of Warcraft have been on a steady downward slide for some time.

With Destiny, Activision hopes to emulate the success of the well-known Grand Theft Auto game. The latest version- GTAV – sold more than 32 million units.

However, said analysts, the GTA’s long history and its dedicated fanbase contributed to its huge success. Neither of those would apply to a new title such as Destiny.

Oscar Pistorius’ defense team to call more witnesses

Clyde K. Valle
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Oscar Pistorius’ defense team to call more witnesses

Oscar Pistorius’ defense team is calling more witnesses at his murder trial in Pretoria, as it seeks to prove that he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by mistake.

Two of Oscar Pistorius’ closest neighbors said on Tuesday they heard a man crying loudly on the night of the shooting.

On Monday two other people – who were the first at the scene – described his frantic efforts to revive Reeva Steenkamp.

The South African athlete is accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.

Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp and says he shot her through a toilet door in a state of panic, mistaking her for an intruder.

Two of Oscar Pistorius' closest neighbors said on Tuesday they heard a man crying loudly on the night of the shooting
Two of Oscar Pistorius’ closest neighbors said on Tuesday they heard a man crying loudly on the night of the shooting (photo WPTV)

The trial adjourned early on Monday after defense lawyer Barry Roux failed to get further witnesses to court following a two-week adjournment over the Easter break.

Oscar Pistorius’ next-door neighbor, Michael Nhlengethwa, told the court on Tuesday that on the night of the shooting he went to the house after hearing a man “crying very loudly”.

“I saw Oscar kneeling next to the lady, he was just crying,” the witness said.

His wife, Eontle Nhlengethwa, also testifying, said she heard the loud sound of a “male person’s voice” crying “help, help, help”.

Both witnesses said they did not hear a woman screaming, contradicting prosecution witnesses who had testified to hearing a woman scream.

A ballistics expert is expected to take the stand later on Tuesday.

On Monday, the court heard from two other neighbors who were first at the scene – Johan Stander and his daughter Carice.

Johan Stander said the athlete “was broken” as he desperately tried to save his girlfriend, sobbing and praying for her life. He was the first person Oscar Pistorius called after the shooting.

He implied that he thought Oscar Pistorius’ reaction showed that the shooting had been a mistake.

“I saw the truth that morning and I feel it,” he told the court.

He said Oscar Pistorius told him: “I shot Reeva. I thought she was an intruder, please come quick.”

In an emotional testimony, his daughter, Carice Viljoen, told the court she feared Oscar Pistorius would shoot himself with the gun used to kill Reeva Steenkamp.

Before the Easter break, Oscar Pistorius faced several days of cross-examination from the state prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who accused him of using emotional outbursts “as an escape”.

As well as a ballistics expert, the defense is expected to call a psychologist to speak about Oscar Pistorius’ disability and his acute sense of vulnerability.

The prosecution has sought to show a pattern of reckless behavior by Oscar Pistorius and has argued that a reasonable man would have checked before firing four bullets through a locked door.

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#AmazonCart: Amazon announces Twitter partnership

Nancy Clayson
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#AmazonCart: Amazon announces Twitter partnership

Amazon has announced a partnership with Twitter that allows users to add products to their shopping carts by tweeting a special hashtag.

Twitter users can do so by replying to tweets containing a link to an Amazon product with #amazoncart in the US and #amazonbasket in the UK.

Amazon has announced a partnership with Twitter that allows users to add products to their shopping carts by tweeting a special hashtag
Amazon has announced a partnership with Twitter that allows users to add products to their shopping carts by tweeting a special hashtag

They will still need to go to Amazon to pay and complete the purchase.

The move comes as companies are looking at ways to use social media platforms as tools to attract customers.

The move also comes just days after Twitter reported a net loss of $132 million for the first quarter of 2014.

The number of active users on Twitter reached 255 million in 2014 Q1, up 5.8% on the previous quarter. However, that growth was below analysts’ expectations.

There have been concerns that the pace of growth the Twitter has seen in the past years may be slowing, which may hurt its revenues.

Meanwhile, Amazon said the partnership would make it easier for users to purchase products they saw on their Twitter timeline.

“No more switching apps, typing passwords, or trying to remember items you saw on Twitter,” Amazon said in a video it posted about the tie-up.

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Sewol ferry: Civilian diver searching sunken vessel dies

Diane A. Wade
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Sewol ferry: Civilian diver searching sunken vessel dies

A civilian diver searching for bodies in the Sewol ferry that sank last month in South Korea has died, authorities say.

Officials said the 53-year-old, known only by his surname Lee, became unconscious and later died in hospital.

The man is the first fatality among divers searching the Sewol ferry, which sank on April 16 with 476 people on board.

Only 174 people survived, with many trapped inside the vessel. So far the disaster has claimed 262 lives, with 40 others missing.

South Korea state news agency Yonhap reported that the man was a veteran crew member of Undine Marine Industries, which specializes in maritime engineering and rescue work.

A civilian diver searching for bodies in the Sewol ferry that sank last month in South Korea has died
A civilian diver searching for bodies in the Sewol ferry that sank last month in South Korea has died

He had lost consciousness shortly after diving into waters 25m deep in the early hours of Tuesday.

Fellow divers lost communication with him five minutes into his dive and later pulled him to the surface. It was his first search attempt in the Sewol, according to the authorities.

PM Chung Hong-won has since ordered government officials overseeing the rescue operation to thoroughly check divers’ health conditions.

Divers have been battling bad weather and fast currents to retrieve bodies over the past three weeks. Inside the ferry, they must also navigate floating debris and the maze of corridors, reports say.

Yonhap said another civilian diver, aged 31, fell unconscious last week after diving four times before daybreak.

Several others have also been treated at hyperbaric oxygen therapy centers.

Authorities said divers were now working their way to the last three unopened rooms next to a snack bar on the ferry’s third floor.

But they did not expect to find many bodies there as they were not occupied by the high school students who were the majority of the passengers, a spokesman said. Divers would also recheck areas previously searched.

Earlier this week, workers put out more nets around the site to prevent bodies floating away.

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Yingluck Shinawatra appears before Constitutional Court in Bangkok over abuse of power

Diane A. Wade
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Yingluck Shinawatra appears before Constitutional Court in Bangkok over abuse of power

Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra has appeared before the Constitutional Court in Bangkok to defend herself against allegations of abuse of power.

The complaint was filed by senators who said Yingluck Shinawatra’s party benefited from improperly transferring her national security chief in 2011.

Yingluck Shinawatra could be removed from office and banned from politics for five years if found guilty.

Thailand has seen deadlock since anti-government protests began in 2013.

Yingluck Shinawatra could be removed from office and banned from politics for five years if found guilty of abuse of power
Yingluck Shinawatra could be removed from office and banned from politics for five years if found guilty of abuse of power

The protesters, who are mainly urban and middle class, want Yingluck Shianwatra’s government replaced by an unelected “people’s council”.

In response, Yingluck Shinawatra called a snap election in February which she was expected to win, but this was disrupted by the protesters and subsequently annulled.

The prime minister is also facing several legal challenges.

Earlier this year, a different court ruled that Yingluck Shinawatra had improperly transferred national security chief Thawil Pliensri in 2011.

Thawil Pliensri has since been reinstated, although he was originally appointed by the previous administration and has been openly critical of Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.

The Constitutional Court will decide whether his transfer violated the constitution.

“I deny the allegation… I didn’t violate any laws, I didn’t receive any benefit from the appointment,” Yingluck Shinawatra told the court on Tuesday.

She added that replacing Thawil Pliensri was for Thailand’s benefit.

Yingluck Shinawatra also faces charges of negligence over a government rice subsidy scheme which critics say was rife with corruption.

Her supporters believe the top courts are biased against her and the cases are an attempt by the elite to force her from office.

Last week, Yingluck Shinawatra’s government announced fresh polls on July 20, but the opposition has rejected the date.

Coca-Cola to remove controversial BVO from fruit and sports drinks

Kathryn R. Bown
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Coca-Cola to remove controversial BVO from fruit and sports drinks

Coca-Cola plans to remove controversial ingredient BVO from some of its drinks brands by the end of this year, following an online petition.

Brominated vegetable oil, or BVO, is found in Coca-Cola fruit and sports drinks such as Fanta and Powerade.

BVO will be replaced after concerns that an element of the additive is also found in flame retardants.

Rival Pepsi removed the chemical from its Gatorade sports drink last year.

A Pepsi spokesman said it also had wider plans to stop using BVO and had “been actively working to remove it from the rest of our product portfolio”.

BVO is found in Coca-Cola fruit and sports drinks such as Fanta and Powerade
BVO is found in Coca-Cola fruit and sports drinks such as Fanta and Powerade (photo Flickr)

Pepsi uses the ingredient in its Mountain Dew and Amp Energy drinks.

Coca-Cola spokesman Josh Gold stressed the move to remove BVO was not an issue of safety.

“All of our beverages, including those with BVO, are safe and always have been – and comply with all regulations in the countries where they are sold,” he said in a statement.

“The safety and quality of our products is our highest priority.”

BVO has been used as a stabilizer in fruit-flavored drinks as it helps to prevent ingredients from separating.

The health concerns stem from the fact BVO contains bromide, which is found in brominated flame retardants.

According to medical researchers at the Mayo Clinic, excessive consumption of soft drinks containing BVO has been linked to negative health effects, including reports of memory loss and skin and nerve problems.

BVO was dropped from the FDA’s “Generally Recognized as Safe” list of food ingredients in 1970.

However, drinks companies are allowed to use BVO at up to 15 parts per million (ppm).

In Japan and the EU, the use of BVO as a food additive is not allowed.

Coca-Cola said it would switch to using sucrose acetate isobutyrate or glycerol ester of rosin, which is commonly found in chewing gum.

The Atlanta-based company said two flavors of its Powerade sports drink – fruit punch and strawberry lemonade – have already replaced BVO with glycerol ester of rosin.

Coca-Cola’s decision to remove BVO from its drink reflects a growing move among companies to reconsider certain practices due to public pressure.

The campaign against the use of BVO was begun by Sarah Kavanagh, a teenager from Mississippi, who questioned why the ingredient was being used in drinks targeted at health-conscious athletes.

Thousands of people have since signed Sarah Kavanagh’s online petition on Change.org to have BVO removed from drinks.

Following Monday’s announcement by Coca-Cola and Pepsi, Sarah Kavanagh was quoted as saying: “It’s really good to know that companies, especially big companies, are listening to consumers.”

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Barack Obama’s missing punchline to his White House Correspondents’ Dinner joke revealed

Nancy Clayson
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Barack Obama’s missing punchline to his White House Correspondents’ Dinner joke revealed

President Barack Obama had attempted to poke fun at himself at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington.

Barack Obama joked that his predecessor President George W. Bush's well-publicized but amateurish paintings had inspired him to find his own artistic side
Barack Obama joked that his predecessor President George W. Bush’s well-publicized but amateurish paintings had inspired him to find his own artistic side (photo Twitter)

Barack Obama joked that his predecessor President George W. Bush’s well-publicized but amateurish paintings had inspired him to find his own artistic side.

When he waited for an example of his work to show up on a projector screen, it never appeared due to a technology malfunction.

“The joke doesn’t work without the slide …. Oh well, assume that it was funny,” Barack Obama said.

NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander has since posted the missing slide on his Twitter page.

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Target CEO and chairman Gregg Steinhafel resigns

Clyde K. Valle
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Target CEO and chairman Gregg Steinhafel resigns

Target has announced the resignation of its CEO and chairman, Gregg Steinhafel.

Gregg Steinhafel’s resignation follows a difficult year for Target, which was the victim of a data breach that shook customer confidence and hurt profits.

Up to 70 million customers had payment card and personal data stolen from Target’s databases in December.

Target’s chief information officer, Beth Jacob, who oversaw the company’s computer systems, resigned in March.

In a statement, Target said: “After extensive discussions, the board and Gregg Steinhafel have decided that now is the right time for new leadership at Target.”

Gregg Steinhafel’s resignation follows a difficult year for Target, which was the victim of a data breach that shook customer confidence and hurt profits
Gregg Steinhafel’s resignation follows a difficult year for Target, which was the victim of a data breach that shook customer confidence and hurt profits (photo NBC News)

CFO John Mulligan will take over as interim president and chief executive, the company added.

Roxanne Austin, a current member of Target’s board of directors, has been appointed as interim non-executive chair of the board.

The data breach cost Target $17 million and the firm said that it was overhauling its security systems.

In March, the firm reported a 46% plunge in profits. It earned $520 million in the three months to 1 February.

The retailer has already said that it cannot estimate future expenses relating to the breach and has issued a profit warning for 2014.

Target is being sued by at least 11 customers over the security breach. The lawsuits, each seeking class-action status, were filed in US courts.

At the end of April, Target announced that Bob DeRodes, who has 40 years’ experience in information technology, was its new chief information officer.

At the time, Target said it was continuing its search for a chief information security officer and a chief compliance officer.

Gregg Steinhafel joined Target as a trainee in 1979 and in a career spanning 35 years worked his way to the top.

He had been the firm’s chief executive since 2008.

Target has struggled in recent years, partly because of a difficult expansion into Canada, but also growing competition from rivals.

Under his leadership, Target began to expand into fresh groceries and also introduced a 5% discount to customers who used its branded debit and credit cards.

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Brittle bone disease protein identified

Kathryn R. Bown
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Brittle bone disease protein identified

Scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas, have announced that discovery in mice could help to treat people with a form of brittle bone disease.

In the study, mice were bred with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) and the activity of a protein which shapes and reshapes bones was monitored.

Scientists said intense activity of the protein in the mice was linked to OI.

They said the finding could lead to a new target for treatment, but experts warn the study is in mice and might not apply to humans.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta is an inherited condition, where abnormalities in the genes controlling collagen affect the bone’s strength.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta is an inherited condition, where abnormalities in the genes controlling collagen affect the bone's strength
Osteogenesis Imperfecta is an inherited condition, where abnormalities in the genes controlling collagen affect the bone’s strength

In severe cases, people with OI can have between 200 and 300 fractures by the time they reach age 18, the Brittle Bone Society said. Current treatment is lacking.

Scientists looked at a protein in mice bred with the condition and compared them to “normal” mice.

They said the activity of transforming growth factor beta (TGF), which co-ordinates the shaping and reshaping of bone, was excessive in mice with OI.

When TGF was blocked with an antibody, the mice’s bones withstood “higher maximum load and ultimate strength” and showed “improved whole bone and tissue strength”, suggesting “resistance to fracture”, the study said.

Research was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Dr. Brendan Lee, professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, said the study could “move quite quickly” into humans, and be at a clinical trial stage later this year, or early next year.

A pharmaceutical company in the US was looking at the pathway of TGF in other diseases, such as kidney disease, which could accelerate the trials, he said.

One mechanism behind the findings could be that the disruption of TGF meant the bone was absorbed in the body more quickly than it was made.

Dr. Brendan Lee added: “We now have a deeper understanding for how genetic mutations that affect collagen and collagen processing enzymes cause weak bones.”

He said the treatment appeared “even more effective” than other existing approaches.

Ringling Brothers Circus acrobats remain in critical condition in hospital

Nancy Clayson
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Ringling Brothers Circus acrobats remain in critical condition in hospital

Three acrobats of Ringling Bros. circus remain in critical condition in hospital after a group of “hairilists” fell from an aerial platform at a show in Rhode Island on Sunday.

Eight acrobats plummeted up to 40ft when the scaffolding structure holding them collapsed.

The performers, from the US, Brazil, Bulgaria and Ukraine, were in the middle of a hair-hanging high-wire act.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the accident.

The collapse occurred during an act in which the eight performers hanged from their hair like a human chandelier
The collapse occurred during an act in which the eight performers hanged from their hair like a human chandelier (photo AP/Frank Caprio)

Acrobats Dayana Costa, Julissa Segrera and Stefany Neves remain in critical condition at Rhode Island Hospital, a spokeswoman told the Associated Press news agency.

Viktoriya Medeiros and Viktorila Liakhova have been listed in serious condition, while performers Samantha Pitard, Svitlana Balanicheva and Widny Nevas are now considered in good condition.

The names and conditions of three other people hurt were not released.

“The injuries fortunately don’t appear to be life-threatening,” Nicole Feld, executive vice-president of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey parent company Feld Entertainment, told a local television station.

“A lot of them were awake, talking, communicating with us.”

The collapse occurred during an act in which the eight performers hanged from their hair “like a human chandelier”, according to the circus.

According to the circus website, the eight performers, known as “hairialists”, feature in a “larger-than-life act… spinning, hanging from hoops, and rolling down wrapped silks all while being suspended 35ft in the air by their hair alone”.

The metal frame from which the acrobats hung is said to have come free from a metal truss, a circus spokesman told US media.

Further performances were cancelled on Sunday and Monday as the circus worked with federal and local officials.

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Ukraine soldiers killed by pro-Russian separatists in Sloviansk clashes

Roy Siemens
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Ukraine soldiers killed by pro-Russian separatists in Sloviansk clashes

Pro-Russian militants near the eastern city of Sloviansk have killed four Ukrainian soldiers and shot down an army helicopter, Kiev says.

Kiev says the gunmen used heavy weapons against Ukraine’s units involved in the “anti-terror” operation. Casualties were also reported among the rebels.

The militants are reported to have retreated towards the city centre which is now quiet.

The rebel stronghold remains sealed off by Ukrainian troops.

Pro-Russian militants have seized government buildings in a dozen or more Ukrainian cities in the east.

Four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and an army helicopter shot down by pro-Russian militants near the eastern city of Sloviansk
Four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and an army helicopter shot down by pro-Russian militants near the eastern city of Sloviansk (photo AFP)

Kiev accuses Moscow of supporting and arming the gunmen – a claim denied by the Kremlin.

Speaking to reporters near Sloviansk, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov accused the militants of trying to ambush government forces on the outskirts of Sloviansk on Monday morning.

He blamed the rebels for using heavy weapons, including mortars.

The Ukrainian military later said that four soldiers had been killed and about 30 injured.

In a statement, the defense ministry confirmed that a helicopter has been shot down near Sloviansk.

The crew of the aircraft survived, largely because the helicopter crashed into a river, the ministry added. It was the third Ukrainian military helicopter to be downed over the city in recent days.

On Sunday, Ukraine’s PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk accused Russia of executing a plan “to destroy Ukraine and its statehood”.

He was speaking two days after dozens were killed in violence in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa.

“Russia’s aim was to repeat in Odessa what is happening in the east of the country,” he said, insisting Kiev had not lost control of the region.

The clashes on Friday left more than 40 dead, mostly pro-Russian separatists killed in a building fire.

Russia warned on Monday that failure to halt the escalating unrest would threaten peace across Europe.

Despite the latest violence, Ukraine plans to hold a presidential election on May 25.

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Charles Ramsey memoirs available in paperback for $14.95

Nancy Clayson
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Charles Ramsey memoirs available in paperback for $14.95

The memoirs of Charles Ramsey – the man who became famous after he helped Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus escape from Cleveland home they had been held captive in for over a decade – are available for pre-order.

Charles Ramsey told NewsChannel5 in an interview that went viral that he was eating a Big Mac when he heard Amanda Berry screaming for help from his neighbor Ariel Castro’s home.

From dishwasher to international celebrity in one afternoon, that’s how Charles Ramsey’s new website CharlesRamseyWorld.com describes the roller coaster ride that transformed him in a matter of hours from that local dishwasher to an internet star.

Charles Ramsey became famous after he helped Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus escape from Cleveland horrors house
Charles Ramsey became famous after he helped Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus escape from Cleveland horrors house

The nearly 200 page book available in paperback for $14.95 begins with the day of May 6, 2013 and what Charles Ramsey heard while he was famously eating his McDonalds, that led him to the porch of his neighbor Ariel Castro and the freedom of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.

It was a story that captured the immediate attention of the world. People wanted information, they wanted details and they wanted it immediately and it was in that vacuum that an internet star was born.

Charles Ramsey’s live interview on NewsChannel 5 in the seconds after a live signal was established from the street was soon replaying on networks around the world and achieved viral status on the internet within hours.

It is an interview that to this date has over 15 million views online and was voted one of YouTube’s top 10 news videos of 2013.

It was auto-tuned within 24 hours, a song that itself has more than 22 million views online.

An excerpt from the book Dead Giveaway: The Rescue, Hamburgers, White Folks, and Instat Celebrity… What You Saw on TV Doesn’t Even Begin to Tell the Story… (Gray & Company Publishers) is available on the publisher’s website.

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Si and Christine Robertson celebrate 43 years of marriage

Sonia Pantiss
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Si and Christine Robertson celebrate 43 years of marriage

Duck Dynasty’s Uncle Si Robertson and his wife Christine celebrated their very first wedding ceremony after 43 years of marriage, on Saturday, May 3, Us Weekly reported.

Si and Christine Robertson tied the knot in 1971, but never had a proper wedding after their justice-of-the-peace nuptials.

Si Robertson and his wife Christine celebrated their very first wedding ceremony after 43 years of marriage
Si Robertson and his wife Christine celebrated their very first wedding ceremony after 43 years of marriage

According to Us Weekly, Si and Christine Robertson celebrated their special day under a white tent at their son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Marsha Robertson.

Christine was escorted by her 2-year-old grandsons, Connorand Logan Robertson, as she made her way down the aisle to Si, who dressed in a camouflage tuxedo jacket. The bride and groom were feted by their Duck Dynasty family, and even got a special video message from actor Kirk Cameron.

For the first time ever, Si Robertson, 66, gifted Christine with a diamond wedding ring at the altar.

Si and Christine Robertson partied afterward at a green and purple themed reception. The crowd was entertained by the Nashville band The Mauldin Brothers and feasted on barbecue food, cooked up by local restaurant Podnuh’s. The Sweet Shop of Blue Ridge provided dozens of cupcakes, and kids had their very own dessert table that included push-up pops.

Michelle Knight on Today show: Cleveland survivor forgives Ariel Castro

Nancy Clayson
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Michelle Knight on Today show: Cleveland survivor forgives Ariel Castro

Michelle Knight, one of three victims held captive for more than a decade inside Ariel Castro’s house of horrors in Cleveland home, said she forgives her captor “because that’s the way of life”.

Michelle Knight, 33, said she has been relishing her freedom since her rescue from the Cleveland house of horrors last year on May 6.

She told NBC’s Today that she holds no grudge against Ariel Castro, who tortured and abused her after kidnapping the then-21-year-old woman in 2002.

“If I did something wrong, even if it was a small thing, I would want somebody to forgive me,” she told the news show on Monday.

“So I can forgive him for what he done wrong because that’s the way of life.”

Michelle Knight said that she no longer likes the color pink, because it reminds her of a third-floor room in Ariel Castro’s home, where he tied her up “like a fish”.

Michelle Knight said she forgives her captor Ariel Castro
Michelle Knight said she forgives her captor Ariel Castro (photo NBC)

She recalled even feeling sorry for Ariel Castro, 53, when he hanged himself in prison after he was convicted.

“I was saddened by it, but also confused at the same time,” she said.

“He was a human being. And every human being needs to be loved, even though they did something wrong.”

Michelle Knight’s comments came after she told NBC’s Dateline on Sunday that she can recall with terrifying detail the pink third-floor room where the madman kept her chained.

“I really don’t like the color pink,” she told the news station while looking at a model of the house.

“That’s the first room that the torture began.”

Michelle Knight – who was rescued with Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus from the house of horrors on May 6, 2013 – said the monster would leave her for hours after he “tied me up like a fish, right there on the wall”.

“And when I was untied, my arms, my legs – I couldn’t walk.”

Michelle Knight – whose memoir, Finding Me, is slated to hit bookshelves on Tuesday, the year anniversary of her rescue – said she often thought of her son, Joey, to fight back recurring thoughts of suicide.

“The love of my son held me through,” she told Today show.

Michelle Knight’s son, who was just a toddler when Knight was abducted, has since been placed in foster care. But she hopes to reunite with the boy soon.

She said that she has been enjoying her freedom over the past year by enjoying exercising, taking cooking classes and recording music.

Michelle Knight said she dropped her name and changed it to Lillian Rose Lee to symbolize her new life.

“I felt like every brand new start needs new beginnings,” she told the news show.

Michelle Knight’s book is expected to explain her captivity in frightening detail, including accounts of how Ariel Castro repeatedly raped and tortured her.

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