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Michelle Knight is released from hospital and she will stay with Gina DeJesus after refusing to see her mother

Michelle Knight has finally been released from hospital and is staying at the home of fellow captive Gina DeJesus after she refused to see her mother.

Michelle Knight, 32, became the third and final victim to leave the hospital where she was being treated for the physical and mental abuse she endured over ten years allegedly at the hands of Ariel Castro in Cleveland, who is accused of routinely beating and raping his three victims.

The hospital said Michelle Knight is in good spirits and grateful for the fund created to aid the victims.

Michelle Knight has refused to see her mother Barbara, choosing instead to stay with her fellow captive Gina DeJesus.

A family friend who talked to Nancy DeJesus said the DeJesus family is taking Michelle Knight in because she says Gina is her only family left in Cleveland.

The hospital statement said: “Michelle Knight is in good spirits and would like the community to know that she is extremely grateful for the outpouring of flowers and gifts.

“She is especially thankful for the Cleveland Courage Fund. She asks that everyone please continue to respect her privacy at this time.”

Michelle Knight’s mother is believed to have hired a lawyer in order to try and get access to her daughter.

Attorney Jay Milano told WKYC: “Barbara just wants to be a part of the healing process.”

Michelle Knight has finally been released from hospital and is staying at the home of fellow captive Gina DeJesus after she refused to see her mother
Michelle Knight has finally been released from hospital and is staying at the home of fellow captive Gina DeJesus after she refused to see her mother

Barbara Knight flew in from Florida on Tuesday night after learning about her daughter’s rescue on the news and claimed she never gave up hope Michelle was still alive.

She said she wanted to bring her back to Naples with her once she was released from hospital.

Michelle Knight was the first of the three victims to be abducted. She was last seen at a cousin’s house near West 106th Street and Lorain Avenue in Cleveland in 2002.

But her disappearance did not receive much publicity as she was classed as a runaway and her name was taken off the missing person’s database just 15 months later.

Michelle Knight’s twin brother yesterday recalled his shock at seeing her alive for the first time in more than a decade.

“When I saw her, she was white as a ghost,” Freddie Knight, 32, told The New York Post.

“But she told me, <<Come over here and give me a hug. It’s been ages!>>.

“She was happy to see me. It was emotional. She even recognized me – even though it had been 11 years.”

Freddie Knight also said he was afraid that his sister would become the “forgotten kidnap victim” as so much more attention was placed on Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus.

He also said that she would not have a home to go to when she was released from hospital – unlike the other two victims.

Freddie Knight himself, who says he was kicked out of his mother’s house 18 years ago when he was just 14, didn’t even know his sister was gone until he saw the news on TV.

He was among the first of her family members to see her after her rescue.

“She’s really weak. She’s just trying to cope with everything right now.

“She didn’t talk much. When she’s ready, she will tell me but I don’t want to bring it up until then. She’s really traumatized right now.”

Barbara Knight has contended all week that police did not do enough to try and find her daughter.

The police department’s policy on investigating missing adults at the time states that an officer must go and see if a missing person has been found, then inform the FBI within two hours so the person can be removed from the National Crime Information Center database.

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Khroma Beauty becomes Kardashian Beauty as Kim, Kourtney and Khloe want to avoid $10 million fine

Kardashian sisters’ Khroma Beauty debut make-up line has been forced to change its name to Kardashian Beauty in a trademark dispute.

WWD reports that the rebrand is being made to end an 8 month-long trademark dispute between the Kardashians and a Florida-based company called Kroma Makeup, which sought $10 million in damages.

An array of Khroma Beauty products had already been produced, promoted and were ready to hit more than 5,000 retailers across the U.S. but now the costly task of relabeling will begin.

Despite the announced changes, the Kardashian’s original website, www.khromabeauty.com, and Facebook page are still currently functioning.

The long-running saga started last June when Lee Tillett, the founder of Kroma Makeup, sent a cease-and-desist letter to Boldface Group Inc, the branding company behind the Kardashian’s Khroma Beauty line, accusing it of “stealing” the name.

Lee Tillett set up her company in 2004 and trademarked the name Kroma – which apparently means “color” in Greek – six years later.

In the legal case she sought $10 million in damages, claiming that the Kardashian sisters’ company, for which they are set to make at least $6.2 million, would cause confusion in the marketplace.

And it appeared that those leading the case agreed. After months of heavy promotion the Kardashians were instructed to stop distributing products this March.

“Tillett has demonstrated that [she] will likely lose business opportunities, customers and goodwill due to Boldface’s use of the confusingly similar Khroma Beauty marks,” Judge Audrey Collins, said in her ruling.

Khroma Beauty has now officially changed its name to Kardashian Beauty to end an 8 month-long trademark dispute
Khroma Beauty has now officially changed its name to Kardashian Beauty to end an 8 month-long trademark dispute

“The court has little doubt that, in short order, the Khroma Beauty products will likely eliminate Tillett’s business entirely, creating irreparable harm sufficient to justify an injunction.”

Boldface Group Inc appealed the decision, seeking to reverse the U.S. District Court’s injunction so Khroma Beauty products could go on sale, but this was not granted.

As a result Khroma Beauty has now officially changed its name to Kardashian Beauty.

Florida native, Lee Tillett, previously told the Orlando Sentinel: “I developed the Kroma line myself, built my business through my own hard work, and took the legal steps necessary to protect it.

“And yet I have now been forced into legal battle with the Kardashians simply because they have decided to take something that doesn’t belong to them.”

In her formal federal court response she claims the promotion of Khroma was likely to mislead customers into thinking her line is associated with the Kardashian sisters.

Lee Tillett added: “The false association is damaging … and threatens to destroy its business.”

According to the counter-claims, Boldface Group Inc had paid the Kardashians an upfront advance of $1 million for licensing rights, with guaranteed minimum royalty payments of $4.6 million to $5.2 million.

As part of the deal, they allegedly have some power over the product line and that Kim Kardashian “proposed” it be called Khroma.

Lee Tillett’s attorney Elliot Gipson claims Kim Kardashian should have known better.

He pointed to discussions by representatives for himself and TLK Fusion, which allegedly acted as Kardashian’s product-placement agent for a show that was being produced by Kim Kardashian.

Elliot Gipson said: “On or about May 2010, representatives for Tillett and TLK Fusion were engaged in discussions regarding the possible product placement of the KROMA cosmetics line on the television reality show special The SPINdustry that was scheduled to air on E! Entertainment Television following an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

No deal was ever reached, but if this is true she could have had advance knowledge that the name was already in use.

The 7-minute exercise regime that is as beneficial as a long run and weights session

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Scientists have developed a 7-minute exercise regime to provide as many health benefits as going for a long run and doing a session of weight training.

The workout requires no more than a wall, a chair and 7 minutes of your time.

However, the experts say that you must be in pain when performing the regime in order to benefit.

The article, entitled High-intensity circuit training using body Weight: Maximum Results With Minimal Investment, is published in the American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness.

The program includes 12 exercises that use the body’s own weight to get the same amount of exercise as doing a long run and session of weight-training in just seven minutes.

Scientists have developed a 7-minute exercise regime to provide as many health benefits as going for a long run and doing a session of weight training
Scientists have developed a 7-minute exercise regime to provide as many health benefits as going for a long run and doing a session of weight training

“There’s very good evidence that high-intensity interval training provides many of the fitness benefits of prolonged endurance training but in much less time,” Chris Jordan, director of exercise physiology at the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, and co-author of the new article, told the New York Times.

Previous research has found that just a few minutes of training at an intensity approaching your maximum capacity produces molecular changes within muscles comparable to those of several hours of running or bike riding.

Interval training, though, requires intervals. The scientists who devised this new workout say that to get the maximum benefits the extremely intense activity must be intermingled with brief periods of recovery.

In the program outlined by Chris Jordan and his colleagues, this recovery is provided in part by a 10-second rest between exercises. This rest is extended by alternating the muscles used in each exercise.

During eat set of exercises, the unexercised muscles have a moment to “catch their breath”, which makes the order of the exercises important.

The exercises should be performed in rapid succession, allowing 30 seconds for each.

But to get maximum benefits the intensity must hover at around 8 on what they term as the discomfort scale of 1 to 10.

Chris Jordan says that the 7 minutes should be unpleasant.

Ariel Castro suicide note: Cleveland kidnapper claims he was abused by his parents

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Ariel Castro claims in a suicide note written years ago that he was abused as a child and raped by an uncle, it was revealed today.

According to a law enforcement source, the letter contained details about Ariel Castro’s whole life and the three abductions – detailing what led him to kidnap the three women off the street and hold them captive for ten years.

The FBI found the note when they were searching his house and said they were fairly certain from its contents that it was a suicide letter.

Ariel Castro detailed that he wanted all his money to be left to his victims Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight.

Ariel Castro claims in a suicide note written years ago that he was abused as a child and raped by an uncle
Ariel Castro claims in a suicide note written years ago that he was abused as a child and raped by an uncle

His home on Seymour Avenue is now a crime scene, with investigators carrying out numerous pieces of evidence – including ropes and chains.

19 Action News reporter Scott Taylor says he received a copy of the letter, which he claims was written in 2004 and found by police inside Ariel Castro’s house.

Scott Taylor posted excerpts of the letter on his Twitter page late Wednesday night, including a confession that he was “a sexual predator” and “I need help”.

Ariel Castro has been charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape. Two of his brothers were also arrested on Monday, but have not been charged in connection to the case.

Police announced the charges on Wednesday – two days after Ariel Castro and his two brothers Pedro and Onil were arrested.

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Michelle Knight was removed from the missing person’s database just 15 months after she was reported missing

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Cleveland captive Michelle Knight was removed from the missing person’s database just 15 months after she was reported missing in 2002, it emerged today.

Police removed her name after repeated attempts to contact her mother to verify the-then 22-year-old was still missing failed.

Barbara Knight said that police did not do enough to try and find her daughter and did not give it the same attention as Amanda Berry’s case or Gina DeJesus because they thought she was a runaway.

The police department’s policy on investigating missing adults at the time states that an officer must go and see if a missing person has been found, then inform the FBI within two hours so the person can be removed from the National Crime Information Center database.

Kym Pasqualini, a national advocate for missing adults, told The Plain Dealer that the removal of Michelle Knight’s name and description from the database helped the case fall through the cracks.

However, even after she was removed from the database, police reports show that officers continued to inquire about her whereabouts several times afterwards and successfully verified she was still missing in May 2003 after finally reaching her mother.

On Wednesday, two days after their escape from the house on Seymour Avenue, Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry were released from the hospital and reunited with their families.

Michelle Knight remains in the hospital.

Michelle Knight was removed from the missing person's database just 15 months after she was reported missing in 2002
Michelle Knight was removed from the missing person’s database just 15 months after she was reported missing in 2002

It also emerged yesterday that Michelle Knight was gang-raped and impregnated in junior high – a year before she suffered more than ten years of abuse under a kidnapper.

Her great-aunt, Deborah Knight, told the New York Daily News on Thursday that three male classmates grabbed Michelle at school and raped her.

Deborah Knight told the paper that if that wasn’t enough of a hardship, she later found out that she was pregnant as a result of that attack – and later had a son she named Joey.

The boy was placed in foster care shortly after he was born.

Michelle Knight’s twin brother Freddie told the paper that when he saw his long-lost sister, she asked him for a hug.

He added: “She was so freaking happy. I gave her a hug, but I couldn’t give her a bear hug because of all the things that happened to her.”

Relatives told the Daily News that Michelle is looking forward to being reunited with her son, now 13, after she leaves the hospital.

It was revealed earlier this week that Michelle Knight is reportedly suffering hearing loss and facial bone damage after years of vicious beatings to her head.

Michelle Knight’s mother Barbara, 50, said she never gave up hope and will now be able to introduce Michelle to the half sister she has never met, 10-year-old Katie, who was born after she disappeared.

On Wednesday, Barbara Knight told to the Today show about how she had never given up hope that her daughter was alive – but that she was led to believe the woman, then in her 20s, had fled.

“Certain people said she didn’t want nothing to do with me but still in my heart I thought no, because I knew my Michelle,” Barbara Knight said.

“They figured she just left because of the baby and everything.

“[Police] told me if she breaks the law or they spot her, they’ll let me know – but nothing happened.”

Barbara Knight, who said she filed a missing persons report after Michelle vanished and continued to search for her, said her sons have been reunited with Michelle but she has not yet seen her.

“I just wish that my daughter would reach out and let me know that she’s there… She’s probably angry at the world because she thought she would never be found but thank God that somebody did,” she said.

“I don’t want her to think that I forgot about her… Hopefully whatever happened between us, if something did – I hope it heals because I really want to take her back to Florida with me.”

But Barbara Knight said that she knew little about what had happened to Michelle since she last saw her as she has not spoken with detectives.

“There was a detective who called me but he just said it was my daughter,” she said, adding that she missed his call and that he had left work when she called back.

“I didn’t get a hold of anyone.”

Instead, she only knows the details from watching news reports.

While the stories of missing Cleveland girls Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry, who were also found on Monday, have remained high-profile cases over the last decade, little was known of Michelle Knight.

While family appeals for Gina and Amanda have been frequent and well-publicized over the past ten years, her case appears to have been long forgotten.

Michelle Knight was in her early 20’s when she was last seen on August 23, 2002, at her cousin’s house near West 106th Street and Lorain Avenue.

Barbara Knight said she would often put up fliers around Cleveland’s West Side and even after moving away she would return to continue the search on her own as police were little help.

The mother previously told The Plain Dealer that Michelle vanished shortly after she was scheduled for a court appearance in the custody case of her son.

She told the paper that Michelle had become involved with an abusive man whom she thinks injured her toddler grandson, eventually leading her daughter to lose the boy.

Barbara Knight told The Plain Dealer she believes she once saw her daughter walking with an older man at a shopping mall several years ago.

When the woman trailed behind her companion, he would grab her by the arm and pull her along, she said.

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Gwyneth Paltrow unveils $950 silver shot glass and a new collection of bar accessories on her Goop blog

Gwyneth Paltrow, whose endeavors have been labeled pretentious and out of touch by some critics, has unveiled a new collection of bar accessories on her Goop blog.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s selection of “unique and individual pieces” is slightly out of the price range of the average drinker.

The actress is offering sterling silver shot glasses for $950 as well as a pair of glass and sterling silver decanters for an eye-watering $4,495.

On her Goop page, Gwyneth Paltrow, 40, writes: “For stocking a bar that is as useful as it is good looking, we’ve gone to Foundwell for unique accessories from jiggers to muddlers and more.”

Describing the $950 shot glass, the actress writes: “This sterling shot cup has the phrase <<Just a thimble full>> engraved on it – a gentle reminder to practice a little bit of restraint.

“A great gift or a fun conversation piece for your home bar.”

Gwyneth Paltrow is offering sterling silver shot glasses for $950 as well as a pair of glass and sterling silver decanters for an eye-watering $4495
Gwyneth Paltrow is offering sterling silver shot glasses for $950 as well as a pair of glass and sterling silver decanters for an eye-watering $4495

Gwyneth Paltrow launched Goop back in September 2008, a personal website where she dishes out advice to her readers and encourages them to “nourish the inner aspect”.

Each week the newsletter focuses on a subject area, split into Make, Go, Get, Do, Be, and See.

In an interview with the March 2011 issue of Harper’s Bazaar UK, Gwyneth Paltrow admitted: “There were a couple of times when I thought I’m just gonna stop doing it.

“People are so mean to me. I don’t want to do it.

“But then I was like, <<Who cares what some lame person out there says?>> I was in Italy once, and this old man came up to me and said, <<I had the best time in Nashville because of Goop>>. And that is so worth it to me.”

Gwyneth Paltrow has previously written about a 21-day Goop cleanse as well as given readers tips on how to update their spring wardrobe, but her outfit recommendations add up to over $450,000.

The actress does, however, maintain that she is completely normal just like the rest of us mere mortals.

Gwyneth Paltrow recently said: “One of my most negative qualities is . . . perfectionism . . . it comes from self-doubt and insecurity.

“I’m just a normal mother with the same struggles as any other… trying to do everything at once, trying to be a wife and maintain a relationship.”

Jocelyn: Amanda Berry’s daughter was fathered by Ariel Castro, DNA tests confirm

Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro, who is accused of abducting, raping and beating Amanda Berry, Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus is the father of Amanda’s 6-year-old daughter Jocelyn, DNA tests have confirmed.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said in a news release this morning that state lab technicians worked through the night to confirm that the child born in captivity belonged to Ariel Castro.

Ariel Castro’s DNA was also tested to see if it was connected to any state crimes, specifically to similar missing teen cases in the area, but it resulted in no matches.

National results are still pending, The Plain Dealer reports.

Details emerged this week about the circumstances surrounding Jocelyn’s birth in the house of horrors Ariel Castro held the women in for a decade.

Amanda Berry, 27, is believed to have given birth to her daughter in an inflatable child’s swimming pool to ensure minimal mess. Michelle Knight was allegedly ordered by Ariel Castro to deliver the baby and was told she would be killed if the baby died.

Ariel Castro is the father of Amanda Berry's 6-year-old daughter Jocelyn as DNA tests have confirmed
Ariel Castro is the father of Amanda Berry’s 6-year-old daughter Jocelyn as DNA tests have confirmed

Baby Jocelyn was not breathing when she was born but Michelle Knight is said to have given her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to get her breathing started, in turn saving both their lives.

Jocelyn is said to have been instrumental in the escape of the three women as she alerted her mother Amanda Berry that Ariel Castro, 52, had left the house, prompting her to call for help from inside the boarded house.

The girl is believed to have told her mother: “Daddy has gone to see grandma.”

Jocelyn was the only one who would be taken out of the house by Ariel Castro on weekends to see his mother, Lillian Rodriguez. She called the elderly woman grandmother.

The girl was also seen out recently at a playground with Ariel Castro.

When Ariel Castro was asked who the young girl was he told neighbors she was his girlfriend’s daughter.

Police chief Ed Tomba said Amanda Berry had been home schooling her daughter.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev is buried in Al-Barzakh Muslim cemetery in Virginia with the help of Martha Mullen

Tamerlan Tsarnaev has been buried in Al-Barzakh Muslim cemetery in Doswell, Virignia with the help of Martha Mullen who was upset by protests outside the funeral home where his body was being held.

Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was buried under a shroud of secrecy Wednesday evening at the Al-Barzakh Cemetery in central Virginia, about 15 miles from Richmond, the Boston Globe first reported.

Martha Mullen, 48, of Richmond, Virginia, coordinated the clandestine burial with the help of the Islamic Society of Greater Richmond after a number of cemeteries refused to take Tamaerlan Tsarnaev’s body.

In an exclusive interview with the Boston Globe‘s Wesley Lowery, Martha Mullen said: “Jesus says [to] love our enemies.

“So I was sitting in Starbucks and thought, maybe I’m the one person who needs to do something.”

Tamerlan Tsarnaev was buried under a shroud of secrecy Wednesday evening at the Al-Barzakh Cemetery in central Virginia, about 15 miles from Richmond
Tamerlan Tsarnaev was buried under a shroud of secrecy Wednesday evening at the Al-Barzakh Cemetery in central Virginia, about 15 miles from Richmond

News of the burial comes several days after a Massachusetts police chief went on national television to plead for help in finding a burial place for Tamerlan Tsarnaev, whose body was being held at a Worcester funeral home that became the site of ongoing protests.

“There is a need to do the right thing,” Worcester Police Chief Gary Gemme said.

 “We are not barbarians. We bury the dead.”

Martha Mullen, a professional counselor who has a degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, called the Boston Globe wanting to tell her story, according to the reporter who took the call. She told the newspaper that the protests upset her and “portrayed America at its worst”.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his 19-year-old brother Dzokhar Tsarnaev are accused of carrying out the April 15 twin bombings that killed three people and injured more than 260. Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a violent shootout with police on April 19 and his brother, who was injured in the gunfight, was captured in Watertown, Massachusetts after an 18-hour manhunt.

His body was claimed by his uncle, Ruslan Tsarni, who asked that the remains be placed in a municipal cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Tamerlan Tsarnaev lived with his wife, Katherine Russell. But city officials would not allow that to happen.

Katherine Russell did not claim the body, which is why it was released to Ruslan Tsarni.

The bombers’ mother, Zubeidat Tsarnaeva, who maintains that her sons are innocent, wanted Tamerlan’s body sent back to Russia, where he was born, but there was no certainty that Russian officials would accept the remains.

As authorities continued searching for a plot to bury the remains, they were repeatedly turned away. No one wanted to take responsibility for the body. Meanwhile, protests continued outside the funeral home where the body was being held.

The public was not notified that Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body had been moved until after it was transported from the funeral home Wednesday.

On Thursday morning, police officials announced that: “A courageous and compassionate individual came forward to provide the assistance needed to properly bury the deceased.”

Duck Dynasty Season 4 will continue to show prayers and guns despite viewers’ complaints

Duck Dynasty Season 3 just ended and, according to a Facebook post by March’s Outdoor Adventures on May 9, people are complaining about how the A&E hit show presents praying and using guns all the time.

A&E network was asked to remove the show from TV.

Duck Dynasty Season 4 is scheduled to air late in 2013
Duck Dynasty Season 4 is scheduled to air late in 2013

With 9.6 million viewers for the season 3 finale that is highly unlikely. Duck Dynasty even beat American Idol in ratings for that night.

A&E went to Phil Robertson, patriarch of the Robertson clan, and asked if they could stop the praying and the guns.

Phil Robertson said: “If we can’t pray to God on the show, we will not do the show. God and guns are a part of our everyday lives. To remove either of them from the show is unacceptable.”

Fans of Duck Dynasty and of the God-fearing head of the family wouldn’t have expected any other answer from Phil Robertson.

So A&E caved and accepted Phil Robertson’s terms. After all, Duck Dynasty is the most popular reality TV show on cable these days. A&E signed the Robertson’s for another season of Duck Dynasty as confirmed both by A&E and by Willie Robertson.

Duck Dynasty Season 4 is scheduled to air late in 2013.

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Si Robertson kids: Uncle Si has a daughter, Trasa Cobern, and a son, Scott Robertson

Duck Dynasty’s fans finally found out about Si Robertson’s wife, Christine.

Christine Robertson does not appear in the show but Uncle Si posted a photo on Facebook of the couple together and he let everyone know that she had been his sweetheart for 43 years.

Uncle Si has two children with Christine, son Scott Robertson and daughter Trasa Robertson Cobern.

Trasa is married to Kyle Wayne Cobern, 46, and they have four sons together.

Si Robertson, his wife Christine and their daughter Trasa
Si Robertson, his wife Christine and their daughter Trasa

Like his father, Scott Robertson, 35, is enrolled in the US Army and had at least three deployments to Iraq. He is married to Marsha Markert Robertson and they have three boys together, Ethan and twins Logan and Connor. They live in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Si Robertson with son Scott and his grandsons
Si Robertson with son Scott and his grandsons, twins Connor and Logan

Si Robertson’s daughter, Trasa Cobern, 37, is a social studies teacher in Hurst, Texas, where she is living with her husband of 15 years and their four boys.

Trasa Cobern has short blonde hair and what appear to be big hazel eyes. She is pretty like any of the lovely ladies on the program.

Kim Kardashian’s Givenchy floral Met Ball gown gets cropped out of Vogue best dressed list

After Kim Kardashian’s Givenchy floral curtain-inspired Met Ball gown was slated by fashion critics, now Vogue have taken the critique one step further by cropping the reality star out of their best dressed gallery.

Vogue.com collated a glamorous slideshow of the event’s 77 best dressed guests which, unsurprisingly, did not include Kim Kardashian.

Vogue hailed Kanye West for his exemplary sartorial prowess, but very deliberately cropped pregnant Kim Kardashian from the shot
Vogue hailed Kanye West for his exemplary sartorial prowess, but very deliberately cropped pregnant Kim Kardashian from the shot

It did, however, include her boyfriend Kanye West who, like Kim Kardashian, was decked head to toe in Givenchy.

Vogue hailed Kanye West for his exemplary sartorial prowess – but very deliberately cropped his pregnant girlfriend from the shot – and did not include her elsewhere.

Kim Kardashian’s Givenchy floral curtain-inspired Met Ball gown was slated by fashion critics
Kim Kardashian’s Givenchy floral curtain-inspired Met Ball gown was slated by fashion critics

The only evidence that Kim Kardashian was there on the night is a flash of floral and a disembodied arm linking with Kanye West’s to the left of the frame.

Kanye West’s photo is cropped notably slimmer than the rest and, to add further salt to the wound, all other couples, such as Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods, remain intact in their slides.

Vogue may not have been impressed by Kim Kardashian floral faux pas – but the designer behind the top-to-toe look, Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci, defended the look to WWD, saying: “I think she looked amazing.

“She was the most beautiful pregnant woman I dressed in my career.”

The Givenchy creative chief has long been friends with Kanye West and said he chose the look for the pregnant star because, “when you celebrate something, you give people flowers”.

And the look was all his idea.

“[She] said, <<Ricky, I love what you’re doing so much, I am in your hands>>.”

Chris Kelly funeral held in his home town of Atlanta

Chris Kelly of 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, who was found dead last week at the age of 34, has been laid to rest in his home town of Atlanta, Georgia.

Chris Kelly was known as Mac Daddy while in Kris Kross, who shot to fame in 1992 with their hit single Jump.

Producer Jermaine Dupri and rapper Da Brat wore their trousers backwards in homage to the duo, who were known for wearing their clothes back to front.

Bandmate Chris Smith delivered an emotional tribute to his “true friend”.

Chris Kelly of 1990s rap duo Kris Kross has been laid to rest in his home town of Atlanta, Georgia
Chris Kelly of 1990s rap duo Kris Kross has been laid to rest in his home town of Atlanta, Georgia

“It’s been a struggle for me every day, but there was a peace that came over me this morning because I know he’s in heaven,” Chris Smith said.

Chris Smith was supported in the church by Jermaine Dupri, who discovered the 1990s teenage duo in an Atlanta shopping centre.

Chris Kelly’s mother Donna Kelly Pratte continuously wept throughout the two hour service.

Numerous photos were shown of Chris Kelly posing with music stars including Michael Jackson, Gerald Levert and Patti LaBelle.

Kris Kross topped the US charts in May 1992 and reached number two in the UK with their single Jump. The song stayed at number one in the US for eight weeks, selling four million copies.

Chris Smith and Chris Kelly were reunited in February to perform at a show celebrating the 20th anniversary of their record label So So Def.

Chris Kelly’s official cause of death will not be known until a toxicology report has been completed.

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Christine Robertson: Si Robertson’s wife reveals how Duck Dynasty’s success changed their lives

A & E’s new reality show Duck Dynasty has been successful beyond what anyone could have imagined, and the most popular cast member of all is Si Robertson.

As fame always has its price, especially in reality TV, Uncle Si’s wife, Christine Robertson, expressed on her Facebook page that she is really feeling the pressure of their new life in the spotlight.

Christine Robertson posted that this is supposed to be their golden years, but she saw Uncle Si more when he was in the military. She described their Duck Dynasty time as a bumpy ride that she was ready to get off!

Although Si Robertson’s wife Christine chose not to be on the program for whatever unknown reason, her whole life is now upside down with the chaos from Duck Dynasty
Although Si Robertson’s wife Christine chose not to be on the program for whatever unknown reason, her whole life is now upside down with the chaos from Duck Dynasty

Things have not been easy for Si Robertson and his wife since they became more famous than most movie stars. They just live normal, ordinary lives in a normal, ordinary home, but the problem is that things are just not normal anymore.

Uncle Si’s wife described people coming to the door and knocking around 7:40 a.m. Reality stars have the disadvantage that anyone can figure out where they live and just show up. They are in the process of tearing down their home and building another one on the same spot. Si and Christine Robertson’s daughter suggested it would just be better to move altogether so the craziness would stop because nobody would know where they lived.

Christine Robertson shared on her Facebook a few weeks ago about going into her kitchen and having to drop to the floor because someone was snapping photos through the kitchen window. There is already talk of a privacy fence going up to stop this sort of thing.

Although Si Robertson’s wife chose not to be on the program for whatever unknown reason, her whole life is now upside down with the chaos from Duck Dynasty.

You can keep up with all things Duck Dynasty on their Facebook page.

Reshma: Woman pulled alive from Rana Plaza ruins in Dhaka

A woman, named Reshma, has been pulled alive from the ruins of a building that collapsed in a suburb of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, 17 days ago.

The head of the fire service earlier said Reshma had been found in the remains of the second floor of the eight-storey Rana Plaza.

Reshma had no serious injuries and had been talking with rescuers, he added.

The dramatic news came after the army said more than 1,000 people were now known to have died in the disaster.

Reshma has been found in the remains of the second floor of the eight-storey Rana Plaza in Dhaka
Reshma has been found in the remains of the second floor of the eight-storey Rana Plaza in Dhaka

The death toll is expected to keep climbing, as work crews using heavy machinery have begun removing rubble from the worst-damaged areas.

On Friday afternoon, army officers ordered workers to stop clearing the site when Reshma’s cries were heard. Officers immediately ordered workers to stop clearing the site.

Detection equipment was sent in and they saw a woman waving her hand. She shouted “I’m still here” and said her name was Reshma.

Within minutes, hundreds of soldiers and firefighters rushed to the scene to help clear the rubble.

Cutting and drilling equipment was brought in to get through iron rods and debris. Not long afterwards, she was pulled from the rubble and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Not long afterwards, rescuers pulled her from the rubble. Reshma has been taken to a military hospital.

Rescuers said it was possible that the woman survived because of the large quantities of oxygen and water that were pumped into the ruins in the early stages of the rescue effort.

Liberator: US orders removal of Defcad 3D-gun designs

The US government has demanded designs for a 3D-printed gun be taken offline.

The order to remove the blueprints for the plastic gun comes after they were downloaded more than 100,000 times.

The US State Department wrote to the gun’s designer, Defense Distributed, suggesting publishing them online may breach arms-control regulations.

Although the files have been removed from the company’s Defcad site, it is not clear whether this will stop people accessing the blueprints.

They were being hosted by the Mega online service and may still reside on its servers.

The US government has demanded designs for a 3D-printed gun be taken offline
The US government has demanded designs for a 3D-printed gun be taken offline

Also, many links to copies of the blueprints have been uploaded to file-sharing site the Pirate Bay, making them widely available. The Pirate Bay has also publicized its links to the files via social news site Reddit suggesting many more people will get hold of the blueprints.

The Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance wrote to Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson demanding the designs be “removed from public access” until he could prove he had not broken laws governing shipping weapons overseas by putting the files online and letting people outside the US download them.

“We have to comply,” Cody Wilson told Forbes magazine in an interview.

But he added the State Department’s fears were ungrounded, as Defense Distributed had been set up specifically to meet requirements that exempted it from the arms-control regulations.

Cody Wilson welcomed the US government’s intervention, saying it would highlight the issue of whether it was possible to stop the spread of 3D-printed weapons.

Unlike conventional weapons, the printed gun – called the Liberator by its creators – is made out of plastic on a printer. Many engineering firms and manufacturers use these machines to test prototypes before starting large-scale production.

While desktop 3D printers are becoming more popular, Defense Distributed used an industrial 3D printer that cost more than $7,500 to produce its gun. This was able to use high-density plastic that could withstand and channel the explosive force involved in firing a bullet.

To make the Liberator, Cody Wilson had to get a license to make and sell the weapon from the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The Bureau said any American could make a gun for their own use, even on a 3D printer, but selling it required a license.

Cody Wilson, who describes himself as a crypto-anarchist, said the project to create a printed gun and make it widely available was all “about liberty”.

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Charles Ramsey speaks about domestic violence arrests

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Charles Ramsey, Cleveland hero neighbor who saved three young women and a child from the “house of horrors”, has spoken out about his criminal past saying the domestic violence incidents made him the good man he is today.

Charles Ramsey, 43, who has become something of a celebrity since the rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight due to his antics with the media, was picked up on domestic violence charges in 1997, 1998 and 2003.

Speaking to TMZ, Charles Ramsey said: “I’ve made amends with the people involved and we’ve all moved on and grown up.

“Those incidents helped me become the man I am today and are the reason why I try to help the community as much as I can … Including those women.

“If I had so much hatred for women, I would have minded my own business this week and walked away instead of risking my life to save someone else.”

Charles Ramsey has spoken out about his criminal past saying the domestic violence incidents made him the good man he is today
Charles Ramsey has spoken out about his criminal past saying the domestic violence incidents made him the good man he is today

Charles Ramsey served six months in jail after he entered a “no contest” plea in 1998 – when he was charged with domestic violence and failing to appear in court following his first arrest, according to documents revealed on Wednesday by The Smoking Gun.

After his third arrest in 2003, Charles Ramsey was sentenced to another eight months in prison.

That same year, his wife Rochelle filed for divorce.

In an interview with The Smoking Gun, Rochelle said that her ex-husband Charles Ramsey also dodged $51-per-month child support payments for the couple’s daughter.

Meanwhile, a second neighbor, Angel Cordero, claimed he was the one who rescued Amanda Berry – and Charles Ramsey did not arrive at the scene until after the woman was freed.

Speaking Spanish, Angel Cordero told NewsChannel5: “I helped her and I was first.”

Angel Cordero added that by the time Charles Ramsey arrived, Amanda was already “outside with the girl”.

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Paris Jackson living with mom Debbie Rowe after arguing with grandmother Katherine Jackson

Now reports have claimed that Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris already moved in with her biological mother Debbie Rowe.

According to CelebrityFix, Paris Jackson packed her bags at the home of her grandmother Katherine and is settling into her new abode.

“There has been a string of turbulent rows in the Jackson home over the past few weeks and it’s all coming to a head,” a source told the website.

Despite these reports Paris Jackson’s regular posts on her Twitter page prove that she is perfectly happy and well-adjusted teenager, and on Thursday she gushed of her excitement about the upcoming school summer holiday.

Paris Jackson recently opted to spend her 15th birthday with Debbie Rowe instead of grandmother Katherine Jackson, and the teen is apparently becoming more independent by the day.

Paris Jackson recently opted to spend her 15th birthday with Debbie Rowe instead of grandmother Katherine Jackson
Paris Jackson recently opted to spend her 15th birthday with Debbie Rowe instead of grandmother Katherine Jackson

“Whilst she loves her grandmother Katherine, Paris thinks she has some extremely old-fashioned beliefs,” the insider said.

“Paris is an extremely independent young woman and as she’s got older, she’s starting to voice her opinion more and stand up for herself and her beliefs.”

According to the reports Paris Jackson is encouraging her two brothers to follow suit and also move in with Debbie Rowe.

The source said: “Paris is trying to persuade Prince and Blanket to join her. Debbie has told her they would all be welcome, but there are certain laws which have to be obeyed and Paris knows that whilst she may be able to leave, it would be far more difficult for the boys due to the legalities.

“Debbie has called for talks between her, Paris and Katherine. She thinks they all need to sit down and discuss the situation to avoid any more rows and try to make any transition as easy for Paris as possible.”

Apparently Paris Jackson is not just enjoying the chance to bond with her mother, but also the freedom of not being surrounded by security all the time.

“For years she was forced to wear masks, protected by a harem of security and surrounded by entourage,” the source said.

“She hates that life and knows that was something Michael wanted to protect all of them from. She feels that by separating herself from her grandmother, she could have a more normal life.”

Ariel Castro could be executed for imprisoning three women for about a decade

Ohio prosecutors plan to seek aggravated murder charges that could carry the death penalty against Ariel Castro, the man suspected of imprisoning three women for about a decade at his Cleveland home.

The charges relate to alleged forced miscarriages suffered by one victim.

Ariel Castro, 52, was arraigned in court earlier for the kidnap and rape of Amanda Berry, 27, Gina DeJesus, 23 and Michelle Knight, 32.

Amanda Berry escaped on Monday and was able to raise the alarm.

Cuyahoga County prosecutor Tim McGinty said the murder charges were based on evidence from one of the women held captive in Ariel Castro’s house that he had impregnated her, then physically abused and starved her in order to induce miscarriages.

“I fully intend to seek charges for each and every act of sexual violence, rape, each day of kidnapping, every felonious assault, all his attempted murders, and each act of aggravated murder he committed by terminating pregnancies that the offender perpetuated against the hostages during this decade-long ordeal,” Tim McGinty told a news conference.

“My office will also engage in a formal process in which we evaluate to seek charges eligible for the death penalty.”

“This child kidnapper operated a torture chamber and private prison in the heart of our city,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Ariel Castro appeared in court in Cleveland, handcuffed and dressed in blue overalls. He did not enter a plea.

Ohio prosecutors plan to seek aggravated murder charges that could carry the death penalty against Ariel Castro
Ohio prosecutors plan to seek aggravated murder charges that could carry the death penalty against Ariel Castro

He is charged with four counts of kidnapping, covering the three initial abduction victims and Jocelyn, Amanda Berry’s six-year-old daughter, who was apparently conceived and born in captivity.

The former school bus driver also faces three counts of rape, one against each woman.

Bail was set at $8 million, $2 million for each victim, meaning he will remain in custody.

Ariel Castro has been placed on suicide watch and will be kept in isolation, his court-appointed lawyer Kathleen DeMetz told reporters.

According to CBS News, Ariel Castro confessed to his crimes in a long, hand-written letter, apparently a suicide note that was found in the house.

In the letter Ariel Castro said he had been raped as a child by a relative, a law enforcement source told the US network.

Ariel Castro’s two brothers, Pedro and Onil, also appeared in court on unrelated charges. They had been arrested, but police found no evidence linking them to the crime.

Pedro Castro was fined $100 for public drinking, while two minor counts against Onil Castro were dropped.

On Thursday, ariel Castro’s daughter, Arlene, who was one of the last people to see Gina DeJesus before she disappeared in 2004 aged 14, wept during a TV interview.

Describing herself as “disappointed, embarrassed, mainly devastated”, she apologized to Gina DeJesus.

The three women were all abducted after accepting rides from Ariel Castro, according to a leaked police report.

They told officials they could only remember being outside twice during their time in captivity.

Cleveland City Councilman Brian Cummins said the women had told police they had only gone as far as a garage on the property, disguised in wigs and hats.

Brian Cummins, citing police information, said the victims had been kept apart inside the house until their captor felt he had enough control to allow them to mingle.

Amanda Berry, whose disappearance in 2003 the day before her 17th birthday was widely publicized in the local media, returned to her sister’s home on Wednesday.

A few hours later, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004 at the age of 14, was also brought home.

Michelle Knight, who was 20 when she disappeared in 2002, remains in hospital in a good condition.

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Prince Harry US Tour Agenda

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Prince Harry is visiting various areas of the U.S. from May 9 to 15 and wanted to include areas of the Jersey Shore that were devastated by Superstorm Sandy.

This marks Prince Harry’s first visit to the U.S. since August 2012, when the 28-year-old royal landed in hot water after he reportedly took part in a strip poker game at a casino hotel in Las Vegas.

Friday May 10: Prince Harry visits Arlington National Cemetery where he will lay a wreath, before heading to the Walter Reed Military Medical Center to meet wounded US servicemen. In the evening, he will attend a Foreign and Commonwealth reception

Prince Harry's first visit to the U.S. since August 2012, when the 28-year-old royal landed in hot water after he reportedly took part in a strip poker game at a casino hotel in Las Vegas
Prince Harry’s first visit to the U.S. since August 2012, when the 28-year-old royal landed in hot water after he reportedly took part in a strip poker game at a casino hotel in Las Vegas

Saturday May 11: Prince Harry will spend day at the Warrior Games for wounded servicemen and women. The day will start with his meeting members of the UK team and attending a brunch before going to the opening ceremony and watching a volleyball game

Sunday May 12: In Colorado Springs, Colorado, Prince Harry will go to an air force academy sports event before presenting medals

Monday May 13: Prince Harry will travel and spend the day privately

Tuesday May 14: Prince Harry will visit survivors of Superstorm Sandy in Mantoloking, New Jersey with Gov. Chris Christie and attend charity Baseball event and later, a Royal Foundation fundraiser in New York

Wednesday May 15: Prince Harry will take part in Sentbale Polo Cup game in Greenwich, Connecticut before touring the club and watching an afternoon match

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Michelle Obama gets new hairdo as she meets Prince Harry at the start of his week-long US tour

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Prince Harry joined First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House at the start of his week-long U.S. tour.

Michelle Obama welcomed the 28-year-old prince to her home on Thursday afternoon for a reception in honor of military mothers and their children after he caused a stir in Washington D.C.

As well as meeting Sen. John McCain at Capitol Hill, Prince Harry was welcomed by a bevy of grinning female staffers – who were promptly ushered back inside by police, according to their colleagues’ tweets.

“If all the women on Capitol Hill were dust bunnies, #princeharry would be a Dyson Vacuum. Every woman is gone. Every. Single. One,” Chris Mickey tweeted before the royal’s arrival.

When the women were asked to leave, sparking “grumpy faces” according to further tweets, they swiftly found other balconies over which to peer at the prince.

At his last event of the day, Prince Harry entertained US policy makers and wealthy donors at a British embassy reception.

Prince Harry joined First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House at the start of his week-long U.S. tour
Prince Harry joined First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House at the start of his week-long U.S. tour

Prince Harry chatted with 200 guests at the champagne bash hosted by British ambassador Sir Peter Westmacott and the HALO Trust anti-landmines charity before a dinner for 37 key influential donors and decision-makers.

In the sweltering humidity, the Prince repeatedly mopped his brow as he stood in a receiving line to greet each guest before working the room.

Among them were numerous American politicians, and President Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser Anthony Blinken.

Guy Willoughby, director of the HALO Trust, praised Prince Harry’s determination to continue his mother’s work.

Prince Harry is visiting various areas of the U.S. from May 9 to 15 and wanted to include areas of the Jersey Shore that were devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

The roguish heir to the British throne will also attend a reception at the British Ambassador’s home and pay visits to Arlington National Cemetery to honor fallen soldiers and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where Harry will spend time with wounded veterans.

The tour is not limited to New Jersey and Washington, as he will also attend a diplomatic reception in Denver, Colorado, as well as the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs -an event that benefits disabled veterans.

In New York City, Prince Harry’s visit will include an event promoting a community baseball program involving a new partnership with the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, which bills itself as the culmination of the charity lives of Harry and his brother and sister-in-law, Prince William and Kate.

Harry will be promoting the charity’s “Coach Core”, which is an initiative dedicated to improving training facilities for inner-city kids.

Prince Harry also will take in a polo cup match in Connecticut.

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Charles Ramsey biography: Who is Cleveland kidnapping hero?

Charles Ramsey has been hailed as America’s hero since rescuing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, who were kidnapped ten years ago in Cleveland.

Countless TV interviews and accolades, it looks like Charles Ramsey is here to stay in our good graces for a while for his amazing deed.

But what is there to know about Charles Ramsey?

Age: 43

Occupation: Dishwasher at Hodge’s Restaurant in Cleveland

Fun fact: Charles Ramsey attended Charles F. Brush High School in Cleveland which is rivals to Orange High School which Good Morning America anchor, George Stephanopoulos, attended.

Charles Ramsey appeared on GMA on May 8.

Since rescuing the three missing girls, he’s already been autotuned a few times (as well as chopped and screwed, unfortunately).

Charles Ramsey lived next door to where Ariel Castro is alleged to have kept the women in a makeshift prison until Monday afternoon, when Ramsey happened to be home and heard Amanda Berry’s scream.

As he said: “I got the day off from work, so naturally you’re doing nothing.”

Actually, Charles Ramsey was “eating my McDonald’s,” a fact he trumpeted so frequently that the grateful food giant is trying to get in touch with him. A website that compiled some of Charles Ramsey’s television interviews kept count of how many times he mentioned McDonald’s in each.

Charles Ramsey has been hailed as America’s hero since rescuing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight
Charles Ramsey has been hailed as America’s hero since rescuing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight

McDonald’s seemed particularly delighted by the unexpected association with a hero. The corporation tweeted on Tuesday: “Way to go Charles Ramsey – we’ll be in touch.”

A company spokeswoman said Wednesday that it was trying to reach out to Charles Ramsey through its local franchise.

Charles Ramsey, 43, gave a series of interviews to Cleveland television stations as the story broke Monday night that were replayed on national news. CNN’s Anderson Cooper tracked him down for a lengthy conversation the next night. The interviews are performance art masterpieces, so filled with colorful language and astute reporting that he trended on Twitter and was the subject of Internet memes and an Auto-tuned song.

Similarly, a tape of a much more profane Charles Ramsey talking to a 911 operator (whom he later called an imbecile) is circulating on the Web.

During his initial interviews, Charles Ramsey said he was shocked to learn of allegations that Ariel Castro led a double life.

Charles Ramsey said he “used to barbecue with this dude. We eat ribs and what-not, listen to salsa music”.

He attracted so much attention that websites and media organizations dug into his past. He did jail time for domestic violence in the 1990s, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections.

Charles Ramsey, whose colorful television interviews quickly rocketed him to Internet stardom, was first charged with domestic violence in 1997, according to court records obtained by The Smoking Gun. He pleaded no contest to the charge and was found guilty. While waiting to be sentenced in July 1998, Charles Ramsey was arrested for domestic violence again.

He was ordered to serve six months in jail, placed on 5-year probation and directed to attend a domestic violence counseling program, the court records show.

Charles Ramsey was arrested again for domestic abuse in 2003, this time sentenced to eight months in prison. His wife, Rochelle, with whom he fathered a daughter, subsequently filed for divorce, citing “extreme cruelty”.

Rochelle, who is now remarried, told The Smoking Gun that Charles Ramsey “eventually apologized for battering her”.

There was some indication Charles Ramsey’s attention was prompting some jealousy. A Cleveland television station ran a story quoting Angel Cordero, another neighbor of Ariel Castro’s, who also said he was there helping Amanda Berry on Monday.

“I was there and I was first,” Angel Cordero said, according to WEWS-TV.

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Charles Ramsey interview with WKYC Channel 3

Cleveland’s NBC affiliate WKYC scored an exclusive sit-down interview with Charles Ramsey, the man who discovered missing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight imprisoned into his neighbor’s home.

Charles Ramsey, 43, instantly became famous across the internet after he gave a descriptive and opinionated interview to another local Cleveland reporter Monday evening.

Cleveland’s NBC affiliate WKYC scored an exclusive sit-down interview with Charles Ramsey, the man who discovered missing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight
Cleveland’s NBC affiliate WKYC scored an exclusive sit-down interview with Charles Ramsey, the man who discovered missing Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight

Now, he said he’s just glad the three women got out of captivity alive and rejects the “hero” label that WKYC’s anchors and others have been affixing to him.

Charles Ramsey says he knows he did a “good deed” but he’s finding it difficult to live with the fact that the three girls were being held against their will next door to him for so long. After retelling the story he originally relayed the night before, Charles Ramsey reacted to the internet sensation he has become, with the anchor asking him what it’s like to be “hashtag Charles Ramsey.”

“I don’t even want it,” Charles Ramsey said of the attention.

“They keep saying I’m a hero. Let me tell you something, I’m an American, and I’m a human being. I’m just like you. I work for a living. There was a woman in distress, so why turn your back on that?”

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Charles Ramsey Dead Giveaway remix: Cleveland hero songified

Cleveland hero Charles Ramsey became an internet sensation following the incredible rescue of Amanda Berry, Georgina “Gina” DeJesus and Michele Knight after a decade in captivity.

Charles Ramsey, who heard Amanda Berry’s cries for help and busted open a door to help get her out, then called 911.

Charles Ramsey’s animated 911 call and the interview with a local news reporter recounting the incident quickly went viral
Charles Ramsey’s animated 911 call and the interview with a local news reporter recounting the incident quickly went viral

His animated 911 call and the interview with a local news reporter recounting the incident quickly went viral (and continues to be a top trending topic on Twitter).

Now – as is inevitable in this meme-tastic age – the Gregory Brothers are the best in this area and this remix named Dead Giveaway lives up to their reputation.

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Martin Richard’s family reveal the heartbreaking moment they told daughter Jane she had lost her leg and that her brother was dead

The family of 8-year-old Martin Richard, who was killed in the Boston marathon bombings, has revealed the heartbreaking moment their daughter Jane awoke two weeks after the attack and learned her brother had died.

Jane Richard, 7, lost her leg in the April 15 blast, while her mother Denise, 42, suffered head injuries, her father Bill, 42, was hit by shrapnel and her brother Martin lost his life.

Only her oldest brother, 12-year-old Henry, escaped without injury.

In a statement released on Thursday, the family revealed Jane awoke two weeks after the attack “with difficult questions that needed to be answered”.

“There are not words to describe how hard sharing this heartbreaking news was on all of us,” it read.

Amid the tragedy, the family is celebrating the progress of little Jane, who has now undergone her eleventh surgery to close the wound on her left leg and to eventually prepare it for a prosthesis.

Jane Richard has battled infections in hospital and faces more surgeries after losing her leg below the knee.

“While she has more trips to the O.R. ahead of her, last night’s operation marked an important milestone,” the statement read.

The family of 8-year-old Martin Richard, who was killed in the Boston marathon bombings, has revealed the heartbreaking moment their daughter Jane awoke two weeks after the attack and learned her brother had died
The family of 8-year-old Martin Richard, who was killed in the Boston marathon bombings, has revealed the heartbreaking moment their daughter Jane awoke two weeks after the attack and learned her brother had died

“If things go well, Jane could be ready to transition to the rehabilitation stage of her recovery in the next few weeks.”

Bill Richard is recovering from his shrapnel wound and is hopeful that he will regain hearing he lost from the blast, while Denise is recovering from her surgeries, but is still missing sight in one eye.

Henry Richard has returned to school, “which gives him a needed sense of routine and normalcy”, the statement, which was uploaded to the family’s website, said.

The Richards also took the time to thank members of the public and authorities for their help throughout “our very darkest hour”.

“We want to thank the people who quickly got to Jane and addressed her injury in the street because they saved her life,” it read.

“We also salute those who stood guard over Martin’s body so he was not alone. Those officers will never know how comforting that was in our very darkest hour.”

Jane Richard is believed to have been standing on the marathon fence next to the big brother she idolized when the first of two bombs detonated near to the finish line.

Images from before the blast appear to show Bill Richard, 42, a community organizer, holding his youngest children up on the railings as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev plants his backpack bomb just behind them.

Bill Richard and his son Henry, 12, managed to escape from the bomb attack uninjured.

The bombs, described by experts as makeshift anti-personnel devices, were made from pressure cookers packed with shrapnel and ball bearings to cause the maximum injuries to bystanders.

Police believe they were planted by brothers Dzhokhar, 19, and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26. After their images were released by the FBI, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in an ensuing gunfight with police.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was found hiding in a boat outside a home hours later and was treated in hospital for an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the neck. He remains in federal prison in Massachusetts and is charged with using a weapon of mass destruction.

For updates from the Richard family, visit their blog.

Katherine Russell Tsarnaev hires attorney Joshua Dratel who defended Guantanamo Bay detainees

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Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, the widow of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, has retained legal counsel Joshua Dratel, who has an extensive client roster of suspected and convicted terrorists.

Katherine Russell added attorney Joshua Dratel to her legal team, her Rhode Island-based lawyer Amato DeLuca said on Wednesday.

Katherine Russell Tsarnaev has retained legal counsel Joshua Dratel, who has an extensive client roster of suspected and convicted terrorists
Katherine Russell Tsarnaev has retained legal counsel Joshua Dratel, who has an extensive client roster of suspected and convicted terrorists

New York lawyer Joshua Dratel, whose office in Downtown Manhattan is just blocks away from Ground Zero, previously defended Guantanamo Bay detainees and suspects in the bombings of the U.S. embassies in East Africa.

Katherine Russell Tsarnaev, 24, has been under increased scrutiny ever since federal officials found radical Islamist materials on her laptop, including the al Qaeda magazine Inspire.

Investigators also found traces of explosive residue in the Cambridge, Massachusetts, home Katherine Russell had shared with her late husband Tamerlan Tsarnaev and their 3-year-old daughter, Zahara.

Katherine Russell’s defense team said in a statement that she “plans to continue to meet with investigators, part of a series of meetings over many hours where she has answered questions”.