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Freddie Gray’s Death: Baltimore Officers Charges Detailed

Nancy Clayson
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Freddie Gray’s Death: Baltimore Officers Charges Detailed

Baltimore state prosecutor Marilyn J. Mosby said on May 1st that Freddie Gray’s death was a homicide and his arrest had been illegal.

Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died in police custody on April 19.

Marilyn Mosby has also announced she filed criminal charges against six Baltimore police officers.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for the Baltimore police officers says they “did nothing wrong”.

Lawyer Michael Davey said the officers “at all times acted reasonably and in accordance with their training”.

Freddie Gray’s death sparked violent protests in Baltimore.

Six officers are charged in Freddie Gray’s death from injuries he suffered while in police custody.

State Attorney Marilyn Mosby says the officers repeatedly failed to get Freddie Gray medical treatment after his arrest.

The police officers’ union has said they are not responsible for Freddie Gray’s death.

Officer Caesar Goodson: Was the driver of the van that transported Freddie Gray, and he faces the most serious charges. He repeatedly failed — at least five times — to seatbelt Freddie Gray in the transport vehicle. He faces 2nd-degree depraved heart murder, involuntary manslaughter, 2nd degree negligent assault, manslaughter by vehicle by means of gross negligence, manslaughter by vehicle by means of criminal negligence, misconduct in office for failure to secure prisoner and failure to render aid. All charges carry a potential 30-year sentence.

Caesar Goodson, 45, has been on the force since 1999, and like two others charged in Freddie Gray’s death is black.

Officer William G. Porter: Faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, assault in the 2nd degree, misconduct in office. At one point during the van ride, Caesar Goodson requested help checking on Freddie Gray. William Porter, 25, who joined the force in 2012, responded. Both he and Caesar Goodson checked on Freddie Gray. William Porter, who is black, helped Freddie Gray from the floor to a bench in the van, but neither Goodson nor Porter requested medical attention or put a seatbelt on Gray.

Lieutenant Brian W. Rice: Faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, assault in the 2nd degree, assault in the 2nd degree [second of two similar charges], misconduct in office, false imprisonment.

Brian Rice was on bike patrol when he made eye contact with Freddie Gray on a Baltimore street April 12. Freddie Gray ran, and Brian Rice pursued him. Bike patrol officers Garrett Miller and Edward Nero joined the pursuit.

Brian Rice, 41, is the most senior officer to be charged. He joined the police force in 1997 and was promoted to lieutenant in 2011, police said.

Officer Edward M. Nero: Faces charges of assault in the 2nd degree (intentional), assault in the 2nd degree (negligent), misconduct in office, false imprisonment.

Officer Garrett E. Miller: Faces charges of intentional assault in the 2nd degree, assault in the 2nd degree, negligent misconduct in office, false imprisonment.

Freddie Gray surrendered to Garrett Miller, 26, and Edward Nero, 29. Miller and Nero handcuffed Gray and put him on the ground. Gray told the officers that he couldn’t breathe and requested an inhaler. The two officers, both of whom joined the police force in 2012, sat Gray up and found a folded knife clipped to the inside of his pants pocket, a knife that is lawful under Maryland law. Previously, police have said they found a switchblade.

While Freddie Gray was being transported, Garrett Miller, Edward Nero and Brian Rice took him out of the wagon and put flex handcuffs and leg shackles on him. After that stop, they put Freddie Gray back into the van on his stomach without a seatbelt.

Sergeant Alicia D. White: Faces charges of involuntary manslaughter, 2nd degree assault, misconduct in office. She is the second-highest officer charged in the Gray case. She met the van at its stop to pick up the second person.

Alicia White, 30, was responsible for investigating two citizen complaints about Freddie Gray’s arrest. Alicia White, who is black, joined the police in 2010 and was recently made a sergeant in January 2015, police said.

B.B. King Is in Hospice Care in Las Vegas

Sonia Pantiss
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B.B. King Is in Hospice Care in Las Vegas

B.B. King has revealed he is in hospice care at home in Las Vegas.

The blues legend posted thanks to fans on his official website on May 1st for well-wishes and prayers.BB King in hospice

Las Vegas police Officer Jesse Roybal says an ambulance was summoned on April 30 to B.B. King’s address and a person was hospitalized following what was characterized as a dispute over medical care.

The hospitalization was the second in a month for the blues singer, who was diagnosed with diabetes decades ago.

In October, B.B. King canceled the final shows of his 2014 tour after falling ill in Chicago.

B.B. King has released more than 50 albums and sold millions of records worldwide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otw8IlJN_2g

Royal Baby Name: Charlotte and Alice Top Bets

Lisa.Felice
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Royal Baby Name: Charlotte and Alice Top Bets

Britain’s bookmakers say they have received thousands of bets on the second royal baby’s gender and possible name.

Most people seem convinced that Prince William and Kate Middleton’s newborn will be a girl, despite the lack of any solid evidence to back that up.

All the top bets for the baby’s name are for girls – Alice and Charlotte are the clear favorites, followed by Elizabeth, Victoria and Diana. All of the names have strong connections to royal tradition.Second royal baby name ods

Prince Charles has also signaled that he is hoping for a granddaughter, which led some to speculate that he has some inside information.

The British monarchy has not welcomed a princess born this high up the line of succession for many years.

Princess Anne, Prince Charles’ sister, was born third in line in 1950.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, were fifth and sixth in line at the time of their birth.

Kate Middleton Labor: Duchess of Cambridge Admitted to Hospital for Birth

Lisa.Felice
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Kate Middleton Labor: Duchess of Cambridge Admitted to Hospital for Birth

Kate Middleton has been admitted to a London hospital and is in the early stages of labor, the Kensington Palace has announced.

The Duchess of Cambridge was admitted early Saturday, May 2, to the hospital for the birth of the couple’s second child, who will be fourth in line to the throne and the fifth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II.Kate Middleton labor 2015

Kate Middleton will give birth to the second royal baby at the Lindo Wing of St. Mary’s Hospital In London—the same ward where Prince George was born on July 22, 2013.

In a brief statement, Kensington Palace officials said the Duchess of Cambridge was admitted at 6 a.m. local time Saturday at St. Mary’s Hospital. She traveled by car to the Lindo wing with Prince William.

The baby will be a younger brother or sister to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first child, Prince George.

Royal officials are not expected to provide any more information until the birth, which will be announced on Twitter and Instagram.

That announcement will say what gender the baby is, as well as its weight and the time of birth.

Who Is State Attorney Marilyn Mosby?

Nancy Clayson
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Who Is State Attorney Marilyn Mosby?

Marilyn Mosby is the top state prosecutor for Baltimore that filed criminal charges against six officers in the case of Freddie Gray who died in police custody on April 19.

During a news conference on May 1st, State Attorney Marilyn Mosby said the death of the 25-year-old black man was a homicide, and his arrest was illegal.

Marilyn Mosby announced charges ranging from second-degree murder to assault.Marilyn Mosby Freddie Gray case

Freddie Gray’s death – from injuries in custody – sparked violent protests in Baltimore this week.

Top state prosecutor for Baltimore Marilyn Mosby has been in office since January 2015.

Marilyn Mosby, 35, is an African-American raised in a gritty neighborhood of Boston.

Her husband, Nick Mosby, is a Baltimore Councilman.

In Boston, Marilyn Mosby’s mother, father and grandfather were all police officers.  Campaigning for her job in 2014, Marilyn Mosby said she decided to be a prosecutor when she was 14, the year one of her cousins, was shot to death outside her family home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-AUQ1haAtE

Freddie Gray’s Death: State Attorney Marilyn Mosby Files Criminal Charges Against Cops

Nancy Clayson
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Freddie Gray’s Death: State Attorney Marilyn Mosby Files Criminal Charges Against Cops

Maryland State Attorney Marilyn Mosby has filed criminal charges against six officers in the case of Freddie Gray who died in police custody on April 19.

The state prosecutor said the death of the 25-year-old black man was a homicide, and his arrest was illegal.

Protesters cheered as Marilyn Mosby announced charges ranging from second-degree murder to assault. But a lawyer for the officers says they “did nothing wrong”.

Freddie Gray’s death – from injuries in custody – sparked protests that turned violent.

Marilyn Mosby said at a news conference: “The findings of our comprehensive, thorough, and independent investigation coupled with the medical examiner’s determination was a homicide… has led us to believe that we have probable cause to file criminal charges.”

Celebrations broke out across Baltimore after the announcement. Drivers honked their car horns as people took to the streets with fists raised in triumph.State Attorney Marilyn Mosby Freddie Gray death

Marilyn Mosby said Freddie Gray died as a result of injuries suffered while he was shackled inside a Baltimore police van, but not restrained by a seat belt – as he was legally required to be.

She said the officers failed to provided medical aid to Freddie Gray after he repeatedly pleaded for help.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake said that five of the officers were in custody. The sixth later turned himself in. The officers were suspended after Freddie Gray’s death.

“No one in our city is above the law,” Stephanie Rawlings Blake said.

“Justice must apply to all of us equally.”

The driver of the van, Caesar Goodson, 45, faces the most serious charge, second-degree murder.

Caesar Goodson faces more than 30 years in prison if convicted.

The other officers face charges including involuntary manslaughter, assault and misconduct.

“To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across America, I heard your call for <<no justice, no peace>>. Your peace is sincerely needed, as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man,” Marilyn Mosby said.

Marilyn Mosby said that Freddie Gray was not carrying a switchblade as reported earlier by police, but a legal pocketknife.

The police union defended the officers and said they acted “diligently”. The union called for an independent prosecutor, something Marilyn Mosby said was not needed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-AUQ1haAtE

Nepal Earthquake: At least 1,000 EU Citizens Still Missing

Diane A. Wade
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Nepal Earthquake: At least 1,000 EU Citizens Still Missing

At least 1,000 EU citizens are still missing in Nepal, six days after an earthquake that killed more than 6,000 people struck the country, officials say.

Most of them are thought to have been trekking in the Everest or remote Langtang regions. Many are hoped to be alive but isolated by the quake.

The fate of thousands of Nepalese in remote communities is also unknown.

Nepal has called for more foreign help and humanitarian aid, admitting it was ill-prepared for the disaster.

The Nepalese authorities say the death toll from April 25 quake could rise to 10,000.Nepal earthquake Everest

Nearly 14,000 people were injured in the disaster. Relief and rescue teams have reached most areas but many people remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck during peak trekking season in a country popular with mountaineers. Twelve EU citizens are known to have died so far. Some of them were killed by avalanches, triggered by the quake, that struck base camp below Mount Everest.

The EU envoy to Nepal, Rensje Teerink, said the authorities did not know the whereabouts of some 1,000 other EU citizens.

“They are missing but we don’t know what their status is,” she told reporters in the capital, Kathmandu.

Another EU official, speaking to the AFP news agency on condition of anonymity, said most of the missing were likely to be found safe.

Many backpackers do not register with their embassies in Nepal, which has made it harder to trace them, Reuters reported.

Istanbul May Day Protests: 140 People Arrested After Clashes with Police

Diane A. Wade
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Istanbul May Day Protests: 140 People Arrested After Clashes with Police

Nearly 140 people have been arrested following clashes during May Day protests in Istanbul, Turkey.

Protesters threw stones and set off fireworks near Taksim Square – a traditional rallying point for left-wing protesters.

Turkish police used rubber bullets and tear gas. Twenty-four people, including six policemen, were wounded in the clashes.

Opponents of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have accused him of repressive tactics ahead of elections in June.Istanbul May Day protests 2015

The May Day rally was the first major protest since the Turkish parliament passed a controversial law giving police increased powers in March.

The law widens powers to conduct stop-and-search and detain demonstrators. Much of Istanbul’s public transport had been shut down because of security concerns.

The government had said Taksim Square would only be open to those who came peacefully, not for “illegal demonstrations”.

While Istanbul police said nearly 140 people were detained, activists said the number was nearly double that.

Taksim Square was at the centre of nationwide anti-government protests for weeks in 2013.

On May 1st, tens of thousands of people also held a peaceful march in the capital Ankara.

Ben E. King Cause of Death Revealed by His Publicist

Sonia Pantiss
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Ben E. King Cause of Death Revealed by His Publicist

Ben E. King passed away of natural causes on April 30, his publicist, Phil Brown, has announced.

The R&B legend had not been publicly known to have been suffering from an illness prior to his death.

Phil Brown did not disclose any further details surrounding Ben E. King’s death.Ben E King dead

Benjamin Earl Nelson was born in Henderson, North Carolina, on September 28, 1938.

In the same year, Ben E. King moved to New York as a child and got involved in the burgeoning doo wop scene. He became a member of the group, The Five Crowns.

In 1958, he and his fellow musicians were signed to The Drifters, scoring a string of R&B hits, including There Goes My Baby and Save The Last Dance For Me.

Two years later, Ben E. King quit the group to go solo. His first hit was the ballad Spanish Harlem in 1961.

Later that year, Ben E. King made the US top five with Stand By Me.

Stand By Me, written with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, was named as a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Freddie Gray Suffered Head Injury in Police Van

Nancy Clayson
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Freddie Gray Suffered Head Injury in Police Van

According to local TV station ABC7 News, Freddie Gray died from a head injury in a Baltimore police van.

Citing police sources, ABC7 News said that an injury to Freddie Gray’s head matched the shape of a bolt in the van.

Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spine injury while in police custody, sparking two weeks of protests in Baltimore which turned violent earlier this week.

His death is the latest in a series of police killings in the US which have sparked rioting and national debate.

Baltimore police have admitted that Freddie Gray was not secured in the van by a seatbelt, against department policy, and that he requested medical attention while being transported in the van but was denied.Freddie Gray head injury police van

A footage filmed by a passerby showed a visibly distressed Freddie Gray being handcuffed on the ground pushed into the back of the van. Police said he ran after seeing two officers, who chased him and arrested him when they found a switchblade-style knife in his trousers.

Freddie Gray lapsed into a coma following the journey on April 12 and died a week later.

Maryland medical examiner’s office has refused to comment on cause of death while the investigation is ongoing.

The van transporting Freddie Gray made a previously undisclosed fourth stop while en route to the police station, police revealed on April 30.

Previously, police had said the van made three stops, including one to put Freddie Gray in leg irons and another to pick up different prisoner.

The fourth stop was captured on a CCTV camera outside a Korean food shop.

Ben E. King Dies Aged 76

Sonia Pantiss
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Ben E. King Dies Aged 76

Ben E. King has died at the age of 76.

The R&B and soul singer was best known for the classic song Stand By Me.

Ben E. King started his career in the late 1950s with The Drifters, singing on hits including There Goes My Baby and Save The Last Dance For Me.Ben E King dead at 76

After going solo, the singer hit the US top five with Stand By Me in 1961.

The songreturned to the charts in the 1980s, including a three-week spell at number one in the UK, following its use in the film of the same name and a TV advert.

Stand By Me has charted nine times on the US Billboard 100 over the years – Ben E. King’s version twice and seven times with covers by artists like John Lennon and Spyder Turner.

It was also sampled for Sean Kingston’s 2007 number one single Beautiful Girls.

Earlier this year, the US Library of Congress added the song to the National Recording Registry, declaring that “it was King’s incandescent vocal that made it a classic”.

Ben E. King’s other hits included Spanish Harlem, Amor, Don’t Play That Song (You Lied) and Supernatural Thing – Part I.

LinkedIn Shares Fall After Releasing Q1 2015 Report

Clyde K. Valle
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LinkedIn Shares Fall After Releasing Q1 2015 Report

LinkedIn shares have fallen sharply in after-hours trading after the company reported its Q1 2015 earnings.

The business social network site also said it expected to make between $670 million and $675 million in the three months to June, less than the $718 million that had been expected.

The company blamed the stronger US dollar and costs related to the purchase of the online business Lynda.

LinkedIn announced it was buying Lynda for $1.5 billion last month.LinkedIn earnings 2015

CFO Steve Sordello said he expected revenue contribution from the purchase to “normalize” in the second half of 2016.

LinkedIn’s New York listed stock was down as much as 25% to $188.20 in extended trading.

The disappointing forecasts came as LinkedIn reported that its net loss for Q1 2015 widened to $43 million.

That compares to a loss of $13 million for Q1 2014.

However, revenue grew 35% in the period to $638 million.

LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner described the quarter as “solid” and one in which the company “maintained steady growth”.

Kendall Jenner’s Calvin Klein Billboard Vandalized by KATSU’s Drone

Lisa.Felice
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Kendall Jenner’s Calvin Klein Billboard Vandalized by KATSU’s Drone

A Calvin Klein billboard featuring reality star and model Kendall Jenner was vandalized by a drone piloted by the graffiti artist KATSU on April 30.

The artist’s drone defaced Kendall Jenner’s huge advertisement in New York by spraying red lines across her face. The crime was recorded as it was taking place and posted on YouTube.Kendall Jenner's Calvin Klein Billboard Vandalized by KATSU's Drone

KATSU is known as a prolific artist, vandal and hacker who emerged in New York City in the late 1990s.

Kendall Jenner, 19, who is the newest face of Calvin Klein, only had her billboard installed in downtown New York last week. She even proudly posted an Instagram photo of the massive ad after it went up.

It remains unclear why KATSU targeted Kendall Jenner,

However, KATSU has told publications for some time that he’s wanted to use a drone to spray paint different areas in New York that are, for the most part, unreachable.

Gurrumul Makes US Debut in New York

Sonia Pantiss
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Gurrumul Makes US Debut in New York

Aboriginal singer Gurrumul has made his US debut in the Big Apple.

The blind musician told the sold-out venue: “We love you, New York!”

Dubbed “Australia’s most important voice”, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is performing at several venues across the US.

Born blind, Gurrumul sings in his tribal Gumatj dialect (Yolngu language), spoken by no more than 3,000 people.

The concert was co-presented by music producer Quincy Jones, who has called Gurrumul “unbelievable”.Gurrumul US debut

Quincy Jones’ endorsement is what brought Marc Storey to Wednesday night’s concert (“Quincy knows his stuff”), on a visit to New York from Britain.

“I’m a new fan,” Quincy Jones said, describing the music as “enchanting”.

Gurrumul remained silent between songs, leaving the talking to his collaborator, double bassist Michael Hohnen.

The singer, who lives on the isolated northern Australian island of Elcho, did speak briefly to thank the crowd.

Along with Quincy Jones’ support, Gurrumul has attracted praise from other high-profile musicians, including Sting and Elton John.

Gurrumul plays at the New Orleans Jazz Festival on May 1st, before heading to gigs in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Freddie Gray’s Death: Police Van Made Additional Stop

Nancy Clayson
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Freddie Gray’s Death: Police Van Made Additional Stop

A Baltimore Police inquiry has found that the van transporting Freddie Gray made a previously undisclosed stop while en route to the police station.

Freddie Gray suffered fatal and unexplained spinal injuries while in police custody, sparking two weeks of protests that turned violent earlier this week.

On April 30, there were rallies in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Cincinnati.

A national debate over the use of lethal police force has been going on since the death of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, last summer.

Police investigating Freddie Gray’s death said they found out about the new van stop from a security camera.

Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said: “We discovered this new stop based on our thorough and comprehensive and on-going review of all CCTV cameras and privately owned cameras.”

“This new stop was discovered from a privately-owned camera.”Freddie Gray Baltimore

The new video was filmed by a CCTV camera outside a small Korean food shop.

The shop’s owner, Jung Hyun Hwang told the Associated Press news agency that police officers visited last week to make a copy of the recording – which was later lost when the shop was looted during the riots.

Jung Hyun Hwang said he had not viewed the recording and did not know what it showed.

Investigators have now handed over their inquiry into Freddie Gray’s death to the state’s attorney’s office.

Baltimore’s top prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, will now decide whether to take the case to a grand jury to seek an indictment of any of the six officers involved.

After two nights of violent protests in Baltimore, Thursday was relatively calm. Baltimore is still under a curfew requiring people to be off the streets by 22:00.

Visiting Baltimore, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said the city was “not out of the woods yet”.

“There are a lot of people that have legitimate frustrations that are peacefully protesting and we want to protect those people and their right to express their feelings,” he said.

“But we’re also concerned about their safety because there are other people who just want to cause trouble.”

Freddie Gray was injured when arrested in Sandtown on April 12. He lapsed into a coma and died a week later.

Mobile phone video from a bystander shows two officers dragging Freddie Gray into the van by the arms.

According to the police timeline of the arrest, the van took 30 minutes to take him to the police station, where paramedics were called.

While in the van, Freddie Gray was requesting medical attention which he was wrongly denied, police have admitted.

They also acknowledged that Freddie Gray was not secured in the van by a seatbelt, which contravenes department policy.

A local ABC station, quoting unnamed sources, said the medical examiner has concluded that Freddie Gray received his injuries inside the van, not when he was first arrested.

Previously, police had said the van made three stops, including one to put him in leg irons and another to pick up another prisoner. The new stop makes four in total.

Five of the six officers involved in the arrest gave statements to investigators the day Freddie Gray was injured. All six have been suspended.

A separate investigation by the US Department of Justice is also under way.

Barack Obama Presidential Library to Be Located in Chicago

Nancy Clayson
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Barack Obama Presidential Library to Be Located in Chicago

The Barack Obama Presidential Library and Museum will be located in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago has beaten other two important cities for the president, New York City and Hawaii.

A site for the library is yet to be chosen, but the winning proposal will be “connected to” the University of Chicago, NBC reports.

Barack Obama was a law professor at the university and still has a home on the city’s South Side.

The library will store Barack Obama’s papers and help frame his legacy as president.Barack Obama Presidential Library to be located in Chicago

A formal announcement will be made the week after next, reports CBS.

It says President Barack Obama indicated he was leaning towards choosing his hometown in a recent phone call with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, once his closest adviser at the White House.

He met his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama, when working at a law firm in the city in 1989.

The losing cities also have strong connections to the Obama story – he grew up in Hawaii and attended Columbia University in New York.

The other Chicago bid that completed the shortlist of four was from the University of Illinois.

The 13 presidential libraries – spanning from Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush – are administered by the US National Archives.

Bill Clinton’s presidential library is in Little Rock and George W. Bush has one at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Kate Middleton Labor: The Duchess May Not Go in to Labor Until May 5

Lisa.Felice
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Kate Middleton Labor: The Duchess May Not Go in to Labor Until May 5

According to new reports, Kate Middleton may not go in to labor until as late as May 5th.

Originally the Duchess of Cambridge was said to be due on April 20, and reporters and fans have been waiting at St. Mary’s Hospital in Paddington since April 15 for the birth of the new baby, but it looks like they could be waiting another week.

While Buckingham Palace has not confirmed an official due date for Kate Middleton, 33, the Duchess previously revealed she was due to welcome her baby in “mid-tolate April”.Kate Middleton labor 2015

When the second baby does arrive, the announcement will not mimic Prince George’s arrival in 2013.

While Prince George’s arrival was announced via a press release and an official proclamation, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s second child will make his/her grand entrance on social media.

After sending out an initial press release, the palace will reportedly announce the gender, the time of birth and the weight of the baby on @KensingtonRoyal on Twitter.

San Andreas Promotional Campaign to be Reviewed After Nepal Earthquake

Sonia Pantiss
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San Andreas Promotional Campaign to be Reviewed After Nepal Earthquake

Warner Bros has decided to review its promotional campaign for disaster movie San Andreas following last week’s earthquake in Nepal.

Spokesman Paul McGuire said the film studio wants to ensure it is sensitive to people affected by the April 25th tragedy.

More than 6,000 people died in the 7.8-magnitude quake, and tens of thousands have been left homeless.

San Andreas, which stars The Rock, is set in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in California.San Andreas Nepal earthquake

Its trailer features scenes of Los Angeles skyscrapers collapsing and a massive tsunami bearing down on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

However, Warner Bros will stick to the original release date of May 29th, but will revise its publicity material.

San Andreas promotional materials will now include information about ways in which people can participate in relief efforts.

A planned public service campaign, giving tips on how to prepare for natural disasters, will also be accelerated – with additional information on how to support relief efforts in Nepal.

Warner Bros’ parent company, Time Warner, will also match any donations its employees make to disaster relief.

Trailers and poster art for San Andreas, however, will not be changed, according to Variety.

Warner Bros is not the only studio to reassess its plans following Nepal earthquake.

Universal Pictures is releasing Everest, a non-fiction account of a tragic 1996 expedition, in September.

With 19 people killed on Mount Everest in Nepal earthquake, Universal Pictures is also considering changes to its promotion.

Bill Clinton Visits CDI’s Ngongwa Anchor Farm in Tanzania

Nancy Clayson
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Bill Clinton Visits CDI’s Ngongwa Anchor Farm in Tanzania
Photo Facebook
Photo Facebook

Former US President Bill Clinton is making several stops in Tanzania to visit the sites of several Clinton Foundation projects that are improving the lives of thousands of people across the country.

He visited the Clinton Development Initiative’s Ngongwa Anchor Farm in Tanzania on Wednesday, April 29.

The Anchor Farm Project is a commercial farm in Tanzania operated by Clinton Development Initiative (CDI). Upon taking over the farm, CDI introduced improved seeds, fertilizer, and liming, a spraying procedure that increases soil pH and fertility.

Due to CDI’s efforts, 1,000 acres of crop have been planted and are expected to produce 5-6 ton yields – compared to the 30 acres that were planted in the past. CDI also restored and revamped all of the buildings on the property.

Additionally CDI also supports thousands of neighboring smallholder farmers by providing them with access to quality inputs for maize and soy production as well as training and market access. The project’s farmers have access to improved seeds and to training in advanced agronomic techniques.

Bill Clinton then stopped at the Mtitu School, which runs a demonstration plot as part of the Anchor Farm Project, and greeted smallholder farmers in the Lugalo Village.

The former president then visited one of the villagers, Wazia Chawala, and her son at their home.

Wazia Chawala runs a CDI demonstration plot where she shows other members of the community the techniques that help her increase her output and improve her income.

These visits are part of a larger trip by President Bill Clinton and his daughter Chelsea Clinton that includes Kenya, Liberia, and Morocco.

Malala Yousafzai’s Attackers Jailed for Life in Pakistan

Diane A. Wade
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Malala Yousafzai’s Attackers Jailed for Life in Pakistan

Ten men have been jailed for life in Pakistan for the attack on education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Malala Yousafzai, who was 15-year-old at the time, was shot in the head on board her school bus in the Swat valley in 2012, in an attack that shocked the world.

She was awarded last year’s Nobel Peace Prize for campaigning for children’s rights, despite the risk to her life.

Officials say the ten men, who do not include the man named as chief suspect, belonged to the Pakistani Taliban.

Ataullah Khan, a 23-year-old militant, was identified by a police report at the time of the shooting – but he did not appear in the list of ten men convicted on April 30.Malala Yousafzai attack

They were tried in an anti-terrorist court in Swat.

Also not included in the list of the 10 sentenced, according to an unnamed security official quoted by Reuters, were the gunmen who boarded the bus and shot Malala Yousafzai.

The exact charges the men faced remain unclear.

Pakistani officials believe local Taliban leader Mullah Fazlullah ordered the attack. He is thought to be in Afghanistan.

Malala Yousafzai was treated for her injuries in the UK and currently lives in Birmingham with her family. They are unable to return to Pakistan because of Taliban death threats.

Pakistan’s mountainous Swat valley was ruled by the Taliban from 2007 to 2009.

It was the threat by Mullah Fazlullah to close down schools offering girls’ education that led to Malala Yousafzai’s diary for BBC Urdu, which was written when she was just 11 years old.

The blog, which described life under the Taliban, was anonymous, but Malala Yousfazai also began to campaign publicly for children’s rights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV4xyvzoTdE

North Korea May Be Restarting Yongbyon Nuclear Reactor

Diane A. Wade
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North Korea May Be Restarting Yongbyon Nuclear Reactor

North Korea may have restarted one of its nuclear reactors, satellite pictures taken earlier this year suggest.

According to the Institute for Science and International Security, images of the Yongbyon plant show patterns of melting snow indicating new activity.

Yongbyon’s reactor was shut down in 2007 but was restarted in 2013.

Six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear program have been stalled since early 2009.North Korea Yongbyon nuclear reactor

The think-tank’s report says that its assessment in late 2014 was that the reactor at Yongbyon, in the country’s west, had been “shut down or partially shut down” but more recent images suggested the plant “may be operating at low power or intermittently”.

As well as the patterns of melting snow, the satellite photos are also said to capture a stream of warm water coming out of the reactor’s discharge pipeline and steam rising off the turbine.

In 2008, North Korea walked away from six-party talks with South Korea, the US, China, Japan and Russia on its denuclearization.

The other countries have since tried to persuade North Korea to return to the negotiating table.

Earlier this year North Korea offered to stop nuclear tests if the US stopped holding military drills with Seoul, but the offer was rejected.

North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests, in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI5fgw9T47Y

McDonald’s China Fries Supplier Gets Record Pollution Fine

Nancy Clayson
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McDonald’s China Fries Supplier Gets Record Pollution Fine

McDonald’s China fries supplier got Beijing’s biggest ever pollution fine, state media report.

Beijing Simplot Food Processing will have to pay 3.9 million yuan ($629,000) after its waste water was found to have levels of impurities above legal limits.

The company said it also serves other companies in East Asia.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

IBeijing Simplot Food Processing said it had paid the fine and would take steps to avoid a recurrence.

McDonald’s said in a statement that it took the issue “very seriously” and would be monitoring Beijing Simplot’s compliance. It said it suppliers “must comply with all relevant local laws and regulations”.

A small amount of polluted water had entered the city’s main water pipes, but was not dangerous to the public, a local official was quoted as saying by Jinghua Daily News.

China has been facing international pressure to clean up its environment and an increasing number of local protests concerning pollution.

Toya Graham: Baltimore Mom of the Year Becomes Internet Sensation

Nancy Clayson
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Toya Graham: Baltimore Mom of the Year Becomes Internet Sensation

A Baltimore mother has become an internet sensation after beating her son for throwing rocks at police during Freddie Gray riots in the city.

The woman, later identified as Toya Graham, said she turned on the evening news and saw her son, Michael, 16, on TV throwing rocks at cops in the streets during April 27 riots.

Toya Graham told CBS News of the moment she spotted her son: “I was shocked. I was angry, because you never want to see your child out there doing that.”

“At that point, I just lost it.”

She said she run to the scene, smacked some sense into Michael and half-dragged, half-shamed him back home.Baltimore Toya Graham Mom of the Year

Toya Graham’s actions, caught on video that has since gone viral, earned her praise on social media on April 28 as “Mom of the Year”.

“He knew he was in trouble,” Toya Graham told CBS.

“He said, <<When I seen you>>, he said, <<Ma, my instinct was to run>>.

“I’m a no-tolerant mother. Everybody that knows me, know I don’t play that,” she said.

When asked if hero moms like herself could help curb violence in the city, Toya Graham said: “I think so.”

“A lot of mothers have to provide for their children,” she said.

“As parents, we just have to follow through to make sure that’s where they’re supposed to be at.”

Toya Graham, meanwhile, became a social media sensation – with hundreds on Twitter hailing her under the hashtag “#momoftheyear”.

Pema Lama: Nepalese Boy Rescued from Quake Rubble After 5 Days

Diane A. Wade
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Pema Lama: Nepalese Boy Rescued from Quake Rubble After 5 Days

A Nepalese boy has been rescued after surviving for five days in the quake rubble.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal on April 25 and killed more than 6,000 people.

A huge crowd cheered as rescuers brought the teenage boy out of the rubble in the capital, Kathmandu. The boy has now been taken to a field hospital.

Meanwhile, bad weather is hampering the delivery of relief to remote villages, a Nepal government spokesman said.

The government has been criticized for its response to the disaster.

Outside Kathmandu, the relief effort has relied heavily on helicopters, with mountainous roads blocked by landslides triggered by the earthquake.

In the capital, rescue workers from Nepal and the US worked for hours to free the boy from the rubble of the building.

The 15-year-old boy, named in the media as Pema Lama, eventually emerged blinking into the sunlight, to cheers from a crowd.Nepal Earthquake Pema Lama

He was carried out away on a stretcher with a blue brace strapped around his neck, and has now been taken to an Israeli-run field hospital.

Andrew Olvera, an official from the US Agency for International Development, earlier told the Associated Press news agency that the boy had been trapped between the collapsed floors of the building but was not “too far down”.

Frustration has been growing in parts of rural Nepal over the pace of relief efforts, with some badly-affected villages yet to receive any assistance.

The UN has appealed for $415 million to help provide emergency relief over the next three months. Officials say last week’s quake injured at least 11,000 people.

The UN says more than 8 million people have been affected by the quake and some 70,000 houses have been destroyed.

Despite extensive damage, experts say the number of casualties in many villages was lower than feared because people were working outdoors at the time the quake struck.

In Kathmandu, riot police clashed on April 29 with protesters angry at a lack of transport out of the city and delays in distributing aid. Thousands were waiting for buses to take them to rural areas.

Witnesses said a truck carrying drinking water was forced off the road and protesters climbed on top of it, throwing the bottles into the crowd.

However, there have been some signs that parts of Katmandu are returning to normal.

Some people have decided to return to their homes, having spent several nights in the open. Cash machines have been refilled and some shops and street vendors have once again started trading.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIhf_pP0jZg

End of Vietnam War 40th Anniversary Marked with Military Parades

James J. Williams
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End of Vietnam War 40th Anniversary Marked with Military Parades

The 40th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War is being commemorated with a military parade through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City.

On April 30, 1975, Ho Chi Minh City – which was then called Saigon and was the capital of South Vietnam – was captured by communist troops from the North.

North Vietnam’s victory ended the war in which at least three million Vietnamese died, as well as 58,000 US soldiers.

The re-unification process was completed in 1976.Vietnam War 40th Anniversary

Regiments of soldiers in dress uniform and elaborate floats are slowly making their way through city streets.

Army Lt-Gen Nguyen Quoc Khanh told crowds: “The April 30 victory was a golden turning point for the Vietnamese people.”

Forty years ago North Vietnam’s tanks smashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace, the final assault on the US-backed South.

The North’s victory reunited Vietnam under the communist government after decades of war.

Vietnam War was very divisive in the US as well, as it was the first to be extensively covered by the Western media. It was also the first to be lost by a modern global superpower.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ag-bw4dU8

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