Snakes on a plane: Smugglers arrested with 40 pythons in their hand luggage
Two men were arrested trying to smuggle 40 snakes onto a plane in their hand luggage yesterday.

They were stopped after airport security officials in Jakarta found the animals when the bags were passed through security scanners

Although the reticulated pythons were sedated, officers still said the reptiles could have caused terror on the flight from Jakarta to Dubai if released - especially among any passengers who had seen Samuel L Jackson film Snakes on a Plane.

Reticulated pythons are not poisonous and kill their prey by squeezing them to death, although a few cases of them killing humans have been reported.

The arrested men, Yaqub Ebrahim and Ali Hasan, are thought to have been trying to smuggle the animals to the United Arab Emirates where they would have been sold.

The pair are said to have told officers that they had been promised a large sum of money for the snakes by the collectors in the United Arab Emirates.


Authorities across south east Asia are seeing increasing animal smuggling.

In December, police at Abu Dhabi's airport stopped a passenger who passed through an Indonesian airport carrying four snakes, two parrots and a squirrel.

Last year a Malaysian wildlife trafficker Anson Wong, nicknamed the "Lizard King" pleaded guilty to smuggling 95 endangered boa constrictors.

An Indonesian security spokesman said:' In the name of flight safety and security, no kind of animal is allowed to be brought onto an aircraft without permission and special handling.

'We usually place [the animals] in the cargo hold instead of the passenger cabin. In this case, pythons are among the animals banned.'

The suspects face up to seven years in jail if they are found guilty.

The reticulated pythons, which can grow up to 20 feet long, have been taken to the animal quarantine centre at Jakarta's Sukarno-Hatta airport.

Source:Dailymail

They left my baby to die in my arms: This mother thought her son had a fighting chance when he was born at 22 weeks... but the hospital staff refused to help him
Holding her newborn son Tom for the first time, Tracy Godwin marvelled at his eyelashes, and counted every precious finger and toe.

After the drama of his arrival at just 22 weeks, she knew she had a little fighter in her arms.

But at a mere one pound, and battling to breathe, he would need all the help he could get. That help never came.

Forty-six minutes later, and despite her desperate pleas to midwives for assistance, Miss Godwin’s son died as she held him.

She has since been told that the hospital has a policy not to resuscitate babies born earlier than 24 weeks into pregnancy.

Yesterday Miss Godwin, who visits her little boy’s grave every day, told how she is haunted by fears she and her partner didn’t do enough to help their baby when the medics around her refused.

‘They put him in my arms and he cried and was wriggling around. I could feel him breathing and see his eyelashes and fingers and toes,’ she said.

‘But I kept thinking, “Where’s the incubator?” We were begging the midwives to do something to help him but no one was saying anything. He was not stillborn, he was trying to live.


‘If they had tried for an hour and said they couldn’t do anything more for him or he was severely brain damaged, that would have been different, but he wasn’t given a chance.’
Miss Godwin, 31, had been due to give birth to her first child on July 8 last year. She and her partner of two years were looking forward to becoming a family.

All went well until March 4 when she developed stomach pain and went to Southend Hospital in Essex. There, she was distraught to be told she was already in labour.

Put into a private room, she spent the next day in bed and was told by a doctor it might be possible to use a cervical stitch to prolong the pregnancy.


But in the early hours of March 6 – 22 weeks and two days into her pregnancy – she was in terrible pain and given the painkiller pethedine. Shortly afterwards she was aware of the midwife breaking her waters. She gave birth an hour later.

‘Because of the drug I wasn’t myself and I keep thinking if I hadn’t taken it and withstood the pain, maybe I would have had more fight in me to demand a doctor,’ she said.

‘We never saw one. It was a disgrace. I just kept crying and crying.

‘My partner was shouting at the midwives to help us but they just left us with Tom. We felt so alone, no one was helping us. I don’t know when, but I was suddenly aware Tom had gone.’

His tiny body was blessed by a priest and the couple went home later that day.

It was only four weeks later when they called a meeting with a consultant that Miss Godwin was given the news that resuscitating her baby was against hospital policy.

‘I just couldn’t believe it,’ she said. ‘I had all these questions about what had happened and why, and was just told: “I don’t know, it’s our policy.”

‘When you are pregnant you do not check what your hospital’s policy is on premature babies. To think he could have had a chance if he was born in a different hospital is just heartbreaking. You just assume the doctors will do everything they can to help you live.’

Miss Godwin said the tragedy led to the couple breaking up some months afterwards.

‘The grief tore us apart,’ she said. ‘We blamed each other for not doing more to put pressure on them to help him. I’m still grieving so much, I visit Tom’s grave every day.’

Miss Godwin, who lives in Southend-on-Sea, is still waiting for an inquest, which can take place only when the hospital submits a report on the incident.

Earlier this month, leading NHS official Dr Daphne Austin said resuscitating babies born under 23 weeks would ‘do more harm than good’ and that the £10million annual cost yielded ‘very marginal benefit’.

Miss Godwin said: ‘We spend a fortune on things like drug addiction. You can’t say £10million is too much when a baby’s life could be saved.’

Sarah Ballard-Smith, director of nursing at Southend Hospital, said: ‘I am very sorry and sad to hear of Miss Godwin’s experience. It is essential to inform the prospective parents regarding the expectation for infant survival. I can only apologise if this was not the case with Miss Godwin.’






Source: Dailymail

Kelly Brook announces she's expecting a baby girl with retired rugby ace boyfriend Thom Evans
Model and actress Kelly Brook has made the surprise announcement that she's expecting a baby girl with her boyfriend Thom Evans - just months since they started dating.

The 31-year-old beauty confirmed the news on Twitter last night revealing: 'Thom and I are happy to announce we are expecting a baby girl. We are delighted XXXX.'

Kelly met 25-year-old former rugby international Thom in November and they have been seeing each ever since.

They were first seen together during Kelly's London birthday celebrations in late November last year at The Dorchester, Mahiki and the May Fair Hotel. This will be the first child for both of them.
A source close to the couple confirmed to Mail Online that Kelly has now had her three month scan and that both baby and mother are healthy.

Kent-born Kelly has been in Los Angeles since the start of January, working on a number of modelling assignments and campaigns, including her swimwear range for New Look and a new collection of trainers that she is endorsing for Reebok.

The curvy star and lad's mag favourite has been capitalising on her increasing profile in the States since her bikini-clad appearance in successful schlock-horror Piranha: 3D last year.

Former Scotland international star Thom is a former teammate of Kelly's ex Danny Cipriani. He joined Kelly in the U.S. shortly after they met and has been taking acting classes, the Mail Online can reveal.

Evans played for the London Wasps with Cipriani from 2004 to 2006.

However, the Zimbabwe-born sports hunk was forced to quit his career as a professional rugby player after he suffered a horrific spinal injury. He is now hoping to become an action movie actor.

Thom, formerly known as the 'pin-up of Scottish rugby' was almost paralysed when he collided with Welsh player Lee Byrne during a rugby union match in February 2010.

Despite a series of operations, he was forced to accept that he would never regain match fitness and retired from the game the following July.

Thom's brother Max still plays for the Scottish national team and the brothers are cousins of Radio Two DJ Chris Evans.

The DJ revealed live on air how he and his family had been keeping the pregnancy a secret for some time.

Kelly split from Thom's former teammate Danny in June last year after two years together. He now lives in Australia playing for the Melbourne Rebels.

She was spotted out on a couple of dates with Glee star Matthew Morrison over the summer and was seen in a cab with comedian Jack Whitehall.

But nothing came of either flirtation and Thom has been her first relationship following her split with Danny - despite the fact that until the announcement of the pregnancy last night, the pair hadn't officially confirmed that they were together.

Kelly has remained friends with Danny and last night he revealed his ex Kelly had told him she was expecting two months ago.

Cipriani said: ‘Kelly told me in January that she was expecting. I’m really happy for her - she will be a great mum.’

Miss Brook’s announcement came after she recently posed nude for a French arthouse magazine.

She also received £250,000 to appear naked in Playboy last year.

As well as her various advertising and promotional campaigns meanwhile, Kelly is gearing up to appear on the small screen back in the UK again this weekend.

Kelly presents Celebrity Naked Ambition, about stars such as herself who have dared to bare on camera before, on Channel 4 on Saturday at 9pm.

She's hoping to bounce back on the nation's screens after she was sacked from Britain's Got Talent following barely a week on the judging panel in January 2009.

The star was given the boot almost as soon as it was revealed she was taking her place on the show alongside Amanda Holden, Piers Morgan and Simon Cowell.

TV said the show's format was too complicated with four judges.

But a lack of a warm welcome is thought to be the real reason behind Miss Brook's departure.

The show's hosts Ant and Dec were reportedly angry about being told of her appointment at the last minute, while Simon and Amanda felt she did not fit in.

The former pop singer Sinitta, who works closely with Cowell, hinted at the time that Kelly had been axed due to her lack of presenting skills and even her onscreen personality.

The 42-year-old said: 'Well, the show wasn't scripted, so she had to be herself.'

A contestant who appeared in front of the panel meanwhile labeled Kelly as 'hopeless'.







Source:Dailymail

'I work out seven days a week... but I still have jiggly thighs and cellulite,' admits Kim Kardashian
Reality star Kim Kardashian has admitted that she still has jiggly thighs and cellulite - despite an intensive exercise regime.

In a new interview, the reality star reveals she usually manages to exercise seven days a week - but says she still has hang-ups about her enviable figure.

And Kim, who was pictured dining out in West Hollywood last night with RnB star Ciara, admits that her weakness is her love of food.

'Of course I struggle with insecure moments,' she tells U.S. fitness magazine, Self. 'I wish I didn't. But I love to eat! Especially sweets.'

'And I'll say it. I think my thighs are jiggly and I have cellulite. Now let's move on!

'Because when I put the time in at the gym, I'm confident. You have to feel good to look good.'

Kim, who is famed for her curves, says her motivation for staying trim is seeing herself in a bikini.

'On days when I need extra motivation, I just think: 'Bikini, bikini, bikini!'' she says.

Whether or not she's motivated Kardashian says she makes it to the gym seven days a week when she is in Los Angeles.

Last year she admitted that she put on weight while she was filming in New York. But she says that her life is different when she is on the West Coast.

She says: 'When I'm in LA I exercise every day, I'm in the best shape of my life.

'Of course, I'm a perfectionist, so there's always room for improvement.

'I lift weights with my trainer, Gunnar Peterson, in the morning three days a week.

'After working out, I see a difference in my butt and thighs and my clothes fit a little differently, too.

'I'm also really proud of how toned my arms are.'

These days Kardashian says she celebrates her best assets.

She tells Self readers: 'Find the one part of your body that you love and accentuate it. 'For example, because I have a small waist, a big butt and thin legs, belts work for me.

'You have to know what looks best on your body.

'Growing up I saw only skinny models and didn't relate. Salma Hayek and Jennifer Lopez prove you can be curvy and proud!'

In the interview, Kim also blasts rumours that she has had plastic surgery, saying that she has 'always had big lips,' and her nose and bum are natural.

'Rumours don't bother me anymore,' the Kourtney and Kim Take New York star says.

'I've read that I've had my lips done.

'I've always had big lips. Look at my baby pictures. It's ridiculous.

'Or they'll show one picture of me today and one tomorrow and say I've had my nose done in between.

'When? Didn't you see me yesterday?

'And how many times have I 'had my butt done'? People's logic is so weird.

'I don't know why they bother! You can't worry about all the gossip.'






Source: Dailymail

Mission managers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Maryland will put the brakes on the NASA spacecraft so it can begin orbiting the closest planet to the sun. If successful, Messenger will beam at least a year's worth of images and other data back to Earth.
Reporting from Baltimore
Fifteen years of planning and 6 1/2 years of maneuvering in space will all come down to one moment Thursday as mission managers try to slip NASA's Messenger spacecraft into orbit around Mercury.

The braking operation, playing out 96 million miles from Earth, will have to slow the desk-size planetary probe by 1,929 mph and ease it into a polar orbit around the planet closest to the sun.

Failure will leave Messenger's managers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab with a fuel tank less than 10% full and limited options for recovery. And that would put the primary goal of the $446-million mission at risk.


But success will open the door to at least a year of scientific discovery, yielding close-up, high-definition images, maps and data from a planet that until now has been observed only from Earth or during high-speed flybys. The earlier visits were made by Mariner 10 in 1974 and 1975 and by Messenger in 2008 and 2009.

"The flybys have been wonderful, but they're really dress rehearsals to what this mission was designed to do," said Sean Solomon of the Carnegie Institution in Washington, the mission's principal investigator.

"Mercury has been comparatively unexplored considering its proximity in our solar system," he said. "It's also a special place by virtue of being the planet closest to the sun."

Orbital insertion begins at 2 p.m. Pacific time Thursday, when NASA will turn its Deep Space Network radio antennas on Messenger to help track the spacecraft and monitor its progress.

At 5:42 p.m., the craft will be turned to firing position, and 30 minutes later its largest rocket engine will begin a 15-minute burn — twice as long as any since Messenger's launch.

If all goes well, Messenger will move into a lopsided elliptical orbit that will take it as close as 120 miles from Mercury's surface and as far away as 9,300 miles.

Engineers and scientists at APL's mission control center in Laurel, Md., will receive tracking data in real time, and hope to hear from Messenger by 6:30 p.m.

The first images from the spacecraft are not expected for another two weeks, after engineers have checked out and turned on all seven of Messenger's cameras and other instruments.

Since Messenger was launched in 2004, it has flown a dozen orbits around the sun, gradually tightening its path, resulting in a flyby of Earth once and of Venus twice en route to Mercury.

Once in Mercury's orbit, Messenger will take high-resolution images of the planet's surface in visible, ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths. It will conduct detailed laser ranging studies, study Mercury's gravitational field, magnetic field and the charged-particle space environment the planet is moving through.





Source: Latimes

A Wi-Fi-only version of the Motorola Xoom is finally hitting stores on March 27 –- but don’t expect to pay any less for the 3G-free tablet.

Motorola announced the Xoom Wi-Fi on Wednesday morning and said the iPad competitor would be sold at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, Sam's Club, Staples and Wal-Mart stores.

The Xoom was first released on Feb. 24 in a Wi-Fi and 3G version through Best Buy and Verizon stores, selling for either $799.99 for the device free of contract, or for $599.99 with a two-year data plan.

The Wi-Fi-only model of the Xoom will sell for $599.99.

Both the Wi-Fi and 3G model and the Wi-Fi-only unit feature 32 GB of memory, a 10.1-inch touch screen, a 1GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM and run on Google's Android Honeycomb operating system. Honeycomb is the first version of Android designed for tablet use.


As of now, Motorola has announced no other memory options or price changes for the Xoom Wi-Fi or the Xoom with Wi-Fi and 3G.

The Xoom is considered by many to be Android's best shot at competing with the Apple iPad, which sold more than 15 million units last year and resulted in a sellout this weekend at many retailers with the release of the iPad 2.

The iPad lineup starts at $499 for a Wi-Fi-only, 16 GB model. A Wi-Fi-only 32 GB iPad sells for 599.99 -- the same price as the Xoom Wi-Fi.

So far, the Xoom is the only tablet running Honeycomb, though many manufacturers such as Samsung, LG and HTC are promising to release tablets in the coming months that will also run the tablet-tailored version of Android.







Source: Latimesblogs

The king of Bahrain has declared a three-month state of emergency, state TV reports, following weeks of pro-democracy protests in the kingdom.

It comes a day after troops from neighbouring Gulf states were sent to Bahrain to help deal with the unrest.

Protesters have blocked all roads leading to the capital's financial centre, the scene of clashes on Sunday that left more than 200 people wounded.

At least two people have been killed in Tuesday's clashes, reports say.

One is reported to be a member of the Bahraini security forces killed in clashes with thousands of protesters in Maamee, state television and the information ministry said.


Another Bahraini was also killed in clashes in nearby Sitra, reports said.
A Bahraini doctor who was at the accident and emergency department at one hospital told the BBC that there were "many, many casualties".

"People are coming in with bullet wounds and injuries caused by rubber bullets. There are hundreds of people," he said. "We received one major case - a man whose skull had been split open by something."

Two other men were in a serious condition after being shot in the eyes, while a third had been shot in the back of the head, the doctor said.

"We were at the health centre in Sitra, and they shot at us. The doctors and nurses were all scared because the windows were being broken and we could hear the shooting. This is a disaster," he added.

He said police and soldiers - both Bahraini and foreign - had seized six ambulances, and then used them to attack protesters.

"The paramedics were kicked out, and they took the ambulances. They went everywhere in them and they were shooting people."






Read More: BBC

Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and other actors filming the upcoming "Twilight" installment "Breaking Dawn" have been forced to evacuate the Vancouver Island beach area in British Columbia.

No one was injured, but the actors were transported out of the region for safety measures.

Filming also has been delayed.

On Friday, Tinsel Korey, 30, who plays Makah Emily Young, Tweeted dramatically: "They're evacuating us 4 a tsumnani warning. If this is my last my tweet. I love you. The end. Hugz.


"If this is the moment. Then I've lived a good life," she later added. "And I'm thankful 4 everything I've been given."

Meanwhile, the cast and crew shooting CBS' "Hawaii Five-O" are fine, as tsunami waves there have not caused any major damage thus far.

Star Daniel Dae Kim Tweeted Friday: "Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. My family and I have moved to high ground. Now we wait..." He later added, "Back at work, bleary eyed & heartsick, but very grateful. As far as I know, everyone is safe. Thx 2 all of you 4 your kind thoughts. Truly."

Jimmy Kimmel, who was vacationing in the tsunami zone in French Polynesia, was forced to flee the area early Friday.





Source: News

Reunited quartet Blue have unveiled the "anthemic" track they will be taking to Eurovision this year, insisting taking part will not be "career suicide".

"We felt quite privileged to be asked," singer Duncan James told reporters on Thursday. "How many opportunities do you get to represent your country?"

Blue will perform the song, I Can, on Graham Norton's BBC One show on Friday.

This year's Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany on 14 May.

Band member Simon Webbe is adamant the track will not receive the dreaded "nul point".

"We don't see this as career suicide even if a lot of people will see it that way," he continued.

"It's a great way to show we are a live group and we are back after 10 years."

The UK has not won Eurovision since 1997 when Katrina and the Waves triumphed with Love Shine a Light.

Last year's hopeful, Josh Dubovie, finished in last place with That Sounds Good to Me, a song co-written by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman.


"People always say the UK aren't particularly liked in Europe and we don't get the points," said James.

"But they're trying to change the block voting so it becomes less political."

"Eurovision is about the music and bringing people together," added Webbe.

"People just want to have fun and I hope the politics doesn't get in the way."

But according to Lee Ryan, it is a "cop out" to blame the UK's mixed fortunes on anti-British prejudice.

"It's nothing to do with being English," he insisted. "It's because we haven't put a good song in for a long time."
At a press event in central London on Thursday, reporters were played the track which the band will perform on a Graham Norton's chat show.

The "anthemic" song, said Ryan, was "a very powerful" composition that was "perfect" for the annual competition.

For fourth member Antony Costa, the chance to win the contest "and bring it back to Britain" would be "fantastic".

"It would be amazing, wouldn't it?" he added, exhorting members of the press to "get behind us and bring the crown home".

The 29-year-old - who was unsuccessful in his attempt to represent the UK as a solo artist in 2006 - said he was "a massive Eurovision fan" and had watched it since childhood.

"As long as we can go out there and give 110%, so all you guys can wake up on the 15th and go 'Blue did a good job', I'll be happy."

X Factor contestants Jedward and last year's winner Lena Mayer-Landrut are among other acts competing this year, representing Ireland and Germany respectively.

Israel's Dana International, who won Eurovision in 1998, is also making a return to the contest.

Graham Norton will commentate the BBC's coverage of the 2011 contest, to be broadcast live on BBC One.



Read More: bbc

A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.

Japanese television showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.

The quake has sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo, with at least 15 people reported dead.

It struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There have been powerful aftershocks.

The tremor hit at 1446 local time (0546 GMT). Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.
A tsunami warning was extended across the Pacific to include the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hawaii, the Pacific coast of Russia and North and South America.

Strong waves hit Japan's Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, officials said, damaging dozens of coastal communities. Kyodo news agency said a 10-metre wave (33ft) struck the port of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture.


Japan's NHK television showed a massive surge of debris-filled water sweeping away buildings, cars and ships and reaching far inland.

Motorists could be seen trying to speed away from the wall of water.

Farmland around Sendai was submerged and the waves pushed cars across the runway of the city's airport.

Kyodo said at least 15 people had been killed in the earthquake and tsunami. It was believed the death toll could rise significantly.
The earthquake also triggered a number of fires, including one at an oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, engulfing storage tanks.

There were reports of about 20 people injured in Tokyo after the roof of a hall collapsed on to a graduation ceremony.

Residents and workers in Tokyo rushed out of apartment buildings and office blocks and gathered in parks and open spaces as aftershocks continued to hit.

Many people in Tokyo said they had never felt such a powerful earthquake.

In central Tokyo, Jeffrey Balanag said he was stuck in his office in the Shiodome Sumitomo building because the elevators had stopped working.

"There's no panic but we're almost seasick from the constant rolling of the building," he told the BBC.

Bullet train services to northern Japan were halted, rapid transit in Tokyo was suspended and some nuclear power plants automatically shut down.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said there had been no radiation leaks.

In a televised address, he extended his sympathy to the victims of the disaster and said an emergency response headquarters had been set up.




Source: BBC

Investigators want to interview former 'sex slave' of disgraced financier
Virginia Roberts confirms she will speak to FBI in bid to 'break the chain'
Prince Andrew, who met Virginia on three occasions, could be quizzed
Government appears to withdraw support for Duke as trade envoy

The FBI is to reopen its investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein following Mail on Sunday revelations about his sexual exploitation of teenage girls and his links with high-profile individuals, including Prince Andrew.

The Bureau wants to interview Esptein’s former personal ‘masseuse’, Virginia Roberts, after she revealed last week that she was recruited as Epstein’s sex slave when she was just 15.

Last night, in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, Virginia confirmed she will fully co-operate with the new investigation, which could have serious implications for Epstein and embarrass Prince Andrew, who she met on three occasions.
‘I will talk to the FBI,’ Virginia said.‘I am anxious. I am still frightened of him because he has so much power. I had to put this behind me.

'But in the end this is not for me. It’s because I’m afraid there are a lot of girls still doing what I did for him, eight years after I left. I want to be the one who breaks the chain.’

The news comes as the Government appeared to withdraw support for the Prince’s role as a trade envoy, with Business Secretary Vince Cable refusing to say whether he should stay in the post.

A source close to the inquiry said the FBI decided to reopen the case because of Virginia’s revelations to The Mail on Sunday last week.



Read More: Dailymail.co

Vinita Nair

Vinita Nair is an American television journalist who was co-anchor of World News Now and America This Morning on ABC, from September 17, 2008 until February 18, 2011. She was partnered with Jeremy Hubbard and later Rob Nelson on both shows.

Nair joined ABC News as an anchor/correspondent for ABC News Now in December 2007. In that role, she anchored live coverage and news briefs for ABC's digital network.


Nair grew up in Colleyville, Texas, and graduated with a degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism, of Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois). She wrote for Today's Chicago Woman magazine, and was a reporter for Talk Radio News in Washington D.C. prior to pursuing television journalism.

Nair began her career in television news at WGEM-TV, the NBC affiliate in Quincy, Illinois, as a general assignment reporter. She also worked for WYCC-TV, Chicago's Public Access Network and the Illinois' Evanston Community Cable Channel. Then she became an anchor and reporter for KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska, where she anchored daily morning and afternoon newscasts.

Prior to joining ABC News, Nair was lead evening reporter and anchor at KWGN-TV, the CW affiliate in Denver. She started at the station in July 2004 and reported on a wide range of topics, including the Jon Benet Ramsey murder investigation and the school shootings at Bailey, Colorado.

Vinita announced on Thursday 2-17-11 that Friday 2-18-11 would be her last night on air at World News Now. Former KDVR Denver anchor Peggy Bunker has been named interim successor.

The 2-18-11 edition of World News Now paid tribute to Nair in each of its three segments, including appearances from current and former colleagues including Jeremy Hubbard. Her legacy was to treat the crew to a hot breakfast on her last day. Also, a brief send-off by Nelson to Nair was given at the conclusion of America This Morning.
Read More: Wikipedia

World News reporter Vinita Nair, co-anchor of ABC World News Now will appear an upcoming episode of the soap opera One Life to Live as a doctor in Natalie’s pregnancy storyline.
“I got to be a soap star for a day,” Nair said during a broadcast.
The episode featuring Nair and Natalie’s labor will air on January 11th.
Watch Nair’s appearance below

Read More: longislandpress

An Oregon man died in the parking garage of a hospital emergency room after suffering a heart attack in his car. Some confusion between police and the hospital apparently caused a delay in care. A congressman is requesting a federal probe of the incident. Find out who.

Not everyone is in the mood to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  If you need a reason to celebrate being single” you could watch “War of the Roses”  or perhaps, “Sleeping With The Enemy” Sometime's Valentine' Day is just not something you want to celebrate. Perhaps you've had a nasty break-up or find yourself unattached as the dreaded holiday of romance approaches. My top ten anti-Valentine's Day movies are just the ticket. If you ever needed a reason to feel good about not being in a relationship, these movies are just what you need to get through Valentine's Day. These are my top ten favorites because they feed the need to laugh or cry, depending upon my mood.
Gary and Brooke have been dating for two
years but the relationship has stalled. He's too immature and she's too controlling, setting off countless arguments. They decide to separate but live in a condo they own together. The pair continuously try to best each other by bringing home dates, throwing wild parties and breaking each other's hearts. Billed as a romantic comedy with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn, The Break Up does not end happily ever after as the pair end up hurting each other one too many times to forgive. PG-13, 2006, 106 mins.
read more

From having to spend the night homeless, being forbidden to have a girlfriend, robbing a store in drag to the longest prison sentence, check out these outrageous arrests and unusual sentences handed down by judges.
Kidney donation condition of parole
The governor of Mississippi has attached an unusual condition to the early release of two sisters, Gladys Scott and Jamie Scott, serving life sentences: One must donate her kidney to the other. The offer is raising a number of concerns. Many believe the sister’s punishment didn’t fit the crime.

Charged for hacking wife’s email
A Michigan man is facing felony charges for reading his wife’s email. Leon Walker found evidence of a betrayal, and the couple has since divorced. Walker could face a serious sentence if he’s convicted.

Man kills neighbor, gets light sentence
Chicago residents are balking after a man received probation for killing his 23-year old neighbor, whose dog urinated on his lawn. Joshua Funches reportedly punched 69-year-old Charles Clements after he was confronted about the urination. Clements then fatally shot the younger man. Clements got a slap on the wrist compared to the maximum sentence for the crime.

Arrested for assisting immigrants
Two students, Daniel Strauss and Shanti Sellz, were arrested for taking three would-be immigrants attempting to cross into the United States to a doctor in Tucson, Ariz. The students worked for an organization set up to prevent deaths of migrants. The two turned down a plea bargain in which they would have to admit their guilt. They opted to face a hefty prison sentence instead.

Convicted for throwing tomatoes
A Minnesota man made headlines last year for allegedly throwing tomatoes at a controversial political figure during a speaking engagement. He was arrested on these charges.

Punished for abandoning kittens
Police found 35 kittens abandoned in an Ohio park and traced the animals back to Michelle M. Murray. Many of the kittens were found sick and later died. Though Murray faced several sentences, a judge handed down an unorthodox punishment.

Lowe’s hacker sentenced
Brian Salcedo was convicted of trying and failing to steal customer credit card numbers from the Lowe’s chain of home improvement stores. Some argued Salcedo’s sentence was too harsh, but he is up for parole soon.

Convicted for glass-eating scheme
Massachusetts resident Mary Evano pled guilty last month to making false insurance claims after purposely eating shards of glass. She and her husband attempted to swindle insurance companies out of a lot of money, but the bills began piling up as a result of the dangerous stunts. She was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution.

Longest prison sentence
The country's longest prison sentence is being served by Dudley Wayne Kyzer, who was convicted of a grisly crime on Halloween in 1976. He was denied parole earlier this year. Kyzer still has many years yet to serve in prison of his record-breaking sentence.

Impulsive robber sentenced
A Michigan woman is headed to prison after robbing a convenience store with this object. Deneitris Pierre said she needed the money for a worthy cause.

Jailed for stealing a beer
Paul Baldwin may not win man of the year, but he takes the prize when it comes to number of arrests. His latest detention came on the heels of a jail sentence for a crime that would have only cost him $1.99. Baldwin’s long criminal history runs the gamut.

Drag queen robber sentenced
Darryl Robinson was sentenced to prison in September for robbing a New Orleans Burger King while wearing a floral dress. But his sentence was no laughing matter.

Man’s love-life put on hold
After pleading guilty to several charges of assault against a former girlfriend, Steven Cranley was handed down an unusual punishment by an Ontario judge. Cranley had been diagnosed with this disorder. The judge gave a specific reason for the odd ruling.

Slumord gets taste of his own medicine
After a two year battle with the city of Richmond, Va., property owner Oliver Lawrence was convicted and ordered to live in one of his own run-down homes for more than a month.
On top of the court-ordered stay, Lawrence was given jail time and fines.

6-year-old sentenced
A 6-year-old boy who didn’t like wearing his seatbelt was sentenced to this school last year after his mother asked a judge to help discipline her unruly son. The child may have learned his lesson after attending this class.

Woman’s diet restricted in sentence
Houston resident Melissa Dawn Sweeney was ordered to be fed only bread and water for three days as part of her punishment for neglecting two horses. The judge also ordered Sweeney to have a daily reminder of her crime. She served a much lighter sentence than the maximum punishment.

Holiday kettle thief sentenced
Two years ago, Nathen Smith, a Salvation Army worker, was ordered to stay anywhere but a house for one night as punishment for stealing holiday donations. Extreme measures were taken to ensure he followed the judge’s orders. Smith, who also spent some time in jail, had this to say about his unconventional punishment.