The Last of Us

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Zombie game pop quiz: You've finally found the exit to the abandoned warehouse you'd been scavenging supplies from, but between you and freedom are four shambling infected monstrosities, all keen for tasty man-shaped snacks. How are you going to make it past without ending up as human tartare?

If this was beautiful much any other recent survival horror title, the solution would be easy  accomplish for the trusty military grade shotgun, grenade launcher or plasma cutter as appropriate, paint the walls with rotted brains and waltz across the room, scooping up an assortment of tall-powered ammunition along the way. This isn't one of those games though, this is The Last of Us, and your arsenal right now consists of a brick and a length of drainpipe with some scissors taped to the cease. Good luck, you're going to need it.

Keeping your resources limited is just one of the many things Naughty Dog's latest action adventure gets right  forcing you to think through your approach to all encounter while keeping the tension ratcheted up to 11 generates a level of unease that the genre feels like it's been missing since the early Silent Hill games. It seems an obvious point that a zombie-themed game should be scary, but it's a rare enough occurrence that here it feels fresh.

Then again, it's an injustice to call The Last of Us a zombie game anyway. As in 28 Days Later, these creatures are infected rather than undead, and although they remain consistent antagonists throughout, this game is clearly more interested in telling a story of post-apocalyptic survival than smashing rotten heads, and it's every the better for it.

That's not to say the story spares us the usual tropes  a virulent infection has decimated the population, degenerating it's victims into mindless ravening lunatics and bringing civilisation to its knees, beautiful much exactly as it has a thousand times before across all possible media.

Significantly though, the game keeps the details of the outbreak and the disease itself deliberately vague, recognising that any attempt to explain something that's basically beautiful ridiculous is doomed to failure (Resident Evil and it's ever expanding psuedo-scientific virus nonsense says hi). Instead, The Last of Us makes a conscious effort to focus the story upon the surviving human characters and how they go about coping with the aftermath.

It's a good call, and coupled with the high-quality production, both visually and from the voice cast, makes for a compelling tale.

Starting with a brief prologue which introduces protagonist Joel during the first terrified moments of the outbreak, the game then flashes forward 20 years to a devastated America where the remnants of the population eke out a living in oppressive militarised quarantine zones. For reasons I don't desire to spoil here, the now bitter and grizzled Joel grudgingly takes upon a mission to escort the 14-year-old Ellie across the bandit and monster riddled country, and the rest of the game chronicles their journey.

I know it doesn't sound like much, but it wouldn't be right to go into too much detail, as the story is definitely something you'll to desire to experience for yourself. The growing relationship between the two main characters as they travel from one dangerous situation to the next is a pleasure to follow, and the interplay of Joel's weary cynicism against Ellie's naive enthusiasm and determination makes for a solid narrative device. Add in a well fleshed out supporting cast, from fellow struggling survivors to some deeply awful and unsettling villains, and you'll soon begin to care when bad things happen to these people.

And bad things will happen. The Last of Us doesn't pull any punches letting you know just how bleak its world really is, in both story and gameplay. Quite aside from the bloodthirsty infected tearing people to pieces, Joel and Ellie are prepared to go to extreme lengths to stay alive, and even though the game manages to create caving in a bandits face with a brick feel desperate and necessary rather than voyeuristic, some of the later set-pieces are likely to garner at least a raised eyebrow from even the most jaded gorehounds. It's definitely not one for the children, unless you've a particular desire to see them spend the rest of their lives in therapy.

Underneath the darkness and grime though, the roots of Naughty Dog's previous Uncharted series are clearly gift, not that that should be considered a bad thing. The Last of Us carries over the super-high production values established in Nathan Drake's adventures  the environments are varied and lushly rendered, with large portions of the game taking place in open countryside and forests  a kind change from the usual sewers and abandoned labs (though they're in here too), while character models are equally highly detailed and excellently animated.

The one downside is that, due mainly to the slower pace, the basic linear cycle of explore-fight-cutscene that underpins these games feels a tiny more forced here.

The Last of Us still flows well, with cutscenes seamlessly integrated and virtually no load times between areas, but Uncharted was able to distract attention from its magic of an open world by racing along at a hundred miles an hour, and that doesn't always happen here. There are plenty of times when you'll wonder why you had to open this door and not the other identical one you just passed, or when an place opens out into a large room full of conveniently lid height crates that instantly telegraphs the upcoming fight. It's not a massive issue, but given the lengths the game goes to to maintain suspension of disbelief, it can be slightly immersion breaking.

The combat system is also more-or-less imported wholesale from Uncharted, but thanks to the grittier theme actually feels like a much better fit here. Drake's brand of rough and tumble fisticuffs were always cinematic, if a tiny clunky, and it's a style that fits well with the desperate and brutal hand-to-hand situations Joel often finds himself in. There's plenty of gunplay too, but the combination of limited ammo and tricky aiming makes it always feel risky.

The aggressive AI contributes to this too. Disturb a group of infected and they will all rush to overwhelm you, while bandits and soldiers are fast to attempt and outflank you or flush you out with molotovs and smoke bombs. This means that stealth is most often the way to go, which serves to balance all fight on a tense knife-edge and means the game is ultimately successful at keeping you on the edge of your seat all the way through.

Given the plethora of zombie-based games released in recent years, it would have been easy to see this as Naughty Dog just jumping upon the bandwagon and making Uncharted: The Walking Dead. Instead, the designers have taken influence from the best writing the genre has to offer (The Road, The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later) and elements of some of the best games of recent times (Arkham Asylum, Fallout, Uncharted itself) and melded them into a whole that, despite feeling familiar, ends up as more than the total of its parts.

The Last of Us is visually arresting, mechanically solid, maturely written and by turns heart-rending, tense, unnerving and brutal. Check your ammo. Grab your shiv. Just attempt your best to stay alive.

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CMT Awards 2013

Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert big winners at CMT Awards 2013

--> NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Carrie Underwood's awesome week got off to a roaring begin at the CMT Music Awards.

Underwood won summit honor video of the year Wednesday night for "Blown Away," capping the evening with an emotional tribute to Oklahoma tornado victims before taking the fan-voted award for the second year in a row. Miranda Lambert and Florida Georgia Line were the night's summit winners with two awards apiece.

"The fine Lord has been very fine to me  well, to all of us in this room  for a very long time," Underwood told the crowd after the win.

Underwood  the top winner in CMT Awards history with 10 belt buckles, including four for video of the year  also is celebrating the opening of a Country Music Hall of Fame exhibit and five years with the Grand Ole Opry. She'll close down the Country Music Association Festival on Sunday night. All of this comes less than two weeks after joining the Rolling Stones in Toronto on May 25  the eighth anniversary of her win on "American Idol."

It was "Idol" that gave Underwood her near relationship with fans, and they continue to show up for her.

"It's mad and it's incredible and it's every about the fans," Underwood said backstage before leaning against the wall to chat with Lenny Kravitz. "It still blows my mind."

The night belonged to Lambert and FGL before Underwood's flourish at the finish.

The duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley won breakthrough video and duo video of the year on their breakthrough hit "Cruise," then performed a remixed version of the song with rapper Nelly to close the show.

The breezy, easy-grooving "Cruise" pushed the duo to country stardom last year. Their remix with Nelly moved into the top five upon Billboard's Hot 100 pop songs list this week, making it the scarce country crossover hit and an early candidate for song of the summer.

"That came from the songwriting gods themselves," Hubbard said backstage after the show. "We wrote that song with a couple of buddies a few years back. It started at our house. We watched it go from the living room to the stage to the studio to the radio, and it's just continued to construct. It's been a wild thing to watch."

Lambert won female video of the year for "Mama's Broken Heart" and CMT performance video of the year for "Over You," recorded during the 2012 "CMT Artist of the Year" broadcast.

"I just got a kiss from Lenny Kravitz," Lambert said as she took the stage for her second trophy. "That was an award in itself."

Much of the early focus of the show was upon country's biggest male star, Jason Aldean. Making his first appearance as an awards show co-host, he kicked off the show by playing "American Woman" with Kravitz, got hosting tips from an unlikely cast of characters that included Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Kelsey Grammer, Vince Vaughn, Lorraine Bracco and Luke Bryan.

He also won collaborative video of the year for "The Only Way I Know" with Bryan and Church, who were among the top nominees coming into the show with Lambert.

Lady Antebellum won group video of the year for "Downtown" and took the stage with mommy-to-be Hillary Scott about a month from her due date.

"This is Hillary's maternity gift coming early," Charles Kelley said.

Lambert's husband Blake Shelton won male video of the year for "Sure Be Cool If You Did"  an award presented by Lambert. Shelton was traveling due to his duties as a coach upon TV's "The Voice," so Lambert accepted, shouting, "Honey, I'm drinking for two tonight."

The CMT Awards are rarely focused upon winners of the belt buckle trophy and Wednesday night was no different.

Underwood had the most poignant moment of the night with "See You Again," her tribute to tornado victims in her house state. Swift had the night's most eye-catching performance, singing "Red" with a color guard of flag bearers while playing electric guitar and wearing a red-and-black shorts-and-overcoat ensemble that had a Sgt. Pepper feel to it.

Nicole Kidman with husband Keith Urban joined in as Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum led the crowd at Bridgestone Arena in a "Wagon Wheel" sing-a-long. Hunter Hayes took it outside and walked through a crowd of hundreds before taking the stage, and Bryan performed across the street at Lower Broadway venue The Stage.

And Little Big Town sang Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" as fog enveloped the stage and Urban joined them for an lengthy guitar solo.

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Philadelphia Building Collapse: Woman Rescued as Death Toll Rises to 6

A 14th survivor was pulled from the rubble of a collapsed building in Philadelphia late Thursday night, June 5, 2013. The woman, identified as Myra Plekam, was rushed to the hospital minutes after officials raised the death toll to six people.
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A 14th survivor was pulled from the rubble of a collapsed four-story building in central Philadelphia minutes after officials said six people were killed and at least 13 people were injured.

Rescue workers used buckets and their bare hands to move bricks and rubble to free a 61-year-old girl late Wednesday night identified as Myra Plekam of Kensington, Pa., Philadelphia Public Safety Director Michael Resnick said.

Plekam was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and listed in indispensable condition.

Plekam's rescue came more than 12 hours after the mixed-used building collapsed. Resnick said Plekam was the last person officials knew of trapped in the rubble. Officials caution, however, that there could still be people trapped that the flare department didn't know about.


WATCH: Woman Pulled From Philadelphia Building Collapse

Minutes before the woman was pulled from the rubble, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said one man and five women were among the dead, but did not release their names at a tardy-night news conference.

At least 13 other people have been transported to hospitals with minor injuries, according to authorities.

"This has been a tough day here in the city of Philadelphia but we're a pretty tough city and we're quite resilient," Nutter said.

Fire officials said that 40 percent of the collapsed building yet needs to be checked. Officials declined to say how much longer they will remain at the site to search for potential survivors, but Nutter insisted that the search will continue through the night.


"We did not know and we yet do not know how many people were actually in the store or possibly on the sidewalk or some other place adjacent to the Salvation Army thrift store," he said.

The empty building was in the process of being demolished when an exterior wall that it shared with an adjoining building fell outward Wednesday morning, collapsing into the adjoining two-story building that housed a Salvation Army Thrift Store, where most of the injuries occurred. The thrift store was damaged but is still standing.

Officials at the University of Pennsylvania hospital, which treated five victims, said that they saw mostly cuts and bruises upon victims. At least one victim has already been released, and others were expected to be discharged sometime Wednesday.


"They were a bit stunned, they were saying they heard a loud noise and then the ceiling began falling," Dr. Elizabeth Datner said at a news conference Wednesday. "We saw one individual who had been trapped, but they are all talking and all in stable conditions."

Datner said most of the victims were in the thrift store at the time of the collapse.

The vacant mixed-use commercial building was in the process of being demolished when it collapsed, according to city inspector Carlton Williams. Authorities are unsure how many construction workers were at the site when the building collapsed.

Firefighters were first dispatched to the building at 10:43 a.m. and arrived at 10:45 a.m. to begin working, Fire commissioner Lloyd Ayers said.

Eyewitness Dan Gillis was just working across the street when the building collapsed.



"They've been working over there for about a week now. It was a 30 foot wall, they started pulling on a fragment of steel, and I seen the whole wall just waving back and forth, and as soon as they pulled that out, there was no stopping it," Gillis told ABC News affiliate WPVI-TV.

Roofer Patrick Glynn said he had been watching workers take down the building over the past few weeks, and he said he suspected a collapse was inevitable because of the way they were going about it.

"For weeks they've been standing on the edge, knocking bricks off," he told The Associated Press. "You could just see it was ready to go at any time. I knew it was going to happen."

A 10-block stretch of Market Street, which runs through the city, was shut down for the rescue effort.

Williams said that the building's owners and the contractors had all their permits and paperwork in order and up to date, and the building had no prior code violations.
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Samantha Power, White House's UN ambassador nominee, has 'seen evil at its worst'

President Barack Obama nominates Samantha Power as the new US ambassador to the United Nations in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.
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A self-described "genocide chick" could be this nation's next U.N. ambassador.
Samantha Power  an unrelenting human rights advocate who isn't scared to speak her mind, sometimes to a fault was nominated for the position Wednesday afternoon by President Obama.
If approved by the Senate, Power would replace Susan Rice, who after a controversial tenure at the U.N., has been chosen to replace Tom Donilon as national security adviser.
As an intrepid young journalist, Power witnessed horrors in Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia, winning a Pulitzer Prize for a book on genocide. Later, she worked on Obama's presidential campaign, but abruptly resigned after calling Hillary Clinton a "monster." She bounced back to run the White House's human rights

One thing Power has not done is retain a diplomatic post  and now, the girl who has "seen evil at its worst" has her first shot at one.

Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Fortune
Samantha Power is seen at a FORTUNE Most Powerful Women Dinner at the U.S Department Of State's Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Room on April 30, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Obamas choose was lauded by human rights activists.


"She's an excellent choice," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "She's seen evil at its worst in the time she was in Bosnia. She's very aware of the violent threats to humanity that are posed by determined nefarious forces around the world. These are precisely the nice of threats that she will need to address and encourage the Security Council to address as U.S. ambassador."



Power, 42, was born in Dublin, Ireland, but raised in the United States. After graduating from Yale and Harvard Law School, she spent her early career as a correspondent for Time Magazine and later The New Yorker, reporting from anywhere crises were happening: Kosovo, Rwanda, Sudan.
Laura Pitter has known Power since 1992 and was a journalist with her in Bosnia during the Balkan war.
"She is cunning," Pitter, who is now a lawyer and counterterrorism adviser for Human Rights Watch, said. "I can't think of a better candidate for the position she's been nominated for."


That opinion isn't shared by writers at conservative web magazine American Thinker, who have been writing harsh critiques of Power since 2008, arguing that Power is a "notorious critic of Israel."
"She's problematic. She's made some some very questionable statements regarding Israel," said Ed Lasky, co-founder of American Thinker. "She seems to have a strong allegiance towards United Nations and international bodies, and those have not been organizations that have been favorable towards America or toward Israel."


'Genocide chick'
Power's time as a Balkan war correspondent prompted her to later write a book on genocide. In 2002s "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide," Power explored why U.S. policies have repeatedly failed to end genocide from re-occurring abroad over the last century. The book won Power a Pulitzer Prize the following year, and catapulted her name into political stardom.
"Her greatest affirmation to fame, which I think she even says, is she's a 'genocide chick.' God help us, but that's Samantha," said Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government who has known Power for over a decade and co-authored a book with her.
A Problem from Hell argues that in many countries, specifically Bosnia and Rwanda, the U.S. could have prevented the murder of at least tens of thousands of people, but politicians' judgment got clouded by geopolitical considerations and worries over domestic hold that stopped them from acting. Former U.N. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke once said of the book, "It's very painful reading, but it has to be read."
Power's knowledge of genocide will be applicable to any humanitarian crisis, whether it is officially classified as genocide or not, Allison said. She proved this in 2011 with the crisis in Libya, he said, and he believes she'll be an asset for the ongoing Syrian crisis.



"In many instances, we can do something that actually has a immense effect. It's not like we're spending too much blood or cherish," he said.

Power has known Obama since he was a senator; she joined his office in 2005 as a foreign policy fellow, taking a year off from teaching at Harvard to work for him. He had sought her out after reading her book.
Six years later, in March of 2011, as the Libyan human rights disaster was escalating, Power was serving upon the Obama's National Security Council as special assistant to the president and senior director running the office of multilateral affairs and human rights.

She encouraged Obama to use military force in Libya, and a no-soar zone was established. Failure to set up a no-soar zone would have been extremely chilling, deadly and indeed a stain on our collective conscience, Power told a crowd at Columbia University in New York in March 2011, reported The New York Times. 

"Libya's a good case, where we wouldn't intervene on the ground and bleed and execute people," Allison said. "Samantha's job at the NSC was to attempt to profit those dimensions integrated at the high table when people were trying to figure out what to do."

Power, who generally keeps a low profile  neither she nor her husband, legal scholar Cass Sunstein, returned demand for comment for this story  had a moment of infamy on Obama's 2008 campaign trail.

The Hillary moment

Serving as a foreign policy aide to Obama's campaign at the time, Power called Hillary Clinton a "monster" while under the impression that she was speaking off the record to a Scottish newspaper. 

"We f***ed up in Ohio," she told The Scotsman newspaper. "In Ohio, they are obsessed and Hillary is going to town on it, because she knows Ohio's the only place they can win.

"She is a monster, too  that is off the record  she is stooping to all," she said.

She resigned from the Obama campaign shortly after the remarks were printed.

I extend my deepest apologies to Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and the remarkable team I have worked with over these long 14 months," Power said in a statement.

Power lives with her husband, legal scholar Cass Sunstein, and their son Declan in Washington, D.C. Neither Power nor Sunstein returned demand for comment for this story.

"She's never held a diplomatic post, so this is a huge step up for her. But she has the personal skills. That's a genuine contribution that she'll make. She will put the time and effort in to retain the friendly relations with the other ambassadors, which in a moment of crisis will make a difference and can be very important for getting things done," Roth, the Human Rights Watch executive director, said.

Even if she doesn't have the formal background, she has the important skills that will let her succeed."

Following her nomination on Wednesday, Power got a nod of hold from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

"I believe she is well-qualified for this important position and hope the Senate will move forward upon her nomination as soon as possible," he said in a statement.

Roth said he's not worried about slips-of-the-tongue like the "monster" comment after four years in the White House, which have made Power a seasoned professional.

In her role as U.N. ambassador, Rice generated controversy days after an attack at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, upon Sept. 11, 2012, killed four Americans. Appearing upon NBC's "Meet The Press," she said the attack had begun as a spontaneous protest against an anti-Islam film, rather than a terrorist attack.

Bruins go extra long, shove Penguins to brink

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BOSTON  As it turned it out, the angst over goaltending in the city of Pittsburgh was directed toward the wrong puck stopper.

The debate was about which Pittsburgh goalie should begin Game 3, but the Penguins' real problem was their inability to solve Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask.

The Finnish goalie made 53 saves to outduel Tomas Vokoun and guide the Bruins to dramatic 2-1 double-overtime win that puts the No. 1-seeded Penguins on the verge of elimination in the Eastern Conference finals.

"He's really giving us the saves we need, the energy and the momentum that we need in order to do the job in front of him," said Bruins center Patrice Bergeron.

Bergeron scored the game winner at 15:19 of the fifth period to end the longest Bruins' game since the 1990 Stanley Cup Final.


BOX SCORE: Bruins 2, Penguins 1 (2OT)

"At five periods, everyone is weary," Rask said. "But it's more of a mental challenge."

The Bruins, up 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, can complete the sweep with a win Friday in Game 4 (8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network).

The Penguins came into the series as the league's hottest scoring playoff team, averaging 4.27 goals per game, but the Bruins have limited them to two goals in approximately 11 full periods.

MORE: Campbell kills penalty on broken leg

The Bruins killed all six Pittsburgh power plays in Wednesday's game, dropping the Penguins to 0-for-12 in the series.

"It was hard-fought all over the ice, and we threw a lot at them," said Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma. "We threw a lot at them in regulation, we threw 50-plus shots, and we played exactly how we wanted to play, just couldn't locate the second goal."

Rask has stopped 108 of 110 Penguins shots for a .981 save percentage.

SCHEDULE: Dates, results and TV

"He has been our most consistent player all year long, and he just proved that again," said Bruins forward Chris Kelly.

Rask stopped 10 shots by Evgeni Malkin, eight by defenseman Kris Letang and seven by James Neal. Chris Kunitz got the only shot past him, tying the game 1-1 at 8:51 of the second period. David Krejci had given Boston a 1-0 lead 1:42 into the game.

The game-winning play started with 41-year-old Jaromir Jagr winning a puck fight against Malkin.

"He's a lovely strong individual," Rask said.

Bergeron said Jagr's play was indeed the blaze-starter




"He's pretty much a legend," Bergeron said. "He's a boy who is going to be in the Hall of Fame at some point, and he's doing the tiny thing right there just to fight for the puck."

Jagr got the puck to Brad Marchand, who got the puck to Bergeron. Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik was draped over Bergeron, who yet got the shot away.

The shot beat Vokoun, who was solid with 38 saves after being pulled in Game 2.

"That's the playoffs," said Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. "That's how it works sometimes. I thought we deserved better, but they found a way to profit the gigantic one in overtime."


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Paris Jackson is 'physically fine'

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Michael Jackson's teen daughter, Paris Jackson, was hospitalized early Wednesday morning in what is being described as a "possible suicide attempt."

Paris was taken out of her Calabasas, Calif., family house on a stretcher at around 2 a.m., reports TMZ, and taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

The 911 call came in at 1:27 a.m., reports TMZ, noting that the caller said it was a possible overdose.


But the King of Pop's ex-wife and Paris' mother, Debbie Rowe, tells Entertainment Tonight that Paris, 15, was "rushed to the hospital with cuts on her wrist." Rowe tells ET that Jackson has had "a lot going on (lately)."

UPDATE, 2:30 p.m. ET: Katherine Jackson's lawyer, Perry Sanders, tells USA TODAY: "Being a sensitive 15-year-old is hard no matter who you are. It is especially hard when you lose the person closest to you. Paris is physically fine and is getting appropriate medical attention. Please respect her privacy and the family's privacy."

Paris recently rekindled her relationship with Rowe, and has been spending time with her for the first time since Michael and Debbie divorced in 1999. Mom and daughter were spotted celebrating Paris' 15th birthday at Ahi Sushi in Studio City, Calif., upon April 3.



ET also reports that the teen was ticked off about not being able to go to a June 6 Marilyn Manson concert.

Rowe's lawyer, Eric George, issued a statement to USA TODAY that said, "We appreciate everyone's thoughts for Paris at this time and the respect for the family's privacy."

CNN says two sources are confirming the story, with one source, who was at the hospital, adding, "She's going to be OK."



Paris' Twitter page is filled with cryptic and eerie tweets of late. The most recent one is: "yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away now it looks as though they're here to stay."

Michael Jackson died upon June 25, 2009.
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George Zimmerman judge denies anonymous witnesses at trial

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Latest updates from the hearing
10:52 a.m. - Judge Nelson has returned from recess. IT director-turned-whistleblower Ben Kruidbos is scheduled to testify.

Martin family attorney Ben Crump releases a statement on the use of expert voice analysis testimony in trial:

"It is ridiculous for the Zimmerman defense team to argue that expert voice analysts should not be permitted to testify at the trial when George Zimmerman himself stated the voice crying for help on the 911 recording 'doesn't even sound like me.' Zimmerman made this statement in his interview with Detective Chris Serino upon Feb. 02/29/12 just 3 days after the tragic killing of Trayvon Martin. Expert voice analysis is critical to assist in identifying the voices upon the 911 tape."

10:40 a.m. - The next scheduled witness is White's client, IT director Ben Kruidbos. Court is in a 10-minute recess.

10:30 a.m. - White says he would never create up any information presented to court. He restates he is here because of the oath he took when he joined the Florida Bar in 1979. White's testimony is finished.

10:20 a.m. - Defense attorney Mark O'Mara begins questioning White, who says bias is not a factor in his allegation that the state withheld evidence.

10:10 a.m. - Wesley White says he has not ruled out running against his former boss, Angela Corey, in the next election for state attorney, saying he hasn't made up his mind. White says he came forward upon this issue out of his "obligation as an officer of the court," and had nothing to do with an alleged bias against Corey.

White says he was glad with his time in Corey's office, calling it a wonderful opportunity to work there. He adds, "You know what 'assume' stands for, don't you? 'Make an a** out of "u" and me'?"

10 a.m. - White clarifies that the pictures he claims the state did not turn over to the defense in a timely manner included photos of a gun, drugs and Trayvon Martin with an underage female. He also said there were texts regarding the "purchase and sale of a firearm." De la Rionda asks White if he asked why the IT director came forward. White says no.

During White's testimony, Martin family attorney Natalie Jackson arrived in the courtroom.

9:50 a.m. - Wesley White says he is representing an IT director who notified him about the pictures that White says the state withheld from Zimmerman's defense.

9:40 a.m. - The state argues Wesley White may be biased against the prosecution from his time working for the state. Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asks White if he wanted to handle the Trayvon Martin case publicly. White's answer: He wanted all case.

9:30 a.m. - MOTION DENIED: Witnesses may not be anonymous during trial.

Next motion: Defense's demand for sanctions against the state. Wesley White, a former prosecutor who worked under state attorney Angela Corey, takes the stand to testify. White resigned from Corey's office last year. At an earlier hearing, White testified that he contacted the defense to say them that the state had not turned over photos from Trayvon Martin's cell phone, including pictures of a gun, Trayvon with an underage female, and what White identified as "drugs."

9:20 a.m. - Media attorney Scott Ponce argues against anonymous witnesses, saying there has not been an evidentiary hearing to show why a witness should be anonymous, and the defense has not provided any basis for using a screen to hide witnesses. Prosecutors also say a screen for some witnesses could be "dreadful or confusing" to the jury.

9:10 a.m. - First issue: Defense's demand for anonymous witnesses. Mark O'Mara says there are a "very few number of witnesses" who need to stay anonymous during the trial. He recommends a physical screen could be used to protect witness IDs. A media attorney, Craig Fugate, argues courts are public, including witness IDs "unless there are very compelling reasons."

9 a.m. - George Zimmerman is in court for what may be the final hearing before jury selection begins June 10. State attorney Angela Corey is in the front row for the hearing. -->

Mel B spends her 38th birthday frolicking on the beach with husband Stephen Belafonte

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Stephen made sure that not an inch of Mel's flesh was left uncovered and paid particular attention to her bottom.
Mel looked far younger than her years in the shining red bikini and showed off a figure that is the envy of women half her age.
As well as ample curves, the Spice Girl has a super-toned stomach and gym-honed limbs.



Doing a diligent job: The film producer made definite that Mel was completely covered in the oil paying particular attention to her derriere



Who can blame him: It seems that Stephen couldn't save his hands off his pretty wife as they soaked up the sunshine in Malibu



Mel made plenty of effort for her birthday at the beach last Wednesday, dressing up for the occasion with freshly styled hair and lashings of create-up.
Ignoring the soaring temperatures Melanie sported heavy eye create-up including dark brown eyeshadow, thick liner and piles of mascara.
Stephen and Mel may have been married since 2007 but seemed like a young couple enjoying the honeymoon stage of their relationship during their day out.



Kiss of gratitude: Stephen was rewarded for his efforts in spoiling Mel when she gave him a big smooch

 

And while Stephen couldn't save his hands off his wife, it seems he also couldn't resist indulging in some PDA.
The couple were seen smooching as they toasted Mel's birthday together.



Well it is a celebration! Mel and Stephen were seen sharing a bottle of champagne as they strolled along the sand

 

Red warm siren: Mel wore a shining red bikini and gold detailing that showed off her impressive shape



Mel recently spoke out about why she prefers America's Got Talent to The X Factor and said: 'Because you can be watching a good singer and then youre watching 30 people on stage doing clogging and then watching a magician making something disappear.'
'I mean, it really is that diverse. I think it is just more entertaining when it is every around, and you just don't know what to expect.'
Speaking about her fellow judges she told SheKnows.com: 'Me and Heidi (Klum) have known each other for awhile, but Howard (Mandel) and I actually met when I went on his show 16 years ago, and I found him completely inappropriate, which I absolutely love.'



Celebrate! Stephen made Mel giggle as he sprayed the champagne into the air



Chillaxing: Mel was seen putting down a towel to lie down own as she made the most of soaring temperatures



Bit made up for the seashore! Mel wore lashings of make-up for her birthday and even had her hair styled for the occasion



Can't resist: Mel couldn't gain a moment's peace and was soon joined by her husband as she sunbathed


Having a splashingly good time: Mel was seen running around on the sand

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Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay expecting first child together

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Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay, who co-star on Lifetime's "The Client List," are expecting their first child.
In a statement released Tuesday by Hewitt's publicist, the couple said: "This is a fabulous time and we are looking forward to starting our family together."
The 34-year-old actress was previously engaged to Scottish actor Ross McCall.
Hallisay, also 34, was a recurring character on the first season of "The Client List." He became a regular this season.
He also appeared upon the CW series "Privileged."
Us Weekly first reported the news.




The couple began dating 15 months ago after reconnecting on the set of their hit Lifetime show; they previously appeared on the short-lived NBC series Love Bites. Hewitt was previously engaged to Scottish actor Ross McCall, whom she began dating in 2005. They called it quits in late 2008 and Hewitt went on to date her Ghost Whisperer costar Jamie Kennedy from 2009 to 2010.

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Hall of Fame DE Deacon Jones dead at 74

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David "Deacon" Jones, the original sackmaster, has died, the Washington Redskins announced early Tuesday morning.

The Hall of Fame defensive end credited with terming the word sack for how he knocked down quarterbacks, was 74. The Washington Redskins said that Jones died of natural causes at his house in Southern California upon Monday night.

"Deacon Jones was one of the greatest players in NFL history. Off the field, he was a true giant," said Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, whose father, George, coached Jones with the Los Angeles Rams. "His passion and spirit will continue to inspire those who knew him. He was a cherished member of the Allen family and I will always consider him my huge brother."

Said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell: "He was an icon among the icons. Even with his fellow Hall of Famers, Deacon Jones held a special status. He was a hard-charging football player and the original bag artist who coined the term. He is warmly regarded by his peers not only as one of the greatest players in NFL history but also for his tremendous influence and sense of humor.

"Deacon Jones will be missed but always remembered. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Elizabeth and the entire Jones family."

Because sacks didn't become an official statistic until 1982, Jones' total is uncertain. His impact as a premier pass rusher and team leader is not.


Jones was the leader of the Rams' Fearsome Foursome unit from 1961-71 and then played for San Diego for two seasons before finishing his career with the Redskins in 1974. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and made the league's 75th anniversary all-time squad.

"Deacon Jones has been the most inspirational person in my football career," said former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood.

Jones made the Pro Bowl all year from 1964-70 and played in eight overall. He combined with fellow Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, Rosey Grier and Lamar Lundy on a defensive line that at times was unblockable.

Olsen died in March 2010 at age 69 and Lundy died in February 2007 at 71. Grier, who is 80, is the only surviving member of the Fearsome Foursome.

George Allen, who coached the Fearsome Foursome, called Jones the "greatest defensive stop of modern football." The Allen family had Jones present George Allen for his Hall of Fame induction in 2002.

The Rams' stats show Jones with 159 1/2 sacks for them and 173 1/2 for his career  all unofficial, of course. Jones also was one of the most durable players, missing just five games in his 14 pro seasons.

A 14th-round draft pick in 1961 out of Mississippi Valley State, which later produced Jerry Rice, Jones was the first defensive lineman with 100 solo tackles, reaching that mark in 1967.

"The thing we've got to recall being players in this era is to really respect the game 'back when,' because those guys could really play," said Chris Long of the Rams, whose father, Howie, also is in the Hall of Fame. "Deacon Jones is a perfect example. This whole league and everybody in this game should honor the past and the players who played in that era. Those guys paved the way for us."

Jones also had several small acting roles both during and after his playing career. He was a guest star on a handful of television shows  including episodes of "Bewitched," ''The Brady Bunch" and "The Odd Couple"  and appeared in the 1978 Warren Beatty film "Heaven Can Wait."

Most recently, Jones was the CEO of his own foundation, which he began in 1997. He also made several trips to visit troops upon active duty in the Middle East.
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Ohio State's Gordon Gee to retire

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COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State president Gordon Gee abruptly announced his retirement Tuesday after he came under fire for jokingly referring to "those damn Catholics" at Notre Dame and poking fun at the academic quality of other schools.

Ohio State called his words unacceptable and said it had placed Gee on a "remediation plan" to change his behavior.

Gee, 69, said in a teleconference that the furor was only part of his decision to retire, which he said he had been considering for a while. He said his age and the begin of a long-term planning process at the university were also factors.

More from ESPN.com
The attention that Gordon Gee needed was ultimately his undoing as Ohio State president, writes Ivan Maisel. Story

He was always there to meet recruits and got rant reviews from coaches. But it's safe to assume Ohio State and its athletic department will be good without Gordon Gee calling the shots, writes Austin Ward. Blog

"I live in turbulent times and I've had a lot of headwinds, and so almost every occasion, I have just moved on," he said. Gee explained away the abrupt timing by saying he was "quirky as hell" and hated long transitions.

He also said he didn't regret the way he conducted himself as a higher education leader.

"I have regrets when I have said things that I shouldn't have said, but I have no regrets about having a sense of humor and having a thick skin and enjoying life," Gee said.

According to a recording of a Dec. 5 meeting obtained by the AP below a public records demand, Gee, a Mormon, said Notre Dame was never invited to join the Big Ten athletic conference because "you just can't trust those damn Catholics."

Gee also took shots at schools in the Southeastern Conference and the University of Louisville, according to the recording of the meeting of the school's Athletic Council.

Gee apologized when the comments were disclosed, saying they were "a poor attempt at humor and entirely inappropriate."

His decision to retire was earlier reported by The Columbus Dispatch.

Robert Schottenstein, who as chairman of the university's board of trustees condemned the remarks last week as "wholly unacceptable" and "not presidential in nature," deflected questions about whether Gee had been forced out by the board.

"It's really about a decision to retire for the reasons that Gordon has articulated," Schottenstein said.

Ohio State, one of the biggest universities in the nation, with 65,000 students, named provost Joseph Alutto as interim president.

Gee, a familiar figure on campus with his bowties and owlish eyeglasses, has repeatedly gotten in trouble over the years for verbal gaffes. Tuesday's news lit up Twitter, with numerous posts using the hashtag #savethebowtie.

Ohio State trustees learned of Gee's latest remarks in January and created the remediation plot. In a March 11 letter, the trustees warned any repeat offenses could lead to his firing and ordered him to apologize to those he offended. But it appeared that several of Gee's apologies came only in the last week or so as the school prepared to answer to the AP's inquiries.

Gee said Tuesday he waited until recently to apologize in person to the Notre Dame president, Rev. John Jenkins, because they had a long-scheduled meeting. Schottenstein said the board was satisfied with Gee's response to the letter.

On Monday, Gee withdrew as Saturday's commencement speaker at a Catholic high school in Columbus, saying he wanted the focus to remain on the students.

In the recording of his meeting with the Athletic Council, Gee said that the summit goal of Big Ten presidents is to "make definite that we have institutions of like-minded academic integrity. So you won't see us adding Louisville." After laughter from the audience, Gee added that the Big Ten wouldn't add Kentucky, either.

When asked by a questioner how to respond to SEC fans who say the Big Ten can't count because it now has 14 members, Gee said: "You say the SEC when they can learn to read and write, then they can figure out what we're doing."

Notre Dame and the SEC had no comment on Gee's retirement.

Gee also came below blaze in 2011 for some offhand remarks he made during a scandal on football coach Jim Tressel's watch. Asked whether he had considered firing Tressel, Gee said: "No, are you kidding? Let me just be very determined: I'm just hopeful the coach doesn't dismiss me."

Tressel, later forced out by the university, said in a statement Tuesday it had been an honor to work with Gee.

Last year, Gee apologized for saying that coordinating the school's many divisions was like running the Polish army, a remark that a Polish-American group called bigoted.

In 1992, in a moment of frustration over higher-education funding, Gee referred to then-Gov. George Voinovich as "a damn dummy." Voinovich said Tuesday there were no difficult feelings and he considered Gee one of his best friends.

Gee didn't edit himself much Tuesday during a teleconference announcing his retirement, joking about the imposition of "this damn telephone call."

"I've only got a month to ruin the university," he quipped. "I've got to gain at it."

Gee was named the country's best college president in 2010 by Time magazine. He has held the top job at West Virginia, Colorado, Brown and Vanderbilt. He was Ohio State president from 1990 to 1997 and returned in 2007. He makes about $1.9 million a year in base pay, retirement benefits and other compensation.

He is a prolific fundraiser and is leading a $2.5 billion campaign at Ohio State. He is omnipresent upon campus, attending anything from faculty awards events to dormitory pizza parties.

Allison Roda, 22, one of many Ohio State students stunned by the news, lamented she'd have to graduate without him.

"This is just so upsetting. He just represents anything good about college life," Roda, a fifth year senior from Broadview Heights in suburban Cleveland, said as she walked upon Ohio State's giant green dubbed the "Oval." She said she is a Catholic who considered attending Notre Dame and she wasn't offended by Gee's remarks.

Gov. John Kasich praised Gee upon Tuesday as "a tremendous partner in transforming Ohio's fragmented higher education system into one better focused upon fueling Ohio's economic recovery and helping students meet their goals."

The president of the American Council upon Education said Gee, who is a board member, left an "indelible mark" upon each institution he served.

"He is an iconic leader, unparalleled in skills and widely respected among presidents, chancellors, policymakers and business leaders at both the state and federal levels," ACE president Molly Corbett Broad said in a statement. -->

Google bans porn on Google Glass

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(CNN) -- On Monday morning, the first porn app for Google Glass was announced. Unfortunately, the app violated the most recent additions to Google's developer policies for the futuristic eyewear, which ban sexually explicit material.
The pornographic app for Glass was released by MiKandi, an adult app store that has a successful Android app store for adult apps. Using the application, Google Glass wearers could look at photos and watch videos filmed using Google Glass. The company wanted to expand from first-person point of view videos to one-on-one interactions between adults who both have Glass.
Now it seems that business plot will need to be altered.
Google added a new section to its developer policies for Google Glass late last week that prohibits apps from delivering sexually explicit content.
 Did Apple's CEO dis Google Glass? Going gaga for Google Glass Don't bring Google Glass to Vegas
"Our policies make it positive that Glass does not let Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. Any Glassware that violates this policy will be blocked from appearing upon Glass," a Google spokesperson said. The similar section promises harsh penalties for any app featuring child pornography. Google also bans gratuitous violence, despise speech and gambling upon Glass.
The connected Glass headset features a little screen above the right eye that can display Internet content. The device is nevertheless in beta mode and is not expected to go upon sale to the general public until late this year or early 2014.
More than 10,000 people have visited the landing page for the porn app, and a dozen Glass owners have signed up with the app, MiKandi CEO Jesse Adams said in a blog post.
He said the company made definite it was following the Google Glass developer terms when it started creating the app two weeks ago, but those rules were changed by Google just before the app's launch. MiKandi will comply with the new rules, and plans upon rolling out a new app that anyhow doesn't include any of the prohibited content.
"Although the app is yet live and people are using it, at this point we must make changes to the app in order to comply with the new policies. Expect to look changes to the application tomorrow," Adams said in a blog post.
This is not the first time the adult company has gone up against Silicon Valley giants.
In 2011, Apple sent the company a stop and desist letter for using the phrase "app store" in its tagline. It has also had apps rejected from the iOS and Android app stores before.
Google Glass is a completely new product, and the public is yet figuring out how and if it will be used. The company is working hard to avoid a sullied reputation for the wearable computer before it it is publicly released.
How it feels to wear Google Glass -->

Bruins keeping things in check

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PITTSBURGH -- The last thing the Boston Bruins desire to hear right now is any mention of their 2011 Stanley Cup championship.

After the Bruins dominated the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 6-1 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night at Consol Energy Center to take a 2-0 series lead, it's hard not to think Boston is playing the same way it did when it hoisted the Cup for the first time in 39 years two seasons ago.

Don't even attempt to mumble that notion around the 2013 version of the Bruins.


With the Bruins having won Games 1 and 2 in Pittsburgh, do you think they will sweep the Penguins?

 Yes
 No

"It's nothing like 2011," said an almost-angry Brad Marchand, who scored two goals Monday night. "It's a completely different playoffs. It's a completely different team. We just desire to make determined we play difficult all game and hope for the best."

The Bruins have outscored the previously potent Penguins 9-1 in the first two games, which is almost inconceivable given the talent on the Pittsburgh roster. The Bruins have simply played their style of hockey and the Penguins haven't been able to answer.

At this point, it's also difficult to believe that Boston was considered the underdog prior to the series.

"We're not really worried about what's said outside of the room," Marchand said. "We know we have a good team and we just desire to compete difficult all game and give ourselves an opportunity to win. The Penguins are an amazing team and we definitely have a battle ahead of us."

The Bruins couldn't have asked for a more complete game. In addition to the explosive offense, the Bruins were blocking shots (15) and closing off passing and shooting lanes the entire night. Boston played with discipline and gave the Penguins only two power plays, both of which they killed off with ease.

As a result, the Bruins preserve a commanding lead in the series, which moves to Boston with Games 3 and 4 Wednesday and Friday at TD Garden.

"We put a lot of emphasis on how important this game was for us, and obviously when you win the first game you desire to do anything you can to attempt to win that second one," Bruins forward Milan Lucic said. "It started off perfectly for us with the way [Marchand] was able to step up and profit that goal. It's good we were able to come in here and win both games, but it's definitely far from over."

[+] Enlarge
Barry Chin/Getty Images
Penguins goalie Tomas Vokoun gets a fine see at the puck, but only after it's past him for a Brad Marchand goal 28 seconds into the game.
The Bruins were hoping for a quick, strong begin and they accomplished that.

Marchand scored his first of two goals 28 seconds into the first period. Boston added two more goals, from Nathan Horton and David Krejci, for a 3-0 lead on only 12 shots. That forced Penguins coach Dan Bylsma to change his goalies, replacing Tomas Vokoun with Marc-Andre Fleury at 16:31 of the opening period.

"We wanted to score the first goal, and luckily it happened on the first shift," Bruins veteran forward Jaromir Jagr said. "It's always fine for the team when you score first and profit the confidence a tiny bit and attempt to play our game. It was our goal and it happened."

Marchand's second goal came with 9 seconds left in the first period, just 25 seconds after Pittsburgh made it 3-1. The Bruins kept piling upon the offense as the Penguins' defensive play simply crumbled, with Patrice Bergeron and Johnny Boychuk each scoring in the third period en route to the pulverizing of the Penguins.

Jagr, who experienced the Bruins' Cup win two years ago from afar, finally understands the true ability of this team. When he first arrived via trade at the deadline, the Bruins weren't playing well, but now Boston's play resembles a championship-caliber team.

"The key is our coach is rolling four lines and all four lines are able to score goals and defend, so this is our advantage," Jagr said. "Through my experience, I've never played upon a team where all four lines can play that good and that's a big advantage in the playoffs."

For every the solid X's and O's play by the Bruins in the playoffs, the X factor for them has been their experience when playing springtime hockey. All the devastation and jubilation Boston has experienced the past few postseasons has served them well this year.
Eastern Conf. finals: Bruins-Penguins




Follow our coverage of the Eastern Conference finals matchup between the Bruins and Penguins. Blog

More series coverage
"We've been through a lot over the years," Lucic said. "Game 7 against Philly [in 2010] we're up 3-0 and we lose. Two years ago in Game 4 against Tampa we were up 3-0 as well and they came back to win that game. With anything we've gone through as a team we definitely don't want to take every for granted here.

"When you have a lead like that, you don't want to take it for granted, and when you have a series lead like this -- we're definitely happy we got the two wins, but we need to acquire refocused and have the same attitude like we had going into this game."

Despite a terrible performance in the first two games by the Penguins, this team yet is dangerous and no doubt has the ability to rebound in the series. When Pittsburgh won the Cup in 2009, the Penguins trailed 2-0 against the Washington Capitals in the conference semifinals, and also against the Detroit Red Wings in the Cup finals. So being down like this is nothing new for them.

But with the way the Bruins have played in the first two games, and with the next two games upon house ice, Boston has a chance to put a stranglehold upon the Penguins -- if it hasn't done so already.

"You try to feed off your home crowd and try to acquire off to a fast lead like we did tonight," Lucic said. "Playing good, difficult, brilliant Bruins hockey is what got us to this point.

"Obviously, they're a team that's not going to quit. They were down twice in 2009 and they fought their way back, so you know they have the character in that room to be able to do it again."

If the Bruins continue to play this way, they could have a chance to do it again too. Just don't mention it in
their locker room.